to a Corne field and to a flock of sheepe though the vine be spoyled it is the Lordes vyne though the field haue weeds in it it is the Lords field though the flocke runne astray it is the flocke of Christ and therefore not to bee forsaken for the abuses of it we must rather pray for skilfull ministers to reare vp and to dresse his vine to labour to weede his ground to gather in to feed his flocke Augustine reproueth Emeritus the Donatist because hee departed from the Church Epist 64. Wee may not detest the oyle presses Aug. epi. 137. because of the foame of the oyle nor forsake Gods Church Cyp. lib. 3. Epist 3. because we see tares in the Church it is our partes to be carefull that we may be wheate Wee may not leaue the Lordes floore because of the chaffe Aug. Epist 46. nor breake the Lords nettes because of the euill fishes nor forsake the Lordes flocke because of the goates nor depart from the Lords house because of the vessels of dishonour nor for the iniquity of the badde leaue the vnity of the good They which made the Idol he meaneth the golden Calfe were slayne with the sword which is an vsuall death Aug. epist 162 Epist 172. Exod. 32. Num. 16. but they which would make a schisme died strangely for the chiefest of thē were deuoured by the opening of the earth and the multitude which consented to them was consumed with fire We may suspect our selues to be infected with great pride Aug. epist 209 whē for the sonnes of iniquity we forsake the pastures of vnity Christ hath commaunded vs to assēble together hath reserued to himselfe the separation of the good and bad For it belongeth to him to separate which is free from errour The Nouatians Donatists Anabaptistes c. doe leaue the Church of God because all staynes blemishes are not remoued out of the Church As we may not forsake Gods church though there bee euill men or blemishes in it so is it euery mans duety within the compasse of his calling to reforme euil men and to remoue blemishes 6 There is but one onely true Church THe Churche is Christes body and spouse Ephe chap. 5. Cant. 6. Christes body and spouse is but one My doue is one S. Paule saith of the whole Church Galat. 3. that we are all one in Christ Iesus For amongest the faithful there is one body and one spirite one hope one Lorde Ephe. 4. one faith one Baptisme one God Therfore all the particuler Churches which consent in true religion must be accompted but one onely Church There are many beames in the sun and yet the light thereof is but one there are many braunces in a tree and yet but one body of the same tree many riuers doe passe from one fountayne yet the fountayne is but one so is there no more but one only Church saith Cypr. dispersed farre and wyde De simpl prelat as appeareth by the particular Churches The vnity of the Churche consisteth not in a bodily dwelling together for that cannot be nor in the same outwarde Ceremonies wherein the particuler Churches doe often differ and maye vse their liberty to edification but in an assured consent of doctrine and faith 1. Cor. 10. The Israelites Churche and ours is one and the selfe same Church touching the substance for their Church and ours haue the same sacraments Aug. Epi. 157 the same faith and the same saluation in by one comfortable Messias The difference of times is no reason why the Churches before vnder and after the lawe shoulde not bee one Church Math. 20. The vineyard in the gospel was one the selfe same vineyard albeit at diuers times diuers were admitted into it I confesse the Iewes Gentiles were two before they were vnited in Christ but after they were vnited they are compared to one body whereof Christ is the head Ephes 2. and to one buylding wherof Christ is the foundation corner stone Iohn 10. to one flocke wherof the same Iesus Christ is the shepheard 7 The estate of the Churche in the time of grace is much better then the estate of the Churche either before or vnder the lawe THe earth shal be ful of the knowledge of the Lorde as the waters that couer the Sea Isai chap. 11. verse 9. The prophet Esay speaketh of churches which should be assembled in the time of the gospel It is true that the Israelites were not destitute of knowledge But wee haue greater measure of knowledge thē they had for of Christes fulnesse we haue receiued euen grace for grace Ioh. cha 1. ver 16. And it shal be in the last dayes sayeth God I will powre out of my spirite vppon all fleshe and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie c. Acts chap. 2. ver 17. Gods spirite is more plentiful in Christs time then before For it is manifest by this place that as a greater nūber are partakers of Gods singuler graces in Christes time then either before or vnder the law so they haue larger allowance greater measure of Gods inestimable treasures No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father hee hath declared him Iohn chap. 1. verse 18. The Euangelist Iohn sayeth that Christ was in Gods bosome that is to saye of Gods secrete counsell that wee may be well assured that almightie God doth in the Gospel open as it were his heart vnto vs. Christ was promised to the Israelites but is geuen to