or seeke newe places to offer their sacrifices oblations in but to come and to staye them selues within the Court of the tabernacle or of the temple Iesus Christ woulde not despise this place But wee knowe that whatsoeuer corruption was there no faithfull man was inforced to cleaue or sticke to anye superstitious manner or custome which is not practised at this day in the Church of Rome For as all there is of superstition and manifest idolatrie so they will constraine and enforce the faithful by fire and sworde to consent thereto and to pollute and defile themselues therewith against their owne consciences and gods expresse forbidding Lastly to what point did Iesus Christ bring the Church of Ierusalem when the high Priestes Scribes and Pharisees shewed them selues great madde men not doing their duties towardes it did hee not take his vineyard from these husbandmē who did not giue him the fruites whiche belonged vnto him and committed the same vnto others that is to his Apostles and their successors to yelde him fruite in their seasons Euen so likewise hath the Lorde done therewith in the Popedome He hath not destroyed his Church but hath only chaunged the estate thereof taking it out of the hand and guiding of the Bishoppes and Popishe Priestes and placing it againe vnder the gouernement and charge of other guiders and leaders who can see more clerely and be of better trust as it is spoken in Saint Mathewe Matt. 22 4◠vnder the similitude or parable of the vineyarde To conclude if they aske what shall become then of our predecessors who died in the faith of the Romish Church are they condemned I aunswere that wee leaue the iudgement thereof vnto GOD for it belongeth not to vs to determine iudge of that which is hidden from vs which indeed passeth our knowledge and calling It is verie true Ioh. 3.18.36 that the holy scripture pronounceth that they which 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 alledge ignoraunce and to say that it excuseth the sinner before GOD For the scripture is plaine and manifest therein Luk. 12.47.48 The seruaunt saith Iesus Christ that knew his masters will prepared not him selfe neither did according to his will shall be beaten with many strippes But he that knewe it not and yet did commit thinges worthie of stripes shall be beaten with fewe stripes Also Matt. 15.14 if the blinde leade the blind they shal fall both into the ditch Saint Paul saith also As many as haue sinned without the lawe Rom. 2.12 2. Thess 1.6 shall perishe also without the lawe and as many as haue sinned within the lawe shall bee iudged by the law And againe it is a righteous thing with God to recompense 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 rendering vengeance vnto them that do not know God and which obey not vnto the Gospell of our Lorde Iesus Christe which shall bee punished with euerlasting destruction c. These places doe openly inough declare what is the ende of those that die without faith although they bee ignorant for their ignorance can not excuse them nor serue them for a cloake or couering to absolue and set thē free from the iudgement of God for confirmation proofe wherof wee may alledge also and put downe that which is written in Leuiticus Leui. 4.2 touching the offering commaunded by God for the sinnes which were committed through ignorance Lo what wee haue to say for one point But to that which remaineth touching our fathers and predecessors God might well shewe mercie vpon them at the end of their dayes making himselfe knowne vnto them by the secrete vertue and power of his holy spirite and putting it into their harts to beleue in Iesus Christ his sonne that so they might be saued For God is almightie to saue his owne people yea without vsing any of these meanes which he is accustomed cōmonly ordinarily to vse to plant faith in vs and to ingraue it in our harts to our owne saluation And this is S. Cypriā his answere touching those that die in some false opinions Cypri lib. 2. epist 3. If some one of our predecessors saith hee either by ignorance or through simplicitie hath not kept and helde that which the Lord hath taught vs to doe by his example and authoritie the mercie of the Lord may pardon him But wee cannot helpe the same being admonished instructed by him Behold what S. Cyprian pronounceth herein It is true that hee speaketh properly touching the matter of the holy supper but nothing letteth but that wee may applie his speach generally to the matter of all the other articles of the faith The IX CHAP. Of the degrees of ministers in the Church where mention is made of the orders of the popish clergie and of the offices and dueties of true pastors Matt. 9.38 WE haue sene and heard heretofore that it apperteineth vnto the Lorde of the haruest to sende foorth workemen into his haruest For it belongeth not to any what giftes soeuer he hath receiued from the Lord to thrust himselfe into the worke of the ministerie vnlesse he be lawefully called thereto Ephes 4.11 Now the Apostle Saint Paul writing to the Ephesians sheweth vs what workemen the Lorde hath sent into his haruest that is to say Apostles prophetes Euangelistes Pastors and doctors Apostles Touching the Apostles they were chosen immediately from Christe and their office was to sowe and spreade the Gospell abroad throughout all the world neither had any one of them any limites or borders set thē or some certaine Churches appointed to them Matt. 28.19 Matt. 10.2 Gal. 2.8 but Christ would that in euery part or place where so euer they came they should do 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 Christ among the Gentiles Nowe bicause this degree of Apostles was instituted and ordained by God for the establishing of Churches those Churches being planted and established this name of Apostle ought not any more to be vsed among the ministers as to be giuen and communicated to them And yet we read 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 Philip. 