omnes sub uno sunt nomine Ambrosi 2. timo 2 uno enim domini sui nomine censent ur omnes In one house sayeth S. Ambrose all be vnder one name for all are called by theyr Lordes name Which is not dissonant from the principle Euerithynge is to be named by the best and worthyest parte But our Lorde holynes it selfe is the best parte and worthyeste membre of the churche beyng heade thereof Therefore the churche ryghtly is called holy of holy Christ oure Lorde and heade yea and of the holy gost resydent therein Nowe that I haue briefly opened by the waye the cause why the catholyke churche is called holy ye must vnderstaÌ„d the sayde article to teache vs the holye churche to be a communion of saynctes Vincent Airen that is to saye of Catholykes whereby we are taughte the catholyke churche to be a communitie societie or felowshyppe of catholykes because they persyste in the communion of the catholyke and vniuersall holy fayth that was and is obserued in the catholyke and vnyuersall churche and in the communioÌ„ also of the holye sacramentes whereby it is incorporate to oure holy heade Iesus Christ and clensed in his holy bloude Ephes 5. hallowed with his holy spyrit hath and doth holy thynges teacheth holye and holesome doctryne Of this conuocatioÌ„ communion and feloweshyp speakethe the electe vessell of Chryst Saynt Paule Multi unuÌ„ corpus sumus in Christo Rom. 12. We beynge manye are one body in Christ So that the whole many and vniuersall multitude professiÌ„g one holye fayth and doctryne and being partakers of the same holye Sacramentes are the mystycall body of Chryst whiche is the Catholyke churche Therfore S. Ambrose sayeth Corpus Christi non unus aut duo christiani sed omnes Ambros in 1. cor 6 The bodye of Chryste is not one or two Christians but all Chrystians As in a natural bodye one two or three members make not the whole naturall bodye but all the meÌ„bers ioyntlye in theyr places so the mystical bodye of Christ whiche is the Churche is not constituted by one or two christians but by all the ChristiaÌ„s in theyr vocatioÌ„ wheresoeuer they be ioyned and lynked together by the communion and participation of the same Sacramentes The lyke doctrine also S. Paule taught the Ephesians Vnum Corpus Ephes 4. You are one bodye Wherevpon Erasmus dyd wryte as foloweth Vnum corpus estis omnâ—s ab uno pendetis capite You are all one bodye and do depende of one heade Thus it is manyfeste all Christians to be the bodye of Christe that the integritie of Christ his misticall bodye consystethe by no lesse then all Christians and that therof is one head Christ hymselfe of whome the sayde bodye the Catholyke churche dependeth Albeit that in namynge the churche to be Christes body Christ is named the heade thereof for elles it could not be his bodye yet you may reade many Scryptures that he is by expresse words named the heade thereof whereof I wil reherse this one folowing Et ipsum dedit caput supra omnem ecclesiam Ephe. 1. que est corpus ipsius And GOD the fathermade him meaning Christ heade ouer all the vnyuersall churche whiche is his bodye Hereby you maye euydentlye se Christ to be head to all the churche all the church to be his bodye and by that worde all Paule teacheth the churche to be a vniuersall congregation Lykewyse to the Corynthians and to al christians professynge Christ as the Corynthes dyd Paule dydde wryte 1. Cor 12 Vos autem estis corpus Christi You be the bodye of Chryste Wherevpon Primasius saieth Omnes corpus al be the body of christ for the vniuersall and the whole body of Chryste was and is of all faythfulles Primaâ—â—us and not of Corinthe onely Chris hâ— 23. in 1. Cor. 12. Therefore Chrysostome sayth Vniuersum corpus non illa Corrinthiorum est solum sed que vbilibet toto extaâ— terrarum orbe The vnyuersall body of chryst is not the Corinthian churche onelye but the churche that is euery wher through the whole worlde for the churche of Corinthe was but a particuler churche parte or member of that vniuersall church To be short Paule proueth the same by the symylytude of a naturall body 1. Câ— 1â— saying Sicut enim corâ—us unum est et membrahabet multa omnia autem membra corporis cum sint multa vnum tamen corpus sunt ita et christus For as a a naturall body is one hathe many members but thoughe all the members of that one body be many yet they are but on body euen so is chryste that is to say euen so is christ his churche as Chrisostome Iherome Primasius Theophilact with other olde aunciente wryters do expounde it as the bodye hed in man maketh one maÌ„ in lykewise the whole congregation and flocke of faythfulles and chryste the heade of them make on churche Chrisos ibidem And for that cause Chrysostome affyrmeth chryst in the sayd scrypture to be put for the churche naming the churche by the worthyeste and best part thereof And S. Austen sayeth Aug. to 9. ho. 17. trac 108 Vnus est christus caputet corpus The hed and the body is one chryst Wherefore the bodye whyche is the churche maye well be named by christ As breade also is made of innumerable graynes so the misticall body of Chryst the churche consysteth of innumerable faythfull members howe soeuer they be locally distant for Vnus panis et unum corpus multisumus 1. Cor. 10 We beynge manye sayeth the Apostle Paule are one breade and one bodye that is to saye we beyng manye lyke as manye graynes make one breade do make one body by on baptime and one faith incorporate to one heade our Lorde Iesus Chryst By a folde also of shepe is sygnified the catholyke churche as is wrytten in the tenth of Iohn Io. 10. and by Ciryll vpon the same so that the catholike churche is called also by scrypture the foelde or flocke pasturynge feadynge through the whole greate felde the worlde Mat. 13. wherin is the catholyke churche of the which Iesus Christ is the hed sheperd Nowe that I haue coÌ„petently declared what the catholyke churche is my promise byndethe me to enterpryse the declaration wher the same is Where the church is By thys worde catholyke whych is to say vniuersall added vnto the whole Churche most manyfestly we be taught where Chryste his Churche is for it declareth the sayde churche to strecth out her brauÌ„ches and members in to all and euery part of the vniuersal world as well affyrmethe famouse Austen Aug. to 7. coÌ„ epi. pet de unitate ecclesie c. 2 Questio certe inter nos versatur ubi sit ecclesia utrum apud nos an apud illos quae utique una est quam maiores nostri catholicaÌ„ nominarunt ut ex
ipso nomine ostenderent quia per totum est secuÌ„dum totum enim catholon grece dicitur A question is amonge vs wher the church is whether it be among vs or amonge them meanyng the donatystes the whych churche truely is one the whych our forefathers named catholyke that they by the verye name it selfe myghte declare that it is through all for thys worde Catholon is in greke expressed in and by all the whole This of AusteÌ„ teacheth the holy church to be called catholyke of the forefathers to s Austen Aug. to 2 epi 170 that by that very vocable we myghte vnderstande the same not to be affyxed or tyed to anye one Realme nation or people but to extend to al men of euery countrye excludynge no man that doth communycate in chrystes one fayth and one baptysme whiche agreeth to the holy kyng and prophete Dauyd postula a me et dabo tibi gentes hereditateÌ„ tuam et possessioneÌ„ tuam termi nos terre Aske of me sayeth the heauenlye father to his onelye sonne our sauiour Iesus christ and I wyl giue to the nations to thyne inheretaunce and for thy possessioÌ„ the extreame borders of the worlde consonant to Dauid is this of Christ himselfe Math. 8. Multi ab oriente et occidente uenient et recumbent cum Abraham Isaac Iacob in regno celorum Many shal come from the East and from the West whyche shall reste with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kyngedome of heauen Euthimius Euthimius a greke author vp on thys texte sayeth That by East and West is signifyed all places of the vniuersall worlde soo that of all the partes of the whole world there be that do obeye the Gospell taught by the Apostles their successours whych hath doth and shal witnes with mouthe or penne the catholyke faythe vnto the furthesse people of the worlde accordyng to Chryst Actes 1. hys sayinge vnto them you shall wytnesse me in Ierusalem in all Iurye in all Samary and so fourthe to the vttermoste partes of the Earth By thys Scryptures it is most playne the holy churche to be catholike and vniuersall and not perticuler as in England or any other partyculer realme or countrye and therefore the Apostles taught it and named it catholyke saying I beleue the