father but in the sonne in whome onely he is well pleased And therefore the nation of the Iewes hauing reiected Christ is by that meanes reiected of God from being his people neyther are they to be accounted members of the Church although they serue God with neuer so great zeale Rom. 11. The same account we are to make of the Turkes Saracens Moores and all those nations which professe the religion of Mahomet the which we confesse doth retaine diuerse pointes of christianitie yea and that if it be well marked it wil be sound a close or mysticall Arianisme couering and glosing ouer many waightie pointes of faith with iudaicall types and poeticall fictions that it being by this meanes made darke and aenigmaticall might be more highly esteemed by blinde and ignorant men Whereas if it had beene set downe in a plaine and simple manner it woulde haue beene easely vndestood disputed of and in the ende altogether contemned Yet forsomuch as this religion doth not worship and honour Iesus Christ as the onely sonne of God and sauiour of the world as the first Arians therefore 〈◊〉 the professours of it cannot be accounted members of the Church but meere infidels separated from Christ and voyde of the hope of eternall saluation Sect. 7. Of the attributes of the catholicke Church THus we hauing the definition of the catholicke Church are further to consider the nature and state of it in certaine properties which are attributed vnto it Of the which this may be the first that out of the catholicke Church there is no saluation and therefore all the heathen all vnbeleeuing Iewes Turkes and generally all Infidels whatsoeuer doe liue and die to the iudgement and sight of man in the state of eternall damnation This the scripture witnesseth in many places as namely 2. Thes. 2.8 God in the last iudgement shall render vengeance to al that know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lorde Iesus Christ and yet this sentence of damnation which the scripture pronounceth on infidels is so to be vnderstoode as that we doe alwaies except the infinite power and mercy of God who both can as hath beene before touched doth in all partes of the world saue some and that by extraordinarie meanes vnknowen to vs where the ordinarie way is wanting The second attribute of the catholicke Church is this that it can neuer erre in the foundation of religion which is all one as if we did say the catholicke Church neuer ceaseth to be or with this there is continually in the worlde a number of men which serue the true God in Iesus Christ. The trueth of this appeareth by the storie of the Church in the holie scripture and in other bookes which shewe by whome and in what places God hath beene truelie worshipped in euery seuerall age And no maruaile for if the Church shoulde cease to be in the worlde then the world it selfe shoulde haue an ende which was created and doth continue chiefely for this ende to wit to be an habitation for the Church As we reade 1. Cor. 2.16 All thinges are yours euen the verie worlde that is all thinges doe serue as meanes for your good and for the working of your saluation In this sense the Apostle saith 1. Tim. 3.13 That the Church is the piller and firmament that is a most firme and sure piller of trueth to wit of the true religion and worshippe of God And yet the catholicke Church may erre in matters of religion yea euen in those pointes which are waightie and are neare about the foundation it selfe although it alwaies remaine sure and stedfast So it is manifest that the ignorances and errours of the Church which were from the beginning vntill the comming of Christ were both many and greate as hath beene noted before And howe greate errours haue preuailed throughout the whole Church in most of the ages since that time we who liue in this light of the gospell doe easelie and plainely see Yea we knowe that which the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 13. that while the faithfull are in this worlde they see knowe and prophecie but in part and cannot be wholly freed from errour till they see the Lorde perfectly and in him all thinges So we reade Leuit. 4.13 that there was a sacrifice appointed for the expiation of the generall errour of the whole people of the Iewes who then were the whole visible Church of God Thirdlie the catholicke Church doth continually encrease in number and doth consist of moe in the latter ages of the worlde then in the former For before the time of the lawe the Lord was knowen and worshipped onely of a fewe families or kindreds but afterwardes of a great populous nation but since the comming of Christ the Church â—oth enlarge her tentes and receiueth all the nations of the earth Likewise in the first ages of the gospell there was no nation country or citie no not any one towne or village which did generally receiue it but onely a fewe heere and there the rest remaining in infidelitie but in the ages following great nations generally yea infinite multitudes of people became christians Yea this number shall