¶ A Godly Treatise of the Church. Written by Robert Some. The Lord added to the Church from day to day, such as should be saved. Act. 2. ver. 47. You shall find in the end of this book, a Treatise against Oppression. LONDINI Impensis Geor Bishop. 1582. ¶ To the right Honourable Sir Francis Walsingham knight, principal Secretary to her excellent Majesty, and one of her highness privy Counsel: Robert Some wisheth increase of God's gifts by jesus Christ. IT pleased your Honour to favour me both at, and since my waiting on my Lord and master, the Earl of Leycester in the Court, I do not forget your goodness to me, and I thank God very hearty, for your Honourable both care of, and affection to God's Church and religion. It is very clear, that many are as friendly to God's truth and Church, as the East wind is to the fruits of the earth: I need not remember particulars, for there are so great store, and (as it were) swarms of such, that if almighty GOD did not bridle them, as he did Sanballat, the Arrabians, and the Ammonites in Nehemias' time, and raise up excellent personages for the rearing up of his Church now, as he did Ezra, Nehemias', Zorobabel, and jehoshua, after the captivity of Babylon, God's Church should go to wrack, and Religion should be handled like a ward. But God's Church is alive, (thanks be to GOD) howsoever wicked men do make it either a fair mark to shoot at, or a dead carcase to feed upon, and will outlive and outcountenance all enemies whatsoever. Almighty God to that end hath blessed this noble Land in our time with an excellent Prince of our own nation, (as he did the jews with Zorobabel after the captivity) and with many notable personages under her Highness (as he did the Israelites with Eliachim under Ezechias the king of juda.) Amongst which excellent personages, because your Honour's place is great in respect of the trust which is committed to you, and that GOD hath moved you to favour me, I do present unto you these my Treatises of the Church, and against Oppression, as a sure argument of my dutiful mind. My meaning is not to set down the several points of this Book, it were a needless labour, and you have it in your hands to read at your good pleasure and leisure. Thus with my hearty prayer to Almighty GOD for the increase of his good gifts in your Honour, I take my leave in most humble manner. At Queen's college in Cambridge the first of November. 1582. Your Honours to command Robert Some. To the Reader. IF my Treatise of the Sacraments found grace with you (as I hear it hath) I presume these of the Church, and against Oppression, shall: for they have more variety in them, by reading this book, you shall find it so. I have not as yet written any thing of the Scripture and Confession, but hereafter I will according to my promise by the grace of God, to whose merciful protection I commend both you and myself. Robert Some. If any either have or do spoil the Church or Churchmen of their maintenance, I refer them to this which immediately follows, and to the fourth Proposition in my Treatise of the Church, and to my whole Treatise against Oppression. Mich. 2. jere. 5 IT is a gross sin to grind the faces of others, and to spoil them of that they have: Gods judgements against Oppression, do sufficiently prove this. But to rob the church, and Churchmen is a fouler sin, and will have greater vengeance from almighty God. Is there any calling under heaven, that pleaseth God more, and doth greater service in a Christian kingdom, than the noble estate of the ministery? Are they not the lords Ambassadors, Malach. 2. Mat. 5. 1. Cor. 4. Ephe. 4. 2. King. 2. the salt of the earth, the light of the world, the dispensers of God's mysteries, the builders of God's Church, and the chariot & horsemen (as Elizeus said of Elias) of a Christian kingdom? If they be so, & that by their sound preaching, Luke 10. Satan falls down from heaven like lightning, & the walls of jerusalem are built up, is it not most equal, that they should not be rob of the church's maintenance, which belongeth of duty unto them? Is is not a certain truth, & in the eyes of all men, that many in uplandish & incorporate towns do open their purses very willingly, & bountifully (for men of their place) for the maintenance of godly preachers, & doth not almighty God, beside the heavenly comfort he gives them, repay those good men with increase of earthly commodities? Doth almighty God like of this Christian dealing? & do godly men both justly & greatly commend it: and will not graceless Cormorants be ashamed, which in steed of helping the Lords plough forward, hung it upon the hedge, by making foul havoc of the churches maintenance? If these which either have or do feed upon the church, (as the eagle doth upon the carrion) did see the goodly company of students in Cambridge and Oxeforde, or could consider what sharp wits, and excellent learning & virtues almighty GOD hath given to many of them, or would be moved with the sight of those holy assemblies, wherein God's truth is sound taught, and his people singularly comforted, would they not condemn their vile course, and be hearty sorry for their monstrous dealings? If this I have already remembered will not mollify and bend their hearts, then let them cast their eyes upon many Churches in this noble land, which either want the preaching of the word, or if they have it, they have it strawberry wise, that is, once a year: let them I say, look upon the woeful estate of those places, and if they be not hewn out of Okes, and have hearts of flint, it will break them in pieces. If answer be made, that a sufficient number of preachers cannot be had to furnish the whole land, I grant they say somewhat: but sure I am, that if very fit men in the universities & abroad, were heartened and employed accordingly, many should not be drowned in ignorance and popery as they are, and many treacheries against the religion and Prince, would more easily appear, and the number of skilful ministers (which are very precious jewels in a Christian kingdom) would increase accordingly. For who are there, that have spent their time profitably at their books, & are excellently furnished for the building of God's Church, that would either hide their talentes in a napkin, Mat. 25. or bury them in the earth: yea rather, that are not with all their hearts desirous to blow the Lords silver Trumpets, Num. 10. Ezech. 33. to be watchmen over God's city, and feeders of his flock: and what hope is there that these worthy men shall be employed, when the Church's maintenance is not given unto them accordingly, but rather pulled from them most shamefully: yea, what mean men are there, that will to their great charge maintain their sons in the universities for the benefit of God's Church (for very few of greater calling dedicate their sons as Anna did Samuel to the Lords ministery) when they see that learning, virtue and religion, are not preferred and rewarded for learning, virtue, and religions sake: and that (as Aristodemus of Lacedaemon said, money, money is the man, without money either given to corrupt patrons, or corrupt brokers, the Church's allowance is very hardly come by. Lent shrift is found fault with long ago, but sure I am, that the shriving or rather shaving of the Churchemen, as it is more costly than Popish shrift, so is it in some sort, as great an enemy to God's religion, as that trumpery was. If that which I have set down in my Treatise of the Sacraments, or in this book can not work the good (I mean the unfeigned conversion) of such, as either have, or do poll the Church, let them remember, that even the popish sort, (howsoever they are wide, both of white & butt, in many weighty points of God's religion) do both mislike and condemn the giving and taking of money, or pensions for clergy livings, and think it a very absurd thing (as it is indeed) that any patron, because he hath right according to the law, to present a fit man, should pull away either the whole, or the least part of the churches provision. Secondly, that the time will come, when these graceless cormorances shall sing this song with the king of Babylon, vocetur Daniel, send, send, Dan. 5. 1. King. 13. Exod. 8. for a godly preacher: & with the king of Israel, Orapro me, etc. O man of God, pray that my withered hand may be restored: & with the king of Egypt, Orate dominum ut auferat ranas, Moses and Aaron pray ye to the lord, that I and my people may be rid of the frogs. Let them remember (I say) that the time will come, when they shall sing this song with these ungracious princes, howsoever they either have or do poll godly men of the churches maintenance. T. Livius lib. 42. If. Q. Fuluius uncovering the one half of juno's temple, that he might cover another temple in Rome with the same tiles, was greatly both misliked & condemned by them of Rome for his fact: if they told him that Pyrrhus and Annibal would not have faulted so, and that the pulling of the tiles, from private men's houses had been too much, & therefore from the Church, was intolerable, if they caused the tiles of juno's temple to be sent home again: may not such as either garnish their houses, or themselves, or both, with the spoil & ruin of Christian churches, be justly both misliked & condemned? may they not be truly told, that the Egyptians, & Philistines would not spoil the Temples of their idols, and that the Church's maintenance is too holy and precious a thing for them to lay their fingers on, and may they not be justly called on, to return home again not the tiles of juno's Temple, but all that which belongs to the maintenance of almighty God's religion? 1. Sam. 6. The Philistines when they sent God's Ark from them, Luke 19 sent it with a gift. Zacheus of jericho, did offer fourfold restitution, if he had injuried any man. The Churchemen desire not any overplus, and usury of them, which either have or do poll the livings of the Church: only they desire restitution of the principal, that is, of their own. To conclude, if Churche-pollers have any spark of God's fear & religion in them, jer. 13. if they be not as the black moor, which cannot change his skin, or as the Leopard, which cannot change his spots, if they honour our gracious Prince, if they love this noble Church & kingdom, if they have English men's hearts, if they believe that there is a heaven for God's servants, & a hell for Churchrobbers, them let them not use God's Church, Plin lib. 1● chap. 62. as the young vipers do their dam, that is, break the body of her: but let them change their monstrous course, and if it please them not to be good to the churchmen, let them be good to themselves, & remember that the wild ass, jere. 2. though she snuff up the wind at her pleasure, is found in her month: & if it like them not to favour themselves, Tertul. ad Scap. let them be good (I will not say to Carthage, as Tertullian said to the precedent of Carthage in another case) but to the Church of God, Ephe. 53 which is Christ's both body & spouse, between which church, & his majesty, because, there is a very sure and inseparable knot, it is most certain, that the injury done to the Church, reacheth to jesus Christ the head and bridegroom of the Church, before whose judgement seat we must all appear, and receive according to that we have done in this body, whether good or evil. 2. Cor. chap. 5. ❧ A Table of such points as are contained in this Treatise. 1 WHat the visible Church is, & why it is called universal. 2 Without the Church there is no salvation. 3 The preaching of God's word, and the sincere administration of the Sacraments, are the essential marks of Christ's Church. 4 Godly and learned ministers must be freely and bountifully provided for. 5 We may not forsake God's Church, though there be evil men or blemishes in it. 6 There is but one only true Church. 7 The estate of the Church in the time of grace, is much better than the estate of the Church, either before or under the law. 8 They are not always the Church, which vaunt themselves to be the church. 9 The visible Church consisteth of good and bad. 10 The particular Churches are mixed of the elect and reprobate, but they are not called Gods Churches, but for the elects sake. 11 The external estate of God's church, is subject to many changes in the world, therefore God's Church is not alike visible at all times. 12 The visible church must not be tied to any place or persons. 13 Gods church cannot be quenched. 14 God hath his Church always in earth. 15 The reprobates are not of the Church. 16 Succession of Bishops is not an infallible argument of God's church. 17 Antiquity is no sure argument of God's Church. 18 Every unity is not a sure argument of the true church, neither is every discord a sure argument of a false church. 19 Multitude is not an infallible argument of God's church. 20 The church is not to be measured by the external show. 21 None, which are or have been alients from the Church of God, are to be admitted rashly into it. 22 Gods Church may err. 23 The Church is not perfect in this world. 24 The Church of Rome hath and may err. 25 They may not be accounted Schismatics, which forsake the Church of Rome. 26 The Church must be built upon the word of God. 27 The Church is known by the word of God. 28 jesus Christ alone, is the foundation of his Church. 29 What the catholic Church is. 30 The catholic Church is not visible. ❧ A Godly Treatise of the Church. 1 What the visible Church is, & why it is called universal? THe visible church is the company of those which make profession to serve the true God in Christ. This visible Church is called universal, because it is tied not to any certain place, people, or time, but is dispersed through the whole world, and shall so continue until the end of the world. 