A brief treatise declaring what and where the church is, that it is known, and whereby it is tried and known.  
Made by john Churchson.  Beati qui habitant in domo tua domine. Psal. lxxxiii. 
Blessed be they O Lord that dwell in thy house.  
Anno Dom. 1556.   

¶ To the reader.  
Marvel not gentle reader, that I have attempted to pen this brief treatise of the church, a matter of such importance as requireth a man of much more reading, knowledge, and judgement. For I have not made this enterprise of any presumption, but of good zeal, good mind and intent, trusting that my well meaned attempt, shall ministre occasion to some singular clerk of notable name, calling to his pitiful remembrance, the pitiless slaughter of no small number of souls, thorough contagious factions, and sects in this realm, to bear up (like as Atlas' heaven) in the stead of Me a pygmy, this weighty cause, to perform and perfit the imperfection of this my enterprise, and that this my offered farthing shall move some notable man, 
Mat. 12.  bountifully enriched with God's treasure, to bring out thereof both new and old, to the advancement of this matter, 
Mat. 13.  so necessary to the restitution, reparation, and maintenance of evangelical concord in Christian religion, as the son, fire, and water in earth, is not the like: not doubting but that the travail will be most thankfully taken. For no person (except a reprobate) is so affectionate to untruth, but that he willbe at the least, indifferent between truth and untruth, his own salvation, and damnation, especially if it be remembered that human praise, and painted flattery, moving to the defence of untruth, be but vanities, & shall not avail before our just judge, who will judge, not after the face, nor according to the flesh, but as is the truth. 
john. 8.  For as he deceiveth not, so is not he deceived by any colour, countenance, hypocrisy, or faced allegations of scriptures against scripture, 
jeroni. to 4. pagin. 374.  which consisteth not in the vocables, but in the sense, understanding, spiritual marrow, pith, and kernyll contained within them. If we would remember that the servants of God should not be contentious, but meek, tractable, mild to all persons, ready to be taught the truth, which is in the catholic church only, we would not seek in the word of peace, concord, and unity, for schism, division, and discord, against unity: but every of us would make the petition that the man of God king david, 
●sal. 26.  desirous to live in unity, made saying: One thing I have desired of our Lord: and that also I will require, which is, that I may dwell in the house of our lord, all the days of my life. This house of our Lord, the house of unity, is the mylytaunte church of Christ, against whom the light harnessed soldiers, and foreprickers of antichrist hath often skirmished to spoil it, (if it might be) of gods precious verities, that antichrist their general at his own personal coming with his hugle army, may have the less to do, the more open way, and the frankar en tree to invade our true messias himself, who is the only mark that his fore renners prickethe at, and he himself will shoate at. Wherefore god grant to every factious person repentance and turning of mind to truth, and to retire to the unity of christ, his catholic church, that he may be in the safe protection of the invincible heed & capitain thereof christ jesus. Whereunto Gods own servant our virtuous, and gracious sovereign Lady the Queen, casting her highness pitiful eyes upon our late most miserable state, hath by the godly assistance of our godly and Prudente sovereign Lord the king restored this her majesties Realm, considering right well such to be no less than infidels, 
Mat. 10.  and publicans, by Christ's doctrine, which do not humble themselves to the same, for that (sayeth Austen) that the soul is in the natural body of man: 
Aug. to. 10 serm, 186  that is the holy Ghost, in the mistycal body of christ: and that doth the holy Ghost in the whole Church, that the Church doth in all her members of one body, and as if a corporal member fortune to be cut of from man's Body, the soul and life followeth it not: but whereas the member lived being in the body, and divided, loseth life: semblably a christian man is catholic, whiles he liveth in the body of christ the catholic church: but being cut of, he is become an heretic, for the spirit of GOD, followeth not a divided member.  
If therefore you will live of the Holy Ghost, keep charity, love truth, desire unity, that you may attain to eternytye. Thus this fynyshing with saint Austin's words, I commend you to the hands of our GOD of peace, entirely even from the privy chamber of my heart desiring you to read this little book with indifferent eyes, and desire of christian concord, & so I wish you daily increase of godly virtue and knowledge with most hearty farewell in our saviour jesus christ.   

the Church  
FOr asmuch as of late time, many diverse schisms, sects, and heresies have sprung up in the church of our saviour jesus christ, where with the same only church hath been most contentiously disquieted, most cruelly invaded, and as it were most piteously rented, and defaced, to the extreme perdition, and destruction of innumerable souls, bought, not with corruptible gold and silver, but with the most precious blood of the immaculate lamb our saviour christ, especially in this realm of England. I thought it right necessary to declare unto you with no less brevity, than the matter will suffer whereunto you may, and should constantly cleave, for the sure upholding and continual maintenance of your true faith against the fraudulent thrusting fourth of schismatical and erroneous opinions. That ye shall understand to be the parmanent word of god & the catholic church, 
1. Tim 3  which is the house of god, the pillar & firm foundation of truth: as writeth the apostle Paul. The church I add unto the written word of GOD, because the said word for his profundite, & bountiful sense is not to be expounded by the private interpretation of this or that private brain, 
1. Pet, 1.  but by the universal interpretation of the universal church, inspired with the holy ghost, because it is most plain the church, to be the faithful keeper of the scriptures, 
1. Tim ● Rom. 3.  concredited and committed unto her custody, because also, that christ, 
Mat. 29 joh. 14.16.  who is truth, promised himself and his spirit of truth to be resyaunt, and resident in the catholic church, to teach it all the truth, not for a day, a month, a year or two, but perpetually and continually even to the worlds end, and therefore only meet, to whom the interpretation of god's word should be committed, and to whose only judgements and determinations in all controversies of religion, we should fastly stand: wherefore to th'end that you may the better know the said church, I will god willing attempt to open unto you according to the proportion of my gift, what the church is, where it is, that it is known, and how you may know it, that you may the more certainly keep yourselves sound in the found faith thereof. For our adversaries denying not but confessing to be a church, I will not spend time in proving it to be, but in declaring the aforesaid points according to my promise. For the performance whereof, first you must understand that the militant church of christ edified at the fullness of time, 
What the church is  warring and fighting against hell gates, 
Gal. 4. Mat. 16.  schism and heresy, and having soldiers valiant & faint, stable and instable, good and bad is a communion, society and fellowship called by god from Gentylitie and judaisme, to the profession of one faith, one Doctrine, 
1. Pet. ●  and one kind of Sacraments & from darkness to his marvelous light: and by the same visible Sacraments brought into the unity of one visible body, professing one form of Christian religion. It is a congregation called, as well appeareth by the greek word eccleliae deduced, of the greek verb, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to call out. And also by Paul.  
Vocati est sinunum corpu●, 
Collo. 3.  you are called into one body. Again. Fiaelis est deus: 
1. Cor. ●  perque● u●cati estis in ●acietatem filii eius Jesus Christi Domini nostri. God is true by whom you are called into t●e society of his son jesus christ our Lord, so that the church is a convocation, a congregation and society called by god out from the damnable bondage of Satan, unto the lively communion, and free company of our lively head jesus christ, from dark and blind ignorance, unto the marvelous light and knowledge of Christian verity. And the same called society and congregation, is knit together (as is said) into one body, not in one place, but in one form and profession of one faith, and one Doctrine, and that by one manner of sensible Sacraments, as is manifest by Saint Augusten. In nullum nomen religionis, seu verum: 
Aug. to. 6. con, fau li. 19 c 11.  seu falsum coagula●i homines possunt, nisi alique signaculorum vel sacramentorum nisibilium consortio colligentur.  
Men cannot be gathered into any name other false, other true of religion, except they be tied and joined together by the communion and participation, of visible signs, or sacraments out of the which communion and society, are heretics, schismatics, paynims, and excommunicates, heretics, and schismatics be not of that congregation, by cause they of their own mind went out and voluntarily forsook the said congregation, having it in contempt, and contemptuously persecuting it, nor paynims, be of that society, because they neither be, nor at anityme were in the church, nor do acknowledge it, no nor excommunicates, because they by the public sentence of the church, are separate, excluded and put out from the exterior society of the church, unto their repentance and amendment of life, but though other christians falling into deadly sin, be not joined to the good with the unity of the lively spirit, and band of charity, but do lose the grace of the internal communion, nevertheless they are united to the good with a certain exterior union of the visible sacraments (so long as they keep peace with the Doctrine and profession of faith) as was Peter the Apostle, 
Mat. 23.  notwithstanding his thrice denial of christ, as judas not withstanding his avarice, as such whose doctrine our saviour christ commanded to be observed, notwithstanding their evil doings, and as are ministers also persysting in their several vocations, although by some sin mortal they be internally divided. For as the dried hand of the man, mentioned in the Gospel was before the healing thereof, a member of his body, and as a member, whose bones veins and sinews be broken & hangeth outwardly by the skin continueth still a member and a part of the body, even so a christian divided inwardly by sin, but cleaving to the body of christ the church externally, by the outward union of the professian and visible form of one faith, and by the exterior participation of the visible sacraments, the exterior syghnes, 
1. Tim 3  and forms of petye is externally still a member of christ his mystical body the church, although not profitable and continueth in the external society of the same church. For the militant church containeth good and bad, penitent sinners, just and unjust, as is evident by the parable of the field bringing forth good feed & cockle & by the primative church, wherein was good penitentes, & false covetous judas, & yet of this church militant the apostles made mention in an article of our faith as followeth. Credo sanctam ecclesiam catholicam I believe the holy called universal church, congregation & multitude. Observe here by the way that this article namethe the church holy, not because it consisteth of only just righteous and perfect Christians, for therein be good and bad, just and injust, 
M●●. ●●.  constant and inconstant, as is aforesaid as plainly teacheth also the parable of the net, comprising good fishes and bad, and as plain is, by the great house, sygnifyeng the great universal church, 
2. Tim 2  which containeth vessels, to honour and dishonour, and by dyveres other like scriptures, but it is named holy, because all Christians which make one church and congregation, be called of our holy god by his holy word, unto holy life, be sanctified and made holy by one holy faith, and one holy baptism, and do persist in the communion of the same, for Paul writeth to the Corinthian, church a member of the universal church: 
1. Cor. 5.  notwithstanding that therein was the incestuous fornicator: contentious persons, and doubting in the resurrection of the bodies, as followeth, Paul the Apostle by the vocation of jesus christ, 
1. Cor 15  and by the will of God, 
1. Cor. 1.  Sostenes a christian brother, unto the church, of God, which is at Corinth, sanctified by christ jesus, and called to holiness and holy things. Wherefore we may not think strange, that the catholic church, whereof holy christ our sanctyfycation, 
Ephes. 5  is the undoubted head, conserver & preserver (as writeth Paul) is named the church of God, and holy, though evil Christians therein be commyxt with the good, for that notwithstanding they be all called by one name, as affirmeth, S. Austen In una domo omnes sub uno sunt nomine. 
Aug. to. 2. ●pis. 203.  Quam vis enim moribus diversi sunt, u●o tamen nomine censentur et professione.  
