Apostle speakes of that Church wherein was the vse of the Word and of the Sacrament of Baptisme as we may see in the 26. verse which are onely in vse in the visible Church And in Colos 1.18 there is Christ the head of his Church and there is the Church the body of Christ Now the Apostle speakes of that Church whereof hee was a Minister as we may see vers 25. which is a visible Church And that it may appeare that these Collections are not strained against the meaning of the holy Ghost you shall find that the Apostle in the 1 Cor. 12.27 speaking to the visible particular Church of Corinth saith plainely Yee are the body of Christ and so intends necessarily that Christ is the head of that particular visible Church And as it was with the Church of Corinth so it is too with all true visible Churches else Reuel 1.13 there the head and the body is described together there was the seuen golden Candlesticks the seuen particular visible Churches and there was also the Son of Man walking in the midst of them that is Christ the head of them And no question but the Iewish Church in the former Testament was Christs Spouse and so Christ was her Husband and consequently her Head for how often did God threaten to cast them off and to giue them a Bill of Diuorce shewing thereby that hee was the Head euen of their visible Church then much more of our particular visible Churches so that Christ proportionably is the Head of a true visible Church The Reasons of the Obseruation are these first Christ Reas 1 liuing vpon the earth was of the visible Church but not as an inferiour or a member for then some other visible member must be his head which is impossible therefore while he liued vpon earth he was the head of the visible Church Now what he was he is he was so then and therefore he is so now Secondly all power is giuen to Christ both in heauen Reas 2 and earth Matth. 28.18 and he is the head of all principalities and powers Colos 2.10 And in what respect is he the head of all but that he might be the head of the Church as the very reason is implyed Ephes 1.22 And hath made all things subiect vnder his feet and hath appointed him ouer all things Why to be the head of his Church And this is that we meane in that Article of our Faith when wee say I beleeue that Iesus Christ sits at the right hand of God that is that hee hath power giuen him to rule ouer all things specially ouer his Church to rule and gouerne it and to conuey all good things to it as the head to the body Reas 3 Thirdly he giues life to the members and holds all the body together Col. 2.19 and Ephes 4.15 16. therefore he is the head of the body Reas 4 Fourthly the Church is guided by the Lawes of Christ both for doctrine and manners therefore he must needs be the head of the Church Reas 5 Fifthly he is the Sauiour of the Church Ephes 5.23 and therfore he is the head of his Church for it is the office of the head to defend and to see to the safety of the whole body Reas 6 Sixthly he is the onely vanquisher of all the Churches Enemies and he doth so vanquish them as that he himselfe is freed from Satans and all other enemies harmes Ioh. 14.30 The Prince of this World commeth and hath naught in me yea he breakes the Serpents head Gen. 3.15 And in the Reuelation there is Michael and his Angels fighting with the Dragon and his Angels and they ouercome them Now Christ is this Michael that ouercommeth the Diuell and all the enemies of his Church therefore he is the head of his Church Reas 7 Seuenthly he giues the Spirit to his Church therefore he must needes be the head of his Church and hee giues the Spirit not onely in regard of ministeriall duties as Iohn 20.22 where he breathed on the Apostles and said Receiue the holy Ghost but also in regard of sanctification and inward graces as Act. 2.4 this he doth for euer Eph. 4.11 12. Now it is the head that conueyes Spirit and motion to the body Therfore seeing euery visible Church receiues the Spirit from Christ then he must needs be the head of them Reas 8 Eighthly and lastly hee is the King the Husband the Shepheard the eldest Brother or first borne of the Church therfore the head of the Church So much for the Reasons Vse 1 The vses are these The first Vse is matter of Refutation against the Popish Church for this is a maine point of difference betwixt vs and the Church of Rome Wee say and haue proued it that Christ is the head of the visible Church they say the Pope is the head of it and as they meane it it is worse than it seemes to be for therein they affirme a double blasphemy against God and giue two maine blowes to Iesus Christ to cut him off from being head to his Church at least they take his Crowne from his head And this they doe first in regard of the Body the Church secondly in regard of the Head Christ First in regard of the Church for they say the Pope is the head not of the Church of Rome onely for that were tolerable if hee would content and containe himselfe within his owne Diocesse neither would we much contend with him about his Bishopricke But he lookes high and gapes wide and saith like his lying father the Diuell All is mine that he is the head of the vniversall Church through the world A proud challenge easie to be made but impossible that it should bee maintained You see that it is proued to be Christs due only by right to be head of the visible Church if then the Pope wil be head either he must take it from Christ against his will and so he is plaine Antichrist as indeed and in truth he is or else he must haue it by Christs grant and this he pretends to be his Title But first he hath it not by Christs grant for Christ neuer gaue him any such matter for many hundred yeares after Christs ascension this headship of the Popes was neuer heard of Yea but say they he gaue it to Peter and so to the Pope I answer No Christ gaue it not to Peter nor yet euer meant to giue it him much lesse to the Pope First hee gaue it not to Peter for the places which they alleage to proue this point serue nothing to this purpose as Matth. 16.19 Whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth is bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shal be loosed in heauen This is spoken equally to all the rest of the Apostles as well as vnto Peter Ioh. 20.23 Whosoeuer sinnes ye remit they are remitted c. Where now is the headship of Peter ouer the whole
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
shall be made as white as snow Secondly here is comfort against their wants and defects and infirmities thou canst not pray nor performe any other good duty as thou oughtest yea but thou art a member of that blessed and glorious Church whereof Christ Iesus is the Head and therefore all thy wants and infirmities are couered and supplied by the perfection of Christ Thirdly here is comfort against temptation and against the Diuell and all his power for thou art a member of the true Church which is like to Mount Sion that cannot be remoued but shall stand fast for euer and euer the Gates of Hell nor all the power of the Diuell shall euer preuaile against thee the Lord for his owne glory which he hath set vpon vs will neuer see vs ouerthrowne Lastly here is comfort for vs against all the reproches of men that howsoeuer wee be as the off-scowring of the world in their vniust censures yet in Gods sight who iudgeth according to the truth wee are beautifull and glorious And therefore let this suffice to giue vs content against all the scoffes and nick-names in the world If wee bee so blessed and beautifull in Gods eyes what neede wee care though wee bee contemned in the world The fifth Vse is matter of terrour to the world that persecute Vse 5 and oppose themselues against Gods Church they know not who it is they make their force against it is euen against God and therefore they shall neuer preuaile and against the people of God the most glorious and blessed company that are And therefore first they may bee dismaied for they rush against a Rocke and kicke against the prick Act. 9. they shall neuer haue good successe yea secondly they shall be punished with the fierce and full vengeance and wrath of God because they resist the Lord and oppose his glorious and annointed Ones Vse 6 The sixth and last Vse is to reproue the peruerse opinion of the world that are blind and can see no grace nor beauty in the Church like vnto the wicked Iewes that would not see any forme or beauty in Christ Isai 53. they looke onely on the outward man and indeed there is nothing to bee seene but deformity and misery but if they could looke within there is perfect glory Yea but say they this is but your words wee can see no such glory in the Church but we can see a great deale of sinne and misery among you why doe you then face it out thus I answer we must vnderstand it with these limitations First it cannot bee discerned but with a spirituall eye and therefore the world cannot see it because they want this eye to discerne it withall Secondly it is vnderstood of the Church as they are considered in their Head Christ and not as they are considered by themselues If they consider the Church thus they shall perceiue perfect glory Christ himselfe being perfectly glorious and he couers and supplies our wants and deformities and presents vs as glorious to God his Father Thirdly it is so rather in our desires and Gods account then in actuall possession Fourthly we haue not thâ—s glory and blessednesse here but onely in the beginnings of it we haue some grace and some beauty and some glory here but it is to be perfected in heauen when there shall be a new Ierusalem Reuel 21.2 and then Christ shall present vs a glorious Body vnto God his Father without spot or wrinckle Ephes 5.27 which because some haue attained to already and the rest shall surely obtaine hereafter and haue some beginnings of it here already it may therefore bee iustly said in respect of some of her parts now and of all hereafter Thou art all faire my Loue and there is no spot in thee Thus you see how beautifull the Church is and blessed and glorious though the world be blind and can see no such thing in her And so much concerning the second generall Point propounded to be handled in the Doctrine of the Church The third Lecture of the Church THe third generall Point propounded to bee handled in the Doctrine of the Church is the Nature of the Church for so the order of teaching requires that when once wee doe know the name of a thing what it is called and the titles that it is graced withall then it followes that wee should search out the nature of the thing that is thus called and thus intituled For the names and titles of things may and are oft-times imparted to others But the nature of euery thing is proper to it selfe and cannot bee communicated to any thing else And therefore howsoeuer the name and titles set it forth vnto vs and make vs esteeme of it yet the nature will more fully expresse it and make vs the highlier to esteeme of it The name bearing diuers significations in ordinary method ought to bee diuided first and defined after But because the whole nature of the thing may bee aptly enough comprehended in one generall description and because the diuision hath a more neere dependance with that which followes making a ready steppe and passage thereunto we will first define therefore the nature of the Church and then proceede in the next place according to our order set downe to diuide it into seuerall kinds and branches The nature of the Church is thus described The Church of God in the true generall nature thereof is the whole company of Gods chosen both in heauen and earth where they are described by three things First by the efficient cause of their being of the Church Gods electing or chusing them Secondly by their number the whole Company Thirdly by the places where they are in heauen in earth First by the efficient cause of their being of the Church for the principall reason why any man is a true member of the true Church is because God hath chosen him to it First to saluation and glory as the end secondly and consequently to be of the Church as the means to the end Therfore the Church ofttimes is called Gods chosen Psal 33.12 Euen the people whom he hath chosen for his inheritance And in Psal 132.13 The Lord hath chosen Sion that is his Church And Rom. 8.33 The Apostle speaking of the Church calls them by that expresse name Gods chosen And hence it is that the Faith of Gods Church is called the Faith of Gods chosen Titus 1.1 And therefore they are called The first borne whose names are written in heauen Heb. 12.23 Which what is it else but to bee written in the Booke of life That is to be Gods chosen It is true that it is much more agreeable to the name of the Church to bee defined by their Calling rather then by their Choosing as in the first Lecture because they are a Company called But yet it is more agreeable to the right nature of the Church to be defined by their choosing rather then by their Calling and that
for these Reasons first many of the Church are chosen that are not yet called as Paul an Elect vessell before his conuersion and yet not called and so all the Elect before their conuersion nay many are chosen that shall neuer be called as the Angels which belong to the Church too and are a part of it And therefore the Church in the nature of it is to be described by their choosing and not by their Calling Secondly many are Called that are not chosen so saith our Sauiour and therefore if we should describe them by their Calling we should make such to be of the nature of the true Church which are not chosen and so are no true members of Christ nor shall euer enter into the heauenly Ierusalem Thirdly those which are chosen are called too their Election and chusing is the cause of their Calling and not their Calling the cause of their chusing Rom 8.30 whom he predestinated them also hee called Therefore in these respects it is fittest and most agreeable to the nature of the Church to be described by their election rather then by their Calling And so much of the first part of the Description namely the efficient Cause of their being The second thing they are described by is their number the whole company c. Which wee musâ— vnderstand thus First that all that are of the Church are God chosen and none else and that all that are chosen are of the Church none excluded as who should say the whole company of Gods chosen all these and none but these Here may be an exception made for you will say Are the elect of the Church before they are Called Yes sure in the purpose and account of God though they bee not so in their owne account nor in the account of thâ— World though they be not as yet actually assembled to the Church yet they are in the way and first or last they shall certainely haue an effectuall Calling whereby they shall bee made actually of the Church both in faith and in their owne knowledge and account And secondly we must vnderstand that all those together make vp one Church the whole Company of God Choseâ—â—s his Church as they are considered all together as members of one body and incorporated into one societie or Company and not as they are members apart And also so â—ll togâ—â—her as that all the chosen of all times and places and kinds make vp one only Church So much of the second part the number they are described by The third thing they are described by is the places where they are in heauen and in earth And so we do first fetch in all Gods Saints whether liuing or departed whether fighting on earth or triumphing in heauen As also secondly the Angels that haue kept their habitation in heauen are all comprehended together as so many seuerall parts of the Church to make vp the whole Body So yee haue the particular heads of the Description expounded and inlarged the whole company of Gods chosen in heauen and in earth Now that the holy Angels are parts of the true Church because yee shall not thinke that it is a deuise of mine owne braine yee shall see that the Apostle vseth the same words Eph. 1.10 That in the fulnesse of time he might gather together in one all things both which are in heauen and which are in earth And Eph. 3.15 Of whom is named the whole family both in heauen and in earth And Col. 1.20 To reconcile to himself through him I say all things which are in heauen and which are in earth All which places must be vnderstood not onely of the Saints departed that rest in heauen but also with reference to the holy Angels in heauen that fell not who hauing a benefit by Christ the mediator as well as wee are therefore to be seated with vs in the society and body of the Church Doctr. Now to make this matter more plaine I will draw it into an obseruation and that is this Namely That the holy Angels that kept their first estate are parts and members of the true Church as well as we are The Scripture is plaine for this First in expresse wordes secondly by necessary consequence First by expresse words Heb. 12.22 23. But ye are come to Mount Sion c. and to the innumerable company of Angels Where the Apostle speaking of the Church takes the holy Angels as Limmes of that Body and members of that Company And Reuel 19.10 The Angell tels Iohn I am thy fellow Seruant one of thy Brethren I haue the testimony of Iesus the Spirit of Prophesie I am thy fellow Seruant as who should say A fellow of the same House and Family with vs that is the Church A Brother as hauing the same Father God and the same Mother the heauenly Ierusalem that is the Church hauing the testimony of Iesus that is communicating in the same gifts and graces of the Spirit as the Spirit of Prophesie which is peculiar to the Church onely as 1. Cor. 12. So wee see by expresse Scripture that they are members as well as wee Secondly by necessary deduction and consequence First the Angels are elect 1. Tim. 5.21 and therefore they are parts of the Church Secondly Christ is their Head Col. 2.10 yee are complete in him that is in Christ who is the head of all principalities and Powers therefore they must be parts of his Body Which is his Church Thirdly the Angels peepe and prie into the misteries of our redemption by Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 1.12 therefore except we will make them busi-bodies to prie and meddle with that which they haue not to doe in which is vtterly against their wisedome and vprightnesse they must needes be parts and members of the true Church and so much of the Proofes The Reasons are these First the Church is the most excellent Reas 1 and glorious and blessed Assembly that is as wee haue shewed before the Angels therefore that excell in strength and beautie and glorie and absolute happinesse must needs be members of it Secondly the Church is that fulnesse of Christ that filleth Reas 2 all things Eph. 1.23 If the Angels be left out where is that fulnesse Thirdly it is against the bountifulnesse of Christ and Reas 3 the worthines of his obedience that any Creature should know and embrace the Doctrine of the mediation of Christ and yet not receiue benefit thereby for themselues But the chosen Angels do know and embrace it worshipping him and doing him all the seruice they could in the dayes of his flesh whilst he was working this mediation And therefore they haue benefit thereby to themselues And so consequently they must needes bee parts and members of the Church For to them are all sauing benefits peculiar and properly belonging Fourthly the euil Angels that fell away are a part of the Reas 4 malignant Church of the Sinagogue of Sathan as our Sauiour Christ giues vs
Iustice the same nature that sinned might bee punished and make satisfaction for our sinnes These bee the differences betwixt vs and them in regard of the worke and the meanes of it But yet they also haue their part in Christ and in his mediation so farre as is agreeable to their estates and that in two respects first in the things done to vs which redound to them secondly in the things done more directly to themselues First the things done to vs that redound to them for first by this mediation done for vs their knowledge is aduanced Ephes 3.10 To the intent saith the Apostle that now vnto Principalities and Powers in heauenly places might bee knowne by the Church the manifold wisedome of God Now this is a singular benefit to them that they haue more knowledge by this meanes Secondly their ioy is increased by our conuersion for if they reioyce ouer one sinner that is saued Luk. 15.10 how much more then when a doore is opened for many sinners to come to saluation by Thirdly by this meanes their seruice and office is inlarged for if wee were not redeemed what vse were there of them either in regard as they are Messengers seeing they bring their messages onely or chiefly to the faithfull or of them as they are Ministers this being their taske chiefly if not onely to minister for their sakes which through Christ are heires of saluation Fourthly by our redemption through Christ this benefit redounds to them that their ruines are made vp their number is filled vp againe by many Men which are saued by Christ in stead of those Angels that fell away Secondly some things are done more directly to themselues by Christs mediation for first they are elected 1. Tim. 5.21 they are called Elect Angels and that no doubt in Christ in whom we were elected Ephes 1.4 for the worke beeing the same both to them and vs therefore the ground must needes bee one and the same They are chosen and who chose them but God And in whom are they chosen but in Christ for all that are chosen are chosen of God in Christ Secondly their creation is by Christ that excellent estate of theirs which they had by creation they did not deserue it no they had it bestowed vpon them respectiuely to Christ who is called The first-borne of euery Creature Colos 1.15 because euery Creature had their being by him Thirdly their preseruation is by him that they did not fall when their fellowes fell and their confirmation in the estate of Grace that they neither shall nor can fall away is because they are vpheld by Christ and by his mediation they haue assurance that they shall neuer fall else in reason these might haue fallen as well as the other the other being as excellent and hauing freewill as well as they and therefore if these had not been vpheld by Christ they had fallen too Lastly their glorification shall be fully perfected by the finishing of Christs mediation at the last day when aâ—l things shall be subdued vnto him and when he shall bee an absolute and perfect Conquerour 1. Cor. 15.24 then shall the blessed Angels triumph ouer the wicked Spirits for as the euill Angels though they be damned already yet they are not fully and perfectly tormented till after the Iudgement day for then they shall haue it in full measure they shall be then stowed vnder the hatches and as it were fettered in the Dungeon so the good Angels though they bee already glorified yet their glory is not fully perfected till the last day when our glory is perfected then shall theirs bee perfected also And so much for the first Point That Angels are parts and members of the true Church Now we come to that part of Gods Church and chosen which consists of men and is found amongst them for that doth first more neerely and properly concerne our selues secondly it tends more directly to the opening of the question propounded And because these are partly in heauen and partly on earth wee will God willing speake of both And first we wil speak of that part of the Church which is in heauen secondly of that part on earth and thirdly of both together First of those in heauen that part of Gods Church which is in heauen are the soules of the iust and perfect men that haue finished their pilgrimage and departed this life Doctr. I will draw it into an obseruation and that is this namely that heauen is the place of receipt for all Gods chosen after they haue departed this present life It is Christs promise that it shall be so Ioh. 14.2 3. He will goe and prepare a place for vs that where he is there we may be also but hee is in heauen therefore there must wee bee too that is the place of receipt for the faithfull after this life So likewise it is his prayer Ioh. 17.24 Father I will that those whom thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may behold my glory You shall see this likewise by example Whither went Helias at his departure He was carried vp into Heauen 2. King 2.11 and whither went Lazarus but into Abrahams bosome Luk. 16.22 by which is meant Heauen And whither went the Thiefe vpon the Crosse after his departure but into Paradise Luk. 23.43 And surely this is the Lure and baite which God holds forth vnto vs to prouoke and draw vs to come to him and to obey his will Matth. 5.10 12. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen Reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in Heauen And Luk. 18.22 Sell all that thou hast and distribute to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in Heauen And this is true that Heauen is the place of receipt for all the faithfull after this life not onely in respect of their soules but also in respect of their bodies too though in a diuers manner the soule neuer dying presently after it is departed out of the body as the soule of Lazarus Luk. 16.22 the body dying and turned to dust yet it shall bee raised againe at the last day by the power of the Lord Iesus Christ and so vnited to the soule and placed in Heauen Iob 19.26 Though after my skinne wormes deuoure this body yet shall I see God in my flesh And both these are verified in Christ already his soule went presently into Heauen his body after his resurrection So that Heauen is the place of receipt for all Gods chosen of their soules presently after their departure and of their bodies after the resurrection The Reasons of the Point are these First Heauen is Gods Reason 1 owne seate as the Prophet saith and place of speciall residency And in his presence is our fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand our pleasures for euermore Psal 16.11 there God hath stored vp for vs the good things which hee
hath promised vs therefore that is the place we must goe to Reason 2 Secondly Christ himselfe being our Head is thither ascended therefore the members must ascend thither too that so we may be conformable to Christ in glory hereafter as we are in sufferings here Reason 3 Thirdly the worthinesse of Christs obedience cannot be answered by any thing but by Heauen it selfe therefore Gods chosen to whom it is imputed must needs inioy Heauen Reason 4 Lastly the present miseries and afflictions that Gods children endure here can neuer be sufficiently recompenced but that Heauen it selfe must be their retribution and that counteruailes and ouer-waighes them all Vse 1 The Vses are these The first Vse is against them that dreame of Purgatory for it is a meere Popish dreame and fancy the Scripture is silent in it so is God and his true Church they know it not therfore their Church shewes her self to be a presumptuous harlot and not Christs spouse to affirme it And if men would be awakened by the voice of the word as a dreame it would vanish out of their thoughts Christ reconciled things both in heauen and earth therefore if Purgatory be not in heauen nor in earth as the Papists deny both surely the Church and soules in it haue no benefit by Christs reconcilement Let the matter of it be what it will be it fire or be it water or let the place of it be where it will either in the Aire or in some Caue or hole in the earth let there be in it what soules there will many or few pure or vnpure men women or children yet sure it is that none of Gods children shall euer come there no they are either in heauen or in earth there is no Purgatory for them God loues them more dearely then so heauen it selfe is their receptacle and mansion place after once they are departed this life So you see this is a foolish dreame of theirs and so consequently is all that is built vpon it their Prayers Dirges and such like they are built vpon a dreame and so are vaine prophane and sinfull lay once a false ground and a thousand absurdities will follow vpon it grant once that there is a Purgatory and then Masses and Dirges and many such trumperies will follow Let vs therefore know that Gods Chosen which are departed this life are in heauen and let vs account better of them then to thinke they are in any such place Vse 2 Secondly this may minister great comfort to all those that know themselues to be of the number of Gods chosen because die they sooner oâ— die they later they are sure heauen shall be their place of Receit This may comfort them against the difficultie of their labour and trauell in the course of godlinesse which they meet with here in this life here wee must mortifie our flesh deny our selues forsake all rent our hearts mourne for our sinnes lay downe our liues for Christs sake these are grieuous things yet bee of good cheere it is Heauen we labour for and that we are sure we shall obtaine and that will make vs a plentifull recompence of Reward for all that we endure here though the way be narrow and the passage streight yet Heauen is the place we go vnto and which we shall certainely attaine in the end therefore be content to passe through all such difficulties And so it is comfort to vs against all our sufferings thinke not much to be scorned and persecuted here It is for a Kingdome that we suffer and that in Heauen and what is not to be endured for such a Reward Onely be sure that thou be of the Church and then this comfort belongeth to thee Vse 3 Thirdly is Heauen the the place of Receit c. Then let vs labour to liue worthy of Heauen whilst wee are here on earth Defile not thy selfe with sinne obey not the lusts of the flesh possesse your vessels in holinesse and honour that so we may be fit to enter in there where no vncleane thing shall come be sequestred in your carriage and thoughts from this world carry your selues as strangers on this earth regard not the profits and pleasures of this life that so yee may haue a witnesse in your owne hearts that you seeke a Countrey from aboue so did the faithfull Heb. 11.13 14 15 16. They were strangers and pilgrimes here which did declare plainely that they did seeke another Countrey euen Heauen it selfe And let your hope and affections bee in Heauen whilst ye are here on earth Col. 3.1 2 3. If ye be risen with Christ saith the Apostle seeke those things which are aboue c. Let your conuersation be in Heauen Phil. 3.10 And as your treasure is in heauen so let your hearts bee there also Math. 6.20 And as for this earthly Tabernacle of our body let vs not pamper it nor please it nor delight in it nor admire it but let vs be content to lay it downe cheerefully sighing and desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from Heauen 2. Cor. 5.1 2. And surely if wee would thinke of this place whither wee are going our hearts would be in Heauen before we come thither like as a man that is gone a great iourney and is farre from his house yet still his minde and his heart is at home and still his thoughts runne vpon that because there is his Comfort there bee knowes he shall haue rest from all his Trauels and therefore thither hee postes And so we must doe Vse 4 Fourthly This teacheth vs the great bountie of God towards vs that propoundeth promiseth and performeth Heauen vnto vs for the Reward of our obedience Alas what is our poore and imperfect obedience compared to Heauen yet such is the rich mercie of God that he crownes it with Heauen When I say Heauen I meane not onely the place of Heauen though that be most glorious and blessed but also the good things that God hath treasured vp for vs in Heauen that is the ioyes of Heauen the glory of Heauen the riches of Heauen the Light of Heauen the rest and comfort and peace of Heauen the fruition of God Himselfe the fruition of Christ the fruition of all the holy Angels and Saints in Heauen there we haue the fruition of all that God in his owne wisedome could deuise to make vp our perfect blisse and intire happinesse such things as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither can it enter into the heart of man such things hath God laid vp for his chosen in Heauen to enioy without intermission and without end The fourth Lecture of the Church THe third generall Point which we propounded to bee handled before we came to the handling of the Question was concerning the nature of the Church which we defined in this wise To be the whole company of Gods Chosen in heauen and in earth We shewed that that part of Gods Church which is
