on earth must be celestiall and such as becomes the sonnes of God The second that God or Christ in the choyce or admission of Citizens into this celestiall Corporation doth not tye himselfe to any one Kingdome Nation or Prouince to any visible Societie or Corporation here on earth But as heauen it selfe is alike distant from euery part of the earth so euery Nation or Kingdome of the earth are alike free to stand for or solicite their election or admission into this heauenly societie which wee tearme the holy Catholique Church Of these two branches of beliefe this third is a necessary consequent that God hath not bestowed such priuiledges vpon any visible Church or Ecclesiasticall Societie whatsoeuer vpon the face of the whole earth as diuers Founders of Colledges in our Vniuersities haue done vpon some Grammer Schooles founded likewise by them Many haue beene chosen and admitted for perpetuall Fellowes of the celestiall Academie which neuer were trained vp in the doctrine or discipline of the Grecian English or Romish Church God is the sole Founder of the vniuersall Church and of euery particular true Church As for particular visible Churches all are alike free all their sonnes alike capable of admission into the holy Catholique Church or if any ods there be it is in the different measure of their obseruance of the lawes prescribed to all especially the Law of louing God aboue all in Christ and of louing others as our selues for Christs sake 2 The last point is that of all such as are effectually called or authentiquely admitted into this Societie none euer reuolt againe to the Synagogue of Satan or to the world Their effectuall calling and solemne admission makes them such pillars in the house of their God that they cannot bee remoued Him that ouercommeth will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall goe no more out and I will write vpon him the name of my God and the name of the Citie of my God which is new Ierusalem which commeth downe out of heauen from my God And I will write vpon him my new Name Rev. 3.12 So he had said before vers 5. Hee that overcommeth the same shall be cloathed in white rayment and I will not blot out his name out of the booke of life but I will confesse his name before my Father and before his Angels Wherein this victorie consists and how in this life it may be obtained are points belonging to another Argument and haue beene elsewhere discussed at large That their names who thus ouercome are whilest they liue on earth written in the booke of life is euident out of the 20. chapter ver 12. the dead were iudged out of those things which were written in the bookes according to their workes The difference betweene that part of Christs Church which is triumphant and that which is militant here on earth may be resembled by the estate of a visible Societie or Corporation of which the greater part or principall members liue at home in wealth in peace and quietnes whilest others of the same societie soiourn as Factors or Apprentices in forraigne lands yet certaine of their admission to the same priuiledges which the other enioy after they haue serued out their Apprentiship and performed all duties and services required by the lawes of their Corporations 3 Two questions or rather two branches of one and the same question yet remaine which euery one that sincerely mindeth matter of saluation will often make with himselfe First whether every one that sincerely professeth beleife of this article of the Holy Catholike Church be bound to beleeue that he himselfe is a true liue-member of the same Church The second whether euery one which professeth this article be bound to beleeue that there is a true possibilitie left him by the founder of this Church or Kingdome that hee may in good time become a true and liue-member of it Vnto the latter question my answer shall be out of the words of a woman to her husband distrusting Gods loue and fauor towards them whose words became Canonicall Scripture We shal surely die saith Manoah vnto his wife because wee haue seene God But his wife said vnto him If the Lord were pleased to kill vs he would not haue receiued a burnt offring and a meat offering at our hands neither would hee haue shewed vs all these things nor would at this time haue shewed vs such things as these Iudg. 13. vers 22 23. All and euery one ought to bee assured that if the Lord had any purpose to exclude them from being liue-members of this Holy and Catholike Church he would not so often so louingly inuite them by the preaching of the Word and exhibition of his holy Sacraments all which he mightily prophanes whosoeuer otherwise receiues them then as vndoubted pledges of Gods loue and fauour vnto him in particular 4 To the former question the answer is negatiue All are not bound to beleeue that they are actuall or reall members of the Catholike Church For none can truly beleeue thus much of himselfe but he that hath made his election sure and is certaine that his name is written in the booke of life Now though it be most true that whosoeuer is elect was elected frō al eternity whosoeuer is reprobated was reprobated from all eternity yet will it not hence follow that every man is at all times either in the absolute state of election and salvation or in the absolute state of reprobation and damnation This is too desperate a diuision to put Nouices in faith vpon it a cruell racke for tender consciences The best aduice which I can in this point giue is that no man especially no nouice in faith how strong a disputant soeuer he be seeke to winde himselfe into this Catholike Church by strength of syllogisme lest Sathan thence take occasion to wrest his hopes out of his hands by the same or like engine The iudicious Reader is to take further notice that many syllogismes which goe currant amongst some good Diuines haue many foule though secret flawes as hard to bee espied in this subiect of reprobation election and the like as in any other for these are hardly fashioned into syllogisticall forme Many propositions are often in vulgar matters taken for vniuersall when they are but indefinite First to instance in a subiect wherin the fallacie is more grosse and more easie to be discerned Quicunque dicit Alexandrum fuisse animal generosum is verum dicit At quicunque dicit Alexandrum fuisse Bucephalum dicit Alex 〈…〉 Ergo Quicunque dicit Alexandrum fuisse Bucephalum is verum dicit Whosoeuer saith Alexander the great was a generous creature saith true but he that saith Alexander was Bucephalus saih Alexander was a generous creature Therefore whosoever saith Alexander was Bucephalus saith true Others perhaps may answer otherwise but the onely flaw in this Syllogisme if wee examine it by the rules of Art is that the Major
better effects then good wishes or desires of amendment of life or good motions for the present And these may be paralleld by the stonie ground which receiued the seede bestowed vpon it and for a while gaue it nourishment and faire entertainement In others the internall vocation may produce some roote that is some temporarie resolution for amendment of life or practices conformable to rules beleeued but no setled habit no constancie in perseuerance And these may be paralleld by the thorny ground in which the seede sowne tooke better roote then in the stonie ground but was stifled in the growth This internall vocation is in others not onely effectuall for a time or for some purposes but produceth an habituall constant resolution of adhering to the truth knowne and a conuersation answerable to this vocation The infallible consequent of all which is the gift of perseuerance the terminus ad quem of this their constant motion or progresse perfected in victorie is indissoluble vnion with Christ 3 Of men indissolubly vnited to Christ that is of such as are though in a different measure perfect liue-members of the one holy and Catholike Church some are called not onely out of the dregs of their natiue corruption vnto the life of the Spirit but out of this world into a better and these are triumphant members of that one holy Catholike Church which is the liue-body of Christ They are tuti et se curi free not onely from all danger of Apostasie but from all possibilitie of any annoyance or incumbrances which the world the Deuill or the flesh can attempt against them These are they which came out of great tribulation and haue washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lambe Therefore are they before the throne of God and serue him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them nor any heate Reuel 7. verse 14 15 16. Such as are called out of the flesh vnto the life of the Spirit but not as yet out of the world are militant members of the holy Catholike Church and victoriously militant Tuti sunt at non securi They are exempted from ordinary danger or probable hazard of Apostasie but not vtterly secured from all danger of temptation no not from all impairement of their present estate 4 Such as are called vocatione internâ by an inward calling sed inefficaci not effectuall or men not indued with the gift of perseuerance are militant members of the Church indefinitely taken but not victoriously militant no perfect members of the One Holy Catholike Church so called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or by