truth is there was not so much as one word of commendation giuen him whereat Momus himselfe might cauill as the iâ—dicious and ingenuous Reader may heere see by the simple truth faithfully related vnlesse any will be so censorious as to taxe S. Paul for saying as the truth was That the Baâ—barians were courteous and shewed them that had suffered shipwracke no little kindnesse That it is sayd he was noted to be a Papist who euer denied it The proposition was not that hee was no Papist but according to the Doctrine of our Christian reformed Churches That a simple-hearted Papist not holding the whole mysterie of Romish iniquity but only erring in some lesse points which ouerthrow not the foundation may vpon repentance in generall of sinnes knowne and not knowne finde mercy with God relying vpon Christ alone for saluation Where it is said That he was a seducer I haue my selfe charged him with it but hee was so farre from maintaining that bad office that he did in excuse of himselfe affirme That he knew no cause why any man should count him a Papist vnlesse it were for keeping the Kings lawes in abstaining from flesh vpon Fridayes and such like times I call God to record I doe the man no wrong but testifie herein the very truth and did expastulate with him that if the conscience of the Kings Lawes did so preuaile with him in that why it should not also cause him to come more often to the Church the reason being the same for both whereunto his answere was silence But for the matter of seducing It makes not a man by and by a settled Professour in his Religion because hee labours to draw others vnto it for we see by experience that if any conceiue well of a Religion and begin to entertaine it though they be as yet but very Nouices they will presently seeke to induce others to the same this may appeare by those that were Conuerts to the truth as Andrew and Philip and the like whom as Apes these Errants imitate 2. Vnto the former another aspersion was added which did touch the whole Ministerie and was vrged with no little spight and clamour viz. That any man be he neuer so vile for a Cloth and a fee shall as his Funerall be commended and extolled to the heauens If any be guilty of this crime let him beare his owne burden for my part I haue learned with Elihu not to giue titles lest my Maker should become my destroyer for thereis a woe denounced against them that speake good of euill and call darkenesse light It is well knowne that for diuers yeeres I did vtterly abstaine from speaking any one word of the dead but onely applyed my selfe to the instruction of the liuing insomuch as it grew distasted yet neuer did I abstaine as holding is vnlawfull for I know there is very good vse of it 1. That the vertues of the godly may be propounded for imitation that wee might be followers of the Saints who through faith and pacience haue inherited the promises 2. That the perseuerance of the faithfull being made knowne we may with the ancient Church as is noted afterwards in this Treatise sing laud to God that being faithfull vnto the death they haue receiued the Crowne of life 3. That if any hauing liued scandalously in open sinne but through the mercy of God by the meanes of his afflictâ—ng rod are recouered and brought home with the Prodigall the Congregation being made acquainted with it may glorifie God that hath giuen them repentance vnto life and with the Angels reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner 4. That vpon any extraordinary accident men being suddenly surprized by death their example propounded may be a monitory to the liuing that they may take it to heart and profit by it These and the like are good occasions of the Teachers Discourse in this kinde And vpon this ground I haue indeuoured to auoyde scandalum datum the giuing of any offence keeping my selfe alwayes in the meane or middeway betweene both extremes 3. A third crimination or fault obiected and that with no little asperitie was that euen the very prophane should make a scoffe of it And what did they say Why forsooth being vpon their Ale-benches they call for another Pot deriding the Doctrine of Gods Mercy and Patience in that hee calleth not all at once but some euen at the eleuenth houre Did not the wicked doe this euen at the very preaching of the Prophets and Apostles yea of Christ himselfe Can any pretend pietie and take part with such impietie taking it vp and casting it as dung in the face of God himselfe for it is not Moses but God against whom men open their foule mouthes and the contemptuous vsage of the poorest seruant of Christ he counts as a despight done to himselfe howsoeuer men slubber it ouer 4. A fourth crimination was that I should shew so much respect to one that was a noted enemie to my selfe But bee it that hee was so I haue learned of my Master though hee were my enemie yet to call him friend Could he be a greater enemie to me then Saul was to Dauid yet see how Dauid giues him his due praise in his mournefull song vpon the death of Saul and Ionathan 5. The next obiection was that his not comming to Church was excused for that his memory was decayed In this point I cannot tell whether I should blame more the reporters laesum ingenium or laesam memoriam his want of wit or his want of memorie for what reason is there to thinke that a Papist should refraine comming to Church because he cannot remember what he doth heare when in truth hee would willingly bee there starke deafe or learne the Art of obliuion But the truth is that the failing of his memorie was spoken of in the beginning his not comming to Church in the end of all the speech and almost the last point of all and it was applyed only to his facultie wherein I said he did practise with good liking till through weakenesse his memorie began to faile But the substance of the speech which I now come vnto will cleere all You may therefore please to vnderstand that the Sermon being ended according to my vsuall manner I tooke occasion to speake somewhat of the partie deceased not by way of commendation or excuse in regard of his Religion which I had before taxed for many errours but onely by way of application of one speciall point in my Sermon which was that in a corrupt Church some may bee saued holding the foundation though taynted with diuers errours of lesse moment and so consequently in the Romish Church prouided that they hold not the whole Mysterie of that Iniquity nor by any doctrine or practice ouerthrow the fundamentall grounds of Faith and Religion This I did apply to the person of the Gentleman deceased charitably deeming him to be in the number of
Church is an obedient wife and will not in any thing contradict the will of her heauenly Spouse The second sort of aduersaries are our Separatists who for euery externe and indifferent ceremonie make as great combustion and stirre in the Church of God as if some mayne Article of Faith were called in question They must be intreated to consider that the Text doth not simply condemne all commandements of men but when they are taught for doctrines and rules of Gods worship as Caluine speaketh The doctrine of our Church might giue them coment being the same with all the rest of the reformed Churches namely That it is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thing contrary to Gods written Word and that besides the same it ought not to inforce any thing to bee beleeued for necessitie of saluation Whereby they may if they will open their eyes without preiudice see of what nature the Ceremonies of our Church of England are And so much for the definition of the Church by which wee may see what that Church is to which wee must bee ioyned if euer wee looke for saluation that is the society of true beleeuers But for the better vnderstanding of the state of the Church diuers things are to bee considered which giue more light to the Doctrine and more full satisfaction to such as desire vnfainedly to know the truth heeâ—ein The first consideration is that the Church is onely one though different in time as farre as from the beginning to the end of the world distant in place as remote as East from West North from South nay heauen