and wyth her contynuallye no lesse tyme. No man can but beleue it excepte any be so peruerse that wyll denye the Churche to be hys mother To whom S. Cypryan saieth Non potest habere deum patrem Cipri de simpl prâ— qui non habet ecclesiam matrem He cannot haue GOD to be hys father whych hath not the Churche hys mother Lyke wyse in not beleuing the church our mother we do not beleue god our father so coÌ„sequently we do degeÌ„dre from all filiall nature to the abrydgement of our lyues here in earth and to the achiuing of the loÌ„g endles death in hel wherfore let vs with humble obedience honour our sayde holy mother the Catholyke Church in embracing her preceptes that we may be longe lyuyng not onely beneth heare in Earthe but attayne also to the longe lyfe aboue in Heauen Hytherto I haue declared the Church not to erre bycause some euyll persones be therein wherewyth yf any be not satisfied but doth further affyrme euery membre of the churche to be a lyer and therefore doth infer the whole vnyuersall churche to lye and erre To them Saynt Austen shall make aunswere as foloweth Deus per seipsum uerax Augu in pist Ioh. tract 1 tuper deum uerax nam per te mendax God is by hym selfe true but thou art tru by GOD for by thy selfe thou art a lyer so that although euery person of hym selfe Psa 115 and by his vityat nature be a lyer yet by the pertecipation of goddes grace and truthe in the Churche manye are true as well appeared by the holye Patryarches Prophetes and many others before Chryste his incarnation and since that time by the Apostles Dyscyples and holy Martyres wytnessyng the truthe wyth theyr bloude For elles Dauyd hymselfe had lyed in sayinge Euery man is a lier the Euangeliste Paule and other the Apostles had lyed in their preachynges and erred in theyr wrytynges the whych no chrystyan harte can suffer to be affyrmed but admyt that the Deuyl is some time permitted to haue power on a synguler and pertyculer persone in the Churche yet it followeth not that he hath powre to seduce the vnyuersal congregation of chryst his vnyuersal churche For where Chryst is there cannot the Deuyl be coÌ„syderynge that no agreament is or can be 1. Cor. 6 betwene Chryste and Belyall But in the vnyuersall catholyke church is Christ therefore is not therein the deuyl Christ is therein for he promysed vnto the sayd catholyke churche not onelye the spirite of truth to teache it all the trueth but promysed hym selfe also verye verytye therein to be continually euen to the worldes ende For that cause Paule calleth the church the temple house of god Apo. 20. In the Apocalipse moreouer it is wrytten the deuyll to be tyed and shutte vp in hell that he nether myght nor maye seduce the peoples and nacions Wherevpon S. Austen wryteth iÌ„ his boke de ciuitate dei these wordes Au de ciuitate dei li. 2. ca. 7 Ad hoc ligatus est diabolus in abisso ut iam non seducat gentes ex quibus constat ecclesia Furthermore the deuyll was tyed and shutte vp in hell that he myghte not seduce the peoples of whom consisteth the church Here ye may learne of Austen that the deuyll hath not power to seduce the peoples and multitudes of faithfulles of whom the churche coÌ„sisteth After it foloweth Nec enim dictum Aug ibi ut non seduceret aliquem sed non ut seduce et iam gentes in quibus ecclesiam procul dubio uoluit intelligi It is not sayde that he shoulde seduce no manne but that he shoulde not seduce nowe the peoples in whom vndoubtedlye he would to be vnderstand the churche Note here that s Austen wryteth that it was not spokeÌ„ that the deuell shuld seduce no man for so promysed not Chryst but that he shoulde not seduce the peoples that is to saye the whole congregation of the church to whom only the spyrite of truth was promysed to contynue for euer Thus playne it is that the deuyll maye deceyue and seduce some certayne persones of the churche and yet cannot seduce the whole multitude and congregation therof For so longe as an army standeth together in aray it is impregnable and inuincible but deuyded disseuered and scattered abroade it is moost easye to be vanquysshed Lykewyse Chrystyans singularlye and priuately may sometyme take an ouerthrowe of Sathan but the mayne army host of Christ the vniuersal militaunte churche hath so valyanut puyssaunt and experte a captayne in the myddes therof and that continually that it cannot goo out of araye at any tyme to take any notable discomforte or ouerthrowe 1. Co. 10 Non enim patietur uos tentari supra id quod potestis sed faciet etiam cum tentatione prouentuÌ„ ut