Examination of those Plausible Appearances in the Romish Church, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. A consideration of the outward glory of the Romish Church, and of the meane estate of the true Church.
NOw albeit these considerations might make the world doubt, whether we were the true Church or no, yet they should not hauehave made them to condemne vsus. The Lord Iesus was surnamed the Nazarene, this very surname made Nathanael to doubt, whether he were the Messias or no. Can any good come out of Nazareth? (said he to Philip) but as soone as Philip answered him, come and see, he went and saw him. What shall wee loose by it, if we take a stricter view of these appearances, that we may see whether there bee no cosenage in them? The most rigorous exam…nation will not make them false, contrarily their truth the more its tried, it will become the more illustrious. But if they are but cheating shewes, what honest heart will not bee content that the imposture should be detected?
To this purpose wee are now busied. And for as much as the matter we hauehave in hand is large, that our discourse may not roue, wee will severally examine these pretences in the same order wee propounded th…m.
Of all these appearances, the Magnificence of the Romane Church, is the first with which she presents her selfe to the view of people being remarkable by three principall circumstances. 1 Her outward glory. 2 Her ceremonies. 3 Her policy.
But what will become of this maine point if al these circumstances ought to make vsus the more suspect her: and if the Church which in this respect is opposite vntounto her for the want of these shewes deserueth to be better esteemed of by vsus?
Surely 1 The nature of the Church. 2 Her condition. 3 The dangerous inconveniences which these circumstances draw along with th…m, forbid vsus to admit them for characters, and badges of the true Church: for the glory and lustre of the Church is not outward, bodily, visible: but inward, spirituall, invisible. All her beauty is within, bPs. 45. v. 54.shee is like vntounto the Tents of cCant. 1.5.Kedar, as soone couered with dust, and well nigh burned with the heat of the Sunne: as soone be…t…n & shaken with stormes, and tempests: but in the meane time, inwardly all glittering in glory and magnificence. Like in this unto her dEphes. 1.21. & 4.15. &. 5.23 Colos. 1.18.head the Lord Iesus, as being eRom 8.29.predestinated to bee made conformable vntounto his image: who, during the time of his conversation here belowe, had nothing without fEsay. 5… 3.him that could make him amiable; being gPhil. 2.7.contemptible in his owne person, in iAct. 4.13.his Disciples, kIoh. 7.49.and followers, in the iudgement of him who saw but his outside. Who would hauehave compared him in this respect to Tiberius, or Pilate, or Caiphas the high Priest? lLuc 2.7.Borne in a Cratch, not in a Palace: mMath 2.5.in a blinde village, not at Ierusalem, not at Rome: nMat. 1. Luc 3of the Royall stocke indeed, but then when the glory of it was quite eclipsed; oLuc. 2.1.2.3.amongst the Israelites, but at a time when they were slaues to the Romans: pMat. 1.18.23.of a Virgin, but so poore, that shee was betrothed to a qMat 13 55. Marc. 6.3.Carpenter: at his bi…th indeed adored by a company of rLuc. 2.8. &c.shepheards, but by a sMat. 2.few wisemē: persecuted by tMat. ….12.13.Herod, living in such a u14.…5. Ioh. 1.31.33.retired obscurity, vntill the time of his Baptisme, that Iohn himselfe knew him not. *Mat. 4 1.Then was hee led by the spirit into the Wildernesse, tempted by Satan, by him carried vp to a pinnacle of the Temple; and after all this having begun his preaching xLuc. 9.58.continually, and vnmercifully persecuted even to death: but by whom? Surely by the Princes of the world, the Magistrates, the very same which pretended the title of the Church, the authority, succession, and chaire of Moses: oppressed alwaies with these prejudices, HaueHave any of the governours, and Phar…ses beleeued in him? Behold to what the pomp and state of Iesus Christ is brought, to ignominie, and pouerty. But in the meane time consider him inwardly, zColos. 2 3.in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome, and knowledge: aColos. 2.9.in him dwelleth all the fullnesse of the Godhead bodily: bAct. 3.15. & 5.31.he is the Prince of life: cApoc. 19 16.the Lord of glory: dMath. 3.17.the Sonne of God: eThes. 1.14.18 & 3.18his onelyonly sonne: fPhil. 2.6.7.who being in the forme of God, but made himselfe of no reputation.
