Head the other of her members among themselves XIII The first union is in this that in the Church not onely Christ as the head is eminent but also as the head he communicates his gifts and vertue to the members Ephes 1.22 And he hath appointed him over all thinges to his Church which is his body and the fullfilling of him who filleth all in all and cap. 5.23 For the man is the head of the woman even as Christ is the head of his Church and giveth salvation to his body c. Col 1 18. And he is the head of the Church which is his body XIV They make a monster of the Church who set up any other universal head thereof besides Christ. For as she is not headlesse so is she not many headed for of one body there is but one head except it be a monster neither must therefore the Church because visible have a visible head one earth for properly the Elect onely are members of the Church therefore though she be visible in respect of outward administration yet she is invisible in respect of the Elect and of their union with Christ. XV. The other union of the members or of particular Churches among themselves consisteth in the unity of profession faith and charity Ephes 4 4 5 6. There is one body and one spirit even aâ— you are called into one hope of your vocation there is one Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all c. XVI The principal end of the Church is Gods glory the proximate our salvation XVII Of the adjuncts we must observe her Titles and Notes XVIII For her titles she is called One Catholike and Holy XIX Christs Church is one in respect of the form now explained XX. She is Catholike in respect of the union of time place and persons The Church Catholike hath a treble signification 1. A very general one to wit of the whole society of men and Angels 2. A more particular of the company of all elect men 3. Most special of all of the visible militant Church XXI She is Catholike in respect of time because she hath not utterly failed since the begining of the world but still there hath been some visible Church As the light of the Moon decreaseth though her substance never wasteth even so although the light of the Church is sometimes clearer sometimes obscurer yet she remains the same still and visible too not to Hogs eyes but to the godly XXII In respect of place and persons she is Catholike because she is not tyed to place and persons Mat. 24.14 15. This Gospel shall be preached through all the world Acts 10.34 35. Of a truth I perceive that God is no accepter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him XXIII The Church is holy in common because of her calling and covenant but particularly in respect of the Elect who are holy in Christ by an imputed righteousness begun in them Concerning the holiness of vocation God saith to Moses Deut. 7.6 Thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God Of imputed and begun holiness Paul 1 Cor. 6.11 But you are washed but you are justified in the name of the Lord Iesus by the Spirit of our God XXIV The inherent holinesse of the Church in this life is imperfect except in respect of Christ who by his perfection covers her imperfection and in the hope of future perfection Ephes. 5.25 26 27. Christ hath loved his Church and hath given himself for her that he might sanctâ—fy and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word that he might present her to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing but that she might be holy and without blemish XXV Therefore the Church is not free from all error as the Papists say for although the Catholike Church doth not so erre in the fundamentals of Faith as to fall off utterly yet she is not quite exempted from errour seeing there is no member of her perfect in thâ—s life as for a particular Church she may both erre and becom a harlot Hence the Church of Rome which in the Apostles time was like the woman cloathed with the Sun having a Crown on her head and the Moon under her feet is so degenerated that she is likened to the whore sitting upon the Beast Rev. 12.1 and 17.3 c. XXVI The notes of the visible Church are the pure Preaching of the word and lawfull administration of the Sacraments We spake above of the Notes of the invisible Church that they depend from the works of Vocation for the notes of the Elect specially called andi of the visible Church are the same But here these notes are onely considered by which the Church is undubtedly made visible now it appears that these are the note of the Church out of these testimonies Matth 28 19 20. Go and teach all Nations baptzing them in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things which I have commanded you Act. 2.24 And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Some adjoyn Ecclesiastical discipline but this