possitis sustineri For he will not suffre you to be tempted assauted aboue youre power but so wyll do in the temptation that you shal be able to sustaine it escape it and to haue good successe therin so that he can and will kepe his promise which was Mat. 16. that Hel gates should not preuayle agaynst the churche Whiche promyse he made not to the perticuler members thereof seuerallye but to the whole churche vnyuersallye Therfore although some straglynge waueryng and wanderynge Christians do at any tyme erre yet the whole congregatioÌ„ doth at no time erre in the weyghtye matters of Christianitie Yf the churche maye erre then maye Chryste and the holy ghost erre which be resyaunt therin then is not the Churche buylded vpon an immoueable rocke stone Mat. 16. and fundatyon accordyng to scripture then is not the Churche the pyller and fyrme vpholder of trueth 1. Tim. 3 then cannot the churche say truely it pleaseth the holye Ghoste and vs then is not Chryst the Sauyour and preseruer of the Churche hys body whych to beleue were to muche vngodlye but Chrysostome sayth Homini si bellum inferas Act. 15. Ephes 5 Chris to 2. ho. 20. forte uinces aut forte uinceris ecclesiam uincere nulla uis poterit yf thou warre vpon a manne perchaunce thou shalte ouercome or be ouercommed but no power forse or strength can ouercome the churche Wherebye you maye wel vnderstand that a perticuler persone of the Churche maye be conquered but not the whole catholycke churche Non deâ—rit enim dominus ad tuendam ecclesiam suam Au. to 2. epis 169 For our lord wyll not be wantyng to defeÌ„d hys churche whych he bought and purchased wyth no lesse then wyth hys owne moste precyous bloude the infallyble euydence of hys deare loue towarde it which will not suffer it vnarmed and withoute his defence Vayne therefore be al scysmatycall rebellyons conspirynge against the same Thus thys fynyshed I thinke it expedient to open to you the infallyble tokens whereby ye may know and infallyblye discerne the catholyke Churche
ecclesia et iter ueritatis Epiph. 10 1. Cap. 2 The holy Churche of God is the Heauenlye Kynges hygheway and the path of truthe Wherefore seyng that saluation and truth be onely in chrystes catholyke and vniuersall churche and not in particuler conuenticles let vs in all kynd of scysmes diuisions factions sectes ehresyes and erroures cleaue sticke and stande with constant obedience to the inuiolable iudgement determynation and traditioÌ„ of the catholyke Churche For seynge that Chryst is in the myddes of .ii. or .iii. gathered together in his name it muste nedes followe that he is in his own body the churche the whole socyetye vnyuersall congregation of all beleauynge people lyncked and gathered together by consent in his name and vnited to him as the body to the hedde Than cannot we but graunte that the church of Chryst must nedes be the true interpretesse of holy scrypture and truly to decide and determyne the controuersies which mani do stir vp after euery of there pryuate immaginations for as Saint Austen accurseth hym that other beleaueth to haue aucthorytye or hath in reuerente any scriptures Aug ser 129 besides those scryptures which the catholycke churche hath receaued Lykewyse vndoutedly he curseth such as make or do beleue or reuerenceth any interpretations made of the scryptures agaynste and contrarye to the Churches interpretations for beynge not leafull to receaue Scryptures vnproued by the catholyke Churche it is not leafull to receiue straung interpretations thereof and not approued by the same Church coÌ„syderyng that in the Churche onely is the truth as wytnesseth that olde author Ireneus wrytyng these wordes Iren. li. 3. cap. 4. Vbi ecclesia ibi spiritus et ubi spiritus dei illic ecclesia et omnis gratia spiritus autem ueritas Where the Church is there is the spyryte of God and where the spyrit of Godis there is the Churche and all grace And the spyryte truely is trouth which moste playnelye agreeth with the Doctryne of Paule 1. Tim 3 Psal 88. Domus dei est ecclesia dei uiui coluÌ„na et firmameÌ„tuÌ„ ueritatis The house of god is the Churche of God the pyller the fyrme vpholdyng of truth And therefore the sayd Ireneus wryteth also thus Iren. li. 5 pag. 319. Ecclesiae predicatio uera et firma est apud quam una et eadem sâ—lutis uia in uniuerso mundo ostenditur The preachyng of the churche is true firme and souÌ„de in whome is one verye waye of saluation shewed and manyfest through the whole worlde For euery where sayeth he the Churche preacheth the truthe Lykewyse Orygen