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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06347	An excellent and plaine discourse of the church, whereby the godlie may knowe and discerne the true Church, from the Romish Church, and all other false and counterfet churches, as well for matters of doctrine, as discipline, &c. Written in Frenche by M. Bartrand de Loque, a godlie minister of Dolphenine. And faithfully translated into English, by M.T.W. Seene and allowed; Traité de l'eglise. English	Loque, Bertrand de.; T. W. (Thomas Wilcox), 1549?-1608.	1582 (1582)	STC 16813; ESTC S103377	172,896	422

of the Romish Churche are they condemned I aunswere that wee leaue the iudgement thereof vnto GOD for it belongeth not to vs to determine and iudge of that which is hidden from vs and which indeede passeth our knowledge and calling It is very true that the holy Scripture pronounceth Ioh. 3.18.36 that they whiche die without the faith of Christ are damned and we cannot but say amen and giue our consent to this Neither serueth it to any purpose to alleadge ignoraunce and to say that it excuseth the sinner before GOD For the scripture is plaine and manifest therein The seruant saith Iesus Christe that knew his masters wil Luke 12.47 48. prepared not him selfe neither did according to his will shall bee beaten with many stripes But he that knewe it not and yet did commit thinges worthie of stripes shall bee beaten with fewe stripes Also Math. 5.14 If the blinde lead the blinde they shall fall both into the ditche Saint Paule saith also As many as haue sinned without the lawe Rom. 2. 12. 2. Thes 1.6 shall perishe also without the law and as many as haue sinned within the law shal be iudged by the law And againe it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled rest and deliuerance with vs when the Lorde Iesus shall shewe himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire rēdring vengeance vnto them that doe not knowe God and which obey not vnto the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christ which shal be punished with euerlasting destruction c. These places doe openly enough declare what is the ende of those that die without faith although they bee ignorant for their ignorance cannot excuse them nor serue them for a cloake or couering to absolue and set them free from the iudgement of God For confirmation and proofe whereof wee may alleadge also and put downe that which is written in Leuiticus Leui. 4.2 touching the offering commaunded by God for the sins whiche were committed through ignorance Loe what wee haue to say for one point But to that which remaineth touching our fathers and predecessours God might well shewe mercy vpon them at the ende of their dayes making himselfe knowne vnto them by the secret vertue and power of his holy spirite and putting it into their harts to beleeue in Iesus Christ his sonne that so they might bee saued For God is almightie to saue his owne people yea without vsing any of these meanes which he is accustomed commonly and ordinarily to vse to plant faith in vs and to ingraue it in our hartes to our owne saluation And this is Saint Cyprian his answere Cypri lib. 2. epist 3 touching those that die in some false opinions If some one of our predecessours saith hee either by ignorance or through simplicitie hath not kept and held that which the Lorde hath taught vs to doe by his example and authoritie the mercy of the Lorde may pardon him But wee cannot helpe the same beeing admonished and instructed by him Behold what Saint Cyprian pronounceth herein It is true that he speaketh properly touching the matter of the holy supper but nothing letteth but that wee may applie his speech generally to the matter of al the other articles of the faith The IX CHAP. Of the degrees of Ministers in the Churche where mention is made of the order of the popish Clergie and of the offices and duties of true pastors VVE haue seene and heard heretofore Mat. 9.38 that it apperteineth vnto the Lord of the haruest to sende foorth workemen in to his haruest For it belongeth not to any what giftes soeuer he hath receiued frō the Lorde to thrust himselfe into the work of the ministerie vnlesse he be lawfully called thereto Now the Apostle Saint Paule writing to the Ephesians Ephe. 4.11 sheweth vs what workemen the Lorde hath sent into his haruest that is to say Apostles prophets Euangelistes pastours and doctours Apostles Touching the Apostles they were chosen immediatly from Christe and their office was to sowe and spreade the Gospell abroad throughout all the worlde neither had any one of thē any limits or borders set them or some certaine Churches appointed to them Mat. 28.19 Mat. 10.2 Gal. 2. ● but Christe would that in euerie part or place where so euer they came they should doe their message before all peoples and nations Such were the twelue named in the Gospell to whome Saint paule was added who was specially appointed to beare the name of Christe among the Gentiles Nowe because this degree of the Apostles was instituted and ordained by God for the establishing of churches those churches beeing planted and established this name of Apostle ought not any more to bee vsed among the ministers as to be giuen and communicated to them And yet we reade that sometime it is taken generally in the scripture for a Pastor and preacher of the Gospell As Epaphroditus is called the Apostle of the Philippians Barnabas is named an Apostle Philip. 