excellencie Such as are called vocatione externâ by externall vocation onely are no true members of the Church militant much lesse any militant members of that true holy and Catholike Church yet members in their kinde of the visible Church for so as Cardinal Bellarmine acknowledgeth occultihaeretici aut infideles dissembling Heritikes or Infidels in heart may be And this sort of men may bee best resembled by such as haue been prest for Souldiers and taken their pay but without any resolution or purpose to shew themselues in the day of battaile much lesse to aduenture themselues in any difficult seruice but ready vpon approach of danger to forsake the field or reuolt vnto the enemie So that the ordinary and vsuall diuision of the Church into triumphant and militant comprehendeth more then the liue-members of the holy and Catholike Church to wit such members of the visible Church or Churches as oppose themselues to the holy and Catholike Church or are not well affected towards it 5 The visible Church is a transcendent and doth neither exclude the members of the Holy Church triumphant or militant nor doth it consist onely of them or of men internally though ineffectually called but of them and of others called onely vocatione merè externâ by vocation meerely externall Euery member of the Church triumphant is visible to other members of the same Church though all inuisible to the Church militant here on earth as perhaps the true members of the Church militant are to them saue onely so farre as God hath reuealed to them the names of such as shall bee saued The Church militant likewise is visible to God and to the seuerall members of it But what members of this visible and militant Church be liue-members of the one holy and Catholike Church or who hereafter shall become liue-members of it is knowne onely to God or to mens priuate consciences after their effectuall calling Euery man perhaps may feele or perceiue his owne but he cannot discerne or see anothers effectuall calling 6 Though the Church bee sometimes by good Writers instiled as well inuisible as visible wee are not from this opposition of words or tearmes to conceit an opposition or distinction of Churches as if some were visible others altogether inuisible Such as most vse these tearmes meane no more by them then we haue said to wit what persons of the militant and visible Church bee true Denisons of the heauenly Ierusalem or Citie of God is to vs inuisible or vnknowne I cannot say whether it were ignorance or malice in the Romanists to construe these tearms of visible and inuisible whilest they found them in some of our Writers for diuisiue differences of the Church as if they had constituted two contra-distinct or opposite Churches when as it is plaine that they are for the most part subordinate coincident Ordinarily the liue-members of the Holy Catholike Church or of that part of it which is to vs inuisible are members of some visible Church but not é contra For neither all nor most part of any visible Church in latter ages are true and liue-members of the Holy and Catholike Church part of which wee beleeue to be here on earth though it be to vs inuisible Finally to be visible or inuisible are denominations meerely accidentall no true differences of the Church Betweene a visible Church and a Church inuisible there is a meane Many there bee or may be in most ages which are no members of the visible Church and yet better members of the true Church then the members of the Church visible for the present are For the true and orthodoxall Church might be truely visible in its members so dispersed and scattered as they cannot rightly be said to make one true visible Church 7 The inuisibilitie of the holy Catholike Church here militant on earth hath not beene in all ages the same The members of this diuision if so it please any man to conceit it were in the Apostles time in a manner coincident Few there were especially of the Iewish nation which did associate themselues vnto the then visible Church which were not euen in this life associated to the holy and Catholike Church militant made liuing stones in
the house of God That saying of the holy Spirit Act. 2. v. 47. was more peculiarly verified of those times and of that people then of any other times or people The Lord added to the Church daily such as should bee saued This saying includes thus much That all or most of those that professed themselues members of the then visible Church became liue-members of the holy Catholike Church And no wonder for the temptations or dangers which then hindred the Iewes or Gentiles but especially the Iewes from consociating themselues to the then visible Church were more and greater then such as hinder the members of later visible Churches from entring into the Kingdome of heauen or from resolute profession of that doctrine without which no member of any visible Church this day extant vpon earth can enter or be admitted into that one holy and Catholike Church Vntill Bellarmine Valentia Stapleton and some others did trouble the streame or current of Gods Word as much as we haue here said was cleerely represented to the aduersaries of our Church Witnesse that Enchiridion of Christian Institutions set forth by the prouinciall Councell of Colon vpon this Article of the Creede The Author of which Enchiridion were he one or more hauing diuided the Church into triumphant and militant ingenuously grants that the Church militant taken in its proper and strict sense is inuisible saue onely to God He grants withall that some members of the Church militant ita sunt in domo Dei vt ipsi sint Domus Dei they are so in the Church of God as they themselues are the Churches of God that is as we said before they are homogeneall and liue-members of the one holy Catholike and Apostolike Church or pillars and liuing stones so layed by the hand of God that they can neuer be remoued All hee had to say against Lutherans was verùm ad eum modum non oportet accipere Ecclesia vocabulum c. That when Christ commands vs to heare the Church or when the Fathers dispute about the authority of the Church we are not to take the Church militant so strictly as Luther Caluine and their followers somtimes doe to wit for the liue-members of Christs mysticall body All this may be granted we are not the men which they mistake vs for We neuer denied obedience to the visible Church which consists of good and bad which containes in it as well the reprobate as the elect All the difference betwixt vs is about the bounds or the limits of the obedience which wee owe vnto the visible Church Wee say first the present Romish visible Church doth exact greater and more absolute obedience then either Moses or such as sate in Moses chayre then either Christ or his Apostles did exact of their followers whilest hee liued here on earth Secondly wee say that we doe not owe the same measure of obedience to any visible Church now on earth as the primitiue professors and beleeuers did to our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles CHAP. VIII What is required to the constitution of a visible Church Whence the vnitie or pluralitie of visible Churches ariseth What vnitie may be had or expected betweene visible Churches independent one of another for Iurisdiction The diuers acceptions or degrees of the visible Church 1 TO the constitution of a visible Church there is required first externall profession of one and and the same faith Whether the parties making this profession be many or few it skils not Sometimes the father of the family with his sonnes and men-seruants were professors of the Christian faith taught by the Apostles whilest the mothers and the daughters with others of the same family remained in Paganisme and infidelity et é contra Now though the house so diuided were not the Church of God yet was there a visible Church of God or part of such a Church in that house A visible Church distinct from others in place of habitation onely not by diuersitie of faith or discipline For seuerall families of the faithfull were called Churches as being partes similares Homogeneall parts of some more intire or ample visible Church Secondly to the constitution of an intire visible Church there is required besides vnitie of profession or the vnitie of faith professed or of morall Lawes acknowledged an vnitie of Lawes or ordinances iudiciall or an vnity of discipline of astipulation or obligement vnto a peculiar kind of power or authority before vnusuall in other Societies or Corporations 2 Before the Pastors or gouernors of the Church had any commission or coactiue power deriued frō Princes States or Common weales to make Lawes for the Church or for punishing offenders euery member of the visible Church in what Realme or Kingdome soeuer seated did renounce or abiure all vse of such libertie as euery other member of the same Kingdome or common-weale which was no member of the Church did enioy It was not lawfull for one member of the visible Church to implead another in matter of controuersie or wrong before a forraigne Iudge And although this astipulation was not legall that is not authorised by any humane Law or custome yet did it bind them faster then any legall or ciuill bond Dare any of you saith S. Paul having a matter against another goe to Law before the vniust and not before the Saints