continually encrease vntill the fulnesse of the gentiles be come into the Church whereof the Apostle speaketh Rom. 11. and then shall the nation of the Iewes make a notable addition to this number The cause of this increase is for that God doth not reueale himselfe and his word all at once to the world but by degrees by little and little Where this may also profitably be noted that as the number of beleeuers so also their knowledge doth increase the word of God being much more plentifully reuealed in the latter times they being generally considered then it was in the former As touching the number we know that the visible Church by the which we may certainely gather the state of the catholicke Church was vntill the time of Moses contained within the compasse of one kindred till the comming of Christ in one nation but afterwarde it spred it selfe ouer the whole world Yea the latter times of the gospell shall daily more and more exceede the first in number of beleeuers because now both the ful number of the gentiles and also of the Iewish nation is to come into the Church And in like manner the latter times doe exceede the former in knowledge Fourthly the catholicke Church hath no heade or ruler heere on earth neyther any externall gouernment but is ordered by the spirituall gouernment of Christ who is the onely heade of it For the gouernment and rules prescribed by God to his Church haue place and are put in practise onely in particular Churches which are the members of the catholicke Church Fiftly the catholicke Church is inuisible for that it consisteth not onely of particular Churches which are visible but also of particular men which serue God yet so as that they are not knowen by
that whenas there is a fault committed in the laying of the foundation of a house the whole building will for euer be the worse for it The first thing therefore to be done in planting a Church is to coÌ„uert infidels to the faith which is done ordinarily by the ministerie of the word of God deliuered plainely sincerely effectually as God hath appointed Notwithstanding which powerfull meanes the subduing of men to the Gospel is a hard matter yea it is much harder in these times then it was in the daies of the Apostles wherein the gospel was first preached For then the ministerie of the Apostles Euangelists and other preachers of the gospel was much more powerfull and effectuall then any ministerie of the worde is in these daies For they had not onely extraordinary measure of those gifts which do yet remaine in the Church for the building thereof as are the gifts of prophecie knowledge wisedome zeale and all other of that kind but they had also other most wonderfull gifts bestowed vpon them as the gifts of speaking in strange languages the gifts of discerning spirits healing the sicke working of miracles and such other which serued onely for this end to bring infidels to the profession of the faith 1. Cor. 14.22 not that true faith was ordinarely wrought by these meanes in men but onely a generall historicall and temporarie faith whereby they did beleeue the doctrine of the gospel to be the worde of God which beliefe being professed was then and is at all times sufficiâ—nt to make one a member of the visible Church heere vpon earth The which the Apostles did labour by their ministerie to bring to passe and did reioyce in it being effected although there did appeare in those beleeuers few or no signes of sauing faith which is a firme confidence in the â—ercy and loue of God in Christ effectâ—ally wrought in the hearâ— by the spirit of God arising of a certaine perswasion of the trueth of Gods worde whereof this generall faith is onely a resemblance shadowe and appearance And further for this purpose the giftes of miracles and such other did greatly auaile for they did so astonish and amaze men that they did euen wring out of them an approbation of the doctrine preached that it came from God and therfore was to be receiued Iohn 1.15 Act. 13.11 Thus did the Apostles plant Churches but they who since that time labour in this worke are destitute of this helpe yea also of another farre more effectuall to wit of the wonderfull and extraordinarie blessing of God vpon his Church who did then poure forth his spirit so straungely and so plentifully vpon men in conuerting their heartes to the obedience of the gospell as the like was not before hath not beene since neyther shall be at any time in the Church So that these helpes being wanting in these daies we cannot looke for the like successe in this worke to wit that the Church should haue such a suddaine and straunge encrease as it had in the beginning whenas many thousandes were at once added vnto it Act. 2.41 yet we are not to despaire of good successe forsomuch as the Lord hath not left his ministery destitute of sufficient power to conuert many men to the faith euen those who neuer heard of Christ before For although the extraordinarie callinges and giftes of the Apostles and Euangelistes be not now in the Church