Institutes of the Christian Religion Abridged by Edmond Bunnie, Book · Book 4 · Chapter 1
Cap. 1. Of the true Church with which wee ought to keepe vnitie, becauſe it is the mother of the faithfull.
FIrſt, hée briefly expoundeth the article, and alſo ſheweth by what maner names the Churche is commended to vsus, from the firſt, to the ſixth. Moreouer, by what meanes it may bee knowne, from the 7. to the 9. Laſt of al how vngodly, it is to fall from it, from the 10. to the 29.
Ephe. 4.1…1 Nowe will hée ſpeake of ye Church becauſe the Lord hath deliuered with, it whatſoeuer might be neceſſary to ye holy conſent of faith, & right order, becauſe ſhe is the mother of the faithfull, and doth not only by her miniſtery nouriſh them, while they are infants, but alſo by her motherly care nouriſheth them, till they growe to riper age,Matth. 10.9 & at length come to the marke of faith: for it is not duplicate page
The IIII. Table of the IIII. Booke.
There are onelyonly three places which he treateth of chiefly in this booke, wherof
The firſt is of the Church, which containeth many things, al which notwithſtanding may fitly be deuided into foure parts. For
Firſt he diſputeth of the reaſon wherby the church may be known, becauſe we muſt keepe vnitie with it. Cap 1. & 2.
Secondly of the regimēt of the Church, where
Firſt he ſheweth what the order is of gouerning the Church, which is deliuered vsus out of the pure word of God. Cap. 3.
Secondly what forme of gouernment the Fathers vſed. Chap. 4.
Laſt of all what it is which at this day is vſed with the Pope, Cap. 15. by occaſion whereof
He treateth of ſupremacie ſpecially. Chap. 6.
And he ſheweth by what degrees he is aduaunced to that height. Chap. 7.
Thirdly of the power of the church: and
Firſt as touching the opinions of faith, which
Is ſet vppon either in eueryevery particular or vniuerſal councell. Cap. 8.
Or vniuerſal counſel. Cap. 9.
Moreouer in bearing lawes. Cap. 10.
Laſt of all in Eccleſiaſticall Iuriſdiction. Cap. 11.
Fourthly, he diſcendeth to the diſcipline of the church: and
Firſt he treateth thereof. Chap. 12.
Then alſo he handleth a certaine vice neere to the ſame, wherein many offended while ſhewing vowes, would as it were publiſh to them ſelues a certaine voluntatie kinde of diſcipline. Chap. 13.
The ſecond is of ſacraments, which hath three parts: For
Firſt he treateth generally of ſacraments.
Secondly of both ſeuerally: and
Firſt of Baptiſme, and of that
Firſt generally. Chap. 15.
Secondly of the baptiſme of Children. Cap. 16.
Secondly of the ſupper of the lord, &
Firſt of true louelove, and naturall inſtitution therof. cap. 17
Secondly of a contrarie Sacriledge, that is, of the popiſh Maſſe. Cap. 18.
Laſt of al of thoſe fiue which a little before are counted Sacraments. Cap. 19.
The third of politicall gouernment, whereof
Firſt in generall he treateth of
Secondly of eueryevery particular part of
The Magiſtrate. Chap. 20.
The Lawe. Chap. 20.
The … Chap. 20.
duplicate page lawful that thoſe thinges bée ſeuered which GOD hath conioyned,Gal. 8.29 that to whom he is a father, the Church is alſo mother.
2 In what ſenſe the articles of the Creede are of the Church to bée vnderſtoode: where namely alſo hée treateth of the prepoſition (in) and of the Epitheton, Catholike or vniuerſall, that all the elect of God are ſo knit together in Chriſte, that as they hang vppon one head,Ephe. 4.15.16 ſo they may growe together as it were in one body. Wherefore although ſorowful deſolation: crieth out, that there is nothing left of the church, yet let vsus know that Chriſts death is fruitefull,1. King. 19.18 Apo. 12.6 and that God doth meruellouſly in ſecrete corners purſue his Church.
3 In what ſenſe the communion of Saintes is added,Acts. 4.32 Ephe. 4.4. & with what props and ſtayes it is preſerued: firſt it ſtandeth by Gods election, and ſtandeth alſo togeather with his eternall prouidence: then is it ioyned with the ſtedfaſtneſſe of Chriſt, who will ſuffer no more his faithfull to bée plucked from him then his owne members to be rent, & torne in peeces:Ioel. 2.32 Pſalm. 46.6 beſides we are aſſured that trueth ſhall alway abide with vsus, ſo long as we are holden in the boſome of Chriſt: Laſt of all wee féele that the promiſes belong to vsus, ſo much can the partaking of the Church do, that it holdeth vsus in ye fellowſhip of God, neither is it néedefull to ſée the Church it ſelfe with our eyes, or féele that with our handes.