Doe ye not know that the Saints shall iudge the world and if the world shall be iudged by you are ye vnworthy to iudge the smallest matters 1 Cor. cap. 6. vers 1 2. But if some member of this visible church had opposed this spirituall authority or reiected this discipline or astipulation what remedie had the Apostles against them In primitiue times euery one that was partaker of the Word of the Sacraments or of spirituall blessings did thereby subiect or oblige himselfe vnto a peculiar kinde of Iudicature or tribunall vnto which no other member of the Common weale or Kingdome which was no participant of the Word or Sacraments was either subiect or obliged And this was the sentence of Excommunication an extraordinarie and peculiar kind of Iudicature which the Apostles exercised by authoritie immediately deriued from Christ not by commission or warrant from Princes or Estates not by the positiue Lawes or ordinances of any Body ciuill or ecclesiasticke I verily as absent in body but present in spirit haue iudged alreadie as though I were present concerning him that hath so done this deed In the name of our Lord Iesus Christ when yee are gathered together and my spirit with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ To deliuer such a one vnto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord Iesus 1 Cor. cap. 5. v. 3 4 5. That this Apostolicall Iudicature did extend onely to the visible church planted by him that it did extend to all and might be exercised vpon euery actuall member of the same Church is apparant from the
the first planting of Churches had and practised Secondly Whether independent Iudicatures ecclesiasticke did or may decrease or multiply in succeeding ages or so decrease for number that there shall be but one left on earth vnto which all ought to bee subiect so farre that there shall or can bee but one true visible Church Concerning the first point Whether there bee any Iudicature Ecclesiasticke altogether the same with that which the Apostles had I am not of opinion with Erastus that great Physition and good Diuine that the exercise of Excommunication was then onely needfull when no visible Church had any legall or ciuill remedie to preserue its vnitie or purge it selfe of grosse offenders Or that the right or power of Excommunication which the Apostles and their immediate successors had did vtterly expire and vanish after once whole Cities or Common weales became Christian and the Churches which before had onely soiourned amongst them were incorporated into them as liue principall members enabled by full authority deriued from the supreame Maiestie or soueraigntie of States or Kingdomes to inflict corporall punishment vpon offenders to enact coerciue or penall Lawes or other meanes necessary for diffusing the doctrine of life throughout the whole body politike without lett or incumbrance of any particular part or member But though I be not thus farre of Erastus his mind that the power of Excommunication did at that time specified by him vtterly expire or determine yet hath experience made it more then probable that after the Churches and Common weales were so mutually interwrapt and lincked together that euery member of the Common weale was inforced to become a member of the Church and to bee so admitted by Church Gouernours the edge of the spirituall sword was much abated the force of former spirituall ordinances became stifeled with the multitude of persons against whom they were directed Whether the defect bee in the power it selfe or in such as haue it but doe not vse it certaine it is that this branch of discipline is not in our dayes so effectuall as sometimes it hath beene either for framing visible Churches vnto the rules prescribed by their great Founders or first Planters or for conforming the members of the visible Church vnto the true Holy and Catholike Church The meere spirituall power with which alone the Apostles and their immediate Successors were indued was of greater efficacie then both the remainder of the like spirituall power in later Bishops and Pastors and all the strength of secular or ciuill power wherewith Princes States or Kingdomes since the mutuall incorporation of Common weales and Churches haue as they were in conscience and de iure divino bound assisted Prelates and Church-gouernors 7 To the second question Whether there be one or more independent tribunals the later Romanists vnanimously answer that there is but one onely Iudicature or supreame tribunall here on earth the Iudge whereof they make the onely head of all the Churches or as they would say of the whole militant Church here on earth Nostra sententia est saith Bellarmine Ecclesiam vnam tantum esse non duas et illam vnam et veram esse coetum bominum eiusdem christianae fidei professione et eorundem sacramentorum communione colligatum sub regimine legitimorum pastorum ac praecipue vnius Christi in terris vicarij Romani Pontificis Ex qua definitione facile colligi potest qui homines ad Ecclesiam pertineant qui vero ad eam non pertineant Tres enim sunt partes huius definitionis Professio verae fidei Sacramentorum communio et subiectio ad legitimum pastorem Romanum Pontificem The Church in our opinion saith Cardinall Bellarmine is one not two and this one true Church is a Company of men linked together by profession of the same christian Faith by communion of the same Sacraments vnder the gouernement of lawfull Pastors and chiefly of the Bishop of Rome Christs sole Vicegerent here on earth Out of this definition hee further addes it may easily bee gathered what men pertaine vnto the Church who pertaine not vnto it For the parts of this definition are three Profession of Faith Sacramentall Communion and subiection to the lawfull Pastor viz. the Bishop of Rome The conclusion which he aymes at is this that whosoeuer either doth not hold the same Faith in all points which the Romish Church doth or doth not communicate with that Church in the vse of Sacraments or doing both these doth not withall acknowledge the Bishop of Rome for his supreame Gouernour ecclesiastike hee no way belongs to the true Church Whosoeuer holds all the three parts of the former definition he is the true sonne of the same Church The militant Church saith the Author of the Antidote is a society or company of men linked and combined together in the same profession of the Christian Faith and vse of Sacraments vnder lawfull Pastors chiefly vnder one Head and Vicar of Christ the Pope of Rome the 3. part of the Antidote cap. 1. p. 17. § 5. 8 The Church triumphant is more beholding to or rather lesse iniured by this Cardinall and his followers then it was by some former Popes or Councels which as the Doctor of famous and blessed memorie long since obserued haue made the Pope head of the Church triumphant Cardinall Bellarmine and his Epitomists in making the Pope such an head of the vniuersall Church militant make him an essentiall head of all Christs actuall liue and indeficient members here on earth And thus to doe is an indignitie to Christ not literally or fully expressable by any tearmes which the tongue or pen of men can inuent It may notwithstanding be thus typically represented or shadowed Suppose a man should put a Gorgon or Saracens head made of straw or clouts taken out of a sinke or some other place not fit to be named vpon the Kings statue or image made by publike authority of pure gold hauing first stricken off or stollen away the true head which the Artificer had framed of matter homogeneall and correspondent for forme or proportion to the rest of the body 9 Contradictorie to Cardinall Bellarmine and the Author of the Antidotes definition wee may for the present conclude and the rules as well of nature and reason as of lawes supernaturall and diuine will ratifie our conclusion viz. First that since the Churches and Common-weales absolutely distinct each from other and independent one of another haue beene thus wedded together as soule and body as man and wife there haue beene as many seuerall visible Churches independent each on other for matter of iurisdiction or subiection to one visible Head as there be seuerall free States or Christian Kingdomes independent one of another Secondly that the subordination of Church to Church is in proportion the same with the subordination of the seuerall states wherein the Churches are planted The best vnion that can be expected betweene visible Chuches