neyther to be looked for yet the force of them doth remaine still in that the very declaration of those wonderful miracles whereby the trueth of the gospell was confirmed at the first will to the ende of the worlde adde authoritie and giue successe to the preaching of the Gospell although they were much more effectuall in those who did beholde them with their eies Yea we haue some helpes which were not in the primitiue Church and for the supplie whereof those other were giuen to wit the consent of all ages since the first publishing of the Gospell wherein many haue not only professed the faith but also sealed that their profession with thâ—ir blood and that not any small number but euen whole nations haue professed and do confesse the gospel The which no doubt is a forcible argument and euen as a cloud of witnesses whereby he who is obstinate in infidelity may be eyther conuerted or confounded and put to silence Yea this generall embracing of the gospell by so many countries and nations is that fulnesse of the Gentiles the which the Lord hath appointed as a meanes whereby that obstinate and harde-hearted nation of the Iewes shall at the appointed time be conuerted And therefore it cannot but be effectuall with the rest of the Gentiles who are not so obstinate in infidelitie as the Iewes are But we are especially to relie vppon that force which the worde of God being plainely and sincerely deliuered hath in turning mens heartes vnto God which will neuer returne emptie but in some measure perfourme the thing for which it was sent Thus much in generall of the meanes of conuerting infidels now of the same in particular The ministerie of the worde which is heere to be vsed hath two partes the first is a preparatiue whereby infidels being of themselues altogether vnfit to heare and vnlike to beleeue the worde are in some measure prepared for this purpose the second is to teach them the doctrine of the gospell The preparing ministerie consisteth in two thinges The first is to purge their mindes from that false worship whereunto they are giuen The second is to conuince their consciences of sin For the first we caÌ„not hope that men being fully perswaded of the trueth of their owne religion and of the deitie power and goodnesse of those false Gods which they worship will imbrace any new and strange religion Thus did Elias 1. King 18.24 bring the people from idolatrie to the true worship of God And likewise Paul dealeth with the idolatrous men of Athens Act. 17.29 and with them of Lystra Act. 14.13 and yet there is great moderation and wisedome to be vsed in this pointe so that we doe not at the first speake so vilely and baselie of their religion as it doth deserue but rather tollerate them in their corruptions and withall instruct them in the trueth that â—o the other false worship may slippe out of their mindes as it were without violence they leauing it of their owne accord For otherwise if they see their Gods and religion wherein they haue beene brought vp and which they haue receaued from their ancestors to be blasphemed and euill spoken off there is greate danger least at the first we so alienate their mindes that they will not heare the worde preached but become vtter enemies vnto it So the towne clarke in the Apologie for Paule Actes 19.37 witnesseth that he in preaching the gospell had not blasphemed their goddesse Diana Secondlie they must be prepared by the ministerie of the law of sinne
giftes to men some to be Apostles some Euangelistes c. Secondlie he imparteth to them graces tending to their owne saluation as a kinde of faith of repentance of spirituall ioy loue and in generall whatsoeuer grace is in the true beleeuers the like may be found in an hypocrite and that not onely in shew and appearance but also in trueth Marke 4.16 hypocrites receiue the word with ioy Yet there is this difference in the faithfull these graces are sincere euident effectuall constant and perpetuall but in hypocrites they are obscure in small measure vnprofitable and temporarie yea mixed with much hypocrisie So that both faithfull and hypocritical men are ioyned to Christ and to the Church by the bond of the spirite for where there is one spirite there is also one body but the one to Christ as to their sauiour the other to him as to their Lord the one to the Church in heauen the other to the Church on earth the one by a mightie worke of the spirite the other after a light manner the one for a time the other for euer Sect. 4. That heretikes are members of the catholicke Church BVT although it were granted that hypocrites are members of the Church so many of them as both holding the whole trueth of Christian religion and also leading a life in outward appearance correspondent thereunto doe fully professe the seruice of God yet it might be doubted what we shoulde thinke of them in whome this profession is in a great part wanting as it is in all those who either leade a life or maintaine some heresie contrarie to their owne profession and to the word of God The