from earth distinct for people being of all Countries and Nations For as hath beene said before it is the societie or congregation of the faithfull of all ages This voity of the Church is noted in the one Arke of Noah in Salomons Doue My Doue my vndefiled is but one in the wheat field in the draw net in one flocke one fold vnder one Shepheard in one Bride and Bridegroome in one body vnited to one Head Christ For saith the Apostle by one Spirit are wee all baptized into one body This consideration doth second that which hath beene said of the Church for it doth euidently euince and prooue that there is no necessiâ—ie of being vnited to this or that particular Church aâ— Rome or the like so long as a man is of the number of the faithfull wheresoeuer dispersed for as S. Paul disputes The body is not one member but many Is the foot not of the body because it is not the hand or the eare because it is not the eye So we may truly say Is this or that Nationall or Prouinciall Church no Church because it is not dependant vpon Rome Are they that are baptized into one body and vnited to Christ Iesus by one faith vnfained no members of the mysticall Body of Christ the Church because they are not incorporated and reconciled to Rome If the body though it bee buâ— one yet is not one member but many then reason will teach vs that euery member hath his proportionable nutriment life and motion from the head without any dependance one vpon another The second consideration is That it is Catholicke or Vniuersall and that in respect of time place and persons because there is euer was from the beginning and euer shall be to the end of the world a company more or lesse of true beleeuers because the Church is not confined within the limits of any one Countrey as in the time of the Iewes but is spred ouer the whole world and because it consisteth of all sorts and degrees of men of all nations kindreds people and tongues as it is in the Reuelation So that to bee of the Catholike Church is to hold and beleeue as the Church of the whole world euer did and constantly doth hold and beleeue Therefore it was that in the ancient Church when Heresies and Schismes sprang vp those that did cleaâ—e to the truth had giuen vnto them the name of Catholicke excommunione totius orbis for their communion with the Church of the whole world not for their communion with this or that particular Church Whilest the Romish Church doth assume the title of The Catholicke Church calling it selfe Catholicam Apostolicam Romanam being as other Churches but a particular Church what doeth it but expose it selfe to the laughter of the whole world for what concordance is there betweene generall and particular or with what sense can it bee called The Vniuersall particular Church And yet they make their credulous followers beleeue that they cannot bee of the Catholicke Church vnlesse they communicate with their particular Romane Church cleane contrary to the name and nature of the word Catholicke The third consideration is that the Church is visible and that in all ages but it must be knowne how and in what sence it may be truly said to be alwaies visible According to the Romish Tenet it is said to be visible and palpable as some eminent State Monarchy or Common wealth as Rome France or Venice conspicuous in flourishing pompe to the eye of the World so that it may at all times be sensibly discerned But alas this conceit is a meere golden dreame and senslesse dotage for let an ingenuous minde awaked once out of that slumber looke seriously into the Word of God and consider the state of the Church in all ages he shall finde for his satisfaction that the Church hath beene oftentimes obscured captiuated persecuted and so farre from being acknowledged that it hath beene accounted of the world no better then Schisme and Heresie and the true Professors of it prosecuted as malefactors for their soundnesse as both the Prophets Christ himselfe and the Apostles were by the corrupt members of the visible Church bearing the chiefe rule To this effect the Prophet Esay did complaine that in his time the Church was but a small remnant and those howted at like Owles being as signes and wonders in Israel The complaint of Elias is that hee was left alone The faithfull were glad to bee hid in caues and fed wâ—th bread and water by religious Obadiah And as it is in the Epistle to the Hebrewes They wandred about in Sheeps skins and Goate skins being destitute afflicted tormented of whom the world was not worthy they wandred in Desarts and in Mountaines and in dennes and caues of the earth The prophecies of the Christian Church foretell as much both for outward persecutions and open apostasie vnder one eminent Head called That man of Sinne who should take vpon him to oppose and exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God challenging the chiefe soueraignty in the Temple or Church of God In S. Iohns Vision the Woman the Church was constrained through persecution to fly into the wildernesse Our Sauiour foresheweth how hard it should
be to finde faith on the earth How the faithfull should be afflicted killed and hated of all Nations That iniquity shall abound and the loue of many shall waxe cold And that the cunning impostures of false teachers pretending the name of Christ and the Church should be such and so specious being seconded also with miracles that if it were possible the very elect should be deceiued Where was the flourishing visibility of the Church when the poison of Arianisme had infected almost the whole world O which time Saint Ierome wriâ—eth Ecclesiae naeâ—eâ— fuiss fere obrutam That the ship of the Church was almost sunke And this some of our Romish aduersaries confesse both for the time of Arian heresie and in the daies of Antichrist Then that we may not be seduced and carryed away with flourishing shewes we must know that the Church though it be alwaies visible yet it is not alwaies alike visible it is not alwaies in pompe and eminent estate he that in the time of Christ should so â—aue looked for the Church would sooner haue ioâ—ned himselfe to the Iewish Synagogue then to the society of Christ and his Apostles Wee must not therefore looke so much to the multitude and outward flourish as seeke for the truth though it be but in a few and those neuer so obscure For it is not of necessity that the Church bee alwaies discerned and acknowledged of the world but it is sufficient for the visibilitie of it that it neuer faileth to bee visibly seene and acknowledged by the professors themselues for this must euer hold in the Church in the middest of all disturbances that Wisedome is iustified of her Children The fourth consideration is That in the visible Church some particular Churches are more pure some more corrupt then others as the Church of Corinth and Galaâ—ia and some of the seuen Asian Churches were more infected with error thâ—n other Churches Vnder this head are to bee obserued diuers remarkable points and very necessary for our present vse 1. That in a corrupt Church sometimes the greatest member and among them the Chiefest for eminencie and authority are most corrupted Thus it was in the idolatrous times among the Iewes All the chiefe of the Priests and people transgressed very much after all the abominations of the Heathen and polluted the House of the Lord. They mocked the Messengers of God and despised his Word and misused his Prophets It was so at the comming of Christ. He câ—me vnto his owne and his owne receiuâ—d him not Nay they reiected him This saith S. Peter is the stone which was set at nought of you builders The master builders were the chiefe destroyers the prime gouernours in the Church the greatest enemies of Christ and Christianity Thus for a time did the Arian faction preuaile against the true Church hauing gotten the Emperiall Throne to countenance them by meanes whereof they did sway all things at their pleasure And thus it hath beene a long time and continueth to this day in the Church of Roman so that wee may well say to them with Leo Ye are armed with the name of the Church and yet ye fight against the Church This may aduise vs that the truth of