Holy Word that she should first faithfully keep it and after that faithfully interpret it wherefore to say the Church hath falsified her trust in keeping Gods Word is in effect to say she is not trust-worthy to interpret it which is bring all Religion to doubts and uncertainties in the knowledge to schisms and divisions in the practice thereof For surely if the Lords own most holy prayer hath been so ill kept by the Church which in all ages hath been looked upon as the sum of the Gospel and as the plat-form or rather the ground-work of all true Religion then we must needs have but very little or no assurance concerning the rest of the Scriptures wherefore it concerns all Christian Divines in the first place to vindicate the Church of Christ concerning her faithful keeping of this Prayer which would have been altogether needless had not some Criticks of later years obtruded their own observations for various Lections and by that means not cleared the Text but puzzled it But let us ask them Are the unknown manuscrips or the known and received Copies of the Church to be taken for the Text If the former we trust private men and private spirits which God never entrusted with his word If the latter we have as unquestionable a Lords Prayer as if we had heard it immediately from his own mouth For we have it thus exactly delivered us by the Greek and the Latine Church in the undoubted Originals of Saint Matthews Gospel For the Greek Church let Saint Chrysost speak who hath so elegantly and so exactly expounded at this Doxology in his nineteenth Homily upon Saint Matthew plainly shewing the necessary connexion thereof to the last Petition of the Lords Prayer that it is evident he accounted it as a part of the Prayer though as no part of the Petitions for saith he Our Saviour having told us of that evil one which we were to fight against for so he expounds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deliver us from that evil one that is the devil thought fit to encourage us to the fight by telling us also of the King that would lead us to the battel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore he saith For thine is the Kingdom c. shewing that if the Kingdom be his we ought to fear no other but him for that the power is his to defend us and the glory is also his to reward us Thus in effect Saint Chrysoft upon the place so that t is a wonder to see Beza hath reckoned him among those Fathers who expounded the Lords Prayer of purpose and yet omitted these words in their Expositions for sure he omitted them not who expounded the Original Greek though Saint Cyprian and Saint Augustine and Saint Ambrose omitted them happily because they looked no further then the Latine translation which adds Amen at the end of libera nos a malo and takes no notice at all of the Doxology And yet Saint Ambrose lib. 6. de Sacram. cap. 5. asserting that our Prayers ought to begin and end with the praise of God after the example of the Lords own Prayer habes hoc in oratione Dominica c. doth in effect allow the Doxology to be the end of that Prayer since it is evident that Deliver us from evil is no matter of praise nay indeed he doth rather alledge it in sense though not in words in saying that the priest concludes with such a form of praise as is in truth no other then an exposition of this Doxology only applied to all three Persons of the blessed Trinity Per Dominum nostrum Jesum Christum in quo tibi est cum quo tibi est honor laus gloria magnificentia potestas cum Spiritu Sancto à seculis nunc semper in omnia secula seculorum But however if that be a good Argument why we should leave the Doxology or the conclusion out of the Lords Prayer in Saint Matth. because it is not in the Vulgar Latine it must be as good an argument why we should leave the introduction and the last petition out of the same Prayer in Saint Luke for there in the Latine translation is no mention of noster qui es in coelis nor of libera nos à malo whereas the Greek Text gives us that Prayer with its conclusion in Saint Matthew and the same Prayer not mangled but whole and entire though without its conclusion in Saint Luke and there is no greater reason but only some mens bold conjectures to say that the conclusion of that Prayer was added to the Greek Text in Saint Matthew then to say that the introduction and last Petition of it was added to the Greek Text in Saint Luke for both alike are left out of the Latine translation But though they have been both left out of the Bibles by the Latine translation yet we cannot say that either hath been left out of the Bibles by the Latine Church For the Greek copies of Saint Matthews Gospel this day agnized by the Latine Church are ready to depose the contrary all of them having the Doxology annexed to the Petitions as the conclusion to its premisses without any the least interruption and then at last adding ' A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at the end of the whole which is an invincible argument that the Latine Church received those words of the Doxology as an undoubted part of the Greek Text and therefore durst not leave them out of their Bibles though they found no footsteps at all of them in their own Latine translation Wherefore it is evident that this Prayer both in its Petitions and in its conclusion hath alwaies been received as an unquestionable part of Saint Matthews Gospel both by the Greek and the Latine Churches and consequently those men have disparaged the Church of Christ and disadvantaged the Christian Religion who have either commenced or continued either begun or maintained any quarrels against this most holy Prayer either in it self or in its use Nay in truth such men have disparaged and disadvantaged themselves for cavilling with that Prayer which so plainly teacheth them to say Our Father must needs be accounted an ill sign that they have received and a worse means that they may retain the adoption of Sons Surely Saint Cyprian who whipped those Sectaries with scourges that refused to communicate with Christs Church as not caring by their obedience to say Our mother would further have whipped them with scorpions had they refused to communicate with Christ himself as abhorring in their Prayers to say Our Father And doubless it may reasonably be demanded of us with what certainty of faith or satisfaction of conscience we do communicate with them in their Prayers who will not communicate with Christ in his Prayer And how we shall answer it to our Saviour when he shall come to be our Judge that we have indeed renounced his Prayer and have given occasion to sober men to fear that we have also
life which thou hast given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ I doubt not but the Church might for her liberty have changed more of those Collects then she thought fit to change but infinitely bless God that she valued her Christian charity above her Christian liberty so that she hath never at all changed but for the better not desiring to depart from other Christians but only to come nearer to our Saviour Christ And truly when the Contest was once broached between the Church and the Scriptures in point of authority the most unhappy Contest that ever was broached among Christians for some Church men by laying aside the Authority of Christ did in effect teach other men to lay aside the authority of the Church I say when this unhappy Contest was once broached between the Church and the Scriptures in point of Authority it was high time for our Church to cleave to the Scriptures that she might profess her desire and intention of remaining truly Christian wherein she did but follow Saint Peters own example saying Lord to whom shall we go Thou hast the words of eternal life John 6 68. For surely our blessed Saviour did not bring down with him the words of eternal life to carry them back again to heaven but to leave them here on Earth and where hath he left them if not in the holy Scriptures Wherefore since Christ himself alledged the Scriptures to confirme the Apostles in their faith who yet believed because they had seen him with their their own eyes John 20. 29 How shall any Christian Church deny the People to read the Scripture c. and not hinder the confimation of their faith in Christ For when the Church hath done all that she can to make true believers she must confess that their faith doth not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God 1 Cor. 2. 5. and that the word of God is the chiefest instrument of his Power according to that of the holy Apostle For the word of God is quick and powerfull and sharper then any two edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. In which words the Spirit of God setteth forth the excellency of the word of God from its nature and from its effects from its nature that it is quick and powerfull neither a dull nor a dead letter but quick in motion and powerfull in operation from its effects that it pierceth that it devideth that it discerneth the thoughts and intents of the Heart Piercing the thoughts by entring into the botom of our hearts to make us sound and sincere Christians against Hypocrisie Dividing the thoughts by separating good from evil Truth from falshood in our Religion to make us Orthodox Christians against Heresie and discerning the thoughts by shewing us the first truth and the chiefest good in our religion to make us firm and constant Christians against Apostasie For that man never yet discovered Christ in his Religion who could be perswaded to fall away from it He was at the best but a divider of the truth from falshood He was not a Discerner of the first Truth in that Truth which he professed for then he would have been immovable in his Profession Wherefore if you would indeed perswade or rather tempt me for t is properly a temptation which induceth to evil to leave the Scriptures that I may cleave to the Church you must first be able to shew so much in behalf of the Church as is here said in behalf of the Scriptures or you were as good perswade and tempt me to quit my reason that I may get Religion or to cease to be a man that I may begin to be a Christian SECT II. The Apparition to above five hundered at once cleared And Christ considered in his Instructions before he ascended That these Instructions are more particularly to be observed as more directly conducing to the Constitution and the Conservation of his Church Those Instructions briefly explained as they are set down Mat. 28. 19 20. THE proper work of a Christian is to consider and contemplate his Saviour Christ in all his sayings and in all his doings for never any speak like him who was the eternal word of God never any did like him who was the eternal son of God but more particularly in those which come neerest his Ascention for all those his sayings and doings do more immediately and directly concern the Constitution and the conservation of his Church it pleasing the blessed Redeemer and lover of Souls to give his special directions and instructions to his holy Apostles when he was even now to be taken away from them that so he might leave behind him in their minds the stronger impressions of his all-saving Truth and the greater assurance and perswasions of his everlasting love Wherefore though no one word that ever our blessed Saviour was pleased to speak either concerning his love towards us or our duty towards him should be let fall to the ground without our observation because he was so much our friend yet the words that he spake last of all should most diligently be received most carefully retained and most conscionally regarded because they were the words not only of a loving but also of a parting friend and by consequent such words as should both represent him and comfort us during his absence though never so long and keep him in our remembrance till his coming again when he will undoubtedly exact a severe account both of the Ministers of the people how they have observed those words For this cause though our blessed Saviour did after the day of his Resurrection make five more apparitions before his Ascension as that after eight dayes when S. Thomas was now with the rest of the Apostles Joh. 20. 26. And that to his Disciples who went a fishing Joh. 21. 4. And that to his eleven disciples on the mountain in Galilee Mat. 28. 16. And those two spoken of by S. Paul which are not at all mentioned by the Evangelists the one to above five hundred brethren at once the other to S. James alone 1 Cor. 15. 6 7. Yet I will omit all these because the words he spake to his Apostles were spoken on the very day of his Resurrection as well as at the time of his Ascension Only I cannot but wish that Beza had spared his Criticism upon S. Pauls words 1 Cor. 15. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod si vero scriptum erat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Quinquaginta Non certè mirum est quingentos hic fratres commemorari quum postea coacto universo coetu numerentur duntaxat centum viginti Act. 1. 15. What if it were at first written by the numeral letter◠which signifies fifty and that fifty come after to be made five hundred for we see that all the
in the name of the Lord Jesus shall we think that the Apostles did recede from that form of Baptism which had been given them by Christ himself Saint Ambrose lib. 2. de Sacram. c. 7. seems to affirm there is no need of that when he saith In uno nomine baptizari nos oportet hoc est in nomine Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti c. We must be baptized in one name that is In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost which is but one name because but one substance but one Divinity but one Majesty and saith moreover that name is the name whereby we must be saved which we are sure is the name of the Lord Jesus Acts 4. 12. So that if we admit of this Gloss Baptizing in the name of the Lord Jesus is all one with Baptizing in the name of the blessed Trinity which being undivided in nature cannot well be divided in name But Aquinas seems to be of another opinion 3a par qu. 66. art 6. ad 1. Dicendum quod ex speciali Christi revelatione Apostoli in primitiva Ecclesia in nomine Christi baptizabant ut nomen Christi quod erat odiosum Judaeis Gentilibus honorabile redderetur per hoc quod ad ejus invocationem Spiritus Sanctus dabatur in baptismo We must say that the Apostles by some special revelation did for a while at first baptize only in the name of Christ because the name of Christ was odious both to Jews and Gentiles and this was a way to make it honourable in the esteem of both when by the invocation of that name they saw the Holy Ghost given in Baptism But this opinion may the better be deserted 1. Because the words upon which it is grounded require it not 2. Because no such special revelation can be proved and it is not safe to allow of special hidden Revelations against the known general revelation of the Text. 3. Because the Apostles by baptizing in the name of Christ could glorifie him only amongst unbelievers whereas in so doing they might dishonour him amongst Believers by receding from his Institution 4. Because the Holy Ghost was not given in Baptism after so publick a manner as to be taken notice of by standers by 5. Because Aquinas himself is so positive for baptizing explicitly in the name of the Holy Trinity that he avoweth there can be no true Baptism without it For these and the like reasons it may happily not be amiss to give another Interpretation of those words then Aquinas hath given though not so exactly to the letter and to say They were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus is all one in effect as if it had been said That they were baptized by his Authority and according to his institution or that they were baptized into his death and resurrection giving up themselves wholly to him or that they were baptized with a special invocation of his name not in the very act of baptizing for then was invocated the name of the Trinity but before and after it because in Baptism was made a special application of his merits unto them for the remission of sins This was the reason that the name of Christ was specially then invocated because the righeousness of Christ was then specially applyed as appears by that advice of Ananias to Saul Acts 22. 16. Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling on the name of the Lord that is on the name of the Lord Christ who instituted Baptism for the remission of sins and was to be called upon to bless his own institution So that to baptize in the name of the Lord Jesus may happily import no more then to baptize with a peculiar invocation of his name not altering the form but shewing the end of Baptism which was to ingraft the baptized into the mystical body of Christ However this phrase of being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus doth clearly evince that Christ is peculiarly communicated in Baptism for to suppose the name without the thing is little less then to take the name in vain And this is ground enough why good Christians should desire to have their children baptized and too much why any should delay and which is far worse deny the baptism of infants for such men do what they can to hinder Christ from being communicated to those infants to whom they deny baptism wherefore as that promise which was made particularly to Joshua I will not leave thee nor forsake thee Jos 1. 5. is applyed generally by Saint Paul to all good Christians Heb. 13. 5. upon this ground that God is the same in all ages to all that alike fear and serve him So doth our Church after Saint Pauls example and in his faith rightly infer that the same good will which our blessed Saviour declared by embracing and blessing those little children which were brought to him Mar. 10. belongs alike to all children born within the Covenant of grace for God is alwaies mindful of his Covenant and promise that he made to a thousand generations even the Covenant that he made with Abraham Psal 105. 8 9. and that Covenant was in these words I will be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee Gen. 17. 7. so that it is a plain case the Church promiseth no more for God then God hath promised for himself who we are sure neither can nor will fail his promise And therefore since the Church can truly say in the assurance of faith That our heavenly Father alloweth this charitable work of ours in bringing children to his holy Baptism who can deny the truth of this saying but out of infidelity who can deny the doing of this charitable work but out of uncharitableness Such an infidelity and such an uncharitableness as to provoke the wrath and indignation of the eternal Son of God against his own soul for so saith the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when Jesus saw it he was displeased even to wrath and indignation indignatus est saith Beza indignè tuit saith the Vulgar Doubtless he that for this indeliberate and inconsiderate uncharitableness shewed indignation against his Disciples will for a greater uncharitableness then this such as proceeds from deliberation and resolution pour out indignation upon his enemies SECT III. That Christ is more peculiarly communicated to some Christians by the Spirit of Adoption whereby they cry Abba Father calling upon God with greater earnestness confidence and comfort then did the Jews and yet they also had the Spirit of Adoption though not in the same degree as well as Christians IT is not to be doubted but that our Saviour Christ is generally communicated unto Christians in the Holy Eucharist as well as in Baptism and that he is also communicated in his word no less then in his Sacraments But because the men of this our age pretend wholly to be spiritual I will not to
be the Spirit of God dwell in you and if any man have not the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. The Spirit of God and the Spirit of Christ are one and the same Spirit for Christ is God And it were also to deny the greatest and chiefest comfort of Christianity which is this That the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in us to revive our souls now from the death of sin to revive our bodies hereafter from the death of the grave the Apostle plainly attributeth thr Resurrection of the soul from sin and of the body from death only to the dwelling of Christs Spirit in us Rom. 8. 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is life because of righeeousness there 's the resurrection of the soul from sin and again ver 11. If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his spirit that dwelleth in you There 's the resurrection of the body from death And this is also from the Spirit that dwelleth in us as well as the other the Spirit of Christ raiseth the soul from sin the Spirit of Christ raiseth the body from death so that to deny the Holy Ghost to be the Spirit of Christ is to deny both our Regeneration and our Resurrection Wherefore this being of so dangerous a consequence The Master of the sentences would not impute this Tenent to the Greek Church as if they denyed the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son though they would not say in their Creed I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth from the Father and the Son but only who proceedeth from the Father who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified But he saith plainly that the Greek Church did agree with the Latine Church concerning that Article of Faith in sense though not in words Sensu nobis conveniunt dum aiunt Spiritum Sanctum esse Patris Filii They agree with us in the sense whilst they say that the Holy Ghost is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son only we speak a little more plainly saying who proceedeth from the Father and the Son nor are we to be blamed saith he for adding to the Creed much less to be anathematized because our addition is not of a contrary assertion but of a necessary interpretation Nos enim non praedicamus contrarium sed addimus quod deerat ideoque non subjecti anathemati Lomb. 1. Sent. Dist 11. He is more careful to justifie his own Church for adding to the Creed then to condemn the Greek Church for not allowing that addition But his Scholars are not so moderate for Aquinas taxes Damascene of Nestorianism in the case and saith he was carried away with the Schism of the Greeks Damascenus sequitur errorem Nestorii Quod Sp. S. non procedit à Filio quia fuit tempore quo incepit illud Schisma Graecorum Aqu. 3. par qu. 36. art 2. ad 3. And Bonaventure is yet much mor fierce when he saith that the Greek Church denyed this article out of ignorance pride and perverseness Graecos negâsse hunc articulum ex ignorantiâ superbiâ pertinaciâ Bonav in lib. 1. sent dist 11. Three unmerciful words from a Church-mans mouth against a whole Church and surely altogether underserved For the Greek Church always acknowledged the Holy Ghost to be consubstantial with the Son as well as with the Father as appears by the Confession of Faith exhibited by Charisius in the Council of Ephesus in the sixth Action 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit of truth the comforter being of the same essence or substance with the Father and the Son which plainly shews the Greek Church did not deny the article though they were loth to change their Creed wherein they found it was thus expressed Who proceedeth from the Father no mention at all made of the Son For this is their own profession in the Council of Florence in the 25. Session 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have our Creed from seven general Councils and weneither add thereto nor take therefrom And t is evident that the Latine Church it self did a long time demurr about this addition of Filioque to the Greek Creeds Nay Leo the third did strongly oppose it and that not only Papally in his Chair but also Episcopally in his Chancel for he did absolutely refuse this addition when he was thereto intreated by Charles the great and did set up the Creed over the Altar at Rome without it nor did Filioque get into the Article till the time of Benedict the seventh saith Binius in Syn. Constant which was above nine hundred and fifty years after Christ and about six hundred years after the divulging of that Creed But without doubt the Addition it self is to be justified for it was not Additio corrumpentium Symbolum sed perficientium as saith Bonaventure not an addition to corrupt the Creed but to perfect it or rather an explication not an addition as Bellarmine seems to distinguish Explicatio Doctrine non additio contrarii but the manner of maintaining it seems altogether unjustifiable For those of the Latine Church shewed little temper and as little charity in rejecting the Greek Church for hereticks which was trampled on enough by Turks and needed not Christians to help tread it more under foot for not admitting the same addition meerly because they thought themselves under the curse which the Latines are willing to put off by a distinction if they should recede but one tittle or syllable from the language of their own Creeds But this it seems was the fault of the Greek Church which hath been ever since accounted damnable Schism in all other Churches they could not swallow much less digest that crude position Ad summum Pontificem pertinet fidei Symbolum ordinare It belongs to the Pope to order and dispose of the Creeds A position so unreasonable that Aquinas himself the greatest Master of reason among all the Schoolmen is fain to fly to Gratians decree to fetch a proof for it and that proof depends altogether upon the Authority of some few Popes who were very partial Judges in their own cause This is clear that the objection about Athanasius his Creed doth so puzzle him that he is fain in effect to say his Creed is no Creed because he cannot find the Popes hand was in the making of it Athanasius non composuit manifestationem fidei per modum Symboli sed per modum cuiusdam Doctrin◠Athanasius did not set out this manifestation of the faith as a Creed but as a Doctrinal institution notwithstanding the very title of it in Greek is the same which is prefixed to the Apostles Creed and the Latine Church calleth it Symbolum Athanasii unto this day It is not suitable with my purpose and much less with my desire
to examine the other exigencies which this excellent Divine is put to that he may gratifie his Church by seeking to make good this Tenent but sure other Churches look upon it as an invasion of their Christian liberty and as a Doctrine which cannot pretend to Christian verity or antiquity though it may fondly pretend to some external unity T is certain the Greek Church took it for a Novelty and therefore would not admit this position as a dispensation from the Anathemas denounced by the two Councils of Ephesus and Chalcedon against such as should presume to alter the former Creeds And yet in truth the alteration was more in word then in sense and the Greek Church had the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son in their Faith though not in their Creed And this appears plainly by Simeon the Metaphrast who lived about the year eight hundred and fifty after Christ neer the same time with Walefridus Strabo yet useth these words in the Greek Menology on October 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My Lord Christ is Ascended into heaven and returned to his Fathers throne and from thence hath sent down the Holy Spirit which proceedeth from himself upon his Disciples He saith in his Faith the Spirit proceeded from the Son though neither he nor any of his Church would change their Creed to say so And upon this ground the Western Churches may still retain the use of Athanasius his Creed in their Liturgies notwithstanding the addition of Filioque without cutting off the Greek Church from the hope of salvation though they allow not that addition because the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son is also in their Faith according to the sense though not according to the words of the Article And to speak the plain truth in this controversie concerning the procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son as well as from the Father the animosity was greater betwixt the Greek and Latine Church then the disagreement the quarrel larger then the difference And thus much Scotus ingenuously confesseth in these words Sed forte si duo sapientes unus Graecus aâ—ter Latinus uterque verus amator veritatis non propriae dictionis de hac visa contrarietate disquirerent pateret utique tandem ipsam contrarietatem non esse veraciter realem sicut est vocalis Alioquin vel ipsi Graeci vel nos Latini sumus verè haeretici Sed quis audet Johannem Damascenum Basilium Gregorium Theologum Nazianzenum Cyrillum similes patres Graecos arguere haereseos Quis iterum argueret haereseos B. Hieronymum Augustinum Aâ—ibrosium Hilarium consimiles Latinos Verisimile igitur est quod non subest dictis verbis contrariis contrariorum Sanctorum sententia discors Scotus in 1. Sent. dist 11 qu. 1. But happily if two wise men the one of the Greek the other of the Latine Church did enquire concerning this seeming contrariety and both of them would prefer the truth above their own words or expressions they might in time find that this is but a verbal not a real controversie For if it be real either the Greeks or the Latines must needs be hereticks But who shall dare to accuse Damascene or Basil or Gregory the Divine or Gregory Nazianzene or Cyril and the rest of the Greek Fathers of heresie Again who dares take Saint Hierom Saint Augustine Saint Ambrose Saint Hilary and the rest of the Latine Fathers for hereticks It is therefore most probable that in these contrary expressions was no contrary sense but they both meant one and the same truth concerning the procession of the Holy Ghost Thus far Scotus and indeed no less appears in the Council of Florence where from the twentyeth Session to the twenty fifth exclusively is a long disputation betwixt Johannes Provincialis for the Latine Church and Marcus Ephesius for the Greek Church And the Ephesian professing that the Spirit did proceed from the Father by the Son the Provincial confesseth it was in effect the same as from the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That by is here as much as from saith Johannes Concil Flor. Sessione 24. For the Father begetting and the Son begotten and the Holy Ghost proceeding being all confessedly coequal and coeternal whether it be said the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son or from the Father by the Son the Doctrine of the blessed Trinity is uncorrupt and inviolable for the three distinct persons with their three distinct properties are believed in one God none afore or after none greater or lesser then other In personis proprietas in essentia unitas in Majestate aequalitas property in the persons unity in the essence equality in the Majesty of the Godhead being no less acknowledged and believed by the Greek then by the Latine Fathers which is the short confession of the Doctrine of the blessed Trinity For it is manifest that the Greeks who denyed not the Son to be consubstantial with the Father could not exclude him in the procession of the Holy Ghost Wherefore we must needs reject that harsh and heavy doom which Bellarmine hath left upon record against the Grecians Ac ut intelligant causam exitii sui esse pertinaciam in errore de processione Sp. S. in ipsis â—eriis Sp. S. capta fuit Constantinopolis à Turmay understand the cause of their destruction to be their pertinacy in their error concerning the procession of the Holy Ghost in the very Festival of the Holy Ghost that is at Whitsontide was Constantinople their cheif City taken by the Turks This he thinks he hath sufficiently proved but the learned Scaliger thinks no man can sufficiently prove and laments this Queen Regent of the East in these words ut cujus calamitas ignorari non potest dies calamitatis ignoretur And though he incline to their opinion who said that City was besieged the morrow after Easter and taken upon the day of Pentecost yet he concludes it dangerous to determine so much Sed periculosum est haec definire De anno quidem non dubito fuisse 1452. sed de mense delibero utrum sc mense Maii an mense Aprilis capta fuerit Scal. lib. 5. de emend temp He dares not define the month whether it were in April or in May and sure Whitsontide cannot fall in April much less the week or the day he sayes t is dangerous to assert it was taken in Whitsontide but sure it is dangerous to assert it with so much uncharitableness against a whole Church whose ruine should be thought on with pitty not with insolency However though the assertion it self be true yet the argument is fitter for a Souldier then for a Divine to appeal to the success of the sword for the justification of the cause and will much better advance Turcism which hath full six parts then Christianity which in all the several professions of it hath but five parts of thirty in the known habitable world
69. super Cantic Si sensero aperiri mihi sensum ut intelligâ—m Scripturas aut uberiores desursum influere animo meditationum imbres non ambigo sponsum adesse Verbi siquidem hae copiae sunt de plenitudine ejus ista accipimus If I perceive my understanding opened to understand the Scripture or the influence and distillation of heavenly meditations upon my soul I cannot doubt but the Bridegroom is at hand for these are the armies that the word doth march withall and it is from his fulness that my soul is thus filled The second proof of our communion with Christ is this that we continue and abide in his love and this is a consequent of the former as it is said ver 10. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love No keeping of his commandments no abiding in his love Wherefore the Solifidian is in a dangerous condition who seeks not to joyn obedience to his faith For he abides not in the love of Christ and how then can he expect that Christ should interpose his death and passion betwixt the judgement of God and his sinful soul since that interposition is clearly the greatest effect that can be of Christs love Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friends John 15. 13. Our blessed Saviour dyed for his enemies but none shall have the benefit of his death in the day of Judgement but only his friends and none are his friends but they that abide in his love and none abide in his love but they that keep his commandments if not by their righteousness yet at least by their repentance The third proof of our communion with Christ is this that his joy remaineth in us ver 11. These things have I spoken unto you sc the things that belong to your abiding in me that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full Lord what a mercy is it that thy joy doth come unto us much more that it doth remain in us And from whence coâ—â—â—h thy joy but from the testimony of thy Holy Spirit that thou hast reconciled us unto the Father and from the testimony of our own consciences that we do not abide in any sin to hinder the comfort and hazard the fruit of that reconciliation This is the very joy of the Holy Ghost a joy not heard of but amongst Christian a joy not found but amongst good Christians who have the Spirit of Christ witnessing with their spirits that they are the children of God and if children then heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ if so be that they suffer with him that they may be also glorified together Rom. 8. 16 17. T is not all the losses of the earth can discourage those who are the heirs of heaven t is not all the sufferings of this world can dismay those who have the joy of the next world because they know they can be losers and sufferers only for a time but they are sure they shall have gain and glory for ever SECT II. That our communion with Christ is as our participation of Christ exteral or internal The one may be the communion of hypocrites the other only of good Christians The way to be a good Christian in a bad Church NO man can hope to be wise without wisdom righteous without righteousness holy without holiness true without truth or to see without light or to live without life And therefore no man can hope to be wise righteous holy true or to see or to live without Christ for he of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. and he alone is the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world John 1. 9. and he alone is the truth and the life John 14. 6. Therefore we must have Communion with him or we cannot have wisdom righteousness sanctification truth light or life from him But how can we have communion with Christ since He is in heaven and we are on earth I answer as we can partake of him so we can communicate with him For participation and communion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are in Saint Pauls language equipollent one and the same thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quae participatio quae communio are set down as terms convertible 2 Cor. 6. 14. So far therefore as we participate of Christ so far forth we communicate with Christ If we participate of him only externally whether in his Word or in his Sacraments we communicate with him only externally If we participate of him internally we communicate also with him internally according to that excellent determination of that irrefragable Doctor upon this question An mali pertineant ad unionem capitis cum corpore Ecclesiae whether wicked men belong to that Union of the Church wherein Christ as head is united with the body which question he determines in the negative saying thus Mali quidem sunt in unitate Ecclesiae dummodo habent fidem rectam ut zizania cum tritico Mat. 13. sed non sunt in unitate corporis Ecclesiae sunt ergo de Ecclesia sed non de corpore Ecclesiae nam ut in corpore humano est unio membrorum duplex sc materialis per nervos formalis per vitam sic in corpore Ecclesiae est duplex unio membrorum una quasi materialis quae est per fidem alia formalis quae est per charitatem Alâ—n. par 3. qu. 12. m. 2. ar 3. Wicked men are in the Unity of the Church as long as they profess the true faith as the tares are with the wheat Mat. 13. But they are not in the unity of the body of the Church therefore they are of the Church but not of the body of the Church For as in the body of a man there is a twofold Union of the members to wit a material union by nerves ligaments and a formal union by spirit and life so in the body of the Church there is a twofold union of the members the one as it were a material union in the outward profession of the same Christian Faith the other a formal union in the inward affection and love of that Faith which they profess And hence is that distinction of Aquinas for Stapleton and the later writers have it from him Quidam sunt de Ecclesiae numero tantum quidam merito numero Some men are members of the Christian Church only in their number or in their persons some also in their merit or in their Dispositions some men partake of the Word and Sacraments only with their ears and with their mouths but others partake of them also with their hearts as it is said of the blessed Virgin-mother She kept all these sayings in her heart Luke 2. 51. the one we may say are Christs external the other his internal communicants And the Apostle in the same place useth three other
the Jews in their own Moral Law whilst we establish not our own righteousness but submit our selves to the rightâ—â—usness of God acknowledging that Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10. 4. but by no means for unrighteousness that is for the acceptance of our obedience but not for the abolition of it Thus we Christians still keep communion with the Jews in all Moral duties and as for Ceremonials the Jews themselves cannot deny but they are bound to alter their own communion For the abolition of all ceremonial or typical worship was foretold to them even at the first institution of it by Moses himself saying And the Lord said I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name I will require it of him Deut. 18. 18 19. And as this abolition of the Ceremonial worship was foretold to the Jews at the first institution so was it also believed by them at the first reception thereof For hence alone was it that they found no fault with their Prophets after Moses though they found them dispensing with the Law of Moses nay plainly acting against it in the exercise of their typical or ceremonial worship as for example neither they of Hierusalem nor of Samaria quarrelled with Eliah for gathering Israel together to offer sacrifice upon Mount Carmel 1 King 18. 19. Though Moses had flatly commanded That all should bring their offerings to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation Levit. 17. 2 3 4. Here it is plain the Ceremonial worship was changed without any quarrel at all in that backsliding and therefore quarrelsome and contentious age of the Church of the Jews which could scarce have been had they not received that same worship with some belief of its future change and had not their Prophets confirmed them in that belief foreshewing as it were by particular changes introduced by them the universal change that should one day be introduced by the Messiah their last and greatest Prophet And this general change wrought by our Saviour Christ is so proved to us Christians that we cannot so much as doubt it and much less deny it For those very words of Moses that foreshewed the change A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall you hear in all things are quoted by Saint Peter as fulfilled in Christ Acts 3. 22. And again he saith v. 24. That all the Prophets from Samuel and those that follow after which words justifie the Jews division of the Prophets into the former and latter Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and put the latter Prophets in as good credit as the former against the Samaritanes and as many have spoken have likewise foretold of these dayes All the Prophets like so many lines from the circumference in the centre meet together in Christ so that the written word of God not only is the undoubted and therefore should be the undeniable ground of all Religion but also of the very Christian Religion nor may we endeavour to prove the establishment of the Christian Religion by unwritten Traditions no more then the Apostles did prove the change of the Jewish Religion by them They alledged the written word for the introduction we for the establishment of our Christian Religion The old Testament so exactly agreeing with the new and both old and new so exactly agreeing and corresponding in Christ that there can be no doubt left of the truth of Christianity Hence Saint Paul will have us make so sure of our Religion that though an Angel from heaven should preach another Gospel we should not be ready to believe but to accurse him Gal. 1 8. And Saint John saith the same in effect If there come any to you and bring not this doctrine sc that whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God receive him not into your house neither bid him God speed 2 John 9 10. Si quis venit ad vos If any come unto you t is all one whether the substantive be an Angel or a man for that divinity was not yet in fashion Si Papa erraret praecipiendo vitia vel prohibendo virtutes teneretur Ecclesia credere vitia esse bona virtutes malas nisi velit contra conscientiam peccare Bellar. lib. 4. de Pontif. cap. 5. That if the Pope should err by commanding sins and forbidding vertues The Church were bound to believe that sins were good and vertues were evil unless she would sin against her conscience Op. Ac ne forte contra conscientiam agat tenetur credere bonum esse quod ille praecipit malum quod ille prohibet And least the Church should do any thing against her conscience she is bound to believe that to be good which the Pope commandeth and that to be evil which he forbiddeth A strange assertion as if God had put all his Divine Truths whether speculative or practical for if the one the other also under the possibility of mans lawfull contradiction and all our consciences under the power of his controul nor is there any remedy for this mischeivous consequence by translating this pretended Infallibility from his person to his chair nor from his chair to his Church for we may justly suppose or rather must necessarily believe that Saint Johns words are as well to be understood and interpreted of a whole Church as of single man since there is the same reason of both for a Church is but a congregation of men and false doctrine hath no less of falsity though it hath less of excuse in a Church then in any particular man But we must more then believe this Truth if it be possible That the Gospel is to sway our faith above and against all authorities to the contrary whatsoever by the force of Saint Pauls reason For if not the authority of the Church triumphant then surely not of the Church militant may be allowed to weaken our faith in the doctrine or in the Gospel of Christ If not an Angel from heaven then sure not a man upon the earth And great pity it is but greater shame that the faction and humour of some men should endeavour to shake not only the dictates of nature in putting vertue and vice under mans determination but also the very foundation of supernatural Truth the written Word of God thereby thinking the more to establish the pillar of supernatural truth the Church of God whereas indeed they do the more shake that too For we are all most sure that the Scriptures came incorrupt from the mouth of God and therefore if there be now any corruptions in them they are of mans not of Gods creating And