vs. The Israelites sawe Christ a farre off we haue him amongest vs. The estate of the Israelites may be cōpared to the breake of the day the estate of the Christians to the broade day light their estate to the sowing of the corne ours to the haruest and reaping of the corne I confesse that the Israelites had the same light that wee haue and the same corne that we haue though not in like measure For touchinge the substance of doctrine the Gospel hath added nothing to the law because nothing is set downe in the Gospel whiche is not conteined in the lawe 8 They are not alwaies the Church whiche vaunte themselues to bee the Church THE Assyrian Rabsaketh 2. King cha 18. laying siege to Ierusalem vseth the name of the Lorde agaynst the people of the Lorde Zedechias the false Prophet in his speech to Micheas boasted of Gods spirite 1. King 22. but he was voyd of Gods spirit The Iewes had oftē in their mouthes the temple of the Lord the tēple of the Lord Ier. 7. but they polluted the temple of the Lord. Iohn 8. They gaue out many times that Abraham was their father but they did not the works of Abraham Rom. 9. Al they are not Israel which are of Israel Marcion the Heretike reiected the Gospell Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 11.
sonnes in the vniuersities for the benefite of Gods Church for very fewe of greater calling dedicate their sonnes as Anna did Samuel to the Lords ministerie when they see that learning vertue and religion are not preferred and rewarded for learning vertue and religions sake and that as Aristodemus of Lacedemon saide money money is the mā without money either giuē to corrupt patrōs or corrupt brokers the Churches allowance is very hardly come by Lent shrift is found fault with long ago but sure I am that the shriuing or rather shauing of the Churchemen as it is more costly then Popishe shrift so is it in some sorte as greate an enemy to Gods religion as that trumpery was If that which I haue set downe in my Treatise of the Sacramentes or in this booke can not worke the good I meane the vnfained conuersion of suche as eyther haue or doe poll the Church let them remember that euen the popishe sort howsoeuer they are wide both of white butte in many weighty pointes of Gods religion doe both mislike and condemne the giuing and taking of money or pensions for cleargy liuinges and thinke it a very absurd thing as it is indeed that anie patrone because he hath right according to the lawe to present a fitte man shoulde pull away either the whole or the least part of the churches prouision Secondly that the time will come when these gracelesse cormorances shal sing this song with the king of Babilō vocetur Daniel sende sende Dan. 5. 1. King 13. Exod. 8. for a godlie preacher with the king of Israel Orapro me c. O man of God pray that my withered hād may be restored with the king of Egypt Orate dominū vt auferat ranas Moses and Aaron pray ye to the lord that I and my people may bee rid of the frogges Let thē remēber I say that the time wil come whē they shall sing this sōg with these vngracious princes howsoeuer they either haue or doe poll godlie mē of the churches maintenāce T. Liuius lib. 42. If. Q. Fuluius vncouering the one halfe of Iunoes tēple that he might couer another tēple in Rome with the same tiles was greatly both misliked condemned by thē of Rome for his fact if they told him that Pyrrhus and Annibal would not haue faulted so and that the pulling of the tiles from priuate mens houses had bin too much therfore frō the Church was intollerable if they caused the tiles of Iunoes temple to be sent home againe may not such as either garnish their houses or themselues or both with the spoyle ruine of Christiā churches be iustly both misliked condemned may they not be truely tolde that the Egyptians Philistines would not spoile the Temples of their idols and that the Churches mayntenance is too holy and precious a thing for them to laye their fingers on and may they not bee iustly called on to returne home againe not the tyles of Iunoes Temple but all that which belonges to the maintenance of almighty Gods religion 1. Sam. 6. The Philistines when they sent Gods Arke from them Luke 19. sent it with a gift Zacheus of Iericho did offer fourefold restitution if he had iniuried any man The Churchemen desire not any ouerplus and vsurie of them which eyther haue or doe poll the liuings of the Church onely they desire restitution of the principall that is of their owne To conclude if Churche-pollers haue any sparke of Gods feare religion in thē Ier. 13. if they be not as the black moore which cannot change his skin or as the Leopard which cannot chaunge his spots if they honour our gracious Prince if they loue this noble Church kingdome if they haue Englishe mens hearts if they beleeue that there is a heauen for Gods seruants a hel for Churchrobbers thē let them not vse Gods Church Plin lib. 1◠chap. 62. as the young vipers doe their damme that is breake the bodie of her but let them change their monstrous course and if it please them not to be good to the churchmen let them be good to themselues remember that the wyld asse Iere. 2. though