4 The Church is not vnworthily called our mother, for ſhee conceaueth vsus in her wombe; bringeth vsus foorth; féedeth vsus with her breſts; and kéepeth vsus vnderunder her cuſtodie,Matth. 22.30 Eſay. 37.31 vntill being vnclothed of mortall fleſh, wée bee like vntounto Angels, neither is there any ſaluation out of her boſome. As contrarily they are ſaid to write their names amōg the Citizens of Hieruſalem,Pſal. 106.4 yt turne them ſelues to the following of true godlineſſe, ſo that the departing from the Church is alwaies damnable.
Ephe. 4.115 He more at large expoundeth by what meanes ſhee is appointed vsus in ſtéede of a mother, becauſe the Lorde hath deliuered with her ſuch miniſtery which ſhoulde be greatly to our edification,Gal. 8.29 tyll by her education wée growe to mans age. Therefore this maner of education is not to bée diſpiſed which is profitable for vsus two wayes, and to this end the vſe of the Churches is very neceſſary, which is not only called his face (but alſo to take away al ſuperſtition) his footeſtoole.
6 The miniſterie notwithſtanding it is very forcible, is not yet ſeparated from GOD.
7 As touching the ſecond part of the treatiſe of the Church, firſt hée ſhewweth that the Scriptures ſpeake two wayes of it, that is to ſay, viſible and inuiſible: In the viſible Church are conteined many hypocrites, couetous perſons, ambitious perſons, &c. The inuiſible likewiſe, but the true Churche is ſuch, wherin none are receiued, but they that by grace of adoption are ye children of God, & by ſanctification of the ſpirite the true members of Chriſt, and comprehendeth generally al the elect frō the beginning of the worlde, to the worlds end, ſcattered through the face of the whole worlde.
8 Alſo yt it is Gods ſingular prerogatiue to know wt are truely his, yet hath he marked out by certaine notes to vsus (as much as he ſaw expedient for vsus) what they are that are counted for children, but the ſame not by certentie of faith, but by iudgement of charitie.
9 Laſt of all the miniſtery of ye word and ſacraments are notes of the church there is not a like reaſon of eueryevery man for although they profeſſe true godlineſſe, yet may they bée ſtrangers from the Church.
10 As touching the thirde, hee counteth him for a traiterous runaway and ſorſaker of religion, that eſtraungeth himſelf from ſuch chriſtian felowſhip: the Church is counted a piller & ſtrong ſtay of trueth, and the houſe of God his ſpouſe and fulnes: neither can there bée imagined any fault more haynous then with wicked breach of faith to defile ye marriage which the onelyonly begotten,1. Tim. 3.15 Ephe. 5.27 hath vouchſafed to contract with vsus.
11 We muſt be ſo much the more diligent to imprint theſe markes in our mindes, as the diuell laboureth to take away either theſe markes of ye Church, or elſe if he may not do it, by defection and falling away forcibly to take vsus from the Church.
12 There is not ſufficient cauſe why any man ſhould eſtrange himſelf from the Church, yea although the common profeſſion bee corrupted with certaine corruptiōs, for diuerſitie of opinions about matters not neceſſary ought to be no ground of diſagréement among chriſtians:Phil. 3.15 1. Cor. 14.30 in the meane time eueryevery mēber ought to amend yt which is amiſſe.
13 Or much more becauſe the life of ſome is ſtuffed with many vices,Matth. 13.4… for although the Church of Chriſt be holy, yet is it mingled with good & euill men: it is like a floore wherein the wheate is gathered togeather that lieth hidden vnderunder the chaffe, tyll being cleanſed with Fanne and Siue, it bée at length laide vp in garner: therefore in vaine ſéeke they a Church ſprinkled with no ſpot, ſith the Lord hath pronoūced that the Church, till the day of iudgement ſhalbe troubled with euill.
14 But ſéeing that is not equally receiued of al men,1. Cor. 1.11 firſt (which chiefly belongeth to the vices of manners) he proueth, ye ſame to bée ſufficiently declared by the example of the Corinthes, who notwithſtanding yt they are infected wt many vices, doe not onelyonly not ſtrike them with extréeme thunderbolts of diuiſion, or baniſhment frō the kingdome of Chriſt, but alſo reporteth it a church of Chriſt & a fellowſhip of ſaints, ſo hée founde a Church among the Galathiās which almoſt were vtter forſakers of the Goſpell.Galat. 1
15 Moreouer that which they obiect out of Paul,1. Cor. 5.2 that wicked mē muſt not be ſuffered in our company, he plainly ſheweth it, yt it doth belong nothing to the matter, bicauſe ye iudgement of ſuch ſeparation belongeth not to eueryevery man, but to the Church only.