Religion is not tyed to multitude and greatnesse 2. That whereas many excellent priuiledges and comfortable promises belong to the Church wee must know that the sound and good part onely and not the corrupt is capeable of those benefits I dare not saith Saint Augustine speaking of the prerogatiues of the Church vnderstand this but of iust and holy men Therfore S. Paul doth tye the priuiledges to the true Israel of God the Children of the promise And S. Peter the promises to them that are effectually called By this wee may see both that the chiefest and most eminent yea the greatest number in the Church if they want true sauing grace haue no right to the priuiledges and promises of the Church though they liue in the midst of it And againe the poorest member of the Church that is a true beleeuer shall sustaine no preiudice to hinder his happinesse by being mixed with the wicked But the wheate shall be gathered into the Lords garner the chaffe cast into the fire For saith the Apostle What if somâ— did not beleeue Shall their vnbeliefe make the faith of God without effect 3. That a corrupt Church may keepe and conuay to posterity the Canon of â—â—aired Scripture the forme of knowledge and rule of faith and â—holesome doctrine and Sacraments in a generall manner and yet ouerthrow all by some particular opposite doctrines and superstitioâ—â— practices to the losse of their owne saluation that so hold and practise In the greatest deprauation of Religion by Idolatry in the time of the Iewes it was so The Booke of God though it lay dusting and out of vse yet by the prouidence of God it was kept The Sacraments specially Circumcision was in vse euen in corrupt times and hypocrites much gloried in the outward circumcision as we may see by the reprooâ—es of the Prophets and Apostles The Iewish Synagogue at the comming of our Lord kept these Oracles and that for vs though they thought not so The Iew saith Saint Augustine carrieth the Booke whereby the Christian may beleeue Yea they did teach many things for the matter very sound and therefore sitting in Moses Chaire by teaching Moses doctrine Christ would haue them so farre at least to bee heard But yet for all this marke what the Lord Iesus saith of them Except your righteousnesse shall exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises yee shall in no case enter into the Kingdome of heauen And againe In vaine they worship me teaching for doctrines mens precepts Hereupon it followeth that by reason of these meanes there may be in a corrupt Church some that may preserue faith and true Religion for the substance as did Zachary the Priest and Elizabeth his wife Old Simeon Nathaniel Ioseph and Mary and many more And vpon this ground we of the reformed Churches thinke and iudge charitably of our forefathers that liued in those blinde and darke times of Popery and of such as yet remaine among them or are intangled by them vpon conceite of their common clayme of the onely Catholike Church wee I say iudge charitably of them though they detrude vs all into Hell For thus wee deeme of their state before God That as in the times of Apostacie and falling into Idolatry among the Iewes the Lord had a remnant he reserued to himselfe 7000. which neuer bowed the knee to Baal He had in the Church of-Pergamus euen where Satans throne was those that kept his Name and denied not his Faith and that in the heate of persecution hee had a few names in Sardis which had not defiled their garments So we doubt not but
there but that it continued still and shall continue to the end of the world it is said in the shurting vp of this Historie That the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saued These words offer vnto vs at the first view foure remarkable obseruations The first is The way to saluation and that is by being added to the Church The second is the Efficient or Author of this addition and that is The Lord God The third is the time and continuance of this worke and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daily or from day to day The fourth is the happy end of such as are added to the Church and that is Saluation They all and they onely are such as shall be saued In the first obseruation that I may complete the whole doctrine of it three things are to bee considered 1. That the way to saluation is by the Church 2. What that Church is where saluation may be had 3. By what meanes and how men are to be added to the Church that they may be saued Touching the first branch it must be knowne and beleeued of all that desire saluation that the Regia via the King of Kings high way to heauen is the Church without which Church there is no saluation That I may demonstrate this truth cast but your eye vpon the Arke of Noah wherein was most liuely figured the Church of God A type twice alledged by Saint Peter to this very purpose to shew that saluation is and onely is in the Church And therefore he vrgeth against such as made defection from the Church that God spared not the old world but did bring in the flood vpon the world of the vngodly that is vpon those that were out of the Arke out of the Church Againe Baptisme being the Sacrament of our entrance into the Church of Christ he doth parallell it and compare it with the Arke intimating thus much that as onely those eight soules were saued in the Arke by water so there is no hope of saluation but onely in the Church the solemne entrance whereinto is ordinarily by Baptisme We know that the head is the fountaine of life sense and motion to the whole body and euery member of it but yet onely to that body whereof it is the head euen so it is betweene Christ and the Church Christ is the head the Church is the body and euery true Christian is a particular member of that body Ye are saith S. Paul the body of Christ and members in particular Now as the head doth naturally performe the office of a head to the body and to it onely so Christ doth impart the Diuine influence of sauing grace onely to his Church Therefore the Apostle speaking of Christ saith That from the head all the body by ioynts and bands hauing nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God and hauing affirmed That Christ is the head of the Church hee immediately inferreth vpon it and he is the Sauiour of the body This is that body out of which the Spirit giueth no life This Position That saluation is to bee had onely in the Church is not obscurely noted by those sacred similies so frequent in Scripture where the Church is resembled to a House to a Citie to a Mother to a Vine To a House So doth S. Paul call it The house of God which is the Church of the liuing God It is likened to a House in a two fold sense first as the word is taken properly for an edifice or mansion and building to dwell in consisting of foundation walls and roofe thus S. Peter termeth the faithfull liuely stones built vp a spirituall house and Christ the corner stone Saint Paul calleth them Gods building himselfe and other Ministers Gods builders and Christ the foundation for saith he other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Iesus Christ and he telleth the Ephesians that they are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone As therefore the safetie of a House standeth in the strength and firmenesse of its owne foundation which giueth support to it and onely to it euen so saluation and freedome from eternall and vtter ruine belongeth onely to the Church the House of God built so firmely vpon the Rocke Iesus Christ that the gates of hell cannot preuaile against it Againe it is compared to a House in another sense the word House being taken for the inhabitants so it is to bee vnderstood when S. Peter saith that Iudgement must begin at the House of God that is with the godly with the righteous as he plainely interpreteth himselfe And the Apostle to the Hebrewes calling the Church Christs owne House saith of himselfe and the rest of the faithfull Whose House we are Now the Church and euery member of it is called The House of God and of Christ because he doth dwell in their hearts by faith as a housholder in his house More expresly elsewhere in plainetermes the Church is called