Examination of those Plausible Appearances in the Romish Church, Chapter 19
CHAP: XIX. That notwithstanding the reuolt of the Romish Church, the true Church hath continued whole and entire.
IN the Apostacy a2. Thes. 2.3.which was to be in th… Christian Church, and which at this day wee see to be, the same is come to passe. If the Iewes in vaine cryed the b.Ierem. 7.4.Temple, the Temple, in vaine cry they now adaies, the Church, the Church. If there were nothing but the Temple, an empty name, a stately den of theeues. If it were sometimes answered them which boasted of it c.Ierem. ib.Trust not vponupon lying words, The temple of the Lord &c. May not wee now make the same answer vponupon the like occasion. They brag'd, that the law should not perish from the Priest, nor the councell from the wise, nor the word from the Prophet, because these promises were made to the Church.
At this day the Romanists say the same, make the same vauntes, but that which was sometimes answered those vaineglorious hypocrites,d.Ezech 7.10. the law shall perish from Priest, & counsell from the sage, is that which we tell our aduersaries, it is that which wee desire to be admitted to verifie, that wee may not be oppressed with these preiudices, wherewith the Iewes anciently endeauored to confute the Prophets and the Lord, the Prince of Prophets himselfe, the supreame Prophet of his Church.
At the time when the Lord came into the world: when God was manifested in the flesh, and many yeares before that time, what was the state, and outward face of the Iewish Church? What was the high Priest? What were the successors of Moses which pretended antiquity, succession and the title of guides, and Pastors of Israel? Surely enemies of God vnderunder the honest title of being his seruants: seducers of the People, vnderunder the demure shew of being their teachers: Corrupters of the law, wearing the ornaments, and sitting in the chaire of interpreters; commending themselves to the people, and by them commended vnderunder this magnificent title. Such was the Iewish Church to looke vponupon outwardly, as well in those which sate & ruled in their Synagogues, in their great & little councells which they called the Sanhedrin; as in the route & multitude which followed approued, & adhered to those disorders. So miserable was the face of the Iewish Church at that time, which yet had not alwaies beene so. But neuerthelesse, in this so thicke and blacke darknesse God caused his light to shine, reserued his wheat amongst this chaffe, in that infected multitude he preserued a small number from that …pirituall pestilence: small indeed, but so vseth to be the number of things of worth, excellenci…s are rarities. There is much stone, few diamonds: the…e are many dullards, few sages. It is the little flock to whom it hath pleased the father to giuegive the Kingdome.
So then the Church which hath succeeded, which hath occupied the …oome of the true Church, may become an harlot by being erroneous and apostaticall, and yet the true Church erreth not, is not abandoned of her Lord and husband. The reply also, which here is made vntounto vsus, is impertinent, not tolerable, That the estate of the Church, was of another nature vnderunder the old Testament, before the first comming of our Sauiour, while the e.Gal: 41.23heire was a child, and the Church enioyed not a full liberty; while shee f.Heb. 11.13.39.saluted the promises of the actuall exhibition of the Messiah, & of the abundance of Grace in him, a farre off, without obtaining them as yet. All this is true, but would they hence infer that the heauenly father hath disinherited his childrē, vnderunder the old Testament, which he doth no longer vnderunder the new? That he hath prostituted his spouse, but now keepeth her in his Cabinet? No, our heauēly father hath neuer been without Children, our bridegroome without the Church his bride. It is true indeede that he maintained her more sparingly, vnderunder the old, then vnderunder the new Testament, …s the scripture teacheth, and wee beleeue. But wee denie that he forsooke her any more then, then now, for, he which gZach 2.8.toucheth you saith he, toucheth the apple of mine eye. The Church then which reuolted vnderunder the o…d Testament, the Church which followed that reuolt was not the Church, but in name and in respect of the reuenues and dignities into which it succeeded, masked howsoever with the outward profession of the true religion. This was the Church which forsooke God, this was the Church whom God forsooke.
If then any Church in these times after the like manner become apostaticall, ought she to hauehave any more priuile…ge vnderunder the n…w, then vnderunder the old Testament? God detesteth hypocrisie equally in a…l ages, yea the greater it is, the more abhominable it is vntounto him. If then it be doubled in these latter times, the indignation of God is proportionably incensed against it. The grace offered, excuseth not, but agrauateth the neglect of it, so that there is no difference in th…t which concerneth the perseuerance and revolt of the Church, vnderunder the law, or vnderunder grace.
This is our b…leife and our doctrine in this point. Not that we would affi…me, that the true Church erreth or falleth away finally in that which is fundamentall; although in some of her bGal 1. & 3.1.members, sometimes she goe away for a time. But we affirme, that they who by most voices beare away the title of the Church, either hauehave erred, or may erre, eu…n fundamentally and finally. So when we say that the Iewish Church hath erred, wee vnderstand not the true Iewish Church, but that which was so in appearance, which tooke vp its roome, and bare the outward cognisance of it, which had the externall calling, & succession. After the same manner when we teach, that the Christian Church may erre, that it hath erred, we vnderstand not the number of the faithful, the number of their successo…s in the faith, wee are cofident that they cannot erre fundamentally, generally all together, and finally. Wee say indeede, that the Church which erreth, is that Church, which triumphing with the title of Christs spouse, is indeede no better then a strumpet.