the true Churche neither is euery discorde a sure argument of a false Church THe Iewes which thinke that the Messias is not yet come haue had vnity many yeres but their consent proues thē not to be Gods Church Acts 19. Demetrius the siluer smith his company in Ephesus were at great vnity for the vpholding of Diana against S. Pauls preaching but that vnity was no argument that they were Gods Church Apoc. cap. 14. ver 8. The Angel saith that Babylon made all nations to drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication Therefore the generall consent and vnity of al nations in religion doth not make a true religion The Arrians Nestorians Eutichians the blasphemous Heretikes of the family of loue haue doe consēt in their blasphemous opinions but this consent of theirs prooues them not to be the true Church of God Vnity in the essential points of Gods religion is an infallible argument of the Church of God Euery discord is not an argument of a false church 1. Cor. 1. 11. cha There were dissentions in the church of Corinth and yet God had his church at Corinth The Bishops whiche were assembled in the Nicene counsell against Arrius were at greate variance Notwithstanding they were Gods seruants The East West Churches were greatly deuided about the feast of Easter and yet they were the Churches of God Acts 15 Galat. 2. Aug. Epist 9. There was hot stirre betweene Paule Barnabas betweene Paule Peter betweene Augustine Hierome yet all these were Gods seruants Gods truth sometimes deuideth the faithfull amongest themselues Iohn chap. 6. ver 66. Christes sermon that his flesh was the true meate was an vndoubted truth yet it made a partition between the twelue the other which beleeued in Christ I confesse that Gods spirite is the spirite of peace vnitie This spirit should wholly possesse vs if we were wholly regenerate But the best men are shorte of that 19 Multitude is not an infallible argument of Gods Church Gen. 7. 1. King 19. 22. chap. IN the times of Noe Elias Micheas c. The greater part was the woorse part when the x. tribes did set thēselues against the tribe of Iuda Gods Churche was in Iuda Except the Lord of hosts had reserued vnto vs euen a small remnant we should haue beene as Sodome Esay 1. ver 9 and should haue beene like vnto Gomorrha Whereby it is manifest that Gods Church was very little and that the greater number was the worse Enter in at the straight gate for it is the wide gate broade way that leeadeth to destruction many there be which go in thereat because the gate is straight the way narrow that leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that find it Mat. 7. ver 13.14 If the multitude had byn an argumēt of the Church Christes speech were not to be liked of Christ calles his flocke a little flock Christ himselfe was condemned to death by the greater number of the Iewes Luke 12. Math. 27. It is saide that Satan deceiueth all the worlde Apo 12. and 20. As the greater number is no sure proofe of the Church if they haue not the markes of the Church amongest them so is not the lesse number an argument of Gods church vnlesse they haue the essentiall markes of Gods Church amongest them if they may be come by 20 The Church is not to bee measured by the externall shewe Reioyce thou barren Gal. 4. that bearest no children c If the Apostle out of the prophet Esay call the Churche barren it is a good lesson to teache vs not to measure the church alwaies by the outwarde shew Esay 53. Christe the bridegrome was so afflicted that hee had neither forme nor beautie When the Churches case is such we must remember that it is Christes spouse When the Israelites were in captiuitie at Babylon Ezec. chap. 11 ver 15.16 Gods Churche was in Chaldaea as in a dungeon albeit they which remained in Ierusalem thought otherwise If Gods Church had beene measured by the outward shewe it had been wide with them which were then in captiuitie Cant. 6. I confesse that Gods Churche is saide by Salomon to be faire as the Moone pure as the Sonne But it is so to mens eyes not in the time of persecution but in the time of the peace of the church when as the order in Gods Church is very beautifull Esay 60.9 When we reade in Esay that the ships of Tharsis shall bring to gods churche sonnes from farre and their siluer their gold with them We must not by and by dreame of a golden church as the Iewes doe of a golden Messias but the meaning is that God will greatly aduaunce his Church and set it out with excellent furniture If they of Tharsis deserue great