holy catholike Churche whyche is the coÌ„munyon and felowshype of sayntes Vincent Lirinens that is to say of catholikes as expounded it Vincentius Lirinensis aboue a leuen hundred yers past bycause the church extendeth to all partes vniuersallye of the whole world By Paule also it is euydent that the churche is vniuersall saying Rom. 10 Non est distinctio iudci et grecae There is no difference betwene the I we and the gentle Act. 10. And by Petre. Non est personarum acceptor deus sed in omni gente qui timet deum et operatur iustitiam acceptus est â—lli God doth not partially accept men nor is an affectionat estemer of persones but he that feareth hym and worketh ryghteousnes is accepted of hym in al and euery nation and place so that no countrye Prosp â—t cap. 29 excludeth from God any person fearyng hym for as Ioseph made barnes throughout all Egypte to laye therein their whete not moueable with euery wynde euen so Chryste our Lorde and gouernor dyd consecrate hys churche thoroughe the wholle worlde therin to place his faythefull constant and immoueable in all stormes of temptations moued agaynst the materyall poynte of chrysten relygioÌ„ Bye the barnes the churche is signifyed bye all egypte Prosper all the worlde is represented sayth prosperus whereby it is enforced the holye churche to be catholycke and vniuersal that is to saye to streatche into euerye realme regyon and natyon of this worlde Wherewith that singular doctor S. Austen makethe most manyfestlye Ecclesia est corpus Christi capitis Augu in Psal 57. non ista aut illa sed toto orbe diffusa The church is the body of Chryst the hed therof not this or that church but the churche whiche is defunded and spred abroade all the world It is to be marked that the churche whych is the misticall body of Chryst is not a perticuler Churche included in this or that corner but a catholyke congregation spreddyng abroade her beames braunches into all nations for thys purpose maketh fully also this notable saying of Saynt Austen folowynge Credimus sâ—nctâ—m ecclesiam catholicam Au. to 10 sermo de temp 181 sciendum est quod ecclesâ—am credere non tamen in Ecclesiam credere debemus Quia ecclesia non est deus sed domus dei est catholicam dicit toto orbe diffusam quia diuersorum hereticorum ecclesiae ideo catholice non dicuntur quia perloca atque suas quasque prouincias continentur hec uero a solis orâ—u vsque ad occasum fidei splendore diffunditur We beleue the holye catholyke churche we should learne the churche to be but not beleue in the church for the churche is not God but the house of God catholyke he calleth it because it is spredde throughe al the worlde For the conuenticles of oure aduersaunt heretikes are not for that called catholyke because they are conteyned within certeyne perticuler places and theyr owne seuerall prouynces but thys churche stretcheth from the risynge of the sonne to the goynge downe of the Sonne with the splendeÌ„t and shyning lyghte of one fayth As bye the interpretation of this worde catholyke s AusteÌ„ teacheth vs where the churche is that is the churche to be in all places of the worlde euen frome the east to the west so he teacheth the vnleafull assemblyes of heretikes to be but in anguler places and seueral prouynces Wherefore they be not the catholyke churche of Christe but the malignaunte churche of Sathan The places also named by Peter in the Actes as Pontus Galatia Capadotia Asia Bithinia Phrigia Pamphilia Mesopotamia Egypt the partes of Lybye c. And Smurna Pergamus Sardis Thiatris Philadelphie Laodicea the Ephesians to whome S. Iohn dyd wryte the Apocalypse The Romaynes Corynthes Galathians Ephesians Philippians Collocensians Thessalonians Hebrues to whom Paule dydde wryghte The dispersed tribes to whome Iames dyd wryte The people dyspersed as strauÌ„gers at Pontus Galathians Capados Asie Bythinie vnto whom Peter dydde wryte do testifye the church to be catholyke and vnyuersall and vniuersally to extend into al realmes regions nations prouinces and countreyes throughe the whole vniuersall worlde and therefore to be not in this or that countreye onely but to be in all the worlde to the vttermost people of the four partes thereof Psal 18. For the sounde of the Apostles and preachers went into al landes and their wordes into the endes of the worlde Therfore I may well conclude with Austens saying folowynge Sicut per uerba dei nouimus ubi sit plantatus paraâ—isus Aug to 7 â—ont lite petil li. 2 sic â—er uerba Christi ubi
from the factious churche of scysmatiks which tokens amoÌ„gest others that I do ommit bycause oure aduersaryes moste vntruelye do chaleng to be among them where in dede they nother are nor can be but in the catholike churche be these thre vniuersalitie antiquitie and vnitie ¶ The fyrste token whyche is vniuersality Vniuersalitie although I haue proued sufficyentlye before in declaryng where the Churche is the whyche I praye you nowe in thys poynte also to haue in memorye yet I wyll bryfely saye somethynge more for it The scysmatycall churches be but partyculer multytudes in partyculer places as the donatystes in Affryke the hussytes in beame the Lutherans in some certeyne prouinces of Germany and the Sacramentaryes of late heare in Englande wherfore it is most certaine that our late particuler church was not the church of Chryst whyche is catholike that is to saye vnyuersal thoroughoute all the vnyuersall world as ye may perceyue by the promyse of God made to Abraham whych is thys In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes All natyons shal be blessed in thy sede Gen. 22. that is to sai in Christ as interpretethe it Gal. 3. S. Paule in hys Epystle to the Galathians so that by God his benediction through al nations A solis ortu vsque ad occasum 〈…〉 nomen domini From the rysyng of the sonne to the goynge downe of the same Psa 112 the name of our lorde is praysed and gloryfyed as wytnesseth the Prophet Dauyd Accordynge wherevnto Chryst sayde to hys Apostles Et eritis miâ—i testes in Iherusalem Actes 1. et in omni Iudea et samaria et usque ad ultimum terre You shall wytnes me in Ierusalem in all Iurye Samatye and so in all places vnto the vttermost partes of the worlde Thus ye maye perceyue that our hed Iesus Chryst renewed not nor newely builded his mysticall bodye the churche to be included wythin any pertyculer corner or part of the world but to be vnyuersall in Iherusalem in all Iury in Samarie and from thence in all realmes and countreyes euen to the extreme partes of the Earth after the auncyent prophecy of the sayd good kynge and prophete Dauyd Psa 71. whych is thys Dominabitur a mare usque ad mare et aflumine usque ad terminos orbis terrarum He meanyng Chryst shal rule from sea to sea and from the sea vnto the extreame endes of the worlde and therefore Saynte Ihon the Apostle sayeth Ipse est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris 1. Ioh. 2 Aug. tra 5 in epist Iohan. 2. non pro nostris tantum sed pro peccatis totius mundi he meanynge Chryste is the propitiatioÌ„ for our sinnes and not for our synnes onleye but for all the synnes also of all the whole world that is to saye of all faithfulles dyspersedde thorough the world as vnderstandethe it S. Austen The same doctryne S. Paul taught the Romaines Per quem accipimus gratiam et apostolatum ad obediendum fidei in omnibus gentibus pro nomine eius Rom. 1. Bye whom we haue receiued grace and thapostolicall embassye That by fayth hys name may be obeyed in all nations and countryes by these and other greate nomber of scryptures all and euery catholyke writer affyrmethe the Churche to be vniuersall and not nacyonall not I saye affyxed to this or the nacyon Whereof ye shall here that olde aucthor Ireneus Iren. li. 1. cap. 2. Ecclesia per vniuersum orbem vsque ad fines terre seminata et ab apostolis â— Discipulis eorum accepit eam fidem quae est in vnum deum The Churche beynge sowen and planted thorowe out the vniuersall world to the furthyest endes of the same receyued of the Apostles and of theyr dysciples that faieth whych is in one God The selfe same saying hath Epiphanius in hys fyrst boke of his second Tome so that I shal not nede to rehearse it but nowe here that greate clerke Saint Austen Aug. to 2. ad bâ—ni ep 50 Ecclesia catholica sola est corpus Christi cuius ille caput et saluator corporis sui extra hoc corpus neminem uiuificat spiritus sanctus The vnyuersall Churche onelye is the body of Chryst wherof he is the hed and the Sauiour of hys body out of this body the holy Ghost gyueth lyfe to no man By this we are taught corner partyculer churches not to be the bodi of christ but the catholyke