Chapter 5 of 6

23Saviour of his body. None hath salvation or benefit by Christ, that is not of his body the Church. And what Church that is, S. Augustine expresseth in these words. The Catholic Church only is the body of Christ, whereof he is head. out of this body the Holy Ghost quickeneth no man. And a little after, He that will have the Spirit, let him beware he remain not out of the Church, let him beware he enter not into it feignedly. August. ep. 50 ad Bonifacium comitem in fine. (Side-note: No salvation out of the catholic Church.)Sauiour of his body. None hath saluation or benefite by Christ, that is not of his body the Church. And vvhat Church that is, S. Augustine expresseth in these vvordes. The Catholike Church onely is the body of Christ, vvhereof he is head. out of this body the Holy Ghost quickeneth no man. And a litle after, He that vvil haue the Spirit, let him bevvare he remaine not out of the CHVRCH, let him bevvare he enter not into it feinedly. August. ep. 50 ad Bonifacium comitem in fine. No saluation out of the cath. CHVRCH.

24Subject to Christ. The Church is always subject to Christ, that is, not only under him, but ever obedient to his words and commandment. Which is an evident and invincible demonstration that she never rebelleth against Christ, never falleth from him by error, Idolatry, or false worship, as the Heretics now, and the Donatists of old did teach. (Side-note: The Church never erreth.)Subiect to Christ. The CHVRCH is alvvaies subiect to Christ, that is, not onely vnder him, but euer obedient to his vvordes and commandement. Vvhich is an euident and inuincible demonstration that she neuer rebelleth against Christ, neuer falleth from him by error, Idolatrie, or false vvorship, as the Heretikes novv, and the Donatistes of old did teach. The CHVRCH neuer erreth.

25Loved the Church. Lo Christ's singular love of the Church, for which only and the members thereof he effectually suffered his Passion, and for whose continual cleansing and purifying in this life, he instituted holy Baptism and other Sacraments: that at length in the next life it may become without all spot, wrinkle or blemish. for, in this world by reason of the manifold infirmities of divers her members, she cannot be wholly without sin, but must say always, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, Forgive us our debts. August. li. 2. Retract. c. 18. (Side-note: Christ's love toward his Church.)Loued the Church. Loe Christes singular loue of the CHVRCH, for vvhich onely & the members thereof he effectually suffered his Passion, and for vvhose continual cleansing and purifying in this life, he instituted holy Baptisme and other Sacraments: that at length in the next life it may become vvithout al spot, vvrinkle or blemish. for, in this vvorld by reason of the manifold infirmities of diuers her members, she can not be vvholy vvithout sinne, but must say alvvaies, Dimitte nobis debita nostra, Forgiue vs our dettes. August. li. 2. Retract. c. 18. Christs loue tovvard his Church.