2.25 Act. 14.14 Act. 14. Prophetes are distinguished into two sortes or o ders Prophetes Some were vnder the olde Testament and in that time who being instructed and taught by a speciall reuelation from God did foretell things to come The other were in the newe Testament who in the first place had an excellent gift and singular grace to interprete the Scripture 1. Cor. 11.4 also they were suche as were indued 1. Cor. 14. 1. c. with great wisedome and readinesse wel to prouide for the necessitie of the Church and to speake properly they were as interpreters of the will of God In this ranke or order were comprehended the Prophetes that had the gift to vnderstand foresee and reueale thinges to come Act. 11.28 such a one was Agabbs who by the holy Ghoste foretolde that a great famine should fall throughout all the worlde whiche also came to passe in the Emperour Claudius Caesars dayes also that Saint Paule should be bound at Ierusalem Act. 21.10 c. Act. 13.1 There is mention made also in the thirteenth of the Actes of certaine Prophetes of the Churche of Antioche to wit Barnabas and Simeon who was called Niger and Lucius of Cyrene and Manahen which had been brought vp with Herode the Tetrarch and Saul And in the one and twentie mention is made of Phillips foure daughters which did prophesie Act. 21.9 These degrees or this office of Prophetes was ordained by God to indure but for a time only as the Apostles Euangelists Euangelistes generally are those whiche performe the office of an Euangelist that is to say which preache the Gospell Sometimes also this name Euangelist is referred to those foure who haue written the storie of the Gospell that is to say S. Matthew S. Marke S. Luke and S. Iohn But in this order of the Church the question is

strengthen the faithfull peoples consciences at this time in which it seemeth that the Diuell the enemie of Gods glorie and our saluation is vnchained and vntyed and that all the worlde is kindeled with rage and set on fire with furie and conspired with him furiously to rushe vpon the poore Church setting out and making a shewe against it of all that that crueltie can deuise Wherefore I shewe what is the state and condition of the Church on earth that shee hath alwaies had such a vertue of patience and so great constancie and courage in the middest of the crosse that tyrants haue rather left to persecute her then that shee hath failed and fallen away by their torments insomuch that shee hath abode inuincible and vnconquered against the vehemencie violence of so many horrible combates as shee was to sustaine and indure and out of all them hath brought a famous victorie and most glorious crowne In summe that the sonne of God hath alwaies founde place and passage in the middest of the worlde notwithstanding the fires swordes torments furies outcries and horrible scatteringes abrode which were made against him As touching the fruite and profit which may come of this little labour I dare not affirme any thing thereof except it be in respect of you my Lorde For I doubt not but you take as muche pleasure to heare mee discourse in writing vpon this matter of the church as you commonly do when you heare mee speake either particularly to your selfe or publikely in the execution of my charge and office And yet if you regarde that which is mine without doubt the fruite will be none but if you consider the argument and the large laying out of the matters conteined in this present treatie I assure my selfe that it will not bee altogether vnprofitable and that they which shall reade the same will not repent themselues thereof Furthermore I staying my selfe my Lorde vpon your accustomed goodnes through which you disdaine not or dislike any thing which commeth from your seruants offer and dedicate vnto you this litle booke most humblie beseeching you to accept it and to take it well that it commeth out into light vnder the inscription of your name and to receiue it with such gentlenesse and curtesie as you haue been accustomed to loue vertue and fauour Christian religion and those that make profession thereof For I hope that if you receiue and take it well that your name shall procure it more grace and liking and shall get it more authoritie and purchase it more fauour amongst all because that