the Church he is to labour with his owne hands to satisfie his necessitie but yet when there is a competent state in the people they are to ease him of that labor and of their estates to releeue his wants as the Philippians did by the Apostle Paul Phil. 4.10 11. where the Apostle reioyceth for the care which they had in ministring to him And surely the people lose nothing by this for when the Ministers are thus prouided for they giue themselues wholly to their callings without let to study for the good of the people whereas else they bee driuen to prouide for themselues it will be with them as it was with the Israelites vnder the hands of the cruell Taskmasters in Egypt they must be seeking straw while they should bee making brick to build withall they must be seeking after the pelfe of this world while they should be building Gods house And they that neglect this duty are empty of all Religion both for piety to God whose Ministers they are and for charitie to themselues and their brethren because they do not straine themselues to relieue the wants of such as by Gods Ordinance they are most bound vnto and which doe spend themselues and their time for others good and saluation So much of the third point for duties and workes of mercy and charity The fourth point is the censures of the Church the proceeding against offendors For seeing in all Churches there are still some that walke inordinately some course of necessity must bee taken against them that the Church may bee disburdened either of their persons or of their sinnes And hence it is that our Sauiour himselfe takes precise order for this matter Matth. 18.15 c. And the Apostle chargeth this Duty on the Thessalonians with great authority 2 Thess 3.6 We warne you brethren in the Name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you withdraw your selues from euery Brother that walketh inordinately And hee is grieuously offended with the Corinthians that they did not proceed accordingly with all seuerity against the incestuous Person 1 Cor. 55. And the Reasons for such proceedings are very weighty First no Gouerment I say not onely can bee good but can stand where malefactors are not punished much lesse can the Gouernment of the Church where sinne is specially to bee hated preuented and suppressed Secondly where knowne sinne is not punished there the state and Gouernment is reputed accessary to that sinne now what a scandall is it to Gods Religion and Church to bee accounted fauourers or sparers of any sinne which they must bee if offendors bee not punished Thirdly offendors must bee punished else there is danger of infecting the whole Congregation so saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 5.6 A little leauen leaueneth the whole lâ—mpe therefore the old and sowre leauen is to be purged forth Fourthly in regard of the offendor himselfe Censures must bee had in the Church that so the flesh may bee thereby destroyed and his soule saued and so Gods mercies glorified in the conuerting a penitent Sinner by his sauing Ordinances 1 Cor. 5.5 But if hee continue obstinate his punishment here is but the beginning of his tormented State in hell and the decreee of Gods Reprobation is begun to bee executed vpon him and so the Lord is glorified in iudgement in the middest of his Church in the confusion of his enemies Now these proceedings consist in many particulars for the Church is mercifull euen as their heauenly Father is mercifull they delight not in the death of sinners but rather that they should bee conuerted and liue and therefore they attempt all meanes of cure first before they proceed in cutting off And yet they are iust too as God their Father is iust and therefore when gracious and mild meanes doe not preuaile they proceede to rougher courses First therefore there must bee priuate admonition betwixt him and thee or two or three more so our Sauiour commands Matth. 18.15 16. Secondly if hee will not heare complaint must be made to the Church as in vers 17. which as I take it is that noting out by Letter which the Apostle speakes of in 2 Thes 2.14 Thirdly consequently if hee will not heare the Church separate from him haue no Company with him as the Apostle speakes in that 2 Thes 3.14 And this is it also which the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 5.9 I wrote vnto you that you should not company with fornicators this is a suspending of them for a time from the Sacraments and from Communion in holy things till the Church had triall whether thereby they would bee brought to Repentance Fourthly if this will not preuaile what must be done then Why if they cannot cure they must cut off hee must bee deliuered vp to Satan indeed so the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 5.5 and 1 Tim. 1.20 and that which the Church doth in this case the Lord ratifies in heauen Matth. 18.18 Whosoeuer they bind on earth is bound in heauen yet so too that vpon his Repentance they can and must and doe most willingly loose them from those bandes of Satan wherein they wrapped him before This is a most serious and weighty duty to bee performed in the Church of God but how grieuously it is both neglected and abused it is a shame to speake of that any that professe themselues to bee of the Church of God and haue power in their hands to execute these censures should yet neglect them these being the onely meanes to reclaime or cast off the obstinate when imprisonment and all other waies will not serue So also it is abused by those vpon whom it is inflicted they deriding it and making but a iest of it as if they were neuer the further from heauen for all that and surely it may be they are not because they were neuer neere it Well whosoeuer they be that abuse it let them know that it is Gods owne pretious and holy Ordinance and therefore not to bee dallied in nor basely esteemed yea it is Gods owne worke and doing where it is lawfully proceeded in and it is ratified by him in heauen and where it is abused God will bee auenged on the abusers to the full It is true that the Curse causelesse as Salomon speakes is like the flying of a Bird in the Aire it leaues no impression behind it and in this case God derides it from heauen and it is their fearefull sinne that inflict it But when it is iustly suffered it is the heauiest stroke that can light vpon man in this life either from God or man The sword of the Magistrate is nothing to this that onely depriuing vs of temporall life this of eternall life a wounded Conscience which is an intolerable Burthen to them that haue â—elâ— it is nothing to this For a man sometimes in that case can pray for himselfe or if he cannot pray for himselfe yet he may and must and is prayed for by the Congregation These are neither in case
owne free gift Matth. 16.19 I will giue vnto thee the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen And so the performance of more power is from him as deriued from his owne Pattent Matth. 28.18.19 Goe teach all Nations c. teaching them to obserue all things and lo I am with you to the end of the world The Church is furnished with power from Christ euen as hee is from his father Ioh. 20 21.22 As my Father sent mee euen send I you c. and yet a more full increase of this power is from God too Luke 24.49 Behold I send the promise of my father vpon you but tarry yee in the City of Ierusalem vntill ye be endued with Power from on high And Acts 1.8 yee shall receiue power after that the Holy Ghost is come vpon you These places proue that the Power which the Church is endued withall is not humane but diuine conferred God himselfe And the Reason is plaine because all Power is from Reas 1 God Rom. 13.1 And there is no power but from aboue as our Sauiour tells Pilate he could haue no power except it were giuen him from aboue If all power euen the power which the wicked haue be from God much more is the power and authority which the Church hath from God too And that after a speciall manner so much the more immediately as the Church is more nearer ioyned to Christ then any other State whatsoeuer And to much the more rightly as Christ is more rightly a spiritual King then a temporall as Ioh. 18. my Kingdome is not of this world c And so much the more properly as Christ is the head and ruler of the Church more properly then of the Commonwealth And so much the more effectually as the Lord doth more magnifie himselfe in Church causes then in causes of the State This teacheth first that if the power and authority Vse 1 which the Church hath be from God then we haue the more and greater assurance that it shall stand fast for euer against all oppositions of men or Diuels as Gamaliel said Acts 5.38.39 If it be of God yee cannot destroy it if it be of God so directly it must needs stand most firmly aboue all other power whatsoeuer Secondly it teacheth the Church that they bee the Vse 2 more wary and carefull in executing this power that they abuse not Gods owne Power to the satisfying of their owne humors and lusts but that they vse it to that end God hath appointed it that is to his Glory and the Churches good Thirdly seeing this power is so directly from God then this teacheth vs that it must bee the more dutifully obeyed and submitted to of them that liue vnder it else if wee despise it we despise not men but God as it is Luk. 10.16 hee that despiseth you despiseth me c. But you will say Quest Is then the Church to bee obeyed in all things Must all her sayings be beleeued All her lawes obeyed and all her proceedings yeelded to as if they were Gods owne proceedings and so bind the Conscience I answer Answ no for sometimes shee saith false things and doth that which is directly euill and therein we are altogether free from her Authority as that being vsurped and not from God and as shee therein bewraying some frailty and infirmity and not exercising this diuine power But you will say how shall I know when she speakes true or false when shee doth right or wrong I Answer The Lord hath giuen both her and vs the Word to rule and measure things by this is the rule that she must goe by in her proceedings and this is the rule that wee must measure her proceedings by But sometimes the Church inioynes things in themselues indifferent neither simply good nor bad neitheir simply commanded nor forbidden in the word In this the Church is to be yeelded to for order sake as she hauing therin a general power from God but yet the Conscience is not subiect to them because the particular choice and determination of these indifferent things is from themselues out of their own lawfull liberty I note this the rather because some not only in the popish church but among vs too stick not to affirme that the churches constitutions in this latter kind be of diuine authority and to be accoūted as the Constitutions of God himself But I haue shewed you how you are to receiue and to submit to them for order sake in respect of the general power she hath from God in these things The second branch of this second point is that this power is not temporall but spirituall and therefore it is not so often called a Sword to smite or a scepter to sway as Keyes to open and shut and what doth it open and shut Euen the Kingdome of heauen Matth. 16.19 and therefore it is a spirituall Power The Ciuill Magistrate hath to do about our bodies goods and outward State the Church hath to doe with the Soule and Conscience and the inward man Temporall power and authority serues to maintaine a temporall Life begun and ended here spirituall Power and Authority maintaines a spirituall Life begun here but perfected and finished hereafter in the life to come Temporall power rules by the lawes of men spirituall Power rules onely by the Lawes of God temporall power fights and defends it selfe by the materiall Sword and worldly Policy Spirituall Power renounceth these and therefore Christ said to Peter Mat. 26.52 put vp thy Sword into his place for all that take the Sword shall perish by the Sword Christ would not bee defended by the Sword Spirituall Power betakes it selfe to better Weapons to spirituall and heauenly Weapons 2 Cor. 10.4 5. the Weapons of our warfare saith the Apostle are not carnall but spirituall mighty through God c they are not carnall but spirituall not weake but mighty and that not of themselues nor through the power of him that vseth them but through God And what are these weapons They are the Word and the Spirit Faith Repentance Prayer c. It is true that sometimes both these Powers do concur together in the Church that is when the Magistrate is Christian and surely then Gods worke goeth happily forward and then this is a blessed thing both for our Soules and bodies too if wee haue grace so to vse it but though they doe sometimes concurre yet they are neuer confounded though they be not diuided yet they bee distinguished they must each of them keepe in it 's owne ranke and mannage their seuerall Charges by seuerall administrations The Church is not to vsurpe on the temporal power for that is flatly forbidden Matth. 20.15 16. the Gentiles raigne ouer them but it shall not be so amongst you saith our Sauiour to his Disciples and 1 Pet. 5.3 Be not Lords ouer Gods Heritage Nor is the temporal power to vsurpe the