vnyuersal Church onely that out of the same catholik vniuersal churche the holy Ghost gyueth lyfe to no man Let vs therefore beware of corner churches wherin is not the lyfe gyuing spirit and earnestly followe the counsayle giuen by the same AusteÌ„ Augu. de agone Christia cap 29 whych is thys Nec eos audiamus qui sanctam ecclesiam quae vna catholica est negant per orbem esse diffusam Let vs not here them whych do deny the holye Churche whych onely is vnyuersall to extend thorough the whole world wherefore it is manyfest that corner Churches in thys or that nation dyssentyng in relygyon froÌ„ the whole not to be the churche nor of the church of christ for Chryst sayd not that Geneua or thys or that countrye is the fielde Mat. 13 but sayd the vniuersal world is that fylde wherin the sede of god vniuersalli is soweÌ„ doth and shall growe vntyl haruest the worldes end which if they dyd remembre they wuld not saye that Geneua or thys or that country onely hadde receyued gods worde but that in euery countrye through all the vnyuersall worlde it is embraced consyderyng that by SalomoÌ„ In multitudine populi est dignitas regis Pro. 14. The honoure of a Kynge is in the ample multytude of people and contraryly in paucitye or fewe is the debilitie weakenes of a king if we therfore wyll acknoledge our heauenly kyng to be of honoure puissaunce we muste confesse hym not to be a pertyculer or a nacionall king and hed of this or that nation onelye but to reygne in euery countrye thorough the whole world Psal 2. except we shoulde saye that Chryste hath lost hys inherytaunce the vnyuersall churche spred thoroughe the vnyuersal worlde and that he is dryuen to a corner of Germanye to be but a dymye anguler kyng or countye whych were a playne blasphemye soo that whatsoeuer multytude settythe fourthe a doctryne dyssentyng from the vnyuersall doctryne of the vniuersal Churche maye well be iudged not to be of the catholyke Churche of Chryst Of the whych churche we be sayeth Vincentius Lirinensis Lirineâ—â— Si hanc fidem ueraÌ„ esse fateamur quam tota per orbem terreÌ„ confiretur ecclesia Yf we confesse thys fayth to be true whyche the whole Churche through the whole worlde dothe confesse Agayne Si id teneamus quod ubique creditum est Yf we holde kepe that whiche is euerye where and in euery country beleued Some
he vnited to him one spouse the catholike church of vnite wherof euery faythfull seuerally accompted is a chyld and as he is but one hed so hathe he but one mystycal body the church vnited to hym by one faythe and one baptysme of the whiche body euery Chrystian rekened singulerly a part is a member As he is nother a partyall nor a partyculer God of thys or that country but God of all realmes Empyres and natyons Likewise his onely spouse and bodye the Churche is not a pertyculer multitude of people in thys or that nacyon onely but of the vniuersall christian multitude in al natioÌ„s realms coÌ„tries through out the whole world As god is not a youÌ„g or a newe god lately sprong vp lykewyse hys sayde spouse mistical body is not yoÌ„g newe and late but of olde antyquyty euen from the beginnynge Wherefore you can in no case excuse your selfes at the dredefull day of Iudgement but the you may well dyscerne the new and late spronge vp scysmatycall churches dissentyng from the vniuersall aunciette coÌ„sent of the vniuersall aunciett congregation of Chrystes faythefulles agreyng constantlye in one faith in one true religion from Chrystes time continually and perseueraÌ„tly to this day and soo wyll contynue to the worldes ende So that it is in you whether that you wyll beleue that late vpstarted anguler and pertyculer Churche of contentious dessention whereof lying Sathan is the hed or the vniuersall aunciett church of vnytye the hed wherof is Chryst who is verytie Whosoeuer wil be partaker of the lyuely sucke sappe descendyng from the lyuely hed Iesus Chryste into hys onely body the catholyke churche and into euerye synguler member thereof Let him not dismeÌ„bre him selfe from that lyuely body by anye kinde of newe doctrine dystrepant from the olde auntiette vnyuersall doctryne receaued from Chryst and his primatiue churche for he that dismeÌ„breth hym selfe from the church dysmembreth himselfe from christ the hed thereof Non tenens caâ—ut ex quo totum corpus per nexus et coniunctiones subministratum et constructum Collo 2. Ephe. 4. crescit in augmentum dei Not hauyng nor holdyng the hed of whom the whole bodi by ioyntes and ioyninges receauyng nurriture and coÌ„pact in one groweth to a godly perfection the whole body is the whole vniuersall Churche the hed is Chryst who is lyfe and the ioyntes wherwith the body is ioyned to the hed Ioh. 14. be faith charitie and the SacrameÌ„ts by whome spyrituall nurryshment and lyfe be deriued into the said vniuersal body the church and to euery member thereof so that consequeÌ„tly he that disseperateth him selfe froÌ„ Christ seperateth hym selfe from lyfe let vs not therfore forsake the vnytye of Chryst hys churche for that holi martyr and excellent clarke S Cipryan sayeth also Hanc vnitatem qui non tenet Cipri de simp pre dei legem non tenet non tenet patris et filij fidem vitam non tenet et salutem He that kepethe not thys vnytie kepeth not the fayth of our father and of hys sone he hath not lyfe and saluation and to th end that we should kepe this vnytye peace and concord we are called into one bodye the Churche as writeth Paule to the Collossyans Collo â— In whose holy lap the vniuersal aunciett coÌ„seÌ„t the sea Apostolyke kepte that aunciette father and incomparable clerke S. Austen as is uydent by this followyng Aug. to 6 in epi. ma ca. 4. quaÌ„ uocant fuÌ„damenti Multa sunt quae me in ecclesie gremio iustissime tenent tenet me consensio populoruÌ„ atque gentiuÌ„ tenet authoritas miraculis inchoata speuutrita charitate aucta uetustate firmata tenet ab ipsa sede petri Apostoli cui pascendas oâ—es suas post resurrectionem suam dominus commendauiâ— usque ad presentem episcopatum successio sacerdotum tenet postremo ipsum catholice nomen quod non sine causa interiam multas hereses sola obtinuit Many thynges saythe Austen there be whych do kepe me in the lappe of the catholike church The consent of the people and nations kepeth me the auctorytie therof begonne by miracles nowrished by hope encreased by charytye confyrmed established by antiquitie kepeth me The successyon of prystes froÌ„ the seate of Peter thappostle vnto whome our Lorde commytted after his resurrection his shepe to be fedde vnto this present Byshoprycke last of all kepeth me the churches name of catholyke bycause not with out matter amonge so manye heresyes she onely hath had the vyctory This obedient chylde of our holy mother the church Saint Austen declareth four pryncypall poyntes which did holde hym in obedience vnto her whych be these consent of al chrystiaÌ„ nations in one faith the antiquitie of the churches aucthoritie and the vniuersalitye of the same sygnifyed by the name of Catholyke yea and the aucthoritie of the sea Apostolyke of Peter froÌ„ whence procedethe the successyon of pryestes in the Church of Chryste agaynste the whyche sea Hel gates hath not preuayled but from Peters tyme to thys day hath contynued the nexte hed vndre Chryst of the catholyke churche and hath stand in the fayth thereof and so shall perseuer to the worldes ende And yet agaynst al other the Apostles seas hel force hath so auailed that it hath theÌ„ subuerted Forasmuch as these fore poyntes dyd kepe Saynt Austen in humble obedience vnto the Churche out of the whyche is no saluatioÌ„ what shal al good chrystyans recken one suche whom the fame nothynge doo moue surelye that they haue Chryst and his Church in contempt and that the spyryte of truthe resydente in the church is with them of no credence yet they know the Church for that that the spyryte of verity is contynuallye resyaunt therin to be called in scrypture the house and temple of God as for examyle An uescitis quod templum dei estis et spiritus dei habitat in uobis 1. Cor. 3. Do not you knowe saythe Paule that you be the temple of God and that the holy gost doth dwell in you WherevppoÌ„ that olde auntyent and excelent clarke LactaÌ„tius Lacta de uera sap li. 4. c. 30 groundyng hymselfe dyd wryght thys folowynge Sola igitur catholica ecclesia est quae uerum cultum retinet hic est fons veritatis hoc est domicilium fidei hoc templum dei quo si quis non intrauerit uel a quo si quis exiuerit aspe uitae ac salutis eterne alienus est It is the onely catholike church whych hath in it the true worshyppinge of god thys is the fountayne of truth this is the mansyon house of faythe thys is the temple of God wherein yf any do not entre or oute of whom yf any do depart he is a strauÌ„ger far distant froÌ„ hope of lyfe and saluation eternall Wherewyth accordethe that holy learned Bysshoppe S. Epiphanius saying Est uia regia sancta dei
