THE Church is ei­ther the Catholike Church, or particu­lar Churches. The Catholike Church is defined in the Scripture; The body of Eph. 1. 23. Iesus Christ, and the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all. The A­postle describing this Church, sayth, By one Spirit we are bap­tized 1. Cor. 12, 13. into one body. And againe, You are the body of Christ, and Vers. 17. members in particular. And a­gaine, Christ is the head of the Eph. 5. 25. Church, and hee is the Sauiour of the body: He is before all things, Col. 1. 18. and by him all things consist, and [Page 2] hee is the head of the body, the Church. So that in the Scrip­tures of the New Testament we finde no definition of the Church, but either in these wordes, That it is the body of Christ; or in words that signi­fie the same thing: We finde no other Head of the Church but Christ himselfe.

Particular Churches, are visible Assemblies who pro­fesse the true Faith, and holde the ordinances of Christ, and are gouerned by diuers visible heads or gouernours, as Saint Gregory the Pope sayth: Peter Lib. 4. E­pist. 38. ind. 13. the Apostle of Christ which was the first member of the Church, Paul, Andrew, Iohn, what other are these, but heads of particular Assem­blies? [Page 3] Singularium plebium ca­pita: so sayth Gregory. And a­gaine, The Saints before the law, the Saints vnder the Law, and the Saints vnder grace, all these making vp the body of Christ, or members of the Church. So Gre­gory vnderstood the Church, that Saint Peter was a mem­ber onely, but not a head of the vniuersall or Catholicke Church: But of a particular Church sayth S. Gregory, Pe­ter was a head: Yet no other­wise, then as S. Iohn was the head of another particular Church, S. Paul of another, S. Andrew of another: And so other heads or gouernours of other particular Churches; because no Apostle could guide all particulars, or the [Page 4] whole. This was the ancient doctrine and knowledge of the Church.

These particular Churches though in respect of the pla­ces wherein they were gathe­red they be many, and in that respect called in the plurall number Churches in Scripture, Rom. 16. 4. and 1. Cor. 7. 17. and 2. Cor. 8. 18. and Apoc. 11. 4. and in many other places: yet in respect of the faith which they professe, they are but one: for the Church is but one, not two, not many. And euery particular Church that would prooue it selfe a true Church of Christ, must proue that, by the vnitie which it holdeth with the Catholicke Church, which is but one: [Page 5] For euery particular Church holding vnitie with the Ca­tholike Church, by reason of that vnitie is one with it: And euery particular assembly that holdeth not this vnitie with the Catholicke Church, is no true Church of Christ, but an assembly of Heretickes.

But now the question be­tweene the Papists and the re­formed Churches will bee, whether of them two do hold this Vnitie with the Catho­licke Church: For if we proue the reformed Churches keep this Vnitie, wee prooue them assuredly to be the true Chur­ches: and if wee prooue that the Papists haue broken off this vnitie with the Catholike Church, then are they proo­ued [Page 6] to be no true Church, but an assembly of heretickes that haue forsaken the Church. To prooue this, wee must de­clare what this Vnitie is, and wherein it consisteth: which thing being declared, will eui­dently declare where the true Church is.

The Vnitie of the Church is fourefolde: For though o­thers may make moe parts, yet all may be comprised in these foure. For the Church is one, first, by the Vnitie of the Body; secondly, by the Vnitie of the Head; thirdly, by the Vnitie of the Spirit; fourthly, by the Vnitie of Faith. All these are necessa­rily required to prooue a Church to holde Vnitie with [Page 7] the Catholicke Church▪ And albeit where one of them is found, they are all found, yet because the Scriptures and Fathers speake distinctly of them, wee will distinctly de­clare them.

The vnitie of the Body is an vnitie, whereby all the members of the Church are knit together with the Head in one body: For as the body is one and hath many mem­bers, and all the members of1. Cor. 12. that one body being many, make but one body; euen so is Christ, sayth the Apostle: This may be called mysticall Christ, or the mysticall body of Christ, that is, his Church: For this is the true Church, the proper Church, the Scrip­ture [Page 8] doeth not acknowledge any other Catholike Church sauing this, which is the body of Christ; In which body all beleeuers are knit to Christ, as the members of one body with the head: And in this body euery member recei­uethEph. 4. 16 grace from the Head, and the whole body, accor­ding to the measure of euery member receiueth increase of the body, to the edifying of it selfe in loue. Thus is euery member of the body, that is, euery member of the Church, ioyned vnto Christ by faith and loue: And herein stan­deth the vnitie of this Body.

From this Vnitie the Papists are fallen away: for they teach that the members of [Page 9] their Church, as they call it, neede not to haue any inward grace, but it sufficeth if they make onely an externall pro­fession of faith, and haue the cōmunion of the Sacraments, which by very sense is percei­ued. So saith Card. Bellarmine Lib. 3. de Ecclesi [...], & cap. 2. lib. 3. cap. 2. de Ecclesia. It fol­loweth that the Popish Church hath not vnitie with the Ca­tholike Church, which is the body of Christ: For there is but one Church, that is, the body of Christ, and the mem­bers of this Church are by grace knit to Christ their head, as we haue prooued out of the Apostle. Therfore that Church whose members are not knit to Christ by grace to the edifying of themselues in [Page 10] loue, is no true Church of Christ. It will not aduantage them to say, that they haue among them some good men, who they doubt not are mem­bers of Christ, though their Church hath communion al­so with such as haue no in­ward grace and vertue. For the Church of Christ hath no cōmunion with wicked men, who liue without inward grace: because the commu­nion which the Church hath is called in our Creede, Acom­munion of Saints. The Saints are men sanctified by the Spi­rit of God, washed by the blood of Christ from their sins. These Saints haue com­muniō both with Christ their Head by faith, and with, and [Page 11] among themselues by loue and charitie. This communi­on is not betweene good and euill, between Saints and wic­ked men, but only among the Saints who are cleansed from all sinne by the blood of Christ: for so S. Iohn teach­eth, speaking of this commu­nion of Saints; If wee walke in 1. Ioh. 1. 7 the light, as he is in the light, wee haue communion one with ano­ther, and the blood of Iesus Christ his sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne. Then this communion is among them that are clean­sed by the blood of Christ from all sinne: But the mem­bers of the Church of Rome, which by their owne confes­sion, haue no inward grace, are not cleansed from all their [Page 12] sinne by his blood: And ther­fore such men cannot say that they haue this communion, or any part thereof. For vnto such S. Iohn saith in the words immediatly going before, If we say that wee haue communion 1 Ioh. 1. 6 with him, and walke in darke­nesse, we lie, and do not the truth. Now if these be found to be lyars by the testimonie of S. Iohn, who say they haue com­munion with Christ, when they walke in darknesse, when they haue no inward vertue (for such must needs walke in darkenesse, who haue no in­ward light & direction) then out of doubt the Popish Church as now it standeth, can haue no communion with Christ, and consequent­ly [Page 13] can be no true Church of Christ. The reason is plaine from these principles, which are their confession on the one side, and the expresse te­stimonie of Scriptures on the other side.

The second Vnitie of the Church, is the vnitie of the head. Christ is the head of his Church: And the Church of Christ is knowen by this v­nitie; for that is the true Church that hath alwayes kept this Head Iesus Christ: But the Romish Church hath changed this head, seeing they haue the Pope the head of the vniuersall Church.

Their common answere is, That the Pope is Christ his Vicar, and the ministeriall [Page 14] head. But this answere is but a cloake to couer ignorance: For the Church is but one, and herein wee haue the confession of the Papists: For Cardinall Bellarmine sayth, theLibr. 3. cap. 2. de Eccles. Church is onely one, and not two; and of this one Church he maketh the Pope to be the head, as being Christs Vicar.

