The Church and Certain Ceremonies, Text
A BRIEFE COLlection of the Church, Gathered by T.S.
THE name of the church is in greeke foreign, whiche worde is alſo taken out of an other Greek word foreign, which ſignifieth to call a man from one place, or ſtate of life to another. And we doe finde in the holy ſcriptures that there are two kinds of calling. The one is ioyned with the efficacie, power, and worke of the holy ghoſt. Of which kinde of calling, the Apoſtle doth ſpeake in the Epiſtle to the Romans, where he ſaith, that God doth iuſtifie them, whom he hath called. Rom. 8.The other calling is of leſſe force, & efficacie, becauſe men are deafe, and dul, ſuch as wil not heare, nor vnderſtande. Of this kinde of calling doth the Lorde Ieſus ſpake, ſaying, Manie are called, but few are choſen. This name Church, Matt. 20.therefore, in the cauſe which we hauehave in hande, doth ſignifie the companie of them which are called, and gathered together by the voice of God, who doth by his owne word call them. In the which company we do ſee two ſorts of men. For, taking ye word Church generally to comprehende all them which are called, and doe make an outwarde profeſſion to obey the voyce of God, wherby they are called, doubtles among them many hypocrites are to be founde, and reprobates; as both the holy ſcripture ſpeaketh of the Church, and experience doth declare to be true. But if you will take this worde Church more properly, and ſtraitly, as oftentime it is to be taken; then wee muſt ſay, that it ſignifieth only the aſſembly of the elect of God, and of thoſe his children, whom God hath predeſtinate to life euerlaſting.
This church is called, and is the body of Chriſt, members of his bodie, bone of his bones, and fleſh of his fleſh. In which number the reprobate cannot be conteyned; For they are the members of the diuel. It is vnpoſsible for one to be a member of Chriſt, and a member of the diuel at one time; as Augustine well noteth.Lib. 2. cont. Creſc. ca. 21.
This diſtinction of the name of the church the ſame father vſeth, writing vppon the threeſcore and fourth Pſalme, when he ſayeth, that the Church, which is ſignified by Hieruſalem, had the beginning in Abel; and that which is ſignified by Babylon, did begin in Cain. And yet in his booke written of baptiſme againſt the Donatiſtes, Lib. 1. ca. 16.taking this word Church in the more general ſignificatiō, he ſayeth, that it is it, which engendred Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, & ye Prophets; & alſo that it engendred Cain, Iſmael, Dathan, and ſuch other like to them. To conclude this matter, let vsus take that which Auguſtine writeth in that ſame treatiſe;Lib. 7. ca. 19. & that other place which is taken out of Hierome, and is cited in the decrees 24. Q. 1. Omnibus conſideratis; where it is ſaid, that there are two ſortes, or manners of men in the Church: One ſort are the members of Chriſt, and the verie true Church; and are in ſuch ſort of the houſe of God, that they are the houſe of god it ſelfe: whereby it may be gathered that the other ſort are in the houſe of God, but are not of it at all; They are as chaffe mingled with the Wheate, vntill they be fanned out of it. Hereof nowe will ariſe this queſtion;Viſibilitie of the Church. that is, whether the church be viſible, or not. Truely God alone doth know thē, which are his electe; and we do profeſſe that we doe beleeue the holy Church. But a man is not ſaide properly to beleeue that, which hee ſeeth. For beleefe is of thinges not ſeene, but of ſuch thinges as God hath promiſed, though they bee not ſeene with the bodilie eye. Nowe of viſibilitie I ſay, that as Chriſt Ieſus our Lorde, beeing in the worlde to worke the worke of our ſaluation, was viſible in the glorie, and maieſtie of the true Meſsiah; ſo is his true Church viſible in the worlde.Iohn. 17. For as hee was in the world, ſo are they which are his; that is, his true Church, in the worlde; ſo ſeene, and viſible, that the children of God, the verie elect of God, are both illuminate to ſee it, & to ioyn themſelues to it; as Simeon, Anna, Zacharie, and other, did ſee, and ioyne themſelues to the perſon of Meſsiah. So did that blinde man, which was cured, as we doe reade in the goſpell.Iohn. 9. Iohn. 4.Likewiſe did ye ſimple woman whō Chriſt Ieſus did vouchſafe to teach in the ſame Goſpell, ſee more of the glorie, and maieſtie of the true Meſſiah in the perſon of Ieſus, than did al the biſhops, prieſts, Scribes, and Phariſees, which caryed the countenance, and credit of the Church among mē. And as Obadiah did ſee,1. Reg. 18. and ioyne himſelfe to the true Church of God, in the darke dayes of Achab: It is alſo ſo viſible, that ſatan is ſuffred to eſpie it, and by his members to perſecute it; euen as hee did the perſon of our Lorde Ieſus, who is the heade of his true Church. If men wil not content themſelues with this ſight, but will hauehave their ſight ſatiſfied after their fanſie, with a viſible, & worldly glorie of a church in this worlde, more viſible than Chriſt himſelfe was, whoſe Church in this worlde ſhall hauehave, and bee in the ſame condition that himſelfe had in it; let theſe men take heede that they doe not fall into the lappe of the whoore of Babylon, and take her for the church of Chriſt. For ye whore of Babylon hath her glorious viſibilitie in the worlde; ſhee is viſible, & that in great worldly pompe, & glorie. Now thē ſome will ſay, to what companie, or church thē ſhal I ioyn my ſelf? how ſhal I know, & finde that church, in which I may heare, & receiue the doctrine of ſaluation? yea, if the church be inuiſible, ſo yt we cannot ſee it, we cānot heare the doctrin therof, we ſhal not come to the true knowledge of GOD to worſhip him, nor yet of our dutie to our king, nor our rulers; nor yet how we are bownde to obeye them. I anſwere that though the church be inviſible in that reſpect yt I hauehave ſpoken off, yet when it commeth in queſtion to what company or church we ſhuld ioyn our ſelues, we hauehave certein ſure markes to directe vsus rightly in this doubt. Theſe markes are, The open,Markes. and true preaching of the worde of God; and The ſounde adminiſtration of the holy Sacramentes; which markes are playne and apparant. Whereſoeuer theſe marks are, without doubt we are bounde to beleeue that there the true Church is: and that companie wee ought to eſteeme to bee the faithfull Church, which doth profeſſe the religion of the Lord our God, as it is taught in his holy word. Thus the Apoſtle doth call the companie dwelling in Corinth; and the Galathians, faithfull, and Sainctes; and giueth vntounto them the name of the Church in generall; although there were amonge them great faultes, aſwell in ignorance of doctrine, as corruption of life. Which thing alſo he taught,1. Cor. 3. when hee ſaide that all they, which did holde the foundation, did not alwayes builde vponupon it golde, or ſiluer, or precious ſtones, but alſo ſtubble, and hay. Thus wee ſpeake of the Church in ſounde, and ſubſtantiall trueth.