16 Thirdly by Auguſtines authoritie, & moſt firm reaſons, he conuinceth ſuch waywardnes not to procéede of a true ſtudy of holines, but of a prowd & falſe opinion. Thereof Auguſtin giueth this counſell to godly & quiet men, that they mercifully correct that which they can, & that which they cannot, patiently to beare, & grone, & mourne wt louelove,Cont. Par. lib. 3. Cap. 1. vntill God either amend them, or at harueſt roote vp the tares, & fanne out ye chaffe.
17 Fourthly,Ephe. 5.25 becauſe they pretende that the church is called holy, & therfore may not be counted as a Church which floweth wt ſuch corruptions: this alſo he taketh away, ſhewing yt of holynes is no otherwiſe, thē ſuch as is alwaies very farre in this world frō their perfectiō, although one Prophet ſaith,Ioel. 3.17 That there ſhall be a holy Hieruſalē, through which Strangers ſhall not paſſe: & another ſaith: There ſhalbe a holy temple, Eſay. 35.8whervnto vncleane ſhal not enter: they are not ſo to be vnderſtood, as though there were no ſpot in the members of the Church: but for yt with their whole endeuour, they aſpire to holines & ſoūd purenes, & by the goodnes of God cleanneſſe is aſcribed to thē which they hauehave not yet fully obteined. And although al mankinde is defiled & corrupted by Adams ſin, yet out of this, as it were out of a polluted Maſſe God alwaies ſanctifieth ſome veſſelles vntounto honour, that there ſhoulde be no age without féeling of his mercy.Pſalm. 89.4
18. 19 Fiftly, he prooueth that ſuche corruptiōs were of great ſtrength in al ages in the Church: yet did neither the Prophets depart frō their old Church nor the Apoſtles, nor Chriſt himſelfe, frō that which was in their time. therfore ſaith Cyprian, Lib. 3. Epiſt. 5Though there bée ſéene tares or vncleane veſſelles in the Church, yet there is no cauſe why wee ſhould depart from ye Church: we muſt only labour that we may be wheat, we muſt vſe diligence & endeuour as much as we can, that we may be a golden or ſiluer veſſell, but to breake the earthen veſſels is the only worke of the Lorde to whom is geuen an iron rod.
20. 21 Laſt of all hée confirmeth this héereby, yt in the Créed remiſſiō of ſins is ſo aptly ioined yt it is mamifeſt it belōgeth to the Church, & the ſame is ſuch that not only remitteth ſins once when the Lord receaueth vsus into the church,Eſay. 33.14 Oze. 2.18 but alſo ſo oft as we offend.
22 Yea this may ſufficiently appeare by this one thing,Mat. 16.19. Iob. 20.23. that the keyes of the Church are principally giuē to this end, to beſtow daily vponupon vsus this goodnes.
23 But ſéeing the Nouatians & certaine Anabaptiſts againſt theſe things which in the laſt place he diſputed of cō cerning the blemiſhes of the church, do faine that ye people of God in baptiſme are regenerate into a pure and Angelicall life which can not afterward be corrupted with any filth of vices: but to them that are falne, after they hauehave receiued grace, there is no hope of pardon left.Mat. 5.11. Firſt he manifeſtly confuteth this errour by that fourme of prayer, which was inſtituted of the Lorde, whereby they confeſſe them ſelues detters.
24 Moreouer,Gen. 33.18. Deu. 30.3. by certaine examples taken out of the old Teſtament and by Moſes authoritie, whē the people were falne into an Apoſtaſie.
25 And by certayne teſtimonyes of the Prophets.Ier. 1.3. Eze. 18.23.
26 Afterward alſo by the newe Teſtament, and reaſon and teſtimonyes,1. Tim. 1.9. Mat. 10.38. and firſt by particular examples.
27 Moreouer he confirmeth & ſheweth by generall, a ſingular teſtimony out of the Pſalmes and the order of the Créede, whereby we are taught there remayneth continuall pardon of ſins.
28 Thirdly when to confirme their error, they crye out ſaying, they meane not eueryevery ſinne, but voluntarie only, he alſo ouercommeth this by thrée arguments: the firſt whereof is taken from the ſacrifices of the law, where the lord commaundeth one ſort of ſacrifice to be offered for clenſing of the wilfull ſinnes of the faithful, an other to redéeme their ignorance,Leuit. 4. Gen. 33.18. 2. Sam. 11.4. an other argument from the ſumme of the Goſpel, as of ye Corinthians: the third of examples as of Peter.
29 Laſt of all, leaſt they ſhould think that ſome of the fathers make for them, becauſe they woulde not that ſolemne repentance ſhoulde no more be iterated then Baptiſme, firſt this, their ſeueritie is enterpreted. Moreouer he ſetteth againſt and preferreth the moderation and facilitie graunted in his worde to the ſeueritie of the fathers.