the Apostle exhorts vs Iam. 1.12 My Brethren count it exceeding ioy when ye fall into diuers Temptations Fourthly as we must not take it heauily but reioyce in it so we must prepare and arme our selues for it before hand As a man that is to fight against his enemies will fit and prepare and arme himselfe to the Battell so must we Our enemies will be sure to be prepared against vs and therefore if we be not prepared against them how shall we be able to withstand them and therefore we must be continually preparing our selues to incounter with sinne and Satan and all our spirituall Enemies As we must prepare our selues to this Battaile So fiftly we must carry our selues resolutely and valiantly in this fight and see that we fight a good fight of faith as fighting the Lords Battails Thus Ioshua incouraged the people to warre because they fought the Lords Battails Now to fit vs and to helpe and direct vs in this warfare Consider these particulars First what enemies they are that we fight against Our enemies are many euen a world of enemies the Dragon and all his Angels the World and all her Children and Darlings the flesh and all the wisedom and sense thereof for all that is enmity against God Sinne Death Hell all come with open mouth to deuoure vs. This is it the Apostle saith Ephes 6.12 Wee wrestle not against flesh and blood that is not onely against flesh and blood but against Principalities and powers against worldly Gouernors the Princes of the darknes of this world against spirituall wickednesses which are in high places Marke how the Apostle sets them out in all their Terror and power marching as it were with their Colours displaied in all their Ruffe Brauery And this he doth not to dismay or discomfort vs but to incourage vs and to whet vs on that we seeing how many and how strong and how resolute our enemies be we should labour to be as resolute as they Secondly we are to consider what weapons we are to vse we must put on the whole Armour of God Ephes 6.11 And specially we must labour to be furnished with these two parts of this Armor Prayer and Watchfulnesse nothing is more necessary to a Souldier in time of warre then watchfulnesse for if he fall asleepe his enemy comes and kills him or else if his Colonell comes and findes him hee kils him Therefore the Apostle 1. Pet. 5.8 exhorts vs to watchfulnesse Bee sober and watch for your aduersary the Diuell like a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure But what kind of watching is this This is not to watch with a Bille on our shoulder but it is to watch ouer our owne hearts Thirdly we are to consider how far forth we are to fight euen to the death not onely of sinne but euen to the death of the body too if neede bee Reuel 2.10 Bee thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the Crowne of life And we must resist euen vnto blood Heb. 12.4 wee must fight till wee stand vp to the knees in blood and not yeeld to sinne wee must fight till we ouercome wee must not onely fight but we must fight so long so hard so happily that wee may ouercome But how shall we ouercome if we fight till death if we die in the fight I answer Wee may ouercome for all that for that death is but to the outward man It is the Spirit and inward man that ouercommeth and therefore though we be slaine yet we ouercome Reuel 2.1 Fourthly wee must consider what helpes and forces wee haue on our sides surely more then are against vs we haue such an Army that all the world cannot yeeld the like wee haue God and Christ and the holy Spirit and all the holy Angels to helpe vs we haue the prayers and wel-wishings of all the faithfull in heauen and earth we haue the Word the Sacraments the examples of Christ himselfe and all the faithfull to incourage vs. And who would not fight hauing all these to fight for him and with him And who would or can doubt of the victory seeing we haue all the powers and forces of heauen and earth to assist vs and to take part with vs Onely the powers of hell are against vs and how can they hurt vs Fiftly and lastly we are to consider with what minde wee are to come into the field and to defend our selues Not for fashion nor for company nor to bee seene nor to get profit but we must come with this mind to obay and to glorifie God to maintaine his Lawes and kingdome and to vphold that spirituall life that God hath endued vs withall and to destroy and keepe vnder the power of Satan and the malignant Church and not with any sinister intention whatsoeuer And thus if wee obserue these Rules they will be good meanes to fit vs to this warfare and to direct vs in it as also to helpe vs to ouercome The third Vse is for singular comfort to all Gods children Vse 3 that howsoeuer wee suffer many Conflicts here yet all our afflictions and tribulations and Conflicts shall one day be rewarded and recompenced plentifully with a Crowne and that in heauen as wee suffer with Christ here so wee shall raigne with him hereafter Therefore let vs see that wee bee fighters in this Battell and that wee fight a true fight else wee shall haue no such reward But if wee doe thus fight wee are sure to haue our Reward What then though sinne tirannize the Conscience thâ—eatens the world persecutes and the Diuell sometimes puts vs to the worst yet our comfort is we shall certainly haue the victory and so a Crowne at last Therefore let vs not thinke much to endure troubles here for a while for we shall be conquerors yea more then Conquerors faith the Apostle Rom 8.34 35. We are more then Conquerors he doth not say yee shall be but you are already more then Conquerors through him that loued vs. Lastly this shewes vs how much we gratifie Satan and wrong the Lord when we yeeld vnto sinne we betray him and his cause and his glory as much as in vs lies into his enemies hands yea we fight against God for Satan Hee that is not with me saith our Sauiour is against mee yea we wrong our selues exceedingly leauing the glorious and honourable Colours of the Lord that made vs and fighting vnder Satans Banner And so much for this Point and for this Lecture The eighth Lecture of the Church IN handling the diuision of the Church which was the fourth generall Head I shewed that it was partly of the name partly of the thing it selfe Of the name we spake fully For the diuision of the thing it selfe I shewed you that it must not bee vnderstood so as if God had many kinds of Churches for the Church is but one as I haue formerly prooued But this diuision is a distinction which puts
vnto the time of reformation which being by Christ abolished are not fit for true worshippers which must worship God in spirit and in truth Iohn 4.24 their continuall smiting of their brests crossing of themselues numbring of their prayers lifting vp the hoast Signes Gestures Pictures and infinite such like trash some borrowed from the Iewes some from the heathen idle complements superstitious impious vnseemely most of them are vnprofitable scarce any of them warrantable indeede they are a meer foppery as many beholders haue iudged euen by sense and reason when they haue not beene besotted with their iuglings neither are they onely carnall that is full of shadowes and Ceremonies but they are carnall too that is as being most agreeable to flesh and blood what more carnall perswasion then this that a pardon for sinnes may be bought with money that a Priest may absolue vpon auricular confession that if a man haue no merits of his owne yet for money hee shall haue out of the Church Treasury the merits of Saints that after death hee may be relieued with prayers of the liuing that many sinnes are veniall and pardonable in their owne nature that if a man giue to Churches Hospitalls or monasteries or the like hee shall goe to heauen yea that which in shew is most labour to the flesh yet indeede is meerly carnall as their whipping of themselues almost to death there is no spiritualnesse at all in it it is but the blood of the body for the sinne of the soule the Prophet scoffes at such like dealing Micha 6.7 The truth is this that euery naturall man had rather be scourged and die then vndertake the spirituall combate against his beloued sinnes and the Papists vse that to be excused of this as they folishly imagine and they measure out Religion for the most part by natural reason grounds of Philosophy so that we see they haue a carnall Religion Secondly they haue a wil-worship that is a seruice for the most part of â—heir own deuising their pilgrimages praiers abstinence from diuers meats voluntary pouertie works of supererogation their Masses Satisfactions Holy daies fasting daies all these and many more are meerely mens inuentions so that God may say to them as he doth to the people of Israel Esa 1.12 Who required these things at your hands so that vpon the point we see that they serue please theÌ„selues but they serue nor please not God at all Thirdly they haue policies in their Religion for the maintenance of their outward state their purgatory praiers for the dead Images and Reliques of Saints erected in their Churches to be offered vnto are meerely a meanes to inrich their owne Coffers