t is plain that the New Testament was not only before their eyes but also within their hearts for they proved all their several Doctrines out of it particularly this position that Christ is God by the union of the manhood with the God-head they proved 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the Apostle Saint Pauls writings among which is also reckoned up the Epistle to the Hebrews 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the Epistles general of Saint Peter Saint John Saint Jude 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of the Gospels peculiarly so called Concil Ephes par 1. And t is most evident that the Doctrines delivered by the four first general Councils in their Creeds are all plainly to be proved by the Scriptures so that we may easily grant that they placed the Holy Gospel in the midst of their Synods as it were to make protestation that they intended to obtrude no other faith to the world then what they had met with there and could prove from thence and consequently not to desire other mens communion with them in their Doctrines further then themselves had in the same Doctrines communion with the Holy Ghost Wherefore this is the ready way for every particular Church to be sure to keep communion with the Catholick Church in her Doctrine to adhere stedfastly to the written Word of God which is the only indisputable ground of that Doctrine For this Word alone sheweth that the Jews in Moral worship had communion with Christians and that both the Jews then had and Christians now have in the same worship communion with Christ They have Moses and the Prophets saith our blessed Saviour let them hear them Luke 6. 29. And again If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead ver 31. We Christians have not only Moses and the Prophets but also the Apostles for the foundation of our Churches and as we are sure that Moses and the Prophets were delivered incorrupt to our first Fathers for else our Saviour Christ would not have appealed unto them but rather have reproved the Jews for corrupting them so ought we to be sure that the Apostles are now delivered as incorrupt unto us unless we will say that the Christian Church hath been less faithful then the Jewish Synagogue in keeping the Text and by so saying quite disannul her authority in expounding it and so cut our selves off from one of the best means of our salvation Why thou should not these writings of Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles which are the only proof of our Churches be also the grand establishment of our communion For as t is the faith that makes the Church so t is the agreement in the Faith that makes the communion of the Church truely Christian Accordingly our own Church hath taught us to pray most exquisitely for this Christian communion in these words Beseeching thee to inspire continually the universal Church with the Spirit of truth unity and concord and to grant that all they that do confess thy holy Name may agree in the truth of thy holy word and live in unity and godly love A prayer so full of true Christian affection that its Christianity will acquit it from Novelty though it be scarce to be found in any antient Greek or Latine Liturgie for it setteth forth true Christian communion in all its four causes in its efficient cause the Spirit of truth unity and concord in its material cause the universal Church in its formal cause the agreement in the truth of Gods holy Word and in its final cause to live in unity and godly love How can any man that heartily saith this prayer be either an Heretick by willingly sinning against the truth of Gods Word or a schismatick by wilfully sinning against the unity of Gods Church We may conclude then That all the several Christian Churches in the world which have been are and shall be do concur together as members to make up the body of Christ or the Catholick Church and that all of them as Christian are joyned together though thousand of miles and years asunder in one outward communion by agreeing in the same word of Christ and in one inward communion by enjoying the same Spirit of Christ The outward communion joyns the members to the body and I would to God that they were not so much disjoyned and disjoynted The inward communion joyns the body to the head and I bless God that in that respect there can be no disjunction T is dangerous to be a separatist from the first but t is damnable to be a separatist from the second communion to communicate with Gods most holy Spirit in Gods most holy Word is the most sure and ready way to communicate with the Catholick Church aud that will keep us from being hereticks for no heretick as such doth communicate either with Gods Word or with Gods Spirit To communicate with the Catholick Church is the most sure and ready way to communicate with Christ himself and that will keep us from being Schismaticks for no Schismatick as such doth communicate with Christ either in his body or in himself But still we must remember that communion with the Word and with the Church is nothing worth without communion with Christ and with the Spirit and that will keep us from being hypocrites For no hypocrite doth communicate with Christ and with his Spirit either in his word or in his Church And we have need in these dangerous times of all three cautions for never was there any Heresie without a Schism and seldome is there any desperate Schism without most damnable hypocrisie SECT VI. The Catholick Church properly so called hath in it neither Herereticks Schismaticks nor Hypocrites but commonly so called comprizeth all those Christians who outwardly embrace the truth and worship of Christ That our own particular Church keeping communion with the Catholick requires our communion by the authority of the Catholick Church The authority and Trust of particular National Churches from Scripture and Councils A sober and a pious resolution not to sin against the authority of the Church by willfull Schism and the reasons of that resolution THE special number of right believing and therefore righteously doing Christians in all the several Churches of the Christian world which communicate in all things wherein Christians should is alone truly and properly named the Catholick Church because it consisteth of them only that without addition diminution alteration or innovation in matter of doctrine hold the common faith once delivered to the Saints so that t is impossible for them to be Hereticks And without all particular or private division or â—actâ—on retain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace so that t is impossible for them to be either Hypocrites or Schismaticks they cannot be hypocrites because they have the spirit of God and they cannot be Schismaticks because they hold the unity of
that spirit in the bond of peace Whence we may gather this Negative definition of a true Catholick that he is such a one who is neither Heretick nor Schismatick nor Hypocrite and this positive definition of a the Catholick Church that it is such a number Christians as profess the faith of Christ in Verity Unity and Sincerity in verity and so are distinguished from Hereticks in unity and so are distinguished from Schismaticks in sincerity and so are distinguished from Hypocrites And this is the Catholick Church perfectly and properly so called And of this Catholick Church are those words of Epiphanius to be understood at the end of Colorbasii or his thirty-fifth heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My dove my undefiledis but one saith Christ Cant. 6. 9. that is his holy spouse the Catholick Church called a dove for her mildness innocency and purity and called undefiled for the perfect grace and knowledge she hath received from God through our Saviour Christ by the holy Ghost But yet we must acknowledge that the Catholick Church commonly so called is of a larger signification then to express and of a larger extension then to comprize only these choice and selected Christians For all that outwardly embrace the truth and worship of Christ do make but one Catholick Church for as much as they all concur in the outward profession of faith in the same common Saviour and in the outward use of those means of Salvation which he hath appointed though they neither profess the faith so incorruptly as it was taught nor use the means so inoffensively as they were appointed And this Divinity That all Christians are incorporated into one body of Christ or one Catholick Church hath been taught us by Saint Paul who saith That he might reconcile both Jew and Gentiles unto God in one body Eph. 2 16. and again That the Gentiles should be of the same body Eph. 3. 6. that is to say of the same body externally by the same word and Sacraments and of the same body internally by the same spirit of Christ Wherefore the unity of this body of Christians as t is a visible body is from one thing and as t is a mystical body is from another For the unity of the Mystical body of Christ is only from the Holy-Ghost joining all the members together and each particular member to the Head But the unity of the visible body of Christ is from one Lord one Faith one Baptism all the members of the Church as t is visible being to be discerned and known by this character even by the outward profession of that truth and by the outward use of those means which Christ their common Lord and Saviour hath instituted and ordained for their Salvation Wherefore all men that have the profession of Christs saving truth and do practice the means of salvation must be acknowledged to belong to one Christian or to one Catholick Church as being sanctified by the profession of that truth and the use of those means though their ptofession be not so entire nor their practice so exact as it ought to be Whence the Apostle writing to the Corinthians though much over run with Heresie and Schism yet writeth on this manner Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 1. 2. For in that they were of the Christian Church by the outward profession of Christs truth and the practice of his commands they were sanctified in Christ Jesus though some of them were Hereticks and denied the resurrection others were Schismaticks and denied the Apostles authority For even Hereticks and Schismaticks though they do not hold in verity and in unity the entire profession of Christs Truth yet are they of the Christian Church generally so called for that truth which they do hold and as far as they remain parts of the true Christian Church so far they may be a means of saving others either by preaching the word or administring the Sacraments though by reason of their Heresie and Schism they themselves without repentance are not in the state of Salvation And surely we cannot reasonably think that there were neither Hereticks nor Schismaticks in the Churches of Ephesus Philippi and Colosse and yet the same Apostle saith To the Saints which are at Ephesus Ephes 1. 1 To all the Saints which are at Philippi Phil. 1. 1. and to the Saints and faithfull brethren in Christ which are at Colosse Col. 1. 2. In all which Epistles doubtless Saint Paul writ to the visible body of the several Churches and sent his letters to the visible head of that body as Saint John did his epistles to the Angels of the several Churches Rev. 2. 13 and yet he called them Saints and faithfull brethren not that they were all really such but that they were indeed called of God to be such and if they were not so in their own inward affection t was their own fault He was sure they were so in their outward profession and therefore might justly be so called It was their parts to make good that glorious title not his part to forbear it for they were indeed sanctified through the outward profession of Christs saving Name and Truth and therefore he could not in charity but think and say they were also sanctified by the inward affection of the same Nor may any man suppose that the Apostle did send his directions and instructions to the mystical but to the Visible body of Christ unless he will say that the Apostle intended to bring confusion into the Church which for its singular order is called acies ordinata a well ordered army wherein not one man is suffered to be out of rank or that he intended to gratifie some proud contentious spirits by laying such grounds of schism and faction as might breed strifes and quarrels about the right of Church Government unto the worlds end For who can tell by looking in a mans forehead that he is one of the mystical body of Christ having communion with him through the Holy-Ghost whence it will follow that those who are best conceited of themselves will violently invade at least readily usurp the government of others and consequently pride and presumption will challenge universal jurisdiction for they who have so much pride as to say they are more neerly linked in communion with Christ then their brethren have seldome so much piety as to make good that saying Wherefore it is safest for men to believe that though the promises of grace chiefly concern the mystical yet the precepts chiefly concern the visible Church for as much as Christ hath intrusted that both with the doctrine and with the means of salvation with the ministry both of his Word and Sacraments For these are without question deposited with the visible Church though none are benefited by them so far as to attain Salvation but only those that are of the invisible Church or the mystical body of Christ But
God calls his sons how shall we not call our brethren unless we will deny him to be our Father Whence it must follow that Christian communion is of as great a latitude or extent as is the Christian Church according to that of Saint Paul ye are all one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. 28. Having said before ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus to shew they were of the same Christian Church he now saith ye are all one in Christ Jesus to shew they were also of the same Christian communion And this principle we may not gain-say if we will acknowledge the excellency of true Christian communion for it cannot be so excellent if it depend on man as if it depend on God if it depend on Christs Vicar as if it depend on Christ himself if it be confined to one party of Christians as if it be extended to all for undenyable is that rule in reason Bonum quo communius eo melius Every good the more common it is the better it is and much more undenyable is it in charity when it is applyed to our Christian Communion For it is against the nature of God to be under a restraint or a Monoply God the fountain of goodness is an universal good He is good unto all and every other good the more it partakes of his goodness the more it partakes of his universality and is the more diffusive of it self being good only to it self whiles it is not diffused and therefore diffusing it self that it may also be good to others Much more is this to be seen and confessed in the good of Christian Communion which is therefore good because it is a common good and may not be abridged of its Community without being also abridged of its goodness Saint Paul will have us if it be possible to live peaceably with all men Rom. 12. 18. therefore much more with the best of men with Christians who have the name the word the image the Spirit of Christ with all men we must keep an external and civil but with Christians we must moreover maintain an internal and spiritual peace Our hand is bound to the good behaviour in regard of Christs enemies but our heart is so bound in regard of his servants We may not break the outward peace with those that persecute him much less may we break the inward peace with those that love him There is a great difference betwixt our Civil and our Christian conversation or communion The Civil depends upon the body and is accordingly confined to time and place but the Christian depends chiefly upon the soul and therefore may be extended as far as the souls apprehension and affection to know and to love the Truth Whence Saint John saith to that elect Lady Whom I love in the truth and not I only but also all they that have known the truth though they had not known her for the truths sake which dwelleth in us and shall be with us for ever 2 John 1. 2. As far as truth and love do extend so far extends our Christian Communion the foundation whereof is truth the building whereof is love Communio spiritualis est in consensu vero vel interpretativo Spiritual communion consists either in an explicit or an implicit consent with other Christians Alensis par 2. qu. 161. m. 10. which as I may not afford to any Christians as they abide in errour so I may not deny to any Christians as they embrace the Truth For wherever the Truth is it calls for my interpretative or virtual consent not to deny or gain-say it and where I know it to be there it calls for my actual and explicit consent to love and follow it I may not turn Donatist to confine the spirit of truth nor may I turn Familist to confine the spirit of love For as it cannot be denyed but that the spirit breatheth where it listeth so it may not be disputed but I must love wheresoever the spirit is pleased to breath Either I must deny the spirit of Truth to breath upon all those Christians that are not of my profession or the spirit of love to breath upon me if I will not allow them to be of my Christian Communion So that I must first limit and confine the Catholick Church before I can limit and confine the Communion of Saints for as is the Church so is the communion if the one be Catholick the other is so too If I will make a particular Christian communion I must make a particular Christian Church and consequently make that two Articles of my Faith which Christ and his Apostles have made but one even The holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints Saint John the beloved Disciple loved for the Truths sake and so must I where God hath not denyed his truth there may not I deny my love If there be such a Christian Church in the world which I cannot well love for its own sake yet even that Church must I love for the truth sake as far as it hath my Saviours Truth so far it must have my souls love And though that Church may most justly claim my love which hath most entirely Christs truth yet no Christian Church but may in some sort claim it since no Christian Church but hath Christs Truth by which it is made Christian Some have this truth mingled with many and gross errours but God forbid that the tares which the enemy hath sowed should make me out of love with that good seed which I know came from Christ himself For why should I be alwaies looking on the mote in my brothers eye and not rather see the beam in mine own To his own master he standeth or falleth and God is willing to make him stand why should I be willing to make him fall or to keep him down If I would look on the Christian not on the man I should account him a brother whom now I think an enemy for what he is in Christ is most amiable though not what is he in himself God looks on me in Christ to love me and why should not I so look on my Brother to love him Gods love in Christ towards me covers a multitude of my sins and why should not my love in the same Christ towards my Brother cover a few of his mistakes Sure I am my Saviour hath made Charity a necessary condition to the forgiveness of my sins and therefore I must willingly cover my brothers faults or I cannot hope that God will cover mine If I will needs lay open his miscarriages to my sight I shall but lay open mine own miscarriages to the sight of God for he that cursed Cham meerly for not covering will certainly never bless me only for discovering either my fathers or my brothers nakedness I cannot judge him but I shall bring my self into Judgement and therefore I must pass by his faults as I would have God to pass by mine This is
enjoyning duties shewing us that we cannot take any of either but we must take all And this is most evident in the present case for the fourth Commandment plâ—inly presupposeth all that is enjoyned in the three former commandments concerning holy duties or the whole substance of Religion both internal and external and then also farther addeth an obligation of consecrating time and other adjuncts for the publick exercise thereof that God may be the more solemnly glorified and men the more truely edified whilst the duties of Religion are all practised together in a full communion of Saints the Church Militant being obliged in this to imitate the Church Triumphant that it invite men on earth to glorifie God with one accord as the Angels do glorifie him in heaven And in this respect we may easily believe and readily confess the first Sabbath to have been both instituted and kept in Paradise for the Church was there founded and the Communion of Saints there first established That is the communion of holy men with the holy Angels and with themselves joyning together to sing Halleluiahs to God their blessed Creator which was indeed the principal end of their creation And accordingly men were at first enabled to the discharge of this great duty as well as the Angels having the right and acceptable forms of praising God imprinted in their hearts and when through transgression they had disabled themselves it pleased God of his infinite goodness to grant them as it were a new impression and to give them a second edition of those praises in his holy Scriptures which before had been written in their own hearts but were now very much slurred and defaced if not quite obliterated and blotted out This great and undeserved mercy of God those men either shamefully forget or ineffectually remember who cry up the Sabbath day but beat down the Sabbath Duty making little or no use of the written Word of God in their publick worship and making little or no account of those forms of praâ—er and praise which are either contained therein or agreeable thereto but setting up their own private gifts against that publick communion which should be in Gods house and service by virtue of this fourth Commandment discountenancing the exercise of Religion in known forms of heavenly prayers able to establish the heart and encouraging new-fangled devices which are only fit to busie and tickle the phansie By which ungodly practice for so it must be called though it pretend to the greatest measure of godliness they in effect throw the fourth Commandment out of the Church whilst they pretend to set it up over the Altar since not sitting still or keeping an outward rest but comming together that we may all labour inwardly in Hallowing the name of our Father which is in heaven is the cheif moral duty of the Sabbath For as in the promise of the fifth so in the precept of the fourth Commandment the Lawgivers expression containeth the least part of his intention and we may no more confine this precept in the duty then we may that promise in the reward Therefore as we would be loth to look no farther then the Land of Canaan for our inheritance so we should be wary how we assert that God looks no farther then the Sabbath day for our obedience Truth is it pleased God to train up the Jews in his fear by types and figures and as it were to wrap up heaven in earth spirituals in temporals morals in ceremonials substances in circumstances to them as well in his precepts as in his promises particularly in that precept which concerned his publick worship because that amongst the Jews was for the most part Ceremonial and figurative Wherefore if we desire rightly and fully to understand the fourth Commandment we must conceive it in so great a latitude as to comprize all those Commissions injunctions invitations and exhortations which we find in the Old and New Testament given either to Kings or Ministers or People concerning the ordering establishing reforming practicing professing or promoting the solemn publick worship of Almighty God which is in truth the principal end thereof unless we will say that all those moral duties are reducible to none of the ten commandments in the decalogue and consequently that all they were will-worshippers who either professed or promoted or practised them For as such duties of Religion are to be done publickly and solemnly by many together in one communion they are not reducible to any of the three first commandments which speak to single persons but only to the fourth which alone speaketh to whole families or to many persons joyned together in one community And therefore it is not amiss to say that Hallowed be thy name is that Petition which most directly prayes for Grace to perform the duty of the fourth Commandment since all other things are hallowed for his names sake God sanctifying times places persons and forms of prayers and praise unto us that he may sanctifie us unto himself nor is it amiss to say that the holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints is that Article of faith which most directly professeth to believe the truth of the fourth Commandment for it is only the Catholick Church the Communion of Saints which doth rightly hallow and praise Gods holy name The Hallowing of Gods most holy name belonging equally to the decalogue and to the Creed and to the Lords most holy prayer belonging to the decalogue as it is a duty to be performed belonging to the Creed as it is a truth to be believed and belonging to the Lords Prayer as it is a good to be desired as we are all bound to pray that we may perform this duty and believe this truth For Faith Hope and Charity are not to be separated from one another but do alike belong to supernatural Truths and to religious or moral duties because both truths and duties do equally call for our faith to know and believe them and for our hope to crave and desire them and for our Charity to love and embrace them But if we take the outward sanctification of a day for the principal morality of the Sabbath we shall scarce find a Petition in the Lords most holy and most perfect prayer relating to such a Duty nor an Article in the Apostles Creed relating to such a Truth and so we shall phansie to our selves such a morality as is without a good to be desired and without a truth to be believed for without doubt The Lords Prayer briefly containeth all the good we are bound to desire and the Apostles Creed briefly containeth all the Truths we are bound to believe as well as the Decalogue briefly containeth all the Duties we are bound to practise and perform Whereas on the other side if we look upon hallowing the name of God in our publick worship as upon the principal moral duty that is enjoyned in the fourth Commandment we shall find the Decalogue and the Creed and
would give them life by his ordinary as well as by his extraordinary Ministers For we cannot but say that those are words of eternal truth as well as of eternal comfort Psal 73. 1. Truly God is loving unto Israel even unto such as are of a clean heart for there is no doubt of Gods being loving unto Israel no more then of Israels being of a clean heart If they be of a clean heart they must be of Gods Israel though they may be of several Tribes And if they be of Gods Israel they are sure of Gods love He will here guide them with his counsel and hereafter receive them with glory For he sanctifieth them by his Truth that he may save them by his mercy And accordingly S. Paul saith to Timothy Take heed unto thy self and unto the Doctrine continue in them for in doing this thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee 1 Tim 4. 16. Thereby shewing he had left the people of Ephesus sufficient means of being saved in that he had left them an infallible doctrine though he had not left them an infallible Doctor For if Timothy by taking heed unto himself and to the Doctrine he had received was able to save both himself and those who were committed to his charge t is evident the people of Ephesus had no more need in Gods account of an infallible Bishop to teach them then they had of an impeccable Bishop to govern them and indeed infallibility cannot be in the understanding without impeccability in the will since the will doth necessarily follow the last dictate of the understanding and it self being depraved may corrupt and deprave both the first and the last dictate of it Nay yet more lest we should make light account of the authority of particular Churches because we can neither prove nor believe their infallibility any more then we can their impeccability we find plainly that S. Paul calleth the particular Church of Ephesus even that Church with which Timothy was entrusted and in which he was taught by this Epistle how to behave himself The house of God the pillar and ground of the truth 1 Tim 3. 35. Though we may justly and should willingly infer that if a particular Church by cleaving to the word of Truth deserved to be called the pillar and ground of Truth then sure the Universal Church much more For so the argument will proceed à minore ad majus If one Minister shall be able to teach the saving Truth whilst he swerves neither to the right hand nor to the left from the word of Truth then much more a whole National Church and most of all the Catholike and Universal Church that is diffused over all Nations if she carefully attend and stedfastly cleave to that same word of Truth And if any man think this condition unnecessary let him consider that those four general Councils which Saint Gregory received as four Gospels did set the Bible upon a Throne in the midst of their assembly appealing to it for all their Doctrines and proving by it all their determinations which if all other general Councils at least so reputed had done since that time well we might have had fewer Articles but certainly we must have had a surer Creed and a founder faith nor can we deny but some provincial Councils by cleaving to the Text have more truly shewed themselves the pillars of Truth then some reputed general Councils that have forsaken it as the Council of Gangra which had in it but thirteen Bishops yet suppressed no less then twenty Schismatical opinions together whereas the Council of Constance that consisted almost of all Nations making light regard of Christs institution and order concerning the Eucharist though it ended the Schism of the Popes yet it began such a Schism in the Church as is like to continue to the worlds end for surely there will alwaies be some conscionable men who will prefer the Institution of Christ in his own Sacrament above the constitution of a Council and who will think there can be no Schism either less curable or more damnable then that which dares set up the pretended authority of the Church against the undoubted Authority of Christ This is most certain Saint Paul took it for granted that the Church of Ephesus was instructed in the whole Doctrine of the Scriptures for in the first Chapter he mentions both the Law and the Gospel and that she also followed those instructions before he called her the house of God the pillar and ground of Truth For indeed the first part of every Churches Trust is the Word of God which she is entrusted withal in a threefold respect 1. That she should keep it 2. That she should expound it 3. That she should obey it Wherefore those men who of late have cavilled at the written Word thereby thinking to resolve all Religion into the Authority of the Church have in truth taken a direct course to resolve the Authority of the Church into nothing For if the Church hath not been Gods faithful Trustee in keeping the substance or letter of his word who can think her faithful in expounding the sense or in observing the commands of the same And so then farewell to the Churches faithfulness and consequently to her authority which is grounded chiefly upon her faithfulness For it is as just an exception now as it was in the Apostles times Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God judge ye Act. 4. 19. The intent of your arguments against the Scriptures is to advise us not to hearken unto God that we might only hearken unto you But the reason and force of your arguments will certainly â—eep us from hearkning unto you because they make it evident that you have not hearkned unto God Nay you have set light by his Word that you might not hearken unto him But this argument is good only against the men not against the cause and it is therefore best when it is against the worst men Those who have least hearkned to Gods voice have given the greatest cause to others not to hearken unto their voices And if they will needs be angry with us let them consider that God is first angry with them and therefore they ought to be angry with themselves For they took not only a very impious but also a very indiscreet way by vilifying the authority of Gods word to magnifie the authority of their own And yet to speak the plain truth this is rather to be called a cavil then an argument For let all the Original Bibles be examined both of the Papists and of the Protestant Churches we shall find them all exactly agreeing in one Hebrew and Greek Text and their disagreement to be only in their several glosses and Translations in so much that all these parts of Christendom would soon be of one and the same profession as well as they are of one and the same
mente super Altare offero quam in primo publico consistorio solenniter repetam Concil Basil sess 40. I made this digression only to shew That unless the Holy Scriptures be taken for the foundation of our faith we are like to have none For a general Council is not this foundation saith Bellarmine The Pope is not say these two Councils and the Pope himself swears on their side So Bellarmine defines against the Councils the Councils define against the Pope and the Pope not only defines but also swears against himself And we conceive that Saint Paul defined against them all when he said He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. 31. and again That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God 1 Cor. 2. 5. T is only Gods truth which can be the foundation of our faith whether propounded by the Scriptures or by the Church as saith Aquinas Formale objectum Fidei est veritas prima secundum quod manifestatur in Scripturis sacris Doctrina Ecclesiae quae procedit ex veritate prima The formal object of faith is the first truth according as it is manifested in the holy Scriptures and in the doctrine of the Church which proceedeth from the first truth He is willing to take in the Church but he is not willing to leave out the Scriptures nay indeed he preferreth the Scriptures above the Church in the manifestation of Gods truth when he saith Doctrina Ecclesiae quae procedit ex veritate prima in Scripturis sacris manifestata 22ae qu. 5. art 3. c. The Doctrine of the Church which proceedeth from the first truth manifested in the holy Scriptures So that according to Aquinas Gods truth first cometh to the Scriptures from them to the Church That truth the Scriptures propound to the Church by way of definition That same truth the Church propoundeth to us by way of declaration Shall we think the declaration may overthrow the definition of truth or the Church may overthrow the Scripture This were in effect to allow that we as Christians do glory in men more then in God and that our faith in Christ doth more stand in the wisdom of man then in the power of God Such a foundation of faith as this which relyes upon man is laid upon the sand or upon grass For all flesh is grass But the foundation of faith which relyes upon the Scriptures is laid upon a Rock The word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you 1 Pet. 1. 24 25. This foundation which is laid upon Gods word is as firm and as infallible as God himself for all Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2. Tim. 3. 16. And this is the foundation of our faith not as Protestants but as Christians we vindicate it as Protestants but we hold it as Christians For no Christian Church or Council did lay any other foundation of faith before that unhappy Council of Trent which began not till the year of our Lord 1545. and ended not till the year 1563. All the cavils that have been raised against the holy Scriptures have been raised since that time to the great dishonour of Christ the great disturbance of Christendom the great discontent of good Christians the great disadvantage of the Christian Faith For the foundation cannot possibly give that firmness to the building which is not in it self therefore there cannot be a greater disadvantage to the Christian Faith then to ground it upon an infirm and an unsure foundation And such a foundation is the word of man instead of the word of God For he that believeth the most Divine truths only upon humane authority can have but an humane an infirm an uncertain Faith Therefore Divine truths must be believed upon Divine authority that we may have a Divine faith concerning them For t is absurd in Reason impious in Religion to have but a humane faith of Divine Truths because the habit and act are infinitely unproportionable to the Object For there may be a twofold errour in our faith the one materially when we believe what God hath not revealed And so they only are erroneous in the faith who believe falsities or uncertainties The other formally when we believe what God hath revealed but not upon the authority of his revelation and so they also may be erroneous in the faith who believe the most sure and certain Truths The ready way to avoid both these errors is to take the written word of God for the foundation of our faith wherein we are sure to meet with Gods truth or verity for the matter of our belief and with Gods Authority or Testimony for the cause of our believing And since our Church teacheth this and no other faith no man can say she is guilty of Heresie that will not make himself guilty of Blasphemy For the Communion of our Church is free from Heresie not only Materially in that she believes no untruths or uncertainties but also Formally in that she believeth Gods truths upon Gods own authority So that to call such a faith Heresie which is wholly of God and through God must needs be blasphemy For my part I confess that I do not see how I can be sufficiently thankful to God for making me a member of such a Communion and therefore am sure I cannot be too zealous for it nor too constant in it A Communion which neither hath Heresie in the Doctrine of faith nor the cause of Heresie in the foundation of faith And truly to be rid of Heresie in its self and in its cause are both very great blessing but yet the latter is the greater of the two For a true reason of believing which rids us from Heresie in its cause may partly excuse even a falsity in the belief when a man believes what is not true because he thinks God hath revealed it But a false reason of believing can scarce justifie a truth in the belief when a man believes what is true but not upon the authority of Gods revelation The one desires to be a true believer in a false article the other resolves to be a false believer in a true article of faith The one in the cause of his faith believes the truth whilst in the doctrine of it he believes an errour the other in the cause of his faith believes an errour for every man is a lyar and may suggest a lye whilst in the Doctrine of it he believes a truth the one in the uprightness of his heart cleaves to God when in his mouth he departs from him the other in the perversness of his heart departs from God when in his lips he draws neer unto him The uprightness of heart makes the one a true man in his errour as S. Cyprian in his false Tenent of rebaptiz ation the perversness of heart makes the other a false man in his truth as
Christ and his Church OR Christianity Explained Vnder seven Evangelical and Ecclesiastical Heads VIZ. CHRIST I. Welcomed in his Nativity II. Admired in his Passion III. Adored in his Resurrection IV. Glorified in his Ascension V. Communicated in the coming of the Holy Ghost VI. Received in the state of true Christianity VII Reteined in the true Christian Communion WITH A Justification of the Church of England according to the true Principles of Christian Religion and of Christian Communion Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13. 14. For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Phil. 1. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. Cyril in Ep. ad Coelest Papam in act Concil Ephes par 1. If Christ be evil spoken of how shall we that are his Ministers hold our Peace And if we hold our Peace now what shall we say in the day of Judgement By Ed. Hyde Dr. of Divinity sometimes fellow of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge and late Rector Resident at Brightwell in Berks. Printed by R. W. for Rich. Davis in Oxford 1658. To the Christian Reader WHen conscientious Ministers cannot officiate in the Church and conscientious Christians cannot go to Church and customary Christians go thither either to little purpose because to no true worship or to great shame because to no true Ministers t is fit the Church should come to private houses that 's reason enough for this Treatise of Christianity to see the Press But t is in vain for the Church to come to any man till he come to himself and desire to come to his Saviour that 's caution enough for them who shall see this Treatise of Christianity For unless they have Christ in their hearts they cannot have him in their eyes They will scarce find him in the writings of his own infallible Apostles and much less of his unworthy Ministers Do not then complain of these Vnchristian times though there was never greater reason for that complaint but take heed your own heart be not Vnchristian Then will God in worse times then these if worse can be never let you be destitute of those means which will be able to root and build you up in your Saviour If as you have received Christ Iesus the Lord so you do also walk in him Col. 2. 6 7. For this is the only way to have true faith in Christ even to have stedfastness in that faith since that Faith cannot be true which cares not to be stedfast Without doubt there is nothing more sure in it self then the Truth of Christian Religion and therefore there should be nothing more sure to us Domine si error est a Te decepti sumus Scot. Prol. in sent If our Christian Religion be a device or a deceit as too many men now make it or use it t is Thou O Lord hast deceived us said that acute Divine most boldly and yet more truly And we must be as ready to say Because Thou Lord canst not deceive us we are sure in what we have from Thee we are not we cannot be deceived As the certainty of the object is so the certainty of the subject should be the greatest in matters of Religion Since it is undenyable on all hands That man is much more bound by the obligations both of Nature and of Grace to look to the certainty and to compass the assurance of his internal then of his external tenure of his eternal then of his temporal of his spiritual then o◠his corporal good estate and condition For if Christ be indeed our author for what we do and suffer then will he also be our Advocate in all our doings and all our sufferings And so will our cause be certainly justifiable both in this world and in the next as having a twofold goodness one from it self the other from its Advocate The first goodness of our cause will justifie us before men but the latter will also justifie us before God The first will keep men that though they may oppress us yet they shall not be able to condemn us The latter will keep us from the sentence of Gods eternal condemnation So happy is it with that man who knows he serves Christ and will not for any fear or love whatsoever start aside from his service Yet now a daies we take a quite contrary course which cannot be observed without bitterness of soul and ought to be reproved with bitterness of words for when there is dead flesh on the heart the stile ought to be very sharp at least to pierce it if not to cut it off most men making sure of their salvation before they have made sure of their Religion and not at all desiring to make sure of their Repentance that they may have either Religion or Salvation They will needs be walking upon the Battlements of Heaven before they have found out the true Iacobs ladder to climb up thither I speak to and of those men especially who are so ready not only to forsake but also to contemn their poor Mother This distressed Church of England once flourishing to the envy of her friends now seemingly withered for extirpated she cannot be to the joy and scorn of her enemies And I ask them seriously Were they sure of their Religion heretofore or no For not the perswasion and knowledge but the profession and practise of Religion is Religion according to that of Saint Iames Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own souls Iam. 1. 22. If they were not sure of their Religion why did they then serve God without their consciences as Hypocrites If they were why are they since fallen from that service against their consciences as Apostates Here seems yet to be a very bad certainty of their Religion and how can there be a better certainty of their salvation unless that we may gratifie their singularity more then our own Veracity we will say There may be a company of good Christians out of the Communion of Saints or a Communion of Saints out of Christs Catholick Church Whereas in truth a man that goes alone in a perswasion by himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Ajax in the Tragedian is in the Poets sense One out of his wits in the Casuists sense One out of his Conscience and must be in the good Christians sense One out of his Religion Pude◠haec opprobria nobis dici potuisse non potuisse refelli The intent of this Treatise of Christianity which labours for such a Zeal as may enflame devotion and for such a simplicity as may satisfie it is To bring these men back again to their Saviour Christ and to the ordinary way of their salvation His Church To Christ their Saviour whiles it sets out the Christians knowledge of and joy in Christ To Christs Church the ordinary way of their salvation whiles it keeps in memory the antient festivals of the Church not only professing that knowledge but also embracing and expressing
