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
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
these and that as I did take it for good reason The effect of my speech concerning him was digested into these two branches His facultie and his Religion For the first I did onely touch it in a few words shewing that hee did practise the Art of Physicke with good and commendable acceptance till such time as through weakenesse his memorie began to faile that he was very courteous and ready to affoord his best helpe specially to Schollers as I could testifie of mine owne certaine knowledge and not wanting therein to poore neighbours as I had partly seene with mine owne eyes and neere dwellers to him could testifie Touching his Religion I did indeuour to expresse my charitie with our Christian reformed Church that all men might see the difference between Christian and Antichristian Religion They cast downe headlong into hell all that consort not with them in dependance vpon one Head The Romane Bishop we charitably and hopefully conceiue that in the middest of them notwithstanding their errour of that dependance yet many haue beene are and shall bee saued the Lord hauing his thousands among them that neuer bowed their knee to Baal My reasons why I did so charitably iudge of his estate before God were briefly these 1. First I shewed that he was not infected with the whole Mysterie of Iniquity nor did appeare to be obdurate and obstinate that way because in our Christian families where he came he was knowne to ioyne with them in Prayer 2. In conference and dispute about Religion euery man that did conuerse with him can testifie his vnskilfulnesse and weakenesse that way wherein his disabilitie of answere was supplied vsually with these or such like euading speeches God send vs all to heauen The Sonne of God bee good to vs c. 3. Hee protested to me that he was neuer at the most solemne part of their Romish Religion that is The Masse nor did euer know what it meant This confession was not long before his death 4. His skill in the Vtensils and Vessels of their Religious seruice was so little that he did not know a Chalice but would pleasantly tell of his mistake taxed by a Gentlewoman better skilled in the trade then himselfe 5. My selfe reading to him a Sermon of S. Bernard wherein the Father vehemently inueighed against the Court and Prelacie of Rome and demanding of him Whether Luther or Caluine or any of our men could more plainely and more powerfully speake against such impietie he did as a man conuicted admire it as strange to him for hee â—aw there was no deceit inasmuch as it was read to him in his owne Booke 6. He ordinarily though not so often as was fiâ— resorted to Church and communicated annually excepting the last yeere or little more before his death and that was vpon occasion of the Princes going into Spaine which made many befoole themselues 7. Last of all in the shutting vp of his life neere his end my selfe praying with him he did shew his consent by erecting both his hands vp to heauen and after the Prayer ended by giuing mee his hand cheerefully and willingly of his owne accord If these bee not sufficient arguments to induce my charitie towards him iudge you And tell mee I pray you whether such a speech so charitably vttered need to flee the light and be glad of the couert of darkenesse or not rather with boldnesse come into the light as now it doth that it may bee approoued of God and discreet good men That I may not with too much prolixitie offend your patience I will now draw to an end intreating your courteous acceptance of this token of my sincere loue vnto you It is indeed many wayes due vnto you of right but especially in regard of your loue and kinde respect shewed to mee of late that whereas for the space of aboue ten yeeres I constantly continued the weekely lecture vpon the Market day hauing no recompence for that paines but onely Master William Sakers Legacie of fiue pounds per annum it hath pleased you vpon due consideration to augment it to a conuenient stipend which good Worke was first well begun by Master Reginold Edwards and that not onely motioned by word but seconded by his liberall act in contributing most largely to so good a purpose And whereas voluntary contributions depending onely vpon the Donors free disposition are in like manner as Charitie it selfe subiect to waxe cold it was not onely very kindly towards me but exceeding prouidently for the better continuance of so religious a worke propounded by Master William Thurston to the whole Corporation and by their generall consents condescended vnto that the stipend should euer heereafter be paid out of the Chamber Of which pious Worke I commend to the world this Monument in the iust praise both of those Prime Motors as also of you all who were the Concomitants and Adinuant causes of that so good and needfull a furtherance of Gods Religious seruice desiring the Almightie to blesse you all and to giue you the comfort that religious Nehemiah had in the like case that with him euery one of you may bee able to say vnto God with ioy and confidence Remember mee O my God concerning this and wipe not out my good deedes that I haue done for the House of my God and for the offices thereof Yours in the Lord Iesus IOHN PHILLIPS THE WAY TO HEAVEN ACTS 2.47 And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saued THere is nothing more fit not better beseeming a Christian minde at such times and vpon such occasions as this when our mortality is set before our eyes then to consider seriously with our selues what shall become of vs after this life that seeing our passage out of this world by death is ineuitable we may before our departure learne here vpon earth how to liue for euer in Heauen This heauenly lesson is here taught vs in this short and sweet text which that I may open vnto you and in opening it may set open Heauen gate to euery faithfull soule you shall vnderstand that these words are The conclusion of a memorable History concerning the prime and first gathering together of the Christian Church by the Apostles after the glorious Ascension of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Know therefore that to the end that so great a worke as the conuerting of the whole world consisting of many Nations and different languages might the better be effected our blessed Lord did according to his promise send the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles enabling them to speake to euery Nation and people in their owne tongues that all countries might be taught to know and worship God in their owne language And for the greater incouragement of the Apostles it pleased God to giue such a blessing to these beginnings that about Three Thousand soules were conuerted at the first Sermon of Peter Now to shew that this blessing ceased not
