A discourse, of the true and visible markes of the Catholique Churche vvritten by M. Theod. Beza. Vezelius.

❧ TO THE RIGHT WOR∣shipfull, Sir George Ca∣rey knight, knight Mar¦shall of her Maiesties bousholde, &c. T. VV. his poore welwiller, wisheth aboun∣daunce of all good thinges in this life, and eter∣nall blessednesse in the life to come, through Christe.

HOVVE glorious and ex∣cellent a thing the church it selfe is; may appeare (Right VVorshipfull) by many meanes: And a∣mongst the rest, euen by this: that all; both good and bad, do challenge and claime (whether justly or vnjustly, I minde not much novve to dispute) not onely the name and ty••le thereof. but the verie possession of it also.

I hope I shall not neede much to busie my selfe in the proofe of this point: Because, as it mani∣festly appeareth, by sundry examples of former times, and particularly, by the people of the Iewes in the dayes of Ieremiah the prophet: who cried out: The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord: this is the Temple of the Lorde: as is to be seene in the seuenth chapter of his booke: So haue vve a most euident and playne testimo∣ny of the same in this declining and doting olde age of the world: For whereabout are those large disputations which at this daye are handled be∣tvveene the catholiques, as they would be called, and the true professours of Christs Gospel, moste occupied; I pray you; but speciallye about this question, and other controuersies concerning the same? The thing rather, that in my mind is more to be stoode vpon, is this: namely, to see: what shoulde be the cause why, that notwithstanding that same greedye desire that the greatest num∣ber haue, to retaine with them both the name of the Church, and the Churche it selfe: yet so fewe haue it & hold it fast. All men haue in them, not∣withstanding the defacing of God his image in them through sinne, by some small sparkes of reason and iudgement; which yet remayne in them vndefaced, A certaine thirsting after Bles∣sednes, and the hope of a better life: And this is the more inkindled in mennes hearts and heads, when it pleaseth God, to vouchsafe them in some measure of his mercy, some light and knowledge

of his holy truth: by which they see, that with out the Church there can bee no saluation. And that causeth them to presse on forward to vvish to be of that number that hath so gracious a Priuilege graunted vnto the same: And yet all this not∣withstanding, it is a vvonder to see, how the grea∣test part of the vvorlde is deceiued, vvith a bare shadow and shevve of the same: For, that I may speake nothing of the Infidelles in their idola∣tries; nor of the Turkes, cleauing fast to their Mahomet; Nor of the Ievves, openly dispiting Christe the Sauiour of the vvorlde: and therefore all of them, of necessitye out of the Church, and consequently void of saluation also: because they hold not the head, which is Christ. To let all these passe, I say, and to come to them vvhich in out∣vvard shevv make profession of Christianitie and true religion; hovv many of them are there that are violently carried avvaye vvith as grosse and palpable Idolatrie, as the heathen? VVhat infinite multitudes perish thorough ignorance, and want of the sound knovvledge of God in Christe? hovv many are drovvned, to the hazarding of their ovvne soules, vvith horrible erroures and here∣sies? And what a number are there in the vvorlde beside, that shaking handes, as it vvere vvith A∣theists (ye the vvorst people of al) do lye vveltring in the pleasures and profits of this life; making no account at all, either of God in heauen, or of his Church here in earth? And vvhat would the Lord teach vs by al this: verely first that vve must haue

better eyes to discern his congregation by, then the light of our ovvn reason: for if euen then vvhē vvee haue his vvorde, vvee can yet hardly dis∣cry it, partly because it is discerned spiritually, and partly because by the hard dealings of the enimies it is sundry times brought to so lovv an eb, that it seemeth to be shut vp in one mans person. And therfore do say in the confession of our Christian faith, that vve do beleue that there is a holy catho¦lique Churche: that then vve shall neuer be able to seperate it from the Synagogue of Satan by our ovvne vnderstanding and vvit: vvhich consi∣deration is yet further profitable; euen for the confutation of that immagination and conceit, which our aduersaries haue and hold concerning mans freevvil: for if vve cannot by our ovvn cō∣prehension perceiue eyther the place in vvhich, or the personnes amongst vvhome, the Church it selfe is, but that vvee must haue from aboue, for that purpose, greate enlightning both of knovv∣ledge and fayth, much lesse shall vve bee able to comprehend those vvonderfull treasures of most sounde, comfortable, and profitable doctrine that the Lord hath freely bestovved vppon his sayde Church: Of vvhich the Apostle saith: that the eye hath not seene them, the eare hath not hearde them, neither can mans heart comprehend them. 2. Cor. 2.9. VVherefore the case standeth not vvith vs as heretofore wee haue beene borne in hand: And as yet to this day, is openly defended amongst Papistes: that man in his meere naturall gifts, hath vvill to desire, and povver to perfourm