taughte that onely to be the beleaued truth Orige in prodemio petiarchoÌ„ whych in nothyng dysagreeth from the churches tradytion and therefore Sainte Austen dyd wryte as foloweth Aug. contra epist Man ca 5 Ego uero non crederem euangelo nisime catholice ecclesiae commoueret authoritas I wold not beleaue the Gospell yf the authoritie of the Churche dyd not moue me thereto for if the Churche had not approued wytnessed the truth of the Gospell we shoulde haue bene no lesse vncertayne of it then we are of the Gospelles ascrybed to Thomas Bartylmue and Nychodeme ye maye further reade in Chrisostome Chrisost tom 2. in Manh. 10. mundo Ecclesia habet veres oculos â—idelicet ecclesiasticos atque doctores qui videÌ„t in scripturis misteria dei de quibus dicuntur videntes The churche hath true eyes that is to saye preachers and teachers whych doo se the mysteryes of god Wherefor theye are called Videntes that is to saye seynge perceyuynge and vnderstandynge the sayde mysterye To be bryfe Saynt Hilary calleth the church the mouth of Christ saying Os christi ecclesiam esse Hilari in psal 137. et prophetica apostolica aucthoritas est The prophetycall and the apostolycall aucthorytye is that the church is the mowthe of christ The same affyrmythe Austen saying Au. in Io. 15. tâ— 88 Christus per ecclesiam suam loquitur gentibus Chryst speaketh to the gentyles and people by hys churche for Chryste sayde Non uos estis qui loquimini Mat. 10. sed spiritus patris uestri qui loquitur in uobis It is not you which do speake but the spiryte of truth which speketh in you Luk. 10. he therfore that heareth you my mowthe heareth me Wherfore in all controuersyes and dowtes arysynge or wrested out of written scriptures which can nether heare iudge nor speke the wyll and plesure of god therin conteyned We muste nedes take for oure refuge and perfect instruction the lyuely temple of God the lyuely orgayne and instrumeÌ„t of the holy Ghost the churche lyuely and fully represented by the general counsailes as this realme is fully represented by the parliameÌ„t bycause all and euery member of the Churche nor all and euerye member of thys realme cannot be assembled conueniently together in one place the whych generall counceles aucthoritie is most holsome sounde as teacheth Saynt Austen In so doynge we shall follow the example of the good chrystians of Antyoch whiche when Paule and Barnabye were molested and troubled with the great dissention and seditious disputatioÌ„ of their aduersaries the Iues did send vnto the Apostles and prystes in Ierusalem for the discussion of the question contended vpon accordyng to the olde lawe commaundinge the Iues in all diffycyll and doutfull Deut. 17 mattyres to ascende vnto the prystes and not to the law it selfe and of them to requyre the truth and the mynd of the lawe Aggeâ— 2. from the which they shuld declyne to no syde for the lawe is to be requyred as affirmeth the prophet at the pristes mouth Mala. 2 To the whych chrystyan brotherne the Apostles and prestes gathered to gether in one dyd wryght Actes 16 Visum est spiritui sancto nobis It pleaseth the holy ghost and vs. They sayde not it pleaseth the holye ghoste and scripture which is but a dead doÌ„be and a not speakyng letter but it pleaseth the holy ghost vs vs the temple of oure lyuynge God 2. Cor. 3. the Epistle and scripture of Chryste wrytten not wyth yncke but with the spirite of our lyuyng God 2. Cor. 3. not in stonye tables or in other outewarde substaunce but in the fleshye tables and inward substauÌ„ce of mans harte wherefore doubtes moued out of Scripture are not to be determined bi the deade lettre written with yncke but by the liuely scripture written with the holy Ghost in faithfull mennes hartes for scrypture wrytten with yncke althoughe it conteyneth Godds most vndouted truthe yet bycause it heareth not speakethe not compareth not nor pondereth the matters incontrouersye it cannotte iudge nor pronounce sentence of the truthe The holy counsell thereof asseÌ„bled at Iherusalem sayd it pleseth the holy ghost and vs the lyuely scrypture of Chryst the speakyng mouthe and lyuelye instrument of the holy ghoste Whose determination Act. 15. whan the bretherne had readde they ioyed in the comforte receiued theirin wherefore let vs relynquishe the dissentions and contentions proceadynge oute of priuate presumptuous braines and humbly obeye and ioyfullye receyue the decisions and determinations of Chrystes catholyke churche whome the spyryte of verytye teacheth to speake all the truth â—o 16. Let vs