wherefore to th eÌ„d that you may the better know the sayde churche I wyll god wyllyng attempte to open vnto you accordyng to the proportion of my gyft what the churche is wher it is that it is knowen and how you may know it that you maye the more certeynely kepe your selfes sound in the found fayth therof For our aduersaryes denying not but confessyng to be a churche I wyll not spend tyme in prouyng it to be but in declaryng the aforesayde poyntes accordynge to my promyse For the performance whereof Fyrste you must vnderstand that the militant church of chryst edyfyed at the fulnes of tyme What the church is warryng and fyghting against hell gates Gal. 4. Mat. 16. scisme and heresye and hauyng souldyers valyante faint stable and instable good and bad is a communyon societye and felowshyppe called by god from GeÌ„tylitie and Iudaisme to the profession of one faythe one Doctrine 1. Pet. â— and one kynd of Sacramentes from darkenes to hys marueylous lyghte and by the same visible Sacraments brought into the vnitie of one visible body professing one fourme of chrystian religion It is a congregation called as wel appeareth by the greke word eccleliae deduced of the greke verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sygnyfyeth to cal out And also by Paule Vocati est sinunum corpuâ— Collo 3. you are called into one body Agayne Fiaelis est deus 1. Cor. â— perqueâ— uâ—cati estis in â—acietatem filij eius iesu Christi Domini nostri God is true by whome you are called into tâ—e societie of his sonne Iesu Chryste oure Lorde so that the churche is a conuocation a congregatyon and societie called by god out from the dampnable bondage of Sathan vnto the lyuely coÌ„munion and free company of our lyuely head Iesus Chryst from darke and blynde ignoraunce vnto the merueylous lyghte and knowledge of christyan verytye And the same called societie and congregation is knit together as is said into one body not in one place but in one fourme and profession of one fayth and one Doctrine and that by one maner of sensyble Sacramentes as is manyfest by Saynt AugusteÌ„ In nullum nomen religionis seu verum Aug. to 6. coÌ„ fau li. 19 c 11. seu falsum coagulaâ—i homines possunt nisi alique signaculorum vel sacramentorum nisibilium consortio colligentur Men cannot be gathered into ani name other false other true of religion excepte they be tyed and ioyned togyther by the communion and participatioÌ„ of visible signes or sacraments out of the whych communyon and societie are heretykes scismatikes paynymes and excommunicates heretikes and scysmatykes be not of that coÌ„gregation by cause theye of theyr owne mynde went oute and voluntarylye forsoke the sayde congregation hauyng it in contempte and contemptuously persecutyng it nor paynymes be of that societie bycause they nother be nor at anityme were in the churche nor do acknowledge it no nor excommunicates bicause they by the publyke sentence of the churche are separate excluded and put out from the exteriour societie of the churche vnto theyr repentaunce and amendemeÌ„t of lyfe but thoughe other christians fallynge into deadelye sinne be not ioined to the good with the vnitie of the liuely spiryte and bande of charitie but doo lose the grace of the internall communion neuertheles they are vnited to the good with a certayne exterior vnion of the visible sacramentes soo longe as they kepe peace wyth the Doctryne and professyon of fayth as was Peter the Apostle Mat. 23. notwithstaÌ„ding his thryse deniall of chryst as Iudas not withstandyng his auarice as such whose doctryne our Sauyour Chryst commaunded to be obserued notwythstaÌ„dynge theyr euil doynges and as are ministers also persystynge in theyr seuerall vocations although by some synne mortall they be internally deuided For as the dryed hand of the man mencyoned in the Gospel was before the healynge thereof a membre of hys body and as a membre whose bones vaynes and synewes be broken hangeth outwardly by the skynne continueth styll a membre and a parte of the bodye euen soo a christian dyuyded inwardelye by synne but cleauynge to the body of Chryste the church externally by the outwarde vnion of the professian and vysyble fourme of one faith and by the exterior participation of the vysyble sacramentes the exterior syghnes 1. Tim 3 and fourmes of petye is externally styl a member of Chryst his misticall bodye the churche although not profitable and continuethe in the externall societye of the same church For the militante churche conteyneth good and bad penitent synners iust and vniuste as is euydente by the parable of the field briÌ„ging forth good fead cockle by the primatiue church wherin was good peniteÌ„tes false couetous Iudas yet of this church militaÌ„t the apostles made meÌ„tioÌ„ in an artycle of oure faythe as followeth Credo sanctam ecclesiam catholicam I beleue the holye called vniuersall churche congregation multitude Obserue here by the way that this article namethe the church holye not bycause it consysteth of onely iust ryghteous and perfect chrystians for therein be good and bad iuste and iniuste Mâ—â— â—â— constante and inconstante as is aforesayde as playnelye teacheth also the parable of the nette comprisynge good fyshes and badde and as playne is by the greate house sygnifyeng the greate vniuersall churche 2. Tim 2 which conteineth vesselles to honour and dishoner and by dyueres other lyke scryptures but it is named holy bycause al chrystians which make one church and congregation be called of our holy god by hys holy worde vnto holye lyfe be sanctifyed and made holye by one holye fayth and one holye Baptysme and do persyste in the communion of the same for Paule wryteth to the Corinthian churche a membre of the vniuersall churche 1. Cor. 5. notwithstandynge that therein was the incestuous fornicator contentious persones and doutyng in the resurrection of the bodyes as foloweth Paule the Apostle by the vocation of Iesus chryste 1. Cor 15 and by the wyll of God 1. Cor. 1. Sostenes a christen brother vnto the churche of God whyche is at Corynth sanctifyed by Chryst Iesu and called to holynes and holy thinges Wherefore we maye not thynke straunge that the catholyke churche whereof holye Chryst our sanctyfycation Ephes 5 is the vndouted hed conseruer preseruer as writeth Paule is named the churche of God and holy though euell chrystians therein be commyxt with the good for that notwythstaÌ„dynge they be all called by one name as affirmeth S. Austen In una domo omnes sub vno sunt nomine Aug. to 2 â—pis 203. Quam uis enim moribus diuersi sunt uâ—o tamen nomine censentur et professione In one house all be vnder one name for albeit they be diuers in maners yet they be named by one name and one profession The same affirmeth Ambrose mayster to Austen In uno domo
obtinet omnes gētes Shall not we my brethren showe the churche as the new mone is shewed to men is not the churche euydente is it not manyfest rayneth it not in all nations To the whyche manyfest church he gaue manifest and visible ministers as Apostles Prophetes Ephe. 4. euangelystes pastores and doctours which are were and shal be to the worldes ende vysyble and not inuisible Math. 5 for to them Christ said Vos estis lux mundi You are the lyght of the world which cold not be true yf they were not sene and perceiued If the church be not sensible but insensible then the sacramentes the ministerye ecclesiasticall offyces the Ecclesystycall mynysters the vocations to Ecclesiasticall offyces Yea the worde of GOD wrytten and preached shoulde be insensyble whyche shoulde be agaynste Saynte Paule saying Rom. 10 Faythe is by hearynge and hearynge by the worde of Chryste Seynge therefore by these aucthoryties I haue although brefelye yet suffisientli proued the catholycke churche which is eueri where to be manifestly knowen I will lykewise god helping proue the same not to erre in the materyall points of our religiō although some corrupte mēbres be therof The catholyke churche doth nor erre For albeit in this vnyuersal churche whyche is vysyble be many bad so well as good iniust as iust folyshe vyrgyns Mat. 25 as wyse euel sedes as good sedes and in the net badde fyshes as good Mat. 13 yet we may not thinke the same catholyke vysyble Churche to erre in the necessarye poyntes of Chrystyanitye no more then dyd the apostles in ther belefe preachinges doctryne bycause