Canterburys Doom, Branch 1 · Evidence 2 · Section 19 – Section 20
19. Paſſages purged out, That the Church is not alwnyes viſible.
IN Maſter Words Comentary upon Matthew, page 173. in the printed copy, this clauſe is blotted out:
A City that is ſet on a hill cannot be hid.
The Papiſts affirme, the Church of Chriſt to be alwayes viſible, and would confirme it from this verſe thus: That which Chriſt ordained to be the light of the world is alwayes Obj.viſible; but Chriſt ordained the church to be the light of the world in this verſe: Therefore the Church is alwayes viſible.
Firſt, the major propoſition is falſe, that every light is alwayes viſible, and therefore although we ſhould grant the Church to be the light of the world, which it is, yet it Anſw. 1.would not follow from thence that it is alwayes viſible, for theſe two cauſes (viz.) firſt becauſe the Sunne and Moon were ordained to be great lights (Gen. 1. 16. & Pſ. 136. 8.) for the governing of day and night, and yet we ſee them often darkned, and ſuffer ſtrong eclipſes; ſo the Church, though it be ordained to enlighten the world, by miniſtring the doctrine of the Scriptures, yet ſometimes it may faile out of mens ſights, as hath been ſhewed elſewhere, viz. upon Matth. 5. 14. Secondly, though the Church be a light, yet ſuch as walk in darkneſſe, loving that better then the light, doe not alwayes ſee it, but went either will or eyes thereto: thus the King of Aram's ſouldiers neither ſaw the Horſes nor Chariots of fire that were round about Eliſha, nor knew that they were in the midſt of Samaria untill their eyes were opened.
Secondly, the minor propoſition is falſe alſo; for although the light of the Church be granted, yet it is not true, that Chriſt our Saviour ordained it is to be alwayes the light of the world, according to this verſe, yee are the light of the world, for theſe words were ſpoken by Chriſt to his Diſciples, and his purpoſe therein was not to teach what the ſtate of the Church ſhould alwayes be, but to provoke them to conſtancy and holineſſe, becauſe they ſhould be in every mans eyes, and therefore if they chanced to doe otherwiſe then well, it could be concealed no more then the light of the Sunne; now this is nothing to the Churches viſibility: If the Reader deſire to ſee this argument more fully anſwered and enlarged, let him read our cleer and lilly White, in his Way to the true Church, fol. 90 91. 92.
Ibid page 140. this is deleted, Matth. 13. 47. The Kingdome of Heaven is like unto a Net, &c.
The Papiſts hold, that the true Catholike Church is alwayes viſible and Becanus undertakes to prove it from the Parable thus; Chriſt here compares his Church to a net Obj.caſt into the ſea which gathers of all ſorts of fiſh ſome, now this cannot be underſtood but of the viſible Church, becauſe the Proteſtants, who hold two Churches, the one inviſible the other viſible, doe thus diſtinguſh them; that in the inviſible are onelyonly thoſe who are predeſtinated unto ſalvation, but in the other, namely, the viſible, are good and bad mixed together; but in the Church which our Saviour ſpeaks hereof, are good and bad commixed; and therefore he ſpeaks of the viſible Church, yea and alſo of the true Church; and therefore the true Church is viſible.
Firſt, it is falſe that the Proteſtants hold two diſtinct true Churches.
Secondly, Becanus fights with his owne ſhadow, concluding nothing againſt us; Anſw. 1.neither is this the Queſtion betwixt us and them, Whether the true Church of Chriſt be viſible? but whether the Catholike church be viſible or not? for we diſtinguiſh that ratione praedecati, but this ratione ſubjecti; for this true Church is partly viſible, partly inviſible and the Catholike church is viſible Quantum ad materiale, but inviſible Quantum ad formale, that is, Quatenus eſt Catholica.
Thirdly, that Church in which are good and bad mixed together, is not the Catholike church, but a particular, becauſe the Catholike church is an aſſembly of men, called by an internall vocation, that is, a ſociety or company which conſiſts onelyonly of thoſe, who are both elected and called.
Ibidem page 275. this ſentence is purged out, Matth. 16, 18, 19. Upon this rock, &c.
The Papiſts produce theſe words, ſuper hanc Petram, upon this rock, &c. to prove, Obj.that the true church of Chriſt is alwayes conſpicuous and viſible; arguing thus; whether by this rock upon which Chriſt promiſes to build his church, we underſtand Chriſt or Peter, or Peter's confeſſion; yet alwayes the foundation is ſome ſenſible thing, and therefore the church is ſenſible; becauſe although now we neither ſee Peter nor Chriſt, his Lord, yet then (when Chriſt ſpake this) both of them were obvious to ſight, and now they are ſeene in their Vicar the Pope, Bellarmine de Eccleſ. Milit. lib. 3. ca. 11.
Firſt the Cardinall changeth his tearmes, for it is one thing to be ſenſible, another Anſw. 1.to be viſible: many things being ſenſible which are not viſible, as ſounds, the wind and the like.