in heauen contained as well Angels as men and therefore we spake of them by themselues and proued that the Angels were a part of Gods Church as well as men then we came to speake of that part of Gods Church which consists of men and in handling this Point we propounded three things to be spoken too First to speake of that part of Gods Church consisting of men which are in heauen by themselues Secondly of those which are in earth by themselues Thirdly of both those which are in heauen and which are in earth together Concerning the first we haue spoken and shewed that Heauen is the place of receipt for all Gods chosen after their departure out of this life Now we are to speake of the second namely that part of Gods Church consisting of men which are on earth and so to proceede to the third Point And first of that part of Gods Church on earth For although there be the same chosen now in heauen which sometime were on earth and the same now in earth which sometime shall be in heauen so that the Church or Chosen in heauen doe not make a seuerall Church by themselues nor those in earth a seuerall Church by themselues but both together make one and the same Church yet because there are some particular considerations incident to that in heauen which they on earth haue not yet attained to and likewise some other particular considerations incident to that on earth which they in heauen haue already passed from therefore each of them is to be handled by it selfe and therefore hauing spoken of that part of Gods Church which is in heauen before now wee are to speake of that on earth I shall not need to define this on earth because it is apparantly defined before in the generall for if that were the whole company of Gods Chosen in heauen and in earth then this must needes bee the whole company of Gods Chosen liuing on earth Doctr. All that I will speake concerning this Point shall be contriued into one obseruation and that is this namely That God alwayes hath had from the beginning and hath now and shall haue to the worlds end a company of Chosen people vpon earth belonging to him calling vpon him beleeuing in him and worshipping him in spirit and truth You see that the obseruation consists of three parts first that God euer had secondly that he hath now and thirdly that he shall haue to the worlds end a Company c. First God alwayes had In matters of fact examples are fittest and strongest proofes this being then a matter of fact already done it is best to be prooued by examples taken out of Histories of seuerall times we will begin with the first beginning God had his Church in Paradise How prooue you that Why first there was God the Preacher secondly there was our first Parents Adam and Eue the hearers and thirdly there was the Word and Commandement Gen. 2.16 17. There is the Doctrine of saluation and the strict forme and manner of worship prescribed by God which he will bee honoured by Now what is here wanting to the full being of a true Church For here is a Pastor and a People and the Word and such a Word as is fitting for their saluation Therefore in Paradise God had his Church Also out of Paradise God still had his Church for there is still the same Preacher God the same hearers Adam and Eue the Doctrine of saluation though not the same it was before yet here is that Doctrine of saluation fitting their present state and condition a Doctrine of repentance and of punishment of sinne and specially the Doctrine of the Gospell a Doctrine of Faith in Christ Genes 3.16 The Seede of the Woman shall breake the Serpents head so here God had his Church still To passe from them to Abel there was Abels sacrificing and his Faith and there was Gods presence and acceptance as we may see Gen. 4.4 compared with Heb. 11.4 Now where these are there is a true Church Afterward in the time of Seth it is said Gen. 4 25. that then men began to call vpon the Name of the Lord that is men did then begin more zealously to worship God so here God had his Church still Let vs passe from Seth to Enoch It is said of him that he walked with God beleeued in God and that he pleased God Genes 5.24 Heb. 11.5 Now where there are men walking with God beleeuing in him and pleasing him there is a true Church So in the time of Noah Abraham Isaac and Iacob and in the time of the Patriarches God had his Church still Heb. 11.6 7 c. to the end of the Chapter there the succession of the Church in the faithfull is set downe as it were of purpose to proue this Point which we haue in hand namely that God had a Church from the beginning of the world To proue this Point further we will omit to speake of the flourishing times of the Church for of them there is no question there being then not embracers onely of the heauenly truth but professors too in great number and we will instance in those times that were most obscure when there was the least likelihood of a Church and if we can prooue that God had his Church in those times then the Point will be prooued that God hath alwayes had a Church We will therefore instance in them first at the Flood when all flesh had corrupted their wayes Gen. 6.12 and that the earth was filled with cruelty Vers 13. yet in that desperate time there was found Noah a iust and vpright man in that generation Vers 9. So God had his Church then Let vs passe from these times and come to the bondage and slauery of the Children of Israel in Egypt when Gods peculiar people were in the hands of a most prophane idolatrous and cruell Nation so that they had neither liberty nor time nor meanes of Gods true worship yet as there was a light in Goshen when palpable darknesse was ouer all the Land of Egypt besides so when all the World was ouerwhelmed with grosse ignorance sinne and error yet then God had his Church amongst the Israelites there were some Midwiues fearing God Exod. 1.21 and there were some that cryed and prayed and sighed to God and were heard of him Exod. 2.23 24. So God had his Church in those times Likewise in the dayes of Elias when the Church was brought to a low ebbe the Prophet could see no more left but himself and yet he had eyes to discerne it yet he was a true worshipper of God and so God had his true Church then if there had been no more then he 1. King 19.10 But the Lord saw seuen thousand more that were true worshippers and had not bowed their knee to Baal vers 18. In this desperate time when they killed Gods Prophets and brake downe his Altars and sought the life
of Elias yet in this very time God had his Church and a flourishing one too in his eyes though men could not discerne it Afterward in that generall Apostasie when Israel and Iudah were both fallen from God yet here is a true Church still here was one out of a Citie and two out of a Tribe to worship God Ier. 3.13 14. So in the Captiuity of Babylon when the Church is quite ouerwhelmed as it were Ierusalem was so distressed Religion defaced all turned into a miserable desolation so as there was neuer the like Is there any sorrow like vnto my sorrow saith the Prophet speaking in the behalfe of the Church Lam. 1.12 yet then God had his Church there were both teachers and embracers as Ieremy Haggai Zechariah and Daniel and many others At our Sauiours comming in the flesh when the Law and the Temple Priests and people the Church and Common-wealth were vtterly corrupted and defiled yet still God had his Church there was Zachary and Elizabeth Ioseph and Marie Simeon and Anna true beleeueres and right worshippers of God Lastly in the height of the pride of Antichrist the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place for many hundred yeeres when all the Nations in the earth were made drunke with the Cup of fornications by the Whore of Babylon the Synagogue of Rome yet God had some from time to time that lothed her golden Cup some that were not defiled with her fornications but kept themselues pure Virgins and a chaste Spouse to the Lord Iesus Christ sweetly embracing his sauing truth And so much for proofe of the first part of the obseruation That God alwayes had a Church and company of chosen people c. The second part is that as God euer hath had so he now hath a Church c. I shall not neede to speake much for proofe of this point for it cannot be denied but that blessed be God there be many flourishing Churches at this day in Germany France England and Scotland many in all these places that worship God in Spirit and Truth yea vnder Popery no doubt but there are many true Christians yea euen amongst the Turkes and Iewes and Infidels I doubt not but that there are yeâ— remaining some that worship God with vs no question but there are some sparkes of fire amongst those burnt ashes some polished stones of these decayed Churches some gold amongst all that drosse some that serue the Lord amongst so many thousand seruants of sinne and slaues of Sathan we haue many instances now at this day of some that liue vnder Popery and amongst the Iewes that professe our Religion So the second part is proued that God now hath his Church and chosen people The last part and shall haue to the worlds end c. Wee cannot prooue this point by examples as we did the former because it is not yet throughly fulfilled yet wee haue as sure proofes for it as examples we haue Gods own Word for it and that which God hath spoken is as sure as if it were already done and therefore the Prophets deliuer many predictions in the Preterperfect Tense as if they were already done because of the certaintie of it I say wee haue Gods Word for proofe of this point Psal 132.13 14. For the Lord hath chosen Sion and loueth to dwell in it saying this is my Rest for euer here will I dwell c. God will dwell and rest and that for euer in his Church as himselfe is for euer so his Church is for euer So Math. 28.20 I am with you euer euen to the worlds end It is more then if hee had said I wil be with you c. It is as much as if he had said thus As sure as I am actually present with you now so I will still continue vnto the very end of the world And whereas in respect of his bodily presence it was nor so because he was to ascend into heauen yet by his Spirit hee is with vs effectually to all sauing purposes Ioh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall giue you another comforter that he may abide with you for euer vers 17. euen the Spirit of Truth c. And whereas there are many opposers of Gods Church men and Deuils and many times they haue a great hand ouer the Church yet they are still bridled and curbed and the Church still so protected and defended that the gates of Hell shall neuer preuaile against it that is vtterly to disanull it Math. 16.18 There are many other proofes for this Point but because we shall speake of them in the Reasons therefore we will passe to them The Reasons of the point that God euer had now hath and shall haue a Church to the worlds end are these Reas 1 First we haue Gods promise for it who is truth and cannot lie If that be too little we haue his Oath for it wherein it is impossible he should lie Psal 132.11 12. The Lord hath sworne in Truth to Dauid and will not shrinke from it saying of the fruit of thy Body will I set vp thy throne for euer He hath sworne it and will not shrinke from it that is hee will not recant which although it be typically spoken of Dauid and his seede yet in truth substance of it it is intended of Christ and his Church The same promise is renewed Ier. 33.17 18. where it is said that Dauid shall neuer want a man to sit vpon the Throne of the house of Israel And in the 20. and 21. verses it is said If yee can breake my Couenant of the day and my Couenant of the night then my Couenant may bee broken with Dauid my Seruant Giuing vs to vnderstand that his promise is irreuocable so long as there is day or so long as there is night on the earth so long the Lord will haue his Church on earth his Word and his Promise cannot be broken no saith our Sauiour Heauen and Earth may faile but my Word shall neuer faile therefore he hauing passed his Word for the continuance of his Church for euer it shall continue for euer in despight of all her aduersaries Secondly the sauing Truth and doctrine of saluation Reas 2 shall neuer perish from the earth therefore the Church that is the pillar of Truth shal neuer be abolished from the earth If the truth of God could faile then the Church might faile but that can neuer faile for still there shall be some witnesses of Gods Truth to feele the sauing power of it in themselues and to testifie it to others and therefore the Church shall neuer faile The third Reason is taken from Gods Fatherly Care ouer Reas 3 his Church euen for their owne sakes because he loues them and they are deare to him as the Apple of his eye and therefore they shall neuer be all destroyed except the Lord could forget his owne people his dearlings which is impossible Fourthly he doth preserue his Church
against his Annointed it is to no purpose they shall not preuaile it is all but the imagination of a vaine thing Psal 2.1 Yet I wil tell them what they shal preuaile in they shal preuaile thus farre to make the Church more in number and more zealous for God and constant in his truth contrary to their end For behold when they haue done what they can against the faithfull when they haue burnt them to ashes God will raise out of those very ashes a new seed to call vpon his Name and the blood of the Saints shed shall fatten the Church and make it more fruitfull and be a cause of the greater increase of the Faithfull It is a vaine thing therefore for them to threaten them and to say as many times they doe that they will root out these Professors It is more then they can do nay it is more then the Diuell their good Master can doe himselfe and therefore let them neuer thinke to doe it Fiftly this teacheth vs not to Iudge of the Church by Vse 5 sight or appearance It hath a being euen when it can hardly be discerned rest rhou vpon this vndoubted Truth that surely such an one there is where or how c. leaue that to God for it may be hid from our sight euen as the Corne is amongst the chaffe so that we cannot discerne it and yet it may haue a being And so much for that Point Now wee come to speake of the third Point namely of the Church of God consisting of men in heauen and in earth together I will describe it by certaine qualities and circumstances such as may present and make it plaine to euery mans view And because it is an Article of our Faith and now that we are entred into it it is needfull to speake of all that is necessary for vs to beleeue concerning this Point therefore we will fetch these qualities from that Article in the Creede that concernes the Church I beleeue the holy Catholike Church and I will reduce all the matter we are here to speake of to these sixe Heads First that the Church is one secondly that it is holy thirdly that it is Catholike Fourthly that it is ioyned to Christ Fiftly that they haue a Communion one with another and sixtly that they are knowne onely to God and themselues and all these are raised out of the Article in the Creed That it is one therefore it is said the Church not Churches and the Nicen Creed which was penned after this saith I beleeue one That it is holy and Catholike so it is said in expresse wordes that it is ioyned to Christ and that they haue a Communion among themselues both these are intended when it is said they are a Communion of Saints Lastly that they are knowne onely to God and themselues How is this gathered hence Why thus because it is said I beleeue it Now that which wee beleeue is not seene and therefore this Article must not be expounded of a visible Church as the Papists would haue it Doctr. Now first of the first note It is but one for so the Nicen Creed for plainenesse sake ads this particle one We will draw it into an obseruation and that is this namely That all the faithfull that euer were or shall be either in heauen or in earth doe make vp but one onely Church It is prooued thus The Scripture when it speakes of the true Church in the generall true nature of it speakes in the singular number Eph. 5.27 32. that he might make it a glorious Church c. This I speake concerning Christ and concerning his Church And Math. 16.18 vpon this Rocke will I build my Church It is true that the Scripture speakes sometime in the plurall number of Churches as the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 11.16 we haue no such custome nor the Churches of God but then it speakes of particular visible Congregations but of the generall Catholike Church it speakes alwayes in the singular number as being but one and so expressely ascribes onenesse to it Cant. 6 8. Christ saith to his Church My Loue my Doue c. Eph. 4.4 there is one body c. The Church hath a threefold onenesse it is one in it selfe it is one with Christ and it hath an onenesse amongst the members In this place we speake but of the onenesse it hath in it selfe of the other two we shall speake in their due place That it is one in it selfe therefore it is called the house of God not houses the temple of God not temples as in the time of the Law there was but one Tabernacle and afterwards but one Temple whereto all the people came Leuitic 17.3 4. Deut. 21 5. and 16.2 2. Chron. 2.4 so now there is but one onely Church of the faithfull Reas 1 The Reasons of the Point are these The first is taken out of Ephes 4.4 5. there are many reasons heaped together there is but one Spirit therefore but one Church as there is but one soule and therefore but one man There is but one hope at which all Gods people ioyntly aime and therefore they are one corporation one Lord and therefore one family one Faith which is the life of the Church and if there be but one life then there can be but one Church one Baptisme and therefore but one Promise and Couenant which all doe make to God as one man Secondly the Church is the Body of Christ Ephes 5.23 Reas 2 and Christ he is the Head of the Church and therefore as there is but one Christ so there is but one Church else wee should make a monster of Christ to say he hath one head and many bodies Againe the Church is the Spouse of Christ and he is her Husband as is implyed Vers 25. Now Christ should haue many wiues if there were many Churches which is absurd and therefore there is but one Church still Thirdly they haue all one Shepheard and therefore they Reas 3 are all but one Sheepefold Ioh. 10.16 Fourthly they are all partakers of one Bread and therefore Reas 4 but one body 1. Cor. 10.17 Fifthly all the differences that are betwixt them are abolished Reas 5 by Christ and therefore they are but one Ephes 2.14 Gal. 3.28 The Vses are these First this teacheth vs the vnchangeablenesse Vse 1 of Gods heauenly Truth and of the course of saluation because there is but one Church still and therefore but one Truth still it is vnchangeable there is but one Truth and course of saluation from the beginning to the end of the World the dispensation or manner of carriage hath been some what different sometimes it hath been carried darkly sometimes clearely sometimes in ceremonies sometimes without ceremonies sometime by the Law sometime by the Gospell by Tradition as before the Law by reuelation and by Scripture yet the substance was euer one and the same the same Faith and course of saluation that Adam was
saued by before the Flood and Noah in the Flood and Abraham before the Law and Dauid vnder the Law and the Apostles whilest Christ was on earth the same saith are we and all the faithfull saued by from Christs ascension till his returne to Iudgement And therefore that is a damnable doctrine that some hold that euery man shall bee saued by his owne Religion whatsoeuer it be if he bee zealous in it no diuers Religions make diuers Churches but there is but one Church to be saued and therefore but one Truth and Religion to be saued by Vse 2 Secondly Is the Church but one Then wee should labour to maintaine the onenesse of the Church to keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4.3 Beware of factions and diuisions either of making or following them for they are the very bane of this onenesse of the Church and take heed of pride and singularitie for that is the common Mother and Nurse of dissensions and rents in the Church and doe not receiue the Word with respect of persons as when one saith I am of Paul another I am of Apollos c. What is Paul and what is Apollos but Ministers by whom yee beleeue They teach one Faith they preach one and the same Christ crucified they haue receiued one and the same ministration therefore embrace them all as one Ministry of one and the same Church What if God bestow diuers gifts on diuers persons and one more excellent then another Wilt thou abuse Gods gifts to the making of rents and factions in the Church No thou must know that thou art bound to profit the more by him that hath more gifts and to glorifie God the more for them and not to dote vpon them and maintaine Sects by them for that is not the end why God giues them but it is the malice of the Diuell that doth thus abuse them to a wrong end Vse 3 Thirdly this reprooues the Papists for they make two Heads and consequently two Churches except they will make a monster of the Church to haue two Heads and but one body Yea but say they the Pope is the Head of the Church in earth I am sure hee is not Head of the Church in heauen and therefore not Head of the Church on earth for they make but one Church and therefore can haue but one Head Some of the Iesuites hauing been pressed with this Argument and not knowing how to answer it haue affirmed that the Pope is Head of the Church in heauen so grosse and blasphemous haue they been So the Turkes and the Iewes that erect Churches of their owne and haue no fellowship with this Church they are not the true Church nor haue any part in this onenesse of the Church and whatsoeuer they are that haue no part in this Church they are none of Gods Church but of the Synagogue of Satan Fourthly this teacheth that difference in matters of circumstance Vse 4 doe not cut off from the true Church but holding one Faith with them wee are still in the vnitie of one Church First difference of states doe not cut off from the true Church though some Churches are greater some smaller though some are in their cradle others in their full age some before Christ others after Christ some purer some impurer yea though some be in heauen triumphing other some in earth fighting yet all are but one Church all are the same Wheate threshed in the floore and laid vp in the Garner and the same Gold digged out of the Mine with some drosse and tried and fined by the fire Secondly difference of times doe not cut off from the true Church before the Law vnder the Law and after the Law the first and the last Churches all are one Thirdly nor the difference of Persons Iewes and Gentiles bond and free male and female poore and rich all are one in Christ Iesus Fourthly nor yet difference of place Ierusalem Antioch Corinth England France Denmarke yea Paradise Earth and Heauen all are but one Church Fifthly nor yet difference of Ceremonies some worshipping at one time and place some in one habit some in another so long as all worship in Spirit and Truth they are but one Church Sixthly no nor yet difference of iudgement in Points not absolutely fundamentall doe not cut off from the true Church so long as all hold Christ Iesus he is the head-corner-stone that knits them all together into one building So much of the onenesse of the Church it selfe The second Note or qualitie of the Church is That it is holy Wee will draw it into an obseruation as wee did the former and that is this Namely That the whole Company of the faithfull both in heauen and in earth are a holy Company and euery part and member thereof is holy 1. Pet. 2.9 They are called a holy nation and in the fift Verse a holy Priesthood And it is said of Ierusalem that it is a holy Citie not that in heauen onely Reuelat. 21.2 but that on earth too Math. 4.5 And in Ephes 5.27 the Church is said to be holy and without blame c. And hence it is that those which are parts and members of the Church are called Saints and Saints on earth as Psal 16.3 And so the whole Congregation is called the Congregation of Saints Psalm 89.5 And their Head and Ruler is the King of Saints and they are not holy in profession onely for so are hypocrites too that are no part of the true Church but they are holy indeede they are truly sanctified therefore the Apostle calls them holy brethren Heb. 3.1 And this Holinesse is partly imputed Heb. 10.10 We are sanctified by the offering of the body of Iesus Christ And Colos 1.21 21. And partly inherent 1. Thess 5.23 Now the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout c. this is begun here but not perfected till we haue put off this body of sinne Reas 1 The Reasons of this Point are these First God the Father being most holy himselfe he sanctifies his Church and euery member of it and so makes them holy this Christ praies for Ioh. 17.17 sanctifie them with thy truth c. Iude. 1. sanctified of God the Father c. and therefore they are holy Reas 2 Secondly Christ their Head is holy and he sanctifies and makes them holy 1. Cor. 1.2 sanctified in Christ Iesus and in the thirtieth verse he is said to be their sanctification And Eph. 5.25.26 Christ gaue himselfe for his Church that hee might sanctifie it Reas 3 Thirdly the Spirit whereby they are enliuened quickened and ruled is the holy Ghost and he sanctifies them and makes them holy 1. Cor. 6.11 but now yee are sanctified by the Spirit of our God and Rom. 15.16 Fourthly the Word whereby they are gathered and the Reas 4 seed whereby they are begotten is a holy Word 2. Pet. 2.21 It is called the holy Commandement
and therefore they must needs be holy Fifthly the effects which they feele in themselues are Reas 5 holy effects holy motions and holy desires holy life and holy obedience and their spirituall life that is to say their faith is most holy Iude 20. therefore they are holy Sixtly they are chosen to Holinesse 1. Pet. 1.2 and therefore Reas 6 they are holy Seuenthly they are regenerate and borne again to Holinesse Reas 7 and therefore cannot sinne 1. Ioh. 3.9 and Eph. 2.9 we are created in Christ Iesus to good works and therefore must needes be holy The vses are these First this shewes the essentiall difference Vse 1 betwixt Gods Church and all other Congregations whatsoeuer For this is holy and all other are vnholy And this Holynesse carries a kind of Reciprocation with Gods Church for euery Church of God is truly holy and euery Congregation that is holy is the true Church of God And so wheresoeuer there bee any men or women that bee truly holy though they be out of the knowne Church yet they are liuing members of the true Catholike Church And on the contrary wheresoeuer there are any that are not holy though they liue in the visible Church and are in great place and of great gifts yet they are no members of the true Church of God So then here is the triall whether we be of the true Church or not if wee haue holinesse in our hearts and in our desires then wee are of the true Church else we are not But you will say Is euery one holy that is of the true Church I answer Yes in some measure first or last Secondly this should teach vs to labour for Holinesse Vse 2 without which we shall neuer see God to our Comfort in heauen nor by faith here on earth Psal 15.1 2 c. The Prophet askes this Question Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle or who shall rest in thy holy Mountaine The answer is euen he that walks vprightly and worketh Righteousnesse and speaketh the Truth in his heart Reuel 21.27 There shall enter no vncleane thing into the heauenly Ierusalem there if euer we will see God with Ioy and Comfort we must labour for a pure heart and pure hands It should teach vs therefore First to take heed of sinne and to auoide it for it is filthinesse and vncleannesse as opposite to Holinesse as darknesse is to light and Satan to God himselfe Let euery one that calls on the Name of the Lord that is euery member of the true Church depart from iniquitie let them leaue their lying and swearing and couetousnesse and labour to flie from the corruptions that are in the world through lust and resist the inticements of the Diuell and fight against the rebellions of their owne hearts and not suffer their corruptions to breake forth but to roote them out put off your shooes for you stand on holy ground lay by your sinnes and wicked affections for the Church is a holy Church that you are members of the Temple of God is holy which Temple yee are defile not your selues with sinne and vncleannesse therefore remember what God saith Ier. 11.15 What should my Beloued tarry in my house seeing they haue committed an abomination As if hee should say I haue no roome for them in my house if they commit abomination And Psalm 50.16 What hast thou to doe saith God to the wicked to take my Couenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to bee reformed Therefore say with the Church in the Canticles Chap. 6.5 I haue put off my coat how then shall I put it on I haue washed my feet how shall I defile them And as it teacheth vs to flie sinne so in the second place it teacheth vs to follow that which is good Whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest c. thinke on those things Phil. 4.8 Giue your selues to holy meditations and conferences frequent good companies and exercises vse the meanes of holinesse be conuersant in hearing and reading the Word and receiuing the Sacrament and be frequent and earnest in Prayer to God for the Spirit of sanctification that hee may make your harts mindes willes and affections and liues holy and vnblameable that so as you professe your selues to be Saints so you may liue like Saints Lastly this may serue for reproofe of the gracelesse and Vse 3 wretchlesse people of the world that scoffe at the holinesse of Gods people there are a kind of people in the world that if they be in their Cups or vpon the Stage or in their pastimes or in their ordinary talke if they can haue a lest at the holy Brethren in it though without cause or sense it makes them all merry it seasons all their businesse But first let them know that they haue no part in Gods Church for all the parts and members thereof are holy And further let them know that they must be either Saints or Diuels either of the seede of God or of the Diuell And therefore let them know that as they scoffe at vs vniustly so the Lord from heauen doth most iustly deride them and will one day laugh at their destruction and this is to them a token of perdition and a most certaine token too because they are not onely without holinesse themselues but they hate it and deride it in others but to vs it is a signe of saluation both that we are endued with holinesse and also that we suffer persecution for it Heb. 3.3 The Apostle vseth this word very grauely which they doe so deride he calles them holy Brethren And therefore in the second place let vs bee so farre from being daunted by their scoffing at vs as that it may rather incourage vs to be more holy Let vs say as Dauid did to Michal when she scoft at him for dancing before the Arke Am I vile in thine eyes for this I will be yet more vile So let vs say Doth our holinesse displease you I will be yet more holy Let vs therefore labour by prayer to God and all good endeauour not onely to begin but to grow on from grace to grace from one measure of holinesse to another notwithstanding their scoffes that so at last we may bee fit to enter into that holy place whereinto none vnholy nor vncleane thing shall enter The fifth Lecture of the Church HAuing entred into the Point concerning the Church of God in heauen and in earth together we shewed that in as much as it is an Article of our Faith to beleeue the Catholike Church that therefore it was needefull that we should vnderstand and speak of it out of that Article of the Creed which concernes the Church That Article saith I beleeue the holy Catholike Church the Communion of Saints c. Wherein I noted sixe things whereby the Church was marked out First that it is one for so saith the Nicen Creed and so this Article intendes when it saith Church and not Churches secondly that
12.11 Therefore as we looke to bee partakers with Christ in his glory so let vs partake with him in his afflictions and these afflictions shall tend to our greater glory Lastly here is matter of Comfort to vs in our hearing Vse 5 Reading and Repeating of Gods Word and in our prayers and all other our good endeauours because Christ Communicates with vs in them helping directing and quickning vs in the performance of them couering the infirmities of them dignifying presenting and making them acceptable before God Here likewise is comfort to vs in all our sufferings What if we suffer persecution and affliction Let vs know that Christ partakes in them and therefore they are sanctified vnto vs and also they are regarded of God with commiseration as the sufferings of Christ and they are already ouercome by his sufferings and therefore seeing they are regarded of God as the sufferings of Christ Act. 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me saith our Sauiour and seeing he doth so pitie vs in them how can wee but looke for a good end of them Let vs therefore comfortably suffer with Christ bearing his markes vpon vs here that so we may Reigne with him in glory hereafter The sixth Lecture of the Church THe fourth qualitie whereby the Church is described in that Article of the Creed concerning the Church is that it is called a communion of Saints which carries a double sense and imports a double communion one with Christ the Head the other with the members Of that which passeth betwixt the members and Christ the Head you haue heard already now in the next place wee are to speake of the communion the members haue one with another It is here aduisedly to bee recalled to minde what Church it is that we here speake of that is the Church of chosen men both in heauen and earth for so it was propounded to be spoken to in the entrance vpon this Point and secondly euery one of these sixe adiuncts in that Article of the Creed concerning the Church agreeth to each both to the chosen men in heauen as well as to the chosen men on earth For first the Church of chosen men in heauen is one with that on earth secondly they are holy also though not in a truer sense yet in a higher degree for they haue attained to the perfection of that holinesse which these on earth haue but in a small measure Thirdly they are Catholike too as well as we consisting of all Nations People and Kinreds as Reuel 7.9 Fourthly they in heauen haue a communion with Christ their Head as well as we on earth and that in a more speciall manner then we haue for Christ is present with them not onely by his Spirit as hee is with vs but also hee is bodily present with them which wee doe not yet enioy therefore they haue a more speciall communion with him then wee yet haue Fifthly they haue a communion with vs and wee with them so farre as is agreeing and fitting to both our estates Sixthly they also are knowne onely to God and to themselues and not certainly to any else and this also in a further sense to them then to vs because they know it not onely particularly euery one of himselfe as we doe but generally they know that all there amongst them are members which amongst vs is nothing so wee know but euery one for himselfe to be a member So we see that these sixe adiuncts agree to the Church of chosen men in heauen as well as on earth yea further most of these agree to the elect Angels too for they haue an vnitie amongst themselues and so are one also they are holy and so like wise they hauing Christ to be their Head as we haue no doubt but they haue a communion with Christ and Christ with them and when our Sauiour saith Luk. 15.10 that they reioyce ouer a sinner that is conuerted it is plaine that they haue a communion with vs also But because the Article saith a communion of Saints not of Angels therfore we will restraine it to holy men and not extend it to the holy Angels And further we must vnderstand that howsoeuer all these may bee truly affirmed of the Saints in heauen as well as on earth yet because they are more sensible in earthly Saints then in heauenly therefore they are most vsually affirmed and generally vnderstood of those on earth These things thus premised to set the article vpright in its own due sense and vnderstanding specially in this fifth adiunct because we shall haue speciall vse of it wee proceede now to the Point We will draw it into an Obseruation and that is this Doctr. The whole Church of God and all the parts and members of it haue a mutuall Communion and fellowship one with another For proofe of this point I will omit such places that proue both this and the former Communion as Rom. 12.5 and 1. Ioh. 1.3 and I will come to such particular places as proue this point Psal 122.3 Ierusalem is built as a City that is compact together in it selfe Wee must vnderstand that Dauid speakes here as a Prophet and vnder the Law somewhat darkely and vnder a shadow The substance is this the Citie is the Church of God Ierusalem the spirituall and heauenly Ierusalem the building that is the laying together of these liuing stones that is the faithfull into this liuing Church compact together c. there is the fellowship that they haue and do exercise one towards another So that the meaning is this The whole Church of God is a liuing Citie consisting of liuing stones and they are compact together they doe yeeld mutually that helpe and good one to another which they can And so is this shadow plainely now reuealed vnder the light of the Gospell as wee may see Ephes 2.21 22. In whom all the building coupled together groweth vnto an holy Temple in the Lord. In whom yee also are built together to bee the habitation of God by the Spirit All the building that is the whole company of the faithfull are coupled together that is fast linked and ioyned together one with another in goodly order and proportion groweth to an holy Temple that is make vp one Church or Temple not materiall but spirituall as Vers 22. for God to dwell in by his Spirit and this the Ephesians particularly had experience in In whom yee also are built together to be the habitation of God by the Spirit And 1. Iohn 1.7 If we walke in the light as hee is in the light we haue fellowship one with another Here this Communion is in plaine termes named and expressed Who are they that walke in the light but the faithfull onely that are in Christ Who is the light of the World Whosoeuer are such there is a mutuall fellowship and Communion betwixt them The Point is large and therefore requires a large explication and also it is a Point