and to vphold the honour of the triple Crowne and to maintaine the Beast in her Scarlet colours when they sell a man a pardon for his sinnes or so many yeeres release from purgatorie for some round summe of money doe yee not thinke they laugh at him when he is gone euen as our cheaters doe when they haue gulled some poore simple hearted man They know these can doe no good and yet they practise this for policy Machiauel held it and these practise it that Religion is meerely a matter of policie to keepe men in awe and to maintaine a state cursed wretches haue they none to make a scoffe at but God and his Religion and seruice Is this to serue God no it is to make God to serue them and abuse and change his word to their vile purposes Secondly as they erre and are foulely corrupted in the carriage of Gods worship in generall so are they also in the particular parts of it for first the word which was purposely deliuered to the Church for their light to walke by this is purposely obscured by the Papists that to the people it is a darke light they see little or nothing by it The word is to be preached there is little preaching among them or if there be any they preach faction traditions and commandements of the Church and the Word of God least of all As for any other publike minstration of the Word it is altogether in an vnknowne tongue without any profit or edification to the people well yet if the people might haue accesse to the Word as the Bereans had that they might heare the Pharises but yet beware of their Leauen it were somewhat but they are kept farre enough from that they shall learne no more but what the Priests and Iesuits teach them they are likely to be good Christians then and they must take all vpon their words a sure ground to build vpon this is a notable policie to cloake their errors that the people may not discerne them and a great dishonour to God to suppresse and smother vp his owne ordinances and to put that Candle vnder a Bushell which himselfe hath put on a Candlesticke that it might giue light to all in the house and a notorious wrong to Gods people to sterue them of the food of life and to keepe them hood-winkt that they might not see with their owne eyes into the euidences of their owne right and matters of their owne saluation Secondly the Sacraments not to speake of the number of them increased by them from two to seuen though I know there is no authority in the world can make a Sacrament but those Christ Iesus himselfe hath ordained But euen in Christs own Sacraments they are full of abominations as first in Baptisme they adde oile salt spittle and exorcismes and I know not what toyes and toyes are loathsome in Gods Seruice but in the Lords Supper their corruptions are not onely in the outward Barke as they are in Baptisme but in the very sap hart there is adoration of the Sacrament as of God himselfe and defrauding of the people of the one halfe of it and the making of it a Sacrifice propitiatorie for the quicke and the dead and the making of Christs owne body by the hands of the Priest all these are wicked deprauations either of the nature or right vse of this holy Sacrament Thirdly for their Discipline they haue scarce any thing sound in that the Lawes they rule by are Canons and Lawes of their owne making and not found in the Scripture the ouerseer is the Pope armed as well with a Temporall as with a spirituall sword the power of the keyes that also is horribly abused by them in binding excommunicating true Beleeuers Christian States and Princes that will not submit to the Popes yoke in stead of obstinate offenders against Gods Law and so in loosing absoluing offenders for money and for fauour yea and before repentance too because before the fact whereto if wee adde their dispensations and reseruations whereby they haue an absolute power to free whom they will see now if there be any fouler carriage in any heathen State in the world Fourthly for their prayers they are
Mediatour whom we haue There were the Cherubins And haue not wee Angels in the Church that are ministring Spirits for our good There was God speaking out of the Mercy-seate And haue not we the Word of God directing and instructing vs There was a Table And haue not we a solemne Inuitation to the feast of peace of Conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost which God hath prepared for the faithfull Pro. 9.1.2 There was the Shew-bread Aâ— what figured that but Gods people because they alwayes and before God Lastly there was the golden Candlesticke with seuen branches which signified the manifold gifts and graces of Gods Spirit which hee bestowes vpon his Church And if the Church was thus glorious being shadowed vnder the Law how much more glorious is it now in the time of the Gospell The Apostle making the comparison in Hebr. 12. shewes plainely that the Church now in the time of the Gospell is farre more glorious then in the time of the Law In the 22 23 and 24 verses he saith But yee are come to Mount Sinai the Citie of the liuing God the celestiall Hierusalem And to the Company of innumerable Angels And to the Congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen And to God the iudge of all And to the Spirits of iust and perfect men And to Iesus the mediator of the new Testament And to the blood of sprinckling that speaketh better things then that of Abel See how glorious the Church is here for here is whatsoeuer may make vp a perfect glorie And thus glorious and beautifull is Gods Church looke vpon her which way soeuer ye will either within or without If ye looke vpon her within why then it is said Ps 45.13 the Kings Daughter is all glorious within If without it is said in the same Psalme Her garments are all of broidered gold You shall see her glory further in these foure things First in her profession secondly in her practise thirdly in her order fourthly in her vnitie First in her profession it is a glorious profession for they renounce and disclaime all other Religions and professe the onely pure and glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ So secondly in regard of their practise it is glorious and beautifull for they are religious to God wise to themselues charitable to their brethren mercifull to all depending on God beleeuing in Christ obeying his Spirit praying blessing exhorting instructing comforting both themselues and others making conscience of all their waies hauing and keeping themselues vnspotted of filthinesse and vncleannesse and of the corruptions of the times wherein they liue and offering their soules and bodies a cleane pure and glorious sacrifice to God in Christ so their practise is glorious Thirdly for their order they are glorious and gracious Psalm 68.24 25. They haue seene O God thy goings the goings of my God and my King which are in the Sanctuary The Singers going before the Players of Instruments after In the midst were the maides playing with the timbrels This was but in a shadow much more is it so in the true Church Cant 4.2 the Church is compared to a flocke of Sheepe which goe vp in good order from the washing Now wee must vnderstand this spiritually for it is not the orderly standing in the Church but when euery one keepes his owne ranke not being rebellious nor meddling in other mens businesse not loose nor negligent in their owne place but euery one is carefull to doe his duty imposed on him the superiours they rule with modestie the vnderlings they obey reuerently and Christ himselfe as their King keepes them all within their compasse The Apostle 1. Cor. 12. in the whole Chapter speaking of this order shewes what an excellent thing it is euen as it is in the body of a man there is the eyes and the hands and the feete c. Now shall the foote say to the head I am aboue thee or the eye to the hand I haue no need of thee no but euery member keepes his ranke and is carefull to do the office imposed vpon it and so it is in the Church and therefore in this respect it is a glorious Church Rom. 12.3 4. c. Fourthly in respect of their vnitie Psal 122.2 3. The Prophet saith that Ierusalem is built as a Citie that is compact or at vnitie together in it selfe meaning that Gods Church the heauenly Ierusalem whose members are all knit together by a neere vnion being one body hauing one Lord one Faith one Baptisme Ephes 4 5 6. hauing a sweet and louing communion all of them with Christ their Head and each of them with another Behold saith the Prophet what a goodly thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie Psal 133.1 2 3. So the Church yee see is blessed and beautifull for the vnitie that is amongst the members for they pray and giue thankes to God one for another they reioyce for the good one of another and are sorrowfull and mourne for the hurt one of another And so much for the proofe of the Point The Reasons of the Point why they are so beautifull and Reas 1 glorious are many The first and the summe of all is this because they haue the Lord to be their God Psal 144.15 Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. They haue God to be their Lord First in respect of God he promising