2 Without the Church there is no salvation, that is to say, unless we be of the assembly of God's children we cannot be saved. BEhold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee, & his glory shall be seen upon thee. Isa. cha. 60. ver. 2. By which words it is manifest, that only the Church is partaker of the light of God's spirit, and of the brightness of his favour. In Mount Zion, and in jerusalem, (that is to say in the Church) shallbe deliverance. joel chap. 2. ver. 32. Therefore without the Church there is no salvation. The Lord added to the Church from day to day, such as should be saved. Acts chap. 2. ver. 47. Therefore without the Church, there is no salvation. Christ and his Church, are most surely linked together, for Christ is the bridegroom, and the Church is the spouse. Ephe. chap. 5. ver. 25.29.30. How then can any be with Christ, which is not with his spouse (that is to say) in Christ's Church? Cyp. lib. 2. Epist. 8. He cannot have God to be his father, which hath not the Church to be is mother. Cyp. de unitate Eccle. The Church is called the mother of the faithful, because she nourishes them always by the word of truth. Noah, and his family had perished in the flood, if they had not continued in the Ark, Gen. chap. 7. ver. 21.22.23. The branch, which is cut from the vine, cannot but whither. A man's arm, which is cut from his body, is quickly without life. They which are without God's Church, are void of God's spirit, whatsoever vizard of holiness they put on amongst men. Augustine is flat for this. Epistle 50. and 152 So is Lactantius. lib. 4. chap. 14. & 30. When any Popish Heretic uses the name of the Church, as an argument to draw us from the written word, we must answer, that he is not joined to the Church, which is severed from the Gospel, and that whosoever setteth up a Church without the word, builds not a Church, but a Hoggescote. Question. If there be no salvation without the Church, what shall become of them, which have not heard of Christ? Answer. They cannot pretend ignorance, for the great book of the heavens, wherein God's glory is written in capital letters, is opened wide unto them. Psal. 19 vers. 1. I grant that the condemnation of such shall not be so grievous, as theirs, which have heard the Gospel, and contemned it: notwithstanding they, which have not heard of Christ, shall not be saved, seeing they have in themselves sufficient matter of condemnation, I mean, first, original sin, and then many actual sins, which flow from original sin, as rivers do from the spring head. Question. If there be no salvation without the Church, in what case are they, which are justly excommunicated, that is to say, are cut off from the assembly of the faithful? Answer. They are in a dangerous case, for if it be a grievous thing to be cast out of a well ordered common wealth, it is more grievous to be cast out of the Church, which is God's common wealth. If David, when he was shut from holy meetings, not for any fault of his, but by the tyranny of his enemies, lamented his own case very bitterly, & preferred the estate of the sparrow, and swallow before his own: how would David have been grieved, if he had been justly barred from the lords tabernacles? Psal. 84. ver. 1.2.3. Besides, they which are justly excommunicated, are delivered to Satan, that is to say, are alients from Christ's kingdom, & are under the power & authority of Satan: so were the incestuous Corinthian, 1. Cor. 5. Theod. lib. 5. cap. 18. & Theodosius the Emperor, until they were reconciled to God's Church. The captivity of the Israelites was great under Pharaoh in Egypt, & under Nabuchodonozor and Balthasar in Babylon, but the captivity under Satan, goes beyond it: for whatsoever is bound in earth, is bound in heaven. Mat. cap. 18, ver. 18. The Pope's excommunication against our noble Queen, and her best subjects hath not so much ground in God's book, to stand upon, as the Iewes excommunication had, when they cast Christ and his Apostles out of their Synagogues. Question. If the Pope's excommunication against our gracious sovereign Q. Elizabeth were lawful, whether might the subjects of England deny their obedience to her Majesty, and depose her from her kingdom? Answer. They might not: my reasons are these. Tiberius was a wicked Emperor, yet Christ and Peter paid him tribute. Math. chap. 17. ver. 24.27. 1. Pet. chap. 2 ver. 13. Nero, Domitian were persecutors of God's Church, yet the Apostles, & other godly men obeyed them. The Emperor julian was a wicked Apostata, but the ancient Christians obeyed him. Euseb. lib. 3. cap. 20. Sozom. lib. 5. cap. 4. Theodosius the Emperor was excommunicated by Ambrose the Bishop of Mediolanum, but Ambrose obeyed him, even during the time of his excommunication. Theodor. lib. 5. cap. 18. If these Emperors were obeyed, shall not our gracious sovereign, (though she were justly excommunicated) be dutifully obeyed of her subjects? 2. Thessal. 3. ver. 15. Are we commanded to account another, which is justly excommunicated, not as an enemy, but as a brother, and shall we not perform the like to our noble prince, if she were justly excommunicated? and sure I am, that those men are very far from performing this duty to her Majesty, which deny their lawful obedience unto her. Besides, what warrant had Pius the first, & Gregory the 13, to discharge the subjects of England of their allegiance: if it be said that Saint Peter's keys are warrant enough, Platina in Greg. 7. and that Gregory the 7. had no better when he dealt against Henry the Emperor, nor Gregory the second, Innocentius the fourth, Paschalis the 2. when they dealt against the Emperors, Leo, Fridericus, and Henry the 4. nor Pope Zacharie, and Martin the 4. when they dealt against Childericke the king of France, and Peter the king of Arragonia: I answer, that Peter's keys (though the Pope had good right to them) serve not to give entrance into, or to shut out of earthly kingdoms, for they are the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Math. chap. 16. ver. 19 And who knows not, that the kingdom of heaven (that is to say, eternal life) is a thing far different from the kingdom of the world? Lastly, excommunication, (which is a notable & sovereign medicine in God's church) is the punishment of the conscience, not of goods, nor of the body (otherwise then by some shame & reproach, which waits upon our separation from the Church of God, and so are S. Paul's words of the destruction of the flesh, 1. Cor. 5. to be understanded:) therefore they which have purposed since the Pope's excommunication against her majesty, either to hurt her royal person, or to depose her from her kingdom, as they have passed the lists and bounds of all excommunication, so their sin is very gross, & example very dangerous. 3 The preaching of God's word, & the sincere administration of the Sacraments, are the essential marks of Christ's Church: and where these marks are, there undoubtedly the true church is, though there be otherwise in that Church some blemishes. IF the Church be the assembly of the faithful, Rom. 10. and faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, it is a clear case that the preaching of the word belongeth to the essence of the visible Church. We are taught in God's book, Mat. 28. that the Sacraments instituted of Christ, are the seals of God's word, therefore the Sacraments, pertain to the essence of the visible Church. The Churches of Israel and juda, were therefore God's Churches, because they had God's law preached & circumcision & the passover (which were their Sacraments) administered amongst them. josias, 2. Chron. 34. & 35. chap. that he might plant God's Church aright, caused the book of the law to be published, and a passover to be proclaimed. Nehem. 8. Ezra. 7. Ezra after his return from Babylon, expoundeth God's law to the Israelites, & restoreth the true use of the passover. S. Luke setting down the estate of the Primitive Church in orient colours, Acts 2. saith, that they continued in the Apostles doctrine (which is the life of the Church) and fellowship, (that is in performing of Christian duties one to another,) & breaking of bread (that is in the administration of the holy supper,) & prayers (that is public prayers, in which consisteth the profession of our religion). This excellent Church had the Apostles doctrine, and the holy communion, therefore it was the church of Christ. If any say that the Sacrament of baptism is not here mentioned. I answer in a word, that Saint Luke needed not to mention Baptism, seeing he speaketh of such as were already baptized. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Cor. 1. Galat. 1. The Churches of Corinth and Galatia, had great blemishes in them: yet because they had God's truth & sacraments among them, they are accounted by S. Paul the Churches of God. If the sound preaching of the word, and the administration of the sacraments, are the essential marks of God's church, then learned ministers are necessary: for they blow the Lords silver trumpets, Num. 10. & put their hands to the framing of the silver vessels of the temple. If Godly and learned ministers are necessary and singular ornaments in the Church of God, than schools of learning, and Universities (wherein students are made fit to serve God's Church) are especially to be regarded. 1. Sam. 19 2. King, 2. & 22. chap. Such schools of learning were at Nayoth in samuel's time, at jericho, and Bethel in Elizeus time, at jerusalem in josias time, Calvin in 1. Cor. chap. 14. verse 32. at Corinth in S. Paul's time, and such are now with us in Cambridge and Oxeforde. If these be upholden, religion flourisheth, and consequently Gods blessings increase in the land. If these go to wrack, farewell religion, and the good estate of the common wealth. But Universities and schools of learning, must needs decay, when the students are not provided for, & employed accordingly: and preferred and employed they cannot be, if either the Church's maintenance be pulled away, or Church livings be bought and sold for money or pensions. 4 Godly and learned Ministers must be freely and bountifully provided for. BEware, that thou forsake not the Levite, as long as thou livest upon the earth. Deut. chap. 12. ver. 19 Almighty God commanded the Israelites to have especial care of the Levite, therefore they might not use him like a drudge, or send him a begging. If the Levite must be excellently used, greater regard must be had of the minister of the Gospel, whose calling (because it is greater than john the Baptistes, Mat. chap. 11. ver. 11. is far above the Levites. God's Church is the pillar & ground of truth. 1. Tim. cap. 3. ver. 15. because by the ministry of the word God's truth is preserved in the Church. If the ministry of the word preserves this precious jewel in the church (as the priests did the fire upon the altar in the time of the law) them they, levit. chap. 6. which hinder God's ministry, do rob God's Church of inestimable treasure: & hinder the ministry do they, which discourage the learned ministers by polling them of the church's provision. But if David sending his servants to comfort the king of Amon after his father's death, 2. Sam. 10. took in great dudgeon the shaving of his servants beards, & cutting of their garments, will almighty God take it in good part, that his servants whom he hath furnished with excellent gifts, for the comfort of his church, are polled & shaven of their maintenance, & stripped as it were into their shirts, and handled as dishcloutes. Who goeth a warfare any time at his own cost? Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, & eateth not of the milk of the flock? 5. Cor. chap. 9 ver. 7. If they whom S. Paul mentions in this verse, are provided for either of the common charge, as the soldier, or by the fruit of the vine, as the husbandman, or by the milk of the flock, as the shepherd: It is most equal that learned ministers should have large allowance of the church's charge: for their warfare, vineplanting & sheepfeeding doth as far pass the others, as the precious diamond doth the pebble stone. We beseech you brethren, that you know (that is have regard of) then, which labour among you, that ye have them in singular love for their works sake, etc. 1. The. cap. 5 ver. 12 13. If learned ministers must be especially favoured, they may not be kept from their own: if they must be singularly loved for their works sake, they may not be trodden upon, as the mire in the streets, nor spoiled by graceless men of the churches maintenance. But churchpollers love churchmen, as Philippides did his father, when he cudgeled him, Aug. epist. 