Now to bolt out the truth, we reason thus: The Church is one, this one onely Church is Christ his bodie, Christ his Spouse: therefore if the Pope bee Christ his Vicar, and the ministeriall head, he must by this delegacie gouerne the same Church vnder Christ, which is his body, his Spouse. For if Christ gouerne one Church, and the Pope ano­ther, [Page 15] then the Pope cannot be Christ his Vicar, because hee gouerneth not the same vn­der Christ: for hee must bee Vicar to him whose Church hee doeth gouerne. But the Pope doeth not gouerne the same Church vnder Christ, but another Assembly. For Christ is the head of his owne body, of his owne members, that is, of Saints, of true belee­uers, of such as receiue in­ward grace & vertue from the head, and by that grace grow vp to the edification of them­selues in loue, as the Apostle teacheth. But the Pope by the common confession of Papistes, is head of such a Church, whose mēbers haue no inward grace or vertue [Page 16] in them, but onely the exter­nall profession of the Romish faith, acknowledging that the Pope is their head and go­uernour. For without this ac­knowledgment that the Pope is the head of the Church, and Christ his Vicar on earth, no profession of faith can make a man a member of that Church; whatsoeuer faith he professe, he is not receiued as a member in that Church, vn­lesse hee professe this faith, of the Papall authoritie: And if he professe this, though there be in him no inward grace, no vertue, yet he is taken to be a true member of that Church. By this it appeareth, that the Pope doeth not gouerne the same Church vnder Christ, [Page 17] whereof Christ is the head: For Christ is not the head of wicked & profane liuers that are without inward grace, without vertue; the deuill is their head. Saint Austin saythLib. 3. cap. 37. de do­ctrina Christi­ana. truely, Diabolus est caput impio­rum, qui sunt eius quodammodo corpus, ituri cumillo in supplicio aeterni ignis: sicut Christus est ca­put Ecclesiae, quae est corpus eius futurum cum illo in regno & glo­ria sempiterna: that is, The de­uil is the head of wicked men, who are after a sort his body, and shall goe with him into his kingdom, and euerlasting fire, euen as Christ is the head of the Church, which is his body, and shall be with him in his kingdom, and euerlasting glory▪ Whereupon it follow­eth, [Page 18] that if the Pope bee the ministeriall head of a Church, that Church consisting of wicked men that liue without inward grace or vertue, as themselues confesse, and the deuill being the head of all such, as S. Augustine proueth; It followeth I say, that the Pope is by this found to be the Vicar of the deuill, and the ministeriall head of the deuill, ruling an assembly whereof the deuil is the head, and not Christ. This conclu­sion, though it seeme to derogate much from the assumed title of his Holinesse, yet con­sidering the former premisses, no man of learning and vn­derstanding, can iustly denie. Then the Church of Rome is [Page 19] fallen away from this com­munion with the Head Christ Iesus, because it is certaine, that they who haue no in­ward grace and vertue, haue no cōmunion with this head.

The third vnitie of the Church, is the vnitie of the Spirit: The whole Church is gouerned and directed by the same Spirit: And therefore the Apostle speaking of the giftes which God giueth for the edificatiō of the Church, sayth; All these worketh that 1. Cor. 12. 11. one and the selfe-same Spirit. And of the members of the Church that are gouerned by the selfesame Spirit, he sayth a litle after the former words, For by one Spirit we are all bapti­zed 1. Cor. 12. 13. into one body: In which [Page 20] words it is euident, that to be a member of the Church, the Apostle doeth not thinke it sufficient to receiue the out­ward signe of the Sacrament of Baptisme, without inward grace, as these men teach: but hee holdeth the inward spiri­tuall grace to be needfull, and therefore declaring that spiri­tuall grace, he sayth, Wee are baptized by one Spirit into one body: For seeing that by the grace of Baptisme men are re­generate, and made the sons of God; therefore this vnitie which the Church hath by the Sacrament of Baptisme, is defined by the Apostle, not to be externall perceiued by sense, as these teach, but to be internall and spirituall. For [Page 21] by one Spirit we are baptised into one body; that is, by one Spirit wee are regenerate, and are made members of this ho­ly body the Church: And therefore the Apostle ioyneth these three things together: One Lord, one faith, one Baptisme; Ephe. 4. 3. as if he should say, One head, one rule, one body of belee­uers regenerated by baptisme. We are forced from euidence of the trueth, to vnderstand Baptisme, from the words of the Apostle, not of the exter­nall perception, but of the in­ward grace of the Sacrament: because what he meaneth by one Baptisme, himselfe decla­reth when he sayth, By one Spi­rit wee are all baptised into one body. The summe is, this vni­tie [Page 22] which the Church hath from the Spirit, is a spirituall grace, without which inward spirituall grace, no man can haue the communion of the holy Ghost, or be a member of Christ his Church in the v­nitie of one Spirit; But with­out this inward spiritual grace a man may bee a member of the Church of Rome; there­fore the Church of Rome is not the Church of Christ, for­asmuch as that Church is fal­len away from the vnitie of the Spirit, which knitteth all the members of the Church together.

The fourth vnitie whereby the Church is knowen to be one and the same alwayes, is the vnitie of Faith: For the [Page 23] true Church from the Apo­stles hauing receiued the true faith, hath helde the same vn­to this day, and must holde it without change vnto the end of the world. And therefore the ancient Fathers were wont to prooue the Church to be alwayes the same, in ma­ny generations and successi­ons, because the same faith was alwayes helde in the Church without change: whereupon S. Hierome com­menting vpon the 23. Psalme vpon these words, Haec est ge­neratio quaerentium dominum, sayth, Ecclesia ex pluribus per­sonis congregatur, & tamen vna dicitur propter vnitatem fidei: that is, The Church is gathe­red together of diuers per­sons, [Page 24] and yet it is said to be one for the vnitie of faith. Then they who hold not this vnitie, can neuer prooue that they haue the vnitie of the Church, which Christ redee­med with his blood, which the Apostles taught and plan­ted.

The faith of the Church is said to bee one, because the rule of faith is one, and the same from the beginning of the Church to the ende: the rule of faith is the doctrine of faith, contained in the holy Scriptures. This is the rule that ruleth the Church: for the Church must teach the true faith; and that is the true faith which the Church tea­cheth out of the holy Scrip­tures: [Page 25] so that wee must not take whatsoeuer the Church teacheth without any limita­tion or rule. For the Church hath a rule to teach by: this rule is the rule of faith taken out of the holy Scriptures: so long as any particular Church teacheth according to this rule, so long is that Church to be heard: but if a Church once fall away from this rule of faith, then it ceaseth to be a true Church of God, as ma­ny particular Churches haue fallen away, because they haue forsaken this rule of faith.

First therefore, I will proue out of the Scriptures and an­cient fathers, that the true Church is knowen by the rule [Page 26] of faith And then I wil demō strate that this rule of faith is no other thing then the true doctrines of faith, conteined in the Scripture. By which meanes it wil appeare what is the true Church, and where it is to bee found. The Apostle proouing that the Ephesians were a true Church of God, saith; You are no more strangers, Eph. 2. 20. but felow citisens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God, & are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Ie­sus himselfe being the chiefe cor­ner Stone: In which wordes hee declareth what the true Church is; an assembly of Saints, the houshold of God, & vpon what foundation it is built: for the doctrine of the [Page 27] faith vpon which the Church is built, is called a foundation: And because this doctrine is cōteined in the holy scriptures written by the Prophets, and Apostles; therefore it is called the foūdation of the prophets & Apostles. Then the church is built vpon this foundation, that is, vpon the faith cōteined in the Scriptures, written by the prophets & Apostles. And if any Church change once this foundation, that ceaseth to be a true Church of Christ.

