The True and Visible Marks of the Catholic Church, Title page – Dedication
A DISCOURSE, OF the true and viſible Markes of the Catholique Churche
VVritten by M. THEOD. BEZA. Vezelius.
GOD IS MY HELPER
GOD IS MY HELPER. Pſal. 7.11
AT LONDON; ¶Printed by Robert Walde-graue, dwelling without Temple-bar, in the Strond, neere vntounto Sommerſet-houſe.
❧ TO THE RIGHT WORſhipfull, Sir George Carey knight, knight Marſhall of her Maiesties bouſholde, &c. T. VV. his poore welwiller, wiſheth aboundaunce of all good thinges in this life, and eternall bleſſedneſſe in the life to come, through Chriſte.
HOVVE glorious and excellent a thing the church it ſelfe is; may appeare (Right VVorſhipfull) by many meanes: And amongſt the reſt, euen by this: that all; both good and bad, do challenge and claime (whether juſtly or vnjuſtly, I minde not much novve to diſpute) not onelyonly the name and ty…le thereof. but the verie poſſeſſion of it alſo. I hope I ſhall not neede much to buſie my ſelfe in the proofe of this point: Becauſe, as it manifeſtly appeareth, by ſundry examples of former times, and particularly, by the people of the Iewes in the dayes of Ieremiah the prophet: who cried out: The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord: this is the Temple of the Lorde: as is to be ſeene in the ſeuenth chapter of his booke: So hauehave vve a moſt euident and playne teſtimony of the ſame in this declining and doting olde age of the world: For whereabout are thoſe large diſputations which at this daye are handled betvveene the catholiques, as they would be called, and the true profeſſours of Chriſts Goſpel, moſte occupied; I pray you; but ſpeciallye about this queſtion, and other controuerſies concerning the ſame? The thing rather, that in my mind is more to be ſtoode vponupon, is this: namely, to ſee: what ſhoulde be the cauſe why, that notwithſtanding that ſame greedye deſire that the greateſt number hauehave, to retaine with them both the name of the Church, and the Churche it ſelfe: yet ſo fewe hauehave it & hold it faſt. All men hauehave in them, notwithſtanding the defacing of God his image in them through ſinne, by ſome ſmall ſparkes of reaſon and iudgement; which yet remayne in them vndefaced, A certaine thirſting after Bleſſednes, and the hope of a better life: And this is the more inkindled in mennes hearts and heads, when it pleaſeth God, to vouchſafe them in ſome meaſure of his mercy, ſome light and knowledge of his holy truth: by which they ſee, that with out the Church there can bee no ſaluation. And that cauſeth them to preſſe on forward to vviſh to be of that number that hath ſo gracious a Priuilege graunted vntounto the ſame: And yet all this notwithſtanding, it is a vvonder to ſee, how the greateſt part of the vvorlde is deceiued, vvith a bare ſhadow and ſhevve of the ſame: For, that I may ſpeake nothing of the Infidelles in their idolatries; nor of the Turkes, cleauing faſt to their Mahomet; Nor of the Ievves, openly diſpiting Chriſte the Sauiour of the vvorlde: and therefore all of them, of neceſſitye out of the Church, and conſequently void of ſaluation alſo: becauſe they hold not the head, which is Chriſt. To let all theſe paſſe, I ſay, and to come to them vvhichwhich in outvvard ſhevv make profeſſion of Chriſtianitie and true religion; hovv many of them are there that are violently carried avvaye vvith as groſſe and palpable Idolatrie, as the heathen? VVhat infinite multitudes periſh thorough ignorance, and want of the ſound knovvledge of God in Chriſte? hovv many are drovvned, to the hazarding of their ovvne ſoules, vvith horrible erroures and hereſies? And what a number are there in the vvorlde beſide, that ſhaking handes, as it vvere vvith Atheiſts (ye the vvorſt people of al) do lye vveltring in the pleaſures and profits of this life; making no account at all, either of God in heauen, or of his Church here in earth? And vvhat would the Lord teach vsus by al this: verely firſt that vve muſt hauehave better eyes to diſcern his congregation by, then the light of our ovvn reaſon: for if euen then vvhē vvee hauehave his vvorde, vvee can yet hardly diſcry it, partly becauſe it is diſcerned ſpiritually, and partly becauſe by the hard dealings of the enimies it is ſundry times brought to ſo lovv an eb, that it ſeemeth to be ſhut vp in one mans perſon. And therfore do