have known Christ and Christianity That Christ teacheth us by his voice in holy Scripture more certainly then by his voice in holy Church and that the Scripture is to teach the Church as the Church is to teach the people Sect. 4. That the state of true Christianity is to be learned only in the Church of Christ For there only doth Christ teach by his word which the Church is bound to translate that the people may understand it And by his Spirit accompanying his word which teacheth both infallibly and irresistibly by taking away our resistance That the state of true Christianity is not confined to any one particular Church for that Christ teacheth more or less in all Christian Churches and yet this is no ground for Sectaries to run from the Church Sect. 5. That the certainty in true Christianity or the state thereof is from the Word and Spirit of Christ the uncertainty from our selves Of doubtings in good Christians concerning their state That some are by way of admiration others by way of Infirmity but none by way of Infidelity CAP. 2. Of the knowledge of the state of true Christianity Hath two Sections Sect. 1. THE knowledge of our being in the state of true Christianity is from our keeping the words of Christ That Antinomians cannot be much less know they be in the state of true Christianity Sect. 2. Three Practical principles necessary to be maintained by all those who desire to be good Christians and to know themselves to be in the state of true Christianity 1. That Christ hath words to be kept as well as to be believed 2. That true love of Christ will make us labour to keep his words 3. That true faith in Christ was never yet without this Love CAP. 3. Of the comforts that arise from the knowledge of our being in the state of true Christianity Hath three Sections Sect. 1. THE first comfort arising from the knowledge of our being in the state of true Christianity is That we are thereby assured of the Love of God Sect. 2. The second comfort arising from the knowledge of our being in the state of true Christianity is That we are thereby assured of Communion with God The cause the work and the effects of that Communion The cause of Communion with God is God The work of it contemplation of God and consultation with God The effects of it That it makes a man live for to with and in God Sect. 3. The third comfort arising from the knowledge of our being in the state of true Christianity is That we are thereby assured of the continuance of our Communion with God For his Desertion will be only for Tryal not for Punishment unless we become unfaithful and unfruitful Christ Reteined in the true Christian Communion Hath a Prooem and three Chapters The Prooem Christian Communion is to be considered in its Authority in its Excellency in its Sincerity The first Chapter is of Christian Communion in its Authority The second Chapter is of Christian Communion in its Excellency The third Chapter is of Christian Communion in its Sincerity CAP. 1. Of Christian Communion in its Authority Hath six Sections Sect. 1. CHrist requires our Communion by his own Authority as our Head which hath the most noble and most powerful influence upon the members The nature the reasons the cause the proofs of our Communion with Christ Sect. 2. That our Communion with Christ is as our Participation of Christ External or Internal The one may be the Communion of Hypocrites the other only of good Christians The way to be a good Christian in a bad Church Sect. 3. That our internal Communion with Christ is through his Spirit and our Faith which may not be a phansie or fiction much less a faction but a faith Knowing by Evidence Approving by Adherence Applying by Affection and Working by Practise That such a faith will make our Communion with Christ real and substantial in the thing it self though in the manner it be only spiritual and mystical Sect. 4. Christian Communion beginneth with the Church but endeth with Christ both in the Word and Sacraments and Prayers And that the Church is bound in all these to advance not to hinder our Communion with Christ either by denying the People the use of the Scriptures or by teaching them superstitious prayers as to Saints and Angels wherein Christ neither can nor will communicate with men The ready way to have Communion with Christ is by Peace and Holiness and wherein that Communion chiefly consisteth Sect. 5. That the Catholick Church requires our Communion by the authority of Christ as his Body That the whole Christian Church is this Catholick Church and that it is known to be so by the undoubted Word of Christ And how a particular Church may be sure to keep Communion with the Catholick Church Sect. 6. The Catholick Church properly so called hath in it neither Hereticks Schismaticks nor Hypocrites but commonly so called comprizeth all those Christians who outwardly embrace the truth and worship of Christ That our own particular Church keeping Communion with the Catholick requireth our Communion by the authority of the Catholick Church The Authority and Trust of particular National Churches from Scripture and Councils A sober and pious resolution not to sin against the Authority of the Church by wilful Schism and the reasons of that resolution CAP. 2. Of Christian Communion in its excellency Hath two Sections Sect. 1. THE excellency of Christian Communion because of its large extent as reaching to all Christians though of different perswasions and professions Sect. 2. The excellency of Christian Communion as holding of Christ and from him having Immortality Piety Verity and Charity And that the Church is the proper Place Angels and men the Company and God the Author of this Communion CAP. 3. Of Christian Communion in its Sincerity Hath four Sections Sect. 1. THE sincerity of Christian Communion consists in this That it gives all to Christ Hence those Christians justified who do so in their Festivals The Sabbatarians questioned for not so doing The Apostles new method of teaching Christian Divinity by interlining of prayers and praises that Christ might be the more glorified and the Christian Religion the less adulterated Sect. 2. The sincerity of Christian Communion is the Bullwark of its authority and first to be regarded by every Christian Church as being the glory of her Prosperity and the comfort of her Adversity Such a sincere Communion never to be deserted when once happily attained Sect. 3. The sincerity of Christian Communion comprehendeth both the Purity and the Solemnity of Religion and is the whole Duty of the first Table The Purity or Substance of Religion being enjoyned in the three first Commandments The solemnity or publick exercise of it with the adjuncts thereto belonging being enjoyned in the Fourth The Exercise of Religion from the End the adjuncts from the Letter of the Law The Sabbatarian the greatest opposer
satisfies his conscience unless he be sure and certain of the terms of his Communion for the conscience cannot be satisfied and much less can God be served upon uncertainties And since the Apostle hath expresly said That whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 13. 23. Those men do very indiscreetly who in their publick worship do rather exercise their Phansies then their Faith and those do very irreligiously who labour all they can to spread and to promote that exercise For in the work of serving God above all other works it is evident That the diminution of Faith is the addition of sin wherefore men have little reason to bring themselves and less Religion to seek to bring others to any the least diminution of their Faith in Gods service for that is to come under the hazard of Judas his curse Let his prayer be turned into sin Psalm 109. v. 6. We must then take it for an argument of true love even the love of our souls and of our salvation that the Christian Church did in imitation of the Church of the Jews offer up daily Prayers and Praises unto Almighty God for us and also teach us to offer up daily Prayers and Praises for our selves And it is to be feared That men have rewarded the Church of Christ evil for good hatred for her good will in that the dismal curse which follows in the next verses hath fallen upon so many Nations of the Christian world For it is evident that this curse set thou an ungodly man to rule over him and let Satan stand at his right hand let his days be few and his children be vagabonds c. is ushered in with this sin For the love that I had unto them loe they take now my contrary part ver 3. and is continued and confirmed for it is because his mind was not to do good but persecuted the poor helpless man that he might slay him that was vexed at the heart and ver 16. His delight was in cursing and it shall happen unto him he loved not blessing therefore shall it be far from him For nothing is more offensive to God then that men will not return love for love And yet this hath been always the portion of his Church she hath still found returns of hatred for love For there is no true Christian Church but may truely say with Saint Paul 2 Cor. 12. 15. I will very gladly spend and be spent for you it is in the Original Greek for your souls though the more abundantly I love you the less I be loved No love affectionate like this which loves the soul no love abundant like this which makes the lover spend and be spent for his affection and such is the love of every true Christian Church which is the grand Apostle of its nation it loves affectionately it loves abundantly for what it wants of this charity it wants of true Christianity but doth seldome receive back again love for love It was Luthers complaint that whilst he Preached and practised mans Inventions he found too much love but after he preached Gods truth the Gospel in its own sincerity he found too little so hath it been ever since his time with Protestant Churches for those which have most deserved the peoples thanks for teaching them the true and the right way to heaven have least found their love Thus we see to our grief no less then to our mischief that the best of men may love in vain but God never loves in vain For he never loves but he is beloved again so saith the beloved Disciple 1 Joh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us As he loves us so we love him again though he love first we afterwards and therefore if we love not him the reason is because he hath not loved us in the Son of his love I say not if we love not God in himself for that 's impossible acccording to that excellent position of Aquinas Deus secundum essentiam suam à nullo potest odio haberi sicut neque bonitas At secundum quosdam Justitiae suae effectus potest 22. qu. 34. God cannot be hated by any man as he is in himself no more then goodness can be hated but he is hated only for some effects of his Justice therefore I say not if we love not God in himself but if we love not God in his Vice-gerency or Authority whether Civil or Ecclesiastical by our dutifulness and fidelity If we love not God in his Commands and Ordinances by our Obedience and Piety Lastly If we love not God in his image and likeness by our brotherly and Christian Charity we do indeed not love God for himself hath said I ye love me keep my commandments Joh. 14 15. And if we do not love God the reason can be no other but this because he hath not loved us And it were to be wished that some men who most think themselves the darlings of heaven would try their spiritual estate by this touchstone for if we are indeed in the love of God and in the Son of his love it will appear by our returning love back again to him And the Apostles consequence being as good for the Negative as for the Affirmative it must needs follow that if we love not God it is because he first loved not us SECT V. Gods love to us in Christ was not vain or without a cause for as much as Christ was the ground of our Election as well as the Author of our reconciliation More men reconciled by Christ to God then recommened by him or more men reconciled potentially then actually GOD had a good reason of his love to us thoug not in our selves yet in our Saviour the Son of his love For he began his first Epistle or message of love unto our souls as Saint John began his second and third Epistles Vnto the elect and welbeloved whom I love in the truth the same in effect with salutem in Christo or dearly beloved in the Lord which salutations have since been used by the Church God loves us in the truth that is in our Saviour Christ who is called the truth John 14. 6. And as no man cometh to the Father but by him so no man abideth with the Father but in him so saith Saint Paul 2 Cor. 5. 19. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them where is punctually set down both the meritorious cause of our reconciliation Christ and the formal cause of it Gods not imputing our sins to us for Christs sake For God cannot be reconciled to a sinner whilst he looks upon him as a sinner because sin is directly opposite to his own goodness and therefore he cannot but hate sin as he cannot but love himself and God cannot but look upon a sinner as a sinner whilst he looks upon him in himself not in his Saviour who hath expiated his sin Hence Scotus tels us
teach and redeem us The title of the chief corner stone blasphemously applyed to the Pope Christ was not an Apostle one sent from God but an Exapostle one sent out of God I must needs confess that being in this Eden of God in this Paradise contemplating the tree of life I am unwilling to divert my eyes from that tree and much more my heart from that contemplation but am desious to perswade my self that I see the Prophet Isaiahs vision turned into action and God acting it in heaven no less then the Prophet acting it on earth Isa 6. 8. Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying whom shall I send or who will go for us then I said here am I send me For God the Father did as it were consult with himself saying whom shall I send and God the Son did forthwith answer him Here am I send me For as there was faciamus hominem Gen. 1. 26. God consulting and deliberating with his Son his eternal wisdom and with his Spirit his eternal power about our creation so there was redimamus hominem God consulting and deliberating with his Son his eternal righteousness and with his spirit his eternal love about our redemption For Gods goodness is as infinite as himself and that hath made him impart to man not only his goodness but also himself Hence that saying of the sublime Areopagite quod ipse Deus propter amorem est exstasin passus That love made God as it were go out of himself For great love is never without some kind of exstasie and therefore as it makes man go out of himself and be not where he lives but where he loves so it also made God the Son as it were go out of himself and come and be in man whom he had loved with an eternal love Thus hath love brought God from God to be in man and thus should it also bring man from man to be in God For this is the end of that blessed Mysterie and more blessed mercy which we commemorate when we celebrate the incarnation of the Son of God he was made of us that we might be new made by him he made one flesh with us that we should be one spirit with him Saint Peter accounted it a great mercy that God had sent his Angel to deliver him from the hand of Herod Act. 12. 11. How much more ought we to account it a great mercy that he hath sent his only Son to deliver us from the power of sin and Satan which persued us much more fiercely and would have wounded us much more desperately He considers his deliverance ver 12. and shall not we especially since the Apostle hath shewed us the way how to enlarge this consideration Heb. 1. 1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers maaners spake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son It was a great mercy that he spake to the Fathers by holy men a greater that he spake to them by the holy Angels for that was one of the divers manners of his speaking But the greatest mercy of all was that he hath spoken to us by his son and the reason is intimated in the following words for in time past was the beginning the inchoation of his love when he spake by his Prophets and Angels but in these last dayes hath been the accomplishment and consummation of it when he spake to us by his Son Before he had made the world and upheld all things by the word of his power but now he hath redeemed the world and having purged our sins upholds it by the hand of his mercy For till our sins were purged it was only the power of God upheld the world that he might purge it But now our sins are purged t is the mercy of God upholds the world that he may save it This is the only reason Saint Peter gives us why the last day that shall destroy all things by fire is so long in coming 2 Pet. 3. 9. The Lord is not slack but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance The same mercy that made him hasten his first coming makes him delay his second And was it not a mercy not only beyond our expression but also beyond our admiration that the Son of God who was the brightness of his glory should become the brightness of his enemies and the glory of his people Yet so saith Saint Luke 2. 32. to be a light to lighten the Gentiles there he was the Bridegroom of his enemies and to be the glory of thy people Israel there he was the glory of his own people It was a mercy that we could never deserve and therefore must ever acknowledge that God was pleased to send his Apostles to teach us his saving truth and to shew the way of salvation for they were the pillars of the Church Gal. 2. 9. But infinitely greater was the mercy that he pleased to send his own Son to teach the Apostles for he is the cheif corner stone 1 Pet. 2. 5. For it is observable that Saint Peter himself was content to be accounted a pillar of the Church and leaves it only for Christ to be called the chief corner stone And therefore that Preface of Bellarmine which he once made in the Roman Schools Praefatio habita in gymnasio Romano and hath since prefixed before the third general controversie of his first Tome which is de summo Pontifice had need of all the waters of Tiber to wash it from gross flattery if not from detestable blasphemy since he is pleased therein to wrest those words of the Prophet Isaiah Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone a tryed stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation and to apply them to Saint Peters Successor which Saint Peter durst not apply unto himself but leaves them only for Christ the eternal Son of God We cannot too much prize the voice of the Apostles as for example Saint Pauls Epistles cannot be in too great esteem which saith Saint Hierom bring him every day more glory as Christ more converts But the voice of the eternal word calling to Saint Paul from heaven Act. 9. 4 5. and in him to us who can ever hear with sufficient care and attention who can embrace with sufficient reverence and estimation who can follow with sufficient alacrity and devotion Saint Paul was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one sent from God and yet how greatly doth he magnifie that office in every one of his Epistles but our Saviour Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one sent out of God to man for so saith Paul Gal. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God sent forth his son that is God sent him not only from himself as he sent the Apostles but also out of himself as he sent none but only his beloved Son SECT VIII The Mother of Christ so
the difference of opinion concerning this sacrifice such was also the difference in the ordination of those men who were appointed to offer it For the manner of ordination in the Greek Church supposed the man ordained only as a Minister to the administration of the sacrament for the Bishop that ordained him put the consecrated bread into his hand saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Take this holy thing committed to your charge and keep it till the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ when he will call you to an account how you have disâ—osed of it This man so ordained had delivered to him the Trust and charge only of a Sacrament But the manner of ordination in the Latine Church supposeth the man ordained as a Priest to the offering of a Sacrifice for the Bishop that ordained him put the Communion plate and chalice into his hand saying Accipe potestatem offerre Sacrificium Deo Missamque celebrare tam pro vivis quam pro defunctis in nomine Domini c. Receive the power of offering a Sacrifice to God and of celebrating the Mass both for the quick and the dead in the name of our Lord c. And agreeable to this is the benediction of the Presbyters after this ordination in the same Church Benedictio Dei omnipotentis Patris filii spiritus Sancti descendat su er vos ut sitis benedicti in ordine sacerdotali oâ—feratis placabiles hostias pro peccatis atque offensionibus populi c. The blessing of God the Father Son and Holy-Ghost descend upon you that you may be blessed in the order of Priests and offer acceptable sacrifices for the sins and offences of the People Pontifical Rom. Venetiis editum An. 1561. This man so ordained had delivered to him the trust and charge not of a Sacrament but of a sacrifice But in the ordination of the Church of England and some other Protestant Churches the Bishop saith to him that he ordains Receive the Holy-Ghost whose sins you forgive they are forgiven whose sins you retain they are retained but be thou a faithfull dispencer of the word of God and of his holy sacraments in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy-Ghost This man so ordained hath delivered unto him the trust and charge of no sacrifice but only of the Sacraments and also of the word and it were to be wished that those whom it nothing concerns would neither invade nor disturb this trust especially since it is so exactly agreeable with the Text which in all the new Testament hath not recommended to the Church the trust and charge of a Sacrifice but only of the Word and Sacraments And it can be no shame for us to confess that in the judgement of our Church the holy Eucharist is a Sacrament not a Sacrifice unless it be in a mystical sense a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving or in a figurative sense a commemoration or representation of a sacrifice but by no means a repetition of Christs corporal sacrifice since the Apostle hath expresly said concerning that We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Heb. 10. 10. According to which our Church doth believe and profess in different words the very same truth saying That Christ made upon the cross by his one oblation of himself once offered a full perfect and sufficient sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world and I will ever rejoice in this belief and profession since he that hath made a full satisfaction for the sins of the whole world hath not left his father unsatisfied only for my sins CAP. IV. Christ admired in his Application SECT I. Christ in his Propitiation and Satisfaction doth not benefit us without a particular Application TRuly to know Christ is truly to know the whole Christian Faith as hath been said For truly to know Christ in his person is to know the Christian Faith in the ground or substance of it And truly to know Christ in his Propitiation Satisfaction Application is to know the Christian Faith in the power or vertue of it Accordingly Saint Paul is not content to know Christ only in his Person saying that I may know him but he will also know him in his Propitiation Satisfaction and Application saying and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death Phil. 3. 10. To know Christ in the power of his resurrection is to know him in his propitiation for he was delivered for our offences and raised again for our Justification Rom. 4. 25. To know Christ in the fellowship of his sufferings is to know him in his satisfaction whereby he slaked body for body soul for soul in our stead that he might satisfie for all the sins both of our bodies and of our souls And to know Christ so as to be made conformable to his death is to know him in his Application for we cannot apply the merit of his death till we be conformed to it by dying unto sin and rising again to newness of life for the Application of Faith doth no less require that man apply himself to God by holâ—ness of conversation then that he apply God unto himself by strength of perswasion And truly the one cannot be without the other since it is impossible for that man to lay hold on Gods promise of mercy who looks not after the conditions on which it is promised to wit a hearty repentance of his sins and an amendment of his sinful life for Gods promises of mercy are not made to all sinners but only to penitent sinners so that where is no true repentance there can be no true faith and where is true repentance there cannot be too much for if man perform his part of the Covenant of grace he may assure himself that God will perform his part nay he must assure himself so unless he will remain in the state of infidelity For a true and lively faith is a full perswasion of the heart grounded upon the promises of God that whatsoever Christ hath done or suffered for the salvation of man he hath done and suffered for me as well as for others And I must never be satisfied with my self nor think I am in a good state or condition till I have gotten such a faith as will give me such a perswasion For the satisfaction of Christ in general will afford me but little comfort without the application thereof in particular to mine own soul Wherefore my labour must be to put my self in such a condition that though I cannot but think my self unworthy of the invaluable blessing of this satisfaction yet I may not think much less make my self uncapable of it SECT II. The ground of that application iâ— Christs threefold conjunction with us in his person in his nature and in his office from which proceedeth the marriage of the soul with Christ I
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pascha 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 herba amara 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Azymus Their Annuntiation belonging to the Passeover was how God passed their Fathers over that night wherein he destroyed the first born of the Egyptians Their annuntiation belonging to the bitter herbs was of their Fathers grievous servitude and bondage in Egypt which made even their lives bitter unto them And their annuntiation belonging to the unleavened bread was their happy and sudden deliverance from that bondage for the Egyptians were so urgent upon the people that they took their dough before it was leavened their kneading troughs being bound up in their cloathes upon their shoulders Exod. 12. 24. We had at the same time a much greater deliverance and why should we have a less Annuntiation For where the mercy it self is much greater why should the memorial thereof be so much less God gives a signal intimation to the Jew Exod. 12. 42. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Haec ista non illa This is that very night as if there were not demonstrative pronouns enough to shew that this mercy was to be as particular in their thankful commemoration as it had been in Almighty Gods free donation And Saint Paul seems to speak as signally to the Christian when he saith The same night that he was betrayed 1 Cor. 11. 23. as if he would not have us forget the particular time when he cometh so near the very words of Moses This is that very night to be observed to the Lord And indeed why should not we keep a Christian Passeover as well as a Christian Sabbath were they not both alike feasts of the Jews and as so are they not both alike abolished by the Apostle Gal. 4. 10. saying ye observe daies and moneths and times and years I am afraid of you least I have bestowed upon you labour in vain A Jewish observation of daies which observes daies for themselves is without doubt destructive of Christianity for it places Religion in things meerly ceremonial Not so a Christian observation of daies for duties for that places Religion only in morals Again why hath not the Christian Church as good Authority if not as justifiable warrant to observe an Anniversary as it hath to observe a Weekly festival as well the feast of the Christian Passeover once a year as the feast of the Christian Sabbath once a week for both are alike recommended in the Law and neither is directly commanded in the Gospel and we may not add to Gods commands no more then we may take from them nor may we think the New Testament defective in any necessary command or doctrine unless we will advance Judaism above Christianity Therefore since it will pose the best Divine in Christendom to shew that Text in the New Testament which commandeth the observation of a Sabbath and we cannot run to the letter of the fourth Commandment to keep the first day in stead of the seventh we must be contented in this case with the general equity of the Law and that gives the Church power to consecrate Annual as well as Weekly Festivals to the honour of God and condemneth our profaness in neglecting our perversness in despising the one as well as the other Besides it is evident we cannot or if we can sure the Apostles could not keep a Lords day all the year but as a repetition of Easter-day which was the first Lords day even the very day of his resurrection wherefore we must either say it is a Jewish not a Christian Sabbath or say it is a Lords day from the great Lords day the day of our Lords resurrection For though Saint John telling us He was in the Spirit on the Lords day pointeth clearly at our Sunday the weekly remembrance of Christs resurrection and not at Easter-day the annual remembrance of it because in those Churches of Asia to which he writ Easter-day was not yet confined to the first but might be kept on any other day of the week yet without doubt he called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords day for that it was a weekly repetition of that very day which our Lord had consecrated to himself by rising from the dead called for that reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the great Lords day by the primitive Christians And shal we then not think it worth our notice that our blessed Saviour himself chose such a time for his Passion and Resurrection as by the unerring Characters of heaven might be exactly observed all the world over to the worlds end were it so that our Civil year were made agreeable with the Tropical or that the Catholick Church of Christ in its first and purest age would have been so careful to find out and so zealous to settle the time of this Festival if the Fathers of these blessed ages which were less quarrelsom but more pious then any have been since had not thought it highly concerned the honour of Christ and the propagation and justification of the Christian Religion Surely we cannot easily more gratifie the Jews then by putting down the memory of that time wherein they crucified Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh nor can we more easily scandalize good Christians then by putting down the memorial of that time wherein he was declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead Rom. 1. 3 4. And God deliver his Church from such practises as are fit to gratifie Jews but to scandalize good Christians SECT IV. Of the antient contention about the observation of Easter That the Apostles zeal more about Duties then about Daies doth not overthrow the observing of particular daies in the service of God And that those daies ought to be observed by Preaching Praying Administring of the Sacrament and also by Almes-deeds So that false administration sc of the Holy Eucharist in one kind and false Devotions and false Doctrine and sordid illiberality in not relieving the poor are allâ— alike Profanations of a Festival FAmous was the controversie betwixt Policrates and Victor the one Bishop of Ephesus the other Bishop of Rome concerning the celebrating of Easter-day For the Churches of Asia would needs keep the very day of the first full moon in Spring conceiving the Apostles condescention to the Iew to have been a dogmatical sanction to the Christian but the Western Churches who had no conversation with the Iews and therefore were not moved through compliance with them at first to forsake their Christian liberty and at last the Christian truth for the Quartadeciâ—… were in proâ—ess of time declared Hereticks would not keep the very day of that full Moon but the Sunday after it for their Easter-day the learned Scaliger gives this reason for their difference The Jewish Converts following their old custom kept still 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Passeover in remembrance of Christs Passion
and therefore sought after the very day of the moneth on which the Paschal Lamb had been slain and our Saviour had been crucified But the Gentile Converts kept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Passeover in remembrance of Christs resurrection and therefore deferred their feast till the first day of the week that followed next after that day of the moneth So we see that both Churches agreed about the feast it self and thought themselves bound to observe a Passeover once a year and that they agreed also about the time of the year wherein it was to be observed their disagreement was only about the very day For the Churches of Asia had mistaken Saint Johns condescention to the Jew for an approbation to themselves as if because he had allowed this manner of celebrating the feast of the Passeover according to the known and received custom among the Iews he had also approved and by consequent established the same among the Christians The like mistake whereunto might also have been in other Eastern Churches concerning the Iewish Sabbath had they retained the observation of it with the same opinion of necessity For that the Sabbath was at first jointly observed with the Lords day by the Christian Churches appears from antient canons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Clement cap. 33. And Scaliger takes it for granted that those Churches were converted betimes which retained that old custom Quod Ethiopes sabbatum â—que ac Dominicum ab opere immune habent id non est argumentum Judaismi sed veteris Christianismi saith he lib. 7. de emend That the Churches of Aethiopia do keep Saturday a Holy-day as well as Sunday is not a proof that they are new Iews but that they have been old Christians The truth is the Apostles zeal busied and spent it self wholly upon duties not upon daies and so should ours They continued daily in the Temple Acts 2. 46. and again daily in the Temple and in every house they ceased not to teach and preach Iesus Christ Acts 5 42. This daily preaching shewed their chief zeal was for duties not for daies and yet their every day doth not forbid their particular choice of one principal day for those holy purposes and performances at the same time for so we read Acts 20. 7. Vpon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them Here 's a particular day culled out from the rest of the week both for preaching the word and consequently for praying and for administring the holy Communion for so we may well expound the breaking of bread with some antient Interpreters though it be an ill inference that some of late have made from thence that they may lawfully leave out the other part of that blessed Sacrament By the same reason they might tell us that the Church hath authority to change the very form instituted in Baptism because we read in the Acts of the Apostles that many men were baptized in the name of the Lord Iesus Acts 8. 16. 19. 5. For without doubt if Christs institution may be dispensed withal in the one it may also in the other Sacrament and if not in the one then not in the other Wherefore it is ill arguing from a Synechdoche partis in dicto to a Synechdoche partis in facto from a part for the whole in speaking to a part for the whole in doing The bread may be named without the wine but it follows not therefore it may be given without it We may admit of half speeches but we must be sure of whole Sacraments For though words are not sacrilegious in putting a part for the whole because that is a right way of speaking yet works may be guilty of sacriledge by doing but a part for the whole because that is not a right way of working for in speaking we may follow the custome or practice of men but in doing we must follow the precept and prescription of God Nor can a man that wilfully transgresseth the institution of Christ be excused from infidelity if we will embrace as we cannot justly reject Aquinas his distinction Infidelis non ut habeus malam voluntatem circa finem Sc. Christum sed tamen ut deficiens in Electione mediorum quia non eligit quae sunt à Christo tradita a Christian may be an infidel not as erring about the end for he aims at Christ but yet as erring in the choice of the means when he followeth not those ways which Christ hath prescribed him And thus have they erred about the administration of the holy Eucharist who would be accounted very strict observers of the grand Christian Festivals although in truth they cannot keep a Festival in honour of Christ who falsely administer the Eucharist no more then they who Preach false Doctrine or use false devotions For it is evident from this practice of the Apostles that Christian Festivals ought to be celebrated by preaching the word and administring the holy Eucharist and much more by holy and religious prayers which may not be left out either in preaching of the word or in administring of the Sacrament unless we will not regard Gods blessing on the one nor his presence in the other Nay indeed holy and religious Prayers do in effect partake both of the word and of the Sacrament of the word as they are professions of our faith of the Sacrament as they are remembrances of our Saviour And it is accordingly observable that in all the collects of the Church there is in the first part of them a recognition or profession of some heavenly Doctrine which we are bound to believe as in the latter part there is a special remembrance of our blessed Saviour whom we are bound to honour alwayes concluding Per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum through Jesus Christ our Lord so that false devotions that is not true in themselves or not true in his certain knowledge who useth them False Doctrine and false administration do all alike profane a Festival Nay Saint Paul thinks the Lords Day not sufficiently celebrated by words and Sacraments and prayers but he requires also the giving of alms Vpon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store 1 Cor. 16. 2. And Saint Chrysostome tels us he chose such a day for it as could not but very much advance the duty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He argues from the day to the duty bidding them consider what great mercies the Lord hath bestowed on them that very day for that alone would make them willingly and liberally shew mercy to his distressed members This was the antient practice of the primitive Christians to offer up their alms as well as their prayers to God upon those Festivals which they celebrated in a thankful remembrance of his mercies conveyed unto them by his Son and therefore they might beseech him mercifully to accept their alms as well as to receive
enim est Constantini M. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non solum hebdomadem post Pascha sed antecedentem excipit ab opere faciendo sed de posteriore hebdomade usus tantum obtinuit The sum of all is this Because Easter weeke was the first weeke in the year and the dayes of that week were all accounted and kept holy and accordingly were thus computed the first second third fourths fifth holy day Hence it is that the same computation still hold of the days in the other weeks throughout the whole year that instead of the first second third fourth and fifth day it is said the first second third fourth and fifth holy-day For the Emperour Constantine the great made a Law that all Easter week and the week before it should be kept as one Holy-day And though in our age this Law holds only of Easter week yet we have some footsteps of that observation still in the week before it for our Church appoints Epistles and Gospels for every day of the week before Easter and most Churches beyond the seas still call it the holy week and some make it so For which Religious practice it is not to be doubted but the Church of Christ hath warrant enough from that Text Mark 14. 8. She hath done what she could she is come aforehand to anoint my body for the burying or rather to anoint her self for my body to prepare her self for to receive the Holy Eucharist and to celebrate the Resurrection Wherefore it is evident that in the judgement of the first and best Christians Easter day was a greater Sunday then any other all the year after it even as the Sabboth of the Passover was in the Jews account a greater Sabboth then any other of all the year nor was this judgement any way superstitious but truely Religious since we find it authorized by the Text saying for that Sabboth day was an high day John 19. 32. as if he had said that Sabboth day was higher then any other Sabbath because the Passover was joyned with it I will not then quarrel with the Church for preferring one Sunday before another since she observeth them all as holy to the same Lord there was the Holy of Holyes in the Sanctuary without any disparagement to the rest of the Temple The Paschal Sabbath was a high day and yet the other Sabbaths not put down the lower By taking off the opinion of holiness I see much profaness and irreligion in all respects which makes me conclude that though the Church should proclaim Holy Holy Holy never so much before the place and time of Gods worship yet all would be little enough to beget the love and practice of holiness in the worshippers SECT VI. That the Lords day which is observed weekly is to be observed in memory of our Saviours Resurrection and hath a double sanctification one by relation to its duâ—y which is publickly to serve God and to give him thanks for our Redemption by Christ and is the principal The other by institution as consecrated to this duty and is the less principal That the Antisabbatarian Doctrine which advanceth duties above days is not only of Christs but also of Moses his own teaching and makes most for the true observation of the Sabbath which yet is more properly called the Lords Day then the Sabbath WE may not pass by that memorable Canon in the Council of Trullo cap. 66. which hath these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the Holy Festival of the Resurrection of Christ our God untill the New Lords Day all true believers ought to go to Church and there uncessantly praise God in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual songs T is worth our notice that the Fathers of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holden in the Emperours Pallace called Easter day it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Resurrection day but the Sunday after it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The New Lords day not simply the Lords Day of its self or by its own virtue but as it was a repetition or renovation of the former 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the day of our Lords Resurrection For to say it was called the New Lords Day because of the renewing by Baptism which antiently was administred at that time is not satisfactory for besides that other Sundays must have been called New as well as that upon the same account to wit those of Easter and Pentecost it is manifest that Baptism cannot justly cause any Sunday to be called the Lords day and therefore surely not the New Lords day Whence it follows that if this Sunday was called the New Lords Day as renewing the day of our Lords Resurrection this and all other Sundayes do belong unto the Lord chiefly upon this account that they are memorials of his Resurrection So that though the Law of the Sabbath as well as of other things came by Moses yet the grace and truth of it came by Jesus Christ John 1. 17. And for this reason was the Sabbath translated from its own day to our Lords Day that the Law of Moses might give place to the grace and truth of Jesus Christ and happily for that cause amongst others hath the Church appointed some annual memorials of the grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ to be solemnized as so many Sabbaths least we should think that in this weekly memorial she did rather follow the Law given by Moses then the grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ And doubtless when we have said all that we can there can be no entire keeping of a Sabbath from Moses but only from Christ because in him alone the soul may seek for rest and in him alone is sure to find it For as the souls trouble is from sin so her rest is from the expiation and forgiveness of sins Therefore as her trouble is from her self so her rest is from her Saviour Saint Paul hath taught us both together in his Sermon and our own Church in her Anthymn of the Resurrection For seeing that by man came death by man also commeth the Resurrection of the dead for as by Adam all men do dye so by Christ all men shall be restored to life By man came death by Adam all men do die There 's the souls trouble from her sin for the wages of sin is death By man commeth the Resurrection of the dead by Christ all men shall be restored to life there 's the souls rest or Sabbath from her Saviour for the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. If we will needs gainsay the Judgement of our own Church to set up the Sabbath instead of the Lords day yet we may not gainsay the Doctrine of Saint Paul which requires us to set up the Lords day instead of the Sabbath so that if we will needs borrow the name from Moses yet we can have the thing it self only from Christ for it is not Moses but Christ which can give the
