Collectanea. Out of St. Gregory the Great, and St. Bernard the devout, against the Papists who adhere to the doctrine of the present Church of Rome, in the most fundamentall points betweene them and vs.

The Catholike Church which we beleeue in the Creede, is the whole company of the Elect only.

SAne secundùm praedestinationem nunquā Ecclesia electorum penes Deum non fuit.* 1.1 Simiratur hoc infidelis, audiat quod magis miretur, nunquam non grata extitit, nun∣quam non dilecta. Nec dubium, quin voce omnium electorum ista dicantur, ET IP∣SI ECCLESIA SƲNT. Surely (saith he) according to Gods predestina∣tion,* 1.2 the Church of the Elect was alwaies with him. If he that beleeueth not, marvel at this, let him heare that which he may more marveil at, it was never but pleasing vnto him, never but beloved. Neither is there any doubt, but those things are spo∣ken by Saint Paul, (Eph. 1.) in the voyce of all the Elect, And they are the Church. In the next following he saith, Non defi∣cit genus Christianum, nec fides de terra, nec charitas de Ecclesia, &c. Christian Re∣ligiō doth not faile,* 1.3 neither doth faith frō the earth, nor charity from the Church. The floods came, the windes blew, and

rushed against it, and yet it did not fall, because it was built vpon a Rocke, for the Rocke was Christ. Therefore, neither by pratling of the Philosophers, nor cavils of Heretickes, nor swords of Tyrants, can it, or shal it at any time be separated from the loue of God, which is in Iesus Christ; so strongly doth his soule hold him, whó it loueth, so good it is for him to cleaue vnto God.

The like is taught by Gregory the great, who within the circuit of the Ca∣tholike Church comprehendeth all the E∣lect, and excludeth all the reprobate. And draweth a similitude from the Temple of God, and the court without the Temple.* 1.4 The one whereof Saint Iohn in the Reve∣lation was bid to meete and to cast the o∣ther out. For the Iewish Temple was di∣vided into three parts, [ 1] the body of the Temple, which is called the court, where∣into every man entred; [ 2] the holy places where the Levites were, [ 3] and the holiest of all,* 1.5 whereinto the High-Priest entred once a yeere. In respect therefore of the two later, the first is said to be cast out, because as a thing prophane it is neglec∣ted,

when the Temple is measured.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Super Cant: Serm. 78.
• * 1.2

  The Church of the Elect was predestinated by God through Christ, before the foundation of the world. And all the E∣lect are that Church. Ephes. cap. 1. Serm. 79.
• * 1.3

  The Church of the Elect is heere described, which onely is built vpon a Rock. And Ber∣nard calleth Christ the Rock, on which the Church is built, not Peter, or the Pope. Can these words bee vnderstood to be spoken but of the Elect, and of them onely. In Iob. lib. 28. cap. 9.
• * 1.4

  Revel. 11. verse 1.2.
• * 1.5

  So when wee speake of the ho∣ly Catholike Church, we cast out the repro∣bate, and num∣ber onely the Elect.