Examination of those Plausible Appearances in the Romish Church, Chapter 23
CHAP: XXIII. That it is not ingenuous dealing, to vrge vsus to answer where our Church was, and what Pastors it had before the Reformation.
NOw the authors of these wrangling, cavilling proceedings, might cease their captious quirkes, and take time to blush a while. But as the contentious spirit of Sophistrie is infinite in the invention of new trickes to perplexe a cause, they giuegive vsus here another knot to vntie. God they say hath alwaies had a church on earth, this wee confesse: and that church hath from time to time had her Pastors, here we agree with them too. But then, say they, Where was your Church before Luther? What Pastours, what Doctours had it? See here againe, how from the ignorance of man, they conclude the not being of the thing. Presuming that we cannot satisfie these demandes, and assuring themselues that we knowe not where our Church hath beene, and by whom it was guided, they take it for a matter already out of question, that therefore our Church was not at all. In which inference there is discovered a notable peece of wrangling; for it being presupposed (which yet is false, as it will appeare by and by) that we knewe not where our church was, and who hauehave beene our Pastours, since the alteration, and defection hapned in the church of Rome, might it in conscience hence bee concluded, that it was not therefore at all? Would this consequence be admitted, Thou knowest not such a thing, therefore it is not, or hath not beene. Yet this is the manner of their argumentation against vsus. You knowe not, say they, where your Church was, nor who were her Pastours, therefore she was not at all. VponUpon this it is, that they triumph and insult over vsus, as if wee answering that we knowe not where our Church was, nor what Teachers it had, we should implicitly yeeld in the same answer, that she was not all, or if she were, that shee was destitute of Pastours.
The like argument once deceaved the Prophet Elias when he knewe not where the church of the tenne Tribes was, nor who were its Guides. a1 King. 19.10. Rom. 11.4.They hauehave forsaken thy covenant (saith he) they hauehave broken downe thy altars, they hauehave slaine thy Prophets, and I am left alone, and they goe about to take away my life also. Hee thought himselfe to be alone, because his fellows were vnknowne vntounto him. But the Lord made him see the imperfection of his vntoward Logicke, advertising him that he had reserved seauen thousand to himselfe, which had not bowed the knee to Baal. If then the Church of Israel might subsist so secretly, that Elias knewe neither her abode, nor her Pastours, who will thinke it strange, that the same case should happen in the time of our Grandfathers: that then when the earth was overclovded with darknesse, God had a Church, albeit we are not able to specify the place of her residence, or names of her Pastours. It may not here be replied, that at that time beside the hidden company, God had a flourishing Church in Iudah; in as much as it hath often fallen out, that the Church of Iudah equalled, yea exceeded bThis hath beene shewed already. c. 18.the church of Israel in corruption. So that then to behold the face of the church, as it was obvious to humane view, it could not be said, but all lay in desolation. But albeit that lamentable defection had not beene vniversall in …srael and Iudah, yet the argument drawne from the estate of the Israelitish church would still retaine its force, seeing that if such a part of the Church might exist vndiscernable, why may not the other parts also, and all other particular Churches subsist vnknowne?
It's a necessary consequence, that that which hindreth the whole Church from lying hid, ought also to hinder any of her parts: and the same power which preserueth and sustaineth the parts of the Church, viz: particular Churches, amongst the most tumultuous confusions and disorders, shall conserue likewise the whole Church. If we are to thinke, that the Church is alwaies visible, and may be pointed at with the finger, because the Lord prescribing the meanes to compose differences,cMath. 18:17. hath said, Tell it to the Church, seeing they are particular Churches to whom recourse in this case is to be had: this reason will proue as strongly, that particular Churches should alwaies be visible. If it hinder not but these may be invisible, as it is agreed vponupon, neither will it hinder, that the Church totally in her vniversality may sometimes be invisible. If the Church be alwaiesd.Esa. 2.2. set vpō the tops of mountaines, if in consequence, she be alwaies visible, the particular Churches shall be so too, seeing she cannot be taken notice of, but in them and by them, and if she bee not alwaies glorious and conspicuous in her parts, no more shall shee be in the whole. If lastly, it be thought that the Church ought alwaies to be visible, alwaies exposed to the eyes of men, because her Pastours are e.Math. 5.15.1….the lights of the world, compared to candles which are not put vnderunder bushells, but vponupon Candlestickes, seeing this appertaineth to the Ministers of particular Churches, the Churches in which these Ministers are, by this argument shall continue alwaies visible to the eyes of carnall men, which is manifestly false. But certain…ly. God hath not promised, that his Church should bee alwaies elevated vponupon mountaines; he promised indeede, that she should be placed there, and so no man doubteth but that this promise from time to time hath had its accomplishment. But he neuer promised that she should be placed there alwaies, no more hath it fallen out so. On the contrary, God hath promised, thatfApoc. 12.14. there should be wings giuen to his Church, that shee might fly vntounto her place, before the pers…cuting Dragon. And whereas, the Lord hath commanded vsus, to empty our grieuances which wee hauehave against her brethren in to the bosome of the Church, when priuate reconciliation is impossible: this commandement is of the nature of those which alwaies hauehave this condition vnderstood, when the thing is possible. The Lord had regard to the time wherein he liued, and hath prescribed a law which ought to be obserued, but alwaies the possibility of obseruance supposed, and an estate of the Church semblable to that in his time, when the Church discipline was not as as yet corrupted in this point. This Commandement then presupposeth not, that the Church should alwaies be obvious to the eyes of men, but that in the case propounded recourse should be had vntounto her, when shee was so.
As for the Pastours of the Church, they are called the light of the world, not alwaies in relation to the effect, but to the duety; as they are called also in this respect the gMat. 5.13.salt of the earth, beecause they were ordained for this purpose, and are bound to this duty. But then when they are in effect the light, it is a spirituall light, not discernable but to the eyes of the soule, & mindes of those which are spirituall, of those which are in the house, as our Saviour expresseth it. So that none of these considerations can yeeld a sufficient argument, for the perpetuall outward visibility of the Church, neither in the whole, nor in her parts.