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
omnes sub uno sunt nomine Ambrosi 2. timo 2 uno enim domini sui nomine censent ur omnes In one house sayeth S. Ambrose all be vnder one name for all are called by theyr Lordes name Which is not dissonant from the principle Euerithynge is to be named by the best and worthyest parte But our Lorde holynes it selfe is the best parte and worthyeste membre of the churche beyng heade thereof Therefore the churche ryghtly is called holy of holy Christ oure Lorde and heade yea and of the holy gost resydent therein Nowe that I haue briefly opened by the waye the cause why the catholyke churche is called holy ye must vnderstaÌ„d the sayde article to teache vs the holye churche to be a communion of saynctes Vincent Airen that is to saye of Catholykes whereby we are taughte the catholyke churche to be a communitie societie or felowshyppe of catholykes because they persyste in the communion of the catholyke and vniuersall holy fayth that was and is obserued in the catholyke and vnyuersall churche and in the communioÌ„ also of the holye sacramentes whereby it is incorporate to oure holy heade Iesus Christ and clensed in his holy bloude Ephes 5. hallowed with his holy spyrit hath and doth holy thynges teacheth holye and holesome doctryne Of this conuocatioÌ„ communion and feloweshyp speakethe the electe vessell of Chryst Saynt Paule Multi unuÌ„ corpus sumus in Christo Rom. 12. We beynge manye are one body in Christ So that the whole many and vniuersall multitude professiÌ„g one holye fayth and doctryne and being partakers of the same holye Sacramentes are the mystycall body of Chryst whiche is the Catholyke churche Therfore S. Ambrose sayeth Corpus Christi non unus aut duo christiani sed omnes Ambros in 1. cor 6 The bodye of Chryste is not one or two Christians but all Chrystians As in a natural bodye one two or three members make not the whole naturall bodye but all the meÌ„bers ioyntlye in theyr places so the mystical bodye of Christ whiche is the Churche is not constituted by one or two christians but by all the ChristiaÌ„s in theyr vocatioÌ„ wheresoeuer they be ioyned and lynked together by the communion and participation of the same Sacramentes The lyke doctrine also S. Paule taught the Ephesians Vnum Corpus Ephes 4. You are one bodye Wherevpon Erasmus dyd wryte as foloweth Vnum corpus estis omnâ—s ab uno pendetis capite You are all one bodye and do depende of one heade Thus it is manyfeste all Christians to be the bodye of Christe that the integritie of Christ his misticall bodye consystethe by no lesse then all Christians and that therof is one head Christ hymselfe of whome the sayde bodye the Catholyke churche dependeth Albeit that in namynge the churche to be Christes body Christ is named the heade thereof for elles it could not be his bodye yet you may reade many Scryptures that he is by expresse words named the heade thereof whereof I wil reherse this one folowing Et ipsum dedit caput supra omnem ecclesiam Ephe. 1. que est corpus ipsius And GOD the fathermade him meaning Christ heade ouer all the vnyuersall churche whiche is his bodye Hereby you maye euydentlye se Christ to be head to all the churche all the church to be his bodye and by that worde all Paule teacheth the churche to be a vniuersall congregation Lykewyse to the Corynthians and to al christians professynge Christ as the Corynthes dyd Paule dydde wryte 1. Cor 12 Vos autem estis corpus Christi You be the bodye of Chryste Wherevpon Primasius saieth Omnes corpus al be the body of christ for the vniuersall and the whole body of Chryste was and is of all faythfulles Primaâ—â—us and not of Corinthe onely Chris hâ— 23. in 1. Cor. 12. Therefore Chrysostome sayth Vniuersum corpus non illa Corrinthiorum est solum sed que vbilibet toto extaâ— terrarum orbe The vnyuersall body of chryst is not the Corinthian churche onelye but the churche that is euery wher through the whole worlde for the churche of Corinthe was but a particuler churche parte or member of that vniuersall church To be short Paule proueth the same by the symylytude of a naturall body 1. Câ— 1â— saying Sicut enim corâ—us unum est et membrahabet multa omnia autem membra corporis cum sint multa vnum tamen corpus sunt ita et christus For as a a naturall body is one hathe many members but thoughe all the members of that one body be many yet they are but on body euen so is chryste that is to say euen so is christ his