168. and as a ruffler in Augustine's time did his mother, whom he used in like sort most unnaturally. Balthasar the king of Babylon in the midst of a great feast, called for the golden vessels which were brought from the temple of jerusalem: they were brought unto him by his servants. The king & his princes, his wives & his concubines did drink wine in them: but mark what follows in the Text. At the same hour appeared fingers of a man's hand, which wrote over against the candlestick, upon the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, and the king saw the palm of the hand, that wrote. Then the kings countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against the other etc. Dan. cha. 5. ver. 2.3.4.5.6. If God's judgements appeared notably and strangely against a mighty monarch, for drinking in a bravery in the holy vessels of the temple of jerusalem, will he spare mean men in comparison of him, which by spoiling the Church rob GOD of his glory, God's ministers of their maintenance, & God's people of the food of their souls? If neither the great river Euphrates, nor the high and thick walls of Babylon, could keep God's judgements from the king of Babylon, shall any either cunning dealing whatsoever, Theod lib. 3. cap. 12. & 13 or mighty bulwarks be able to deliver Churchrobbers from the vengeance of almighty God? julian (the Emperor julian's uncle) commanded the holy vessels to be brought into his treasury: Almighty God punished him very strangely for it, for he cast those excrements upward, which should have passed downward, and so the beast died. If God spare not the Cedars of Libanus, he will not spare the Fir trees: if the Oaks of Basan go to wrack, what shall the box tree look for? 2. Mach. cap. 8. ver. 33. T. Livius li. 29 calisthenes set fire upon the holy gates, but he was burnt himself for it. Pyrrhus' rob the temple of Proserpina, but the ships which carried that treasure, did miscarry, and Pyrrhus himself never thrived after. Heliodôrus. Do ye not know that they, which minister about the holy things, eat of the things of the temple, & they which wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar? So also hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel. 1. Cor. cap. 9 ver. 13.14. As if S. Paul should say, the Priests in the time of the law were bountifully provided for, therefore God's ministers must be excellently dealt with. The Apostle saith, that the Lord hath ordained, that they, which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel, therefore they which are not careful for the minister, break the Lords decree, much more they which rob the Church, & the minister. If any reply that S. Paul lived not always of the Churches charge, 1. Cor. chap. 9 ver. 15. I grant it to be true, & the reason, why Paul abstained, was, that he might not be inferior to the false Apostles of Corinth, which taught freely, that they might corrupt them of Corinth more easily. Be not deceived, God is not mocked: Galat. chap. 6. ver. 7. Many amongst the Galathians, defrauded the ministers of their maintenance: lest they should want some cloak for their absurd dealings, they gave out, that they must have care of their families, and that the ministers must preach the Gospel of free-cost: but the Apostle answers them roundly in this sort, be not deceived, etc., As if he should say, you that deal hardly with your ministers, deceive yourselves, and though you go beyond them, yet almighty God sees you well enough, and cannot be mocked. It is Satan's drift to take from men, if he can, the truth of God's religion, and to that end he openeth his whole pack of subtleties. When the Devil cannot compass that, he labours mightily to hinder God's religion by alluring wicked men to pull away the maintenance of the ministers. For what learned minister can attend upon his study, if he want books, or teach God's people, if he want necessaries. Aristotle's drudge (I confess) was enjoined to work, & did abide chastisement, Atist. in Occon. but he had meat (that is to say all things necessary) allowed him. The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honour, specially, they which labour in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture saith, thou shalt not mouzell the mouth of the Ox, that treadeth out the corn: and the labourer is worthy of his wages, etc. 1. Tim. chap. 5. ver. 17.18. If learned and painful Preachers are worthy of double honour, it is a foul shame not to provide for them, & a gross sin either to crop or girdle their maintenance. Saint Paul useth two reasons to prove, that the ministers must have provision accordingly, the first is out of the law, Deut. chap. 25. and is this, thou shalt not mouzel the mouth of the Ox, that treadeth out the corn: as if the Apostle should say, the Ox may not be pinched of his provender, therefore the learned minister may not be pealted with. The second reason is out of the Gospel, and is this: the Labourer is worthy of his wages, Math. 10. as if he should say, every mean labourer must have his hire, as the Ditcher, Thresher, 1. Cor. chap. 9 ver. 11. Dauber, etc. Therefore the learned minister, which sows spiritual things, may claim of duty to reap carnal things, and if of duty he may claim them, than he may not be either shaven or polled of them. The ministery is the strength of the land, and the life of the land. That it is the strength of the land it is manifest, for when the ministers by sound preaching do vanquish riot, adultery, covetousness, pride, idleness etc. (Of which sins many diseases, beggary, translating of inheritance from the right heirs, unnecessary dearth, sedition, rebellion, polling of Churches and Churchmen, etc. do grow) they may be truly called the strength and defence of the common wealth. In Elias time the strength of the Israelites army did consist of Chariots and horsemen. 2. King. 2. Elizeus seeing Elias taken up by a whirlwind into heaven, used these words: My Father, My Father, the Chariot of Israel, & the horsemen thereof: whereby Elizeus meant, that Elias by his ministery had been both Chariot and horsemen for the defence of the Israelites. That the ministery is the life of the land, it is clear by this: Solomon saith, that where prophesy (that is to say, the expounding of God's world) is not, the people perish, Prou. 29. therefore where God's religion is taught the people are alive. Amos 8. Amos teacheth us, that no famine is so grievous, as the famine of God's word, therefore where God's truth is delivered, the people are free from the sorest famine. S. Paul charging them of Thessalonica, not to quench the spirit (that is the gifts of the spirit) commands them not to despise prophesying (that is to say, 1. Thess. 5. the expounding of the word) therefore it is a good consequent that the ministry of the word is the life of a Christian kingdom. If the ministry be the life of a Christian kingdom, what deserve they to be thought of, which thrust it as low as may be, and make it a piece of their study not to benefit the Church, which is every man's duty, but to spoil the Church of that maintenance which belongs of duty to learned Teachers? If the good estate of the ministry be the strength of the land, what do they deserve, which will very hardly allow it any good place in the land? If it be the life of the Land, what friends are they to the Land, which for vile bribes, and cursed pensions prefer corrupt men which for want of sound learning, are unfit to teach, and for want of Godly wisdom are unfit to govern. It may be truly said, that since the reign of our gracious Sovereign Queen Elizabeth, many Students in Cambridge and Oxeforde are come to excellent proof. If their learning, soundness in Religion, and other virtues be regarded, they are singular: if their wits, they are I am sure equal at the least to other men's, what service they are able to do, would easily appear to God's glory, & the great good of the land, if they were employed according to their gifts: I mean not silver and golden gifts which are the best Logic, and surest Rhetoric to persuade corrupt men, but God's notable graces and gifts for the which Pharaoh preferred joseph in Egypt, Gen. 41. Dan. 6. & Darius preferred Daniel in Babylon. Is it not a strange case, that in trinity, and Saint john's Colleges in Cambridge (which are two of the greatest Colleges we have) not one fellowship falls void sometimes in a year, and more? Doth not this speak, yea rather cry very loud, that there is little hope of places for younger students, & that fit men are not provided for? Possid. in vita August. 10. cap. 24. A noble man of Hippo in Africa, which lived at Carthage, gave a possession of his own accord to the Church of Hippo, where Augustine was Bishop: he sealed his deed of gift, & sent it to Augustine for the Church's behoof, only he reserved for his life time, the use and profit (but not the propriety) of that possession. Augustine received the writings, and commended the giver. After a few years this noble man desired his deed of gift again, but sent five pounds for the poors relief. Augustine seeing the noble man's inconstancy, was mightily grieved, yet without delay delivered the writings, but refused his alms, and by letters took him up roundly for his hypocrisy, and exhorted him to earnest repentance etc. If Augustine dealt sharply with the noble man of Hippo, for calling back his own deed of gift, how would he shake those cormorants (if he were now alive) which spoil the Church of other men's deeds of gift? If Augustine refused 5. pounds sent by this noble man of Hippo for the benefit of the poor, what account would he make of their alms, which poll the Church and Churchmen, would he put it into the poor man's box? It is certain he would not, lest he should be guilty of giving countenance to graceless men, and of giving God's religion a grievous blow. God's enemies, Aug. lib. 8. Confess. cap. 5. Socrat. lib. 3. cap. 12. when they would overthrow religion, gave straight charge that the Christians should not be trained up in learning, so did julian the Emperor. If I should say, that they which either poll the Church livings, or for money prefer corrupt men, are of julian's stamp, it might seem a hard speech, but it is neither so hard, nor strange as their dealings are. For is it possible for schools to thrive, if the universities decay? And can the Universities prosper, when the learned students are not furnished with maintenance? The Universities of Cambridge and Oxeford are the fry of the ministery, and the seed of religion in England. If the good students, which are worthy of preferment, be not provided for, what place shall the younger students have? How shall they grow in study, when for want of convenient encouragement in the University they are fain to leave their studies before they be ripe, and so become petty schoolmasters, or serving men, or untimely ministers: yea, to speak more plainly, who sees not (if he be not stark blind) that the want of encouragement for ours, & the bountiful provision by the Popish sort for theirs, is as a great bell to call many to their seminaries at Rome in Italy, & at Rheims in France. And who is there (if he set not God's fear before his eyes) that is not easily moved to prefer wealth before want, & good maintenance before beggary. I confess their fault is great, Exod. 16. which prefer the fleshpots of Egypt, before the Lords Manna in the wilderness, Gen. 25. as the Israelites did, and which sell their birthright for pottage as Esau did: But woe to those Cormorants whose Churchpolling and bribery, is the great hurt of the Church, and the spoil and undoing of many a goodly wit. But that I may somewhat comfort such students, as are almost discouraged, may it please them to call to mind two Christian lessons, first that David and Moses (which were excellent personages) chose the one, Psal. 84. rather to be a door keeper in the lords house, then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickedness: the other rather to suffer adversity with the people of God, Heb. 11. then to be called the son of the king of Egypt's daughter. Secondly, that our life is more worth than meat, and our bodies then raiment, Math. 6. that the fowls of the air are fed, & that Lilies of the field are by almighty God more beautifully clothed, than Solomon in all his glory was: therefore he will have great care of godly students in such sort and time, as shall make most for his great glory, and their singular comfort. Bonus Dominus qui non tribuit saepe quod volumus, ut quod malimus attribuat. Aug. Epist. 54. 5 We may not forsake God's Church, though there be evil men or blemishes in it. THE Apostle giveth straight charge not to forsake the fellowship that we have amongst ourselves, Heb. chap. 10. ver. 25. as the manner of some is. Because forsaking of the Church was a disease in that time, the Apostle giveth them a medicine for it. Esay 1. The Church of jerusalem was greatly out of temper in Esaias time, so it was in our Saviour Christ's, religion was foully stained, and there was great corruption in their manners: Notwithstanding, the Prophets did neither erect for themselves either new churches, or new altars, but offered up prayers in the temple of jerusalem, which they would not have done, if it had been lawful to have departed from that Church. 1. Cor. 3.5.6. & 12.15. cap. In the Church of Corinth contention was rife, the incestuous man was tolerated, the article of the resurrection was shrewdly shaken, and Gods gifts were made to serve the ambition of men, not the profie of the Church: yet Paul willeth not any man to depart from that Church. Almighty GOD resembleth his Church to a vine, to a Corn field, and to a flock of sheep: though the vine be spoiled, it is the lords vine: though the field have weeds in it, it is the Lords field: though the flock run astray, it is the flock of Christ, and therefore not to be forsaken for the abuses of it: we must rather pray for skilful ministers to rear up, and to dress his vine: to labour & to weed his ground, to gather in, & to feed his flock. Augustine reproveth Emeritus the Donatist, because he departed from the Church. Epist. 64. We may not detest the oil presses, Aug. epi. 137. because of the foam of the oil, nor forsake God's Church, Cyp. lib. 3. Epist. 3. because we see tars in the Church: it is our parts to be careful, that we may be wheat. We may not leave the lords floor because of the chaff, Aug. Epist. 46. nor break the Lords nets because of the evil fishes, nor forsake the Lords flock because of the goats, nor departed from the Lords house because of the vessels of dishonour, nor for the iniquity of the bad, leave the unity of the good. They which made the Idol, (he meaneth the golden Calf) were slain with the sword which is an usual death, Aug. epist. 162 & Epist. 172. Exod. 32. Num. 16. but they which would make a schism died strangely, for the chiefest of them were devoured by the opening of the earth, and the multitude which consented to them, was consumed with fire. We may suspect ourselves to be infected with great pride, Aug. epist. 209 when for the sons of iniquity we forsake the pastures of unity. Christ hath commanded us to assemble together, & hath reserved to himself, the separation of the good and bad. For it belongeth to him to separate, which is free from error. The novatians, Donatists, Anabaptistes, etc. do leave the Church of God, because all stains & blemishes are not removed out of the Church. As we may not forsake God's church, though there be evil men or blemishes in it, so is it every man's duty (within the compass of his calling) to reform evil men, and to remove blemishes. 6 There is but one only true Church. THe Church is Christ's body and spouse, Ephe chap. 5. Cant. 6. Christ's body and spouse is but one. My dove is one. S. Paul saith of the whole Church, Galat. 