not sufficient to proue them eyther no Church at all holding as they doe fundamentall truth or a Church not so farre forth sanctified as they hold the same Which wee hope shall appeare plainely and clearely to all CHAP. II. What we thinke of those that line in the Communion of the Church of Rome ALthough I thinke it more needefull for euery man in particular to worke out his owne saluation than to be curious to know the estates of others and apprehending the mercy of God to his owne soule to cry out Domine quis ego sum Lord Iohn 21. 21. who am I that thou shouldest regard me with such fauour rather than like Pâ—ter of Iohn to aske Domine hic autem quid Master what shall hee doe as being too sollicitous of others Neuerthelesse wee who enioy the liberty of the Gospell cannot haue a better occasion to magnifie the goodnesse of God than by remembring Egypt from whence wee are deliuered nor they who are yet detained in the house of Bondage than by seeing their danger to hasten thence Errour in Religion may be no lesse pernicious to the soules of men than sinfulnesse of life and therefore doth so farre forth without Repentance exclude from all possibility of saluation The state of the Church of Rome not only now but for many hundred yeares past hath beene such that the Religion thereof in many parts of it hath beene hereticall and erroneous both for opinion and practice And therefore though the condemnation of some were more tolerable than of others some being Authors others receiuers some Masters others Schollers yet to all without exception from the idiot and handy-crafts man to the Pope and the Colledge of Cardinals plagues were due to our forefathers though they did but erroneously practise what the guides heretically taught If the blinde leade the blinde both fall into the pit of destruction Wee see the danger they all were in from the greatest to the least But was there no way of escape That which I named before Repentance only Repentance may be eyther actuall or generall Actuall Repentance is necessary for all knowne faults for those which wee through ignorance admit a generall Repentance will finde place with God By M. Hooker his discourse of iustification vertue whereof as many as hold the foundation which is precious though they hold it but weakely and as it were with a slender threed although they frame many base and vnsuitable things vpon it things that cannot abide the tryall of the fire yet shall they passe the fiery triall and be saued which indeed haue builded themselues vpon the rocke which is the foundation of the Church Our Fathers then holding the foundation of Faith which for the present I assume I doubt not but God was mercifull to saue thousands of them liuing in Popish superstitions in as much as they sinned ignorantly Yet do we not hereupon make Ignorance the Mother of Deuotion as it is obiected by some because we make â—urtenâ— 7. Vials them nearer to saluation who are held in errour not knowing it than those which pertinaciously defend it being knowne whose very want of learning may by accâ—dent conduce 〈…〉 cum liteâ—â—â— in â—arathrâ—m 〈◊〉 to their eternall good and make a way for them to the mercy of God whiles the others are left without excuse Nor yet because wee hope that God might be mercifull to some that liued in times of errour and blindnesse which it were no impiety to thinke though we had no reason for it are we of opinion That a man may bee saued in any Religion which to Bâ—rtoâ— iâ—id haue named only is sufficient refutation But to conclude let none embolden themselues vpon the mercy of God exhibited to our Fathers there is not the same reason of them and of vs they sinned ignorantly but the truth is now layd before our eyes they might bee saued by a generall Repentance for vs actuall Repentance is needfull Now the voyce from Heauen sounds more shrill in our eares than euer it did Come out of Apoc. 18. 4. her my people that yee be not partakers of her sins and that yee receiue not of her plagues This then beeing premised I will come nearer to the matter in hand viz. Whether they say well who affirme the Church of Rome to bee no true Church and if the Church of Rome deny the foundation of Faith CHAP. III. What we vnderstand by Church here THis terme of Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ambiguous and of doubtfull sense none more The ambiguity of the word hath serued some as a fit cloake vnder which they might both shroud their sleights and impostures and likewise â—vâ—nt their deceitfull wares Thus our Aduersaries of the Church of Rome vse the name oâ— the Church like Gorgons head to affright the simple and bring them into subiection no otherwise than the Iewes of old cryed the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord who themselues of all others had most sacrilegiously polluted it And the Turkes at this day bragge of themselues that they are Muselmanni that is The only true beleeuers who hate euen to the very death Christ and Christian Religion Vnto others