Of diuers testimonies of fa­thers, I will cite a fewe: Cle­mens Alexandrinus saith; Wee Libr. 7. stroma­tum. say that the ancient and Catholike Church is knowen to be in the v­nitie of one Faith, which faith is contained in the proper Testa­ments, [Page 28] or rather in one Testa­ment, which in diuers times is Contra omnes he­reses. one. Athanasius saith; The Or­thodoxe Church truely reading, and exactly examining the holy Scriptures, doeth edifie it selfe vpon the Rocke. The AuthourHom. 49. of the imperfect worke vpon Matt. saith; If any would know what is the true Church, how shall hee know this, but onely by Scrip­tures? S. Austin saith; In the Epist. 60. Scriptures we learne Christ, in the Scriptures we learne to know the Church of Christ. Vincentius Licinensis saith; The Church of Lib. contr. heres. cap. 32. Christ is a carefull keeper of the doctrines committed to her, shee changeth nothing of them at any time, she diminisheth nothing, she addeth nothing, shee cutteth off nothing necessary, shee putteth to [Page 29] nothing superfluous, shee looseth not her owne, shee vsurpeth no strange doctrine. Bede saith; The In Iohn lib. 1. c. 12 foundation of the Church is the soundnesse of the Faith of the Apostles, and Prophets. Accor­ding to these speake the rest, because wee would not stay too long vpon testimonies. Whereby it appeareth that this hath beene the common doctrine of the Church, that the true Church is knowen by holding the rule of faith, which true faith, the Prophets and Apostles haue written, and declared to the Church; So that heerein standeth the ministerie of the Church, in preseruing this faith for euer sound, which by the holy men inspired of God to write [Page 30] the Scriptures, is left to the Church: Or as S. Iude faith,Iude 3. To contend earnestly for the faith which was once deliuered to the Saints.

Now that this rule of faith is no other thing, sauing only the true doctrine of the Scrip­ture; it will appeare, if wee briefly consider the testimo­nies of the Scriptures, and do­ctrines of ancient writers in this poynt. I will take a few of both. S. Paul saith; What­soeuer Rom. 15. 4. things are written before, are written for our doctrine, that by patience and consolation of the Scripture, wee might haue hope: Whereby the Apostle teach­eth plainely, that the Scrip­tures are the rule of our do­ctrine; so that nothing may [Page 31] bee taught, nothing may bee learned concerning our faith, but according to this rule de­liuered in the Scriptures. And againe; All Scripture is giuen 2. Tim. 3. 16. by inspiration of God, and is profi­table for doctrine, for reproofe, for correction, for instruction in righteousnesse, that the man of God may bee perfect, throughly furnished vnto all good workes. The Apostle declareth how the Scripture is profitable and perfect. The Papists confesse that the Scripture is profita­ble, but not perfect: They denie the perfection, the A­postle prooueth both. It is profitable to perfect the man of God: that profitablenesse that is able to make men per­fect, is both profitablenesse [Page 32] and perfection. If the Scrip­ture can make the man of God perfect, then there is no neede of any traditions of men to make vp this perfecti­on. This hath bene the com­mon doctrine of the Church, that the Scriptures are so per­fect in themselues, that they containe the whole rule of faith. In this confession, agree the Greeke Church, the La­tine Church, the Church of Rome, and all Writers in the Church of Rome haue helde vp this common faith vntill the Council of Trent; which Councill ended some fiftie yeres agoe. And then began these men, whom now we call Papists, to change this rule of faith in the Council of Trent: [Page 33] For whereas before the rule of faith was euer confessed to be in the doctrine of the Scri­ptures; in that Council, vn­written Traditions were ta­ken into the rule of faith; and so they teach now that the Scripture is but one part of the rule of faith, and vnwritten Traditions of the Church of Rome another part: So that the whole rule is in the Scrip­tures, and in Traditions. Whereby it appeareth, that the rule of faith is by them changed: For I say that they are not able to prooue by any writer of the Church of Rome, (much lesse by ancients) that the vnwritten Traditions of the Church of Rome, were helde to be a part of the rule [Page 34] of faith, before the Counci [...] of Trent. And because the Church is certainely knowen by preseruing the rule o [...] faith (for that is the true Church, which through al [...] successions holdeth the same faith deliuered by the Apostles and Prophets, and that is no true Church which holdeth not the same faith; an [...] the same faith is knowen by the same rule) therefore th [...] Church of Rome that now is hauing changed the rule o [...] faith, hath assuredly change [...] the faith: and hauing changed the faith, ceaseth to be [...] true Church of Christ, because the Church is knowe [...] by the faith which the Apostles left to the Church: An [...] [Page 35] that Church, such as it is, fol­lowing now a new rule of faith, can prooue their anti­quitie no ancienter then the rule: That rule being then de­uised some 50. yeeres agoe, it followeth, that when they seeke out their antiquity, they will finde their Church to be according to the antiquitie of the rule of their faith of some 50. yeres standing, and no an­cienter. In the meane time they cousen the simple people that cannot iudge, with great boasting of their antiquitie, and of the cōtinuance of their faith from the Apostles. But these be but vaine brags, as it will further appeare in the processe thereof.

But first, that we may know [Page 36] how faithful and peremptory the ancient Fathers and Wri­ters of the Church of Rome haue beene in this point, to prooue that nothing may be receiued into the rule of faith, sauing only the Scriptures, of many testimonies I will cite some.

Clemens Alexandrinus saith,Strom. lib. 6. The Ecclesiasticall rule, is the consent and conspiration of the olde and new Testament. By the Ecclesiasticall rule, hee decla­reth what is that rule which ruleth the Church: And spea­king of the holy Scriptures, he saith, There is no other worke but this onely, that can bring sal­uation to men. Athanasius saith,Contra gentes. The holy Scriptures inspired by God, are sufficient to instruct [Page 37] men in the trueth. Basill sayth,Ascet. de fide. It is a manifest sliding away from faith, and an euident signe of pride, either to reiect any thing of that which is written, or to bring in any thing that is not written: Where he prooueth this both by Scriptures and reasons: For Christ his sheepe heare his voice, therfore it must be the known voice of Christ in the Scriptures that must rule our faith. And the Apo­stle saith, That though it be a Gal. 1. 15. mans testament, yet if it be con­firmed and ratified, no man may disanull it, or adde any thing to it. Whereby Basill most power­fully proueth, that the Testa­ment of Christ being confir­med by his death, may not be disanulled, or haue any thing [Page 38] added vnto it: For this were euident forgerie in a mans Testament. And what then shall wee call this adding of vnwritten Traditions to the Testament of Iesus Christ?

