The French academie Fully discoursed and finished in foure bookes. 1. Institution of manners and callings of all estates. 2. Concerning the soule and body of man. 3. A notable description of the whole world, &c. 4. Christian philosophie, instructing the true and onely meanes to eternall life. This fourth part neuer before published in English. All written by the first author, Peter de la Primaudaye, Esquire, Lord of Barre, Chauncellour, and Steward of the French Kings house.

9. Meditation and Praier, touching the Catholike Church.

To beleeue the Catholike or Vniuersall Church, is, First to beleeue that notwithstan∣ding the corruptions, Idolatries, superstitions, and disorders that are, and haue alwaies * 1.1 beene in the world, God the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier, chose his elect people, which hee called out of darkenesse (wherein we are all borne) into the light of the Gospel, * 1.2 reuealing himselfe by his holy testimonies, to those whom hee hath chosen, whom hee hath washed and sanctified, and in whom hee raigneth by his word, as in his kingdome, his Family, and his House, the pillar and ground of truth, set vpon the Corner stone of * 1.3 that diuine building, which is, Iesus Christ, against the which Church, The gates of Hell shall not preuaile, because all things worke together for the best, vnto them that loue God, who know∣eth * 1.4 those that are his.

Secondly, wee protest and beleeue, that wee are members of this true Church, and that wee vnite our selues thereunto, to bee true and faithfull Citizens, neuer abandoning nor forsaking the holy assemblies of Christians, and in them making that profession and confession of the Name of God, which the true children and seruants of GOD ought to doe.

Thirdly, it is to beleeue and to protest, that we doe not beleeue all assemblies and con∣gregations indifferently, to be the holy Church, but that which is Apostolical, and vniuer∣sall, gathered together by the preaching of the Gospel, & by the vse of the holy Sacraments in all places of the world, vnder one head which is Iesus Christ. As in him is grounded the Communion of Saints, by him made members of one body, participating one spirit, * 1.5 one selfe same word, and one order of the sacred Mysteries of saluation. Which faithfull Christians are also vnited by the band of peace, and conioyned by true loue, calling vpon one Sauiour, and as brethren expecting one selfe same inheritance, which is eternall life. For the giftes which God presenteth to his Church are remission of sinnes, and life euerla∣sting, which we cannot find out of the dungeon or fort of saluation, the Catholike church. In the deluge, all liuing creat••res perished; onely Noah and those that entred into the arke * 1.6 with him: which was an infallible figure of the assurance which all the children of God may lay hold on, that they cannot perish in the Church: which the most amiable Taber∣nacle (whereof the Prophet speaketh) doeth represent; God in it giuing testimonies of his presence, and there was inuoked, as in this time of grace, the true Couenant and Congre∣gation * 1.7 of the Lord, is in the holy Temple of the Christians: for it is the true Ierusalem, * 1.8 which also was figured by the royall Prophet Dauid, saying, Ierusalem is builded as a citie that is compast together in it selfe, whereunto the Tribes euen the Tribes of the Lord goe vp, to praise * 1.9 the name of the Lord, all those that are brethren meeting therein together.