trayterous Iudas was of ther felowship we maye no more brynge the doctryne ordinaunces and interpretations set fourthe to vs by the vniuersall Churche in doubte by cause there be some bad therin then we maye call in doubt the Apostles doctrine bycause euell Iudas was of that congregation If it be an vntruthe to affyrme that all the hole company of Aungelles in heauen dyd erre bycause some of them dyd erre and fell from heauen Who wyll affyrme to be a truethe the whole multytude of Chryste hys Churche whyche the scrypture calleth the kyngdome of heauen Mat. 13 to erre bycause some euyll chrystians therein do erre The arche of Noe Gene. 7. an expressed fygure of the Church hauyng therin beastes clene vnclene hauing therin 〈◊〉 Cham the wicked chyld of Noe wyth the rest that were good erred not from the tuition and protection of God nor were drowned in the deuouryng whaues of the ragynge floude but was cōtynually in the sure certain and safe custodye of almyghty God so preserued kept in most certeyne safetye to the full ende of the said floude shal we then say or thynke the catholyke churche of chryst the verye veretye represented by that arke to erre and wander from Chryst Ephe. 15. and Chryst his regiment the hed thereof seing that he is Seruator corporis sui The Sauyour and preseruer of hys body whyche is the Church as teacheth the Apostle Paule Seyng Christ who is verytye hathe ben is and wylbe contynuallye with hys church to the worlds end Ioh. 14. and. 16. Seyng I saye that the holye Ghost the fyrme cōforter hath ben is and wil be without surceasse duryng this worlde resydent in the same to teache it all the truethe and therein to comforte confyrme and establyshe it At Antioch were certeyne Iues which taught the Chrystians that excepte they were circumcised after the maner of Moyses they could not be saued after greate dysputation hadde therevpon wyth Paule Act. 15. and Barnabas the Iues woulde not be satysfyed as sectes commonly be not in soo much that Paule and Barnabas wyth others were sente to the Apostles and senyors at Iherusalem for the decision of this question among the whiche certayne that had bene of the pharisaycal secte and then christened affyrmed that christians ought to be circumcised and that the churche shoulde commaund the lawe Moysaicall to be kepte and yet Peter and Iames with other the congregation there decreed to the contrarye that the christians shoulde not be cyrcumcysed and were bolde to say and wryte Visum est spiritui sancto nobis c. It pleaseth the Holye ghoste and vs to burden you with no more but with these necessaryes c. Althoughe in this councell and congregation were some that erred as they which had ben Phariseis yet we cannot without impietie saye that the whole holye assemblye dyd erre Whyche truelye dydde saye it pleaseth the holye ghost and vs. Wherfore to affyrme the whole catholyke churche of Christe to erre in matters of our fayeth and necessarelye appurtenaūt to christian manners because some euell be amongest them is a wycked sclaunder to the mistycall bodye of Chryste and an vngodlye blasphemye to Christe hymselfe the heade thereof yea and to the holye ghoste contynuallye resydente therein to whose inspirations reuelations instructions and regiment the catholyke churche alwaye is obedyently subiecte or els the holy gost wuld not contynuallye abyde in it accordynge to Chrystes promyse Ps 14◠whyche promyse cannot be vntrue for he is faythfull in all his wordes So that although that euel be mixt with the good in the churche yet we muste not thynke it to erre in the wayghtye matters 1. Tim ◠but to stande to it as to the pyllar of trueth and not to forsake it as aduertyseth vs Saynte Cypryan Ci◠epi 3 lib. 3. Et si uidentur in ecclesia esse zizannia non tamen impediri debet aut fides aut charitas nostra ne quoniam zizannia in ecclesia esse cernimus ipsi de ecclesia recedamus Although corrupt seeds do appeare and be sene in the church Yet our fayth or charity shuld not be lette molested nor troubled so that bycause we se corrupte and noughty seades growynge in the Churche therfore we should relinquyshe and forsake the churche but to suffer the euyll by charytie beyng studious and carefull to kepe the vnytie of the spyryte by the bād of peace as wylleth S. Paule and rather to be stronge in toleratyng the badde Ephe. 4. then to be vngodly in forsaking the good But forsake not they the churche for corrupte seades which for naughty chrystians sake do denye refuse and reiecte the Decisions determinations ordinaunces of the churche her vnderstandynges of scriptures and in slaunderynge the churche to erre in poyntes of our fayth and of chrysten relygyon bycause corrupted chrystyans be amonge the incorrupte Let vs remember that no man hauynge the ryghte vse of hys wyttes wyll refuse corne bycause chaffe or cockle is myxt with the corne no more can he be estemed a ryght christyan that reiectethe the vnyuersall churche of Chryste for the baddes sake therin Forasmuch as they whyche doo forsake the good holesome and true Doctryne of any preacher for hys euyll lyfes sake cānot be accoūted obediente
peraduenture wyll inueye agaynst this sayenge The flocke of Christe is lytle Luk. 12. Math. 7. and the way to lyfe is narow therefore the churche cannot be large and greate To that aunswereth that holy and renowmed father S. Austen in his epystle ad Vincentium agaynst the Donatistes Augu. to 2 epi 48. Ipsa est de cuius paucitate dicitur in comparatione multorum malorum Quia augusta arcta uia est que ducit aduitam Gen. 22. pauel sunt qui ambulant in illa Et rursus ipsa est de cuius multitudine dicitur sic erit semen tuum sicut stelle celi et sicut haraena maris ijdem quippe fideles sancti boni et in comparatione plurimorum malorum pauci perse ipsi multi sunt quia multi filij desertae Gala. 4. magis quam eius quae habet uirum multi ab oriente occidente uenient recumbent cum Abraham Isaac Iacob in regno coelorum Math. 8. Et exhibet sibi deus populum habundantem emulatorem bonorum operum multa milia quae numerare nemo poterat uiâ—entur in Apocalipsi ex omni tribu et lingua in stolis albis palmisque uictricibus Apoca. 7. That is the churche of whose fewnes it is spoken in comparison of manye euyll For the streight and narrowe way is whiche leadeth vnto lyfe and fewe there be whiche walcke in it and contrarylye that is the church of whose multitude it is sayde so shall thy seede be as the starres of the firmameÌ„t and the sande of the sea for the same faythfulles be holye and good and in comparison of manye euell be fewe and by them selues the same be manye for the chyldren of her whyche is desolate of a husband be more in noumbre then the chyldren of her which hath a husbande and manye shal come from the East and from the Weste and shal rest with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kyngedome of heauen and God doth exhibite vnto hym selfe an abundaunce of people followers of good workes And many thousandes whom no man can nuÌ„ber be sene in the apocalypse of all and euery trybe tonge in whyte robes and victorius palmes Here is to be noted that S. Austen affyrmeth the catholyke churche of Christ to be of a fewe noumber yf it be conferred with the euyll multitude whiche beynge compared to the good incomparably in number do excede The pylgrems and sober passengers thoroughe the narowe waye are but a small multitude beynge compared vnto the huge noumber raungynge and rouynge thoroughe the breade wayes Christe his redolente flocke of meke lambes is but a lytle flocke in comparyson of the greate stynckynge hearde of the deuyls sturdy rammishe goates but yf the streyght passengers thorough the narowe waye and the lyttle flocke of Chryst be accompted by them selues without collation and comparison to the euyll wanderynge thoroughe the broade waye they be manye and innumerable lyke as be the sterres in the fyrmament and the sande in the sea as moost manyfestly appeareth by the scriptures aboue alleged of the sayde Austen and is truely called by the Prophete Dauyd Ecclesia magna the greate church and congregation Psa 21. because it extendeth in to all the furtheste partes and borders of the worlde and bycause it conteineth many thousandes whom no man can noÌ„ber as is alledged oute of the Apocalypse Antiquitie Nowe to the second token which is antiquitie or auÌ„cietie wherby ye may descerne the auncient catholyke Church the mysticall body of our sauyour Iesus from the late spronge vppe anguler Churches Whereof SathaÌ„ is the hed for the churche whereof Chryst is the hed is of suche antiquitie that he him selfe whyche is Antiquus dierum Dani. 7. the olde