The True Catholic and Catholic Church Described, Part 8 – Part 9
V. My next address is to the Papists, for answer to their great Question, [Where was your Church before Luther? Give us a Catalogue of the persons of all Ages that were of your Church?]
Answ. Of OƲR CHƲRCH? Why Sirs? Do you think we have a Catholick Church by our selves? Is there any more Universal Churches then One? Do you not know, where the Catholick Church was before Luther, and in all ages? Why there was our Church, for we have no other, we know but one. Do you not know where there were any Christians before Luther, or in all ages? Or would you have us give you a Catalogue of Christians? Whereever there were true Christians, there was our Church: Would you have the world believe that there were no Christians but the Subjects of the Pope? Can you believe it your selves? Doth not your Canus confess, as before cited, that most of the Churches and Bishops of the whole world were against the Priviledges of the Church of Rome, and had the Arms of Emperors on their sides? Doth not your Reinerius long ago say (or whoever was the Authour of that conclusion. Contr. Waldens. Catal. in Biblioth. Patr. T. 4. pag. 773.) [The Churches of the Armenians, Ethiopians and Indians, and the rest which the Apostles converted, are not under the Church of Rome.] What fuller confessions can we desire? Nay do we not know how small a part of the world did believe your Ʋniversal Sovereignty till almost a thousand years after Christ? and none at all for many hundred years after him, that any credible History tels us of? And yet do you ask us, Where was our Church?
But you must have us tell you, Where was a Church that had all our opinions? To which I answer, 1. When you have shewed us a Catholick Church that held all your opinions, we shall quickly tell you of one that held ours. 2. It is not all our opinions that are essential to a Christian, and the Catholick Church. It is Christianity that makes us Christians and members of the Church: It is not every inferiour truth. That which makes us Christians and Catholicks, all true Christians in the world have as well as we: and therefore we are of the same Catholick Church. Aethiopians, Syrians, Armenians, Egyptians, Georgians, Jacobites, the many Nations of Greeks, Muscovites, and Russians; and all other that are against the Romane Sovereignty, are of the same Religion and Catholick Church as we: And so are all among your selves too, that are Christians indeed. The points which we agree in make us all Christians, and Church-members: but the points in which we differ from the Papists, do make us so much sounder and safer Christians than these, that I would not be one of them for all the world. A sound man is but a man; and so is a man that hath the plague: But yet there is some difference, though not in their manhood.
If therefore you will at any time try whether your Doctrins or ours be the sounder, we are heartily willing to appeal to Antiquity! Spit in his face, and spare not, that will not stand to this motion: That the eldest way of Religion shall carry it: and they that are of latest beginning shall be judged to be in the wrong. I abhorre that Religion that is less then sixteen hundred years of age; and therefore I cannot be a Papist. I confess in the streams of after-ages, there have been divisions in the Integrals of Christianity, or the points that tend to the soundnesse of the Churches. And in this, I say, Let the eldest be held the best. But for the Essentials of Christianity, and the Church there never was division among true Christians: for they could not be Christians that wanted any Essential part. And therefore that One Church which contained all the Christians in the world, was our Church before Luther; and the Catalogues of the Professours are our Church rolls: But we count by thousands, and by Countreys, and not by names.
But perhaps you'l say, You cannot be of the same Church with the Greeks, or us, or the other parties, that you name: for we and they do all renounce you. I answer, As if it were in your power, who shall be no member of Christ and his Church, by your renouncing him! Your renouncing may prove you no Christians your selves perhaps, by proving you (in some cases) uncharitable: but it can do nothing to unchurch or unchristen others. If I should say my self, [I am no member of the Church] that doth not make me none, as long as I am a Christian: much lesse can your saying so. Saith Paul, 1 Cor. 12. 15, 16. [If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body: Is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, because I am not the eye, I am not of the body, Is it therefore not of the body?] The words of a mans mouth make not another to be what he is not, or cease to be what he is. Every one is not a bastard, or a whore, that another in railing passion calleth so. If Christ do but consent we will be members of his body, whether the Pope will or not.
And now, Beloved Hearers, you have been acquainted from the word of God, of the Nature and Unity of the Catholick Church, I beseech you resolve to retain this Doctrine, and make use of it for your selves and others. If any man ask you, What Church you are of? Tell him, that you are of that particular Church where you dwell: but for the Catholick Church you know but One, and that you are of. Thrust not your selves into a corner of the Church, and there stand quarrelling against the rest: Make not Sectaries of your selves, by appropriating Christ, and the Church, and salvation to your party: Abhor the very thoughts and name of any Ʋniversal Church of Christ, which is of narrower extent than Christianity, and containeth fewer than all true Christians, and is pretended to be confined to a Sect. It is not the Papists that are the Catholick Church, nor it is not the Greeks, no nor the Protestants, much less the new Prelates alone; but it is all Christians through the world, of whom the Protestants are the soundest part, but not the whole. Again, consider what a lamentable case it is, that so great a part of the Church do seem to be at a loss about the Church, as if they knew not where it is? That they runne up and down the house of God, complaining that they cannot find the house, and know not which room it is that is the house. But in the house of God are many rooms and mansions: One for Greeks, and one for Aethiopians, one for Armeneans, and Georgians, and Syrians; one for many that are called Papists; one for Lutherans, and Arminians; one for Anabaptists, and one for many that are truly guilty of Schism and Separation from particular Churches: There's room for Episcopal, Presbyterians, Independents and Erastians: There's room for Augustinians (called Jansenists) and room for Calvinists: But yet no room for any but Christians and Catholicks. Alas that after so many warnings in plainest words of Scripture, and the History of so many ages, so many Christians should yet be so carnal, as to be saying, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollo, and I of Cephas, that is, Peter: Yea that after Cephas is here named as a party, the Papists should be so wilfully blind, as still to make him the Head of a party! that one is for Rome, and another for Constantinople, and another for Alexandria? When that Augustine hath so long ago decided this point against the Donatists, and told them which is the Catholick Church, even that which begun at Hierusalem, and is extended over the world, where ever there be Christians. Alas, that still men are so stupid in their divisions, as to be crying out, Here is Christ, and there is Christ: Here is the Church, and there is the Church: We are the Church, and you are none of it. When the Body of Christ and its Unity, is so frequently and plainly described in the Scripture. I know that none are members of the Church, that deny any Essential point of Christianity: but I know that many other mistaken parties are. Consider what an uncharitable dangerous thing it is, to give Christs Spouse a bill of divorce, or cast his children out of his Family. And in the name of God take heed whilest you live, 1. That you never confine the Church to a Sect or party. 2. Nor ever cast out the least true Christians, seeing Christ will never cast them out.