Mediatour whom we haue There were the Cherubins And haue not wee Angels in the Church that are ministring Spirits for our good There was God speaking out of the Mercy-seate And haue not we the Word of God directing and instructing vs There was a Table And haue not we a solemne Inuitation to the feast of peace of Conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost which God hath prepared for the faithfull Pro. 9.1.2 There was the Shew-bread Aâ— what figured that but Gods people because they alwayes and before God Lastly there was the golden Candlesticke with seuen branches which signified the manifold gifts and graces of Gods Spirit which hee bestowes vpon his Church And if the Church was thus glorious being shadowed vnder the Law how much more glorious is it now in the time of the Gospell The Apostle making the comparison in Hebr. 12. shewes plainely that the Church now in the time of the Gospell is farre more glorious then in the time of the Law In the 22 23 and 24 verses he saith But yee are come to Mount Sinai the Citie of the liuing God the celestiall Hierusalem And to the Company of innumerable Angels And to the Congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen And to God the iudge of all And to the Spirits of iust and perfect men And to Iesus the mediator of the new Testament And to the blood of sprinckling that speaketh better things then that of Abel See how glorious the Church is here for here is whatsoeuer may make vp a perfect glorie And thus glorious and beautifull is Gods Church looke vpon her which way soeuer ye will either within or without If ye looke vpon her within why then it is said Ps 45.13 the Kings Daughter is all glorious within If without it is said in the same Psalme Her garments are all of broidered gold You shall see her glory further in these foure things First in her profession secondly in her practise thirdly in her order fourthly in her vnitie First in her profession it is a glorious profession for they renounce and disclaime all other Religions and professe the onely pure and glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ So secondly in regard of their practise it is glorious and beautifull for they are religious to God wise to themselues charitable to their brethren mercifull to all depending on God beleeuing in Christ obeying his Spirit praying blessing exhorting instructing comforting both themselues and others making conscience of all their waies hauing and keeping themselues vnspotted of filthinesse and vncleannesse and of the corruptions of the times wherein they liue and offering their soules and bodies a cleane pure and glorious sacrifice to God in Christ so their practise is glorious Thirdly for their order they are glorious and gracious Psalm 68.24 25. They haue seene O God thy goings the goings of my God and my King which are in the Sanctuary The Singers going before the Players of Instruments after In the midst were the maides playing with the timbrels This was but in a shadow much more is it so in the true Church Cant 4.2 the Church is compared to a flocke of Sheepe which goe vp in good order from the washing Now wee must vnderstand this spiritually for it is not the orderly standing in the Church but when euery one keepes his owne ranke not being rebellious nor meddling in other mens businesse not loose nor negligent in their owne place but euery one is carefull to doe his duty imposed on him the superiours they rule with modestie the vnderlings they obey reuerently and Christ himselfe as their King keepes them all within their compasse The Apostle 1. Cor. 12. in the whole Chapter speaking of this order shewes what an excellent thing it is euen as it is in the body of a man there is the eyes and the hands and the feete c. Now shall the foote say to the head I am aboue thee or the eye to the hand I haue no need of thee no but euery member keepes his ranke and is carefull to do the office imposed vpon it and so it is in the Church and therefore in this respect it is a glorious Church Rom. 12.3 4. c. Fourthly in respect of their vnitie Psal 122.2 3. The Prophet saith that Ierusalem is built as a Citie that is compact or at vnitie together in it selfe meaning that Gods Church the heauenly Ierusalem whose members are all knit together by a neere vnion being one body hauing one Lord one Faith one Baptisme Ephes 4 5 6. hauing a sweet and louing communion all of them with Christ their Head and each of them with another Behold saith the Prophet what a goodly thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie Psal 133.1 2 3. So the Church yee see is blessed and beautifull for the vnitie that is amongst the members for they pray and giue thankes to God one for another they reioyce for the good one of another and are sorrowfull and mourne for the hurt one of another And so much for the proofe of the Point The Reasons of the Point why they are so beautifull and Reas 1 glorious are many The first and the summe of all is this because they haue the Lord to be their God Psal 144.15 Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. They haue God to be their Lord First in respect of God he promising and performing to them that hee will be their God and giuing them many tokens of his loue Secondly in respect of themselues they being his by couenant and obedience and therfore they are blessed and glorious because God is their Lord. Secondly Christ is theirs and they are his as it is in Reas 2 Cant. 6.2 I am my Welbeloueds and my Welbeloued is mine and together with Christ God hath giuen them all things Rom 8.32 Christ is theirs and whatsoeuer else may make for their blessednesse or glory is conferred with him Iesus Christ is present in his Church and he inlightens them with his glory Reuel 21.9 and therefore they are glorious He washes them with his owne blood and therefore they are gracious Hee clothes them with his righteousnesse and therefore they are beautifull He couers and imputes not their sinnes therefore they are blessed Psal 32.1 2. yea they being his owne body therefore as his naturall body was farre more excellent then any mans else so his mysticall body the assembly of the Saints is farre more glorious then all the World besides Thirdly Gods Spirit hee teacheth them a gracious carriage Reas 3 hee perswades them to obedience hee bridles them from sinne he quickens them to righteousnesse hee supplies and helpes their wants and infirmities Their hearts and consciences are sprinckled with the holy Ghost they are cleansed sanctified and made partakers of the Diuine Nature and so are most glorious and beautifull Fourthly they are most beautifull and glorious because Reas 4 all the liuing members of the
Church So that in Ioh. 21. where our Sauiour saith three times to Peter Feede my sheepe c. What a slight ground is this to build the headship of the Church vpon And if they aske then why Christ should thus presse it vpon Peter so often The Fathers answer them that it is onely a speciall charge binding to Duty not any vniuersall authority or iurisdiction pressed thrice vpon him for his former threefold deniall of Christ that so hee might be the more carefull for the time to come else the charge is alike to all the rest of the Apostles for shall wee think that any of them were not bound to feede the sheepe of Christ as well as he The Apostle giues this charge to all Ministers 1 Pet. 5.2 Feed the flocke of God c. Yea but Peter is the Rocke and vpon this Rocke Christ will build his Church Matth. 16.18 I answer if the Church were built vpon Peter then it was either built vpon his person or vpon his Confession but it was not built vpon his person for then when he died the Church must haue failed too Therfore the place must be vnderstood of Peters confession or of his faith or of that Christ which he confessed Christ built his Church on the confession of Peters faith because himself was the substance of his confession c. Peters confession of his faith is the Rocke in making knowne the Church But Christ himselfe is the Rocke as being the substance of that his confession so that the Church is not built vpon Peters person And if it had what is that to the Pope Vnlesse they can proue these two things First that Peter sate at Rome as head of the vniuersall Church secondly that hee intended to leaue his headship to the Pope of Rome and to none other which is a meere fancie and deuice of their owne braine for which they haue no colour So then Christ neuer gaue Peter much lesse the Pope this headship Secondly as Christ neuer did giue it so he saith expressely he neuer will giue it Luk. 22.25 26. Our Sauiour saith to his Disciples that it was enough for the Gentiles to be Lords and to raigne one ouer another but it shall not bee so amongst you saith he so that Christ checks them for hauing but a conceit of superiority so far is he from giuing it to any of them Further this being a great part of Christs glory as he is Mediator to be head of his Church hee will not giue it to any other Isai 48.11 My glory will I not giue to another And as Christ neuer gaue this nor meant to giue it to any other so no man is able to weeld or sway it no more than any one temporall Gouernor can rule all the Kingdomes in the world no this power is reserued onely to him that made the whole world and all things therein So that we see they ouer-reach in saying the Pope is the head of the vniuersall visible Church Secondly they ouer-reach as far in saying he is the head if you aske them what head they meane They will say onely a ministeriall head vnder Christ heere is some shew of modesty But aske them further what power they ascribe to him And then they bewray themselues for they say that the gouernment of the whole Church through the world depends on him that he hath power and authority to iudge and determine of all causes of Faith and Religion to rule Councells to order Bishops and Pastors to excommunicate and to suspend and to inflict other penalties vpon offenders yea whatsoeuer concerneth either preaching of Doctrine or the practice of Discipline in the Church of Christ the power of gouerning in all such causes they say lies in the Pope Is this to be a ministeriall head This is rather to be an absolute supreame head If by head they meant onely some chiefe Gouernour the name head in that sense might agree to some one man in respect of some one particular place for so the Scripture vseth the word in other cases in the 1 Cor. 11.3 The man is the womans head c. But neuer in this case for a man to be the head of the whole Church This transcendent power by them ascribed to the Pope is a great part of Christs owne power and can neuer agree to any man in the world for Christ is the onely Doctor of his Church Mat. 23.8 10. How then can the Pope determine all matters of faith and religion Is not this to make him a great Doctor yea the onely Doctor No say they for hee doth it but vnder Christ But he doth it of himselfe if the Pope in controuersies would take Christs booke and vse prayer to God for direction therein and in humility and sincere loue of the Truth would examine euery cause and so iudge there were some hope that he would doe many things well and that he would iudge rightly as in Christs stead and so honour his Master and doe good seruice to the Church But first he takes no such course but mingles with the word and vseth his owne Canons in stead of the word and he is so farre from vsing prayer to God for direction as that he presumes the truth is tyed to his Chayre and therefore that he cannot erre in any of his Sentences likewise hee is sinisterly affected to the Truth framing it to the state and practice of his owne Church and accordingly hee iudges and pronounces Secondly if he should take the former course yet his reach is not infinite hee cannot iudge rightly in all causes of faith and religion for no one man that euer was Christ Iesus onely excepted and his Apostles that was able to iudge of all Truth Therefore euery Pope in particular must be at least as one of the Apostles nay he must be as Christ is For if the Apostles could doe it yet they had fellowes Paul as well as Peter could do this But the Pope is without any fellow yea he will take vpon him to iudge of the Apostles owne Doctrine and writings so that though he pretends to be Peters successor only yet vpon the point he takes on him to be Peters Master euen to be Christ so proues himself to be very Antichrist yea and he not onely takes vpon him Christs Office but he takes his name vpon him also hee calls himselfe the chiefe Shepheard which name is proper to Christ onely 1 Pet. 5.4 What is this but to step into the throne of Christ But they except against vs and say doe you finde fault with vs for saying the Pope is the head of the Church Why you your selues make the King supreame head of the Church I answer how do we say the King is the head of the Church as they say the Pope is No but wee say the King is the head of the Church within his iurisdiction to see Gods religion maintained Answ and to see the