3. that we are all one in Christ jesus. For amongst the faithful, there is one body and one spirit, one hope, one Lord, Ephe. 4. one faith, one Baptism, one God. Therefore all the particular Churches, which consent in true religion, must be accounted but one only Church. There are many beams in the sun, and yet the light thereof is but one: there are many brances in a tree, and yet but one body of the same tree: many rivers do pass from one fountain, & yet the fountain is but one: so is there no more but one only Church (saith Cypr.) dispersed far and wide, De simple. prelate. as appeareth by the particular Churches. The unity of the Church consisteth not in a bodily dwelling together, (for that cannot be) nor in the same outward Ceremonies (wherein the particular Churches do often differ, and may use their liberty to edification) but in an assured consent of doctrine and faith. 1. Cor. 10. The Israelites Church and ours is one and the self same Church (touching the substance) for their Church and ours have the same sacraments, Aug. Epi. 157 the same faith, and the same salvation in & by one comfortable Messiah. The difference of times is no reason, why the Churches before, under, and after the law, should not be one Church. Math. 20. The vineyard in the gospel was one, & the self same vineyard, albeit at divers times, divers were admitted into it. I confess the jews & Gentiles were two before they were united in Christ, but after they were united, they are compared to one body whereof Christ is the head, Ephes. 2. and to one building whereof Christ is the foundation & corner stone, john 10. & to one flock whereof the same jesus Christ is the shepherd. 7 The estate of the Church in the time of grace is much better than the estate of the Church either before or under the law. THe earth shallbe full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters that cover the Sea. Isai. chap. 11. verse 9 The prophet Esay speaketh of churches, which should be assembled in the time of the gospel. It is true, that the Israelites were not destitute of knowledge: But we have greater measure of knowledge, than they had: for of Christ's fullness we have received even grace for grace. joh. cha. 1. ver. 16. And it shallbe in the last days, sayeth God, I will power out of my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons, and your daughters shall prophesy &c. Acts chap. 2. ver. 17. God's spirit is more plentiful in Christ's time then before. For it is manifest by this place, that as a greater number are partakers of Gods singular graces in Christ's time, then either before or under the law: so they have larger allowance, & greater measure of God's inestimable treasures. No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten son, which is in the bosom of the father, he hath declared him. john chap. 1. verse 18. The Evangelist john sayeth that Christ was in God's bosom, that is to say, of God's secret counsel, that we may be well assured, that almighty God doth in the Gospel open as it were his heart unto us. Christ was promised to the Israelites, but is given to us. The Israelites saw Christ a far off, we have him amongst us. The estate of the Israelites may be compared to the break of the day, the estate of the Christians to the broad day light: their estate to the sowing of the corn, ours to the harvest and reaping of the corn. I confess that the Israelites had the same light that we have, and the same corn that we have, though not in like measure. For touching the substance of doctrine, the Gospel hath added nothing to the law, because nothing is set down in the Gospel, which is not contained in the law. 8 They are not always the Church which vaunt themselves to be the Church. THE Assyrian Rabsaketh, 2. King. cha. 18. laying siege to jerusalem, useth the name of the Lord against the people of the Lord. Zedechias the false Prophet in his speech to Micheas, boasted of God's spirit, 1. King. 22. but he was void of God's spirit. The jews had often in their mouths the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, jer. 7. but they polluted the temple of the lord john 8. They gave out many times, that Abraham was their father, but they did not the works of Abraham. Rom. 9 Al they are not Israel, which are of Israel. Martion the Heretic rejected the Gospel, Irenaeus lib. 3 cap. 11. and yet he bragged that he had the Gospel. The Donatists did carry the sign of Christ against Christ, Aug. Epist. 61 & did brag of the Gospel against the Gospel. The old Emperors of Rome after their conquests of cities, had the maps of those cities carried about in their triumphs: the Papists after the overthrow of Christ's Church, use in their triumph, the name of the Church, the Church: but they have as much right to the name of the Church, Dan. 5. as the Babylonians had to the holy vessels of the temple of jerusalem, after the overthrow of the City jerusalem. 9 The visible Church consisteth of good and bad. BEfore Christ shallbe gathered all nations, Mat. 25. ver. 32. and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats etc. If the sheep shall not be severed from the goats before the day of judgement, it is manifest that the bad and good are mingled together in the visible Church until that time. The visible Church is compared to a net, Mat. 13. Mat. 3. 2. Tim. 2. wherein there are good and bad fishes, to a floor wherein there is wheat and chaff, to a field wherein there is both wheat and tars, to a great house wherein there are vessels of gold and silver, and vessels of wood and earth, Mat. 25. and to ten virgins whereof five were wise, and five foolish. In external assemblies, the bad are mingled with the good, so it was in salomon's Temple, & at the marriage feast. Mat. 22. Gen. 4. Gen. 9 Gen. 16. Mat. 26. 2. Pet. 2 Cain sacrificed as well as Abel. I'm was in the Ark as well as japhet. Agar was in Abraham's house as well as Sara. judas was in Christ's company as well as Peter. And evil Angels were in heaven till they were cast our from thence. When we see any which seemed to us goodly members sometimes of the Church, to become enemies to God's religion, and the very murrayne of the Church, we may not be discouraged. 2. Tim. 2. For we must remember that the Church is a great house, and that if they had been of us, they should have continued with us, 1. john 2. & that many wolves are within the visible Church, and lastly that men's sins (as fire covered with Ashes) are hidden for a time: but afterward appear in their colours. So did the sins of Cain, judas, Cham, Saul, Demas, & many others. Question. Why will almighty GOD have his Church consist of good and bad? Answer. Aug. Epist. 205. That the good may be exercised and tried as gold in the furnace, & that God's love may appear more notably which for a very little wheat, spareth for a time great store of cares. The Sodomites were spared because of Lot, Gen. 19 Acts 27. the Egyptians because of joseph, they which were in the ship because of Paul. Objection. The Church is the Communion of Saints, therefore it hath not both good and bad in it. Answer. The meaning is not, that all which are assembled in the Church, are truly sanctified: but rather, that there is no true communion, no true holiness, but in the Church calling it (as we commonly use) by the best part. 10 The particular Churches are mixed of the elect and reprobate, but they are not called Gods Churches but for the elects sake. The visible Church (for the elects sake) is called the house of God, 1. Tim. chap. 3. ver. 15.1. the pillar & ground of truth, this cannot be given properly to reprobates & hypocrites. For to be an hypocrite, & pillar of truth cannot stand together. The Church is the spouse of Christ only for the elects sake. Ephe. chap. 5 ver. 30. For we are members of his body, of his flesh, & of his bones. By which words of the Apostle, as the strait and near knot between Christ the bridegroom, & the Church his spouse doth notably appear: so it were strange dealing to shut the reprobates & hypocrites within that compass. I confess, that Christ is said to be the propitiation for the sins of the whole world, 1. john 2. but he is so called, because of the wheat, (that is, Aug. Epist. 4 8 Gods elect) which is dispersed throughout the whole world. A heap of wheat, though it have chaff amongst it, is not called a heap of chaff, but a heap of Corn, because it is a heap, by reason of the Corne. A tun of wine, though it have lees in it, is called not a tun of lees, but a tun of wine, because it is a tun by reason of the wine. No man did ever call that the field, Mat. 13. (wherein the tars appeared with the wheat) a field of tars, but a field of wheat, because it was sown with wheat. In like sort, the visible Church, though it consist of good and bad, is and must be called God's Church because of the elect. When we say, that the vine yieldeth wine for the use of man, we mean not the dead, and withered, but the fruitful branches of the vine. In like case whatsoever is spoken of the church is so to be referred to the visible Church, that it belongs to the elect only, & not to the reprobates and Hypocrites. 11 The external estate of God's Church is subject to many changes in the world, therefore God's Church is not alike visible at all times. Psal. 80. GOds Church is sometimes compared to a flourishing vine, which filled the land, and whose boughs were like the goodly cedars, and sometimes to a vine destroyed by the wild boar, Aug. Epist. 4●. and eaten up by the wild beasts of the field. It is compared to the moon which appears not always alike unto us, & yet neither the moon is destitute of light from the sun nor the Church of the light of god's spirit from the son of righteousness Christ jesus. In Enos time the face of the Church was beautiful, Gen. 4. Gen. 7. but afterward it was shut in noah's family as in an Ark. In the kingdom of David religion flourished, 2. Sam. 6. the Church was very glorious, but after his time there was a great Eclipse, and God's Church was under a black cloud. In the time of the captivity in Babylon, Read Dan. Nehem. Ezra. the estate of God's Church was very miserable, but after the captivity was ended, and the jews returned to jerusalem under Zorobabel, the City was built, the Temple was repaired, the true worship was restored, and the Church of GOD was very fair in the eyes of the Israelites. In what case was God's Church, when the horn (that is the Emperors of Rome) made battle against the Saints, Dan. chap. 7. ver. 21. & prevailed against them? In the time of the pharisees, Sadduces, etc. God's church was in a strange pickle, but Christ at his coming raised it (as it were) from death, and put life into it, and made it very beautiful. Since that time, popish darkness, more than that of Egypt, covered the face of the earth. But in many kingdoms & dominions (thanks be to God) Moses rod hath eaten up the rods of the Egyptian sorcerers, the Lords Ark hath cast the Philistines Dagon to the ground, & the sound preaching of the Gospel hath broke the neck of Popery. Because God's Church is not always so visible, it is well compared to a bunch of grapes, hanging under a few vine leaves after the grape gathering: to an olive remaining under the leaves after the olive tree is shaken: to an ear of Corn standing after harvest: & to the sun under a black cloud. Esay chap. 49. ver. 21. God's Church is called desolate and barren, not because it is forsaken of almighty GOD, but for that it appears not always in the world, & yet God's church both hath, & shallbe always visible, as it consists of true visible members, for it is not an imaginary thing. Objection. My spirit, which is upon thee, & my words which I have put in thy mouth, Esay chap. 59 vers. 21. shall not departed out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed, saith the Lord, from hence forth even for ever. Therefore God's Church shallbe always apparently visible in the world. Answer. The argument follows not, and is like unto this. The sceptre shall not depart from juda, Gen. chap. 49. vers. 10. until Silo (that is the Messiah) come, therefore there was no interruption of that visible Sceptre. This is a weak argument, & yet it is as strong as the other: My reasons are these. The Sceptre of juda was not visible & conspicuous, when the Israelites were in captivity seventy years at Babylon. After their return from that captivity, the Asmonits' (which were not of the tribe of juda) translated the kingly authority to themselves. Where was all this while the visible succession of the sceptre in the tribe of juda? We must answer that the relics of the Sceptre of juda was in the stock of isaiah, Esay chap. 11. vers. 1. though it seemed for a time to be altogether withered. In like sort, it may be truly said, that, although the face of God's Church hath been obscured, and the visible succession interrupted, that Esayes prophesy stands sure & true. For a thing may not be said therefore not to be at all, because it is not after this, or that sort. Question. Where was the Protestants Church two hundred years ago? Answer. It was hidden in the Papacy, as wheat under a great deal of chaff. For of that little seed is grown up a goodly harvest, and of a few sparks a comfortable fire, thanks be to God, hath appeared. It was in the hands of wicked husband men, which killed the Lords servants, & cast the son and heir out of the vinyeard, and did their best to kill him. Besides, who knows not, that there should be a departing (from the faith) and that Antichrist should sit as God in the temple of GOD, and deceive all the world. 2. Thess. 2. (This Antichrist we take to be the bishop of Rome, not meaning any one singular man, but the succession of Bishops there, since their Apostasy from God's religion: and this interpretation is substantially proved by some excellent men of our side) during all this time of darkness and tyranny, could God's church appear beautifully in the world? Was it not with the woman in the wilderness, Apoc. 12. Mat. 2. 1. King. 19 and with Christ and his parents in Egypt? Elias did think that himself remained alone of all God's children in the time of Achab and jezabel, but there were seven thousand besides, which bowed not their knees to Baal. If Elias which was a holy prophet was far short and wide in this reckoning and account of God's servants, is it not both possible & likely, that the enemies of our Church are greatly overseen in the numbering of our Churches? 