commendation for bringing their owne siluer gold with them to Gods Church I am sure they deserue very little which by cropping the Churches maintenance hinder the building of the spirituall temple For can gods churche be built without skilfull masons and carpenters I meane able ministers and cā they either prouide instrumentes for the framing setting vp of Almightie gods house when they are kepte fasting from the Churches allowance And is not this the true cause why in many places of this noble lande some such open Gods booke in the body of the church as would be goodly implements ornamentes in the Belfray I will not rub this sore any longer I am very sure that all whiche loue religion do pray heartily for the redresse of this 21 None which are or haue been alients from the church of God are to be admitted rashly into it If Rahab of Iericho and her companie Iosu 6. had been presently admitted into the Israelites assemblie their vncleannesse would haue been easily forgotten but the putting of them apart for a time without the host of Israel was of great force both to make them ashamed of their former behauiour to esteeme the companie of gods people afterward a more excellent benefit Acts. 9. The not admitting of S. Paul at the first amongest the Disciples did teache him to prefer the lowest place in Christs Church before the highest roome in the Sinagogues of the Pharisees and may teach vs not to open the Church dores ouer hastily to euery one without exception Acts. 19. Many which beleeued in Ephesus came confessed shewed their workes before they were ioined to the Church 1. Tim. chap. 3. ver 6. If no man may be admitted rashly into Gods church then no man may rashly be set ouer Gods Church Vnseasoned timber will not serue for a groundesell Hee is not fit to be a Captaine whiche cannot be accounted a souldier No man may be allowed a Prophet which hath not been the sonne of a Prophet 22 Gods Church may erre To erre is to goe
Christ Cont. Cresc Gram. lib. 2. cap. 21. and the member of the Diuel God forbid that these monsters Augustine speakes of wicked men shoulde be accounted eyther amongst the members of the only doue that is Gods church or enter into the inclosed garden I confesse that the reprobates are may be many times in the Church that is in the assemblies of Gods seruants but of the Church they neither are nor can be truly accounted 16 Succession of Bishops is not an infallible argument of Gods Church IF personall succession not hauing the succession of doctrine ioyned to it as the foūdatiō therof were an infallible marke of the true Church then must we confesse that Gods grace and spirite are tyed to seates and countries which is a grosse absurditie 2. Thes 2. Ordinary and visible succession in the Church may be interrupted For Paul did foretell that there shoulde be a departing from the faith Apostasie and succession can no more stand together thē the Arke and Dagon then Christ and Antichrist Besides the ordinary succession of priests was interrupted in the Israelites church and yet God had his Churche there 1. King 19. I meane them whiche retayning Gods trueth did not bowe their knees vnto Baal When Christ came into the worlde to be our mediatour was Gods Churche to be measured by the visible succession of Bishops Hereticall Bishops might vaunt of succession in very famous Churches Paulus Samosatenus which was a mōstrous Heretike succeeded Godly Bishops in the Church of Antioch diuers Arians succeeded Athenasius in the Church of Alexandria The succession of Bishops both was is continued in the Greeke Church and yet the popish sort wil not allow the churches of Grecia to be Christes Churches because they dissent from the Church of Rome The auncient writers Tertullian Tertul. de praescrip Ireneus when they would confute Marcion and Vallentinus proued that not those Heretikes Iren. li. 3. ca. 2. but themselues had the succession of Gods truth amongest them Whē these godly fathers had made that cleare they set downe the succession and row of Bishops as badges of their victory so that the succession of faith and religion may be truely accounted as the life and soule and the succession of Bishops as the body If personall succession be without the successiō of Gods truth it wants life is a dead and vnprofitable carcase I confesse that the succession of Bishops as a goodly and beautiful building is of great force to allure thē which are alients from the Church to looke into to behold the inward beauty of the church but if the precious iewel of Gods word be wanting the personal succession is like a costly tombe which is beautifull without but is full of dead mens bones within Lib. 4. cap. 43. 