of the Sacraments and profession of Obedience to the requiring of them both that is to that which they both require are the chiefest and most infallible markes of a true visible Church I doe not say that they are the onely markes for many other are assigned and may be admitted but not vpon these properties afore mentioned for they are not essentiall nor better knowne than the Church it selfe as these are therefore these are the chiefe and most infallible markes For proofe of the obseruation looke into Matth. 28.19 Goe teach all Nations baptising them saith our Sauiour in the Name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost c. What is the businesse our Sauiour sends his Apostles about It was to plant and erect visible Churches in the world how is that to be done Go saith he teach all nations c. First they must teach the Word there is the Word preached secondly Goe and baptize c. there is the Sacraments administred and though but one bee named as that being of most speciall use for the present dispensation of planting Churches yet figuratiuely the other is intended for so you shall find was their practice Act. 2.41 42. where it is said not onely that they did baptize but that they brake bread also there is the Lords supper too and it is not to bee thought that they went beyond their commission in this for it was the Ministers part to deliuer it and the peoples to receiue it So then here is the Word preached and the Sacraments administred and what else are they to doe vers 20. Teaching them to obserue and do c. there is at least profession of Obedience As if Christ should say Let them professe at least that they will obay you else turne away from them and shake off the dust of your feete as a witnesse against them The words are so precise for euery particular in the obseruation and that from our Sauiours owne mouth and containing such an absolute description of the office both of Ministers and people and the intendment being the erecting and settling of true visible Churches that me thinks it is as much as if our Sauiour had said Wheresoeuer these three are performed there let the World take notice of a true visible Church and so from time to time wheresoeuer there is any true Church to the worlds end And what is this but that which I have affirm'd in the obseruation that the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments and obedience of the people to that which they doe both require are the most infallible and chiefest markes of a true visible Church Another Euangelist reporting the same Commission speakes as much in effect though not in such precise tearmes Mark 16.15 16. Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospell to euery Creature he that shall beleeue and bee baptized shall bee saued c. there is the Word preached and there are the Sacraments as before and there is profession of obedience to them both for if they beleeue they must obey This point is so cleare that it needs no further proofe yet because it is a question betwixt vs and the Papists and also betwixt vs and the separation and likewise among Divines therefore wee will see further proofe of it There are other places of Scripture which auouch the same in effect yet not so pregnantly as these doe Ioh. 10.4 our Sauiour saith He goes before his sheepe that is before his people and they heare his voyce and follow him How doth Christ go before his people He goeth before them in the Word and in the Sacraments leading them in the wayes of saluation for the Word is there expresly named My voyce and vnder that the Sacraments are figuratiuely to be vnderstood And they heare it and follow him there is obedience Our Sauiour alludes to the custome of the Shepheards in that Countrey that were wont to tune a voyce to their sheepe which they hearing and knowing did all follow Now this voyce of Christ is his Word and his Sacraments are parts thereof therefore if yee aske who are the sheepe of Christ The answer is ready They that heare the voyce of Christ and follow him As who should say Where is a true visible Church The Answer is where the Word is truly preached and at least professed to be obeyed The like speech is in the 27. verse of the same Chapter So likewise in Ephes 5.26 the Apostle saith that Christ gaue himselfe for his Church that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the Word Apply these words to the visible Church then there is the Word and Water that is Baptisme and vnder that Sacrament the Lords Supper is implied and there is profession of obedience for they are sanctified and cleansed so that wheresoeuer these are there is a true visible Church Answerable vnto these assertions you shall find it by experience to haue been from the beginning looke into Paradise Gen. 2.16 17. there is the Word Gods Commandement giuen to our first Parents Yee shall not eate c. and there were the Sacraments the Tree of life verse 9. purposely to signifie and to seale vnto them eternall life if they did obey and there was also their obedience acknowledged in that they accepted of their estate and that vpon that condition If any doubt of this it is plainely laid downe Gen. â— 4 Where the woman acknowledged that they were bound not to eate of that Tree so there is their profession of Obedience So you see how it was with the Church in Paradise before the fall Now let vs see how it was with the Church out of Paradise after the fall Gen. 3.15 There was the promise of the Gospell there is the Word preached and Gen. 4.3 4. There were the Sacrifices there was Caine and Abel offering Sacrifices which were representations of Christs owne Sacrifice of himselfe and consequently of the Sacrifices of the new Testament and there was also their profession of Obedience in that they brought their Sacrifices vnto God no doubt but Adam their Father taught them the Doctrine of the Gospell and how they ought to worship God and they profest obedience to that he taught both Caine as well as Abel for then they were both members of the visible Church so heere is the Word and the Sacraments and Obedience profest to them both and so a true visible Church Likewise that in Gen. 9. from the eighth to the seuenteenth verse In Noahs time after the floud there was Gods Couenant made with Noah so there is the Word and there was the Bow set in the Cloudes there was the Sacrament and thirdly their profession of obedience too for it is a Couenant which intends obedience on Noahs part for else how is it a Couenant if it be not condescended to on both parts And so also in Abrahams time Gen. 17 4 7.10.23 in the 4. and 7. verses
It is not in her to deuise her owne Gouernment If Christ therefore had not prouided for her in this case but had left her to her selfe a thousand to one she had neuer hit on the right way or if she had she could haue had no comfort of conscience in that case nor hope of blessing in the course because still shee would haue been vncertaine and doubtfull whether it were of God or not Therefore as it is and must bee from the Lord so let vs blesse and praise the Lord our good God that hath so mercifully and plentifully furnished vs in this kinde And so much of the affirmatiue point namely that the whole substance of Church-gouernment is so set downe in Scripture that euery particular Church may receiue instruction and direction thereby how they ought to be gouerned Now I come to the second point the negatiue Position namely That there is not any one particular forme of Church-Gouernment set downe in Scripture that euery particular Church is precisely bound vnto to obserue for ordering euerie particular This being a negatiue Position as you see must bee content with negatiue proofes for seeing the question is whether there bee such a Gouernment in Scripture for euery particular or not and seeing the answer is that there is not no maruell then though there bee no direct place to confirme it But you will say that many together will I say No many laid all together will not they that pretend there is such a thing must instance in some such places in the Word where it is proued else the contrary is presumed to be true And so it followes that the refutation of such allegations is the direct proofe of the Position Therefore for proofe of this negatiue Position First I say no place of Scripture saith that there is or prescribes that there should bee such a particular forme of Church-Gouernment c. for euerie part of discipline nay nor many places conferred and laid all together doe not For matter of substance and in generall there is proofe enough as wee heard before in the former point but not for any particular forme in euery particular c. As there is no place that affirmes or prescribes this particular forme of Church-Gouernment so I say further there is no example for it in all the Scripture There is no question but that if our Sauiour or his Apostles had intended any such forme of Gouernment to bee obserued in euery particular either they would haue giuen it in expresse charge particularly or at least there would haue beene some notorious patterne of it in some Church but there is no such in Scripture To instance in the best Churches Corinth and Ephesus were the best prouided for in that case yet these had no particular forme of Church-Gouernment whereunto they were precisely bound First for Corinth there was more written to that Church for matter of outward Gouernment than to any other Church yea almost as much as to all others yet it was not prouided for in euery particular no not in regard of it selfe in many particulars it was well prouided for in all it was not by writing for some the Apostle respited till his presence 1 Cor. 11.34 Other things will I set in order when I come So then the Church of Corinth was not prouided for in euery particular by writing for her selfe much lesse was it so prouided for as that euery Church should be directed thereby But you will say are not the Church-orders of the Church of Corinth the Lords owne Commandement 1 Cor. 14.37 Yes they are to them of that Church so farre as was directly inioyned them but not to all Churches else So likewise for the Church of Ephesus though it were then the most famous Church in Asia and plentifully prouided for that way yet it was not so prouided for that euery Church should be directed by it nay it was not prouided for in euery particular for it selfe But you will say are not particulars profitable If so bee they are then the Apostle Paul saith to the ouerseers of that Church Act. 20.20 I haue kept nothing back that was profitable for you and therefore not those particulars I Answer Surely particulars are profitable and therefore this Church had enough in generall whereby they might frame vnto themselues such particulars as were needfull for them but they had not all