thinges dedicated to great personages are better receiued of the lower sort although the things of themselues are oftentimes very base and of small account and value And also as touching my selfe I was gladly minded to declare and shewe by this slender meane a testimonie of the obedience which I owe you and for the singuler earnest desire which I haue to doe you the most humble acceptable seruice that I can in the Lorde whom I beseeche with all my heart to maintaine you my Lorde and my Ladie the Countesse your sister in his most holy and most worthie keeping and to preserue you both in a blessed and long life augmenting and increasing in you dayly more and more the giftes and graces of his holy spirite wherewith hee hath so plentifully decked liberally inriched you From Turenne this xxv of March 1577. Your most humble and most obedient seruant Bertrand de loque A TREATIE OF the Church containing a true discourse in which a man may clearely behold and see what is the nature forme gouernement and guiding of the true Church together with the infallible markes and tokens by which a man may know it and discerne the same from the Romish Church and all other false and counterfeited congregations CAP. I. Of the diuers significations and acceptions of this word CHVRCH and how the Church is commonly distinguished MEN are accustomed to saye that euery woorde which may be taken in many senses and in diuers significatiōs should rather bee distinguished then defined For a man can not otherwise rightly declare the nature vertue and disposition of any thing vnlesse he be first resolued of the sense and meaning in whiche it ought to bee taken For as much therfore as this word Church is of that sort being a Greeke word which signifieth an assemblie or congregation is taken or deriued from a worde which in that tongue signifieth to call or to cause to come it is meete and necessary that before we giue the difinition thereof wee declare after howe manye sortes men vse to take it 1 Nowe men sometimes take it for a companie or assemblie of wicked persons Psal 22.16 as Psalme 22.16 The Churche or the Synagogue of the wicked haue inclosed mee and in Psalme Psal 26.5 26.5 I haue hated the Churche of the wicked that is to saye the companie For there is in the Hebrue text two words which the Greekes haue turned Synagogue and Churche which doe signifie as muche as a companie troupe or assemblie 2 Sometimes it is put for the assemblie of citizens and burgesses of a towne in whiche meeting they intreate of the common and ordinarie affaires of the common wealth and so doth Saint Luke vse it Actes 19.32.39 Act. 19.32.39 3 It is also taken for the place whether the assemblie is called together as Iudeth 6. Iudeth 6.16 verse 16. And they called together all the auncients of the citie and all their youth ranne together to the Church or assemblie that is to say to the place of the congregation or assemblie 4 Also for the Senate or consistorie of the Churche that is to say for the Pastors and Elders of the Church who are indeede the conductours and guiders thereof as when Iesus Christ sayth Tell the Churche Mat. 19.17 Chrysostom Hom. 62. vpon Matth. that is to say euen as Chrysostome also expoundeth it the Pastours leaders and gouernours of the Churche according where vnto we see that Saint Iohn making mention of the consistorie of the Iewes in which it was sometimes determined to thrust out of the Synagogue euerie one that would confesse Iesus Christ Ioh. 9.22 hee sayth generally that the Iewes made this decree although it was indeede the Consistorie onely 5 But in the question or matter of Christian religion it is taken for the companie and assemblie of faithfull people which make profession of the true pure religion of God Of this Church speaketh S. Paule when he saith to the Pastors therof Take heede to your selues and to all the flocke Act. 20.28 whereof the holie Ghost hath made you Bishops or ouerseers to feede the Churche of GOD whiche hee hath purchased with his owne bloud But here wee must obserue certaine distinctions for euen in this signification the Church is commonly distinguished into three sortes First it is called triumphant or else militant The Church