churche as Chrisostome Iherome Primasius Theophilact with other olde aunciente wryters do expounde it as the bodye hed in man maketh one maÌ„ in lykewise the whole congregation and flocke of faythfulles and chryste the heade of them make on churche Chrisos ibidem And for that cause Chrysostome affyrmeth chryst in the sayd scrypture to be put for the churche naming the churche by the worthyeste and best part thereof And S. Austen sayeth Aug. to 9. ho. 17. trac 108 Vnus est christus caputet corpus The hed and the body is one chryst Wherefore the bodye whyche is the churche maye well be named by christ As breade also is made of innumerable graynes so the misticall body of Chryst the churche consysteth of innumerable faythfull members howe soeuer they be locally distant for Vnus panis et unum corpus multisumus 1. Cor. 10 We beynge manye sayeth the Apostle Paule are one breade and one bodye that is to saye we beyng manye lyke as manye graynes make one breade do make one body by on baptime and one faith incorporate to one heade our Lorde Iesus Chryst By a folde also of shepe is sygnified the catholyke churche as is wrytten in the tenth of Iohn Io. 10. and by Ciryll vpon the same so that the catholike churche is called also by scrypture the foelde or flocke pasturynge feadynge through the whole greate felde the worlde Mat. 13. wherin is the catholyke churche of the which Iesus Christ is the hed sheperd Nowe that I haue coÌ„petently declared what the catholyke churche is my promise byndethe me to enterpryse the declaration wher the same is Where the church is By thys worde catholyke whych is to say vniuersall added vnto the whole Churche most manyfestly we be taught where Chryste his Churche is for it declareth the sayde churche to strecth out her brauÌ„ches and members in to all and euery part of the vniuersal world as well affyrmethe famouse Austen Aug. to 7. coÌ„ epi. pet de unitate ecclesie c. 2 Questio certe inter nos versatur ubi sit ecclesia utrum apud nos an apud illos quae utique una est quam maiores nostri catholicaÌ„ nominarunt ut ex
wherefore to th eÌ„d that you may the better know the sayde churche I wyll god wyllyng attempte to open vnto you accordyng to the proportion of my gyft what the churche is wher it is that it is knowen and how you may know it that you maye the more certeynely kepe your selfes sound in the found fayth therof For our aduersaryes denying not but confessyng to be a churche I wyll not spend tyme in prouyng it to be but in declaryng the aforesayde poyntes accordynge to my promyse For the performance whereof Fyrste you must vnderstand that the militant church of chryst edyfyed at the fulnes of tyme What the church is warryng and fyghting against hell gates Gal. 4. Mat. 16. scisme and heresye and hauyng souldyers valyante faint stable and instable good and bad is a communyon societye and felowshyppe called by god from GeÌ„tylitie and Iudaisme to the profession of one faythe one Doctrine 1. Pet. â— and one kynd of Sacramentes from darkenes to hys marueylous lyghte and by the same visible Sacraments brought into the vnitie of one visible body professing one fourme of chrystian religion It is a congregation called as wel appeareth by the greke word eccleliae deduced of the greke verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which sygnyfyeth to cal out And also by Paule Vocati est sinunum corpuâ— Collo 3. you are called into one body Agayne Fiaelis est deus 1. Cor. â— perqueâ— uâ—cati estis in â—acietatem filij eius iesu Christi Domini nostri God is true by whome you are called into tâ—e societie of his sonne Iesu Chryste oure Lorde so that the churche is a conuocation a congregatyon and societie called by god out from the dampnable bondage of Sathan vnto the lyuely coÌ„munion and free company of our lyuely head Iesus Chryst from darke and blynde ignoraunce vnto the merueylous lyghte and knowledge of christyan verytye And the same called societie and congregation is knit together as is said into one body not in one place but in one fourme and profession of one fayth and one Doctrine and that by one maner of sensyble Sacramentes as is manyfest by Saynt AugusteÌ„ In nullum nomen religionis seu verum Aug. to 6. coÌ„ fau li. 19 c 11. seu falsum coagulaâ—i homines possunt nisi alique signaculorum vel sacramentorum nisibilium consortio colligentur Men cannot be gathered into ani name other false other true of religion excepte they be tyed and ioyned