answere for both kindes seemeth to be this That they who professe Iesus Christ to be the sauiour of the worlde and themselues to be his seruantes readie to obey his will and worde although they doe indirectly by wickednesse of life or heresie in doctrine deny their owne profession yet are to be accounted Christians and true members of the Church heere on earth It is true indeed that no man can be saued who is not iustified by faith nor yet haue faith who is not sanctified from a wicked life yet men of dissolute liues yea tho they be by excommunication cut off from the body of the visible Church that is from all particular Churches yet they remaine members of the catholicke Church from the which no censure can separate saue onely death Likewise as touching ignorant men who liue in the Church and yet knowe scarce any one point of the doctrine of Christ although they be in an euill estate in regarde of their saluation yet they are to be accounted Christians because of their profession But there is greater question made of heretikes who doe maintaine some grieuous heresie and that about the foundation of religion as they who thinke erroniously of the â—rinitie of the person or natures of Christ of the maÌ„ner of our iustification of the nature of the sacramenteâ— or of â—ny other such waighty point of doctrine whether these are to be accounted christians and members of the Church We answere that such are as it seemeth to be accounted christians although their heresies be both many and grieuous yea such as if they were throughly vrged would by necessarie consequence of argument ouerthrow faith and all religion And to make instance in the grossest and most blasphemous heresie that euer was inuented to wit the heresie of Arius who denied by diuinity of Christ this doth almost directly ouerthrow christianity for if Christ be not God he is not a sufficieâ—â— mediator then our faith is in vaine This would follow plainely of that heresie and yet such was their blindnesse that maintained it that they did togither maintaine and professe zealously the whole doctrine of the gospel beside and did beleeue obey and honour Christ as the onely sauiour of the world The which dotâ— appeare by that confession of faith which Ariuâ— the chiefe maintaineâ— of that heresie did exhibite to Constantine Wherein although he doth dissemble his heresie yet it sheweth what he and his followers held in the test of the doctrinâ— of the gospell 〈◊〉 4. pag. 13.42 yea this heresie was coâ—mon in the Church of the Iâ—wes before the comming of Christ for it is euident thaâ— verie â—ewe of them did thinke that the Messias shoulde be God For what was thought of Christ euen of many of his disciples we may gather by the wordes of Cleophas Lâ—ke 24. Hast thou not heard of Iesus of Nazareth who was a prophet c. Yea it might be plainly shewed that many of the Church both before the comming of Christ and also after did not thinke that the Messias should be God And not to ouerpasse in â—â—lence popery the most common heresie of our times wherewith the Church both is now most annoied and hath in times past bene lameÌ„tably oppressed and almost cleane ourthrowen it doth consist of so many grieuous errours that most men do thinke it not to be an heresie but a false religion and the maintainers professours of it to be alienates from â—he common-wealth of Israel which is the Church of God as namely of those great heresies of idolatry transsubstanâ—iation the sacrifice of the Masse ment iustification by workes freewill and inuocation of saints yea of many other great errours insomuch that we may say of them the wordes of the prophet from the top of the 〈◊〉 to the sole of the foot there is no whole part but all full of loath some and dangerous â—oreâ— And therfore it is no maruaile that they seemâ— to many to haue in them no life of christian faith but to be dead rotten stocâ—s yea to haue no outward profession of christianity But yet if due consideration be had how far â—he nature and name of a Church and of christians doth stretch it selfe it wil appeare that we may truely account theâ— christians and so consequently members of the Church and that because they doe still professe hold and maintaine the chiefe fundamental pointes of religion of God of Christ of hiâ— dâ—ath and passion of the resurrection and all the rest contained in that summe of religion called the Apostles Creede so that although by 〈…〉 they doe wound and in a manner kill themselues yet in regarde of the trueth which they keepe there remaâ—neth 〈◊〉 them some life of Christianity and so are fitly compared to a man who although he both lacke many partes of his body and also haue the rest corrupted with pestilent diseases yâ—t draweth breath and therefore is not a dead 〈◊〉 but a liuing man The reason by the which we are perswaded to thinke that papistes and other heretikes doe stil retaine the name of christians is this for that faith and especially a generall and historicall faith the profession whereof is sufficient to make a man be accounted a christian may be lodged in a mans minde together with such errours as