I saye follow the counsell of S. Austen Diuinam ueritatem in una ecclesiateneamus Aug contra conaâ—is post cellat ca. 19. et humanas lites aliquando finiamus Let vs kepe sayth AusteÌ„ Godds truth whych is in the church of vnitie and so lett vs once fynyshe humayne conteÌ„tions Non enim dissensionis est deus 1. Cor. 14 sed pacis For god is not the god of dissensioÌ„ but the God of peace To whose mouthe which is the vnyuersall catholycke church Io. 10. and to the doctryne proceding out therof as obedient shepe of his flocke we are most boundeÌ„ to herkeÌ„ and obeye accordyng to thys of Chryst my shepe do here my voyse doo beleue mye wordes and do folowe me soo that hys Disciples doo heare beleue and followe him speakyng in his chosen and lyuelye mouth the churche for the manyfolde wysedome of God Ephe. 3. is made open and knowen by his Churche as affyrmyth Paule Wherefore the Churche being his owne mouth muste nedes expounde interpretate open hys owne Scrptures mooste agreable to his owne mynde and synce that in the mouthe of two or three wytnesses Mat. 19. consysteth euerye matter 2 Cor. 15. then the Testimonye of the mouthe of Chryst the vniuersall churche must neds of necessitie stand And hys churches true eyes as preachers and teachers called by the churche the mouthe of Chryste doth truly see and perceue the misteries of the scriptures Let vs leaue therefore our arrogante presumptions the mother of all heresy in haÌ„dlyng of the holy worde of god â—â—co 3. the whiche God resysteth and let vs wyth meke humilitie 1 Petre. 5 to whome god giueth grace submytte our priuate fallible iudgmentes to the infallyble aunciet Consent of the whole vniuersall Catholyke Churche whych with one harte and mynd beleuethe wyth perfecte eyes seeth wyth one mouthe preacheth one truthe as affyrmith the ancthorytyes before rehersed let vs I say duryng this our Pilgremage in the desert of this worlde walke in the catholyke churche the heauenly kynges hygh way the way of truth the which truthe they that be out of the church 2. Timo â— be alwaye sekynge and neuer fyndynge that we may in the end of this our sayd iorneye heare in the Mylytant Church acheue vp to the Churche aboue tryumphant Where we maye in truth vnytye and peace honor wyth one harte 2 Cor. 13. one mynde one mouth our euer lyuing god of peace to whoÌ„ eternal be al praise honor glori eternallye Amen FINIS ¶ Imprinted at Londoâ— in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the holy Ghost by Ihon Cawod Printer to the Kyng and Quenes Maiesties Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum
A brefe treatyse declaryng what and where the churche is that it is knowen and whereby it is tryed and knowen Made by Iohn Churchson Beati qui habitant in domo tua domine Psal lxxxiii Blessed be they O Lorde that dwell in thy house Anno Dom. 1556. ¶ To the reader MAruayle not gentle reader that I haue attempted to penne this briefe treatyse of the churche a matter of suche importaunce as requyreth a man of muche more readynge knowledge and iudgemente For I haue not made this enterprice of any presumptioÌ„ but of good zeale good mynde and intent trustynge that my well meaned attempt shall ministre occasion to some synguler clerke of notable name calling to his pitiful remembraunce the pitilesse slaughter of no small number of soules thoroughe contagious factions and sectes in this realme to bear vp like as Atlas heauen in the steade of Me a pigmey this weighty cause to perfourme and perfyt the imperfectioÌ„ of this my enterpryce and that this my offred farthynge shal moue some notable man Mat. 12. bountifullye enriched with Goddes treasure to bryng out thereof both new and olde to the aduauncemeÌ„t of this matter Mat. 13. so necessarye to the restitution reparatioÌ„ and mayntenaunce of euangelicall concorde in Christen religion as the sonne fire and water in earth is not the lyke not doutyng but that the trauayle wil be most thankfully taken For no person except a reprobate is so affectionate to vntrueth but that he wylbe at the least indifferent betwene truth and vntruth his owne saluation and dampnation especially yf it be remembred that humayn prayse and paynted flatterye mouynge to the defence of vntrueth be but vanities shall not auayle before oure iuste iudge who wyll iudge not after the face nor accordynge to the fleshe but as is the trueth Iohn 8. For as he deceyueth not so is not he deceiued by any colour countenaunce hypocrysye or faced allegations of scriptures agaynst scripture Ieroni to 4. pagin 374. which