seated in Kingdomes or Common-weales independent one of another is the vnitie of league or friendship And this may be as strict as it shall please such Common-weales or Churches to make it Thirdly to make the Church seated in one absolute State or Kingdome liue in subiection to another Church seated in another Kingdome or to any member of another Church or Kingdome head or branch is to erect a Babell or seat for Antichrist not to build vp one holy Church to Christ This practice or vsurpation of the Romish Church hath been the reason why the christian world for these many yeeres hath beene more confused and disordered then the Synagogue of Mahomet Nor is there any possibilitie that christian States or Kingdomes should euer be so vnited in faith and loue as that their ioynt prayers should be acceptable vnto God against the Turke or other professed enemie of Christ vntill they haue cast off this heauy yoke of Satanicall slauery But of these points hereafter 10 Lastly since the Church hath beene diffused throughout all and euery part of Kingdomes and Prouinces it is impossible that euery member should personally meete to make lawes and orders And yet all lawes are presumed to bee made by vniuersall consent and in this regard the Churches haue beene inforced to haue as well Churches as Bodies politike representatiue And inasmuch as the practice and custome hath beene to admit none but Cleargie or Church-men as members of the Body Ecclesiastike or Church representatiue the name of the Church hath beene in a manner appropriated to the Cleargie Church-men or Spiritualtie The Church or body Ecclesiastike representatiue that is the Church inabled to make lawes or canons Ecclesiastike of what members soeuer it doth may or ought to consist for their qualification as whether onely of Clarkes or whether it may admit some mixture of the Layetie is either permanently existent or existent onely by vicissitude or turnes The Church representatiue which is existent onely by vicissitude or at certaine times onely may bee comprehended vnder the names of Councels or Synods whether oecumenicall generall or prouinciall or of Conuocations ecclesiastike The Church representatiue permanently existent amongst the Romanists is the Consistorie of the Pope and his Cardinals Albeit in very deede the Iesuites the Canonists and later Papists of their instruction haue contracted the Church representatiue into the Popes brest alone He to vse their own dialect is the vertuall Church that is He eminently comprehends al the authoritie which is formally and ordinarily seated or inhaerent whether in the Church representatiue or in the whole militant and visible Church of God whereof He claimeth to bee the sole visible head He hath the same reference to the whole body of the Church visible besides as Plato his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the life or quintescence of the visible Church or in respect of that Church all in all So Cardinall Paleotus in his booke de sacro consistorio would perswade vs that as God Almighty sometimes gouernes the world by his ordinary power or by the ministerie or coagencie of second causes sometimes by his extraordinarie immediate or absolute power so the Pope sometimes determines controuersies in religion and orders the affaires of the Church by the consent and assistance of Councels or at least of his Consistorie somtimes by himselfe alone and by his sole plenarie and illimited power CHAP. IX That albeit the true Church be alwaies visible yet it is a grosse sophisme hence to inferre that the visible Church is alwaies the true Church or that one visible Church is more priuiledged from erring than another The strange blasphemie by which the Author of the Antidote seekes to support the infallibilitie of the visible Romish Church 1 THe subiect of our next inquirie shall bee so to share the titles or attributes giuen by the Scriptures orthodoxall antiquitie or other good authoritie to the Church indefinitely taken betweene that one Holy Catholike Church which wee beleeue in this Creede and the visible Church or Churches which we see or know so as that God and his Holy Church may haue their full dues and Gods deputies here on earth Caesars or other gouernours of his visible Church may haue no wrong The best and most generall rule for our direction in this search is that which will better appeare from a treatise concerning the exposition of prophesies For as one and the same prophesie touching Christ so one and the same promise made vnto the Church may be often literally verified and in different measure successiuely fulfilled of diuers parties Some promises may be literally verified of the visible Church or Synagogue of the Iewes before our Sauiours Incarnation and of the visible Churches planted by his Apostles and bee in part fulfilled throughout euery age of the liue-members of Christs body to vs inuisible but lastly to bee exactly fulfilled of the Church triumphant or Kingdome of glory 2 Most of the later Romanists arguments are meere Sophismes à dicto secundùm quid ad simpliciter that is they take all those glorious titles or promises made to the Church in its most ample or exquisite signification to be exactly and intirely fulfilled of the visible Church throughout all ages when as they are verified of it in part onely or at some speciall times or by way of type or shadow and vnto which she hath at no time any absolute title but conditionall In this mist of ignorance the Author of the blinde guide of faith in his second chapter doth strangely wander not onely from the truth but from the leuell which hee had taken not much amisse in the first chapter of his treatise and as his custome is when hee hath lost his way like a balling Hound not well entred fals a barking at Doctor Whitaker whose words or meaning how sincerely he quotes or recites I leaue it to the vnpartiall Readers examination In his third chapter hauing proposed this Thesis That the true visible Church is apparantly knowne and famous to the world he labours to proue in the fourth chapter that the true visible and apparantly knowne Church can neuer faile That the visible Church was in the Apostles time and after the true Church of God we neuer denyed nor will we contend with him whether the true Church of God on earth can euer faile no not whether euer it ceaseth to be visible Where then is the difference These two propositions the true Church of God is alwaies visible the visible Church is alwaies the true Church of God differ as much as a Mill-horse and a Horse-mill or as to stand with a man and to withstand a man The whole visible Church in the dayes of the Emperours Constantius and Valens did Arianize as the Romanist cannot deny The best answer that they can giue to this Instance is that these Emperours did not raigne long for Valens died within
parallel betwixt the Apostle and the Prophet is this After the Evangelical Prophet had written the historie of Christs passion in the 53. chapter he presently sets down that invitation of the new Ierusalem pre-figured by Sarah and her barrennesse to take vp old Hannahs Song Reioyce ô barren thou that didst not beare breake forth into singing and cry aloud thou that didst not trauell with child for more are the children of the desolate then the childrē of the maried wife saith the Lord. Enlarge the place of thy tent let thē stretch forth the curtains of thine habitatiōs spare not lengthē thy coards strengthen thy stakes For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left thy seed shal inherit the Gentiles make the desolate cities to be inhabited Isa 54. v. 1 2 3. The Apostle immediately after his explication of the former Allegory Gal. 4.27 takes vp the first part of the Prophets song by way of testimony or confirmation of his doctrine But Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all For it is written Reioyce thou Barren that bearest not c. CHAP. XI Of the consonancie betweene the promulgation of the old Testament and the New Of the opposition between the Law and the Gospell or betweene the old Testament and the new The explication of the Apostles argument Heb. 9. ver 13 14. 1 BVt when did the Church or spouse of Christ or children of the new Testament first take vp this ioyfull song whereunto the Prophet did invite her Immediately vpon our Sauiours death and resurrection No these were the dayes of the Churches widowhood wherein she sate for a while destitute and comfortlesse and wherein her womb was shut vp from bearing children The Apostles themselues had as little strength as Abraham had to beget or Sarah had to bring forth children vnto God vntill they were indued with power from aboue The new Ierusalem did not descend like a glorious bride from Heaven vntill the bridegroome her Lord had ascended from earth to heauen in glory But within ten daies after the Holy Ghost came down vpon the Apostles and disciples in visible shape in token that Christs Church was now betrothed vnto him this was as the solemnization of the Mariage And whereas for fifty daies after our Sauiours resurrection wee doe not read of one soule more then their owne begotten to God by the Apostles and Disciples there were added vpon the fiftieth day three thousand soules vnto the new Ierusalem or visible Church and euery day after such as should bee saued And these being dispersed throughout euery Nation vnder heaven did propagate the seed increasing and multiplying much faster then the Israelites did in Egypt The songs of ioy foretold by Esaias the Prophet were taken vp by these sonnes of the new Ierusalem whilest they were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speake with other tongues as the spirit gaue them vtterance Acts 2. ver 4. God gaue his Law vpon Mount Agar or Sinai fiftie dayes after the Israelites were deliuered out of Aegypt and fiftie dayes after the deliuerance of his people from the bondage of sin and Sathan the same Lord proclaimes his Gospel or new Couenant vpon Mount Sion in Ierusalem the Metropolis or royall seat of Abraham or Dauids seed The visible Ierusalem from Davids time till Christs is as the middle terme of proportion betweene the Law and the Gospell that is the same proportion which the Law