Constantine the great had learned this of the orthodox Bishops, and therefore hee sayth, as Theodoret deliuerethTheodor. lib. 1. ca. 7 his saying in the first Nicene Council: The Euangelicall and Apostolicall bookes, and the ora­cles of the olde Prophets, doe fully Plene nos instruunt. instruct vs what we must vnder­stand of the will of God: there­fore laying aside all contentions, let vs seeke out the solution of those doubts that are proposed, out of the holy Scriptures. S. Chry­sostome In 2. Cor. Hom. 13. sayth, Seeing wee haue a most exact rule, balance, and [Page 39] gnomon, that is, the doctrine of holy Scriptures, I beseech you [...]hat you will not regard what this [...]r that man sayth, but seeke all [...]hese things out of the Scrip­ [...]ures. Where S. Chrysostome [...]reacheth to the people, and [...]rayeth them to read and search [...]he Scriptures. A cleane con­ [...]rary course take these Popish doctors, who debarre the peo­ [...]le from reading the Scrip­ [...]ures in a known tongue, and [...]o keepe them in ignorance, [...]elling them, that they must beleeue nothing, but that which the Church teacheth: by the Church they meane themselues, who are their tea­chers. And they neuer declare to the people, how by the rule of faith deliuered in the Scri­ptures, [Page 40] they should examine their doctrines: but the blind people must take all at their handes, who are resolued to holde them blinde still; As Cardinall Caietan comming into Paris, and finding the people blinde, was not desi­rous to remooue their blind­nesse by instruction, but con­tent to abuse their blindnesse, and to leaue them as blinde as he found them: For when the people were desirous to haue the Cardinals blessing, and therein the Popes; the Cardi­nall at the first refused, but finding the people earnestly set vpon that motion, hee tur­ned to them, and sayde these words: Quandoquidem hic po­pulus decipi vult, decipiatur in [Page 41] nomine diaboli: that is, Seeing this people will needes be de­ceiued, let them be deceiued in the name of the deuill; and so gaue them the Popes bles­sing. Thus doe the Popish teachers come to saue soules, making the people blind, kee­ping them in blindnesse, and then profanely scoffing at that blindnesse which them­selues procured. But S. Chry­sostome and the ancient godly Fathers dealt farre otherwise with the people, alwayes ex­horting them to reade the Scriptures. And Chrysostome in the same place doeth with great reason and eloquence, both pull off this vaile of ig­norance, which the Papists labour to cast ouer the eyes [Page 42] of the people, and doeth very effectually descry the fraude and imposture of such teach­ers as these Popish teachers are: For, sayth Chrysostome, would it not be thought a ve­ry absurd thing, if in borrow­ing and lending of money, a man should trust him that brought him money, and not tell it after him? how is it then that this is thought so absurd not to tell money after ano­ther, and shall we in things o [...] the greatest weight simply follow the sentence of othe [...] men without examination seeing we haue such an exac [...] rule of holy Scripture? Chry­sostome prooueth that the learned Papists are couseners, an [...] the simple Papists sottish, lik [...] [Page 43] them that will not see their money tolde. This is the rea­son that in stead of golde and siluer, they receiue copper and brasse: The damage re­doundeth to the destruction of their soules; and therefore they ought to haue a grea­ter care and foresight, lest in the matters concerning their soules, they bee abused by such as dare change the rule of Faith; delighting in the ignorance of the simple, and profanely scoffing the igno­rance which themselues haue caused. This thing the sim­ple people ought more care­fully to looke to, more ex­actly to preuent, then any da­mage that can grow in their worldly estate.

[Page 44] Cyrillus Bishop of Alexan­driaLib. de re­cta fide ad regni. saith; It is necessary for vs to follow the holy Scriptures, and from their prescript in no manner of thing must we depart. Ter­tullian saith; The rule of Faith Lib. de ve­landis vir­gini. is instituted by Christ, and it is one and the same which none may change, which none may reforme. Then whether the Papists wil call it an Alteration, or a Re­formation of the rule of faith, which in Trent they haue done, it is vtterly denied, that the Church may either alter or reforme that rule. S. Hil­larie saith; The presumption, or Lib. ad Constan. August. frailtie, or errour of some, (hee speaketh there against the Ar­rians, but his wordes doe no lesse touch the Papistes) hath either fraudulently confessed, or [Page 45] impudently transgressed the vn­chāgeable cōstitution of Apostolike doctrine. So he calleth the rule of faith, Indemutabilem Consti­tutionem Apostolicae doctrinae.

S. Hierome saith; The Church Lib. 1. in Mich. c. [...] ▪ of Christ, which dwelleth well, possessing the Churches spread o­uer the whole world, is ioyned to­gether in the vnitie of the spirit, and hath cities of the Lawe, and Prophets, of the Gospel and A­postles, and goeth not out of her boundes, that is, out of the holy Scriptures. Thus he calleth the holy Scriptures, the bounds and limits of the Church, out of which limits the Church of Christ neuer goeth: but the Church of Rome is gone out of these bounds. S. Au­gustine Libr. de bon. vidu­tat. cap. 1. saith; The holy Scripture [Page 46] hath fixed a rule for our doctrine, lest we might dare to be wiser thē we ought. I omit many for bre­uity. S. Gregory saith, In the vo­lume of the Scriptures are contei­ned In Ezek. all things which doe teach vs, all things that edifie And again, All our munitiō is cōtained in the holy Writ. To these Ancients agree the writers of the Church of Rome. Peter Lombard saith;Lib. 1. dist. 1. Matters of faith must be demon­strated according to the authori­ties of holy Scriptures. T. Aquinas In 1. ad sim. c. 6. saith, The doctrine of the prophets and Apostles is called Canonicall, because it is the rule of our vnder­standing, and therefore no man ought to teach otherwise. The same might be proued out of others; but this may suffice.

From all which I conclude, [Page 47] that the doctrine of the Scrip­tures hath euer bin held to be the rule of faith, which must rule the Church in teaching: For these men presume that they deale with simple men, that may not examine their doctrines: and therefore they bid the people take doctrines at their hands, and seeke no further. And they tell vs, that the rule of faith is that which the Church teacheth. These be mad fellowes, that presume so much vpō the simplicity of others: for the rule of faith is a rule that ruleth the Church; for deceiuers may come into the Church: The Scripture hath warned vs of deceiuers, that such shall come. Anti­christ with his deceiuing [Page 48] Priests shall come. Now lest these deceiuers should abuse vs with false doctrines, which they may call the doctrines of the Church, the rule of faith is fixed, to rule them, and all other. The ancient Fathers were all ruled by this rule: we are ruled by the same rule; onely these that haue chan­ged the rule, refuse to be ruled by this rule. They tell vs that their doctrine must bee the rule to vs: but they tell vs not what should rule their do­ctrine. Now here is the point which we entreat learned and vnlearned to consider, who seeke out the true Church, and are desirous to find it, and therein to rest. The Church is knowen by the careful kee­ping [Page 49] of the true faith, that is, the true Church, which from the Apostles in all successions hath held the true faith: the true faith is knowen by the rule of faith: the rule is the same in all ages. This rule hath beene helde inuiolable from the Apostles times downeward, in the Greeke Church, in the Latine Church, euen in the Church of Rome, vntill the Councill of Trent. And in the Coun­cill of Trent we find this rule changed: For whereas be­fore, the Church helde this rule alwayes, to bee the Pro­pheticall and Apostolicall do­ctrine, conteined in the holy Scriptures; now they haue made the rule to bee Scrip­tures, [Page 50] and vnwritten Tradi­tions. These vnwritten Tra­ditions they call the word of God, as well as Scriptures, and thus haue they made a word of God of their owne inuention. By this meanes they magnifie the Popes au­thoritie, and haue turned the Supremacie into a Godhead, and will not vnderstand that they worship Antichrist in the Church: For these Traditi­ons are the Popes word, as the Scripture is Gods word. And they blush not to teach that the word of the Pope, is the word of God. And thus haue they set vp in the church another God, and another word of God. And what can Antichrist doe more then this?

[Page 51]Then in seeking the true Church, wee must follow the rule: we follow the same rule, that all the fathers followed, and because we finde the rule chāged in the present Church of Rome, therfore we are sure that it cannot bee the true Church, that hath chāged the rule of faith, by which the true Church was alwaies knowen heeretofore, and must bee knowen heereafter. And as they haue changed the rule of faith, so haue they changed the Iudge of the controuer­sies of faith: For before the Councill of Trent, the Church neuer held the Pope to be Iudge of Controuersies of faith. Before the same time, the Church neuer helde [Page 52] the Pope to bee aboue gene­rall Councils; but his autho­ritie alwayes (euen in the greatest ruffe and pride of Popes) was yet helde to bee vnder the authoritie of a ge­nerall Councill.

