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
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
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