and of the iudgementes of God that by this meanes they may be driuen to Christ and euen compelled to imbrace the doctrine of the gospell For as the iron must first be made hote in the fire before it will receaue any newe foâ—me so must the hard heart be mollified in the furnace of the wrath of God before it will receaue the doctrine of faith and therefore it is needfull that there should by this meanes a way be made for the doctrine of the gospell for men must first be made to see their sinnes and the punishment of eternall death due vnto them before they can learne the vse and necessitie of Christ and of his righteousnesse For the phisition commeth not to whole men neyther doth the surgeon lay his plaisters but vpon wounded and brused members Thus did Iohn goe before Christ in the spirit of Elias to prepare the people for the Lord Luk. 1.17 and thus Christ prepared the young man Math. 19.21 and Peter the Iewes Actes 2.37 who when they were pricked in their heartes by hearing their sinnes they came to the Apostles saying men and brethren what shall we doe And Paul the men of Athens Act. 17.31 and lastly thus did God himselfe by a feareful earthquake prepare the iaylor Actes 16.30 and according to these exmples all other vnbeleeuers are to be conuerted by bringing them to a sight of their sinnes and a sense of the anger of GOD and that especially by mentioning and vrging those sinnes which are most hainous in their owne eyes and by the confession of all men which they can least excuse and whereof they are most ashamed Yea the doctrine of the lawe ought to goe before because it will more easelie be receaued and beleeued forsomuch as it is naturall to men being ingrafted in euerie mans minde since the first creation of man For although it were by the fall of Adam greatlie diminished obscured and peruerted yet there remaineth a confused and darke knowledge of good and euill of right and wrong and also of the rewarde belonging to obedience and the punishment of death due to sinne Rom. 1.32 the Gentiles knowe the lawe of God that they who committe sinne are worthy of death Yea of this knowledge commeth a conscience in infidels sometimes excusing them althoâ—gh falsely but for the most parte accusing them for their sinne before God So that this their knowledge of the lawe and conscience of sinne may easely be inlightned and stirred vppe by the preaching of the lawe whereas the doctrine of faith is contrarie to naturall reason and therefore harde to be perswaded Thus we see the first parte of the ministerie of the worde to wit that whereby infidels are to be prepared for the gospell This being done then the doctrine of christian religion is briefely and summarelie to be propunded euen as the Apostles did vse to preach Christ. The summe of whose sermons was this that saluation is to be had by faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God and the redeemer of the world The trueth of this doctrine is to be proued by such testimonies as are of most force as the lawe and prophetes are with the Iewes out of the which we see that Christ and his Apostles doe continually proue that which they speake Likewise as touching the gentiles although the maine points of the gospell be contrarie to humane reason and therefore not to be grounded thereon yet we are not destitute of many helpes and euident argumentes drawen out of their owne poets philosophers prophetisses and oracles whereby the probabilitie trueth and necessitie of the gospell may be declared euen to the heathen The which who so desireth to know may see them in those bookes which are written for the demonstration of the trueth of christian religion both in the first ages of the Church as also in these latter times Especially the vanitie of that false and idolatrous worship is to be laid open vnto them that so they being as it were driuen from that may be constrained to seeke the true religion as hath beene declared Sect. 4. How men conuerted to the faith ought to be ordered SO many of them as can be wonne by this means to beleeue the trueth of the doctrine deliuered are vpon confession of their faith to haue baptisme administred vnto them to be a seale of their faith to themselues and a badge of their profession to others and so to be separated from the rest as those of whom the Church is to consist Yea although they doe not at the first expresse the power of religion in true repentance and a christian life yet if they doe beleeue that to be the true religion of GOD and be content to professe the same then are they to be accounted members of the Church So we reade Actes 8.16 that many of the Samaritanes were baptised and so receaued into the Church whenas none of them had receaued the holy ghost but onely beleeued in the name of Iesus as they were taught So the Eunuch was baptised Actes 8. vpon this confession I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God For euen as they who labour in