Concerning the iudge of controuersies of Faith, the ancient Writers, and the wri­ters of the Church of Rome, haue written no otherwise, then as we write and speake. In the Council of Nice, Theo­doret Lib. 1. cap. 1. declareth how Constan­tine described the iudge of controuersies of faith: In the disputations of things diuine, sayth hee, the Bishops haue the doctrine of the holy Spirit writ­ten: For the Euangelicall and A­postolicall bookes, and the oracles [Page 53] of the ancient Prophets doe fully instruct vs: and therefore let vs take the determination of questi­ons from the wordes of the holy Ghost. In which words he de­clareth, first, that in diuine Disputations, or in Controuer­sies of Faith, wee haue the do­ctrine of the holy Ghost written: then let them tell vs from what spirit the vnwrittē word of Trent proceedeth? Se­condly he sayth, that the wri­tings of the Prophets and Apostles doe fully instruct vs; then that writing is the full rule of faith; for that which doeth fully in­struct vs, and not in part, is the full rule, and not a part thereof. Thirdly he saith, that all determinations of doubts must be taken from this written word: [Page 54] Then hee prooueth vndoub­tedly that this written word doeth suffice to ende all con­trouersies of faith: because the words of men may be subiect to errour, but the wordes of the holy Ghost are not. This is the Catholike determinati­on of the iudge of controuer­sies in faith, which hath beene in all succession preserued vn­till the Councill of Trent. Optatus an ancient Father hol­deth the same way in seeking a iudge: for thus he reasoneth against the Donatists, Let no Optat. lib. 5. man beleeue you, let no man be­leeue vs, for all we are contenti­ous men: Iudges must be sought, but if wee take Christians, they cannot be helde indifferent for both sides, because the trueth is [Page 55] encumbred by contentions: Wee must then seeke a iudge without. But if he be a Pagan, hee cannot vnderstand our mysteries: if a Iewe, he is an enemy to Christian baptisme. Therefore on earth no iudgement will be found for this: wee must seeke the Iudge from heauen: But what need we knock at heauen, seeing wee haue him here in his Gospel? Thus Opta­tus sought a iudge, and could find none but Christ speaking in his Gospel, in his written word. How easie had it beene for Optatus to haue named the Pope, if the Pope had then beene esteemed the iudge of controuersies of faith? But this is a late inuention not knowen to the ancient fa­thers. Saint Augustine spea­keth [Page 56] in like sort; This matter Libr. 2. cap. 33. de nupt. & concupisc. (saith he, writing against the Pelagians) requireth a Iudge, and therefore let Christ iudge. And then hee produceth the words of Christ as the words of the Iudge. Hee saith also, Let the Apostle iudge with him, for in the Apostle Christ spea­keth: And then he produceth the words of the Apostle, as being the words of Christ the Iudge. And in another place: It is not without great cause that Ad Cresc. lib. 2. cap. 31. the Canon of the Scriptures is or­deined with such wholesome vi­gilance, whereunto certaine books of the Prophets and Apostles doe pertaine, which wee dare not iudge at all; but according to them may we freely iudge of other writings, whether they be writ­ten [Page 57] by beleeuers, or no beleeuers. After this, till the Councill of Trent, the Church helde the same determination still con­cerning the Iudge of contro­uersies of faith. Indeed there were some Friars and Cano­nists that flattered the Pope, and the Pope was as willing to make vse of their flatte­rings: But these flatterers were reiected as men odious, and could neuer finde any credit in the world before the Coun­cil of Trent; In so much that the Popes themselues (and what is it that they durst not doe?) durst not claime this authoritie before that time. Pope Clement the first, hathDist. 37 cap 14. This Pope liued anno 1047. these wordes: You must not seeke a strange sense, which may [Page 58] be adulterated and inwardly cor­rupted, nor confirme such a sense by the authoritie of Scripture: but a man must take the sense of the trueth from the Scriptures themselues, seeing that one may haue the full and firme rule of faith and trueth in the Scrip­tures. Thus sayth a Pope: Integra & firma regula verita­tis ex Scripturis. Then there were no vnwritten Traditi­ons thought of at that time, to be thrust into the rule of faith. Secondly he saith, that the vnderstanding of the trueth, must be sought out of the Scrip­tures themselues: So that hee knew no other Iudge of the controuersies of faith. Thus was the doctrine of the Iudge of controuersies maintained [Page 59] vntill the time of the Council of Basill.

The Councill of Basil doth likewise maintaine the anci­ent doctrine of the Church concerning this point: For thus they say: Lex diuina pra­xis Concil Ba­sil. Sess. 4. Christi, Apostolica, & Eccle­siae primitiuae, vna cum Concilijs Doctoribus (que) fundantibus se ve­raciter in eadem, pro verissimo & indifferente iudice in hoc Ba­siliensi Concilio admittentur: That is, The diuine Law (or holy Scripture) the practise of Christ, of his Apostles, and of the Primitiue Church, to­gether with Councils and Doctours, grounding them­selues truely thereon, shall be admitted for the most true and indifferent Iudge in this [Page 60] Council of Basill. We finde by this, what was the sense and iudgement of the Church in our fathers dayes; for this was done about the yeere of Christ 1440. Then before the Councill of Trent there was no change in these things: but there they haue changed all, and made a new Church: but with such sleights and cun­ning, that it is apparant, that it was not religion and con­science which mooued them, but ambition, and a singular estimation and pride of their owne wit; holding such a scorneful conceit of other na­tions, whom they call Tra­montani, that they presume that they can make all other men fooles. This they practi­sed [Page 61] in the Council of Trent, and through the simplici­tie and ouer-much credulitie which they haue found in some, haue partly well con­firmed their purpose: for there were certaine questions which were determined in that Councill of Trent, and yet neuer discussed: as name­ly, whether the Popes autho­ritie be aboue the authoritie of a generall Councill: and, whether the Pope be the iudge of the controuersies of faith.

These are now holden as things determined, and yet they were neuer discussed. This made Gentiletus ex­claimeInnocent. Gentileti exam, con­cilij Trid. in these words; Ecquis fando vnquā audiuit, vt quaestio in disputationē non reuocata, non [Page 62] examinata, non tractata, fuerit tamen decisa, conclusa, rata, ap­probata? tanta astutia hic tra­ctata est quaestio de Rom. Ponti­ficis authoritate supra Concilium: that is; Did euer any man heare of the like? that there should bee a question, which though it were neuer brought to disputation, neuer exami­ned, neuer handled, should notwithstanding be decided, concluded, confirmed, ap­prooued? By such cunning was the question handled heere, concerning the Popes authoritie ouer a Council: by this let the world iudge of this Councill, whether it was like other Councils. Is this a thing to bee tolerated in the Church, that a companie of [Page 63] Italians, men without Religi­on, without the feare of God, shuld in the pride of their wits put a trick vpon all the Chur­ches in Christendom? Let the simple soules that are seduced lift vp their eyes, and see the snares that are prouided to catch them: let them vnder­stand, that the Priests and Ie­suites, who now are imploy­ed about their subuersion, are instruments to driue and al­lure them into these nettes, which these Inginers haue deuised by subtilty and fraud. These trappes are laide with great subtiltie to inthrall their soules: let them at the least looke vp, and open their eyes, and behold the danger that is before them: If they [Page 64] will wilfully fall into these snares, then may they blame themselues for their owne de­struction.

Thus haue wee found out, that the rule of Faith was changed in the Councill of Trent: That in the same Councill, the Iudge of Con­trouersies of faith was like­wise changed: that all things were then changed; whereby the Church is knowen to bee a Church: For before that, the Church was knowen to bee a Church, by the Vnitie which it helde with the Ca­tholike Church. This was the Vnitie of the Bodie, the Vnitie of the Head, the Vni­tie of the Spirit, and the Vni­tie of Faith: These were in [Page 65] some measure all held, vntill the Councill of Trent chan­ged all. Now all these things being changed and forsaken by the present Church of Rome, it remaineth to con­clude, that the present Church of Rome, is no Church of Christ, but an assembly, I say, not of Heretikes, but of farre worse, and more dangerous then any Heretikes heereto­fore haue bene: For the for­mer Heretikes, that haue o­penly forsaken the Church, could neuer doe so much harme, as Antichrist with his creatures, who hauing secret­ly forsaken the Church, yet make open claime to the Church, and to all the rights thereof.