We doe not make of it a fantaſticall thing, conceiued onelyonly by imagination; neither are we carried away in the fonde conceites of the Donatiſtes, or Catharians; nor in the furious frenſies of the Anabaptiſtes. Let mee therefore nowe ſpeake ſomewhat of the marks, & witneſſes of ye Church; which ought well to bee knowne, & marked, becauſe by them we may be directed rightly to that Church, in which ſaluation is to be had. Neither is there any one thing, by which Sathan our olde enemie doeth labour more to deceiue men, then by the title, & wrong opinion of the Church. There are two marks, (as I ſaid) moſt certaine, and infallible, by which the true Church is knowne, and diſcerned from all other conuenticles, and aſſemblies of men. The firſt is, the pure preaching of the worde of God. The ſecond is, the ſincere adminiſtration of the holy Sacramentes. To theſe ſome hauehave ioyned the true diſcipline, and the fruite of obedience to the goſpell preached. And in truth there ought to be ſuch a chriſtian policie for the gouernement of the church, as the lorde of the church, Chriſt Ieſus hath ordeined; & ſuch obedience ſhewed to the goſpell, as it commaundeth. But becauſe the abounding & force of our ſinnes are ſuch, that often times theſe two laſt things do not ſo fully apeare in their maieſtie, and excellencie, as they ought to doe; therefore we doe reſt our ſelues vponupon the two firſt named markes. The preaching of the word is a moſt ſure, and certeine marke, & token of ye true church of Chriſt; And therefore the preaching of the goſpell is compared to the ſeede ſowen;Matt. 13. and by the preaching of ye goſpell, it is ſayd,1. Cor. 4. that the Corinthians were begotten vntounto God. For this cauſe alſo is the preaching of the goſpell called the paſture, in which the children of God do feede; It is the nurriture, with which they are nouriſhed; And Chriſt Ieſus ſayeth, My ſheepe do heare my voice: Ioan. 10.and that they do not heare the voice of a ſtrā ger. Yea Chriſt teacheth vsus how by hearing, and not hearing the worde of God, wee ſhall know them which are of God: For he ſayeth,Ioan. 8. He that is of God, heareth Gods words. Ye therefore heare them not, becauſe ye are not of God. They which are of God, doe heare, receiue, and obey his worde; they are his true church. They which do not heare, nor receiue his worde, are not of God, are not his true church. The ſecond ſure tokē of the true church, is the ſincere adminiſtration of the holy ſacramēts. For it is ye good pleaſure of God, to call, & feed his flock, not onelyonly by the voice of his goſpel, and worde ſounding in their eares, but alſo by mouing their eyes, and other ſenſes bodily. And therfore he ordeyned that his ſacraments ſhould be certein witneſſes, & viſible ſeales of the vnion of his childrē with him ſelfe, & of one of them with another. And this was one cauſe, why it was ſayd to ye people of God,Gen. 17. that he that was vncircumciſed, ſhould be rooted out from among ye people of god. To this end alſo did all ye heads of houſholds apere at ye leaſt three times in ye yeare before the Lord in Hieruſalem, to teſtifie by their ſacrifices their vnion in faith and religion. Now after ye wall of ſeparation was brokē down, which was between the Iewes & the Gentiles; they both, the Iewes (I ſay) & the Gentiles, are brought into one body, not only by the preaching of ye one goſpel of Ieſus to them both, but alſo by adminiſtring to them the Sacramēts, which the lord Ieſus hath ordeyned; that is, Baptiſme, & the ſacrament of his body & bloud.
Ieſus ſayde to his Apoſtles:Matth. 28 Goe teache all nations, baptiſing them in the name of the father, the ſonne, and of the holy Ghoſte. Here is enioyned both the teaching of the goſpel of Ieſus, & alſo the miniſtring of the ſacrament of Baptiſme. And with the miniſterie of baptiſme, is the adminiſtration of that other ſacrament to be ioined, which S. Paul did alſo ioyne in his miniſterie,1. Cor. 11 when he did ſo deliuer ye holy ſupper, as he had receiued the ſame of the Lord. Thus is the church grounded vpō the foundation of the Prophets, & Apoſtles; that is, euen vponupon Ieſus Chriſt him ſelfe, who is the verie ſubſtance of the doctrine Propheticall, and Apoſtolicall. And this is it that S. Paul teacheth, when he ſayeth that the Church is the piller of the trueth. For the worde of God,1. Tim. 3 which is the trueth, as Chriſt ſayeth,Ioan. 17 doth ſuſtaine, & vphold the Church, as Chryſostom expoundeth that place.
And to this purpoſe ſerueth that, which olde father Irene writeth:Iren. lib 3 cap. 11. Columna, & firmamentū Eccleſiae eſt Euangelium, & ſpiritus vitae: The piller, and the buttreſſe of the church, is the goſpell, and the ſpirite of life. The goſpell is the ground, on which the true church is planted and ſet. Likewiſe the church doeth ſtaye it ſelfe onelyonly vponupon the worde of God, & is ſtayed by it; without which worde the church could neither be a true churche of Chriſt, nor be ſtayed in him. By the miniſterie of the church the trueth is ſpread abroad vppon the earth among men. The true church of Chriſt doeth truely teach, & publiſh the goſpell of Chriſt, which is ye trueth. The trueth & worde of God is placed in the church, as in a ſure & well knowen place. For God doeth by it ſhew his power to ſaue al them which do beleeue.Rom. 1. Theſe are therefore the true, and infallible markes of the church; which is for this cauſe called the mother of the beleeuers, which are engendred, and nouriſhed in it by this true, and vncorrupted paſture, and foode. Nowe if there be the ſaide preaching of the worde of God, and ſyncere adminiſtration of the holy ſacraments, it muſt needs followe, that there are alſo paſtors, and teachers, to whome this charge of teaching & adminiſtration is cō mitted. And this is the cauſe, why ſome hauehave added to theſe marks this, as a third marke of the church; that is, the ordinarie ſucceſsion of theſe paſtors and miniſters, from the time of the Apoſtles till nowe. In deede ſuch a ſucceſsion is greatly to be liked, regarded, and embraced; but ſo, that this ſucceſsion be rightly conſidered, examined, explicated, and applyed to the purpoſe. And ſo did many of the auncient fathers ayde them ſelues much againſt the heretikes, which did ſtart vp in their dayes; as Irene, Tertullian, and Augustine did againſt the Marcionites, Manichees, and Donatiſtes. But becauſe ſome men do vſe this matter of ſucceſsion as a weapon againſt vsus, as though we were newe heretikes, & deuiſers of newe doctrines; therefore you ſhall knowe what wee doe thinke, touching this matter of ſucceſsion.Succeſſion. We ſaye that there are two kindes of ſucceſsion; The one is of doctrine; The other is of perſons. Touching the ſucceſsion of doctrin, we holde that it is an vnfallible rule, and marke of the true church: But as touching the ſucceſsion perſonall, wee do allowe it vppon this condition, that it be ioyned with the doctrine of the Prophets, and Apoſtles in the ſubſtanciall pointes thereof. Wee ſpeake of doctrine, and not of manners. For though there be required in a true paſtor ſound doctrin and godly life; yet it may be through ſome ignorance, that a paſtor may fayle in ſome ſuch point of doctrine, as is not a ſubſtantiall point of the doctrine perteining to our ſaluation, whome we will, that notwithſtanding, accompt as a true paſtor, ſo that he holde the foundation ſure, and ſoundly. Likewiſe, though he doe faile in ſome point of manners, and doe become faultie, yet wee will eſteeme him as a paſtor, and teacher, if he doe teach ſoundly.
Wee are taught thus to doe by the ſaying of our ſauiour Ieſus Chriſte, who teacheth vsus to heare the Scribes and Phariſees,Matth. 23. which doe ſit in Moſes chaire. Wee muſt doe that which they teache; but we muſt not doe that which they do. Which ſentence,Tract. 46 Auguſtine writing vponupon the goſpell of Saint Iohn, openeth thus; That it is to bee vnderſtanded of hyrelings, which do teach ſounde doctrine; and that it is not to be vnderſtanded of falſe teachers. For of them, Chriſt ſayde: Beware of the leauen of the Phariſes. They which do ſit in Moſes chaire (ſayth Auguſtine) do teach the lawe of God; and God doeth teach the people by them: But if they will teach their owne doctrines, heare them not, do not as they teache. The ſame thing doeth Auguſtine in an other place handle; that is, De verbïs Domini, Serm. 49. Becauſe falſe teachers may ſucceed the true in the teaching place, and ſo the wolues may ſuccede good ſheapheardes; we do not therfore receiue and allowe all perſonall ſucceſsion. For this kinde of ſucceſſion may giuegive a cloke to falſhod, if the ſucceſsion of doctrin be not ioyned to it, as the foundation thereof. Moreouer thoſe men, which will holde the ſucceſsion perſonall, ſimply, and of it ſelfe alone, to be a true, & infallible mark of the true church; theſe men muſt ſhewe vsus ſome promiſe of God, by which hee hath promiſed to binde his grace to thoſe certaine ſeates, places, and countries, that in them ſhoulde be ſuch a ſure, and continuall ſucceſſion of holy men, & Biſhoppes ſucceeding one an other.