In one house, all be under one name, for albeit they be divers in manners, yet they be named by one name, and one profession. The same affirmeth Ambrose master to Austen. In uno domo, omnes sub uno sunt nomine, 
Ambrosi. 2. timo. 2  uno enim domini sui nomine censent ur omnes.  
In one house sayeth S. Ambrose, all be under one name, for all are called by their lords name. Which is not dissonant from the principle. Euerithing is to be named by the best and worthiest part. But our Lord, holiness itself, is the best part, and worthyeste member of the church, being head thereof. Therefore the church rightly is called holy, of holy Christ our Lord and head: yea, and of the holy ghost resident therein.  
Now that I have briefly opened by the way, the cause why the catholic church is called holy, ye must understand the said article, to teach us the holy church, to be a communion of saints, 
Vincent. Airen.  that is to say: of catholics, whereby we are taught the catholic church to be a community, society, or fellowship of catholics, because they persist in the communion of the catholic and universal holy faith, that was, and is observed in the catholic, and universal church, and in the communion also of the holy sacraments, whereby it is incorporate to our holy head jesus Christ, and cleansed in his holy blood, 
Ephes. 5.  hallowed with his holy spirit, hath and doth holy things, & teacheth holy and wholesome doctrine. Of this convocation, communion, and fellowship, speaketh the elect vessel of christ, Saint Paul. Multi unum corpus sumus in Christo, 
Rom. 12.  We being many, are one body in Christ. So that the whole many, and universal multitude, professing one holy faith and doctrine, and being partakers of the same holy Sacraments, are the mystical body of christ, which is the catholic church. Therefore S. Ambrose sayeth: Corpus Christi non unus aut duo christiani sed omnes. 
Ambros. in 1. cor 6  The body of christ is not one or two Christians, but all Christians. As in a natural body, one, two, or three, members make not the whole natural body, but all the members jointly in their places: so the mystical body of Christ which is the Church, is not constituted by one or two christians, but by all the Christians in their vocation (wheresoever they be) joined and linked together by the communion, and participation of the same Sacraments. The like doctrine also S. Paul taught the Ephesians, unum Corpus, 
Ephes. 4.  You are one body. Whereupon Erasmus did write as followeth. unum corpus estis omn●s, ab uno pendetis capite. You are all one body, and do depend of one head. Thus it is manifest, all Christians to be the body of Christ, & that the integrity of Christ, his mystical body, consisteth by no less, than all Christians, and that thereof is one head, Christ himself, of whom the said body, the catholic church dependeth. Albeit that in naming the church to be Christ's body, Christ is named the head thereof, for else it could not be his body: yet you may read many Scriptures, that he is by express words named the head thereof, whereof I will rehearse this one following. Et ipsum dedit caput supra omnem ecclesiam, 
Ephe. 1.  que est corpus ipsius. And GOD the fathermade him (meaning Christ) head over all the universal church, which is his body. Hereby you may evidently see, Christ to be head to all the church, & all the church to be his body, and by that word all, Paul teacheth the church to be a universal congregation. Likewise to the Corynthians, and to all christians professing Christ, as the corinths did, Paul did write: 
1. Cor 12  Vos autem estis corpus Christi. You be the body of christ. Whereupon Primasius saith Omnes corpus all be the body of christ for the universal and the whole body of christ was and is of all faithfulls, 
Prima●●us.  and not of Corinthe only. 
Chris. h● 23. in. 1. Cor. 12.  Therefore chrysostom saith. universum corpus, non illa Corrinthiorum est solum sed que ubilibet toto exta● terrarum orb.  
The universal body of christ is not the Corinthian church, only, but the church that is every where, through the whole world, for the church of Corinthe, was but a particular church, part, or member of that universal church. To be short Paul proveth the same by the similitude of a natural body, 
1. C●. 1●  saying. Sicut enim cor●us unum est et membrahabet multa omnia autem membra corporis cum sint multa, unum tamen corpus sunt. ita et christus. For as a a natural body is one, & hath many members, but though all the members of that one body be many, yet they are but on body, even so is christ, that is to say, even so is christ, his church as chrysostom, Iherome, Primasius, Theophilact with other old ancient writers, do expound it, as the body & head in man maketh one man, in likewise the whole congregation and flock of faithfulls, and christ the head of them, make on church. 
Chrisos. ibidem.  And for that cause chrysostom affirmeth, christ in the said scripture, to be put for the church, naming the church by the worthyeste and best part thereof. And S. Austen sayeth. 
Aug. to. 9 ho. 17. trac. 108  unus est christus caputet corpus. The head and the body is one christ. Wherefore the body, which is the church, may well be named by christ. As bread also is made of innumerable grains, so the mystical body of christ the church consisteth of innumerable faithful members, how soever they be locally distant, for unus panis et unum corpus multisumus. 
1. Cor. 10  We being many (sayeth the Apostle, Paul) are one bread and one body, that is to say, we being many (like as many grains make one bread) do make one body, by on baptism and one faith incorporate to one head our Lord jesus christ. By a fold also of sheep, is signified the catholic church: as is written in the tenth of john, 
Io. 10.  and by Ciryll upon the same so that the catholic church is called also by scripture. the foelde or flock, pasturing & feeding through the whole great field the world, 
Mat. 13.  wherein is the catholic church of the which jesus Christ is the head shepherd. Now that I have competently declared what the catholic church is, my promise bindeth me to enterprise the declaration where the same is.  

Where the church is  By this word catholic, which is to say universal, added unto the whole Church, most manifestly we be taught where christ his Church is, for it declareth the said church to strecth out her branches and members in to all and every part of the universal world, as well affyrmethe, famous Austen. 
Aug. to. 7. con. epi. pet. de unitate ecclesie. c. 2  Questio certe inter nos versatur, ubi sit ecclesia, utrum apud nos an apud illos, quae utique una est, quam maiores nostri catholicam nominarunt, ut ex ipso nomine ostenderent quia per totum est, secundum totum enim catholon grece dicitur.  
A question is among us, where the church is, whether it be among us, or among them (meaning the donatists) the which church truly is one, the which our forefathers named catholic, that they by the very name itself might declare that it is through all, for this word Catholon, is in greek, expressed in and by all the whole. This of Austen, teacheth the holy church to be called catholic of the forefathers to s. Austen, 
Aug. to. 2 epi 170  that by that very vocable, we might understand, the same not to be affyxed, or tied to any one Realm, nation or people, but to extend to all men of every country, excluding no man, that doth communycate in Christ's one faith and one baptism, which agreeth to the holy king and prophet, david postula a me et dabo tibi gentes hereditatem tuam, et possessionem tuam termi nos terre. Ask of me (sayeth the heavenly father to his only son our saviour jesus christ) and I will give to the nations to thine inheretaunce, and for thy possession the extreme borders of the world, consonant to David is this of Christ himself. 
Math. 8.  Multi ab oriente et occidente venient et recumbent cum Abraham, Isaac & jacob in regno celorum. Many shall come from the East, and from the West, which shall rest with Abraham, Isaac and jacob, in the kingdom of heaven, Euthimius 
Euthimius.  a greek author up on this text, sayeth. That by East and West is signified all places of the universal world so that of all the parts of the whole world there be, that do obey the Gospel taught by the Apostles & their successors, which hath, doth and shall witness with mouth or pen the catholic faith, unto the furthesse's people of the world, according to christ, 
Acts. 1.  his saying unto them, you shall witness me in jerusalem, in all jury, in all Samary, and so fourth to the uttermost parts of the Earth. By this Scriptures, it is most plain, the holy church to be catholic and universal and not particular, as in England, or any other particular realm or country, and therefore the Apostles taught it and named it catholic saying, I believe the holy catholic Church, which is the communion and fellowship of saints, 
Vincent. Lirinens.  that is to say of catholics, as expounded it Vincentius Lirinensis, above a leaven hundred years past, because the church extendeth to all parts, universally of the whole world. By Paul also it is evident, that the church is universal, saying.  

Rom. 10  Non est distinctio iudci, et grecae, There is no difference between the I we and the gentle. 
Act. 10.  And by Petre. Non est personarum acceptor deus, sed in omni gente qui timet deum et operatur justitiam acceptus est ●lli.  
God doth not partially accept men, nor is an affectionate estemer of persons, but he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him in all and every nation and place, so that no country, 
Prosp. ●t cap. 29  excludeth from God any person fearing him: for as joseph made barns throughout all egypt, to lay therein their wheat not movable with every wind, even so christ our Lord and governor, did consecrate his church thorough the whole world: therein to place his faithful, constant, and immovable in all storms of temptations, moved against the material point of christian religion Buy the barns, the church is signified, buy all egypt, 
Prosper.  all the world is represented saith prosperus, whereby it is enforced the holy church to be catholic and universal, that is to say, to stretch into every realm region and nation of this world. Wherewith that singular doctor. S. Austen maketh most manifestly. Ecclesia est corpus Christi capitis, 
Augu, in Psal. 57  non ista aut illa, sed toto orb diffusa. The church is the body of christ the head thereof, not this or that church, but the church which is defunded, and spread abroad all the world. It is to be marked that the church, which is the mystical body of christ, is not a particular Church, included in this or that corner, but a catholic congregation spreading abroad her beams, & branches, into all nations, for this purpose maketh fully also this notable saying of Saint Austen following.  
Credimus s●nct●m ecclesiam catholicam, 
Au. to. 10 sermo. de temp. 181  sciendum est quod eccles●am credere, non tamen in Ecclesiam credere debemus. Quia ecclesia non est deus, sed domus dei est, catholicam dicit toto orb diffusam, quia diversorum hereticorum ecclesiae ideo catholice non dicuntur, quia perloca, atque suas quasque provincias continentur, hec vero a solis or●u usque ad occasum, fidei splendore diffunditur  
We believe the holy catholic church, we should learn the church to be, but not believe in the church, for the church is not God, but the house of God, catholic he calleth it, because it is spread through all the world. For the conventicles of our adversaunt heretics, are not for that called catholic, because they are contained within certain particular places, and their own several provinces, but this church stretcheth from the rising of the son, to the going down of the Son, with the splendent and shining light of one faith. As buy the interpretation of this word catholic, s. Austen teacheth us where the church is, that is, the church to be in all places of the world, even from the east to the west, so he teacheth the unleafull assemblies of heretics to be but in anguler places, and several provinces. Wherefore they be not the catholic church of Christ, but the malignant church of Satan. The places also named by Peter in the Acts, as Pontus, Galatia, Capadotia, Asia, Bithynia, Phrigia, Pamphilia, Mesopotamia, Egypt, the parts of Lybye. etc. And Smurna, Pergamus, Sardis, Thiatris, Philadelphie, Laodicea, the Ephesians, to whom S. john did write the Apocalypse, The Romans, corinths, Galathians, Ephesians, Philippians, Collocensians, Thessalonians, hebrews, to whom Paul did wright. The dispersed tribes to whom james did write. The people dispersed as strangers at Pontus, Galathians, Capadoes, asia, Bythinie, unto whom Peter did write, do testify the church to be catholic, and universal, and universally to extend into all realms, regions, nations, provinces, and countries, through the whole universal world, and therefore to be, not in this or that country only, but to be in all the world, to the uttermost people of the four parts thereof. 