who delighted to find out the truth it hath giuen occasion more accurately to distinguish that they might neither enthrall themselues to euery company which boast themselues to bee the Church nor yet withdraw their due reuerence and obedience from the true Church when they haue found her out The word Ecclesia which signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church in the latitude of the sense thereof may be applyed to signifie any company or congregation any combination or faction whatsoeuer but strictly taken and as it is ordinarily vsed in Scripture by the Church we vnderstand Gods Company the Congregation of the faithfull men called forth and set apart from the â—est of the world which the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports and become the Lords peculiar Now the Church which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords portion or houshold hath a double acceptation there is the Church inuisible and the visible Church The Saints in heauen which are the Church triumphant and the true beleeuers vpon earth which are the Church militant these together make vp the inuisible Church which we call inuisible because for one part of it those which are dead in the Lord and receiued into Abrahams bosome they are farre remote from our sense wee see them not The true beleeuers vpon earth which make the other part of the inuisible Church howsoeuer wee are conuersant amongst them and behold their persons yet whether they bee indeede such as to vs they seeme is more than we can know and that their names are written in the Booke of life is a thing past our discerning The visible Church comprehendeth all Christians as many as farre and neare throughout the whole world are baptized into the name of Christ and professe the same
maine points of controuersie betwixt vs and that a man could no longer communicate with her in the publicke worship of God by reason of some Idolatrous rites and customes which she had established separated themselues from her hauing Pastors and Congregations apart to themselues and maugre the furie of fire and sword maintained their doctrines which they had taken vpon them to defend The state of the Church mixt and conioyned with the Church of Rome it selfe consisted of those who making no visible separation from the Romane Profession did yet mislike the grosser errours which at this day shee maintaineth and desired a reformation Thus I say wee answer them we pleade not for our selues that wee made a new Church but reformed the old For we must note that there Doctor Chalon Credo Eâ—cles Saâ—ctam Catholicam may bee a * Visible church Church which in respect of her chiefe Prelates and a predominant faction therein may be false and Antichristian yet may containe some members of the a Inuisible church true Church within her Pale who refuse not to communicate with her nay more are infected with some smaller errors of the time but keepe still the foundation of Faith intire and vnshaken Touching the state of the Church vnder the tyrannie of Antichrist some of our Diuines affirme That the Church was in the Papacy others more warily and indeed more truly That the Papacy was in the Church because an accident is in the subiect not the subiect in the accident For as the body is one thing the leprosie another and the leprous a third so wee must distinguish betwixt the Church and the Papacy by which we â—eane the Dominion of the Pope â—nd Popish Doctrine and the Popish Church a diseased body made vp of â—hem both We must learne to distinâ—uish betwixt the Court of Rome â—nd the Church of Rome the seduâ—ers and the seduced the body of â—he Church and the corporation of â—he Man of sinne And of some haue Iude. v. 22. â—ompassion making a difference saith â—he Apostle First then it is agreed vpon That The state of the question directly to hold the foundation of Faith and to bee a true Church are one and the same Secondly That by â—ome corrupt opinions which by â—onsequence ouerthrow the foundaâ—ion the beeing of a Church is not â—aken away Thirdly That the Anti-â—hristian faction is not at all the Church of Christ Papatus non est Ecclesia sed * Pestiâ— â—ydrops 〈◊〉 Iunâ—us â—e Eccle. Ecclesiae carcinoma saith â—earned Iunius the Papacy is not the Church but the canker the gangrene the disease of the Church This is Babylon this is the whâ—re c. Fourthly That neyther the Church oâ— Rome that is those which liue in thâ— Romish Religion and make vp onâ— society or body are the true Church if thereby we vnderstand the Orthâ—doxe Church of God But here noâ— is the hinge of the Cause Whetheâ— the Church of Rome doe directlâ— deny the foundation of Faith whicâ— some affirme and I know not if eueâ— any vnto this day except onely Mâ— Barton but we deny and Whetheâ— the Church of Rome as she is at thiâ— present corrupted and deformed hath yet the true essence of a Church which by him is denied but we affirme and hope that wee shall makâ— good through him in whom we can dâ— all things and yet thinke