This promiſe we finde not in the newe Teſtament. Wee learne there that Chriſte will alwayes hauehave his chriſtian, catholike, and vniuerſall church; the particular members, and partes whereof are diſperſed, & ſcatered abroade throughout the whole vniuerſall worlde; as it pleaſeth God to exerciſe his iudgementes vppon them, whome either he cutteth off for euer, or on them whome he doth chaſtice, and afflict for a time, and to enlarge his mercies vponupon them, whō hee leadeth from good to better; or that hee doeth call ſome of them anewe to the true knowledge of himſelfe. For ſometimes the Lord God ſhewing foorth his iuſt vengeaunce, doeth ſo caſt downe, and cutt of all, that hee will not leaue ſo much as a trace of his true church in a place; as ſometimes he did in Iurie; and is in our time come to paſſe in Barbarie. In ſome other place he doth ſo deſtroy, that yet hee leaueth there ſome little trace, and token of a church; as now we may ſee in al Graecia, and in ſome other places alſo more neare to vsus. Sometimes alſo the Lorde doeth cut off the perſonal ſucceſſion of Paſtors, by the fault, corruption, negligence, and ſluggiſhneſſe of ye Paſtors themſelues; or by ſuch violence, as is vſed againſt thoſe paſtors which are good Of the firſte wee may take example of the church of Antioche, in which Samoſatenus an euill heretike did thorowe corruption and ouerſight ſucceede good fathers going before him. Of the ſeconde, the church of Alexandria may giuegive vsus an example; out of which, when good Athanaſius was baniſhed, Arians did ſucceed. The like is to be ſeene alſo in moe other churches, by him that will marke the hiſtories of the church. Such a cutting off, and breaking of perſonall ſucceſſion was euen in the church of Rome, more than once or twiſe; As when Honorius the firſt of that name, being Pope, and Biſhoppe there, was condemned for partaking with the horrible hereſie of Eutiches, about the yeare of our Lorde 623. And when Iohn, the xxii. of that name, was by a general coūcel condēned for hereſie. Likewiſe was the perſonal ſucceſſiō cut off in Rome, when yt womā Pope,Anno Do. 854. whom in her popedome, they called Iohn, who before was called Agnes, was Biſhoppe of Rome; as Ioannes Chemenſis Epiſcopus doeth report in his booke intituled Onus Eccleſiae. So was it cutt off alſo in the perſon of Silueſter the ſeconde; and of Gregorie the ſeuenth; and in a number of ſuch necromanticall Popes. Likewiſe it was cut off in the times of the romiſh ſchiſmes; and when ſchiſmaticall Popes, who were in thoſe ſchiſmes, helde the helme, and did ſit (as they ſay) in Peters chaire; when Pope was againſt Pope, euen in Rome; & one Pope curſing an other Pope; chalenging to each of them Peters chaire, & that for the ſpace of many yeares. And ſometimes they all, that thus chalenged, were turned out of the ſeat of Rome, and that by decree of a generall councel; As at Conſtance three Popes were vnpoped at once; and at Baſill one. This proueth ſufficiently the of cutting of the perſonall ſucceſſion in the Popes, and Biſhoppes of Rome. To this alſo may be added the tragedies, which Pope played againſt Pope, from the time of pope Formoſus, which was about the yeare 893. vntill the time of Pope Leo, the viii. of that name. The wiſe reader ſhal eaſily perceiue how Pope ſought to cutt off Pope, both in perſon and proceedings; one condemning that which an other had decreed; beſides cruelties exerciſed on the bodyes of ſome of them being deade. This ſchiſme in the church of Rome is noted hauehave bene verie long, & therewith moſt cruell. So that if there were want of other helpes, the Popes themſelues hauehave holpen vsus plentifully, to ſee how the perſonall ſucceſsion in the church of Rome hath beene cut off by Popes themſelues. The cruel, and popelike tragedies in Rome doe ſo diſpleaſe the Papiſtes themſelues, that one of them,Faſcicul. temp. writing the hiſtory of this time, burſteth out into this exclamation: O moſt curſed times! Nauclet. to. 2.And one other hath it in horror, to report howe many things were wickedly done by no fewer thā 28. popes, one ſucceeding an other. Let the godly reader alſo wey what cutting of ther was of this perſonall ſucceſsion, whē by ye pott of poyſon, Pope after pope was cutt off by that cunning poyſoner Brazutus; which yet at the length, made ſome ſtay in one of the worſt yt euer did ſit at Rome, Gregorie the ſeuenth; as no leſſe man of credite than a Cardinall doth write.Beno. So that, if either cutting off perſons, or cutting off the doctrines, & degres of popes, may bee taken to bee a cutting off the perſonall ſucceſſion in Rome, then was it cutt off many yeares ſince. Therefore without looking to this perſonal ſucceſſiō, which doth oftē, and by many occaſions faile, a godly chriſtian may full well know the true church of Chriſt. And ſo ſhall he doe, if hee will obſerue when, and where the true doctrine of God is taught, and the ſyncere adminiſtration of the holy Sacramentes is obſerued. They are to be taken for the ſucceſſors of the Apoſtles, which being lawefully called to this miniſterie, do build vponupon the foundation of the Apoſtles, and doe enter into their labours; whether they hauehave among thē a perſonal ſucceſſion in perpetuitie, or yt it hath bene cut off for a time; or that themſelues bee the firſt that preach the Goſpell in the place to which they are called to exerciſe the office of a true miniſter of Chriſtes church. And on ye contrary part, thoſe paſtors in place, which do not preach the goſpell of God at all; or which, in ſteade of preaching the doctrine of the Apoſtles, do preach their own doctrine by themſelues inuented; though they doe alleadge a thouſand of their predeceſſors, which folowed one an other in perſonall ſucceſſion, yet are they not to bee taken for true paſtors, but are wolues, and ſo to be takē; neither are they, nor can they be reputed, nor taken to bee the true paſtors of Chriſts church, how largly ſoeuer they account of perſonall ſucceſsion. His worde is not in their mouthes; neither are the congregations, which are miſſeled with ſuch wolues, to bee taken to bee the true church of Chriſt. For the true church of Chriſt doeth not heare the voyce of a ſtranger. But this miſſeled church doeth both heare, and receiue the voyce of a ſtraunger, and ſtraunge doctrines; They hauehave not the worde of Chriſt taught; They wil not heare it, neither will they hauehave his holy Sacramentes ſyncerely adminiſtred to them. If any man wil aske whether it be lawful for eueryevery mā yt wil, of his own priuate authoritie to preach the goſpell, & to miniſter the holy ſacramentes; I aunſwere, no truely: For all thinges in the houſe of God muſt be done in good and comely order, as the Apoſtle doth teach vsus.1. Cor. 14. Who then (will you ſay) are the verie true paſtors, and teachers? Euen they, which are lawfully called to that office, and doe it faithfully. Now then we muſt knowe, what a lawfull calling is. There is a forme,Of calling or maner of calling ordinarie: Ther is alſo a form or maner of calling extraordinarie. That is rightly ordinarie, in which that order is obſerued, which God hath eſtabliſhed in his worde and church. In this order is firſt right aſſigning of men to do the office truly; to which by the worde of God they are called. Then a triall muſt be had of their habilitie in doctrine, and examination of life. Then a lawfull election, or chooſing; Laſt of all followeth the impoſition of handes. This is to be ſeene by the example of the practiſe of the Apoſtles themſelues. For ſo was Mathias choſen, So were ye Deacons choſen: And hereto do thoſe rules ſerue, which S. Paul doth giuegive in his Epiſtles writē to Timothie and to Titus, touching the admiſſion of church miniſters. You ſee nowe what the ordinarie calling is; out of which we may eaſily gather, what the extraordinary calling, or vocation is; which hauing an authoritie from God is lawfull, notwithſtanding that one, or two pointes, appertayning to an ordinarie calling, bee wanting in it. The Lord hath oftentimes vſed the ſeruice of men called to the miniſterie of the word, by ſuch an extraordinary calling, as appeareth by the holy ſcriptures. Moſes had no ordinarie calling by men. Iirmiah, Ionas had none. Daniel, Amos, and diuerſe other of the Prophetes, had no ordinarie calling by men; and yet the Lord God called theſe men, & ſuch like, to the miniſterie of ye word; whē they which kept the place of the ordinary calling, did abuſe ye ſame. Thē (I ſay) then God vſed to lay to his hand extraordinarily to the worke, which they that had their ordinarie calling, did not onelyonly neglecte, but bring into ruine. Thus the Lord god himſelf did; and yet he did not bring any diſorder, or confuſion into his houſe by this meane: But thus did he to correct, and reforme, that confuſiō & diſorder, which was brought into his houſe, by them, which, vnderunder the colour of ordinarie ſucceſſion, did ouerthrowe all good order, & peruerted it. This doth the writings of the prophets witnes, in which the prieſts are chiefely reproued. If you will ſay that the men, whome the Lorde did thus call extraordinarily, had yet ſome outwarde, & miraculous teſtimonie of this their heauenly calling; It is ſo in deed of ſome; but it was not ſo in all. I doe not finde that many of the Prophets did come of the race of Aaron; nor that the ordinarie impoſition of handes was layde vppon them; Nor that they teſtified their vocation, and calling, by working ſtraung ſignes, and miracles. If you will ſay that theſe prophetes, & teachers, which had this extraordinarie calling, did content themſelues with that part of the church office, which is to teach, and to reprooue; but they did not meddle with the ſacrifices; This is not altogether true. For Samuel who was not of the ſtock of Aaron, 1. Sam. 7.did ſacrifice in Mizpah, as it is written. And Eliah beeing a Galaadite, did ſacrifice in Carmel. 