Psal. 18.  For the sound of the Apostles, and preachers, went into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world. Therefore I may well conclude with Austin's saying following. Sicut per verba dei novimus ubi sit plantatus para●isus, 
Aug, to 7 ●ont. lite, petil. li. 2  sic ●er verba Christi, ubi sit ecclesia, didicimus, per omnes, inquit gentes, incipiens ab jerusalem. As by the words of God, we have known where paradise was set, 
Luk. 24.  so by the words of Christ, we have learned where the Church is: it is (sayeth Christ) through all nations, beginning at jerusalem. So that to persons demanding where the church is, the said Austen answereth thus. 
Aug. inc● pissed. joh. tract, 1  invenimus ecclesiam, in omnibus gentibus.  
We do find the church in all peoples and nations. Again in the same place. Ecce habes ecclesiam, per totum mundum. Loo, thou hast the church thorough all the whole world. To this somwyl peradventure object, that all nations, jews, and gentiles believeth not in christ, nor worshippeth him, but are infideles, and so infer the church not to be every where. To the which objection, 
Euthi. in psa, 71  Euthimius and ancient greek doctor shall first make answer.  
Non dum tamen omnes adoraverunt, tametsi ex omni gente sit qui adoret et seruiet, Although of all and every nation and people there be, which doth pray unto God, worship and serve God, nevertheless all do not yet worship him. Thus this notable author affirmeth that although all do not worship God yet to be some of every nation, which do worship and serve him. With the same maketh Saint Augustine, saying. Dilectio ex universo genere humano quod defunditur toto orb terrarum, 
Augu, in Io. troth 67  facitet colligit populum nowm, corpus novae nup●ae filii dei unigeniti sponsae. Chrystyan love maketh and gathereth a new people the body of the new married spouse of the only begotten son of God, out of all mankind, which is spread through the whole world, so that the new people is not all mankind, but gathered out of all mankind. This confirmeth saint John in his revelation. 
Apo. 7.  Vidi turbam magnam quam dinumerare nemo poterat, ex omnibus gentibus & tribubus et populis et linguis, stantes ante thronum & in conspectu agni amieti stolis albis & palm in manibus eorum  
I did sea a great multitude which no man could number, of all gentiles, tribes, peoples, and tongues standing before the throne and before the lamb clothed with white robes, and Palms in their hands: here is to be noted, that the great multitude is the great cathotholyke church, which is not all nations, tribes, & peoples, but of all nations tribes, and peoples, so that of every nation some there be, which do profesie and worship God according to the mind of the aforesaid authorities, affirming the church to be universal through all the whole world And Paul received the apostleship, 
Rom. 1.  that by faith, christ his name might be obeyed in and among all nations, thereby signifying not all nations, but that in all nations & country's some would by faith obei his name.  

The church is visible.  Now that you know what and where the Church is, ye shall understand, that the same church is not insensible invisible and hidden, but sensible visible, manifest, and known, as plainly teacheth the good and godly prophet david saying. 
Psal. 1●  In sole posuit t●bernaculum suum. God hath set his tabernacle in the son, 
Au. to. 2. epis. 166  which tabernacle as wyrteth Saint Austen is the church set in the son, that is to say, manifestly known to all men unto the furthest borders of the world. Likewise in the canticles, the same Austen maketh this exposition. 
Augu. de cant. ca, 5  Insole posu t tabernaculum suum, hoc est, in manifesto, posuit ecclesiam suam. He hath set his Church in manifest sight. With this maketh christ himself who instituted the Church. 
Croma i● math. 5.  Non potest civit is abscondi supra montem posita.  
The city which is set upon the hill cannot be hidden this city saint Austen affirmeth to be the church, whose words be these, Facile est tibi videre civitatem super montem constitutam de qua dominus ait in evangelio, 
Aug. to. 2 epi 170 ad sever.  quod abscondi non possit ipsa est enim ecclesia catholica. It is easy for the to see the city set upon the hill of whom our Lord speaketh in the gospel, that it cannot be hidden, for it is the catholic church. Hanc ignorare nulli licet, 
Augusti. Ibidem.  ideo secundum verbum domini nostri jesu Christi abscondi non potest. It is not lawful for any man to be ignorant of this catholic Church, therefore according to the word of our Lord jesus Christ, it cannot be hidden, if it were hidden, and unknown, it were lawful to every man, not to know it, and to be ignorant thereof. Albeit that this be sufficient to satisfy any persuasible person, yet you shall read other most plain sayings, 
Aug. to. 7. de unitate eccles. c. 14  of the same Austen. Non est ista ecclesia operta, quia non est sub modio, sed super candelabrum ut luceat omnibus qui in domo sunt.  
This church is not hidden nor secret for it is not under a bushel or strike, but upon the candylstycke, that it may give light to all being in the house. Whereby it is manifest, that as a candele kindled is set upon the candlestick, 
Math. 5.  to be visible and to give light to all being in the house. So the church the house of christ, is open and manifest to all, being in the same, you have therefore (saith Austen) the church to be spread every where, 
Aug, ibi.  and to increase until the harvest, (which is the worlds end.) You have the city of the which he that made it said. The city cannot be hidden, that is set upon a hill. Ipsa est ergo quae non in aliqua part terrarum, 
Augusti. Ibidem.  sed ubique notissima est. That is therefore the Church itself, which is most evidently knoens, not in any particular part only of the world, but every where and in every place. Therefore christ commanded his faithfulls to complain unto the church upon such that after due admonyshyon, persysteth irreformable, saying. Dic ecclesie, si autem ecclesiam non audiet rit, 
Mat. 18  sit tibi sicut ethnicus & publicanus. Tell the church, but if he will not hear the Church, take him for an ethnycke, and a publican, if the church were not visible and known, it had been a vain commandment commanding to complain to it. To take therefore vanity from the commandment of christ and to grant truth and effect to be therein, we must needs confess his catholic church to be visible, & that it may be as it wear fingers pointed as appeareth, buy. S. Austen in this following. Nunquid sic osten demus ecclesiam fratres mei, 
Augu, in Io. tract 1  quomodo ostenditur hominibus nova luna? nun aperta est? nun manifesta? nun obtinet omnes gentes? Shall not we (my brethren) show the church, as the new moan is showed to men? is not the church evident? is it not manifest? raineth it not in all nations? To the which manifest church, he gave manifest and visible ministers, as Apostles Prophets, 
Ephe. 4.  evangelists pastors and doctors, which are were and shallbe to the worlds end visible and not invisible, 
Math. 5  for to them Christ said. Vos estis lux mundi You are the light of the world, which could not be true, if they were not seen and perceived. If the church be not sensible, but insensible, than the sacraments, the ministry & ecclesiastical offices, the Ecclesiastical ministers, the vocations to Ecclesiastical offices: Yea the word of GOD written and preached should be insensible, which should be against saint Paul, saying. 
Rom. 10  Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of christ. saying therefore by these aucthoryties, I have although briefly: yet suffisientli proved the catholic church which is every where, to be manifestly known, I will likewise god helping, prove the same not to err in the material points of our religion: although some corrupt membres be thereof. 
The catholic church doth nor err.   
For albeit in this universal church, which is visible, be many bad, so well as good, injust as just, foolish virgins, 
Mat. 25  as wise, evil sedes, as good sedes and in the net bad fishes, as good, 
Mat. 13  yet we may not think the same catholic visible Church, to err in the necessary points of Chrystyanitye: no more than did the apostles in there belief, preachings, & doctrine, because traitorous judas was of their fellowship, we may no more bring the doctrine, ordinances and interpretations set fourth to us by the universal Church in doubt, by cause there be some bad therein, than we may call in doubt the Apostles doctrine because evil judas was of that congregation. If it be an untruth to affirm that all the hole company of Angels in heaven, did err, because some of them did err and fell from heaven. Who will affirm to be a truth, the whole multitude of christ his Church, which the scripture calleth the kingdom of heaven, 
Mat. 13  to err: because some evil Christians therein do err. The arch of Noah, 
Gene. 7.  an expressed figure of the Church: having therein beasts clean & unclean having therein 〈◊〉 Cham the wicked child of Noah, with the rest that were good, erred not from the tuition and protection of God, nor were drowned, in the devouring whaves of the raging flood, but was continually in the sure certain and safe custody of almighty God, & so preserved & kept in most certain safety, to the full end of the said flood, shall we then say or think, the catholic church, of christ, the very veretye represented by that ark, to err and wander from christ, 
Ephe. 15.  and christ his regiment, the head thereof: seeing that he is Seruator corporis sui. The saviour and preserver of his body which is the Church, as teacheth the Apostle Paul. Seeing Christ who is verity, hath been, is, and willbe continually with his church to the world's end. 
joh. 14. and. 16.  Seeing (I say) that the holy Ghost, the firm comforter hath been, is, and willbe without surcease during this world resident in the same, to teach it all the truth, and therein to comfort confirm and establish it. At Antioch were certain jews, which taught the Christians, that except they were circumcised after the manner of Moses, they could not be saved, after great disputation had thereupon with Paul, 
Act. 15.  and Barnabas, the jews would not be satisfied (as sects commonly be not) in so much that Paul and Barnabas, with others were sent to the Apostles and seniors at Iherusalem, for the decision of this question, among the which, certain that had been of the pharisaycal sect, and then christened, affirmed that christians ought to be circumcised and that the church should command the law mosaical to be kept, and yet Peter and james, with other the congregation there decreed to the contrary, that the christians should not be circumcised, and were bold to say and write. Visum est spiritui sancto & nobis. etc. It pleaseth the Holy ghost and us, to burden you with no more, but with these necessaries. etc. Although in this council and congregation were some that erred, as they which had been Phariseis, yet we cannot without impiety say, that the whole holy assembly did err. Which truly did say: it pleaseth the holy ghost and us. Wherefore to affirm the whole catholic church of Christ to err in matters of our faith, and necessarily appurtenaunt to christian manners, because some evil be amongst them, is a wicked slander to the mystical body of christ, and an ungodly blasphemy to Christ himself, the head thereof, yea, and to the holy ghost continually resident therein, to whose inspirations revelations, instructions, and regiment, the catholic church alway is obediently subject, or else the holy ghost would not continually abide in it, according to Christ'S promise, 
Ps. 14●.  which promise cannot be untrue, for he is faithful in all his words. So that although that evil be mixed with the good in the church, yet we must not think it to err in the weighty matters, 
1. Tim ●  but to stand to it, as to the pillar of truth, and not to forsake it, as advertiseth us saint Cyrpian. 
Ci● epi 3 lib. 3.  Et si videntur in ecclesia esse zizannia, non tamen impediri debet aut fides aut charitas nostra, ne quoniam zizannia in ecclesia esse cernimus, ipsi de ecclesia recedamus.  
