The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity, Book 1 · Chapter 26
CHAP. 26. Of the true Mark to diſcern the true Church.
THe Word of God, without which we ſhould not know that it is Gods will that there be a Church in the world, teacheth us alſo to know her, and to difference her from other ſocieties which err from the right way. That ſame word which giveth Laws to the Church, giveth alſo the evidence to know her.
Our Lord Jeſus, John 8. hereby knoweth them that are his, if they keep his word. If you abide in my word, you ſhall be my Diſciples indeed: And John 10.4, & 7. The ſheep hear the voice of the Shepherd, for they know his voice, but a ſtranger they will not follow. Hereby then the true Church is known, which is the flock of Jeſus Chriſt, and the aſſembly of his Diſciples, if ſhe conform herſelf unto the word of Jeſus Chriſt, and follows the voice of the Son of God. Thus the true mark of the true Church ſhall be conformity unto the Word of God, and purity in the faith and true doctrine: Under which we comprehend alſo the good and lawfull adminiſtration of the Sacraments, and the legitimate order of the Miniſtry; for theſe things are preſcribed in the Word of God. That purity in doctrine, and conformity to the Word of God is requiſite, at the leaſt in the foundation, and in things neceſſary to ſalvation. Upon which foundation, if any builds hay and ſtubble, that is, light and ſuperfluous doctrines, yet not impious, nor ſubverting the fundamental truth, the Apoſtle excludeth not ſuch a one from the hope of ſalvation, 1 Cor. 3.15.
To this purpoſe ſerve the words of Moſes, Deut. 4.6. You ſhall keep theſe Commandments and do them, for this is your wiſdom and your underſtanding in the ſight of the nations which ſhall hear all theſe ſtatutes, and ſay, This great nation is a wiſe and underſtanding People. There God declares that the wiſdom of the Church is known by her doctrine.
The word Symbole is a proof in this queſtion, for it ſignifieth a mark and livery. Then the Articles of our Creed are called the Symbole of the Chriſtian Church, becauſe it is the mark of the true Church; and becauſe by the profeſſion of that doctrine, and thoſe doctrines that depend upon it, the Church is known.
Wherein reaſon is evident. For to diſcern a pure Church from an impure, there is no other way but to look whether it agreeth with the rule of purity: It being impoſſible to diſcern that Church which is pure in the faith, but by the rule of the faith, which is the Word of God. The right rule is the only mark to diſcern whether a thing be right; and the true Church is not diſcerned but by the knowledge of the truth.
And ſince the true Church is oppoſed to hereticks and ſchiſmaticks, it is certain, that as heretical Churches have no other marks to be known by, but the falſe doctrine, likewiſe the true Church is known only by the true doctrine.
That is the true Church, which is joyned together by the profeſſion of the true faith and Communion of the Sacraments. This definition of the Church is received by the Adverſaries. Whence it followeth, that the true Church is diſcerned by that profeſſion of the true faith; For the definitions of things are purpoſely made to know and diſcern them, and muſt be more eaſie to know then the thing defined.
Now becauſe the marks to know a thing, muſt be more known then that thing; upon that a diſpute is moved between us and our Adverſaries, which of the two is the eaſier to diſcern, the true Church, or the true doctrine. They affirm that the Church is more known, and more eaſie to know then the true faith and doctrine. We on the contrary maintain, that the true faith and doctrine is more eaſie to be known then the true Church, yea that it is impoſſible to have any certain knowledge of the true Church, but by the true faith and doctrine.
One only demonſtrative reaſon decides that difference. It is a rule without exception, that definitions muſt be more known then the thing defined. As if I ſaid, duplicate page duplicate page that expoſitions muſt be clearer then the things expounded, and that the candle muſt be lighter then the book that is read by it. If then true faith and doctrine enters into the definition of the Church, and makes part of the definition, it follows of neceſſity, that true doctrine ought to be more known then the Church. Now this is the definition of the Church, according to Cardinal Bellarmine. (a)Lib. 3. de Eccleſia militante. c. 2. §. Noſtra.The true Church is a ſociety of men joyned together by the profeſſion of the ſame Chriſtian faith, &c. We muſt then know that Chriſtian faith, before we know the true Church, ſince that faith is part of the definition of the Church. Mr. du Perron defineth the true Church in this manner, Book 1. chap. 8. The Church is the ſociety of thoſe whom God hath called to ſalvation by the profeſſion of the true faith, &c. And Salmeron, XIII. Tome, in the firſt diſpute upon St. Pauls Epiſtles, defines the Church coetum vocatorum à Deo per fidem, the aſſembly of thoſe whom God hath called by faith, pag. 172. Since then the Church is defined by the profeſſion of the true faith, the true faith muſt be known before we can know the true Church.
If the people ought to know the true Church before they know the true doctrine, it would follow, that they know the Chriſtian Church before they know Jeſus Chriſt; which is a propoſition that contradicts it ſelf; for one cannot know the Church of Chriſt, unleſs he know Chriſt, nor joyn with the Church of Chriſt, but after he hath known Chriſt; Now knowing Chriſt is knowing his nature and office, in which things the whole doctrine of the Goſpel conſiſteth.
And whereas God draweth men to the Church by the preaching of the Goſpel, as may be ſeen, Acts 2.47. where by Peters preaching many perſons are added unto the Church, that they may be ſaved, it is clear that thoſe perſons had heard and comprehended the Word of God, before they would joyn with the Church, and that the Word of God was known to them before the Church was, ſince the knowledge of the Word is the means that God had uſed to bring them to the Church; for the means alwaies go before the end.
Our Adverſaries themſelves preſuppoſe, that the Word of God ought to be more known then the Church, every time that they alledge any text of Scripture to defend the authority of their Church; For the proofs muſt be more known and more clear then the thing proved;Salmer. in Epiſt. Paul. Disput. 4. §. Inter. Hoc ſignum verbo Dei ac ratione fulciendum. elſe one ſhould prove a clear thing by a dark. Thus we ſee, that our Adverſaries handling this queſtion of the marks of the Church, labour to prove her marks by Scripture, preſuppoſing that Scripture is more known then thoſe marks.
Wherefore the Apoſtle Paul, Epheſ. 2.10. groundeth the Church upon the Prophets and Apoſtles, that is, upon their doctrine. Now in matter of knowledge the grounds go before and are better known then the conſequences that are built upon them.
For theſe cauſes the Apoſtles never exhorted any perſons to aggregate themſelves with the Church, before they had inſtructed them in the faith in Jeſus Chriſt. They preacht the doctrine of ſalvation, which whoſoever believed, thereby made himſelf one of the Church, without any other ſearch of the Church and her marks.
If any meeting with the true Church, joyned himſelf with her without knowledge of the true faith and doctrine, that is, not knowing Jeſus Chriſt and his grace, ſuch a man ſhould be a Chriſtian in name only and by chance, owing his religion to his birth, or to cuſtom and the courſe of civil affairs, and would be of another religion, if publick buſineſs, or his private intereſt ſteered his courſe another way.
And whereas there are many diſſenting Churches, and in all thoſe Churches one holy Scripture received; it muſt be Scripture that makes us know the true Church, and be the Judge to decide that difference. But the Church is not the Judge of holy Scripture, but only the witneſs and the keeper of the ſame, as we proved before.