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
suppose this to be another sound Argument prouing that the Church of Rome doth not directly deny the foundation of our Faith and consequently that wee cannot deny her the name of a Church CHAP. X. Our third Argument prouing from the Baptisme in the Church of Rome that they are a true Church TWo things there are which difference and distinguish the Church of God from the Assemblies of Infidels and Pagans something which she exhibiteth and offereth vnto Almighty God somthing againe which shee receiueth from the hands of his most excellent Maiesty as a pledge and token of his fauour and grace And wee shall finde that the Church hath vsed both of these as a strong argument euen to enforce Almighty God to bee mercifull vnto her in her extreamities That which the Church offereth vnto God is her seruice of him in that she calleth vpon his name and professeth to worship him in Christ acknowledging him to be the Author of all her good and he to whom all praise belongeth Poure out thy wrath vpon the Heathen Psal 79. 6. that haue not knowne thee and vpon the Kingdomes that haue not called vpon thy Name The Church receiueth from God the blessed Sacraments as testimonies of his gratious dignation and fauour as pledges of that inuisible grace which by those visible signes he hath promised to bestow vpon her as seals of the couenant and agreement betwixt God and his Church wherby he hath engaged himselfe that he will be their God and they shall be his people and lastly as badges distinguishing them from all others which carrie not the like vnto them whereby they loue to be knowne Wherefore saith Dauid in the name 1. Sam. 17. 26. of the Church should this vncircumcised Philstime defie the armies of the liuing God What circumcision was of old the same is Baptisme now â—aue that more glorious effects are attributed to this Sacrament of the christian Church the Sacrament of initiation into the Church our incorporaion into Christ the doore of our actuall entrance into Gods house that which both declareth maketh vs christias the benefit wherof is not terminated in our selues but extendeth to our children by vertue whereof our Seede is holy from 1. Cor. â— 12. the verie birth not that grace from baptized parents is deriued by propagation but thus we are to vnderstand it that to all professors of the name of Christ this preheminence aboue infidels is freely giuen that the fruit of their bodies bringeth into the world with it a present interest and right to those meanes where with the Ordinance of Christ is that his Church shall be sanctified It is the Doctrine of the Church of England touching the Sacraments in generall that they are badges and tokens of Article â—5 Christian mens profession And touching Baptisme in particular that it is a siâ—â—e of profesâ—ion and a marke of See 〈◊〉 on tâ—e Artâ—â—les differenâ—e whereby Christian men are discerned from others that be not christened in the 27 Article of Religion If then the administration of the Sacraments distinguish a Church from that which is no Church If Baptisme bee a specificall difference of a christian from him that is no christian how can we deny them of the Romish religion to bee now a Church or with what colour of truth can we deny Papists to be Christians seeing that we take them all to be baptized persons euen as we our selues are for it is an ancient Apostolick aphorisme One Lord one faith one Baptisme Ephes 4. 5. 1. Cor. 12. 13. and by one spirit wee are all baptized into one bodie whether we be Iewes or Gentiles Protestants or Papists I will not now trouble my selfe to proue that Popish Baptisme is true Baptisme till I know who denies it for howbeit some go about to proue it not to be good from their Popish opinion which maketh the intention of the Minister to be of the essence of the Sacrament wherein how soundly they argue I shall hereafter enquire and so the argument may be of force against them yet nothing hinders but that according to our tenents it may bee good all this while Seeing then that out of all question their Baptisme in the Church of Rome is holy and good let them who nick-name the Ordinance of God one while calling iâ— the * 7. Vâ—â—lls pag. 47. Shell of Baptisme another while the * pag. 35. Relique of Baptisme see how they can free themselues from egregious disgrace cast vpon the blessed Sacrament and by rebound vpon Christ the Instituter and Ordainer of it