29As Christ the Church. It is an unspeakable dignity of the Church, which the Apostle expresseth often elsewhere, but specially in this whole passage, to be that creature only for which Christ effectually suffered, to be washed and embrued with water and blood issuing out of his holy side, to be nourished with his own body (for so doth S. Irenæus expound li. 5. in principio) to be his members, to be so joined unto him as the body and members of the same flesh, bone, and substance to the head, to be loved and cherished of him as wife of husband, yea to be his wife and most dear spouse, taken and formed (as S. Augustine often saith) out of his own side upon the Cross, as Eve our first father Adam's spouse was made of his rib. In Psal. 126. and in Psal. 127. and tract. 9 in Joan. and tract. 120. In respect of which great dignity and excellency, the same holy father affirmeth the Church to be the principal creature, and therefore named in the Creed next after the Holy Ghost. and he proveth against the Macedonians, the Holy Ghost to be God, because he is named before the Church in the confession of our faith. Of which incomparable excellency of the Church, so beloved of Christ and so inseparably joined in marriage with him, if the Heretics of our time had any sense or consideration, they would neither think their contemptible company or congregation to be the glorious spouse of our Lord, nor teach that the Church may err, that is to say, may be divorced from her spouse for Idolatry, superstition, Heresy, or other abominations: Whereupon one of these absurdities would ensue, that either Christ may sometimes be without a Church and spouse in earth (as he was all the while there were no Calvinists, if their Church be the spouse of Christ) or else if the Catholic Church only have been his wife, and the same have such errors as the Heretics falsely pretend, that his wife so loved and so praised here, is notwithstanding a very whore. Which horrible absurdities to avoid, and to convince to any man of common sense, both that the Catholic Church always is, and continueth truth always, and to honour God truly and sincerely always: whatsoever this new generation of Heretics think or blaspheme. (Aug. de Sym. ad Catech. c. 9.) (Side-notes: The Church triumphant without spot and wrinkle. The manifold dignity of the Church. The Church is the principal creature. The Church cannot err. Absurdities that follow, if the Church may err.)As Christ the Church. It is an vnspeakable dignitie of the CHVRCH, vvhich the Apostle expresseth often els vvhere, but specially in this vvhole passage, to be that creature onely for vvhich Christ effectually suffered, to be vvashed and embrued vvith vvater and bloud issuing out of his holy side, to be nourished vvith his ovvne body (for so doth S. Irenæus expound li. 5. in principio) to be his members, *to be so ioyned vnto him as the body and members of the same flesh, bone, and substance to the head, to be loued and cherished of him as vvife of husband, yea to be his vvife and most deere spouse, taken and formed (as S. Augustine often saith) out of his ovvne side vpon the Crosse, as Eue our first father Adams spouse vvas made of his ribbe. In Psal. 126. & in Psal. 127. & tract. 9 in Ioan. & tract. 120. In respect of vvhich great dignitie and excellencie, the same holy father affirmeth the CHVRCH to be the principal creature, and therefore named in the Creede next after the Holy Ghost. and he proueth against the Macedonians, the Holy Ghost to be God, because he is named before the Church in the confession of our faith. Of vvhich incomparable excellencie of the Church, so beloued of Christ and so inseparatly ioyned in mariage vvith him, if the Heretikes of our time had any sense or consideration, they vvould neither thinke their cōtemptible companie or cōgregation to be the glorious spouse of our Lord, nor teach that the Church may erre, that is to say, may be diuorced from her spouse for Idolatrie, superstition, Heresie, or other abominations: Vvhereupon one of these absurdities vvould ensue, that either Christ may sometimes be vvithout a Church & spouse in earth (as he vvas al the vvhile there vvere no Caluinists, if their Church be the spouse of Christ) or els if the Catholike Church onely haue been his vvife, and the same haue such errors as the Heretikes falsely pretend, that his vvife so loued and so praised here, is notvvithstanding a very vvhoore. Vvhich horrible absurdities to auoid, and to conuince to any man of common sense, both that the Catholike Church alvvaies is, and continueth truth alvvaies, and to honour God truely and sincerely alvvaies: vvhatsoeuer this nevv generation of Heretikes thinke or blaspheme. Aug. de Sym. ad Catech. c. 9. The Church triumphant vvithout spot and vvrinkle. The manifold dignitie of the Church. The Church is the principal creature. The Church can not erre. Absurdities that folovv, if the Church may erre.