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
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
of Saints for as the Doue found no rest for the sole of her foote but was faine to returne into the Arke againe so let a man compasse the whole world yet shall he neuer bee able to finde rest to his soule till by entering into the Church he take Christs yoke vpon him Let him with Salomon try all things vnder the Sunne pleasures riches honours and what the world can afford he shall at the last be driuen to cry out Vanitie of vanities and conclude when all is done He are the end of all Feare God and keepe his commandements for this is all of man all his duty and all his dignity and without this all that a man is or hath is but meere vanity So much for the first branch The next point to be considered is What that Church is where saluation is to be had A very necessary question for these times wherein we liue in regard there is not a sect or faction in all the Christian world that doth not challenge the name of the Church to it selfe But wee must know that there is nothing more childish then to boast of the name of a thing when the thing it self is wanting We haue a maxime in Logick A nomine ad rem non valet consequentia To argue from the name to prooue that the thing is so because it is so named is an argument inconsequent Our Sauiour â—eâ—s the Church of Smyrna that there are that say they are Iewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan And to the Church of Sardi he saith I know thy workes for thou hast a name that thou art aliue but thou art dead The Church of the Laodiceans was of al the rest of the Seuen Churches in the worst condition being neither cold nor hot as we may see in that our Sauiour giueth them not any one commendation at al as he doth to the rest of the Churches giuing them their due praise notwithstanding he doeth withall taxe them for their errours no doubt to this end both to shew his detestation of luke-warmenesse and that where luke-warmenesse in Religion is there is no goodnesse to be expected Yet these Laodiceans as fâ—rre as they were from the true zeale of Religion did notwithstanding boast themselues to bee rich and lacke nothing whereas indeed they were wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked It is therefore a very silly and simple part to take men at their bare word as our seduced Romanists doe in so waightie a matter as Religion is The men of Berea are commended for that they searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so or no euen which Paul himselfe taught And it is recorded to the praise of the Church of Ephesus that they had tried them which said they were Apostles and were not and had found them lyers And indeed it is veritie that we ought to looke for and not suffer our selues to be carried away with words and shewes For whosoeuer is a good and true Christian saith S. Augustine must know that wheresoeuer hee shall finde truth it belongs to his Lord. Let vs therefore search into this truth that so wee may finde out the true Church where saluation is to be had The Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it doth signifie a company an assembly or congregation of people called together and is sometime taken for ciuill meetings in Townes and Cities or humane societies sometimes for Ecclesiasticall assemblies and meetings of the Church and people of God as in our Text and euery where is Scripture and Ecclesiasticall writers It is also vulgarly vsed for the place where the congregation doth meet to performe Religious seruice but improperly and abusiuely and is therefore reprehended by Laurentius Valla Many saith hee call sacred Temples by the name of the Church but I know not by what right for indeed the word doth signifie a congregation of men not places Which I would intreate you the rather to note because our Aduersaries in their Rhemes Testament doe with such spightfull words traduce vs for translating Congregation rather then Church They would make the world beleeue with their Bragadochio Campian that the very name of the Church is a Scar-crow to Protestants They might haue moderated their sharpe censure considering that the Translation was answerable to the propriety of the Greeke word or they might haue opened their eyes and looked into our Booke of Articles published twenty yeeres before their Rhemes Notes did see the light or they might haue seene if they had not beene wilfully blinde that in our Booke of Common Prayer the word Church is ordinarily vsed in euery passage in our Prayers and Collects in the administration of our Sacraments in the celebration of Matrimonie in the confession of our Faith at euery meeting of the Church By all which euidences it may appeare how farre the Church of England is from any distaste of the name of the Church But indeed they had their answere long agoe that their Note is false and foolish and that the Translator rather vsed the word Congregation then Church to auoide ambiguitie but after the people were taught to distinguish of the word Church and to vnderstand it for the mysticall Body of Christ the later Translators vsed that terme not that the other was any corruption or the later any correction but to declare that both is one Leaue we the word and come to the thing and matter it selfe The Church out of which there is no saluation is set foorth vnto vs in a diuerse Notion not that there is any more then one true Church but because that one Church is considered in a diuerse respect and is in the parts of it of a different condition The name of the Church comprehendeth sometimes the whole company and congregation of the faithfull that euer were are or shall be to the end of the world within this Notion are included not onely that part which is Militant in earth but that also which is Triumphant in heauen yea the very Angels themselues Therefore it is said that by Christ God hath reconciled all things vnto himselfe and set at peace through the Blood of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen These are the elect inuisible knowne onely to God in the iudgement of veritie and certaintie The Lord saith the Apostle knoweth who are his and knowne to men onely in the iudgement of Charitie as we may see by the same Apostle to the Thessalonians distinguishing the sound members of the Church from the counterfeit But wee ought to giue thankes alway to God for you brethren beloued of the Lord because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation In a second Notion by the Church is vnderstood the society of those which make externall profession of the truth