as opposed vnto the Gospell or which Agar with her children had vnto Abrahams of-spring by Sarah in respect of ciuill freedome or of emblematicall or typicall preheminences the like proportion had Abrahams of-spring by Sarah or the visible Ierusalem in her greatest glory vnto the new Ierusalem after the Holy Ghost had descended vpon the Apostles and such as were in their times conuerted vnto Christ And as the Law being giuen vpon Mount Agar did emblematically import a kind of ciuill seruitude vnto such as did adhere vnto it whilest it stood in opposition to the Gospell so the Gospell being promulged in the visible Ierusalem did betoken the spiritual freedome of all such as abandoning the Law did embrace it 2 Of the difference or agreements betwixt the Law and the Gospell or which is all one betwixt the old Testament and the new I shall haue occasion to treat elsewhere For this time it shall suffice in a word to aduertise that the old Testament and the new are sometimes compared and considered by sacred Writers tanquam includens inclusum as the Huske and the Graine The Gospell before Christs time was in the Law as the corne new set in the eare And the Law and the Gospell or the two Testaments thus considered are rather one thē two at least there is an vnity of subordination betwixt them Vnto such as vsed the old Testament as they ought onely as an Introduction to the new there was indeed but one Testament For as the Schooles speake vbi vnum propter aliud ibi vnum tantùm The same Testaments may be sometimes considered as abstracted or seuered each from other Thus the Gospell or new Testament since our Sauiours death and resurrection is become as pure corne threshed and winnowed The old Testament or the Law thus seuered from it remaines onely as the chaffe or huske If we thus consider the Law or old Testament as the Iewes imbrace it that is altogether seuered from the new to which alone wee Christians adhere by faith they are not onely two but two opposites or contraries The Iewes appetitus caninus or womanish longing after the Law and our constant adherence to the Gospell thus opposed vnto the Law as pure corne vnto the putrified chaffe or huske breeds a kinde of Antipathie betweene vs. For such as is our seuerall food and nourishment such our seuerall dispositions are Wee feed vpon the pure corne or rather vpon the bread of life it selfe cleansed from all branne the Iew onely vpon the chaffe or huske and his religion is as loathsome to vs as swines flesh is to him See Philip. 3. vers 7 8 9. 3 This opposition or subordination betweene the legall or Euangelicall Testament will further appeare from our second instance which was in the same Apostle Heb. 9. ver 13 14. If the blood of Bulls and of goats and the ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the vncleane sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing God The termes of proportion likewise in this inference are foure The first not fully expressed but implyed and it is a sin or trespasse meerly committed against the Law of ceremonies The second which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to this is a legall or proper sacrifice for such a sinne to wit the blood of Bulls and of goats and the
yet did hee thereby cease to bee a visible member of the Holy Catholike Church For albeit Bellarmine would in part excuse him as if that which he did did not continere in se manifestum haeresin containe any manifest heresie yet Baronius and others and amongst the rest Binnius confesse that for yeelding to the Emperour the Catholikes did eschew communion with him Now these Catholikes that did eschew communion with Pope Liberius for communicating with the Arian faction were neither the Catholike Church nor the visible Church but at the best visible members of the Holy catholike Church And the Church as catholike includes as well vniuersalitie of succession and of time as extension of place or multitude of persons professing the catholike faith After this defection of the Romish church in the Bishop Liberius the whole Romane Empire was ouerspread with Arianisme If there were any visible Church of note which in those dayes remained catholike it was in the East without the precinct of the Romane Empire or in this our Iland The chiefe pillar or ground of truth which the Romane Empire in those times had was Gregory of Nazianzene as may appeare out of that ancient Author that writes his life Though Constantinople had been held the chiefe watch-tower of the oecumenicall church visible yet when Nazianzen was sent for thither to support the catholike cause against the Arians so much of the catholike church as was extant in that great citie was contracted within the narrow walls of the Temple of Anastasia for that church onely was permitted them to meete in as is thought in contempt that the littlenesse of it might vpbraid them with their paucitie it being a fit receptacle rather for a priuate conuenticle then for a iust and lawfull congregation Nazianzen then was the Luther of ancient times to reforme the visible church being ouerspred with Arianisme Luther was the Nazianzen of later times to dispell the mists of Poperie and Romish Idolatrie by the light of the Gospell and to reduce the visible church vnto conformitie with the ancient church 7 As many as in our Sauiours time here on earth at the instigation of the high Priest of the Scribes and Pharisees or of the then visible church representatiue or otherwise out of their priuate choice did persecute him and his Apostles as deceiuers or authors of new sects or heresies did thereby dissociate themselues from the ancient and Primitiue Church of God established in Iewrie and yet remained true and obedient members of the then visible or representatiue church On the contrary such as before our Sauiours death or passion did acknowledge him for their Messias although for so doing they were excommunicated and cast out of their Synagogues that is vtterly cut off from being any longer members of the then visible church did by this their known sufferings or martyrdome become illustrious and visible members of the true Primitiue and catholike Church whereof Abraham Dauid Samuel with all the rest of the holy Patriarkes and Prophets were principall parts The Iewes had agreed saith S. Iohn chap. 9. verse 22. that if any man did confesse that he was Christ hee should bee put out of the Synagogue For feare of this heauy censure the Parents of that blinde man which our Sauiour had restored to sight put off the Pharisees with this dilatorie answer We know that this is our Sonne and that he was borne blinde but by what meanes hee now seeth we know not or who hath opened his eyes wee know not he is of age aske him hee shall speake for himselfe The Sonne being asked boldly replies If this man were not of God he could doe nothing And for this answer hee is cast out of the Synagogue or visible church and yet remaines a more conspicuous and visible member of that holy church which Moses had planted in Israel then his Parents were which continued as they had beene actuall or vnseparated members of the present Synagogue or visible church CHAP. XVIII In what sense it may be granted that the visible Romish Church at the time of our forefathers separation from it was a true Church and yet withall the Synagogue of Sathan the seate of Antichrist and common sinke of heresies 1 BVt here it will bee demanded whether these visible members of the holy catholike church which were as liuing stones or fit materials for erecting reformed visible churches as hauing not their consciences indelibly branded with the character of the Beast were before Luther began his reformation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or no that is whether they were the immediate sonnes of God begotten onely by his Spirit without the ministerie or trauaile of any visible church To affirme they were such sonnes of God we may not and if we say they were the sonnes and daughters of God and yet withall the sonnes and daughters of the visible church which was before Luthers time that visible church which by our positions can bee no other then the church of Rome was certainely a true church in that it brought forth sonnes and daughters vnto God All this may be granted that the Romish church before Luthers time was and at this day is a true church quoad hoc that it did and may bring forth sonnes and daughters vnto God that is there are these meanes of regeneration in it which are not in the Mahumetan or Iewish Synagogue In opposition to both which it may bee said a true church though in respect of the Primitiue catholike church or of reformed visible churches it may truely bee tearmed the Synagogue of Sathan or seate of Antichrist in many respects as much worse as it is in some respects better then the Iewish or Mahumetan Synagogue The Thesis was as discreetly proposed as learnedly prosecuted by Doctor Rainolds Romana Ecclesia nec est catholica Ecclesia nec sanum membrum Catholicae Ecclesiae The Roman Church neither is the Catholike Church nor any sound member of the Catholike Church In saying this hee did not deny it in some respects to be a true Church which is in expresse tearmes affirmed by Iunius in his book intituled Liber singularis de Ecclesia by Doctor Couell in his Apologie for Master Hooker and by Master Forbes vpon the 14. of the Reuelation whose testimonie is so much the more to bee esteemed because he expresly maintaines the papacie or representatiue Romish church to bee the Kingdome of the great Antichrist So that in the iudgement of these three which haue handled this point very discreetly as also in the iudgement of learned Doctor Rainolds the visible church of Rome might fitly bee compared vnto a Mother which brings forth sound and healthy children but when they come to sucke her milke she infects them with such loathsome diseases as accompany lewd and naughty Strumpets or if they chance to escape infection by the milke which they sucke from her in their infancie yet when she comes to feede them with stronger meats