45. Ireneus ioyneth together the succession of persons and doctrine If the Papists which haue not succession of Gods truth bragge of successiō of Bishops we may say to their Bishoppes as Tertullian said to Marcion the Heritike Tertul. lib. 1. cont Mar. who are ye when and from whence came yee The succession of Bishops without succession of Gods truth is like a paire of popish beades which hang by a long but yet by a sclender threed That is the true and lawfull succession of Bishops when as lawfull Bishops succeeding one another doe exercise the worke of their ministery 17 Antiquitie is no sure argument of Gods Church THe Iewes consenting that the Messias is not yet come is of greater continuance then popery is but continuance of time cannot make that good in religion which was bad at the first Antiquity if it haue not the salt of Gods word to preserue it doth argue rottennesse and giues an euil sent Your iniquities Esay chap. 65. ver 7. the iniquities of your fathers shal be together saith the Lorde which haue burnt incense vpon the mountaines and blasphemed me vpon the hilles therfore wil I measure their olde worke into their bosome If antiquitye woulde haue serued the turne of the Israelites almighty God might haue bin challenged for punishing their aunciēt idolatry and superstition Ye haue heard that it was saide vnto them of old time thou shalt not kill For whosoeuer killeth shall bee culpable of iudgement But I say vnto you whosoeuer is angrye with his brother vnaduisedly shal be culpable of iudgement Mat. 5. ver 21.22 The pharisies cleared him of murder which had not killed a mā with his hand because the Pharisies alleaged antiquity for their errour our Sauiour Christ refutes them by his owne authority But I say vnto you c. ver 22. There were ill buylders in Pauls time 1. Cor. 3. and such abuses crept into the Lords supper in Corinth 1. Cor. 11. that the Apostle was compelled to say this is not to eat the Lords supper They which reason thus suche a religion is olde therefore it is good may be answered that this argumēt is as cleere as midnight the enchantmentes of Simon Magus Acts 8. 19. chap. the image which came down frō Iupiter the religion of Rome are of great antiquity yet Gods religion is more ancient then any of these Tertul. lib. 1. cont Mar. ◠for truth is older then heresie When we heare any Papist saye I haue byn brought vp in the religion of Rome therfore I will continue in it and will not be wonn frō it we may answere him that wise men haue their seconde thoughtes Euripides in Hippol. Cyp. ad Iubaian ad Quin fratrem de lapsis and that we may not erre alwaies because somtimes we erred that we are not ouercome but instructed whē better things are offred vnto vs that he is not ioyned to the Church which is separate frō the gospel Some of the Popishe sort haue bin cōtent to say if the Church of Rome woulde allow the religion wee haue in England that they would like of it Tichonius a Donatist said of himselfe his fellow Donatists that Aug. Epist 48. which wee wil is holy Tiberius the Emperour put vp a grace in the Senate house of Rome Euseb lib. 2. cap. 2. that Christ might be a God because the Senate denied that grace it is set downe a little after in that Chapter vnlesse God please man he is not allowed for a God In like sorte if our religion had the Popes hande and seale vnto it the Popish sort would allow it because it hath not his holinesse warrant they refuse it Question How can it be that God shoulde suffer his Church to erre so many yeeres Answerre God suffered not his Church to erre so lōg a time but he suffered wicked mē euē by his iust iudgement which beleeued not the trueth that they might be saued to beleeue lyes and haue pleasure in vnrighteousnesse that they might bee damned 2. Thessal 2. ver 10.11.12 18 Euery vnity is not a sure argument of