shee snuffe vp the winde at her pleasure is foūd in her moneth if it like them not to fauour themselues Tertul. ad Scap. let them be good I will not say to Carthage as Tertullian said to the president of Carthage in another case but to the Church of God Ephe. 53 which is Christs both body spouse betweene which church his maiesty bicause there is a very sure and inseparable knot it is most certayne that the iniurie done to the Church reacheth to Iesus Christ the head and bridegroome of the Church before whose iudgement seate we must all appeare and receiue according to that we haue done in this body whether good or euil 2. Cor. chap. 5. ⧠A Table of suche points as are contained in this Treatise 1 VVHat the visible Church is why it is called vniuersall 2 Without the Churche there is no saluation 3 The preaching of Gods worde and the sincere administration of the Sacramentes are the essentiall markes of Christes Church 4 Godly and learned ministers must be freely and bountifully prouided for 5 We may not forsake Gods Churche though there bee euill men or blemishes in it 6 There is but one onely true Church 7 The estate of the Churche in the time of grace is much better then the estate of the Church eyther before or vnder the lawe 8 They are not alwayes the Churche which vaunt themselues to be the church 9 The visible Churche consisteth of good and bad 10 The particuler Churches are mixte of the elect and reprobate but they are not called Gods Churches but for the electes sake 11 The external estate of Gods church is subiect to many chaunges in the worlde therefore Gods Church is not alike visible at all times 12 The visible church must not be tied to any place or persons 13 Gods church cannot be quenched 14 God hath his Church alwayes in earth 15 The reprobates are not of the Church 16 Succession of Bishops is not an infallible argument of Gods church 17 Antiquitie is no sure argument of Gods Church 18 Euerie vnitie is not a sure argumēt of the true church neither is euery discorde a sure argument of a false church 19 Multitude is not an infallible argument of Gods church 20 The church is not to be measured by the external shew 21 None which are or haue beene alients from the Church of God are to bee admitted rashly into it 22 Gods Church may erre 23 The Church is not perfect in this worlde 24 The Church of Rome hath and may erre 25 They may not be accompted Schismatikes whiche forsake the Churche of Rome 26 The Church must be built vpon the word of God 27 The Churche is knowen by the worde of God 28 Iesus
such measure as Silo had the bare name and face of the Gospel and religion wil not deliuer vs from beyng measured with the lyne of Samaria God be mercifull to this Church land and giue vs grace to be thankfull for his mercies and to be afrayde of his iudgementes The Donatistes in Augustines time did tye Gods Church to a corner of Affrike Ang. Epi. 50. 161. The Pharisies did tye Gods religion to Ierusalem but they were fowlly deceiued for Gods Church is not tyed to any certayne place but rather to Gods word and sacraments and to godly obedience to his holy Gospel so that wheresoeuer God is truely serued that people is Iuda and Israel that city is Ierusalem that house is Gods house 13 Gods Church cannot be quenched GOds Churche is compared to the bushe which burnt with fire Exod. 3. but was not consumed Gen. 15. it is compared to a firebrand shyning in the middest of a smoaking fornace Gods Church is grauen in the palme of the Lordes hande it is as the apple of his eye it is Gods inheritaunce it is as arrowes in the Lordes quiuer it is a Crowne of glorye in his hande Esay 62. and a royall Diademe in the hand of almighty God Gods Church is like to Camomile which thriues best when it is trodē on to the Palme tree whiche flourishes most whē weight is layd vpon it Tertu ad Sca. Christianity growes fayrest whē it is vnder the crosse Acts 8. The primitiue Church was greeuously persecuted after the death of S. Stephen but it increased the more For whereas the Church before that time was shut vp as it were within the walles of Ierusalem after the dispersion of the godlye by reason of that persecution Samaria and Antiochia became goodly Churches Acts 11. Gods enemies deserue no thāks for this but almighty God doth whiche fetcheth light out of darkenesse life out of death Gods enimies doe what they can to cast Gods Church into the bottom of the Sea but they labour in vayne No man can stay the flowing of the sea nor bynd the wings of the wynd nor darken the beames of the sunne The grayne of mustard seede will be a tree for the byrdes to make their nests in Mat. 13. Gods Churche will be aliue notwithstanding al the subtiltie and violence of the enemies 14 God hath his Church alwaies in the earth CErtayne Paganes affirmed Aug. de ciuit Dei lib. 18. cap. 54. that Christian religion should not continue aboue three hundred sixty fiue yeeres but they were fowlly deceiued Esay chap. 8. The Prophet Esay liued in a straunge time yet he had disciples amongst whō he sealed the law of God The Apostle asking Rom. 11. whether GOD hath cast away his people answeres God forbidde Except the