two witnesses and they shall prophecie a thousande two hundred and threescore dayes In which place S. Iohn foretelleth the generall corruption of the Church whiche shall come to passe in the last times yet so that withall hee giueth vs to vnderstande that God will not suffer his seruice to continue so corrupted and bastardly but that he will reforme it and bring it to her former perfection and soundnesse and that for this purpose hee will raise and stirre vp witnesses of his owne to prophecie and speake against so greeuous a corruption And howe shall this be done by vsing an extraordinarie maner Luk. 9.49 Wee may also verie well applie to this purpose the example of him who cast out Diuels in the name of Iesus Christ For the Apostles woulde haue hindred him because he did not followe Iesus Christe as they did But Iesus Christe sayeth vnto them Take heede that ye forbid him not or hinder him for fayth hee he that is not against vs is with vs. It is very true in deede that such an extraordinarie vocation ought not to be lightly approued but it is also as true that it ●ught not as lightly to be condemne But wee haue a certaine and manifest testimonie Act. 6.5 8.5 of this extraordinarie vocation in Philip. For hee being onely ordayned a Deacon at Hierusalem was afterwardes extraordinarily called by God to preach Iesus Christ Beside the first restorers of the Churche of our age or time who were extraordinarily called are not to be reproued or blamed for rashnesse For as in a citie besieged by the enemie or assaulted with fire when they whiche were ordinarily called for the safegarde and defence thereof and to giue order in the daunger of fyre shoulde be themselues the first enemies and putters to of fyre if it fall out that certaine Citizens hauing other charges or offices in the citie or else if they were but priuate and particular persons woulde come and set vp themselues and imploy them selues in running to the breach and fire to the ende that they might preserue the citie so farre of is it that they deserue or ought to be reprehended as traytors and vnfaithfull persons that on the other side for a facte so courteous gentle yea so profitable to the country they were greatly to be praised as very good citizens and true friendes and preseruers of the countrey so when the ordinarie sauegardes or keepers of Gods owne house haue declared them selues to be enemies thereof and putters too of fyre to ouerthrowe and marre all they that are afterwardes aduaunced and set forewardes them selues to resist them and to maintaine the right and estate of the sayde house yea although they haue had no manner of ordinarie vocation but in their owne consciences haue onely felt themselues extraordinarilye called for to execute such an office or charge so farre of is it that eyther they may or ought to be blamed that contrarywise they deserue honour and great prayse And yet this is here to be noted that albeit all are not inioyned or cōmanded to preach as well as all are commanded to oppose or set them selues against false prophets yet by consequent it followeth verie wel that if any doe aduaunce or set forward themselues to oppose or set them selues against false prophetes they haue done nothing against their vocation or calling Add also that euen those which in the beginning were extraordinarily called hauing faithfully acquitted and behaued them selues in their charges in preaching the trueth and being receiued and allowed of the people that vocation of theirs which before was extraordinarie hath ceased yea must cease and afterwards is become ordinarie And as concerning myracles wee will shortly aunswere thereto Let the Romishe Catholikes shewe what myracles Isaiah Amos Obadiah Nahum Zechariah and many other prophetes did whom God did extraordinarily stirre vp where they whiche had the order and gouernment in their owne handes abused the same Next let them consider Mat. 12.39 that it appertayneth to an euill adulterous generation to demaund and seeke signes as Iesus Christ saith Thirdly that miracles may seduce and deceiue For we read that false prophetes seducers Deut. 13.1 c. Mat. 24.24 and deceiuers haue sometimes done them thereby to deceiue men and to make approued their false doctrines 2. Thes 2.9 and to increase and strengthen their superstitions and idolatries And therefore we ought not by myracles to iudge of the vocation and doctrine but rather on the other side by the vocation and doctrine wee ought to iudge of myracles and signes The other thing whiche wee aunswere touching the vocation and calling of our first ministers is that wee may verie well stoppe the mouthes of the Romishe Catholikes if wee would alledge that those ministers them selues for the most parte had in respecte of them selues an ordinarie vocation being in deede called in their time by the Pope and by him established and set in their charges and therefore by consequent had authoritie and right to goe vp into the pulpit and to teache in the Church as Luther Zwinglius Oecolampadius Bucer and before them Wickliffe and Iohn Hus. Also that in Englande Sweden and Denmarke the right and lawfull succession of the chaire or place is on our side For there the ordinarie Bishoppes haue receiued the Gospell and preache it so that wee shall not neede to dispute of their vocation no more then for the calling of the Priestes which are at this present in the Romishe Chuch called by the Pope but euen only of their doctrine CHAP. VI. That the Church hath been alwayes from the beginning is nowe and shal be