Cor. 6. 1. Cor. 1. may bee said to be without spot because it is washed and purged by the blood of Christe and without wrinkle because it is clothed with the righteousnesse of Christe by the imputation of whose righteousnesse wee are at Gods handes both absolued and sanctified 24 The Church of Rome hath and may erre BEholde the bountifulnesse and seueritie of GOD towardes them Rom. cha 11. verse 22. whiche haue fallen seuerytye but towardes thee bountifulnes if thou continue in his bountifulnes or else thou also shalt be cut off If the Churche of Rome could not erre why should Paul write this Lib. 1. cont Marcionem Tertullian makes mention of alters dedicated to vnknowen gods which he calleth the Idolatrie of the Athenians and to vncertaine gods which he calleth the superstition of the Romanes Hormisda a Bishoppe of Rome in a writing of his to the Bishops of Spayne maketh this matter very cleare The sum of his wordes is this Dearely beloued let vs pray without ceasing that we may cleaue soundly vnto Christ and not forsake him least we be iustly forsakē of him If Saint Pauls doctrine in the Epistle to the Romaines be sounde whereof none that feare God doth make any question then the popishe Church whiche holdes many thinges disagreeing from that Epistle is not free from errour Let the questions of iustification election freewill obedience to the Magistrate be considered Besids their spoyling Christ of his priesthood and Gods people of the cup in the Lordes supper their transubstantiation a number of grosse absurdities which they hold are manifest demonstrations of the erring of the Popishe Church 25 They may not bee accompted Schismatikes which forsake the Church of Rome If any Church giue ouer the trueth of Gods religion wee must forsake that Church that we be not infected with that leprosie and yet wee may not be accompted Schismatikes for men are then Schismatikes when they depart from the true Church and doctrine not when they returne from errour to trueth He is a Schismatike whiche is the cause of schisme and not hee which beginneth the separation euen like as he whiche denieth the lawe is the cause of the processe and not he which first began The Protestantes haue not forsaken Siō but Babylon not Bethel but Bethauen they haue not erected Alter against Alter Aug. epi. 162. as Ieroboam and the Donatistes did but they haue cast the Alter of Damascus out of the Lordes house and haue restored the true worship of God 26 The Church must bee built vpon the word of God Ephe. chap. 2. verse 19.20 NOwe therefore yee are no more straungers and forreiners but Citizens with the Saintes and of the housholde of GOD and are built vpon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christe him selfe beeyng the chiefe corner stone c. If the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles be the foundation of the church howe can the Church stande if the doctrine be remoued and howe can the doctrine continue without sounde teachers and what hart canne they haue to teache when they want maintenance Shal they which bee noble mens and gentlemens gardiners huntsmen be bountifully prouided for of their Lordes and Maisters charge and shall not they which are fitte to attende vpon the Lords vine field garden orchard haue allowance of the churches charge If this soare be not looked vnto many students of diuinitie must of force betake them selues to some other course for men must liue and to go a begging is a point next the worse and a very vnfit occupation for a learned student in diuinitie The Gospell and spirite of life Iren. lib. 3. cap. 1.11 is the foundation and piller of the Church They which wil build Gods Churche without the foundation of the word build with vntempered morter for Gods word is the life of the Church Obiection The Church was before the worde of God therefore it is not built vpon the word of God Answere The argument followes not I confesse that Gods Church in the beginning as for example Adam Abel Enos Noe Sē Abraham and many other of Gods children was before Gods word was put in writing but Gods church was not before Gods word For if the Church be an assemblie of the faithful the mē cānot be called faithful wtout faith that faith cannot consist without the woorde of God it is a necessarie consequent that Gods woorde was before Gods Church Gene. 4. Heb. 11. Abell sacrificed vnto almightie God by faith Therefore Gods expresse woorde was his direction for faith hath relation to no other thing The difference of cleane and vncleane beasts is mentioned in Genesis before the flood Gece 7. but this difference could not bee vnderstanded but by the voyce of almightie God Noe after his comming out of the Arke offered a burnt offering this sacrifice of Noe pleased God therefore it is a good consequent that Noe had Gods worde to direct him for no wilworshippe did euer please God Obiection 1. Tim. 3. verse 15. The Church is the piller and grounde of trueth therefore the worde is not the foundation of the Church Answere It followes not and the Church is therefore called