consisteth not in the vocables but in the sence vnderstandynge spirituall marowe pyth and kernyll conteined within theÌ„ If we would remember that the seruauntes of God shoulde not be contentious but meke tractable mylde to al persons readye to be taught the truth which is in the catholike church onlye we woulde not seake in the worde of peace concorde and vnitye for scisme diuision and discorde agaynst vnytye but euery of vs woulde make the petition that the manne of God kynge Dauyd â—sal 26. desyrous to lyue in vnitye made saying One thinge I haue desyred of our Lorde and that also I wil requyre which is that I may dwell in the house of our lord all the dayes of my lyfe This house of oure Lorde the house of vnytye is the mylytaunte churche of Christe agaynste whome the lighte harneysed souldiers and foreprickers of Antechryst hath often skirmished to spoyle it yf it myghte be of gods precious verities that Antechryst their generall at his owne personall comming with his hugle army maye haue the lesse to doo the more open way and the frankar en tree to inuade our true messias hym selfe who is the onely marke that his fore renners prickethe at and he hym selfe woll shoate at Wherefore god graunt to euerye factious person repentaunce and turnyng of mynde to truth and to retyre to the vnitie of Chryste his catholyke churche that he maye be in the safe protection of the inuincible hede capytayne thereof Chryste Iesus Wherevnto Godes owne seruaunt our vertuous and gratious Soueraygne Lady the Queene castynge her highnes pitefull eyes vpoÌ„ our late most miserable state hath by the godly assystence of our godlye and Prudente Soueraygne Lorde the kyng restored this her Maiesties Realme consyderyng ryght well suche to be no lesse then infidelles Mat. 10. and publicans by chrystes doctryne whyche doo not humble them selfes to the same for that sayeth Austen that the soule is in the naturall body of man Aug. to 10 serm 186 that is the holy Ghost in the mistycal body of Chryst and that doth the holye Ghoste in the whole Church that the Church doth in al her members of one body and as yf a corporall membre fortune to be cut of from mans Body the soule and lyfe foloweth it not but whereas the member lyued beynge in the body and deuyded losethe lyfe semblablye a chrystyan man is catholyke whyles he lyueth in the bodye of Chryst the catholyke churche but beyng cutte of he is become an heretyke for the spyryte of GOD folowethe not a deuyded member If therefore you wyll lyue of the Holy Ghost kepe charytie loue truth desyre vnytye that you may atteyne to eternytye Thus thys fynyshynge wyth Saynte Austens wordes I commende you to the handes of oure GOD of peace entyerly euen from the pryuye chaÌ„ber of my harte desyryng you to reade thys lyttle boke with indifferent eyes and desyre of christian concord so I wyshe you dayly encrease of godlye vertue and knowledg with most harty farewel in our sauiour Iesus Chryst the Churche FOr asmuche as of late tyme manye dyuerse scismes sectes and heresies haue sprong vp in the churche of our sauiour Iesus Chryst where with the same onely churche hath bene most contentiously disquieted most cruelly inuaded and as it wer most piteously rented and defaced to the extreame perdition and distruction of innumerable soules boughte not with corruptible gold and syluer but with the mooste precious bloud of the immaculate lambe our sauiour christ especiallye in this realme of England I thought it ryght necessarye to declare vnto you with no lesse breuitie than the matter wyl suffer wherevnto you maye and shoulde constantly cleaue for the sure vpholdyng and continuall maintenaunce of your true fayth agaynst the fradulent thrustyng fourthe of scismaticall and erronious opinions That ye shal vnderstaÌ„d to be the parmaneÌ„t word of god the catholike churche 1. Tim 3 which is the house of god the piller fyrme foundation of truethe as writeth the apostle Paule The churche I adde vnto the wrytten worde of GOD because the sayde worde for hys profundite bountifull sence is not to be expounded by the priuate interpretation of thys or that priuate brayne 1. Pet 1. but by the vniuersall interpretation of the vniuersall churche inspired with the holy gost bicause it is most playne the churche to be the faythfull keper of the scryptures 1. Tim â— Rom. 3. concredited and coÌ„mitted vnto her custodye bycause also that Chryst Mat. 29 Ioh. 14.16 who is trueth promised him selfe and his spirite of trueth to be resyaunt and resident in the catholyke churche to teach it all the trueth not for a day a moneth a yeare or two but perpetually and continually euen to the worldes ende and therefore onelye mete to whome the interpretation of goddes worde shoulde be committed and to whose onely iudgements and determinations in all controuersyes of religion we shoulde fastly stand