The Lords family or houshold The Domestickes or houshold of God The houshold of faith The Ministers are called Stewards that rule ouer the houshold and Christ himselfe The Lord of the house As then the Master of a family prouideth onely for his owne house all necessaries for maintenance and sustentation of life but not for others or other mens families except it bee in the case of charitie So God though in his gracious Indulgence as a Creator to his creatures hee bee good to all he preserueth man and beast he maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and on the good and sendeth raine on the iust and on the vniust Yet in a peculiar manner he is good to Israel euen to such as are of a cleane heart He is the Sauiour of all men but specially of those that beleeue This houshold of faith onely doth he saue eternally they onely hauing God for their Father the Church for their Mother Christ for their elder Brother regenerated by one and the same immortall seed of the Word of God nourished with one and the same sincere milke partakers all of one Bread and drinking all of one Cup. Therefore S. Peter saith of himselfe and the rest of this family That God according to his Diuine power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of him that hath called vs to glory and vertue None then can looke for life and saluation but they that are of Gods houshold who alone can truely say with the Psalmist I am thine saue me The Church is likewise resembled to a Citie or Commonwealth Thus it is set foorth in a vision to Saint Iohn by the name of the Holy Citie
new Ierusalem That great Citie The holy Ierusalem So againe it is called The Citie of the liuing God The heauenly Ierusalem It is compared to a Citie in two respects that is to say Defence and Priuiledge We know that Cities are places of refuge to defend the inhabitants from the force of enemies So is the Church to the true members of it the onely place of eternall safetie Therefore it is that the faithfull in their triumphant Song doe to the praise of God sing in this manner Wee haue a strong Citie saluation will God appoint for walls and bulwarkes And the Prophet Ioel foretelling the state of the Christian Church saith In mount Sion and in Ierusalem shall be deliuerance So that in this heauenly Citie entred into heere vpon earth is our onely securitie of saluation without it there can be no safetie at all Heereupon Saint Augustine alluding to those words of the Psalme Praise the Lord O Ierusalem praise thy God O Sion for he hath made fast the barres of thy gates When saith he the barres of the gates are fast as none can come in so none can goe out intimating thereby that they that belong not to this Citie of God the Church but remaine without cannot haue the benefit of Defence but lye open to eternall ruine whereas on the contrary they that are so in it that they are also of it can neuer be surprized by any enemy but may sing comfortably with Dauid Blessed be the Lord for he hath shewed me his marueilous kindnesse in a strong or fenced Citie Againe Cities or Common-wealths haue their priuiledges immunities and freedomes wherein the Citizens and Freemen onely are interessed To this purpose that Father citeth the definition of Scipio in Tullie de Rep. Respublica est res populi That is The weale-publike is the peoples wealth Or thus The common-wealth is the wealth or wellfare of the Commons It is so with the Church Therefore of this immunitie and freedome the Apostle speaking of the Catholicke Church saith Ierusalem which is aboue is free and telling the Ephesians that before their conuersion they were without Christ and were aliens from the common-wealth of Israel and were strangers from the couenant of Promise and had no hope and were without God in the world he saith But now in Christ Iesus yee which were farre off are made neere by the Blood of Christ and afterwards addeth these words Now therefore ye are no more strangers and Forreiners but Citizens with the Saints meaning heereby that they had now being entered into the Church attained vnto the immunity and freedome of the Citie of God But wherein consisteth this freedome Among other priuiledges it doth mainely and principally consist in freedome from sinne and condemnation for sinne Hence it is that S. Paul assureth the faithfull That sinâ—â— shall haue no dominion ouer them and that being freed from sinne they haue their frâ—â—ie in holinesse and the end euerlasting life Againe that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus By this it is euident that the priuiledge of eternall life and happinesse is the peculiar right of the Citie of God the Church It is also likened vnto a Mother So saith the Apostle That Ierusalem which is aboue is the mother of vs all This semblance standeth in two things First the Church as a Mother doth conceiue and bring foorth children to God by the immortall seede of the Word of God in the Ministery of the Church whereunto S. Paul alluding saith to the Galatians My little children of whom I trauell in birth againe vntill Christ bee formed in you Secondly the Church as a Mother doth after her children are borne and brought foorth feed and nourish them with the sincere milke of the Word of God out of her two brests the sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and as they grow in strength giueth them not onely milke but also strong meate As therefore no man can liue the life of nature but hee must haue a mother by whom hee must bee conceiued and brought foorth into the world and must withall haue conuenient nourishment for preseruation of life So no man can liue the life of grace heere and the life of glory for euer vnlesse he be borne of his Mother the Church and nourished in it to euerlasting life To this purpose is that noted saying of an ancient Father Hee shall neuer haue God for his Father that hath not the Church for his Mother The Church is againe compared to a Vine as wee may see by the complaint of the faithful vnto God in the Psalme Thou hast brought a Vine out of Egypâ— c. why hast thou then broke downe her hedges And by Gods complaint concerning his Church O Inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iudah iudge I pray you betweene me and my Vineyard When I looked that it should bring foorth grapes it brought foorth wilde grapes Our Sauiour Christ vnder the Parable of the Vine describeth the Church likening himselfe to the body or stocke and the members of his Church to the branches I am saith he the Vine ye are the branches It is inferred vpon the words going before noting the due proportion betweene the Vine and the Church As the branch saith Christ cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me This he further amplifieth in these words He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth foorth much fruit for without mee ye can doe nothing If a man abide not in me he is cast foorth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned All this importeth thus much That vnlesse we be ingrafted into Christ the true Vine and so become liuely branches in the body of the Church wee can haue no hope of life and saluation For saith S. Augustine out of this body the holy Ghost quickneth no man This Doctrine of saluation in the Church onely is not onely thus illustrious by the bright-shining light of so many Diuine Similitudes and Parables but is also warranted by euident and inuincible reason grounded vpon the Word of God 1. It is a Principle vndenyable That there is onely one sauing truth And therefore the Apostle saith that all men whom God will haue saued he will haue to come to the knowledge of the Truth Now this truth is no where to be found but in the Church of God Hence it is that the godly are termed The righteous nation that keepâ—th the truth And S. Paul stileth the Church The pillar and ground of truth And for this cause the Spirit whereby the Church is guided is called The Spirit of truth and it was promised by our Lord Christ