in his presence The same reason is moreover given by Saint Gregory the great Si hunc angelus nominatim non exprimeret qui magistrum negaverat venire inter Discipulos non auderet If the Angel had not particularly expressed his name who had denyed his Master he would never have durst to come with the other Disciples All those Expositions are cited by Causabone against Baronius in his sixteenth Exercitation for alledging this text to prove Saint Peters Primacy And to all these I will add yet one more the Exposition of one as much addicted to the Papacy as Baronius but much more to substantial Divinity and that was Franciscus Lucas Brugensis who thus glosseth the words Dicite discipulis Petro Petrum nominatim exprimit ne ille existimaret se ex discipulis non haberi qui praeceptorem negâsset ne putaret se loco excidisse qui turpiter adeò offendisset Sciret contra se ob poenitentiam quae Deo placuerat Angelis in gratiam ac pristinum inter discipulos locum receptum esse sibique proinde ut capiti caeteros in Galilaeam esse ducendos He expresly nameth Saint Peter lest he should think himself not one of the Disciples who had denied his Master lest he should think himself fallen from his place who had so shamefully offended contrary that he might know how by his repentance which had pleased both God and Angels he was restored into favour and to his former place among the Disciples and that all the rest should be gathered to him as to their head in Galilee He was willing enough to bring in the Primacy as appears by this last clause but he would by no means leave out the repentance taking it for granted that our blessed Saviour had the greatest regard to Saint Peter because he saw him so exceeding penitent O my God give unto me a heart truly sorrowful for what evil I have committed and daily do commit that thou maist give unto me a heart truly thankful for what good I have received and daily do receive and that thou maist make me fully capable of receiving the greatest good thou hast in store for a penitent sinner even the forgiveness of my sins and the comfortable assurance of that forgiveness sealed unto my conscience by the Testimony of thy holy spirit and the amendment of mine own sinful life that so thou maist shew unto me the merits of my Saviour and give unto me the joy of his salvation O thou who of thine infinite mercy and inestimable goodness hast granted repentance unto life Act. 11. 18. grant me also thy grace to repentance that I may live in continual sorrow for my sins and may have thy comforts in my sorrows looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit. 2. 13. The fourth apparition which our blessed Saviour made on the very day of his resurrection was that to the two Disciples as they were going to Emmaus which was next after that to Saint Peter for it is plain that when they returned to Hierusalem they found the eleven gathered together saying The Lord is risen indeed and hath appeared unto Simon Luke 24. 34. And how was it that he appeared to those two The text saith they talked together of all those things which had happened and it came to pass that while they communed together and reasoned Jesus himself drew near and went with them Luke 24. 14 15. They were making great lamentation that the cheif Priests and Rulers had condemned to death and crucified one that was a Prophet mighty indeed and word before God and all the people vers 19 20. for as yet they took Christ only for a Prophet Could the loss of one Prophet so afflict them and shall not the loss of many Prophets more grievously afflict us Can we see the destruction of a whole national Church wherein God was so truly glorified and Gods truth so impartially maintained to the envy of her enemies to the admiration of her friends and not be troubled for Gods sake as well as for our own that we should be so grosly unthankful to God for not removing his Candlestick as our selves meerly out of wantonness playing with the light to put out the Candle Can we see the desolation of so many Prophets together as if they had rather been Felons then Prophets without tears in our eyes complaints in our mouths and sorrow in our hearts Is it not a most terrible sight to see a whole member at once torn away from Christ's mystical body or can there be any thing more terrible then this dividing of a member from the body unless it be the dividing of the body from the head and where the one is actually done may not the other justly be feared In such a dismal conjuncture of so many sins and sorrows together but yet more sins then sorrows what hath any good Christians left to do but to go to Emmaus to retire himself to some place of solitariness and there to lament and bewail his own sad condition that by his sins he hath caused so many labourers to be cast out of the Lords Vineyard when as he is no more able by his righteousness to deserve then others are able by their power to make so much as one true labourer And sure he is he can never want such lamentations as God will accept whilst he hath such as God himself hath made and practised and such are to be had in the Lamentations of Jeremiah For God the Holy-Ghost made those Lamentations and the Prophet uttered them in the person of God the Son So that the badness of the occasion being more then recompenced by the goodness of the company let him sigh with himself and say Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow which is done unto me wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce anger Lam. 1. 12. For he may well say this when he cannot but say what follows cap. 2. ver 6. The Lord was an enemy he hath swallowed up Israel and he hath violently taken away his Tabernacle he hath destroyed his places of the assembly The Lord hath caused the solemn Feasts and Sabbaths to be forgotten in Zion and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the King and the Priest I will then leave the pomps and vanities of this wicked world before they leave me and go to Emmaus to some place of privacy and there sit down and consider what I have lost not of my temporal but of my spiritual inheritance that I may accordingly bewail and lament my losses for I who regarded not my Saviour as the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace Isa 9. 6. must now regard him as he is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief Isa 53. 3. till by my hearty
unto me saith Christ not go from me there 's the temper of charity to invite and embrace not to repell and reject others for I am meek and lowly in heart there 's the temper of humility lowly in heart and cannot be of that pride as to forget my self meek in heart and cannot be of that presumption as to disdain and reproach my brother where you find not this temper there you may not seek for Christ where you do find the contrary distemper in the forenamed works of the flesh there you are sure not to find the Spirit of Christ and therefore must come with your libera nos Domine though you care not to have the Letanie and say Good Lord deliver me from such professors and from such a profession of the Christian Religion where I can neither find the temper nor the Spirit of Christ SECT IV. Vnsetledness in Religion shews we have not learned it from our heavenly Master or from Gods Exapostole The Holy Ghost being given us from the Father by the Son sheweth there is no salvation to them who believe not the Trinity The mixture of Praises with Prayers in the Psalms was the Abba Father of the Old Testament and proceeded from joy in the Holy Ghost which is a Joy both unsequestrable and unspeakable The Sacrifices and Hymns answerable to that joy IT is very easie for a man to depart and fall away from God but not so easie to return and to cleave unto him No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him saith our blessed Saviour John 6. 44. The Father draws us before we go unto his Son and he draws us with loving-kindness Jer. 31. 3. with bands of love Hos 11. 4. that is by the power of the Holy Ghost who is the Spirit of love The Father draws by his Spirit to his Son He that believes not the Trinity cannot hope to be thus drawn and he that is not thus drawn cannot hope to come unto God which is plainly shewed by the Apostle when he saith God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. The Greek word is very observable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for here 's another Exapostle even God the Holy Ghost as in the fourth verse we had before one Exapostle God the Son There it was God sent forth his Son here it is God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son that is He sent such a Messenger as was not only an Apostle one sent from God but also an Exapostle One sent out of God There was one Exapostle to plant the Christian Religion in the world God sent forth his Son and there is another Exapostle to plant it in our hearts God hath sent forth the Spirit of his son into your hearts the same word is used in both places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God made use of Exapostles as well as of Apostles for the planting of the true Religion Messengers sent from God would not have served the turn to make men believe the truth much less to love and practise it unless there had been also Messengers sent out of God Therefore God sent forth his Son and the Spirit of his Son that he might settle and stablish our hearts in the Christian faith So that if we be unsettled in our Religion and carried away with every blast of vain Doctrine as being not firmly established in the truth of the holy Gospel it is a plain case we have not inclined our ears and much less our hearts to those two Messengers who came immediately out of God even his own Son and his own Spirit and therefore it is no wonder if we slightly esteem of all Gods other Messengers God the Father hath sent out God the Son And God the Father and Son hath sent out God the Holy Ghost The salvation of one is the work of three the salvation of one sinful soul is the work of all three persons of the blessed Trinity The Father sending the Son the Father and Son sending the Holy Ghost which of these three persons can we lose or let go and not withall lose or let go our own Salvation which of these three needs not work as God a work of All-mighty power of All seeing wisdom of All-sufficient and All-saving goodness to turn us from our evil waies that we may be sanctified and to keep us in the waies of righteousness that we may be saved God the Son sent out of the Father into your flesh and God the Holy Ghost sent out of the Father and the Son into your hearts His Son and your flesh his Spirit and your hearts both certainly most miraculous conjunctions the one the cause of the other For his Spirit and your hearts could never have met in man had not his Son your flesh met together in God And this produceth yet another miraculous conjunction a conjunction of Prayer and of praise both together in the same mouth and from the same heart and at the same time that a righteous man cannot be so over-burdened with sorrow in himself as not to be relieved and refreshed with joy in his Saviour Thus Hannah was was in bitterness of soul and prayed unto the Lord and wept sore but she found that joy and comfort in her prayer that the Text saith She went her way and did eat and her countenance was no more sad So that in effect she was so of a sorrowful Spirit as also of a joyful Spirit and as her sorrow afforded matter of Prayer so her joy afforded matter of Praise Her own spirit made her sorrowful but Gods Spirit made her joyful And this was indeed the Abba Father of those in the Old Testament who had but dark promises of a Saviour yet did with joy draw water out of the wells of salvation Isa 12. 3. who had scarce any knowledge or revelation of the person yet were very well acquainted with the joyes of the Holy Ghost Hence it is that most of the Psalms as they are exceeding devout prayers wherein Gods own Spirit teacheth us to pray and helpeth our infirmities in praying so they are also most thankful praises wherein the same spirit teacheth us to rejoyce in God for hearing our prayers They are not only prayers but they are also praises concerning the same deliverance whether it be corporal or spiritual whether it be from bodily or from Ghostly enemies as for example The 30. Psalm is a prayer to be delivered from sickness and death and damnation as that noble Champion of Christ both for his Church and for his Truth and for his Authority hath piously and judiciously stated it in his Book of Collects upon the Psalms which should never be out of the hands of good Christians till it be fully imprinted in their hearts I say the 30. Psalm is a Prayer to be delivered from sickness and death and damnation three such sad considerations as were enough to make
not put it in the power and will of his Church to give unto his people the words of eternal life that they should run away either from her doctrine or from her communion The hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God John 5. 25. Sweet Jesus make the dead to hear thy voice for the living do little less then scorn it And this document or instruction as it much concerns the word preached so it much more concerns the word written which hath alwayes in all ages and in all Churches been taught more incorruptly and more impartially by Translations then by Expositions For in Translations men generally follow Gods truth but in expositions they too too often follow their own inventions if not their own interests Thus have men little reason to depart from the Church because therein Christ teacheth by his word and yet much less because he therein teacheth by his spirit for it is clear that the spirit goeth along with the word in that Saint Stephen saith unto the Jews Ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost Acts 7. 51. When as they had only resisted the words of the Prophets Therefore we may confidently and comfortably affirm that they who carefully observe and conscionably obey Gods holy Ordinances in his Churchâ— will be able at the last day to say unto him not as Sectaries and wanderers will be able to say Thou hast taught in our streets Lake 13. 26. to whom he will answer I tell you I know you not whence you are depart me from all ye workers of iniquity ver 27. but Thou hast taught in our hearts for I will put my laws into their minds and write them in their hearts Heb. 8. 10. And indeed this doctrine concerning the state of true Christianity and the knowledge of that state and the comfort of that knowledge is a most heavenly doctrine and therefore can have its teacher only from heaven The teaching Priest is not enough to instruct us in it but we need also The teaching God Miserable was the condition of Israel to have been without a teaching Priest but irrecoverable would have been their misery had they been also without a teaching God had not the Spirit of God come upon Azariah to teach them 2 Chron 15. 1. 3. Man may teach us the way of Gods statutes and we may never keep that way at all but if God once teach it us we shall noâ— only keep it but we shall also keep it unto the end Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes and I shall keep it unto the end Psal 119. 33. Thus hath Saint John said And ye need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him 1 John 2. 27. His intent is not that they to whom he writ should despise his teaching he is only willing to commend them to a far better teacher for the Apostle might teach them and yet they might not abide either in the Church or in the truth but if the Annointing if the Spirit did teach them they were sure to abide both in him and in his doctrine for ever And therefore saith holy Job who teacheth like him Job 36. 22. Though he be not the only teacher for man teacheth with him yet he is the only irresistible and infallible teacher for man teacheth not like him He is the only infallible teacher because he convinceth the understanding he is the only irresistible teacher because he converteth the will teaching us by the representation of himself unto our Souls as the chiefest good from which we cannot turn away and against which we will not resist For God teacheth the soul by his own presence revealing unto it himself and his everlasting blessedness saith Alensis against which the will of man cannot resist in the judgement of some Philosophy and therefore the scoff of irresistible Grace must needs be far from the Judgement of sound Divinity The Church in the Collect for Whitsunday sheweth both the infallibility and the irresistibility of Gods teaching he teacheth irresistibly in that he teacheth the Heart which useth to make resistance against all teaching of the ear unless it self be taught in the first place wherefore none can be an irresistible Teacher but he that can teach the heart he teacheth also infallibly in that he teacheth by the light of his holy Spirit wherefore none can be an infallible teacher but he that teacheth by the Holy Ghost God which hast taught the hearts of thy faithfull people by sending to them the light of thy holy Spirit Here 's a teacher that subdues my perversness and makes me willing to learn in that he teacheth my heart here 's a teacher that enlightens my darkness and makes me able to learn in that he teacheth by the light of his holy spirit And the doctrines which he teacheth are agreeable with the manner of his teaching Recta sapere in ejus consolatione gaudere To have a right judgement in all things that is in all things of Salvation as if you would say to have a right judgement in the state of true Christianity and of your being in that state and evermore to rejoyce in his holy comforts as if you would say to comfort your self against all temptations and taibulations that you have such a right judgement Let me never uâ—dervalue much less forsake that School wherein this heavenly master is pleased to teach for fear I should lose both the right judgement and the Holy comfort which he is pleased to bestow upon his Scholars And let me not doubt but this Church wherein I have been trained up is a part of that school since it hath taught me nothing that is either Antichristian or unchristian for where I cannot deny the doctrine of Christ I may not doubt of the spirit of Christ Wherefore it is a false and an envious principle of divinity which some have so much improved of late to the advantage of their Church but to the disadvantage of Religion if at least any Christian Church can be advanced by that doctrine by which the Christian Religion is depressed and disparaged That our Saviour Christ hath set up one chair from which he would have all the world to take the documents and determinations of Christianity For the state of true Christianity is not to be confined to any one Church since the author and teacher of it is over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. The Apostle proves that God vouchsafed his Grace to the Gentiles no less then to the Jews by this argument is he the God of the Jews only is he not also the God of the Gentiles yes of the Gentiles also Rom. 3. 29. and again There is no difference between the Jew and the Greek for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him
it either to prevent it from coming upon us or to redress it when it is come For it calleth us to unity against division to constancy against distraction since there can be no constancy where there is no unity It calleth us to a communion with Christ and with his Church which communion must have unity from the nature and constancy from the author of it For our Saviour Christ is the same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. and as he is unchangeable in himself so he desires to be found unchangeable in his members He will have them the same yesterday and to day and for ever And indeed so they are for they do partake of the constancy who were real partakers of the unity in the Christian communion which is betwixt Christ and his Church Those Christians do shew forth a kind of immutability or unchangeableness by their constancy in religion who truly have communion with Christ in the unity of his Church For they cannot run a gadding after other mens phansies who are really established in their own consciences They know they have met with the true Christ already and therefore look not after false Christs and regard not them who say loe he is here or loe he is there They have found him in his Church and will not look for him in the desert or in the secret chambers For Christ having said to his Church Loe I am with you alwayès even to the end of the world would not have us think that we can be with him if we will not be with his Church Therefore we must look for Christian communion in Christs Church though we must not look for it only in his Church but also much rather in himself For in truth Christ and his Church do make but one true Christian communion Accordingly it will be necessary to consider this communion first in its authority for that Christ calleth us thereto by his own authority as the head and the Church calleth us thereto by the authority of Christ as his body After that we shall consider the same communion in its excellency for authority and excellency are reciprocal in Gods commands He commonly commaning that with the greatest authority on which he hath bestowed the greatest excellency And lastly we shall consider the same Christian communion in its sincerity for in spiritual exercises or duties of the soul such as is the desire and practice of this communion the greatest part of the excellency consisteth in the sincerity for God the seer and searcher and judge of hearts accounteth nothing excellent in his service but what proceeds from the heart Lord make me earnestly desire this Christian communion for its authority as proceeding from Christ the eternal Son of God make me highly admire this communion for its excellency as continuing with Christ make me cordially embrace this communion for its sincerity as wholly ending in Christ A true Christian communion indeed which hath its beginning from Christ its continuance with Christ its end in Christ which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex ipso per ipsum in ipsum which is of him and through him and to him as the Apostle speaks Rom. 11. 36. Because it is of him it hath great authority because it is with him it hath great excellency because it is to him it hath great sincerity CAP. I. Of Christian Communion in its Authority SECT I. Christ requires our Communion by his own authority as our Head which hath the most noble and most powerfull influence upon the members The nature the reasons the cause the proofs of our communion with Christ COmmunion with Christ is the only way to Salvation by Christ for if we embrace not his Communion here we shall not enjoy his Salvation hereafter For Christ as man is the head of our Christian Communion though as God he be not only the commander of it by his word but also the defender and maintainer of it by his power so that the gates of hell are not able to prevail against it And this is Saint Augustines Judgement upon those words of our blessed Saviour John 1. 5. I am the true Vine That our Saviour spake those words Secundum quod caput Ecclesiae as he was the Head of the Church that is according to his humanity whereby he is of the same nature with us men as a Vine is of the same nature with its branches Nor can there be a fitter similitude to express the communion of Christ with his Church then is this of a Vine with its branches For as a Vine in the winter is without its branches so was Christ in his passion without his disciples for they all forsook him and fled Mark 14. 50. And as a Vine when it is without its branches is without it is beauty so it is said of Christ whiles he was yet without its disciples hanging upon his cross He hath no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Isa 53. 2. And as a Vine is first planted in the earth before it brings forth branches So was our Saviour first laid in the earth before his Church was increased and multiplied And as the Vine is the basis and foundation which sustaineth the branches so is Christ the foundation of his Church Other foundation can no man lay then that is laied which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 3. 11. The fellow-labourers with God spoken of in the ninth verse may help under prop the branches but t is only the Vine that can sustain them And as the branches have all their greeness and growth and fruit from the Vine So hath the Church all its beauty and nourishment and increase from Christ and as the Vine doth transfuse its nature and therewith its vertue into the branches so doth Christ communicate to his members his name whereby they are called Christians his vertue whereby they are made Christians nay the very nature and being of his filiation or Son-ship as far as it is communicable in that he makes them the Sons of God with himself though not by nature yet by adoption and Grace Lastly which is Saint Augustines observation As the branches are the most contemptible of all sorts of wood when they are off from the Vine but the most glorious whiles they are on it so is it with men whiles they are without Christ they are most base and contemptible Saint Peter can liken them to nothing but to dogs or swine But it is hapned to them according to the true proverb the Dog is turned to his own vomit again and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire 2 Pet. 2. 22. But whiles they are in Christ they are glorious and excellent above all others the same Saint Pteer labours for variety of titles to express their excellency But ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People 1. Pet. 2. 9 Nay yet more
in their hearts And he dwelleth in their hearts by faith not a faith that commeth from their own Spirits but a faith that commeth from Gods Spirit A faith that cometh from our own spirits strengthneth only the outer man but a faith that cometh from Gods spirit strengthneth the inner man That faith is strong only in perswasion but this faith is strong in affection That faith is strong in phansie but this faith is strong in love even in that love which is the fulfilling of the Law loving the body for the heads sake loving the head for his own sake loving the Church for Christ and loving Christ for himself such a faith as this proceeding from the Spirit of God cannot but afford us a real communion with the Son of God and having a real communion with Christ as with our head we shall never delight in separations and divisions from the Church which is his body SECT IV. Christian communion beginneth with the Church but endeth with Christ both in the word and Sacraments and Prayers and that the Church is bound in all these to advance not to hinder our Communion with Christ either by denying the people the use of the Scriptures or by teaching them superstitious prayers as to Saints and Angels wherein Christ neither can nor will communicate with men The ready way to have communion with Christ is by peace and holiness and wherein that communion chiefly consisteth TRue Christian communion beginneth with the Church as with the body of Christ but endeth with Christ himself as with the head God hath joyned those two together let not man put them asunder Nor is it the intent of this discourse to divide this Christian communion into two several communions by reason determining or defining ratione ratiocinata because the body cannot subsist without the head but only by reason discussing or debating ratione ratiocinante because the head is different from the body And every good Christian is to take notice that though he may consider this communion severally yet he may not persue and embrace it so For he cannot have actual communion with Christ unless he have actual communion with his Church no more then he can have communion with the head unless he have also communion with the body yet may he not rest satisfied in his communion with the body the Church of Christ till they come thereby to have communion with the head even with Christ himself For our Christian communion is much like Jacobs ladder the lower part whereof was set upon the earth but the top of it reached up to heaven And behold the Lord stood above at the top of it Gen. 28. 12 13. So is our Christian communion The lower part of it is with the Church the body of Christ here on earth but the upper part or top of it is with Christ in heaven And we cannot say that our Christian communion is a true communion unless Christ be at the end of it as for example in hearing the word read and preached we at first communicate with the Church which speaketh to the outward man but we hear it not profitably to our salvation unless we at last communicate also with Christ speaking by his Spirit unto our souls or to the inward man Paedogogus est Jesus Our teacher is Jesus was thought by Clemens of Alexandria a fit subject both to fill and to name his books of Christian Institutions v. lib. 1. Paedag. cap. 9. For as the Church teacheth the people so also Christ teacheth them much more and the Churches paedagogy iâ— or should be to bring them unto Christ not to make them rest only upon their own teaching for soul-saving truths nor is this Doctrine any disparagement to the Church no more then Saint Pauls was to the Law when he said The Law was our School-Master to bring us unto Christ Gal. 3. 24. Nay indeed it is the greatest honour of the Church as it was of the Law that God is pleased to use her teaching as a means or instrument to bring us unto Christ That as the Church teacheth us by explaining saving truths to our understandings so Christ may teach us by imprinting the same truths in our wills and affections therefore the Church should above all things take heed of offering those truths in her explanations which she cannot believe nor wish that Christ should ratifie by his impressions such as are all those Doctrines which are the inventions of men and not the institutions of Christ And forasmuch as it cannot be denied that Christ teacheth more powerfully by his own word then by ours it is evident that the Holy Scriptures may not be denied to the people in their own tongue by that Church which will labour to advance their communion with Christ and as evident that the people are not bound to communicate with that Church which will not labour to advance this the highest and greatest part of their Christian communion Again in receiving the holy Eucharist we must not only communicate with the Priest exhibiting unto us the bread and wine but also and much rather with Christ himself exhibiting unto us his most precious body blood or we shall receive but half a Sacrament and enjoy but a half communion This is Saint Pauls Divinity The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ 1 Co. 10. 16. We bless the Cup and we break the bread therefore you must communicate with us which we could not say if we did refuse to do either for we could not desire you to relinquish your communion with Christs institution to follow ours But the Cup which we bless and the bread which we break is the communion of the blood and body of Christ therefore you must not communicate chiefly and much less only with us but also and much rather with Christ himself Lastly Thus is it also in our prayers we are bound in our praying to communicate not only with the Church as the body but also with Christ as the head and consequently the Church is bound to use no other prayers then such as may be agreeable with Christs communion and available by Christs intercession For if we pray out of his communion we cannot hope to obtain what we pray for by virtue of his intercession And this I conceive was one main reason why publick Liturgies were at first established in the Church that Christians might know before hand the terms of their communion and be assured in their own hearts that no other prayers should be offered unto them then such wherein Christ himself would joyn with them in intercession which assurance during the extraordinary effusions of the Spirit was grounded upon the infallibility of their persons who prayed but when it could no longer be grounded upon the infallibility of the persons that prayed then it was thought fit it should be
grounded upon the infallibility of the thing or of the prayer for that faith cannot rest but upon infallibility and the people as well as the Priest ought to pray in Faith wherefore this assurance is not only very just and reasonable but also very necessary and religious since we all know we must pray in the merit of Christs intercession if we hope our prayers should find admittance to God and acceptance with him and we are sure he will not intercede with us in such prayers as we have not learned from him For which cause the Church also teacheth us to conclude all our prayers after this manner Per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum through Jesus Christ our Lord as if we were bound to believe that Christ then prayeth for us when we are praying for our selves according to the rules of his word and that we have hopes to be heard not by virtue of our own but of his intercession And t is observable that Saint Paul saith of those who worshipped Angels that they held not the head Col. 2. 19. because in such worship Christ who is the head could not joyn with them nor they with him accorcordingly Saint Chrysostome thus expostulates with such a worshipper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why do you let go the head to lay hold on the members whilst you think to come to God by the Angels he might have put in Saints too by the same reason if that worship had been then in fashion and not immediately by Christ For if you fall from him you are certainly lost and the way to fall from him is not to lay immediate hold on him for he that layes not immediate hold of him cannot lay fast hold of him T is holding of the head not of the body that gives the nourishment whereby we encrease with the encrease of God and Angels are of the body no less then men Accordingly the Fathers of the Council of Laodicea give this reason why they accurse them who called upon Angels in their worship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. 35. because such men have forsaken the Lord Jesus and are guilty of idolatry And it is a pitiful evasion of Baronius to say that the Council spake of false Angels which the Heathen called Genii for besides that no Christians ever worshipped them and the Canon only concerns Christians t is too great an absurdity to be pinned upon a Council to say they spake of Angels when they meant Divels For our parts we must conclude that praying to Saints and Angels is a very unwarrantable a very unsafe a very uncomfortable way of praying because we are sure we cannot have communion with Christ in such prayers For though he can doth and will join with us in saying Our Father yet he cannot will not saying Our Brother Though he doth join with us in our intercessions to the Creator God blessed for ever yet he doth not cannot joyn with us in our intercessions to any creature And therefore since the Church requires our communion only by authority from Christ it is evident that no Church can justly require our communion in this or any other practice wherein it self doth not communicate with Christ For in such prayers as these we can only hold of the body or rather some corrupted member of the body but we cannot hold of the head and consequently in such prayers as these there can be no true Christian communion for that so beginneth with the Church as that it endeth with Christ so beginneth in earth as that it endeth in heaven Saint Johns determination may best decide this controversie for some mens perversness hath made it so who in very few words thus sets forth to us our Christian communion That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 John 1. 3. Where we may see that God imparted not the knowledge of Christian truths to his Church that she might reserve them to her self but that she might publish and declare them to his people That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you God hath declared them to us that we should declare them to you And the reason why the Church is bound to declare these Christian truths to the people is to establish them in the true Christian communion that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ where we plainly see that Christian communion begins with the Church and ends with Christ nor would the Apostle seek to draw them to have fellowship with him but that with him they might also have fellowship with Christ he desires not to magnifie this communion from himself but from his Saviour He therefore exhorts them to have communion with the Church that they might have communion with Christ For indeed there are at least two degrees if not parts of our Christian communion the first is our communion with Christs Church as with the body that ye also may have fellowship with us The second is our communion with Christ himself as with the head and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ and this communion is or ought to be the end of all preaching that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also may have fellowship c. This is or should be the intent of all preaching even the communion of the people with the Priests and the communion both of Priests and people with Christ so likewise saith Saint Peter speaking of our blessed Saviour His Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet 1. 3 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only partakers of but also communicants in or with the Divine nature as if he had said the end of your communion with us is that you may thereby have communion with God His Divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of himself And we are desirous to impart to you this knowledge that you may have part in the same life and godliness He hath given to us exceeding great and gracious promises and we desire to publish them ro you that by these you also with us might be partakers of the Divine nature But because this communion is or should be the only task of our whole life and is the only comfort of our death I will yet alledge one more testimony for it and that shall be his who was wrapt up into the third heavens that he might the better shew us the right and the straight way thither and he bids us Follow peace with
consequently if the Scriptures have in any wise lost their authority they have lost it by the Church and it were a wonder if the Church should cause the Scriptures to lose their authority and yet keep her own We will then take it for granted that the Catholick Church cannot be fully and infallibly proved to be Christian but only by the Holy Scriptures and that she her self seeks for no other and cannot find a better proof And from hence it must neede follow that every particular Church as far as it is truly Christian is willing to submit it self to be tryed by the written Word of God and that if nothing but true Cbristianity had gotten into the Church men would never have withdrawn their necks and much less their hearts from that known and certain tryal for that all the world is not able to prove any thing that is unwritten whether it be Tradition or Revelation to be the undoubted Word of God but only as far as it is agreeable with what is written according to that admirable Rule delivered by Saint Athanasius who having been vexed by the Arrian hereticks above forty years together hath taught us how best to confute that and all other heresie saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanasius in Epist de decretis Nic. Synodi ad finem There are much more exact and perfect proofs of the divine truth to be taken from the Scripture alone then all the whole world beside is able to afford us wherefore it must needs follow again that the best way for a particular Church to keep communion with the Catholick Church is to keep close to the Scriptures wherein alone are revealed those Truths the bare profession whereof makes a Church and the entire profession whereof makes it truly Catholick That Curch which hath the written Word of God for the foundation of her faith and practice is sure to have communion with all good Christians in what she truly believeth and practiseth according to that word And in case she deviate through humane error or infirmity in some particular deductions yet that deviation or mistake shall not overthrow her faith because it is sure and certain in the foundation and consequently shall not break off her communion with Christ the head nor with the Catholick Church his body because that same holy Spirit on whose dictates she relies is the sole author and maintainer of that communion whereas if a Church should believe all the Articles of the Christian faith upon any other ground then that of Divine revelation which we cannot now be assured of but only from the written Word of God as she could not have a true Divine saith not being grounded upon a Divine foundation so she could not in that faith have communion with those Christian Churches who allowed no other ground of their belief And such were all the Christian Churches of the Primitive times for though Saint Athanasius in the place fore-alledged doth on the Arrians behalf bring in an objection against the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as not being used in the Text and therefore not to be used concerning Christ for that we may not speak otherwise of him then he in his word hath spoken of himself yet he alloweth this very objection to be according to his own heart and sure he was a very good Chatholike and enforceth it with the reason afore cited That the most exact proofs of Divine truths were to be taken from the Scriptures and withal avoweth that those about Eusebius who was a chief upholder of the Arrians were such egregious turn-cotes and cavillers that the Bishops assembled in the Council of Nice were in a manner compelled more clearly to expound those words of the text which did immediately strike at the root of their heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whereby it appears that the Nicene Fathers did assume to themselves only the power of Exposition in matters of faith not of Addition or of Invention They did expound that more clearly which they found in the Scriptures and in the Apostles Creed they did not ad or invent that which they found not As they were expounders they might and did hold communion with the Catholike Church whereof they were then the Representative which did wholly rely up-the word of God for all the Doctrines of faith whereas if they had taken upon them to be Inventers they must have forsaken the main ground of Christian communion the undoubted word of Christ and have been the authors of a faction and of a division And for this cause we see that in that famous Council of Chalcedon wherein were assembled six hundred Christian Bishops The Holy Gospel was placed in the midst of them as that on which they relyed and to which they appealed in all their determinations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are the words found in the first action of that Council The most holy and most pure Gospel being set before them And Baronius tells us that the same had been done before in the Council of Nice and gives the reason why it was done out of Saint Cyril who saith thus concerning the Council of Ephesus Christum assessorem capitis loco adjunxit venerandum enim Evangelium in throno collocavit tantum non in aures sacerdotum clamans Justum judicium judicate Liber igitur ille in sede regia collocatus divinam prae se ferebat personam secundum illud Psalmi Deus stetit in synagoga Deorum in medio autem Deos dijudicat They looked upon Christ as head or president of their assembly for they placed his holy Gospel on a throne amongst them that it might represent the person of God the Judge of all men and they placed it in the midst that all might cast their eyes upon it and be afraid in the presence of their Judge to pass an unrighteous judgement Thus saith the Psalmist God stood in the midst of the congregation of Gods and he that was in the midst judged the other Gods Baron An. 325. num 66. And the same saith Binius in his notes upon the Council of Ephesus In medio Patrum consessu sedem enm Evangelio collocarunt cujus intuitu omnes admonerentur Christum omnium inspectorem ac judicem adesse Synodique praesidem agere In the midst of the fathers of the Ephesine Council was the Holy Gospel placed on a throne that all the Fathers seeing it might be admonished of Christs own presence to overlook them as their Judge and to overawe them as president of their Council and he saith no more then is truth for that form of adjuration mentioned by Fidus the Bishop of Joppe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whom we beseech and adjure by the Holy Gospel here set before us Council Eph. par 2. act 1. doth plainly witness as much although at the first session of the Bishops there is no mention of the Holy Gospels being placed among them as was afterwards at the first session of the Council of Chalcedon But