digging mettals out of the earth doe at the first â—ake for golde whatsoeuer doth glister and afterward purge the pure golde from the corrupt drosse and from all base mettall and as fishers take for fishe whatsoeuer commeth to the net but afterwarde separate the good from the bad Math. 13.47.48 so at the first the ministerie receaueth all that seeme to beleeue but in processe of time it separateth the hypocrite from the beleeuer and the wicked from the godly although not perfitly But before the administration of baptisme the summarie doctrine of it must be taught that so it may be receaued with greater fruite to wit that this sacrament was appointed by God himselfe as Iohn the first minister of it doth testifie Iohn 2.33 to be in his church a badge and common liueray of all his seruants whereby they are to professe his name and to be knowen from vnbeleeuers and also for their owne edification that by baptisme they may be confirmed in beleeuing the doctrine both of the law and of the gospell and further that it belongeth cheifly to the doctrine of the law in that by drowning vs in water it putteth vs in remembraunce of that eternall death whereunto we were subiect before as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 6.4 and that it is of the same nature and vse with circumcision the which did vnder the law both distinguishe the Iewes as gods people from all other nations as prophane and also set before the eies of the receauers eternall death as the other ordinarie sacrament of the passouer did eternall life for the one sacrament was of a bloudy signification wounding the body and so threatning death but the other graue the comfortable nourishment of life and so doe baptisme the Lords supper differ Lastly that both baptisme and circumcision although they
For so the building of the materiall temple was hindered by false prophets Nehe. 6. Yea none did so importunatly hinder or so spitefully entreate the true prophets of God as did the false prophets and the whole company of worldly carnal minded priestes Thus we se. 2. Chro. 18.23 that Zedekia did to Micha and Iere. 20.1 Pashur to Ieremie the priestes Scribes pharises to our sauiour Christ the false Apostles to Paule Such were those foolish vaine-glorious preachers at Corinth who swelling in a fond opinion and a foolish vse of humane wisdome did build vpon the good foundation of the sincere plaine and simple doctrine of the trueth hay stuble wood and such things as would be afterwards consumed with the fire that is would be found in examination to haue no substance of true religion These did seeme to build as well yea much more then the apostle but they were deceitfull workers and by this working did greatly hinder the true building of the church For if there were no builders all men that do professe the faith would seeke for some but these deceitfull builders perswade men that they are the true ministers of Christ and no maruail when as Sathan himselfe that foule and lothsome spirite doth transforme himselfe into an Angell of light and so they hinder them of faithfull and painfull teachers Lastly these hinderers may be knowen by their fruites as Christ teacheth vs Math. 7.15.16 euen by their dissolute liues the which they spend in seeking not the saluation of men and Gods glory but their owne pleasure ease commoditie yea riches and preferment Yea this their hypocrisie is to be detected least otherwise their purpose of hindering the Church do preuaile and that both by word when occasion serueth and also by the contrary sinceritie of the true builders Thus Christ dealeth with the Scribes and Pharisies Math. 23. and in many other places Sect. 9. Of an imperfect state of a Church WHenas the building of the Church is hindred by any meanes it commeth to passe that the state of it is imperfect corrupt or both For although in Christ the Church be perfect and pure yet she being in this worlde is often otherwise An imperfect state of a church is when as some part of the gouernment of the church is wanting as if the ministerie of the worde be wanting or if the ministers doe seldome and negligently preach the worde of GOD vnto the people Yet not the wantes that are in any fewe men but those which are generall and tollerated by the publick lawes or the common consent of the church make an imperfect state The imperfection is so much the more grieuous as the offices or functions of the offices which are wanting are more needfull in the church And therefore whenas there is no preaching ministerie in the Church the want is great and the case most lamentable because God hath ordained that his church should be built and his seruants saued by preaching the which being wanting the ordinary meanes of faith and of saluation is also wanting The want of any office is to be supplied by that which is nearest vnto it so did the leuites supplie the want of the priestes being by reason of their legall vncleannesse not meete to sacrifice 2. Châ—o 29.34 Yea that which is publickly wanting is priuately to be