[Page 66]Seeing now that the now Church of Rome is not the true Church, where then shall we finde it? The Reformed Churches, as now they are called, being the generation of them that haue liued of long time before, in the Com­munion of the old Church of Rome, might haue continued in that course, if the Church of Rome had not bin notori­ously changed from a Church to no Church. For in olde times we find a distinction ob­serued, betweene the Church of Rome, and the Court of Rome. The Church we may call all these Westerne Chur­ches, that helde Communion with the Church of Rome then, and maintained the [Page 67] Popes Supremacie in things spirituall, as then the Supre­macie was vnderstood, but not as now they vnderstand it: Now because they helde in this poynt with the Pope, they were therefore vnder­stood as belonging to the Church of Rome thus farre. The Court of Rome were they that flattered the Pope, and sought his greatnesse without respect to trueth or reason: Such were Friers and Canonists, which in the ende preuailed against the Church, and now call them­selues the Church of Rome. These with their adherents, (for some Bishops and Priests did leaue the Church, and ad­here vnto these) preuailed in [Page 68] the Councill of Trent, by fraudulent sleights; and for­saking the rule of faith, chan­ging the Iudge of Contro­uersies, extolling the Popes Supremacie aboue all that were before them, gaue a iust occasion vnto the Reformed Churches, which after this re­uolted from them, to seeke the Church wheresoeuer they could finde it; because they saw euidently now, that in the Popes communion it was no longer to be found. If any man obiect vnto mee, that Martin Luther beganne to preach before the Councill of Trent (for hee began first to preach against Indulgences in the yeere of Christ, 1517. and the first Session of the Council [Page 69] of Trent was held in the yeere 1545. the last Session of that Councill was held in the yere 1563.) Luther then hauing be­gun to preach against the Pope before the Councill of Trent, it may bee thought that the Council of Trent gaue not oc­casion to the reuolt which fol­lowed; seeing that Martin Lu­ther had in some sort begun it before. To this I answer, that when Martin Luther begā first to preach against Indulgēces, hee thought of no reuolting from the Pope: For he prea­ched the doctrines that he was sure the Church had held before him, and which were agreeable to the rule of faith, which stood at that time vn­changed in the Church. And [Page 70] that Luther had no meaning to reuolt from the Church, him­selfe doeth plainely confesse: and it is euident by the whole course of the Storie of these times. Luther for a long time after his preaching against In­dulgences, sought peace with the Pope; and therfore he ap­pealed vnto Pope Leo, nothing doubting, but that the Pope would fauour the truth which he had so clearly proued from the Scriptures. When he saw that the Pope went directly from the trueth; then he ap­pealed from the Pope to a ge­nerall Councill: For Luther neuer doubted, but that there was, and alwayes would bee a Church that would fauour the trueth against the Pope [Page 71] and his flatterers. So Luther fell away from the Pope, but still hee helde himselfe sure in the Church, teaching nothing but such things as hee offered to be examined according to the rule of faith, which al­wayes ruled the doctrines of the Church: And thus he con­tinued vntill his death. He di­ed after the Councill of Trent was begun. In appealing frō the Pope to a generall Coun­cill, he followed the common practise of many that were oppressed by the Pope, or that feared the Popes oppres­sion in the Church of Rome: who appealed from the Pope and Court of Rome, to the Church of Rome, or to a ge­nerall Councill. Such Ap­peales [Page 72] were made sometimes by Emperours and Kings, which were wronged by the Pope; as namely by Lodouike Bauare, Emperour, and by Phi­lip the faire, the French King: Sometimes by learned men of inferiour degree, as by Mi­chael Caesina, with whom did then adhere William Occham, and others.

The same distinction betweene the Church of Rome, and Court of Rome, was ve­ry apparant by the actions and processe helde by those two Councils, collected of these Westerne Churches, the Councill of Constance, and of Basill: which Coun­cils wee finde to be a body re­presentatiue of a Church, [Page 73] which was opposite to the Pope and Court of Rome: So that assuredly there was a Church which helde the rule of faith against the Pope and his flatterers. In that Church was Luther, in that Church were the learned men of these two Councils; who procee­ded roundly against the Popes authoritie: they prooued that the Popes might erre, & that in many things they did erre: they maintained the rule of faith, which stood inuiolated in the Church till their dayes: they maintained the ancient Iudge of controuersies of faith, which before had al­wayes beene acknowledged: they protested that to giue that authoritie to the Pope, [Page 74] (which now since that time is giuen, and since the Councill of Trent is confirmed to the Pope by these flatterers) this say they, is to giue an open entrance for Antichrist into the Church to subuert Chri­stian Religion. Then at that time the trueth was helde vp in some measure: there was then acknowledged an autho­ritie in the Church aboue the Pope: there was a Iudge of generall Councils, the same which the Church before re­ceiued, and which wee ac­knowledge: there was then no alteratiō, no change made of the rule of faith: but since this time all these things are changed in the Councill of Trent.

[Page 75]This Councill of Trent, (to giue you some taste of it) was neither generall, nor free, nor lawfull: Not generall, for these Westerne parts, be­cause diuers Kings and Na­tions protested against it: namely, the King of England, and the French King: and would not send their Bishops and Ambassadours to it. Ma­ny Nations helde it for a pri­uate conuenticle of a few ga­thered together against the Church. For all England, Scotland, Ireland, all France, all Germanie, that helde against that Councill, will make a farre greater part then all the rest, that consented to that Councill. It was not free; for none were admitted to [Page 76] haue voyce therein, but such as should bee bound by an oath of bondage and slauery to the Pope. It was not a lawfull Assembly; forsomuch as it was neither called by a lawfull authoritie: for against the first calling of it, the Em­perour himselfe dissented, and protested against it by his Ambassadour Vergas; the Kings also who had interst in these Westerne parts, prote­sted against it: Neither was the manner of proceeding in that Councill lawfull. Genti­letus a French Lawyer proo­ueth the nullities of that Council: For by the Imperi­all Constitution it is ordeined, that the Decrees which are made against Lawes, are not [Page 77] onely vnprofitable, but void, and to be taken for things not done. Cap. Imperiali 25. q. 2. l. non dubium: Hee proposeth therefore, and prooueth a great number of the nullities of that Councill, which make the whole to be void, and of no validitie, as being done a­gainst the Lawes.

This is that Councill that hath changed the faith of the Church, that was held from the Apostles to that time vn­changed: they haue brought into the Church the Popes word, to match the word of God: this was neuer done in the Church before. And therefore the reformed Chur­ches holding the ancient rule of faith, which the Church [Page 78] had held frō the Apostles, till the Councill of Trent, must needes prooue themselues [...] stand in the true succession of the Church: For the true Church must continue to the end of the world: And seeing it cannot cōtinue in them that haue forsaken the Vnitie of the Catholique Church, and the rule of faith, it must needs be granted, that it is cōtinued in them that holde the vnitie with the Catholike Church, and the rule of faith.

Thus then from the Vnitie of the Church, we haue proo­ued, that the Church of Rome that now is, is not the true Church of Christ, be­cause it is not one with the true Church of Christ. It [Page 79] holdeth not the Vnitie of that Bodie, nor the Vnitie of the Head, nor the Vnitie of the Spirit, nor the Vnitie of Faith: And holding not V­nitie with the Catholique Church, it cannot be a church at all. The Reformed Chur­ches hold this Vnitie, and are thereby prooued to bee one with the Catholike Church: frō this which I haue said, di­uers trueths do apparantly in­sue, which I will briefly open.