32This is a great Sacrament. Marriage a great Sacrament of Christ and his Church prefigured in first parents, Adam (saith S. Augustine tract. 15 in Io.) who was a form or figure of him that was, yea rather God in him, gave us a great token of a Sacrament. For both he deserved sleeping to take a wife, and of his rib his wife was made unto him: because of Christ sleeping on the Cross the Church to be made out of his side. In another place he maketh Matrimony a Sacrament of Christ and his Church: in that, that as the married man must forsake father and mother and cleave unto his wife, so Christ as it were left his father, exinaniting himself by his incarnation, and left the Synagogue his mother, and joined himself to the Church. Li. 12 c. 8. cont. Faustum. In divers other places he maketh it a Sacrament, specially in that it is an inseparable bond betwixt two, and that can never be dissolved but by death: signifying Christ's perpetual and indissoluble conjunction with the Church his only spouse. de Gen. ad lit. li. 9 c. 7. Cont Pelag. de pec. orig. li. 2 c. 34. De fid. et op. c. 7. De bono coniugali c. 7. and 18. And in another place, The good of Marriage (saith he) among the people of God consisteth in the holiness of a Sacrament. De bono coniugali c. 24. Who would have thought such mysteries and Sacraments to be in Marriage, that the joining of man and wife together should represent so great a mystery, if the Apostle himself, and after him the holy father and others, had not noted it? or who can marvel that the holy Church taketh this for a Sacrament, and to give grace of sanctification to the parties married, that they may live together in mutual fidelity, bring up their children in faith and fear of God, and possess their vessel (as the Apostle speaketh) in sanctification and honour, and not in passion of lust and ignominy, as the Heathen do which know not God, and as our brutish new Masters seem to do that commend marriage above all things so far as it feedeth their concupiscences, but for grace, ornament, mystery, or sanctification thereby, they care no more than the Heathen or brute beast do? And thus we gather that matrimony is a Sacrament, and not of the Greek word mystery only, as Calvin falsely saith, nor of the Latin word Sacrament, both which we know of their nature a more general signification, and that in the Scriptures also: but whereas these are here given to Matrimony by the Apostle, and are not given in the Scriptures to Baptism more than the Eucharist, let them tell us why they also apply these words from their general signification specially and peculiarly those two Sacraments never so named expressly in Scripture, and not likewise follow the Catholic Church in calling matrimony by the same name, which is so called of the Apostle, specially whereas the signification in it, is as great as in any other Sacraments, and rather greater. (Side-notes: Matrimony a Sacrament. The grace given by this Sacrament. The protestants' fleshly estimation of marriage.)This is a great Sacrament. Mariage a great Sacramēt of Christ and his Church prefigured in first parēts, Adam (saith S. Augustine tract. 15 in Io.) vvho vvas a forme or figure of him that vvas, yea rather God in him, gaue vs a great token of a Sacrament. For both he deserued sleeping to take a vvife, and of his ribbe his vvife vvas made vnto him: because of Christ sleeping on the Crosse the Church to be made out of his side. In an other place he maketh Matrimonie a Sacramēt of Christ and his Church: in that, that as the maried mā must forsake father & mother and cleaue vnto his vvife, so Christ as it vvere left his father, exinaniting him self by his incarnatiō, & left the Synagogue his mother, & ioyned him self to the Church. Li. 12 c. 8. cont. Faustum. In diuers other places he maketh it a Sacrament, specially in that it is an inseparable bond betvvixt tvvo, and that can neuer be dissolued but by death: signifying Christs perpetual and indissoluble coniunction vvith the Church his onely spouse. de Gen. ad lit. li. 9 c. 7. Cont Pelag. de pec. orig. li. 2 c. 34. De fid. et op. c. 7. De bono coniugali c. 7. & 18. And in an other place, The good of Mariage (saith he) among the people of God consisteth in the holines of a Sacrament. De bono cōiugali c. 24. Vvho vvould haue thought such mysteries and Sacramēts to be in Mariage, that the ioyning of man & vvife together should represent so great a mysterie, if the Apostle him self, & after him the holy father and others, had not noted it? or vvho can maruel that the holy Church taketh this for a Sacrament, and to giue grace of sanctification to the parties maried, that they may liue together in mutual fidelitie, bring vp their children in faith and feare of God, and possesse their vessel (as the Apostle speaketh) in sanctification and honour, and not in passion of lust and ignominie, as the Heathen do vvhich knovv not God, and as our brutish nevv Maisters seeme to do that commend mariage aboue al things so farre as it feedeth their concupiscences, but for grace, ornament, mysterie, or sanctification thereby, they care no more then the Heathen or brute beast do? And thus vve gather that matrimonie is a Sacrament, and not of the Greeke vvord mysterie onely, as Caluin falsely saith, nor of the Latin vvord Sacrament, both vvhich vve knovv of their nature a more general signification, and that in the Scriptures also: but vvhereas these are here giuen to Matrimonie by the Apostle, & are not giuen in the Scriptures to Baptisme more then the Eucharist, let them tel vs vvhy they also apply these vvordes from their general signification specially and peculiarly those tvvo Sacramēts neuer so named expresly in Scripture, and not likevvise folovv the Catholike Church in calling matrimonie by the same name, vvhich is so called of the Apostle, specially vvhereas the signification in it, is as great as in any other Sacraments, and rather greater. Matrimonie a Sacrament. The grace giuen by this Sacrament. The protestāts fleshly estimation of mariage.