God the searcher of hearts hath reserved the knowledge of the invisible Church only to himself and requireth all Christians to join in communion with that visible Church wherein they live if so be that therein is preserved the outward sincere profession of Gods truth and worship and the right administration of his Sacraments which is a condition not to be excepted against unles we will deny men the use of reason there only where they most want it in the choice of their religion and yet allow it in the choice of their Church and think it enough for them to serve God according to the dictates of others consciences when we are sure they shall be acquitted or condemned in the last judgement according to the dictates of their own Wherefore we must allow an outward sincere profession of Gods truth and word and a right administration of his Sacraments to the constitution of that visible Church which obligeth us to her communion as a member of the true Catholick Church And if we cannot make it appear out of the written Word of God that our own Church is faulty in either of these we may not forsake her communion since by vertue of these she is to us instead of the Catholick Church and by authority of the Catholick Church bindeth us to her communion For if we acknowledge our Church to be Catholick in her profession which we are bound to do unless we can prove the contrary we must also acknowledge her to be Catholick in her obligation because where is unquestionable purity there must be unquestionable Authority unless we will say that Religion is a matter of indifferency and leaves men at their liberty either to practice or to despise it as they please This was not the opinion of the Primitive Christians of whom it is said And they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers Acts 2. 42. They thought themselves bound to continue stedâ—astly in that communion wherein was a sincere profession of Gods truth and worship here expressed by doctrine and Prayers and a right administration of the Sacraments here expressed by breaking of bread And so must we likewise think our selves bound to continue stedfastly in their Communion who succeed the Apostles in the publick exercise of the same religious duties or deny that this Scripture was written for our learning So that unless it be evident to us that the Church wherein we live is faulty either in doctrine or in Prayers or in administration of the Sacraments we may not recede from her communion without being guilty of schism and faction and then Saint Augustine unless you will say Fulgentius was the author of that book will tell us our doom in these words Firmissime tene nullatenus dubites non solùm omnes Paganos sed etiam omnes Judaeos Haereticos atque Schismaticos qui extra Ecclesiam Catholicam praesentem finiunt vitam in ignem aeternum ituros qui paratus est diabolo angelis ejus Aug. de fide ad Patr. Daph. c. 38. You must firmly believe and in no wise doubt that not only all Pagans but also all Jews and Hereticks and Schismaticks who end this present life out of the communion of the Catholick Church shall go into that eternal fire which was prepared for the Devil and his Angels For he that willfully lives and dies out of the communion of his own Church being a true member of the Catholick lives and dies at least in the perverse disposition of his soul out of the communion of the Catholick Church and consequently lives and dies in the state of damnation so neerly doth it concern every Christian not to break communion with his own Church unadvisedly and undeservedly for that is in effect to break communion with the Catholick Church but to try the Spirits whether they are of God and to know there is no warrantable disobedience of that command Keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace unless it be evident That the Spirit is not of God And yet even in that case men ought to be very cautelous and wary that they so forsake the communion of the Church as not to disturb the peace of it for that was all that those seven thousand did who bowed not their knee to Baal in the general defection of the Church of Israel 1 King 19. 18. And that is all we are bound to do in the like case if we will have Gods mark set upon us to preserve us from wrath in the day of wrath for so saith the Prophet Ezekiel Set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof sc of Jerusalem Ezech. 9. 4. Sighing and crying for those abominations we cannot help is enough to discharge us from the guilt of them and this may be done if not without making of a noise yet sure without making of any tumult And this is according to Saint Augustines advice Misericorditer corripiat homo quod potest quod autem non potest patienter ferat dilectione gemat atque lugeat donec aut ille desuper emen det corrigat aut usque ad mâ—ssem differat eradicare zizania palâ—am ventilare ut tamen securi de salute sua bonae spei Christiani inter desperatos quos corripere non valent in unitate versentur auferant malum à seipsis id est ut in ipsis non inveniatur quod in moribus aliorum eis displicet Aug. lib. 3. contra Parmen cap. 2. Let every man correct what he can with mildness and what he cannot let him bear with patience And let him sigh and mourn in love till God from above amend what is amiss or at the harvest pluck up the tares and blow away the chaff yet that Christians who have a good hope may without danger of their own salvation live in unity among those desperate wretches whom they cannot amend let every man reform one that he may not find that in himself which he dislikes in another This is the safest way for every particular man to be sure not to be out of the communion of the Catholick Church and yet not to be in the corruptions of his own Church For he that sighs for the abominations shews he loves Gods truth and he that only sighs shews he loves his neighbours peace His love to Gods truth will keep him in the actual communion of the Catholick Church his love to his neighbours peace will not let him violate the communion of his own Church although he refuse to communicate in its corruptions It is not to be doubted but holy David all the while he lived in Sauls house or was afterwards driven from Jerusalem was under the affliction and temptation of evil company yet he saith of himself I have walked in my integrity I have not sate with vain persons neither will I go
and the beauties and excellencies of the Christian Religion making them to proclaim to all the world these three things concerning that Religion which they taught after this new manner 1. That Christian Religion is not opus naturae proceeding from the principles of nature for then they would have used the Method of nature who first planted it but opus gratiae The work of Grace and therefore they used the Method of grace 2. That Christian Religion must not be made opus artis matter of mans invention or institution for if it would not borrow so much as outward form or Method from the art of man there being no science in the world taught by such a Method as Divinity is in the Scriptures much less any inward matter or substance from it 3. That Christian Religion must be taken in the whole in credendis agendis in belief and practice both together for therefore did the Apostles teach it by praying to shew that we must learn it by practicing prayer it self being the best practice of Christianity Thus it is necessary that Christ should be the Alpha and Omega the first and the last in all our thoughts words and works for this is the end of all the Scripture and they who undervalue the Scripture seem not to know this end or not to regard it as saith Saint John But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name John 20. 31. as if he had said God gave us the Scriptures especially the New Testament for this end that we might glorifie Christ as the eternal Son of God and only Saviour of the world and that by so doing we might through him come to inherit eternal glory SECT 11. The sincerity of Christian communion is the bullwark of its authority and first to be regarded by every Christian Church as being the glory of her prosperity and comfort of her adversity such a sincere communion never to be deserted when once happily attained NO particular Christian Church advanceth our communion with Christ as such but only as Christian and therefore no particular Church can justly require another Church to communicate with it any farther then as t is truly Christian or Catholick for no further doth she her self keep communion with Christ And consequently where any Christian Church leaves Christ there other Churches may and must leave Her that is leave Her as to the communion in Her sin whereby she leaves Christ but not in Her righteousness whereby she still reteineth him for that were little less then in her to leave the communion of Christ For this profession of Saint Paul We are not as many which corrupt the word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ 2 Cor. 2. 17. should be the profession of every Christian Church which desires to have other Churches joyn with her in her communion we do not corrupt the word of God and would not willingly pin corruptions upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non sumus mangones aut caupones Theologiae we play not the prolers or hucksters with our Divinity or with Gods word putting new dresses or false colours upon the Text or truth to make our own erroneous Doctrines the more passable and the less discernable or rather we do not mingle Gods truth with our own errors as false drawers mingle their wines for so saith Hesychius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here translated which corrupt is a Metaphor taken from those Vintners who corrupt and mingle their wines before they sell them A word that speaks much in little and may serve instead of a whole Sermon to the Preachers themselves For if they preach phansie they mingle water with this wine if they preach faction they mingle blood with it Lord forgive us these horrid mixtures and renew again amongst us thy miracle wrought in Cana of Galilee and once more turn our water into wine and suffer not us any more to turn that wine into blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Chrysostome To corrupt wine is in effect to bastardize it which consideration should terrifie any Church that hath wittingly corrupted the word of truth seeing she hath thereby laboured as it were to bastardize the eternal Son of God Non cauponantur quia meram veritatem praedicant de Filio Dei nec ipsam quasi aqua falsitatis adulterant saith Saint Cyril of Alexandria Thes l. 12. cap. 3. They â—sc that are true and good Church-men do not corrupt the word because they speak nothing but the truth and do abhorr to adulterate Gods pure wine with their impure their puddle water No Church can be two careful about the sincerity of its Doctrine since the Apostle did not think he could be zealous enough about it And therefore he again immediately enforceth this same duty to the same effect though in other words seeing we have received this Ministry as we have received mercy we faint not but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in crastiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending our selves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4. 1 2. His whole intent and purpose is to make them see his sincerity in preaching the Gospel of Christ thereby obliging every Christian Church which is the grand Apostle of its own nation openly to profess and much more conscionably to discharge the same sincerity for which accordingly he alledgeth two reasons First the incomparable worth and value of the Doctrine and therefore he saith this Ministry by way of excellency for that the Gospel was as far above the Law and much more above all other things as liberty and salvation are above thraldom and condemnation Secondly the indispensible obligation of his trust which God had laied upon him and therefore he saith as we have received mercy he calls it a mercy not a trust the more to endeer it to his own soul and to ours yet in that he saith he had received it he acknowledgeth the trust himself as one accountable according to his receipts for as he had received it from God so he was bound to deliver it to them without either alteration or addition or diminution according to his own former profession I delivered unto you that which I also received 1 Cor. 15. 3. q. d. If I could not prove the receipt I could not justifie the delivery Having alledged these two reasons for his sincere preaching of the Gospel he afterwards shews what it was preserved him in this sincerity and that was his magnanimity his innocency and his integrity First the undaunted courage of his heart we faint not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non deficimus we are not defective to our selves for want of perseverance nor to our duty for want of constancy For
thus Aquinas finds out two virtues to strengthen a man in any good enterprize or great undertaking the first is perseverance to encourage him against the difficulties that arise from the long continuance of the work the second is constancy to encourage him against any outward impediments in working Saint Paul professeth both in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we faint not either for the remisness of our own spirits or for the intenseness of other mens oppositions The word is used of both that men ought alwayes to pray and not to faint Luke 18. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to faint because of inward weakness or imbecillity agan I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations Eph. 3. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to faint because of outward difficulties or oppositions Secondly the unspotted innocency of his life we have renounced the hidden things of dishenesty He did so heartily detest any thing that was against religion and righteousness that though he might do it never so secretly yet he would not as abhorring not only what was notorious and obvious to other mens consciences but also what was injurious to his own Thirdly the unfeigned integrity of his mind not walking in craftiness neither handling the word of God deceitfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non ambulantes in astutia not using sophistry where he should use simplicity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omne faciens qui quidlibet ex quolibet facere potest one that can make any thing of any thing This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will never agree together T is ill iugling in temporal but worse in spiritual matters I may not use art in mis-rendring or mis-interpreting the word of man and much less the word of God and therefore he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor handling the word of God deceitfully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Saint Basil in Psal 14. every better thing when it is mingled with a worse is handled deceitfully so is Gods word when it is mingled with mans inventions or false glosses But this is not that is all intimated in the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore saith the Vulgar Latine adulterantes verbum Dei adulterating the word of God They who handle the word of God deceitfully are guilty of spiritual adultery Beza goes yet farther falsantes Sermonem Dei falsifying the word of God They who handle the word of God deceitfully are guilty of diabolical fasifications And is it proper for the spouse of Christ to play the whore for the Church of God to imitate the Devill He was a lyar from the beginning let him only be the lyar unto the end for is it just that any Church should alledge the word of God for her authority which cares not to alledge it for her sincerity it is without doubt the Churches part first to make good her sincerity by renouncing the hidden things of dishonesty and not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth commending her self to every mans conscience in the sight of God And then after that to stand upon her authority unless she will profess to be more selfish then Christian to be more zealous for her own then for Christs interest and to be more desirous of making proselytes unto her self then unto her Saviour For t is only the manifestation of Gods truth can commend a Church to mens consciences though the manifestation of pompe and prosperity may too much commend it to their opinions And what is the Churches glory but to commend her self to mens consciences that men may commend their own Consciences to God For do I now perswade men or God or do I seek to please men for if I yet pleased men I should not be the servant of Christ Gal. 1. 10. If a Christian Church shall not be servant of Christ who else will care to do him service and she cannot be Christs servant by seeking to please men in condescending to their humors but God in cleaving stedfastly to his truth If she do this she will keep her sincerity which is her chiefest glory and if she keep her sincerity she cannot lose her authority For a Church that with Saint Paul by the manifestation of the truth commendeth her self to every mans conscience in the sight of God may say with the same Saint Paul If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not least the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor 4. 3 4. In such a case there is no want of Authority in the Church but want of conscience in the men she hath to deal withal For she commends her self to their consciences which is an act of the highest authority But they have no conscience left to regard her doctrine in the manifestation of Gods truth and that makes them not regard her authority though speaking in Gods name And the reason is because they will not be governed by the God of the world above but by the God of this world below whereby they come to lose themselves and the internal light of reason and the external light of Religion For he calleth them lost blind and unbelievers and concludeth them lost because they willfully continue in their blindness and in their unbelief He complains not that he had lost his authority for the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ was able to dispell all mists of errour and to reprove and reproâ—ch all works of darkness But he complaines that they had lost their consciences and were so blinded with their own interests that they would not see this light though it shined most gloriously unto them So is it with each true Christian Church she can never lose her Authority whiles she preserves her sincerity well she may lsoe her actual jurisdiction because men may lose their consciences which should make them obey but she cannot lose her habitual jurisdiction because she hath not lost Gods truth which claimeth their obedience Thus we find the Church complaining in the Prophet Micah 1. Of her small number that she was as the grape-gleanings of the vintage 2. Of the general corruption that the good man was perished out of the earth and those who were left in it did evil with both hands earnestly 3. Of unsufferable inhumanity the best of them is as a briar the most upright is sharper then a thorn-hedge and 4. Of a most abominable Schism and faction that the Son dishonoured his Father the daughter did rise up against her mother and that a mans enemies were those of his own house yet even in that complaint she comforteth her self in God and triumpheth over her enemies Therefore I will look unto the Lord I will wait for the God of my salvation my God will hear me there 's her comfort
and again Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shal arise when I set in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me There 's her triumph Micah 7. 8. Neither could her tribulation deprive her of comfort for that was no more then she had deserved therefore she saith I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him untill he plead my cause and execute Judgement for me Nor could her captivity diminish her triumph for that was no less then he had promised therefore she saith He will bring me forth to light and I shall behold his righteousness Then she that is mine enemy shall see it and shame shall cover her which said unto me Where is the Lord thy God T is evident the Prophet here complaineth in the person of his Church as saith Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He takes upon him the person of Sion And he speaks to sin as his enemy saith Kimchi to Babel saith Jarchi to Idumea saith Theophylact Sin Babel Edom are all three the enemies of Sion Sin throws her down Babel and Edom keep her under But God will raise her again in despite of them all He will first subdue her iniquities v. 19. and then he will subdue her enemies Divinely the same Theophylact 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I have indeed fallen down by reason of my sins my impieties but by returning unto Christ who is the Resurrection I shall be raised again And if he will raise his Israel t is neither Babel nor Edom neither a stranger nor a brother neither a forein nor a domestick enemy shall be able to keep him down And he will not only raise him but also plead his cause and execute judgement for him against those that do depress him as saith the same Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for although I have offended against my God yet I have many iust complaints of their offences against me So is it still with the Church of God though she be most sincere in the profession of his truth yet she may easily incurre the just indigâ—… of the Lord because either her profession cometh short of Gods truth or sure her practice cometh short of her profession so that the purest Church upon earth may deservedly come under persecution and being persecuted must contentedly say with the Prophet I will bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him But yet she must not be dismaied at the indignation of men for God will certainly plead her cause when he hath purged her corruptions proved her patience and procured her repentance He will bring her forth to the light whiles her enemies shall sit in darkness and she shall behold his righteousness though she be punished a while for her own unrighteousness Nor is it a wonder to see that time come now which Saint Peter said was come one thousand six hundred years ago That Judgement must begin at the house of God 1 Pet. 4. 17. It is Gods pleasure thus to train up his children under the rod and t is my shame if the severity of his discipline make me repent that I am one of his family though there is sorrow from the judgement yet there is joy from the house of God and I had rather be one of his domesticks though full of sores and empty of food then be a stranger from his house and be clothed with purple and fine linnen and fare sumptuously every day For I cannot but admire that holy protestation One day in thy courts is better then a thousand Psal 84. 10. It is better to live one day in thy courts and die to morrow saith Jarchi then to live a thousand years in another place Let this Jew teach me both to be a good Christian and to be a good Protestant that I may learn to prize Gods Courts above mens Palaces and to prefer his service above mine own patrimony for it is in truth better then my life and disdains to be brought in competition with my livelyhood And a more hhly resolution followeth this holy Protestation when he saith I had rather be a dore-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tents of wickedness excellently the same Jarchi thus glosseth those words I had rather be at Gods threshold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be kept watching and waking then dwell at my ease in the tents of Esau 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cleave to or have communion with them And indeed the Hebrew words intimate as much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had rather sit at at the threshold a great descent for a king to come from his throne to sit on a threshold and yet that 's not all for the Septuagint from the unquiet estate of those that sit on thresholds because of their often being displaced by the goers out and commers in have thus interpred the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I had rather be tumbled and tossed up and down Let us joyn both together and this will be the full meaning of his resolution I had rather dishonourably sit at the threshold or unquietly be tumbled and tossed up and down from this to that place in the house of God then to dwell at my ease to have a quiet and peaceable and if it were possible an honourable habitation in the tents of ungodliness Therefore though many Disciples go back and walk no more with Christ when they meet with thorns and briers in the way yet all good Christians will be sure to say with Saint Peter Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life John 6. 68. Others may teach us words more conducing to this life but thou hast the words of eternal life We came to thee not to learn how to live in this world but how to live in the world to come and therefore all the terrors and mischiefs of this world shall not drive us from thee We have found thy words in thy house wherein we have lived and dare not leave thy house though at this time the rain descend and the floods come and the winds blow and beat upon it for fear least we should also leave thy words If it be not in the wit of man to prove that our Church hath forsaken Christs words it should not be in the power of man to make us forsake our Church For if there be no just exception against the premisses t is impossible justly to except against the conclusion And if there be no lawful objection against the object and act of worship there can be no lawful objection against the exercise of it Wherefore it would be happy for Christendome if all Churches would stand more upon their sincerity then upon the authority of their communion For authority without sincerity is but like will without understanding power without judgement to engage men to sin but sincerity without authority is not to be imagined for whatsoever appears to me in matters
oppose them in their praying and preaching in his name And accordingly we find when they would needs oppose them such an answer returned as could not but make them condemn themselves for that opposition Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God judge ye Act. 4. 19. And this Answer was given by the Apostles that it might serve as a Ruled case for their Successors to the worlds end whom God hath constituted his Trustees for his publick worship That his name may be rightly invocated and adored his word rightly preached his Sacraments rightly and duly administred and who are bound to lose not only their livelyhoods but also their lives rather then to forsake or betray their Trust And if they are bound thus to stick to the Truth then surely the people are bound to stick to them that they may all be one sheep-fold under one shepherd and as it were one Diocess under one and the same Bishop of their souls Saint Paul did not think his authority confined with his Person when being a prisoner at Rome he did write to Philemon at Coloss calling upon him for the effectual communication of his faith ver 6. and telling him that he was to be Ministred unto in the bonds of the Gospel ver 13. and requiring him to put some wrongs and losses upon his account ver 18. and all upon this ground Thou owest unto me even thine own self besides ver 19. Is not the Church to us what Saint Paul was to Philemon Since by her Ministry God hath called us to the knowledge of his Truth and to Faith in his Son or can we indeed owe even our own selves to her and not be bound to pay our best acknowledgements by effectually communicating in her devotions diligently ministring to her necessities patiently suffering in her losses readily obeying her commands constantly persisting in her Doctrine and continually praying for her deliverance If we deny these acknowledgements to that Church to the which we owe them all because we do own even our own selves besides shall we not shew our selves untrue in denying our debt as well as unjust in denying our duty For a true Christian Church cannot lose her right of obliging us to her communion because she is in Bonds with Saint Paul or in persecution with the other Apostles since it is evident that the precept of Heb. 13. 17. Obedite praepositis vestris Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls c. was given to the people when the Apostles were all grievously persecuted and was carefully observed during the unhappy time of the ten first Persecutions And the reason as we may guess was this that the Church required the peoples communion upon no other terms then Christ himself had required it So that to break communion with the Church had been then to break communion with Christ and this appears from that profession of faith which was made by the Fifth General Council the second of Constantinople in the third collation as it is set forth by Binius in these words Confitemur fidem tenere praedicare ab initio donatam à magno Deo Salvatore nostro Jesu Christo Sanctis Apostolis ab illis in universo mundo praedicatam quam Sancti Patres confessi sunt explanaverunt Sanctis Ecclesiis tradiderunt maxime qui in Sanctis quatuor Synodis convenerunt quos per omnia in omnibus sequimur c. We profess our selves to hold and preach that faith which was at first given from God and our Saviour Jesus Christ to the holy Apostles and by them preached in all the world which faith the holy fathers did confess and explain and deliver to the Churches most especially those who met in the four first general Councils whom we exactly follow in all things And again Et omnia quae à praedictis Sanctis quatuor Conciliis sicut praedictum est pro una eademque fide definita sunt suscipimus omnes condemnatos praedictis Sanctis quatuor conciliis tanquam condemnatos anathematizatos habemus una cum aliis haereâ—icis And we receive all those Definitions or Determinations concerning the Christian Faith which have been delivered by the four first general Councils and all that were condemned and accursed by them we condemn and accurse as we do all other Hereticks If this confession was Catholick in that general Council how is it since that time Schismatical in us And if they were Catholicks who cleaved to the Apostles Creed and to the Creeds of the four first Councils which had none of those additional Articles that have since made the breach in Christs Church and are like to continue it to the worlds end if they themselves continue so long for there will be still many consciencious men who cannot take that for Christian Doctrine which they find not in the Word of Christ nor that for Christian practice which they find rejected by his Word I say if they were Catholicks who cleaved to the Apostles Creed and to the explanations thereof the Creeds of the four first Councils which are accordingly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expositions of the Faith sc of that faith in the Apostles Creed why are not we Catholicks too who profess and maintain the same Faith And if we be Catholicks how are they not Hereticks who willfully oppose our Doctrine how are they not Schismaticks who maliciously recede from our communion And surely it will be hard to prove that the Primitive Christians did for the first six hundred years after Christ reject any men much less Churches from their communion as Hereticks who did make profession of the Catholick Faith according to the Creeds delivered by the four first Councils That moderation professed by Saint Cyprian in the third Council of Carthage was followed by the Catholick Church long after his time Superest ut de hac ipsare quid singuli sentiamus proferamus neminem judicantes aut à jure communionis aliquem si diversum senserit amoventes It remains that we declare our opinions concerning this business but so as to condemn none for being of a contrary opinion nor for that reason thrusting him out of our Christian communion The cause they met about was the rebaptizing of those who had been baptized by Hereticks wherein though the Catholick Church hath rejected their Determination yet it hath alwayes followed their moderation suffering particular Churches in those Doctrines which did not immediately corrupt the faith to continue in their different opinions or different expressions and yet to be of one and the same Christian communion And this appears from the first Nicene Council which denounceth Anathema only against the Arrians who denyed the Divinity of Christ being contented to establish the Canons about Ecclesiastical order and government with lesser punishments in so much that Athanasius plainly saith Patres Nicenos
non eodem Anathemate inclusisse Arianos Quartodecimanos That the Nicene fathers did not include the Quartodecimans under the same Anathema with the Arrians And we may gather the reason of this from the Synodical Epistle of the Council of Sardice wherein it is accouted all one to be Anathema and to be separated from the Catholick Church or not to be reckoned among Christians For so those Fathers declare their sentence against the Arrian Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have judged them not only to be unworthy of their Bishopricks but also of the communion of the faithful For they which do separate the son from the father are to be separated from the Catholick Church as unworthy of the name of Christians Therefore let them be to you as Anathema 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But why are they to be Anathema Because they have corrupted the word of truth say the same Fathers This being the Apostles command If any man preach any other Gospel unto you then that ye have received let him be Anathema or accursed Gal. 1. 9. Therefore be sure not to communicate with any of them for there is no communion of light with darkness but put them all far from you for there is no concord of Christ with Belial Thus far in effect those holy Fathers accursing only those whom God himself had accursed So doth the Council of Ephesus Anathematize Nestorius in this form 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Eph. par 2. Act. 1. The true Orthodox Faith doth accurse this man the holy Synod doth accurse him shewing plainly that if the true Faith had not excommunicated him they would not easily have denyed him their communion I will pass by the Acclamations of the Bishops in the Council of Chalcedon in the first action saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ himself hath deposed Dioscorus this is a just sentence this is a righteous Synod and their great exultations in the Nicene and Constantinopolitane Faith after the recital of those two Creeds in the second action of the same Council and I will hasten to some instances of after-ages to shew how tender the Primitive Christians were in rejecting others from their communion the first shall be of the fifth general Council which was not till the year of Christ five hundred and fifty And that Council at the end of its fourth collation hath these words Sancta Synodus dixit multitudo blasphemiarum quas contra magnum Deum Salvatorem nostrum Jesum Christum imo magis contra suam animam Theodorus Mopsuestenus evomuit justam ejus facit condemnationem The holy Synod avowed that the multitude of the blasphemies which Theodorus of Mopsuestia had belched or vomited out against the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ or rather against his own soul had made his condemnation just or necessary as if they had professed they did not come by their own authority to make him a Heretick but by the authority of Christ to declare him so My second instance shall be out of the sixth general Council which was against the Monothelites For there the Fathers at the end of the fifteenth action pronounce their sentence of excommunication against Polychronius the Monothelite in these words For as much as Polychronius the Monk hath persisted in his erroneous and wicked opinion even to his old age we have therefore put his soul under the curse denounced by Saint Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Praedicto à Sancto Apostolo Paulo Anathemati jam hunc secundum animam subjecimus what curse that was the Council nameth not but we may suppose they meant that denounced in 2 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha They looked upon this man as one that loved not the Lord Jesus Christ for in that he was a Monothelite and said there was but one will in Christ he did in effect deny his humane nature whilst he denyed his humane will as themselves profess in their seventeenth action That the Monothelites Tenent did by a new subdolous invention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 labour to overthrow the perfection of Christs humanity I say they looked upon this man as one that loved not the Lord Jesus Christ in that he opposed the perfection of his humane nature and consequently as one that had involved himself in that Anathema denounced by Saint Paul If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha This is the Anathema that truly strikes the soul which the Spirit of God denounceth against our Spirits for not cleaving stedfastly to the Son of God or for not loving our Lord Jesus Christ he that is thus bound in heaven can never think himself a freeman though he be not bound in earth He that is thus excommunicated by the sentence of the Law cannot but think himself in a very ill condition though happily he may be absolved by the sentence of his Judge So saith Saint Chrysostom upon the place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By this one word hath the Apostle frighted all the impenitent sinners of Corinth whether guilty of fornication or of scandal or of faction or of infidelity for some of them also denyed the resurrection he first shews them the greatness of their sin that they loved not the Lord Jesus Christ then the greatness of their punishment that they were Anathema Maranatha could not but tremble at the coming of that Lord whom they did not love Such men as are in truth excommunicated by God himself are most justly excommunicated by his Church and t is apparent that this Council looked upon the Monothelites as such for it follows afterwards at the end of the Sentence Anathema to Macarius Stephanus and Polychronius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The holy Trinity hath deposed these three miscreants I need not look after any more Instances since this Council was held full six hundred and eighty years after Christ This is enough to shew the Moderation of the Primitive Christians that they did not care to break communion with them in the Christian Faith who had not broken Communion with Christ and they did not think those had broken communion with Christ who professed the Christian Faith as it had been delivered in the Creeds of the four first general Councils indeed they thought the Constantinopolitans Creed alone a full and sufficient explication of the Christian faith so say the Fathers of this Council Action 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sufficiebat quidem ad perfectam Orthodoxae Fidei cognitionem atque confirmationem pium atque orthodoxum hoc divinae Gratiae Symbolum This pious and orthodox Creed of the Divine Grace was sufficient for the perfect knowledge and confirmation of the orthodox faith The Council of Chalcedon had given the same Judgement before concerning that Creed but in different words Action 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sufficiebat quidem ad plenam cognitionem confirmationem pietatis hoc sapiens salutare