is contained under the two former for this discipline is required of both XXVII These notes belong to all Churches alike so far as concerneth the fundamentals of Religion but in respect of accidentals they are in some Churches more in some lesse XXVIII Therefore we are not presently to doubt of the truth of any particular Church because of every error or abuse For there is so much purity expected as not to erre in any one article or in the administration of the Sacraments so that there be not a falling off from the hinge of salvation to wit from the two Tables of the Law and Faith in Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 12 For no man can lay any other foundation besides that is laid which is Iesus Christ Now if any build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble every mans work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is if any mans work abide which he hath built thereupon he shall receive a reward if any mans work shall be burned he shall suffer losse but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire XXIX Of the fifteen Notes of the Church rehearsed by Bellarmine some are true and agree with ours from which not withstanding the Church of Rome is afar off but others are ether strangers to the visible Church or they are the Notes rather of the false than of the true Church or they are not convertible with the Church for they neither belong to her alone nor alwayes 1. His first Note is the name Church and Christians But the imposing of names is a matter rather of
Christ did manifest it selfe in the state of his Humiliation chiefly by miracles yet this was little in comparison of that glorious manifestation of him in his exaltation In the state of Humiliation he performed his Prophetical office not only mediately by sending Iohn Baptist his Herauld before and by the Apostles whom he called but also immediately to his lost sheep especially of Israel by preaching to them the heavenly Truth with great constancy patience and efficacy both of his doctrine and miracles But his Sacerdotall office he administred in this state making a most full satisfaction and an humble intercession for us The satisfaction of Christ is that whereby he being subject to the Law for us did undergo the curse due to our sins and performed most perfectly obedience to the Law which was required of us and so hath freed us from the curse and hath restored us to life This consisteth in suffering the pains and in perfect justice in that is seen cheifly his passive in this his active obedience I do purposely adde this restriction that we may not think his active and passive obedience so to differ as if the suffering of â—he punishment consisted only in his passive obedience and his perfect justice only in his active for they differ not in time seeing both of them continued from the first moment of his incarnation till his death Nor do they differ in subject because the same obedience in a different respect is both active and passive and consequently Chriâ—â—â— obedience is an active passion and a passive action for as passion is a receiving of the punishment it is called passive obedience but as it is a testimony of his great love it may be called active Neither is the division of obedience into active and passive a division into parts but onely a distinction taken from the end to wit the twofold satisfaction for punishment and for life eternal The curse upon the transgressoâ—s of the Law requires the former Deut. 27.26 The promise of life under the condition of perfect obedience and righteousness requires the latter Lev. 18.5 Therefore we are said Analogicaly by that one and most perfect satisfaction of Christ both to be freed from the punishment because he suffered the punishment for us and to be invested in the right of life eternal because he fulfilled the Law for us The suffering of punishment is whereby he undertook upon himself the punishment due to us and offered himself of his own accord a holy Sacrifice to God for us This consisteth both in the sufferings which went before his great and last Passion but especially in this last agonie The RULES I. No part of Christs Passion must be excluded from his Satisfaction The reason because he did not suffer for himselfe in any thing but all for us II. Therefore those innumerable sufferings which Christ endured until his last journy to Jerusalem are not to be separated from the price of Christs redemption for although the Passion of Christ which went before his last agony might be called a preparative to his death yet it is indeed an integral part of satisfaction As it cannot be denied that the payment of an hundred pounds by him who oweâ—h divers tuns of gold is an integral part of the paymenâ— although iâ—â—e but a smal sum in