Although corrupt seeds do appear, and be seen in the church, Yet our faith or charity should not be let, molested, nor troubled, so that because we see corrupt and naughty seeds growing in the Church, therefore we should relinquyshe and forsake the church, but to suffer the evil by charity, being studious and careful to keep the unity of the spirit, by the band of peace, as willeth S. Paul and rather to be strong in tolerating the bad, 
Ephe. 4.  then to be ungodly in forsaking the good But forsake not they the church for corrupt seeds, which for naughty chrystians' sake do deny, refuse and reject the Decisions, determinations & ordinances of the church, & her understandings of scriptures, and in slandering the church to err in points of our faith and of christian religion, because corrupted christians be among the incorrupt. Let us remember that no man having the right use of his wits, will refuse corn, because chaff or cockle is mixed with the corn, no more can he be esteemed a right Christian, that reiectethe the universal church of christ for the bads sake therein. Forasmuch as they which do forsake the good wholesome and true Doctrine of any preacher, for his evil lives sake cannot be accounted obedient to this commandment of christ.  
Omnia quecunque dicunt, seruate et facite, que autem faciunt, nolite facere:  
Observe keep and do you all things, 
Mat. 23  whatsoever they do speak and teach agreeable to truth, but do you not those things, which they work dissonant from the same, then truly he that refuseth the fellowship of the just for the injust sake may not be reckoned an humble child to god our father, nor to the universal church our mother. As the great house wherein be vessels not only of gold, 
1. Tim 2  and silver, to honour, but of woad and earth, also to dishonour, is not to be forsaken and refused for the vessels sake of dysshonor therein. No more is the catholic Church, which is the great house nor her determynations, to be contemned, for the evils sake therein permixted with the good, for in the church the good and the bad, be together as chaff is with the corn sayeth Austen.  
Mali et boni sunt in ecclesia sed apud hereticos soli mali sunt. 
Aug to 9 in Io tr. 6  etc. nos fatemur in ecclesia catholicorum, et bonos et malos esse, sed tanquam grana et paleas.  
Good and evil be in the church but among heretics be only evil &c. We grant in the Church of catholics to be good and bad, but as corn & chaff. Here is to be noted that by Austen among the heretics be none good, but in the church of catholics, to be not only evil, but also good, yea and that like as corn & chaff, be together. For as good corn suffereth no detriment ne damage by mixture of the chaff, but is rather conserved & preserved good therewith, likewise the good people receiveth no corruption, contagion, nor infection in the substance of their religion, by the society of the evil.  
But rather buy continual company, famyliaritye and sight of their fruitless life, do learn to detest and abhor the same and do use there levity comparable to the light movable chaff, to the establishing of their own godly gravity, and the inconstant, corrupt & deformed errors of the injust, to the trial and confirmation, of their own constant pure and right doctrine. For as the wicked, evil useth the good works of the virtuous, so the virtuous, well useth the ill works of the wicked, to their own exercise and much profit, according to the example of GOD himself, who useth the evils of the naughty to the exercise, and profit of the good and holy, that buy the perversytye of the evil, the good may profit, be proved and tried: as learn we may also by job, & Tho●● which by tempting Satan received no damage, 
2. cor. 12.  but were proved & tried to their much good, according to this of Paul. Virtus in infirmitate perficitur. Virtue by infirmity as temptatyon, persecution and adversity is made perfect, strong, and invynsyble. And as good wheat being winnowed with the wind from the chaff, is manifest & manifestly appeareth good, so the good people, by the stormy temptation of the evil, are tried good, and by the trial are manifestly known to be good. Therefore Paul writeth.  

1. Co. 11  Oportet hereses esse, ut probati manifestifiant, Sects must needs be, that they which be good may be known amongst you, for by schism, in doctrine, they are stirred to learn the truth, and by division in living, they are excited to seek virtue, and to be the more vygylant in Doctrine, and circumspect in living, so that the good faythefulles, taketh no more detriment, by the company of the bad, then doth wheat buy chaff, than gold by the touch of fire, them the patience of job and Thoby, by the temptatyon of Satan, 
2. cor. 12.  than Paul by the sharp affliction, messenger of Satan, in his body, then the Apostles by the company of traitorous judas. And for as much as Sodom had been preserved and saved from destruction if therein had been but ten good persons, 
Gen. 10.  why should not we believe the catholic Church of christ, wherein be innumerable good to be preserved, conserved and saved holy pure, & clean from the destroying heresies & damnable errors. To be brief, that holy father and learned Doctor Saint Austen writeth as followeth.  
Ecclesia dei inter multam palcam, multaque, 
Au. to. 2. epist. 110 ad janua. cap. 19  zizannia constituta, multa tolerat, et tamen que sunt contra fidem, vel bonam vitam non app●●bat, non tacet, nec facit.  
The church of God ordained and set among much chafe and much cockle, doth tolerat many things, and yet nevertheless it neither approveth, neither concealethe, neither doth those things, which be against the faith, or good life.  
Thus you may understand, that the church in and among the chaff, which signifieth inconstant and fruitless christians, and cockle, signifying corrupt christians, suffereth many things indifferent, infirmities frailties and evils not making against our faith, nor contagious to christian manners for unyties sake, as Christ did tolerate judas a thief and a traitor, but the church (saith Austen) neither doth itself, neither alloweth in the bad, no nor concealeth, nor yet winketh at any thing in any wise repugnant to our faith or christian life, especially it doth not tolerate physics, nor schismatics, because they be intolerable evil, for schism, vyolation of peace, breach of unity, and separation from the inheritance of christ, the church spread through all the whole world, and stretching into all ages, be intolerable. And no marvel, for the church is the kingdom of heaven as teacheth the parable of the net and of the ten vyrgynnes etc. 
Mat. 13. and, 25   
Therefore it erreth not infernally, nor doth tolerate any thing that is infernal, for the kingdom of heaven is not the kingdom of hell, of falsytye, schism, nor heresy, leading to hell, but of verity; concord, and unity, bringing to heaven. No cause is therefore, why we should call the doctrine of the whole catholic Church, in doubt, for no person unfeignedly, professing christ, will affirm any one of the Apostles, which were but members, of his mystical body, the said church, to err in his writing, shall then any christian person hold the whole universal body of christ, to err in the great matters, of our profession. Paul was but a child, of our mother the Church, and yet we are bound to believe his Doctrine, to be true. For christ spoke in him, as he himself witnesseth to the corinths, saying. An experimentum queritis eius, 
2. Co. 13  qui in me loquitur Christus 〈◊〉 Do you seek experience of christ himself, which speaketh in me? Shall not we then believe the Doctrine of his, and our holy mother the catholic Church? spouse most obedient to our saviour jesus christ, truth itself? in whom he hath, doth, 
Au. to. 9 tract. 89  and will speak to the world's end, saying he promised to be in, 
Mat. 28.  and with her continually no less time. No man can but believe it, except, any be so perverse, that will deny the Church to be his mother.  
To whom S. Cyrpian saith. Non potest habere deum patrem, 
Cipri. de simple. pr●  qui non habet ecclesiam matrem. He cannot have GOD to be his father, which hath not the Church, his mother. Like wise in not believing the church our mother, we do not believe god our father & so consequently we do degendre from all filial nature, to the abridgement, of our lives, here in earth, and to the achiving of the long endless death in hell, wherefore let us with humble obedience honour our said holy mother the catholic Church, in embracing her precepts, that we may be long living, not only beneath hear in Earth, but attain also to the long life, above in Heaven. Hitherto I have declared the Church, not to err, because some evil persons, be therein, wherewith, if any be not satisfied, but doth further affirm, every member of the church to be a liar, and therefore doth infer the whole universal church, to lie, and err. To them Saint Austen shall make answer as followeth. Deus per seipsum verax, 
Augu, in pissed. joh. tract, 1  tuper deum verax, nam per te mendax. God is by himself true, but thou art true by GOD, for by thyself thou, art a liar, so that although every person of himself, 
Psa. 115  and by his vityat nature, be a liar, yet by the pertecipation of god's grace and truth in the Church, many are true, as well appeared by the holy patriarchs, Prophets, and many others, before christ, his incarnation, and since that time, by the Apostles, disciples and holy Martyrs, witnessing the truth with their blood. For else david himself had lied in saying. Every man is a liar, the evangelist Paul, and other the Apostles had lied in their preachings, and erred in their writings, the which no christian heart can suffer to be affirmed, but admit, that the devil is some time permitted to have power on a singular and particular person in the Church, yet it followeth not that he hath power to seduce the universal congregation of christ, his universal church. For where christ is, there cannot the devil be, considering that no agreement is or can be, 
1. Cor. 6  between christ and belial.  
But in the universal catholic church is Christ, therefore is not therein the devil, Christ is therein, for he promised unto the said catholic church, not only the spirit of truth, to teach it all the truth, but promised himself also very verity, therein to be continually even to the worlds end. For that cause Paul calleth the church the temple & house of god. 
Apo. 20.  In the Apocalypse moreover it is written, the devil to be tied, and shut up in hell, that he neither might, nor may seduce the peoples and nations. Whereupon S. Austen writeth in his book de civitate dei, these words, 
Au, de civitate dei li. 2. ca 7  Ad hoc ligatus est diabolus in abisso, ut iam non seducat gentes, ex quibus constat ecclesia. Furthermore the devil was tied and shut up in hell, that he might not seduce the people's, of whom consisteth the church. Here ye may learn of Austen, that the devil hath not power to seduce the peoples and multitudes of faithfulles, of whom the church consists. After it followeth Nec enim dictum, 
Aug, ibi.  ut non seduceret aliquem, sed non ut seduce et iam gentes, in quibus ecclesiam procul dubio voluit intelligi.  
It is not said, that he should seduce no man, but that he should not seduce now the peoples, in whom undoubtedly he would to be understand the church. Note here, that s. Austen writeth, that it was not spoken, that the devil should seduce no man, for so promised not christ, but that he should not seduce the people's, that is to say: the whole congregation of the church, to whom only the spirit of truth was promised to continue for ever. Thus plain it is, that the devil may deceive and seduce some certain persons of the church, and yet cannot seduce the whole multitude, and congregation thereof. For so long as an army standeth together in array, it is impregnable, and invincible, but divided, dissevered, and scattered abroad, it is most easy to be vanquished. Likewise Chrystyans, singularly, and privately may sometime take an overthrow of Satan: but the main army, & host of Christ, the universal militaunte church, hath so valyanut, puissant, and expert a captain in the mids thereof, and that continually, that it cannot go out of array at any time, to take any notable discomfort or overthrow. 