to thys commaundemente of Chryst Omnia quecunque dicunt seruate et facite que autem faciunt nolite facere Obserue kepe and do you all thynges Mat. 23 whatsoeuer they doo speake and teache agreable to truethe but do you not those thynges whyche they worke dissonant from the same then truelye he that refuseth the felowshyppe of the iust for the iniust sake maye not be rekened an humble chyld to god our father nor to the vnyuersall churche our mother As the great house wherin be vessels not onely of golde 1. Tim 2 and syluer to honoure but of woade and earth also to dyshonour is not to be forsaken and refused for the vesselles sake of dysshonor therein No more is the catholyke Churche whyche is the greate house nor her determynations to be contempned for the euilles sake therein permixted with the good for in the churche the good and the bad be to gyther as chaffe is with the corne sayeth Austen Mali et boni sunt in ecclesia sed apud hereticos soli mali sunt Aug to 9 in Io tr 6 c. nos fatemur in ecclesia catholicorum et bonos et malos esse sed tanquam grana et paleas Good and euil be in the church but amonge heretykes be onelye euyll c. We graunte in the Churche of catholykes to be good and bad but as corne chaffe Here is to be noted that by Austen among the heretiks be none good but in the churche of catholikes to be not onely euell but also good yea and that lyke as corne chaffe be together For as good corne suffereth no detriment ne damage by myxture of the chaffe but is rather conserued preserued good therewyth lykewise the good people receiueth no corruption contagion nor infection in the substaunce of theyr religion by the societie of the euyll But rather bye continual companye famyliaritye and syght of theyr fructles lyfe do learne to detest and abhorre the same and do vse there leuitie comparable to the lyghte moueable chaffe to the establyshyng of they re owne godlie grauytye and the inconstant corrupte deformed errors of the iniuste to the tryall and confyrmatioÌ„ of their owne constante pure and ryghte doctryne For as the wicked euyll vseth the good workes of the vertuous so the vertuous well vsethe the yll workes of the wycked to theyr owne exercyse and much profytte accordyng to the example of GOD hym selfe who vseth the euylles of the noughty to the exercyse and profytte of the good and holy that bye the peruersytye of the euyll the good maye profyte be proued and tryed as learne we maye also by Iob Thoâ—â— whiche by tempting Sathan receiued no daÌ„mage 2. cor 12. but were proued tried to their muche good accordyng to thys of Paule Virtus in infirmitate perficitur Vertue by infyrmitye as temptatyon persecution and aduersitie is made perfect stronge and invynsyble And as good wheat being winnowed with the wind froÌ„ the chaffe is manyfest manyfestly appeareth good so the good people by the stormye temptation of the euyl are tried good and by the tryall are manyfestly knoweÌ„ to be good Therefore Paule wryteth 1. Co. 11 Oportet hereses esse ut probati manifestifiant Sectes muste nedes be that they whyche be good maye be knowen amongest you for by scisme in doctrine they are stirred to learne the trueth and bi diuisyon in lyuynge they are excyted to seke vertue and to be the more vygylant in Doctryne and circumspecte in lyuyng so that the good faythefulles takethe no more detryment by the companye of the badde then dothe wheate bye chaffe then golde by the touch of fyre theÌ„ the pacience of Iob and Thoby by the temptatyon of Sathan 2. cor 12. then Paule by the sharpe afflyction messeÌ„ger of Sathan in his body then the Apostles by the companye of traytorous Iudas And for as much as Sodome had bene preserued and saued from destruction yf therein had bene but tenne good persones Gen. 10. why shoulde not we beleue the catholyke Churche of Chryste wherin be innumerable good to be preserued conserued and saued holy pure cleane from the destroying heresies damnable errours To be breife that holy father and learned Doctour Saynt Austen wryteth as foloweth Ecclesia dei inter multam palcam multaque Au. to 2. epist 110 ad Ianua cap. 19. zizannia constituta multa tolerat et tamen que sunt contra fidem uel bonam uitam non appâ—â—bat non tacet nec facit The churche