particulars this place proues the former Position well that the substance of Church-gouernment is set downe in the Word wholly in the generall but not in euery particular though they had some to measure the rest by Yea but there is a further matter for Gouernment in the Church of Ephesus than in any other Church for the Apostle imposeth on Timothy a charge of perpetuity as in 1 Tim. 6.13 I charge thee in the sight of God c. that thou keepe the Commandement without spot vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ So then that Gouernment which hee chargeth him withall was to bee perpetuall I answer first that that Commandement is chiefly if not onely of faith and holinesse Secondly if it be vnderstood of Gouernment yet that was but personall to Timothy that he should keepe it as much as in him lay and also it was onely for that particular Church and for those particular things there commanded which came farre short of euery particular that they should perpetually bee there obserued this is the charge hee giues Timothy Lastly I answer If it bee extended to euery particular Church it must be vnderstood of matters of substance which as wee haue heard must be perpetuall in all Churches So that wee see there is no proofe for this nor no example in Scripture nay there are examples against it because wee finde not the same Gouernment in all Churches for some wanted that which others had and so by this rule one of them should haue sinned as in the Church of Philippi there are onely Bishops and Deacons named So that wee see there is no particular forme of Church-Gouernment for euerie particular set downe in the Word for euery Church precisely to bee ruled by Reas 1 The Reasons of the point are these First it is impossible it should bee so the multitude and varietie of particulars being infinite and still new occasions arising in the Church dayly which if they were foreseene yet they could not bee written the world could not containe the bookes as the Euangelist speakes of the Word and workes of our Sauiour What ciuill Law was there euer that the best heads haue been layd together to deuise that were sufficient at the first for euery particular but by new occasions still increased for particular causes Yea but though men could not yet God could haue prouided for that But yet he did not yea I say further that the Word of God though it bee a most perfect and absolute Law of faith and life yet it prescribes not for euery particular what is to
that it doth not suffice that they bee in some parts of the Church where most need is And lastly the Christian Magistrate who hath a chiefe stroke in Gouernment they speake nothing of him neither doe they interpret any of those places where the Apostle speakes of Rulers of the Christian Magistrate though I am verily perswaded that it is to bee vnderstood of them And therefore they erre in these particulars And so wee see that there is not any one particular forme of Church-gouernment set downe in Scripture which euery particular Church is precisely bound to obserue as prescribing to it euery particular in Gouernment The sixteenth Lecture of the Church HAuing propounded fiue principall heads to bee treated vpon touching Church-gouernment as namely First the harmes and euils that this matter hath occasioned in Gods Church Secondly what is meant by these words Church and Gouernment Thirdly how necessary it is in Gods Church Fourthly whether there be any prescript Rule in Gods Word for it And lastly if there bee not then what is to bee done in that case I haue proceeded in the foure former as God hath enabled mee Now I come to speake of the fifth namely That if God hath not ordayned any prescript forme in his Word for euerie particular in gouernment then what is to bee done in this case The Resolution whereof it is to bee fetcht from that which hath been formerly spoken For whereas euery particular Church must haue her particular gouernment and the Word hath not prescribed any one set forme for all Churches to obserue in euerie particular as I haue shewed in the second Obseruation of the former Lecture Therefore euery particular Church out of their owne power and wisedome and being guided by the generall forme set downe in the Scriptures as oft as necessity requires must make the best supply and prouision for themselues herein that they can howbeit because the whole substance of Church-gouernment is set downe in the Word c. as I shewed in the first Obseruation of the former Lecture Therefore the Church must not be presumptuous and licentious as if it were arbitrary and as if they might ordaine and do what they list But they must carefully see that whatsoeuer prouision they make in this kinde bee such as may well stand with those generall rules and directions which the word affords I take not vpon mee here to define what is prescribed in Gods word what not this is a hard taske too curious for mee and too tedious for you That is left to the enquirie of the particular Churches euery one for it selfe and the promise of the Spirit to leade the Church into all Truth of speciall vse for this purpose both to instruct the Church what is prescribed and what is not as also to helpe and direct them what to take and what to leaue and how to behaue themselues in such cases of Gouernment wherein they are destitute of particular warrant for each particular case from the word yet because I would faine informe you throughly of the whole businesse so farre as is needfull to know I will God willing inlarge my discourse farther than I thought to haue done and labour to rip it vp from the very bottome The whole forme of Church-gouernment as I conceiue consists of three principalls or Pillars as I may call them First of some Actions and duties to bee performed in the Church Secondly of some Persons or Officers that are to performe these duties in the Church And thirdly of some Lawes and rules that these persons are to be directed by in the execution of these actions and duties which are to bee done in the Church And if once you can tell these things first what is to be done in Church-Gouernment secondly by whom it must bee done and thirdly how and after what manner and vpon what ground and with what Conditions they are to bee done you may sit downe well satisfied and resolued in this point In the handling of all these points I shall bee in danger either to be too intricate or too tedious too intricate if I should handle them ioyntly all together or too tedious if I should frame a seuerall discourse for each particular by it self To preuent both I wil first propound them all in a generall view by themselues and then I will instance in two or three particular duties fitting them with their Officers and Lawes that so any man of vnderstanding may learne thereby to doe the like in all the rest First wee will beginne with the Duties or Actions to be done in Church-Gouernment haply I shal not touch them all but I will labour to touch the chiefe and principall and those to which all the rest may bee referred The principall Duties are these First Order must be taken that the Word and Sacraments and Prayers bee had in the Church Secondly there must be election of Officers from time to time as occasion shall require Thirdly Duties of Charitie must bee carefully and religiously practised Fourthly censures and proceedings against Offendors must be executed Fifthly order must be takē for calling publike Assemblies Lastly order must bee taken for the ouersight of all these things To beginne with the first Order must bee taken for the Word and Sacraments and Prayers I ioyne and couch all these together because there is a most neere and necessary league and affinitie betwixt them For as the Word is to beget faith so the Sacraments as seales and pledges accompany it for the more palpable Assurance of ou◠increasing in it and Prayer is to bee ioyned with them both that they may bee effectuall and powerfull for edification First for the Word order must bee taken that it may bee had in the Church first the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament must bee extant And how must they bee extant Surely in their owne originall languages because if there bee any corruption in the Translation wee may runne to the Originall so that it must be had in the originall languages And in what Copies Surely the best that be to be had But what then euery one cannot vnderstand these languages they may bee in a Nation whose language is not the Mother-Tongue What must bee done then Surely wee must get the most faithfull and best Translations that are and when they are got what must the Church see to bee done with them First some of these Copies must bee laid vp in a safe and secret place that if Desolation should come yet the written Word may bee preserued so the booke of the Law 2 Chron. 34.14 which was thought to bee written by Moses owne hand was found in a secret place where no doubt it had been laid vp by Gods speciall prouidence to bee preserued from that common hauock which was in the Land so that some Copies must bee laid vp in safe and secret places Yea but that is not enough but there must bee some extant
peculiar to him and other ministers to administer it which wee blesse c. The third Duty is prayer Act. 6.4 and in the 1 Cor. 14.16 there the manner of publike prayer is plainely set downe that is that which is conceiued by the Minister and the people accompanying him in their affections and saying Amen The fourth Duty belonging to their Office is that they be an example to their flocke of holinesse in life so the Apostle exhorts the Elders to whom hee writ 1 Pet. 5.3 to bee an example to their flocke and so the Apostle exhorts Timothy to bee an example to them that beleeue 1 Tim 4.12 The fifth Duty is to visit the sicke So it is intended Iames 5.14 If any man bee sicke let him call for the Elders of the Church c. Their sixth Duty they are to vse and exercise the power of the Keyes both in binding and loosing for that also is common to them with the Apostles and that which is said to the Apostle in Ioh. 20.23 is said also to all true Ministers Whose sinnes soeuer ye remit on earth they are remitted c. This is peculiar to all in the Ministery and none else The seuenth Duty belonging to their Office is that they are to haue care ouer the poore I vrge it not so much that they should distribute with their owne hands yet that is needfull too where greater occasions are not hindred by it for so the Apostles all was brought and laid at their feet and they did distribute it till they had greater businesse in hand But this they ought to doe to see it performed by those that are in places both collections and distributions 1 Cor. 16.1 Eighthly and lastly their Duty is to bee continually resident and attendant ouer their Charge Act. 20.28 Take heede to the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers c. The very name Ouerseer intends so much that they must be continually resident ouer the flocke wherein the Apostles themselues though they went from place to place yet they were very carefull in visiting and in writing to the Churches which they had planted as Paul and Barnabas did Act. 15.36 and they did long to bee with them as the Apostle Paul saith Rom. 1.11 and when they were hindred from it they bewailed it as Satans worke therein So doth the same Apostle 1 Thes 2.8 and when they could not come themselues they supplied their bodily absence by the presence of their Ministers and Deputies as also by Letters But no ordinary Minister can thus excuse himselfe but they are continually bound to bee resident And the danger is exceeding great when the Pastor is absent as wee may see in the 1 Cor. 15.12 When the Apostle was absent some crept into the Church that taught errors and false Doctrine as that there is no resurrection c. and the danger of it amongst vs is too apparant and lamentable And therefore wee are to pray vnto God that those in Authoritie may force them that are tied to a Charge to be resident vpon it so much for Presbyters In the third place we come to Doctors I finde the word vsed in Ephes 4.11 and we expound it Teachers which hath two significations First I find it to bee vnderstood of those that teach the Word and that is the true and onely sense of it in the Scriptures secondly sometimes it is vnderstood of those that instruct Schollers specially in the grounds of Religion and so after in other matters and so it is taken in some antient Writers The question concerning Doctors is in the former sense this Whether there must bee such an one in euery particular Congregation as a seuerall Officer from the Pastor For answer whereunto I say that the Office of a Doctor is necessary in both senses generally in the Church and also in the former sense as hee is a Teacher hee is necessary in euery particular Congregation yea and further I say that if there bee in one and the same Congregation a Doctor in whom is the Word oâ— knowledge ioyned with a Pastor in whom is the word of wisdome 1 Cor. 12.8 it is not to be misliked But that this must be so of necessitie that wee deny for howsoeuer the gifts bee diuers the Doctors to teach and expound the Scripture the Pastors to apply it yet they may bee and are vsually found in the same Person and therefore wee shall find it Scripture that teaching and preaching concurre together in the same Officer so it is said of our Sauiour Christ himselfe Matth. 