{"number":21,"title":"I beleeue the holie Catholike Church, the communion of Saintes","part":"THE FOVRTH PARTE OF the Creede","questions":[],"paragraphs":[],"clauses":[9],"items":[],"text":"## Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles\n\nGenesis *9.* God enlarge Iapheth, that he may dwell in the tabernacles of Sem. Esaie *54.* Reioyce O barren which doest not bring forth, breake forth into praise, and reioyce which diddest not bring foorth, because moe are the Sonnes of the desolate, then of the married wife, saith the Lorde. Enlarge the place of thy tentes, and let them spread out the curtaines of thy habitations. And a little after, For he that made thee, is thy husband (whose name is the Lord of hostes) and thy redeemer is the holie one of Israel, who shalbe called the God of the whole world. Also to the Galathians *4.* verse *27.* and Esaie *60.* ver. *1.2,* &c. Arise, be enlightened, because thy light commeth, and the glorie of the Lord is risen vpon thee. For behold darknes shal couer the earth, & thicke darknes the people: but the Lorde shall arise vpon thee, and the nations shal walke to thy light, and Kinges to the brightnesse of thy rising. *Ezech. 37. verses. 22 24. and Chapt. 10.* And there shal be one sheepeheard, and one sheepfolde. *Iohn 11. verse 52. And not that Iesus should die for that nation onely, but also that he shold gather together in one the chidren of GOD which were scattered, Apoc. 59.10. Thou hast redeemed vs vnto God, through thy bloud out of euerie tribe, and tongue, people, and nation.*\n\n## What this part conteineth\n\nThe fourth part conteineth the effect of all that went before. For except we will that the Father haue sent his sonne in vaine, and that his sonne also hath suffered, and is risen againe in vaine; that the holie Ghost was promised and sent in vaine: we must needes beleeue that the effect of all these is, that the Father in Christ by the power of the holie Ghost doth builde vp a newe people vnto himselfe, whom before he had freely chosen, with whom he doeth enter into a free couenant, and to which he doth communicate him selfe and all his benefites, Esaie 53. When he shal laie down his soule a sacrifice for transgression, he shal see the seede that shal prolong his daies, and the will of Iehouah shal prosper in his hand, &c. Eph. 2. ver. 6.\n\n## The meaning of these wordes, I beleeue the Catholike or vniuersal Church\n\nThe meaning is that the sonne of God, euen from the beginning, (Matt. 11. ver. 12.) gathereth and buildeth vp a people vnto himselfe, from the whole bodie of mankinde, elected before all worldes, whom Christ raiseth vp beeing dead in sinnes, and reconcileth vnto him selfe by the ministerie of his worde, and renueth by faith to life euerlasting, Iohn 5. vers. 8. Ephes. 2. ver. 1.2.3. and Chap. 5. vers. 26. which he adioyneth vnto himselfe as his spouse or wife, that all the true members of this people may haue true fellowship with Christe and mutuall amongest them selues, both in this and in the life euerlasting, 1. Iohn. 1. Amongest which people I trust my selfe to be enrolled and neuer to be blotted out from them, Iohn. 10. & 17.\n\n## Why the Church is called Holy\n\nBecause none can be vnited vnto God, vnlesse he be holie and pure, euen as God is holie & pure: therefore I doe vndoubtedly beleeue that God doth iustifie and also purge those whom he hath chosen to this inseparable vnion to holinesse and innocencie of life, that the glorie of God may shine in them, Rom. 8. Ephes. 5. Nowe the Church is holy two maner of waies, by renouation, and by imputation. By renouation in it selfe, that same holinesse is onely begun: Rom. 7. Of this same first manner of holinesse, it is saide, 2. Cor. 7. *Working your sanctification,* and 1. Thes. 4. ver. 7. But by imputation her holines is most perfect in Christ, as he saith, *I sanctifie my selfe for them.* In this second manner of holinesse I beleeue that there is no sinne, no death in the Church, that is to say, that no fault or punishment is imputed to the true members of the Church. Because they that beleeue in Christ, are not sinners, are not guiltie of death, but are simply holie, and righteous, Lords ouer sinne and death in Christ, and liue for euer. Ro. 5. ver. 8.9. and Heb. 10. ver. 14. Colo. 2. ver. 10. Ro. 8.1. Thess. 5.10.\n\n## Why the Church is called Catholike\n\nThe Church is caled Catholike, or vniuersal, because that like as there is one head of the Church, to wit Christ: so the vniuersal members thereof scattered throughout the worlde, doe growe vp into one bodie, by the same spirite. Ephes. 4, 1. Cor. 10. and 12."}