of God ordeyned and set among much chafe and much cockell doth tolerat many thynges and yet neuerthelesse it nother approuethe nother concealethe nother doth those thynges whych be agaynst the faith or good lyfe Thus you maye vnderstand that the church in and among the chaffe which signifieth inconstant and frutelesse christians and cockle signifying corrupt christians suffereth mani thinges indifferent infirmities fraylties and euels not makyng agaynst our faythe nor contagious to christian manners for vnyties sake as Christ dyd tolerate Iudas a theffe and a traitour but the churche saith Austen nothere dothe it selfe nother alloweth in the badde no nor concealeth nor yet winketh at any thyng in any wise repugnaunte to our faythe or chrystyaÌ„ lyfe especially it doth not tolerate heretyckes nor scysmatykes bycause theye be intollerable euyll for scysme vyolation of peace breache of vnitie and seperacioÌ„ from the inherytaunce of Chryste the churche spredde through al the whole worlde and stretchyng into all ages be intollerable And no meruel for the church is the kyngdome of heauen as teacheth the parable of the net and of the tenne vyrgynnes c. Mat. 13. and 25 Therfore it erreth not infernally nor doeth tolerate anye thynge that is infernall for the kingdome of heauen is not the kyngdome of hell of falsytye scysme nor heresye leadyng to hell but of verytye concorde and vnytye bryngyng to heauen No cause is therfore why we should cal the doctrine of the whole catholyke Churche in doute for no person vnfaynedly professyng Chryste wyll affyrme any one of the Apostles whych were but members of hys mystycall bodye the sayde churche to erre in his writing shall then anye chrystyan person holde the whole vniuersall bodye of Chryste to erre in the greate matters of our profession Paule was but a chylde of oure mother the Churche and yet we are bound to beleue his Doctryne to be true For christ spake in hym as he him selfe wytnesseth to the Corynthes saying An experimentum queritis eius 2. Co. 13 qui in me loquitur Christus 〈◊〉 Do you seke experience of Chryste him selfe whych speaketh in me Shall not we then beleue the Doctryne of hys and our holy mother the catholyke Church spouse moste obedient to oure Sauyour Iesus Chryst truth it selfe in whom he hath doth Au. to 9 tract 89 and wyll speake to the worlds ende seynge he promysed to be in Mat. 28.
obtinet omnes gētes Shall not we my brethren showe the churche as the new mone is shewed to men is not the churche euydente is it not manyfest rayneth it not in all nations To the whyche manyfest church he gaue manifest and visible ministers as Apostles Prophetes Ephe. 4. euangelystes pastores and doctours which are were and shal be to the worldes ende vysyble and not inuisible Math. 5 for to them Christ said Vos estis lux mundi You are the lyght of the world which cold not be true yf they were not sene and perceiued If the church be not sensible but insensible then the sacramentes the ministerye ecclesiasticall offyces the Ecclesystycall mynysters the vocations to Ecclesiasticall offyces Yea the worde of GOD wrytten and preached shoulde be insensyble whyche shoulde be agaynste Saynte Paule saying Rom. 10 Faythe is by hearynge and hearynge by the worde of Chryste Seynge therefore by these aucthoryties I haue although brefelye yet suffisientli proued the catholycke churche which is eueri where to be manifestly knowen I will lykewise god helping proue the same not to erre in the materyall points of our religiō although some corrupte mēbres be therof The catholyke churche doth nor erre For albeit in this vnyuersal churche whyche is vysyble be many bad so well as good iniust as iust folyshe vyrgyns Mat. 25 as wyse euel sedes as good sedes and in the net badde fyshes as good Mat. 13 yet we may not thinke the same catholyke vysyble Churche to erre in the necessarye poyntes of Chrystyanitye no more then dyd the apostles in ther belefe preachinges doctryne bycause trayterous Iudas was of ther felowship we maye no more brynge the doctryne ordinaunces and interpretations set fourthe to vs by the vniuersall Churche in doubte by cause there be some bad therin then we maye call in doubt the Apostles doctrine bycause euell Iudas was of that congregation If it be an vntruthe to affyrme that all the hole company of Aungelles in heauen dyd erre bycause some of them dyd erre and fell from heauen Who wyll affyrme to be a truethe the whole multytude of Chryste hys Churche whyche the scrypture calleth the kyngdome of heauen Mat. 13 to erre