even as divers members having sundry operations, are joined in one body. The universal1 Church of Christ is divided, first, into the congregation of them, which having finished the course of this their life, and passed over all corruptible things, do now rejoice with christ their head, in heaven, & praise God for evermore. Secondly it is divided into the congregation of those which do yet live here on this earth, in daily battle, in the Church of Christ, and have this hope, that at the time appointed by god, ⟨p. 5⟩they shall come to Christ their head, and the fellowship of their elect brethren. And in this congregation there are some which have true faith, and therefore are the lively members of the Church, under their head Christ: some lack that lively faith, and therefore are hypocrites,2 being yet numbered in the visible Church, so long as their wickedness springeth not forth, nor they bewray themselves. Touching these. S John writeth3 thus: They went out from us: (by this it appeareth they were reckoned in the Church, for else could they not have gone out them •e) but they were not of us, (that is to say, they were not the lively members of the church & true believers) for if they had ben of us, they would have remained with us. And hereupon it cometh to pas, that many divide the church into the inward and invisible, and into the outward and visible Church. Yea furthermore it is divided into the congregation of those which have lived from the creation of the world, unto the coming of christ, & into the company of those faithful which have ben since the tune of christ, ⟨image 17⟩and shall be to the end of the world. And every congregation of each these parts, are called the Catholic or universal church: yea each of those churches which are scattered in this world, have but one spirit or faith, hath each the name of universal church. For in the scriptures there is mention made of particular churches in this earth: as that Paul writeth to the church of Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, and such others. And therefore even as many Cities and Provinces are contained in one kingdom, and of many members is made one perfect body: so also those churches which are dispersed upon the face of the earth, make but one church, one kingdom, and one spiritual body of Christ, be being the head thereof.
euen as diuers members hauyng sundry operations, are ioyned in one body. The vniuersall1 Churche of Chryst is deuided, first, into the congregation of them, whych hauing finished the course of this their lyfe, and passed ouer all corruptible things, do now reioyce with christ their head, in heauen, & prayse God for euermore. Secondely it is deuided into the congregation of those which do yet liue here on this earthe, in dayly battell, in the Churche of Chryst, and haue thys hope, that at the time appointed by god, ⟨p. 5⟩they shall come to Chryst their heade, and the felowship of their elect brethrē. And in this cōgregation there are some which haue true faythe, and therefore are the liuely members of the Church, vnder their head Chryste: some lacke that liuely fayth, and therfore are hypocrites,2 being yet numbred in the visible Churche, so long as their wickednesse springeth not foorthe, nor they bewray thēselues. Touching these. S John writeth3 thus: They went out from vs: (by this it appeareth they were reckned in the Church, for else could they not haue gone out thē •e) but they were not of vs, (that is to say, they were not the liuely members of the church & true beleuers) for if they had ben of vs, they wold haue remained with vs. And herevpon it commeth to pas, that many deuide ye church into the inwarde and inuisible, and into the outwarde and visible Churche. Yea furthermore it is deuided into the congregation of those which haue liued frō the creation of ye world, vnto the cōming of christ, & into ye cōpany of those faithful which haue ben since the tune of christ, ⟨image 17⟩and shal be to the end of the world. And euery congregation of eche these parts, are called the Catholike or vniuersall church: yea eche of those churches which are scattered in this worlde, haue but one spirite or faithe, hath eche the name of vniuersall churche. For in the scriptures there is mention made of particulare churches in this earthe: as that Paule wryteth to the church of Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, and suche others. And therfore euē as many Cities and Prouinces are contained in one kingdome, and of many members is made one perfect body: so also those churches which are dispersed vpon the face of the earth, make but one church, one kingdom, and one spirituall body of Christe, be being the head therof.
- 1Howe the universal Church is divided.Howe the vniuersal Churche is deuided.
- 2Hypocrites in the Church.Hipocri•s in the Church.
- 31. John. 2.1. Iohn. 2.