Should i… then be seemely for the Church, gEphes. 2.1….the workmanship of his hands, hEsa. 64.8.the clay which his fingers hauehave fashioned, i1 Pet. 1.19.the slaue which hee hath ransomed by his blood, kEphes. 5.17the spouse which he hath sanctified by his spirit, to we…re any other livery then his owne, to be handled more daintily, and after a more delicate manner then himselfe? Is it possible that the body should not be made conformable to its head, that the glory of the head being invisible, that of the body should be visible: that the magnificence of the head being heavenly, & spirituall, that of the Church, the mysticall body of that head, should be earthly and secular? Yea her condition is to lRom. 8.17. 2. Tim. 2.11.suffer with him, that she may raigne with him. Moreouer, statelines, & gaietie in apparell doth not commend, but prejudice chastitie, which either is of meane condition, or else as modest in her deportments as if she were.
This pomp which invites and feasts as it were, the eyes of the body, is but carnall; and seeing it doth so much humour the flesh, it should rather be taken for a marke of pride, then of vertue. m.Luc. 16.19.The rich glutton is clothed with purple and fine linnen: he fares deliciously: contrarily Lazarus is sick, vlcerous, exposed to the iniuries of the weather, and scorne of men, beholding to dogges only for reliefe. Yet Lazarus is an Embleme of the Church; the glutton of the world.
Moreover, hath not the Lord advertised mMat. 10.16.his own, that he sent them abroad as sheep amongst Wolues, oLuc, 21.17.that they should bee hated of all men for his names sake. That as the pIoh. 15.17.1…world had hated him, so it would hate them.qIoh. 6.6. That they should be cast out of the Synagogues: questionlesse out of those Synagogues which had the succession, and pleaded antiquity. That they should be rLuc. 12.12.haled before the Magistrates, sIoh. 16.2.that they which put them to death, should thinke they did God good service, in a word, that tMa. 10, 24.25the Disciple being not aboue his Master, they should expect the same welcome and entertainement in the world which he had formerly received. u1. Cor. 1.26.You see, saith the Apostle, your calling, not many wise according to the flesh, not many noble, but God hath chosen the weake things of this world, and things which are not, to confound things that are, that no flesh might glorie before him. *Mat. 11.25.Agree…bly to the thanksgiuing of our Sauiour, I thanke thee O father, Lord of heauen and earth, for that thou hast hid th…se things frō the wise, and prud…nt and hast reuealed them vntounto babes, & to his exhortation xLuc. 12.3….Feare not little flocke, for it is your fathers will to giuegive you the kingdome.
And indeed if that outward pomp were a note of the true Church, and its contrary of the false: the true Church for the space of three hundred yeares, and more, during the time of her persecu…ions, should hauehave beene the false. After that, when Arrianisme had so ove…-runne the world, that it yHier. cont. Lu…if…r.groaned, and wonto see it selfe become an Arrian. When the Emper…ur zTh…odor…t. Eccles. Hist. lib. 3. c. 16.Constantius tauntingly demaunded of Liberius Bishop of Rome, How great a part of the world he thought himselfe to be, that hee alone sh…uld take the part of one wicked fellow, (such a o…e w…s Athanasius in his esteeme) that hee should so disturbe the peace …f the whole world. When Liberius was faine to con…e…se indeed that he was alone, but replied withall, that his being alone could not weaken the cause of the true faith. When he alleaged an example from former times, that once there were but three which resisted Nebuchadnezars decree, commanding them to worship an Idoll. aAthanas. in … ad eos qui …eg vit. solit…r.When the same Liberius was ca…ried downe by the impetuous streame, & subscribed to Arrianisme. bGreg Naz. in orat. cont. A…ian.When Nazianzen was angry that the Church was measured by the mu…titude: and when he said, speaking of the Arrians, they hauehave the people, and we the faith; they hauehave the gold and silver, and we the doctrine; What? was the true Religion all this while the bravest, and most illustrious? Was it amongst them which bare the greatest sway in those times? Was it removed from obscurer places of abode, to reside in more famous and imperiall citties?
Let vsus remember the advertisement which cJn lib. cont. Arri. & AuxentS. Hilary gaue indeed to those of his owne time, but which extend…th its vse also to ours. Of one thing I advise you, take heed of Antichrist. It is not well that you are so taken with the louelove of walls, that you reverence the Church of God in consecrated houses and goodly edifices, that vnderunder these you settle the name of peace [and presume on it] Is it a matter to be questioned (a remarkable speech) that Antichrist must sit in them? The mountaines, woods, lakes, prisons, caues, dungeons, seeme safer to me, for the Prophets either abiding in them, or being driven, and cast into them, hauehave prophesied by the spirit of God ▪
This outward glory then, is incompatible with the nature of the true Church, and cannot possibly bee taken for one of her markes: on the contrary, the want of it being more naturall to the Church, it doth more distinctly set her forth to the notice of intelligent beholders.