euen vnto the worlds end but that it ought not to be esteemed or acknowledged by the great number WE must not thinke that the Churche had her beginning when the Apostles began to preach the Gospell throughout all the world at which time the disciples were first named christians in Antiochia but that shee began to be in the world euen from the very time of our first parentes Adam and Heuah For in them and by them God began to be serued on the earth hauing blessed them and cōmended vnto thē his seruice and after their fall hauing preached vnto them repentaunce and assurance of victorie against the serpent through Iesus Christ his sonne But the world increasing the church also was augmēted seruing god For as S. Paul saith God created the world Act. 17 26. hath made of one blood al men that they might seeke and serue him And he himselfe saith in Isaiah This people haue I formed for my selfe they shall rehearse and shewe foorth my praise Isai 48 2● GOD then created in the worlde and that from the beginning a Churche thorough free adoption to this ende that his name might be duely praysed by conuenient fit and meete witnesses for so excellent a worke For this cause also the Church is called the planting of the Lorde that hee

off and cease at the least to strengthen them selues so muche with their succession and so often to oppose and set against vs their vocation and sending The end wher fore the lord sent his work men into his haruest Mat. 28.19 Mark 16.15 1. Cor. 11 23.24 Ioh. 12.15 Act. 20.28 But will we examine the end or whiche the Lord of the haruest hath sent forth his workemen into his haruest He him selfe hath declared it when he commanded thē to preache the Gospel and to minister the Sacramentes after his example Whiche in an other place is signified by the worde of feeding the sheep euen as Iesus Christ said vnto peter Peter louest thou mee feede my sheepe And Saint Paule speaking to the Bishop of Ephesus Take heed to your self saith hee and to all the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made you Bishop or ouerseers to feede the Church of God Also S. Peter The elders which are amongst you I beseeche 1. Pet. 5.1.2 who am also a fellow elder feede the flock of Christ which is committed to you Wherefore cursing and woe is by the Lorde pronounced against the Pastors which feed themselues Ezech. 34.2 and feede not their flockes or sheepe And Saint Paule hauing regards thereto saith in his Epistle to the Romanes Rom. 1. 8. That hee was called and sent by Iesus Christe to preache the Gospell of God And to the Corinthians Necessitie saith hee to preache the Gospell 1. Cor. 6.17 is laide vpon mee and woe is vnto me if I preach not the Gospell because the dispensation thereof is committed vnto me In the Epistle to the Hebrewes it is saide Heb. 13.17 that the pastours and guiders of the Churche ought to watch for the soules of them that are committed vnto them as they that must giue account thereof And that is it that the worde bishop importeth and meaneth that is to say a watche man or an ouerwatcher bicause the pastors ought to bee as it were watches or watch men according to the Prophesie of Ezechiel Ezech. 3.15 33.3 that they maye watche ouer the flocke Saint Paule in other wordes setteth out this ende Eph. 4.11.12 when hee saith to the Ephesians That Iesus Christe hath giuen Apostles Prophetes Euangelistes Pastors and Doctors for the gathering together of the Saincts for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christe 1. Cor. 4.1.2 that is to say the Church And writing vnto the Corinthians hee saith in one worde That it is required of the Ministers of Christe who are the disposers of the secretes of God that euery man bee found faithfull behauing himselfe faithfully diligently and rightly in the execution of his charge and office Nowe according to this rule can the Popes Cardinals Byshops other priestes of the Romishe Church saye that they occupie themselues in their charges to feede the flocke of Christ to preache the Gospell to administer the sacraments to assemble the saints to giue ouer themselues wholy to the worke of the ministerie to edifie the Churche How doe they satisfie and answere the ordinance and commaundement of Iesus Christ Howe can they excuse them selues that they should not be almost all accursed according to the testimonie of Ezechiel and Saint Paule whereof we spake not long sithence what can they say or alledge for themselues that they should not be excommunicated and deposed if the canons which they attribute to the Apostles of whiche we spake in the fifth Chapter were well and rightlye obserued amongest them as they say they shoulde bee indeede But behold their vngodlynesse they say that they exercise and execute their foresaid offices and charges by their Vicars and deputies whom they haue substituted and appointed vnder them in their places