the piller and grounde of the trueth because amongst men it vpholdeth and retayneth Gods trueth 17 The Church is knowne by the worde of God SEarch the Scriptures Iohn chap. 5. ver 39. they testifie of mee saith Christ We knowe Christ by the Scriptures therefore we knowe the Church by the Scriptures This consequent is very good and is framed thus by Augustine In the Scriptures wee haue learned Christ Epist 166. saith Augustine in the Scriptures we haue learned the Church And a little after where we haue knowne Christ meaning in the scriptures there we haue knowen the Church which sentence he repeateth very often in that epistle The Donatists said that Christs church remained only in Africke Epist 166. but Augustine telles them that their warrant is not taken out of the lawe or the Prophete or the Psalme or the Apostle or Euangelist but out of their owne heartes and cauils of their progenitors by which words it is euident that the Churche is knowne and must be shewed by the worde of God We seeke the Church in the holy scriptures Aug. devnita Eccle. cap. 2. Epist 48. and in the same scriptures we doe manifestly knowe the Church 28 Iesus Christ alone is the foundation of his Church OTher foundation can no man laye then that which is laid 1. Cor. 3. ver 11. which is Iesus Christ Thus saith the Lord God behold I wil lay in Sion a stone Esai 28. ver 16 1. Pet. chap. 2 verse 6. a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation that is Iesus Christ so doth the Apostle Peter expounde it Yee are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophetes Ephe. chap. 2. ver 20. Iesus Christ himself being
may assure himselfe of Gods fauour blessing Prou. 15. of the singuler liking of all Gods people Iosias did eate drinke and prosper whē he executed iudgement iustice Ierem. 22. whē he iudged the cause of the afflicted and the poore Iob. 29 Iob deliuered the poore that cried and the fatherles and him that had none to help him the blessing of him that was readye to perish came vpon him Our soueraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth hath dealt graciously with many poore suters at the Court she hath spoken comfortably to them procured restitution accordingly If it be no disgrace to this noble Lady which sits vnder the cloth of Estate to deliuer the oppressed it is no blot to inferiour magistrates if they doe the like If the Prince pleases God highly and winnes the hearts of her subiects soundly for relieuing the oppressed it is very certayne that those Cormorants which grynd the faces of the poore are accursed of God loose the hearts of his people If the Prince sitteth fast in the seate of her kingdom for tendering the case of the oppressed can they assure themselues of sitting quietly vnder their vines figge trees which eate bread baked with the teares of poore men It is certaine they cānot for besides the manifold curses of God and his people their own cōsciences doe mightely sting them and are enimies inough to torment them 6 Oppressors shal be grieuously punished CVrsed be he that remoueth his neighbours marke al the people shal say Deut. 27 ver 17. Amen If they are accursed by God and his people which remoue the marke of the lād they are more accursed which take awaye house and land Oppression maketh a wise man madde Madnes is a grieuous punishment Eccle. chap. 7. ver 9. God punisheth Oppression by madnes one grosse sinne by another Ye haue builded houses of hewē stone but ye shal not dwel in them Amos cap. 5.11 yee haue planted pleasant vineyards but yee shal not drinke wine of thē The reason of this is set down by almighty God in the same verse in these words Your treadings is vpon the poore you take from him burdens of wheate that is to say the necessary relief of himselfe his family If the taking away of burdēs of wheat from the poore was so great a sinne the taking away of arable ground which by tillage and Gods blessing brings reliefe to a man and his family is no little sinne They shal not mourne for him saith God of Ioachim the king of Iuda whiche was a great oppressour he shal be buried as an asse is buried Iere. 22. cast foorth as a carriō aboue the groūd euē without the gates of Ierusalē Ioachim had closed himselfe in Cedar but that was not able to keepe Gods iudgementes from him Abac. chap. 2. ver 11. The stone shal cry out of the wal and the beame out of the timber shall answeare it c. As if almighty God shoulde saye rather thē the vile dealings of Oppressors shoulde not come to light the stone shal cry out of