had deliuered this sentence ex cathedra It is expedient for vs that one man die for the people and that the whole nation perish not Iohn 11. ver 49. And vpon his authority or warrant they aduentured to put the Lord of glory to death Had not this false Apostaticall Priest beene in vero sacerdotio a chiefe officer in the house of God neither could so cleer a truth as he vttered haue beene inuerted to such a pernitious end as it was spoken by him apprehended by others nor could hee haue conceiued or vttered so cleare a truth of himselfe as S. Iohn instructs vs he did This he spake not of himselfe but being high Priest that same yeer he prophesied that Iesus should die for the Nation Ioh. 11.51 Other Acts of his priesthood tooke their validity from his office not from his person this speculatiue truth tooke its poysonous operation from his person not from his office although he could not haue borne so bitter enmity vnto Christ vnlesse he had beene in that office Now albeit we grant that Caiaphas did prophesie by vertue of his place or Priestly office yet no Romanists as I hope will deny that Caiaphas in the preposterous application of his propheticall sentence might well brooke the name of Antichrist at the least that hee was a type or shadow of the Antichrist to come who was to sit as Caiaphas did in the Temple of God or if so they will haue it in S. Peters chaire that hee may wrest diuine truths authoritatiuely to as wicked ends as Caiaphas did 5 But may it not hence bee inferred that as the Sanedrin was the onely visible Church which God had here on earth so the Romish Church from which Luther did separate himselfe was the onely true visible Church of Christ at the time of his separation This may be granted de facto but not de iure For there was an expresse Law of God that there should be no more visible Churches then one before our Sauiours death and resurrection after which there were to bee as many visible Churches de iure as there were seuerall independent Soueraignties I haue heard indeed of some French Catholikes as they would bee accounted which vse this as an argument whether intended by them ad homines to delude the obiecter onely or ad rem to the matter it selfe I know not But this argument they vse to proue that their Church as opposed to Reformed Churches is the true Church because the Pope is Antichrist Antichrist as the Apostle teacheth is to sit in the Temple of God and the Temple of God no question is the true Church whence seeing hee sits in their Church they inferre that theirs is the true Church not ours But as in most other arguments concerning the Church so in this they cozen themselues with the fallacy à dicto secundùm quid ad dictum simpliciter First both letter of Scripture and analogie of faith doe teach that Antichrist is to sit as Caiaphas did in a true Church yea to be a chiefe Officer of some Church otherwise he could not be a principal Rebell or notorious Traitor against Christ But in that he was to be such a rebell and such a Traitor it is not conceiuable that the Church which wholly submits herselfe to him as to her head should bee the true Church much lesse the onely Church of Christ The former argument will hold thus farre The Pope is Antichrist ergo the Church of Rome is a true Church secundùm quid that is in opposition to the Synagogue of Iewes of Turkes or other professed Infidels But if we speake absolutely or compare it with Churches truly Christian it is no true Church of Christ but the Synagogue of Satan Or as he said of his sordid Hosts entertainment that there was so much fire as a man could not haue truly said in strict propriety of logicke phrase there was no fire that is there was so much as if hee had beene bound by couenant of Lease neuer to haue suffered the fire to goe out hee might haue saued his lease from forfeiture and yet there was no fire but a mocke-fire to the entertaining of a stranger so much as was a greater eyesore to him that had sought comfort or refreshing from it then if there had been none at all In like manner there is so much of the true Church in the present Romish visible Church as a man cannot say it is no Church at all so much true doctrine in it as sufficeth to support the title of Antichrist and to make it the very seat of all abominations or impieties more then natural For as the mingling of the Traditions of men with Moses doctrine did make the leuen of Pharises to be so malignant and distastfull to God and all good men so is it the mixture or making vp of the doctrine of Christ and of Deuills in one and the same Liturgy which makes Antichristianisme in graine And as elswhere is obserued the Idolatry of the Romish Church is so much worse then the Idolatry of the Heathens by how much that Churches generall beliefe of one God of the glorious Trinity and of the redemption of mankind is better then the Heathens beliefe or knowledge of the same points 6 But when it is said that Antichrist is to sit in the Temple of God it is not meant onely that hee should sit in the present visible Church but that he should be an vsurper of that chaire which sometimes had beene the seat of Gods Saints and bee an intruder into that Church which had beene Holy and Catholike before his intrusion and which still retaines the rootes and stemmes of Catholike faith into which it shall be his and his followers continual care to ingraffe the doctrine of Deuills and to exercise their spirituall whoredomes in the Oratories of God CHAP. XIX Whether our Forefathers in separating themselues or suffering themselues to be separated from the Romish Church did any otherwise then Gods Prophets or our Sauiours Disciples had their case and opportunity beene the same would haue done 1 BVt here againe the Author of the Antidote or the blinde Guide of faith will obiect That neither the Prophets of old nor our Sauiours Disciples before his death did separate themselues from the present visible Church If not to beleeue as the Church visible and representatiue for the time present did if not to communicate with her in matters of fact or practice were to bee separated from the present visible Church as this Authors words elsewhere imply the Prophets out of all question did either separate themselues or suffer themselues to be separated from the visible Church wherein they liued Ezekiel and Daniel would neuer haue consented to the Priests and Rulers in their persecutions of Ieremie as a false Prophet or Traytor Our Sauiours Disciples before his death stood excommunicated by the visible Church of the Iewes they were as farre from communicating with
the chiefe Priests and Elders in matters of faith and practice as wee are from communicating with the Romish Church or members of the Trent Councell But if this mans meaning be that neither the Prophets nor our Sauiours Disciples before his death did take vpon them to erect a new visible Church altogether distinct from the erring Synagogue the obiection is true but no way preiudiciall to vs. For they liued in that Church or common weale as our forefathers before Luthers time which feared God did in the Romish Church or common weale which had not by publike consent abandoned the Romish Religion that is neither as absolute members of the Synagogue nor yet a visible Church distinct from it but as visible members of that primitiue Church from which the Synagogue had degenerated As for the Prophets and other godly men which liued before our Sauiours death they wanted rather power than willing minds to reforme the corruptions of the visible Church in which they liued And the true reason why that Church continued so corrupt from Iosias his death vntill the destruction of the Temple and grew so wicked againe in the age before our Sauiours time was because during these times there were either naughty Kings or no Kings at all in Israel Had Iehosophat Ezekiah Iosiah or any like vnto them of Dauids line beene Kings of Iudah in Herods stead there is no question but they would haue brought the Scribes and Pharisees to better order or haue deposed them either haue reduced the then visible Church to its primitiue purity or haue erected a new visible Church according to the paterne prescribed by Moses That the Priests and Prophets did so ouerbeare the true Prophets of God Ieremiah Ezekiel c. to the ruine of the City and Kingdome was the fault of Iehoiakim and Zedekiah As at this day againe it is the fault and folly of Christian Kings that the Church of Rome is not either reduced to better conformity with the holy Catholike and Apostolike Church or else demolished as the Iewish Synagogue