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By true Church, we may vnderstand, either an vniuersall maltitude of Beleeuers, totally in respect of all persons, or di∣stributiuely, [ E] in regard of them which principally rule and com∣mand, free from errour in publicke doctrine: Or else a choise and select number of Beleeuers, liuing either in the common fellowship of the generall visible Church, or vnited in parti∣cular Congregations, by themselues, teaching and professing
right Faith in all capitall points, and readie to imbrace all di∣uine [ A] Truth, when the same is manifested vnto them.
If the name of true Church be taken in the first sense, or for an Hierarchicall Church, wherein the principall commanders teach and maintaine truth intirely and sincerely, then the Pro∣position, to wit, There is alwayes a true Church of Christ in the world, is denied; for it is possible, that the greater Prelates, to wit, Popes, Cardinals, mitred Bishops, and Abbots (of which the Hierarchicall Church principally consisteth) shall bee repro∣bates a 1.1, blinde guides b 1.2, a generation of vipers, wolues in sheepes cloathing, and such as being armed with the title of the [ B] Church, persecute the true Church c 1.3. And that this is possible, it appeareth: First, by the example of the arch-rulers of the Iewish Church, which in some ages, corrupted true Religion, and persecuted the seruants of God, 2. Chron. 36. 14. More∣ouer all the chiefe of the Priests, and the people, transgressed very much, after all the abominations of the heathen, and polluted the house of the Lord, &c. v. 16. They mocked the messengers of God, and do∣spised his word, and misused his Prophets, &c. Reade 2. Kings. 16. 11, 16. Ierem. 2.8. Esay. 56.10. Malach. 2.8. Ierem. 20.1. & 23.1. 2. Machab. 4.10. Ezek. 34.4. Mark. 6.35. Math. 3.7. [ C] Matth. 23. 13. Luk. 12. 1. Matth. 16. 12. Iohn. 10. 8. Ezek. 22. 26.
Secondly, the same apeareth to be true, both by the exam∣ple of the greater Prelates of the Asian Churches, which cor∣rupted true Doctrine and worship, and prouoked the Almightie so much, that he remooued their Candlesticke out of his place: and also by the example of the West Church it selfe, wherein Popes and greater Prelates, haue been illiterate, Monsters, Di∣uels incarnate, Apostataes, men defiled with all wickednesse, and abominable sinnes (as Papists themselues report d 1.4.) And con∣cerning [ D]
Doctrine, it is euident, by comparing their decrees [ A] with the Scriptures, and the ancient Fathers and Councels, that they are in many things departed from the truth. And Occham a 1.5 saith: Omnis congregatio quae potest errare contra bonos mores, potest errare contra fidem: quia mali mores excacant intellectum: Because euill manners blinde the iudgement, therefore euery assembly which may erre notoriously in manners, may erre against the Faith.
But if, by true Church, we vnderstand a number of Belee∣uers, [ B] smaller or greater, teaching and professing right Faith, in all substantiall and capitall points, and willing to imbrace and teach all other diuine veritie, when the same is made knowne vnto them: then it is granted, that there is a true Church of Christ alwayes in the world. And this kind of Beleeuers, doe either teach and professe their Faith and Religion in congrega∣tions apart, or in the externall fellowship and common societie of corrupt Beleeuers: as appeareth by the example of the Iewes, in the dayes of their wicked Kings and Priests: and in [ C] the time of the Pharisees. The open and publicke ministerie of Priests was corrupt in those dayes, yet God had a remnant of people, and small Church, in the middest of this blindnesse, Esay 1.9.
In the other part of this Section, the Iesuite produceth an Argument to prooue, That there is alwayes a true Church of Christ in the world. The summe of his Argument is:
Christ neuer leaueth the world destitute of the ordinarie meanes of saluation: and people [ D] cannot haue the meanes of saluation, but from the true Church; and by the Tradition there∣of, by which they receiue the Scriptures, and the rule of Faith, to guide them in the exposition of the Scriptures.
Aliaco. l. d. Re∣form. Rom. Eccl. tit. d. ref. relig. Ad hunc statum venisse Ec∣clesiam vt non sit digna regi nisi à re∣probis.
Occham. Dial. p. 1. l. 2. c. 28. A tem∣pore Innocent. ter∣tij non fuerunt ali∣qui pontifices in sa∣crarum literarum peritia excellentes. Alphons. Castro. c. Haeres. l. 1. c. 4. Cum constet plures 〈◊〉〈◊〉 adeo illitera∣tos esse, vt Gram∣maticā penitus ig∣norent: Printed by Badius. Anno 1533.
Leo. Epist. 81. Ecclesiae nomine armamini & contra Ecclesiā dimicatis. Cyprianus. d. simpli∣cit. Praelat. Diabo∣lus excogitauit no∣uam fraudem, vt sub ipso nominis Christiani titulo fallat incautos.
Genebrard. Chron. l. 4. anno 991. p. 553. per annos ferè 150. Pontifices circiter 50, &c. à vir∣tute majorum prorsus defecerunt, 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 Iob. Sarisbur. Policrat. l. 6. c. 24. Rom. Ec∣clesia quae mater 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ecclesiarum est, se non tam matrem 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quam nouercam: sedent in ea Scribae & Pharisei, &c. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. in Benedicto 4. Hac monstra, haec portenta, à quibus ambitione, & largitione sanctis∣sima Petri sedes occupata est. Concil. Const. sess. 11. ar. 5. Foex vitiorum, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 incarnarus. Fascic. Temp. anno 1424. Iam con, cum sci, de conscientia abrasis, solum entia sponsam Christi gubernare videmus: personas vide∣licet, conscientia scientiaque carentes, & velut entia insensibilia. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. d. Casal. cited by Onus Eccles. c. 43. n. 9. Carnalis jam Ecclesia dicitur noua Babilon & meretrix magna, quia in ea, vtpote in pluribus & potioribus membris, ordo virtutum per deordinationem vitiorum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 est confusus, nec non sui sponsi Iesu amor tur∣piter adulteratus & eius cultus nequiter neglectus, modica quidem grana tritici, sunt in immenso palearum cumulo, quoniam instorum Spiritus hoc tempore à malis 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vsque adeò, vt prae multitudine peruer∣sorum [ E] justus cogarur seruire Babiloni in plerisque 〈◊〉〈◊〉 actibus, Ecclesia 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quasi ancilla facta est, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 quondam silij Israel propter peccata multorum, capiti in Babilone seruire compulsi sunt. 〈◊◊〉〈◊◊〉. d. planct. Eccles. lib. 2. ar. 5. Nunc autem ex quo in Ecclesijs sicut in Romano Imperio creuit 〈◊〉〈◊〉: perijt lex de Sacerdotibus & visio de Propheta: & ad literam hodie in Ecclesia deficit Spiritus Prophe∣tiae: &c adimpletur quod scribitur, 3. Reg. 22. Egrediar & cro spiritus mendea in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 omnium Prophe∣carum.
Occham. dial. part. 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. c. 26. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Disp. cum 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Si coire ne∣queant partes erro∣ris cum virtute, multo minus con∣uenerint veritas & vicium. Origen. in Math. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Haec alterutrum se sequuntur & non seperantur ab in vicem, sermo mundus in anima, & vita irreprehensibilis.