12 The visible Church must not be tied to any place or persons. 1. Sam. 4. ALmighty God was served in Silo until the death of Heli: but when God's religion was defiled by the wickedness of the priests & unthankfulness of the people Silo was destroyed. jere. 7. The children of Israel (saith Hoseas') shall sit many days without a king, Hos. 3. ver. 4. and without a Prince, & without an offering, and without an altar, and without an Ephod: That is to say, they shall have neither king to govern them, nor priest to teach them Gods religion. If the Church were tied either to place or persons, no such thing had fallen out amongst them. Bethel was God's house, but after that it was defiled with idolatry & superstition, it was called Bethaven, that is, the house of iniquity. jerusalem was a famous Church, and enriched with heaps of God's benefits, it was God's sanctuary, and the seat of the kingdom & priesthood which were most precious jewels, it was the fountain of God's religion, & as it were the star of the world. The Lord had so great delight in jerusalem, that he did as it were bind himself to it: Psal. 132. ver. 14. this is my rest (saith the Lord) for ever, here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein. But because they of jerusalem dishonoured God, trod his religion under their feet, lived monstrously, & went about to quench the doctrine of the prophets with the blood of the prophets, almighty God did set them at nought, & gave them over (as a pray) to their enemies. For jerusalem was taken & overthrown, their stately temple was destroyed according to the prophecies of Christ and jeremy, Math. 24. jere. 26. by Titus the son of Vespasian: so that jerusalem which was sometimes a goodly Theatre of God's glory, is at this day a notable monument of his judgements. The Church of Rome was sometimes a famous Church in the West, Rom. 1. & 6. & 16. chap. and was greatly commended by Saint Paul in the Epistle to the Romans, but now it is an enemy to the weighty points of religion contained in that Epistle. The Church of England is a goodly Church: It hath pleased God to power his blessing upon it with a full horn. The particulars of God's favour are written in so great and fair letters, that he that runs may read them. If our thankfulness to his Majesty appear in our lives, he will multiply his blessings upon us. If we fail in performing this duty, that is to say, if we profess religion only for a fashion, and use it (as a cloak) to cover our Church polling, oppression, and other foul actions, GOD will sweep us with the bosom of destruction. If we think that the viserd of godliness and religion will serve the turn, and stand as a wall between us & God's heavy judgements, we are in a gross error. For if Mount Zion and the temple of jerusalem, could not deliver the Israelites from such measure, as Silo had, the bare name and face of the Gospel and religion will not deliver us from being measured with the line of Samaria. God be merciful to this Church & land, and give us grace to be thankful for his mercies, and to be afraid of his judgements. The Donatists in Augustine's time, did tie God's Church to a corner of Africa. Ang. Epi. 50. & 161. The pharisees did tie God's religion to jerusalem, but they were foully deceived. for God's Church is not tied to any certain place, but rather to God's word, and sacraments, and to godly obedience, to his holy Gospel, so that wheresoever God is truly served, that people is juda and Israel, that city is jerusalem, that house is God's house. 13 Gods Church cannot be quenched. GOds Church is compared to the bush, which burned with fire, Exod. 3. but was not consumed: Gen. 15. it is compared to a firebrand, shining in the midst of a smoking furnace. God's Church is graven in the palm of the lords hand, it is as the apple of his eye, it is God's inheritance, it is, as arrows in the lords quiver, it is a Crown of glory in his hand, Esay 62. and a royal Diadem in the hand of almighty God. God's Church is like to Camomile, which thrives best when it is trodden on, & to the Palm tree which flourishes most when weight is laid upon it. Tertu. ad Sca. Christianity grows fairest when it is under the cross. Acts 8. The primitive Church was grievously persecuted after the death of S. Stephen, but it increased the more. For whereas the Church before that time, was shut up (as it were) within the walls of jerusalem, after the dispersion of the godly by reason of that persecution, Samaria and Antiochia became goodly Churches. Acts 11. God's enemies deserve no thanks for this, but almighty God doth, which fetcheth light out of darkness, & life out of death. God's enemies do what they can to cast God's Church into the bottom of the Sea, but they labour in vain. No man can stay the flowing of the sea, nor bind the wings of the wind, nor darken the beams of the sun. The grain of mustard seed will be a tree for the birds to make their nests in, Mat. 13. & God's Church will be alive, notwithstanding all the subtlety and violence of the enemies. 14 God hath his Church always in the earth. Certain Pagans affirmed, Aug. de civit. Dei lib. 18. cap. 54. that Christian religion, should not continue above three hundred sixty five years, but they were foully deceived. Esay chap. 8. The Prophet Esay lived in a strange time, yet he had disciples, amongst whom he sealed the law of God. The Apostle ask, Rom. 11. whether GOD hath cast away his people, answers, God forbid. Except the Lord of hosts had reserved unto us even a small remnant, Esay 1. we should have been as Sodom, and should have been like Gomorrha (that is) utterly destroyed. Ezra speaks thus of himself, & the Israelites after the return from Babylon, from the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day, & for our iniquities have we, our kings, (and) our priests been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, unto the sword, into captivity, into a spoil, & into confusion of face, as (appeareth) this day: and now for a little space, grace hath been showed from the Lord our God in causing a remnant to escape, and in giving us a nail in his holy place, that our God may light our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our servitude. For, though we were bondmen, yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage: but hath inclined mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us life, and to erect the house of our GOD, and to redress the desolate places thereof, and to give us a wall in juda and in jerusalem. Ezra chap. 9 ver. 7.8.9. By which words it is evident, that albeit God's Church lieth hid sometimes as it were under a black cloth, yet it is not clearly put out, but appeareth again. Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light to the day, and the courses of the Moon, and of the stars for alight to the night, which breaketh the Sea, when the waters thereof roar, his name (is) the Lord of hosts. If these ordinances depart out of my sight (saith the Lord) then shall the seed of Israel cease from being a nation before me for ever. Thus saith the Lord, if the heavens can be measured, or the foundations of the earth be searched out beneath, then will I cast off all the seed of Israel, for all that they have done saith the lord jere. chap. 31. ver. 35.36.37. The sum of these words is this: Almighty God will continue the course of the sun and the moon, etc. Whilst the world lasteth. Therefore he will preserve his Church, for whose benefit especially, the world was created. And yet we must remember, that the condition of God's Church depends not of the nature of the world, or course of the heavens. For they shall perish (saith David to Almighty God) but thou shalt endure, even they all shall wax old, as doth a garment: as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. The children of thy servants, shall continue, and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight. Psal. 102. ver. 26.27.28. Thus saith the Lord, as the wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, destroy it not for a blessing (is) in it: so will I do for my servants sakes, that I may not destroy them whole. But I will bring a seed out of jacob, & out of juda, that shall inherit my mountain, and mine elect shall inherit it, & my servants shall dwell there. Isa. 65. ver. 8.9. When almighty God threatens destruction to the people, he respecteth the body of the people, in whom there is no sincerity: but when his majesty restrains his punishment, he respecteth a small number, which is the seed of the Church. The corruption of the visible Church, is no hindrance, but that almighty God may preserve the Church of his elect: & God's promises of the perpetual estate of the Church, pertain properly to the Church of the elect. 15 The reprobates are not of the Church. Ephe. 5. TO be of the Church is to be united with Christ, the reprobates are not united with Christ. The Church is the body of Christ, Christ is the Saviour of his body. If the reprobates were of the Church (that is of Christ's body) they should be saved as in deed they shall never be. Christ which is the head of the church, Ephe. 4. giveth spirit and life to his church. But he giveth neither spirit nor life to the reprobates. It is unpossible for one & the self same man to be the member of Christ, Cont. Cresc. Gram. lib. 2. cap. 21. and the member of the Devil. God forbidden that these monsters (Augustine speaks of wicked men) should be accounted either amongst the members of the only dove (that is God's church) or enter into the enclosed garden. I confess that the reprobates are, & may be many times in the Church (that is in the assemblies of God's servants) but of the Church they neither are, nor can be truly accounted. 16 Succession of Bishops is not an infallible argument of God's Church. IF personal succession (not having the succession of doctrine joined to it as the foundation thereof) were an infallible mark of the true Church, then must we confess, that God's grace and spirit are tied to seats and countries, which is a gross absurdity. 2. Thes. 2. Ordinary and visible succession in the Church may be interrupted. For Paul did foretell that there should be a departing from the faith. Apostasy and succession, can no more stand together than the Ark and Dagon, than Christ and Antichrist. Besides, the ordinary succession of priests was interrupted in the Israelites church, and yet God had his Church there, 1. King. 19 I mean them which retaining God's truth, did not bow their knees unto Baal. When Christ came into the world to be our mediator, was God's Church to be measured by the visible succession of Bishops? Heretical Bishops might vaunt of succession in very famous Churches, Paulus Samosatenus (which was a monstrous Heretic) succeeded Godly Bishops in the Church of Antioch, & divers Arians succeeded Athenasius in the Church of Alexandria. The succession of Bishops both was, & is, continued in the Greek Church, and yet the popish sort will not allow the churches of Grecia, to be Christ's Churches, because they descent from the Church of Rome. The ancient writers, Tertullian, Tertul. de praescrip. Ireneus, (when they would confute Martion and valentinus,) proved that, (not those Heretics, Iren. li. 3. ca 2. but) themselves had the succession of God's truth amongst them. When these godly fathers had made that clear, they set down the succession and row of Bishops, as badges of their victory: so that the succession of faith, and religion may be truly accounted as the life and soul, and the succession of Bishops, as the body. If personal succession be without the succession of God's truth, it wants life, & is a dead and unprofitable carcase. I confess that the succession of Bishops (as a goodly and beautiful building) is of great force to allure them which are alients from the Church, to look into, & to behold the inward beauty of the church: but if the precious jewel of God's word be wanting, the personal succession is like a costly tomb, which is beautiful without, but is full of dead men's bones within. Lib. 4. cap. 43. & 45. Ireneus joineth together the succession of persons and doctrine. If the Papists (which have not succession of God's truth) brag of succession of Bishops, we may say to their Bishops as Tertullian said to Martion the Heretic, Tertul. lib. 1. cont. Mar. who are ye, when, and from whence came ye? The succession of Bishops without succession of God's truth, is like a pair of popish beads, which hang by a long, but yet by a slender thread. That is the true and lawful succession of Bishops, when as lawful Bishops succeeding one another, do exercise the work of their ministry. 17 Antiquity is no sure argument of God's Church. THe jews consenting that the Messiah is not yet come, is of greater continuance than popery is, but continuance of time cannot make that good in religion, which was bad at the first. Antiquity, if it have not the salt of God's word to preserve it, doth argue rottenness, and gives an evil sent. Your iniquities, Esay chap. 65. ver. 7. & the iniquities of your fathers (shallbe) together saith the Lord, which have burnt incense upon the mountains, and blasphemed me upon the hills: therefore will I measure their old work into their bosom. If antiquity would have served the turn of the Israelites, almighty God might have been challenged for punishing their ancient idolatry and superstition. Ye have heard that it was said unto them of old time, thou shalt not kill. For whosoever killeth, shall be culpable of judgement. But I say unto you: whosoever is angry with his brother unadvisedly, shallbe culpable of judgement. Mat. 5. ver. 21.22. The pharisees cleared him of murder, which had not killed a man with his hand, because the pharisees alleged antiquity for their error: our Saviour Christ refutes them by his own authority: But I say unto you, etc. ver. 22. There were ill builders in Paul's time, 1. Cor. 3. and such abuses crept into the Lord's supper in Corinth, 1. Cor. 11. that the Apostle was compelled to say (this) is not to eat the Lords supper. They which reason thus: such a religion is old, therefore it is good, may be answered: that this argument is as clear as midnight: the enchantmentes of Simon Magus, Acts 8. & 19 chap. the image which came down from jupiter, the religion of Rome, are of great antiquity, & yet God's religion is more ancient than any of these: Tertul. lib. 1. cont. Mar. ● for truth is older than heresy. When we hear any Papist say: I have been brought up in the religion of Rome, therefore I will continue in it, and will not be won from it: we may answer him, that wise men have their second thoughts, Euripides in Hippol. Cyp. add jubaian, ad Quin fratrem & de lapsis. and that we may not err always, because sometimes we erred, & that we are not overcome, but instructed, when better things are offered unto us, & that he is not joined to the Church, which is separate from the gospel. Some of the Popish sort have been content to say, if the Church of Rome would allow the religion, we have in England, that they would like of it. Tichonius a Donatist said of himself, & his fellow Donatists, that, Aug. Epist. 