and perfect mans saluation are the written Word of God called the Scriptures the ministerie of preaching the Word the two Sacraments of the new Testament and prayer That these are meanes see first for the Word written what Saint Paul saith to the Romanes Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope To this purpose is that commendation of Timothy propounded for the imitation of all the faithfull that from a childe he had known the holy Scriptures which are able to make him wise vnto saluation Therefore our Sauiour aduiseth to search the Scriptures for in them saith he ye thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Touching the Ministery of Preaching it is called by the Apostle The power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth The Sacraments they are the seales of the righteousnesse of faith and so consequently of saluation Prayer is that to which the promise is made Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued That these are the prerogatiues of the Church it is out of question For to them are committed the Oracles of God and he sheweth his Word vnto Iacob saith the Psalme his statutes his iudgmeÌ„ts vnto Israel He hath not dealt so with any nation As for the Ministery of preaching God hath committed it to the Apostles and the succeeding Pastors of the Church God saith the Apostle hath giuen vnto vs the ministerie of reconciliation and hath committed vnto vs the Word of reconciliation Again That he hath set or ordained them in the Church and not elsewhere and that for the gathering together and edifying of the Saints to continue to the end of the world That the Sacraments are the Churches proper right is manifest For to whom doe the Seales belong but onely to them that are within the couenant whereof the Seales are the effectuall signes and pledges And of whom is it said Goe and baptize them but of those which ioyne themselues to the Church by beleeuing Or to whom was it euer spoken but onely to the Church Doe this in remembrance of me eate ye drinke ye all of this c. Touching Prayer they onely can pray that haue true sauing faith for how shall they call vpon him saith the Apostle in whom they beleeue not and none can inuocate God aright that cannot truly and with confidence call God Father which none can doe but they that are led by the Spirit of God which Saint Paul calleth the Spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father This therefore is the Prerogatiue of the Church by which they are in Scripture as by a proper note distinguished from all others both prophane that pray not at all hypocrites that babble with their lips but their hearts are farre from God and the superstitions that inuocate creatures with confidence to bee heard of them Thus the Apostle describing the Church among other notes setteth it forth by this that they are such as in euery place call vpon the name of Iesus Christ our Lord and againe that call on the Lord out of a pure heart Now then if the inuocation of God and of him alone and that in truth be not an essentiall propertie of the Church and as the Logicians call it proprium quarto modo proper to all and euery member of it to them alone and at all times how can it distinguish them as the Scripture doth from all others Then we see that the meanes of Saluation being only in the Church Saluation it selfe is there onely and not elsewhere to be found 4. To shut vp this Doctrine in a short summe it must be granted of all that none can be saued that haue not Christ for their Mediatour Aduocate for other there is none as there is none other but one God So saith the Apostle There is one God and one Mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus And that he is onely the Mediatour of the Church we may take it at his owne word I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen mee for they are thine And S. Paul speaking of himselfe and the rest of the faithfull saith that Christ is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. Thus by a cloud of witnesses is this diuine truth confirmed That out of the Church there is no saluation 1. Grosse therefore and absurd is that Libertiâ—e opinion That any may be saued in any Religion leading an outward ciuill life the Turke in his Mahometisme the Iew in his Iudaisme the Heathen in his Paganism They may as well say that in the Deluge a man might haue beene preserued out of the Arke vpon some tree or house top or that a limme separated from the body or a branch cut off from the Vine can liue 2. This also discouereth the fearefull and damnable estate of those who neuer regarding Church or Religion content themselues as meere naturals and worldlings to inioy the world These Esauites had rather with their father Esau please their palate with a little meate then inioy the heauenly blessing They gaze vpon the Arke with the old world they wonder to see such pacing vnto it nay as S. Augustine speaketh They murmure and eate their galls to see the people flocke vnto the Church to those pure solemnities of Christ where both sexes are so honestly distinguished by their seuerall places where they may learne how well to lead their temporall liues heere that they may become worthy of the eternall hereafter These profane ones haue their eyes so blinded by the god of the world that they cannot see any other heauen but the world 3. A caueat is here giuen to all Schismaticall spirits who for exterâ—all things as matters of order and ceremony meerly adiaphorous or indifferent separate themselues from the society of the Church like some foolish and furious Nauigator who in his voyage vpon euery occasion of discontent casts himselfe ouer boord presuming to bee safe enough out of the ship Let such know that though God in his mercy may saue the simply-seduced as being of his inuisible Catholike Church yet the roade way is to bee ioyned with some visible orthodox congregation 4. This cals all men with a most forcible inuitement euen as euer they desire to be saued to enter timely into this straight gate that leadeth vnto life Many of the Egyptians and other strangers when they saw the great workes God did for his Church and in what safe and happie condition the people of God were in ouer they were they left their owne countrey alliance and friends and ioyned themselues to the Iewes Thus should we doe forsake all and follow Christ leaue all societies for the communion
being a mixt company consisting of good and bad And in this acception it is taken sometimes for the generall â—ompany of professed Christians liuing in any one or more ages thus we call the prime Christians in the Apostles time and the neere adioyning ages wherein the assemblies continued Orthodoxe and sound in the faith The primitiue Church Sometimes also the name Church is giuen to particular Congregations being members of the Vniuersall is The Church of Rome The Church of Corinth The Church of Ephesus and the like Againe in particular Churches the name of Church is sometimes giuen to the Pastors as where our Sauiour saith Tell it vnto the Church Sometimes to the people as may appeare by Saint Pauls charge giuen to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Take heed saith he vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Ouerseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood Sometimes the name Church includeth both Pastors and people as in the Reuelation where it is said To the seuen Churches which are in Asia is meant both the Angels or Ministers of those Churches and the Candlesticks or Churches themselues as afterwards it is expounded In this sense is it so often said Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches These distinctions as heereafter we shall see are of great vse for the cleering of many necessary truthes And first of all from hence we may deriue the true definition of the Church whereunto they must bee vnited that euer looke to bee saued It is out of all controuersie that such must be of the number of the Elect according to the first Notion of the Church as hath beene shewed before vpon the point of Election being the first grace and fountaine of all other graces accompanying saluation But yet because the Elect are not subiect to the eyes of men but are onely knowne to God the sacred Scriptures direct vs euery where to the visible Church according to the second Notion for whomsoeuer