ouer their parishioners Yea but whē Iesus Christ called sent foorth his Apostles did he say vnto them goe and bee the pastors of my Church teaching it and feeding by Vicars substituts and lieuetenants which you shal put in your places It is certaine that hee did not so but he gaue vnto them in their owne persons the speciall charge of his Churche and commaunded them in plaine and expresse tearmes to preach the Gospell them selues and to administer the Sacramentes Moreouer what sufficient Vicars or Deputies are they wont to haue and howe faithfull meete and able to doe the duetie of Pastours Such Bishops and persons such Vicars and Lieuetenants that is to say one of them as ignoraunt foolish and vnskilfull as the other But why doe they take vppon them the name and charge of an office which they will not exercise and execute why take they the hyre wages and reuenue of that labor and work which at no hand they doe neither in deed will doe For they haue no care to haue Vicars and Liefetenants but that thereby they may enioy prebendes and the reuenewes of their benefices and yet they will seeme to haue them as though it were to doe their duties Yea which is more then this they make accursed and more then profane diuision of their offices betweene them and their Friers vilanously separating that whiche Iesus Christe hath ioyned together For to whome was it that Iesus Christe committed the office to minister the Sacramentes but euen to them themselues and to them alone also whome hee inioyned and commaunded to preache the Gospel But these men to wit the Bishops parsons and other Priestes do reserue vnto themselues the administration of the sacraments such as they haue with the rents and reuenewes of their bishoprickes parsonages and other benefices and post ouer the charge and office of preaching the worde vnto the Friers leauing them the bagge wallet and staffe whatsoeuer by begging they can get for their hyre and wages But seeing that they leaue vnto the friers the office of preaching why doe they not leaue vnto them also the office and charge to administer the Sacramentes For these two offices are ioyned together and may not at any hand be separated or sundred one of them frō an other Notwithstanding there is in the popedom a plaine prohibition and forbidding that friers in as much as they are friers shoulde meddle with or take vppon them to administer any Sacrament except they bee such as haue charge or vnlesse they bee dispensed withall for the doeing of it But why then are they suffered to preach For this is to doe against the ordinaunce and institution of Christ and to deuide and sunder things which he hath ioyned together Or seeing that they are come so farre as to forbid friers to administer the sacraments why do they suffer them to say masse seeing that they all hold and affirme that the masse is the Sacrament of the holy supper which for this cause also they call The Sacrament of the altar Indeed to speake according to the truth making also an ende at the length of this matter these men cannot after any maner whatseouer vaunt or

light is farre more excellent then the gift of Prophesie it selfe was in diuers who liued vnder the lawe 1. Thes 5.11 And also though wee are bounde to exhorte one another and to teach one another in the doctrine of godlinesse and the feare of God yet for all that the publike ministerie of the worde is not superfluous or vaine in the Churche For the selfe same God that hath commanded fathers to instruct their children and all vs to admonishe one an other hath also ordeyned the publike ministerie of the worde in the Church that it may bee there practised and exercised not for some fewe yeeres onely but euen vnto the ende of the worlde And thus muche touching the arguments of the aduersaries and such as set thē selues agāinst the ministerie of the Church Nowe let vs bring foorth our reasons to proue the contrarie The first reason is Iesus Christe hath commaunded that the Gospel should bee preached and the Sacraments administred in the Church vnto the ende of the worlde Then it followeth that the ministerie is alwayes requisite and necessarie in the Church I proue the Antecedent or former proposition by these wordes of Christ written in the last Chapter of Saint Matthewe Go and teach all nations Mat. 28.19.20 baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost teaching thē to obserue whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you and behold I am with you vnto the worldes ende For after the commaundement to preache the worde and to administer Baptisme vnder which Sacrament the other also of the holy Supper is conteyned because the Disciples might doubt or feare their charge as being great in labour and harde to execute Iesus Christ addeth a promise of his assistaunce not for tenne or twentie yeeres onely but for alwayes euen vnto the ende of the