bind If we break one of those bonds asunder how shall we be held by the other If we cast away Religion what do we talk of communion it is more just to call it a conspiracy If we cast away communion what do we pretend Religion it is more just to call it an apostacy Let both Religion and Communion be truely for the honour of Christ or let neither be called Christian For indeed this is the only true touchstone whereby we may try which Churches are the dross of Christendom and which are the gold of it they who most labour to glorifie Christ are the best Christians according that short but pithy prayer of the Latine Church Et quia tuum est quod credimus tuum sit omne quod vivimus Orat. in Sabbato quatuor temporum quadragesimae And because that all our Faith is from thee grant that all our Life may be for thee and to thee All our faith is from Christ all our life must be to Christ or we shall live infidels though in belief Christians Therefore they who most labour to glorifie Christ both by their Faith and by their life are undoubtedly the best Christians They who most labour to glorifie him as King to be ruled by his government as Prophet to be guided by his Word as Priest to be reconciled by his satisfaction they are clearly the best Christians and they who are defective in any of these as they less glorifie Christ so have they less the purity and truth of Christianity Great is the preeminence of Christians above other men that they know Christ but greater is their preeminence above other Christians that they glorifie him agreeably to their knowledge such are truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The faithful in Saint Chrysostomes sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christians are called the Faithful not only for trusting in God but also for being trusted by him in that they have been entrusted with those mysteries of Christ which not the Angels themselves did know before them They were accordingly best take heed they do not betray that trust which they did not could not deserve and they will certainly betray it if once they seek to take the preeminence to themselves and not give it to their Saviour We may not judge some of the antient Churches for so doing because they were swallowed up by an Earth-quake soon after they had received Christianity as Coloss Laodicea and Hâ—erapolis in the reign of Nero saith Orasius But we most look carefully to our selves that we may not do so who dayly hear many amongst us saying We are of Paul others we are of Cephas others we are of Apollos meerly to divide the Church and others saying We are of Christ meerly to contemn it For they intend not to advance our Saviour but to debase his Ministers not to come neerer Christ but only to run further from his Church I say we must look carefully to our selves leâ—t some such dreadful Earthquake swallow us up also who have provoked heaven wearied earth and therefore may justly go down quick into hell or lest we be swallowed up by the Earth without an Earth quake as were Corah Dathan and Abiram who were the first notorious authors of divisions in the people of God and themselves perished by a strange division for saith the Text The ground clave asunder that was under them Numb 16. 31. And the ground is still cleaving asunder under us in so much that it is to be feared That the Earth the sons of the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Filii terrae as the Text calls them Psalm 49. 2. the lowest and meanest of the people will at last quite swallow up both Moses and Aaron that is all authority and preeminence both Civil and Ecclesiastical This we are sure of the only way for the Kings and Potentates of this world to keep their own authority is by it to defend and maintain the authority of Christ who is the blessed and only Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6. 15. nor is it just they should look to have any preeminence without and much less against him whose proper right it is in all things to have the preeminence Col. 1. 18. Therefore give glory to the Lord your God before he cause darkness in despite of all your new lights and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains and while ye look for light he turn it into the shadow of death and make it gross darkness But if ye will not hear it my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride and mine eye shall weep sore and run down with tears because the Lords flock is carried away captive Jer. 13. 16 17. Carried away captive from the communion of the Lord to the divisions and distractions of his enemies A captivity beyond that of Babylon because of a confusion beyond that of Babel for there only tongues but here minds and spirits also are confounded O sweet Jesus restore again to thy communion those that have departed from it retain and confirm those that still abide and continue in it Thou blessed Mediator betwixt God and Angels and men and by that thy mediation the blessed author to the Angels of union to men of reunion to both Angels and men of communion with the everliving God be pleased so to joyn all Christians in one communion here on earth that thou mayst joyn them all in one communion hereafter in heaven even that eternal and most blessed communion wherein thou our Head now livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost one God world without end Amen Deo Trin-uni gloria THE IVSTIFICATION OF THE Church of England According to the true principles of Christian Religion and Communion consisting of three Chapters The first Chapter sheweth that the Church of England is Gods Trustee for the Christian Religion as to the people of this Nation The second Chapter sheweth that the same Church of England hath carefully discharged that Trust as a most Christian or most Catholick Church The third Chapter sheweth that the Communion of the said Church of England is conscionably embraced and reteined by all the people of that Nation but unconscionably declined or deserted by any of them I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel which is not another but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ Gal. 1. 6 7. I would they were even cut off which trouble you Gal. 5. 12. LONDON Printed Anno Domini 1658. The Preface to the Iudicious and unprejudicate Reader I Hope it will not be said I seek to justifie a Church which is not for the truth and righteousness whereby it was a Church are the same they ever were or that I seek to justifie a Church which ought not to be for no man can shew a better truth and righteousness whereby to make a better Church Till
men can establish a better Religion then Gods word hath established they cannot find they should not seek a better Church then such as most entirely professeth that Religion For a Church which hath the Religion God commands must needs have the Communion God approves This smal piece seeks to justifie such a Church and hopes to be the confirmation of your faith and not only the Account of mine Wherein I profess my self an Accountant not as a Politician but as a Divine For without doubt so many pious Ministers scandalous chiefly for this that they durst be true to their Oaths and to their Trust in such a perfidious and false age have not lost themselves for nothing in this present world But they have a good conscience to comfort them against their losses and a good cause to countenance them against the world However this can be no immodest assertion to say that he which values the Communion of his Church above his living is most likely to value the Religion of his Church above his life and God make me such a scandalous Minister For I may not forsake the true Christian Religion without being a againstâ—…y â—…y God nor the true Christian Communion without being a Separation from Him And if such a Religion and such a Communion be in the Church I seek to justifie I shall fall under the curse of Meroz if I do not my best to justifie it For this is not to come to the help of the Lord to the help of the Lord against the mighty Judges 5. 23. unless we ought rather to say they have lost their might by opposing the Lord who have lost their Innocency by opposing his Church If you be Unchristian you may perchance think I seek to justifie a Church that is not to be regarded If Antichristian A Church that is to be oppressed But if truly Christian you know I seek to justifie a Church which conscience doth bid you to regard and God doth forbid others to oppress A Church which doth most entirely set forth Gods glory without the falsities of a superstitious or the novelties of a factious worship and in that it doth most entirely set forth Gods glory it cannot but most entirely promote Mans salvation And this being the proper End of Religion is also the proper work of a Church which though it may be a company from the multitude of worshippers yet is it not a Communion but from the verity and unity of worship O thou who art the way the truth and the life the way for us to walk in the truth to direct our goings the life to reward us at our journeys end forgive us our many strayings out of thy way our fierce oppositions against thy truth that thou mayst give us the happy enjoyments of thy life O thou eternal Sun of righteousness who hast enlightned the Christian Church by thy Holy word and holy example and multiplied illuminations of thy holy Spirit be pleased also to enlighten our wandring souls that thy holy word may instruct us thy holy example may guide us thy holy Spirit may rule and govern us that we may not love darkness more then light because our deeds are evil But may love thee who hast given us thy heavenly light may love thy Church to whom thou hast given it may love thy Ministers by whom thou hast given it may love our own souls for which thou hast given it and dost still continue it So shall we be preserved from that inner darkness which will not see thee here and from that outer darkness which shall not see thee hereafter and also be preserved in the unity of thy Church to be ever with thee by a Holy Communion in Earth and by a blessed fruition in Heaven Amen Amen The Justification of the Church of England according to the true principles of Christian Religion and Communion consisting of three Chapters CAP. I. That the Church of England is Gods Trustee for the Christian Religion as to the people of this Nation SECT I. Christ delivered the trust of his Word and Sacraments to his Apostles they delivered the same to Bishops and Presbyters their Successors but the Apostles had an illimited their Successors have a limited trust The necessity of the succession of these Trustees to the worlds end yet is the succession of Doctrine more necessary then the succession of Persons DID Christian Churches more consider the obligation and the charge then the priviledges and the honour of being God's Trustees none of them would arrogantly claim much less tyrannically invade anothers trust But each would timorously undertake carefully manage and conscionably discharge her own T is evident that our blessed Saviour trusted all his Apostles equally with the teaching of his Word Administring his Sacraments and governing of his People because he gave to each Apostle an infallible Judgement and an illimited commission the one enabling the other authorizing each of them to guide and govern the whole world though for the better expediting of their work every one of them betook himself as it were to his own peculiar Diocess according to that of Paul For we stretch not our selves beyond our measure 1 Cor. 10. 14. But t is easie to distinguish betwixt their Power and their use of it For surely if we consider the Power only of each Apostle none of them by taking care of all Christian People could usurp anothers authority or intrude himself into anothers Trust Thus that commission and command given to Saint Peter immediately by and from our blessed Saviours own mouth Feed my sheep Feed my lambs John 21. though we suppose those sheep and lambs did comprize all Christs Flock that then was or ever should be which is as much as the words can bear and more then they do claim or will justifie yet even that large Commission taken in a larger sense then it was given was no supersedeas to Saint Paul for taking care of all the Churches 2 Cor. 11. 28. Instantia mea quotidiana solicitudo omnium Ecclesiarum He calleth the care of all Churches his daily instance that is his daily work and labour even in the Judgement of the Latine Church at the time of the Vulgar Translation For Saint Paul as well as Saint Peter and the rest of the Apostles as well as Saint Paul had an universal commission to teach and baptize all Nations Mat. 28. and by consequent an universal Trust concerning all those Nations who should be taught and baptized for else they might both teach and baptize in vain And this universal trust he that commanded them to undertake enabled them to discharge for the holy Spirit of God leading every one of them into all truth fitted every one of them to lead all the world besides But we dare not say it was so with the successors of the Apostles For they neither had an infallible Judgement that they might have an illimited authority nor had they an illimited authority that they might
man in general neither as lame nor as blind nor as perverse nor as ignorant nor as false but an excellent creature made to know and enjoy his maker So though I see many defects and imperfections in particular Churches for in many things we offend all men and Churches too yet I consider the Catholick Church or the Church in general neither as defective nor as imperfect but as the body and Spouse of Christ holy and undefiled without spot called to the knowledge of God here in this world and to the enjoyment of him hereafter in the world to come And if all men would look more upon the perfections then upon the defects of the Churches wherein they live if they would rather look upon what Christ hath made them then what they have made themselves the world would be more given to devotion then now it is to disputes and would be more filled with Religion then it is now with faction For Christ is so well preached in every true Christian Church notwithstanding the great corruptions and divisions of Christendom that if he were but half so well practised we should most of us soon become very good Christians And truly we can scarce give a better reason why State policy and self-interest hath not generally corrupted the principles as it hath the Practise of Christians but only that those who sit in Moses his chair think themselves concerned in Moses his Trust which was this Thou shalt speak all that I command thee Exod. 7. 2. Hence it is they commonly speak as they ought though they seldom do as they speak their tongues are sanctified though not their lives they remain holy and innocent in their Functions though not in their Actions circumcised in their lips though uncircumcised in their hearts Their Persons unregenerated but their calling such as worketh regeneration Therefore said Truth himself concerning them Mat. 23. 3. All whatsoever they bid you observe that observe and do for they speak with Moses but do not ye after their works for they say and do not they act with Jannes and Jambres They speak they teach according to their Trust but they act they do according to their lusts it being much easier to talk by Rule then to walk by it God often giving to his Ministers the grace of â—â—iâ—ication for his names sake that they may preserve his Truth when yet he denyeth them the grace of Regeneration for their own sakes because they will not obey his truth Gratia gratis data may be given to the calling when Gratia gratum faciens is denyed to the Person we find that God threatneth the wicked Priests saying I will curse your Blessings Mal. 2. 2. What is their Blessing but their calling and how is that cursed but when it is blessed to all men save only to themselves When the Ministers shall be like so many statues in a doubtful Road directing the travellers in the right way but themselves not moving therein at all The comparison is not much amiss For as it is not from the substance of the statue but from its office or employment that men are directed by it so is it also in the Ministers t is not from their persons but from their calling that they are so highly qualified as to be our guides to heaven And as men can make a stock so much more God can make a man discharge the office of a faithful guide And as the rottenness of the statue hinders not the soundness of its directions so a Minister that hath a false and a rotten heart may have a true and a sound mouth And as the traveller thanks not the statue for his good directions but those that set it there so we are not to thank such a Minister for his good directions but God that set him over us For if the efficacity and operation of a good Instrument be ascribed to the efficient cause then much more of a bad instrument And if such holy Apostles as Saint Peter and Saint John rebuked the amazed Jews after this manner Why look ye so earnestly on us as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk Act. 3. 12. then we may be sure that when words of power or of truth proceed from the mouth of a wicked Caiaphas That he spake not this of himself but being High Priest that year he prophesied John 11. 51. And as Caiaphas though he was not a true man yet he was a true Prophet because in that respect he was Gods Trustee for the propagation of that truth which he then prophesied So is it still with many Christian Ministers and Churches as they are Gods Trustees for preserving and propagating the saving truths of the Gospel so they are enabled by his Spirit to discharge that Trust in so much that we may take it for granted that God hath entrusted them because we cannot deny but God hath enabled them For if he had not given them a Trust why should he either give them Authority to undertake it or ability to perform it Therefore since we cannot deny the Authority nor the Ability we may not deny the Trust And indeed the Trust is too palpable to be denyed by any that will not shut his eyes against the truth lest he should see it or that will not open his mouth against the truth that he may oppose it for so saith Saint Paul 1 Cor. 9. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dispensatio mihi credita est I am entrusted with a dispensation sc of the Holy Gospel And t is evident he spake not this in regard of his person that the Trust should die with himself but in regard of his Calling to shew the same trust was to remain with his Successors for ever And if we will look upon all his Epistles we may there see accordingly that he hath derived this Trust to particular Churches after him that is to those Bishops and Presbyters that were set over the people For as the Epistles that were sent to the seven Churches of Asia were directed and sent to the Angels that is to the Bishops and Ministers of those Churches and not to the common people Apoc. 2. 3. So was it in all Saint Pauls Epistles they were sent not to the people but to the Ministers that were set over them God entrusting them with his saving Truth whom he had entrusted to bring others to salvation nor are we beholding to the Citizens of Rome or to the Burgers of Corinth but to the Ministry of both those Churches and of other Churches since them that we now enjoy the true Copies of Saint Pauls Epistles the like is to be said concerning all the other parts of the New Testament For as the Books of the Old Testament were known to have come from God because they were deposited in the Ark and committed to the custody of the Priests whence Damascene saith concerning the Wisdom of Solomon and of the son of Sirach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
again And this gloss of the Jewish Doctor is agreeable with the best Christian Doctrine For it is Saint Pauls argugument for the Justification of the Christian as well as of the Jew from whence he proves that Justification cannot be by the Law because the Law was given only to the Jew That God is the God of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews Rom. 3. 29. And it is the same Saint Pauls argument for the salvation of the Christian as well as of the Jew For the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him Rom. 10. 12. according to that of the wise man But thou sparest all for they are thine O Lord thou lover of souls Wisd 11. 26. The Text saith Gods supream Dominion over all is the reason why he is willing to shew mercy unto all and how shall we say his Dominion over all is the reason that he hath excluded much the greatest part from mercy Let us seriously consider this and we will never quarrel with our Church for teaching us this prayer That is may please thee to have mercy upon all men For in truth God himself is Originally the general Pastor of souls according to that of the Psalmist The Lord is my Shephard therefore can I lack nothing A Psalm made concerning all Israel saith Kimchi that they should say so when they go out of captivity we need not change but only rectifie his gloss by extending it to all the Israel of God and to their going out of spiritual captivity the bondage of sin and Satan for all the souls that go out of this captivity have God for their Shephard to guide them to feed them to protect them thus is God himself originally the general Pastor of souls and all others that take care of souls are but his Substitutes and Curates For he hath imparted this cure immediately to his Son whence he is called the Shephard and Bishop of our souls 1. Pet. 2. 3. But mediately by his Son unto his Ministers for so it is averred from Christs own mouth as thou hast sent me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world John 17. 18. viz. To take the charge and care of souls And every true Church of Christ may borrow these words from her Masters mouth should speak them with his zeal and justifie them with his constancy To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth John 18. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I should be a witness to the truth and if need required also a Martyr for it the first in the affection of my soul the latter also in the preparation of it A witness I am in the best times may be a Martyr in the worst a witness when men love the truth a Martyr when they oppose it They are first enemies to the truth before they can be enemies to me as it follows Every one that is of truth heareth my voice and by the Rule of conversion every one that heareth not my voice is not of the truth But the less they will hear my voice the more they shall feel thy hand the less they will let me speak for the truth the more the truth will cry out against them they may bring the Martyrdom upon me but they will bring the destruction only upon themselves So saith Saint Peter There shall be false teachers by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of What then shall they therefore be able to destroy Gods Church the witness of his truth and the Martyr for it no they shall destroy only themselves as it is said in the same place and bring upon themselves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. But as for the Church that shall be preserved though so as by fire as just Lot was delivered when Sodom was destroyed verse 7. Whence is inferred this Doctrinal conclusion for the strengthning of our Faith for the establishing of our Hope for the inflaming of our Piety and for the encreasing of our Patience The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations ver 9. All the persecutions that can befall the godly though they are others sins yet they are only their temptations and they that have the zeal to pray not to be led into temptation shall atleast have this benefit of their prayers not to be left in but to be led out of them They may be thought to be in captivity but they are not for the truth shall make them free John 8. 32. They may be thought to be in death but they are not For he that is their Truth is also their Life John 14. 6. They will not be false to the Truth and the Truth cannot be false to them they bear witness to the Truth not only for Gods sake to obey his command and for their own sakes to discharge their consciences but also for the peoples sake to save their souls For the same must be the Trustees for Gods Truth and for the peoples souls because there is no way to save their souls but by his Truth And therefore Saint Paul telleth the Church of Ephesus Acts 20. that he had discharged his Trust concerning their souls by teaching them the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth for saith he I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you ver 20. Whence it is evident he preached the whole Truth And again But have shewed you and have taught you publickly and from house to house Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks repentance toward God and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ ver 20. 21. Whence it is evident he preached nothing but the Truth nothing but the right practical Truth such as concerned the good ordering of this present life by repentance towards God nothing but the right speculative Truth such as concerned the knowledge and enjoyment of the life to come by Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ We see by Saint Pauls example what is to be the chief Doctrine of every particular Christian Church which succeedeth him in the same Trust and care of souls even Repentance toward God and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ and consequently the Church is most truly Apostolical which most incorruptly preacheth this doctrine of faith and repentance and most zealously practiseth what it preacheth Nor may such a Church be dismayed that by this means she is like to have many enemies even as many enemies as there are Pharisees and Sadduces in the whole world ready either to deride the Repentance or to corrupt and deny the Faith for so was Saint Paul assured that bonds and afflictions did abide him v. 23. yet he plainly answereth and thereby teacheth every one who succeedeth him in the same Trust what to answer But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy and
it or potentially in our spiritual vote and desire though we live never so far from them And it is to be noted in Gods Method that he first makes provision for the Truth of his worship in the three first then afterwards for the publike exercise of it in the fourth Commandment he first takes care that we be not faulty in the object of our worship saying Thou shalt have no other Gods but me then not in the outward manner of it either in deed or in word not in deed saying Thou shalt not make to thy self any graven image thou shalt not how down to them nor worship them not in word saying Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain After this order taken for the truth of his worship both in the object and in the manner then he proceeds to command the publick exercise thereof saying Remember thou keep holy the Sabbath day Certainly this Method was not in vain but to shew that as the Truth was to go before the exercise so the exercise was to follow the Truths of Religion And therefore wheresoever the Church did worship God according to the dictates of the three first commandments there every man was bound to be a communicant with the Church by vertue of the fourth and not only by vertue of the fifth Commandment For Christian communion as an act of Religion belongs to the first though as an act of obedience it belong to the second Table Therefore if another man saith Our Father which art in heaven how shall I not say with him Hallowed be thy name Doth it beseem me to be angry with the Lords most holy prayer for his sake that saith it as if what Christs lips had sanctified his lips could prophane for my devotion Or can I be angry with any of Christs words wheresoever I find them and not be guilty of anger against Christ and against Christianity Is the love of my God to be over-ruled by the hatred of my neighbour or may I indeed hate my God for my neighbours sake who am bound to love mine enemy for Gods sake The argument then will proceed à minori ad majus that if I may not in a true worship deny my communion to a stranger much less to a brother if not to a brother then much less to a mother If not to one single Minister much less to a whole Church which God hath entrusted with his own worship and with my soul For if I must look on that particular Minister whom God hath set over me as one that directeth me in his worship by his authority then much more must I so look upon my Church which God first set over that Minister before he set that Minister over me And if every particular Minister amongst us would as conscionably acknowledge and as couragiously vindicate his Churches Trust as he confidently assumes and diligently performs his own we should soon have much less faction in the Church and much more Religion in the people SECT V. The Prince as the supream governour of the particular Church in his own Dominions is Gods Trustee concerning the outward exercise of Religion not to manage or perform but to propagate and to protect it The antient Divines acknowledged this Trust and the antient Princes discharged it and Princes were bound so to do because it is their right by the Law of nature and because without the discharge of this Trust there can neither be the face nor the order of Religion among any People IT was the singular providence of God to commit the care and trust of man in matters of Religion only to men for since the devil can transform himself into an Angel of light if in this case we had been entrusted with the Angels we might have been deluded by the Devils But now having a more sure word of prophesie then can be any voice from heaven whosoever be the speaker or the messenger 2 Pet. 1. 19. there is no true Christian Church but may with confidence and must with courage say unto the people committed to her Trust as Saint Paul said to the Galatians Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Gal. 1. 8. God hath not trusted Angels but men with preaching his Gospel nor hath he trusted men to preach a new Gospel but that only which the Apostles at first preached and what he hath given some men spiritual power to preach that he hath given other men temporal power to maintain The Priest is to preach it the Prince is to maintain it and the same God who in the affairs of the body hath given his Angels charge over men hath in the affairs of the soul given men charge over Angels for though an Angel from heaven should preach any other Gospel yet neither might the Priest publish it nor the Prince protect it It being a priviledge of men above Angels since the eternal truth took on him not the nature of Angels but the seed of Abraham that as Angels are the guardians of men so men should be the guardians of Gods truth And happily in this regard we find two sorts of men especially in the holy Scriptures called Angels to wit Kings and Priests because God hath most especially trusted them with his truth T is sure this reason is given why the King is so called 2 Sam. 14. 17. For as an Angel of God so is my Lord the King to discern good and bad And t is very probable the same reason is meant though it be not given why the Priests are so called Revel 2. For we find the Angels of those several Churches strictly examined if not severely blamed for the neglect of this Trust God hath made Kings and Priests guardians of his truth as he hath made the Angels guardians of our persons that we should admire his infinite power whereby he is able and adore his infinite goodness whereby he is willing not only to send down from heaven his Ministring Spirits but also to raise up from earth his Ministring flesh to be our guardian Angels Nor can we now without unthankfulness to God injury to the Truth and injustice if not uncharitableness to our selves deny either King or Priest his part in this guardianship And God he knows we have great need of both It hath been the Devils cheifest policy to sow seeds of jealousie and dissension between these two Trustees that so he might make himself the greater harvest either by depraving the purity or by disturbing the peace of Religion In some Churches the Priest hath almost expelled the King in other Churches the King hath almost expelled the Priest The one extending his spirituals even to temporals the other extending his temporals even to spirituals neither but cometh short of his duty whiles both go beyond their Trust God make both truly to see the danger and the burden of their own
quantum Reges sunt si in suo regno bona jubeant mala prohibeant non solum quae pertinent ad humanam societatem verum etiam quae ad divinam religionem Aug. lib. 3. contra Cres cap. 51. Kings when they are in any error make laws for that error against the Truth When they are in the Truth they make laws for the truth against error So good men are tried by wicked laws and wicked men are mended by good laws King Nebuchodonosor being yet in his perversness made a law for his image to be worshipped But being himself amended made as severe a law that the true God should not be blasphemed For in this thing Kings do God service as Kings according to his own command if in their dominions they require what is good and forbid what is evil and that not only in regard of humane society but also in regard of Divine Religion Thus he plainly affirmed Kings to be Gods Trustees not only in regard of the second but also of the first Table of the Decalogue though as long as they remained wicked Kings they did only abuse their Trust So likewise Saint Ambrose in his Commentaries upon Luke 5. calleth it magnum spirituale documentum a great and spiritual point of Divinity whereby Christians are taught subjection to the higher powers not to break the constitutions of their earthly Princes and he proves it to be so for that Christ himself paid tribute The argument is irrefragable from Christ to the Christian from the Son of God to the servant of God If he shewed his obedience who can give us leave to be disobedient or pardon us for being so So likewise Saint Chrysostom in his Commentaries upon the Romans cap. 13. tells us that Saint Paul requireth Priests and Monks to be subject as well as other men in that he saith Let every soul be subject to the higher power yea though thou wert an Apostle saith he or an Evangelist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For subjection doth not overthrow but rather establish Religion And so likewise Saint Gregory doth often in his Epistles call Mauritius the Emperour his Lord yea in his very chair he doth in effect determine for the lawfulness of that appellation sending this for a decretal to the Bishops of Sicily Legem quam piissimus Imperator dedit vestrae studui fraternitati transmittere The Law which the most Religious Emperour hath given I was careful to send to you And why was he so careful to send it but that they should be as careful to obey it Grat. Dist 53. c. 1. I could easily heap up more quotations of the antient Divines but that the testimonies of these four Doctors of the Church are more then sufficient to prove this was in their dayes the Churches Doctrine And if it were so then t is not for the credit of our Churches to say Now it is not so nor for the credit of our Religion to say it should not be so For we see plainly that Jehosaphat who was in great esteem with Gods Prophet Elisha 2. Reg. 3. 14. and with God himself 2 Chron. 19. 3. though he left the Priests to discharge their own office yet he thought the external Polity both Civil and Ecclesiastical within the reach and compass of his Regal power And accordingly he constituted not only Zebadiah the Ruler of the house of Judah his chief commissioner for all the Kings matters but also Amariah the chief Priest his chief commissioner for all the matters of the Lord 2 Chron. 19. 11. And Constantine the great and after him Theodosius Martian Justinian and other Christian Emperours followed his example in so much that the whole Civil Law especially in the Code and in the Novels containeth many several Laws and constitutions both concerning Ecclesiastical persons and causes that is to say concerning the whole discipline of the Church And this is a Truth which no true Civilian can or will deny Nay yet more no true Canonist though of late their mouths have been most open against Princes can or will deny this Truth unless he resolve to leave the Church that he may flatter the Court of Rome and not only to go against the antient Canons but also against his own Master Gratian the father of Canonists For he brings in Pope Pelagius professing to Childebertus the King that he was bound by the Word of God to be obedient to his Laws Quibus sc legibus nos etiam subditos esse sacrae Scripturae praecipiunt Grat. causa 25. qu. 1. cap. 10. And the gloss cannot but take notice of it saying Argum. quod Papa subest Imperatori This is an argument that the Pope is subject to the Emperour But because the gloss is willing to elude this Argument by saying that this subjection goes no further then paying of tribute it is not amiss to shew that Gratian himself in another place extends it generally to all the Imperial Laws For in that very distinction wherein he pleadeth for the civil constitutions to be under the Ecclesiastical sc Dist 10. he produceth some signal testimonies and proofs that even after the decay of the Empire and the translating it to the Germans the Emperours notwithstanding had made Laws concerning the Church and the Popes themselves had professed their obedience to those Laws I will instance but in one which is in the ninth Chapter of that distinction wherein Leo the fourth Bishop of Rome thus writeeth to Lotharius the third Emperour of the Germans for he was the son of Lodowick the son of Charls the great De capitulis vel praeceptis imperialibus vestris vestrorumque Pontificum praedecessorum irrefragabiliter custodiendis quantum valuimâ—s valemus Christo propitio nunc in aevum nos conservaturos modis omnibus profitemur As concerning your Imperial constitutions and those of the High Priests your predecessors we know they are undeniably to be observed and profess that we now do and with Christs help ever will by all means observe them The new Commentator upon the Decree as it is published by the authority of Gregory the thirteenth from the word Pontificum in this Epistle of Leo being applied to the Emperours maketh this collection that the Emperours established no constitutions in cases of Religion without the advice of their Bishops which is a very true just and reasonable assertion for doubtless they were bound to look after the advice of their Divines in matters of the Church no less then after the advice of their Lawyers in matters of the Commonwealth even as the Kings of Judah had done before them for even David himself in ordering the Levites followed the advice of Gad the Kings Seer and of Nathan the Prophet 2 Chron. 29. 25. But he taketh it for granted that the Emperours did make and establish such constitutions and that when they were made not only the people of Italy but also the Popes of Rome themselves did obey them For saith he these
due is to deny the Text and to be a Heretick against the fifth Commandment and t is as hard going to heaven for Hereticks against the Decalogue as against the Creed surely Mordecay and Hester would not have appointed the feast of Purim for two dayes by their own authority if the secular Magistrate had been confined by God only to secular affairs and prohibited to intermeddle in Ecclesiastical Wherefore we dare not but say this trust this power is indeed the Princes birth-right and is as inseparable from his Crown by the dictates of God and nature as his Crown is from his head or his head is from his body And t is happy for us it is so for else such is the wickedness and such would be the outrage of headstrong Schismaticks Hereticks and Atheists that we should soon come to have no appearance or shew of a Church and no form or face of Religion For the spiritual power of Preaching exhorting correcting administring praying excommunicating which is all that Church-men can do by vertue of their Orders can only enable them to preserve the purity and the truth but not the outward publick solemnity and practice of Religion that depends very much if not altogether upon the external or temporal power both for its being and for its continuance For if men once turn mad and outragious as t is very easie for those who are out of their honesty to be also out of their wits the fear of Gods Judgements will no more terrifie them then the love of Gods truth will perswade them to consult with their consciences so that neither fear nor love of God is like to bring them to a right order in his worship and service nor to keep them in it wherefore in such a case as this and a mischief that hath already been so often felt ought to be alwayes feared unless the secular arm defend the Church well there may be some private love and desire but there can scarce be any publick practice and exercise of the true Religion This Augustine proves at large Epist 50. Bonifacio comiti de moderate coercendis Hereticis which himself would have us look upon as a full Tractate because in the second of his Retract cap. 28. he calls it a Book Scripsi librum de correctione Donatistarum In which Book he useth many arguments why Kings by their secular power should both defend and vindicate Religion 1. Because those were blamed in the Old Testament who did it not those extolled above all others who did it 2. Because it was the duty of Kings so to do for that else though they might serve God as private men yet not as Kings unless they made Laws to compel others also to serve him Aliter enim servit quia homo est aliter quia etiam Rex est Quia homo est ei servit vivendo fideliter quia vero etiam rex est servit leges justa praecipientes contraria prohibentes convenienti rigore sanciendo Kings serve God as men by being religious but they serve him as Kings by making severe Laws in the defence of Religion 3. Because the Church might lawfully call upon them to do it for though the Apostles desired not the assistance of the Heathen Princes in their dayes because that prophesie was not yet fulfilled why do the Heathen so furiously rage The Kings of the Earth stand up together against the Lord and against his Christ Yet now the Church may desire the assistance of Christian Princes since that is come to pass which followeth in the same Psalm Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be learned ye that are Judges of the earth For now that Kings are called to the knowledge of Religion t is not rational to say they are not called to the defence of it Quis mente sobrius Regibus dicat Nolite curare in regno vestro à quo teneatur vel oppugnetur Ecclesia Domini vestri non ad vos pertineat in regno vestro quis velit esse sive religiosus sive sacrilegus quibus dici non potest non ad vos pertineat in regno vestro quis velit pudicus esse quis impudicus What sober man will say to Kings It is no part of your care to look after the Church of your Lord who do possess it or who do oppose it as if they were not to look after mens piety who are to look after womens chastity as if it concerned them that there should be no bastards not much more that there should be no sacriledge or idolatry in their kingdoms 4. Because Kings by their temporal power might redress many mischiefs which else were not like to be redressed For though the best Christians were moved by love yet the most Christians were awed by fear Sicut meliores sunt quos dirigit amor ita plures sunt quos corrigit timor And to this purpose he applies several Texts of the Proverbs particularly this of Prov. 29. 19. Verbis non emendabitur servus durus A stubborn servant will not be corrected by words Quum dixit Verbis non emendari non eum jussit deseri sed tacite admâ—nuit unde debeat emendari when be said a stubborn servant will not be corrected by words he would not have him left incorrigible but privately intimated the way he should be corrected sc by stripes or blows For God often useth the scourge to his best servants to bring them to himself therefore it is not cruelty but mercy in Christian Kings to scourge his enemies unto him whereas the Donatists object Cui vim Christus intulit quem coegit Whom did Christ force or compell to be a Christian I answer saith he Let them look on S. Paul Agnoscant in eo prius cogentem Christum postea docentem prius ferientem postea consolantem mirum est autem quomodo ille qui poena corporis ad Evangelium coactus intravit plus illis omnibus qui solo verbo vocati sunt in Evangelio laboravit Let them confess that Christ did first compel then instruct Saint Paul first strike him down then raise him up and it is very observable that he who was forced to the Apostleship by the pain and punishment of his own body was more laborious therein then they who were only called by the word of Christ 5. And lastly Because the Donatists used un just violence to oppose and opppress the Church much more should Christian Princes use their just power to uphold and to maintain it Cur ergo non cogeret Ecclesia perditos filios ut redirent si perditi filii coegerunt alios ut perirent Why should not the Church force her lost children to come to the way of life since they force their brethren to go to the gates of death Et ipse Dominus ad magnam coenam suam prius adduci jubet convivas postea cogi for even our Lord himself first appointed guests to be invited but at last to