God doth elect vnto the end those he doth appoint vnto the meanes tending to that end Such therefore as desire saluation must ioyne themselues to the visible Church by the ordinary way and meanes of Effectuall calling Iustification and Sanctification all which Graces expresse themselues visibly to the eye of the world by their effects and properties causing the faithfull to shine as a light in a darke place Let vs come then to the definition of the visible Church which I cannot better commend vnto you then in the words of our Church of England and it is this The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men in the which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duly ministred according to Christs Ordinance in all those things that of necessitie are requisite to the same Where we haue the essentiall parts of a true definition namely The generall common matter whereof the Church is materially constituted in these words A congregation of faithfull men And the difference whereby the Church is formally distinguished from all other societies partly in the former words partly in these words following viz. In the which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments duly ministred c. To open the definition more distinctly and plainely We call the Church A congregation of faithfull men to distinguish it both from Ciuill and Prophane societies that are without as also from Hypocrites and vnsound members that are within the Church but not of it Againe we say that the Church is a congregation of faithfull men in which the pure Word of God is preached and the Sacraments duly ministred according to Christs ordinance to distinguish the Orthodoxe and true Church from Hereticall assemblies which maintaine doctrine against the foundation as also from Idolatrous and superstitious societies who serue not God aright according to his will reuealed in his Word but after the inuentions and Traditions of men concerning whom Christ alledging the Prophet saith In vaine they doe worship me teaching for Doctrines the commandements of men We adde further In all those things that of necessitie are requisite to the same both to meete with will-worshippers as also with Schismaticall conuenticles who make euery externe and indifferent ceremonie an essentiall part of the worship of God and therefore flye the assemblies of the most Orthodoxe Churches for such externall rites as if they were grosse Idolaters and not lawfully to bee communicated withall From this definition thus explained wee gather three remarkable points carefully to be noted of all that laying aside all preiudice and partiality desire to bee rightly inâ—ormed in what Church they may finde saluation 1. That it is wheresoeuer the society of the faithfull may be found and is not alledged or tyed to any one particular place or person 2. That it is to be discerned from all others by the purity and soundnesse of Doctrine and by the due administration of the Sacraments 3. That it admitteth nothing as of necessitie to saluation or as an absolute and necessary part of Gods worship that is not consonant to the Word of God and according to Christs ordinance in the same Touching the first point that wheresoeuer the society of the faithfull is there is the true visible Church and is not locally or personally tyed to any let Saint Peter the prime Bishop of Rome as they call him determine it Of a truth saith he I perceiue that God is no accepter of persons but in euery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Heere is no one Africa in it no one Cartenna no one person or order of Bishops whereunto the Church should be tyed Heere is no Italie no one Rome no one Pope or succession of Popes challenging an allegation or dependance of all Churches vpon it but where true faith and the feare of God is there is the Church of Christ. This was reuealed to S. Iohn in a vision where we may see that the Church is the company of the redeemed out of euery kindred and tongue and people and nation Hee receiued no reuelation concerning any one eminent place aboue all others vpon which all other Churches and their members should depend as their Oracle onely this was shewed vnto him by vision that that great Citie which then raigned ouer the Kings of the earth and that wee know was Rome was resembled to a woman called The great Whore by whom the Kings and inhabitants of the earth haue beene made drunke with the wine of her fornication If our Romists like this let them take it and make much of it wee enuy them not When the Apostles conuerted any to the Faith did they direct them to any particular Country Citie or Church of note and namely to Rome as whereunto they
must of necessity be vnited or else there was no saluation for them If a man in this case of conscience being troubled in minde should demand of a Iesuite or Seminary What he should doe to attaine euerlasting life his answere would readily be this You must be reconciled to the Church of Rome But if S. Paul were asked the same question as sometime hee was by the Iaylour what would be his answere Surely none other but this What must thou doe to bee saued Beleeue on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt bee saued and thy house When so many soules with pricked and perplexed hearts cried out to the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe Did S. Peter salue their sore consciences with the Balme of reconciliation to Rome No no Rome had then no Christian being but he vniteth them to the Church of the faithfull by calling them to repentance and faith and to enter into the Church by Baptisme Repent saith he and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ c. The visible Church then whereunto whosoeuer will be saued must be reconciled is the Congregation of the faithfull of what nation or Countrey or condition soeuer they bee For saith the Apostle there is neither Iew nor Greeke there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus Wherefore our blessed Lord hath left vs in this case a sure rule and stay whereupon the Christian soule may safely rest and it is this Where two or three saith he are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Absurdly therefore haue the Romish faction coyned a new definition of the Visible Church wherein they make the most formall and essentiall part to be this namely to be vnder the regiment of one head and gouernour of the Vniuersall Church the Vicar of Christ on earth and S. Peters Successor to wit the Bishop of Rome so that without adherence vnto and dependance vpon this head they admit no man to saluation The grosenesse of this conceit may appeare by these euidences 1. Thus to define the Church in this manner as they do is most illogicall and vnreasonable for a true and perfect definition requireth that it be constituted solely of causes materially and formally essentiall vnto the thing defined so that the one can neuer exist without the other But it is farre otherwise with the true visible Church for that both was and might be defined and thousands of soules vnited vnto it and saued in it before euer the Church of Rome had any being in the world as hath beene shewed before in part How many famous Churches were planted by the Apostles that neuer cast the glance of an eye towards Rome as Corinth Galatia Ephesus and the rest of the seuen Churches of Asia How many thousand soules conuerted that neuer heard of any such vniuersall head or so much as the name of Rome And indeede what should let but that they may be saued without any such respect which haue the graces of faith and repentance and are entred by Baptisme to to which the promise is made in the generall commission Goe ye saith our Lord into all the world and preach the Gospell to euery creature He that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued Againe if there were such necessity to bee vnited to the Sea of Rome vpon paine of damnation how came it to passe that S. Cyprian as our Aduersaries themselues confesse in a Councell of fourescore and seuen Bishops opposed himself against the Pope and being cut off from communion with that great Head yet died a blessed Saint and was honoured