togyther by the communion and participatioÌ„ of visible signes or sacraments out of the whych communyon and societie are heretykes scismatikes paynymes and excommunicates heretikes and scysmatykes be not of that coÌ„gregation by cause theye of theyr owne mynde went oute and voluntarylye forsoke the sayde congregation hauyng it in contempte and contemptuously persecutyng it nor paynymes be of that societie bycause they nother be nor at anityme were in the churche nor do acknowledge it no nor excommunicates bicause they by the publyke sentence of the churche are separate excluded and put out from the exteriour societie of the churche vnto theyr repentaunce and amendemeÌ„t of lyfe but thoughe other christians fallynge into deadelye sinne be not ioined to the good with the vnitie of the liuely spiryte and bande of charitie but doo lose the grace of the internall communion neuertheles they are vnited to the good with a certayne exterior vnion of the visible sacramentes soo longe as they kepe peace wyth the Doctryne and professyon of fayth as was Peter the Apostle Mat. 23. notwithstaÌ„ding his thryse deniall of chryst as Iudas not withstandyng his auarice as such whose doctryne our Sauyour Chryst commaunded to be obserued notwythstaÌ„dynge theyr euil doynges and as are ministers also persystynge in theyr seuerall vocations although by some synne mortall they be internally deuided For as the dryed hand of the man mencyoned in the Gospel was before the healynge thereof a membre of hys body and as a membre whose bones vaynes and synewes be broken hangeth outwardly by the skynne continueth styll a membre and a parte of the bodye euen soo a christian dyuyded inwardelye by synne but cleauynge to the body of Chryste the church externally by the outwarde vnion of the professian and vysyble fourme of one faith and by the exterior participation of the vysyble sacramentes the exterior syghnes 1. Tim 3 and fourmes of petye is externally styl a member of Chryst his misticall bodye the churche although not profitable and continuethe in the externall societye of the same church For the militante churche conteyneth good and bad penitent synners iust and vniuste as is euydente by the parable of the field briÌ„ging forth good fead cockle by the primatiue church wherin was good peniteÌ„tes false couetous Iudas yet of this church militaÌ„t the apostles made meÌ„tioÌ„ in an artycle of oure faythe as followeth Credo sanctam ecclesiam catholicam I beleue the holye called vniuersall churche congregation multitude Obserue here by the way that this article namethe the church holye not bycause it consysteth of onely iust ryghteous and perfect chrystians for therein be good and bad iuste and iniuste Mâ—â— â—â— constante and inconstante as is aforesayde as playnelye teacheth also the parable of the nette comprisynge good fyshes and badde and as playne is by the greate house sygnifyeng the greate vniuersall churche 2. Tim 2 which conteineth vesselles to honour and dishoner and by dyueres other lyke scryptures but it is named holy bycause al chrystians which make one church and congregation be called of our holy god by hys holy worde vnto holye lyfe be sanctifyed and made holye by one holye fayth and one holye Baptysme and do persyste in the communion of the same for Paule wryteth to the Corinthian churche a membre of the vniuersall churche 1. Cor. 5. notwithstandynge that therein was the incestuous fornicator contentious persones and doutyng in the resurrection of the bodyes as foloweth Paule the Apostle by the vocation of Iesus chryste 1. Cor 15 and by the wyll of God 1. Cor. 1. Sostenes a christen brother vnto the churche of God whyche is at Corynth sanctifyed by Chryst Iesu and called to holynes and holy thinges Wherefore we maye not thynke straunge that the catholyke churche whereof holye Chryst our sanctyfycation Ephes 5 is the vndouted hed conseruer preseruer as writeth Paule is named the churche of God and holy though euell chrystians therein be commyxt with the good for that notwythstaÌ„dynge they be all called by one name as affirmeth S. Austen In una domo omnes sub vno sunt nomine Aug. to 2 â—pis 203. Quam uis enim moribus diuersi sunt uâ—o tamen nomine censentur et professione In one house all be vnder one name for albeit they be diuers in maners yet they be named by one name and one profession The same affirmeth Ambrose mayster to Austen In uno domo
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