ſay in the confeſſion of our Chriſtian faith, that vve do beleue that there is a holy catholique Churche: that then vve ſhall neuer be able to ſeperate it from the Synagogue of Satan by our ovvne vnderſtanding and vvit: vvhichwhich conſideration is yet further profitable; euen for the confutation of that immagination and conceit, which our aduerſaries hauehave and hold concerning mans freevvil: for if vve cannot by our ovvn cō prehenſion perceiue eyther the place in vvhichwhich, or the perſonnes amongſt vvhome, the Church it ſelfe is, but that vvee muſt hauehave from aboue, for that purpoſe, greate enlightning both of knovvledge and fayth, much leſſe ſhall vve bee able to comprehend thoſe vvonderfull treaſures of moſt ſounde, comfortable, and profitable doctrine that the Lord hath freely beſtovved vppon his ſayde Church: Of vvhichwhich the Apoſtle ſaith: that the eye hath not ſeene them, the eare hath not hearde them, neither can mans heart comprehend them. 2. Cor. 2.9. VVherefore the caſe ſtandeth not vvith vsus as heretofore wee hauehave beene borne in hand: And as yet to this day, is openly defended amongſt Papiſtes: that man in his meere naturall gifts, hath vvill to deſire, and povver to perfourm ſuche thinges as are good: for if it bee God that worketh in vsus both the vvill and the deed; & that according to his ovvn good pleaſure. Philip. 2.13. And that vve are not ſufficient of our ſelues, as of our ſelues to thinke a good thought. 2. Cor. 3.5. It muſt needes follovve that vve can not claime any ſuch thing vntounto our ſelues, vvithout robbing God of his glorie, without lifting vp of our ſelues aboue meaſure and trueth, and vvithout impeaching the authoritie and credite of the Scriptures, which in many places affirmeth, and namely Geneſ. 6.5. that all the immaginations of the thoughtes of mans heart are only euil eueryevery day: But to let this paſſe, and to come to the thinges we hauehave in hande, VVe are hereby in the ſecond place inſtructed, that vvee muſte hauehave more ſure and infallible markes, to knovve God his Churche by, than thoſe vvhichwhich the Papiſtes giuegive vsus, to wit: vniuerſalitie, Antiquitie, and conſent: for if beſide that great number of Idolatours, and misbeleeuers mentioned before; vvho alſo can alleadge for themſelues great antiquity & agree, and (as he that is not vvilfully blinde, may eaſilye ſee) there are, and that euen in the lappe and boſome of the Church, many hypocrites and heretiques alſo, vvhichwhich yet ſhall not be ſaued: we may then ſafely conclude that the forenamed things are not only not the aſſured notes: but no notes at all rather of the true Church of God: both becauſe they are common to many things beſides the Churche; yea euen to euill thinges, and alſo becauſe that though that aſſemblye vvhichwhich pretendeth to bee the Church, ſhoulde hauehave them; and yet hauehave not therevvithal the trueth and ſinceritie of God his doctrine; it is no vvhit at al the better for all that. All theſe thinges tende to this end: that for as much as in trueth there is but one Churche, euen as the heade thereof is one, and therefore ſo muſt the body be: or elſe it ſhoulde be monſtrous, notvvithſtanding that there bee ſundry particular partes and members thereof, as vvee ſee in a mans body; all yet making but one and the ſelfe ſame body: And foraſmuche alſo, as vvithout that Church there can be no ſaluation, becauſe vntounto it alone is it; that the Lord hath made ſuch large and gracious promiſes: as; The gates of Hell ſhall not preuayle agaynſte it: and that to it onelyonly belongeth the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes in this life, and euerlaſting ſaluation in the life to come: And laſtly, forasmuch as it behoueth eueryevery one, euen as he tendeth his ovvne peace of conſcience, and regardeth the hope of eternall bleſſednes; to be vvatchfull, in diſcrying and knovving this Church; and carefull in vniting himſelfe vntounto the ſame: euerye good man therefore ſhould earneſtly labour, not onelyonly to knovve it: but alſo ſtedfaſtly, to ioyne himſelfe vntounto it in the religious exerciſes thereof: That ſo in the holye feeling of the communion of Saints, he may bee a fruitfull partaker of all thoſe excellent graces that God in great merciemercy hath bequethed to the ſame. True it is, that Satan, the common enemy