Saluation Iointly and particularly and continually Doe wee willingly bring our selues and our Families to partake in the Word Sacraments and Prayer The Prophet Dauid speaking of the members of this Communion saith Psal 110.3 Thy people shall come williegly at the time of Assembling And doe we profit by these meanes Haue they the same effect in vs as they haue in Gods Saints If they haue then we are of this Communion of Saints else not Secondly let vs examine our selues concerning our Gifts Hath God distributed to thee any gift or grace whatsoeuer and art thou willing to imploy it and Communicate it to the common good of the rest of the Saints as the Apostle was Rom. 1.11 that did long to bee with the Romanes And why did he so long Why because he had some spirituall gift to bestow amongst them if it be thus with thee then thou art a member of this Communion This is that our Sauiour commandeth Peter Luk. 22.32 When thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren as if he should say Make others partakers of the same grace with thee Thirdly wee must examine our selues in respect of the wants of our fellow members Are we willing to relieue them in their wants to supply them in their necessities according to our ability If wee are then this is a token to vs that wee truly practise this Communion of Saints This is it that the Apostle commends as a thing wel done that the Philippians did Communicate to his affliction Phil. 4.14 And this also he Commandes Ro. 12.13 that they distribute to the necessities of the Saints and that they giue themselues to hospitality And Heb. 13.16 To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifices God is wel pleased And this is the charge that the Apostle wills Timothy to lay vpon Rich men that They be Rich in good workes ready to distribute And this he commends in them of Macedonia That beyond their power they were willing and prayed vs with great instance saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 8.3 4. that wee would receiue the grace and fellowship of the ministring which is towards the Saints And Rom. 15.26 27. And Act. 4. Men sold that they had and distributed to euery one as they had need Fourthly wee must examine our selues in regard of our affections Are we like minded to them Doe wee suffer when they suffer Haue wee a fellow-feeling of the afflictions and miseries of our fellow-members If we haue then we are fellow-members with them 1. Cor. 12.26 If one member suffer all suffer with it This is a liuely token of a liuing-member if they haue a feeling of the sufferings of their fellow-members euery liuing-member of the Church hath the Bowels of compassion Colos 3.12 mooued with a liuely feeling of the miseries of others else they are no liuing but rotten and dead members Fiftly we must examine our selues whether we pray for our fellow-members as for our selues whether we pray for the good of Gods Church as wee are exhorted Psal 122.6 pray for the peace of Ierusalem Sixtly wee must examine our selues whether wee exhort others comfort them prouoke them and stirre them vp to loue and to all good workes as the Apostle willeth vs Heb. 3.13 Prouoke one another daylie And Heb. 10.24 25. Let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes not forsaking the fellowship that is amongst our selues If we do exhort one another thus this is a signe wee are of this fellowship and a meanes to continue vs that wee forsake not this fellowship Seuenthly we must examine our selues whether we vse our Christian Liberty Christianly to the edification of our Brethren and not to their destruction Rom. 12.13 15. The last Rule that we must examine our selues by is this If wee labour not for our owne good onely but for our Brethrens also if wee seeke not our owne but euery one anothers wealth 1. Cor. 10.24 If we looke not euery one on our own things but euery man also on the things of other men Philip. 2.4 If wee labour to profit others as well as our selues this is a true Note that we are true and liuing-members of the Church of God The fourth Vse Here is matter of Comfort to vs that Vse 4 are of the Church not onely that God hath giuen vs a Communion of estate amongst his people but withall hath inioyned vs to practise all such duties as may make for the vpholding thriuing and continuing in this state Here then is our Comfort Art thou in want Why God hath giuen to others purposely for thy supply Art thou in temptation or at the point of death Happily then thou art not able to pray for thy selfe yet Comfort thy Soule thou art a member of the Church and therefore thou art prayed for of all the Faithfull and God will heare their prayers for thee Lastly Art thou depriued of Gods House by Trauell or sicknesse or persecution Yet here is thy Comfort thou art there in Spirit and thy cause there in some kinde is as effectually handled as if thou wert there bodily present as the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 5 4. When you are gathered together and my Spirit c. No distance of place though it be as farre as heauen from earth dissunders this Communion nor debarres vs the benefit of it the Spirit being euery where So that the prayers of Gods Church though I be neuer so farre off are as effectuall for mee as if I were there my selfe so I be there in Spirit Vse 5 Fiftly this teacheth vs of whom wee are to expect good and to whom we are to doe good First of whom wee are to expect good not from prophane men but from godly men from the faithfull therefore we should striue to bee in their Company and desire their presence both to giue and receiue good The Apostle Rom. 1.11 12. desires to be among the Romans Why that hee might doe them good that is true he might doe them good indeed but could they being but newly conuerted doe him that was so great an Apostle any good Yes that they might and therefore hee desires to be with them that he might be comforted together with them through their mutuall faith both his and theirs Specially we should desire their prayers so did the Apostle Rom. 15.30 and Heb. 13.18 Pray for vs saith hee Haue they need of our prayers Then much more haue we need of theirs yea the wicked themselues desire the prayers of the faithfull Exod. 9.28 Pharaoh desires the prayers of Moses and Aaron to God for him they receiue this benefit from the Communion of the faithfull though they giue nothing to it that the faithfull pray and are heard for them as Iob was for his friends Iob 42.8 Secondly this teacheth vs also to whom we are to doe good namely to the faithfull as the Prophet Dauid saith Psal 16.3 My welldoing extends to the Saints that are on earth And this is it
Christian borne and yet ioyne with the Iewish Church in their religion hee is not of the Christian but of the Iewish Church and so it is of all others So then the name of Church and Religion are in some sense yoke-fellowes all Churches receiuing denomination from the Religion they professe Now then Religion being as the forme of the Church giuing it name and being therefore looke what Religion it is that the Church professeth and such is the Church to bee reputed There is a true Religion and euery Church embracing and professing the same is to bee reputed a true Church as the reformed Churches There are many false Religions and euery Church professing such Religion are false Churches as the Churches of the Heathen that worship false Gods and so embrace false Religions And so the Churches of the Saracens that erect and set vp Mahomet against Christ and of the Iewes that deny the comming of the Messiah in the flesh are false Churches But there are some Churches that embrace party Religions in part true and in part false yea what Church is so pure that is not tainted with some error and what Church is there so impure that professeth not some notable heauenly Truths We must therefore consider what truths and what errors they hold and so the truth will bee soone decided Without Christ there is no saluation and so no true Church 1. Ioh. 5.12 He that hath the Sonne hath life and he that hath not the Sonne of God hath not life If yee aske me whether one and the same Church may not bee a true Church in respect of some in it professing the truth or in respect of some fundamentall truths professed in it and yet a false Church in respect of some professing falshood in it or in respect of some fundamentall truths ouerthrowne in it I answer Surely it may till such time as the false Church hath gotten the vpper-hand and makes lawes for her errors and against the others truths with sentence of abandoning all those out of their Church which doe hold the truths So it was with the Church of Rome before the Councell of Trent And thus it was with the Church of Sardy Reuel 3.1 4. she had a name to liue but was dead and yet in the fourth Verse the Lord saith He hath a few names in Sardy c. Therefore take this for a Rule Whatsoeuer Church embraceth Christ Iesus God and Man the onely meanes of saluation is a true Church though tainted with many errors besides and on the contrary whatsoeuer Church beleeueth not this is a false Church though it hold many other excellent truths besides So much of the diuision of the name of the Church Now wee come to speake of the diuision of the thing it selfe that is of Gods Church which is not so to be vnderstood as if God had so many seuerall kinds of Churches for the Church as I haue shewed before is one and the same from the beginning of the world to the end that Church of God which was in the beginning and remaines now and shall continue to the worlds end is but one and the same Church therefore when we mention the diuision of the Church it selfe we meane not that it is seuerally diuided into diuers and seuerall kinds but distinguished in it selfe in diuers and sundry respects and principally for these first in respect of the bounds and limits or compasse of it secondly in respect of the seuerall portions belonging to it in the seuerall estates that it is ordained vnto thirdly in respect of the outward state of it to the world sometimes knowne sometimes vnknowne First it is distinguished in it self in respect of the bounds and compasse of it and so it is either vniuersal or particular vniuersall that is the whole company of Gods chosen both in heauen an earth But this hath no limits but is dispersed farre and wide ouer the face of the whole earth and reacheth to heauen it selfe But because I haue spoken of this before both in the Adiunct Catholike and also in handling the generall nature of the Church therefore I will trust your memories for that Point and not speake more here of it In the next place a particular Church that is euery particular company of the faithful or at least of those that are called to the profession of the faith which being seuerall by themselues of seuerall times and places are but particular Churches But because wee shall speake more properly of this when wee come to speake of the visible Church therefore we will respit it till then Secondly it is distinguished in it selfe in respect of the seuerall portions that belong vnto it in the seuerall states that it is ordained to and they are two The first is on earth or in this life and that is a fighting or warfare and the second is in heauen in the life to come crowned and triumphing And accordingly the Church is diuided into the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant To begin with the first the Church Militant is the Congregation of the faithfull on earth that doe continually exercise a spirituall warfare against sinne and Satan and all the aduersaries of God and of his Religion Marke the parts of the definition I say it is a Congregation of the faithfull that doe thus fight for though Hypocrites and sometimes those that doe persecute the Gospell doe fight the Lords Battels and so in a generall sense may be reputed parts of this Militant Church yet that is but colourably and outwardly for some sinister respect not in truth and singlenesse of heart nor in true hatred of sinne nor in a true desire to obey God and to aduance his Kingdome and glory And therefore to speake properly none are true parts of this Church Militant but the faithfull onely Secondly I say it is a spirituall warfare and that in many respects First it is spiritual in respect of the end of it for though sometimes the aduersaries of the faithfull oppugne them in their bodies and outward states yet it is meerely in a spiritual respect either directly or indirectly to hurt their spiritual estate or life of Grace so likewise when the faithfull defend their bodies or outward estate against their aduersaries when they maintaine their reputations or their liues it is not so much for the thing it selfe as to defend and maintaine our spirituall estates Secondly it is spirituall in respect of the weapons that are vsed in this fight for they are chiefely spirituall on both parts the aduersaries weapons are temptations c. the faithfull their weapons are the whole Armour of God Thirdly it is spirituall in regard of the Generals of the Field on both sides which are Spirits Gods good Spirit on the side of the faithfull and Satan and spirituall wickednesses on the wickeds side The third thing in the note is this that this warfare must be exercised continually for the enuious man
sleepes not Mat. 13. he and his are alwaies vp in armes against vs therefore we must be so against them And take this for a Rule that looke whensoeuer wee intermit out fight wee doe so farre forth for the time suffer our selues to bee ouercome if once wee start aside the enemy gets the more vantage of vs. Lastly it is generall against all the aduersaries of God and of his Religion for Satan and all his forces bend themselues against God and against his Church and therefore the faithfull must bend all their forces against Satan and all the aduersaries of Gods Church God promised to Abraham Gen. 12.3 that he would blesse them that blesse him and curse them that curse him And so must all Abrahams seed the faithfull doe for God as they must loue all that loue God so they must fight against all that fight against God A question may be demanded here Whether the good Angels be not also parts of this Church Militant I answer They are parties in this businesse in some sense for though the enemies cannot annoy them and therefore they need not neither doe they fight for themselues yet doe they fight for vs as true guardians and assistants and as Gods Instruments and Messengers to succour vs or to disclose and destroy our enemies and their enterprises against vs. They are heauenly Souldiers not onely in generall as the Starres and all the Hoast of Heauen are but in particular assisting vs in our spirituall warfare and that personally and by their office they comfort vs in our temptations as they did our Sauiour Christ Matth. 4.11 after his temptation And so Luk. 22.43 they comforted Christ in his agony there appeared an Angell from heauen comforting him And Psal 34.7 the Angels are said to pitch their tents round about them that feare God So that the Angels are not only about vs but they pitch their tents about vs to fight for vs and they do also deliuer vs. So then in some sense they are parties in this warfare yea but yet because they are out of the danger of the enemies that they cannot annoy them therefore they cannot properly bee said to be any part of the militant Church Secondly the Church Triumphant what is that That is the Congregation of Saints in heauen that haue already finished their warfare and ouercome their enemies and do now raigne and triumph in glory together with Iesus Christ in his Kingdome But because I haue spoken of this Point before therefore I will not now stand vpon it onely we will here shew some differences betwixt the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant and so come to an obseruation arising from hence The differences are these following The Church Militant The Church Triumphant 1. The Church Militant is of Men onely 1. The Church Triumphant is of Angels too 2. The Church Militant is on earth 2. The Church Triumphant is in heauen 3. The Church Militant is subiect to sinne error and misery 3. The Church Triumphant is free from them all 4. The Church Militant is running in the race 4. The Church Triumphant hath attained the Goale 5. The Church Militant are Saints in hope 5. The Church Triumphant are Saints in possession 6. The Church Militant hath need of the meanes the Word and the Sacraments c. 6. The Church Triumphant hath attained to her perfection and end 7. The Church Militant children vnder yeeres heires by promise 7. The Church triumphant are of full age seized on their inheritance 8. The Church Militant is like Christ crucified concerning infirmitie 8. The Church Triumphant is like Christ exalted and inuested into glory Doctr. The Obseruation from hence is this That seeing there is first here a Church Militant on earth and then a Church Triumphant in heauen hence I say ariseth this Obseruation That none can euer come to be members of the Triumphant Church in heauen except first they bee members of the Militant and fighting Church on earth This was figured in the passage of Israel out of Egypt into Canaan they must incounter with Pharaoh and his Hoast they must passe through the Red Sea they must wander in the Wildernesse many yeeres and sustaine hunger and thirst they must warre with their enemies euen whole Nations by the way All this they must doe before they can enter into this earthly Canaan euen so it is with vs in our passage to the heauenly Canaan We must meet with many enemies and sustaine and vndergoe many miseries as the Apostle saith Through many afflictions wee must enter into the Kingdome of heauen Act. 14.12 What are afflictions but assaults troubles temptations and fights Why through these wee must enter and through many of these saith the Apostle we shall meet with many of them here in this life yea we must passe through them saith the Apostle there is a necessitie of it it is vnauoidable The end we seeke after is Gods Kingdome why this is the way thither saith the Apostle these are the Pikes you must passe through euen many afflictions So in the 2. Tim. 3.12 the Apostle saith that all that will liue godly in Christ shall suffer persecution All those that looke to triumph in heauen must liue godly in Christ Iesus now all that will doe so shall suffer persecution whether they will or not 2. Cor. 4.17 For our light afflictions which are but for a moment cause vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glory not that our afflictions doe cause it by way of efficacy or merit for the Apostle saith Rom. 8.18 that the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory which shall bee reuealed to vs. What is the meaning then of this place It must be vnderstood by way of order and consequence that afflictions must of necessity goe before or else the eternall weight of glory cannot follow after Reuelat. 2.10 Yee shall haue tribulation but bee thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the Crowne of life As if he should say Thou shalt haue trials and tribulations but be thou faithfull and fight and thou shalt haue the Crowne of life And the promise of life is restrained onely to those that ouercome Reuel 2.7 11 17. And hence it is that the whole course of the faithfull is called the Fight of Faith 1. Tim. 6.12 Fight the good fight of Faith lay hold on eternall life As who should say Whosoeuer thou art that hast faith fight for it or else thou shalt neuer lay hold on eternall life neuer receiue the end of thy faith which is the saluation of thy soule And Matth. 20.21 22. the Mother of Zebedeus children came to Christ and besought him that her two sonnes might sit one at his right hand and the other at his left in his Kingdome But Iesus answered and said Yee aske yee know not what Are yee able to drinke of the Cup that I shall drinke of c. that
a difference betwixt one and the same Church in one respect and betwixt the same Church in another respect We considered of it as it was distinguished in three respects First in respect of the bounds and compasse of it and so we shewed that there was a generall and a particular Church Of the generall we had before spoken of the particular we were hereafter to speake when wee come to speake of the visible Church Secondly it was considered in respect of the seuerall portions and states allotted to vs and that was twofold the first in this world which is a fight or warfare the second is in the world to come which is a Crowne or Triumph In the first respect the Church is called the Church Militant In the second the Church Triumphant of this we spake the last time Now we are to speake of the diuision of the Church in the third respect And that is in respect of the outward state of it in this world and so it is visible and sometime seene vnto the world and inuisible sometime not seene to the world The Church of God doth sometime attaine to such a flourishing prosperous estate in this world as that first her members are many in number secondly they haue an outward forme of setled Gouernment thirdly their Religion is countenanced at least not violently opposed by the State and Authority where they liue Fourthly they make open profession of their faith and Religion Fiftly they haue publike and solemne Assemblies at ordinary and seasonable times and in due and conuenient place where the Ministers teach the Word and where the people heare the Word preached and where the Sacraments are administred and Discipline executed at least in some measure and that without danger and without prohibition I say the Church doth oft-times attaine to this state euen in this world and then it is called visible On the other side sometimes it is brought to such a low and distressed estate that scarce any of these are found there but rather all quite contrary First their number is small secondly they haue no such outward forme of gouernment setled amongst them at least not so exercised as that thereby the world should take notice of them that they are such a holy Society thirdly they and their Religion is distasted disgraced derided hated and persecuted euen to the very death Fourthly their profession is secret Fiftly their assemblies and meetings for Religious exercises are seldome or none at all or at least very priuate at such vncertaine times and in such priuy and close places as they can light vpon and that are best and fittest for their owne safety Lastly they are depriued and debarred of the publike vse of the ministry of the word and of the Sacraments and discipline And in this case it is called an Inuisible Church So you see in generall how the state stands between the Church visible and inuisible Now we are to speake of them in particular First of the Church inuisible The Church of God is said to be inuisible in these fiue Senses First it is inuisible because it is not seene nor acknowledged by the men of the world neither is it possibly to be discerned by the sense of the naturall man but whosoeuer sees it and knows it to be the Church of God must haue a better light then that of nature Secondly it is inuisible in respect of the inward graces it is endued withall as their Election Faith c. for these are not visible at all and so it is inuisible euen then when it is most visible Thirdly it is inuisible in this sense because the greatest and chiefest part of it is in heauen and so not to be seene by mans eye Fourthly the Church is inuisible in this respect because that Congregation that professe themselues to be the true Church of God are indeed sometimes no better then the very Synagogue of Satan such as ouerthrow the foundation and persecute that which is the true Church of God indeede and so vpon Tryall proues a false Church and so makes the true Church inuisible not to bee seene of men whiles the false Church intertaines mens eyes and thoughts doting vpon her deluding them and blearing and dazelling their sight they cannot nor do not looke after any other and so the right and true Church lies hidden from their sight euen as the painted Harlot carries away mens eyes from beholding the modest Spouse So while men dote vpon the painted shewes of a false Church they cannot behold the true Lastly the Church is inuisible in this sense because though there bee some true professours yet there is no publike profession at all or else it is very secret so that there is no certaine outward Testimonies whereby it may bee knowne to be the true Church In these fiue respects the Church may bee said to bee inuisible Marke this well for herein stands the difference betwixt vs and the Papists The Church say they must be so notoriously visible that there must be a great number of them and they must make open profession of their Faith and must carry themselues so as that euery man and woman may know that they are the Church and that euery one may know which is the true Church whereunto hee is to ioyne himselfe Opposite to this we say the Church is sometimes inuisible in these respects before set downe So howsoeuer there may bee alwaies a Church yet it cannot bee alwaies so notoriously knowne to all the world Further we must consider that the Church doth somtime signifie the vniuersall Company of Gods chosen in heauen and in earth sometime onely the Company of Beleeuers on earth When it signifies the vniuersall Company of Gods chosen in heauen and earth in this sense it is simply inuisible and that both actually that is it is not seene and also potentially that is it cannot be seene as in the first second and third senses we haue shewed For first neither can the naturall man see them nor secondly can their graces be seene neither thirdly can the greatest and chiefest part of them be seene being already in heauen Secondly when the Church signifies the company of Beleeuers on earth it is inuisible either simply or after a sort simply and so there is no Church on earth inuisible but in the first and second senses onely or else after a sort that is as opposed to famous visiblenesse generally pretended by the Papists namely that there is a great multitude alwaies openly professing the true Religion and that in such outward shew state and carriage that it is or may bee generally knowne to bee the true Church and that any faithfull man may point with his finger to such a Congregation and say boldly This is the true Church and so may see and know which is that holy Society amongst men where he may safely and where he must ioine himself for his saluation And in this sense that
is as opposite to the Popish Church the true Church is sometimes though not alwayes inuisible which is partly in the Fourth and Fifth senses aboue specified So that the Church euen then when it is after a sort inuisible is also after a sort visible too that is it is inuisible because it is not easie and plaine to be discerned and visible because it is discerned by some though hardly and so consequently those Papists that make the visiblenes of the Church to be somtimes such that it can hardly be knowne agree with vs in the thing directly though they differ in the phrase and manner of Speech Now I will giue you some generall aduertisements here concerning the Church inuisible and visible whereby you may the better conceiue and vnderstand the whole busines first you must know that the Church inuisible is the whole company of Gods chosen in heauen and earth whether they be called or to be called whether they doe professe the Truth or whether they doe not yet professe it for Gods chosen which are not yet called nor doe not yet professe the truth are of the inuisible Church too as I haue heretofore shewed Secondly the vniuersall visible Church is the whole company of knowne professors on earth The differences betwixt the vniuersall inuisible Church and the vniuersall visible Church are these following 1. The inuisible conteines all good Wheate without chaffe 1. The visible conteines good and bad Wheate and chaffe together 2. The inuisible is partly in heauen 2. The visible onely on earth 3. The inuisible is of all times and places from the beginning to the end of the world 3. The visible is onely of certaine times and places asunder 4. The inuisible hath many sheepe belonging to it that are not yet brought into the fold 4. The visible hath many within the fold that professe to bee sheepe yet indeed are Wolues 5. Against the inuisible the Gates of hell shall neuer preuaile 5. Against the visible they may and doe preuaile in a sore measure sometimes vtterly rooting it out in some particular places as we see in the Churches of Ephesus and the second and third Chapter of the Reuelation They may preuaile against the visible Church to the horrible defiling and destroying of them But so they cannot do against the inuisible Church for that is out of their Reach The second aduertisement is this That the inuisible Church on earth is the whole Company of Gods chosen liuing in the world whether professing or not professing the truth whereof though some parts bee visible that is such as make open profession yet all cannot be seene Or more particularly it is a company of faithfull or professors for this being partly visible may haue Hipocrites in it euen whole hundreds that make profession of sauing faith yet so secretly either by reason of the fewnesse of their number or feare of persecution or the timorousnesse of their nature that they can hardly be discerned to be such So that one and the same Church may be visible and inuisible at once visible as making some profession that may be and is seene to some and yet inuisible too as not making that open profession that publike notice may be taken of it yea one and the same man may be a member of the Church visible and of the Church inuisible at once of the visible as his profession being partly seene and of the inuisible that is of the vniuersall Church as his Election faith and other inward graces are not seene The third aduertisment is that those that are of the Church both visible and inuisible are therefore saued not so much because they are of the visible Church for then all of that Church should be saued which is not so but because they are of the inuisible Church too for there is none of that that is of the inuisible vniuersall Church but are and shal be saued So likewise a man may bee no member either of the visible or inuisible and yet hee is not damned because he is not of the visible but because he is not of the inuisible vniuersall Church The fourth Aduertisement is this How we are to vnderstand some things that are affirmed of the Church in the Scripture for it is spoken of in diuers senses in the Scripture as first some things are affirmed of the visible Church onely which cannot be vnderstood of the inuisible as that in Matth. 13.47 48. where the Kingdome of heauen that is the visible Church is compared to a Net which gathereth both good and bad fish for the inuisible vniuersall Church containing onely the Elect hath no bad fishes in it Againe some things are affirmed of the inuisible Church onely which cannot be affirmed of the visible Church as that in Cant. 4.7 Thou art all faire my Loue and there is no spot in thee No visible Church but hath many spots therefore this is to be vnderstood of the inuisible onely And so likewise that which I haue spoken of heretofore that they are knowne onely to God and themselues is to bee vnderstood of the inuisible Church onely Againe some things of both and that in many respects First some things which are principally spoken of the visible Church are abusiuely applied to the inuisible vniuersall Church the whole taking denomination of the greater part as Matth. 8.12 The children of the kingdome shall be cast out This is spoken principally of the visible Church of the Iewes that should be cast off and yet is applied abusiuely to the inuisible to the children of the Kingdome whereas none of them can be cast off but shall certainely bee saued So Reuel 3.1 4. in the first Verse the Lord saith to the Church of Sardy Thou hast a name that thou liuest but art dead Here is a dead Church yet in the fourth Verse the Lord saith Thou hast a few names in Sardy which haue not defiled their garments c. Here is a liuing Church how is this to bee vnderstood This is spoken principally of the visible Church that it is a dead Church but is abusiuely applyed to the inuisible Church which was amongst them the whole taking denomination of the greater part And Rom. 10.21 compared with Rom. 11.1 In the tenth Chapter and last verse Israel is said to be a disobedient and gainsaying people In the eleuenth Chapter and first Verse they are said to bee Gods people which is to be vnderstood as the place before Some things are principally affirm'd of the inuisible Church but analogically are applyed to the visible Church as the whole taking denomination from the better part As for example If I come into the Barne and see a heape of Corne among the chaffe I may say truly It is a heape of Corne though the most of it be chaffe naming it from the better part And in this sense when the visible Church receiueth her denomination from the better part the Church may bee called the Body of Christ