9.35 That hee went about teaching and preaching the Gospell And so it is said of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas Act. 15.35 That they continued preaching and teaching at Antioch And so the Apostle 1 Tim. 6.2 requires this in Timothy that he teach and exhort And this is generally required of all preaching Elders 1 Tim. 5.17 that they labour in the Word and Doctrine and what is that but to teach and apply And euery Minister must bee apt to teach What necessitie is there of a Doctor in euery particular Congregation Howsoeuer then they are diuerse gifts yet commonly they are found in the same person and that which they alleage Eph. 4.11 makes directly against them for if the Apostle there had meant to haue made them diuerse offiâ—es heâ— would haue disioyned theÌ„ with the same note of difference as hee did the other and haue said and some Pastors and some Teachers but in that he conioynes them together and saith Pastors and Teachers hee makes them to bee as one Now we come in the fourth place to gouerning Elders I finde Gouernors mentioned in Scripture as in the 1 Cor. 12.28 and also Rulers Rom. 12.8 And I deny not but this is of necessary vse in the Church for the Ministers must bee endued with it they must rule and gouerne as we haue seene before 1 Tim. 5.17 And it may bee of good vse too for the Church euen in those that are out of the Ministry as in the Christian Magistrate but that this must bee meant directly of some that must of necessity rule in euery particular Church besides the Ministers I cannot see specially seeing they ascribe to these Rulers a hand in the Censures of the Church which being a chief part of the power of the keyes and therefore appropriated to the Ministers and limited by Christ onely to the Apostles and them how shal they be imparted to others without their open wrong I will deliuer my iudgment briefely and freely in this case First either there were none such at all or if there were such they were onely by practice not by institution or if they were by institution yet they were for that present dispensation and not perpetuall or lastly if they were perpetuall yet our Church is not destitute in that case First either there were none such at all for first whereas it is said that the Iewes had their Elders
in their Synagogues that these were translated from them though this bee probable and likely enough yet it is but a coniecture there is no sure proofe for it But there must bee sure ground to erect a Church-officer vpon Secondly there is no example in all the Scripture of any Church so gouerned Thirdly the places of Scripture alleaged for them are scarce and few and indeed there is but one and that is in the 1 Tim. 5.17 I will not stand to scanne it or to make shifts against it but if it bee so expounded of Gouerning Elders besides Ministers it is subiect to many iust exceptions and also it may admit many interpretations to the contrary agreeable to the Analogy of Faith and fitting to the words themselues and there are a great many more harsh interpretations that passe for currant in farre weightier matters so that first either there were none such at all or secondly if there were such as for my part I will not vtterly deny it yet they were onely in practice then it cannot be proued to bee an Institution for many things were done then which in doing were not instituted Thirdly or if it were by Institution yet it was onely for that present dispensation when there was no Christian Magistrate so that now wee liuing vnder a Christian Magistrate are not bound to it nor haue no such vse of it and therefore it is not perpetuall Fourthly or if it bee perpetuall yet our Church is not vtterly destitute we haue in euery Parish Vestry-men to ioyne with the Minister in such parts of gouernment as needs such persons to heare and reforme some matters with the Minister that he might not carry all alone And therefore there is no cause of such quarrell and exclamation as is made against our Church vpon this occasion And so much for the fourth point concerning gouerning Elders In the fifth place we come to the office of Deacons that is an expresse Office mentioned in Scripture as Act. 6.2 though they are not there expressely called Deacons yet I doubt not but they were such In Rom. 12.8 they are called Distributors and in the 1 Tim. 3.12 there they are by name These are such as at the first were appointed and imployed altogether about the poore and about Church-Treasury but afterwards they did also exercise some ministeriall functions for Philip was a Deacon Act. 6. yet afterward hee preached and baptized Act. 8.5 38. though he did that rather as he was an Euangelist than a Deacon for so we may reade Act. 21 8. that Philip was an Euangelist And afterward the Deacons baptized which sauing the iudgement of the better learned I thinke they rather vsurped than had any right to it by office or other warrant for it yet in succeeding Ages they had generally a degree of the Ministery answerable to that of the Leuites vnder the Law who taught and looked to the Treasury too and the Scripture seemes to fauour it 1 Tim. 3.13 where it is said they haue ministred well c. so that it is neither strange nor much to be found fault with that there are some such amongst vs. But admit they were only imployed in Church-treasury for that is the true originall of them yet either they were onely for certaine times and places and so was the occasion of their first erection Act. 6. Caluin in Acts 21.8 And therefore they are not of necessitie to be in euery Congregation or if they bee necessary we haue Churchwardens and Collectors answerable to them though not so gifted as they were in Act. 6. that may bee the defect of the times that afford not men so well qualified or of the chusers of them that make not better choice and also though they be not so chosen by prayer and imposition of hands which either is not simply necessary in this case or else being omitted that is also the choosers fault But say they if you retaine the Office and not the Title this is to subiect Gods Ordinance to your owne inuention as if one should say he would yeeld to haue his matter moderated and determined in the Chancery and yet not by my Lord Chancellour whom the King appoints but by one of his owne chusing and so in the Church you will haue this matter of Church-treasury ordered and yet not by Deacons whom the Lord Iesus hath appointed I answer This is but a cauill about words so long as wee retaine the thing it selfe there is no such great matter for the name And so much shall suffice to be spoken concerning Deacons In the sixth place we come to Widowes of these we may reade in Scripture as in Act. 6.1 and 1 Tim. 5.3 and it is probable that these are meant 1 Cor. 12.28 where they are called helpers and Rom. 12.8 shewers of mercy Yee shall haue my iudgement briefly in this point and that is this That all these places of Scripture well vnderstood and compared together doe proue onely thus much first that in many Churches there were then such Widowes secondly that wheresoeuer they were there they were to bee relieued thirdly that where they were so relieued there they were to performe workes of mercy and charitie as to attend the sicke to wash the Saints feete and such like as occasion required But that they are a necessary Officer in euery Church and that where they are not there the Church-gouernment is defectiue that can neuer be proued In Geneua they haue rather poore men than women and in the Churches of France they haue no such vse of Widowes at all Seuenthly wee come to speake of other Assistants as Readers Fellowes Acolutiues Exorcists c. concerning whom because they bee not at all found in the Word wee therefore doe passe them by Eighthly and lastly wee come to the Christian Magistrate who though he be last named yet hath not the least hand in Church-gouernment And the question concerning him is First whether hee may bee rightly called a Church-officer I answer Hee may though not in that proper sense as the Minister because he hath not such an immediate hand in the Word and Sacraments but in a large sense he may and that very rightly For being a member of the Church and that a chiefe one too how can he be excluded from being a Church Officer and that a chiefe one too in his nature It is no disparagement to him Christ being the Head of the Church and he being Christs Lieutenant within his lawfull Dominions why may not he be a chiefe Ruler in Church-businesse It is Gods owne promise Isai 49.23 that Kings and Queenes should be noursing Fathers and noursing Mothers to his Church Themselues by Officers are Nurses and their Authoritie and countenance are like Breasts or Dugs to cherish and feede and hatch vp the Church withall And the Apostle layes it as a dutie vpon all the faithfull 1 Tim. 2.2 That they pray for Kings and all in authority that they
Officers must bee guided in doing these duties must haue a good warrant The best and indeed the onely true and sound warrant for them is to bee fetcht from the Lord Iesus out of his Word for seeing hee is the head and chiefe Officer of his Church therefore the rest being instruments and seruants vnder him are to waite at his mouth for directions how to carry themselues in their places First therefore the Word of God must bee sought into carefully and diligently Secondly wee must seeke vnto God by humble and feruent prayer for the assistance of his Spirit both for the right vnderstanding and also for willing conformablenesse and submission to the Word for this is right consulting and walking with God when we haue taken aduice from his Word for euery businesse in hand and when we receiue a comfortable answere from him in prayer for incouragement therein and do so proceed in it because God will haue it so For as euery Creature so euery Businesse we goe about is truly sanctified vnto vs by the Word and Prayer that is when wee looke into the Word for a warrant for it and when wee goe to God by prayer to direct vs in it Heere therefore in Gods Word First wee must haue a warrant for the Duty that it be necessary or at least lawfull to be done Secondly for the Doer that hee or they are authorised at least allowed by God to deale in it Thirdly a warrant must bee had hence for the Carriage of the Businesse that it bee commanded or at least permitted by the warrant of Gods Word The matter wee are now to insist on is the warrant for the cautions conditions and carriage of the businesse And this is of two sorts First either a principall and direct warrant or secondly an inferior warrant of a lower degree deriued from it The principall and direct warrant is expresly mentioned in the Word and that either by way of precept or example By way of precept and that is either particular or generall each precisely to be obserued as being in the nature of a binding Law Examples I meane only such as the word commends they are either ordinary or extraordinary extraordinary were such as were peculiar to certaine times places and Churches such as was the election of Matthias by lot Act. 1. and these ended where they began and are not to bee propounded as patternes for imitation Ordinary are such as were commonly practised as gathering for the Saintes whereof