1. Co. 10  Non enim patietur vos, tentari supra id quod potestis, sed faciet etiam cum tentatione proventum, ut possitis sustineri For he will not suffer you to be tempted, & assaulted above your power, but so will do in the temptation, that you shallbe able to sustain it, escape it, and to have good success therein, so that he can and will keep his promise, which was, 
Mat. 16.  that Hell gates should not prevail against the church. Which promise he made not, to the particular members thereof severally, but to the whole church universally. Therefore, although some straggling, wavering, and wandering Christians, do at any time err, yet the whole congregation doth at no time err, in the weighty matters of Christianity. If the church may err, then may christ and the holy ghost err, which be resyaunt therein, then is not the Church builded upon an immovable rock, stone, 
Mat. 16.  and fundatyon, according to scripture, then is not the Church, the pillar and firm upholder of truth, 
1. Tim. 3  then cannot the church say truly, it pleaseth the holy Ghost, and us, then is not christ the saviour and preserver of the Church, his body, which to believe were to much ungodly, but chrysostom saith. Homini si bellum inferas, 
Act. 15. Ephes, 5 Chris, to. 2. ho. 20.  forte vinces aut forte vinceris, ecclesiam vincere nulla vis poterit.  
if thou war upon a man, perchance thou shalt overcome, or be overcomed, but no power force or strength can overcome the church. Whereby you may well understand that a particular person of the Church may be conquered, but not the whole catholic church Non de●rit enim dominus ad tuendam ecclesiam suam. 
Au. to. 2. epis. 169  For our lord will not be wanting to defend his church which he bought and purchased with no less, then with his own most precious blood, the infallible evidence of his dear love toward it, which will not suffer it unarmed and without his defence. Vain therefore be all scysmatycall rebellions conspiring against the same. Thus this finished, I think it expedient to open to you the infallible tokens, whereby ye may know and infallyblye discern the catholic Church, from the factious church of scysmatiks which tokens (amongst others that I do ommit because our adversaries, most untruely do challenge to be among them where in deed they neither are nor can be, but in the catholic church) be these three, universality, antiquity, and unity.  
¶ The first token which is universality, 
Universality.  although I have proved sufficiently before, in declaring where the Church is, the which I pray you now in this point also to have in memory, yet I will bryfely say something more for it. The scysmatycall churches, be but particular multitudes in particular places, as the donatists in africa, the hussites in beam, the Lutherans in some certain provinces of Germany, and the sacramentaries of late hear in England, wherefore it is most certain, that our late particular church, was not the church of christ, which is catholic that is to say, universal throughout all the universal world, as ye may perceive by the promise of God, made to Abraham, which is this.  
In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes. All nations shallbe blessed in thy seed, 
Gen. 22.  that is to say, in Christ as interpretethe it, 
Gal. 3.  S. Paul in his epistle to the Galathians, so that by God his benediction through all nations.  
A solis ortu usque ad occasum 〈…〉 nomen domini From the rising of the son to the going down of the same, 
Psa. 112  the name of our lord is praised and glorified, as witnesseth the Prophet david. According whereunto christ said to his Apostles. Et eritis mi●i testes in Iherusalem, 
Acts. 1.  et in omni judea et samaria et usque ad ultimum terre. You shall witness me in jerusalem, in all jury Samatye, and so in all places unto the uttermost parts of the world. Thus ye may perceive that our head jesus christ renewed not, nor newly builded his mystical body the church, to be included within any particular corner or part of the world but to be universal in Iherusalem in all jury in Samarie and from thence in all realms and countries even to the extreme parts of the Earth, after the ancient prophecy of the said good king and prophet david, 
Psa. 71.  which is this. Dominabitur a mare usque ad mare et aflumine, usque ad terminos, orbis terrarum. (He meaning christ) shall rule from sea to sea, and from the sea unto the extreme ends of the world, and therefore saint John the Apostle sayeth. Ipse est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris, 
1. joh. 2 Aug. troth. 5, in epist johan. 2.  non pro nostris tantum sed pro peccatis totius mundi.  
(he meaning christ) is the propitiation for our sins, and not for our sins onleye, but for all the sins also, of all the whole world, that is to say of all faithfulles dyspersedde through the world as understandeth it S. Austen. The same doctrine. S. Paul taught the Romans Per quem accipimus gratiam et apostolatum ad obediendum fidei in omnibus gentibus pro nomine eius. 
Rom. 1.  Buy whom we have received grace and thapostolical embassy. That by faith his name may be obeyed, in all nations and countries: by these and other great number of scriptures, all and every catholic writer affirmeth the Church to be universal, and not nacyonall, not I say affyxed to this or the nation. Whereof ye shall here that old author Ireneus. 
Iren. li. 1. cap. 2.  Ecclesia per universum orbem usque ad fines terre seminata, et ab apostolis & ● Discipulis eorum accepit eam fidem, quae est in unum deum. The Church being sown and planted thorough out the universal world to the furthyest ends of the same, received of the Apostles and of their disciples, that faith which is in one God. The self same saying hath Epiphanius in his first book of his second Tome, so that I shall not need to rehearse it, but now here that great clerk Saint Austen. 
Aug. to. 2. ad b●ni. ep. 50  Ecclesia catholica sola est corpus Christi, cuius ille caput et salvator corporis sui, extra hoc corpus, neminem, vivificat spiritus sanctus  
The universal Church, only is the body of christ, whereof he is the head and the Saviour of his body, out of this body the holy Ghost giveth life, to no man. By this we are taught, corner & particular churches, not to be the body of christ but the catholic & universal Church only, & that out of the same, catholic & universal church, the holy Ghost giveth life to no man. Let us therefore beware of corner churches, wherein is not the life giving spirit, and earnestly follow the counsel given by the same Austen, 
Augu. de agone Christia. cap, 29  which is this. Nec eos audiamus qui sanctam ecclesiam quae una catholica est, negant per orbem esse diffusam. Let us not here them, which do deny the holy Church, which only is universal, to extend through the whole world, wherefore it is manifest, that corner Churches, in this or that nation dyssenting in religion from the whole not to be the church, nor of the church of christ for christ said not that Geneva or this, or that country is the field, 
Mat. 13  but said the universal world is that field, wherein the sede of god universalli is sown doth and shall grow until harvest the worlds end, which if they did remember, they would not say that Geneva or this or that country only had received gods word, but that in every country through all the universal world, it is embraced, considering that by Solomon In multitudine populi est dignitas regis. 
Pro. 14.   
The honour of a King, is in the ample multitude of people, and contraryly in paucity or few is the debility & weakness of a king, if we therefore will acknowledge our heavenly king to be of honour & puissance, we must confess him not to be a particular or a nacionall king and head of this or that nation only, but to reign in every country through the whole world, 
Psal. 2.  except we should say that christ hath lost his inheritance the universal church, spread thorough the universal world, and that he is driven to a corner of germany, to be but a dymye anguler king, or county, which were a plain blasphemy, so that, whatsoever multitude settythe fourth a doctrine dyssenting from the universal doctrine of the universal Church, may well be judged, not to be of the catholic Church of christ. Of the which church we be sayeth. Vincentius Lirinensis. 
Lirine●●.  Si hanc fidem veran esse fateamur, quam tota per orbem terren, confiretur ecclesia. If we confess this faith to be true, which the whole Church through the whole world doth confess. Again. Si id teneamus, quod ubique creditum est. If we hold & keep that, which is every where, and in every country believed. Some peradventure will inveigh against this, saying. The flock of Christ is little, 
Luk. 12. Math. 7.  and the way to life is narrow, therefore the church cannot be large and great. To that answereth that holy and renowned father S. Austen in his epistle, ad Vincentium, against the Donatists, 
Augu. to 2 epi 48.  Ipsa est de cuius paucitate dicitur in comparatione multorum malorum. Quia augusta & arcta via est, que ducit advitam, 
Gen. 22.  & pavel sunt qui ambulant in illa. Et rursus ipsa est, de cuius multitudine dicitur, sic erit semen tuum, sicut stelle celi, et sicut haraena maris, ijdem quip fideles sancti & boni: et in comparatione plurimorum malorum, pauci, & pierce ipsi multi sunt, quia multi filii desertae, 
Gala. 4.  magis quam eius, quae habet virum, & multi ab oriente & occidente venient & recumbent cum Abraham Isaac & jacob in regno coelorum. 
Math. 8.  Et exhibet sibi deus populum habundantem, emulatorem bonorum operum, & multa milia, quae numerare nemo poterat, ui●entur in Apocalipsi, ex omni tribu et lingua in stolis albis, palmisque victricibus. 
Apoca. 7.   
That is the church, of whose fewnes it is spoken in comparison of many evil. For the straight and narrow way is, which leadeth unto life, and few there be which walk in it: and contrarily, that is the church, of whose multitude it is said, so shall thy seed be as the stars of the firmament, and the sand of the sea, for the same faithfulls be holy and good, and in comparison of many evil, be few, and by themselves the same be many: for the children of her which is desolate of a husband, be more in noumbre, than the children of her which hath a husband, and many shall come from the East and from the West, and shall rest with Abraham Isaac and jacob, in the kingdom of heaven, and God doth exhibit unto himself an abundance of people, followers of good works. And many thousands, whom no man can number, be seen in the apocalypse, of all and every tribe, & tongue, in white robes, and victorius palms. Here is to be noted, that S. Austen affirmeth the catholic church of Christ, to be of a few number, if it be conferred with the evil multitude, which being compared to the good, incomparably in number do exceed. The pilgrims and sober passengers, thorough the narrow way, are but a small multitude, being compared unto the huge number, ranging and roving thorough the bread ways. Christ his redolente flock of meek lambs, is but a little flock, in comparison of the great stinking heard of the devils sturdy rammishe goats, but if the straight passengers through the narrow way, and the little flock of christ, be accounted by them selves, without collation, and comparison to the evil, wandering thorough the broad way, they be many and innumerable, like as be the stars in the firmament, and the sand in the sea, as most manifestly appeareth by the scriptures above alleged of the said Austen and is truly called by the Prophet david Ecclesia magna, the great church and congregation, 
Psa. 21.  because it extendeth in to all the furthest parts, and borders of the world, and because it containeth many thousands whom no man can number, as is alleged out of the Apocalypse.  

Antiquity.  Now to the second token which is antiquity or auncietie whereby ye may discern the ancient catholic Church, the mystical body, of our saviour jesus, from the late sprung up anguler Churches, Whereof Satan is the head, for the church whereof christ is the head, is of such antiquity, that he himself, which is. Antiquus dierum, 
Dani. 7.  the old ancient, and which said Antequam Abraham fieret, ego sum. Before Abraham was made, or borne, I am, did found it: and that before any written Scriptures, for Adam, Eve, Abel, Seath, Noah, Abraham, Loath, with many other faith fulls, ware before Moses, a long time, before the commandment, written in stony tables, and before Scriptures, written in an outward substance. And the same Church christ being visible hear in Earth, according to his promise, 
Mat. 16.  mentioned in Matthew, which was, upon this rock, and firm foundation, I will build my Church, did newly edify, renew and repair out of his own side, as witnesseth saint chrysostom, saying.  