their Armes and Liueries whereby they are distinguished from all other Companies yea we know that euery Lord and great man hath his Badge and Cognisance whereby his seruants and attendants are to bee knowne from other mens So the Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of Lords the great and glorious God of heauen and earth hath his Badge and Cognisance whereby his Seruants are distinguished and discerned from all other from the seruants of sinne and from the seruants of the world and from the seruants of men True it is that the Church inuisible is knowne to God alone because none but hee is the Searcher of the heart But the Church visible is therefore called visible because it hath certaine sensible notes and markes set vpon it that at the sight thereof it may bee knowne to be the Church of God I doe not speake here of the inward markes which God doth set secretly on his Children as that they are borne of God ioyned by faith vnto Christ their head endued with the Spirit of Adoption assuring them of Gods fauour and perswading them to holinesse and an inward loue and affection to the Brethren for by these they are onely knowne to God and to themselues but I speak of outward markes wherby they are knowne to others such as that therby the world may take notice of such a congregation so marked that they are a true visible Church of God This was a mattter practized in the former Testament and prophesied for the latter Isai 19.19 that the visible Church should bee thus marked out And surely it is very necessary that there should bee such outward tokens and markes to discerne it by First in respect of those that are within the Church for the surer confirmation of their hearts that they are in the right way as also for the publike testification of faith and Religion to bee in the world And secondly in respect of those that are without for many arrogate falsely the name of the Church vnto themselues as false Prophets and Heretikes and Schismatikes all which may bee discouered plainely by these markes that they are not such as they pretend themselues to bee as also because some of them that are without belonging to Gods election by these markes discerning the true Church may thereby be allured to ioyne to her Communion and so bee brought to God that all the rest may be left vtterly without excuse that being shewed by such palpable and plaine evidences which is the true Church out of which there is no saluatioÌ„ yet they wilfully refuse to assemble thereunto what is to be thought of such but that they are rebells against God and enemies to Christs Kingdome that when hee displaies his Banners openly they will not come into the fight on his side but take part against him Now these outward markes haue certaine qualities or properties belonging to them which wheresoeuer they are found they make these markes legitimate and to bee acknowledged to bee true and sufficient else they are not to bee admitted Now these qualities or properties belonging to these markes of the Church are two first that these marks and notes of the Church must bee essentiall to it secondly that they must bee better knowne to vs than the Church it selfe First they must bee essentiall that is such as concerne the very being of the Church some concerne the well being of the Church as Discipline and such like which wheresoeuer it is found it makes that Church more pure sound and perfect than other Churches that want thâ—m But the markes wee seeke after are such as concerne the very being of the Church so that wheresoeuer they are found there is certainly the true being of a visible Church and also wheresoever the Church visible hath any true being at all there are these found And this qualitie is attended with three others that are subordinate to it and follow consequently vpon it as first these markes must haue this being that as they are essentiall to the being of the Church so they must bee common to euery Church visible throughout the world for if any Church bee without them then they are not sufficient markes secondly they must bee proper to the Church visible and to no other Congregation in the world for if these marks agree to any other Congregation there is no certainty in them to finde out the Church by them Thirdly they must alwaies bee ioyned together so that wheresoeuer there is a true visible Church there are these markes and wheresoeuer these are there is a true visible Church for if at any time they bee asunder then there is a time when a Church visible is not to bee discerned from other Congregations I doe not say they are alwaies found in the same degree but sometimes more sometimes lesse alwaies in some measure And this is the first quality of these markes with the subordinate qualities that follow vpon them The second property or quality of these markes is that they must be better knowne than the Church it selfe for to seeke out a thing vnknowne by that which is as much vnknowne or a thing little knowne by that which is lesse knowne is a thing preposterous and absurd wee are neuer the neerer but if wee would seeke out a thing wisely wee must seeke that which is unknowne by that which is knowne and that which is but a little knowne by that which is more knowne for that which I know another by must bee beter knowne to mee than the other as for example If I know a man by his face or by some wart or mole vpon it then I must know that better or at least haue a more particular impression of it in my minde than of the man himselfe So the notes and markes of the Church must be better knowne to me than the Church it selfe And both these markes and notes must concurre together for being a certaine marke it must bee first able to direct vs to the thing wee seeke and secondly such as may not deceiue vs therein if it bee a thing well knowne and yet not essentiall it may direct but it is apt to deceiue againe if it be essentiall and not best known as it is not apt to deceiue so it is not able to direct therefore they must both concurre together So then the issue of all is this That whatsoeuer things doe so belong to a visible Church that being examined by these notes they will stand answerable thereunto these and none other are to bee acknowledged right marks thereof Now there is none that will hold the touch of these notes but these three the Word preached the Sacraments administred and thirdly obedience professed to that which they both require which because it is the maine substance of all that which is spoken touching this point wee will deliuer and handle it by way of obseruation Doctr. The obseruation is this That the preaching of the Word and the administration
are amisse and that thou shouldest ordaine Elders in euery Citie c. There by name are two principall parts of outward Gouernment set downe redressing things that are amisse and ordaining elders And these are imposed vpon Titus being Bishop of that Church and that of necessity for he was left there for this very cause And in the second and third Chapters of the Reuelation there are directions sent from heauen to the Angels of the seuen Churches and that for many things that did concerne euen the outward as well as the inward Gouernment of the Churches If wee looke into the estate of the Church from time to time we shall see that the practice was answerable that still of necessitie there was outward Gouernment in the Church Our Sauiour while hee was vpon earth among his Disciples how orderly did hee gouerne them When any thing was amisse amongst them how quietly did hee order it How orderly did hee send them out to preach How carefully did he giue them Rules for the outward Gouernment of the Church for the time to come So the Church after Christs ascension how well was it ordered and gouerned As wee may see Act. 1.13 14. Where it is said that the Apostles continued with one accord in prayers and supplications with the women and Mary the mother of Iesus and his Brethren And Act. 2.42 they continued in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer And Act. 6.2 3 c. When that matter of difference arose concerning the poore how wisely did they order it and chose out men from amongst them fearing God for the performance of this businesse So here we see how well the Church was ordered and gouerned after our Sauiours Ascension See it further Act. 15.2 and forward when there arose dissention in the Church about Circumcision what did they doe They called the Apostles and Elders together and so they ordered what should bee done in that businesse so here wee see is outward Gouernment still And so Phil. 1.1 the Apostle writes to the Bishops and Deacons of that Church that is to the Gouernours of it So that we see that of necessity there is required an outward Gouernment in the Church of God to bee administred by men And so much for the proofe of the point The Reasons are many and of diuers sorts some are drawne from the nature of God some are drawne by comparison from other Assemblies the third sort are drawne from the persons that are to be Gouerned and the last sort are drawne from the Offices that are to be exercised and the businesses that are to be done in the Church The first sort of Reasons drawne from the nature and will of God are these First God is the Author not of confusion but of peace as wee see in all the Churches of the Saints 1. Cor. 14.33 The Apostle giues all the Churches of the Saints for instance in this point that God is the Author of peace in all them as hee commanding it and they obeying Now what peace can there bee or how can it be maintained but by Gouernment therefore wheresoeuer there is a Church of Saints there must of necessity bee Gouernment Againe secondly Holinesse becomes Gods House for euer saith the Prophet Psal 93.5 but without Gouernment there can be no Holinesse at least in the outward man and therefore of necessity outward Gouernement must bee in the Church The second sort of Reasons are drawne by comparison from other Assemblies what Company is there without Gouernment In heauen there is order and Gouernment amongst the Saints and Angels themselues some amongst the Angels for order sake are aboue the rest there are Principalities and Powers and Thrones c. I do not say as the Papists doe that one Angell is aboue another in degree but in order at least Christ is the Head and gouernour of them all and that personally so there is a Gouernment in heauen And as it is in heauen so it is in earth What Company or Corporation either in the City or Kingdome is or can consist without Gouernment And is not the Church the Company of Gods Saints so they are called Ps 89.7 and can that be without Gouernment So in an house there can be no peace nor liuing together in it without Gouernment The Church is the House of God the City of God the Kingdome of his owne Sonne and therefore there must be of necessity an outward gouernment in it exercised by men yea Hell it selfe though it bee the place of all disorder and confusion yet they haue some Gouernment amongst themselues else their kingdome cannot stand The third sort of Reasons are taken from the nature of the persons of whom the Church consists and they are men and therefore to be gouerned and that by men Some are tractable and these are gently to be led others are obstinate those are to be drawne with strong hand some are Nouices and they are to be fed with milke others are of stronger growth and they are to be fed with stronger meat some are out of the Church that must be called in these are to be admitted others are within the Church misdemeaning themselues these are to be cast out Therefore there must be Order and Gouernment in the Church for the doing of all this Lastly there must be gouernment in the Church in respect of the offices and businesses that are to be done in it the Word and the Sacraments are outward things and therefore are outwardly to bee administred Officers are to be chosen Lawes to be made controuersies and contentions are to bee pacified the Sicke are to bee visited the Poore are to be releeued Offences are to be punished and sundry other things are to be done which without outward Gouernment it is not possible they should bee well done Therefore of necessity there must be this outward Gouernment in the Church Vse 1 The Vses of this point are these First this is against Anarchy and for reproofe of such as will haue no Gouernment in the Church their owne necks will endure no yoke and therfore they blush not to say that there should be no yoke at all laid vpon Christians and some of them haue gone so farre that they will not endure ciuill Magistracy neither they hold it vnfit for the estate of the Gospell to be vnder Gouernment Wee are called to liberty say they Iesus Christ hath set vs free and therefore we need no Gouernours It is true wee are called to liberty but wee must not vse our liberty as a cloake to our sinnes What liberty and freedome is it that wee haue Is it not from sin and Satan and the curse of the Law It is not a state of liberty in respect of the outward man but in respect of the inward man for the best liberty the outward man can haue is when it is made conformable to the ordinances of God and such wholesome Lawes
may erre And how can the Papists maintaine their doubting of saluation with the not errring of the Church yes say they though wee know what wee are now members of the true Church and therefore in the state of saluation yet wee are not sure what wee shall be whether wee shall continue so or not but yet then they confesse that there is assurance of saluation for the time present though not for the time to come and how also can they maintaine the falling away of the faithfull with the not erring of the Church For the faithfull are chosen of God but some of these that are of a visible Church are only called If then the chosen faithfull may fall away then those that are onely called much more yes saith Hosius Euery particular member may fall away but the whole Church cannot but I answer that the only bar to stay men from finall falling away is the decree of Gods election which is tyed no more to all the Church in generall then it is to euery man in particular but they retort this on vs you say they deny the finall falling away of the faithfull and yet affirme the finall falling away of the Church and yet also you call the Church the company of the faithfull I answer when wee say the faithfull cannot fall away for euer wee vnderstand the chosen faithfull But when we say the Church may fall away we meane only the faithfull by profession and by calling only not by election when we say that the Church is the company of the faithfull wee vnderstand it properly of the whole members not of any visible congregation and for that which they obiect that the Church cannot erre because the Church is the Spouse of Christ the Piller and ground of truth and because it hath the promise of the spirit to this I answer that these do belong properly to the whole militant Church not to any particular visible Church but onely by proportion that is so far forth as the faithfull and chosen are found in it But notwithstanding this promise of the Spirit they may sinne and therefore they may erre too for Gods Kingdome is the Kingdome of righteousnesse as well as of truth and that holy Ghost is the Spirit of grace against sinne as well as the spirit of truth against error he is a sanctifier as well as an inlightener And so much shall serue concerning the first doubt and question whether the Church may erre or no. The second matter of doubt is concerning the necessity of being a member of the Church if euer wee will attaine saluation And hence ariseth this question whether any may be saued out of the Church or no For this is one singular prerogatiue of the Church that whosoeuer is of it is in the state of Saluation and whosoeuer is out of it is in the state of Damnation To this question I answer that if we vnderstand it of the inward communion of the faith of the Church that is of the chosen it is simply true that without the Church there is no saluation at all And so also if we vnderstand it of the outward Communion in the profession of faith with the Church that is of the called it is true also that ordinarily and vsually without the Church there is no saluation So that it is true properly of the whole Militant Church and yet it extends to the visible thus far that if a man be where there is a visible Church if he ioyne not with it ordinarily he cannot be saued Doct. Take then the obseruation thus that Without the Church there is no saluation vnderstand it properly of the Church Militant but proportionably of the Church visible Esay 60.1.2 3. as there was light in Goshen when all Egypt beside was in darknesse so is there light and saluation in the Church when the whole world besides is in darknesse and the estate of Damnation And as all that were not in the Arke perished in the floud so they that are not of the Church cannot be saued but must needes perish with the world and that which the ancient fathers say is true that they which haue not the Church for their mother haue not God for their father and surely they that are not of the Kingdome of heauen here on earth shall neuer be of that Kingdome which is in heauen The reasons are these First the Church is the fold Reas 1 they that are not within this fold are no sheepe neither haue they Christ to be their Shepheard Secondly Election the promise of grace Christ himselfe Reas 2 the holy Spirit sauing Faith Holinesse Righteousnesse the vse of the meanes all these are onely in the Church and are no where else to be found Therefore they which are not in the Church can haue no part in these and so can haue no part in saluation The vses are these first this teacheth vs to labour to be Vse 1 members of the Church If we liue in a place where the Faith of Christ is profest and doe not ioyne our selues with them it is a great and a damnable sinne euery one wil labour to be of that company that hath best and most priuiledges then labour to be of the Church for that hath the most and best priuiledges and labour also to bring others to the Church specially those that are thine owne labour that they may be of the Church and so in the estate of saluation Loue Sion let thy heart be rauished with the desire and prosperity of Ierusalem Secondly let those that are in this State let them Vse 2 walke in the light while they haue it lest it be taken from them and then they cannot tell whither they goe Thirdly here we see the misery of those that are not Vse 3 members of the Church for though they be else neuer so wealthy witty mighty glorious or otherwise worldly priuiledged yet they are no better then of the damned crue they are out of the estate of Saluation without God and without Christ in the world Fourthly this teacheth those that are of the visible Vse 4 Church that as they haue communion with the Church in profession So also to haue communion with them in faith else as good not to be of the Church as not to haue our part in the effectuall meanes of saluation with the Church Vse 5 Lastly heere wee may learne what is to be thought of those that separate from the Church as men cut off from the Church and so if they be without the faith of the Church they can haue no saluation The one and twentieth LECTVRE of the CHVRCH WE haue already spoken of the 6th generall point propounded to be handled namely of the priuileges of the Church Now we are to proceed to the seuenth namely of the aduersaries and opposites of the Church for as the Church of God is endued with many excellent priuileges aboue all other congregations whatsoeuer So no other company in
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
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 worse courses The fourth motiue to perswade vs to ioyne in communion with the Church of England and not to forsake her is this we our selues here had our new birth euen in this Church and by this Church and therefore wee haue great cause to be louing and kindly affected and to carry our selues dutifully vnto her as the child to the mother that bare him and if we doe not rest within her communion but goe from her how iustly may we feare to mis-led and eyther relapse into former or runne into new errors Fifthly many of our aduersaries were here begotten too the soundest part of that faith which the best of our Separtists haue they learned and attayned vnto in our church therefore the greater is their sinne first to flye from vs secondly to deny her to be their mother and thirdly to pursue her with so many obloquies and repreaches as if shee were no Church of God Sixthly our Church hath beene planted and sealed vp by the bloud of many precious and glorious Martyrs which of vs is not verily perswaded that Bradford Latimer c are now members of the triumphant Church in heauen then desire to be and to continue members of the same visible militant Church on earth renounce communion with them here and renounce communion with them in heauen Seuenthly consider what a shelter our Church hath beene to many afflicted churches French and Dutch c if they being Gods true churches flye for succour to vs and are safe vnder our shadow shal not we ioyfully and gladly continue vnder it but fly away If persecution should come we would be glad in our hearts that we had such a shelter Let vs not bee alienated from that good estate because we haue it which if we wanted we would esteeme most precious and vndergoe any labour to recouer it Eightly consider the miraculous planting and preseruing of our Church for many yeeres first planted by King Edward a childe then preserued in Queene Elizabeth time being but a woman against the whole rable of Gods enemies Pope and Spaniard and Sathan himselfe and all his Instruments this is no small token that God tooke notice of vs as of his owne Church and therefore may be motiue to vs to communicate with her Ninthly all other Reformed Churches acknowledge vs to bee a true Church and reioyce for vs yea euen those that are most against vs for Discipline as Beza yet pray for vs and for the continuance of our State euen as it is to many generations they are wise Religious Impartiall yet they approoue vs Me thinks it should astonish the Separatists that all are for vs but they as if they were holier and wiser then all others surely it should much incourage vs to keepe our hold and to haue them in great iealously because they haue deceiued themselues and would deceiue vs. Lastly who are they that condemne vs None but Papists and some hot turbulent Spirits that haue a great felicity in ouerthrowing the Societies of other Churches and yet cannot throughly agree amongst themselues what is to bee done in their owne Churches So much for the first Instruction Secondly this teacheth vs thankefulnesse to God and that in two kindes First that God hath beene so fauorable to this Land as to inlighten the people therof by the preaching of the word and other meanes of Saluation so that now they are a true and a sound visible Church heretofore they sate in darknesse and in the shaddow of death in heathenisme Popery gâ—osse Ignorance but blessed bee God a light a blessed and glorious Light euen the Light of the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ hath shined on them and doth shine on them so that they see their sinnes and the way of Saluation how many Nations are still ouerwhelmed some with Paganisme some with Iudaisme some with Mahometisme and some with Popery but our Nation hath the true Religion and sauing faith and that not onely profest but in some good measure practised too this is the Lords doing and therefore we should bee thankfull to him for it Secondly it teacheth euery one of vs in particular to be thankfull to God that our Birth and life hath beene respiâ—ed to these times of Light if the Lord should haue watched vs a good time we could haue had no better then this if wee had beene borne an hundred or two hundred yeeres since what times of blindnesse had wee been borne in But now â—hâ— wee are borne and liue in this great Light that is in the bosome of a true and in a sound visible Church except we will wilfully neglect such meanes of Saluation we may bee saued And therefore while we haue this Light let vs labour to walke in the Light as Children of the Light And let vs bring forth fruits worthy of this Light let vs liue more graciously and holily then those that want this Light that so it may appeare to the world that there is a difference in mens liues as well as in their Religion Lastly let vs pray to God for the continuance of this Light to ouâ— poore posterity that are yet vnborne that they may be as well prouided for herein as we are euen to the worlds end And therefore it stands vs in hand by Prayers and teares to intreate God not onely that the Gospell may bee in our dayes but that it may continue to our Children and to our Childrens children so long as the world endures And so much for the vses of Instruction The other vses for Reproofe though they haue beene handled heretofore by the way yet in the next Lecture I will handle them purposely The Nine and Twentieth LECTVRE of the CHVRCH IN the last Lecture we spake of the Reformed Churches and so at length wee came to speake in particular of our own Church the Church of England And we deliuered this Obseruation concerning the same Namely That the Church of England euen as now it stands though it haue many failings and weaknesse in it yet notwithstanding it is a true and a sound visible Church I did explaine this Obseruation and made proofe of it by sundry Reasons I haue also entred into the vses thereof which I shewed were of two sorts the first for instruction the second for reproofe wee haue handled the first sort and now we are to come to the second sort of vses And they are of Reproofe and that of two sorts of Aduersaries the Papists and the Separatists for we are close beset and hardly assaulted on both sides The Papist on the one side exclaimes that we are no Church or a false one because we are separated from them and the Separatists on the other side exclaime so too and therefore haue separated from vs and yet neither doth the Papist acknowledge the Separatist to be a true Church nor the Separatist acknowledge the Papist to bee so Manasseth against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasseth and both against Iudah
had from them yet it was before Anti-christ there be many speeches in the fathers of it but we retaine it not as the Papists doe idolatrously no the imposers protest against that but for an ancient custome And that we may see they retaine it not for superstition they haue turned it out of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for it was vsed in that Sacrament too so that though it be retrayned in the Church yet not as an idolatrous or superstitious ceremony Fourthly they except against our Ministery and say that we haue a false ministery and therefore a false Church I Answer Our Ministery is a true Ministery and â—ustifiable if we looke into all parts of it we will iustifie it against them better then they can iustifie theirs against vs But say they your ordination whence had yee it but from the Pope I Answer First eyther it was extraordinary in Luther and others and so they being thus called might ordaine others or secondly else it was ordinary from the Popish Church as the Sacrament of Baptisme is true amongst them and so acknowledged by the separatists so is ordination They hould that those that are Baptised amongst them are lawfully Baptised and by the same reason we hould that they which are ordayned Ministers amongst them haue a lawfull ordination Then for their guifts let any Church shew better guifts then it hath pleased God to bestow on our Ministers Then looke into the exercise of their guifts It is true that we haue many idle backs and slow bellies that will not labour but that is their personall fault But we haue many publique exercises and many Ministers that are extraordinary painfull in preaching reading visiting the sicke c. Lastly looke into the effect of our ministery and wee can shew the scale of our ministery in many that are called and that ordinarily by our publique ministery and therefore our ordination is good Lastly they except that we haue a false people and therefore a false Church they say our people were profanely gathered and liue prophanely in our Church for their gathâ—ring I haue Answered before for their liuing prophanely I Answer that doth not make a false Church I haue shewed that there are more Hypocrites in the Church then true beleeuers yea but say they these are openly wicked and yet are admitted into your Church and to your Sacraments I Answer though they be wicked in their liues yet they are not so in their profession and therefore there is no fault in vs if vpon their profession of repentance and obedience we admit them to the Sacraments the fault is that they are not cast out for their open notorious sinnes by them that haue authority and not that vpon profession of repentance they are admitted to the Sacraments So that we see that all that they can except against vs is for petty matters or else they bee personall faults and therefore not to be charged vpon the whole Church for there is none of these faults but may be redrest and by this Gouernment which is in our Church if they be not it is mens personall sinnes for by law there should bee a learned ministery and that those which sinne openly should be cast out of the Church c And therefore let not this be charged on our Church we haue many abuses in our Church as well as in other Churches and we are to intreate God to sweepe them out but yet wee are not thereupon to be condemned for a false Church Thus ye see that our note stands true against all the exceptions both of the Papists and the separatists namely that the Church of England euen as now it stands is through Gods mercy not onely a true but a sound visible Church FINIS Matth. 28. Ruth 3.11 First the order of the question is naturall First in respect of God in the first question â—econdly in reâ—ect of Christ Thirdly in respect of all the three questions together The matter of the question is of great importance First for direction Secondly for the confirmation of our faith Thirdly for the confuting of Aduersaries Fourthly for consolation The ignorance and mistaking of the true Church is exceeding dangerous in foure respects Foure generall points concerning the Church 1. The name Vide Field lib. 1. p. 12. 15. 16. Musculus 555. Bullinger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intends three things Foure divisions of callings First generall and particular Secondly extraordinary and ordinary Thirdly outâ—ard and inâ—ard Fourthly effectuall and not effectuall Calling not effectuall fiue wayes The second generall thing concerning the Church are the titles Many titles giuen her for three reasons The titles are of two sorts First absolute without reference to any thing else First a garden Secondly a spring or founâ—aine Thirdly a chosen generation a royall Priesthood a holy nation a peculiar people set at liberty Two sorts of titles which concerne the Church are respectiue as it hath reference to some other thing else and these are of fiue sorts First such as are giuen to the Church in respect of God and they are First Gods Mountaine Secondly the Citie of God Thirdly the house of God Fourthly the Temple of God Fifthly the people of God Secondly such as haue reference to Christ and they are First his loue Secondly his sister Thirdly the spouse of Christ Fourthly a Queene Fiftly his sheepe Sixthly his body Seuenthly My Beloued is mine and I am his Eighthly Christ Thirdly such as are giuen with reference to the faithfull and these are First the Tower of the flocke Secondly the Mother of vs all Fourthly such as are giuen with reference to the world in generâ—ll and these â—râ— first thâ— sâ—bstance of the World secondly the ioy of the whole earth Thirdly a Lilly amongst thornes Fifthly are such as haue reference to the truth of God and these are First the pillar and ground of truth Secondly a Candlesticke The Church of God shadowed in the law by the sanctuary or tabernacle in eight things Vide Piscat in Exo. 25. The glory of the Church in foure things First in the profession Secondly in her practice Thirdly in her order Fourthly in her vnitie The third generall thing concerning the Church is the nature of it Vid Reynolds Thes p 642. and Rhem. Vesâ—â—m 1. Tim. 3 10. Thâ— nature of the Church described by three things First by the efficient cause Secondly by their number Thirdly by the places where they are The holy Angels are part of the true Châ— prooued and 〈…〉 doctrine That Christ is Mediator for the Angels and how The Angels fall was personall The Angels haue their part in Christs mediation in foure things in respect of things done to vs which redound to them And in diuers things done more directly to themselues That part of Gods Church and chosen which consists of men and they are partly in heauen partly in earth First those that are in heauen Secondly those which are in earth Hyper.
