The whole body of Christian religion, by Hieron. Zanchius. Translated out of Latine by D. Ralph Winterton.

DOCTRINE I. A Description of the Church Militant.

WE believe then, that the Mili∣tant Church is a companie of mena 1.1 chosen unto eternall life in Christ, before the foundation of the world, out of every nation and kin∣dred: who in time by theb 1.2 preaching of the Gospel, and the holy Spirit, be∣ing called out of the world unto Christ, and out of the kingdome of the Devil unto the kingdome of God; gathered into one body under onec 1.3 Head which is Christ, and so truely justified and sanctified, where∣soever they be, and how many or how few soever they be; do heartily and with one consent professe the same faith in God and in Christ, the same hope of a celestiall inheritance, and that for the onely merits of Christ, the observing and keeping the same commandments given by Christ, and therefore brotherly love one towards another, and charitie to∣wards all: who preach and hear the

word of the Gospel, administer and receive the holy Sacraments accord∣ing to Christ's institution, and use all care and diligence that all men may live soberly, justly, and godly in this present world; as long as they are in the flesh evera 1.4 fighting for the kingdome of Christ, against sin dwelling in the flesh, against the world whether alluring them unto sin, or persecuting them for Christ's sake, and against the devil; waiting through patience for the coming of Christ, and for eternall happinesse: Amongst whom there are also many reprobates, and ungodlyb 1.5 hypocrites professing the same Christ: But as they are themselves nothing lesse then of the Church, so neither doth their hypocrisie and ungodlinesse take away the Church, or extinguish & blot out the name of the Church. For we deny not but under the name of the Church hypocrites also, which are in it, are comprehended: because the Lord himself saith that it is like unto a flour in which there is wheat and chaffe; untoc 1.6 a field wherein is wheat & tares, into a net in which are

fishes good and bad; unto tena 1.7 vir∣gins, whereof five of them were wise and five foolish: But yet we deny them to be of the Church. For the Lord again taught as much in that place where he said that he wouldb 1.8 build his Church in such a manner that the gates of hell should not pre∣vail against it; and S^t. Iohn confirmed it in his Epistle, where he said thus,c 1.9 They went out from us, but they were not of us. This we believe to be a true description of the Church Militant: for it hath manifest testimonies out of the holy Scripture.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Eph. 1.4.
• b 1.2

  Matt. 28.19 Mark 16.15. Rom. 10.14.
• c 1.3

  Eph. 1 22.
• a 1.4

  Eph. 6, 12, &c.
• b 1.5

  Matt. 13.5, &c. and 21. 1 Ioh 2.19.
• c 1.6

  Matt. 13.24.
• a 1.7

  Matt. 25.1, 2.
• b 1.8

  Matt. 16.18.
• c 1.9

  1 Ioh. 2.19.