auncyent and which sayd Antequam Abraham fieret ego sum Before Abraham was made or borne I am dyd founde it and that before anye wrytten Scryptures for Adam Eue Abell Seath Noe Abraham Lothe wyth many other faith fulles ware before Moyses a longe tyme before the coÌ„maundement wrytten in stonye tables and before Scryptures wrytten in an outwarde substaunce And the same Church Chryst beyng vysyble heare in Earth accordyng to hys promyse Mat. 16. mentioned in Mathew whych was vpon this rocke and fyrme foundation I will buylde my Churche dyd newlye edyfye renewe and repaire out of hys owne syde as wytnesseth Saynte Chrysostome sayeng Chris to 2. homil ad Neophitos 26 Ihero to 4. sermo de resur domini Prosper de promis et predic par 1. ca 1 Ex latere suo Christus edificauit ecclesiam sicut de latere Adam eius coniunx Eua pro lata est Nam hac de causa Paulus quoque testatur dicens De corpore eius et ossibus eius sumus latus uidelicet illud significans nam sicut de latere illo Deus fecit feminaÌ„ procreari sic et de suo latere Christus aquaÌ„ nobis et sanguinem dedit unde repararetus ecclesia Chryst builded his churche oute of his owne syde lyke as out of the side of Adam his wife Eue was brought fourth for Paule also wytnesseth for that cause saying we be of his body and of hys bones sygnifyeng surely hys syde For as God dyd procreat the woman oute of the same syde euen soo Chryste gaue out of hys owne side water and bloude whereby the church should be repaired and renewed so that al the fyrst orygynall beyng of chryst his church was not originally begone euen at the giuyng of water and bloude oute of hys syde but the newe buyldynge reperation and renewynge thereof as sayeth the Prophet Amos Sainte Chrisostome Amos. 9 Acte 16. and the reedifyeng to a perfection accordyng to thys of Dauyd Deus uirtutum respice de celo Psal 79. et Vide â—t uisita uincam istam et perfice cam quam plantauit dextera tua Loke downe o God of power from Heauen se and vysyt this vyneyard and make it perfect whych thy ryght hande hathe planted Thus the Prophette desyred not the extirpation of godds olde vyneyard and the plantynge of a newe but desyred the perfectynge of the olde by hys myghty power al ready planted The whych vyneyarde is the Churche as affirmeth the Prophet Esay Esaye 5. Vinea domini domus Israell The vineyard of our Lorde is the house of Israell and the Chrystyans be the spyrytuall Israelytes Thys spyrytuall vyneyarde Chryst hys churche is newlye buylded and brought to a perfection by propagation dilating and enlargynge the same out of Iurye in to all regyons and contreies by connecting and coupplynge the Iues and Gentyles the olde church and the newe together in one Ephes â— him selfe being the hed corner stone by repayrynge and renewyng it with a more habundante spiryte wyth a more plentythe of grace wyth open verytyes with a newe and perfect lawe new and perfect sacramentes with newe priestehoode and newe
quos sanctos maiores ac patres nostros celebrasse manifestum est Yf that we do by no meanes go backe from those vnderstaÌ„dinges iudgementes whom it is playne our holy aunciettours and forefathers to haue preached and publyshed Of the same antiquitie Saint Paule admonyshed the Corrinthians saying If any man appeare to be contentious he must vnderstand that we haue no such custome nor the church of God whereby it is mooste playne that the church of God in S. Paules tyme dyd much and highly esteame customes how much more then shoulde auncient customes prescryptions and traditions deryued deduced brought from chrystes primatyue Church to the next age and so froÌ„ age to age contynuallye vntyll thys present be much estemed earnestly embraced and reuerentlye obeied of vs in these latter daies wherein many arroganthedes are desyrous of neuer receiued doctrines procedyng of proud singularitie coÌ„trary to our euer approued and r eceyued doctryne religion customes prescriptions and traditions euen from the begynnyng The whych Saint Iherome hauing in muche remembraÌ„ce sayd reuerentlye Ieron ad Oceanuâ— et panâ—â— â—llam senex tenebo fidem in qua puer natus sum I being an olde man wyl kepe that fayth that I a chylde was borne in knowyng ryght well not onely vnyuersalytie but also antyquytie of the vnyuersall Doctryne and relygion to be a sure and an vndouted token of the catholyke Churche and therefore he dyd wryght vnto Theophilus Scito nobis nihilessâ— antiquius quam nec Christi iura Ihero in Theophilum nec patrum transire terminos Knowe thou O Theophile nothyng to be vnto vs more acceptable than not to transgresse passe the lawes of Chryst and the determinations of our forefathers Galat. 1. And no merueyle for Paule hym selffe called immedyatlye by Christ and bountifully breathed wyth the Holye ghoste asceÌ„ded to IherusaleÌ„ to know hys auncyettes and predycesoures the apostles Galat. 2. and to consulte wyth them leste he hadde renne in vayne that is to saye lest he had not beleued as they beleued and had not preached Tertulli contra Merchio nem li. 9. as they preached Forasmuch as Paule so notable Apostle and the chosen vessell of Chryste dyd soo muche esteame the aucthoritie of hys aunciettes with the whyche he desyred to aduauÌ„ce his faith preachinge howe much more then shall it become vs ignorauÌ„tes and graceles in comparison to obeye and folowe the vniuersall antiquitie of the catholyke doctryne an infallible sygne of the catholike Church And not to enclyne to a Doctryne neuer receyued nor practysed in Chryst hys vniuersall church but in all ages and in al countryes professing Christ iustly condempned for heresye Therefore most plaine it is the late Doctryne heare in Englande not to be a sounde but a corrupte Doctryne not catholyke not vniuersal but partyculer and pertiall not acknoledged nor knowen but straunge to Chryst his auncient catholyke Church the onely treasure house of GOD and of the ryght wourshyppyng of God Here bicause I wold be loth to be tedious I wyll surcease to speake any more of antyquyty and procede to the declaration of the thyrde sygne whych is vnytie Vnitie Where is not consent vnytie and agreament in doctryne there is scisme diuision and heresye Wherefore the catholyke Churche whereof Chryst is the hed who is oure peace Ephes 2 and hath made of bothe Iues and gentyles before dyuyded in relygion one bodye is not a myshapen confused disordered multitude but it is a conuocation moste ordrelye shapen of moste consonant ordre and proportion and that of beleauyng people vnyted and lyncked togyther in one religion of our Sauyour Chryste by one fayth and his visyble sacramentes Aug. â—oÌ„t Faust lib 9. ca. 11. and therefore the Apostle Paule taught the Corynthyans broughte then by false teachers into scysme to embrace vnytye saying Obsecro uos per nomen domini nostri Iesu Christi 1. Cor. 1. ut id ipsum dicatis omnes non sint in nobis scismata sitis autem perfecti in eodem sensu et in eadem sententia I exhorte you in the name of our lorde Iesus Chryst that ye all saye one thynge and that there be no scismes among you but be ye perfect in one sence one mynde The same vnytye Paule teacheth by the similytude of a corporall body which as it is compact of many members in such a harmonye that ther is mutual coÌ„munion participatioÌ„ of coÌ„meÌ„ mutual nurriture coÌ„moditi helth among them euen so the mystycall body of our Sauyoure Iesu the Churche is knytte together in one spyrytuall socyetye wyth suche a vnytye that there is a common and a mutuall participation of the whole mystycall body the vniuersal church in those spyrytuall thynges whyche be spyrytual nurriture of the soules in chrystian relygyon vnto the atchyuynge of lyfe eternall scysme and contentioÌ„ be so contrary vnto the vnytye of Chrystes Churche that Paule dyd wryte vnto the Corynthyans beyng in diuisyon and contention these wordes ensuyng 1. Co. 11 Si quis autem uidetur contentiosus esse nos talem consuetudinem non habemus neque ecclesia dei Yf any man do appeare to be contentious he must knowe that we haue no suche custome nether the church of God Note here that contention concernyng faythe and chrysten life is not among the catholykes the vniuersall congregation of God accustomed to vnitie and not to contentious diuisioÌ„ And therfore we reade in scrypture Deus qui inhabitare facit vnanimes in domo Psa 67. It is god whych maketh people of one mynd to dwel in his house whych is the Catholike Churche Wherby it is most manyfeste that scysme diuysion and conteÌ„tyon be manyfest sygnes of the vnleafull assembles of heretykes and vnity the most vndouted and manyfest token of the leafull and godly congregation of faythfulles the whych vnitie plainlie to declare the scriptures affyrme to be but one church as ye maye reade in the genesis Gene. 6. We had but one arcke the expresse fygure of the church therfore Chryste hath but one churche that the veryty maye aunswer the figure Also in the seconde booke of Moyses it is written Cipri de coena domini In vna domo commeditur agnus The lambe shal be eaten in one house the which house Saint Cypryan vnderstandeth to be the churche saying Vna domus est ecclesie in qua agnus editur There is one house of the churche in the whych the lambe is eaten The lyke saying hath S. Austen addynge vnto Churche this worde Cotholyke which is thys In una domo agnus comeditur Aug. de sermo de uigil pen tec. quia in una ecclesia catholica uera hostia redemptoris immolatur The lambe is eaten in one house bycause the true and very hoste and oblation of our redemer is offered in one catholyk Church Thus Saynt Austen teacheth to be but one churche and the same to