2.25 Act. 14.14 and Barnabas is named an Apostle Act. 14. Prophetes are distinguished into two sortes or orders Prophets Some were vnder the old 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
his neighbour Iere. 31.34 and euery man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them vnto the greatest of thē This promise must be referred to the state of the Church vnder the new Testament therfore it followeth that the ministerie of the worde ought not any more to haue place now in the Church I answere that the application of the place of Ieremie is altogether contrarie to the meaning intent and purpose of the holie Ghost For first formost the Lord making comparison betwene the old people and the newe meaneth not any other thing but that vnder the Gospel he would send vnto his people so great a light by the means of Iesus Christ his sonne that his knowledge should be common familiar to all whereas vnder the lawe he manifested declared him selfe darkly that vnder certaine shadowes figures As indeed the ancient people that is to say they which were in the time of the olde Testament were not so familiarly plainely and perfectly taught as we be at this day by reason whereof also the Prophet Malachie calleth Iesus Christ the sonne of righteousnesse Malach. 4.2 signifying therby that the fathers vnder the law had indeed som light but yet not such a light as we through his goodnes haue at this day Furthermore we must marke that the Lord doth not say simplie They shall teach no more euery man his neighbor euery man his brother but he addeth saying Know the Lord. By which restriction or strayning it into a narrow roome he plainly declareth that he promiseth to his children such a knowledge that they shal not be any more learners of the A.B.C. neither young scholers in the doctrine of saluation For these words Know the Lord denote point out the first rudiments or instructions of faith and of the heauenly doctrine And indeed if we wel weigh mark how rude grosse and ignorant the old fathers were we shall finde that they were as it were little children Gal. 4.1 c. euen as Saint Paule saith and as yet in their A.B.C. But God hath shewed vnto vs a farre greater grace bicause that we haue a more manifest cleare and shining light to leade vs to the knowledge of God and of the mysteries of our saluation For this cause Iesus Christ saide Matth. 13.16.17 Luk. 20.23.24 Blessed are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare For verily I say vnto you that many Kinges Prophetes and righteous men haue desired to see those thinges which ye see and haue not seene them and to heare those thinges which you heare haue not heard them In summe the Lorde promiseth here that his people shal not be found grosse and ignorant vnder the newe couenant or testament that they shall haue neede of the principles and beginnings of Christian doctrine But if we would not take this place in this sense how shal we expound an other of Isaiah Isai 2.2.3 which seemeth to be contrarie to this He saith It shall be in the last dayes that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shall be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines and shall be exalted aboue the hilles and all nations shall flowe vnto it and many people shall goe and say Come and let vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lorde to the house of the God of Iaacob he will teach vs his wayes It is certaine that he prophecieth euen as Ieremiah of the grace of God which should be made manifest through Iesus Christe in the time of the Gospell Nowe one of them saith Euerie one shall not teach his neighbour for they shall all knowe the Lord The other saith The people shall runne together and say Come Let vs goe vp to the mountaines of the Lord and he shall teach vs his wayes How shall we make these two places agree seeing that both of them prophecie of one and the selfe same thing Verily Ieremiah meaneth that the people of God shal be in such sort lightened vnder the new Testament by the light of the Gospel that they shal haue no more neede of the rudimēts or first instructions of religiō neither to be so taught as the olde people were by the shadowes ceremonies of the law And as touching Isaiah he meaneth that vnder the same newe Testament the people shal though they be wel aduanced and instructed in the points of christian doctrine notwithstanding diligently indeuour more more to aduance them selues