and performing to them that hee will be their God and giuing them many tokens of his loue Secondly in respect of themselues they being his by couenant and obedience and therfore they are blessed and glorious because God is their Lord. Secondly Christ is theirs and they are his as it is in Reas 2 Cant. 6.2 I am my Welbeloueds and my Welbeloued is mine and together with Christ God hath giuen them all things Rom 8.32 Christ is theirs and whatsoeuer else may make for their blessednesse or glory is conferred with him Iesus Christ is present in his Church and he inlightens them with his glory Reuel 21.9 and therefore they are glorious He washes them with his owne blood and therefore they are gracious Hee clothes them with his righteousnesse and therefore they are beautifull He couers and imputes not their sinnes therefore they are blessed Psal 32.1 2. yea they being his owne body therefore as his naturall body was farre more excellent then any mans else so his mysticall body the assembly of the Saints is farre more glorious then all the World besides Thirdly Gods Spirit hee teacheth them a gracious carriage Reas 3 hee perswades them to obedience hee bridles them from sinne he quickens them to righteousnesse hee supplies and helpes their wants and infirmities Their hearts and consciences are sprinckled with the holy Ghost they are cleansed sanctified and made partakers of the Diuine Nature and so are most glorious and beautifull Fourthly they are most beautifull and glorious because Reas 4 all the liuing members of the
Church are new Creatures Gods Image is repayred in them that wisedome and righteousnesse and holinesse is renewed in them which they had in their first Creation If Adam had continued in his innocency and so all his posteritie till now what a glorious Sight and company would they haue beene Adam and so many of his posteritie as are of the Church of God are in some measure renewed to Gods Image as it was at the first And therefore what a glorious and blessed assembly is the Church of God the assembly of the Saints The vses of this point are these First it shewes the loue of God to his Church and people and his delight in them First his loue to them in that first he is pleased to communicate his owne beautie and graces to them to make them beautifull he fastens on them many pledges of his fauour he vouchsafeth them his protection blessing grace and saluation all his promises both for this life and that which is to come yea and that for them alone he thinks nothing too good for them he affords them his owne presence and the comforts thereof he bestowes his owne Sonne vpon them and all his merits and benefits hee giues them his owne Spirit and all the gifts and graces and operations of the same What should he doe more for his Vineyard as hee speakes in Isai 5. and what could hee doe more for his Church to make vp the perfection of her Beauty Psal 87.2 The Lord loueth the gates of Sion more then all the habitations of Iacob Secondly his loue appeares to them in that he accepts of them as if they were perfectly glorious for they are but men I speake of such members as most concerne our selues for the Angels are members too and therefore though God giue them neuer so much they can receiue it but in some measure so farre as they are capable of it Besides they haue many sinnes wants and infirmities the least whereof if it were straightly stood vpon in the censure of iustice would deface all their glory and cut them off from all their grace and blessednesse but the Lord passeth by and winkes at these blemishes beholding them in the face of Christ couers all their defects with the Mantle of loue and ouerspreads them with the white Robe of Christs righteousnesse and freely forgiues them all their sinnes so that nothing may impeach their blessed and glorious estate Secondly God delights in his Church being so beautifull and glorious as he himselfe saith Psal 132.14 This is my rest for euer here will I dwell for I haue a delight therein And Psal 45.11 The King shall haue pleasure in thy beauty God delights in their persons graces welfare and obedience all their prayers blessings meditations true and holy indeauours are a sweet smelling sacrifice in the nostrils of God wherewith he is well pleased in Christ Cant. 7.1 2. The second vse Is the Church so gracious and so glorious Vse 2 Then first we also must loue it too and secondly we must labour to be of it First we must loue it so many graces as God hath bestowed vpon her are as so many baites to intice and allure our affections to her therefore let her beauty satisfie vs and her glory ravish our hearts Thus Dauid professeth his loue to Gods Church Psal 26.8 Oh Lord I haue loued the habitation of thine house and the place where thine honour dwelleth And Psal 84.1.10 Oh Lord of Hoasts how amiable are thy Tabernacles and A day in thy Courts is better then a thousand elsewhere And so likewise we should shew our loue to her in bewailing her desolations as Ieremy doth Lament 1.4 the wayes of Sion lament c. And Lament 2.6 7. and 5.17 18. Therefore our heart is heauie for these things our eyes are dim because of the mountaine of Sion which is desolate And so we should shew our Loue to her in bewailing our absence from it as Dauid doth Psal 42.4 when I remembred these things I poured out my very heart because I had gone with the multitude and leade them into the House of God c. Thus Dauid laments his absence from Gods Church and thus should we doe when by persecution or any other such let we are forced to be absent Secondly we must labour to bee of it For so we haue a speciall Commandement Deu. 12.5 6. But you shall seeke the place which the Lord your God shall chuse out of all your Tribes to put his Name there and there to dwell and thither shalt thou come and thou shalt bring thither thy burnt offerings c. And this was the onely desire of the Prophet Dauids heart Psal 27.4 that hee might dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of his life And Psal 84.2 his Soule longs and faints for the Courtes of the Lord and in verse 10. hee preferres it before all other states whatsoeuer A day in thy Courtes is better then a thousand elsewhere I had rather be a doore-keeper in the House of the Lord then to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickednes Thus did Dauid delight in it and desire continually to be of it and so should we for then it is a sweete and comfortable thing to speake of the blessednesse and glory of it when wee haue our parts in it And we should not onely ioyne our selues to it but we should also labour to bring others to it we should say as it is prophesied of the Church in these last dayes Isai 2.3 Come let vs goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord to the House of the God of Iacob Hee will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his pathes Gen. 9.27 Cant. 8.8 Vse 3 Thirdly then we should liue and behaue our selues worthy so blessed and glorious an estate beware of errors in Faith for they dishonour thy state and deforme thy beauty and if they be fundamentall errors and persisted in they will ouerthrow thy blessednesse and cut thee off as a rotten member from this glorious Body beware also of sinne and disobedience in life for that will make thee filthy and vncleane and if it be not soundly repented of and redressed thou hast no part neither in the Churches grace nor in her glory Consider that thou art a member of Iesus Christ and wilt thou take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot the members of sinne and wickednesse God forbid these courses are fit for the world that foule polluted beastly vgly Assembly and must not be found in the glorious Assembly of the Saints Vse 4 Fourthly here is matter of comfort exceeding great comfort to all those that vpon good ground doe find themselues to bee members of the true Church that surely they are Gods dearlings such as are pretious and glorious before him first here is comfort against their sinnes that they shall be done away as if they had neuer been and though they be as red as scarlet yet they
to vnderstand when he saith Math. 25.41 Goe ye cursed into euerlasting Fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels As who should say as you had your part with them here in sinne so you shall haue a part with them in punishment now if the euill Angels bee a part yea a great part of the Church malignant then the good Angels must needes be a part yea a great part too of the gracious and glorious Church of God Fifthly they must needes be a part and members of the Reas 5 true Church because they haue many necessary Imployments in the Church about the faithfull It is said of them Heb. 1.14 that They are ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall be heyres of Saluation And in Luk. 15.10 that They reioyce ouer one sinner that conuerteth c. And Ps 91.12 It is said that They beare vs in their hands And Math. 24.30 that At the last day they shall gather the Elect together from the foure windes Now therefore they must needes bee parts and members of the true Church that so they may minister to vs the more cheerefully and reioyce ouer vs the more affectionately and beare vs in their hands the more charily and gather vs together at the last day the more earnestly as knowing they doe it not as Seruants and slaues altogether for others but somwhat respectiuely for themselues for the aduancement oâ— the good of that body whereof themselues are members Vse 1 The vses are these First this teacheth vs the wonderfull Loue of God towards mankind In that he vouchsafeth and is pleased to associate and sort vs with the blessed company of heauenly Souldiers the holy Angels incorporating them and vs both together in one and the same mysticall body they are of a farre nobler stampe wee are of a baser yet God hath been pleased to ranke them and vs fellow members of the same Body What a wonderfull loue and fauour of God is this to vs Yea they neuer sinned we are defiled with many sinnes and much wickednesse yet such is Gods loue to vs that he hath been pleased to ranke vs sinfull men with sinlesse Angels Yea further whereas some of this noble company had sinned the Lord passed by them and let them perish and separated them for euer from their companions by nature and Creation and neuer receiued them to mercy againe whereas many of vs of this baser kind that haue sinned as well as they yet the Lord did not sort vs with our fellow-sinning Angels the damned Spirits but hath made vs fellowes with the sinlesse Angels the blessed Spirits and them with vs. Oh what wonderfull loue of our God is this to vs What thankefulnesse doth this require of vs What Care and endeauour must there be in vs to leade Angels liues in all holinesse purenesse and innocencie seeing the holy pure and innocent Angels are our fellowes and parts of â—he same body with vs The second Vse is for matter of comfort to as many of Vse 2 vs as bee of the Church for first though wee haue many Angels against vs that be our aduersaries yet we haue many for vs too that be our friends and fellowes and those that are against vs are damned and wretched Spirits those that are for vs are most holy and glorious in themselues and pretious and gracious in the sight of God Secondly here is comfort to vs in that they being fellow-members with vs they doe not carelesly or vnwillingly labour for vs but they affect our businesse thorowly and take our welfare soundly to heart as their owne and as feeling members of the same body they are very sensible of euery good thing that befalls vs and reioyce in it as much or rather more then we our selues knowing it will turne to their benefit they being members of the same body with vs. The third Vse shewes vs the disablenesse of the Angels Vse 3 in themselues to merit or effect their owne saluation they must be found in Christ their Head else there is no saluation for them If God looke vpon them with the pure eyes of his Iustice and behold them as they are in themselues they cannot stand Iob 4.18 He laid folly on his Angels meaning the good Angels they are not vpright in regard of Gods perfect iustice but when God beholds them in the face of Christ whose righteousnesse is as pure as the eyes of the Lord himselfe then they find fauour with him If so be then that they bee not able to merit their owne saluation but must be saued by Iesus Christ then consequently it is folly in men to repose any trust in themselues for their saluation or to pray to them or to worship them no inuocation or worship is due to theÌ„ no they vtterly disclaime it as robbery against God they being not Gods but Gods seruants and disparagement to our selues they being but fellow-seruants and members of the same body with vs Reuel 19.10 Vse 4 The last vse This may shew and set forth vnto vs the infinite worthinesse of the Merits of Christ that is not auaileable onely for Men but euen for the Angels in heauen also they are partakers of the same saluation But some will here except and say Obiect That Christ is not said in Scripture to be Mediator betwixt God and Angels but betwixt God and Man then why doe you say That he is their Mediatour too Answ I answer That it is true he is so vsually called in Scripture and the reason is First because that is the mediation that concernes vs most to know Secondly because the most sensible workes and offices of his mediatorship are most apparant in that reconciliation that was made for Man yet this hinders not but that hee may be a Mediator for the Angels too for it is no where denied in Scripture though the other onely be expressely affirmed The Case is thus Their estate differs from ours in many kinds and the mediation must bee answerable to the estate of the parties that are mediated for and therefore Christs mediation for them in some maine circumstances is diuers from ours too and it differs in two maine things first in the worke secondly in the meanes First in the worke There is not the same worke done for them as for vs as Redemption for they neuer fell and therefore need no Redeemer wee are fallen and therefore he is the Mediatour for vs he must redeeme vs else wee can haue no saluation Secondly it differs in the meanes for that is not the same for whereas some of the Angels fell as well as we that was but a personall fall onely chargeable on them that did fall but when Adam fell besides his personall sinne it was the common sinne of all mankind we being all wrapt in Adams loynes and therefore he that was to mediate for vs was to take our very nature on him and to be incarnate that so according to the course of Gods
saued by before the Flood and Noah in the Flood and Abraham before the Law and Dauid vnder the Law and the Apostles whilest Christ was on earth the same saith are we and all the faithfull saued by from Christs ascension till his returne to Iudgement And therefore that is a damnable doctrine that some hold that euery man shall bee saued by his owne Religion whatsoeuer it be if he bee zealous in it no diuers Religions make diuers Churches but there is but one Church to be saued and therefore but one Truth and Religion to be saued by Vse 2 Secondly Is the Church but one Then wee should labour to maintaine the onenesse of the Church to keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4.3 Beware of factions and diuisions either of making or following them for they are the very bane of this onenesse of the Church and take heed of pride and singularitie for that is the common Mother and Nurse of dissensions and rents in the Church and doe not receiue the Word with respect of persons as when one saith I am of Paul another I am of Apollos c. What is Paul and what is Apollos but Ministers by whom yee beleeue They teach one Faith they preach one and the same Christ crucified they haue receiued one and the same ministration therefore embrace them all as one Ministry of one and the same Church What if God bestow diuers gifts on diuers persons and one more excellent then another Wilt thou abuse Gods gifts to the making of rents and factions in the Church No thou must know that thou art bound to profit the more by him that hath more gifts and to glorifie God the more for them and not to dote vpon them and maintaine Sects by them for that is not the end why God giues them but it is the malice of the Diuell that doth thus abuse them to a wrong end Vse 3 Thirdly this reprooues the Papists for they make two Heads and consequently two Churches except they will make a monster of the Church to haue two Heads and but one body Yea but say they the Pope is the Head of the Church in earth I am sure hee is not Head of the Church in heauen and therefore not Head of the Church on earth for they make but one Church and therefore can haue but one Head Some of the Iesuites hauing been pressed with this Argument and not knowing how to answer it haue affirmed that the Pope is Head of the Church in heauen so grosse and blasphemous haue they been So the Turkes and the Iewes that erect Churches of their owne and haue no fellowship with this Church they are not the true Church nor haue any part in this onenesse of the Church and whatsoeuer they are that haue no part in this Church they are none of Gods Church but of the Synagogue of Satan Fourthly this teacheth that difference in matters of circumstance Vse 4 doe not cut off from the true Church but holding one Faith with them wee are still in the vnitie of one Church First difference of states doe not cut off from the true Church though some Churches are greater some smaller though some are in their cradle others in their full age some before Christ others after Christ some purer some impurer yea though some be in heauen triumphing other some in earth fighting yet all are but one Church all are the same Wheate threshed in the floore and laid vp in the Garner and the same Gold digged out of the Mine with some drosse and tried and fined by the fire Secondly difference of times doe not cut off from the true Church before the Law vnder the Law and after the Law the first and the last Churches all are one Thirdly nor the difference of Persons Iewes and Gentiles bond and free male and female poore and rich all are one in Christ Iesus Fourthly nor yet difference of place Ierusalem Antioch Corinth England France Denmarke yea Paradise Earth and Heauen all are but one Church Fifthly nor yet difference of Ceremonies some worshipping at one time and place some in one habit some in another so long as all worship in Spirit and Truth they are but one Church Sixthly no nor yet difference of iudgement in Points not absolutely fundamentall doe not cut off from the true Church so long as all hold Christ Iesus he is the head-corner-stone that knits them all together into one building So much of the onenesse of the Church it selfe The second Note or qualitie of the Church is That it is holy Wee will draw it into an obseruation as wee did the former and that is this Namely That the whole Company of the faithfull both in heauen and in earth are a holy Company and euery part and member thereof is holy 1. Pet. 2.9 They are called a holy nation and in the fift Verse a holy Priesthood And it is said of Ierusalem that it is a holy Citie not that in heauen onely Reuelat. 21.2 but that on earth too Math. 4.5 And in Ephes 5.27 the Church is said to be holy and without blame c. And hence it is that those which are parts and members of the Church are called Saints and Saints on earth as Psal 16.3 And so the whole Congregation is called the Congregation of Saints Psalm 89.5 And their Head and Ruler is the King of Saints and they are not holy in profession onely for so are hypocrites too that are no part of the true Church but they are holy indeede they are truly sanctified therefore the Apostle calls them holy brethren Heb. 3.1 And this Holinesse is partly imputed Heb. 10.10 We are sanctified by the offering of the body of Iesus Christ And Colos 1.21 21. And partly inherent 1. Thess 5.23 Now the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout c. this is begun here but not perfected till we haue put off this body of sinne Reas 1 The Reasons of this Point are these First God the Father being most holy himselfe he sanctifies his Church and euery member of it and so makes them holy this Christ praies for Ioh. 17.17 sanctifie them with thy truth c. Iude. 1. sanctified of God the Father c. and therefore they are holy Reas 2 Secondly Christ their Head is holy and he sanctifies and makes them holy 1. Cor. 1.2 sanctified in Christ Iesus and in the thirtieth verse he is said to be their sanctification And Eph. 5.25.26 Christ gaue himselfe for his Church that hee might sanctifie it Reas 3 Thirdly the Spirit whereby they are enliuened quickened and ruled is the holy Ghost and he sanctifies them and makes them holy 1. Cor. 6.11 but now yee are sanctified by the Spirit of our God and Rom. 15.16 Fourthly the Word whereby they are gathered and the Reas 4 seed whereby they are begotten is a holy Word 2. Pet. 2.21 It is called the holy Commandement
as vnto Christ Philem. 4.5 6. the Apostle giues thankes to God for the loue and faith which Philemon had towards the Lord Iesus and towards all Saints that which Philemon did to the poore Saints he did it with an eye to the Lord Iesus and the Religion they did professe Fourthly these duties are to bee done chiefly to those to whom wee are tyed by a further band besides that of faith and loue as first of all to our Teachers Gal. 6.6 We must make them partakers of all our goods It is an hiperbolicall speech noting that wee are especially bound to them Secondly Ministers to their fellow-Ministers are tied in a speciall band Gal. 2.9 Iames and Cephas and Iohn when they knew of the grace which was giuen vnto me saith the Apostle Paul they gaue vnto mee and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship So in the third place to those with whom we communicate in their goods and things Rom. 15.26 27. If the Gentiles be made partakers of their spirituall things their duty is to minister to them in their carnall things Fourthly to those that are in temptation or tribulation we must haue an especiall care to minister comfort vnto them Reuel 1.9 I Iohn euen your brother and companion in tribulation and in the Kingdome and patience of Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 1.7 As yee are partakers of the sufferings so shall yee be also of the consolation We must bee companions and partners with them in their sufferings Fifthly we must take heed we bring in no confusion as the Anabaptists that hold a community in possession but wee must hold it onely in vse for communitie in possession was free as we may see Acts 4.34 35. they sold their possessions and distributed to euery one according to their need and Acts 5.4 Whilest it remained appertained it not to thee saith Peter to Ananias and after it was sold was it not in thine owne power They made all things common that is in vse not in possession for it was their owne before they sold it and before they gaue it and they did it voluntarily not by constraint so that we must not bring in this communion of possession but of vse onely As for example a man hath a house now hee communicates the vse of this house to another but yet keepes the possession to himselfe Lastly this communion reacheth to the Saints in heauen too for no doubt they in generall pray for vs and wee in generall giue thankes for them the generall state of each requires this duty but in particular neither doe they pray for vs nor we giue thankes for them therefore hee that extends this further doth that which is preiudiciall both to their state and ours And so much for the proofes and opening of the Point The Reasons why there is such a communion are these first there are particular Reasons in respect of God secondly in respect of Christ thirdly in respect of the spirit fourthly in respect of the faithfull themselues and lastly there are Reasons in respect of the aduersaries to the faithfull First in respect of God the Reasons are these First that Gods worship and seruice may be the more soundly sufficiently and effectually performed to his greater glory and that is done when all the faithfull ioyne together to lift at it as with one shoulder as it is in Zeph. 3 9. for so the word Consent in that place doth signifie in the Originall and with one minde and mouth as the Apostle speakes Rom. 15.6 And this not onely in one particular place or assembly but generally in all places in all the assemblies of the Saints both here in England and also in France and Germany and all other places where the name of the Lord is called vpon for the faithfull in all places doe in effect and for substance the same duties to God it is fit that the worship of God should be soundly effectually and sufficiently performed Now that it may be thus performed there must be this communion amongst the faithfull The second particular Reason in respect of God is because God is the common Father to all the faithfull Matth. 6.9 And the faithfull they are all brethren Matth. 23.8 9. and therefore as brethren that haue one Father they are to hold and exercise this communion Secondly in respect of Christ and first as he is the head the faithfull they are the body or members Ephes 4.15 16. grow vp in him saith the Apostle which is the head that is Christ by whom all the body being coupled and knit together c. Now looke what communion there is betwixt the members that belong to one head the same is amongst the faithfull Secondly he is the head corner-stone and we are all liuing stones of the same building 1. Pet. 2.7 Now looke as the head corner-stone makes all the building hang fast together so we are fastened together in Christ Thirdly it is so because Christ hath prayed that it may be so Ioh. 17.20 21. that they may bee one as the Father and himselfe are one and therefore it cannot but be effected Thirdly it is so in respect of the Spirit we communicate in one and the same Spirit 1. Cor. 12.4 and 11.13 there are diuersities of gifts but the same Spirit And Vers 11. all these things worketh the selfe-same Spirit And Vers 13. For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body c. One and the same Spirit dwelleth and worketh in all the faithfull and this is one reason of their neere communion The Heathen accounted it a neere fellowship and friendship for one soule to bee in two bodies but this is a farre neerer communion then that this is a neerer communion then that of man and wife for they twaine are one flesh but these are all one Spirit For looke how it is betwixt vs and our Lord Iesus as wee are ioyned to him so proportionably are we ioyned one with another But we are one Spirit with him 1. Cor. 6.17 so we are onely one Spirit amongst our selues so that in respect of the Spirit the faithfull haue a mutuall communion amongst themselues The fourth Reason is in respect of the faithfull themselues and that in many respects first because of our necessities euery member of the Church hath need of euery grace but no one is capable of euery grace in himselfe at least not to receiue and distribute too and therefore there are many members and yet all in one body that euery one may haue their seuerall gifts one to receiue in one kind another to giue in another kind that so all our wants may be supplied Secondly in respect of the faithfull there is this communion in regard of their helpe that if one fall into sinne another may helpe him vp againe and that they may build vp one another in faith and obedience Thirdly it is needfull for the comfort and incouragement of one another in the worship and seruice
and to raigne ouer them and therefore he refused them to bee his Body therefore what direction soeuer Christ tenders vnto vs we must obey it and whatsoeuer is against the directions of Christ wee must defie them And secondly seeing Christ is our head therefore whatsoeuer life or direction wee haue in spirituall things wee must acknowledge the Fountaine of them that we haue them not of our selues but from him onely for of his fulnesse wee all receiue grace for grace Ioh. 1.16 and without him we are able to doe nothing Ioh. 15.5 and by him we are able to doe all things Phil. 4.13 Marke how sweetely these places agree together wee receiue all from him without him wee can doe nothing by him we are able to doe all things therefore whatsoeuer good things wee haue spirituall life or graces wee must receiue them thankfully embrace them sweetely vse them gratiously to the honor of thy head and the good comfort of thy selfe and thy fellow-members so likewise for vnprofitable members that dishonor our head wee should pray that our head Christ Iesus would either make them profitable or else cut them off and also that he would be pleased to purge from his body the noysome humours as sinne and superstition that so hee may haue a sound and a healthfull body Thirdly and lastly seeing Christ is our head therefore as he hath a gracious care for our safety so we should be as carefull to preserue and maintaine his honour and glory we should reioyce when we see his honor and glory aduanced and we should mourne and bee greeued when we see it opposed And so likewise we should bee affected with the good or harme of our fellow-members 1 Cor. 12.25 we should be carefull to bring one another to heauen and not bee carelesse whether they come thither or no. Vse 4 The last Vse is this hence wee haue a sufficient warrant that the Church of England is a true visible Church because Christ our head spirituall life and the Doctrine of Saluation is found truly in our Church But our aduersaries except against vs First say they you haue not Gods ordinances amongst you and therefore you haue not Christ to be your head We answer that they must shew vs out of Gods word that those are the ordinances of Christ which we want But say they you haue Antichrist to bee your head for you haue many things from him I answer we defy him as much as they do together with his doctrine wee defie his practises and courses if wee haue or vse any thing that he doth or hath vsed before vs first it is either no matter of substance but onely some passage or carriage or circumstance either in worship or gouernment or secondly they are such things as were vsed in purer time and Churches before Antichrist or thirdly it is of the best which that Church being in Apostacy that is hauing beene a Church and still pretending to continue the same hath reserued for still they haue some good things and professe some good truths Lastly at least it is throughly cleansed from their superstition and idolatry So that still we hauing Christ to be the head of our Church and his spirituall life and the Doctrine of saluation being found amongst vs and begetting spirituall life in many of vs we must needes bee a true visible Church And so much for this point The twelfth Lecture of the Church THe third point propounded to bee spoken of concerning the finding out of a true visible Church was touching the members of it for as I shewed you the Church being a body and that euery body consists of certaine members therefore if wee would exactly know the body we must know the members Now the members were taken either in a more generall sense including the head or else in a more strict and particular sense being considered as a diuerse thing from the head now because we would carry the matter fully before vs we tooke it in both those senses and hauing spoken of the members of the Church in the first sense where wee shewed that our Lord Iesus Christ was the head and the onely head of the true visible Church now we come to speake of the members of the Church in a more strict and particular sense being considered as a diuerse thing frō the head And thus considered the members are of three sorts First some are members by right onely and not by possession secondly some are members by possession not by right and thirdly some are members both by right and by possession First some are members of the visible Church by right onely not by possession for some members haue a good right in the body of the visible Church and the priuiledges thereunto belonging but yet are not actually possessed of them And of these there are diuers kindes irst generally all the elect of God liuing vpon the face of the earth that as yet are not called for the Church is theirs and the Word is theirs and the Sacraments are theirs and the Ministry is theirs the Lord specially intending his owne ordinances to the benefit of his chosen though indeed they themselues be notable so much as to know their own right in them much lesse are they able to reach forth their hands to claime it and enioy it yet because the Lord hath appointed them to be heires of saluation and therefore consequently hee hath appointed them a time in which hee will call them to the outward profession of the sauing faith therefore in respect of the purpose of God they are by right true members of the true visible Church though they be not as yet actually possessed of it And thus one and the same man may be at one and the same time a member of the Church malignant and Synagogue of Satan in his owne practice and profession and by right in respect of Gods purpose a true member of Christs true visible body This was the case of Saul who by his practice was of the malignant Church and persecuted the true Church of God and yet by right he was a member of the true Church of God Secondly those that are members of the true visible Church by right and not by possession are such as onely haue heard of Christ and of the Gospell and are endued with some little smatch of religion yet they are but entring into the Church onely their feet are in the Porch they are not yet come within the holy place they haue not yet receiued the Sacrament of Baptisme which is our admission into the visible Church so that after that time the Church doth acknowledge vs from thence forward to bee her children and wee acknowledge her to be our mother and so we are incorporated and become members of that body So then those that haue onely heard of Christ and of the Gospell and haue some little smatch of Religion they cannot iustly bee said to bee members by possession yet
is not made by themselues but by sureties and when they come to yeeres such sureties as are conscionable and likewise the Ministers call vpon them to consider and performe their promise made in baptisme so then first our Church admits none but such as make solemne protestation of faith and obedience And secondly whereas they alleage that wee let the wicked continue in our Church without separation whereas we should cut them off when we finde them to be hypocrites I answer wee doe separate as much as in vs lies for we labour to haue them separated from vs and also Answ 1 wee labour to separate our selues from them First wee labour their separation from vs desiring their remouall bewailing their wickednesse and our condition that liue in Mesech and Kedar and reprouing them for their sinnes and if that will not serue complayning against them to those that are in Authority that they may bee excommunicate and withall wee are instant with God by prayer to stirre up the hearts of such as are in Authority to execute his Ordinances vpon them wee doe what wee can to separate them from vs and it comes sometime to passe that many are so separated from vs but if they should not that indeed were the Churches sinne and a foule sinne too yet it destroyes not the true being of our Church Secondly Answ 2 if we cannot get them separated from vs yet wee separate our selues from them and that is the separation that the Scripture so much beates vpon in priuate persons as we are more conscionable so wee doe more separate from them from their wills affections and courses yea wee must separate as much as conueniently we may from their persons at least from their sinnes which for our parts wee are perswaded to bee the chiefe separation that the Scripture intends Yea but this is a secret separation say they vnder hand not openly knowne Nay this is a notorious and knowne separation For first it is ingenuously profest on our part to the mouing of their after-hatred and despight against vs wee disclayming them that are lewd swearing and prophane wretches and that openly not caring who know it and likewise it is knowne on their part they vpbraiding vs therefore very reproachfully with the names of Puritanes Precisions holy Brethren and such like because wee will not accompany with them if this bee not an holy and a plaine separation What is I maruell then the matter being so notorious that they are not ashamed to say that wee doe not separate from the wicked this therefore is an horrible slander Yea but say they yee should separate from them in the Assemblies from the Word and the Sacraments I answer rather the wicked should separate from vs in these things where the Assembly and businesse are naught in themselues as at Playhouses and such like there the good must separate but where the Assembly and businesse is good in themselues there the bad must separate and the reason is good for it is none of theirs and the good must tarry and be present for it is their owne right and it is sin to refuse Gods ordinances for the pollution of others 1 Sam. 2.17.24 Yea but say they Can your holines sanctifie them If not then your Congregations are prophane I answer No our holinesse sanctifies not them yet our holinesse being true in vs and openly professed and practised it shal be enough to make vs a true visible Church yea and an holy Congregation in Gods acceptation and in the charitable estimation of our Brethren Yea but say they their filthinesse defiles you and your holy things either really or at least by imputation I answer they defile these holy things to themselues indeed Numb 19.22 compared with Hag. 2.14 15. and Titus 1.15 but not to vs so long as by faith we receiue them neither can they defile vs so long as we communicate not with them in their sinnes no not so much as by imputation Galath 6.3.15 The fourth Vse Seeing wicked men and Reprobates Vse 4 may bee members of a true visible Church this may teach vs to bee wise as Serpents to try before we trust be not too credulous to belieue euery show of profession Our Sauiour saith Matth. 7.15 beware of false Prophets that come to you in sheepes cloathing but inwardly they are rauening Woolues c. And the Apostle Iohn 1 Ioh. 4.1 bids vs Beleeue not euery Sprit but try the Spirits whether they are of God or no. And for this end the gift of discerning of Spirits is giuen to the Church 1 Cor. 12.10 therefore let euery one of vs labour to bee wise in this kinde Vse 5 Lastly this teacheth vs that seeing Hypocrites and castawaies may bee members of a true visible Church wee must therefore take heed that wee bee not carried away with this common error that because wee are members of a true visible Church and haue beene baptized therefore wee shall certainely bee saued But take heed fift and examine and bee alwaies digging into thine owne heart for feare of hypocrisie for though thou makest a good profession as thou thinkest yet there is that corruption in thy heart which if it bee not ript vp before God dayly it will betray thee and preuaile against thee to fall away as many doe in these dayes Let vs take heed therefore as the Apostle doth admonish vs Heb. 3.12 That there bee not in any of vs at any time an euill heart and an vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God As great and as bright stars as thou art haue fallen from heauen therefore as the Apostle saith Let euery one that thinks he stands take heed lest hee fall not that he which doth stand can fall but hee that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall Try therefore and examine thy selfe daily fift hypocrisie out of thy heart that so as thou art a member of the Church by possession so by thy standing and continuing in the faith and the sincere profession thereof thou maist shew thy selfe to bee a member by right too And so much for this point that Reprobates and Castawaies may be and often are members of true visible Churches And so much likewise bee spoken of the members of the Church The thirteenth Lecture of the Church AFter that we had spoken of the definition of a true visible Church in the first place and in the second place of the causes of it wee came in the third place to speake of the members of it wherein wee handled such points as it pleased God to afford vnto vs. Now wee come in the fourth place to speake of the notes and markes whereby a visible Church is discerned to be a true Church of God Wee know that all Souldiers haue their Banners and colours vnder which they fight and so hath the Militant Church the Souldiers of Iesus Christ her Colours and Banner to fight vnder So likewise euery Corporation and Company haue
corrupt too if either we respect to whom they are made to Saints and not to God alone or for whom for the dead and not for the liuing onely or how not with vnderstanding for they are in an vnknowne tongue specially their publike prayers and so as good haue no prayers at all I haue entred a foule sinke and I must needs confesse that I can finde no bottome yet if this be not enough adde heereto these aggrauating circumstances these things which were somewhat in a more tolerable manner among them before be now much worse first by the Councell of Trent for whereas before that Councell they were but priuate opinions of some men now they are the Doctrine of the whole Church and are obtruded on all professors as necessary to saluation and they condemne all that are not of their iudgement yea there is now in them a deadly hatred against the contrary truth and the professors thereof and persecutions by fire and Sword Secondly the Iesuits the Popes chiefe Agents haue and doe vse dayly all cunning deuises and malicious practises to stretch these points to the furthest straine that so they may tyrannize in euery mans conscience And also to curse and to defy all nations and persons that will not drinke of this poysonous cup Thirdly it is too apparent that they doe willingly blind themselues and for gaine fauour feare ambition and the like they doe persist in these courses against their owne consciences that condemne these things in them for as it cannot be thought that so many grosse conceipts should be swallowed downe by men of excellent gifts and vnderstanding but that they must strayne at them so the experience of many that are of that Religion the sincerest and the soberest that haue beene most ledde by Scripture and haue beene freest from faction that haue renounced and disclaimed many of these abuses and freely confessed many contrary truthes that we hould makes it plaine that among so many at least some are otherwise perswaded then they pretend yea some haue confessed so much and yet still goe on in their old courses Secondly they are foulely corrupted in their ordinary manners I know euery Church failes specially in manners exceedingly but the corruptions in manners that are in the Church of Rome are extraordinary and in a manner heathenish secondly they are such as follow vpon their Doctrine and which themselues professe to be lawfull whereas it is not so with other Churches they doe not maintaine and professe their corruptions of manners to be lawfull the Church of Rome doth take a taste of these in their equiuocation and mentall reseruation ciuill honesty abhors and condemnes these they vse and iustifie the vse of them breaking faith and promise Nature denies it they affirme and defend it that with Heretiques faith is not to be kept disobedience to superiors and maintaining others therein with them is a familiar practise whoredome is but a small sinne and the stewes a tolerable euill treasons and murthers of Kings Princes and whole states are they sinnes with them No they are meritorious workes the actors of the mare canonized for Saints Let them or any for them shew me their matches in the world bee they Turkes Iewes or Pagans or any other state that is iustly chargeable with the defence and practise of so many villanies and then I will confesse I haue dealt iniuriously with them but if they can shew me none such let them confesse that whereas many states and kingdomes and Churches haue done wickedly yet the Church of Rome doth surmount them all and let them vaile bonnet and throw away their pride state malice wilfulnes and their diuelish practises and let them humble themselues and repent in sackcloth and ashes that if it be possible their horrible euils may be forgiuen them I omit to speake of those exquisite cruelties practised vpon the poore Indians euen by the Iesuits themselues as well as by the Spaniards Oh miserable state what a bloody gouernment and a bloody Religion too whereby they haue made the very name of Christian Religion to bee abhorred euen amongst the Heathen So much for the first branch of the obseruation that the Church of Rome is exceedingly vnsound and polluted with many foule errors c. Now let vs come to the second Branch of it which is the inference of the former that therefore it is not lawfull nor safe to communicate with her It is true that there is no Church but hath some vnsoundnesse in it eyther in Doctrine or in manners or both as there is no body but hath some infirmities and diseases in it But this Church of Rome is so vnsound that take it as it is this a day maintained by the Popish faction and there is no communion to bee had with them in their Doctrine and manners without certaine danger to their owne soules Wee will proceed in the proofe hereof according to the grounds before mentioned their Doctrine and their practise being both vnsound and corrupt we may communicate with them in neyther first Gods commandement shewes it for their Doctrine being otherwise then that which Paul taught as befere is shewed they must be held accursed Gal. 1.8 9. and shall we communicate with such in matters of God and of Saluation as wee must hold accursed as enemies thereto And in the 1 Tim. 6.3 5. there is an expresse separation inioyned If any teach otherwise and consentâ—th not to the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christ from such separate thy selfe Secondly they are wilfull in their errors and therefore are to bee shaken â—ff Titus 3.10.11 Reiect him that is an Heretique after once or twice admonition c. Thirdly their sinne being idolatrous therefore they and it are to bee fled from 1 Cor 10.14 slye from idolatry 1 Iohn 5.21 keepe your selues from Idols yea the place of their idolatrous worship is not to be resorted to Hosea 4.15 though Israel play the harlot yet let not Iudah sinne Come not ye to Gilgal neyther goe ye vp to Bethauen c. Nay those that are there must come forth from amongst them and touch none of their vncleane things Esay 48.20 and 52.11 Ier. 51.8 Goe ye out of Babel c and that not only out of the litterall Babel in the deliuerance but also out of the mysticall Babel the very subiect now in hand and that with a feareful dâ—nunciation of Iudgement Reuel 18.4 Goe out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins â—â— that ye receiue not of her plagues fourthly the wickedns of their liues being very great we are to withdraw our selues from them 2 Thes 3.6 which though it be not of it selfe sufficient to inforce a separation from 2 whole Church for there is more required to the forsaking of a whole Church then of some priuate men yet being added to the former it makes our separation from them very warrantable secondly the practise of the faithfull proues
to be diuorced and cut off as a filthy Strumpet The Popish plea for Images that they doe not worship the Image but God in and by the Image Answdred The heathen made images of the true God The resembâ—ing of the inuisible God in any made Image is flat Idolatry The Papists doe worship the Image The Popish distinction giuing the lesser honor to the Image the greater to God Answered Papists giue the greater worship to the bread in the Sacrament to the wooden crosse to the Image of God and Christ The fourth head of the errors of the church of Rome in Doctrine viz. concerning Iustification The difference betweene the Papists saying we are iustified by grace and the Apostles saying so The second thing wherein the church of Rome erreth viz. in maâ—ter of practice and this is twofold first in the carriage of Gods worship and this is shewed first in the generall Gods worship as it is carried by the popish faction is fitter for man yea for an Idoll then for the true and euâ—â—lâ—uing God First it is a caâ—â—all seruice â—ull of â—ites and Ceremonies And most agreeable to flesh and blood The Papists giue but the blood of the body for the sinne of the soule Naturall men had rather be scourged then vndertake the spirituall combate Secondly they haue a wil-worship for the most part of their owne deuising Thirdly they haue policy in their Religion for the maintenance of their outward state Secondly in the particular parts of it First in respect of the Word first it is obscured Secondly little or seldome preached amongst the Papists The people kept from the Word amoÌ„gst the Papists Secondly in respect of the Sacraments First in respect of the number of them and so those that Christ neuer ordained Secondly in respect of those which Christ did ordaine they are full of abominations as first Baptisme Secondly in the Lords supper in the very soâ— and heaâ—â— Thirdly in respect of their Discipline The Papists haue scarce any thing sound in their Discipline Fourthly in respect of their prayers they are corrupt first in that they are made to Saints and not to God alone secondly in that they are made in an vnknowne tongue Things are farre worse now in the popish church in diuers respects The second thing wherin the Church of Rome erres in matters of practise viz. in matter of manners The corruptions of the Church of Rome in matter of manners are in a manner heathnish and such as they maintaine to be lawfull Particular errors of the Papists maintained 1. equiuocation and mentall reseruation 2 disobedience to superiors 3. treasons and murthers of Kings and Princes No people or state in the world matcheth the Church of Rome with the defence and practise of so many villanies as she doth defend and practise Cruelties exercised by the Iesuits vpon the Indians The second branche of the Doctrine No communion to bee had with the Church of Rome without certaine danger of our soules Vses of both branches together No reconciliation to bee dreamed on betwixt Papists and vs. They will not yeeld to vs we must not yeeld to them Our separation from the Church of Rome iustified No Schisme to separate from the Church of Rome Except 1. Answ 1 Except 2. Answ What we are to thinke of such aâ— continule in the Church of Rome The second part of the distribution of the Westerne churches viz the Reformed Churches 1 Why they be called Reformed Churchches First of the causes of Reformation Secondly of the manner of reformation and herein 5. things The reason why these churches are called Protestant Churches These reformed churches are more or lesse reformed Churches accounted more reformed Churches accounted lesse reformed and therrein first of the Lutheran churches and herein of 3. things concerning them First of their difference in opinion The second thing concerning the Lutheran churches viz. the tumulâ—s and vnnaturall contentions raised betwixt vs and them The Lutherans more bitter against vs then against the Papists And heerein first what exceptions the Papists take against vs for them Answered diuersly SecoÌ„dly what vses we are to make of these differences The third thing concerning the Lutheran churches is what wee are to esteeme of them The second sort of Churches accounted reformed viz. our owne Church The Church of England if a true and sound Church too in some good measure The whole company of Professors in England make one nationall Church And this speech iustified by 3 reasons It is a true Church Reasons to proue it to be a sound visible Church in some good measure The Separatists exceptions Except 1â— Answ Except 2. Answ Aynsw 11. Aynsw 25.26 Except 1 Answ Except 2. Exept 3. Ob Answ Vse 1. for instruction diuersly We may safely communicate ioyne with the Church of England Motiues to moue to ioyne with our Church 2 things taught in this vse viz. Thankfulnes in two respects Third thing in this vse Second vse of reproofe Wherein two sorts of Aduersaries are reprooued 3. the Papists Our Church and religion is warranted against the Papists by prouing that our reliâ—ion is better then the religion of the Church of Rome which is proued by the callâ—ng out of six or seuen of the principall differences betweene them and vs. weighed by foure ballances The points which are weighed and wherby the triall is made are 1. weighed in the first ballance viz. Gods glory The second Instance weighed by the first Ballance The third Instance weighed by the first ballance The fourth Instance weighed by the same ballance The fifth Instance ballanced by the same rule The sixth instance tryed by the same rule The last instance tryed by the same rule The same things tryed in the second ballance viz. Gods Word The first instance tryed by the second rule The second instance tryed by the second rule The third instance tryed by the second rule The fourth instance tryed by the second â—ule The fift instance tryed by the second rule The sixth instance tryed by second â—rule The seuenth Instance tried by the second rule The same things tried in the third balâ— The fift instance tryed by the third rule The sixt instance tryed by the third rule The 7. instance tryed by the third rule The same things tryed by the fourth rule viz. comfort of conscience The first instance tryed by the fourth rule The second instance tryed by the fourth rule The third instance tryed by the fourth rule The fourth instance tryed by the fourth rule The fifth Instance tryed in the fourth rule The sixth instance tryed by the fourth rule The seuenth Instance tried by the fourth rule Secondly this vse is for reproofe of separatists their exceptions briefly answered 1. Except Your Church hath a false constitution Answ both consequence and antecedent be false What constitution signifieth The second exception that wee haue a false gouernment and therfore a false Church Answ both consequence and antecedent be false The third exception gainst our Seruice that wee haue a false Seruice Answ Fourthly against our stinted praieâ—s answered The fift exception against our Ministery that wee haue a false Ministery answered The sixth exception that wee haue a false people answered