Lord of hosts had reserued vnto vs euen a small remnant Esay 1. we should haue beene as Sodome and shoulde haue beene like Gomorrha that is vtterly destroyed Ezra speakes thus of himselfe the Israelites after the returne from Babylon from the dayes of our fathers haue wee beene in a great trespasse vnto this day for our iniquities haue we our kinges and our priests beene deliuered into the hand of the kinges of the lands vnto the sword into captiuity into a spoyle into confusion of face as appeareth this day and now for a little space grace hath byn shewed from the Lorde our God in causing a remnant to escape and in giuing vs a naile in his holy place that our God may light our eyes and giue vs a little reuiuing in our seruitude For though we were bondmen yet our God hath not forsaken vs in our bondage but hath inclyned mercy vnto vs in the sight of the kinges of Persia to giue vs life and to erect the house of our GOD and to redresse the desolate places thereof and to giue vs a wall in Iuda and in Ierusalem Ezra chap. 9. ver 7.8.9 By whiche wordes it is euident that albeit Gods Church lyeth hid sometimes as it were vnder a blacke cloth yet it is not clearly put out but appeareth agayne Thus saith the Lorde whiche giueth the sunne for a light to the day and the courses of the Moone and of the starres for alight to the night whiche breaketh the Sea when the waters thereof roare his name is the Lord of hostes If these ordinances depart out of my sight saith the Lorde then shall the seede of Israel cease from being a nation before me for euer Thus saith the Lorde if the heauēs can be measured or the foundations of the earth be searched out beneath then wil I cast off all the seede of Israel for al that they haue done saith the Lord. Iere. chap. 31. ver 35.36.37 The summe of these words is this Almighty God will continue the course of the sunne and the moone c. Whilest the worlde lasteth Therefore he will preserue his Church for whose benefite especially the worlde was created And yet wee must remember that the condition of Gods Churche dependes not of the nature of the world or course of the heauens For they shall perishe saith Dauid to Almighty God but thou shalt endure euen they all shall waxe old as doth a garment as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shal be chaunged but thou art the same and thy yeeres shall not fayle The children of thy seruants shal continue and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight Psal 102. ver 26.27.28 Thus saith the Lorde as the wine is found in the cluster and one saith destroy it not for a blessing is in it so will I do for my seruants sakes that I may not destroy them whole But I will bring a seed out of Iacob out of Iuda that shall inherite my mountayne and mine elect shall inherite it my seruants shall dwel there Isa 65. ver 8.9 When almightye God threatens destruction to the people he respecteth the body of the people in whō there is no sincerity but when his maiesty restraynes his punishment he respecteth a smal number which is the seed of the Church The corruption of the visible Church is no hinderance but that almighty God may preserue the Church of his elect Gods promises of the perpetual estate of the Churche pertayne properly to the Church of the elect 15 The reprobates are not of the Church Ephe. 5. TO be of the Church is to be vnited with Christ the reprobates are not vnited with Christ The Churche is the body of Christ Christ is the Sauiour of his body If the reprobates were of the Church that is of Christes body they should be saued as in deed they shall neuer be Christ which is the head of the church Ephe. 4. giueth spirite and life to his church But he giueth neither spirit nor life to the reprobates It is vnpossible for one the selfe same man to be the member of
out of that way which almightie God hath prescribed to vs in his holy worde If the Church cannot erre what needed godly and learned Bishops ministers to looke to the Lordes fielde vine and flocke The familie of Sem was gods church Gen. 11. but idolatrie entred into that familie I confesse Gen. 9. that a singuler blessing was giuen to Sem but his posteritie coulde not be keept within their compasse If the Churche was any where in Esaies time it was amongest the Iewes But the Prophet saith that the Priest and the Prophet were not only corrupt in their manners Esay 28. vers 7. Eze. 8. but that they fayled in vision and stumbled in iudgement The flourishing Churches of Asia Grecia Affrica which had the precious treasure of Gods woorde plentifully amongst them are nowe stripped of Christian religion The Church erred before and vnder the lawe and in the time of grace beefore the lawe Gen. 3. Exod. 32. for Adam and Eue erred in Paradise Vnder the lawe for Aaron and the Israelites erred fouly in making a golden calfe In the time of grace for the Churches of Corinth Galatia Acts. 21. ver 20. and the Primitiue Church in Iudea erred about the obseruation of Moses law and otherwise The Churche in Augustines and Cyprians time did giue the holy Supper to infants Chap. 6. ver 3 grounding vpon the place of Saint Iohn but it was a grosse error