The consent of the Church, which is but one in the fa­thers and their children, is prooued to stand in the fun­damentall points of doctrine, before the Councill of Trent; I say, in the fundamentall poynts: For diuers errours [Page 80] were crept into the Church before: but these errours were such as did not raze the foundation; for a Church may stand, and bee a true Church, though some er­rours creepe into it. But if these errours change the foundation, (as the errours doe which change the rule of faith, which is the foundation of the Church) then without doubt, it ceaseth to bee a Church. The errours which before this time did creepe into the Church, did not change the foundation, be­cause all men in the Church held the same olde and true foundation in the rule of faith till then. The Popes Supre­macie, as men then vnder­stand [Page 81] it, was generally em­braced: But surely this was not a fundamentall errour: For we doubt not, but many good and godly men were among them, and saued, though they did acknow­ledge the Popes Supremacie in such a measure, as Saint Bernard, and the Councill of Constance, and of Basill did ac­knowledge the same.

It appeareth hereby also,2 that the true Church of Christ, as before I haue de­clared, did stand vp in some [...]ort vntill this time of the Councill of Trent: For the [...]rue Church may be prooued [...]y the vnitie with the Catho­licke Church, and by the [...]ule of faith, which till then [Page 82] was helde in the Church.

It appeareth likewise, that3 the reformed Churches, are in the succession and conti­nuation of that true, ancient, and onely Church, which stood before the Councill of Trent, and shall endure to the end of the world: For be­fore that time there were, as wee may say, two faces of a Church; the one of the court of Rome, the other of the Church: But in the Coun­cill of Trent the Court o [...] Rome preuailed: therefore the Church fell off, and made a separation from the Court of Rome: But the Church though falling away from the Court of Rome, conti­nued still the same Church [Page 83] because it helde still the same rule of faith, and forsaked not the communion which before it had with the Catho­licke Church: But the Court of Rome, which now calleth it selfe the Church, and the onely Catholike Church, al­tered the rule of faith, and fell away from the communion of the Catholike Church.

It appeareth also, that our4 fathers which before vs liued and died in the Church of Rome, had all necessarie meanes of saluation, because the rule of faith was held then inuiolable: And albeit the Fri­ars, the Canonists, and flat­terers of the Pope had cor­rupted many things in the Church, yet the doctrines of [Page 84] the trueth were permitted to be preached according to the rule of faith: which prooued that our fathers liuing and dying in Popery before the Councill of Trent, had the meanes to be saued: which meanes are now taken away by these that are now in the Church of Rome; because they haue altered the rule of faith, which conteineth the meanes to saluation. Now where they come with their declamations, and tell vs of the diuisions that we haue a­mong our selues, some Lu­therans, some Zwinglians, &c. and that we can haue no Church, because we haue not vnitie in the faith, and these diuisions shew the breach of [Page 85] vnitie: I answere, that there may be some disagreement in some points of Religion, and the sides disagreeing may [...]oth holde the true Church, so long as these disagree­ments be not in matters fun­damentall; and that they who so disagree, notwithstanding [...]ll their disagreement, holde one and the same rule of faith. We say that betweene Luthe­ [...]ans and Zwinglians, as these [...]all them, the same rule of [...]aith is helde and acknowled­ged without alteration: And therfore both these sides may belong to one and the same Church, because they holde one and the fame rule of faith with the Catholike Church, with the Fathers, and with [Page 86] the Church of Rome before the Trent Councill. But if they can proue that there are some sects which doe not ful­ly and entirely holde this rule of faith, then will wee dis­claime cōmunion with them as wee doe with Anabaptists with Zwinkfeldians, with Papists for the same cause [...] And therefore when our ad­uersaries speake or write o [...] the Church, they must leau [...] boyes play in making idle de­clamations: let them speak [...] plainely and soundly to these points, and declare the vniti [...] of the Church, and open th [...] rule of faith, wherein the tru [...] Church hath alwayes had [...] ­nitie, and will alwayes hold [...] to the end of the world. The [Page 87] should make conscience of their writings not to deceiue the simple with idle discour­ses of by-points. They dis­course of antiquitie, vniuersa­litie, and consent, wordes in shew making for them as they suppose, in truth against them: They tell vs that the Religion which now is professed in Rome, is that Religion which conuerted ENGLAND first to the true Faith: They tell vs that wee can haue no true Church, because we haue so many diuisions among vs; and many such like discourses as these, and very proper de­clamations: which when wee reade, we haue reason to sus­pect, that they who write thus, either are men of no [Page 88] learning and vnderstanding; or else write things against their owne consciences, to holde simple soules still in er­rour, whom they haue once bewitched with these silly sleights and shewes. They presume of ignorant soules, and seeke to maintaine igno­rance in the people: for with­out grosse and in a maner wil­full ignorance, none can bee deceiued in these things.

That which I haue spoken of the Catholicke Church, is agreeable to that Article of our Faith, I beleeue the holy Catholicke Church, the commu­nion of Saints: Which words doe prooue, that the Church of Rome, as now it stands, cannot bee the Catholique [Page 89] Church, nor haue communi­on with it. The Papists in de­liuering the notes or markes of the Church, make long dis­courses of other markes, and are afraid to speake of these true markes conteined in our Creede.

First, the Church is holy: When these men speake of the holinesse of the Church, they tell vs of a holines which is in the Sacraments: which thing wee denie not; but wee deny that the Sacraments make men holy without faith They tell vs also of the holy Martyrs that haue beene in the Church before, that the Church is made holy by them. This indeede prooueth the holinesse of them that [Page 90] haue liued and died in the faith, and for the faith; but this wil not make the Church after them to be holy. The present Church is holy, not by the holinesse of them that haue liued before, but by the holinesse of them that liue in it. The Church is holy, be­cause it consists of Saints, of members who are holy: these members are holy both by imputed sanctification from Christ the head, who for their sakes did sanctifie himselfe, as hee saith, For their sakes I san­ctifie Ioh. 17. 19 my selfe, that they also might be sanctified through the trueth: and also by inherent holinesse; for the Apostle tea­cheth, that the whole Church and euery member thereof, [Page 91] receiueth increase of the bo­dy from the head: So that men may not so grossely flat­ter themselues as the Papists doe, thinking that they may be the Church, and yet liue without holinesse. They who haue no part in holinesse, haue no part in the Church; for the Church is holy. Saint Iohn saith, Euery man that hath 1. Ioh. 3. 3 this hope in him, purgeth him­selfe, euen as he is pure. And a­gaine, If wee say that wee haue 1. Ioh. 1. 6 fellowship with him, and walke in darkenesse, we lie, and doe not the trueth. And therefore the Church of Rome, seeking a title of holinesse, without ho­linesse of life, so falling away from true holinesse, is assured­ly fallen away also from be­ing [Page 92] a Church. It is called CA­THOLIKE, because it hath beene spread in all places, and hath beene and shall be at all times: In which respect it is distinguished frō the Church of the Iewes, which was but in one nation, and for a cer­taine time. The Church of Rome was alwayes helde by the Ancients to differ frō the Catholicke Church, though it was euer helde to be a part of the Catholike Church: but that it differed from the Ca­tholike, as a particular from the vniuersall, the ancient writers neuer made doubt. S. Hierome writing of one that confounded the orders of the Church, preferring a Deacon before a Priest (which confu­sion [Page 93] was practised then in the Church of Rome) prooueth that this was but a particular disorder suffred in the Church of Rome, against the order of the Catholike Church spread ouer the world: And there­fore he declareth, that though in respect of particular assem­blies there was one Church of Rome, another of France, another of Britaine, &c. yet all agree in one Church; and the authoritie of the Catho­licke Church is greater then the authoritie of any part, though it be Rome it selfe. And therefore he sayth, Si au­thoritas quaeritur, orbis maior est vrbe: meaning, the authoritie of the Catholicke Church spred ouer the world, is grea­ter [Page 94] then the authoritie of the Church of Rome, being as then it was reputed, but the Church of one Citie: Wher­by he prooueth plainely, that the Church of Rome was not the Catholike Church. Saint Augustine writing to the same purpose, obserueth that in his time one Vrbicus a Romane beganne to spread newe do­ctrines concerning fasting; namely, that fasting did wash away errors and sinnes; that in fasting there was merit; that men were compelled to sinne who tooke a breakefast; that the kingdome of heauen was not in meat and drinke, but in fasting; and such like nouelties: which Saint Austin August. Epist. 86. refuteth, and sayth, that this [Page 95] Vrbicus did blaspheme the Church dispersed ouer the whole world, except the Church of Rome, and some few of the West: Then it fol­loweth, that in his iudgement the Church of Rome was not the Catholicke Church, be­cause Vrbicus who blasphe­med the Catholike Church, commended and followed the Church of Rome. Many things might be brought for this purpose, but I striue for breuitie: This may suffice to prooue that the ancient Fa­thers did not hold the Church of Rome to be the Catholike Church.