we may be souldiers under Christs banner I say if this trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the battle So likewise you except ye utter by the tongue words easie to be understood how shall it be known what is spoken for ye shall speak into the air 1 Cor. 14. 8 9. The Argument hath as much force against the Spirit of God as against the Ministers of God if he hath no uttered significant words hath he not spoken into the air For shame let us leave off such objections least we indeed force him to speak into the air whiles he intends and desires to speak unto our stony hearts So little doth it become any Divine to set the Law of the Church in a competition with the law of God much less in a perfection above it as if that were plain and sure this were uncertain and obscure For mens consciences must first be directed before they can be obliged and therefore to suppose Gods law to be defective in its direction is to make it defective in its obligation And if Gods law be imperfect how can the Churches law be perfect either to direct or to oblige our consciences The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul Psalm 19. 7. If it were not for its own perfection it could not produce our conversion nor can we oppose the perfection of Gods law without opposing the conversion of our own souls Therefore we must above all things be carefull to vindicate the Rule of our Religion if we would engage mens consciences to receive it and much more to practise it for it is impossible they should be religious without their consciences and much more against them He that searcheth the heart may not be served without the heart and he that most requiquireth the Heart in his service will not be served against the the Heart Therefore every man must worship God with the knowledge of his understanding and with the consent of his will and consequently we may not deny That there is evidence of Truth in the rule of Gods worship to iustruct the understanding and certainty of goodness in it to fix and settle the will i. e. to establish the heart unless we will have men Religious either without their consciences for want of knowledge or against their consciences for want of consent For if a man doth the best act of Religion without his conscience that act is to him little less then brutish if against his conscience t is to him less then damnable and therefore we have great reason to abominate such a Tenent as may either suppose a man to be a Brute in his Religion by acting without his conscience or suppose a man to be a Devil in his Religion by acting against his conscience SECT VII The trust of each particular Church is sufficient for the peoples salvation if she take heed to her self and to the Doctrine God hath given her in his written word and in the antient Creeds of the Catholick Church OUR blessed Saviour bidding us seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness Mat. 6. 33. plainly sheweth that we have no hopes of finding Gods righteousness and much less of enjoying it till we have found out Gods Kingdom and are become faithful subjects of the same And what is Gods Kingdom but his Church wherein he exerciseth dominion in the hearts of his faithful people having established his Throne upon these two pillars of Truth and Holiness by Truth enlightning their understandings by Holiness inflaming their wills and affections and sanctifying their lives and conversations so that it is no hard matter to find out the Kingdom of God and to distinguish it from all the Kingdoms of the world since it is to be discerned by its Truth and by its Holiness For it is Truth and Holiness that makes a Church though it is power and pomp that makes a state There is no coming to Gods Kingdom but by these no tarrying in it but with these no going from it but by forsaking these so that any Christian people or nation in the world may thus plead for it self Tell me not of departing from the Church of Christ unless you can shew me wherein I have departed from Truth and Holiness which two make and constitute his Church If I believe all the Articles of Faith as he hath revealed them and practise all the duties of life as he hath commanded them sure I am though you may deny me yours yet my Saviour will not deny me his Communion though you may not esteem me a member of yours yet he will esteem me a member of his Body This is all that Saint Paul requires to the constitution of a Christian Church when he saith Rom. 10. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness there 's the truth most chiefly fixed in the heart and with the mouth confession is mad unto salvation there 's the holiness most chiefly expressed by the mouth Again Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed there 's the truth received by Faith And Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved there 's the holiness exercised by prayer shall he believe and shall he call upon the name of the Lord and not belong unto the Lord here Shall he not be ashamed shall he be saved and not belong to the Lord hereafter And what else is the Church but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That which belongeth to the Lord here whilst Militant hereafter when Triumphant And how shall any people that believeth and calleth upon the Lord be excluded from belonging to the Lord or from being his Church when it is said so generally Whosoever believeth on him and whosoever shall call upon his name Therefore in every Nation that believeth on Christ and calleth on his name for they are inseparable the faith is not without the confession the belief is not without the prayer the truth is not without the holiness Christ hath his Church and that Church hath the means of salvation Faith and prayer or truth and holiness and the promise of salvation 1. Privatively He shall not be ashamed 2. Positively He shall be saved and we cannot deny it the salvation it self without detracting from Gods mercy which hath made good the means and from Gods truth which will make good the promise And therefore Saint Paul having planted a particular Church in Ephesus saith concerning the Presbyters there The Holy Ghost had made them Overseers of that people Act. 20. 28. He could have said no more of himself and of his fellow-Apostles who had an extraordinary calling but that the Holy Ghost had made them overseers and he saith no less of those Ministers who had only an ordinary calling And what doth he intimate by saying so But that the Ephesians had still the same hopes and means of salvation as before whilst himself instructed and governed them For that the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of life could and
Religion if all Churches would agree in the sense as they do agree in the Letter of Gods holy Word To let pass the Old Testament wherein all Protestant Churches are as willing to be tryed by the King of Spains as by Buxtorses Hebrew Bibles I know Bezaes Greek Testament is censured by some as a most bold piece of Scripture but upon comparing his Text with that of Pope Sixtus Quintus I find very little ground for that censure and less Truth in it Because both Texts generally agree in the very same words and that even in those very places wherein both disagree from the Vulgar Latine And I believe the same may be said concerning the Greek Text that is received in all other Churches That they all agree in the same Original Texts evinceth they have been faithful in their Trust of keeping the Holy Scriptures That many of them disagree in their glosses upon and translations of that Text only sheweth that each particular Church is willing to discharge its own particular Trust in expounding the Holy Scriptures That they all labour not to continue and increase their disagreement but to end or to diminish it for so the Churches do though the men do not is also a good sign that no one of them is willing to be faulty in their Trust of observing and obeying the holy Scriptures And therefore though it must be confessed that the Church like Queen Vasthi hath not performed the commandment of her King so readily and so entirely as she ought yet may not any rigid Memucan suppose that there shall ever go forth a royal commandment that she come no more before the King Ahasuerus for though she may unhappily have been peccant in her obedience she hath not been peccant in her faith though she may have failed in her behaviour she hath not failed in her Trust though she hath been undutiful yet she hath not been false she hath not been unfaithful to her King that he should seek a divorce and give her royall estate unto another that is better then she Let no man think that our blessed Saviour the Prince of peace the King of Saints will so easily part with his Spouse concerning whom he hath said I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgement and in loving kindness and in mercies I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulness and thou shalt know the Lord Hos 2. 19 20. And since Christ will not so easily be parted from his Church how is it that we do so easily part and depart from her If we did rightly distinguish betwixt the Church and the Men we would soon all bless God for the Truth and Faith of his Church though we should blame one another for our own falseness and unfaithfulness we would find that the Church hath been true to her trust in keeping in expounding in obeying Gods word and that only the Men have been faulty Thus Saint Paul blamed the Men not the Church at Corinth for their factions and schisms It hath been declared to me of you my brethren that there are contentions among you 1 Cor. 1. 11. He said they were contentious he said not the Church was so For as they were a Church so they were sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints and calling upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord ver 2. The men were sinners the Church were Saints the men were contentious the Church was Religious Truth and peace were in the Church whilst errours and schisms were in the men The treasure was heavenly though the vessels which held it were earthly We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God not of us 2 Cor. 4. 7. Will you reject the Treasure because of the Vessel you were as good to say you would have the excellency of the power in converting and saving souls to be of men not of God The Vessel is certainly brittle and may possibly be foul but the treasure is neither brittle nor foul that 's a lasting treasure for Truth is so that 's a pure Treasure for holiness is so As a Treasure it will enrich your soul as a pure Treasure it will purge your soul as a pure and lasting Treasure it will purge and enrich your soul not for a moment but for ever T is confessed that this Treasure was at first in much better Vessels then now it is when neither perversness sought to sophisticate the truth nor prophaneness to corrupt the holiness of the Christian Religion but the Treasure it self is still the same it first was For Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. The wickedness of man hath not destroyed cannot destroy the goodness of God He hath still his communion of Saints amongst these great divisions of sinners he hath still one Catholick and Apostolical Church amongst our many divided and distracted Churches And blessed be his name he first provided against our divisions and distractions before he suffered us to make them For it was from his singular providence that the Romans Emperours should keep entire their dominion over all the Christian world till they had called those general Councils wherein was the confutation of the grand heresies and the establishment of the true Christian Faith in the first ages of the Church whilst the greatest part of the Ministry in all Churches rightly understood and zealously maintained the Faith of the Catholick Church For else it is much to be feared that these after-ages of Christians which have been so much wedded to State Policy and so resolved on self-interest would have been much to seek for the truly antient Catholick and Apostolick Faith now briefly summed up in those Creeds which as they are undeniable proofs of the Apostles assertion that the Church is the ground and pillar of truth so they are also the infallible guides of particular Churches to retain and follow that Truth to the worlds end Wherefore God having left us his own undoubted word and such incomparable summs of the saving Truths therein contained as is the Apostles Creed and those other antient Creeds of the Church there is now no particular Church in the world which hath these helps and will carefully and conscionably make use of them but may be sure of believing the Catholick Faith and consequently of professing the true Christian Religion whereby to know Christ and of persisting in the true Christian Communion whereby to enjoy him though perchance the factions of men may be so great and the Judgement of God because of those factions may be so just as never again to let the Church enjoy the happiness of a true general Council And without doubt every particular Church which professeth the Christian Faith according to the Scriptures and those Creeds and hath a practice agreeable to her profession may justly be called the ground and pillar of truth and may
nor be Judged by him Where we may safely enough admit of Baronius his own gloss An. 258. nu 42. out of Saint Augustine and yet not enervate the Validity of the Text Opinor inquit utique in his questionibus quae nondum eliquantissima perspectione discussa sunt id sc concessum esse I suppose they had such power and liberty only in those questions as were not yet fully discussed or determined And again Liberum faciebat quaerendi arbitrium ut examinata veritas penderetur Saint Cyprian therefore allowed them this liberty and power in common That the Truth might be the better discovered amongst them Take either or both Glosses t is evident that neither Saint Cyprian nor Saint Augustine did think That God had shut up all Truth in one Bishops breast or put all power into one Bishops hand But that the several Bishops of several Churches had by the blessing of God both ability to discern the Truth and Authority to publish and to establish it And this was the deliberate determination of the whole Council of Carthage in the year four hundred eighty five to which not only two hundered and thirty Affrican Bishops subscribed but also three Legates from the Bishop of Rome Faustinus Philippus and Asellus in these numerical words Prudentissime justissimeque Niceni Patres providerunt quaecunque negotia in suis locis ubi â—rta essent finienda nec unicuique Provinciae gratiam spiritus sancti defuturam quâ aequitas à Christi Sacerdotibus prudenter videatur constantissime teneatur The Nicene fathers did most judiciously and most justly provide that all controversies should be ended where they were begun For that the Grace of the Holy Ghost would be wanting to no Christian province whereby the Ministers of Christ belonging to that same Province should be enabled beth wisely to see what was just and equall and constantly to hold and to maintain it This Canon saith Goldastus was subscribed by three of the Popes own Legates but sure we are it was subscribed by all the Africane Bishops then present and sent in a letter to Pope Celestine which letter is inserted by Binius as the 105. Chapter of the Africane Council under Boniface and Celestine Tom. 1. Concil par 1. p. 757. edit Colon. Accordingly the same Council in 92. Canon constituteth and ordaineth That a Presbyter or Deacon being aggrieved by his own Bshop should appeal to the neighbouring Bishops or to the Primate or to an Africane Council but by no means to any Bishop out of their own Territories Ad transmarina autem qui putaverit appellandum à nullo intra Africam in communionem suscipiatur But if any shall appeal to countries abroad or beyond the Seas for his redress let no Bishop in Africa admit him to his communion The most reasonable Canon that could be made if particular Churches had their authority immediately from God to appoint those who were aggrieved their remedy at home But if not the most unreasonable to deny them to seek for remedy abroad Surely if we examine the Text we shall find very much spoken in the behalf of particular Churches For even our Saviour Christ himself appointed each particular Church to be judge of every person that lived within its Jurisdiction If thy brother shall trespass against thee tell it unto the Church Mat. 18. 15 17. What Church but that wherein thy brother liveth with thee not another Church wherein he liveth not for then our Saviour would certainly have named that other Church which since he hath not done we must understand this injured man 's own Church or else leave the peace of Christians under very great difficulties and greater uncertainties to this proof taken out of the first let us add another out of the last book of the new Testament Our blessed Saviour sends to the seven Churches which are in Asia Rev. 1. 11 and blames the Angels of them all severally for the several misdemeanors which he had seen in them which plainly shews that those several Angels had their several Trusts and as plainly proves that the doctrine concerning the Trust of particular Churches doth in no wise canton or dismember or disunite the Catholick Church for it is of Christs own teaching who is the head and may not be thought to canton or dismember or disunite his own body Saint Paul likewise sent seven several Epistles to seven several particular Christian Churches as to the Church of Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi Colosse and Thessalonica allowing and confirming the particular authority and Trust of those several particular Churches and yet by no means dividing or disjointing the Catholick Church Whence we may justly infer that what Trust God at first gave to the particular Church of Rome Corinth Galatia and the rest the same he still giveth to other particular Churches and yet without the least division or disunion of this Catholick Church They were all several particular Churches in regard of their trust and jurisdiction they were all but one Catholick Church in regard of their Faith communion neither of them was opposed against the other in that they were accounted as so many several Churches neither of them was advanced above the other that they should all be united into one Church As it was said of the Church of Rome That your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world Rom. 1. 8. so it was likewise said of the Church of Thessalonica In every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad 1 Thes 1. 8. So that this argument can give no more Supremacy to the one Church then to the other and since there cannot possibly be two supreams this Text is very ill urged to prove the Church of Romes supremacy For ought then that can be gathered from these Epistles all the seven Churches were equally Gods Trustees and by consequent all others as well as they not one of them entruâ—ed above the rest and much less with the rest Each to give an account both to God and men for it self not one for All Nay Saint Paul hath taught us a reproof which may justly be used against any particular Church that will needs make it self too authentical above other Churches in that he saith to the Corinthians What came the word of God out from you or came it unto you only 1 Cor. 14. 36. Were you the first founders of the Christian Religion or are you the only Partakers of it was all Religion from you or is there no Religion but with you unless you can make good either one or both of these you may not take upon you to be the only Masters in Gods Israel but must allow others also to be taught of God to have their Religion from him and to have their Communion with him and what is that else but to be a true Christian Church to be called out of the world to Christ the Son of God by Religion to abide and dwell with him by
communion Thus doth Saint Paul briefly but pithily define a Christian Church 1 Thes 1. 1. To the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ We cannot imagine the Thessalonians were in God before they were with God so that the one presupposeth the other and we may hence collect this definition of a true Christian Church that it is a company of men Ministers and People though here Saint Paul chiefly write to the Ministers calling them the Church as appears in that he chargeth them to read this Epistle to all the Holy brethren cap. 5. v. 27. which sheweth that he sent it only to the Ministers I say that a true Christian Church is a company of Men Ministers and People who are with the God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ by their Religion nay more who are in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ by their communion And all the men in the world who are thus with and in God the Father and God the Son by the power of God the Holy Ghost do make up the whole present Christian or Catholick Church They may be several Churches in their Denominations and Jurisdictions They are but one Church in their Religion and in their spiritual communion Thus faith the same Saint Paul Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular 1 Cor. 12. 27. that is ye Christians of all Nations are the mystical body of Christ aud ye Christians of Corinth of this or that Nation are members in particular of that body and members in particular one of another as all together make up that body or as all particular Churches make up the Catholick Church SECT IX What Trust is given to other particular Churches in the Holy Scriptures is also given to our particular Church of England from God the Father Son and Holy-Ghost That our Church is accordingly bound to magnifie her Trust and therefore we bound not to vilifie it And that it is both Rational and Religious to maintain the Trust and Authority of our own particular Church IF he be justly reproached for dishonesty who doth not carefully discharge his Trust which he hath received from man how much more they who do not carefully discharge their Trust which they have received from God And this is the case of Ministers above all other men who have received such a Trust from God as all the power of the world could not give them and all the malice of the world cannot deny them Indeed it is the case of every particular Minister much more of the whole Ministry or of a whole Church which is more eminently Gods Trustee and hath a much greater Trust then either the arrogancy of any one can challenge or the ability of any one can discharge And therefore if the spirit of God give that charge to one particular Archippus Take heed to the Ministery which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fulfill it Col. 4. 17. much more doth it give the same charge to the whole Church of Colosse which had in a more ample manner and for a more general end received the same Ministery And though the Church of Colosse it self was soon after swallowed up with an Earth-quake in the dayes of Nero as saith Orosius yet not so the Instructions nor the authority given to it they must remain till the worlds end Take heed to the Ministery which thou hast received in the Lord is not to be swallowed up by the cleaving and dividing of the earth no more then it is to be revoked or recalled by any voice from heaven And so was it also with the Church of Ephesus as appears from Saint Pauls charge to the first Bishop of that Church I give thee charge in the sight of God and before Christ Jesus that thou keep this commandment without spot unrebukeable untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 6 13 14. In that he chargeth him to keep the commandments he had received concerning Religion without spot unrebukeable he sheweth the Churches trust in that he addeth to his charge untill the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ he sheweth that Trust is to continue till the worlds end For in this case we must alwayes remember those words of our Saviour Mar. 13. 37. And what I say unto you I say unto all Watch For what Saint Paul said to the first Bishop of Ephesus he said to all Bishops that ever should be after him as well as to all that were then with him For the Apostolical Epistles though in their inscriptions or Title they concerned some special Churches yet in their Instructions and use they concerned all Churches as plainly appears from Saint Pauls own words Col. 4. 16. And when this Epistle is read amongst you cause that it be read also in the Church of the Laodiceans and that yee likewise read the Epistle from Laodicea So that what Instruction or Authority or charge was given to one Church was given to all Churches in that one And consequently we may thus argue by way of Induction The Trust of Religion was given by God to the Church of Rome and of Corinth and of Galatia and of Ephesus and of Philippi and of Colosse and of Thessalonica therefore the same trust is given by God to our own Church of England and indeed to all the several particular Churches in the Christian world For if each particular Bishop and Presbyter have his Trust originally from the Holy-Ghost though derived by the hands of men Then much more have all the Bishops and Presbyters their Trust from the Holy Ghost Hence that expression in the first Council of Bishops Act. 15. 28. It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and to us Which hath in some sort been followed by other Councils since Particularly the sixth which confirming the five oecumenical before doth it in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This our holy and Oecumenical Synod hath by inspiration from God confirmed those former Councils Which is in effect as much as if they had said It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us to confirm them Concil Constant 3. Act. 17. Graece sed 18. Latine A sufficient proof that the Apostles spake not those words for themselves alone but also for the Church after them which was thereby authorized as to act by the power so to act in the name of the Holy-Ghost And if any shall be so refractory as to say otherwise he may look upon another place not only as a confirmation of this truth but also as a confutation of his own refractoriness Acts 7. 51. Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost For whosoever is stiff-necked and will not hear nor obey the word of truth though in the mouth of a weak and sinful man sent from God to speak it doth make himself guilty of this detestable and damnable resistance even of resisting the Holy Ghost For
those Presbyters of the Church of Ephesus were as much ordained and appointed by men as any can be of any Church till the worlds ends supposing they be rightly ordained to whom yet the Apostle saith Take heed unto all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers Act. 20. 28. For the ordination of Ministers though it is by man yet is it not of men but of God even as also is the Gospel which they are ordained to preach so that to resist them and their Doctrine is not to resist men but God so said he who first ordained Ministers of the Gospel and still assisteth them in their ministrations He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me Luk. 10. 16. How shall any man go on this errand without Gods sending when the eternal word himself would not preach till he was sent How shall any man despise those whom the Word hath sent and not despise the Word that sent them and the Father that sent the Word And how shall any man despise the Father and the Son and not grieve the Holy Spirit who proceedeth from them So impossible is it for any to despise the Church which God hath set over him and not sin against God the Father Son and Holy Ghost For the argument is à minori ad majus if it be dangerous to despise one much more to despise all if to undervalue a Disciple much more an Apostle For as the Apostles had a greater trust then the 70. Disciples so hath every National Church which is as it were the grand Apostle of its Nation a greater trust then any particular Bishop or Presbyter of the same and the Church now hath that trust as the Apostles first had it from God the Father Son and Holy Ghost Saint Paul saith of himself but doubtless he saith it for more then himself that he was an Apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God that is of God the Father 1 Tim. 1. 1. Saint Luke saith of him that t was God the Son even Jesus our blessed Saviour who called him to be an Apostle who said unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me and who said of him He is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel Acts 9. 4 15. The same Saint Luke saith in another place that he was called to the Function of the Apostleship by the commandment of God the Holy Ghost Act. 13. 2. The Holy Ghost said Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereto I have called them Which variety of expression doth not only verifie that common axiome of Divinity Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indivisa The works of the blessed Trinity in regard of any external product are indivisible so that what is externally done by one person is done by all But it doth also testifie the great trust which was laid upon every one of the Apostles in that he received his commission from God the Father Son and Holy Ghost And as this trust hath since been and still is derived to the Church so it hath been and is derived by the same glorious and blessed Trinity Whereby we see the large Exposition that is to be given to those words he that heareth you heareth me Luk. 10. 16. for it is all one as if it had been said he heareth God he heareth the Son of God he heareth the Spirit of God Wherefore supposing that this national Church wherein we live is as Gods Apostle to this Nation no sectary can justly pretend to God or Christ no Enthusiast can justly pretend to the Spirit of God and Christ why he should not hearken to the dictates and follow the directions of this Church which God and Christ and the Spirit of God and Christ hath set over him I find in the antient Calenders on the twenty sixth of May this Title Augustini Anglorum Apostoli The feast of Saint Augustine the Apostle of the English He was looked upon as one that had planted the Christian Faith amongst us and was therefore in the judgement of the Latine Church esteemed and called our Apostle I will not dispute the ground but only admit the Title for if one single Priest or Bishop was not unfitly called the Apostle of our Nation Then much more may a whole company of Bishops and Presbyters be so called and ought to be so esteemed who have more generally propagated more firmly established and more carefully preserved amongst us the true Christian Faith It is Saint Pauls own argument to the Corinthians If I be not an Apostle unto others yet doubtless I am to you for the seal of mine Apostleship are ye in the Lord 1 Cor. 9. 2. As if he had said no Embassadour can more justifie his trust and his authority by his Princes seal annexed to his Credential letters then I can justifie my Apostleship towards you in that by my preaching you have been converted to the Lord and are confirmed in him what Saint Paul was to the Corinthians in bringing them to the knowledge and to the communion of Christ to the knowledge of Christ by preaching the word to the communion of Christ by administring the Sacraments that our Church hath been and still is to us And therefore what Saint Paul said to the Crinthians that our Church may justly say to us Since these things were written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come 1 Cor. 10. 11. If I be not an Apostle unto others yet doubtless I am to you For the seal of mine Apostleship are ye in the Lord Though others may pretend they have some cause to doubt the trust and the authority of our Church as if she had not a true succession of Ministers which in truth is but a meer pretence or rather a cavil as the learned Mason hath sufficiently demonstrated and should be least objected by them who will have the whole Church depend upon the Pope and cannot deny that they have had many and long lived Anti-popes to disturb their succession yet sure we our selves can neither have cause nor pretence to doubt it since we cannot reasonably deny but our Church hath a true succession of Doctrine so that for us who have not only the speculative but also the practical the experimental knowledge of the Gospel unless we have been grosly wanting to our selves and impiously wanting to our Saviour for us I say to doubt of our Church is little other then to doubt of our Religion as if that either had not come from Christ or could not bring us to Christ and keep us with him For there can be no doubt of the Embassadours authority if there be no doubt of his Princes seal and if we our selves be not the seal of our Churches Apostleship in the Lord the fault is meerly our own t is because we would not
Bishops and Presbyters in Italy shall give an account for souls in England and as much against reason to say or think that souls in England shall not give an account for their disobedience And as this Position concerning the Authority of our own particular Church is reasonable so is it also religious For this is Saint Pauls own argument to the Corinthians Though you have ten thousand instructers in Christ yet have ye not many Fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel Wherefore I beseech you be ye followers of me 1 Cor. 4. 15 16. Whence we cannot but collect this dogmatical conclusion That this Church which hath begotten us in Christ claimeth our obedience in Christ and to renounce that obedience is in effect to renounce our being made Christians And as no other Church can truly say to us I have begotten you through the Gospel so no other Church can justly say unto us Wherefore I beseech you be ye followers of me To sum up all in one word This Doctrine concerning the acknowledging and obeying the authority of mine own Church being both rational and religious I dare not wilfully oppose it for fear of sinning against the God within me that is to say mine own conscience which will certainly by a most terrible and just remorse vindicate the violated dictates of Reason And much more for fear of sinning against the God without me Father Son and Holy Ghost which will certainly by a more terrible and just vengeance at the last day vindicate the violated dictates of Religion CAP. II. That the Church of England hath most carefully discharged her Trust concerning Religion as a most Christian or most Catholick Church SECT I. Gods intent in trusting his Church with Religion was her honour and happiness which should cause our thankfulness to God and our reverend esteem of his Church IT is a great honour to be trusted and as great a happiness to discharge a Trust Accordingly God entrusting his Church with Religion did intend her both honour and happiness Honour with men happiness with himself Honour in earth and happiness in heaven wherein we cannot but admire the goodness and Justice and liberality and mercy of God His Goodness in that he communicateth to his Church his own most excellent property even a will and desire that all men should be saved and come unto the knowledge of the Truth 1. Tim. 2. 4. His Justice in that he giveth abilities proportionable to that desire enabling his Church to promote the salvation of men and to bring them unto that heavenly knowledge his Liberality in that he giveth this desire and those abilities meerly of his free grace to enrich our souls not himself And lastly his Mercy in that by giving this desire these abilities and these riches he expelleth our natural defects arising from errour and ignorance whereby we do walk in the false and cannot find out the true way and prepareth us for that bliss and glory which is above nature who can think of this goodness of this Justice of this liberality of this mercy and not say with the Psalmist Praise the Lord O my soul and all that is withâ—n me praise his holy Name Praise the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits which forgiveth all thy sin and healeth all thine infirmities which saveth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness Psalm 103. 1 2 3 4. For it is his goodness that he forgiveth sin and healeth infirmities his Justice that he forgiveth only the penitent sinners and healeth only those who are broken in heart His mercy that he saveth our life from destruction and his liberality that he crowneth us with mercy and loving-kindness Accordingly he hath commanded his Church to teach especially the Doctrine of Faith to set forth his goodness by which he is reconciled The Doctrine of Repentance to set forth his Justice which hath been satisfied The Doctrine of Free Grace to set forth his mercy in saving us from destruction The Doctrine of eternal glory to set forth his liberality in crowning us with loving kindness O my soul consider the immortal comfort of these heavenly Truths and look upon thy Church which teacheth them as the daughter of immortality as the mother of comfort and as the Bride of the King of Heaven Then wilt thou no more be contentedly without thy Church then thou canst be comfortably without these Doctrines Then wilt thou say with the Psalmist I am fearfully and wonderfully made but with thy self I am more fearfully and wonderfully saved Marvellous are thy works and that my soul knoweth right well Psalm 139. 13. I am much amazed at thy great care and providence over my body but much more at thy great care and providence over my soul Thou madest use of my carnal Parents to make me communicating to them as far as they were capable the honour of my Creation Thou makest use of my spiritual Parents to save me communicating to them as far as they are capable the honour of my salvation should I be a monster of nature if I dishonoured the one and shall I not be a monster of grace if I dishonour the other Didst thou confer on them the Dignity of Causality by thy goodness that I should cast upon them the indignity of contumacy by my undutifulness Can I indeed truly honour thee the Principal and dishonour thy Church the instrumental cause of my salvation Thou laid'st thine hand upon me to make me but thou laid'st thine heart upon me to save me O make me wholly to fix my heart upon thee my Saviour and upon thy salvation Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect and in thy book were all my members written wstilst thou madest my Body But thine eyes would not see my sinfulness nor my imperfections and thou didst blot all my transgressions out of thy Book that thou mightst save my soul Therefore I cannot but say How dear are thy counsels unto me O God Psalm 139. 17. Dear are thy counsels about my Creation much dearer are thy counsels about my Redemption Counsels they were till thou wert pleased to reveal them by thy Church Since therefore I cannot but say How dear are thy counsels I beseech thee suffer me not to say How cheap is thy Counsellor SECT II. The Churches Trust concerning Religion is to see there be right Preaching Praying and Administring the holy Sacraments That preaching belongs rather to the knowledge then to the worship of God and ought not to thrust out Praying which is the chiefest act of Gods worship and most regarded by him especially when many pray in one communion CHristian Religion teacheth us to know and worship God as is agreeable to his Glory and profitable for our salvation So that the Churches trust concerning the Christian Religion is reducible to these two heads the knowledge and the worship of God And because the Church is trusted with the
formerly preached by his extraordinary Ministers his Prophets and Apostles that they also may begin continue and end in God Saint Pauls seems to have pointed at this distinction of Preaching if not to have made this distinction of Preachers when he saith For to one is given by the spirit the word of wisdom to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit 1 Cor. 12. 8. The word of wisdom of infallible incontroulable wisdom being put in their mouths who preached by Inspiration That is the Prophets and Apostles The word of knowledge being put in their mouths who preached by study and industry that is the ordinary Ministers And no more then this seems to be meant by the same Saint Paul though much more is spoken 1 Cor. 14. 6. Except I shall speak to you either by revelation or by knowledge or by Prophecying or by Doctrine All these four kinds of speaking are reducible to the former two words For speaking by revelation and by prophecying belong to the word of Wisdom speaking by knowledge and by doctrine belong to the word of knowledge However this is certainly an unquestionable truth that the Church is still bound to preach both by the word of wisdom by the word of knowledge and is accordingly bound to Translate and Read the Scriptures that she may preach by the word of wisdom and to expound the Scriptures that she may preach by the word of knowledge this was the twofold manner of Preaching used in the Primitive Church First by reading the written word of God then by expounding it So Justine Martyr assureth us in his second Apology 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 First were read the commentaries of the Apostles or the writings of the Prophets for some convenient Time After that the Praesident when the Reader had done did make a Sermon admonishing and exhorting them to Practice what they had heard or to be Doers of the word and not hearers only deceiving their own souls James 1. 22. And indeed Preaching by Reading and consequently by Translating the Scriptures is sufficiently commended in that saying They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them but we cannot now hear them in the tongues wherein they spake we must therefore hear them in our own tongues And it is sufficiently commended in that saying If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Luke 16. 29 31. Whereby it is evident that the Holy Scriptures Preach much more powerfully and efficaciously for the conversion of sinners then any Preacher that could come from the dead and therefore surely no Preacher among the living can come neer them in the power and efficacity of Preaching This is the reason that the Apostle so solemnly chargeth or rather adjureth the Church of the Thessalonians to read his Epistle to all the holy brethren 1 Thes 5. 27. not doubting but that his one Epistle alone would work more good upon the peoples souls then all their Sermons And since the same adjuration concerneth all other Churches t is clear they are thereby obliged to translate that Epistle into their vulgar Tongue for else it would be in vain for them to read it to the People which Truth is not only evidenced and evinced but also established and enforced at large by the same Apostle concerning the whole body of the Scriptures in the 14. of the first to the Corinths in that he forbiddeth an unknown tongue to be used in the Church for these 5. several reasons 1. Because it is an enemy to edification and speaks into the air v. 9. 2. Because it induceth Barbarism in the very publick exercise of Christianity making the Priest little other then a Barbarian to the People v. 11. 3. Because it hindereth Christian communion For none of the unlearned can so much as say Amen to any of the Priests Prayers or Thanksgivings v. 16. 4. Because it reproacheth them among themselves as if they were not yet in the true faith for tongues are for a sign not to them that believe but to them that believe not v. 22. 5. Because it reproacheth them among strangers as if they were not in their right wits will they not say that ye are mad v. 23. All these reasons either now forbid the reading of the Scriptures in our Churches which yet the Holy Ghost himself gave us for a Liturgie because they are in tongues unknown to us or they require and enjoyn the Translating of them into such tongues as may be understood by the People Therefore it is undeniable that the Church is bound to preach by translating the holy Scriptures and may not refuse so to do unless she will be like that unprofitable servant who after he had received his Talent went and digged in the earth and hid his Lords money Mat. 25. 18. And it were to be wished That those Churches who do so would seriously consider the unprofitable servants Doom which was twofold First that his Talent was taken from him Secondly that he was cast into outer darkness For this his doom may not unfitly be thought their danger since they do highly provoke God to take that precious Talent from them which they maliciously keep from others and to bring that inner darkness upon their own souls which they now seek to bring upon the souls of the common People Secondly preaching by expounding the Scriptures is sufficiently commanded in that it is the affirmative Precept of the third Commandment which will have us glorifie the name of God in our words even as the Second will have us glorifie him in our Bodies and the Fourth will have us glorifie him in our works So that of all men in the world those Preachers who do least aim at glorifying God in their Sermons do most take the name of God in vain unless it be such as not only Preach but also Pray amiss for they indeed are guilty of a double blasphemy since Praying as to the outward words is little other then a most Holy a most sanctified Preaching The same Preaching by expounding the Scriptures is likewise sufficiently commended First in that Christ himself the eternal word was pleased to turn Preacher and yet to stay till he was full 30. years old before he would take upon him the burden of Preaching which is the reason the Fathers give in the Council of Noecaesarea Can. 11. why none should be admitted to the orders of Priesthood before that age though he were otherwise of never so great desert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because Christ himself tarried till that Age before he began to preach Secondly because the Apostles though they committed other works of their function to other disciples yet reserved to themselves this great work of preaching Acts 6. 4. But we will give our selves continually to prayer and to the Ministry of the word What can be said more for the necessity of Preaching either by translating or by expounding the Scriptures then that
