A treatise of faith wherin is briefely, and planly [sic] shewed, a direct way, by which every man may resolue, and settle his minde, in all doubtes, questions, or controuersies, concerning matters of faith.

CHAP. XIII. How we should discerne and know, which is the true visible Church of Christ.

HITHERTO I haue shewed that the rule of faith, (which all men ought to seeke, that, by it, they may learne true faith) is the doctrine of the Church of

Christ: and that this Church doth con∣tinue: and is alwaies visible, that is to say, such as may be found out and knowne▪ Now the greatest question is (sith, there are diuers companies of them that be∣leeue in Christ; euery one of which, challenge to themselues, the title of the true Church) how euery man may come to know assuredly, and in particuler, which company is indeed the true visible Church of Christ, whose doctrine we must, in all points, beleeue and follow.

To this question I answere that euery company which hath the name of Chri∣stiās, or which challeng to thēselues the name of the Church, are not alwaies the true Church. For of heretiques we may well say; as S. Austen doth, non, quia ecclesia Christi videntur habere nomen, idcirco pertinent ad eius consecrationem. They doe not there∣fore pertaine to the consecration of the Church of Christ, because they seeme to cary the name of the Church of Christ. For (as the same S. Austen saith in another place) heretiques are only whited ouer with the name of Christians.* 1.1 When in∣deed Si haeretici sunt (as Tertullian saith) Christiani esse non possunt. If they be hereti∣ques,

they cannot be true Christians. The reason whereof, the same Tertullian insi∣nuateth to be, because, they follow 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that faith, which came from Christ (to his Apostles and Disciples, and which was deliuered by them, from hand to hand, to our forefathers, and so to vs) but they follow that faith, which they chose to themselues; of which election or choise, the name of heretike & heresie did arise.

The way therefore, to discerne, which is the true Church, is, first to set downe, which be the certaine markes, by which, all men may easily know the Church: & then to examine to whom these markes do agree. The which, that I may the bet∣ter performe, in the chapters following, here I thinke good, first briefely to note, what belongeth to the nature of a good and sufficient marke.

Note, therefore that two things are re∣quired in euery sufficiēt marke. The first is, that it be not common to many, but proper, and only agreeing to the thing, whereof it is a marke. As for example, it is no good marke whereby to know any particuler mā; to say, he hath two hands, or two eares; because this is common to

many and therefore no sufficient note or marke, wherby one may be distinguished or knowne from all other. But a marke, whereby we may discerne one speciall man, from all other, must be some one thing, or moe, which he hath, and others haue not.* 1.2 As if he were longer, larger, or fairer thē the rest; or if some others were as long,* 1.3 and other some as faire, yet none were long & faire both, but only he. The second thing, required in a good marke, is, that it be more apparant, and easie to be knowne, then the thing. For example, If I were to describe and make knowne a certaine man, who were otherwise vn∣knowne. I must not thinke it sufficient to giue the definition of his essence, or to as∣signe the secret disposition of his hart, li∣uer and other inward partes, which are commonly harder to be knowne, thē the man himselfe. But I must declare some apparant thing in his face, hands or some outward part of his body: or in his voice, apparell, behauiour, or such like; which agreeing onely to that man; and being easie to be knowne, may be a meanes to make vs know the man we seeke for.

Wherefore, when we will assigne some

good markes, by which, all sortes of men may, in some sort, discerne, which parti∣cular cōpany of men is the true Church, we must haue speciall regard to assigne those things, which, in some matters, may be apparant to all sortes of men; sith all sortes of men had neede to seeke out, and according to their capacitie discerne which is the true Church: we must also assigne those thinges, which agree to no other companie, but that, which is the true Church, to th'intent that a man shall see all those thinges, which be assigned as marks, to agree to any companie, he may streightwaies conclude, that company to bee the true Church: as on the contrarie side, if he perceiue, either all, or any one of them to be wanting, in any company, he may be sure, that, that company is not the true Church.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lib. & ep. parm. cap. 7. Lib. de prescript.
• * 1.2

  Taller. bigger.
• * 1.3

  Tall. Tall.