the wall I am built of blood iniquitie the beame out of the timber shall answere I am built likewise of bloud and iniquitye If the stones and beames of oppressours houses giue in their euidence like honest Iurates against such houses the Oppressours must prepare thēselues to heare this feareful sentence pronounced by the Lorde chiefe iustice of heauen Abac. cha 2. ver 12. earth against thē woe vnto him that buildeth a towne with blood and erecteth a citie by iniquity Aug. Epist 211. They which oppresse others doe more hurt thēselues then those whō they oppresse the smart of the oppressed hath an end the smart of the oppressour is euerlasting for he heapeth vnto himselfe wrath against the day of wrath Rom. chap. 2. of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God There were neuer any oppressours so many mighty but at the length they were met with Gods iudgements haue feete of woll but they haue armes of brasse It is longe ere God begin but whē he strikes he payes home Esay chap. 30 ver 14.17 Woe vnto thē that imagine inquity Iere. 5. work wickednes vpon their beds whē the morning is light they practise it because their hande hath power they couet fields take them by violence and houses take them away so they oppresse a mā his house euē a mā his heritage therfore thus saith the Lord behold against this family haue I deuised a plague whereout yee shall not plucke your necks Mich. 2. ver 1.2.3 God be merciful vnto vs and make vs afraide of his iudgements 7 Oppressours haue no religion in them GOD looked for iudgement but beholde oppression for righteousnes Esay chap. 5. ver 7. but behold a crying c. Iudgement righteousnes are the true fruits of Gods religion therfore oppressiō is no brāch of Gods religiō consequently the oppressour is voyd of al religion Doe not al the workers of iniquity know that they eate vp my people as they eate bread they cal not vpō the Lord Psal 14. ver 4. Oppressours call not vpon the Lord therfore they are voyd of religion for inuocatiō is a principal necessary fruit of religiō If the oppressours say that they stretch out their hands make many prayers I graunt they doe so but almighty God giues thē this answeare Esay chap. 1. ver 15. Mich. chap. 3. ver 4. I will hide mine eyes from you I will not heare for your handes are ful of blood I will be a swift witnesse against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages and vexe the widow and fatherles and oppresse the stranger Malach. chap. 3. ver 5. and feare not me saith the Lord of hosts c. They which oppresse others feare not God therfore they are voyd of religion If they say they feare God they deserue no credite because their doings confute their speech A good tree bringeeh foorth good fruites and a iustifiyng faith appeares by good workes The former gouernours did burden the people Nehem. cha 5 ver 15. and their seruantes bare rule ouer the people but so did not I saith Nehemias because of the feare of God If Nehemias did neither oppresse nor deale hardly because he feared God it is manifest that oppressours feare not God and therefore are voyde of religion When he that is Iosias iudged the cause of the afflicted and the poore Iere. 22. ver 16.17 hee prospered was not this because he knewe me saith the Lorde But thine eyes and thine heart he speakes to Ioachim the king of Iuda are but onely for thy couetousnes and for to shedde innocent blood and for oppression c. Iosias was a singuler defence to the oppressed because hee did knowe and feare GOD Ioachim was a notable oppressour because hee did neither knowe nor feare GOD that is to say because he was voyde of Gods religion This whiche I haue set downe agaynst Oppression may serue for a chrystall glasse for Oppressours to looke vppon and to reforme themselues by If it woorke their good it is happy for them If it doe not let them remember that dye they must and that after death they shall haue a fearefull iudgement The best aduise that I can giue to them which are oppressed is that they desire the magistrate to be their defēce If by this ordinary meanes they cannot compasse their owne they must paciently beare iniuries and commit their cause to almighty GOD who hath their flittinges in his register Psal 56. ver 8. and their teares in his bottel and wil be surely but yet iustly reuenged of their Oppressours Veritas dulcis est amara Quando dulcis est parcit quando amara curat Aug. Epist 211. ad Romulum ⧠Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vintree by Thomas Dawson for George Bishop 1583.