with the crowne of Martyrdome dying out of that communion and as Bellarmine saith neuer found to make any retractation Or if to adhere to this one vniuersall Head bee a matter of so great consequence as they make it that the saluation of all men depend vpon it is it credible that it should be so vnknowne to Gregorie the Great that he himselfe being Bishop of Rome aboue fiue hundred yeres after Christ should renounce it with so many titles of disgrace in one Epistle He cals it a name of Nouelty an impious name a title of singularity and that he which taketh it vpon him is the forerunner of Antichrist with many more disgracefull termes giuen to that proud and pompous title elsewhere Besides how can that be a perpetuall and essentiall part of the Churches definition which was not knowne in the Christian world so many hundred yeeres after Christ but as their owne learned Historians confesse was obtained of Phocas the Emperour by Boniface the third who was the second Pope that succeeded after S. Gregorie Boniface the third saith Platina obtained of Phocas the Emperour with much importunity That the seat of S. Peter should be stiled and taken of all for the head of all Churches Where then was this head before S. Gregorie himselfe will satisfie vs. None saith he of my predecessours the Bishops of Rome did euer assume or challenge to himselfe the name of Vniuersall Bishop We see then how vnreasonable it is that dependance vpon the Sea of Rome should be essentiall to the definition of the Visible Church and of necessity to Saluation as they would make their blindfold followers beleeue 2. Againe it is manifest That as S. Augustine speaketh in those things that are apertly and plainely set downe in Scripture we may finde whatsoeuer doth concerne faith and good life Now let vs search the whole Booke of God from the first of Genesis to the last of the Apocalypse and wee shall not finde so much as one word either of prophecie precept promise or president to countenance any such necessary adherence to Rome How then can this be so mayne a point of faith as the Romanists would haue it that hath not so much as one expresse Scripture to ground it selfe vpon 3. And is it indeede so waighty a point of Christian beleeâ—e In what Creed I pray you may we finde it I am sure it is not in the Apostles Creed vnlesse they finde it in some thirteenth new-coyned Article of their owne There is onely the Holy Catholike Church the communion of Saints which for the visible and Militant part of it is all one in effect with our definition viz. That the visible Church is a congregation of faithfull men Saints by calling as Saint Paul speaketh In the Nicene Creed there is onely added by way of explication the word Apostolicke I beleeue one Catholicke and Apostolicke Church to shew against the Heretickes of that time that that was the onely true Catholicke and Orthodoxe Church which continued in the Doctrine of the Apostles As for Athanasius in his Creed hee makes Catholicke Religion to consist in the true Catholicke faith and beliefe of those things that are of necessitie to
wee haue opened the first branch of our definition of the Church shewing that the true Church is the company of the faithfull of what nation or countrey soeuer and that it is not tyed to any person or place no not to Rome Because many thousands were saued that neuer knew it and before euer it was Christian Romes authority ouer others is in no Scripture in no Creed it is but a particular Church and member onely of the Vniuersall as others are and subiect to errour as well as others The second branch of the definition of the Church is That it is discerned from all other societies by soundnesse of Doctrine and due administration of Sacraments Touching Doctrine it is the eare-marke of Christs sheepe My sheepe heare my voyce It is that whereby the faithfull are directed to try the true Pastor from the Impostor the Orthodoxe from the Hereticall Ye shall know them by their fruits Therefore S. Iohn counselleth not to beleeue euery spirit but to try the spirits whether they are of God and chargeth the elect Lady and her children thus If there come any vnto you and bring you not this doctrine receiue him not into your house neither bid him God speed And this charge he did ground vpon a Diuine rule of tryall in the words immediately going before the rule is this Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ hee hath both the Father and the Sonne And lest any should thinke it strange that the tryall of Doctrine should bee required of priuate Christians our Sauiour puts it out of doubt shewing not onely that it is and ought to be so but directeth how it may be done for hauing said My doctrine is not mine but his that sent me Hee giueth them a double rule which being obserued they may discerne of Doctrine the one concerneth the Hearer the other the Teacher The rule concerning the Hearer is If any man will doe his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe that is If a man in humilitie and sinceritie of heart seeke to be informed in the truth and as God from time to time shall reueale it vnto him maketh conscience to put in practice that which hee shall heare and as Theophylact saith shall imbrace vertue and not suffer himselfe to be a slaue to enuie and hate truth before he know it such a man shall bee able to discerne of Doctrine but yet with this prouiso which there Theophylact well inserteth viz. That this is one mayne part of doing the will of God namely to search the Prophets and Scriptures Touching the second rule which concerneth the Teacher it is this He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glory but hee that seeketh his glory that sent him the same is true A good parallell distinguishing exactly the false Teacher from the true the one seeking his owne the other Gods glory By this rule wee desire all men sincerely and without preiudice to iudge betweene vs and our Romish Aduersaries Looke with an indifferent and impartiall eye into the doctrine and practice on both parts you shall find that all their doctrines and courses wherein they differ from vs ayme altogether at the extolling of nature mans workes and merits with a glance still at the magnifying and inriching of their Romane Synagogue whereas wee with our blessed Lord make the scope of all our teaching and practice the glory of God and the praise of the all-sufficient merit of Christ. This direction of our Sauiour is sufficient alone of it selfe to prooue that the Doctrine is the right triall of the Church and Pastors of it But besides we finde the Congregation of the faithfull described in the Acts of the Apostles by this very note that they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine And the Thessalonians are commended that they receiued the Word of God not as the word of man resting vpon the bare authority of the Teacher but as it is in truth the Word of God They that rested vpon men vnder the name and colour of the Church and chiefe gouernours of the Church the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people did crucifie Christ whereas they that examined the Doctrine by the Word of God did beleeue If therefore ye will approoue your selues to bee the Disciples of the Gospell that is true Christians yee must walke saith Athanasius by the rule of the Scriptures It is sound Doctrine then grounded vpon the Word of God that the Christian soule must rest vpon for the discerning of the true Church for whether it bee concerning Christ or concerning his Church saith S. Augustine or touching any other thing pertaining to faith and life If wee or an Angel from heauen teach any otherwise then that which yee haue receiued in the Scriptures let him bee accursed As for the Sacraments that they are also discerning notes of the Church I need heere to say nothing in regard that it hath beene sufficiently shewed before that they are so peculiar to the Church that the one cannot bee without the other Concerning the third branch of the definition of the Church That it admitteth nothing as necessary to saluation or as an absolute part of Gods worship that is not according to the Word and Ordinance of