was But what should moue this man I meane the Author of the blind Guide of Faith to make the former obiection against vs I cannot conceiue vnlesse it were to giue vs and the Christian world to vnderstand That the visible Romish Church his mother could bee very well content to continue till Christs second comming as erroneous and antichristian as the Iewish Synagogue was before his first comming in the flesh vpon condition she may retaine her wonted power and authority to tyrannize ouer vs and other Saints of God as the visible Iewish Church or Synagogue did oft-times ouer the true Prophets and Christs disciples 2 For conclusion of this point In as much as Christian Princes and free States did second Luther in his intended reformation of so much of the visible Romish-Church as was seated in their Soueraignties or Dominions this warrants our separation to haue beene iust and lawfull and free from all suspition of rebellion or schisme whereunto the like attempts in Iury though vndertaken by Gods Prophets had beene obnoxious vnlesse the Princes or chiefe Magistrates had giuen them countenance and authority Howbeit neither Prince nor people ioyntly or seuerally either now haue or at any time had power to make a new church altogether distinct from the Catholike Church militant on earth which hath beene one by continuation of the same faith since the Apostles time But in case any part of the Church militant or visible be infected with heresie or ouerswaid by faction to approue such impious and vngodly practices as are incompatible with the Holy Catholike faith which hath beene professed in pure and vncorrupt times euery free Prince or State haue in this case power and authority sufficient to dislinke themselues from the factious combination of the visible Church or Churches seated in forraigne States or Kingdomes and to vnite themselues into renewed formes of visible Churches distinct from others Yet thus to doe so they doe no more is not to make a new Church neuer heard of before but rather to recollect the scattered members of the Holy Catholike Church in whom the life and substance of the true Church of God consists and to put a new accidentall forme vpon them 3 The case is altogether the same as if an Army consisting of threescore thousand English French and Italians appointed by ioynt consent of these Nations to inuade the Turke should bee misled by the Italian Generall to reuenge his priuate quarrels vpon the Christians If the English vpon discouery of their Generals trecherie should abandon him and adioyne themselues vnto the Hungarians or other Christians oppressed by the Turke they could not iustly be blamed either for defection or reuolt or for leuying an Armie or vndertaking a warre altogether new without any warrant or commission Well might they presume their Prince would approue their proceedings specially if their seruice had successe answerable to the godly intentions of their first Commission 4 As many of our forefathers as did submit themselues vnto the Iurisdiction of the church of Rome and vndertook such seruices as the Pope or Romane Prelacie did appoint them vnto they did thus onely vpon presumption that the Pope did faithfully execute his Commission as the Apostles successor or that he did command in chiefe for Christ But when the contrary was notoriously knowne vnto this people that hee did but counterfeit the visage of the Lambe that he might the more plausibly effect the designes of the Dragon Our Prince and people in abandoning his yoke and breaking off their confederacie with the church of Rome did well And this being done they remaine the same church they were for life and substance but the same Church better purified and purged from rebellious Antichristian humours the same Church so much more homogeneall to the ancient Primitiue catholike Church by how much they remained the freer from seruitude to Romish tyranny whose vsurped authority ouer other Churches is but Antichristianisme or Apostasie from Christ CHAP. XX. Whether the name Catholike can in good earnest be pleaded or pretended for an vnseparable marke of the true visible Church 1 BVt in all these Illustrations it will be excepted that wee take something for granted which the Romish Church will vtterly disclaime This for one That our forefathers at the time of their departure from the Romish Church were true Catholikes or in the interim betweene the abandoning of the Prelacie of Rome and the establishing a Prelacie or forme of Gouernment of their owne more refined were visible members of the holy Catholike Church For so destitute is the Romane Church of all true solid properties of the true Church of God that she is faine to plead the name and title of Catholike to be her proper note or Ensigne which no other Church may more presume to challenge then a Seruingman may presume to weare his Masters coate or cognizance after hee be discharged of his
seruice In this waking dreame the Author of the Guide of saith was brought to raue as followeth Now I come saith he to the great Character of our glory and renowned title of our profession the name Catholike a name famous in the Primitiue Church famous in the Apostles dayes and inserted by them among the Articles of our Creede famous after in all succeeding ages and vsed commonly by the Fathers not so much to make a difference which some thinke betwixt the Iewish Synagogue and the Christian Church as to seuer and distinguish the false named Christians themselues from the true and vnfaigned beleeuers And Reason teacheth D. Whitaker often confesseth the markes and properties of the Church to be vnseparable from the Church whose markes they are Therefore that which once was must still continue a marke of the Church because the true Church although it admit some accidentall change yet it is alwaies in nature vnuariable in essence vnchangeable so that the properties which flow from the essence thereof as the name Catholike doth can no more be altered changed or cease then the power of laughing a propertie which proceedeth from the nature of man can euer cease to appertain to man c. 18. sect 1. 4. p. 155. 138 Auditum admissi risum teneatis amici 2 If the power of laughing proceede from the nature of man and the nature of man consist in reason it will bee very hard for any man to refraine laughing that hath but so much reason as to consider the vanitie of this assertion that a name should be an vnseparable propertie proceeding from the nature of any realitie God gaue names to the first Man and to the first Woman and the first man gaue names befitting other creatures but the names proceeded not from the nature of the creatures named but from the Imposers otherwise their names should haue beene the same in all nations and languages And if the name Catholike were an vnchangeable marke or naturall propertie of any reall Church it should be of the Greeke Church or nation vnto which the name or title of Catholike is prime and naturall If the reall propertie answering to this name had belonged to the Romish Church the holy Ghost would haue exprest it by a Romane name and haue called the Romane Church the vniversall Church at least the Romanists should haue called themselues vniuersals not Catholikes But let vs listen againe vnto this Rauer Wee onely inioy the liuely badge and are inuested with the Liuerie of the true professors of Christ Neither can Mr. Abbot or Mr. Whitaker dismantle vs of that royaltie by saying Names may be falsly imposed to things or vniustly vsurped For this name is not imposed by man nor vsurped by abuse but imparted by God inspired by the Holy Ghost as I haue proued aboue who cannot apparell vs with any faigned attire nor can the Deuill take from Gods people their cognizance or nobilitate his vassailes with the colours of Christ 3 Was the name of Catholike more immediately inspired by the Holy Ghost then the name of Angels or Apostles was or was this title more appropriated to the Church than the other two titles of Holy and Apostolike Now S. Paul tels vs 2 Cor. cap. 11. verse 14 15. that Sathan himselfe is transformed into an Angell of light and it is no maruaile if his Ministers transforme themselues into the Apostles of Christ Is it then impossible for the ministers of Sathan to vsurpe the name of Christs Apostles or Catholikes though both names were imposed by God and inspired by the Holy Ghost Certainely seeing this transformation is not in substance but onely in colour or shew it must needes include the colour or vsurpation of the name whether of Apostles or of Catholikes But he further addes That no heretike could euer obtaine to be called Catholikes by true Christians For this very reason we Protestants of reformed Churches who are if not the onely true Christians on earth yet the truest Christians and the most conspicuous members of the Holy Catholike Church as militant here on earth dare not vouchsafe to bestow the name of Catholike vpon any Papist but with such an addition or item as wee giue the name of Angels to infernall fiends which we tearme Satans Angels or collapsed Angels Now the same analogie which Gods Angels or a holy Angell hath to Sathans Angell or to a collapsed Angell a true and holy Catholike hath to a moderne Romane Catholike For by this tearme we meane such a one as being a seruant of Sathan doth seeke