Gods husbandry

CHAP. II. Showing that there is a mixture of hypocrites with true Christians in the Church, and why.

CHAP. II. Shewing that there is a mixture of hypocrites with true Christians in the Church, and why.

First then let us mark, that our Saviour distinguisheth the branches in the Vine into two sorts; fruitful and unfruitful. Questionless we may conclude from hence, that Christ meant to teach us, that in his visible Church, there should be a mixture of true-hearted Christians and hypocrites. In the societies of men professing the true Christian religion; neither are all true, neither are all false: but some honest, sound-hearted, upright Christians; other-some, hollow, dissembling, hypocritical actors of Christianity. Some are in very deed and substance, that that they are called and taken for: others have a mere and bare name of Christianity, and nothing within them answerable to that name.¹ This is the point which our Saviour teacheth also in the Parable of the Grounds, whereof among four kinds, one alone proved good. So in the Parable of the field which had Tares sowed in it, together with good Corn: in the Parable of the Draw-net, that gathered not good Fish alone, but much unprofitable filth withal. So much also doth Paul signify, when he telleth us, that all are not Israel,² which are of Israel; and that he is not a Jew, which is one without, but he which is one within. And again, ⟨p. 6⟩of the Congregation in the wilderness, he affirmeth, that though all did eat of the same Spiritual meat,³ and drink of the same Spiritual drink, yet God was not well pleased with them all. And Saint John affirmeth in plain terms,⁴