haue the tytle of Catholyke whych sygnifyeth vniuersall to the condempnation of the particular Churche of scysmatykes and in the same one catholyke Church not a figure of oure redeamer but the verye true hoste of our redemer to be offred The whiche catholyke Churche Ioh. 10. Chryste also calleth Vnum ouile Rom. 12 One folde flocke Paul both to the Romanes also to the Ephesyans Ephes 4. affirmeth the multytude of faythfulles to be one body and therefore S. Austen agaynst the Donatists sayeth Aug. coÌ„t Donatist li. 1. ca 10 Vna est ecclesia que sola catholica nominatur The church is one which only is named catholicke for the vnion whereof Chryst becam the hedde coppelinge corner stone Ephe. 2. wherupon and by whome the vniuersall edyficer the vnyuersall churche of bothe Iues and Gentyles shoulde be buylded brought and reconsyled in to one body To be brefe Epiphanius a notable greeke wryter hath wrytten of thys vnytye as foloweth Ecclesia velut vnam habet animam et idem cor et predicat Epiphan to 2. li. 1. Iren. li. 1 capi 3. docer et tradit velut vno ore predita The Churche hath as it were one mynd and one hart preacheth teacheth giueth traditions as it were endued wyth one mouth as had the primatyue Church by this testimony of Luke folowyng Actes 4. Erat omnium qui credebant cor unum et anima vna Of all whych did beleue was one hart and one mynd So much dyd Chryste our head requyre vnytie in hys Churche that he requyred it in two or three and to theÌ„ made most comfortable promyse saying Mat. 10. Yf two of you doo agree vpon earthe of anye thyng whatsoeuer they aske it shaâ—be gyuen them of my father whyche is in Heauen as was vnto the three Chyldren Dani. 3. agreyng in one fayth in the bournyng furnace To commende amonge other godly thynges vnto vs thys moste necessarye vnytie our peace maker Iesus Chryst ordeyned his very real body and bloude in those thinges which be of many reduced and brought to one as in brede and wine for of many graines is made one breade whych euidentlye proueth an indiuisible societye an inseparable vnyty to be in and among the whole vnyuersall multytude of beleuyng people spredde abroade in al the worlde whych notwtstandynge theyr corporall dystaunce be broughte into one bodye by consente of myndes vnitie of faith of Sacraments and of charytye the bande of peace as is manyfeste by thys text of Paule the Apostle 1. Co. 10 Vnus panis et unum corpus multi sumus We beinge many are one bred and one body for all we partakyng of one bread the bodye of Chryste do declare our selues although many in nomber to be one lofe of bread compact of many graynes that is to saye to be one body of Chryst counited of many members hauing one fayth one baptysme one Lorde And as al the members of Chryst are by one fayth and one maner of Sacramentes made one body so are they by the same vnited to one hed our Iesus Chryste of the whyche inseparable vnitye that notable vnyon and coÌ„iunction of the husbande wyth the wyfe is a greate Sacrament and a holi perfect signe as this of Paul wytnesseth Sacramentum hoc magnum est ego autem dico in Christo et ecclesia Thys is a greate sacrament but I speake of Chryste and of hys church that is to saie this sacrament meanynge matrymony is a greate a worthy sacrament not of nor in it selfe but bycause it is by deuyne institution a holye perfecte Sacramente and sygne of the indiuisible vnyon and vnitye of Christ the hed with the church hys bodi To be brefe al Christ hys sacramentes mysteryes doctryne do tende fully and holye to the auauncement of vnitye and concorde Aug. to 2 epis 152. Quisquis ergo ab ecclesia catholica fuerit seperatus quantumlibet laudabiliter se uinere existimet hoc solo scelere quod a christi unitate defunctus est non habebit uitam sed ira dei manet super eum Whosoeuer therefore shal be seperated from thys catholyke Churche albeit he thinke hym selfe to liue neuer soo coÌ„mendable yet for thys onelye myschyfe that he is separated from the vnitie of Chryst he shal not haue lyfe but the wrathe of God resteth vpon hym Ephe. â— Thus you may euidently vnderstand vnitie to be a sure token of the Catholyke Churche from the which those fragementes that be dyuided and broken doo publyshe and thrust fourth dyssonante pugnaunt and contrariant Doctryne by the vyolente perswasyon and instructioÌ„ of the proud spyryte of error As nowe in our tyme it is mooste open to euery learned man what a coÌ„tagious noumber of contrary sectes hath issued yea brast out of the puddle sprynges of Luthers heresies as Corall Estadians EcolampadiaÌ„s Swinglyans Anabaptystans Libertines yea Nouatians and Arrians with many other wherof euery one disagreeth from another and frome verytye it self consenting against coÌ„sent agreyng almoste in nothynge but against agrement diuided in all thinges but in persequutyng the vnytye of Chryst hys vnicall churche as Pilate and Herode in nothynge accorded but onlye agaynste our peace Chryst hym selfe beyng more vyolent Luk. 23. then the Iues whych wolde not deuyde Chryst hys coate wythout seame or particion sygnyfyeng the vnytye of hys churche saying Non scindamus cam Ioh. 19. Let vs not cutte or deuyde it They are not therfore to be credyted nor to be taken for the churche nor for members therof but to be fledde eschewed abhorred as sedicious meÌ„bers of the dyscorderable of SathaÌ„ whych syttynge in the chayre of pestilence doo with pestyferous doctryne Psal 1. corrupt and dissolue soo muche as in them is the quyete concord of Chryste hys mistical body the vniuersall church and do resist the truthe as Iannes and Mambres resysted Moyses Thus we knowynge what the Churche is where it is and that it is sensible vysible and manifest 2. Tim. â— and the infallyble tokens as vnyuersality antiquitie vnitye thereof whereby it is dyscerned from the Churche scysmatycall we cannot without extreame iniury of our hed Iesus Chryst and the holy Ghost contynually resydent therein forsake the holy vnitye vniuersalytye and antiquitye of hys holy Catholyke churche to folowe the newelye publyshed the late crept in prophane fantasy diuised in the deuyded coÌ„uentycles of heretycall scysmatykes conspiryng agaynst the whole aunciet church for whosoeuer forsaketh that olde auÌ„ci vniuersal church only consenting in one true doctrine they forsake Chryst hymself the hed thereof and the spyryte of God abydynge therein We cannot forsake the bodye but we must nedes forsake the hed Iesus Christ who is truth we cannot depart from the house of god the church but we must nedes depart froÌ„ god dweling in the same house And as god is vnitie the god of vnitie so hath