the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 16.1 That as hee had ordained in the Churches of Galatia so he ordained amongst them also c. and these are to be obserued by all where there are like occasions Secondly the warrant from an inferior or lower degree as being deriued from the principall these are yonger in yeares as not being in the Apostles times but in some neere Ages after and meaner in authoritie as being ratified by men not so infallibly guided by the Spirit as the Apostles were And these also are either Precepts or examples First precepts and they are commonly called Traditions or Constitutions I meane not Traditions in matters of faith for they are very dangerous but in matters of outward church gouernment and these may more safely bee dealt withall Secondly examples or practice of the Church and each of these are either generally ratified by all or the most Churches or else but by some one or few Churches and each of these the most antient and purest or latter and more corrupt Now whatsoeuer is done in Church-Gouernment must haue ground from one or both these warrants If it be possible it must haue warrant from the first that is the principall warrant Therefore when any thing is to be done in this case look specially into the principall warrant which is the Word if so there be any particular precept for it then that must bee done as the Lords Commandement without any further communicating with flesh and blood as the Apostle saith when hee speaketh of matters of Church-Gouernment 1 Cor. 14.37 But if the Precepts be generall as that all thing must be done in order c. make vse of them for such particulars onely as naturally proceed from thence being informed by sound consequence in reason and Religion If we haue no precept in Scripture then wee must looke to examples and those that are ordinary which though they are not of that authority that precepts are of because those are absolutely to be imbraced yet they are much to bee regarded and these wee are to fashion our selues vnto alwaies obseruing a due proportion of times places persons occasions and such other necessary circumstances for to apply that to one Church in one state and at one time which was in another Church in another State and at another time were absurd Well then if we be destitute of this principall warrant that we haue neither precept nor example in Gods Word then wee must goe to the inferior warrants we must see what Precepts and examples are to be found in Writers that haue spoken of Church-Gouernment since the Apostles times and of these wee must see whether they were of the most antient and purest Churches or of the latter and more corrupt if we haue no president by constitution or practice but in the later and corrupt times I see not but that the Churches now being may as well deuise particulars of their owne as follow theirs yea and better so long as they measure their particulars fitly and wisely by those in the Word But if wee haue any president in all or the most antient and purest Churches for the most part it is safe enough to build on them so as they bee not mis-applyed nor mistaken I speake still of matters of Church-gouernment not of faith But if there be many constitutions and examples in those Churches and some diffring from other take the best that is that which is neerest to the word and hath best presidents of purest Churches or of such as that their condition state may best agree with ours This point of inferior warrant some haue gone too farre in esteeming too highly of it some haue come too short esteeming too basely of it First some esteeme too highly of these impiously equalling them with the Word whereas there are two maine differences First because those in the Word are certainely true wee know it was done by Christ or his Apostles Secondly as wee know they were done by them so wee know that they were done by them as they were infallibly guided by God himselfe so that they could not erre But for the matter of inferior warrant first haply there was no such thing done at least in those times and by those Persons for Histories make mention of things not true or secondly yet they might erre for they were not infallibly guided by Gods Spirit Others come too short esteeming too basely of them as if they were nothing worth they esteeme
by vs are a priuiledge to vs Consider what is or might be against vs wee are freed from it and looke what is or may be for vs that we haue liberty in for the first what is or might be against vs that we haue freedome frō for the Son hath made vs free Iohn 8.36 First Gods Iustice was agianst vs to hurt vs and to condemne vs for our sins wee are sinners and God is Iust and hates sin and how can we stand before him But that we haue this priuiledge by Christ that hee hath fully satisfied for all our sinnes and so wee are freed from this danger so that now to vs in Christ God is a mercifull Father not a Iust Iudge yea Christ hauing satisfied the Iustice of God to the full for vs we may reuerently challenge the Lord in the Name of Christ that he cannot punish vs hauing punished one for vs and so Christs merits being all-sufficient haue purchased all good things for vs so that now Iustice is for vs to giue vs that which is due to Christ not against vs to giue vs our owne deseruings Secondly the Law is against vs and like Saul breathes out threatnings against the Church of God saying If thou doest not this thou shalt dye but this is satisfied too Christ tooke on him the curse of the Law and so redeemed vs from it Galat. 3.13 Next to the Law comes sinne that had defiled vs and exposed vs to Gods wrath and kept vs vnder as slaues and seruants that we could doe nothing but sinne here is our priuiledge euen the blood of Christ that cleanseth vs and frees vs from all our sins so that the filth doth not appeare in vs the guilt is not imputed to vs and the dominion is ended so that it doth not raigne in vs Rom. 6. After sinne comes death for the reward of sinne is death and death had seized on vs for her owne wee Death destroyes him that had power of death which is the diuell and sets vs at liberty so that we may now say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.56.57 The sting of Death is sinne the strength of sinne is the Law but thanks be to God who hath giuen vs victory through Iesus Christ our Lord. Afterwards comes in hell for her share and opens her mouth to swallow vs downe quicke Hell that house of horror that should haue beene by right the house of our perpetuall habitation and aboade but Christ Iesus hee hath triumphed for vs ouer Hell and Condemnation so that now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 Lastly the diuell who is the ground of all these forces hee had fingered vs and got vs within his clutches and wrapt vs vp in chaines and fetters as his captiues and bond-slaues Christ Iesus hee comes and looseth the workes of the diuell 1 Ioh. 3.8 hee breakes these chaines and subdues Satan so that we may say with the Prophet Psalme 124.7 the snare is broken and wee are deliuered These are great and rare priuileges I would haue you wisely to consider of them For who so is wise will ponder on these things that they may vnderstand the louing kindnesse of the Lord wee should labour to know these things and to make vse of them and to stand fast in this liberty and not to be intangled againe in the yoake of bondage In the second place consider what was or could be for vs and all that wee haue freedome into we haue bold accesse vnto the Throne of Grace and an entrance vnto God the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5.2 Ephes 2.18 wee may goe boldly and safely to God and tell him our wants and begge supply we may talke familiarly with him as a man doth with his neighbour as Iob speakes wee may come vnto God and say Thou art my Father and my maker despise not the worke of thy hands so we may goe to our Lord Iesus Christ and say with Thomas My Lord and my God hee by sight wee by faith so likewise we may goe to the holy Spirit and say thou art my Sanctifier and Comforter and I am thy Temple suffer not Satan to defile mee with sinne So likewise we may haue free accesse to the Word and to the Sacraments and to all Gods promises and we may lay our hands on them and challenge them for our owne So likewise wee may also reach out our hands to all the creatures as being our peculiar right and lastly when we are on our death-beds wee may with our Sauiour Christ and with Stephen sweetly and comfortably commend our spirits into the hands of God and say Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth this is an excellent priuiledge that at the houre of death when wee are assaulted with many sore temptations wee may throw them all from vs and safely commend our soules into Gods hand and if there were no other priuiledge but this it were enough to make vs desire to be of the Church The eighth Priuiledge is the power that is conferred vpon vs to admit or reiect to binde or loose c. but this is to be spoken by it selfe in the eighth generall head following The last sort of Priuiledges are in matters of future Certainties I say matters of future Certainties not of possibilities that is too weake a word in this sense possibilities are for men as that the sonne shall haue this and this after his fathers decease and yet the sonne may be disappointed many wayes but with God future possibilities are vndoubted Certainties they are as surely ours as if we had them already Now these are first perfection of all grace now we haue them but in part 1 Cor. 13.9.12 but hereafter wee shall haue them in perfection The second thing is the resurrection of the body but that you will say is common to the wicked too It is true they shall rise too but they shall not be able to stand in iudgement Psalme 1.5 they shall rise to condemnation as our Sauiour saith Ioh. 5.29 It were better for them to lye still the graue is better then hell so that it is no Priuiledge to them to rise Thirdly wee shall stand dreadlesse and fearelesse before the Iugdement Seat of God alas now wee are afraid of euery qualme how shall wee stand dreadlesse then I answer Then wee shall know God to be our Father in Christ wee shall know that our peace is made beforehand wee shall haue the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ to couer vs and then there shall be no sinne in vs this is it that will make vs stand dreadlesse whereas the wicked for want of this shall tremble and quake and call to the mountaines to fall vpon them and to the hills to couer them Lastly we shall haue euerlasting glory life and happinesse in heauen inioying the fellowship of God and Christ and the holy Spirit and the blessed