of mankinde (vvho in his ovvne perſon, and the perſonne of his inſtruments and miniſters laboreth to hinder, vvhat he maye, the vvorke of oure ſaluation) hath in all ages vſed, and yet preſently doth vſe manye ſubtile and ſlie ſhiftes, to let vsus from the apprehenſion and vnderſtanding of theſe great graces: for ſomtimes he maketh men vtterly and altogether careleſſe of the Churche, and of the benefites and bleſſinges of God promiſed thereto: As vvee maye ſee in that troup of prophane Atheiſtes and vvorldly minded men: vvho make no more account of the Church, and the holy exerciſes therof; than of a vaine tale, or vnholy matter: no, nor ſo muche neither many times; for the one they embrace vvith greedines & vvonderfull delight; & the other they doe, either moſt diſpitefullie contemne, or moſt negligently vſe vvithout any ſpirituall profite at all vntounto themſelues. But to beate dovvne theſe men, there is no better VVeapon & vvay, then to ſend them to the fearefull iudgementes of Almightie God, and to the horrors of hel and eternal condēnation (which many times they feele in themſelues, though thorough the profites and pleaſures of this preſent euil vvorlde, they vtterly put them out) already prepared for them, and in due time to be perfourmed to them. Sometimes againe, hee diſcourageth men, by ſetting before them the feareful perſecutions and troubles that follovve, and take holde of the particular members of the Church, for the ſyncere profeſſion of God his vvorde: for the ſurmounting of vvhichwhich aſſaulte, men muſte often meditate vppon thoſe ſame large & comfortable diſcourſes that are put dovvn and conteined in God his vvord for their comfort in that behalfe, and to holde them back from the fearful fall of renouncing god his truth, hauing their eye faſt fixed alſo vponupon the particular deliuerances, that God in al ages hath vvroght for his children: vvhichwhich are as it vvere ſo manye ſeales ſet vntounto the vvriting; that he vvill alvvaies deale ſo graciouſlye vvith his children, as ſhall make moſt for his ovvne glorie. and their eternall comfort. Sometimes he deceiueth other ſomme, and that no ſmall ſome by the bare name and vizor of the Churche alone; as vve may ſee in that miſerable ſect of ſeduced Papiſts (vniuſtly called, and claiming vntounto themſelues: the name of Catholiques) vvhoe vvillingly embrace vnderunder the title of the Churche, eueryevery fabulous falſhood & corruptiō vvhatſoeuer, not only not looking vponupon the things, giuen or offred: vvhichwhich eueryevery vviſe man vvill doo, leaſt he receiue poyſon in ſteede of vvholſom and nouriſhing foode: but alſo not conſidering the perſonne of the giuer, neither yet vvhat right and authoritie he hath to beſtovv the thinges giuen; vvhichwhich blockiſhneſſe of the aduerſaries, is rather to be lamented, becauſe it is altogether voide of common ſenſe and reaſon, than largely or learnedly confuted: And yet vve ſee that manye good men hauehave not ſpared to take great paines in that behalfe, both by preaching & vvriting, to vvinne ſeduced ſouls vntounto Cod. Somtimes hee ſetteth before other ſome, either the hardneſſe that there is, to diſcrie the true Church from the falſe Church by, (remember I pray you that vvhen I giuegive the name Church, to corrupted and counterfaited aſſemblies, I do it by abuſion, as they ſay) or elſe layeth out the great iarres and diſſentions, that many times are in the ſame, that ſo he may diſcourage them from ioyning themſelues, to that holy ſocietie, And indeede by this aſſault he ſpecially preuaileth againſt them that are in ſome forvvardnes to encline to the truth: And yet by reaſon of ſome certaine vveakeneſſe in them, are eaſely turned the one vvay or the other: but theſe men, for the better ſtaie of themſelues, are to knovv, that there muſt be hereſies, euen among the godly; that they vvhichwhich are approued among them might be knovvne. 