Chris, to. 2. homil. ad Neophitoes 26 Ihero. to 4. sermo. de resur. domini. Prosper. de promis et predic par. 1. ca 1  Ex latere suo Christus edificavit ecclesiam sicut de latere Adam eius coniunx eva pro lata est. Nam hac de causa Paulus quoque testatur dicens. De corpore eius et ossibus eius sumus, latus videlicet illud significans, nam sicut de latere illo, Deus fecit feminam procreari, sic et de suo latere Christus aquam nobis et sanguinem dedit: unde repararetus ecclesia. christ builded his church out of his own side, like as out of the side of Adam his wife Eve was brought fourth for Paul also witnesseth, for that cause saying, we be of his body and of his bones, sygnifyeng surely his side. For as God did procreate the woman out of the same side, even so christ gave out of his own side, water and blood, whereby the church should be repaired and renewed, so that all the first original being of christ his church, was not originally begun even at the giving of water and blood, out of his side, but the new building, reperation, and renewing thereof, as sayeth the Prophet Amos, & saint chrysostom, 
Amos. 9 Act. 16.  and the reedifyeng to a perfection, according to this of david. Deus virtutum respice de celo, 
Psal. 79.  et Vide, ●t visita vincam istam, et perfice came quam plantavit dextera tua.  
Look down o God of power from Heaven se and visit this vineyard and make it perfect which thy right hand hath planted, Thus the prophet desired not the extirpation of gods old vineyard, and the planting of a new, but desired the perfecting of the old, by his mighty power, all ready planted. The which vineyard is the Church, as affirmeth the Prophet Esay. 
Isaiah. 5.  Vinea domini domus Israel. The vineyard of our Lord is the house of Israel, and the christians be the spiritual israelites.  
This spiritual vineyard christ his church, is newly builded and brought to a perfection, by propagation, dilating, and enlarging the same out of jury in to all regions and contreies', by connecting and couppling the jews and gentiles, the old church and the new together in one, 
Ephes. ●  himself being the head corner stone by repairing and renewing it with a more habundante spirit, with a more plentythe of grace, with open verytyes, with a new and perfect law, new and perfect sacraments, with new priesthood, and new perfect sacrifice, the old imperfectes being abolished. And so the churches old worn garments the figures put of, she proceeded not into a corner, but into all the world, not under a veil covertelye, hyddenlye, and invisibly, but manifestly, openly, and vysiblye, adorned with a new visible habit, & tire, as it were with a new distynct shape from herself, in her old form before the fullness of time unpolished yea she came fourth of christ his side all perfect and new in the water and blood, 
Galat. 4.  guyshing out of his said side.  

Ephe. 5.  For Paul saith, that christ gave himself even to death for his Church, to sanctify it, cleansing it, in the lavacre of water by the word of life, & did wash us from our sin in his blood, as teacheth Saint Ihon. 
Apoc. 1.  And as the Church was first was first builded before the written scriptures, of the old Testament, so was the same re-edified, repaired, and renewed before the written scripture of the new Testament For christ & his Apostles preached, before that any external writing or printing was thereof, as it is most plain to all men, exercised in reading of scripture, and the ancient learned writers. And yet no true christian will defend the doctrine of christ, & of his Apostles then unwritten to be untrue, but to be of no less verity unwritten, then after being written. For it is not true, because it is written, but because christ (who is verity) spoke & taught it, which verity unwritten aunciette to the verity, after written, took not authority of the after written verity, for then christ being Master, and his word unwritten taught by mouth only, had taken authority of the word after written by matthew and John, but his Apostles and servants, yea and of the written word by Mark, & Luke, but disciples to his Apostles, the which notable inconvenience to avoid, we must rather affirm the written word by the disciples and ministers, to receive credence and estimatyon of the unwritten word taught by christ himself there master. And that because the word written was, and is conformable and agreeable by the testimony of the church, to the ancient unwritten word, which the said church had received of christ truth himself. So that the written truth came not after to bring authority to the unwritten, but godly to admonish, put in mind, & witness to the Christian posterity, that the church ancient to the written word, had received the same of christ his mouth, and used it, before the outward writing thereof, and that we should believe jesus to be Christ the very son of god, and that so believing we might have life eternal by his name. Wherefore the antiquytye of of the Church, is not to be rejected, but most reverently & obediently to be embraced, as teacheth that great clerk S. Basyll. 
Basil. de spum sanct.  Veneranda sunt vetusta dogmata, quod obantiquitatem, ceu canitiem quandam, habeant quiddam reverendum.  
The ancient decres and ordinances, are to be reverenced, because for their old antiquity, and as a man might say, for their door auncietye, they have certain great reverent matter in them.  

Eccl. 6.  That notable wise man jesus sirach gave this commandment. Non te praetereat narratio seniorum. etc. Forget not the sayings of the elders for they have learned the truth of there forefathers, & of them thou shalt learn understanding, and thou shalt learn to give when need is, a wise answer.  
Shall we then contrary to God's word leave our auncyettes, and elders, to follow the fond sayings, of our inconstant and rash younglings and young phantastycall imaginations, which jesus Syrache, 
Pro. 22.  maketh wise Solomon, in his proverbs. Ne transgrediaris terminos antiquos, quos posuerunt patres tui. Pass not out of the old ancient borders, which thy forefathers hath appointed. The borders and limits undoubtedly he doth pass and transgress as writeth that holy & learned clerk Alexandre the first. 
Alexa. 1. epist. 1.  Qui statuta patrum postponit atque confundit. The which regardeth not but omitteth confoundeth, and dysordereth the determynations of our ancient fathers The scripture commandeth us to be mindful of old ancient time paste, 
Deu. 32.  and to ask our forefathers, & they should tell and teach us, but now some endevoring to turn antechrystly the roots of trees upward, to set the cart before the horses, to make all right order preposterous, and to confound all christ his ordinances and doctrine, do teach contrary to christ, to contemn antiquity as dotage, and to ask and believe the invenile successors, bearing men in hand, damnable ignorance, to be in our holy learned ancients, & knowledge with wisdom to be in their after coming posterity, to th'end that children should contrary to the scripture, set their fathers to school. It is therefore very notable, that by scripture itself, we are premonyshed, taught and commanded to be ware and circumspect, that in no wise we violate the laws, ordinances, and determynations of our holy forefathers, but with reverent obedience to obey and follow them, because next unto god's holy word, and his catholic church, our most comfortable godly and infallible stay, consisteth in them, persisting in the unity of the catholic faith, and the same hath delivered, unto their successors, as though it were with one pen written. If therefore any question or doubt do arise, we must (sayeth that old writer, Lirinensis) have recourse to the sayings of our holy fathers, 
Vin. Lir.  which in their several times, continuing in the unity of christ his church, hath been approved master, and therefore the ancient learned father Leo, writeth as followeth. 
Leo epist. ad Martianam Augustum.  Qui etiamsi principuis meritis optunoque judicio, legi time fui●set ac solemniter ordina●us, contra reverentiam tamen canonum paternorum, contra sancti spiritus instituta, contra antiquitatis exempla, nullis posset suffragijs ad iwari. Whosoever although he being of excellent merit and of excellent judgement were leafully and solemnly ordered, yet doing against the reverent canons of our ancient fathers against the ordinances of the holy Ghost, against the examples of antiquity, he can by no suffragies, be helped. Mark hear I pray you, that this singular clerk, of our adversaries, never reproved, affirmeth amongst other things, that against examples of antiquiti we can by no suffrages nor prayers be helped. Wherefore in the name of our saviour jesus christ let us banish and exile all the profane new doctrines, according to the mind of Paul in Tymothe, who commanded us not to eschew antiquities, 
1. Tim ●  nor old nor ancient, but new doctrines, seeing therefore new doctrines are to be avoided, antyquyty is to be embraced, and saying by Paul that new doctrine is profane, antyquity must needs be sacred and holy, the which sacred antyquytye (saith Vincentius Lyrynensis) an old author we shall follow Si ab his sensibus nullate●●s recedamus: 
Vincentius.  quos sanctos maiores ac patres nostros celebrasse manifestum est.  
If that we do by no means go back from those understandings, & judgements, whom it is plain our holy aunciettours, and forefathers, to have preached and published.  
Of the same antiquity Saint Paul admonished the Corrinthians saying: If any man appear to be contentious, he must understand that we have no such custom, nor the church of God, whereby it is most plain, that the church of God in S. Paul's time did much and highly esteem customs, how much more than should ancient customs, prescryptions, and traditions derived, deduced & brought from Christ's primitive Church, to the next age, and so from age to age, continually until this present, be much esteemed, earnestly embraced, and reverently obeyed of us in these latter days wherein many arroganthedes are desirous of never received doctrines, proceeding of proud singularity, contrary to our ever approved and r eceyved doctrine, religion, customs, prescriptions and traditions even from the beginning.  
The which Saint Iherome, having in much remembrance said reverently. 
jeron. ad Oceanu● et pan●●  ●llam senex tenebo fidem in qua puer natus sum I being an old man, will keep that faith that I a child was borne in, knowing right well not only unyversalytie, but also antyquytie of the universal Doctrine and religion to be a sure and an undoubted token of the catholic Church, and therefore he did write unto Theophilus. Scito nobis nihiless● antiquius, quam nec Christi iura, 
Ihero. in Theophilum,  nec patrum transire terminos, Know thou O Theophile, nothing to be unto us, more acceptable, than not to transgress & pass the laws, of christ, and the determinations of our forefathers. 
Galat. 1.   
And no marvel for Paul himself called immediately by Christ, and bountifully breathed with the Holy ghost, ascended to Iherusalem to know his auncyettes and predycesoures the apostles, 
Galat. 2.  and to consult with them, lest he had run in vain, that is to say, lest he had not believed as they believed and had not preached, 
Tertulli. contra Merchio nem. li. 9  as they preached.  
Forasmuch as Paul so notable Apostle, and the chosen vessel of christ, did so much esteem the authority of his aunciettes, with the which he desired to advance his faith & preaching, how much more than shall it become us ignorauntes and graceless, in comparison, to obey and follow the universal antiquity of the catholic doctrine, an infallible sign of the catholic Church? And not to incline to a Doctrine never received nor practised in christ his universal church, but in all ages, and in all countries, professing Christ, justly condemned for heresy. Therefore most plain it is, the late Doctrine hear in England, not to be a sound, but a corrupt Doctrine, not catholic, not universal, but particular and, partial, not acknoledged, nor known, but strange to christ his ancient catholic Church, the only treasure house of GOD, and of the right wourshypping of God. Here because I would be loath to be tedious, I will surcease to speak any more of antyquyty, and proceed to the declaration of the third sign, which is unity. 
Unity  Where is not consent, unity, and agreement in doctrine, there is schism, division, and heresy. Wherefore the catholic Church (whereof christ is the head) who is our peace, 
Ephes. 2  and hath made of both jews, and gentiles, before divided, in religion, one body, is not a myshapen, confused, & disordered multitude, but it is a convocation, most ordrelye shapen, of most consonant order, and proportion, and that of believing people, united and linked together in one religion of our saviour christ, by one faith and his visible sacraments, 
Aug. ●ont Faust. lib 9 ca 11.  and therefore the Apostle Paul taught the corinthians, brought then by false teachers, into schism, to embrace unity, saying. Obsecro vos per nomen domini nostri jesu Christi, 
1. Cor. 1.  ut id ipsum dicatis omnes, & non sint in nobis scismata, sitis autem perfecti in eodem sensu, et in eadem sententia.  