Let no man deceiue you by anye meanes 2. Thes 2. for that day shall not come except there come a departing first This Apostasie or departing which Paule speaketh of is not in one or two Churches but euen in the body of the whole visible Church The holy ghoste did so prophesie Iesus Christ is the head of the church as of one body This head is vnto the Churche as reason vnto man so farre foorth as the desire of man obeyeth reason and the body of the Church the head of the Church it is wel with man with the Church The Church is as a Moone whiche hath no light but from Christe the sonne thereof When shee looketh towards him shee is bright and cleare the more shee turneth away from him the lesse brightnesse she hath Obiection The Churche is the piller of trueth 1. Tim. 3.15 therefore it cannot erre Answere The argument followeth not and S. Paules meaning is that Gods truth is preserued in the Churche by the ministerie of the worde the reason of this my answere is set downe in these wordes he gaue some to be Apostles some prophets some Euangelistes some Pastors and Doctors for the gathering together of the saints for the work of the ministerie for the edification of the body of Christ that we hencefoorth bee no more children wauering and carried aboute with euery winde of Doctrine Ephe. 4. ver 11.12.14 Obiection The spirit of truth will lead you into all truth therfore the church cannot erre Iohn 16.13 Answere If followeth not It is certaine that Christes Disciples which heard his heauenly Sermons were persuaded very hardly that the Messias shoulde die and they dreamed of a stately kingdome in the worlde both before his death as the sonnes of Zebedeus and after Christes resurrection as all the Apostles Mat. 20. Acts. 1. Our Sauiour Christ least they shoulde bee discouraged because they were not then able to beare digest his speeches comforts them in this sort the spirite of truth will leade you into all truth as if hee shoulde say your capacitie is weake and my speeches will not enter into you but be of good cheere it shall not bee so with you alwaies the spirit of truth shall open your vnderstanding lead you into all truth When we reade or heare that the spirit will leade vs into all truth wee muste not thinke that either the spirit doth lead vs without the word Esay 59. 1. Thes 5. as the Anabaptists teach for the spirite the worde cannot bee seuered or that the Church not bringing the worde for her warrant is in matters of faith Cypr. de lapsu to bee beleeued for hee is not ioyned to the Church which is seuered from the Gospel 23 The Church is not perfect in this worlde THe Gospel is a siue or fanne Matth. 3. which separateth the chaffe from the corne If chaffe were not mingled with the corne this fanne that is the preaching of the Gospell were needles The knowledge of the Church is but in part 1. Cor. 13. Matth. 6. and the whole Churche desires pardon of their sinnes The Church shall not be perfit before the last day but then it shall bee Apoc. cap. 21. ver 10.11.12 Which thing that S. Iohn might set before our eyes hee remembreth that the estate of the heauenly Ierusalem shal be most glorious after the ende of the worlde If wee consider the visible Church in her owne bodie it is farre from perfection For it is compared to a fielde Math. chap. 13 wherein is Wheate and Tares and to a drawe net wherein are good and bad fishes That Church which bragges of perfection in this worlde is a Pharisaicall Church Aug. epi. 48. Such Churches were and are the Churches of the Donatistes Nouatians and Anabaptistes Obiection Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not 1. Iohn 3. ver 6.9 Answeare By not sinning S. Iohn meaneth that the regenerate serue not sinne and that sinne raigneth not in them because they withdrawe them selues by Gods assistaunce from sinne and withall their heartes do giue them selues to holines of life It is very true that the faithfull doe sinne that is to say can not liue so holily but that they offende the Maiestie of god so did Aaron Noe Daniel Iob Barnabas Peter and the virgin Marie otherwise shee had not needed a Sauiour The iust mā falleth seuen times Prou. 24. 1. Iohn cha 1 If we say we haue no sinne wee deceiue ourselues c. Obiection Christ loued the Church gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it Ephes 5.25.26 27. clense it by the washing of water through the word that he might make it vnto him self a glorious Church not hauing spotte or wrinkle or any such thinge Answeare This Argument was vsed of the Pelagians in Augustines time Epist 50. 57. Idem lib. 1. retract cap. 19 li. 2. cap. 18 but August saith that the freedom of the Church frō all staines is not in this worlde but in the world to come Besids it is one thing to consider the church in it self another thing to consider it in Christ The Church in it self whether we respect eche mēber of it seuerally or all the members of it ioyntly haue many spottes and wrinkles otherwise it were not true that they are saued by the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ as the Apostle Peter saith The Church considered in Christe Act. 15. ver 11 1. Iohn 1. Apoc. 1. 1.