1 Cor. 11.19. and to be exhorted; that they labour to abounde in al holy knovvledge of God his vvil reuealed in his vvord; For therefore they erre, and are ſo vnſtable in their opinions, becauſe they knovv not the Scriptures; nor the povver of God. Novve therefore, neceſſarie is it, that theſe ſtumbling blocks, caſt by Satan & his ſeruants in our vvaies to hinder vsus in the race and courſe of Godlines, ſhould be remoued: that ſo vvee maye the more cheerefully and readily goe forevvard vvith faith, patience, and conſtancie, euen to the goal that is ſet before vsus. In vvhichwhich reſpect, that excellent inſtrument of God in his Churche; M. Theodor Beza, hah notably trauailed by publiſhing in the Latine tongue; a moſt learned Treatie of the viſible Notes of the viſible Church: And I, for the ſame conſideration, hauehave according to my ſmall meaſure, faithfully turned the ſame into our vulger ſpeech, offring theſe my poore trauailes vntounto you (right vvorſhipfull) and in you, to the vvhole Church of God in this land; as a ſure teſtimonie of that vnfained good vvill vvhichwhich in the Lorde, I hauehave carried and vvill carry tovvards you all the dayes of my life. I hope, I ſhall not neede to ſpend many vvords eyther in commending the vvorke it ſelf, or in declaring the reſons that hauehave moued me to attempt this matter: for if either the man vvho is the author therof, or the matter vvhichwhich is propounded, or the maner that he vſeth in laying out of the thing, may add cōmendation vntounto it, it ſhal not vvant any grace that may bring it into louelove and lyking vvith the Godly: for as touching the man himſelfe; hee is euen the miror of the vvorlde in theſe our daies, for true knovvledg and vnfayned godlines, vvhatſoeuer the papiſts doe lyingly and ſlanderouſly babble to the contrarie: And as touching the matter, it is that vvhichwhich ought to be of greateſt accompt amongeſt men, and vvhichwhich euen in reſpect of the bare name and title of it, is verie glorious and excellent much more in reſpect of the ſubſtance thereof it ſelfe: And for the manner of handling the things propounded, it is ſhort for auoiding of tedioſnes, it is plaine, euen for the capacitie of the ſimple; it is ſound in reſpect of the truthe it propoundeth: And it is ſufficient, not onelyonly to inſtruct God his childrē, but alſo to ſtop vp the aduerſaries mouths in this matter; and vvhat then vvanteth? or vvhat can be more acceptable & profitable? vvherefore I doubt not but it shall hauehave good entertainment as amongeſt all the godly generally, ſo particulerly of your vvorship; vvho I knovv doth hartely louelove the Church, and carefully like, and tender the cauſes therof; vvhichwhich alſo hath beene the principall matter mouing me, to vndertake this trauaile, and to dedicate the ſame, vvhatſoeuer it be, vntounto your vvorshippe; vvhome (for ſundry good graces, that God hath beſtovved vponupon you) I do vnfaynedly louelove and reuerence in Chriſte. Humbly praying and earneſtly exhorting you according to your meaſure of light and knovvledge receiued from the Lorde, to enforce your ſelfe to the vttermoſt of your habilitie eueryevery maner of vvay to the preferring and promoting of theſe excellent matters, and namely thoſe that concerne the reformation of ſuch corruptions as yet remaine amongeſt vsus, either touching the miniſterie, or the diſcipline of the Church: for to this ende hath God endued you vvith all the graces that you hauehave preſently receiued, or may hereafter thorovv his goodneſſe attaine vntounto; eyther of vvit, vvealth, learning, credit, countenance, byrth, office, honor, or vvhatſoeuer els: vvherevnto I vvill (thorovv God his grace) not onelyonly ſtyrre you vp by all the holy and lavvfull meanes I can: but alſo further you in my poore prayers to almighty God in that behalfe; that you may daily encreaſe and continue in the ſounde knovvledge of his truth, in the ſtedfaſt faith of his promiſes, in the ſincere zeale of his glorie, in vnfained louelove of his holy vvord and the exerciſes thereof, and in care and conſcience to put in practiſe, thoſe good thinges that are enioyned you therein, that your vvhole life maye tende to the glory of God, the good of the Church and common vvealth, and the faithfull ſeruice of her maieſtie, and your death be comfortable to your ſelfe; as beeing the ſpeedy paſſage to eternall life, and profitable vntounto others; vvhile they be by your example inſtructed, both to liue and die vvell: vvhichwhich God graunt for his crucified Chriſt his ſake; To vvhoſe gracious gouernement and good direction, I doe humbly commend your vvorship, and all yours both novv and for euer. London the 16. of this Nouember. 1582.
Your worſhips alwaies ready in Chriſt Jeſus: T. W. the Lorde his vnworthy.