I exhort you in the name of our lord jesus christ, that ye all say one thing, and that there be no schisms among you but be ye perfect in one sense & one mind. The same unity Paul teacheth by the similitude of a corporal body, which as it is compact of many members, in such a harmony, that there is mutual communion & participation of comen & mutual nurture commoditi & health among them, even so the mystical body of our saviour jesus, the Church, is knit together in one spiritual socyetye, with such a unity, that there is a common and a mutual participation, of the whole mystical body, the universal church in those spiritual things, which be spiritual nurture of the souls, in Christian religion, unto the atchyving of life eternal, schism and contention be so contrary unto the unity of Christ'S Church, that Paul did write unto the corinthians, being in division and contention, these words ensuing. 
1. Co. 11  Si quis autem videtur contentiosus esse, nos talem consuetudinem non habemus, neque ecclesia dei. If any man do appear to be contentious, he must know that we have no such custom, neither the church of God. Note here that contention concerning faith and christian life, is not among the catholics, the universal congregation of God, accustomed to unity, and not to contentious division. And therefore we read in scripture Deus qui inhabitare facit unanimes in domo. 
Psa. 67.   
It is god which maketh people of one mind, to dwell in his house, which is the Catholic Church.  
Whereby it is most manifest that schism, division and contentyon be manifest signs of the unleafull assembles of heretics, and unity the most undoubted and manifest token of the lawful and godly congregation of faithfulls, the which unity plainly to declare, the scriptures affirm to be but one church as ye may read in the genesis. 
Gene. 6.  We had but one ark the express figure of the church, therefore christ hath but one church, that the verity may answer the figure. Also in the second book of Moses it is written. 
Cipri. de coena domini.  In una domo commeditur agnus The lamb shallbe eaten in one house, the which house Saint Cyrpian understandeth to be the church, saying. una domus est ecclesie in qua agnus editur. There is one house of the church in the which the lamb is eaten. The like saying hath S. Austen adding unto Church, this word Cotholyke, which is this. In una domo agnus comeditur, 
Aug. de sermo. de vigil. pen tec.  quia in una ecclesia catholica vera hostia redemptoris immolatur. The lamb is eaten in one house, because the true and very host and oblation of our redeemer, is offered in one catholic Church. Thus Saint Austen teacheth to be but one church, and the same to have the title of catholic, which signifieth universal, to the condemnation of the particular Church, of schismatics, and in the same one catholic Church not a figure of our redeemer, but the very true host of our redeemer, to be offered. The which catholic Church, 
joh. 10.  christ also calleth, unum ovile, 
Rom. 12  One fold & flock, & Paul both to the Romans, & also to the Ephesyans, 
Ephes. 4.  affirmeth the multitude of faithfulls to be one body, and therefore S. Austen against the Donatists sayeth. 
Aug. cont Donatist li. 1. ca 10  una est ecclesia, que sola catholica nominatur.  
The church is one which only is named catholic, for the union whereof christ became the head coppelinge corner stone, 
Ephe. 2.  whereupon and by whom the universal edyficer the universal church of both jews and gentiles, should be builded, brought, and reconciled in to one body. To be brief, Epiphanius a notable greek writer, hath written of this unity as followeth. Ecclesia velut unam habet animam et idem cor, et predicat, 
Epiphan. to. 2. li. 1. Iren. li. 1, capi. 3.  docer et tradit, velut uno ore predita.  
The Church hath as it were one mind and one heart, & preacheth, teacheth, & giveth traditions as it were endued with one mouth, as had the primitive Church, by this testimony of Luke following. 
Acts. 4.  Erat omnium qui credebant cor unum et anima una. Of all which did believe, was one heart and one mind. So much did christ our head require unity in his Church, that he required it in two or three, and to them made most comfortable promise saying. 
Mat. 10.  If two of you do agree upon earth of any thing, whatsoever they ask, it sha●be given them of my father, which is in Heaven, as was unto the three Children, 
Dani. 3.  agreeing in one faith, in the bourning furnace. To commend among other godly things unto us this most necessary unity, our peace maker jesus christ, ordained his very real body and blood, in those things, which be of many reduced and brought to one, as in breed and wine, for of many grains is made one bread which evidently proveth an indivisible society, & an inseparable unity to be in and among the whole universal multitude of believing people, spread abroad in all the world, which notwithstanding their corporal distance, be brought into one body by consent of minds, unity of faith, of Sacraments and of charity, the band of peace, as is manifest by this text of Paul, the Apostle. 
1. Co. 10  unus panis et unum corpus multi sumus.  
We being many are one bred and one body for all we partaking of one bread the body of christ, do declare ourselves (although many in number) to be one loaf of bread, compact of many grains, that is to say, to be one body of christ, counited of many members, having one faith, one baptism & one Lord. And as all the members of christ, are by one faith and one manner of Sacraments, made one body, so are they by the same, united to one head our jesus christ, of the which inseparable unity, that notable union and conjunction of the husband with the wife, is a great Sacrament and a holy perfect sign, as this of Paul witnesseth Sacramentum hoc magnum est, ego autem dico in Christo et ecclesia. This is a great sacrament, but I speak of christ and of his church, that is to say, this sacrament (meaning matrimony) is a great & a worthy sacrament not of nor in itself, but because it is by divine institution a holy perfect Sacrament, and sign of the indivisible union and unity of Christ the head with the church his body. To be brief, all Christ his sacraments, mysteries & doctrine, do tend fully and holy to the advancement of unity and concord.  

Aug. to 2 epis. 152.  Quisquis ergo ab ecclesia catholica fuerit seperatus, quantumlibet laudabiliter se vinere existimet hoc solo scelere, quod a christi unitate defunctus est, non habebit vitam sed ira dei manet super eum. Whosoever therefore shallbe separated from this catholic Church, albeit he think himself to live never so commendable, yet for this only mischief, that he is separated from the unity of christ, he shall not have life, but the wrath of God resteth upon him. 
Ephe. ●.  Thus you may evidently understand unity to be a sure token of the catholic Church, from the which those fragementes, that be divided and broken, do publish and thrust fourth dyssonante, pugnaunt and contrariant Doctrine, by the violent persuasion, and instruction of the proud spirit of error. As now in our time, it is most open to every learned man, what a contagious number, of contrary sects hath issued, yea braced out of the puddle springs, of Luther's heresies, as Coral Estadians, Ecolampadians, Swinglyans, Anabaptystans, Libertines, yea novatians, and Arrians, with many other, whereof every one disagreeth from another, and from verity itself, consenting against consent, agreeing almost in nothing but against agreement, divided in all things but in persecuting the unity of christ his unical church (as Pilate and Herode in nothing accorded but only against our peace christ himself) being more violent, 
Luk. 23.  than the jews, which would not divide christ his coat, without seam or partition, sygnyfyeng the unity of his church, saying. Non scindamus came. 
joh. 19  Let us not cut or divide it. They are not therefore to be credited, nor to be taken for the church, nor for members thereof, but to be fled, eschewed, abhorred, as seditious members of the dyscorderable of Satan which sitting in the chair of pestilence, do with pestiferous doctrine, 
Psal. 1.  corrupt and dissolve, so much as in them is, the quiet concord of christ, his mystical body, the universal church, and do resist the truth as jannes' and Mambres resisted Moses. Thus we knowing what the Church is, where it is, and that it is sensible, visible, and manifest, 
2. Tim. ●  and the infallible tokens, as unyversality antiquity, & unity thereof, whereby it is discerned from the Church scysmatycall, we cannot without extreme injury of our head jesus christ, and the holy Ghost continually resident therein, forsake the holy unity, universalytye, and antiquity of his holy catholic church, to follow the newly published & the late crept in profane fantasy, devised in the divided conventicles, of heretical schismatics, conspiring against the whole ancient church, for whosoever forsaketh that old aunci universal church, only consenting in one true doctrine, they forsake christ himself, the head thereof, and the spirit of God abiding therein.  
We cannot forsake the body but we must needs forsake the head jesus Christ who is truth we cannot departed from the house of god the church, but we must needs departed from god dwelling in the same house And as god is unity, & the god of unity, so hath he united to him one spouse, the catholic church of unite, whereof every faithful severally accounted is a child, and as he is but one head, so hath he but one mystical body the church, united, to him, by one faith, and one baptism, of the which body every Christian reckoned singularly a part is a member. As he is neither a partyall nor a particular God, of this or that country, but God of all realms, empires, and nations. Likewise his only spouse and body, the Church, is not a particular multitude of people in this or that nation only, but of the universal christian multitude in all nations, realms & countries, through out the whole world. As god is not a young or a new god, lately sprung up, likewise his said spouse & mystical body, is not young new and late, but of old antyquyty even from the beginning.  
Wherefore you can in no case excuse yourselves at the dreadful day of judgement, but the you may well discern the new and late sprung up scysmatycall churches, dissenting from the universal aunciette consent of the universal aunciett congregation of Christ'S faythefulles, agreeing constantly in one faith & in one true religion from Christ'S time continually and perseverantly to this day and so will continue to the worlds end.  
So that it is in you, whether that you will believe that late upstarted anguler and particular Church of contentious dessention, whereof lying Satan is the head, or the universal aunciett church of unity, the head whereof is christ, who is verity. Whosoever willbe, partaker of the lively suck, & sap, descending from the lively head jesus christ, into his only body the catholic church, and into every singular, member thereof.  
Let him not dismember himself from that lively body by any kind of new doctrine, dystrepant from the old auntiette & universal doctrine received from christ and his primative church, for he that dismembreth himself from the church, dysmembreth himself from christ the head thereof Non tenens ca●ut, ex quo totum corpus per nexus et coniunctiones subministratum et constructum, 
Collo. 2. Ephe. 4.  crescit in augmentum dei.  
Not having nor holding the head, of whom the whole body by joints and joininges receiving nurture and compact in one, groweth to a godly perfection, the whole body is the whole universal Church, the head is christ, who is life, and the joints wherewith the body is joined to the head, 
joh. 14.  be faith charity and the Sacraments, by whom spiritual nurryshment, and life, be derived into the said universal body the church and to every member thereof, so that consequently, he that disseperateth himself from Christ, separateth himself from life, let us not therefore forsake the unity of christ his church, for that holy martyr and excellent clerk. S Cipryan sayeth also. Hanc unitatem qui non tenet, 
Cipri. de simp. pre  dei legem non tenet, non tenet patris et filii fidem, vitam non tenet, et salutem.  
He that keepeth not this unity, keepeth not the faith of our father, and of his son, he hath not life and salvation, and to th'end that we should keep this unity peace and concord, we are called into one body the Church, as writeth Paul to the colossians. 
Collo. ●.  In whose holy lap the universal aunciett consent, & the sea apostolic, kept that aunciette father, and incomparable clerk, S. Austen as is vydent by this following. 
Aug. to 6 in epi. ma ca 4. quam vocant fundamenti.  Multa sunt, quae me in ecclesie gremio iustissime tenent, tenet me consensio populorum atque gentium, tenet authoritas, miraculis, inchoata, spewtrita, charitate aucta, vetustate firmata, tenet ab ipsa sede petri Apostoli, cui pascendas o●es, suas post resurrectionem suam dominus, commendaui●, usque ad presentem episcopatum, successio sacerdotum, tenet postremo ipsum catholice nomen quod non sine causa interiam multas heresies, sola obtinuit.  