535. Vogel 751. Thirdly of those which are in heauen and earth both together The matter of this reduced to sixe Heads all raised out of the Article of the Creed I beleeue the holy Catholike Church First Head It is but one The Church hath a threefold onenesse Difference of circumstances doe not cut off from the true Church as First of states Secondly of times Thirdly of persons Fourthly of place Fifthly of ceremonies Sixtly of iudgement in Points not absolutely fundamentall Second Head The Church is holy John 3. The third Head It is Catholike First how this word Catholike hath been wronged First by those in the Romish Church three wayes Rhemists in Act. 11 and Bristow in his moâ—es and demands 2. Cor. 3.5 Secondly it is wronged by some foure wayes Secondly the word Catholike righted in regard whereof three things are to be considered of First the antiquitie of it Vid Fulke ibidem Morney de ecclesia p. 13. 14. c. 19. ad 25. 29. vid. Rainold conclus 650. 671 Secondly the right meaning of it Oecumenius a Ipsa est ecclesia catholica vnde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 graece appellatur quae per totum arbem terrarum diffunditur Aug. epist 170. ad Seuerinum Rhemists in 1. Ioh. 2.6 Morney de ecclesia 23. Thirdly the common receiued vse of the word Vniuersalis ecclesia est Ierusalem ciuitas Dei viui quae continet ecclesiam primitiarum circumscriptâ—m in coelis Isychius in Leuit. lib 4. cap. 14 Catholica veraciter illa est quae ab omnibus perfidis eorum successoribus consortibus sincera pura immaculata communione diuisa est Gelasius ad Anast Aug. Euseb hist eccl applieth Catholike both to the whole Church through ehe world and to particular Churches too Vid. Field lib. 1. p. 16. 26. l. 2. 56. Thirdly the obseruations from it Sheldon Quod semper quod vbique quod ab omnibus Vincent lib. 3. 24. Obiect Fourth point That the Church is a communion of Saints whereby two things are affirmed First that the Church hath a communion with or is ioyned to Christ which is the fourth quality First Christs communion with vs in two particulars First in regard of our selues in foure respects Secondly he communicates with vs in respect of the things that belong to vs which consisteth in these things Secondly wee communicate with him First in regard of himselfe hee is ours two wayes Secondly we communicate with him in regard of all thâ— things that are his as First what he had Secondly what he did Thirdly what he suffered Fourthly what he hath obtained by his doings and sufferings How these things are to be vnderstood This communication with Christ in the things that are his drawne into two heads First in some things by merit Secondly in other things by power Reasons on Gods part First his election Secondly his couenant Thirdly his free gift of Christ to vs. Fourthly his Loue. Reason on Christs part Reasons on our part First our faith Secondly our couenant Thirdly by gifts Fourthly our loue Fifthly our necessity Three meanes of this communion First the Spirit Secondly the Word Thirdly the Sacraments A Christians Patent Royall vnder the broad Seale of heauen for his interest First in God Secondly in the promises Thirdly in the offices and benefits of Christ. Fourthly in full and finall glorification A Christians acquittance generall against all pleading of sinne and euery thing that is against vs. The second thing affirmed concerning the communion of Saints and that is the communion which the Saints haue one with another and this is the fifth quality Caluin instit lib. 4. cap. 5 1. 2. Morney de eccles pag. 8. Christ the light of the World Three things concerning this communion First what it is it is spirituall In how many senses it is spirituall Two things wherein this communion consisteth and that in two things First a communion of state and that in diuers respects Secondly this communion consisteth in a communion of practise And this is first generall Secondly it is particular And this diuers wayes First in regard of gifts Non tollitur gratiarum diversitas nec conuellitur ordo politicus Calu. Secondly in regard of their wants and that diuers wayes Thirdly this communion of practise in particular is in respect of their doings Fourthly in respect of their sufferings Fifthly in respect of their affections Sixthly in respect of themselues and all they haue Thirdly the extent of this communion Cautions herein to be obserued This communion extends to the Saints in heauen The Reasons are of fiue sorts first in respect of God The second sort of reasons in respect of Christ The third reason in respect of the Spirit Fourth sort of reasons are in regard of the faithfull them selues in diuers respects Fifrh sort of reasons are in regard of our aduersaries Things to be done that we may maintaine this communion Trials whether we practise this communion Teaching two things First knowne to God prooued Secondly to themselues Thirdly none but God and themselues know it The fourth generall Head in this question which is the diuision of the Church which is partly of the name partly of the thing it selfe First of the name Secondly of the thing it selfe Three wayes how the Church is distinguished Into vniuersall or particular Secondly it is distinguished into the Church Militant and Triumphant What the Militant Church is defined This warfare is spirituall in three respects That the good Angels are parties of this Church Militant in some sense though noâ— parts of it What the Church Triumphant is Eight differences betweene the Church Triumphant and Militant And in it fiue things What to be considered of fâ—r the fitting helping and directing of vs in this warfare A third diuision of the Church into visible and inuisible Of the Church inuisible and of the inuisibilitie of it in fiue senses The Church signifying the vniuersall company of Gods chosen in heauen and earth in this sense it is inuisible actually and potentially Secondly the Church signifying the company of beleeuers in earth is inuisible simply or after a sort Generall aduertisements concerning the Church inuisible and visible Differences betweene the vniuersall inuisible and the vniuersall visible Church Vid. Zanch. in Hos 2.8.9 p. 51. August in Ps 10 Hierom. cont Lucif Exceptions of Papists out of the fifth of Matthew for the visibilitie of the Church answered The second exception out of Mat. 18.17 The third exception out of Rom. 10.10 Nine things considerable in a visible Church First the definition of it Vera ecclesia est quae profitetur Christi fidem Bellar. de ecclâ—s milit p. 249. First some Churches are either vniuersall visible Churches or particular visible Churches First Particular visible Churches are first Nationall Parochiall or domesticall Jnstances first of a Prouinciall Church Secondly of a Parochiall Church Thirdly of a Domesticall Church Secondly they are either more or lesse visible Thirdly
conueying life and Spirit into them and they like liuing members receiuing this life and performing their seuerall Offices both to him and one to another Many other Titles there are of the like kinde all tending to shew not a Communion onely as my Beloued is mine and I am his but an vnion rather as they being one with him and hee with them their sinnes are his by Imputation and so his righteousnesse is theirs yea they are called Christ 1. Co. 12.12 so much of the second sort of Titles The third sort are giuen with reference to the faithfull as in Micah 4.8 It is called the Tower of the flocke as who should say all the flocke of Christ resorts to the Church as to a strong hold or Tower and if they recouer that there is perfect safetie so saith the Prophet Isa 14.32 The Lord hath stablished Sion and the poore of his people shall trust in it So in Gal. 4.26 she is called the mother of vs all shee is a fruitfull mother hauing many Children not the mother of one Nation onely as Agar but of all nations in the world and she is a very louing mother giuing her children sucke out of her owne breasts the two Testaments and thereby nourishing and bringing them vp till they be of greater strength yea till they be of a perfect and full age in Iesus Christ The fourth sort of Titles are giuen with reference to the world in generall and in this respect the Church is called the substance of the World Isa 6.13 So long as the holy seed stands so long the World stands when it decayes the substance is gone and the World perisheth so in this respect the Church is called the ioy of the whole earth Lam. 2.10 when the Church thriues the whole earth is the better for it howsoeuer many men grudge at this when the Church prospers yet they should reioyce at it themselues hauing no right to any blessing on earth but by their fellowship In this respect also it is called a Lillie amongst thornes Can. 2.2 which shews two things first the great and goodly grace and beautie of the Church how farre it exceedes all the Congregations in the world besides as the Lilly that is farre more glorious then Salomon in all his Royaltie exceedes the brambles the bushes and thornes And secondly it shewes also the tendernesse of the Church much adoe to be hatched and easily hurt in the world euen as the Lillie is amongst the thornes and so it shewes the harshnesse and troublesomenesse of the world to the Church that are like pricking thornes and scratching Brambles to her The last sort of Titles are such as haue reference to the truth of God and in this respect the Church is called The Pillar and ground of Truth 1. Tim. 3.15 we must not take it as the Papists doe as if the truth were bâ—ilt on the Church and the Church were the foundation of that for Christ alone is the foundation and the Truth is rather the foundation of the Church Mat. 16.18 Vpon this Rock saith Christ wil I build my Church that is vpon this Truth which Peter had professed of Christ before will I build my Church therfore we must expound it thus The Pillar and ground of Truth that is the supporter and vpholder and maintainer of it to keepe it in sure and safe custody that neither Sathan nor all his instruments should euer be able vtterly to ouerthrow it but that it shall liue and abide in the hearts of the faithfull for euer and in this sense the Church is called a Candlesticke Reuel 1.20 not as being the foundation of the Light but the bearer vp and holder forth of the Light of Gods Truth to the view of the world and so much of the last sort of Titles Now that wee haue past ouer the Titles giuen to the Church and shewed them in their seuerall rankes wee will draw them into a head in an obseruation and that is this Namely That the Church of God that is the Company Doct. 2 and Assembly of the faithfull is the most gracious and blessed beautifull and glorious assembly that is in the World The Scripture is plentifull in this argument to teach vs that we must enlarge our hearts and thoughts to the more ample and full vnderstanding of it Besides the Titles we spake of before which all proue this there be many other proofes in the Scripture I will giue you one place which is not in the Canonicall Scripture which though it bee not to bee read in the Church yet you may reade it priuately and that is in the 2. Esdras 5.22 c. And I had a desire to reason againe and I began to talke with the most High againe And I said Oh Lord of euery Forrest of the Earth and of all the Trees thereof Thou hast chosen Thee one onely Vineyard and of all the Landes in the World thou hast chosen thee one Pit and of all the flowers of the ground thou hast chosen thee one Lillie c. In Exod. 19.5 God saith to the Iewes and so to the whole Church that they should bee his chiefe Treasure aboue all people as if many Pearles and pretious Stones were enameled in beaten Gold and framed together into one body would not this be a glorious body But such is the Church in the eyes and acceptance of God God doth more highly esteeme of the Church then of all the World besides all the rest are but trash drosse and dung the Lord sets nothing by them in comparison of the Church Isai 4.5 The Lord shall create vpon euery place of mount Sion and upon the assemblies thereof a Cloude and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for vpon all the glory shal be a defence that is the glory of God and the glory of all the world the whole body and euery part thereof is glorious yea glory it selfe all other pompe and glory without the glory of the Church is basenes and smoke and miserie See the glorious estate of the Church as it was shadowed in the Law Exod. 25.8.9 by the Sanctuary or Tabernacle First there was the Arke verse 10. Secondly there was the Testimony put into the Ark. Vers 16. Thirdly there was the Mercy-seate Vers 17. Fourthly the Cherubins Vers 18. Fifthly God speaking from betwixt the Cherubins ver 22. Sixtly the Table Vers 23. Seuenthly the Shew-bread Vers 30. Lastly the golden Candlesticke Vers 31. These did all figure out the glorious estate of the Church vnder the Gospell There was the Arke that is God himselfe and haue not we the same God There was the Testimony in the Arke which was a witnesse or euidence of Gods presence that he euer was and would be present there And so we haue the Word and the Sacraments to witnesse Gods continuall presence with vs. There was the Mercy-seate and what was that but Iesus Christ 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
on earth for the Reas 4 worlds sake that must stand till the appointed time of dissolution but it cannot stand longer then the faithfull are in it for whose sake onely it is vpholden for the holy seed is the substance of the world as I shewed Isa 6.13 and therefore so long as the world stands they cannot be vtterly destroyed Fiftly the Church on earth is the Nurserie for heauen Reas 5 now in heauen are many mansions to be filled vp euery day therefore there must be a continuall supply from the Nursery on earth Sixthly there must be a continuall warre betwixt the Reas 6 seed of the Serpent and the seed of the woman Gen. 3.15 betwixt the wicked and the godly therefore as the wicked seed of the Serpent and the seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 betwixt the wicked and the godly therefore as the wicked the Serpents seed shal be alwayes on earth so likewise the faithfull the womans seed shal be alwaies on earth too Vse 1 The vses First this shewes the antiquity of the Church that it hath been from the beginning Truth is elder then falshood righteousnesse was before sinne Gods Church is ancienter then all prophane Assemblies whatsoeuer Caine is ancient being of the malignant Church but his Parents the Church in Paradise is ancienter Eue and Adam harkened to the voice of the Serpent and so committed sinne soone after the Creation yet there was a time before their fall when they beleeued and rested on God and his Word and were righteous The Diuell is a Lier from the beginning yet Gods Truth was in the beginning before that â—ie else it could not haue been peruerted with his Lye This serues first to stop the mouth of all Gainsaiers and aduersaries of Gods Church that Charge vs with nouelty to bee a new sect and challenge antiquitie to themselues that they are the ancient and true Church which are both lies for they are the nouellists not wee We are from the beginning before they had any being so that we are more ancient then they and their religion is nouelty and a new Sect. Secondly it may serue to confirme vs in the vndoubted assurance of the Truth and of that Faith and Religion which we professe That which is most ancient is most true as being immediatly and originally from the pure Fountaine the pure hands of God himselfe who is the ancient of dayes And contrarily all Religions which are lesse ancient are from some corrupt Channels degenerate from the originall sinceritie Now our Religion which we professe is most ancient and most pure and therefore let all contrary Doctrines and Religions hide their heads and be ashamed of themselues and yeeld the preheminence of pure Truth to our Religion that is most true and rightly ancient Vse 2 Secondly as this shewes the Antiquitie of the Church so likewise it proues the perpetuity of it As it was from the beginning of the world so it shall continue by succession to the end of the world as it was before all other Congregations so it shall see the rising and fall of all other Congregations but it selfe shall continue one and the same by a continuall succession where the Fathers are gone there Children shall stand vp in their steads and so Childrens Children to the worlds end There shall bee many changes and alterations from time to time yet still there shall bee a Church in all these changes If the Church faile in Paradise it shall be found out of Paradise If Israel fall away yet Iudah shall stand If the Iewes bee cast off yet the Gentiles shal be taken in Though Popery Turcisme and Iudaisme and Paganisme abound and fill the world and are vp in Armes against the Church yet there are some corners in the world that God hath reserued to shelter his Church in wherein they shall be preserued both from their persecution and infection The third Vse Is matter of Comfort to the faithfull Vse 3 First in regard of themselues for they are the onely people of continuance that are in the world they onely are sure of their estaâ—e and none else It is true that the wicked may flourish a long time in great prosperitie like to a greene Bay Tree but in time and sometimes very quickly they shall vanish away like smoke and consume as the fat of Lambes and nothing shall remaine of them but the faithfull shall stand fast for euer Psal 102.28 they may be afflicted persecuted and distressed on euery side yet they shall neuer be forsaken nor giuen ouer vtterly as a prey to their enemies If the wicked murder some of them yet God wil haue some of them remaine still let persecutours draw out the blood of Gods Children as long as they will or can yet still there shal be found some that will offer themselues to their bloody hands for the maintenance of Gods Truth as some are taken away God will still send them a new supply So then it is Comfort to them in regard of themselues that they shall neuer perish Secondly it is comfort to them in regard of their posterity and of the Church after them they need not say on their deathbeds as worldlings doe What shall become of my Children and goods after I am gone they need not say so of their spirituall goods let God alone with them leaue them to him the faithfull seed shall bee preserued and vpholden by his Fatherly prouidence to the worlds end and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against them And as for the Truth of God the Gospell and the graces of the Spirit which themselues are seized on in their life time God will dispose of them to the right heires heires of his owne begetting add raising vp he will find heires for them successiuely from age to age to the last end Then Christ Iesus himselfe shall come and hee shall stand last vpon the earth and so the Church shall be the first and the last The first Adam the first man on earth beginning the Church on earth And the second Adam the last man vpon the earth finishing it vp by his personall presence hauing continued and maintained it by his owne power from the first beginning to the worlds end And shall the Church haue an end then No though all things bee then at an end yet the Church shall not yet be at an end but as it is for euer here so it shall continue for euer in heauen too and that in a farre safer and happier and more glorious estate then euer it did in this world Psal 102.28 Vse 4 The fourth Vse is for discouragement to wicked men and Persecutors in that which they doe against Gods Church What can they doe against it roote it out as many times they say they will No doe they what they can by themselues by their Instruments they can neuer roote it out Let Kings and Rulers and Gentiles and people fret and rage and band themselues together against the Lord and
the faithfull generally dispersed which indeed is plaine in those Epistles of Iames Peter and Iude and in the first Epistle of Iohn but not in the two last Epistles of Iohn they being directed to one single person So that the meaning of the word Catholike Church is generall or vniuersall dispersed farre and wide ouer the face of the whole earth In the Primitiue Church they vsed the name Catholike to be equiualent to the name Christian so that this was an vsuall speech amongst them Christian is my name and Catholike is my Sur-name so that the word is ancient and the right meaning of the word is gathered hence that whereas before Christs comming the Church was nationall containd only in Iury now after Christs comming and ascension both Iewes and Gentiles and all Nations were to receiue the Faith and so to become one generall Church and so it was called Catholike that is generally or vniuersally dispersed ouer the face of the whole earth and so much of the right meaning of the word Thirdly to right the word wee are to consider the common receiued vse of the word It is such as degenerates from the right meaning and first antiquitie of it and yet with construction it is allowable enough The Ancients vsed this word Catholike for true beleeuing as distinguishing from Heretikes and false beleeuing so that Catholike Church was as much to say as a true beleeuing Church and so from the Church to a particular member a Catholike that is no Heretike but a right beleeuer and that speech which was so common in the Primitiue Church Christian is my name and Catholike is my Sur-name shewes that none all that while were called true Catholikes but true Christians Austin hath this saying The very name of Catholike saith he containes me in the lap of the Church that is as if I should say The very name of Christian containes mee within the lap of the Church that is it is one motiue amongst some others to keepe me in the lap of the Church not that the name is sufficient only but I knowing my selfe to be of the true Church one motiue amongst others that containes me in it is the name of Christian c. And this is Austins meaning So you haue seene how this word hath been wronged and how it is righted Now we will here take it in the right meaning and first antiquitie of it and so draw such obseruations as shall fitly follow vpon it which is the third generall Point to bee spoken to Therefore when we say the Catholike Church it intends two things first that the Church is generally dispersed through the world secondly that euery true beleeuer wheresoeuer or whatsoeuer hee is hee is a member of the true Church Wee will draw it into an Obseruation and that is this Doctr. The true Church of God is Catholike or generall extending it selfe to all beleeuing persons of all times and places whatsoeuer That the Church was of all times wee haue shewed before here we are to speake only to this Point that the Church of God is of all persons and places This was so prophesied Ps 72.8 His Dominion shall be from Sea to Sea and from the Riuer to the end of the Land This indeed is typically spoken of Dauid and his Kingdom but it is applyed to Christ and his Kingdome of Grace which is his Church And so this was promised to our Sauiour Christ by his Father Psal 2.8 I will giue thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the vtmost parts of the earth for thy possession What is Christs heritage and possession but the Church but his possession shall reach to the vtmost parts of the earth and therefore his Church must reach as farre to all places and people that beleeue euen to the farthest parts of the earth So likewise our Sauiour himselfe foreshewes it Matth. 8.11 Many shall come from the East and West and sit downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the Kingdome of Heauen Many shall come that is there shall bee a generall confluence from the East and West that is from all places in the World And what shall they doe They shall sit downe with Abraham c. that is they shall beleeue in Christ as Abraham Isaac and Iacob did and so become members of the same Church of God as they were So yee see how farre the Kingdome of heauen inlargeth it selfe And Ioh. 10.16 Other sheepe I haue also saith our Sauiour which are not of this Fold them also must I bring and they shall heare my Word and there shall be one Sheepfold and one Shepheard Other sheepe I haue let them wander where they will in Deserts or vnknowne Mountaines Faith they haue and therefore sheepe sheepe they are and therefore haue Christ for their Shepheard and his Church the Sheep-fould that they belong to and as hee promiseth to bring them to his sheepe-fould so hee effects first by himselfe Ephes 2.14 He is our peace saith the Apostle which hath made of both one and hath broken the stop of the partition wall the partition wall is pulled downe and now Gentiles and all sorts of people come to bee members of the Church so likewise â—e effects it by his Ministers Mark 16.15 16. Goe yee into all the World and preach the Gospell to euery Creature he that shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued but he that will not beleeue shall be damned where he both offers meanes of saluation by his Ministers to all Goe and preach the Gospel to euery Creature and blesseth the meanes some shall beleeue and be saued and also associates them all that euer shall beleeue what or wheresoeuer they are to the saued that is to his Church vnto whom onely saluation belongs Psal 3. last Verse I will giue you one particular instance to the Point that the Church is generall of all beleeuing persons and of all places in the case of Cornelius Act. 10.1 12 34 35. he was a Gentile and a Heathen and accounted vncleane yet his prayers and his almes were accepted of God which they could not haue been vnlesse hee had beleeued And Peter in a Vision saw a great sheete let downe from heauen with foure corners which signified the foure quarters of the World and in it were all manner of creeping beasts and the meaning of the Vision was this that God would extend his Church to all parts of the World and bring some of all Nations into it So that the Vision was not onely for Cornelius but generally to signifie that the Church should be of all Nations and so Peter confesseth in these 34. and 35. Verses Of a truth saith he I doe now perceiue that God is no accepter of persons but in euery Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him The Rule is pregnant and precisely to the Point Gal. 3.28 There is neither Iew nor Grecian bond nor free male nor female but ye are all one
is the Husband the Faithfull are his Wife Ephes 5.23 therefore as in the estate of marriage the husband and the wife are one flesh so in the estate of this spirituall marriage Christ and the faithfull are one Ephes 5.30 and 1. Cor. 6.17 Thirdly there are particular reasons for this first on Gods part secondly on Christs part thirdly on our part First on Gods part his election aimed at this communion He chose vs to be made like vnto the Image of his Sonne Rom. 8.29 and 1. Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father vnto sanctification of the Spirit through obedience and sprinckling of the blood of Christ Secondly his Couenant is so Deut. 23.13 that we shall be one with him and he with vs. Thirdly he hath confirmed this by his free gift of Christ to vs and vs to Christ as I shewed before Fourthly the Fountaine of all is his loue to vs God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne c. Fourthly the particular Reason on Christs part is his exceeding great loue towards vs Gal. 2.20 who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me Fifthly there are particular reasons on our part first is our Faith for by Faith we beleeue in him and are ingrafted into him and made partakers of him Heb. 3.14 Secondly we did couenant it in Baptisme and we doe daily renew it that wee will bee one with him Deut. 26.17 18. Thirdly it is confirmed on our parts by gifts we consecrating our selues and all wee haue or are into his power and mercy Fourthly our loue is another reason for that makes it a true vnion where it is truely planted Ephes 3.17 Where loue is linked with Faith Fifthly our necessitie so requires it for we cannot bring forth any good fruit except we be and abide in Christ Ioh. 15.4 The meanes of this communion which is betwixt Christ and the Faithfull is first the Spirit secondly the Word thirdly the Sacraments 1. Cor. 10.16 The Cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ c. The Vses of this Point are these First here is matter of Vse 1 reproofe against the Papists that hold the communion of the Church one with and vnder the Pope affirming that we haue no communion with Christ vnlesse first wee haue communion with the Pope they acknowledge that at the second hand we haue a communion with Christ but mediately by the Pope he being the Vicar of Christ and the ministeriall head but the Scripture you see is cleare that the true communion the faithfull haue is in and with Iesus Christ Rom. 12.5 and the Apostles had a communion with Christ when there was no Pope Yea but say they Christ is not present with vs now in earth but the Pope he is the Head of the Church on earth and except we haue fellowship and communion with him wee can haue none with our Head in heauen I answer though Christ bee absent in body yet hee hath left vs his substitute that is his Spirit which is his true deputie of his owne appointing and not the Pope as Ioh. 14.16 17. and Ioh. 16.7 and he alone it is that workes this vnion making vs one with Christ and Christ one with vs. 1. Cor. 6.17 The second Vse is to teach vs what a blessed estate Vse 2 Gods Children are aduanced to they haue Communion and fellowship with Iesus Christ they are fellowes yea fellow-heires with him in grace here and glory hereafter And heere is our Patent Royall vnder the broad Seale of Heauen and Earth for our Interest that we haue in God because we partake with Christ Iesus the Sonne of God and therfore we must needs partake with God and haue Communion with him too So likewise for the promises of God by this I know I haue right and interest in all the promises of God because wee are his and hee is ours in whom they are all yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1.20 So likewise wee haue right and Interest into all his Offices Kingdome Priesthood and Prophecy and all the benefits of the same Iustification Sanctification Saluation yea our full and finall glorification because wee are his and hee and all his is ours Heere likewise is our answer and generall Acquittance against all the pleadings of Sinne Satan Death Hell Damnation Law Iustice and accusing Conscience here is our Answer to them all I am Christs and hee is mine and therefore if you haue any thing to say against me goe to him hee will answer for me nay hee hath answered for mee already and therefore ye can haue nothing against mee that can hurt mee there is no Condemnation to mee for I am in Christ Iesus So likewise we see here on the contrary what a miserable and fearefull case all others are in that are out of the true Church whether they bee of no Church or a false Church whether not yet assembled or cut off and that either by withdrawing themselues or else cast iustly out for being without the Church they are without Christ and being without Christ they are without God and so without life and without hope and without comfort and without grace and saluation yea they are the very prey and slaues of sinne and the Diuell and eternall confusion as hauing no priuiledge nor barre against them specially if they bee such as persecute the Church Vse 3 The third Vse is for examination to teach vs to examine ourselues hereby whether wee bee of the Church or no. Doth Christ Iesus liue in thee by his Spirit Art thou ioyned to him Doest thou beleeue in him obey him submit thy selfe to his ordinances and directions Doth thy heart tell thee vpon good ground that thou art one with him and he with thee then thou art one of the Church then thou art a chosen vessell else thou art but a Reprobate 2. Cor. 13.5 proue your selues whether ye are in the saith saith the Apostle Examine your selues know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye bee Reprobates The Papists not feeling this Communion with Christ that hee is in them as none can feele it by their Doctrine cannot bee in the estate of Grace for wheresoeuer it is surely it may bee felt by the Spirituall man Fourthly this teacheth vs that if wee haue fellowship Vse 4 with Christ then wee must looke for afflictions while wee liue here We must be like our Head If we looke to haue fellowship with him in his gloâ—y we must also haue fellowship with him in his afflictioâ—s Phil. 3.10 It is impossible that we should Communicate with him in the sweet but that we must taste of the sowre also though indeed afflictions are not sowre but to the outward man they are sweet to the inward man the spirituall man reioyceth in affliction because they bâ—ing forth the sweet fruit of Righteousnesse Heb.