The Pen-men of the Holy Ghost seldom or neuer mention Baptism but withal they attribute â—nto it some effect of speciall grace they teach vs that with water God doth purifie and cleanse his Church they term Baptism a Bath of regeneration â—phes â— 26. Tit. â— 5. they giue men aduice to receiue ouâ—ward baptism perswade them that it doth auaile to remission of sinnes Act â— â—8 which maketh mee suspect that the Spirit of God guided not that penne which could drop forth such vnsauoury words What is Baptisme now a shell fit for no vse but to bee cast away and troden vnder foote is it become a relique a ragge of Popery Surely by as good reason as in another Treatise the signe of the Bâ—iting of the Popes Bull. Crosse is said to bee the marke of the Beast But what Classicall Author haue we for these speeches He that can causlesly obiect vnto others quaintnesse of speech let him produce but one learned and religious 7. Viâ—llâ— page 28. that euer spake or wrote in this manner But I bridle my selfe and returne to my purpose in hand Sacraments are pledges and tokens of Gods loue to his Church their very being and nature consisteth altogether in relation to some such gift and grace supernaturall as God onely can bestow How then should any but the Church administer those Hooker Eccle. Poâ—it lib. 5. Parag. â—0 Ceremonies as Sacraments which are not thought to be Sacraments by any but by the Church For those then which are our Aduersaries in this cause and will not grant Papists to bee so much as Christians they must giue vs leaue till we heare farther from them to thinke this our third Argument drawne from the lawfull Baptisme in the Church of Rome to be vnanswerable CHAP. XI Our fourth Argument taken from the Lawfull Ordination in the Church of Rome OVr Lord and Sauiour when hee had finished the worke of our Redemption euen that great worke which he came into the world to accomplish then hee ascended vp into Heauen to bee the Aduocate of his Church the Mediatour betwixt God and Man where hee is at the right hand of God making intercession for vs. Rom. 8. 34. When he would depriue his Church of his bodily presence he tooke care that she should not sit like a Widow disconsolate and afflicted and therfore when hee
the faith of euerie particular man much lesse is euerie Idiot chargeable with the damâ—â—blenesse of those doctrines Lastly saith he formerly the Church of Rome was the true Church but had in it aâ— Hereticall faction now the Church iâ— selfe is Hereticall and some certaiâ—e onely are found in it in such degreey Orthodoxie as that wee may hope wâ—â— of their saluation Loe Mr. Burtâ—â— the Church of Rome is now Hereticall not no Church at all for Heresie as wee haue shewed taketh not away the being of a Church and there is hope of some mens saluation liuing in that Communion which you deny in euery page Thus the worthy Deane of Glocester hath not a word against vs but for vs and you are no lesse vnfortunate in your Authorities than before you were in your Similitudes Now vicem redde let vs be as much beholding to you as you are to vs and tell vs what you answer to those formall passages alledged out of the said Reuerend Author in his Appendix See our reuerend Bishops Apology to the Treatise of the Church where hee is clearly for vs That the Romish Church is a part of the Catholicke Church of God shewing it likewise to be the Tenent of the greatest Diuines of our side In this you are silent and passe it ouer siccopede with a dry foote as the Prouerb is And therefore whereas you afterwards tell vs of a many Shels in the pag. 46. Church of Rome the Shell of the Scriptures the Shell of the Creede the Shell of the Sacraments and the like you had done much better to fit downe and cracke nuts than to trouble the world with such empty discourse Nucleum amisit reliqâ—iâ— pignori put omina CHAP. VIII Mr. Burtons exceptions against soâ—e passages in the Reuerend Bishops Apologie THus Mr. Burton hauing done with the Reuerend Bishops Rhetoricall discourse hee comes to take notice of what he hath more seriously layd downe in an Apologeticall aduertisement ioyned to the second edition of his Booke And here whiles pag. â—â— hee expects from the Bishop an ingenuous recantation of his errour loâ— a constant asseueration of the truth and the Reuerend Bishop is heartily pitied that hee is not mutable But consider Mr. Burton that if hee had retracted that which you thinke his errour all your former