48. which we will is holy. Tiberius' the Emperor, put up a grace in the Senate house of Rome, Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 2. that Christ might be a God, because the Senate denied that grace, it is set down a little after in that Chapter, unless God please man, he is not allowed for a God. In like sort, if our religion had the Pope's hand and seal unto it, the Popish sort would allow it: because it hath not his holiness warrant, they refuse it. Question. How can it be, that God should suffer his Church to err so many years? Answerre. God suffered not his Church to err so long a time, but he suffered wicked men even by his just judgement (which believed not the truth, that they might be saved) to believe lies, and have pleasure in unrighteousness, that they might be damned. 2. Thessal. 2. ver. 10.11.12. 18 Every unity is not a sure argument of the true Church, neither is every discord a sure argument of a false Church. THe jews, which think, that the Messiah is not yet come, have had unity many years: but their consent proves then not to be God's Church. Acts 19 Demetrius the silver smith & his company in Ephesus were at great unity for the upholding of Diana against S. Paul's preaching: but that unity was no argument, that they were God's Church. Apoc. cap. 14. ver. 8. The Angel saith, that Babylon made all nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. Therefore the general consent and unity of all nations in religion, doth not make a true religion. The Arrians, Nestorians, Eutichians, & the blasphemous Heretics of the family of love, have, & do consent in their blasphemous opinions, but this consent of theirs, proves them not to be the true Church of God. Unity in the essential points of God's religion is an infallible argument of the Church of God. Every discord is not an argument of a false church. 1. Cor. 1. & 11. cha. There were dissensions in the church of Corinth, and yet God had his church at Corinth. The Bishops which were assembled in the Nicene counsel against Arrius were at great variance: Notwithstanding they were God's servants. The East & West Churches were greatly divided about the feast of Easter: and yet they were the Churches of God. Acts 15 Galat. 2. Aug. Epist. 9 There was hot stir between Paul & Barnabas, between Paul & Peter, between Augustine & Jerome, & yet all these were God's servants. God's truth sometimes divideth the faithful amongst themselves. john chap. 6. ver. 66. Christ's sermon that his flesh was the true meat, was an undoubted truth: yet it made a partition between the twelve, & the other which believed in Christ. I confess that God's spirit is the spirit of peace & unity. This spirit should wholly possess us, if we were wholly regenerate: But the best men are short of that. 19 Multitude is not an infallible argument of God's Church. Gen. 7. 1. King. 19 & 22. chap. IN the times of Noah, Elias, Micheas, etc. The greater part was the worse part, when the x. tribes did set themselves against the tribe of juda God's Church was in juda. Except the Lord of hosts had reserved unto us, even a small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, Esay 1. ver. 9 and should have been like unto Gomorrha. Whereby it is manifest, that God's Church was very little, and that the greater number was the worse. Enter in at the strait gate, for it is the wide gate & broad way that leeadeth to destruction, & many there be, which go in thereat: because the gate is strait & the way narrow, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. Mat. 7. ver. 13.14. If the multitude had been an argument of the Church, Christ's speech were not to be liked of. Christ calls his flock, a little flock, & Christ himself was condemned to death by the greater number of the jews. Luke 12. Math. 27. It is said, that Satan deceiveth all the world. Apo, 12. and 20. As the greater number is no sure proof of the Church, if they have not the marks of the Church amongst them: so is not the less number an argument of God's church, unless they have the essential marks of God's Church amongst them, if they may be come by. 20 The Church is not to be measured by the external show, Rejoice, thou barren, Gal. 4. that bearest no children & c? If the Apostle out of the prophet Esay call the Church barren, it is a good lesson to teach us not to measure the church always by the outward show. Esay. 53. Christ the bridegroom was so afflicted that he had neither form nor beauty: When the Church's case is such, we must remember that it is Christ's spouse. When the Israelites were in captivity at Babylon, Ezec. chap. 11 ver. 15.16. God's Church was in Chaldaea, as in a dungeon, albeit they which remained in jerusalem thought otherwise. If God's Church had been measured by the outward show, it had been wide with them, which were then in captivity. Cant. 6. I confess that God's Church is said by Solomon to be fair as the Moon, & pure as the Son. But it is so to men's eyes not in the time of persecution, but in the time of the peace of the church, when as the order in God's Church is very beautiful. Esay. 60.9. When we read in Esay that the ships of Tharsis shall bring (to gods church) sons from far, and their silver & their gold with them: We must not by and by dream of a golden church, as the jews do of a golden Messiah: but the meaning is, that God will greatly advance his Church, and set it out with excellent furniture. If they of Tharsis deserve great commendation for bringing their own silver & gold with them to God's Church, I am sure they deserve very little, which by cropping the Church's maintenance, hinder the building of the spiritual temple. For can gods church be built without skilful masons and carpenters, I mean, able ministers: and can they either provide instruments for the framing & setting up of Almighty gods house, when they are kept fasting from the Church's allowance? And is not this the true cause, why in many places of this noble land, some such open God's book in the body of the church, as would be goodly implements & ornaments in the Belfray. I will not rub this sore any longer, & I am very sure that all which love religion, do pray hearty for the redress of this. 21 None, which are or have been alients from the church of God, are to be admitted rashly into it. If Rahab of jericho and her company, josu. 6. had been presently admitted into the Israelites assembly, their uncleanness would have been easily forgotten: but the putting of them apart for a time, without the host of Israel, was of great force, both to make them ashamed of their former behaviour, & to esteem the company of god's people afterward, a more excellent benefit. Acts. 9 The not admitting of S. Paul at the first amongst the Disciples, did teach him to prefer the lowest place in Christ's Church, before the highest room in the Synagogues of the Pharisees, and may teach us not to open the Church doors over hastily to every one without exception. Acts. 19 Many, which believed (in Ephesus) came & confessed, & showed their works, before they were joined to the Church. 1. Tim. chap. 3. ver. 6. If no man may be admitted rashly into God's church, than no man may rashly be set over God's Church. Unseasoned timber, will not serve for a groundesell. He is not fit to be a Captain, which cannot be accounted a soldier. No man may be allowed a Prophet, which hath not been the son of a Prophet. 22 Gods Church may err. To err, is to go out of that way which almighty God hath prescribed to us in his holy word. If the Church cannot err, what needed godly and learned Bishops & ministers to look to the lords field, vine, and flock. The family of Sem was god's church: Gen. 11. but idolatry entered into that family. I confess, Gen. 9 that a singular blessing was given to Sem, but his posterity could not be kept within their compass. If the Church was any where in Esaies' time, it was amongst the jews. But the Prophet saith, that the Priest and the Prophet were not only corrupt in their manners, Esay. 28. vers. 7. Eze. 8. but that they failed in vision, and stumbled in judgement. The flourishing Churches of Asia, Grecia, Africa, which had the precious treasure of God's word plentifully amongst them, are now stripped of Christian religion. The Church erred before, and under the law, and in the time of grace: before the law, Gen. 3. Exod. 32. for Adam and Eve erred in Paradise. Under the law, for Aaron and the Israelites erred foully in making a golden calf. In the time of grace, for the Churches of Corinth, Galatia, Acts. 21. ver. 20. and the Primitive Church in judea, erred about the observation of Moses law, and otherwise. The Church in Augustine's and Cyprians time did give the holy Supper to infants, Chap. 6. ver. 3 grounding upon the place of Saint john: but it was a gross error. Let no man deceive you by any means: 2. Thes. 2. (for that day shall not come) except there come a departing first. This Apostasy or departing (which Paul speaketh of) is not in one or two Churches, but even in the body of the whole visible Church. The holy ghost did so prophesy. jesus Christ is the head of the church, as of one body. This head is unto the Church, as reason unto man, so far forth as the desire of man obeyeth reason, and the body of the Church, the head of the Church, it is well with man & with the Church. The Church is as a Moon, which hath no light but from Christ the son thereof. When she looketh towards him, she is bright and clear: the more she turneth away from him, the less brightness she hath. Objection. The Church is the pillar of truth, 1. Tim. 3.15. therefore it cannot err. Answer The argument followeth not, and S. Paul's meaning is, that God's truth is preserved in the Church by the ministery of the word: the reason of this my answer, is set down in these words, he gave some (to be) Apostles, & some prophets, & some Evangelists, & some Pastors and Doctors, for the gathering together of the saints, for the work of the ministery, for the edification of the body of Christ, that we henceforth be no more children wavering and carried about with every wind of Doctrine. Ephe. 4. ver. 11.12.14. Objection. The spirit of truth will lead you into all truth: therefore the church cannot err. john. 16.13 Answer. If followeth not: It is certain that Christ's Disciples, which heard his heavenly Sermons, were persuaded very hardly, that the Messiah should die, and they dreamt of a stately kingdom in the world both before his death (as the sons of Zebedeus) and after Christ's resurrection (as all the Apostles. Mat. 20. Acts. 1. ) Our Saviour Christ: lest they should be discouraged, because they were not then able to bear & digest his speeches, comforts them in this sort, the spirit of truth will lead you into all truth: as if he should say, your capacity is weak and my speeches will not enter into you, but be of good cheer, it shall not be so with you always, the spirit of truth shall open your understanding, & lead you into all truth. When we read or hear that the spirit will lead us into all truth, we must not think that either the spirit doth lead us without the word, Esay 59 1. Thes. 5. as the Anabaptists teach, (for the spirit & the word cannot be severed) or that the Church not bringing the word for her warrant, is, in matters of faith, Cypr. de lapsu to be believed, for he is not joined to the Church, which is severed from the Gospel. 23 The Church is not perfect in this world. THe Gospel is a siue or fan, Matth. 3. which separateth the chaff from the corn. If chaff were not mingled with the corn, this fan, (that is, the preaching of the Gospel) were needles. The knowledge of the Church is but in part: 1. Cor. 13. Matth. 6. and the whole Church desires pardon of their sins. The Church shall not be perfect before the last day, but than it shall be. Apoc. cap. 21. ver. 10.11.12 Which thing, that S. john might set before our eyes, he remembreth that the estate of the heavenly jerusalem, shallbe most glorious after the end of the world. If we consider the visible Church in her own body, it is far from perfection. For it is compared to a field, Math. chap. 13 wherein is Wheat and tars, and to a draw net, wherein are good and bad fishes. That Church, which brags of perfection in this world, is a Pharisaical Church. Aug. epi. 48. Such Churches were and are the Churches of the Donatists, novatians, and anabaptists. Objection. Whosoever is borne of God, sinneth not. 1. john. 3. ver. 6.9. Answer. By not sinning, S. john meaneth, that the regenerate serve not sin, and that sin reigneth not in them, because they withdraw themselves by God's assistance from sin, and withal their hearts do give themselves to holiness of life. It is very true that the faithful do sin, that is to say, can not live so holily, but that they offend the Majesty of god: so did Aaron, Noah, Daniel, job, Barnabas, Peter, and the virgin Marie, otherwise she had not needed a Saviour. The just man falleth seven times. Prou. 24. 1. john cha. 1 If we say, we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, etc. Objection. Christ loved the Church, & gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it, Ephes. 