grow forward therin and that for that purpose they shall continually exhort one an other to the end they may better profite in the knowledge of the lawe Ioel. 2.28.49 The fourth argumēt It is written in Ioel At that time that is to say in the time of the new Testament I will poure out my spirit vpon all flesh saith the Lorde and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your young men shall see visions And also at that time I will poure out my spirit vpon the seruants vpon the maids Nowe by this promise the charge office to teach is without any difference laid vpō al vpon fathers children vpon sonnes vpon daughters vpon olde folke and vpon yong vpon seruants and maides wherefore it followeth that the ministerie of the word is not necessarie in the Church I aunswere that there is nothing in this argument or reason but a meere cauil It is true that this prophecie ought to be referred to the kingdome comming of Iesus Christ that the gift of prophecying should then be common both to men women to old and yong to be short to all estats But in the first place this is to be marked that the prophet speaketh here by comparison vsing a figure commonly called Hyperbole that is to say a maner of speach very excessiue because of our wearisomnes slacknes and negligence for hee doth not presently promise that all vnder the Gospell frō the first to the last shall bee partakers of this gifte but in respecte of the olde people vnder the lawe For if wee compare the estate condition of the old Church with the singular treasures which God hath powred out and giuen vnto his people after the manifestation and reuealing of Iesus Christ we shall finde that in this latter time the Lorde hath spread abroad and powred out the giftes of his spirite vpon all fleshe that is to say almost vpon all men when as vnder the lawe a verie smal number was partakers therof Wherfore when he saith That the Lord will powre out his spirite vpon all fleshe this particle or worde all is not here taken in his proper signification as though it were simply and altogether vniuersall but is indefinite and must be referred to all estates and conditions of people and not to euerie singular person as in this sentence of S. Paul where it is saide
A Treatie of the Churche conteining a true discourse to knowe the true Church by and to discerne it from the Romish Church and all other false assemblies or counterfet congregations Written by M. Bertrande de Loque of Dolphinee and dedicated vnto my Lord the Vicount of Turenne And faithfully translated out of French into English by T. W. Imprinted at London for Richard Langton dwelling in Swythins Lane and there they are to be solde 1581. The Summe of the Chapters conteined in this present Treatise TOuching the diuers significations and Chapter 1 takings of this worde Church and how the Churche is commonlye distinguished Pag. 1. Of the Catholik and vniuersal Church which Chapter 2 is one although there be diuers particulers thereof Pag. 7. Of the visible Church and of the true markes Chapter 3 thereof Pag. 14. Whether the true markes of the Church are Chapter 4 to be found amongest the Romish Catholikes Pag. 19. Of the calling succession of pastors Pag. 24. Chapter 5 That the Church hath alwaies been from the Chapter 6 beginning of the world is and shal be vnto the end thereof but yet the Church must not be regarded or acknowledged for the great numbers sake Pag. 55. That Iesus Christe alone is the head of the Chapter 7 Churche and not Saint Peter neither any Pope Pag. 68. Whether the Church of Rome be the true and Chapter 8 Catholike Church and whether wee doe well to withdraw and separate our selues from it Pag. 102 Chapter 9 Touching the degrees of Ministers in the Church where also speeche is had of the orders of the Popes Cleargie and of the office and dueties of true pastors Pag. 128. Chapter 10 Whether the ministery of the word be alwaies necessary in the Church and howe muche men may attribute or giue therto Pa. 160. Chapter 11 Of the sanctitie or holinesse of the Churche Page 184. Chapter 12 Whether the Church may erre Pag. 197. Chapter 13 Whether the Church be aboue the holy scripture that is to say whether the holy scripture depend on the iudgement and authoritie of the Church Pag. 213. Chapter 14 Of the Discipline of the Church Pag 234. Chapter 15 Whether it helong to the Churche to make lawes and if shee make some how far the faithful ought to obey her Pag. 258 Chapter 16 Concerning the afflictions and persecutions of the Church Pag. 274. ¶ To the most noble Lorde my Lorde Henry de la Tour Vicount of Turenne Countie of Monfort Baron of Mongacon Oliergues Bonsolz Fey Seruissac Croc c. Captaine of fiue hundred men at armes of the kings armies MY Lord Lactan. lib. 4. de vera sapient Cap. 30. Lactantius hath very properly and fitly called the Church the fountaine of trueth the house and dwelling place of faith the temple of God adioyning withall that if there bee any whiche entreth not into this Temple or if there be any that goe out therof hee is shut out from the hope of life and from eternall saluation For euen as in the time of the vniuersall flood none coulde bee saued which were out of Noe his Arke Genesis 7.20 23. so without the Churche there is neither hope nor faith nor grace nor saluation Whiche thing also the Apostle Saint Paule did verie well declare and meane when beeing purposed to excommunicate some and to caste them out of the Church 2. Cor. 5. 