Ephes 1.22 23. compared with 1. Cor. 12.27 Saints holy Catholike the Pillar of Truth c. these are principally affirmed of the Church inuisible but proportionally applyed to the Church visible the whole receiuing denomination of the better part Doctr. These things premised we come now to the Obseruation and that is this That the true Church of God is sometime brought into such straits that the outward face of it doth either not appeare at all or at least it doth very hardly appeare to the sight of the world I say the outward face of it doth hardly appeare for the inward graces of it are neuer seene as faith and election for the heart wherein these are cannot be discouered As these are alwayes inuisible so likewise the outward face of the Church is sometime hidden Againe I say it is so but sometime for sometime it is very plaine and apparant and glorious in the eye of the world We doe not here take vpon vs to prooue peremptorily that there is a time when there shall bee no visible and apparant Church in the World the World is large and many things are done in some places of the World that we neither doe nor can know and therefore in regard of vs we may say there is no such matter For the Point must stand thus That euen in those places and in such times where the Church is most likely to be as where the true Church hath lately been and where it hath flourished or where the best meanes are the Word and the Sacraments and the Ministry or where they professe to bee the true Church yet euen then and there the true Church may lie hidden and not bee outwardly discerned And so consequently if it may be in such a state in such places and at such times much more is it so at other places and times where there is no such probabilitie of a Church And this strikes home at the Papists that will haue the outward face of the true Church so notoriously apparant and visible to the world But as I haue shewed in such places and at such times where it hath been most like to haue been euen then and there the true Church may be hidden and not apparant to the World This I will prooue in the case of the Church of Israel in Elias time 1. King 19.10 where the Prophet complaines of such a scarcitie of the faithfull in his dayes as that hee saith be himselfe was left alone If there had been a Church any where in those times surely it should haue been in Israel where the best meanes were but there was no outward appearance of a Church and shall we thinke then it was any where else So likewise in the 2. Chron. 15.3 Israel had been for a long time without a true God without a Priest to teach without Law then they had no true visible Church of God amongst them And if it were not to bee found in Israel where should it be found The Papists will reply in Iudah if not with Israel Iudah preuailed against Israel because they stayed vpon the Lord God of their Fathers as wee may see in the 2. Chron. 13.18 Well yet they were bad enough too as wee may see in the 2. Chron. 14.3 5. they had their strange Gods and their Images and high places and Groues in all their Cities which Asa tooke away But yet if it were thus with Israel that they had no outward face of a true Church might it not be so with Iudah too and so in other Churches yea we will proue that it was so with Iudah afterward as we may see in the 2. Chron. 28.23 24.25 where it is said of Ahaz that he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus and to the gods of the King of Aram hee brake the vessels of the House of God shut vp the dores of the House of the Lord and made him Altars in euery corner of Ierusalem and in euery Citie of Iudah hee made high places to burne Incense to other Gods c. So Iudah was worse then Israel nay then the very Heathen that were before them as wee may see 2. Chron. 33.9 where it is said that Manasseh made Israel to erre and to doe worse then the Heathen whom the Lord had cast out before them So you see here was no outward face of a Church neither in Iudah nor in Israel if not in them where could there bee any Who could now point with his finger and say I know which is the true Church of God whereunto I may and must ioyne my selfe If it were so with them that were the naturall branches then there is no priuiledge for any other Church but that it may be so with them too But the Papists will obiect that this was so vnder the Law onely but it shall not bee so vnder the Gospell or if it bee so sometimes yet it shall not be so often to the end of the world I say I will proue that the state of the Church was so also vnder the Gospell and shall bee so not sometimes onely but often to the end of the world that there shall be no outward face of a true Church Reuel 12.6 14. the woman is said there to be fled into the wildernesse which is meant of the Church that at seuerall times to the worlds end shall bee driuen to liue in Desert and forlorne places how then shall men see it and take notice of it and ioyne with it when it is in such a secret place So in the Reuel 13.7 8. The Beast made warre with the Saints and ouercame them and power was giuen vnto him ouer euery Kindred and Nation and Tongue Therefore all that dwell vpon the earth worship him whose names are not written in the booke of life of the Lambe Where was the outward face of a Church in these times And in the 2. Thes 2.3 4 5. the Apostle sheweth that Antichrist shall come and sit in Gods Temple as God c. The Diuell shall bee so cunning that he shall set vp Antichrist in Gods Temple that is in Gods Church where there hath been an outward face of a Church continued for many yeeres and yet hee shall not be knowne but to be God but onely to those that are spiritually-minded for he shall sit as God so that then there shall be no outward face of a true Church there So likewise that in Luk. 18.8 proues this Point where our Sauiour saith When the Sonne of man commeth shall he find faith on the Earth If faith be so scarce to be found which is the life of the Church where then shall the Church be found But where shall hee not find faith In India or in Rome onely No not onely in one or two places but not in the earth And who shall not find it The Sonne of Man When the Sonne of Man commeth shall hee find faith on the earth Then the Church is not so palpable as that it may be
Christs mysticall Body and by the Lords Supper we are nourished in this Body which is his Church Now all these three outward meanes are laid downe together Matth. 28.19 Goe teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Goe that is spoken to the Apostles Teach there is the Word and Baptize there are the Sacraments one exprest the other implyed These are the instrumentall causes without vs. Now the instrumentall causes within vs are first repentance Act. 11.18 God hath granted to the Gentiles Repentance to life Secondly faith Act. 15.9 And he put no difference betwixt vs and them after that by faith he had purified their hearts And lastly and principally Gods Spirit that is the testimony of Gods Spirit in our hearts whereby we are perswaded of Gods loue and fauour 1 Cor. 2.12 We haue receiued not the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are giuen to vs of God And all these sixe instrumentall meanes inward and outward are laid downe together in the second of the Acts in the case of the first Church that was planted after our Sauiours Ascension from the fourteene verse to the six and thirtie there is their Minister and the Word his Sermon Then Peter life vp his voice c. Then there are their Sacraments first Baptisme in the 38. and 41. verses Then they that gladly receiued the Word were baptized c. and the Lords Supper in the 42. and 46. verses and they continued in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread c. there are the outward causes So likewise the inward as first there is Repentance vers 37. and 38. They were pricked in their hearts then secondly there was Faith too as in the 41. and 44. verses They that gladly receiued his Word and all that beleeued c. And lastly there was the Spirit of God for in the seuenteenth verse it is said that it was prophesied before of them that God would powre out his Spirit vpon them And in the 38. verse the Apostle bids them repent and be baptized c. and yee shall receiue the gift of the holy Ghost so that they repenting and beleeuing did receiue the gift of the holy Ghost So these are the instrumentall causes or meanes of the being of the Church The next cause is the materiall cause and that is the people of God Saints by calling 1 Cor. 1.2 The members of the body of Christ 1 Cor. 12.27 Citizens with the Saints c. Ephes 2.19 As members are the matter of the body and Citizens the matter of a City so the members of Christ are the matter of the body of Christ which is his Church Fourthly the formall cause of the being of the Church and that is inward and outward that which is inward is the effectuall calling and gathering of Gods people to Christ when the faithfull are perswaded in their hearts to beleeue and obey the Gospell of Christ the outward formall cause that is their ioynt and publike profession of the sauing faith and the outward communion that they hold in the meanes of grace both for duties of piety to God and of charity each to other yee shall find both these in the case of the Church at Ierusalem Act. 2. first their effectuall calling which is their inward formall cause that is laid downe in the 37 38 41 and 44. verses they were pricked in their hearts repented baptized added to the Church c. there is their effectual calling Their outward formall cause that is set downe in the 41 42 44 45 46. verses They continued in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship c. and had all things common c. there is their ioynt and publike profession of the sauing faith and their outward communion These are the materiall causes of the Church Lastly the finall cause of the Church which is the end of a Church and that is to bee considered in many respects first in respect of Gods glory that some of Adams seede might glorifie the Lord God here in his Church by beleeuing obeying calling vpon him and hereafter in heauen singing euerlasting prayses to his glory Rom. 9.23 That he might declare the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he hath prepared to glory Secondly the finall cause of the Church is in respect of the faithfull themselues and of their saluation and glory for God will not haue all mankinde cast away as they well deserued but some he would haue of his free grace and mercy to obtaine saluation and glory by Iesus Christ 2 Thes 2.14 and to receiue the end of their faith which is the saluation of their soules 1 Pet. 1.9 Thirdly the finall cause of the Church is in respect of the truth of God that the same might be embraced and maintained and kept aliue on earth that some men might not onely know the truth but beleeue it and liue in the obedience of it and also that the Scriptures the records of truth might be safely preserued first that the body of the Scriptures might not bee mangled or torne by Heretikes secondly that the sense of the Scripture might not bee depraued by the enemies of it lastly that the Scriptures might not bee as a sealed booke but that there might bee some on earth to interpret it and to teach it and that it might be openly taught and practised on earth this is one end of Gods Church Fourthly the finall cause of the Church is in regard of the wicked that they might bee left without excuse when as the pretious truth of God is propounded to them by his Ministers and by his Church and when as they denie it as false or contemne it or at least carelesly neglect it as a vile thing not worth hearkening to that then they might iustly perish in their owne wilfulnesse Thus you haue heard concerning the causes of the being of the Church both of those that cause it directly and of themselues and also such as cause it not of themselues directly but onely as by the way being ouer-ruled by God to that end Wee will draw it into an Obseruation Doctr. we heard first that God is the efficient cause of his Church and all other causes are from him he note then is this That howsoeuer there bee many things in the world which concurre and haue a great hand in the causing and constituting of a Church yet the cause of all causes is the Lord himselfe and indeed he is all in all in it this is so in all other things that God is all in all in them specially it is so in the Church as first that being more specially respected of God than any thing else and secondly as the Church depending more neerely vpon him then any thing else in the world Ephes 4.6 the Apostle speaking there of the Church saith There is one God and Father of
Church gouerned by the word not else And in this sense the good Kings both of Israel and Iudah were alwaies the head of the Church not in deciding matters of Faith and Religion for that Gods Word decides But this word Head of the Church must be warily vsed because it is not found in the Scripture but chiefe Gouernor is and therfore in that sense the King may be said to be head of the Church within his dominions because vnder Christ he is chief Gouernor Secondly they except say the vniuersal visible Church hath a visible head Now where is this visible Head Christ is not visible I answer Yes Christ is visible for first though he be not actually seene in this dispensation of time yet he may be seene If the King after he is crownd should keep himself in his Closet all his life time yet hee is a King and a visible King too though he be not actually seene of his subiects So Christ he is the King of his Church and is now in heauen where the Saints see him and where wee shall see him too and that with these eyes of ours and therefore he is visible though he be not actually seene of vs now Secondly I answer that in some sort he is visible daily in his Church in the Word and in the Sacraments especially in the Lords Supper in these Christ is amongst vs and in our sight crucified Gal. 3.1 Thirdly hee was once visible and seene on earth for many yeeres and shall bee seene by euery eye at the last day and that as the head of the Church Fourthly his Ministers together with lawfull Magistrates doe in some sort visibly represent him amongst vs. So that Christ and not the Pope is the head of the visible Church though he be not actually seene euery day amongst vs. And so much for the first Vse The second Vse is matter of comfort to Gods Church in Vse 2 that Christ is their head and that many wayes First it shewes the excellency of the Church secondly the neerenesse it hath with Christ lastly it shewes the safety of the Church First it shewes the excellency of the Church for seeing it hath such a glorious Head as our Lord Christ is therefore the body must needs be glorious too the greatest Kingdomes and Monarchs in the World come infinitely short of the excellency of the Church euen as farre as their Gouernors come short of the excellency of Christ that is as farre as mortall and sinfull man comes short of the eternall and blessed Sonne of God As Christ hath a Name aboue all names to bee the Head of heads that is the most excellent and glorious head so hath the Church in her measure a name aboue all names the body of bodies the most excellent and glorious body in the World Secondly it shewes the neere coniunction the Church hath with Christ and is matter of comfort to the Church in that respect There is no coniunction so neere as this let any or all the Societies in the World shew me such a neere coniunction betwixt them and their Gouernours as is betwixt Christ and his Church Seruants haue their Lords Companies their Masters Cities their Maiors Subiects their Kings Sheepe their Shepheards c. yea but the Church hath Christ to be her head and this is the neerest coniunction that can be Other Gouernours of other Societies those that are vnder them or conioyned with them in the same Company may haue hurt and yet they not know of it or if they know it they doe not affect it at least if they doe affect it it is but for conscience of their place onely But Christ knowes the harmes and wrongs that are done to his Church and affects them as done to himselfe Act. 9. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me saith our Sauiour he tooke the iniury that Saul offered to his Church as done to himselfe And of necessity Christ must needs be sensible of the harmes done to his Church as the head is of the hurt done to the body It is imposible but that the head should be sensible of the hurt done to the body and that in regard of it selfe as well as of the members This the Church considers and receiues inestimable comfort by the consideration thereof for by this they are assured of Christs neerest presence to them in their afflictions by meanes of this neere coniunction and also they are assured that he will releeue them of the wrongs and iniuries done vnto them and reuenge them on their enemies as done to himselfe And also he will mercifully recompence all our releeuers as if they had releeued him on earth in his greatest extremity This point is maruellous comfortable to all such as know themselues to be liuing members of his body the Church Thirdly this is matter of comfort to vs in regard of our safety which wee haue by meanes of this neere coniunction Christ is our head therefore we shall be safe the gates of hell shall not preuaile against vs we are builded vpon the Rocke and that Rocke is Christ and they shall neuer preuaile against vs if they can preuaile against Christ then they may preuaile against vs too but the one is impossible and so is the other too Secondly it assures vs that we shall preuaile against them nay it is past doing for it is done already for Christ our head hath ouercome the World the Diuell and all the powers of darknesse the head being aboue water the body cannot possibly be drowned I haue ouercome the World saith our Sauiour Thirdly it assures vs that certainly we shall liue and reigne in heauen for where the head is there the members shall be also Ioh. 17.24 yea wee are already by communication with him in heauenly places Ephes 2.6 because he being our Head is there already The third vse is for instruction that seeing Christ is the Vse 3 head of a true visible Church then we must labour so to esteeme him and to beleeue in him to reuerence him and to obey him as our head First therefore seeing it is the nature of the head to conuey life sense and motion to the Body let vs therefore waite vpon our head Iesus Christ and call vpon him for his life and Spirit and for his direction in all our actions both for matter of Doctrine and manners and discipline too and also let vs defie all other directions and all other counsels that doe not agree either particularly or at least in the generall with his reuealed will all directions therefore that are against Christ and against his Word though it were brought to vs by an Angell from heauen we must not receiue it but stand at defiance with it and we must submit our selues intirely to the Scepter of the Word and Spirit of our Head Christ It was Israels peruersnesse 1 Sam. 8.7 and the Iewes wilfulnesse Luk. 19.14 that they did refuse to haue Christ to be their head
and to raigne ouer them and therefore he refused them to bee his Body therefore what direction soeuer Christ tenders vnto vs we must obey it and whatsoeuer is against the directions of Christ wee must defie them And secondly seeing Christ is our head therefore whatsoeuer life or direction wee haue in spirituall things wee must acknowledge the Fountaine of them that we haue them not of our selues but from him onely for of his fulnesse wee all receiue grace for grace Ioh. 1.16 and without him we are able to doe nothing Ioh. 15.5 and by him we are able to doe all things Phil. 4.13 Marke how sweetely these places agree together wee receiue all from him without him wee can doe nothing by him we are able to doe all things therefore whatsoeuer good things wee haue spirituall life or graces wee must receiue them thankfully embrace them sweetely vse them gratiously to the honor of thy head and the good comfort of thy selfe and thy fellow-members so likewise for vnprofitable members that dishonor our head wee should pray that our head Christ Iesus would either make them profitable or else cut them off and also that he would be pleased to purge from his body the noysome humours as sinne and superstition that so hee may haue a sound and a healthfull body Thirdly and lastly seeing Christ is our head therefore as he hath a gracious care for our safety so we should be as carefull to preserue and maintaine his honour and glory we should reioyce when we see his honor and glory aduanced and we should mourne and bee greeued when we see it opposed And so likewise we should bee affected with the good or harme of our fellow-members 1 Cor. 12.25 we should be carefull to bring one another to heauen and not bee carelesse whether they come thither or no. Vse 4 The last Vse is this hence wee haue a sufficient warrant that the Church of England is a true visible Church because Christ our head spirituall life and the Doctrine of Saluation is found truly in our Church But our aduersaries except against vs First say they you haue not Gods ordinances amongst you and therefore you haue not Christ to be your head We answer that they must shew vs out of Gods word that those are the ordinances of Christ which we want But say they you haue Antichrist to bee your head for you haue many things from him I answer we defy him as much as they do together with his doctrine wee defie his practises and courses if wee haue or vse any thing that he doth or hath vsed before vs first it is either no matter of substance but onely some passage or carriage or circumstance either in worship or gouernment or secondly they are such things as were vsed in purer time and Churches before Antichrist or thirdly it is of the best which that Church being in Apostacy that is hauing beene a Church and still pretending to continue the same hath reserued for still they haue some good things and professe some good truths Lastly at least it is throughly cleansed from their superstition and idolatry So that still we hauing Christ to be the head of our Church and his spirituall life and the Doctrine of saluation being found amongst vs and begetting spirituall life in many of vs we must needes bee a true visible Church And so much for this point The twelfth Lecture of the Church THe third point propounded to bee spoken of concerning the finding out of a true visible Church was touching the members of it for as I shewed you the Church being a body and that euery body consists of certaine members therefore if wee would exactly know the body we must know the members Now the members were taken either in a more generall sense including the head or else in a more strict and particular sense being considered as a diuerse thing from the head now because we would carry the matter fully before vs we tooke it in both those senses and hauing spoken of the members of the Church in the first sense where wee shewed that our Lord Iesus Christ was the head and the onely head of the true visible Church now we come to speake of the members of the Church in a more strict and particular sense being considered as a diuerse thing frō the head And thus considered the members are of three sorts First some are members by right onely and not by possession secondly some are members by possession not by right and thirdly some are members both by right and by possession First some are members of the visible Church by right onely not by possession for some members haue a good right in the body of the visible Church and the priuiledges thereunto belonging but yet are not actually possessed of them And of these there are diuers kindes irst generally all the elect of God liuing vpon the face of the earth that as yet are not called for the Church is theirs and the Word is theirs and the Sacraments are theirs and the Ministry is theirs the Lord specially intending his owne ordinances to the benefit of his chosen though indeed they themselues be notable so much as to know their own right in them much lesse are they able to reach forth their hands to claime it and enioy it yet because the Lord hath appointed them to be heires of saluation and therefore consequently hee hath appointed them a time in which hee will call them to the outward profession of the sauing faith therefore in respect of the purpose of God they are by right true members of the true visible Church though they be not as yet actually possessed of it And thus one and the same man may be at one and the same time a member of the Church malignant and Synagogue of Satan in his owne practice and profession and by right in respect of Gods purpose a true member of Christs true visible body This was the case of Saul who by his practice was of the malignant Church and persecuted the true Church of God and yet by right he was a member of the true Church of God Secondly those that are members of the true visible Church by right and not by possession are such as onely haue heard of Christ and of the Gospell and are endued with some little smatch of religion yet they are but entring into the Church onely their feet are in the Porch they are not yet come within the holy place they haue not yet receiued the Sacrament of Baptisme which is our admission into the visible Church so that after that time the Church doth acknowledge vs from thence forward to bee her children and wee acknowledge her to be our mother and so we are incorporated and become members of that body So then those that haue onely heard of Christ and of the Gospell and haue some little smatch of Religion they cannot iustly bee said to bee members by possession yet
that outward Gouernment is not simply necessary to the being of the Church but to the well-being onely Vse 4 Fourthly seeing there is an outward Gouernment necessary in Gods Church for the well-being of it then this should teach vs to rest content with that which we enioy and to be careful to liue in obedience to it and to be thankfull for it and to bee earnest with God by prayer for the supply of it where it is wanting for though it concernes not our life yet it concernes our health though it concernes not the being yet it concernes the well being of the Church and euery man is to make conscience of it in his place both those that gouerne that they gouerne according to Gods word and those that obey that they obey according to Gods Word Vse 5 Lastly this reprooues those that take vpon them not as men and Ministers to exercise this Gouernment but they will bee Lords they will take vpon them against Gods Word to deuise a new Gouernment So the Pope he will not onely exercise the Gouernment as a Minister but as a Lord. The Apostles Rule is directly against it 1 Pet. 5.3 where he giues all Ministers charge that they should rule not as Lords ouer Gods heritage c. yet the Pope hee will be Head and Lord ouer all Churches on earth Yea but say the Papists though wee say he is Head of the Church yet we meane a ministerial Head as I haue said heretofore the very name of the Head of the Church is harsh and dangerous yet this word Ministeriall qualifies it well if it be soberly vnderstood it may agree to a particular but neuer to the generall Church ouer all the World as the Pope challengeth it And so much for this point The fifteenth Lecture of the Church WEe haue already entred into the businesse concerning Church Gouernment In handling whereof wee propounded these things in order to discourse vpon First of the harmes and euils that this matter hath occasionally brought forth in Gods Church Secondly what is meant by these words Church and Gouernment Thirdly how necessary it is in the Church Fourthly whether there bee any prescript forme of Church-Gouernment for euerie particular set downe in the Word Fiftly if there be not then what is to bee done in this case Of the three former wee haue already heard Now wee are as God shall enable vs to speake of the fourth Whether there bee any prescript forme of Church-Gouernement in euery particular set downe in the Word It is naturall to euery man when hee heares that such a good thing there is and that it is behoouefull and necessary to his owne vse to haue a longing desire after it he would then faine know where it is be to be had and how hee may come by it I doubt not but this is your pure minde in this case you haue heard that there is a Church-gouernment you haue seene also how necessary it is to the well-being of the whole Church and the members thereof Now you would cast about to see where it is to bee had that so you may bee made partakers of it For the satisfaction of this your desire I will propound it here by way of question Whether there be any prescript forme of Church-gouernment in euerie particular to bee found in the Word For if it bee found any where surely it must be found in the Word For first it being Gods owne Ordinance as you haue heard it must haue Gods owne warrant and ordinarily there is no warrant from God but in his Word Secondly that which is to bee gouerned being the Church the House of the liuing God it must bee fashioned to his owne mind for who is to prescribe Orders for the gouerning of the House but the Master of the house And who shall prescribe Orders for this House the Church to bee gouerned by but Iesus Christ the Lord and Master of this House And wee cannot know the mind of the Lord but by the Spirit of the Lord and Gods Spirit reueales Gods minde onely by Gods Word Therefore wee must doe in this case as in all other doubtfull and difficult cases in Religion Flie to the golden Rule Isai 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this Word it is because they haue no light in them Gods Word must bee consulted withall and what that faith must bee embraced If wee haue not the light of Gods Word in it we are blind and dumbe and no light is in vs at all This Rule of the Prophet is seconded by our Sauiour himselfe Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures c. they testifie of me not onely of the person of Christ who or what hee is but of his minde what hee would haue vs to doe in all our courses Now what the Scripture saith and what order it takes in this kinde may be truly and plainely deliuered in these two Positions First that the whole substance of Church-gouernment is so set downe in Gods Word as that euery particular Church may receiue instruction how to bee gouerned by it Secondly that there is not any one set particular forme of Church-Gouernment so set downe in the Scripture that euery Church may receiue instruction thereby how to be gouerned in euery particular ceremonie and discipline These two positions being well vnderstood doe teach vs all things needfull to bee knowne in this point There may seeme to bee some contradiction betwixt them the one affirming that there is a forme of Church Gouernment set downe in the Word the other denying it But this is onely in shew a Contradiction and is easily reconciled by this distinction It is one thing to speake of the generall another thing to speake of the particular The affirmatiue Position saith That it is wholly set downe there in the generall and partly in the particular The negatiue saith It is not there wholy in euery particular These Positions I purpose to deliuer by way of Obseruation that so I may speake the more plentifully vpon them and that they may bee the fitter for your vnderstanding I will beginne with the first which is this namely Doctr. 1 That the whole substance of Church-Gouerment is so set downe in Scripture that euerie particular Church may receiue instruction and direction thereby how they ought to bee gouerned This Doctrine I doubt not but it is the certaine Truth of God Matth. 28.20 Teaching them to obserue and doe whatsoeuer I haue commanded you First wee must here presuppose the necessity of Church-gouernment as I haue taught before and secondly that it is Gods ordinance as I haue also before shewed and then it must needes follow that Christ gaue it in charge to his Apostles and so they taught it and that not by preaching onely but by writing too For what they preached they writ the substance of it so that euen in their writings at least the substance of this businesse is