worlde Wherein hee manifestly setteth out and declareth two thinges One that hee willeth and ordeineth that the ministerie bee exercised in the Churche not for one age onely but continually vnto the consummation and end of all thinges The other is that hee promiseth that although Satan subtillie deuise inuent and practise all that hee can to hinder the ministerie the work of Gods seruants and the tyrants by their practises and violences inforce thē selues to the vttermost of their power to ouerthrow to bring to naught the church of God yet hee will by his godly and heauenly power alwayes maintaine his truth in the worlde and preserue his Church therein by the ministerie and labour of his faithfull pastors The seconde reason Rom. 1● 17 The Apostle Saint Paul saith to the Romanes That faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Whereby he declareth that God hath accustomed to plant faith in our heartes by the preaching of his worde It is true that the power of God is not tyed to this outwarde meane but that hee is able to beget faith in vs after some other fashion and by some other meane although it be to vs incomprehensible euen as it shall please him selfe but notwithstanding all this the ministerie of his word is the ordinary meane which hee vseth or serueth himselfe with to giue vs faith by so that they which will haue faith without the preaching and hearing of the worde doe as much as though they woulde liue without meates drinks which God hath ordeined for our bodilie life Now hereupon we take and frame our argument thus Faith is in all times and alwaies necessarie for men But faith is giuen vnto men from God by the ministerie of the worde Therefore it followeth that the ministerie of the worde is in all times and alwaies necessarie for men The third reason It is certaine that for as much as the Sacraments are ordeined by God to bee as it were seales of the worde to seale in our heartes that which is therein conteined alreadie that is to say the vnion fellowship and partaking which wee haue in Iesus Christe it followeth that where there is not the worde of God preached there wee cannot haue any Sacrament For as a seale is altogether vnprofitable yea is not allowed a seale vnlesse bee bound or set to some instrument or writing for the confirmation thereof euen so the Sacrament is altogether vnprofitable yea indeed is not a Sacrament if it be not ioyned with the worde of God preached to confirme the same vnto vs. Whereupon Saint Augustine hath sometimes saide Augu. sup Iohan. Hom. 13. Let the word bee ioyned to the Sacrament and there shal be made a Sacrament Of what worde speaketh hee verilie not of a worde mumbled vp murmured or whispered without vnderstanding ouer the Elements but of the worde of God preached to the faithfull receiued of them through faith as hee himselfe maketh it plaine wlien speaking of baptisme he addeth this is the word of faith which we preach by which baptisme is consecrated and hallowed 1. Cor. 11. ●● to haue power to make cleane Now from that which is aboue said we reason after this manner The administration of the holy Supper is alwayes necessarie in the Church euen vnto the end of the worlde for Iesus Christ hath commanded vs to celebrate it and by that meanes to preach or shewe foorth his death vntill his comming againe But the administration of the supper can not bee performed without the ministerie of the worde Therefore it followeth that the ministerie of the worde is alwayes necessarie in the Church The fourth reason Iesus Christ hath giuen and established the ministers of the worde Ephe. 14.11 for the worke of the ministerie till wee all meete together in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the sonne of GOD vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ that is to say till that Christ be perfect in vs and haue in vs his ful grouth and increase But wee can not obtaine suche perfection vnto the ende of the worlde at what time GOD shall bee all in all For as Saint Paule saith Wee knowe in parte and wee prophesie in part But when that which is perfect is come 2. Cor. 13. 9.10 then that which is in part shal be abolished Wherefore it followeth that Iesus Christe hath giuen and placed the ministers of the worde for the woorke of the ministerie vntill the ende of the worlde and then God shall be all in all These reasons are sufficient for this present to teach and proue that the holy ministerie is continually requisite and necessarie in the Church as indeede the Lorde hath for our good saluation established the same to abide in all ages therein applying and framing himself to our weaknesse which is so great we being corrupted thorough sinne that without this means meet and agreeable to our nature we coulde not bee well instructed in the points of our saluation For if God should speake vnto vs in his maiestie wee coulde not at