in the like case but if men were neuer before baptized then though they bee of yeares of discretion yet they are to receiue Baptisme But whether hath the Church power to compell men to be members No surely faith cannot be forced vpon any yet if the Magistrate be Christian he by his authority may and must compell men to come to the outward meanes else wee deny him the priuiledge of his authority and of our subiection So did Iosiah cause all that were found in Ierusalem and Beniamin to stand to the couenant 2 Chron. 34.32 As they haue power to admit into the Church so they haue power to repell and keepe out and this wee finde to be plaine Acts 8.36.37 See heere is water saith the Eunuch what doth let mee to be baptised Philip said vnto him if thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou may'st c. as who should say where faith is wanting it is a sufficient let to keepe from baptisme and so from being admitted into the Church But what shall children doe then I answer they if they be the seed of the faithfull are pre-supposed to be within the couenant and so they are to be reputed as Gen. 17.7 God saith to Abraham I will establish my Couenant betweene mee and ther and thy seede after thee and Acts 3.29 The promise is made to you and to your children saith the Apostle and so in the 1 Cor. 7.14 The vnbeleeuing wife is sanctified by the beleeuing husband c. else were your children vncleane but now are they holy and therefore where children are tendred by faithfull parents to the Church they must admit them so far as they haue power and that is to baptisme Marke 10.13.14 as it was with circumcision in the time of the Law the children of the faithfull all that were males were circumcised so it is in Baptisme which succeedes in the roome of that all the children of beleeuing parents are to be made partakers of it So you see the Church hath power ouer persons that are not come in and that either to admit or repell them Secondly they haue power ouer persons as they are come in already and that either to keepe them in or to cast them out to keepe them in as in Reu. 3.11 Our Sauiour saith to the Angell of the Church of Philadelphia Hold fast that thou hast that no man take thy Crowne from thee and what was the Angels Crowne but the faithfull in that Church So the Apostle Paul calls the Thesalonians his Crowne and how must hee hold them fast and keepe them in By confirming exhorting reprouing comforting and instructing them bearing with their weaknesse admitting them to the Lords Table and vpon their repentance loosing them from their sinnes So the Church hath power to cast out for their obstinacy in sinne and so to binde them in the chaines of euerlasting damnation that the Church hath this power it is plaine for the Word of God is powerfull each way It is the sauour of life vnto life vnto some to other It is the sauour of death vnto death so the Censures of the Church are wonderfull powerfull Iohn 20.23 whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted and whose sinnes soeuer yee retaine they are retained saith our Sauiour to his Disciples And so we see how the Church did cast out the Incestuous man in 1 Cor. 5.4 5. and how they receiued him in againe in the 2 Cor. 2.7 8. The next point is the power that the Church hath ouer members as officers and herein the Church hath power to choose or refuse to place or displace to choose and place Acts 6.5 and the saying pleased the multitude and they choose Stephen c. to refuse and displace as in Acts 8.21 Peter refused Simon Magus when he would haue bought gifts of the holy Ghost for money and in the 1 Tim. 5.11 refuse younger widdowes c. and in the 1 Kings 2.27 to the 35. we may read how Salomon displaced and cast out Abiather from the Priests office But of this I haue spoken sufficiently before the matter of Church gouernment and therefore as I promised I will referre you thither Now in the second place the Church hath power ouer things and these things are of diuers kindes some are matters of substance some of circumstance the Churches power in matters of stubstance is eyther touching the Scripture it sefe or in things besides the Scripture as touching the Scripture and that is eyther touching the credit and authority of Scripture or the sense of it first of the credit and authority of Scripture which is called into question and much disparaged not onely by those that are without but euen of those that professe themselues to be within and to be members of the Church which should most lighly esteeme it some of of her champions as they pretend challenge at least an equall yea indeed a superiour authority to the Church aboue the Scripture and therefore the point to be discused here is whether the authority of the Church be greater then the authority of the Scripture It is not denyed but that the Church hath some authority concerning Scripture as wee shall heare afterward but that it hath authority equall with or aboue Scripture is not to be granted I will draw this point into an obseruation Doctr. which shall be this That howsoeuer the Church of God is endued with great power and authority from aboue yet the authority of the Church is not greater then the authority of the Scripture no it is not equall with it but the authority of the Scripture is greater and higher then the authority of the Church here are two parts of this obseruation First that the authority of the Church is not greater then of the Scripture secondly that the authority of Scripture is greater then of the Church the same places that proue one proue both Ioh. 4.39 The woman of Samariah hauing had conference with our Sauiour and beleeuing him to be the Messiah she went and told it in the Citty and it is said in the 39. verse that many of the Samaritans beleeued in Christ for the saying of the woman but it is said in the 41. verse that many moe beleeued because of Christs owne words The voyce of the woman what is it but the voyce of the Church shee beleeuing in Christ her selfe propounds him vnto others which is the Office of the Church in this case well the people beleeued for her saying but doe they rest vpon that as the chiefest authority of their faith No for verse 41. many moe beleeued for his owne word and verse 42. they that did beleeue for the saying of the woman acknowledge a greater and surer cause of their faith disclayming the former as insufficient now say they wee beleeue not for thy saying for wee haue heard him our selues and know that this indeede is that Christ the Sauiour of the world and is not Christs voyce to
be beleeued besides the Word Gal. 1.8 Reas 6 Lastly the practice of the faithful is answerable to this both of teachers and learners the Teachers they haue referred the people still for certaine proofe of the truth to the Scriptures Esa 8.20 to the law and to the testimony if they speake not according to this Word it is because they haue not light in them Acts 10.43 to him giue all the Prophets witnesse saith Peter to Cornelius referring the truth hee taught to be tryed by the Scripture and so this hath beene the practice of the learners Acts 17.11 12. The men of Berea seached the Scriptures to try whether the things were so as Paul had taught them and yet Paul was a principall member of the Church and in his Doctrine hee was specially guided by the Spirit more then euer any Church was since and the Bereans are commended for this and not accounted curious So that the Teachers and the Learners haue still referred themselues for the tryall of the truth to the Scriptures and not to the Church and therefore the authority of the Scripture is greater then the authority of the Church Yea Obiect but you will say so the Scriptures are vsually referred to the censure of other Scripture and yet that is no proofe that therefore one Scripture is of greater authority then another how then doth this proue that the Scripture is of greater authority then the Church I answer Answ yes It proues the first ponit of the obseruation plainely that is that the Church is not aboue the Scripture which is the maine controuersie Nay if it be well considered it proues the second point of the obseruation that the authority of the Scripture is greater then that of the Church I say it proues it as sufficiently though not at the first sight so plainely for still in euery kinde there must be one highest which all the rest must settle vpon else there will be no stay at all but we shall runne on infinitely and without end now the Scripture or the Church is the highest thing in this kinde whereon we are to rest for they cnanot be equall then the Scriptures must needs be highest and if they be referred to any at all it must be to themselues for there is none greater nor higher as in the matter of an oath Heb. 6.13 to 16. men sweare by him that is greater then them selues But God sweares by himselfe because there is none greater to sweare by So likewise the Church is referred to the Scripture for trial because the Scripture is higher then the Church but Scripture is referred to Scripture because there is none higher to be referred to nor there cannot be two highests in one kinde for that is against nature and reason too and therefore when the sayings of the Church are referred to the approbation of Scripture it is the referring of them to an higher and so the authority of the Scripture is greater then the authority of the Church The vses are these The first is matter of refutation Vse 1 against the Papists that vsually disparage the holy Scriptures and set them downe too low and doat on the Church aduancing it too high their reach therein is not so much the loue they beare to the Church it selfe but that thereby they might exalt themselues and their owne Church and that their faith might be reputed the onely true sauing faith because their Church teacheth it So that God and his Word must goe downe that they might be lifted vp but if it be true that the Church were aboue the Scriptures yet except they can proue their Church to be the only true Church of God which they are neuer able to doe it helps not their cause It is strange to see and heare what monstrous and blasphemous speaches and positions many of them haue deliuered to this purpose as that the Scripture is of no more authority without the approbation of the Church then Esops Fables Oh horrible blasphemie there are some others of a better kinde that are more modest that say that the Scriptures are to be fitted to the times and the sense thereof is to be altred as the times alter others there are that say that the Churches are not bound to take the Scriptures as true without the allegation of the Church and that the Church hath authority to reiect or allow Scripture and that yee may know that by the Church they meane their Romish church and by that the Pope hearken how blasphemously they ascribe vnto him all power in heauen and in earth that hee may dispence against the Apostles and their Canons and against all the commandements of God in the old and new Testament c. Here the world may see that the church of Rome is that whore of Babilon an impudent and shamelesse strumpet that sets such a brasen face and belches out such whorish filthy blasphemies against God and his Word the very naming of these positions is refutation enough for them in any Christians iudgements To come to their best positions in this controuersie Position 1 First the Church say they is supreme Iudge in all controuersies of Religion but yee see by this obseruation that it is not so God is higher and the Scripture is higher the Spirit indeede is the Iudge and the highest Iudge speaking openly and plainely in in the Word and secretly in the minde and heart of euery beleeuer 1. Ioh. 2 20 27. you haue anoyntment from that holy one and know all things And againe the same anoynting teacheth you of all things Obiect yea but say they are not men sent to the Priests to enquire at their mouhes Mal. 2.7 and is not the Priest the highest Iudge then Answ I answer What are wee to goe to the Priests for for the Law not for their owne Iudgement whereto if they speake wee are to receiue it yet not because it is their saying but Gods Law but happly they can deliuer no other but Gods Law that is flatly contradicted verse 8. where the Prophet saith that they are gone out of the way and haue caused many to fall by the Law yea but say they the high Priest was the Iudge as wee may see Deut. 17.8 12. But hee was to iudge according to the Law as we may see in Vers 11. so that except they will arrogate more to themselues then the messengers of the Lord of hoasts did vnder the law they cannot be Iudge nor Iudges of the Scripture The second position of theirs is this Position 2 That whatsoeuer the Church saith we must take it as a Law and obey it It is true that whatsoeuer the Church saith according the Law and Word of God we must obey it not otherwise The Scribes and Pharises were to bee obeyed as they sate in Moses chaire that is as they taught his Doctrine Matth. 23 2 3. but if they transgresse and bring in the precepts of men and their owne traditions