Christ. This fully completeth and perfecteth the definition of the Church which must bee as pure in her Religion and worship as shee is sound in her Doctrine that there bee no mixture of mans inuention with Gods Ordinance for in the seruice of God the hypothesiâ— or condition of the Prophes must euer hold good If the Lord be God follow him but if Baal then follow him God will haue all or none Hee cannot abide that his fâ—are that is his religious worshâ—p should be taught by the precepts of men and therefore accounteth it vaine worship and meere lost labour when the commandements of men are taught and held for Doctrines and as it were rules and principles of necessity to be obserued This must bee seriously considered for the better meeting with two aduersaries which doe assaile truth on both sides with their different extremes The one is the Romanist who hold that the ceremonies of the Church may not bee omitted without grieuous sinne inasmuch as they haue spirituall vertue and are parts of Diuine worship and withall are meritorious And they father this conceit vpon the power which they attribute to the Church to institute suo iure that is by her owne right such Ceremonies and therefore to make their followers plyable they teach them as a mayne principle of their Religion that they must obey with equall respect in regard of saluation the Mothers precept as well as the Fathers Mandate but they neuer consider that the true
Exod. 20.4 Leu. 26.1 Concil Trid. de Imag. Eisque debituÌ„ honorâ—â— veneralâ—onem impertiend un Epiph. Ep. â—n Ecclesia Christi contra autoritatem Scripturaâ—uÌ„ hominis pendere imagâ—nem Lactan. l. â—mag l. 2. c. â—9 Non est dubâ—uâ—t quiâ— Religio â—â—lla sit vbâ—cunque simâ—laâ—â—um â—â—l Greg. l. 9. ep â— Adorare â—â—â—o imagines omnibus modâ—s deuita 5 Error Heb. 10 10 12 14. L. 4. Dist. 12. In Sacramento recordatio fiâ— illius quod factum est semel 6 Error 1. Cor. 11.26 27 28. Act. 3.21 Luk. 22.19 1. Cor. 11.24 Mat. 26.28 Mark 14.24 Gen. 17.10 11. Rom. 4.11 Exod. 12.11 1. Cor. 10.4 Aug. c. AdimaÌ„t c. 12. Non enim Dominus dubitauit diâ—â—re Hâ—c est corpus meum cùm signum diret corporis sui Article 28. Bellar. de Euchar l. 1. c. 1. Verè in cana datur nobis corpus Christi SubstantiaÌ„ corporis Christi paâ—â—untur an mae nostâ—ae Non ergo est vacuum aut inane signum Eras. in 1 Cor. 7 Bellar. de Euch. l. 3. c. 23. Anâ—â— Lateranense Concilium non fuisse dogma fiâ—ici 7 Error Tulli. 3. Natur. Quem tam ameÌ„tâ—m esse putas qui illud quo vâ—sâ—atur Deum crâ—dat esse â—uerr in 12. Metaph. Arist. Quoniam Christiâ—ni manducant deum quâ—m adâ—rant sit aniâ—ma mea cum Philosophâ—â— 8 Error Mat. â—6 â—6 27 1. Cor. 10.16 17. Greg. dial l. 2. c. 23. Si quis non communicat det locum 9 Error Math. 26.27 Mark 14.23 1. Cor. 11.28 Cassan. consult art 22. Id quod ex innumeris veteribus tà m Graecorum quà m Latinorum testimonijs manifestum est 10 Error Psal. 65.2 1. King 8.39 Psal. 50.15 Luk. 11.2 Ioh. 16.23 Rom. 10.13 Gen. 4.26 Psal. 22.4 5. Eph. 3.14 Phil. 4.6 Chemnic exam pars 3. pag 194. Eccius Enchrid Vt refert chem exam pars 3 pag. 184. Cassander ib. Hoc enim tutius esse existimo Hofmeister ibid. ex Aug. de visiâ— infirm l. 1. c. 2. Tutius iucundius loquor ad meum Iesum quà m ad aliqueÌ„ Sanctorum c. Ibid. p. 180. Ibid. Psal. 50 51. Heb. 18. Aug. de vnit Eccl. cap. 3. Non audiamus Haec dico Haec dicis sed Haec dicit Dominus Aug. à d Paul ep 112. Nolo authoritatem meam sequaris vt ideo putes tibi aliquid necesse esse credere quoniaÌ„ à me dicitur Aug. ad Crescon l. 2. c. 32. Quod in ijs diuinarum Scripturarum authoritati congruit cum laude eius accipio quòd autem non congruit cum pace eius respuo Gratian. dist 8. christus non dixit Ego sum consuetudo sed Ego sum veritas c. Consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris est 11 Error 1. Ioh. 1.7 Ioh. 5.24 Reu. 14.13 Luk 16.22 25. Chry. Ser. 3. ad Philip. Fideles possquam hinc disâ—esserunt beaâ—os esse c. Dionys. Aâ—eop Hierar c. 11. Propinqui eius qui mortuus est c. cum qualis est beatum esse ducunt quòd ad victoriae sinem peroptatum perâ—â—nerit victoriae Authori gratias agunt cum cantu 12 Error Rom. 1.25 â— King 8.38 Hora Sarisbur fol. 58. Ibid. fol. 68. Polid. Virg. l. 5. c. 7. Math. 6.7 1. King 18.26 1. King 18 36. 13 Error Mald. sum q. 18. ar 4. Psal. 32.5 Mat. 3.6 Act. 19.18 2. Sam. 12.13 Ios. â— 19 Iam. 5.16 14 Error 1. Tim. 4.1 2 3. 15 Error 16 Error Mark 6.13 Iam. 5.14 Cassan. l. consult art 2. Bel. l. 1. de vnc ext cap 3. Caiet in Iac. 5. 2 Sound doctrine and due administration of Sacraments the notes of the Church Ioh. 10.27 1 For doctrine Mat. 7.16 1. Ioh. 4.1 2. Ioh. 10. Vers. 9. Ioh. 7.16 Two rules to discerne doctrine 1 Concerning the Hearer Theophylact. in Io. c. 7. Voluntatem autem Dei facit qui Prophetas Scripturas scrutatur 2 The Teacher Ioh. 7.18 1. Thes. 2.5 6. Act. 2.42 1. Thes. 2.13 Mat. 27.1 Act. 17.12 Athan. in incar Dom. Si discipuli estis Euangeliorum per Scripturas incedite Aug. con Petil. l. 3. c. 6. Siue de Christo siue de eius Ecclesia siue de quacunque alia re quae pertinet ad fidem vitámque c. 3 The true Church admitteth nothing as necessary to saluation that is contrary to the Word of God 1. King 18.21 Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.9 Bell. de Sacr. l. 2. c. 30. Ceremoniae receptae c. sine graui veccato o mitti non possunt quum habe ant vim etiam spiritualem sint pars diuini culâ—as adeoque meritoria Eph. 5.24 Cal. in Mat. 5 9 Eos ertarâ— c. qui â—cco doctrinae obtrudunt hominum mandata vel qui indè petunt regulam colendi Dei Article 10. Considerations concerning the Church 1 Consideration It is only one Gen. 6. Cant. 6.9 Mat. 13.24 47. Luk. 12.32 Ioh. 10.16 Ioh. 3.29 1. Cor. 12.13 1. Cor. 12.14 15 16. 2 Consideration It is Catholike Reâ— 7.9 Aug. Epist. 48. Quia communicant Ecclesiae toti orbi diffusae 3 Consideration It is visible Bell. de Eccl. l. 3. c. 2. Isa. 1.9 Isa. 8.18 Rom. 11.3 1. King 18.4 13 Heb. 11.37 38. 2. Thes. 2.3 4. Reu. 12.6 Luke 18.8 Mat. 24.9 12 24. Viâ—cen Liâ—in c. 6. Arianoâ—um venenum non iam 〈◊〉 ulâ— quandam sed â—enè orbem tutâ—m contaminauerat Mat. 11.19 4 CoÌ„sideratioÌ„ Some are more pure some more corrâ—pt Here obserue 1 That the greatest and chiefe are not alwaies the best 2. Chron. 36.14 16. Ioh. 1.11 Act. 4.11 Vnic Lir. ib. Capto priùs omnium Imperatore c. Leo. ep 8â— Ecclesiae nomine armamipi contra Ecclesiâ—m dimicatis 2 That the promises and priuiledges beloÌ„g onely to the good part Aug. con Don. l. 5. c. 27. Hoc intelligere non audeo nisi in iustis sanctis Rom. 9.4 6 8. Act. 2.39 Math. 3.12 Rom. 3.3 3 That a corrupt Church may keepe and conuay to postâ—rity the Scriptures the rule of faith the Sacraments Acts 15.21 Rom 3 2. Aug. in Psal. 56. Codicem portat Iudaeus vndè credat Christianus Math. 23.2 3. Math. 5.20 Math. 15 9. Hereupon some in a corrupt Church may be saued Rom. 11.4 Reu. 2.13 Reu. 3.4 Reu. 2.24 25. Reu. 3.8 Reu. 18.4 Gen. 7.13 Gen. 19.15 Reu. 18.4 Iude 23. 3 By what meanes men are added to the Church 1 The Word preached Act. 2.37 38 41. Act. 18.8 Eph. 4.12 Mat. 28 20. 1. Pet. 1.23 Iam. 1.18 Rom. 1.16 Act. 8.29 35. Act. 10.5 6. Act. 18.10 2. Cor. 10.4 5. Heb. 13.17 1. Cor. 4.2 2. Cor. 5. 19. 1. Cor. 9 16. Col. 1.28 1. Tim. 4.16 Act. 16.16 Heb. 2.2 3. Act. 13. â—6 2. Cor. 1.18 21 Ioh. 17.3 Psal. 85.8 2 Faith to apprehend grace offered Heb. 4.2 Act. 8.37 Act. 8.13 Ephe. 4.15 16. Eph. 3.17 1. Co. 1.21 Mark 16.16 Ioh. 12.48 Isai. 30.20 21. Ier. 31.33 Psal. 73.25 3 The Sacrament of Baptisme 1. Pet. 3.21 Amb. de voc Gent. l. 1. c. 5. Article 27. Rom. 6.3 Calu. Inst. l. 4. c. 15. §. 5. Tit. 3.5 Calu. Inst. l. 4. c. 16. § 17. Mat. 28.19 20. Act. 2.28 Gen. 17.14 Heb. 2 3. The Author or efficient by whom men are added to the Church Mat. 22 24. Gen. 9.27 Ioh. 17.6 Ioh. 6.44 65. 1. Cor. 3.6 7. Act. 16.14 Eph. 2.1 2. 1. Cor. 15.10 Phil. 2.13 1. Tim. 1.13 Rom. 6.22 Cant. 1.4 Psal 86.11 The time and continuance of this addition Math. 24.22 2. Pet. 3.9 1. Pet. 3.20 Gen. 6.3 Luk. 1.78 Math. 20.3 The happines of those that are added to the Church Rom. 6.21 1. Pet. 1.5 Gen. 19 22. Psal. 144.15 Mal. 3.14 Iob 21.14 2. Cor. 4.4 Luk. 16.23 1. Cor. 15.58 1. Pet. 1.3 4.