3.5 1. Tim. 1. 20 hee saide hee muste deliuer them vnto Satan For as Iesus Christe reigneth in the Churche so Satan reigneth without the same and as they which are in the Church hauing Iesus Christ for their head are in very good state blessed so they which are out of the Churche hauing the Diuell for thejr head cannot but be wicked and accursed And therfore it is said both in Isaiah in Ioel That in Sion and in Ierusalem there shal be saluation Isaiah 46.13 Ioel. 2.32 There being meant by Syon and Ierusalem the Church of God as also by the worde heauē there is meant the same thing in the Apocalips when S. Iohn saith I hearde a great lowd voice Reue. 12.10 saying Nowe is saluation in heauen On the other side wee reade that when God declareth that hee will vtterly roote out some from the heauenly life hee denounceth against them and threatneth Ezech. 13. 9 That they shal not be in the councell assemblie of his people neither written in the role of his seruants And Dauid very well knew and felt this when sometimes being in exile all griefes and aduersities were vnto him tollerable and as a man would say easie to beare excepting this that hee was depriued of and wanted the solemne assemblies wherein men made publike declaration and protestation of Gods religion and seruice Wherefore bewailing his condition because hee was excluded from the visible Churche hee being also shut out from accesse or comming to the Tabernacle by the crueltie and tyrannie of his enimies hee cried out earnestly and said Psalm 84.1.2.4.10 O Lord of hostes how amiable are thy Tabernacles My soule longeth yea fainteth for the Courts of the Lord for my heart and my fleshe leape for ioy in the liuing God And a little after Blessed are they which dwel in thy house they will euer praise thee For a day in thy courtes is better then a thowsand other where I had rather bee a doore keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the Tabernacles of the wicked For thereby he hath declared that the conditiō of those men which bestowe their life yea although it were but a day long in the seruice of God in the middest of the Church and among faithful people is farre more blessed then theirs who lyue though it were neuer so long out of Gods house and in the midst of those out of whose companie their religion is banished To which purpose also belongeth that Psalm 27.4 which the same Prophete singeth an other Psalme One thing haue I desired of the Lorde that I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of Lorde all the dayes of my life to beholde the beautie of the Lorde and to visit his Temple Psal 106.45 And againe when hee saith Remember or haue mercie on mee O Lorde with the fauour and good will of the people and visite mee with thy saluation That I may see the good things of thy chosen ones reioyce in the ioy of thy people and glory with thine inheritance And for this very cause and occasion Heb. 11.24.25 the Apostle to the Hebrewes commendeth and praiseth Moses when he saith That by faith hee beeing com to age refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaoh his daughter chosing rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of GOD then to inioy the pleasures of sinne for a short season Wherefore if wee woulde that GOD shoulde gouerne vs by his holy spirite to the ende to make vs inioy and possesse
his spirituall heauenly good things which he gyueth not but vnto his children alone the members of Iesus Christe his sonne and by consequent if wee woulde be saued and made blessed wee ought to hold and keepe our selues firme sure and well stayed in the Churche so that there bee no force of tyrants no violence of stormes and tempestes no persecution of enimies no promises no threatnings nor to be short any thing els which may turne vs away or cause vs to separate our selues from it But in the meane while wee see what controuersie and disputation there is at this day amongest men touching the point or matter of the Church that beeing true whiche Lactantius saith to wit That euery company of Heretikes supposeth Lact. de verae sapient ca. 10. that they are true Christians and their Churche is the Catholike Churche as wee knowe that Parmenianus the Donatist saide That there was not a Churche but amongest his sorte and companie insomuch that sundrie in this age suffer them selues too droppe away and bee deceiued by the feigned name and visardlyke title of the Churche abidyng hardened in their superstitions and blinded in their errours making no accounte August ad Catecuin cap. 20. of Saint Augustine his aduertisemente and counsell who speaketh thus This Catholike Churche is our true mother yea shee is our faithfull and chaste mother decked within with the dignitie and worthinesse of her husbande and not coloured or painted without with lying and falshoode and afterwardes hee addeth Let vs looke well to our selues that the strange and false name of the Churche turne vs not away