For if any reason may be given why ungifted men should be thought not sufficiently qualified for the Ministry or set Prayers not sufficiently qualified for gifted men That reason must relate either to God or to the People or to the Ministers But they who consult with their consciences before they speak and then speak according to the result of those consultations are not afraid to averr That in all these respects it is most requisite that the publick worship of God should not rely upon the personal abilities of the Ministers in praying but should be performed and discharged by constant set forms of Prayer not by uncertain and much less by premeditated effusions 1. In respect of God whose name is by set forms glorified more truly because they are deliberate and judicious more zealously because they are propper and efficacious more univerly because they are known to all both as judicious and as efficacious And what can be desired more in Gods publick worship then that it be truly Christian in it self without heresie truly Christian in us without hypocrisie and truly Christian in us all without singularity For if it be so it will certainly not be defective either for want of truth and verity or for want of zeal and sincerity which are both to be in it as it is a duty of Christian Religion Nor yet for want of extent or universality which is to be in it as it is a duty of Christian Communion 2. It is requisite that the publick worship of God should not rely upon the personal abilities of the Ministers in praying but should be performed by constant set forms of prayer in regard of the people because they are thereby more truly edified being edified in their understandings not led on hood-winckt by an implicite saith to blind obedience in the greatest performances of Religion Being edified in their wills not distracted by attention when they should be united in affection for the soul being finite cannot be wholly busied in the one but it must partly neglect the other And also being edified in their memories for by often hearing the same prayers they are taught to pray when their occasions will not permit them to resort to the house of prayer In a word being edified in their consciences in that they are taught and inured to come to the holy work of Religion not as Judges to make them proud and censorious nor as spies to make them peevish and captious but as communicants to make them devout and Religious For whilst the Minister is praying what the people know not beforehand they are in truth but as Judges unless you will have them resign their souls upon uncertainties But whilst they are praying with him in a known form of prayer they are certainly as Communicants Therefore it is an unsufferable injury to the people to be tied to speak to God in prayer only by the mouth of their Minister First because it doth not satisfie their consciences which cannot be satisfied but with certainty as well as piety for though the will or affection may assent to a desire in a prayer not known before yet not with the same full assent as if it had been known partly because the soul is assenting whilst it is praying and so what it bestows upon one act it takes from the other and partly because the soul cannot assent so fully nor so firmly upon the suddain as it can upon deliberation not so fully because not upon the same evidence not so firmly because not upon the same assurance of faith Secondly because it doth disturb if not destroy their Communion with Christ which is the chief end that Christians ought to aim at in all their prayers For not being sure that their prayer will be such as to joyn their Saviour with them in the same intercession they cannot be sure it will be such as to joyn them with their Saviour in the same Communion and so they are in danger of losing both the benefit and the comfort of all their publick prayers for the benefit of them depends altogether upon Christs intercession the comfort of them depends altogether upon Christs Communion Thirdly because it doth disturb if not destroy their Communion one with another which destructive way ought to be most carefully avoided and most hatefully detested by all good Christians For next to the breach of piety in Religion they ought to abominate the breach of charity in Communion For love and concord is the very soul of Christianity By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one to another Joh. 13. 35. And it was the Characteristical note of the first and best Christians And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul Act. 4. 32. And doubtless nothing doth more immediately nor more powerfully conduce to unity in affection then unity in Religion Wherefore since the same common devotions are the most effectual means to produce and to preserve this unity they who are implacable enemies to the one cannot be cordial friends to the other It is reported of Julian the Apostate that after he had conceived an inveterate hatred against the Christians he had no readier way to execute his hatred against them but by endeavouring to make them hate one another And so gathering the most dissenting Christian Bishops and the most factious of the people into his own Palace he advised them to lay aside all Civil discords and to keep the peace of the State but every one securely to follow his own Religion without any regard to the peace of the Church Vt civilibus discordiis consopitis suae quisque Religioni sâ—rviret intrepidus saith Ammianâ—s Marcellinus But what his intent was by this advice Saint Augustine as a Divine more clearly explaineth then their Historian Eo modo â—â—â—abat Christianorum nomen posse perire de terris si unitati Ecclesiae de qua lapsus fuerat inâ—ideret sacrilegas dissensiones liberas esse permitteret He thought that by this means the very name of Christians would perish from the earth if according to his envy against the Church from which he had fallen he should permit the Priests and the people a free liberty of sacrilegious dissentions If we turn this Thesis into an Hypothesis it may not be amiss to say that a free liberty of maintaining what doctrines and of exercising what Devotions every man thinks fit is a liberty of sacrilegious dissentions for consent in Doctrine and in devotion commonly go together and this is indeed a sacrilegious liberty because it robs God of his chiefest glory even of his publick worship and Gods Church of her best Patrimony even of her truth and peace Which may be a liberty of mans taking but sure not of Gods giving for Gods intent in giving us a written word was that all Christians might have the grounds of One Religion And his intent in giving so many patterns of prayer in
that written word was that all Christians might have the grounds of One Communion And the right way of edification for all Churches is certainly to lay their foundation upon these grounds which God hath given them that is to establish a set form of Doctrine whereby to maintain the Truth of Religion and a set form of devotion whereby to maintain the Peace of Communion 3. It is requisite that the publick worship of God should not relie upon the personal abilities of the Ministers in praying but should be performed by constant set forms of prayer in regard of the Ministers themselves that they be not led into temptation either through pride vilifying others or through vain glory magnifying themselves and that they be not led into sin particularly the sins of heresie and schism which are desperate sins in private men but damnable sins in Ministers yet must needs be incident to those who rely upon their own gifts in praying more then upon Gods or their Churches prayers For if their gift forsake them as who dares promise its certain continuance they may easily fall into an erroneous expression which rather then recant they may as stiffly maintain by perverse argumentation there 's the danger of heresie And if they abuse their gift they may easily fall into the humour and love of ostentation and so scorn to be regulated and confined by their Church upholding their abominable ostentation by a more abominable separation there 's the danger of schism Besides such men commonly refuse to tie themselves so precisely to any particular form of words though it be of their own making but they may sometimes add alwayes alter according as any emergen occasion offered or affection suggested shall require so that they can never truly say with the Psalmist Paratum cor meum Deus Paratum cor meum O God my heart is ready my heart is ready which yet the Psalmist thought twice worth his saying sc Psal 57. ver 7. Psal 108. ver 1. And much less can they say O God my tongue is ready my tongue is ready though that be the readiness they most labour for and most glory in for every new affection may unsettle their heart and every new phansie may unsettle their tongue so that either the heart must be false to its own preparation because it may be changed by a new affection or the tongue must be false to the heart because it may take a new expression I have a very good precedent though a bad occasion to put the gift of prayer in the lowest forms of Gods gifts that concern the exercise of Religion For Saint Paul in effect hath done it before me who put diversitie of tongues not only after the gift of healing but also after helps in government 1 Cor. 12. 28. or helps and governments that is lay-Elders and Deacons if some late glosses may be embraced and surely the gift of prayer must come under the gift of tongues as comprehended in it or come below the gift of tongues as outpassed by it so I may well put it below the Desk when Saint Paul according to them puts it below the poor mens Box And Saint Chrysostome gives this reason for it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost hom 29. 32. in Corinth Because they thought so highly of themselves for the gift of tongues therefore Saint Paul alwayes nameth that in the last place after all the rest There is the same reason now why Saint Pauls Successors in the Ministry should do the like concerning the gift of prayer yet I would have laid my hand upon my mouth before I would have spoken so unkindly to or of my brethren were it not to make them lay their hands upon their hearts before they speak so confidently nay indeed so uncomely to Our Father For as it were better my tongue should cleave to the roof of my mouth then I should disparage the gift of prayer so it were better their tongues should cleave to the roofs of their mouths then they should abuse that gift either to ostentation or to faction or which is yet worse to Irreligion For by such abuse not only man is grosly deceived but also God is grievously dishonoured Doubtless he that bids both Priests and people keep their feet when they go to the house of God that they may be more ready to hear then to give the sacrifices of fools doth much more bid the Priests keep their hearts and their mouths that they may not tempt the people to give the fools sacrifice for want either of such affections or of such expressions as may truly be fit to be offered upon Gods Altar And this is plain from the ensuing words Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God Eccles 5. 1. 2. Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Al Tebahal gnal Pica ne feâ—tines super tuo ore Do not make haste upon your mouth Here may easily be much more haste then good speed For your mouth may make haste upon your heart uttering what is scarce yet suggested and you may make haste upon your mouth uttering what is scarce yet digested The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bahal is sometimes to be fearful sometimes to be hasty and thence signifies to make such haste as men use to make in frights when fear hath wholly surprized their wits And such a haste as goes without wit perchance without fear too for men who are audacious are seldom timorous is in a mans own house great imprudence but in Gods house t is moreover great impiety And let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God The better to keep us from the haste of the tongue he disswades us from the haste of the heart for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh therefore if the heart be fraught with hasty affections the tongue will soon be fraught with hasty expressions For he that will permit his heart to love without deliberation will also permit his mouth to speak without it since it is very easie for the heart to come into the mouth when once the assent is come into the heart Therefore he saith Let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing though utterance belongs properly to the mouth the reason is because if the heart hath once spoken it within the mouth will hardly refrain from speaking it without Accordingly the Psalmist when he prayed set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep the door of â—y lips he did also pray Incline not mine heart to any evil thing Psal 141. 3 4. for there could be no watch set upon his mouth unless it were first set upon his heart And indeed here is such a reason alledged as is enough to set a watch both upon all our mouths and upon all our hearts in that it is said For God is in heaven thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few Were he on earth with thee
particular supplication that they may be remedied and yet none are more averse from particular Confession then those that are most angry with the Church for the want of such particular Petitions But to say the truth The Church hath sufficiently provided for such particulars in that she hath taken the Psalms of David into her publick Devotions which Book is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or to use Epiphanius his word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arcula medica a Box of Medicines for all diseases Here he that hath a dead heart shall find affections to enliven it he that hath a slow tongue expressions to quicken it Nor is it possible for that man to want either faith or repentance or thankfulness or any other true spiritual good to comfort and strengthen him either against the evil of sin or the evil of punishment who can truly apply the prayers of the Psalmist to his own heart and truly apply his heart to God and no Prayer whatsoever can either comfort or strengthen him without this twofold application viz. of the Prayer to his own heart and of his heart to God And as for variety of words let him not trouble himself for he were better cordially say with David Have mercy upon me O God after thy great goodness or In thee O Lord have I put my trust let me never be put to confusion then verbally expatiate in greater discourses but lesser desires of this Mercy or of this Trust He will find more true contentment to his soul from the use of one short ejaculation of Gods then in the use of many enlargements of his own making And he were better in brief say with the Publican God be merciful to me a sinner which equally concerns any other true Penitent then make a long prayer with the Pharisee which may only concern himself For it is more like Heathen then like Christians for men to think they shall be heard for their much speaking Mat. 6. 7. and yet if they will needs speak much it is more probable God will hear them speaking in his words then in their own So that if God hath sufficiently provided for our occasional necessities in the holy Scriptures our Church hath likewise sufficiently provided for the same in translating those holy Scriptures and making them a great part of her publick service that we may know how to use them upon and how to apply them to our several occasions For as that general promise whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed Rom. 10. 11. doth warrant every good Christian to make particular application of Gods promises to his own soul by special faith so that other general promise whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved Rom. 10. 13. doth warrant every good Christian to make particular application of his own soul to God by special Prayer And as the holy Scriptures are most abundantly sufficient in the rules and examples of special faith so also in the rules and examples of special prayers And as we justly say That the holy Scriptures do shew their original to have been from God because they speak so much in so little containing so many Truths in so few words for only he that understood all things at once was able to intend and comprize so many things together so we as justly say The Church hath taken the best course she could to improve our understandings in those divine Truths in that she hath made it easie for us to understand the holy Scriptures And consequently though she had devised millions of particular prayers for no other purpose but to instruct us to pray upon particular occasions yet she could not have instructed us half so well as now she hath meerly by imparting to us Gods own Instructions And till the Church of Rome shall do the same it will be vain for her Champions to object that she hath out-gone the Protestant Churches in the care of the peoples souls but this by the way to shew the grounds we go upon in our Religion are equally good against the Papists and against the Enthusiasts But neither is this all that we can say for our Church in this behalf for in truth she hath provided such admirable prayers as are not only according to the Rule of Gods holy Word but also very much according to the Genius of it comprizing much in little having more of Faith Hope and Charity in one of her little collects then is to be found in many of their long prayers who either revile her Devotions or renounce her Communion So that if we will not be as wasps good for nothing but to buz and sting but rather as Bees ready to gather honey even from weeds and much more from the roses of Sharon we shall easily find to the joy of our own hearts and the stopping of others mouths That our Church in her Common-Prayers hath taught us such Generals as may sufficiently supply for all particulars And hath taught us such eternals as ought to be in our account as they are in themselves infinitely beyond all Occasionals our blessed Saviour himself hath taught us this lesson concerning the manner of our prayers Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him Mat. 6. 8. as if he had said you need not ask your heavenly Father as you need your earthly parents in many words but only with true and upright hearts this made our Church delight in short prayers because she rather desired to shew a relenting heart then an over-flowing tongue as praying to him that weigheth only hearts not words in the ballance of his Sanctuary A short prayer best suits with an hearty desire which is too earnest to be long in uttering and also with the desires of our hearts in regard of heavenly things which most commonly are too weak to be long in desiring The Church in her short prayers hath taken a great care for our earnestness and withal provided a certain cure for our weakness and if any man think that Through Jesus Christ our Lord comes in too soon because the Prayers are short or too often because they are many let him know That this one single observation in these five words speaks more to God for us then we by thousands of continued Periods in our longest prayers are able to speak for our own selves and if there were no other reason but this yet for this reason alone were many short prayers to be preferred before one long prayer both in our private and in our publick Devotions Again our blessed Saviour hath also taught us this lesson concerning the matter of our Prayers Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you Mat. 6. 33. as if he had said Regard chiefly your Continual not your Occasional your Spiritual not your Temporal necessities in your Prayers be earnest with God to give you Faith Hope Charity Religion Repentance Obedience
glory Thus Aristotle lib. 6. Eth. cap. ult ingeniously answereth their objection who would make Prudence to be above Sapience because Prudence commandeth Sapience and he answereth it by this distinction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Illius causa praecipit non autem illi Prudence commands for Sapience but not over her we are willing to look upon Christs Church as upon the best Prudence in the world but withall we must look upon Christ himself as the only Sapience the only true and eternal wisdom and accordingly say That the Church commandeth for Christ but not over him He that commandeth over another is certainly his superiour but he that commandeth for another is not so but rather his inferiour As Physick commandeth or prescribeth for health and therefore in that regard is not superiour but inferiour to health being made subservient to its recovery or continuance And if we will not allow this distinction we must according to Aristotle affirm the state or Common-wealth to be above God himself for she prescribeth his worship and if we will allow it we may not deny the Church to be under him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle wherefore if it be absurd in the judgement of a heathen to allow the civil state a power eminent above or equal with the false Gods because she commandeth their worship Then much more ought it to be absurd in the judgement of a Christian to allow the Ecclesiastical State a power eminent above or equal with the true God meerly upon the ground and reason of the same command Yet on the other side as Prudence ought to prescribe for Sapience so the Church ought to prescribe for Christ And as he that neglecteth the particular prescriptions of Prudence is the further from attaining the general dictates of Sapience So he that neglecteth the particular directions of Christs Church is the farther from apprehending the General instructions of Christs Word I must then take both Christs Word and Christs Church for my guides in the choice of my Christian Communion His Word for my guide that I be not guilty of superstition His Church for my guide that I be not guilty of Faction And having taken these two guides either I shall meet with no objections from mine own conscience and it is no matter what I meet with from other mens tongues against my Religion or I shall meet with very good solutions to answer them As for example Let this be the Catechism concerning my Religion Quest 1. Vpon what authority do you profess your Religion Answ Upon the highest authority in heaven and in earth the authority of God and of his Church The authority of God for 't is consonant to his word as my Rule The authority of Gods Church for 't is consonant to her Practice as my Example Quest 2. Do you think that you are bound to ground your Religion upon this twofold authority Answ I do especially as to the publick exercise or profession of it For without the first I shall have superstition instead of Religion without the second I shall have faction instead of Communion Quest 3. How can you prove that your particular Church hath authority from God to order you in the outward exercise of Religion Answ By the same proofs of the Text which prove any Church whatsoever to have that authority For Christs commission to Saint Peter Feed my sheep John 20. 16. is by him derived unto other Pastors Feed the Flock of God which is among you 1 Pet. 5. 2. He saith not Feed that part of my flock which is among you to help or to assist me but Feed the Flock of God to honour and obey him And he saith the flock of God which is among you to shew that the flocks needed no more look abroad for their Pastors then the Pastors needed look abroad for their flocks since they were actually one among the other And yet if the words had been less punctual they had not been less prevalent For feed the flock of God must alike concern all Churches since no prophesie or command of the Scripture is of any private interpretation 2 Pet. 1. 20. and therefore this command must alike concern all Churches Quest 4. What need you look after the Authority of God in the choice or practice of your Religion is not his Church allotted you for your only guide Answ No it is not for my Religion though it be for my Communion For if I serve God with a blind obedience I cannot serve him with my conscience and that is no other then a blind obedience to serve him upon anothers not upon his own command They that would perswade me to this should make the ninth Article of the Apostles Creed the First and teach me to say I believe the holy Catholick Church before I say I believe in God the Father Son and Holy Ghost For all the world cannot deny but my belief in God is the only ground of all my Faith even as my love of God is the only ground of all my obedience And since all Religion consists in faith and obedience well I may look upon my Church as the conveyance but I must look upon God only as the Donor and Giver or the Author of my Religion SECT II. That the Communion of the Church of England is truly Christian in Doctrine free from Heresie and from the necessary cause thereof a false ground or foundation of Faith that is Believing upon the Authority of man instead of God I had little Reason and should have less Religion to be true to my Church if my Church were not true to my Saviour the eternal Truth Therefore I must needs acquit my Church from Heresie that I may keep my self from Apostasie For if she hath fallen away from Christ I might lawfully fall away from her at least internally by with-drawing my affection which ought to be fixed upon Gods Truth if not externally by with-drawing my person which ought not to disturb the Churches Peace Let me see then how my Church hath kept Gods Truth that I may learn how to keep my Church And herein I cannot but perswade my self that what our blessed Saviour once spake to those Jews which believed on him he still speaketh to us Christians who profess the same belief If ye continue in my word then are ye my Disciples indeed And ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you free John 8. 31 32. And by the rule of contraries If we continue not in his word then are we not his Disciples in deed but only in shew and we shall not know the Truth and the Truth shall not make us free Therefore no Church can boast of being his Disciple which doth not continue in his Word that she may continue in his Truth And in this respect I cannot but continue in my Church that I may continue both in his Word and in his Truth because I see she hath continued in both so that the Truth
which hath made her free hath made me a bondman for I am not free to go from the Church whiles she is free by coming to and abiding in the Truth I must be contented to lose my Liberty that I may keep my Piety wherein though I have a seeming loss yet I have a real gain even the gain of godliness which is great gain in this world by sanctifying the soul but greater in the next by saving it And this is according to our blessed Saviours Prayer Sanctifie them through thy Truth thy word is Truth John 17. 17. The same is the Holy Religion to sanctifie us which is the True Religion to save us The sanctification it hath from Gods Truth the Truth it hath from Gods Word and consequently a Religion that is not built upon Gods Word can neither have Sanctification nor Truth This is the only certain and infallible foundation of the Catholick Faith according to that of Saint Paul Ye are of the houshold of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone Eph. 2. 19 20. Vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets that is upon the Old and New Testament Supra novum vetus Testamentum as saith Saint Ambrose And Epiphanius doth in effect give the same gloss in saying That our blessed Saviour is called the chief corner-stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because he did bind as it were in one knot both the People and the Truths of the Old and New Testament so that we must have the holy Scriptures for our foundation or we cannot have our Saviour Christ for the chief corner-stone of our building The same Epiphanius tels us that our blessed Saviour was therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magni consilii Angelus for so the Seventy have rendred that Text Isa 9. 6. The Angel of the great Counsel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epiph. in Hâ—r Arian because he declared the will of his Father unto men And sure we must go to the Holy Scriptures if we desire to find that declaration Nay indeed Aquinas also wâ—tnesseth the same in saying that t is most proper for Divinity to argue from authority and not from reason because she hath all her principles from Revelation Argumentari ex authoritate est maximè proprium hujus Doctrine eo quod principia hujus Doctrinae per revelationem habentur in 1. par qu. 1. ar 8. ad 2. And least we should doubt where to look for that Revelation and consequently for that authority from which we ought to argue he tels us presently after we must look for it from the Apostles and Prophets in the Canonical Scriptures and from no body else Innititur fides nostra revelationi Apostolis Prophetis factae qui Canonicos libros scripserunt non autem revelationi siqua fuit aliis doctoribus facta Our faith relyeth upon the revelation that was made to the Apostles and Prophets who writ the Canonical Scriptures and not upon any Revelation made before or since to any other Doctor whatsoever And he proves his assertion from Saint Augustine in an Epistle to Saint Hierom wherein he saith thus Solis enim scripturarum libris qui Canonici appellantur didici hunc honorem deferre ut nullum auctorem eorum in scribendo errasse aliquid firmissime credam Alios autem ita lego ut quantalibet sanctitate doctrinaque praepolleant non ideo verum putem quod ipsi ita senserunt vel scripserunt I have learned to give this honour only to the Canonical Books of the Holy Scriptures that I firmly believe the Authors of those books to have erred in nothing But as for other Authours though of never so great learning and piety yet I do not think the Doctrine true because they have writ it I will add but one more Testimony and that shall be from Gratian himself the Father of the Canonists who in the second part of the Decree cause 8. quest 1. cap ult citeth these words out of reverend Bede Quibus in sacris literis una est credendi pariter Vivendi regula praescripta To whom in the Holy Scripture there is prescribed one rule both of believing and of living Quibus to whom he means to Clergy-men and to Lay-men though the gloss is pleased to add Laicis tamen sufficit Pictura pro Doctrina Pictures may suffice for Lay-mens Books T is to no purpose to cite moreover the authority of Councils for sure School-men Fathers and Canonists are enough to out-weigh a few later Jesuites who would sain have us go to man rather then to God for the foundation of our Faith In controversiis Religionis ultimum judicium est summi Pontificis saith Bellarmine lib. 4. de Pontif. cap. 1. § Sed nec In controversies of Religion the last Judgement belongs to the Pope And again Solum Petrum Christus vocavit Petram fundamentum non Petrum cum Concilio ex quo apparet totam firmitatem Conciliorum esse à Pontifice non partim à Pontifice partim à Concilio ib. c 3. § Contra. Our blessed Saviour called Peter alone a Rock and a foundation not Peter with a Council From whence it is evident that the whole validity of Councils and by conâ—equent of the Catholick Church is wholly from the Pope not partly from the Pope and partly from a Council If the Council of Constance and of Basil had been of this belief the contrary would never have been defined for a Catholick verity Veritas de potestate Concilii generalis universalem Ecclesiam repraesentantis supra Papam quemlibet alterum declarata per Constantiense hoc Basiliense generalia Concilia est veritas fidei Catholicae Consil Basil sess 33. This truth declared by the general Councils of Constance and Basil of the power of a general Council representing the universal Church above the Pope or any other is a truth belonging to the Catholick Faith To which they add this for a second That the Pope cannot dissolve or remove a General Council without their own consents and after that bring in this for a third verity of the Catholick faith Veritatibus duabus praedictis pertinaciter repuâ—nans est censendus Haereticus He that pertinaciously opposeth the two former verities is to be accounted an Heretick Which their three Catholick verities are again repeated in the thirty eighth Session and in the fortieth Session Pope Foelix upon his knees takes a solemn Oath to maintain the decrees of these two as well as of the other general Councils and after he hath so done subscribes the same Oath with his own hand offereth it upon the Holy Altar and promiseth to take it again in the first publick Consistory that he should hold sc at Rome with the Cardinals Hanc autem professionem mea manu subscripsi tibi omnipotenâ—i Deo cui in die tremendi judicii redditurus sum de hoc aliis meis operibus rationem pura
Church of her Truth and Peace For I ask seriously of any Christian and Conscientious Divine who cares either for Christianity or for Conscience May we blaspheme God with our mouthes and say That we honour him in our hearts and think thereby to excuse our blasphemie May we invocate the creature as the Creator in our prayers and say we mean the Creator and think thereby to excuse our Idolatry Doth it not indeed concern our Religion to be truly Christian in words as well as in sense that if there came in one unlearned he may be convinced of all he may be judged of all and falling down on his face may worship God 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. and not worship the Saints in word and say He worships God in sense This is the unhappiness of those who are obliged to a superstitious form of publick worship if they mean as they speak they are guilty of Idolatry and of Blasphemie if they do not mean as they speak they are guilty of falsness and of hypocrisie So necessary was it for our Church to reform the Liturgie in those Prayers which were directed to the Saints instead of God And so happy are we if at least we know our own happiness who do enjoy the benefit of that Reformation For surely it is no more lawful to honour him as God who is not God then it is not to honour him as God who is so 'T is one proof of the Deity of the Holy Ghost that he hath a Temple 1 Cor. 6. 19. And since the worship is greater then the Temple How shall we worship any that is not God Franciscus Davidis was justly condemned for denying the Divinity of Christ because he denyed his Invocation and how then can we bestow Invocation upon the Saints and not acknowledge their Divinity Doubtless though they are Gods nearest and dearest friends yet such honour to them is too great to be due And since it is not due because they are his friends we may be sure it is not acceptable So that if there were no other argument but this alone to prove that the Saints do not hear them that pray this were enough to prove it That they do not openly reject and reprove their prayers for else without doubt they would say now as the Angel did heretofore See thou do it not for I am thy fellow-servant worship God Rev. 19. 10. 22. 9. The reason is plain and undenyable for I am thy fellow-servant and must exclude Saints and Angels both alike out of our Liturgies Thus doth Justine Martyr describe the worship which was professed and practised by the Primitive Christians saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apol. 2. We worship God the Creator of the universe in the first and his Son in the second place and his Prophetical Spirit in the third No mention at all of Saints or Angels to be worshipped in any place much less to come in before the Holy Ghost as by a false comma upon the same authors words not two leaves before Bellarmine would prove the Angels were antiently worshipped the words are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We reverence and worship the true God and his Son which came from him and taught us these things and the Host of the good Angels and also the Prophetical Spirit The meaning of the Martyr is this That they worshipped God the Father Son and Holy Ghost only he describes the Son more at large as one who had revealed his Fathers will and made known the Hoast of Angels amongst other his Revelations but the Jesuite by a comma parting the Hoast of Angels from the things revealed reckons them up as things worshipped which comma we may not allow though it be now in the Paris Edition First because it is absolutely against the fore-cited place which saith the Holy Ghost was worshipped in the third place viz. with the Father and the Son whereas if the Angels may step in before him he must be contented with the fourth place Secondly Because it is an Article of our Christian Faith that the Vnity in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity is to be worshipped but if the Angels may step in before the Holy Ghost we must say not the Trinity in Vnity but the Quaternity in Community is to be worshipped Thirdly Because this exposition supposeth the blessed Martyr to prefer the Angels before if not above God the Holy Ghost which were to expunge him out of the Catalogue of the Fathers and leave him among the grossest Hereticks whereas on the contrary he is so far from asserting the worship of Angels That in his Dialogue with Trypho the Jew He proves the Angel which appeared to Lot was indeed the Son of God because Lot worshipped him which proof had been nothing worth had he thought it lawful to worship Angels 4. Because the Greek Text will not bear this comma without some confusion in the words and more in the sense which the Latine interpreter well observing hath thus rendred the place Verum hunc ipsum so Deum Patrem qui ab eo venit atque iste nos bonorum Angelorum exercitum docuit Filium Spiritum Propheticum colimus adoramus Fifthly If the comma should be allowed yet would it not justifie Bellarmines conclusion for he maketh this Inference from it That some kind of worship greater then Civil less then Divine is due to Angels whereas if they be indeed to be worshipped by vertue of this quotation They have equal worship with God the Father and the Son and they must have it before God the Holy Ghost I will not here insist upon arguments from the uncertainty of this worship because I meet with too too many from the Impiety of it 'T is uncertain whether all that are cannonized are Saints wherefore it may be imprudent but t is certain they are not Gods wherefore it must be impious to offer up our Prayers unto them For that is a spiritual sacrifice which is due only unto God Haec est Christiana Religio ut colatur unus Deus quia non facit animan◠beatam nisi unus Deus saith Saint Augustine Tract 23. in Evang. Johan This is the Christian Religion that we worship one God because none can make the soul blessed but only God None else made the soul but only God therefore none else may have the homage of the soul none else can make the soul blessed therefore to none else should be the desire of the soul So saith the Prophet Isaiah O Lord we have waited for thee the desire of our soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee with my soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early Isa 26. 8 9. Till I can in my Prayers have too much desire of my soul for thee I may not bestow the least part of that desire away from thee All the desire of my soul is to thy name and to the remembrance of thee
yet can I not glorifie thy name as I ought nor remember thee as I would yea though with my soul I have desired thee in the night and with my spirit within me I seek thee early yet have I not so great desires in my soul as I have defects in my desires All the desire of my soul and of my spirit is too little for my God I have none to spare for any else and if I had yet might I not give it unless I had something greater then it to give unto my God This is the sin which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iniquitas judicata vel judicantis digna quae à judicibus puniatur An iniquity to be punished by the Judge for a man to give that honour to the creature which is due only to the Creator for it is in effect to deny the God that is above For I should have denyed the God that is above Iob 31. 28. The earnest longings of my soul to converse with God in the actions of holy Religion are the best preparative for my soul to converse with him in the fruition of a blessed immortality my Religion must reach him or his blessedness will not reach me T is not conversing with Saints or Angels can give my soul a true gust of eternal blessedness and much less a happy enjoyment of it I should be loth to mispend my time upon so barren so unfruitful a Religion and much less to hazard my eternity upon it The Heathen Philosopher Hierocles could say It was the work of wisdom To make a God out of a man as far as was possible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Christian Divine may not say less of Religion which is the only true wisdom T is its work to transform a man into God uniting the understanding to him by faith and contemplation uniting the will to him by charity and affection Thus saith the Apostle We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. In which words are briefly described both the work of Religion and the power of it The work of Religion is with open face to behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord for the soul cannot well fix its eye and much less its love upon any inferiour glory The Power of Religion is to change us into the same image of the Lord from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord for it is only the love and the spirit of the Lord which can change the soul from glory to glory the love of the Lord working that change formally the Spirit of the Lord working that change efficiently upon the soul from glory to glory that is from the glory of Religion to the glory of Fruition from the glory of Holiness to the glory of Happiness from the glory of knowing and loving God to the glory of possessing and enjoying him This being the work of Religion to behold the glory of the Lord I dare look on nothing as Religion which doth not that work This being the power of Religion to change the soul into that glory I dare not be of that Religion which hath not that power Let those that please behold the glory of the creature instead of the Creator they will not find it sufficient to content much less to change their souls I desire a Religion which may change me into the image of the Lord and sure I am that Religion must teach me to behold his face which will change me into his image for no other can have the assistance of his Spirit and therefore no other can have the power to work this change This is the great blessing I have received from God by this his now distressed Church That I have been called to the Verity of his Religion nor do I see how I can thankfully embrace and dutifully obey this Call but only by persisting in the Vnity of her Communion Such a Communion as joyns me with the Saints whether they be Angels or men in the manner of my worshipping not as joyns the Saints or Angels with God in the equality of worshp The Pater noster as it was used heretofore in the private devotions of English Papists allowed not this practice for therein this was the first Petition Hallowed be thy name among men on earth as it is among Angels in heaven The second this O Father let thy Kingdom come and reign among us men on earth as thou reignest among thy Angels in heaven The third this Make us to fulfill thy will here on earth as thy Angels do in heaven Now Prayer being the actual hallowing of Gods name the exercising of his Kingdom the fulfilling of his will must be directed only unto God unless we will plainly thwart these three Petitions and resolve to do these three Duties otherwise then the Angels do in heaven For without doubt they fix their contemplation only on God and place their Fruition only in him And so doth our Church in all her Prayers first teaching us to contemplate God as the first truth that we may pray with knowledge and understanding then to enjoy him as the chiefest good that we may pray with zeal and affection ex gr O God from whom all holy desires all good counsels and all just works do proceed there 's the contemplation of God to enlighten the understanding Give unto thy servants that Peace which this world cannot give that both our hearts may be set to obey thy Commandments and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness there 's the fruition of God to inflame the will and affections The soul cannot have this Fruition without having that contemplation and therefore they who teach and enjoyn Prayers to any but to God are in truth injurious to the very contentation and much more to the salvation of souls SECT IV. That the Communion of the Church of England obligeth those in conscience who are members of that Church to retain it and not to reject it much less to renounce it by no less then five Commandments of the Decalogue IT having been declared that the Communion of the Church of England is founded in the Truth of Religion It cannot be reasonably denyed but that even her enemies are bound to her internal and much more her sons are bound to her external Communion And that both are also bound in conscience because Religion will not be contented with a lesser obligation The Doctrine being from God which we profess and the Devotion being from God which we practise All Christians that live at never so great a distance from us are bound to believe our Doctrine and to love our Devotion and that 's enough to constitute an internal Communion But those Christians who live amongst us are also bound to profess our