bee done but there are generalls from which and some particulars by which the rest are to bee drawne and measured That is the first Reason the impossibility of it Reas 2 Secondly if it were possible yet it is inconuenient and vnfit fit for euerie seuerall Nation and Countrey haue their seuerall States and Customes and ciuill Gouernment so that that which is decent in one is not decent in another that which will stand with some ciuill Gouernment may not stand with another and therefore it is vnfit to impose the same particulars on the Churches in euery seuerall Gouernment As for Instance it is a decent thing in some Churches to weare long haire in some it is not In some Churches it is decent to haue the head couered when they prophesie in some it is not therfore where its decent it may bee done where it is not decent it may not be done so that Decency is held still in the generall though that the particulars faile and differ as farre as the East is from the West Reas 3 Thirdly some things we haue must haue in our Church Gouernment which in the Apostles times and many yeares after was not so and that is the Christian Magistrate who hath a chiefe stroke in Church gouernment that by right from God who dares deny it And therefore it was neuer meant that the same particulars should bee in all Churches And so no particular forme of Church-gouernment is left in the Word in euery particular whereunto all Churches are to conforme Reas 4 Lastly some things they had in the Apostles times by practice Act. 6.1 and there was Commandement about it too as well as about other offices as widdowes 1 Tim. 5.3 and yet this is not of necessitie required in any reformed Church So much for the Reasons Vse 1 The Vses are these First this should teach vs to moderate and stay our selues and to set our harts at rest frō seeking after such a particular precise and necessary forme of Church-gouernment for euerie case in Gods Word It is but vaine labour let vs neuer think to find it for the generall we may and for many particulars but for euery particular we may not How many excellent wits haue euen tyred themselues out in this businesse How long and how grieuously haue many learned and holy men vexed themselues about this Question and yet cannot agree among themselues Some pressing more particulars than others as that the chiefe Gouernour is but for a yeere or by turnes c. Yea how haue some and how doe some to this day wrest Scripture laying violent hands on Gods owne holy Booke sometimes putting out somwhat as Timothies Bishopricke in the Postscript to the second Epistle to Timothie so sometime they put in though not into the Text yet cunningly they adde it as in Eph. 4.11 where it is said Pastors and Teachers they say and some Pastors and some Teachers to make them a diuerse Office so likewise they mis-interpret as in Phil. 1.1 where they will haue Bishops to signifie lay-Elders a thing neuer heard of that they were called Bishops and so they are exceeding unconscionable in handling the Word in this businesse Obiect and all to maintaine their owne conceit of Gouernement But you will say was not the Church of the Iewes prouided for in euery particular And why then is not ours as well prouided for as theirs I answer First Answ that the Church of the Iewes was a particular Nationall Church and so might the better be prouided for in particular Secondly I answer that some particulars were not prescribed by them yea I say further that the certaine forme of Church-gouernment amongst them in euery respect is not at this day knowne by any and yet wee haue the Scriptures where this was recorded For my owne part I professe I cannot by all my poore endeauours and small reading come to any full vnderstanding in euery particular of that Gouernment neither could I euer heare or reade of any that could And so likewise I professe for matter of Church-gouernment now vnder the new Testament by all my labours and endeauours and prayers vnto God I could neuer see it in euery particular set downe in the Word For the generall substance it is and for some particulars enough to receiue some good direction for the rest but in euery particular I could neuer see it Vse 2 The second Vse is for refutation and reproofe of all such as pretend their particular Gouernment to bee Gods ordinance and condemne all others As first the Papists they alleage this that their Gouernment is Gods Ordinance for Christ say they when hee was on earth minding to erect one vniuersall head ouer all as his substitute and that all the Churches in the world should be at his becke and Gouernment First he erected it in Peter and from him it came to the Pope and so it is to contiene for euer and therefore say they whosoeuer is not vnder this head is no part of Gods Church But of all oppositions to this Obseruation this hath the least colour of truth and these opposites haue least colour of Scripture for them of all other for besides that there is no precept nor example for it in Scripture they are both most directly against it First for precept looke in Luk. 22.25.26 The Kings of the Gentiles raigne ouer them c. but it shall not be so among you c. there is our Sauiours precept directly against it And so for example looke in Act. 15.13 We shall see that Iames Bishop of Ierusalem moderates the matter in question and giues sentence in it which is the Office of a Bishop and which Peter should haue done if hee had been head of the whole Church Besides what meant Paul to write to Rome and to Corinth and Ephesus and other Churches and to prescribe Orders for them if Peter had been Head it had been his Office and he must haue performed it and if he were dead why did not his Successour doe it Likewise when commandement came from heauen for reformation of the seuen Churches in Asia why were they not reuealed to Peter or he being dead to the Pope his Successour but that they must be reuealed to Iohn in Pathmos if the Pope had been Head of the Churches the Epistles should haue been sent by him or at least by Iohn from him So that they haue no colour for their Gouernment Lastly this reproues those of the Presbytery that say that their Gouernment and their Rulers which they require are plainely set downe in the Word and is an ordinance of God to endure for euer Yet this is not sufficiently furnished in euery particular for first they are not certaine whether the Office of a Pastor and Teacher be diuerse or if they be so then secondly they know not whether they may not be in one and the same person thirdly whether of necessitie all these must bee in euery particular Congregation so
may liue peaceably and quietly vnder them in all godlinesse and honesty not onely in ciuill honesty as they are Magistrates but in all goodnesse too as they are Christian Magistrates to be countenanced and established by them where they bee Christians and to be tolerated by them though they be no Christians And surely these Officers of ruling and gouerning spoken of Ro. 12.8 and 1 Cor. 12.28 in all good consideration are to reach to the Christian Magistrate The second question concerning the ciuill Magistrate is wherein his Office consists I answer It consists chiefly in the matter of ouer-sight the last duty we spake of in the former exercise The new Testament is very scarce of proofes for this point because there were then no Christian Magistrates but it is abundantly supplied in the old and the equitie of the thing is the same in both you shall find then that his office consists specially as I said before in ouersight But the particulars wherein his Office consists are these First in calling Assemblies secondly in abolishing false worship and establishing the true worship of God thirdly in looking to the Ministery and their maintenance fourthly in causing the people to serue the Lord lastly in appointing Consistories you shall find these things performed by Asa Iehosaphat Hezekiah and Iosiah as you may reade in the 2 Chron. 15. and in the 29. and 30. and 34. and 35. Chapters of the same booke And for the proofe of the particulars First for calling of Assemblies that it was performed by the King as in Ionah 3.7 And secondly for abolishing of false worship wee see it was performed by Moses the chiefe Magistrate Exod. 32.20 as also by King Asa in the 1 King 15.12 13 and 14. verses and for establishing Gods true worship it was done by Iosiah in the 2 King 23.2 3. and by Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29.3 4 5. And if we looke into Iudges 6. from the 23. to the 26. verse we shall find both these performed by Gedeon And thirdly for looking to the Ministery and their maintenance we may reade how it was done by Salomon in the 2 Chro. 8.14 15. and by Hezekiah 2 Chron. 29.4 and Chap. 31.4 and 16. and 17. verses and by Iosiah 2 Chron. 35.2 and by Nehemiah Chap. 13.11 12. verses And fourthly for causing the people to serue the Lord it was done by Hezekiah in the 2 Chron. 30. from the first to the sixth verse And Iosiah compelled all that were found in Israel to serue the Lord 2 Chron. 34.33 and so Asa did the like 2 Chron. 15.13 And lastly for the appointing And lastly for the appointing Consistories you shall reade in the 2 Chron. 19.8 how it was done by Iehosaphat and commanded by God Deut. 17.8 Vse 1 The vses of the point are these First this shewes how God doth grace his Church in this world that he will haue the Sword to maintaine the Word and Princes that are the shields of the world to bee the shields of his Church and Kings and great Potentates to be her Seruants Vse 2 Secondly this serues for the reproofe first of the Papists that say that the Magistrate hath no power in the Church but vnder the Minister these are enemies to Gods ordinance and they rob Kings and Princes of their chiefest grace and greatest part of authoritie and also they rob the Church of her best defence vnder God on earth I am perswaded that if any Churches in these times of Christ and his Apostles had liued vnder a Christian Magistrate the Apostles would haue added somewhat expresly and particularly touching the Magistrate too Vse 3 Lastly this teacheth vs to giue glory to God for his great mercy towards vs that wee liue vnder a Christian Magistrate that the Word and the Sword goe together that the Church flourishes and her enemies goe to wracke that Christs Kingdome is mightly aduanced that the Gospell hath free and full passage This wee are to praise the Lord for and to pray for the continuance of his grace and care and continuall supply of such Magistrates and also we are to mourne and bewaile the losse of such hopefull successors and heyres when we see the breath taken out of their nostrils that should haue been the breath of our nostrils This we are euery one to mourne and to humble our selues for by fasting and by prayer if we cannot doe it publikely we must be carefull to doe it priuately for this is a grieuous iudgement and a fearefull token of Gods anger And surely if wee doe not turne vnto God and humble our selues for our sinnes we are to expect and feare some more heauy and fearefull iudgement to befall vs. The eighteenth Lecture of the Church AFter wee had spoken in the first place touching the duties to bee performed in the Church-gouernment we came in the second place to speake of the persons or Officers that are to performe these duties where we shewed first what manner of persons they ought to bee and secondly what they were by name Now we come to the third point namely the Rules and Lawes that these persons and officers spoken of in the second point are to bee directed by in the execution of these actions and duties spoken of in the first point that is the point wee are now to speake to All businesses to be done do necessarily require certaine Lawes and Rules to bee performed by and surely Gods businesse requires it much more It is not enough that the workes of God bee done but as they are good in themselues so the carriage must be good too they must be well done The Lord is very precise and iealous ouer his owne Ordinances and therefore as hee hath giuen expresse commandement that they be obserued for the matter and substance of them so also he hath prescribed certaine rules and directions how they are to be proceeded in for the manner and circumstances of them and therefore to performe the duty commanded neglecting the directions prescribed for the managing of them is like Sauls obedience which is said to be disobedience at the best it is but halfe obedience the Lord accepts it not For our sound and intire obedience to God consists in this when wee doe that which the Lord commands and when we doe it as hee commands it to bee done according to that in Exod. 39.42 43. where the children of Israel are commended because they did that which the Lord commanded them and in euery point as he commanded them Now the Rules here to bee obserued that these duties may be well done are many for order and plainenesse sake wee will reduce them to these three heads First the warrant must be good by which they are guided in the doing of them Secondly the manner must bee good whereby they are carried Thirdly the end must be good which we aymed at in the doing of them Wee will begin with the first The Rules and Lawes whereby these Persons and
Consequence of his dealing towards his Church for euer Now God had many Nations in the world besides Israel and he deales mercifully and graciously and bountifully with them all and giues them food and rayment and health and life and all But so as with Israel that is so mercifully and so bountifully he deales not with any Nation No he hath not dealt so with any Nation vnder the Sunne as with them and as God dealt with them so he deales with his Church from time to time hee vouchsafeth them more excellent Priuiledges then all the world besides And in the 1 Peter 2.9 Yee are a peculiar people that is such a people as the Lord hath endued with many excellent Priuiledges proper and peculiar to them alone And Psal 83.3 they are called Gods secret ones what is that but priuate ones And what are priuiledges but certaine Conditions granted to some priuate States or Persons So then the Church are Gods secret ones as who should say hee granteth them many excellent priuiledges which none other are partakers of And in Exod. 19.5 the Church is called Gods Chiefe Treasure It is true that all the Earth is the Lords and is all full of his Treasures but his Church is his chiefe Treasure Siluer hath her prerogatiue aboue all baser mettall and gold his prerogatiue aboue siluer but Pearles and precious Iewels are a chiefe Treasury and haue prerogatiue aboue all the rest Sodom was a goodly City like Eden and Egypt was a fat and fruitfull Soile Bâ—t they were nothing to Canaan for that flowed with milke and honey milke and honey are the best and sweetest things Canaan flowed with these that is had great abundance of them Niniueb was a great and famous City Babel was the Glory and Pride of Kingdomes Isay 13.19 but these are nothing to Ierusalem that is the holy City the City of the great King the Ioy of the whole Earth Psal 48.1.2 To goe forward Bashan is a high mountaine But Zion is farre beyond that Psal 68.15.16 All these as they are true in the story so are they in the Type All other places are inferior to Gods Church The Scripture forbeares not the name of Priuiledge in effect and applies it in this very case Rom. 3.1.2 what is the preferment of the Iew c The Lord questions it there and answers it himselfe that none may doubt of it much euery manner of way as who should say they haue Priuiledges and preferments and they are not scanted of them much that is many and great and that not in one kind but euery way It is spoken there onely of the Iew but by Analogy of Faith it may bee applied to the whole Church Iohn 1.12 to them that receiued him to them hee gaue Power or prerogatiue to bee the Sonnes of God here is a prerogatiue giuen and what is that to bee the Sonnes of God this is a Priuiledge of all Priuiledges for hee that hath this Priuiledge to bee Gods Child hath with all free right and interest in all the blessings that can bee affoorded to man such as the Apostle speakes of 1 Cor. 2.9 that the Eye hath not seene nor the Eare heard neither can it enter into mans heart where the Apostle speakes not onely of things to bee enioyed in the life to come but euen of the Priuiledges of Gods Children euen in this life And Isay 64.4 since the beginning of the world they haue not heard nor vnderstood with the â—are neither hath the eye seene any other God besides thee which doth so to him that waiteth for him God doth so for none as hee doth for his Children The Reasons why the visible Church hath such Priuiledges are these First euery Company and euery Cittie haue certaine Priuiledges of their owne therefore the Church the Company of the faithfull the Cittie of the great King must haue hers much more Secondly the speciall fauour and loue which God doth beare to his Church is such that he can doe no lesse for them Those whom the Kings of the earth most fauour on them they bestow the greatest Priuiledges Therefore whom the King of Kings fauours most of all that is the Church hee is to bestow on them greater and better priuiledges then any King can giue but God onely or any subiect can receiue but Gods owne Dearlings Thirdly the Church hath many offices to performe towards God in spiritual and heauenly duties as prayer and such like which they cannot possibly performe vnlesse they bee by Gods owne speciall priuiledges exempted from other Imployments and enabled to these Fourthly their nearenesse to Christ and their dependance on him requires it they are his Sheepe and hee is their Sheepherd and shall not hee know them and so set his mark vpon them and call them by name and lead them foorth into greene Pastures c. shall not he guide and comfort and preserue and priuiledge them from such things as other flockes are subiect vnto yea their onenesse with him requires it hee is the Husband the Church is his Spouse they are one and shall not hee giue her a wedding Ring his hand and his heart shall not he apparell and decke her and cherish her in his bosome and affoord her his coÌ„fortable presence at bed and at boord as we say And many other such priuiledges which non else can enioy yea he is the head the Church is his body and shall not he enliue and quicken nourish direct defend and indue his Body with all such Priuiledges and graces as it is capable of So that their neare dependance on Christ and her onenesse with him requires that hee bestow many excellent Priuiledges on her which others may not enioy Fiftly the Merit of Christ requires it which being infinite in it selfe and wholly imparted to the Church must needes purchase and procure from God many excellent Priuiledges such as are fit for them Sixtly the Church is separate from the Communion state and condition of others in the world by their very Calling and Being of the Church therefore it is necessary that they should haue some notable Priuiledges to bee enioyed in that State in regard that they are depriued of such as are common to others Seauenthly and lastly many Afflictions are to bee suffered and endured of the Church not onely in that State but euen for it and therefore some excellent Priuiledges are bestowed vpon them to comfort their hearts and to make them a full amends for all the wrongs crosses and losses that therby they vndergoe The vses of the point are these Vse 1 Is it so that God hath bestowed so many excellent Priuiledges vpon the Church then first this should teach vs to glorifie God that doth so mercifully grace and glorifie vs and first in generall we are to acknowledge with all thankfulnesse Gods speciall Loue and Fauour to his Church that bestowes such excellent Priuiledges and Royall Prerogatiues vpon it Secondly in speciall wee must acknowledge with
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
when as the Partie knowes the right and yet willingly declines from it and these that thus erre are so far from striuing against their Error that they rather striue against a manifest Truth to maintaine their Error such an Error the Iewes are taxed for by Stephen Acts 7.51 and by Paul himselfe Acts 28.26 where he applies a place out of Esay to them shewing their obstinacie that in seeing they did see and not perceiue c. so that this is an error of obstinacy for a man to know the Truth and yet willingly to decline from it Thirdly some are finite and for a time onely some finall and for euer for a time onely and vpon better Aduice they change their minde such was Peters deniall of Christ Matth. 26.75 for which hee presently repented and went out and wept bitterly Againe some are finall and for euer as when men liue and dye in sinne without any Repentance at all at least without any true and sound Repentance such was the sinne of Iudas in betraying Christ he died desperately in it without any true Repentance Mat. 27.3 5. Lastly some Errors are particular some are generall and each of these in two respects first in respect of the persons that erre secondly in respect of the things they erre in for when as one or two or some few men in a Congregation are tainted with Error here is a particular Error in respect of the persons as it was in the Church of Corinth when as but some of them denied the Resurrection and not all 1 Cor. 15.12 But when as all or the greatest part in a Church erre this is a generall Error in respect of the persons An Instance of this wee haue in the Iewes when as they did all cry out against our Sauiour Christ Crucifie him Crucifie him So secondly in respect of the things erred in as when a man or a Church erres onely in one or in few things this is a particular Error in that respect so did the Church of Pergamus Reuel 2.14 I haue a few things against thee But when a man or a Church erres in all or the most things this is generall also in respect of the things they erre in as the Church of Rome at this day erres in all or the most things and so their Error is generall in that respect as also in respect of their persons Now to apply all this to the subiect of the question whether the Church may erre in all or in any of these respects or no If wee vnderstand the Church in the first sense for the whole Company of Beleeuers liuing on earth in this sense the Church may be said to erre first in matters of smaller moment not in the foundation Secondly of Infirmity not of obstinacy Thirdly at least onely for a time not for euer Fourthly particularly not vniuersally either in respect of the persons or of the things But if wee vnderstand the Church in the latter sense of one particular Congregation in this sense the Church may erre in all these which that I may the more largely and distinctly without Confusion deliuer and you apprehend receiue it plainely in these Obseruations The First is this That the Church militant the whole Company of Beleeuers on earth howsoeuer it hath many excellent Priuildges by the Spirit of truth yet it is not so exempted from Error but that it may and doth oftentimes erre both in Doctrine and manners I shall not neede to handle Errors in manners by themselues and Errors in Doctrine by themselues for each of these are transgressions against the Word Wil of God and they are both damnable and each alike may take hold of the Church 1 Cor. 13.12 The Apostle Paul speaking of himselfe being then a sound yea a principall Member of the Church of Christ acknowledgeth ingenuously much Ignorance that hee knowes little to that hee should know he knowes but in part Now Ignorance being an Error in a generall sense as wee heard before then we see that the Apostle willingly vndergoes the Imputation of Error and if he bee in Error who can looke to escape And therevpon it followes by necessary consequence that he erred in manners too for wee cannot bee obedient in that wee doe not know so that as his knowledge was imperfect so was his loue and obedience too But for errors in manners it is far plainer in Rom. 7.22 23. where the Apostle acknowledgeth that there was a Law in his members rebelling against the Law of his minde and leading him captiue vnto the law of sinne c and this was not his infirmity alone but it is the infirmity of all the Faithfull the Spirit stirres them vp to doe good yea but saith the Apostle Galat. 5.17 the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to another so that you cannot doe the same things you would And our Sauiour giues an Inckling of this to his Disciples in a kinde of Parable Ioh. 13.10 where he faith He that washed is needeth no â—â—ue to wash his feete c. which though it be spoken in a negatiue sense as shewing that nothing needes washing in them but their feete yet it is affirmatiue in force shewing that none is so cleansed and purified but that still hee hath foule feete that is hee hath still sinne and error in him and these must be cleansed and washed away or else he can haue no part in Christ Iesus as in verse 8 So likewise for error in manners the Apostle Iames 3.2 saith In many things wee sinne all there all are included and that not in one kinde onely as nâ— a diuided sense as if one should offend in one thing and another in another thing but in a compounded sense not one or many but all sinne and that not in one or few things but in many And for further confirmation of the Truth hereof it is elsewhere negatiuely deliuered as in the 1 King 8.46 There is not a man that liues and sinnes not now lay these two together and we shall see that none is exempted from error in manners So for Error in Doctrine Rom. 3.4 where it is not onely affirmed in generall of all and of euery one in particular that euery man is a liar that is that he erres in some of his Apprehensions of the Truth but the Apostle doth likewise so derogate the holding of the whole Truth entirely and incorruptly from man that he appropriates it to God alone so that it is as possible for man to bee God as not to bee deceiued So that the Doctrine is cleare that the Church militant that is the Company of Beleeuers liuing on earth may and oftentimes doe erre both in Doctrine and manners So much for proofe of the point out of Scripture Reas 1 The Reasons of the point are these First mans frailtie The members of the militant Church true Beleeuers they are but men and therefore naturally louing darkenesse
