Furthermore we know that the marks and tokens of the true church be not always in one estate, nor they be not always one concerning themselves. But God according to his incomprehensible wisdom, in punishing the ingratitude of the world, sometimes withdraweth and taketh from us part of his light, in such wise, that sometime it seemeth that the Church is at an end or destroyed as we see it happened in Israel in the time that Christ came into this world. (For set the Jews apart, there was not one trace or steppe of the true marks of the Church in the world. And as for Jerusalem, what ignorance, what corruption of doctrine, what wickedness▪ was there when Jesus Christ the true Messiah, had no greater enemies than the blind guides which conducted and taught the other? aBut yet the Lord doth never take away the whole foundation of his Church, but always hath a certain flock,b sometime greater sometime3 smaller, as him self declared to Elijah. ⟨p. 91⟩Also we may see how it is come to pass in our time, that there is no people in the world more abused, than those which would knit and tie the church to a certain place, and to the succession of those, which they call bishops, which in very deed be nothing less, both by the word of God and by the ancient canons. Whereby it is easy to show that from the head of them all to the smallest, they be excommunicated & cut off from the church, if they change not their life and manners. Now the duty of the children of god is not only to serve god, in what place soever they be, or whatsoever ruin or decay there be in the Church, but when it shall please God to establish and build up again her ruins & decays, either here or in any other place, not being bound to any people or Nation, whatsoever they be: but when it pleaseth him to set up again his standard, which is the ministration of his holy word: the duty I say of the children of God, is to join themselves to the true flock, & separate themselves from those which be not. Following ⟨image 106⟩the admonitions which the prophetsd gave, and also that the Lord said, where the dead carcass is, thither will the Eagles resorte.
FUrthermore we knowe that the markes and tokens of the true churche be not always in one estate, nor they be not alwayes one concerning thēselues. But God according to hys incomprehensible wisedome, in punishing the ingratitude of the worlde, sometimes withdraweth and taketh from vs parte of his light, in suche wise, that sometyme it séemeth that the Churche is at an ende or destroyed as we sée it happened in Israell in the time that Chryst came into this worlde. (For set the Iewes aparte, there was not one trace or steppe of the true markes of the Churche in the worlde. And as for Ierusalem, what ignorance, what corruption of doctrine, what wyckednesse▪ was there when Iesus Chryste the true Messias, hadde no greater enimies than the blynde guides whyche conducted and taught the other? aBut yet the Lord doth neuer take awaye the whole foundation of his Churche, but alwayes hathe a certayne flocke,b somtime greater somtime3 smaller, as him selfe declared to Helias. ⟨p. 91⟩Also we may sée howe it is come to passe in our time, that there is no people in the worlde more abused, than those whyche wold knit and tie the church to a certaine place, and to the succession of those, which they call byshoppes, which in very déede be nothing lesse, both by the word of God and by the auncient canons. Whereby it is easy to shew that from the hed of them al to the smallest, thei be excōmunicated & cut off from ye church, if they change not their life and māners. Nowe the duty of the childrē of god is not only to serue god, in what place soeuer they be, or whatsoeuer ruin or decay there be in the Church, but when it shall please God to establishe and build vp again her ruines & decayes, eyther here or in any other place, not being bounde to anye people or Nation, whatsoeuer they bo: but when it pleaseth him to set vp again his standard, whiche is ye ministration of his holy word: ye duety I saye of ye children of God, is to ioyne themselues to the true flocke, & separate themselues from those which be not. Folowing ⟨image 106⟩the admonitions whiche the prophetsd gaue, and also that the Lord sayd, where the deade carkas is, thither wyll the Egles resorte
- aMatth. 15. John. 1. Luke. 11. Isaiah. 29.Matth. 15. Iohn. 1. Luke. 11. Esay. 29.
- bMatth. 28.
- 3c •. Kings. 19.
- dIsaiah. 49. &. 52 •. John. 3.Esay. 49. &. 52 •. Iohn. 3.
- eMatth. 24.