5.25.26 27. & cleanse it by the washing of water through the word, that he might make it unto himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing. Answer. This Argument was used of the Pelagians in Augustine's time: Epist. 50. & 57 Idem lib. 1. retract. cap. 19 & li. 2. cap. 18 but August. saith, that the freedom of the Church from all stains is not in this world, but in the world to come. Besides, it is one thing to consider the church in itself, another thing to consider it in Christ. The Church in itself (whether we respect each member of it severally, or all the members of it jointly) have many spots and wrinkles: otherwise it were not true, that they are saved by the grace of our Lord jesus Christ, as the Apostle Peter saith. The Church considered in Christ, Act. 15. ver. 11 1. john 1. Apoc. 1. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Cor. 1. may be said to be without spot, because it is washed and purged by the blood of Christ: and without wrinkle, because it is clothed with the righteousness of Christ by the imputation of whose righteousness, we are at God's hands both absolved and sanctified. 24 The Church of Rome hath, and may err. Behold the bountifulness and severity of GOD: towards them, Rom. cha. 11. verse 22. which have fallen, severity: but towards thee, bountifulness, if thou continue in (his) bountifulness: or else thou also shalt be cut off. If the Church of Rome could not err, why should Paul write this. Lib. 1. cont. Marcionem. Tertullian makes mention of altars dedicated to unknown gods (which he calleth the Idolatry of the Athenians) and to uncertain gods, (which he calleth the superstition of the Romans.) Hormisda a Bishop of Rome, in a writing of his to the Bishops of Spain, maketh this matter very clear: The sum of his words is this, dearly beloved, let us pray without ceasing, that we may cleave sound unto Christ, and not forsake him, lest we be justly forsaken of him. If Saint Paul's doctrine in the Epistle to the Romans be sound (whereof none that fear God, doth make any question) than the popish Church, which holds many things disagreeing from that Epistle, is not free from error. Let the questions of justification, election, free-will, obedience to the Magistrate, be considered. Besides, their spoiling Christ of his priesthood, and God's people of the cup in the lords supper, their transubstantiation, & a number of gross absurdities, which they hold, are manifest demonstrations of the erring of the Popish Church. 25 They may not be accounted Schismatics, which forsake the Church of Rome. If any Church give over the truth of God's religion, we must forsake that Church, that we be not infected with that leprosy, and yet we may not be accounted Schismatics, for men are then Schismatics, when they depart from the true Church and doctrine, not when they return from error to truth. He is a Schismatic, which is the cause of schism, and not he which beginneth the separation: even like as he, which denieth the law, is the cause of the process, and not he which first began. The Protestants have not forsaken Sion, but Babylon, not Bethel, but Bethaven: they have not erected Altar against Alter, Aug. epi. 162. as jeroboam and the Donatists did, but they have cast the Altar of Damascus out of the lords house, and have restored the true worship of God. 26 The Church must be built upon the word of God. Ephe. chap. 2. verse 19.20. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners: but Citizens with the Saints, and of the household of GOD: and are built upon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets, jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone, etc. If the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles be the foundation of the church, how can the Church stand, if the doctrine be removed? and how can the doctrine continue without sound teachers? and what hart can they have to teach, when they want maintenance? Shall they which be noble men's, and gentlemen's gardiner's, huntsmen, be bountifully provided for of their Lords and masters charge, and shall not they, which are fit to attend upon the Lord's vine, field, garden, orchard, have allowance of the church's charge? If this soar be not looked unto, many students of divinity must of force betake themselves to some other course. for men must live, and to go a begging, is a point next the worse, and a very unfit occupation for a learned student in divinity. The Gospel and spirit of life, Iren. lib. 3. cap. 1.11. is the foundation and pillar of the Church. They which will build God's Church without the foundation of the word, build with untempered mortar: for God's word is the life of the Church. Objection. The Church was before the word of God: therefore it is not built upon the word of God. Answer. The argument follows not. I confess, that God's Church in the beginning (as for example, Adam, Abel, Enos, Noah, Sem, Abraham, and many other of God's children) was, before God's word was put in writing, but God's church was not before God's word. For if the Church be an assembly of the faithful, & the men cannot be called faithful without faith, & that faith cannot consist without the word of God: it is a necessary consequent, that God's word was before God's Church. Gene. 4. Heb. 11. Abel sacrificed unto almighty God by faith. Therefore Gods express word was his direction, for faith hath relation to no other thing. The difference of clean and unclean beasts is mentioned in Genesis before the flood, Gece. 7. but this difference could not be understanded but by the voice of almighty God. Noah after his coming out of the Ark, offered a offering: this sacrifice of Noah, pleased God: therefore it is a good consequent that Noah had God's word to direct him: for no wilworshippe did ever please God. Objection. 1. Tim. 3. verse 15. The Church is the pillar and ground of truth, therefore the word is not the foundation of the Church. Answer. It follows not, and the Church is therefore called the pillar and ground of the truth, because amongst men it upholdeth and retaineth God's truth. 17 The Church is known by the word of God. SEarch the Scriptures, john. chap. 5. ver. 39 they testify of me, saith Christ. We know Christ by the Scriptures, therefore we know the Church by the Scriptures. This consequent is very good, and is framed thus by Augustine. In the Scriptures we have learned Christ, Epist. 166. (saith Augustine) in the Scriptures we have learned the Church. And a little after: where we have known Christ, (meaning in the scriptures) there we have known the Church: which sentence he repeateth very often in that epistle. The Donatists said, that Christ's church remained only in Africa, Epist. 166. but Augustine tells them, that their warrant is not taken out of the law, or the Prophet, or the Psalm, or the Apostle, or Evangelist, but out of their own hearts, and cavils of their progenitors: by which words it is evident, that the Church is known and must be showed by the word of God. We seek the Church in the holy scriptures, Aug. deunita Eccle. cap. 2. & Epist. 48. and in the same scriptures we do manifestly know the Church. 28 jesus Christ alone, is the foundation of his Church. OTher foundation can no man lay, then that which is laid, 1. Cor. 3. ver. 11. which is jesus Christ. Thus saith the Lord God, behold I will lay in Zion a stone, isaiah. 28. ver. 16 1. Pet. chap. 2 verse 6. a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation, that is, jesus Christ: so doth the Apostle Peter expound it. Ye are built upon the foundation of the Apostles & Prophets, Ephe. chap. 2. ver. 20. jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone, that is, the foundation of the Church. Upon this rock, I will build my Church: Mat. chap. 16. verse 18. Aug. lib. 1. retract. cap. 12 By this word (rock) Christ understandeth himself, whom Peter confessed. The Apostle Peter cannot be the foundation of the Church, for Peter was mortal, and the foundation of God's Church must be immortal. 29 What the Catholic Church is. The catholic Church is the number of all Gods elect, which have been from the beginning of the world, and are now presently in the world, and shallbe until the end of the world 30 The Catholic Church is not visible. ALL the elect, whether they be in earth or in heaven, do belong to the Catholic Church: But all these cannot be seen of us. Christ when he uttered these words (upon this rock I will build my Church) did mean that Church, Mat. 16. which should be unto the end of the world: but that church is not visible, If the Catholic Church were now visible, it were unproperly said in the creed, I believe the Catholic Church: for invisible things are believed, and not those which are seen. They therefore, which say, that the Catholic Church is visible, either believe not that, which they confess in the Creed, or speak otherwise then they believe, which is a gross absurdity. I confess that the particular churches of Corinth, Ephesus, Thessalonica were visible in Paul's time, not only, because they of whom these Churches consisted, were visible, but because of the order and external form of those Churches, which order and external form are the cause, why the Churches are visible. 1. King. 19 The seven thousand (of whom Almighty God spoke to Elias) albeit they were visible in that they were men, yet they were not in the visible Church: otherwise Elias had seen them. A few of Gods elect are called the Church, but yet the invisible Church: not because, 2. Tim. cha. 2 verse 19 we do not see the elect, but because we do not discern with our eyes, who are Gods elect: for GOD alone knoweth, who be his. FINIS. ❧ A godly and short Treatise, against the foul and gross sin of oppression. Written by Robert Some. Oppession maketh a wise man mad. Ecclesiastes, chap. 7. verse 9 To the Reader. IT hath pleased an English papist, to give out in print, that the Church of Rome, doth both teach, and require actual restitution, and that our Church doth neither. His speech of us is very slanderous, & my treatise against oppression, is arguments enough to confute him. If they of Rome, teach and require actual restitution, it is no work of supererogation: they do no more but their duties. If we should fail in this clear point, we deserve great condemnation at almighty God's hands. I confess that a man is good (and therefore justified in God's sight) before he doth good works: but with all I set down this, that good works do follow him that is truly justified, and that such as have oppressed, or injuried any man, shall not be pardoned at God's hands, unless they make actual restitution, if they be able to do it. If any require proof of this, I refer him to this Treatise of mine, against oppression. A table of such points as are contained in this Treatise. 1 What oppression is. 2 It is not lawful for any man to oppress another. 3 They which have done wrong unto, or oppressed any, must make actual restitution. 4 It is the duty of the Magistrate, to deliver the oppressed out of the hands of the oppressor. 5 The Magistrate looseth nothing by delivering the oppressed. 6 Oppressors, shall be grievously punished. 7 Oppressors, have no religion in them. A godly Treatise against the foul and gross sin of oppression. Question. WHat is Oppression. Answer. It is unjust deailng, used of the mightier, either by violence, colour of law, or any other cunning dealing, against such as are not able to withstand them. The ground of this definition, is contained in these places of scripture. Micheas. chap. 2. verse 1.2. 1. Thes. chap. 4. vers. 6. It is not lawful for any man to oppress another. Give us this day our daily bread. Mat. chap. 6. verse 11. Every christian desires God to give daily bread, (that is, all things necessary for this life) both to himself, and to others: therefore no christian is privileged, to spoil another of his necessary food. If one of us must pray for the good of another: one of us may not pray upon an other. Eccle. chap. 34 verse 23. He that taketh away his neighbours living, is a murderer. Thou shalt not desire thy neighbour's house, his field, etc. Deut. 5.21. If we may not desire his house, or land, than we may not spoil him of his house, or land, Mich. chap. 2.1.2. or enclose that ground, whereby the poor either by right are, or by right aught to be relieved. If thou meet thine enemy's ox, or his Ass going astray, thou shalt bring him to him again. If thou see thy enemy's Ass lying under his burden, wilt thou cease to help him? thou shalt help him up with it again. Exod. 23.4.5. Almighty God commandeth us to deal well with our enemy's Ass, therefore we may not by undoing our neighbour, or spoiling him of any part of his land or goods, make him an Ass and send him a begging. He that oppresseth the poor, reproveth him that made him, etc. Pro. chap. 14. ver. 31. It is a gross sin to reprove the majesty of God, therefore it is a gross sin to oppress the poor. It was one of the sins of Sodom not to reach out the hand to the poor Ezech. 16.49. If it be a great sin, not to relieve the poor, it is a very gross sin to spoil the poor. The bread of the needful, Eccle. 34.22. is the life of the poor: he that defraudeth him thereof is a murderer. There is a writ in England which beareth this name, Ne iniustè vexes, that is to say, vex not any man unjustly: This is a godly law, and is derived from the law of God, which forbiddeth and condemneth oppression. There are certain beggars, which of purpose keep their legs sore to get money by it: If they are justly misliked, which gain by their own sore legs, what deserve they to be thought of, which gain by other men's sore legs? When thou sellest aught to thy neighbour, or buyest at thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another Levit. 25. ver. 14. This is the will of God, that no man oppress or defraud his brother in any matter. 1. Thes. 4.6. Therefore men of trade may not gain by little measures, false weights, and false speeches & oaths, nor any mighty men, may gain by cunning dealing, by colour of law, or by using any violence whatsoever. 