suche thinges as are good: for if it bee God that worketh in vs both the vvill and the deed; & that according to his ovvn good pleasure. Philip. 2.13. And that vve are not sufficient of our selues, as of our selues to thinke a good thought. 2. Cor. 3.5. It must needes follovve that vve can not claime any such thing vnto our selues, vvithout robbing God of his glorie, without lifting vp of our selues aboue measure and trueth, and vvithout impea∣ching the authoritie and credite of the Scrip∣tures, which in many places affirmeth, and name∣ly Genes. 6.5. that all the immaginations of the thoughtes of mans heart are only euil euery day: But to let this passe, and to come to the thinges we haue in hande, VVe are hereby in the second place instructed, that vvee muste haue more sure and infallible markes, to knovve God his Churche by, than those vvhich the Papistes giue vs, to wit: vniuersalitie, Antiquitie, and consent: for if beside that great number of Idolatours, and misbeleeuers mentioned before; vvho also can alleadge for themselues great antiquity & agree, and (as he that is not vvilfully blinde, may easilye see) there are, and that euen in the lappe and bo∣some of the Church, many hypocrites and here∣tiques also, vvhich yet shall not be saued: we may then safely conclude that the forenamed things are not only not the assured notes: but no notes at all rather of the true Church of God: both be∣cause they are common to many things besides the Churche; yea euen to euill thinges, and also

because that though that assemblye vvhich pre∣tendeth to bee the Church, shoulde haue them; and yet haue not therevvithal the trueth and sin∣ceritie of God his doctrine; it is no vvhit at al the better for all that. All these thinges tende to this end: that for as much as in trueth there is but one Churche, euen as the heade thereof is one, and therefore so must the body be: or else it shoulde be monstrous, notvvithstanding that there bee sundry particular partes and members thereof, as vvee see in a mans body; all yet making but one and the selfe same body: And forasmuche also, as vvithout that Church there can be no saluati∣on, because vnto it alone is it; that the Lord hath made such large and gracious promises: as; The gates of Hell shall not preuayle agaynste it: and that to it onely belongeth the forgiuenesse of sinnes in this life, and euerlasting saluation in the life to come: And lastly, forasmuch as it behoueth euery one, euen as he tendeth his ovvne peace of conscience, and regardeth the hope of eternall blessednes; to be vvatchfull, in discrying and kno∣vving this Church; and carefull in vniting him∣selfe vnto the same: euerye good man therefore should earnestly labour, not onely to knovve it: but also stedfastly, to ioyne himselfe vnto it in the religious exercises thereof: That so in the holye feeling of the communion of Saints, he may bee a fruitfull partaker of all those excellent graces that God in great mercie hath bequethed to the same. True it is, that Satan, the common enemy

of mankinde (vvho in his ovvne person, and the personne of his instruments and ministers labo∣reth to hinder, vvhat he maye, the vvorke of oure saluation) hath in all ages vsed, and yet presently doth vse manye subtile and slie shiftes, to let vs from the apprehension and vnderstanding of these great graces: for somtimes he maketh men vtterly and altogether carelesse of the Churche, and of the benefites and blessinges of God pro∣mised thereto: As vvee maye see in that troup of prophane Atheistes and vvorldly minded men: vvho make no more account of the Church, and the holy exercises therof; than of a vaine tale, or vnholy matter: no, nor so muche neither many times; for the one they embrace vvith greedines & vvonderfull delight; & the other they doe, ei∣ther most dispitefullie contemne, or most negli∣gently vse vvithout any spirituall profite at all vnto themselues. But to beate dovvne these men, there is no better VVeapon & vvay, then to send them to the fearefull iudgementes of Almightie God, and to the horrors of hel and eternal con∣dēnation (which many times they feele in them∣selues, though thorough the profites and plea∣sures of this present euil vvorlde, they vtterly put them out) already prepared for them, and in due time to be perfourmed to them. Sometimes a∣gaine, hee discourageth men, by setting before them the feareful persecutions and troubles that follovve, and take holde of the particular mem∣bers of the Church, for the syncere profession of

God his vvorde: for the surmounting of vvhich assaulte, men muste often meditate vppon those same large & comfortable discourses that are put dovvn and conteined in God his vvord for their comfort in that behalfe, and to holde them back from the fearful fall of renouncing god his truth, hauing their eye fast fixed also vpon the particu∣lar deliuerances, that God in al ages hath vvroght for his children: vvhich are as it vvere so manye seales set vnto the vvriting; that he vvill alvvaies deale so graciouslye vvith his children, as shall make most for his ovvne glorie. and their eternall comfort. Sometimes he deceiueth other somme, and that no small some by the bare name and vi∣zor of the Churche alone; as vve may see in that miserable sect of seduced Papists (vniustly called, and claiming vnto themselues: the name of Ca∣tholiques) vvhoe vvillingly embrace vnder the title of the Churche, euery fabulous falshood & corruptiō vvhatsoeuer, not only not looking vp∣on the things, giuen or offred: vvhich euery vvise man vvill doo, least he receiue poyson in steede of vvholsom and nourishing foode: but also not considering the personne of the giuer, neither yet vvhat right and authoritie he hath to bestovv the thinges giuen; vvhich blockishnesse of the aduer∣saries, is rather to be lamented, because it is alto∣gether voide of common sense and reason, than largely or learnedly confuted: And yet vve see that manye good men haue not spared to take great paines in that behalfe, both by preaching &