not tâ— reape thankes at the hands of anâ— Papist much lesse deserue to bee thâ— Popes white Sonne for our paines 7. Viallâ— pa. 32. CHAP. VIII Our first Argument drawne from Scripture THe state of the Church in this present world is subiect to many changes and is not alwaies one and the same whether wee respect her inward purity of Religion or her outward felicitie and prosperity Purity of doctrine is many times oppressed by errour and heresie and the externall happinesse of the Church is often disturbed by persecution and affliction the one is bred at home within her owne bowels with the other shee is exercised by a forreine Enemy to the one God giues her ouer for her sinnes into the other he suffers her to fall for her correction and amendement A more liuely instance of this we cannot haue than the ancient Church of Israel as the Prophets delineate and set her forth vnto vs with which our Diuines do often parallel the Church of Rome Yet of heâ— it cannot be denied that in her worst estate shee had many priuiledges and prerogatiues of a Church the children that were borne Ezâ—k 1â— 20. vnto them God cals his own children Quis â—nim aufit Ecclesiae titulum ijs praeripeâ—e 〈…〉 apud quos verbi suâ— praedicationâ—m mysteriorum obseruationem deposuit Deus For who daâ—es take away from them the title of a Chuâ—ch to whom God sent his Prophâ—ts to preach his Word and where he hâ—â— sâ—ttled the obseruation of those 〈…〉 and types which pointed at him in whom â—ll the Nations of the earth shoâ—â—d be â—lessed saith hee professedly handling this present question and comparing the Church of Rome with the Church of Israel in her defection from God Now whereas hee saith afterward Ibid. Sect. 11. that this came to passe rather from the constancie of God who hauing once made a couenant with them would not repent than was kept on their parts who rebelled against him wee willingly grant and take it to agree well with what wee haue already deliuered touching Gods right ouer his Church Yet such saith hee Iâ—idem was the immuâ—ability and goodnesse of God that their rebellion and backesliding could not make the Word of God of none effect neyther could circumcision be so profaned by their impure hands but that it still continued a true signe Sacrament of his Couenant The state of that Church afterward although it be obserued that after their returne from the Captiuitie they neuer fell to Idolatry againe yet was such that they were diuided into many Sects and many Heresies sprang vp amongst them At the comming of our Sauiour they which sate in Moses chaire were the Scribes and the Pharisees who peruerted the doctrine of the Law and were the profest Enemies of our Sauiour yet then no doubt was the Church of the Iewes the Church of God or else God had no Visible Church vpon the face of the earth The Christian Church was neuer brought to a lower ebbe than was the Iewish Synagogue in the dayes of our Sauiour Christ Vide â— Vsher Vâ—â—â—e salâ—â—y of the Châ—â—ch of Christ pag. â—9 1. Coâ— 12. 3. Fundamentall truth as it is the soule of the Church and can not chuse but be operatiue more or lesse wheresoeuer it doth enliuen so is it of that diuine nature that it acknowledgeth no other parent but God alone and they belong vnto him by that name whosoeuer hold and professe the same No man can say that Iesus is Christ but by the holy Ghost saith S.
will destroy much poyson Many drinke of the Cup in the hand of the Mother of Fornications though some take deeper draughts than others to some of them which take downeâ— withall some reasonable portion oâ— Fundamentall truth by the mercy of God it may be an Antidote to expell the poyson from their hearts and striue so long with it till it quâ—â—â— ouercome it that so that may bee fulfilled which our Lord promiseâ— as a signe to follow those that beleeued on his Name That thougâ— Mark â—6 18. they should drinke any deadly thiâ—â— it should not hurt them Now yoâ— Comparison of extracting the spiritâ— iâ—id pa. 37. of Fundamentall truth through 〈◊〉 Popes Limbecke till nothing bee 〈◊〉 but a dead Vappa is very vnapt Foâ— they that distill reserue that pure substance which they extract for theâ— vse casting away that which remaineth as vnprofitable So that by thiâ— Popery should refine not pollute tâ—â— truth of God Thus vnhappy aâ—â— you in your similitudes all along But good God what spirit possesseth this man that hee thus chasetâ— our Diuine and harmelesse Bishop who doth not so much argue for truth as beautifie and adorne it We all know that similitudes are brought to illustrate that which is already proued or taken for granted in the iudgement of the wisest no man vseth them as Arguments Our Reuerend Prelate intended not a disputation or if any not against any but the Romish Church How commeth it to passe that while hee forcibly bends himselfe against them he is by mis-construction made to plead for them and all his louely similitudes set vpon the racke as if they nourished some vnheard off monster When