Secondly, the foundation of the church is Chriſt, and not Peter, and therefore he begs the Queſtion.
Thirdly, we deny the antecedent, and his probation proves it not, becauſe Chriſt as he was the foundation of the Church, was not viſible; he not being her foundation, as he was man, but as he was God and man; yea he is a Mediator for thoſe who beleeve on him, and not thoſe who ſee him.
Fourthly, the Jeſuit playes the Sophiſter, committing a fallacy Ab hemonyma Eccleſia, the word church being ambiguous, ſignifying either a viſible ſociety (and ſo it ſignifieth not in this place) or elſe the univerſall and myſticall body of Chriſt, and ſo it is taken by our Saviour here.
Ibidem in the written copy, page 87. this ſentence is deleted: Touching the viſibility of the Church, I lay downe theſe propoſitions. Firſt, the inward church of Chriſt is not to be called viſible, becauſe although their perſons be viſible, yet ſo is not their conjunction with Chriſt their head, that being the internall work of faith, which is not to be ſeen: Secondly, the compleat and moſt univerſall church (from Abel unto the worlds end) may reſpectively be called viſible, namely ſecundum partes, becauſe although the whole never had being in uno i…stanti, in one and the ſame moment of time, and therefore could never be ſeene, uno i…etu, by any one aſpect or ſight, yet the parts of it (the church …tent in every age) have been ſeen in their ſeverall times. And in theſe two the Papiſts I hope will not diſcent: Thirdly, there ſhall be alwayes a true church, &c. not externall and corporall: That the inviſible church of Chriſt is beautifull, appeares by Saint Paul, who cals it pure, without ſpot or wrinkle, Epheſ. 5. 27. and by the pſalmiſt, The Kings daughter is all glorious: and that this beauty is ſpirituall and internall, appeares by the ſame infallible authority, who cals her black and faire, cant. 1. 4. that is, outwardly deformed, but amiable within; and againe moſt plainly, ſhee is glorious, but within, pſal. 45. 13.
20. Paſſages deleted, That wicked men are no true members of the true Church and mysticall Body of Chriſt.
IN Maſter Wards Comentary upon …, printed copy, fol. 20. this diſcourſe was purged out.
Fifthly, they object this place to prove that wicked men are true members of the Obj.church of Chriſt; arguing that; the church is compared to a b…rn-floore, where there is both chaffe and corne, therefore wicked men are members of Chriſt's church.
I have upon Matth. 3. 11. anſwered to the place objected, and alſo to the Anſw.ſcope and drift of the objection, by diſtinguiſhing between the internall and inviſible, externall, and viſible church; I now adde a word or two thereunto by a threefold diſtinction (viz.) firſt, we diſtinguiſh between the catholike church, and a particular church: In the catholike church are onelyonly good men, but in a particular nationall church are both good and bad: Secondly, we di…inguiſh between the ſyſteme or whole body of the externall and viſible church, and ſome few particular members thereof, becauſe that doth not alwayes agree to the whole church, which is uſually aſcribed to ſome particular externall members thereof, i. e. the profeſſors of the common faith of the church: Thirdly, we diſtinguiſh between the judgement of charity, and faith; for charity (which is not ſuſpetious, but beleeves all things, and hopes all things) 1 cor. 13. 45. doth often judge many hypocrties and externall profeſſors to be the true members of Chriſt, and the ſheep of his …ock; but faith informed by the Word of God, knowe moſt certainly, that no hypocrite or unbeleever, or wicked perſon (ſo long as they con-continue and remaine ſuch) doth belong unto the Eſſence or myſticall body of Chriſt.
And in the written copy, fol. 317. on Matth. 22. 1. this clauſe was deleated by the Licencer.
Bellarmine (lib. 3. de Eccleſ. cap. 7.) objects this place to prove, that wicked men belong unto the Catholike church, becauſe the church here is compared to a marriage Obj.feaſt, wherein not all the gueſts are elected, or inveſted with the marriage robe of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, but ſome of them clothed in their rotten ragges, and polluted garments.
This and the like ſimilitudes which are urged by Bellarmine in the place above quoted, doe not ſhew the nature and eſſence… eſſentiall properties of the catholike church Anſw.(which the adverſary preſuppoſeth) but onelyonly ſome certaine externall accidents thereof; and therefore they are referred to the externall company of all thoſe, who by the preaching of the Goſpell are in ſome ſort called unto Chriſt, and in ſome manner profeſſe the faith of Chriſt; now nothing hinders, but that in ſuch a company there may be reprobates, who belong not at all unto the eſſence of the true and internall church of Chriſt; and this and the other Parables which Bellarmine produceth makes nothing againſt us, for he ſhould have poored, that there are as well reprobates as elect veſſels in the catholike church and for the proofe thereof alleageth thoſe places which ſpeak not of the catholike and inviſible church, but of a particular and viſible church, wherein we confeſſe there are both good and bad, yea for the moſt part, more bad then good, but theſe bad ones belong not unto the catholike church, Alsteed. de natura Eccleſ. cap. 6. fol. 130.