1. Reg. 18.Again, it is no maruel, if the prophets of that time did not extende their commiſſion of their extraordinary calling, to circumciſe, and ſacrifice; for that was the charge, and priuiledge then expreſſely committed to ye ſtock of Leui for that time. Thus you heare what is the church, and what bee the markes thereof, and what is to bee thought of the vocation, or calling of the Paſtors and teachers of the church. And thus doe wee at this preſent approue our chriſtian church, & the miniſters thereof by the rule of Gods word.Tom. 4. fol. 160. And in this behalfe doth that make for vsus, which Auguſtine writeth in his booke of 65. queſtions, and in the laſt queſtion; where he teacheth, that wee ſhall knowe that he is ſent of God, who is not choſen by ye flatterie of a fewe men; but he, whō life, good manners, and the doing of the Apoſtolike Prieſts do commend; who ſeeketh not to be aloft, but to be profitable to others.Of the authoritie of the church Nowe let vsus come to the authoritie of the church, and ſpeake a little thereof. It doth appeare by that which is ſaid before, yt wee do not take away any thing of thoſe high, and glorious titles, whiche the holy ghoſt doeth giuegive vntounto it. We ſay, that it is the body of Chriſt; but ſo, that part thereof is yet in pilgrimage, looking for the full inioying of the heade Ieſus Chriſt.
This is the houſe of God, which hee doth dayly builde, ſo that it groweth ſtil more and more. It is gouerned by the ſpirit of God, ſtil fighting againſt the fleſhe. It is purified, but ſo that it is by little and little brought towards that perfection of beauty, in which is neither blemiſh nor I pot. It knoweth God truely, but yet in part. In which kinde of ſpeaches, I doe vſe the very wordes of the holy ſcripture. Out of this Church is no ſaluation: For life and ſaluation is no where elſe but in Chriſt Ieſus alone, and onelyonly; neither doeth the Lorde Ieſus powre foorth his quickning power, & grace, but onelyonly vponupon his owne members. The vnion and aſſembling of them together in their head Ieſus, is called, and is ye true church of Chriſt. If you aske me whether this church being in this worlde, can erre; and whether it be in authority aboue the holy ſcripture, or elſe it be ſubiecte to the holy word of God;Howe the Church may erre. To the firſt I anſwere that it is out of doubt, that the members of the church, counting each one by himſelfe in particular, may erre; And yt there are of them, which do erre in doctrine & maners of life. For they knowe but in part, 1. Cor. 13.as S. Paul ſaith. And Iohn ſaith,1. Iohn. 1. If we do ſay that we hauehave no ſinne, we do deceiue our ſelues: And in this number we may, and do recken the olde doctors. For many faultes are to be founde in them; and therefore they are not to be receiued in al things without exception. Thus doe we thinke of the members of the church in particular; whoſe imperfections doe not ſo prevaile, but that of them knitte together in trueth, is made a true church. For they do by little and little growe, and goe forwarde in the knowledge of God, and of his trueth, and holineſſe of life. But if wee will conſider the partes of the Church more generally, as it is diuided into diuerſe Dioceſſes, and Prouinces, we ſay playnely that it may erre.Card. Lotha. It is alſo confeſſed by one of the chiefe capitaines ſtanding for the Pope his Lorde, that particular churches, and prouinciall Synodes may erre, and hauehave oftentimes erred. Which thing long experience hath prooued true. Let vsus then conſider the church in the vniuerſalitie thereof, which is (as ſome ſay) conſidered in that it is in a generall councell repreſented. There is no cauſe why we ſhoulde thinke yt all the power, and giftes which the holy ghoſt doeth beſtowe vponupon the vniuerſall church, ſhoulde be reſtrayned to a certaine number of prelates, gathered together in a generall councell, which are not alwayes the beſt learned, nor the beſt men which are in the whole chuch, although they doe there repreſent the whole multitude of them, which did ſende them thither. For it falleth out often times that a ſimple man ſhalbe founde to hauehave better vnderſtanding than the greateſt man in the whole aſſembly.Panormitan. Which cauſed one famous Canoniſt to write vppon the chapter Significaſti, tit. de Electionibus, that ſometime more credite is to be giuen to one priuate man, beeing a faithfull man, and who hath on his ſide better authoritie & reaſon, than is to be giuen to the whole Councell, or to the Pope him ſelfe. And in that great, and firſt Councel of Nice, it was long of one poore Paphnutius that ye lawe of ſole life, which ſince yt time hath brought much filthineſſe into the church, was not then eſtabliſhed. Againe, when ſhall there ſo generall a Councell be aſſembled, in which a great number of learned, & holy men, are not left out of the Councell? And who can aſſure vsus, but that they, which are abſent, may not ſometime hauehave more vnderſtanding of a trueth, than they all, which are preſent at the Councell? It is alſo wel known how long time now an horrible confuſion hath reigned in ye church, & that chiefely in the greateſt dignitie of the prelacie. So that ye greateſt deſolation in ye houſe of god hath ben, & is, by the means of them, by whome it ſhould hauehave been beſt furniſhed. Which hath cauſed ſome biſhops & churchmen to caſt foorth many grieuous ſighes, & cōplaints, moſt cleare, and ſo lowde, that wee do yet heare the ſound of them. It is knowne alſo that complaints hereof hauehave paſſed the penne of the Pope himſelfe at ſometimes,Pope Hadrian. 6. & hauehave ſlipped out of the mouthes of Popiſh Biſhops at many times; as ye bookes of the Councels doe teſtifie. Bernard alſo in his bookes of Conſideration, & in his ſermon, which he made vponupon the conuerſion of ſaint Paul, ſpeaketh both openly and truely; Alas Lorde (ſaith he) they, which do louelove the first, & chiefe places in the church, and to beare the chiefe rule in it, are the firſt which do perſecute thee. They hauehave taken the Arke of Sion; they hauehave taken the castell, and afterward hauehave ſet the whole citie on fire. By this wee may ſee that they which then had the higheſt, and moſt principall places in the church, were farre out of order. The ſame men doe holde and will holde the ſame places ſtill. Now ſurely the generall Councels at ye time, which were, & hauehave ben gathered of ſuch perſons, ſo euill qualified, hauehave not ben ſo conducted by ye holy ghoſt, but that they might erre. And euen ſo the whole vniuerſitie of Paris did think, & iudge of the Councell holdē at Rome by Pope Leo the tenth of ye name; & therfore they apealed frō him, & his ſaid Councel. Againe, if a generall Councell hath receyued this priuiledge, that it can not erre in doctrine, let vsus knowe of what date this priuiledge is, and when it was giuen. There was yet neuer but one true faith; But there hauehave beene many errours. For euen in the church, which was in the olde teſtament, the Prophets doe tell vsus plainly, and the hiſtories of that time do proue, that there were errours, and foule faults among them, which ſhould hauehave beene the teachers of the trueth.Iſay. 56.10 All their watchmen (ſayth the Prophete I ſay) are blinde; they knowe not thing; Iirm. 6.13they are all dumme dogges. The Prophet Iirmiah ſayth, From the Prophet to the Prieſt, all do deale falſely.