and this Rule holds as well for the Church now as then there being the same necessity there must also be the same power So the point is plaine that euery particular visible Church hath power from God to ordaine certaine outward Rites c. The reasons to proue this point are these First some Reas 1 Ceremonies are necessary in euery Church no Religion can possibly be carried without some outward Rites and Ceremonies Now who shall ordaine these but themselues as best knowing their owne State As in a priuate family who shall ordaine orders for it but those of the Family Secondly no Rights are vniuersall to hold euery Reas 2 where in all Churches no that is impossible because diuers Churches are of diuers states and therefore euery Church must haue power to ordaine Ceremonies for themselues Thirdly no Ceremonies are perpetuall in one and the Reas 3 same Church euery Church in time differing from it selfe by the change of occasions and states and then the Ceremonies which they had before are not fit for them now and therefore still they must haue power to ordaine as their state shall require Lastly if a particular Church hath not power to ordaine Reas 4 certaine Rites the Church vnder the Gospell is inferior to that vnder the Law For that was prouided for in this kinde by the Lord himselfe and that in particular But the Church now is not so prouided for of him If any say it is let them shew where therefore it must needes be that hee giues the Church now power to prouide for themselues in this kinde The vses are these First this teacheth the Church to Vse 1 take the benefit of this authority that God hath giuen them but you will say the Church is ready enough to take their liberty herein and therefore they had need to be bounded and bridled that they goe not too farre eyther for multitude vnprofitablenesse superstiton or the like The limits and bounds therefore that euery Church is to containe themselues within in ordaining Ceremonies are these First they must doe nothing that is opposite to Gods Word Secondly they must haue no opinion of Gods worship placed in them as the Surplice and the Crosse if the Church so inioyne them it makes them vnlawfull If they haue beene abused so heretofore by the Papists that is not their sinne now take away the abuse and the things may still be imposed and put in practice Thirdly wee must haue an eye to doe all to Gods glory 1 Cor. 10.31 Fourthly they must be done without scandall or offence as much as possibly may be the Church must be wary heerein for though all things be lawfull yet all thing are not expedient 1 Cor. 10. 23 32. Fifthly all things must be done to edification 1 Cor. 14 26. Lastly all things must be done decently and in order 1 Cor. 14.40 as in Exod. 28.40 Aarons sonnes must haue Coats and Girdles and Bonnets made them for glory and beauty which being the end that the Lord in the Legall Ceremonies did ayme at it must needs be our end also in the like cases and thus the Church may safely ordaine Ceremonies The last vse is to teach vs that if we liue in a Church where such things are ordained that are not simply vnlawfull we must take heed that we resist not this power or the things thereby ordained Bridle thy selfe from dislike specially from refusall yet yeeld with some perswasion of conscience take such a course whereby thou mai'st obey the Magistrate and the Church and yet not offend the weake heerein is wisedome yet rather obey the Magistrate though with offence for heere disobedience is the greater sinne and so takes away the sinne of offending the weake and indeede in this case I giue none offence because my hands are bound and I haue no liberty to doe otherwise but what if a man be not perswaded of these things What is then to be done must hee separate from the Church No first they must labour to be better informed secondly they must resolue to beare with a great deale rather then to make a rent in the Church thirdly suffer thy selfe to be ouerborne in things indifferent by the authority of the Church till thou be'st able to proue it simply vnlawfull or to shew that there is greater scandall in the vse of it then in disobeying the voyce of the Church and of the Christian Magistrate I know that it is sinne to disobey the Christian Magistrate except I know that God commands the contrary Now in these indifferent things I doe but feare I doe not know that God commands the contrary to that which my conscience is doubtfull of now shall I runne into a knowne sinne because I would auoyde a sinne onely feared So much shall serue for this point And so wee haue finished the eyghth point concerning the power and authority of the Church The sixe and twentieth LECTVRE of the CHVRCH YOu may remember that 9. points were propounded to be spoken to concerning the Church whereof we haue already handled 8. of them And now wee are to speake of the ninth and that is the application of all that which hath been spoken to all visible Churches in Christendome that I knnow of those Congreagtions that professe not Christianity we meddle not with The Pagans that professe heathenish Religion no Christian the Iewes that professe the Law and not the Gospell the Turks that professe that abominable Idoll Mahomet and not the Sonne of God Iesus Christ these wee haue here nothing to doe with they are vtterly excluded from the outward name of a Church as being assemblies quite of another kinde they haue no Christ not somuch as in outward profession and therefore are no Church at all It is the Christian assemblies that is those that professe the faith of Christ crucified that wee are heere to speake of you shall vnderstand that the Doctrine concerning the Church whereof I haue spoken hath been so plainely and fully deliuered that if it be rightly vnderstood it will easily apply it selfe to all Christian Churches in the censure of those that are Religious Iudicious but yet because diuers Christian Churches are of diuers conditions differing one from another as well in time as in place and because the chiefe reach of this whole discourse both in teacher hearer is this to see how we may iustifie our standing in the present state of this Church of England therefore for your better direction both to helpe your iudgement concerning other Churches and to settle your resolution touching the goodnesse and soundnesse of this Church that we liue in I will endeauour God willing to make application of that which hath beene spoken as to all Churches in generall so more particularly to this Church of ours The generall diuision of all Churches that eyther are or haue beene since our Sauiours time is two-fold First according to their situation and so some are Easterne and the
them It is a foolish doctrine of the Papists That ignorance is the mother of deuotion it must needs be a blind and gracelesse deuotion in thâ—t minde where knowledge hath not first inlightned the vnderstanding Let vs now come to the fourth and last ballance and therin try our religion and theirs in these seuen instances and that is the ballance of comfort of conscience that is the true Religion that bringeth soundest comfort of conscience for that is the right Gospell that brings glad tydings of peace to the afflicted soule and agrees directly with Christs spirituall office Esay 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me therefore hath the Lord anointed me he hath sent me to preach good tydings to the poore to binde vp the broken hearted c and Matth. 11.28 But the Religion of our Church brings sound comfort to the conscience and the Popish Religion doth not so but rather purposely afflicts mens consciences then comfort them terrifying them with a slauish feare nourishing the Spirit of bondage and bringing men backe as it were to the Law againe Therefore our Religion is the true Religion theirs is the false See this in the first instance waighed in this Ballance The sufficiency of the Scripture sets the conscience at rest as hauing all that is needfull to be beleeued or done set plainely before vs in Gods Booke so that we need not wander after vncertainties and doubtings but we may know what wee must trust vnto And the absolute command of Scripture conuinces the conscience that it is well done and both together assures the conscience of him that endeauours truely to frame himselfe thereunto that he is in the right way to heauen and in the certaine state of grace and Saluation Secondly if all be of Gods free grace and not of mans free will then wee are singularly comforted in that all our thoughts desires and workes are not our owne for then they would be loathsome to God who can bring a cleane thing out of an vncleane But they are Gods owne doings and they are the actions of his owne Spirit and therefore cannot but be acceptable vnto him Thirdly if Iustification be by faith alone without mans merits then we haue peace with God Rom. 5.1 And then wee haue assurance of Saluation being grounded not on the sands of our owne merits but on the immouable rocke Christ Iesus and his righteousnes and the fauour of God and the free promise of mercy in him Fourthly if Christ be our onely Aduocat we haue assurance to bee heard Iohn 16.23 and 1 Iohn 5.14 15. and Rom. 5.1 2. for what can the Lord deny his owne Son or us for his sake whereas if we haue other aduocats we know not whether they heare vs yea of many we know not whether they be Saints or no or if they doe heare vs yet wee know not whether they will or can helpe vs yea we hauing no sound warrant to pray to Saints we know not whether the Lord will bee angry with vs for such an vnwarrantable course so fare the worse for sodoing amongst men Fifthly if we worship God in Spirit and truth and not in Images then we haue assurance that we worship the true God and that after the true and right manner And this is the specificall difference of Gods Religion from all other Religions whatsoeuer whereas if we worship in or by an Image wee doe still suspect whether wee doe well or no for euen nature it selfe if it be well marked abhors that God should be reputed a materiall substance and therefore how can God be pleased that he should be so resembled Sixthly if we celebrate the memoriall of the Lords death in our Communion then the benefit of Christs death is effectually settled to the beleeuing soule by the presence of the Spirit and the comfort and strength of the bread and the sweetenesse and comfort of the wine in our stomacke workes an answerable correspondency by the thing signified to the soule and puts vs in possession of it Lastly if we haue the meanes of Saluation plainely deliuered vnto vs that we may see into them with our owne eyes and not darkely as they are amongst the Papists then we know what we worship Iohn 4. Wee walke in the light whereas they poore soules goe on in the darke not knowing whither they goe So wee see in all these foure ballances that their Religion is too light and ours is downe weight And so we see that they are iustly reprooued for censuring our Church to be a false Church because wee haue a false Religion whereas theirs is the false and ours is the true Religion Secondly It is for reproofe of the Separatists They are very clamorous and bitter against vs But I purpose God willing briefly to answer the sum of all their exceptions and to let all their bitter clamours alone Their first Exception is against the constitution of our Church they say it hath a false constitution and therefore is a false Church But this is a false Consequence and can neuer be prooued there be many froggs and mice and other Creatures generated of putrefaction and yet are true froggs though they be not produced by naturall generation And hee that out of the very stones can raise vp children vnto Abraham is able to gather a Church otherwise then by that which they call a true constitution so that the consequence is false and the Antecedent is false too For our Constitution through Gods mercy is true and sound Constitution signifies sometime the state which a thing is framed vnto as the naturall constitution of the Body that is the state condition or dispensation which by the rule of nature it is endued with sometimes it signifies the Act whereby it is to be framed as the naturall constitution of the body that is the Act of Nature whereby it is constituted Each of these are in the Church as being a Body in a borowed sense And the constitution of ours is true in the first sense we haue the Word Sacraments ministry and Gouernment and people professing the true Religion and obedience thereunto And therefore what need we to inquire into the Act whereby wee were so constituted as thereby to disproue the Truth of our Church As for example when I come into a strange place that hath the name of a City and there I see people corporations Ciuill assemblies lawes and orders and a generall profession of obedience thereunto Shall not I hold that a true City though I know not how it was founded and gathered But if it be necessary to be inquired into in the second sense the Constitution of our Church is true and good in that sense also men are truly called and gathered amongst vs by the ministry of the Word but say they they were not so gathered at the first I Answer first if they were not it is no preiudice to vs we are so now