supplied what part of Gods worship or any thing belonging to it soeuer it be Yet we must not rest herein but carefully labour for a ful and perfect form of gouernment wherof how much is wanting so much of the meanes of our saluation is wanting And therefore we are heere to consider howe we may liue in an imperfect Church and how we ought to forsake it For the first we neede not doubt but that we may lawfully remaine in a Church the which wanteth some office or function appointed by God yea that our seruice wil be in some measure accepted of God who winketh at the infirmities and imperfections of his faithfull seruantes whether priuate or publicke Euen as he did at the passouer offered by Ezechias and the people wherein many thinges required by the law were wanting yea the Church seldome attaineth and keepeth so absolute perfect as that nothing is wanting in it Thus many of the Churches in the daies of the Apostles wanted some offices which were afterwardes supplied And in the ages following the troubles and persecutions of the Church made many wantes in it the which may be borne with these conditions First when as they are not so great but that notwithstanding them we haue the meanes of saluation edificarion Secondly if that the want be not wilfull but constrained and necessarie as when the Iewes intermitted the vse of circumcisioÌ„ in the wildernes Lastly if that we doe still aime at a perfect state coÌ„sidering that the other is neyther so auailable for the glory of God vnto whome we should not offer any lame blinde or maimed sacrifice or any imperfect seruice or yet so effectuall for our saluation For although a man may preserue his naturall life with bread and water yet he ought to desire the vse of other creatures seruing for his purpose that he may liue in strength and vigour of bodie and minde Sect. 10. Of a corrupt state of a Church specially of idolatrous worship A Corâ—upt state is whenas in steede of the true and sincere gouernment appointed by God a false gouernment contrary to the word of God hindeâ—â—ng the edification of the Church is publikely established or vsed or whenas some part of the gouerment is corrupted The causes of this estate are these first an imperfect state for the want of any part of the gouernment breedeth corruption For where there is no teaching there must needs be generall ignorance and many errours in iudgement where powerfull exhortation is not vsed there the graces of the spirit belonging to the practise of christianity are wanting and where the censures of the Church are not in force there dissolutenesse in the liues of men must needes preuaile The second cause is the reliques of the former false worship being not wholly abolished the which are like vnto a roote left in the earth and to a wound or sore the which being not wel clensed will fester and send forth much corruption Hence came that corruption of popery to wit from the reliques of Iudaisme and heathenisme and so that leauen hauing once infected the whole lumpe of the Church we knowe that although the substance of it be taken out yet the taste and sowernesse of it doth remaine in many places The kindes of a corrupt state are many as are the parts of the syncere gouernment For the first the ministry of the Church may be many waies out of order as if it be sufficient and destitute of giltes needful or if the manner of execution of it be corrupt as when it is turned into vaine ostentation and to an vnprofitable affection of learning reading wit
memorie and other common giftes Then followeth a corrupt worship consisting in outward rites and ceremonies in vaine babling in suffering hunger or in other bodily exercises Further if in steede of true doctrine errours be publickely taught and generally receaued or if in steede of a christian life sinne doe abounde by these meanes and many other which it is not needefull to rehearse commeth a corrupt state of a Church But heere we are briefely to touch a question which hath beene in part handled alone Chap. 1. Sect. 4. to wit howe farre a Church may be corrupt before it cease to be a true Church that is a Church truely and indeede For answere whereof it seemeth that wheresoeuer a company of men doe ioyntlie and publickely by worshipping the true God in Christ professe the substance of Christian religion which is faith in Iesus Christ the sonne of God and Sauiour of the world that there is a true Church notwithstanding any corruption whatsoeuer yea although it be of that nature that it might be made by consequent of argument to fight with the very foundation of christian religion and so hainous as that in respect thereof the people stained with this corruption are worthy to be abhorred of all men and vnworthy to be called the Church of God We will take an instance of a people which together with the profession of the faith doe mâ—intaine and vse idolatrie not worshipping a false God for then they were without all question to be counted infidels but the true God after a false and deuised manner These seeme