vvriting, to vvinne seduced souls vnto Cod. Som∣times hee setteth before other some, either the hardnesse that there is, to discrie the true Church from the false Church by, (remember I pray you that vvhen I giue the name Church, to corrupted and counterfaited assemblies, I do it by abusion, as they say) or else layeth out the great iarres and dissentions, that many times are in the same, that so he may discourage them from ioyning them∣selues, to that holy societie, And indeede by this assault he specially preuaileth against them that are in some forvvardnes to encline to the truth: And yet by reason of some certaine vveakenesse in them, are easely turned the one vvay or the o∣ther: but these men, for the better staie of them∣selues, are to knovv, that there must be heresies, e∣uen among the godly; that they vvhich are appro¦ued among them might be knovvne. 1 Cor. 11.19. and to be exhorted; that they labour to abounde in al holy knovvledge of God his vvil reuealed in his vvord; For therefore they erre, and are so vn∣stable in their opinions, because they knovv not the Scriptures; nor the povver of God. Novve therefore, necessarie is it, that these stumbling blocks, cast by Satan & his seruants in our vvaies to hinder vs in the race and course of Godlines, should be remoued: that so vvee maye the more cheerefully and readily goe forevvard vvith faith, patience, and constancie, euen to the goal that is set before vs. In vvhich respect, that excellent instrument of God in his Churche; M. Theodor

Beza, hah notably trauailed by publishing in the Latine tongue; a most learned Treatie of the vi∣sible Notes of the visible Church: And I, for the same consideration, haue according to my small measure, faithfully turned the same into our vul∣ger speech, offring these my poore trauailes vnto you (right vvorshipfull) and in you, to the vvhole Church of God in this land; as a sure testimonie of that vnfained good vvill vvhich in the Lorde, I haue carried and vvill carry tovvards you all the dayes of my life. I hope, I shall not neede to spend many vvords eyther in commending the vvorke it self, or in declaring the resons that haue moued me to attempt this matter: for if either the man vvho is the author therof, or the matter vvhich is propounded, or the maner that he vseth in laying out of the thing, may add cōmendation vnto it, it shal not vvant any grace that may bring it into loue and lyking vvith the Godly: for as touching the man himselfe; hee is euen the miror of the vvorlde in these our daies, for true knovvledg and vnfayned godlines, vvhatsoeuer the papists doe lyingly and slanderously babble to the contrarie: And as touching the matter, it is that vvhich ought to be of greatest accompt amongest men, and vvhich euen in respect of the bare name and title of it, is verie glorious and excellent much more in respect of the substance thereof it selfe: And for the manner of handling the things pro∣pounded, it is short for auoiding of tediosnes, it is plaine, euen for the capacitie of the simple; it is

sound in respect of the truthe it propoundeth: And it is sufficient, not onely to instruct God his childrē, but also to stop vp the aduersaries mouths in this matter; and vvhat then vvanteth? or vvhat can be more acceptable & profitable? vvherefore I doubt not but it shall haue good entertainment as amongest all the godly generally, so particu∣lerly of your vvorship; vvho I knovv doth harte∣ly loue the Church, and carefully like, and tender the causes therof; vvhich also hath beene the principall matter mouing me, to vndertake this trauaile, and to dedicate the same, vvhatsoeuer it be, vnto your vvorshippe; vvhome (for sundry good graces, that God hath bestovved vpon you) I do vnfaynedly loue and reuerence in Christe. Humbly praying and earnestly exhorting you ac∣cording to your measure of light and knovvledge receiued from the Lorde, to enforce your selfe to the vttermost of your habilitie euery maner of vvay to the preferring and promoting of these excellent matters, and namely those that con∣cerne the reformation of such corruptions as yet remaine amongest vs, either touching the mini∣sterie, or the discipline of the Church: for to this ende hath God endued you vvith all the graces that you haue presently receiued, or may hereaf∣ter thorovv his goodnesse attaine vnto; eyther of vvit, vvealth, learning, credit, countenance, byrth, office, honor, or vvhatsoeuer els: vvherevnto I vvill (thorovv God his grace) not onely styrre you vp by all the holy and lavvfull meanes I can: but

also further you in my poore prayers to almighty God in that behalfe; that you may daily encrease and continue in the sounde knovvledge of his truth, in the stedfast faith of his promises, in the sincere zeale of his glorie, in vnfained loue of his holy vvord and the exercises thereof, and in care and conscience to put in practise, those good thinges that are enioyned you therein, that your vvhole life maye tende to the glory of God, the good of the Church and common vvealth, and the faithfull seruice of her maiestie, and your death be comfortable to your selfe; as beeing the speedy passage to eternall life, and profitable vnto others; vvhile they be by your example in∣structed, both to liue and die vvell: vvhich God graunt for his crucified Christ his sake; To vvhose gracious gouernement and good direction, I doe humbly commend your vvorship, and all yours both novv and for euer. London the 16. of this Nouember. 1582.

Your worships alwaies ready in Christ Je∣sus: T. W. the Lorde his vnwor∣thy.