And becauſe theſe reproofes ſhould not be reſtrained to the particular liues and manners of men, he ſayeth plainly,Iir. 14.14. They do propheſie falſe things, & a lying viſion. Iſai 29.14Againe, Iſay ſayth, that the wiſedome of the wiſe ſhall periſh, and the vnderſtanding of the prowde ſhall vaniſh: and that God will ſtop the eyes of the Prophets, euen of the chiefe of them. The Prophet Ezechiel ſayeth,Ezech. 7. that the lawe ſhall periſh through the Prieſt; that is, through the fault of the Prieſt. And in deede who did condemne the true Prophets, and ſeruants of the liuing God Iirmiah, Micheah, and other; yea, euen the verie ſonne of God him ſelf, and after him his Apoſtles? who did this, but the aſſemblies, & Councels of the prelats, which were in thoſe dayes? If you will ſaye, Theſe things happened in the olde Teſtament; that cannot warrant our times.2. Pet. 2. For firſt the time of the newe Teſtament is not priuiledged from hauing of ſuch falſe teachers. Saint Peter telleth vsus plainly that, as there were falſe Prophets in the olde time, ſo there ſhould be in the time after him.
Furthermore of the time of the newe Teſtament S. Paul ſpeaketh plainly,Act. 20. that, euen in our time of the newe Teſtament, Wolues ſhall come out of the midſt of the paſtors. And in another place, That the child of perdition ſhall ſit in the temple of God. 2. Theſſ. 2.And in conferring the Councelles together, the one with the other, wee ſhall finde ſuch contrarieties in them, that it will eaſily appeare, that they did not alwayes heare, and obey the holy ghoſt; but that Satan tranſforming him ſelfe into the forme of an Angel of light, hath ruled, and ouerruled in ſome generall Councels:Aug. lib. 2. de baptiſ. contra Donatiſt. cap. 31. Auguſtine ſaith, that the Epiſtles of particular Biſhoppes are corrected by prouinciall Councels; and that prouinciall Councels are corrected by the generall, The former amended by the later; when as by more experience had of things, that, which was before ſecret, and vnknowen, is made more knowen; and that which was hidden, is brought to light. Neither is this rule to be reſtrained to ſuch exterior things as may be altered, & changed, as the neceſsitie of the time doth require. This worde (Emendari) which Auguſtine doeth vſe, preſuppoſeth a fault committed, and afterwarde amended, be it in doctrine or maners. And Auguſtine doth not ſpeake there of any external policie, but of a point of doctrine; that is of the opinion of Ciprian, & of the Councel of Afrique, touching rebaptiſing. If you wil ſay, that our Sauiour Ieſus hath promiſed to be in ye midſt of two, or three, which are gathered together in his name; therfore he wil be in the midſt of a general Councel; This may wel be preſumed; but there is a difference between a preſumption, & a neceſſary concluſion. For ſince the malice of men proceedeth ſo farre often times, euen to abuſe the moſt holy name of God to fortifie falſhod; ſuch mē may hauehave God in their mouth, which are his enimies in their hearts.
The weakneſſe of ye vnderſtanding of men is ſuch, that it is often ſeene howe corrupt affections do blinde their eyes, and mindes, ſo that hee which hath none other foundation, but the aduiſe of men, is more often in danger to be deceiued, than otherwiſe. Is then the doctrine of the church vncerteine? (will ye ſaye) or can the church erre? Of the erring of the church I hauehave alreadie ſpoken, therfore vntounto the firſt queſtion I anſwere thus. The doctrine which the Lorde our God hath deliuered to be the doctrine of his church, is moſte certeine and ſure. But becauſe men do yet knowe but in parte, as Saint Paul ſayeth; in this reſpect ſomtime errour is mingled with the trueth in the knowledge of men. This is true, that the Lorde our God will not ſuffer that the ſubſtantiall pointes of trueth, touching our ſaluation, ſhall alwayes be buryed in the whole church; but the Lord will hauehave alwayes ſome number in it, ſometime litle, ſometime great, which ſhal vnderſtand that, which they ought to vnderſtande; and follow that, which they ought to followe. So did it come to paſſe in the time of the Prophet Eliah in Iſrael; and in the captiuitie of Babylon; and alſo in the time of the comming of our ſauiour Chriſt. For euen then was founde a number, though but a litle number of them, whoſe hearts were touched with the knowledge and taſte of trueth; as Zacharie, Elizabeth, Iohn the Baptiſt, Ioſeph, the virgin Marie, Simeon, Anna. Theſe did knowe, and had the right, and ſure vnderſtanding of the certein fulfilling of the prophecies of the comming of the promiſed Sauiour. And yet they liued in the midſt of the corruptiōs of the Scribes, Phariſees, Sadduces, & prieſtes. Such interruptions of open profeſsing the trueth, happen in the church of God, proceeding of the iniquitie of men, as a thick miſt, which after vaniſheth away by the heat of the Sunne of the doctrine; I meane of the worde of God; when it pleaſeth God, according to his ſecrete ordinance, iudgement, & wiſedome, to ſuffer ye ſame Sunne of his worde to ſhine foorth with power, & maieſtie, then trueth is ſeen, embraced, & profeſſed of the elect children of God. Thinke you now yt we will, or that we doe reiect al the old Councels? Nay verily; but this I ſay, that, if all the rules giuen in the eldeſt & beſt of them, were put in execution at this daye, they woulde make a greater change in the popiſh or Romiſh church (called catholike) than they would or could doe in the church, which is nowe reformed by the goſpell of Ieſus. But let the holy word of God be the toucheſtone, to trye & examine all that is ſayde, or done in the church, and then it will be eaſily ſeene where the true church is. Count not this a ſtraunge thing that I require; For it is an olde ſaying, receiued before our times, of the moſt catholike doctors.
Auguſtine writing to Maximinus the Arrian, Li. 2. ca. 14Is there any generall Councell more allowed or approued than that firſt Councell, which was holden at Nice? I trowe not (ſayeth he.) And what is yt Councell which was holden at Ariminum? It was a Councell reiected, & condemned for good cauſe. Auguſtine there handleth a principall point of our Chriſtian faith; that is, the diuinitie of Chriſt our Lord, & Sauiour; And yet Auguſtine ſaith yt for his part, he wil not be boūd to ye Nicene councell; neither wil he hauehave ye Ariā bound to the Councell holden at Ariminum; but he wil hauehave ye matter tried by the holy ſcriptures, which are the meeteſt witneſſes for both partes. It may be that theſe Romiſh mē, which doe runne away from the ſcriptures, will ſay that there is great darkneſſe in the holy ſcripture. I anſwere that it is moſt true, which ſaint Paul ſaith, that the naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of the ſpirite of God. 2. Cor. 2.It is true alſo that ſaint Peter ſayth,2. Pet. 1. that no prophecie in the ſcripture is of any priuate interpretation. But yet this obſcuritie is not ſo great, but that the ſcriptures can expound them ſelues. And therfore doeth our Lord, and chiefe maſter Ieſus, ſend vsus to the ſcriptures, & to nothing elſe but to the ſcriptures. Search you the ſcriptures (ſayth he.Ioan. 5. Luc. 16.) Abraham beeing required by the damned rich man to ſende ſome one frō the dead, to admoniſh his brethren, which yet liued in his old houſe, anſwered thus, They hauehave (ſayth Abraham) Moſes, and the Prophets; If they will not beleeue them, they will not beleeue any that ſhall come to them from the dead. And howe did all thoſe moſte auncient and godly Chriſtians before vsus, which had among them only the ſcriptures of the Prophets, and Apoſtles, before that any commentarie, or explication was written vppon any of them by the olde writers? did they not then fetche all their light of the holy ſcripture onelyonly? A Romiſh man will here drawe vsus to receiue the traditions Apoſtolicall for a moſte ſure interpretation of the holy ſcripture;Traditions. And by Apoſtolicall traditions, he wil meane that, which hath beene always receiued in the church; through all the church; and by them all, which hauehave beene of the church. But nowe who can aſſure vsus, that theſe three pointes are to be founde in any of theſe traditions, which they do call Apoſtolicall traditions? I doe not knowe who can doe it. There is great diuerſitie to be founde in the bookes, and writings of the auncient fathers; and that in ſome pointes touching faith. And againe, touching theſe wordes (alwayes) and (of all) let the Romiſh men tell vsus, at what time wee ſhall begin the account of this (alwayes.) If wee will do well, wee muſt fetch the beginning of this time euen at the church Apoſtolike. And who ſhall be the firſte in this account? verily the Apoſtles them ſelues muſt be the firſt that ſhal begin this account; the hiſtorie of whome is faithfully written by S. Luke; and by their owne writings wee muſt take knowledge of them, their doctrine and their doings? All trueth commeth of God; And God hath choſen his Prophets, and Apoſtles to ſpeake in his name vntounto vsus all that trueth, which doeth appertaine to our ſaluation. Therefore wee muſt alwayes hauehave, and make our recourſe to the holy ſcriptures. And yet wee doe not vtterly caſt away the aduice of Councels, nor of the auncient fathers. Wee doe proue that, which they do ſaye, by the holy ſcriptures. The which holy ſcriptures (as Auguſtine doeth ſaye truely) are ſo tempered by the holy ſpirite of God, that that, which is obſcurely ſpoken in one place, is clearely expreſſed in another place of them.
Some of the Romiſh rout hauehave ſayd, that the whole wil of God, touching all that, which doeth appertaine to our ſaluation, is not all written by the Apoſtles and Euangeliſts. By this wicked, & falſe ſaying, they make an open way to bring in al that falſehood, error, & vntrueth, which men liſt to deuiſe. And it is the way, by which, Satan hath entred to deſtroy the vineyard of the Lorde, to ſowe therein his darnell of damnation, and cockle, choking true doctrine, and Chriſtian faith.
I graunt that before the time of Moſes, God gouerned his church by heauenly viſions, inſpirations, and reuelations; But the Apoſtles planted the churches of God by his holy worde written. And the malice of men growing with the number of them; and the better ſort of men decaying together with goodnes, it was ye good pleaſure of the Lorde our God, that this doctrine ſhoulde be written in a tongue common, and knowen, by which plaine trueth, Gods children might receiue all that doctrin, which concerneth ſaluation, and might alſo withſtand all ſubtilties creeping in vnderunder the couler of traditions, or reuelations, or cuſtome, or other deuice of man whatſoeuer. Now if the doctrine of our ſaluation were written but in parte; how ſhal we do for ye reſt which is wanting? Saint Iohn doth not ſpeake ſo ſcantly of the holy ſcriptures, as theſe Romiſh mē do. For he ſaith that the thinges,Ioan. 20. which hee hath written, are written to this ende, that we beleeuing them, might hauehave life; that is, ſaluation, for that is life indeede. Then is there no other doctrine neceſſarie to ſaluation, but that, which is written in ye holy ſcriptures; And that which is written in the holy ſcriptures, ſuffiſeth vntounto ſaluation. Saint Paul teaching vsus what the vſe of the ſcripture is; teaching vsus all (I ſay) in the perſon of his ſcholer Timothie, 2. Tim. 3.ſaith that they doe make the man of God (not onelyonly eueryevery faithful miniſter & Paſtor, but eueryevery faithful man) perfect and fully perfited. Then a mā nedeth not any vnwritten verity, or traditiō (as they are called) Apoſtolike. Yet I do not deny but that there hauehave beene alwayes vnwritten traditions, touching order, and manner of doing in the church; but not ſo in poyntes of doctrine touching faith and ſaluation. Nowe becauſe men hauehave long time abuſed the name of tradition, we muſt learne to knowe which are traditiōs to be allowed, & receiued; and which are not to be allowed. This is eaſie to be done, if we will ſet before vsus ſome pointes, & by them frame our iudgement. Firſt we muſt put a iuſt difference betwen doctrine, and matter of rites, and orders of the church. In doctrine the Apoſtles deliuered, in the worde by them written, onelyonly, and wholy all that which they had rceiued of the Lord. To this then I adde, that if the traditions offered to vsus, be agreeable to the worde of God; and are meete, and fit for edifying, then are they to bee receiued. For this is a thing aſſured, that niether the Apoſtles, nor the true Paſtors, did appoynt any orders, or maners of doing, which were either directly, or indirectly contrarie to the doctrine of the goſpell; nor ſuch as ſhould turne any man neuer ſo little from ye ſeruice of God, which is ſpiritual. This being obſerued of vsus, it ſhal be eaſie for vsus to diſcerne the doctrin frō traditions, and the falſe traditions frō the true. It was accompted with ye old father. Tertullian a very ſtraunge thing, that any man ſhould ſay that he had omitted to teach any thing (either by word of mouth, or by writing) of yt which doth apertain to our ſaluation. I will ſay further, yt all that, which ye Apoſtles did deliuer as traditiōs, in matter of order, rites, & maners of doing, are not to be kept perpetually. For according to the rule of charitie they ordeined touching the ſtrangled, & not to eat blood;Act. 15.29. conforming their tradition herein to ye infirmitie of the Iewes. Some like thing may be noted in the doings of S. Paul in the perſon of Timothie; Act 16.3.Act. 18.18yea and in him ſelfe alſo; which thinges can hauehave no place at this day, but onelyonly in this, that the generall rule muſt be obſerued, that wee muſt apply ourſelues to the commoditie, & profite of our neighbour, in thoſe thinges which are indifferent. The like thinges may bee gathered touching the traditions and manners of doing, which they applyed to their time; As where he ſpeketh of kiſſing; and of hauing the heade vncouered in ſigne of authoritie;1. Cor. 16. 1. Cor. 11. which are thinges contrarie to the manner of doinges in theſe dayes in many coū tries, where men woulde count it very ſtraunge, that men ſhoulde kiſſe one an other; or that a man ſhould kiſſe any womā, other than his own wife. And alſo to ſpeake at this day with the head bare, and vncouered, is a ſigne, and token of ſubiection & not of authoritie. All theſe thinges are well to be conſidered, before wee doe receiue any cuſtome, or tradition as Apoſtolike. For the name of the Apoſtles is not to bee abuſed to trouble the Church in any thing; as it was abuſed in the controuerſie about the keeping of the day of the Paſque, which wee call Eaſter; And likwiſe when ſome abuſed the name of the Apoſtles, and the authoritie of the Church of Hieruſalem, Actes. 15.labouring vnderunder this pretence to mingle Iudaiſme with Chriſtianiſme, as it is written in the Actes of the Apoſtles: There it was ordeined that the conſciences of men ſhoulde not be charged with any ſuch yoke. Wee can not thinke therfore that the Apoſtles did inuent ſo many ceremonies, as are nowe vſed; in the obſeruation of which is ſet the forgiuenes of ſinnes, and merites. For they hauehave plainely proteſted the contrarie; neither woulde they giuegive place to the ceremonies of Moſes, of which God him ſelfe was the author. Long agoe did Auguſtine complayne of the multitude of ceremonies,Ep. ad Ianuarium. and humayne traditions brought into the Church. But what would he hauehave ſaide, if hee had liued in ſuch a time as ours is? To be ſhort therefore, we do require that the holy ſcriptures, which are in this point moſt plain & cleare, may guide vsus to diſcerne betweene the traditiōs which are good, and which are badd; holy, and prophane; hurtful, and profitable; neceſſarie, and ſuperfluous. Theſe thinges being decided, it ſhall be eaſie to determine this queſtion touching traditions; and ſo wee may come to touch a ſeconde queſtion, which is dropped downe to vsus from Rome; Whether the church be aboue the ſcriptures.that is, whether the church bee aboue the ſcriptures; which is as vnhandſome a queſtion, as if one ſhould aske, whether the child be aboue the father; the ſcholer aboue the ſchole-maſter; the wife aboue the husbande, or man aboue God. But indeede the true church of Chriſt will not in this matter make any quarrel againſt god. For if it ſhoulde, it ſhoulde fall in the quarrell, and be condemned. It is to no purpoſe, to ſay that ye church was before the ſcriptures. For though it were ſo, yet the word of God is more auncient than the church. For by the worde the Church is conceiued, engendred, made, & named ye church. That which doeth ingender, is before the thing that is ingendred; as the father, and mother are, and hauehave their beeing before the childe. Some will alleadge, the ſaying of Auguſtine, I ſhoulde not beleeue the ſcriptures, if the authoritie of the Church did not moue me. In that place Auguſtine ſpeaketh of himſelfe, as he was when he was a Manichee. When two contrary parts ſhal fal into debate touching the truth of an Inſtrument, or writing, to whō ſhall they hauehave recourſe, but to the Notarie, which keepeth the recorde? But yet it will not bee ſaide that the writinge is grounded vppon the authoritie of the Notarie, for that the recorde is true, although no man liuing doe beare witneſſe thereof. So I aunſwere them, which doe thinke that the holy ſcripture is not otherwiſe founded, but vppon the determination of the church. This verily were a feeble, & a ſlender ground. For we ſhal find ye determinations of councells, which are called the church repreſentatiue, one contrarie to an other; as by conference of them together it will appeare. Herevnto I will adde this reaſon, Ieſus Chriſte is hee, whome all the true Prophetes honoured (for as their Lorde he did ſend thē) and yet they are not aboue him, but he aboue them, notwithſtā ding he doth approue his doctrin by their teſtimonies. S. Paul ſuffereth ye Bereites to do ye like with his doctrin.Act. 17. S. Peter prayſeth greatly this kinde of doing.2. Pet. 1.19. Therefore they, which doe call themſelues the Vicars of Ieſus Chriſt, & the ſucceſſors of Saint Peter, and Paul, may not refuſe this condition. To this purpoſe ſerueth that, which Hierome writeth; We muſt not (ſayth he) followe the errours of fathers, nor of aunceſtours; But wee muſt follow the authorite of the holy ſcriptures. And Chryſostome writing vppon the 14.Lib. 2. in lir. cap. 9. chapter of the goſpell of Sainte Mathewe, ſaith: That hee, which will knowe which is the true Church of Chriſt, when thinges are in confuſion through likelihoode, hee muſt knowe it by the ſcriptures. And in the ſame place vppon theſe wordes:Hom. 49. (Let them, which are in Iurie, flee vntounto the mountaines) he ſaith, Let them, which are in the christianitie, retire, and drawe them ſelues to the holy ſcriptures. For when the time is ſuch, that hereſie doeth poſſeſſe the Churches ſo, that one cannot hauehave by; or in the church, any ſure or certaine tryall, to prooue which is true chriſtianitie, there can bee no other refuge to ſuch chriſtians, as are deſirous of the chriſtian faith, but only to the ſcriptures. whoſoeuer then will not know which is the true church of Chriſte, how ſhal he know it, but only by the holy ſcriptures? (ſaith this ancient father.) Againe he ſaith, The Lord knowing that great confuſion ſhould come in the later dayes, doth commaund that the chriſtians, which doe deſire to take ſome holde of true faith, ſhould hauehave their refuge to nothing, but to the holy ſcriptures. For otherwiſe if they will hauehave regard to other thinges, they ſhall be offended, and periſhe, not vnderſtāding which is the true church; and ſo ſhall fall into the abhomination of deſolation, which wil hold it ſelf in the holy place of the Church. An other olde greek writer (Baſil I do meane) in the nienth Summe of his moralls,Cap. 22. ſaith, If all that which is not of faith, be ſinne (as the Apoſtle ſaith) and faith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the word of God then all that which is out of the diuine, & holy ſcripture, is ſinne. Againe in a Sermon, which hee maketh of the confeſſion of faith, If God be faithfull in all his purpoſes, and his cōmandementes be ſure for euer, being done in trueth and right, it is manifeſtly to turne from the faith, and a ſinne of pride, to throwe any thing away of that which is written, or to bring in any thing, which is not written. Thus much in anſwere to that, which our Romiſh rufflers do bellowe for their church, the power, and glorie thereof; And to ſhewe what a chriſtian may and ought ſafely to thinke of the church, and how to giuegive humble credit to the holy ſcriptures, and to giuegive to them their due authoritie.
To this Oration made, and pronounced in yt Colloquie had at Poyſſi, by that ſingular inſtrument, and ſeruant of God Theodore Beza, ye Papiſtes and their capitayne the Cardinall did not reply. For I thinke they had not the hartes to withſtand the trueth. Yea they were ſo far from denying of it, that euen then, and there, their chiefe doctor Deſpenſe was, in approbation thereof, content to ſaye, that hee did allowe that in generall, which was ſayde in this Oration of the church; and ſaide that hee had alwayes taken this for a wicked blaſphemie that ſome doe ſay, that The church is aboue the holy ſcriptures. But touching that, which was in this oration ſaide of the ordinarie ſucceſſion of Paſtors, hee was not yet fully ſatisfied. He added that he did not take the paſtors of the Churches reformed by the Goſpell to be lawfull miniſters, becauſe they had not the handes laide on them by the Biſhops. To this the doctor was aunſwered then,Impoſitiō of handes. and thus; That there are markes of the lawfull calling of Paſtors; of which ſome are ſubſtantiall, and may not bee omitted; others may. Subſtantiall things not to bee omitted are theſe; Firſt that the perſon admitted into the miniſterie bee appointed to doe that office, wich is enioyned the miniſter of Chriſt in his church by the worde of God; which is, to preach truely the doctrin of Ieſus, and ſincerely to adminiſter ye holy ſacramentes. Agayne, that before his admiſſion he bee tryed, and examined, howe fitt, and able hee is to doe this worke of the Lorde; and ſo he muſt by tryall be founde able in doctrine, and of a godly conuerſation of life. Thirdly that then hee be choſen to the office, by forme, and order of a lawefull election. But as touching impoſition of hands, it doth concerne but an externe forme, and ſerueth as it were but to put him in poſſeſſion, and vſe of the holy miniſterie; it doth not make him a miniſter; it is not of any ſuch force. Hierome writing againſt the Luciferians, ſaith expreſſely, that the impoſition of handes is not of neceſſitie preſcribed by the law; but it is a certaine honour done to the prieſthoode. Eliah, and Samuel did both of them ſacrifice; and yet did not any of the ordinary prieſtes lay their handes on them. It may be further ſaide in anſwere, that if the romiſh maiſters now wil needs hauehave vsus to receiue impoſitiō of hands of them, or elſe they will not take vsus to be lawfull miniſters, they muſte ſhew firſt that them ſelues are right, and lawfull miniſters of the goſpell of Ieſus. But that they cannot do. For touching their inſtitution, it is as ſtrange, and vnknowne to the goſpell, as was the inſtitution of the prieſtes of Ieroboams calues ſtrange to lawe of God. For the Romiſh prieſts are inſtituted to hauehave authoritie to offer ſacrifice to God, and to ſay maſſe for the quick and the dead, as the Popes Pontifical beareth record, and that in ye name of the lord (ſay they.) But the Popiſh Pontificall doeth herein greatly abuſe the name of the Lord. For the Lord God doeth not in the whole newe Teſtament ordeyne any ſuch kinde of ſacrifizing, or maſſing Prieſtes. And therefore the order of the Popiſh prieſthood is as farre wide from the goſpell, as the calues of Ieroboam were from the lawe of God; and his prieſtes frō the Lords prieſtes. Now in the execution of that office, which the Prieſtes in poperie pretende to hauehave, and to exerciſe, they doe likewiſe depart from the trueth. For they preach not the goſpell of Ieſus, but the deuiſes of men, contrarie to the doctrin of Ieſus. They do not adminiſter his holy ſacraments according to Chriſtes holy ordinance, but they do, foraſmuch as in thē lieth, corrupt the ſacrament of baptiſme, & the adminiſtratiō thereof with their manifold, & very groſſe ceremonies, thogh they leaue ye ſubſtāce of it vnchāged. And they do take vponupon them boldly to change, (as they ſay) both the ſubſtance of the other ſacrament; that is, of the bodie and bloode of Chriſt our Sauiour, and alſo the ende why it was ordeined; ſo that they doe not leaue vsus of this holy ſacrament neither the doctrine in truth, nor ye ſubſtance of it, nor the ende, and vſe of it; as their deuiſes of the Tranſubſtantiation, and ſacrifice of their maſſe do declare to all the worlde. Therefore the impoſition of the handes of Popiſhe Biſhoppes, beeing them ſelues ſtraungers to the goſpel, is vtterly vnmeete for them which are called to do the office of a miniſter of the goſpell. The olde true Prieſtes in the old Teſtament did not receiue impoſition of handes of any of the Prieſtes of Baal, or other Idolatrous prieſts. In the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtorie we do read of diuerſe godly fathers, and Paſtors, which woulde not receiue the impoſition of handes of ſuch Biſhops as were heretikes. Neither truely ought the miniſters of the goſpell of Ieſus ſeeke to hauehave anye impoſition of handes of the popiſh prieſtes, or baſtardly Biſhops of Poperie, which are both Idolaters & heretikes. Surely this is not neceſſarie, neither were it comely. The miniſters and preachers of the goſpell, they hauehave this good teſtimonie of their vocation. Firſt, that they are called to preache the goſpell. Then they hauehave ben examined, & tryed by thoſe, to whome the gouernement of the church is in thoſe matters committed. Thirdly, they are found meete for the vocation, and choſen to it. Laſt of all, they are with ſolemne prayers admitted into the charge, and put in poſſeſsion of it; admitted, and accepted of the people. And this is of force ſufficient in trueth to proue the lawfulnes of their miniſterie, and ſufficiencie of their calling. They need not oyle; no not ye conſecrated oyle, to which the Popiſh Biſhops doe attribute a maruellous vertue of conſecrating, and bleſsing. They neede not the blind bleſsing of any of the popiſh Biſhops; no more than they neede ye ſhearing, or ſhauing of their crownes, which toyes are the cogniſance of the ſworne ſoldiers of thoſe Biſhops which are the tryed peticaptaines of the Pope, the very prieſtes of Baal. Thoſe two horned beaſts do, among them of Rome, take on them onelyonly the authoritie to lay on handes. Let them, if they wil, lay their hands on them in their popiſh prieſthood, which are like to them ſelues. On the miniſters of the goſpell, which hauehave nothing like to them in the miniſterie of it, their handes are not to be layde.Eſr. 4.2. The reſtorers of Hieruſalem woulde not receiue the offered helpe of their neighbours, which were mockers of their labours, and enemies to it. And ſhall wee then ſeeke your helpe, (ô you Papiſtes) or receiue your profered ſeruice to helpe vsus forwarde in the worke of the Lorde committed to vsus? No, no; ye are deadly enimies to the worke of the Lorde, and mockers of it. Therefore wee will not admit your handes to be layde on vsus. If the Lorde of his mercy ſhall turne the hearts of any of the popiſh clergie, and giuegive them grace to loath their order, and giuegive them a deſire to ſerue the Lorde Ieſus in the miniſterie of his holy goſpell, and the church ſhall neede their ſeruice, let them come to vsus to be tryed, and examined of vsus, and if they be founde meete, and the church hauehave neede of their ſeruice; they ſhall receiue of vsus impoſition of handes.
And where is that commiſsion giuen, whereby the popiſh Biſhops alone do claime the authoritie to lay on their vnholy hands vponupon the hominiſters of the goſpell? Truely, neither can wee finde it in the olde, nor in the newe Teſtament. And in his time Hierome did write to one Euagrius, that the impoſition of hands by the Biſhop, as it was then vſed, was no ordinance of God, but onelyonly a cuſtome. Let the tryall of a true miniſter then not reſt vponupon cuſtom, or encroching vnderunder the couer of ceremonies; but let it reſt in the true ſubſtance of the miniſterie; which is in doctrine, and doing the office of an Euangelicall miniſter. The Romiſh rulers wil driue vsus to proue our calling either by doctrine, or by miracle. Touching doctrine, the word of God approueth our miniſterie ſufficiently: We neede not to auow the working of miracles; For the beleeuers of the doctrine, which is preached by vsus, do proue it for vsus, in that their vnfeigned conuerſion to God is miraculouſly wrought in thē by the power of his worde. This doeth ſhewe forth the lawfull, faithfull, and fruitefull labour, to which we are called by the grace, and bleſſing of God. This is no ſtrange matter, if you conſider that, which Saint Paul ſaith to the Corinthians, that they by his preaching of the Goſpell, and his miniſterie in it, beeing called, and conuerted from idolatrie, to knowe and worſhip the lord God in trueth; from wickedneſſe to holineſſe of life, were (as he ſayth) the ſeales of his Apoſtleſhip in the Lord. 1. Cor. 9.And by what authoritie can they of Rome, who are moſt of all men out of rule, lay this lawe vppon the Lord our God, that he cannot, or ſhall not extraordinarily call at his pleaſure any meet man to the miniſterie of his holye worde, vnleſſe the ſame man do firſt paſſe vnderunder their baſtardly handes, & be approued of them, who are moſte meete to be reproued of all other; as both by their inſtitution, and execution it is proued. Therefore amend your ſelues (ô you hollowe hypocrites of Rome) and leaue your vniuſt carping of vsus. Turne your wallet, and pull out the beame, that ſticketh in your owne eyes. The Lorde amende you, if it be his holy will, & proſper the preaching of his holy goſpel, by the miniſterie of the miniſters of the goſpell for euer. Amen.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Sampson, The Church and Certain Ceremonies (1581)