3 They which have done wrong unto, or oppressed any must make actual restitution. GOd saith thus unto Moses: speak unto the children of Israel, when a man or woman shall commit any sin, that men commit, & transgress against the Lord, when that person shall trespass, than they shall confess their sin which they have done, & shall restore the damage thereof with his principal, & put the fift part of it more thereto, and shall give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed. But if the man have no kinsman, to whom he should restore the damage, the damage shallbe restored to the Lord, for the Priests use, etc. Num. 5. ver. 6.7.8. We are taught in this place, to whom this actual restitution must be made, even to him whom we have injuried: if he be dead, we must restore it to his kinsman: if he have no kinsman alive, actual restitution must be made to Almighty God, for the priests use, and in our time for the poors use. jud. chap. 17. ver. 2.3. Michah rob his mother of xi. hundred shekels of silver: his mother did not know that he had it, but he had remorse of that sin, and made actual restitution. Samuel saith thus of himself: Whose Ox have I taken? or whose Ass have I taken? or whom have I done wrong to? or whom have I hurt? or of whose hands have I received any bribe, 1. Sam. 12, to blind my eyes therewith, and I will restore it you, etc. It is certain that Samuel did not deal either corruptly or unjustly in his office: if he had, he would have made actual restitution. Luke. 19 Zacheus was sometimes very disordered in his life, it pleased our Saviour Christ to be a good God unto him, and to lodge in his house: Zacheus having feeling of his former wants uttered these words: If I have taken from any man by forged cavillation, I restore him four fold. If Zacheus of jericho, after his conversion, was content to restore four fold, it is a good consequent that they have little touch of sin, and little sense of religion, which will not restore the principal. Question. If a man have deceived, rob or oppressed other men, shall he be pardoned at God's hands, if he make not actual restitution? Answer. God will not pardon him, unless he make actual restitution, if he be able to do it, my reasons are these. If the wicked restore the pledge, and give again that he had rob he shall surely live & not die, saith the lord Chap. 18. ver. 12.13. Eze. 33.15. Therefore, it is a sure consequent, that he shall not live eternally, which being in case to make actual restitution, doth it not accordingly. Is not this the fasting that I have chosen, to lose the bands of wickedness, to take off the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke, etc. Then shalt thou call and the Lord shall answer, thou shalt cry, & he shall say, here I am, etc. Esay. 58.6.9. If the oppressor must let the oppressed go free, he must make actual restitution. If Almighty God will not hear the prayer of the oppressor (until he let the oppressed go free) it is a necessary consequent that God will not pardon him. Epist. 54. Augustine, is very flat for this point: if men be able to make actual restitution and do it not, poenitentia non agitur, sed fingitur: that is to say, their repentance is no repentance, and their sin shall not be pardoned, until actual restitution be made. Question. If a man have secretly either rob or deceived another, and is very willing to make restitution, but cannot do it with out some worldly danger, and disgrace to himself, what must he do in this case? Answer. Let him send that which he hath taken unjustly, by some trusty messenger to him whom he hath wronged, and let his name be concealed. Question. If he that hath taken unjustly from others, have wasted all, and is not able to make restitution, what shall he do? Answer. Such a one, must desire pardon very humbly at God's hands, and water the earth with his tears. 4 It is the duty of the Magistrate to deliver the oppressed out of the hand of the oppressor. EXecute judgement in the morning (that is, jere. 21.12. Esay. 1.17. carefully and without delay) and deliver the oppressed out of the hand of the oppressor, saith the Lord, etc. Seek judgement, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, and defend the widow. Almighty God commandeth the Magistrates to execute judgement in the morning, therefore they must use no delays in doing justice. God commandeth the Magistrates to seek judgement, therefore in cases of oppression, they must not stay till they be called for. God commendeth unto the magistrates all that are oppressed, but specially the fatherless and widow, because they want the defence of their parents, and husbands, and every man goeth over, where the hedge is lowest. jerem. 22. josias executed judgement & justice, he judged the cause of the afflicted and poor, (saith the Lord) of josias. job saith thus of himself: I delivered the poor that cried, job. 29. and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him, etc. I put on justice, & it covered me: my judgement was as a rob and a crown, I was the eyes to the blind, and I was the feet to the lame: I was a father unto the poor, and when I knew not the cause, I sought it out diligently, I broke also the chaws of the unrighteous man, and plucked the pray out of his teeth, etc. It appeareth by this, that job was a worthy Magistrate: God send us many such as job was. The Sunamite (whose son Elizeus raised to life) sojourned in the time of famine seven years in the land of the Philistines: in her absence, her lands and goods were unjustly entered upon: at her return, she complained of the injury to jehoram the king of Israel: jehoram without delay commanded an Eunuch to restore her goods and lands unto her. 2. Kings. 8. Restore thou (saith jehoram) all that are hers, and all the fruits of her lands, since the day, she left the land even until this time. The jews in Nehemias' time were greatly oppressed: Nehe. chap. 5 Nehemias' was very angry with the princes and rulers which oppressed them, and said unto them: You lay burdens every one upon his brethren etc. Restore unto them this day their lands, their vineyards, their olives and their houses. If it be the magistrates duty to deliver the oppressed, Amos chap. 5 ver. 7. & chap. 2. ver. 6. they must take great heed that themselves be neither principals nor accessaries in the sin of oppression. If they be guilty, judgement shallbe turned into wormwood, and the righteous shallbe sold for silver, & the poor for shoes: that is to say, filthy bribes shall be more accounted of, than men's lives, which are most precious. 5 The Magistrate looseth nothing by delivering the oppressed. If he do it with a single heart (beside the testimone of a good conscience which is a continual feast) he may assure himself of God's favour & blessing, Prou. 15. & of the singular liking of all God's people. josias did eat & drink and prosper, when he executed judgement & justice, jerem. 22. when he judged the cause of the afflicted, and the poor. job. 29 job delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him, the blessing of him that was ready to perish, came upon him. Our sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth hath dealt graciously with many poor suitors at the Court, she hath spoken comfortably to them, & procured restitution accordingly. If it be no disgrace to this noble Lady, which sits under the cloth of Estate, to deliver the oppressed, it is no blot to inferior magistrates if they do the like. If the Prince pleases God highly, and wins the hearts of her subjects sound for relieving the oppressed, it is very certain, that those Cormorants which grind the faces of the poor are accursed of God, & lose the hearts of his people. If the Prince sitteth fast in the seat of her kingdom for tendering the case of the oppressed, can they assure themselves of sitting quietly under their vines & fig trees, which eat bread, baked with the tears of poor men? It is certain, they cannot: (for besides the manifold curses of God and his people) their own consciences, do mightily sting them, and are enemies enough to torment them. 6 Oppressors shallbe grievously punished. cursed be he, that removeth his neighbour's mark, & all the people shall say, Deut. 27 ver. 17. Amen. If they are accursed by God, and his people, which remove the mark of the land, they are more accursed, which take away house and land. Oppression maketh a wise man mad. Madness is a grievous punishment, Eccle. chap. 7. ver. 9 God punisheth Oppression by madness, one gross sin, by another. Ye have builded houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them: Amos cap. 5.11. ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them. The reason of this, is set down by almighty God in the same verse, in these words: Your tread is upon the poor, & you take from him burdens of wheat, (that is to say, the necessary relief of himself & his family.) If the taking away of burdens of wheat from the poor was so great a sin, the taking away of arable ground (which by tillage and God's blessing brings relief to a man and his family) is no little sin. They shall not mourn for him (saith God of joachim the king of juda which was a great oppressor) he shallbe buried as an ass is buried, jere. 22. & cast forth (as a carrion above the ground) even, without the gates of jerusalem. joachim had closed himself in Cedar, but that was not able to keep God's judgements from him. Abac. chap. 2. ver. 11. The stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it, etc. As if almighty God should say, rather than the vile dealings of Oppressors should not come to light, the stone shall cry out of the wall, I am built of blood & iniquity, & the beam out of the timber shall answer, I am built likewise of blood and iniquity. If the stones and beams of oppressors houses, give in their evidence (like honest jurates) against such houses, the Oppressors must prepare themselves, to hear this fearful sentence pronounced, by the Lord chief justice of heaven, Abac. cha. 2. ver. 12. & earth against them: woe unto him that buildeth a town with blood, and erecteth a city by iniquity. Aug. Epist. 211. They which oppress others, do more hurt themselves, than those whom they oppress, the smart of the oppressed hath an end, the smart of the oppressor is everlasting: for he heapeth unto himself wrath against the day of wrath, Rom. chap. 2. & of the declaration of the just judgement of God. There were never any oppressors so many & mighty, but at the length they were met with. God's judgements have feet of will, but they have arms of brass: It is long ere God begin, but when he strikes, he pays home. Esay chap. 30, ver. 14.17. Woe unto them that imagine iniquity, jere. 5. & work wickedness upon their beds: when the morning is light, they practise it because their hand hath power, & they covet fields, & take them by violence, and houses, & take them away: so they oppress a man & his house: even a man & his heritage: therefore, thus saith the Lord, behold, against this family have I devised a plague, whereout ye shall not pluck your necks. Mich. 2. ver. 1.2.3. God be merciful unto us, and make us afraid of his judgements. 7 Oppressors have no religion in them. GOD looked for judgement, but behold oppression for righteousness, Esay chap. 5. ver. 7. but behold a crying etc. judgement & righteousness are the true fruits of God's religion, therefore oppression is no branch of God's religion, & consequently, the oppressor is void of all religion. Do not all the workers of iniquity know, that they eat up my people (as) they eat bread, they call not upon the Lord? Psal. 14. ver. 4. Oppressors call not upon the Lord, therefore they are void of religion. for invocation is a principal & necessary fruit of religion. If the oppressors say, that they stretch out their hands, & make many prayers, I grant they do so, but almighty God gives them this answer: Esay. chap. 1. ver. 15. Mich. chap. 3. ver. 4. I will hide mine eyes from you, I will not hear, for your hands are full of blood. I will be a swift witness against those, that wrongfully keep back the hirelings wages, (and vex) the widow, and fatherless, and oppress the stranger, Malach. chap. 3. ver. 5. and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts etc. They which oppress others fear not God, therefore they are void of religion. If they say they fear God, they deserve no credit, because their doings confute their speech. A good tree, bringeeh forth good fruits, and a justifying faith appears by good works. The former governors did burden the people, Nehem. cha. 5 ver. 15. and their servants bare rule over the people, but so did not I (saith Nehemias') because of the fear of God. If Nehemias' did neither oppress, nor deal hardly, because he feared God, it is manifest that oppressors fear not God, and therefore are void of religion. When he (that is josias) judged the cause of the afflicted, and the poor, jere. 22. ver. 16.17. he prospered, was not this, because he knew me saith the Lord? But thine eyes and thine heart (he speaks to joachim the king of juda) are but only for thy covetousness, and for to shed innocent blood, and for oppression, etc. josias was a singular defence to the oppressed, because he did know, and fear GOD: joachim was a notable oppressor, because he did neither know, nor fear GOD, that is to say, because he was void of God's religion. This which I have set down against Oppression, may serve for a crystal glass for Oppressors to look upon, and to reform themselves by. If it work their good, it is happy for them: If it do not, let them remember that die they must, and that after death, they shall have a fearful judgement. The best advise that I can give to them which are oppressed, is that they desire the magistrate, to be their defence. If by this ordinary means, they cannot compass their own, they must patiently bear injuries, and commit their cause to almighty GOD, who hath their flittings in his register, Psal. 56. ver. 8. and their tears in his bottle, and will be surely, but yet justly, revenged of their Oppressors. Veritas & dulcis est & amara. Quando dulcis est, parcit, quando amara, curate. Aug. Epist. 211. ad Romulum. ❧ Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the vintry by Thomas Dawson for George Bishop. 1583.