In this Church there is a communion of Saints, which Communion the Papistes de­uise [Page 96] to bee betwene the Saints in heauen, and the Saints on earth, and them that bee in purgatorie. These bee vaine conceits without any ground: For the Church hath this Communion with GOD the Father, and with IESVS CHRIST, and among them­selues, as Saint Iohn teach­eth;1. Ioh. 1. 3. Our Communion is with the Father; and his Sonne Iesus Christ. And declaring this Communion, which the members of the Church haue one with another, hee saith: If wee walke in the light, as hee 1 Ioh. 1. 3, 7. is in the light, wee haue Com­munion one with another, and the blood of Iesus Christ doeth cleanse vs from all sinne. In which wordes hee declareth [Page 97] who are partakers of this Communion; and conse­quently who are members of this Church: For wee haue Communion one with ano­ther, and the blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all sinne. Then they haue this Communion, who by the blood of Christ are cleansed from all sinne: And there­fore they who are in Purga­torie, can haue no part of this Communion, because they are not cleansed from all their sinne by the blood of Christ. This Communion then is a Communion which the Church of the redeemed haue among themselues: These bee they who sing that new Song: Thou art worthie Apoc. 5. 9▪ [Page 98] to take the Booke, and to open the Seales thereof: For thou wast slaine, and hast redeemed vs to God by thy blood, out of euery kinred, and tongue, and people, and nation. This is the Com­munion that the Church of the redeemed haue; and therefore it is called, The Communion of Saints; that is, of such as are sanctified by the blood of Iesus Christ. But this Communion is not in the Church of Rome: For the Communion which is in the Church of Rome, is such a Communion, which by their owne confession is held among such men as haue no inward grace, but onely the externall profession of Reli­gion. This being their owne [Page 99] confession, it must needs fol­low, that the Communion of Saints is not among them: For Saints haue no Commu­nion with wicked, who haue no inward grace, who are the members of the deuill, and not of Christ: The reason is, because betweene the mem­bers of Christ, and the mem­bers of the Deuill, there can bee no Communion, as S Paul prooueth: For what fellowship 2. Cor. 6. hath righteousnesse with vnrigh­teousnesse? or what Communion hath light with darkenesse? or what concord hath Christ with Beliall? or what part haue be­leeuers with vnbeleeuers? &c. Thus haue wee prooued, that there is no agreement be­tweene the Church of Rome, [Page 100] and the Catholike Church, because the Church of Rome is neither holy, nor Catho­like; neither in it is found the Communion of Saints.

Then they who boast so much of the Catholique Church, the Catholique Church, suffer themselues to be blinded by cosening com­panions who know not the trueth: For they thinke to hold the Catholike Church, before they will bee acquain­ted with a particular Church. Let them bee intreated to vn­derstand, that if they desire to be in the Catholike Church, without which there is no saluation, they must betake themselues to some particu­lar Church heere on earth, [Page 101] which holdeth Vnitie with the Catholike Church. And then shall they be sure to bee in the Catholike Church, when they are found in such a Church which holdeth V­nitie with the Catholique Church: that is, by the mi­nistery of the Church where­in you liue, and are taught: you must vnderstand, that you are collected as members into one bodie: that from the Head you may receiue an in­crease of this Body, to the e­difying of your selues in loue, and so bee truely knit to the Head of the Church Iesus Christ; that by one and the same Spirit you may be iusti­fied and sanctified, & so holde the vnitie of the Spirit: that [Page 102] by one rule of faith you may be taught and ruled, and that you may be sure that the same rule which hath been the rule of faith from the Apostles times, and continued euer in the Church, be the rule of your faith. When thus by the ministerie of a particular Church, (in whatsoeuer place of the world that Church be) you are gathered into one Body, vnder one Head, go­uerned by one Spirit, holding one and the same rule of Faith; then may you be assu­red, that you are in the Ca­tholike Church: for the Ca­tholike Church being vniuer­sall, and not particular, cannot be fixed to any one particular place: but the men that must [Page 103] be gathered into the Church, are particular men, and holde particular places, and there­fore must vse the helpe of par­ticular Churches to bring them to the Catholicke Church, or else they shall ne­uer find it. If thus men would seek the Church, they should be sure to finde it: there is but one way: they that receiue not the loue of the trueth, are iustly deceiued, and perish: that all might be damned, who beleeued not the trueth, but had pleasure in vnrighte­ousnesse. So that when decei­uers come with their strong illusions, yet shall they be able to preuaile against none, but onely such as loue not the trueth: But they who loue [Page 104] the trueth, and seeke it with care and diligence, as they would seeke siluer and golde, or things that are esteemed more precious, shall by the great mercy of God vndoub­tedly bee saued from errour and damnation: And all such by the free mercy of God, shall be brought into the true Church, that therein, as in the Arke of Noah, they may be saued: For vnto the ende of the world must that alwayes be verified which is written, The Lord added to the Church Acts 2. 47. from day to day such as should be saued.

[Page 105]FOrasmuch as I haue taken this as a thing granted by the Papists, That they haue added their vnwritten Tradi­tions, which they call Apo­stolicall, vnto the Scriptures, to make vp the totall rule of [...]aith, the Scriptures making [...]ut one part thereof, and [...]heir Traditions another; by which alteration of the rule of faith they haue forsaken cōmunion with the Church, which till that time alwayes held this rule, & which to the end of the world must holde [...]t; I haue here set downe the words of the Trent Council, and of Car. Bellar. expounding the same for their sakes, who being ignorant, may doubt whether this be true or not.

That is,

All the books of the old and new Testament, as al­so the Traditions them­selues, [Page 107] pertaining both to faith and maners, as being either pronounced from the mouth of Christ, or deliuered by the holy Ghost, and by continuall successiō preserued in the Catholicke Church, the Councill of Trent recei­ueth and honoureth with like and equall affection of piety and reuerence.

That is.

Wee affirme, that in the Scriptures is not contei­ned expressely all necessa­rie doctrine, whether of faith or maners, and ther­fore besides the written word of God, is required also the vnwritten word of God, namely, Diuine and Apostolicall Tradi­tions.

That is.

The Scriptures without Traditions, were neither simply necessary, nor yet sufficient.

That is.

I say, that the Scripture, though it was not made especially to be the rule of faith, yet is the rule of faith not in whole, but in part: for the whole rule of faith is the word of God, or the reuelation of God made to the Church, which is diuided into two partie­rules, Scripture, and Tra­ditions.

[Page 111]These things the learned Pa­pists make no doubt of; and [...]herfore I take them as things granted by them, because all [...]heir learned men grant the [...]ame. For the vnlearned I [...]aue set them down, that they may vnderstand, that the rule of faith, which the Church held before, & which holdeth [...]he Church in vnitie, is by [...]hem forsakē: And therfore if they will seeke a true Church, they must seek such a Church which holdeth still the same rule of faith with the true Church of Christ, which was before the Trent Council, and must stand till the end of the world.