Many things saith Austen there be, which do keep me in the lap of the catholic church The consent of the people and nations keepeth me, the authority thereof begun by miracles, nowrished by hope, increased by charity, confirmed & established by antiquity keepeth me.  
The succession of priests from the seat of Peter th'apostle, unto whom our Lord committed after his resurrection, his sheep to be fed, unto this present bishopric, last of all keepeth me the church's name of catholic, because not with out matter, among so many heresies, she only hath had the victory. This obedient child of our holy mother the church, Saint Austen, declareth four principal points, which did hold him in obedience unto her, which be these, consent of all Christian nations in one faith the antiquity of the church's authority, and the universality of the same, signified by the name of catholic, yea and the authority of the sea apostolic of Peter, from whence proceedeth the succession of pryestes in the Church, of christ, against the which sea, Hell gates hath not prevailed, but from Peter's time to this day hath continued the next head under christ of the catholic church, and hath stand in the faith thereof, and so shall persever to the worlds end. And yet against all other the Apostles seas, hell force hath so availed, that it hath them subverted, Forasmuch as these fore points did keep Saint Austen, in humble obedience unto the Church, out of the which is no salvation, what shall all good christians reckon one such, whom the fame nothing do move, surely that they have christ and his Church in contempt, and that the spirit of truth resident in the church is with them of no credence, & yet they know the Church, for that, that the spirit of verity is continually resyaunt therein, to be called in scripture the house and temple of God, as for examyle An vescitis quod templum dei estis, et spiritus dei habitat in vobis? 
1. Cor. 3.   
Do not you know saith Paul, that you be the temple of God, and that the holy ghost, doth dwell in you?  
Whereupon that old auntyent and excellent clerk Lactantius, 
Lacta. de vera sap. li. 4. c. 30  grounding himself did write this following Sola igitur catholica ecclesia est, quae verum cultum retinet, hic est fons veritatis, hoc est domicilium fidei, hoc templum dei, quo si quis non intraverit, vel a quo si quis exiverit asp vitae ac salutis eterne alienus est It is the only catholic church which hath in it the true worshipping of god, this is the fountain of truth, this is the mansion house of faith, this is the temple of God, wherein if any do not enter, or out of whom if any do departed, he is a stranger & far distant from hope of life, and salvation eternal. Wherewith accordethe, that holy learned bishop & S. Epiphanius saying. Est via regia, sancta dei ecclesia et iter veritatis. 
Epiph. 10 1. Cap. 2,   
The holy Church of God, is the heavenly Kings hygheway, and the path of truth. Wherefore seeing that salvation and truth be only in Christ's catholic and universal church, and not in particular conventicles, let us in all kind of schisms, divisions, factions, sects, ehresyes, and errors, cleave stick, and stand, with constant obedience to the inviolable judgement, determination, and tradition, of the catholic Church. For saying that christ is in the mids of ii or iii gathered together in his name, it must needs follow that he is in his own body the church, the whole socyetye & universal congregation, of all believing people, linked and gathered together, by consent in his name, and united to him as the body to the head.  
Than cannot we but grant that the church of christ must needs be the true interpretesse of holy scripture, and truly to decide and determine the controversies which many do stir up after every of there private imaginations, for as Saint Austen accurseth him that other believeth to have authority or hath in reverent any scriptures, 
Aug, sir, 129  besides those scriptures which the catholic church hath received.  
Likewise undoubtedly he curseth such, as make or do believe or reverenceth any interpretations, made of the scriptures, against and contrary to the Church's interpretations, for being not lawful to receive Scriptures unproved by the catholic Church, it is not lawful to receive strange interpretations thereof, and not approved by the same Church, considering, that in the Church only, is the truth, as witnesseth that old author Ireneus writing these words. 
Iren. li. 3. cap. 4.  Vbi ecclesia, ibi spiritus, et ubi spiritus dei, illic ecclesia et omnis gratia, spiritus autem veritas. Where the Church is, there is the spirit of God, and where the spirit of God's, there is the Church and all grace. And the spirit truly is troth, which most plainly agreeth with the Doctrine of Paul. 
1. Tim 3 Psal. 88  Domus dei est ecclesia dei vivi, colunna et firmamentum veritatis. The house of god, is the Church of God, the pillar & the firm upholding of truth. And therefore the said Ireneus writeth also thus. 
Iren. li. 5 pag. 319.  Ecclesiae predicatio vera et firma est, apud quam una et eadem s●lutis via in universo mundo ostenditur. The preaching of the church is true, firm, and sound, in whom is one very way of salvation, showed and manifest through the whole world For every where sayeth he the Church preacheth the truth, Likewise Orygen taught that only to be the  believed truth, 
Orige. in prodemio petiarchon  which in nothing dysagreeth from the church's tradytion, and therefore Saint Austen, did write as followeth. 
Aug. contra epist. man.. ca 5  Ego vero non crederem evangelo nisime catholic ecclesiae commoveret authoritas I would not believe the Gospel if the authority of the Church did not move me thereto for if the Church had not approved & witnessed the truth of the Gospel, we should have been no less uncertain of it then we are of the Gospels ascribed, to Thomas Bartylmue and Nychodeme, ye may further read in chrysostom. 
Chrisost. tom, 2. in Manh. 10. mundo.  Ecclesia habet veres oculos, ●idelicet ecclesiasticos atque doctores, qui vident in scriptures misteria dei, de quibus dicuntur videntes. The church hath true eyes, that is to say preachers and teachers which do see the mysteries of god wherefore they are called Videntes, that is to say saying, perceiving, and understanding the said mystery, To be bryfe Saint Hilary, calleth the church the mouth of Christ saying. Os christi ecclesiam esse, 
Hilari. in psal. 137.  et prophetica & apostolica aucthoritas est. The prophetical and the apostolical authority is, that the church is the mouth of christ The same affyrmythe Austen saying. 
Au. in Io. 15. t● 88  Christus per ecclesiam suam loquitur gentibus. christ speaketh to the gentiles, and people by his church, for christ said Non vos estis qui loquimini, 
Mat. 10.  sed spiritus patris vestri qui loquitur in vobis. It is not you which do speak but the spirit of truth which speaketh in you, 
Luk. 10.  he therefore that heareth you my mouth, heareth me. Wherefore in all controversies and doubts arising or wrested out of written scriptures, which can neither hear, judge, nor speak the will and pleasure of god therein contained.  
We must needs take for our refuge and perfect instruction the lively temple of God, the lively orgayne, and instrument of the holy Ghost the church, lively and fully represented by the general counsels, as this realm is fully represented by the parliament, because all and every member of the Church nor all and every member of this realm, cannot be assembled conveniently together in one place, the which general councils authority. is most wholesome & sound, as teacheth Saint Austen. In so doing, we shall follow the example of the good Christians of Antyoch, which when Paul and Barnabye were molested and troubled with the great dissension, and seditious disputation, of their adversaries the jews, did send unto the Apostles and priests in jerusalem, for the discussion of the question, contended upon according to the old law commanding the jews in all diffycyll and doubtful 
Deut. 17  mattyres to ascend unto the priests, and not to the law itself, and of them to require the truth and the mind of the law, 
Agger. 2.  from the which they should decline to no side, for the law is to be required as affirmeth the prophet at the pristes mouth. 
Mala. 2,  To the which christian brethren, the Apostles and priests gathered together in one, did write. 
Acts. 16  Visum est spiritui sancto & nobis It pleaseth the holy ghost and us. They said not it pleaseth the holy ghost and scripture, which is but a dead dumb and a not speaking letter, but it pleaseth the holy ghost & us, us the temple of our living God, 
2. Cor. 3.  the Epistle and scripture of christ, written, not with ink, but with the spirit, of our living God, 
2. Cor. 3.  not in stony tables, or in other outward substance, but in the fleshy tables, and inward substance of man's heart, wherefore doubts moved out of Scripture, are not to be determined by the dead lettre written with ink, but by the lively scripture written with the holy Ghost in faithful men's hearts, for scripture written with ink although it containeth Gods most undoubted truth, yet because it heareth not, speaketh not, compareth not, nor pondereth the matters incontroversye, it cannotte judge, nor pronounce sentence of the truth. The holy counsel thereof assembled at Iherusalem, said it pleaseth the holy ghost and us, the lively scripture of christ, the speaking mouth and lively instrument of the holy ghost, Whose determination, 
Act. 15.  when the brethren had read they joyed in the comfort received theirin, wherefore let us relynquishe the dissensions, and contentions proceeding out of private presumptuous brains and humbly obey and joyfully receive the decisions and determinations of Christ'S catholic church, whom the spirit of verity teacheth to speak all the truth. 
●o. 16.  Let us (I say) follow the counsel of S. Austen Divinam veritatem in una ecclesiateneamus, 
Aug contra cona●is. post cellat ca 19  et humanas, lights aliquando finiamus Let us keep saith Austen Gods truth which is in the church of unity, and so let us once finish human contentions. Non enim dissensionis est deus, 
1. Cor. 14  sed pacis. For god is not the god of dissension, but the God of peace. To whose mouth. which is the universal catholic church, 
Io. 10.  and to the doctrine proceeding out thereof, as obedient sheep of his flock, we are most bound to hearken and obey according to this of christ, my sheep do here my voice, do believe mye words, and do follow me, so that his Disciples do hear, believe, and follow him, speaking in his chosen and lively mouth the church, for the manifold wisdom of God, 
Ephe. 3.  is made open and known by his Church, as affirm Paul. Wherefore the Church being his own mouth, must needs expound, interpretate & open his own Scrptures, most agreeable to his own mind, and since that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, 
Mat. 19  consisteth every matter, 
2 Cor. 15.  than the Testimony of the mouth of christ the universal church, must neds & of necessity stand.  
And his churches true eyes, as preachers and teachers called by the church, the mouth of christ, doth truly see, and perceive the mysteries of the scriptures. Let us leave therefore our arrogant presumptions, the mother of all heresy in handling of the holy word of god, 
●●co. 3.  the which God resisteth and let us with meek humility, 
1 Petre. 5  to whom god giveth grace, submit our private fallible judgements, to the infallible ancient Consent of the whole universal catholic Church. which with one heart and mind believeth, with perfect eyes seethe, & with one mouth preacheth one truth, as affirm the ancthorytyes before rehearsed, let (us I say) during this our Pilgrimage in the desert of this world, walk in the catholic church, the heavenly kings high way, the way of truth, the which truth they that be out of the church, 
2. Timon, ●  be alway seeking and never finding that we may in the end of this our said journey hear in the militant Church, achieve up to the Church above triumphant.  
Where we may in truth, unity and peace honour with one heart, 
2 Cor. 13.  one mind, one mouth, our ever living god of peace, to whom eternal, be all praise honour, & glori eternally. Amen.  
FINIS.   

¶ Imprinted at Londo● in Paul's Churchyard, at the sign of the holy Ghost, by John Cawod, Printer to the King and queens Majesties.  
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.