from this mother of ours and that the outwarde shewe or borowed bare title of the Church doe not deceiue vs. There are some others who remaine astonished as it were and doubtfull not knowing to which parte to turne neither on which side to set themselues in order seeing the Romishe Church armed with great force and authority mainteined and vpholden by great personages clothed with diuers ornamēts outward apparrell and folowed of the greatest number On the otherside beholding the reformed Church feeble and weake in outward shewe made and standing for the most parte of the smalest and basest according to the worlde simple in deckinges and ceremonies and folowed of verie fewe people But the doctrine of the trueth which is our principall light and chiefe guide giueth vs a good remedie and aide in this difficultie shewing vs that the true Church ought to be discerned frō the false by her own right and true markes which are the pure preaching of the worde and the true and right vse of the Sacraments and not the great number of people nor pompes nor outwarde ceremonies inuented and deuised by men themselues You my Lorde haue sometimes seene what trouble combats the very visard bare name shining shew of the Romish Church hath brought to some mens consciences and spirites and that not onely amongest the rudest and ignorant sort but euen in the rancke and order of those which made profession and tooke vppon them to teache others yea so far it hath carried them that by reason there was not in them a full resolutenesse they knew not of what companie they shoulde bee Notwithstanding as touching your selfe after that God had honoured you with his knoweledge and called you into his Churche that you mighte bee comprehended within the sheepefolde of Iesus Christe his sonne hauing almost made open profession of his Gospell and cast away the beastes marke whatsoeuer shaking and staggering you perceiued in diuers others you notwithstanding haue alwayes continued through Gods grace grounding and setling your selfe vpon his assured and inuincible worde And in deede by what force and strength coulde the backe slydinges of some and the Sophisticall disputations of other some astonishe your faith or beate downe your constancie so well mainteined and vpholden by the holy Ghoste How coulde these assaultes cracke your courage or change and make colde your zeale so hotte in the seruice of God Certainely this is a great matter that all the worlde hath an eye vpon you wondring at and louing the great and singuler affection which you beare to the aduauncement of Gods true religion and seruice But the question is nowe to continue in well doing and to proceed dayly from good to better For this is nothing to beginne wel except a man perseuere and continue euen to the end And wee knowe what Iesus Christe saith to wit That hee which putteth his hande to the plough and looketh backe is not apt to the kingdome of God Luke 9.62 2. Tim. 2.5 And Saint Paule If any man saith hee striue for a maisterie he is not crowned except hee striue as hee ought to doe There are some which say that this is enough for a man to haue some testimonie in his conscience that hee belongeth to God albeit hee make not any declaration or profession of his religion But by the testimonies heere aboue marked and put downe it is easie for vs to gather what neede wee haue to range and bring our selues into the true Churche that wee may therein liue Christianlie in the seruice of God seeing that any where els there is neither life nor light And also what assurance can they haue of their saluation whiche liue in this world as dogs and swine folowing the traine and steppes of Sardanapalus or of Epicurus to eate and drinke to laugh and reioyce to play and to giue themselues to pleasure without thinking any whit at all of God or remembring any religion Wherefore my Lorde euen as you haue well and blessedly begunne hauing had right knowledge to discern betweene the true and false Churche so it yet resteth that you perseuer and continue yea that yet you proceede and passe some what further to range and bring into order all your house in the feare of God that it may be vnto him a holy and chaste Churche in the middest whereof hee may take pleasure to dwell that thereby hee may blesse you and make you to prosper You know with what ardencie and zeale the Prophet Haggai reprooued the Iewes of his time Haggai 1.4 lately returned out of Babylon because they builded many houses for themselues and did diligently seele and carue them but they had no regard to build vp the Lordes Temple Hag. 2.3.22 And wee muste note that the Prophete directeth not his speeche onely to the people and Priestes to mooue them to doe their duetie for the furtheraunce and setting vp of this building but also vnto Zerubbabel the gouernour of Iudah Which serueth well to declare that great Lordes and Magistrates as well as ministers and the reste of the people ought withal their might and power to imploy them selues for the edification and aduauncemente of the Churche of God Rom. 13.4 Psalm 82.1 And thereupon commeth it too passe that Saint Paule calleth Magistrates the Ministers and Seruauntes of God and that in another place