respect of the whole and principal debt III. Yet the Scripture synecdochically and by way of excellency doth describe his last passion as the price of our redemption and his death or oblation on the altar of the cross as an expiatory sacrifice Of this see the 9. and 10. chapter to the Heb IV. The principal efficient cause of this passion was the holy Trinity the ministring causes were Christs enemies both Iews and Gentiles V. the Person that suffered for us is not the Father nor the Holy Ghost but the Son of God VI. Although God is rightly said to suffer yet the God-head suffered not God suffered in the flesh not with the flesh VII The sufferings of Christ were divers of which there were three ranks to wit some before his death death it self and some after death VIII Of those that went before his death some were internal some external IX The internal were his sadnesse anxieties and tortures proceeding from the fiercenesse of Gods wrath and the conflict he had with that tentation of dereliction which cast him into that bloody sweat and made him cry out My God My God why hast thou forsaken me X. But although he wrestled with the tentation of dereliction yet he fell not into desperation neither did he yield to the tentation but overcame it by a strong confidence in his God The undoubted argument of his victory was this that in his greatest agony he failed not to call God his God XI His external sufferings were the tortures of his body which he endured in a manner in all his members senses for his head was torn with throns and beat with reeds his face was defiled with spittle and bruised with buffeting his ears were wounded with scoffs and railings his eyes were troubled with the mourning of his Mother and his disciples his tongue was scorched with thirst and poisoned with vinegar and gall his body was stript and torn with whipping and the same was fastned to the Crosse his hands and feet being pierced with nailes and was hanged between Thieves his sinews were racked and his side was pierced with a lance XII The Cross was chosen to die on which was no ordinary kinde of death but an accursed one for of old it was made execrable by the mouth of God Cursed is he that hangeth on a Tree Deut. 21.23 XIII In Christs death the Personal Vnion was not dissolved the soule indeed was severed from the body but neither of them from the Personality or Hypostasis of of the sonne of God XIV The sufferings that followed his death were not joyned with any pain yet they wanted not disgrace or ignominie such was his burial and the three dayes lying in the grave XV. His burial was a part of his sufferings whereby Christs body no other ways than the carcasses of other men was cast into the grave XVI His three dayes detention or stay in the grave is the last degree of his Humiliation at which time his soul being translated to Paradise his body was detained under the pains and bands of death as if he had been altogether overcome and swallowed up by it his enemies in the mean while triumphing over him as if he had been quite cut off Acts 2.24 Whom God raised having loosed the sorrows of death XVII When mention is made of Christs descent into hell in the fourth Article of the Creed it is demanded of what part of Christs passion that must be understood That opinion of the Papists concerning Christs local descent into Limbus Patrum or the place of the Fathers and their delivery from thence is fabulous and very ridiculous from which their
the children of men they speak vanity one to another they flatter with then tongue dissemble with a double â—eart b Mat. 26.35 Peter saith to him although I dy with thee yet will I not deny thee in like manner said all the Disciples c Mat. 2.8 Make enquiâ—y 〈◊〉 the child when you have found him â—et me know that I may come woâ—ship him also a See a notable place for bâ—idling the tongue Iam 3.2 c. b Epheâ— 4.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed ouâ— of your mouth 1 Cor. 2. And I brethâ—en when I came unto you I came not with entising words c. a Prov. 11.13 He that goes about as a slanderer discovereth a secret but he that is of a faithfull heart concealeth the matter I his vertue becomes all men but chiefly Ministers left the secrets committed to their breast be rashly divâ—lâ—ed except they be such secrets as may tend to the hurt of the Church or State for in that case greater regard must be had of unity theÌ„ of one man b 2 Kin. 7 7. Then said the one tâ— the other we do not well this is a day of good tidings and do we hold our peacâ— a Luc. â—8 4 And there was a certain widow in that town which came to the Iudge saying do me justice against my adversary but he would not for a time b 2 Sam. 15.3.4 c. Then Absolon said to him see thy maâ—ters are good and righteous but