In the holy Gospell, the Church is compared to a Sheepfold, whereof Iesus Christ is the Shepherd, and wherein the sheepe heare, and vnderstand the voice of their Shepherd; as also in the Scripture, the Church is represented vnto vs, as a Bride well beloued of her * 1.10 Lord, and for the which Christ gaue himselfe, to the ende to sanctifie her, and to make her glorious, without spot or wrinckle, that shee might bee holy and vnreprooueable, as it * 1.11 becommeth her, to mount Sion, to the citie of the liuing God, to celestiall Ierusalem, to the company of innumerable Angels, and to the assembly of the first borne, which are written in heauen, to God the Iudge of all, and to the spirits of iust and perfect men. For we are ioy∣ned to this glorious company, and the to Angels, & Patriarkes, which beleeued in the true * 1.12 God: by meanes of the Gospel, all these exce••lent titles being attributed to the Church, in regard of the elect, and all true beleeuers, whom the Lord knoweth and approoueth. For when the Scripture speaketh generally of all the visible Christian Church, and considereth the same in grosse and exteriorly, shee is compared to a great fielde, that bringeth foorth great store of corne diuersly, and wherein there is great store of teares or darnel; or to a draw * 1.13 net, which gathereth all kindes of fish. And in that sence the Apostle saith, That all are not Iewes which are Iewes outward. And Iesus Christ saith, Not euery one that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdome of heauen, but hee that doeth the will of my Father which is in hea∣uen. Therefore, oh Lord God, seeing thou art the searcher of all mens hearts, to knowe and discerne who loueth and serueth thee as hee ought to doe, from hypocrites, and the true members of Christ and of his Church, from those which onely beare the name and title thereof. I beseech thee to vouchsafe mee the grace, to loue nothing more, then the so sweete and solitarie company of thee, oh Father, Sonne, and holy Spirit, and of all thy elect and faithfull children which dwell and are perpetually gathered together in thy holy temple, in such maner, that all the desire of my soule may be to go into thy tabernacle, and to dwel therin for euer. For what greater mischief can happen vnto me then to be put out, or depriued of such company? Whosoeuer is not with thee, and in thy holy city, must of force be with Sathan and in the company of Diuels, that is, with all euill and mischiefe: for that, as thou giuest peace, felicity, and life to those which dwell in thy house, so the Diuel is the author of al euil & mischiefe, and lastly of eternal death to al those which follow his kingdome, working iniquity. For although (Oh our God and heauenly * 1.14 Father) thou diddest couenant, that thou woldest no more drown & destroy the world with water, and that from thence foorth, as long as the world should last, seed time and har∣nest, cold, and heat, summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease. In conformation wherof, thou didst establish the rainbow for a signe: Neuertheles, what is this poore life but a deluge of euils? But herein my soule is cōforted, that euen then, whē in thy great & most * 1.15 iust fury, thou didst send down great floods of raine vpō the earth, O good God by thy great fauour and mercy, thou didst abundantly shew foorth thy admirable defence and protecti∣on from heauen vpon Noahs arke. For what was the cause that hee perished not with the rest of mankinde? did he not see one selfe same deluge? did not the same waters fall vpon * 1.16 him? yes certainely. But in his little lodging of Gophar wood, he had thy promise, (O most puissant Lord) he had thy grace which protected him, in such manner that thousand thou∣sands falling on his right hand, and as many on his left, he was safe vnder thy wings. So Lord, although that in this world, the cloudes of miseries falleth vpon the good and vpon the euill, and that both the one and the other die, we know that thou wilt saue, and make most happy those that are in the arke of thy Church. That is it which thou hast promi∣sed by the Prophet: saying, For a moment in myne anger I hid my face from thee for a little sea∣son. * 1.17 Neuerthelesse, as I haue sworne that the waters of Noah, should no more goe ouer the earth: so haue I sworne that I would not be angry with thee, or rebuke thee. For the moun∣taines shall remooue, and the hils shall fall downe, but my mercy shall not depart, neither the couenant of my peace fall away, faith the Lord, that hath compassion on thee. Whereof thou giuest vs a liuely assurance in holy baptisme, therein shewing vs life and death, as in times past thou didst to Noah, shew death in the waters, and life in the Arke. As our sinnes are sufficient by the meanes of thy iust fury to drowne vs.

But on the other side also, when we are receiued into the ••ort of thy Sanctuary, (Oh * 1.18 Lord, which is the Church & ingraffed in thy Sonne Iesus Christ, by the sacred visible seale of his couenant, and shew the fruites of the same, in attestation of a good conscience before thee, (O Lord) by the resurrection of Christ, then we are saued and quickned, as it is sayd; Blessed are they that heare the word of God, and keepe it. And to what end is it to cast seede into * 1.19

the ground, if therein it taketh no roote, to spring and bring foorth fruit? to what end or profit should wee build a house, if with the first winde that bloweth, it falleth downe a∣gaine? They loue mee (saith Christ) that haue my commaundements, and keepe them. But how * 1.20 shall we heare his voyce, if he pierceth not our eares, and openeth not our vnderstandings: for it is nothing to heare outwardly, if God speaketh not inwardly vnto vs, nor is not heard within our thoughts. Then great is thy mercy, (O celestial Father) seeing that the hearing and hauing of thy holy word, proceedeth not from vs, but from thy meere grace and be∣nignitie. Therefore I beseech thee, to open my heart, that I may vnderstand the language of the holy Ghost in thy Schoole, a•• it once pleased thee to do vnto Lyd••a, whereof S. Luke speaketh, and proceed to execute and performe all that which thou hast promised for the conseruation of thy Church, vntil such time as being fully deliuered from all her enemies, * 1.21 thou makest her perfectly triumph in the kingdome of heauen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Peter 2. 9.
• * 1.2

  Psalm 147. 19. 20.
• * 1.3

  1. Tim. 3. 15.
• * 1.4

  Matth 21. 42. Matth. 16. 18. Rom. 8. 28. 2. Tim. 2. 19. Heb. 10. 25. Rom. 10. 9.
• * 1.5

  Ephes 1. 10 Col. 1. 18 Heb. 4. 5. 1, Cor. 12. 27. Acts 2 42 Ephe. 4. 4.
• * 1.6

  Gene. 7.
• * 1.7

  Psal. 84. 1.
• * 1.8

  Exod. 33. 7
• * 1.9

  Psal. 122. 1
• * 1.10

  Iohn 10. 1, 16
• * 1.11

  Ephes. 5. 25
• * 1.12

  Heb 12. 22, 23
• * 1.13

  Mat. 13. 19 &c. Rom. 2 28. Math, 7. 21.
• * 1.14

  Gen. 8 21.
• * 1.15

  Ibid. 9. 16.
• * 1.16

  Gen. 6. 14.
• * 1.17

  Esa 54 8, 9, 10
• * 1.18

  1 Pet. 3. 21.
• * 1.19

  Luke 11. 23.
• * 1.20

  Ma•••• ••6, ••7 Io•••• 14. 21 Psal. 40. 7.
• * 1.21

  Acts 16. 14.