to be a Church although they doe prophane the worship of God after a most horrible grieuous mâ—nner thus as it may seem some christans did in the first time of the gospel who did both beleeue in some sort yet could not of a sudden shake off that idolatrie wherein they had liued so many yeares For so Paul writeth 1. Cor. 5.11 If any that is called a brother that is a christian be a fornicatour or couetous or a worshipper of Images This kind of wâ—rship is in vse in the Church of Rome the which seemeth to be a Church althogh in the lowest degree that can be imagined vnlesse as it semeth that we may do we wil admit into the church the people of the ten tribs who were idolaters yet by circumcisioÌ„ some otherwaies did professe the name of Iehoua as we may note out of many testimonies of scripture And first out of those places where they are called the people of god as we read Ro. 10.25.26 wher the people of God the beloued of God and the children of the liuing God doe all signifie a true Church In the 1. King 16.2 they are twise so called wher God saith that he made Bahasa the captaine of his people Israell Secondly God is called the God of the ten tribes and said to be among them 1. King 20.28 because the Syrians speaking of the God of the ten tribes of whome they were ouercome said that Iehoua was God of the hils onely and 1. King 18.35 thou art the God of Israel Thirdly for that they alwaies had the true prophets of God and by them did aske and receiue counsell of God in their waightie affaires Thus 1. King 22.5.6.7.11 Achab asked counsel of God 2. King 2.16 Ahazia is reproued by God for that He sent to aske counsell at Baalsebub as though there were not a GOD in Isâ—ael whose worde he might haue sought after Likewise 1. King 5.8 Eliseus saith this is a most certaine thing that Israell is not at any time without a prophet The trueth hereof may be gathered also 1. King 18.21 where Elias saith that the people did halt betwixt God and Baal that is did serue them both together And lastly by that which is often said that the kinges of Israel did euil in the eyes of God that is in that place wherupon God did as yet looke with the eyes of his mercy as vpon his Church So that although they did wante almost the whole publicke worship and therefore are said 2. Chro. 15.3 to be without God without priestes and the law yet because the name of God was generally by circumcision professed of them they seeme to retaine the name of a Church and oâ— the people of God Euen as the Church of Rome serueth God and Christ by baptisme and by professing his name otherwaies although they haue no part of the worship of God vncorruptâ—d And so the ten tribes some christians in the primitiue church the papists and as we may thinke king Salomon with many others ioyned idolatry the worship of the true God together as it is said of the Samaritanes that they feared the Lord and worshipped idols 2. Kinges 17.41 yet these Samaritanes were not a Church for they did only in their mindes slauishly feare God but all their outward worship was done vnto idols Sect. 11. Of a Church corrupt in doctrine NOwe we are to enquire howe farre a people may be corrupt in doctrine and yet remain a Church Whereunto we answere as before that all they who hold the foundation of religion are to be counted a Church although together they be infected with many grieuous errours By the foundation of religion we doe not meane any one particular point no not the waightiest points or those which come nearest to the foundation it selfe but the generall and maine doctrine of Christianitie the which was before the comming of Châ—ist this I beleeue in the Messias who is to come of the seed of Dauid and since his comming it is this I beleeue that Iesus is Christ as the foundation of religion is defined by the Apostle 1. Cor. 3.11 The truth hereof may euidently appeare by considering the state of the visible Church before the comming of Christ especially as it was at the time of his comming in the which although God did reueale his will more clearely to some of his prophets people yet the church generally was altogether ignorant of the waightiest points of the Gospell as of Christ the trinitie two distinct natures the vnion of them of his offices death and resurrection Now although simple ignoraunce be not so grieuous a sinne as wilfull heresie neither an heresie before the comming of Christ as one since his comming yet in this respect they are all one for a man doth erre in that point which he doth not knowe holding the errour contrary to the said trueth Euen as the Iewes not knowing the heades of doctrine before named did alwaies in all ages and doe to this day so many as continue in vnbâ—leife deny the doctrine of the trinitie for they make but one person to wit God the father and the doctrine of the deitie of Christ thinking that the Messias should be a mere man they deny his offices thinking that he should be a temporall king onely and therefore they knewe not the doctrine of regeneration as we see in