there is no man deputed of the King to hear thee Absolon said moreover O that I were made Iudge in the land that every man which hath any matter of controversie might come to me that I might do him justice And when any man came neere to him did him obeisance he put forth his hand and took him and kissed him a 1 Sam. 3.15 Samuel was afraid to tell Eli of that Vision b Luk 6.41 Why dost thou look upon the mote that is in thy brothers eye This vice is seen in them who censure and reprove their neighbour out of preposterous affection or having no warant thereto What is fit in this case for Ministers may be seen in 2 Tim. 4.1 2. a Isa. 3.9 The shew of their countenance doth witnes against them that they declare their sin 〈◊〉 Sodome they hide it not b Pro. 27.1 Boast not thy self of to morrow for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth and v. 2. Let another praise thee not thine own mouth a stranger not thine own lips c so they do who pretend they are in want themselves when they are desired to help their neighbour Pro 24.11 If thou forbear to deliver them that are drawn unto death c. if thou sayest behold we knew it not doth not be that pondereth the heart consider it a Luk 18.2 There was a Iudge in a certain city which feared not God nor regarded man b Matt. 23.5 But they do all their works for to be seen of men c 2 Sam 16.9 10 Then said Abishai why should this dead dog curse my Lord the King let me go over I pray thee take off his head Then the King said what have I to do with you ye sons of Zerviah so let him curse Because the Lord had said unto him curse David who shall then say wherefore hast thou done so a 1 Sam. 2.29 Thou hast honored thy sons above me b 2 Tim. 3.2 Men will be lovers of themselves c Prov. 6.25 Desire not her beauty neither let her eye-lids intice thee d 1 Joh. 2.15 Love not the world c And v. 16. Because whatsoever is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world a Psal. 139.21 Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee Mat. 18 15 If thy brother offend thee reprove him between thee and him alone c. Roâ— 7.19 For I do not the good which I would but the evil which I would not do that do I. a 1 Joh. 3.15 whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer b Psal. 41.5 My enemies said of me when shall he die c. a Psal. 30.12 Thou hast turnd my mourning into joy b Ro. 12.15 Rejoyce with them that rejoyce a Luk. 6.25 Wo to you that now laugh for you shall weep and mourn b Prov. 24.17 Rejoyce not at thy enemies fall a Ja. 5.13 Is any among you afflicted let him pray b Ro. 12.15 mourn with those that mourn a Prov. 17.22 A 〈◊〉 heart doth good like a medicine but a broken â—piâ—it dryeth the bones b Mat. 20 15. Is thy eye â—vil because I am good c 1 Sam. 16.1 How long wilt thou mourn for Saul seeing I have rejected him c. A TABLE Of the Principal Matters and Words ADam and Eves fall 71 Adam in his fall not a private person 75 Adjuration what and how we are to obey it 363 c. Adjuration of Devils ibâ—d Adoration of idols of the hoast of the Cross of Reliques of holy Angels and dead men 349 c. Adoration of Saints 352 c Adultery what the cause of divorce 3â—9 c. Affâ—ctions how manifold 426 c. Agnus Dei idolatry 351 Alms 413 Angels when created 48. what 51. in what bodies they appeared ibid. the head of good Angels their felicity order and office 61. c. if their adoration be lawful 352 c. The Apostacy of evil Angels 63 c. their sin 64. their Prince ibid. their remaining qualities 65 Anger 390 c. Antichrist what and who 233 c. his ruine how a sign of the last judgment 235 c. Appetite ordered or disordered 426 Arke of the Covenant 103 Assurance vide Salvation Astorgie or want of natural affection 386 Atheisme 323 Avarice vide Covetousnes BAptisme what 190 â—ow it dâ—ffers from the Lords Supper 20â— if to be administred by a private man 19â— c if in Baptâ—sme 1 â— or 3. sprinklings be requiâ—ed 193. if children are to be baptised 194 c. vid Infants how baptisme is necessary 196. if the Baptisme of Christ John be the same c. Bargains how to be made 409 c Beatitude its degrees 308 c. Beneficence 413 Benevolence 385 c. Boldnesse vide Fortitude Foolish Bragging 422 Bread in the Eucharist what 197 c. Busie-bodies 387 CAlling how manifold 166 c. Calling common to elect and reprobate 168 Calling proper to the elect 243 c. how it differs from the common 250 Calumnies 418. impatience in bearing Calumnies 423 Censuring 421 c· Charity towards God 325. towards our neighbour 372 c. Chastity 396. how preserved 394 Christ eternal God 22 c. his incarnation 112 117 how the first-born 122 c. his conception 117. c. the union of two natures in Christ 120. communication of properties 122. the excellency of Christs humane nature 123. if equal to the divine nature 163.