to them nor worship them An error whereof they are so consciously guilty in themselues that in their Catechismes and confession of their penitents they commonly leaue out that Commandement And their professors being charged with this errour are so ashamed of it that they in plaine termes deny that they doe any such religious seruice to Images therein indeed denying their owne Religion and incurring the curse of their Trent Councell which anathematizeth all those that hold against their Decree heerein namely That duc honour and worship ought to bee giuen to Images But doth not their reall practice crosse their verball excuse for if they doe not worship Images why doe they performe so many religious seruices vnto them they vayle and bow downe vnto them they set vp before them lights in honour of them they offer vp incense and other oblations vnto them they expand and spread foorth their armes before them in Prayer What can they do more for outward seruice to God himselfe This Idolatrous practice is not onely condemned in sacred Scripture as expresly as Blasphemy witchcraft murther adultery or any other sinne and auoyded of all the faithfull of both Testaments but is renounced as impious by the Fathers for many ages after Christ affirming Images in the Church to be contrary to the authority of the Scriptures that there is no Religion where an Image is And S. Gregory about 600. yeeres after Christ forbiddeth vtterly the adoration of Images onely allowing the Historicall vse of them as wee doe at this day whereby we may see that this foule errour had not as yet in so long time possessed the Sea of Rome 5. Their Priests in the Masse offer vp a propitiatorie sacrifice both for the quicke and the dead and their blind followers are bound so to beleeue and doe both pray and pay to bee had in his mâ—mento Whereas all propitiatory sacrifices haue their period and end in Christ who is the end of the Law and the onely Sacrificing Priest in the Gospel being a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech This Sacrifice is onely one and once onely offered and that by himselfe alone and therefore is called The offering of the body of Iesus once for all and this Man saith the Apostle after he had offered one sacrifice for sinne for euâ—â— sate downe on the right hand of God For by one offering hee hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified How sacrilegious then and blasphemous is that daily propitiatory sacrifice of theirs where is their warrant for it seeing Christ ordained no sacrifice to bee offered by any sacrificing Priest but onely a Sacrament commemoratiue to bee administred by the Pastours of the Church and receiued together with them by the people Where in the Gospell can they finde the calling of a Sacrificing Priest The Commission is onely Goe teach and baptize and the subiect of their teaching must be no other thing but that which Christ hath commanded other ordinary Priesthood our Lord ordained none but Pastors and Teachers The name Sacrifice we deny not to the Sacrament but with the Fathers wee call it a Sacrifice for diuers good respects and namely because as the Master of Sentences saith out of S. Augustine and S. Ambrose It is the remembrance and representation of the true Sacrifice offered vpon the Altar of the Crosse. As for any proper reall and propitiatory Sacrifice wee may see by this that it was not knowne in Peter Lumbards time about twelue hundred yeeres after Christ and therefore is farre from being truly Catholicke 6. Their Transubstantiation which they oblige euery Christian soule to beleeue not onely vpon paine of their fagot fire but of the fire of hell thaâ— is that after the words of Consecration there ceaseth to be the substance of Bread and Wine that there remaine only the outward accidents shew and shâ—pe thereof vnder which the very body and blood of Christ is substantially and corporally inclosed How directly contrary is it to the expresse words of Christ in the first Institution For our Lord Iesus after the consecration and blessing testifieth the elements to remaine in their substance calling them by their right names Bread and The fruit of the Vine The like doth S. Paul and that often in one short Context It is an errour indeed against common sense For let the senses of sight smelling taste and feeling report if there remaine not the substance of Bread and Wine after consecration insomuch that if a man haue sufficient quantitie of them he may well for a proportionable time sustaine nature with no other food which could not be if there remained nothing but the externe accidents and meere shew of Bread and Wine It is against the nature of a true body which is to be onely in one place at one time and that in his due dimension and substance Now we know and beleeue that Christ is true man in all things like vnto vs sinne onely excepted and therefore to make him to bee without dimension in so many hundred nay thousands of places at one instant doth manifestly imply a tacite denyall of his humane nature It is against our Christian Creed where wee beleeue that Christ leauing the world in regard of his bodily presence ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God and from thence hee shall come to iudgement which S. Peter aptly interpreteth in these words Whom saith he the heauen must receiue vntill the times of restitution of all things But there is no one euidence more apparantly conuincing this errour then if wee consider that at the institution of the Sacrament Christ sate visibly before the Apostles that they might plainely see with their eyes where his true body was And withall did expresly signifie vnto them that hee spake not simply of his body but of his body crucified and blood shed which as yet was not then done This saith our Lord Christ is my body which is giuen for you or as S. Paul relateth it which is broken for you Againe of the Cup he saith This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many adding also for the cleering of all doubt heerein the commemoratiue vse of the Sacrament which euidently confuteth all carnall and corporall presence This doe saith he in remembrance of me that is of me crucified For saith the Apostle as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shew the Lords death till he come Now whereas he calleth the bread his body and the wine his blood it is according to the vsuall manner of Scripture speaking euery where of Sacraments it calleth them by the name of those things whereof they are Sacraments Thus Circumcision was called the Couenant because it was the signe and seale of the Couenant So the Paschall Lambe is called the Passcouer because it was the signe of the Passcouer
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