to transforme himselfe into a true and holy Catholike The point which this blinde-guide was to proue was this That no heretikes could vsurpe the name or title of Catholike We say it is the propertie of the moderne Romish Church to counterfeit the fairest titles giuen to the Church by orthodoxall Antiquitie more plausibly then the ancient heretiâ—es could And by this propertie we discerne her to bee that mother of Harlots which can imitate the Lambs voice whilest she acts the Wolfes part Hee further obiects that the Iewes and Mahumetans when they heare a man named a Catholike thereby conceiue some member of the present moderne Romane Church not any of Luthers or Caluines followers So we likewise when we heare a people brag and instile themselues a holy nation wee presently conceiue the parties that thus instile themselues to be Iewes Yet doe we not for all this beleeue that the Iewish Nation is the Holiest of Nations or the onely chosen people of God now on earth As for both Iewes and Turkes it is likely they could bee well content to suffer the Romanist to inioy the name Catholike as a preheminence aboue Christians For they might well hope to proue their owne Religion to bee better then the best professed amongst Christians if once it were granted that the Romane Catholike Religion is the best But to giue the Christian Reader some reall solace after his pleasant recreation at this ridiculous Discoursers folly in that he and his fellowes can thus seriously pleade for the name Catholike which they seeke by faction to ingrosse vnto themselues this is an argument to vs that the floods already approach the sandie foundations whereon this spirituall Babylon is built and that her downefall is at hand For vnlesse her professed Champions and Pilots were likely to be drowned they would not so earnestly catch at such shadowes or floating bul-rushes as this Guide of Faith hath done But leauing the shadow let vs in the next place see whether haue better interest in the body or substance whether wee or they doe better deserue the reall titles of Catholikes CHAP. XXI That the title of Catholike is proper and essentiall vnto the faith professed by the present visible Church of England but cannot truely be attributed to the Faith or Creede of the moderne visible Romish Church 1 WHether the name Catholike were first bestowed vpon the Church or vpon that faith
in whom alone they are exactly fulfilled not onely according to the mysticall but for the most part according to the most exquisite literall sense Not that either all or most passages of Scriptures which are first literally verified of some other and after exactly fulfilled in Christ haue as some great Diuines thinke two literall senses albeit this may sometimes happen though very seldome but that of one and the same litterall sense there may be and vsually are two or more obiects one more principall and proper the other either lesse principall or lesse proper Thus it alwaies not onely is but of necessitie must be wheresoeuer the tearmes wherein it pleaseth the Spirit of God to expresse himselfe containe in them a multiplicitie of significations or importances whether aequiuocal analogicall or ad vnum Now of all tearmes vsed in Scripture this word Church as was obserued before hath the greatest varietie of significations or importances And by consequence it must haue one principall obiect of which all the principall attributes or titles of the Church are punctually and accurately verified and other obiects lesse principall to which notwithstanding the same name or titles are in some measure often communicated 3 Hence it may to the obseruant Reader appeare that Bellarmines exception or argument against Caluine which being drawne into forme stands thus The word Church in Scripture doth alwaies import a visible companie of men Therfore it doth not belong to an inuisible Congregation is no better then this The holy ointment did bedeaw or besprinkle Aarons garments Ergo It was not powred vpon his head or it did not madifie or supple some other parts of his body whereas the truth is vnlesse the ointment had first beene plentifully poured vpon his head it could not haue run downe his necke vnto the skirts or rather the brimmes of his vesture Answerable to this representation we say that all the glorious prerogatiues titles or promises annexed to the Church in Scriptures are in th first place and principally meant of Christs liue-mysticall body But being in abundant measure bestowed on it they descend by analogie or participation vnto all and euery one that hath put on Christ by profession without respect of person place or dignitie All the difference in the measure of their participation or manner of their attribution ariseth from the diuers degrees of similitudes or proportion which they hold with the actuall live-members of Christs mysticall body in matter of faith or conuersation Such as haue the true modell or draught of that Catholique faith without which no man can be saued imprinted in their vnderstandings albeit not solidly ingrossed or transmitted into their hearts or affections are to bee reputed by vs who vnderstand their externall profession better then their inward disposition true Catholiques ttue members of Christs body and heires of promise Although in very deede and in his sight that knowes the secrets of mens hearts many of them be members of Christs body onely in such a sense as foetus conceptus non animatus As an humane body shaped or organized but yet not quickened with the spirit of life is tearmed a man 4 The conclusion touching this point which Bellarmine his followers are bound to proue if any thing they meane to proue to the purpose is this That vnder the name or titles of that Church wherunto the assistance of Gods spirit for its direction or other like prerogatiues are by Gods word assured the visible Church taken in that sense in which they alwaies take it is either literally and punctually meant or necessarily included The visible Church in their language is a Societie or Body Ecclesiastique notoriously knowne by the site or place of its residence or by their dignitie order and offices which are the perpetuall gouernours of it Ecclesia saith Bellarmine est tam visibilis quam est Regnum Galliae aut Respublica Venetorum And againe that Church whereof Christ is King is as visible in his absence by the presence of his Vicar generall as the Kingdome of Naples in the absence of the King is by the presence of his Viceroy Vnto the attributes or prerogatiues bestowed on the Church in the Apostles or Nicene Creede or vnto the promises annexed vnto it in the Scripture the visible Church as we say taken in the Romanists sense hath no claime or title saue onely in reuersion or by reflection that is The true mysticall body of Christ is onely instated in the blessings prerogatiues or promises made vnto the Church from this Body or rather from Christ which is the head of it the said blessings immediately and successiuely descend in different measure vnto the seuerall members of it or vnto such as are no solid members of Christ in practice or conuersation yet true Catholiques in opinion and loue vnfaigned vnto the Catholique faith And from indiuiduals thus habitually qualified the Church visible or representatiue deriues its right interest in the promises made vnto the Church generally or indefinitely taken Wheresoeuer two or three thus qualified are gathered together in Christs name that is not for any priuate ends or sinister respects but for meere loue of truth the presence of Christs spirit is by promise annexed vnto them Though a thousand Bishops Prelates or Clarkes not thus qualified be assembled for their own gaine or dignities or if their consultations be managed by superiour power or faction they haue no like interest in the former promise For any Church visible or representatiue whose indiuiduals are not thus farre qualified the greater part whereof for number or more principall for authority may be infideles aut haereti ci occulti that is Heretiques Infidels or Atheists in harts To vsurpe an absolute infallibilitie in iudgement of matters sacred is no better then blasphemie for any such Church to expect the extraordinary assistance of Gods spirit in their consultations is but the dregs and reliques of Simon Magus his sin But of the diuers acceptions of this word Church in what sense it is said visible or inuisible true or false wee are to speake hereafter Sect. 2. chap. 1. CHAP. VI. Containing the speciall points to be beleeued concerning this Article of the One Holy Catholique Church How euery one is so to moderate his assent or beliefe concerning it that he neither incline vnto presumption nor fall into despaire 1 THe speciall points which wee are in this article to beleeue are these First that as Christ whilest he liued on earth was a King albeit his Kingdome was not earthly nor of this world so he hath still a Kingdome or at least a great part of his Kingdome here on earth the members or Citizens of which Kingdome whilest liuing in this world are not of this world their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as our Apostle speakes is in heauen that is the Societie or Corporation whereof they are actuall and liue-members is translated from earth to heauen and their demeanour or conuersation here