paints had beene lost and for the rest how would you haue done for a genuine interpretation of St. Iohns meaning in the powring out of the second Viall As for your pity bestow it somewhere else he hath no neede of it rather pity your selfe that it was your lot to fall vpon so weake a cause and to meet with so strong an Aduersarie But let vs see what are his exceptions against the Reuerend Bishops second thoughts First it is not enough for Mr. Burton that hee thus distinguisheth referring Visible to outward Profession True to some essentiall Principles of Christianitie neither of them to soundnesse of beliefe that so though the Church of Rome be a true Visible Church yet is she not a true beleeuing Church Acutely and admirably What reasonable man would not this satisfie Why doth not this please him Because he denieth any being at all to her and pag. 48. that which is not is not Visible Thus nothing but the bloud the life of the Church of Rome will satisfie his zealous thirst But heare what hee obiects Vnder correction is outward Profession a sufficient Marke of Visibility for a Church Ridicule What is Visible in a Church but that which shee professeth Or if you will not referre Visible to outward Profession whereunto will you refer it But this is none of those Markes 〈◊〉 pag. 48. which the Church of England takes notice of a Church by The Word preached and the Sacraments administred make her a Church but her Profession makes her Visible But they are the Synagogue of Sathan which call themselues Iewes and are not and the Samaritans feared God but they serued Idols withall and so doth the Church of Rome therefore it followeth that shee neyther feareth God nor doth after his Lawes True it followeth very well Adde to this that which elsewhere you teach What is it generally to professe Christ and particularly 7. Vâ—alls pa. 25. to haue no interest in him to professe the foundation but not to be built vpon it But all this while you are besides the cause here is an Homonymie you argue from the Church Visible to the Church Mysticall and Inuisible and fallacies Mr. Burton are no demonstrations Many things exclude a man from Heauen as well errours in manners as Faith which doe not exclude him from the Visible Church hee that would haue saluation by true Faith must be made a member of the Mysticall body of Christ Doth not the Reuerend Bishop tell vs that Visibilitie auaileth not to saluation and the Church of Rome that Their danger is more Visible thâ—n their Church Wherein then hath hee offended But to what purpose is it that you entertaine vs with a tedious discourse of the Visible Church all the while neyther telling vs what the Church is nor what is Visibilitie * Thus his dâ—spuâ—ing iâ— nothing but equiuocation all along by these ambiguous proceedings deceiuing the simple whereas a fair distinction if it might take place would make all friends Sometimes indeed you shew vs the Church clad in her glorious apparrell that thereby we may take notice of her but what if Briers rend her cloathes and dirt defile her goodly garments doth shee then cease to be a Church Surely no. Now it being obiected that the Church of Rome holdeth some Essentiall Principles of Christianity first you confesse it then contradicting pag. 4â— your selfe you deny it saying That shee hath professedly abiured Christ thereby also gaine-saying what euen now you granted namely that sheâ— professeth to feare God for how can shee professe to feare him and yet professedly abiure him CHAP. IX Whether Papists be Christians IN the next place Mr. Burton is so oppressed with the weight of the Bishops reasoning that hee sees not which way to turne himselfe Grant the Romanists to bee but Christians how corrupt soeuer and wee cannot deny them the name of a Church This is Gordians knot which because he cannot vntye Alexander-like hee cuts it But why should we grant them pag. 49 to bee Christians Not Christians Of what Sect then are they Iewes or Turkes or Pagans We know no other Sects in the world Nay they are worse than these yea worse than the Diuels themselues as hee affirmes in the next page I neuer yet heard by a sober man that any greater fault than Heresie was layd to their charge Now he that is an Hereticke is necessarily a Christian for he that is not a Christian cannot be an Hereticke Olim qui Haeretici non inter Tureas Epiâ—â—oâ— Winton Tortura Torti pag. 304. aut Iudaeos aut Ethnicos censebantur neque nisi qui de