hee perceiued that vpon the first Edition of his Booke some as hee well hoped through ignorance rather â—han obstinacy were offended hee straight way addresseth himselfe to relieue those whom hee had no way harmed rectifying their iudgements that will yeelde to instruction and by a iudicious Apologie fully satisfying the truth and all that are impartiall louers thereof here hee speaketh home to the matter and leaueth no scruple vnresolued In this Mr. Burton can bee content to gleane taking vp now and then a sentence yet propounding more than he answers but for the former discourse hee lets not a tittle thereof fall to the ground vnsifted answering twenty lines with twenty pages But could neither his grauity his place nor his well-deseruings of the Church preuaile for him but he must needes come vnder the ferule or hath hee onely faulted in this kinde Surely no but furious persons strike them that come first in their way But what superstition doth your Limbecke extract out of the Similitude pâ—â— 38. taken from Papinians ruled case That a sacred place loseth not the holinesse with the demolished walls Doth the Reuerend Bishop intend any thing but this That whatsoeuer is once dedicated to God ought not for euer to bee alienated it still in despite of malice and profanenesse remaineth his to whom it was intitled What haue wee then now to doe with beliuesse infused or affixed by any solemne act of consecration and for edifying the Faith of Christians he hath oftentimes like a true Scribe instructed for the Kingdome of Heauen brought out of his treasures both old and new Prouision for that purpose and is not yet drawne dry Comparisons as all other parts of learning he knoweth how to vse in their due place rather to helpe the vnderstanding than to beget Faith CHAP. V. Whether the diuorce bee sued out on Gods part or on the Church of Romes part THe Bishop goeth on If the Church of Rome were once the Spouse of â—hrist and her Adulteries are knowne yet the diuorce is not sued out that is Though she haue rebelled against God and on her part broken his Couenant yet hee hath not quite reiected her as yet Against this Mr. Buâ—ton takes in hand to proue pa. 3â— that on both parts this diuorce is formally sued out On her part because pa. 40. 41. c. faith he shee hath in the face of Men and Angels openly plainely expresly denyed Christ for her Husband For proofe whereof wee haue a Bull of Pope Pius 4. produced at large and from thence hee is not ashamed to affirme that Christ is therein as solemnly pa. 42. renounced as wee in our Baptisme renounce the Diuell and all his workes when there is not so much as one word or syllable of renouncing Christ there mentioned But this will come more fitly to bee examined anon when wee enquire how Christ is denyed in the Councell of Trent In the meane time let vs enquire how on Christs part the â—iuorce is sued out And that is in the Book of the Reuelation where she is called the Whoore and Come out of her my People pa. 43. c. Whence it is inferred If she bee Babylon If she be the Whoore shee is no longer Christs Spowse Answ Not onely of Israel but of Iudah was it said that the faithfull Esay 1. City was become a Harlot And God by his Prophets expostulates with them calling them a generation of Miscreants Witches children the seede of the Adulterer and the Whoore yet it cannot bee denied Esay 57. 3. but the Sheepe of his Visible flocke they continued euen in the depth of their disobedience and rebellion Now if it seeme strange to any that the Church of God while she playeth the Whoore should still be his Wife let them know that the Visible Church is but equiuocally called the Spowse of Christ For properly the Church Inuisible the Mysticall body of Christ is onely his true Spowse and shee is a pure Virgin without spot or wrinkle beeing washed in the blood of the Lamb. Those that outwardly professing Christ make vp the Visible Church we charitably presume to be members of his mysticall bodie for which cause wee call them his Spouse also But when wee speake of Babylon and the Whore in the Reuelation and apply it to Rome wee denie absolutely that the Church of Rome is Babylon that is all those which liuing in that Religion make vp one If thereby wee vnderstand a companie of mâ—n but if Babyâ—on bee a â—lace then we must vnderstaâ—d thereby the â—â—â— of Antichrist Bodie or Societie but * Bablyon is a faction in that Church Are not the Whore and Antichrist the same Now what can be more absurd than to thinke the whole Church of Rome The Antichrist Antichrist was to seduce those that dwell vpon the face of the earth the Whore was to bewitch the nations now the Seducer and the Seduced the witch and the bewitched are not one As I take it we are to reioice at the downefall of the Whore but God forbid that wee should reioice at the Destruction of euery member of the Church of Rome but rather with teares beseech God for their conuersion And therefore good M. Burton now the learned Bishops distinction takes not place