the multitude of Reas 2 their enemies they are so great and swarme so ouer all the earth and therefore how can the faithfull escape but that needs they must be assaulted euery way that which one saith not or doeth not against them another doth Satan is a hunter and the wicked are his hell-hounds and the faithfull they are in the field of this world like a silly Hare in the field beset about with hounds in euery corner so that it is impossible for her to escape them but that still he is assaulted how can the faithfull choose then but be assaulted euery way Reas 3 Thirdly adde to their multitude their malice and diligence that they snatch at all aduantages and let not any oppertunity slip to satisfie their blood thirsty malice Reas 4 Fourthly the enemies of the faithfull are assisted by Satan continually and very effectually so that if they do lacke power or subtilty or meanes any helpe inwardly or outwardly hee is ready at hand to make supply and when earth and hell too men and diuells doe altogether ioyne their forces against Gods poore Church what can be expected but vtter ruine at least great hurt Reas 5 Fifthly God permits these things for a time in this world this is their very houre and power of darknesse none is able either to helpe vs or to hinder and bridle them but God alone and therefore hee letting the diuell loose on them and giuing way to his instruments they must needes haue their full force and strength to attempt what they will against them though yet the Lord bridles them that they cannot accomplish it Reas 6 Sixthly Is it so that the faithfull may be tryed as in the fire that if there be any blemish in them it may be purged and that their faith may appeare much more precious then Gold Reas 7 Seuenthly It is so that the wicked may make vp the full measure of their sinnes and so a iust and full measure of wrath and vengeance against their soules Reas 8 Lastly It is so that the Lord may glorifie himselfe the more in the preseruation of the one and the confusion of the other Exod. 9.16 Vse 1 The vses of the point are these First this shewes vs the exceeding great danger that the Church and euery member thereof is subiect to in this world there is no danger that can possibly be imagined nor no one thing named in the world that a man may be endangered by that the faithfull can safely say I am free from the danger of it See how many dangers one silly soule was beset withall the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 11.26 that was often in perills of waters in perills of his owne Nation in perills amongst the Gentiles in perills in the City in perills in the Wildernesse in perills in the Sea in perills amongst false brethren he was in perill euery way and yet these were but dangers besides which hee had many forcible and cruell blowes laid on him as wee may see from the 23 to the 28. verse In labours more aboundant in stripes aboue measure in prison more plenteously in death often c. Many men maruell that the faithfull being so dearely beloued as they are of God should be so often foyled that they should fall into so many troubles yea oftentimes sinfull and reproachfull euills but if they could see but halfe the dangers they are in they would rather maruell that they fall into no more yea that they are not vtterly ouer-throwne and that they are not ouer-throwne by their enemies no reason can be giuen but that Lam. 3.22 It is the Lords mercy that we are not consumed and Psalm 124.1.2 3. Except the Lord had beene on our side may Israel now say Except the Lord had beene on our side when men rose vp against vs they had swallowed vs vp quicke when their wrath was kindled against vs And this is a gracious and a comfortable vse which wee are to make of all the straights that wee are driuen to in this life not so much to looke on the multitude and greatnesse of the dangers which wee are in but on the mercifull protection and all-sufficient grace of God in Christ that doth so vphold vs that let our enemies doe what they can and all that may be done yet wee shall not be left as a prey to be swallowed vp by them In the 2 King 6.15 16 17. The Prophet Elishae's man when hee saw that they were compassed about with an host hee was stricken with great feare and cryed out Alas Master what shall we doe But Elisha answered Feare not for they that be with vs are more then they that be with them And when Elisha had prayed and that the Lord had opened his seruants eyes he saw the mountaine full of Horses and Chariots of fire round about his Master and as it was with him so it is with vs it is a great terror to vs to see our selues assaulted and compassed about with our enemies and to see dangers on euery side but let vs looke about vs and see also the mercifull protection and all-sufficient grace of God in Christ which embraceth vs on euery side so that our enemies can no way preuaile against vs and this will be a great incouragement and comfort to vs against all the assaults that our enemies make against vs. Vse 2 The second vse teacheth vs that seeing wee haue so many enemies that assault vs euery way then we should hold fast by God and cleaue steadfastly and wholly to him alone first by a liuely confidence in his truth and promise and saluation with an assured perswasion that hee will neuer faile vs nor forsake vs it was Israels case and Moses direction Exod. 14.13 when their enemies were behinde them and the red Sea before them and the mountaines on each side of them and no way for them to escape Moses saith to them Feare not stand still and he hold the saluation of the Lord which hee will shew to you this day c. and so the Lord did deliuer them there wants neither will nor power on Gods part if there be not want of our apprehending and relying vpon it as wee must cleaue vnto God by confidence So secondly we must cleaue to him by prayer for it is not enough for vs to beleeue it but wee must begge it too wee must lift vp our eyes and hearts to God in humble and hearty prayer for helpe and deliuerance and wee shall haue it you shall see this course taken and the successe of it both together in the 2 Chron. 32.20 22. When Senacherib came vp with his host against Ierusalem then Hezechiah the King and the Prophet Esaiah prayed against them and cryed to heauen and the Lord sent an Angell which destroyed all the valiant men and Princes of Senacheribs host and saued Hezechiah and the inhabitants of Ierusalem from the hand of Senacherib King of Ashur thirdly wee must cleaue to God by vsing the
Lord will be altogether with vs to saue and defend vs and altogether against our enemies to confound and destroy them The three and twentieth LECTVRE of the CHVRCH HAuing propounded nine seuerall heads to be spoken to concerning the visible Church wee haue through Gods assistance spoken of seuen of them It remaines therefore now that wee come to the eighth namely the power and authority of the Church A point which was named and pointed at before amongst the Priuileges of the Church For surely the power that God hath endued the Church withal is none of her smallest priuileges if it be not one of her greatest as the greatest priuilege of a King is his Kingly power and authority then wee pointed at it but wee respited the full handling of it to this place partly because in the beginning wee propounded it as one of the principall heads in this question but especially because it is both large and waighty large and so requires waighty and so deserues worthily to be handled in a seuerall Title by it selfe it hath also some affinity neernesse with the fifth head namely the Gouernment of the Church for many of the same things that are incident to the Gouernment of the Church are also incident to the authority of it and such things wee will onely touch as wee meete with them referring you for further knowledge of them to those places that already they haue beene handled in But there are somethings belonging to the power of the Church which could not so fitly be reduced to the gouernment of the Church and these are the points which God willing here wee will speake vnto The power and authority of the Church I call it power and authority for in effect they are both one It is true that they are sometimes distinguished and then this is the difference power signifies an ability to doe a thing and authority a warrant from God to exercise that ability but here they signifie one and the same thing and the reason is plaine because the Church of all other sorts doth absolutely deny her selfe to haue any power to do ought but that which she hath authority and warrant from God to doe The points that I will speake of concerning this matter are these First that the Church of God hath power and authority belonging to it Secondly what manner of power and authority this is And thirdly what it is that shee hath power in First that there is power and authority belonging to the Church for howsoeuer she be weak in outward forces and contemptible in the eyes of the world and for the most part spurn'd out ouer-borne and troden vnder foote by the Potentates of the earth and for the mannaging of any temporall administration or state able to doe little and warranted to doe lesse yet if she be taken within her owne element that is in Church affaires she is armed with much power and great authority euery State and society hath power and authority annexed to it whereby it is vpholden the Church then being the worthiest State and happiest Society that is hath it Reas 1 much more for there are many offices and duties of diuers kindes and sorts daily and necessarily to be performed in the Church wel-doers must be encouraged sinne must be punished lawes must be executed orders must be obserued and obedience must be practised these and such like must be daily performed in the Church Now without power nothing can be done and without authority nothing must be done And therefore the Church must haue power and authority Againe the Reas 2 greatest and waightiest workes that are done in the world are done in the Church the conscience commanded soules conuerted comforted and saued Gods owne life wrought into the hearts of men Christ and his Kingdome of grace that is highly aduanced Satans kingdome and his power quailed and subdued therefore the Church must needes haue great power to effect such great workes Lastly shee must haue this power Reas 3 and authority that shee may be able to hold vp her head against her aduersaries that doe commonly and ordinarily except against her saying By what authority doe you these things as they did to our Sauiour Matth. 22.23 and to Moses Exod. 2.14 Who made thee a man of authority c. so that except shee be furnished with sufficient authority there is no hope that they or their proceedings should finde any acceptance the people were astonished at Christs Doctrine because he taught with authority and not as the Scribes Mat. 7. Mar. 1.27 hee commands euen the foule spirits with authority and they obey him as who should say if he had not commanded them with authority they would neuer haue obeyed him they would know good cause why first This serues first to incourage the Church to the doing of Vse 1 her duty in excecuting Gods Lawes and in aduancing his ordinances seeing shee hath power sufficient in her owne hands to strengthen and countenance her preceedings and to make them effectuall It would neuer grieue a man to bestow time and labour in good endeauours though with much danger and with many opdositions when hee knowes before-hand that he hath power and authority enough to be beare him out in it therefore this should encourage the Church in her duty heerein And also this serues to reproue those that Vse 2 lightly esteeme of the Church and of that which shee doth as if they were nothing worth but let such know that the Church is a powerfull worker and that that Doctrine which she teacheth is a word of great power able to saue or to destroy and the Censures that she passeth are Censures of power able to kill or giue life and whosoueuer withstandeth these shall finde them matters of power to their destruction in hell if they be obstinate but whosoeuer obeyes them shall finde power enough in them to bring them to God and to his Kingdome So much for that first point The second point is what manner of power this is for this wee must looke well into lest mistaking wee goe too farre or come too short each being a dangerous error you shall vnderstand therefore that this power is not humane but diuine Secondly not temporall but spirituall Thirdly that though it be spirituall yet it is bounded and limited First it is not humane that is it is not of men though they be men that exercise it and howsoeuer where it is publikely practised it is vsually and needfully ratified at least permitted by the authority of the temporall State yet it hath not his power from men but it is diuine and hath his power directly from God himselfe the first beginnings of this power is from him as wee may see Matth. 10.1 to 5. where our Sauiour calls his Disciples and giue them power to preach to cast out diuels and to heale the sicke c. and the promise of more power is also from God as his
Spirituall for ye see how Vzziah was stricken with leprosie for medling with the Priests Office 2 Chron. 26.16 to the 19. And it was well hee escaped so for by the law he deserued Death Numb 18.7 The third Branch of the second point is that though it bee a spirituall Power yet it is not vnbounded but it is limited and scantled within the bounds of the Word For the same God that hath set markes and boundes in the earth for the Sea that it shall not ouerflow them Iob 38.11 he hath also prescribed in his Word certaine marks limits and bounds for the power of the Church and so farre the Church must goe and no further The Body and Spouse haue power to doe many things yet still they are to bee ruled by the direction of their Head and Husband And so long as the Church containes herselfe within these bounds and limits it goes well with her God prospers her and he hath promised and will performe a blessing to her but if she goe beyond these bounds and transgresse against God It is a fearefull and dangerous case the bond is broken all flyes a sunder the walls and hedges of the Church are troden downe and the Boare and wild Beasts enter in and spoile and make a prey of all Gods yoke is shaken off and then men runne into strange outragious vnwarrantable and exorbitant Courses fitter for lawlesse Infidels then for Christs Disciples and by this meanes Gods Church will bee degenerate into Synagogues of Satan and Religion turned into Ignorance superstition profanenesse and meere licentiousnesse And by this meanes Anti-Christ himselfe hath clymed vp into the Seate of Christ The reason is plaine in the very like case 1 Sam. 15.23 Because that they haue reiected God and his yoke and gone beyond their bounds therefore God will reiect them and cast them off from being his Church The Church therefore must consider like a modest Spouse that shee hath power indeed but to what to that that shee will and list her selfe No but to that which Christ her husband will haue her to doe so farre as in the exercising of her power shee walkes with God shee may goe on safely and boldly But if when God stayes she will not stay but still goe on forward at her owne perill be it The fourth Branch of the second point is that though it be a bounded and limitted power and authority yet it is the greatest power on earth it reacheth not onely to the people but Kings and Princes must obey it I say they are vnder the power of the Church though they be aboue the persons that exercise this power as may appeare in the Example of Dauid and Nathan the Person of Nathan being subiect to Dauid and yet Dauid subiect to the Power of his reproofe Secondly as it reacheth not onely to the meanest but to the highest so it reacheth not onely to the outward man but euen to the Inward also the very Spirit and Conscience though it be free from all other power yet it is subiect to this I say not to the Church it selfe but to that spirituall and diuine power which it in Christs Name doth exercise Lastly whereas no other authority or power reacheth so high as heauen or so low as hell this power of the Church extends to both it cuts off from God and deliuers ouer to Satan And againe it releases out of Satans lawes and reconciles vs to God and brings vs to heauen So much for the second point what manner of power this is The third and last point is this Namely what is it that the Church hath power in The Church hath a double power one ouer persons and another ouer things ouer persons and that in two respects either as they are members or as they are officers As they are members and that in two respects also either as they are not come into the Church or as they are come in already as they are not come in and that in two respects too either to admit them as members or to repell and refuse them If yee aske who are to be admitted The Answer is all those that are called Acts 2.39 the promise is made to you and your children and to many that are a farre off euen to as many as the Lord our God shall call For seeing the promise belongs to them and so they are for ought wee know within the Couenant then they ought to be admitted into the Bosome of the Church and to bee admitted as members thereof If yee aske how we shall know that they are called The Answer is plaine yee shall know it by their profession of faith in the Church and by their profession of Repentance by their profession of faith as Acts 8.12 37. As soone as they beleeued Philip which preached the things that concerned the Kingdome of God and the Name of Iesus Christ they were baptized both men and women And verse 37. Philip said to the Eunuch If thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou maist be baptized then he answered and said I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God c 38. and he baptized him And so by the profession of Repentance Matth. 3.6 they were baptized of Iohn confessing their sinnes And both these you shall finde together Acts 2.37.38 when they were pricked in their hearts at Peters Sermon they said Men and Brethren what shall we doe to be saued Peter said vnto them Amend your liues and be baptized euery one of you in the Name of the Lord Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes as if he had said repent and beleeue for amendment of life doth necessarily imply purpose of obedience and so the profession of Repentance is a promise of obedience and this is precisely required Exod. 19.5 to the 8. where the Lord sent to the people of Israel to know whether they would obey him before hee would enter into Couenant with them To which agrees the practice of Iosiah and the people in the case of Reformation or renewing their admission when they had broken their Couenant with God 2 Chron. 34.31 32. he renued the Couenant betwixt God and his people and caused all that were found in Ierusalem and in Beniamin to stand to it If you aske what is the meanes and act of Admission The answer is that it is baptisme Mat. 3.6 Act. 8.37 38 Acts 2.41 they that gladly receiued the Word were baptized and the same day there was added to the Church aboue three thousand Soules Now this Act being once receiued is neuer to bee recall'd though the Couenant be afterwards neglected and broken for one entrance stands good for our whole estate In so much that if I fall after Baptisme and that so greiuously as that I be cut off by the censure of the Church yet if I returne againe the Couenant is to bee renued but not baptisme no more then circumcision in the former Testament was to be renued
What things are to be warranted Warrants for the cautions conditions and carriage of the businesse are First more principall Secondly inferâ—our warrant Second head and in it fiue Rules The second Rule That is vncomely in one place which is decent in another What is to be reputed decent Order extends it selfe to two things First to things to be done Secondly to persons The third Rule Three wayes how peace is indangered The fourth Rule Three wayes how this rule is broken The fifth Rule The third head and that is the end And there be two kinds of them Two graces necessary for this First wisedome Secondly love When this Rule is swerved from Instances in divers duties Proofes are here vsed because omitted before The sixth generall things concerning the Church viz. the priuiledges of it In this head two points handled 1 handled by way of obseruation Reasons 2 things handled viz. the priuiledges of Church and they be of two sorts 1 humane 2 diâ—r these â—uers sorts generally of two sorts 1. In respect of others both friends and enemies 2. In respect of themselues 1 temporall priuiledges 2. Spirituall priuiledges theseâ— of two sorts 1 common to all the members 2. proper to the true Beleeuers and these of two sorts 1. matters of present possession of diuers kindes 4 The workes God doth for the faithfull 2. matters of future certainties 2. other speciall priuileges added and intreated on 1. concerning the infallibe guidance of the Church by Gods Spirit and so whether the Church can erre or no either in manners or in Doctrine or in both or in neyther Errors of foure sorts 1. what a fundamentall Errors is Errors in smaller matters what they be Difference btwâ—eene them that erre in the foundation and them that erre in smaller matters The second thing is concerning the necessity of being a member of the Church if euer wee will attaine saluation and so whether any may be saued out of the Church or no. Extra fidem Ecclesiae Morn 451. The seuenth generall head in the doctrin of the church viz. the aduersaries and opposites of it This handled in 5. point â— Th◠〈…〉 that the Church of God hath many Aduersaries to oppose it deliuered in a Doctrine Stiâ—ting vp to many duties The second point what these aduersaries are and they are many 2. sort 3. sort 4. sort 5. sort 6. sort 7. sort 8. sort 9. sort 10. sort 11. sort 12. sort Vse 3. The third point which is how these Aduersaries oppose vs. The matter they strike at 1 against the persons of professors 2 against their profession The manner of their opposition â— secretly 2. openâ— 3. The means or weapons wherby they fight against Gods Children 1 carnall reasons and therein 2. Religious pretences and herein 1. Scriptures 2. that they are the Church 3. miracles 3. more grosse dealing The 4. point how the Church is to carry her selfe to her aduersaries 2. things to be done that we may be able to make a good fight What is to be done in it and therein 2. things The 2 worke to be done 2 thing how it is to be done The 5 point how the Lord carrieth himselfe to his Church and their aduersaries How God is with the saith full in many respects How God is against the enemies his Church many waies Vse 2. The 8. generall head of the Church viz. the power and auhority of it And in it 3. things to be spoken vnto 1. that there is a power 2. point what manner of power it is and in it things asserted 1 that it is not humane but diuine How we may know when the Church speakes true or false Two things asserted that power of the Church is not temporal but spirituall The 3. thing asserted that the Power of the Church is limited and scantled within the bounds of the Word The 4. thing asserted that the power of the Church is the greatest power on earth Kings are vnder the power of the Church though they be aboue the persons that exercise it The 3 point is what it is that the Church haue power in it is double 1. ouer persons and that 1 either as members either not come in to admitte Who are to be admitted The Act and meanes of admission This not to be renued vpon any falling away How far the Magistrate may compell Or to repell them Or secondly as come in to keepe them in or cast them out Or thirdly ouer members as Officers to choose or refuse place or displace Secondly the Church hath power ouer things and these either matters of substance as touching the Scripture and therein first touching the credit of the Scripture And herein whether the authority of Church bee greater then the authority of the Spripture Bellarmy de Verbo Dei interpret 246. The blasphemous speeches of the Papists concerning the Scripture without the approbation of the church The Church of Rome is that whore of Babilon The best positions of the Papists in this controuersie Answered How the Church is to be beleeued and obeyed Answered Reasons against it Reply How we must esteeme of the Scriptures How we must esteeme of the Church 4. Wayes how we may know the scripture to be the Scripture 6 Rules concerning our beleeuing what the Church saith of the authority of the Scripture The second thing the Church hath power in about the Scripture is thâ— sense of it and how farre it hath power therein Hieron in Epist ad Gelat cap. 1. Reprouing first the opinion of the Papists The Scriptures speake and haue a voyce How the Church is the mouth of the Scripture The Scripture not dumbe Secondly their practice first in regard of the vulgar latine translation imposed by them as the authenticall Text. Secondly in that all their Expositors are slaues and vassalls to their Church Thirdly in regard of the oath which generally all Papists recâ—ue concerning the exposition of the Scripture The Fathers doe all generally concur and yet misse in the right expounding of the Scriptures Fourthly in that they rely vpon the iudgements of Councells and the Popeâ— in case the Church dissent First other mens and the Churches expositions are to be examined by vs. Ob. Answer 1. Rectract lib. cap. 18. Secondly in framing expositions of our owne we must come not as masters to teach but as schollers to learne to the Scriptures Directions to walke and be ruled by when wee seeke the sense of the Scripture they are of three sortes 1 some before wee come to expound the Scripture they are 7. Things to be obserued in the businesse it selfe How we may consulie with Gods Spirit What is the analogie of faith Things to be doue after Diuers obiections against this doctrine Ob. 2. Ob 5. Of the authority of the Church in matters besides the Scriptures and what is to be held therein The places that proue this are of foure sorts First such as ascribe thâ—s authority to God alone Secondly such as commend
vnto vs the sufficiency Scripâ— Thirdly such as forbid any addition to or detraction from the Scripture Fourthly such as condemne all Doctrine taught either without or besides the Scripture Rhemists 15 Acts â— The Papists say the church may coyne new articles of faith What authority the Church hath about articles of Faith Hyper 6â— Hyper 54. Secondly that the Church make any booke to bee Canonicall Scripture Which the Papists hould this confuted by diuers reasons Thirdly that the Church hath power to deuise adde diminish or alter any part of Gods worship which the Church of Rome hath done prooued by diuerse things Fourthly concerning customes The fathers iudgement concerning customes Fifthly concerning traditions How and in what sense tradition is to bee receiued Answers to the Popish tenent concerning tradititions Answer 1. Ob. Answer wherin is shewed that the Baptisme of Infants the change of the Sabbath and that so many bookes are Canonicall Scripture and are not had by tradition but proued by good consequence out of the Scripture Answ 2. Answ 3. Their proofe out of 2 Thes 2.15 Answe Answ 4. The scripture the so onely rule of saith acknowledged to bee by all Churches generally Secondly the Scripture is the onely tryall of euery truth How euery matter of substance is to be found in the Scripture Concerning Churches power in matters of circumstance and they are of two sortes one of miracles and what is to be helde concerning the same Secondly of discipline and this is of two sorts either matter of dâ—scipline which is spoken of before or secondly matter of ceremonies and what the church hath power to doe therein The bounds the Church is to keepe in ordaining matters of ceremony 1. 2. Vse 2. 1. The ninth generall point concerning the Church viz. the application of all that hath bin spoken to all visible Churches in christendome that I know of The generall diuision of all churches that haue beene or are since our Sauiours time into Easterne and WesteÌ„rne and this according to their scâ—tuation Secondly according to their language and so some be greek and some latin Churches VVhether Schismaticall or hereticall Churches may be accounted true visible Churches What a Schismatike church is Hereticall Churches First what they are and when any particular man is to be reputed an Heretike Heresies of 2. sorts first such as ouerthrow the foundation What this fundation is Resol Those that deny directly this foundation or any part thereof cease to bee Christians and are no more visible Churcher The Greeke Churches be here spoken of and what weare to thinke of them 1. of the Greeke Churches generally disperse in most at the Easterne parts of the world Ortelius 100. Ortelius 97. 98. 108. Secondly the Greeke Churches which are more particularly and properly so called and what we are to hold of them deliuered in an obseruation Doct. The mayne error of the Greeke Churches The Greeke Churches better then the Popish-Church The Papists vnchatarible censuring the Greeke Churches answered The Greeke Churches not guâ—lty of Schisme from Rome The Greeke Churches neuer subiect to the Romane Church One note of the Church as the Papists account it is found in the Greeke Church viz succession of Bishops The goodnes of God in perseruing of his Churches seene in the Greeke Churches vnder the Turke The miseries of the Greeke Church vnder the Turke in many particulars in regard of their persecutions in regard of the Religion of the Turks The Religion of the Turks 1. a pestilent Religion directly opposite to Christ 2. It ouerspreadeth a great part of the knowne world 3. It is a pleasing Religion For what it was that the Lord suffered such famous Churches to come to ruine applied to vs. The Western churches and first of those that acknowledge the Pope their head as the Church of Rome and those that hold with her and what maâ— be said and held of her deliuered in two obseruations The church of Rome as now it standeth may in some sense be reputed a true visible Church A differenâ—e betweene the papacy or the popâ—sh â—action and some better spirits amongst them in regard of whom the whole may be called a true Church The popish church doth not directly deny any part of the fundation but in outward shew of words affirme it The church of Rome hath beene a true Church The Papists by their Doctrine of iustification by workes must ouerthrow the foundation they by this ouer throw Christ not directly but by consequence Quest Answ It is not so great a sin to deny Christ directly as by consequence yet hee that doth this deserueth to be cut off from Gods mercy The Church of Rome compared with the Church of Israel 2. with the Church of the Iewes in our Sauiours times With the Church of Galatia Circumcision doth as neerely by consequence cut off from Christ as iustification by workes with the of Church Sardis Baptisme a true Sacrament in Rome and rightly administred there for the substance of it Those that were Baptised in the Church of Rome were lawfully Baptised Ob 1. Answ Ob. 2. Answ The ordinati of our Ministers from the Church of Rome and yet a lawfull ordination The question where the Church was before Luthers time answered The inconuenience preuented by acknowledging that the Church of Rome may be accounted a true Church What to thinke of our fathers that liued in the Popish Church They of the Popish Chuâ—ch are to â—e â—udâ—ed rather mis-beleeuers then vnbeleeuers The 2. Obseruation wherein is further delired what may be sayd and held further of the church of Rome The Church of Rome so corrupt that it is not lawfull to ioyne with her This that is spoken against thee is in respect of the Pope and Popish factors Corruption of the Church of Rome reduced to 2. sorts 1. matter of Doctrine reduced to 1. part of the Doctrine Foure heads 1 concerning Scriptures And their error therein Three things 1 denying the sufficiency of the Scripture 2 Perâ—erting the truth of the Scripture 3 Disanulling the authorâ—ty and credit of the Scripture many wayes 1 teaching the apochryphaâ—l bookes to be canonicall Scripture Secondly equalling traditions of men with the written word of God Thirdly preferring the authority of the Church aboue the Scripture Two heads wherein they orre in matter of Doctrine viz concerning the direct offices of the Mediator The Papists say there bee many mediators betwixt God and man The distinction of mediators of intercession and redemption answered Two things in a Mediator To be mediator of intercession is peculiar to Christ as well as to be mediator of redemption The popish shâ—ft off praying to the Saints not as helpers but as intercessor Answered The popish reason for praying to the Saints departed drawn from our desiâ—ing the Saints on earth to pray for vs Answered The third head wherein the church of Rome erreth in doctrine and that is concerning Images The church of Rome an abominable whore deseruing
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