ecclesia et iter ueritatis Epiph. 10 1. Cap. 2 The holy Churche of God is the Heauenlye Kynges hygheway and the path of truthe Wherefore seyng that saluation and truth be onely in chrystes catholyke and vniuersall churche and not in particuler conuenticles let vs in all kynd of scysmes diuisions factions sectes ehresyes and erroures cleaue sticke and stande with constant obedience to the inuiolable iudgement determynation and traditioÌ„ of the catholyke Churche For seynge that Chryst is in the myddes of .ii. or .iii. gathered together in his name it muste nedes followe that he is in his own body the churche the whole socyetye vnyuersall congregation of all beleauynge people lyncked and gathered together by consent in his name and vnited to him as the body to the hedde Than cannot we but graunte that the church of Chryst must nedes be the true interpretesse of holy scrypture and truly to decide and determyne the controuersies which mani do stir vp after euery of there pryuate immaginations for as Saint Austen accurseth hym that other beleaueth to haue aucthorytye or hath in reuerente any scriptures Aug ser 129 besides those scryptures which the catholycke churche hath receaued Lykewyse vndoutedly he curseth such as make or do beleue or reuerenceth any interpretations made of the scryptures agaynste and contrarye to the Churches interpretations for beynge not leafull to receaue Scryptures vnproued by the catholyke Churche it is not leafull to receiue straung interpretations thereof and not approued by the same Church coÌ„syderyng that in the Churche onely is the truth as wytnesseth that olde author Ireneus wrytyng these wordes Iren. li. 3. cap. 4. Vbi ecclesia ibi spiritus et ubi spiritus dei illic ecclesia et omnis gratia spiritus autem ueritas Where the Church is there is the spyryte of God and where the spyrit of Godis there is the Churche and all grace And the spyryte truely is trouth which moste playnelye agreeth with the Doctryne of Paule 1. Tim 3 Psal 88. Domus dei est ecclesia dei uiui coluÌ„na et firmameÌ„tuÌ„ ueritatis The house of god is the Churche of God the pyller the fyrme vpholdyng of truth And therefore the sayd Ireneus wryteth also thus Iren. li. 5 pag. 319. Ecclesiae predicatio uera et firma est apud quam una et eadem sâ—lutis uia in uniuerso mundo ostenditur The preachyng of the churche is true firme and souÌ„de in whome is one verye waye of saluation shewed and manyfest through the whole worlde For euery where sayeth he the Churche preacheth the truthe Lykewyse Orygen taughte that onely to be the beleaued truth Orige in prodemio petiarchoÌ„ whych in nothyng dysagreeth from the churches tradytion and therefore Sainte Austen dyd wryte as foloweth Aug. contra epist Man ca 5 Ego uero non crederem euangelo nisime catholice ecclesiae commoueret authoritas I wold not beleaue the Gospell yf the authoritie of the Churche dyd not moue me thereto for if the Churche had not approued wytnessed the truth of the Gospell we shoulde haue bene no lesse vncertayne of it then we are of the Gospelles ascrybed to Thomas Bartylmue and Nychodeme ye maye further reade in Chrisostome Chrisost tom 2. in Manh. 10. mundo Ecclesia habet veres oculos â—idelicet ecclesiasticos atque doctores qui videÌ„t in scripturis misteria dei de quibus dicuntur videntes The churche hath true eyes that is to saye preachers and teachers whych doo se the mysteryes of god Wherefor theye are called Videntes that is to saye seynge perceyuynge and vnderstandynge the sayde mysterye To be bryfe Saynt Hilary calleth the church the mouth of Christ saying Os christi ecclesiam esse Hilari in psal 137. et prophetica apostolica aucthoritas est The prophetycall and the apostolycall aucthorytye is that the church is the mowthe of christ The same affyrmythe Austen saying Au. in Io. 15. tâ— 88 Christus per ecclesiam suam loquitur gentibus Chryst speaketh to the gentyles and people by hys churche for Chryste sayde Non uos estis qui loquimini Mat. 10. sed spiritus patris uestri qui loquitur in uobis It is not you which do speake but the spiryte of truth which speketh in you Luk. 10. he therfore that heareth you my mowthe heareth me Wherfore in all controuersyes and dowtes arysynge or wrested out of written scriptures which can nether heare iudge nor speke the wyll and plesure of god therin conteyned We muste nedes take for oure refuge and perfect instruction the lyuely temple of God the lyuely orgayne and instrumeÌ„t of the holy Ghost the churche lyuely and fully represented by the general counsailes as this realme is fully represented by the parliameÌ„t bycause all and euery member of the Churche nor all and euerye member of thys realme cannot be assembled conueniently together in one place the whych generall counceles aucthoritie is most holsome sounde as teacheth Saynt Austen In so doynge we shall follow the example of the good chrystians of Antyoch whiche when Paule and Barnabye were molested and troubled with the great dissention and seditious disputatioÌ„ of their aduersaries the Iues did send vnto the Apostles and prystes in Ierusalem for the discussion of the question contended vpon accordyng to the olde lawe commaundinge the Iues in all diffycyll and doutfull Deut. 17 mattyres to ascende vnto the prystes and not to the law it selfe and of them to requyre the truth and the mynd of the lawe Aggeâ— 2. from the which they shuld declyne to no syde for the lawe is to be requyred as affirmeth the prophet at the pristes mouth Mala. 2 To the whych chrystyan brotherne the Apostles and prestes gathered to gether in one dyd wryght Actes 16 Visum est spiritui sancto nobis It pleaseth the holy ghost and vs. They sayde not it pleaseth the holye ghoste and scripture which is but a dead doÌ„be and a not speakyng letter but it pleaseth the holy ghost vs vs the temple of oure lyuynge God 2. Cor. 3. the Epistle and scripture of Chryste wrytten not wyth yncke but with the spirite of our lyuyng God 2. Cor. 3. not in stonye tables or in other outewarde substaunce but in the fleshye tables and inward substauÌ„ce of mans harte wherefore doubtes moued out of Scripture are not to be determined bi the deade lettre written with yncke but by the liuely scripture written with the holy Ghost in faithfull mennes hartes for scrypture wrytten with yncke althoughe it conteyneth Godds most vndouted truthe yet bycause it heareth not speakethe not compareth not nor pondereth the matters incontrouersye it cannotte iudge nor pronounce sentence of the truthe The holy counsell thereof asseÌ„bled at Iherusalem sayd it pleseth the holy ghost and vs the lyuely scrypture of Chryst the speakyng mouthe and lyuelye instrument of the holy ghoste Whose determination Act. 15. whan the bretherne had readde they ioyed in the comforte receiued theirin wherefore let vs relynquishe the dissentions and contentions proceadynge oute of priuate presumptuous braines and humbly obeye and ioyfullye receyue the decisions and determinations of Chrystes catholyke churche whome the spyryte of verytye teacheth to speake all the truth â—o 16. Let vs I saye follow the counsell of S. Austen Diuinam ueritatem in una ecclesiateneamus Aug contra conaâ—is post cellat ca. 19. et humanas lites aliquando finiamus Let vs kepe sayth AusteÌ„ Godds truth whych is in the church of vnitie and so lett vs once fynyshe humayne conteÌ„tions Non enim dissensionis est deus 1. Cor. 14 sed pacis For god is not the god of dissensioÌ„ but the God of peace To whose mouthe which is the vnyuersall catholycke church Io. 10. and to the doctryne proceding out therof as obedient shepe of his flocke we are most boundeÌ„ to herkeÌ„ and obeye accordyng to thys of Chryst my shepe do here my voyse doo beleue mye wordes and do folowe me soo that hys Disciples doo heare beleue and followe him speakyng in his chosen and lyuelye mouth the churche for the manyfolde wysedome of God Ephe. 3. is made open and knowen by his Churche as affyrmyth Paule Wherefore the Churche being his owne mouth muste nedes expounde interpretate open hys owne Scrptures mooste agreable to his owne mynde and synce that in the mouthe of two or three wytnesses Mat. 19. consysteth euerye matter 2 Cor. 15. then the Testimonye of the mouthe of Chryst the vniuersall churche must neds of necessitie stand And hys churches true eyes as preachers and teachers called by the churche the mouthe of Chryste doth truly see and perceue the misteries of the scriptures Let vs leaue therefore our arrogante presumptions the mother of all heresy in haÌ„dlyng of the holy worde of god â—â—co 3. the whiche God resysteth and let vs wyth meke humilitie 1 Petre. 5 to whome god giueth grace submytte our priuate fallible iudgmentes to the infallyble aunciet Consent of the whole vniuersall Catholyke Churche whych with one harte and mynd beleuethe wyth perfecte eyes seeth wyth one mouthe preacheth one truthe as affyrmith the ancthorytyes before rehersed let vs I say duryng this our Pilgremage in the desert of this worlde walke in the catholyke churche the heauenly kynges hygh way the way of truth the which truthe they that be out of the church 2. Timo â— be alwaye sekynge and neuer fyndynge that we may in the end of this our sayd iorneye heare in the Mylytant Church acheue vp to the Churche aboue tryumphant Where we maye in truth vnytye and peace honor wyth one harte 2 Cor. 13. one mynde one mouth our euer lyuing god of peace to whoÌ„ eternal be al praise honor glori eternallye Amen FINIS ¶ Imprinted at Londoâ— in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the holy Ghost by Ihon Cawod Printer to the Kyng and Quenes Maiesties Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum