A Trial of the Romish Clergys Title to the Church, Text and commentary · Quoted chapter 11
A. D.
CHAP. XI. That the Church, whoſe doctrine muſt be to vsus the rule of faith, muſt alwayes continue without interruption, from Chriſt his time, till the worlds end.
A. W.
That there alwayes hath bene, ſince the beginning of the world (excepting perhaps the time betwixt the fall of our firſt parents, and their faith in the Meſſiah) that there is, and alwaies ſhal be a Church, viz. certaine men that are predeſtinate to life, and actually beleeue in Ieſus Chriſt, it neuer came into any of our minds to be doubted of: that there ſhould be ſuch a companie as you conceipt, all the Papiſts in the world cannot proue.
A. D. §. 1.
Conſidering what hath bene proued in the former Chapter, about the infallible authoritie of the doctrine of the true Church: I hope no Chriſtian will deny, but that ſo long as this Church doth continue, we hauehave of it a ſure pillar and a firme foundation, whereupon we may ſafely build our beleef. For either a man muſt deny, that euer our Sauiour did make any ſuch promiſe, gaue ſuch charge and commiſſion, left any ſuch warrant, ſet forth ſuch a commaundement, or thundred out any ſuch threats, as before is rehearſed: which were to denie the Scriptures, which ſcriptures are generally receiued by all Chriſtians, no otherwiſe then (as they are) the vndoubted word of God: or elſe he muſt wreſt the interpretation thereof, both from that which the words, of themſelues, naturally yeeld, and alſo from the common ſenſe and vnderſtanding, either of all, or the moſt learned, and almoſt of the vnlearned alſo, of the whole Chriſtian world: or elſe he ſhall be forced to confeſſe that, which, not I, but Saint Paul hath 1. Tim. 3.ſaid: Eccleſia eſt columna & firmamentum veritatis: the Church is the pillar and ground of truth. OnelyOnly it may perchance ſeeme to ſome (of thoſe, that doe, at this day oppoſe themſelues againſt the authority of the Church,) that this was true, for Saint Pauls time, and perhaps for ſome three, foure, fiue, or ſix hundred yeares after: but not to be preſumed vponupon in latter times, and namely when Luther began his reformation (as they tearme it) or now adaies.
A. W.
Conſidering how weake your proofes hauehave bene, as in the former Chapters, ſo namely in the laſt, about the infallible authoritie of the doctrine of the true Church: I hope there is no reaſonable man, not only no Chriſtian, that will build his faith and ſaluation vponupon ſo tottering a pillar, and ſo ſlipperie a foundation. But becauſe you ſeeme to dote ſo much vponupon your laſt Chapter, I wil once againe be content to examine the ſubſtance of it, as it is here repeated by you, with ſome litle alteration.
Either we must denie that our Sauiour, hath ſo promiſed, charged, warranted, threatned, or we muſt falſely interprete the ſcriptures; or elſe we muſt grant, that the authoritie of the Church is a ſure pillar, and firme foundation, whereupon we may ſafely build our faith.
But we neither may denie that our Sauiour hath ſo promiſed, charged, warranted, commaunded, threatned, neither may we falſely interpret the Scriptures.
Therefore we muſt grant, that the authoritie of the Church is a ſure pillar and firme foundation, whereupon we may ſafely build our beleefe,
Firſt in general for your whole ſyllogiſme, if the cōcluſion you To the ſyllogiſme.intend, were no other, thē that you pretēd & propoūd, that the Church is the pillar & groūd of truth, as S. Paul ſaith, there would be no queſtion in this matter betwixt vsus. For we hauehave learned to acknowledge the truth of all and euerie part of the ſcripture. But the beginning of this Chapter ſheweth, that you meane, by the Churches being the pillar and ground of truth, that we may ſafely build our beleefe vponupon the Churches authority: which, as I prooued in my anſwer to that Chapter, is no part of the Apoſtles meaning. In this ſenſe muſt we take your concluſion.
Secondly, in particular, I denie your Maior; becauſe your diſiunction To the propoſition.is naught: preſuming a neceſſitie, where there is none: For neither we need to denie that our Sauiour hath ſo promiſed, charged, warranted, commanded, threatned; neither is there any cauſe why we ſhould falſely interprete the Scriptures: and yet we hauehave no reaſon to grant, that our faith may ſafely be built vponupon the authoritie of the Church. No ſuch thing (as I hauehave ſhewed) can follow vponupon the words of ſcripture alledged by you. Therefore we need not denie the promiſes, charge, warrant, commandement, or threatning of our Sauiour, or elſe grant the Church, ſuch an vnlimited authority. Neither will the true ſenſe of thoſe Scriptures, either enforce or beare any ſuch illation or concluſion, touching the infallible authoritie of the Church.
And whereas you thinke to face out the matter, with naming the common ſenſe and vnderſtanding, either of all, or the moſt learned, and almoſt of the vnlearned alſo of the whole Chriſtian world: my anſwer propounding the iudgement of many excellently learned, and ancient writers of thoſe places, prooueth that to be but a vaine popiſh brag, without all likelihood of truth, eſpecially ſince you, that kChap. 1.ſpare not to heape vp teſtimonies of Fathers, when they are needleſſe, and lChap. 14.to quote their bookes and chapters, ſometimes for a bare phraſe, alledge not ſo much as the name of any one author, for the proofe of your interpretation of twelue ſeuerall places of ſcripture.
Your proffered ſeruice, in helping vsus with this diſtinction, hath more ſhew of kindneſſe, then good meaning. For it is not brought in, to confirme our anſwer, but to giuegive your ſelfe occaſion of vttering that, which you are taught to vrge for proofe of this queſtion. But we neither need your aide, and hauehave good cauſe to ſuſpect your fauours. In a word, your diſtinction is ſuch as none of vsus euer brought, or would bring to anſwer thoſe places of ſcripture. We confeſſe, that whatſoeuer was promiſed to the Church in thoſe texts, was promiſed for continuance to the end of the world: but we ſay, that the firſt promiſe was not concerning the Churches not erring, the three laſt are particular to the Apoſtles, at leaſt for ſuch a meaſure of teaching. But what ſhould I repeat that, which was deliuered in the verie laſt Chapter? The thing you harpe vponupon, though vntunably, is, that your Romiſh church, or rather the Church of the Eaſt & Weſt, were indeed the pillar and ground of truth, for the ſpace of ſome 600. yeares after Chriſt, but afterwards fell away from that ſoundneſſe of doctrine, which before it had cleaued vntounto. Such a matter there is acknowledged by our Diuines; yet no man ſaith, either that the Church erred not, in any point, during that time (for all men know it erred in diuers though not fundamentall, if we may geſſe by the writings of the learned in thoſe ages) or that the Church hath, or ſhall want the performance of Chriſts promiſe, at any time, for a moment. But what is all this to the matter we hauehave in hand? Well: Let vsus ſee yet, what you ſay.
A. D. §. 2.
Againſt theſe men I ſet downe this aſſertion. The true Church of Chriſt (which the forenamed teſtimonies of Scripture do commend) was, and is to continue, without interruption, till the worlds end. This I prooue: Firſt, out of the verie words of thoſe promiſes which I cited out of Saint Matthew, and Saint Iohn. For how can Chriſt our Sauiour, or his holy Spirit, be with his Church, in ſuch ſort, as there is promiſed; to wit till the worlds end, and for euer: and eſpecially, as is ſaid in Saint Matthew: Omnibus diebus vſque ad conſummationem ſeculi: All the daies, euen to the end of the Matth. cap. 28.world; vnleſſe the Church alſo be all the daies, vntill the end of the world? For if the Church for any time, daies, monthes, or years doe ceaſe to be: Chriſt cannot for theſe yeares, moneths, and daies, be truly ſaid, to be with his Church (ſith he cannot be with that which is not) and conſequently he cannot be ſaid, to hauehave fulfilled his promiſe, wherein he ſaid, he would be with his Church, all the daies, vntill the end of the world.
A. W.
The men, againſt whom you ſet downe this Aſſertion, are of your owne making, that you might hauehave, againſt whom to ſhew your valour: once it cannot concerne vsus, who acknowledge the continuance of Chriſts Church, without interruption, till the worlds end. As long as theſe times ſhall run on (ſaith mAuguſt. in Pſalm. 71.Auſtin) the Church of God, that is, the bodie of Chriſt, ſhall not be wanting vponupon earth. This is the Church, ſpoken of in as many of theſe teſtimonies, as are not peculiar to the Apoſtles, namely the elect, from time to time: not your Romiſh ſynagogue, wherein nBellar. de Eccleſ. milit. lib. 3 cap. 7. per lot.many of the reprobate alſo are included, and that as members of your congregation, who cannot without diſhonour of our Sauiour Chriſt, be accounted parts of his glorious bodie.
The truth of your Aſſertion needeth no proofe, and the weakneſſe of your proofe is a diſgrace to your Aſſertion. Chriſt will be with his Church, at all times whenſoeuer there are any that beleeue in him, not onelyonly whileſt the Apoſtles liue: therefore there ſhall alwaies be ſome in the world without interruption, that ſhall beleeue in him. This is but a looſe conſequence: I grant the concluſion, or conſequent, that there ſhall be a Church alwaies: but I denie that therefore there ſhall alwaies be one, becauſe our Sauiour promiſeth to be with it, whenſoeuer it is. Put caſe our Sauiour had thus ſpoken; I will be with you, in your perſecution, all the daies, euen to the end of the world: might a man reaſonably conclude from hence, that therfore the Church ſhall be alwaies perſecuted, without any interruption, or eaſe one day from perſecution? Such is your conſequence, and as ſuch, inſufficient to prooue your Aſſertion.
A. D. §. 3.
Secondly, I prooue the ſame, out of an other promiſe, or propheſie of our Sauiour Chriſt, to his Church, wherein he ſaith: Portae inferninon praeualebunt aduerſus eam: the gates of hell ſhall not Mathew. 16.preuaile againſt it. For how was it true, that the gates of hel ſhall not preuaile, if they hauehave preuailed ſo much, as vtterly to aboliſh the Church, or at leaſt, to baniſh it quite out of the world, for ſo long a time? Granting therfore (which eueryevery Chriſtiā muſt needs grant) that the propheſies & promiſes of our Sauiour, are alwaies fulfilled, and that they are vnfallibly true; we may not doubt, but that the church hath euer bene ſince Chriſt his time, and ſhal neuer ceaſe to be in the world.
A. W.
This proofe is little or nothing better then the former: thus you conclude.
If Christ hauehave promiſed, that the gates of hell ſhal not preuaile againſt his Church, then it muſt continue without interruption till the worlds end.
But Chriſt hath promiſed, that the gates of hell ſhal not preuaile againſt it.
Therefore it muſt continue without interruption, till the worlds end.
I denie the conſequence of your maior: firſt becauſe the To the propoſition.Church in this place doth not ſignifie ſuch a companie of men as you by that name vnderſtand; but the congregation of the elect, who by true faith confeſſe, as Peter did, and being built vponupon our Sauiour the rocke, ſhal neuer be remoued and periſh. And this promiſe is made not onelyonly to all ioyntly, but to eueryevery one ſeuerally, as it was to Peter and all the reſt of the Apoſtles. If there be any (ſaith oOrigen. in Mat. cap. 16.Origen) against whom the gates of hell ſhall preuaile, ſuch a one is neither the rocke vponupon which Christ buildeth, nor the Church, which is built by Chriſt vponupon the rocke. pPetra eſt omnis.Euerie one (ſaith qApud Thom. in caten. ad Mat 16.the ſame Origen) that is a follower of Chriſt by imitation, is a rocke or ſtone. But he, againſt whom the gates of hell preuaile, is neither to be counted a rocke nor the Church, nor part of the Church, which Chriſt builds vponupon the rocke. Againe, whoſoeuer is Chriſts diſciple (ſaith rAd Mat. 16.the ſame author) is a rocke: but many are called, and few choſen. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, that the Church, againſt which the gates of hell ſhall not preuaile, is eueryevery one of the elect; and that he againſt whom thoſe gates do preuaile, is none of the elect or church, to which that promiſe of our Sauiour was made. ſTheophyl. ad Mat. 16.Theophylact, though he expound the place of the Church ſomewhat generally, yet hee doubteth not to adde, that eueryevery one of vsus alſo is the church, which is the houſe of God: if therefore we be confirmed in the confeſſion of Chriſt, the gates of hell, that is, ſinnes, ſhall not preuaile againſt vsus. The gates of hell (ſaith rGloſſ. ordin. ad Mat. 16.your Gloſſe) are ſinnes, threatnings, flatterings, hereſies, whereby they that are weake, runne into deſtruction: who are not to be thought to hauehave built the houſe of their profeſſion of beleeuing ſoundly vponupon the rocke, but vponupon the ſand: that is, to follow Chriſt with a ſimple and true intent, but to hauehave made a ſhew for ſome earthly reſpect. For he that receiueth the faith of Chriſt with the inward louelove of his heart, eaſily ouercometh whatſoeuer outwardly befalleth him. uLyra ibi.Lyra ſaith, that the church here ſpoken of, conſiſteth of thoſe perſons, in whō there is true knowledge & confeſſiō of the faith & truth; & not of any men, in reſpect of their power or dignity eccleſiaſticall or ciuill; becauſe many Princes, Popes, and other inferiour Chriſtians, are found to hauehave made Apoſtaſie from the faith. xLucas Brugenſ. ibi.Luke of Bruges, though he will not hauehave this promiſe of victorie belong to eueryevery particular member of the church, yet he granteth that eueryevery liuing member thereof, ſtedfaſtly cleauing vntounto it, may conceiue good hope of triumphing ouer all Satans forces. I thinke (ſaith yHieron. ad Mat. 16.Ierome) the gates of hell are vices and ſinnes, or ſurely the doctrines of heretickes, by which men being entiſed are led to hell. Doth any of theſe writers expound this place of ſuch a companie as you dreame of? Nay, doth not our Sauiour himſelf reſtraine it to the elect, and yet apply it to eueryevery one of them? For who beſide them, is built vponupon the rocke? or which of them in his due time, is not ſo built? zIoan. 6. 37.All that the Father giueth me, ſhall come vntounto me: and him that commeth to me, I cast not away. And againe, aVer. 40.This is the Fathers will that ſent me, that of all which he hath giuen me, I ſhould loſe nothing, but ſhould raiſe it vp againe at the laſt day.
Secondly, the conſequence of your maior is yet more weake, becauſe you miſinterprete the text: as if our Sauiour meant to promiſe a perpetual continuance of his Church vponupon earth, by ſaying that the gates of hell ſhall not preuaile againſt it. For hereby it muſt needs be granted, that the gates of hell do preuaile againſt all ſuch Chriſtians, as by perſecution or any violence are taken out of the world. Yea Peter himſelfe, and his fellow Apoſtles, to whom this promiſe was firſt made, found not the true performance of it in their owne perſons, but were ouercome by the gates of hell. Do you magnifie our Sauiours promiſes, that make them faile ſo notoriouſly, euen to the Apoſtles themſelues? The gates of hell (ſaith bTheophyl. ad Mat. 16.Theophylact) are temporall perſecutors, who endeuor to ſend Chriſtians to hell. Heretickes alſo are gates leading to hell. The Church therefore hath preuailed againſt many heretickes and perſecutors. The gates of hell (ſaith cGloſſ. interl. ibi.your Gloſſe) ſhall not ſeparate the Church from my louelove and faith. Perſecutions of tyrants (ſaith dLyra ibi.Lyra) aſſaults and tentations of wicked ſpirits ſhall not preuaile, by ſubuerting the Church from the true faith. eLuc Brugenſ. ibi.Brugenſis ſpeaketh yet more plainly: The gates of hell ſhal not preuaile (ſaith he) ſo that the Church ſhal be ouerthrowne, that is, ſeparated from Chriſt, or fSalute in Chriſto excidere, aut fruſtratifall away from ſaluation by Chriſt, or faile of it. The Apoſtles and other holy Martyrs and Chriſtians, were ouercome in regard of their continuance vpō earth; but not ſeparated frō Chriſt: nay rather they are more nearly ioyned to him. It is one thing to ſay the Church, that is, they that truly beleeue in Chriſt, ſhall by no power of Satan and his inſtruments, either inward or outward, be ſeuered from Chriſt, or faile of ſaluation by him: another to affirme that there ſhall alwayes be ſome on earth that ſhall beleeue and make profeſſion of the Goſpell. gBellar. de Concil. lib 2. cap. 2. §. Secunda claſsis.Bellarmine applies this text one while to the generall Councels approued by the Pope, which (as he ſaith) by reaſon of this promiſe cannot erre, either in beleeuing or in teaching: hDe Pont. Rom. lib. 1. c. 9. §. Quinta.another while to the vniuerſall Church and to the ſea of Rome, which abſurdly and falſly he maketh the rocke, vponupon which the vniuerſal Church is built: ſo that by the Church, according to Bellarmine, Rome, or Peters ſeate (as he calleth it) muſt be meant firſt and principally, from which at the ſecond hand, the vniuerſall Church muſt hauehave her perpetuall ſtabilitie. But what ſhould I ſtand any longer vponupon this place, hauing ſhewed that the promiſe is not of the Churches continuance, without interruption, but of the certaintie of their ſaluation, that beleeue truly in our Sauiour Chriſt, and ſo being built vponupon the iMath 7. 25. Ioan. 10. 28, To the Aſſumption.rocke, cannot be ſhaken downe or ouerthrowne by any ſtorme.
In this ſenſe I grant the minor: our Sauiour hath made a promiſe, that no one member of his ſhall periſh, though the gates of hell ſend out and employ all their forces againſt him. He that confeſſeth and beleeueth with Saint Peter, ſhall be ſaued with Saint Peter. But I denie the minor, according to the ſenſe you make of it, concerning the perpetuall continuance of a certaine companie, without interruption or error: and yet I beleeue the Catholicke Church; and that at all times there are ſome true members thereof vponupon earth, choſen to life, and iuſtified by faith in Chriſt.
A. D. §. 4.
Thirdly, I may confirme the ſame out of other Scriptures, where the perpetuitie of the church is either affirmed or promiſed: of which kind of teſtimonies, being very many, I wil onelyonly rehearſe ſome few. Of the Church (if we wil beleeue S. Auſtin his expoſition) it is ſaid, Deus fundauit eam in aeternum: God hath eſtabliſhed it for euer. And of it, ſignified by the name of the kingdome of Chriſt, the Prophet Pſal. 47.Daniel ſaith: Suſcitabit Deus coeli regnum, quod in aeternum non diſſipabitur: The God of heauen ſhal raiſe vp a kingdom, Dan. 2.which ſhal not be broken in peeces for euer. As is alſo ſaid in S. Luke: Regni eius non erit finis: there ſhall be no end of his kingdome.Luc. 1.
A. W.
Theſe few are more then need, for the proofe of that, wherof no man doubteth: but if they were twice as many, their weight would be too ſmall for the matter you vndertake to proue by them: as it wil appeare by the weighing of them in the ballance of true reaſon.
That (ſay you) which God hath eſtabliſhed for euer, ſo that there ſhal be no end of it, muſt alwayes continue without interruption, till the worlds end.
But God hath ſo eſtabliſhed the Church, that there ſhalbe no end of it.
Therefore the Church muſt alwayes continue without interruption, till the worlds end.
That the Church ſhall continue in all times and ages, as I hauehave often ſaid, we grant and maintaine: that ſuch a Church To the propoſition.as you fancie to your ſelues, either ſhall be alwayes, or euer was in the world, ſince the Apoſtles, we vtterly denie. Farther, I ſay your propoſition is falſe: becauſe the continuance of the church dependeth not vponupon her being in the world, but vponupon her being ioyned to Chriſt. And if the Church ſhal remaine euen after this world is ended, and then eſpecially flouriſh; what folly is it to thinke it continueth not, vnleſſe it be vponupon the earth? May I not certainly conclude, that it ſhall continue after this world, becauſe it is eſtabliſhed for euer? How then doe you gather hereupon, that it ceaſeth to be, if it be not in this world at all times without interruption? Was not this ſpoken of the Church of the Iewes alſo? Is not the like affirmed of the ceremonies? And yet neither of theſe hath continued, nor did continue without interruption, while they ſtood, before the time of their aboliſhing. That lPſal. 48. 1.the Pſalme was written either wholy or principally of Ieruſalem, and of the Church of the Iewes belonging thereunto, both the courſe of it manifeſtly ſheweth, and he that conſidereth the expoſitions of it by mHieron. & Auguſt ad Pſa. 47. per tot.Ierome and Auſtine, and what ado they hauehave to fit the ſeuerall verſes thereof to the Church of Chriſt, will eaſily be perſwaded. But what Church meane they, thinke you? Such a companie of men as you talke of? Let nHieron. ibi. ad ver. 1.Hierome ſpeake. If you would know of him, what that citie of our God is: he anſwereth, that it is oAnima ſancta.An holy ſoule: and by the citizens and houſholders of it, he vnderſtandeth pBoni actus.good actions. Againe: What is the Lords holy mountaine? qAſſump. dom. homin. corpus.The nature of man, which our Lord tooke vponupon him. I might go forward with the reſt of the Pſalme in like ſort, but it is enough that I hauehave giuen a taſt of this expoſition. The like difficulties may be obſerued in Auguſtines interpretation; beſides the great difference betwixt him and Hierome, in their commentaries vponupon this Pſalme. Now that the people, and worſhip of God among the Iewes had the like ſayd of them, it may appeare by theſe places. rPſal. 111. 9. …Hee hath commaunded his couenant for euer. ſ133. 3.There, that is, vponupon the mountaines of Sion, the Lord promiſed his bleſſing and life for euer. t132. 13. 14.The Lord hath choſen Sion, and loued to dwell in it, ſaying, This is my rest for euer, here will I dwell, for I hauehave a delight therein. If then, for all theſe promiſes and commendations, the Church and ſeruice of God be periſhed from among the Iewes; how can you from this onelyonly conclude, that the Church of Chriſt ſhall continue without interruption?
Your minor alſo is falſe, vnderſtanding by Church (as you do) To the Aſſumption.a certaine companie of men, infallibly taught in all points of faith, and infallibly to be beleeued by all men. To the proofes of it I anſwer, that they are all inſufficient; which I will ſhew in particular. uPſal. 48. 8.The Pſalme (as I hauehave ſhewed) belongeth to the citie of Ieruſalem, to the Temple and Church of the lewes. The phraſe doth not neceſſarily require any ſuch continuance, without interruption. xPſal. 105. 8.The Lord (ſaith another Pſalme) remembred his couenant for euer. The Prophet ſpeaketh of the performance of that point of Gods promiſe to Abraham, which concerned the outward proſperous eſtate of the Iewes: ſo it is expounded in the next verſe: yverſ. 9.The couenant that he made with Abraham, and the oath that he ſware to Iſaac: yet did the Lord puniſh them oftentimes himſelfe, and giuegive them vp into the hands of their enemies, zPſal. 106. 40 41. 42. 43.as the hiſtory of the Scripture ſheweth, from time to time. So ſpeaketh the Prophet aIſai. 63. 9.Eſay alſo of his kindneſſe toward them: In all their troubles he was troubled, and the Angell of his preſence ſaued them: in his louelove and in his merciemercy he redeemed them, and he bare them, and caried them alwayes continually; yet was not this without interruption, either in the wilderneſſe, or in the land of Iewry. Therefore bGloſſ. interl. ad Pſal. 47.your Gloſſe expoundeth for euer, cStabiliter.ſtedfaſtly: and dGloſs. ordin. ibi.another Gloſſe taketh it as ſpoken in compariſon of the ceremoniall Law: not for an houre or ſhort time, as (before) the tabernacle of Moſes was: ſignifying that there was no change in religion to ſucceed the Goſpell of Chriſt, as the Goſpel was to ſucceed the law of Moſes. What is this to continuing without interruption?
Firſt I oppoſe to your bare word, whereby you ſo peremptorily affirme, that by the name of eDan. 2. 44.the kingdome of Chriſt, the Church is ſignified, the authoritie of fTheodoret. ad Dan. 2. 44.Theodoret, who vnderſtandeth it of our Sauiours eternall gouernement: The Prophet ſheweth (ſaith Theodoret) the end of things preſent, and the kingdome of heauen without end. And whereas you wil hauehave his kingdome in this world to be meant, he refuteth that conceit by this reaſon: If they ſtand vponupon it, that our Sauiours former comming is ſignified by theſe words, let them ſhew (ſaith that ancient Father) that the Romane Empire periſhed, as ſoone as our Sauiour appeared. And afterward: At his ſecond comming he ſhall ſtrike the image vponupon his feete of Iron and clay, &c. and hauing destroyed all kingdomes, and made them as it were to be forgotten, he ſhall beſtow his kingdome vponupon them that are worthie of it. The kingdome of Chriſt (ſaith gLyra ibi.Lyra) is eſpecially in heauen, where the citizens are immortall. Hitherto belongeth that in hApud Iren. in arg. lib. 5. c. 26Irenaeus, in the argument of a chapter, that Iohn and Daniel foretold the diſſolution & deſolation of the Romane Empire, which ſhould go before the end of the world, and our Sauiour Chriſts euerlaſting kingdome. So doth Barradius expound iNum. 24. 17.that prophecie of Balaam, concerning our Sauiours deſtroying of Moab and Sheth: Chriſt (ſaith kSebaſt. Barra. in cōcor. Euan. lib. 9. cap 9.he) ſhall ſmite the captains of Moab, and deſtroy all the ſonnes of Sheth at the laſt day of iudgement. I doubt not, but in any reaſonable mans iudgement, the authoritie of theſe writers is of weight enough to cruſh your bare affirmation to powder, that, for ought you hauehave ſaid, we may interprete theſe places of our Sauiours kingdome in heauen. But that I may anſwer the place to the full, I grant that the prophecie belongeth to the kingdome of Chriſt, euen in reſpect of this world alſo; as it is plaine by the time the Prophet ſpeaketh of, namely the deſtroying of the kingdomes of Syria and Aegypt, the remaines of Alexanders conqueſt. And ſo Theodoret is anſwered, who grounded his expoſition concerning Chriſts ſecond coming, vpō a miſtaking of Daniels image, as if that belonged to the Empire of Rome, which was propheſied of the Syrian and Egyptian kingdomes. I ſay then, firſt, that this kingdome of Chriſt is not any outward ſtate of the true Church, which ſhould continue without all maner of interruption. For who knoweth not, that diuers hereſies hauehave for a time mightily preuailed againſt the Church outwardly, ſo that they ſeemed to hauehave gotten the vpper hand? Who hath not heard, that lHieron. dialo. contra. Luciſer.the whole Chriſtian world ſometimes wondred at it ſelfe, that it was become an Arian? Was it not almoſt foure hundred yeares, before the Church came to be of ſo great account in the world? Is it not prophecied in the mApoc. 12. 6Reuelation, that ſhe ſhould be forced to flie into the wildernes for the ſpace of 1260. daies? How then ſhould the outward kingdom of Chriſt be ſaid to continue (ſimply) without interruption? Some ſubiects of the kingdome might liue ſcattered here and there, but out of queſtion the kingdome was not in thoſe times to be found, if we meaſure it by any outward ſtate. I ſay therefore ſecondly, that by the kingdome of Chriſt in Daniel and Luke, the ſpirituall gouernment of our Sauiour is ſignified, whereby he ruleth in the hearts of his choſen; ſo that no force of Satan or his inſtruments can diſpoſſeſſe him of this kingdome, but that it ſhall alwaies continue in diſpight of the gates of hell. This appeareth in that place of nLuk. 2. 32. 33Luke more manifeſtly. For what is the throne of Dauid, what is the houſe of Iacob, but the elect of God among the Iewes and Gentiles? All are not Iſrael (ſaith the oRom. 9. 6. 7.Apoſtle) that are of Iſrael: neither are they all children, becauſe they are the ſeed of Abraham: but in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called. The kingdome of Chriſt is ouer pGal. 6. 16.the Iſrael of God, and they are that houſe of Iacob, of which the Angell ſpeaketh to the virgin Mary, concerning our Sauiours kingdome, which ſhall hauehave no end.
A. D. §, 5.
Laſtly, I might confirme the ſame with the teſtimonie of the ancient Fathers, Origen, Saint Chryſoſtome, S. Bernard, and eſpecially of S. Auſtin, who diſputing againſt the Donatists, ſaith thus, as rehearſing In Pſal. 101.one of their ſpeeches: Sed illa Eccleſia, quae fuit omnium gentium, iam non eſt, perijt: That Church, which was of all nations, Conc. 2.is not now, it is periſhed. VntoUnto which their ſpeech, he anſwereth; O impudentem vocem! Accounting it great impudencie to ſay, the Church is periſhed. And in the ſame place he bringeth in the Church, as ſpeaking perſonally thus: Quam diu ero in hoc ſeculo? Ibidem.annuncia mihi propter illos qui dicunt: Fuit, & iam non eſt: apoſtatauit, & perijt Eccleſia ab omnibus gentibus. Et annunciauit, nec vacua fuit vox iſta. Quis annunciauit mihi niſi ipſa via? quando annunciauit? Ecce ego vobiſcum ſum omnibus diebus vſque ad conſummationem ſeculi. How long ſhall I be in this world? tell me in regard of them who ſay, the Church indeed was, but it is not now: it is become apoſtata, and is periſhed out of all nations. And he told me, neither was this word in vaine: who told me but the way it ſelfe? (to wit Chriſt, who ſaith, I am the way:) when did he tell? Behold I am with you vntill the end of the world.
A. W.
Here is a flouriſh of names to little purpoſe, eſpecially ſince theſe authors you mentiō, agree with vsus about the true Church, that conſiſteth only of the elect, & not (as you teach) of all ſorts good and bad, elect and reprobate, ſo they make an outward profeſſion of beleeuing: But Auſtin condemneth the Donatiſts of impudencie, for ſaying that the Church was in their time periſhed out of the world, ſaue that it remained in a part of Africa amongſt them that held with Donatus. So would he crie out againſt you Papiſts, if he liued at this day, and heard you complaine, that there is no Church in the world, but only in Rome, & in thoſe countries, which depēd vponupon the Church of Rome. OnelyOnly Donatus his part (as qAuguſt. ad Pſal. 101. concio. 2.Auſtin calleth it) was the Church with them: and onelyonly the Popes part is the Church with you. You are not indeed as yet come ſo farre, as they were, becauſe ſome other countries, beſides Italy, are content to be ruled by your Pope: but when it ſhal pleaſe God to leaue that ſtrumpet, the Church of Rome deſtitute of friends (as her wound is vnrecouerable, and ſhe draweth euerie day nearer and nearer to her end;) rAuguſt. contra part. Donatthen will you take vp the verie ſame complaint, that the Donatiſts vſed, and there ſhall be no Church at all but in Rome, or where the Pope ſhall lurke, in ſome other corner of the world. We denie not that the Church, ſMat. 28. 20.to whom our Sauiour maketh that promiſe, ſhall continue till the end of the world, and we deteſt Donatus hereſie, in affirming, that it was then to be found onelyonly in Africa. But (as I ſaid before) what maketh this for the continuance of ſuch a Church, as you imagine? This rather belongeth to the viſibilitie and famouſneſſe of the Church, whereof in the next chapter.