bycause some euyll chrystians therein do erre The arche of Noe Gene. 7. an expressed fygure of the Church hauyng therin beastes clene vnclene hauing therin 〈◊〉 Cham the wicked chyld of Noe wyth the rest that were good erred not from the tuition and protection of God nor were drowned in the deuouryng whaues of the ragynge floude but was cōtynually in the sure certain and safe custodye of almyghty God so preserued kept in most certeyne safetye to the full ende of the said floude shal we then say or thynke the catholyke churche of chryst the verye veretye represented by that arke to erre and wander from Chryst Ephe. 15. and Chryst his regiment the hed thereof seing that he is Seruator corporis sui The Sauyour and preseruer of hys body whyche is the Church as teacheth the Apostle Paule Seyng Christ who is verytye hathe ben is and wylbe contynuallye with hys church to the worlds end Ioh. 14. and. 16. Seyng I saye that the holye Ghost the fyrme cōforter hath ben is and wil be without surceasse duryng this worlde resydent in the same to teache it all the truethe and therein to comforte confyrme and establyshe it At Antioch were certeyne Iues which taught the Chrystians that excepte they were circumcised after the maner of Moyses they could not be saued after greate dysputation hadde therevpon wyth Paule Act. 15. and Barnabas the Iues woulde not be satysfyed as sectes commonly be not in soo much that Paule and Barnabas wyth others were sente to the Apostles and senyors at Iherusalem for the decision of this question among the whiche certayne that had bene of the pharisaycal secte and then christened affyrmed that christians ought to be circumcised and that the churche shoulde commaund the lawe Moysaicall to be kepte and yet Peter and Iames with other the congregation there decreed to the contrarye that the christians shoulde not be cyrcumcysed and were bolde to say and wryte Visum est spiritui sancto nobis c. It pleaseth the Holye ghoste and vs to burden you with no more but with these necessaryes c. Althoughe in this councell and congregation were some that erred as they which had ben Phariseis yet we cannot without impietie saye that the whole holye assemblye dyd erre Whyche truelye dydde saye it pleaseth the holye ghost and vs. Wherfore to affyrme the whole catholyke churche of Christe to erre in matters of our fayeth and necessarelye appurtenaūt to christian manners because some euell be amongest them is a wycked sclaunder to the mistycall bodye of Chryste and an vngodlye blasphemye to Christe hymselfe the heade thereof yea and to the holye ghoste contynuallye resydente therein to whose inspirations reuelations instructions and regiment the catholyke churche alwaye is obedyently subiecte or els the holy gost wuld not contynuallye abyde in it accordynge to Chrystes promyse Ps 14◠whyche promyse cannot be vntrue for he is faythfull in all his wordes So that although that euel be mixt with the good in the churche yet we muste not thynke it to erre in the wayghtye matters 1. Tim ◠but to stande to it as to the pyllar of trueth and not to forsake it as aduertyseth vs Saynte Cypryan Ci◠epi 3 lib. 3. Et si uidentur in ecclesia esse zizannia non tamen impediri debet aut fides aut charitas nostra ne quoniam zizannia in ecclesia esse cernimus ipsi de ecclesia recedamus Although corrupt seeds do appeare and be sene in the church Yet our fayth or charity shuld not be lette molested nor troubled so that bycause we se corrupte and noughty seades growynge in the Churche therfore we should relinquyshe and forsake the churche but to suffer the euyll by charytie beyng studious and carefull to kepe the vnytie of the spyryte by the bād of peace as wylleth S. Paule and rather to be stronge in toleratyng the badde Ephe. 4. then to be vngodly in forsaking the good But forsake not they the churche for corrupte seades which for naughty chrystians sake do denye refuse and reiecte the Decisions determinations ordinaunces of the churche her vnderstandynges of scriptures and in slaunderynge the churche to erre in poyntes of our fayth and of chrysten relygyon bycause corrupted chrystyans be amonge the incorrupte Let vs remember that no man hauynge the ryghte vse of hys wyttes wyll refuse corne bycause chaffe or cockle is myxt with the corne no more can he be estemed a ryght christyan that reiectethe the vnyuersall churche of Chryste for the baddes sake therin Forasmuch as they whyche doo forsake the good holesome and true Doctryne of any preacher for hys euyll lyfes sake cānot be accoūted obediente