the first lay vpon them that straight and perfect kinde of discipline which afterwardes they vse whenas by reason of their riperyares they are more capable of it Yea this continuall growth of the Church was shewed by Ezech. 4.1 vers 3.4.5 by the rising of the waters to his anckles knees loynes and head Sect. 2. Of the diuers stateâ— of ecclesiasticall gouernment WE find in the worde of God three kindes of Church-gouernment the first of these was in force before the giuing of the lawe the second in the time of the law the third in the time of the gospell The first we may fitly resemble vnto the first infancy of a childe being newly borne in the which although there be all the faculties of the soule and body yet they cannot as yet doe their functions and therefore can hardly be discerned or distinguished So in this first state there are all the partes of Chuch-gouernment although they doe not so plainly appeare as in the other following there was a ministerie of the worde although ioyned or rather confounded with the ciuil gouernment for both the offices lay vppon the first borne in the family The worde of God was in small measure and seldome reuealed the same was confirmed by diuers sacraments and also strengthened by censures against the disobedient But all these things were little practized as also the number of professours was very smale For this time was the first infancie of the Church from which it was continually to growe on to perfection Next vnto this succeedeth the manner of gouernment vnder the lawe instituted by God by the ministerie of Moses being much more perfite then the former euen as is the childhoode to the infancie so that nowe all the faculties do their seuerall functions and may easely be perceaued in themselues and distinguished from the other The worshippe of God greatly inlarged and the number of those that serue God encreased to many millions the will of God so plentifully and largely reuealed that it was of necessitie committed to writing least that it should be forgotten many sacraments to confirme the truth of it against vnbeleife sharpe and seuere censures appointed for offendours and yet this is but the childhoode of the Church â—al 4.1 is so farre yea much more exceeded in perfection of the third as it doth exceede the former The third is in the time of the gospell wherin the Lorde doth as it were put the last hand to the gouernment of his Church bringing it to that perfecton which should continue to the end of the world Now is the number of those who serue God encreased aboue measure in so much that the Church must enlarge her tentes and receaue all the nations of the earth comming to dwell with her Esa. 54.1.2.3 and accordingly there is â— most perfect gouernment appointed by Christ the true nature whereof will the more easely appeare if we compare it with the former from the which it doth differ as doth the ripe age of a man from his childhoode so that nowe the church may truly say When I was a childe I vnderstoode spake and did as a childe but nowe I haue put away childish things The ground of this difference is the comming of Christ in whome all the treasures of the will and wisdome of God were both hid â—nd reuealed to the Church The shadowes and ceremonies vsed before were made of no vse and insteede of them the trueth it selfe came in place Nowe are all the misteries of our saluation vncouered the shadowes being driuen away by the appearing of the sonne of righteousnesse The graces of the spirite are nowe as it were with a full hand poured on those which beleeue which God kept in store till this time that by the plentifull pouring of them out he might celebrate the glorious mariage of Christ with his Church Hereof doth the whole difference arise we knowe that the worshippe of God is either outward consisting in bodely actions or inward in the obedience of the hart this doth the Lorde require the other is not acceptable vnto him but as it proceedeth from this fountaine The outward worshippe will easely be performed although it haue most streight conditions annexed vnto it as we read Mica 6.6 where withall shall I come before the Lorde will he accâ—pt thâ—usands of rams c. but inwarde and spirituall worshippe is not onely hard but also impossible to be performed without the grace of God as being cleane contrary to our nature And therefore it pleased God in a tender regard which he had to his Church vnder the lawe in respect of the weaknes of it to appoint vnto them more of that outward worshippe and to accept their spirituall seruice although it were in smale measure but contrarily nowe vnder the gospell he reâ—uireth a great measure of spirituall worshippe and enioyneth little of the other This distinction is made by Christ Iohn 4.21.23 the time commeth when neither at Ierusalem nor on this mount you shall worshippe my father but in spirite and truth This is also that newe couenant whereof Ioel speaketh whenas God shall poure his spirite vppon all flâ—sh not but that the faithfull vnder the lawe both had the spirite of God and also performed vnto him spirituall worshippe without the which the other is but abhominable vnto him but yet not in so great measure as nowe in the time of the gospell Hence it is that the whole worshippe of God vnder the lawe was verie glorious in outwarde appearance for this end to purchase obedience and reuerence at the handes of the people Which is contrary to the simplicitie of the gospell for nowe the whole worshippe of God is base and contemptible in outward appearance but mighty in the power of the spirite as we read 1. Cor. 14. if all prophecie and there come in one that beleeueth not or one vnlearned he is rebuked of all men and is iudged of all and so are the secretes of his heart made manifest and so he will fall downe on his face and worshippe God and say plainely that God is in you indeed the which appeareth by the great abundance of spirituall grace in the time of the gospell but vnder the lawe the priestes were not so indued which that measure of spirituall graces but in steed of them they had outwarde helpes to purchase reuerence to the worde of GOD and to themselues amongst the people the temple for outward magnificence most glorious the holy places had in high accounte of all men the priestes separated from the rest of the people in many respects and for the same end the high priest was adorned with glorious robes that so he might the more excell But nowe none of these meanes are in vse onely the powerfull simplicitie of the gospell is insteed farre aboue all The Church then had but a smal measure of knowledge in comparison of these times and accordingly were they taught but nowe the Lorde
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
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