his eternall Spirit nor without his death whereas hee died but once for ever And where these things be done the essentiall parts of the Sacrament are not kept therefore no Supper no Sacrament but an horrible prophanation and plaine sacriledge Adulterum est impium est sacrilegum est quodcunque humano furore instituitur ut dispositio divina violetur Whatsoever is instituted by humane temeritie to violate God his ordinance is adulterous it is impious it is sacrilegious As for those mens discipline whereby people should bee brought to the obedience of Christ his commandements the world seeth their wilfull negligence In which case I must needs approve of that which S. Chrysostome writeth to the people of Antioch Mihi Civitas non habens bonos cives omni villa vilior est The Citie that is not inhabited with good men is more unpleasing to mee then the basest village Seeing therefore the Church of Rome reteyneth not the sincere puritie of the word seeing it hath abolished one of the Sacraments corrupted the other prophanely seeing it hath little or no care at all of godly discipline men may peradventure make doubt or question whether it be the Church of God or no I dare not wholly take away the name of a Church from it I know that Antichrist shall sit in the Temple of God that Baptisme cannot bee administred out of the Church And when the intire forme of Baptisme is observed S. Augustine is resolved Non haereticus sed haeretici manu Christus baptisat There it is not the hereticke that baptiseth but Christ doth it by the hand of an hereticke Therefore the Councel of Nice determined very gravely that there should bee no rebaptization of such as were baptized by heretickes Yet I doe not allow the Romish Synagogue to bee a Church simply but by equivocation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the woman carrieth the name of your wife which you did once marry and afterward found her defiled with adultery yet because she keepeth the marriage Ring and some other pledges of her former wedlock she still beareth the name of your wife So it is with the Church of Rome albeit for her adulteries she hath deserved a divorce justly yet because the Bridegroome hath not given her his bill of divorce but suffered her hitherto to hold Baptisme as it were the marriage Ring I account it a Church but miserably deformed and infected with infinite errors I cannot reckon it lesse then a part of discourtesie of more advantage then Gods truth needeth so to contend with the adversaries thereof as not to admit of those graces amongst them which God is pleased to vouchsafe unto them Let us give every one his right let our adversaries in the name of God hold their due let us willingly yeelde them all that doth appertaine unto them and let us taxe their corruptions neverthelesse with all freedome This is heroicall this is Propheticall this is Apostolicall and much more then they will yeeld unto us For without hearing of us or our cause they which are parties against us take upon them to be our judges too and to condemne us for heretickes for schismatickes and to have no Church at all Like to Athalia that seeing the right heyre Ioas crowned King of Iudah cryed Treason treason when shee was greatest traytor her selfe Indeed if wee unchurch Congregations for schisme or for simple heresie there will be no good warrant unlesse the heresie impugne one of the three persons of the holy Trinitie directly then the heresie is not single but ariseth to infidelitie which is the bane cut-throat of all Churches But our adversaries doe charge us also with Apostasie and that is a marke of Antichrist mentioned in our Text They went out from us but they were not of us Hereupon our Rhemish Seminaries note that Luther and Calvin went out of their Church that is of Papists became Protestants but they came not out of ours that is the Catholique Church which is forsaken To admit that which will not easily bee proved that England first received the Christian faith from Rome both in the time of Eleutherius their Bishop and also in the time of Augustine their Monke yet wil it not thereon follow that we must still fetch our Religion from Rome as from the chiefe fountaine and well-spring of all godlinesse For if any man fall away from that Church which is not Christ his spouse hee cannot be charged justly with Apostasie Nullus pudor est ad meliora transire It is no shame to change for the better Or if a man doe leave and depart from a particular Church in bodie and yet forsake not the communion and fellowship of the Apostles doctrine nor the Sacramēts rightly administred but holdeth them with all other sincere Churches that man is no Apostata Non ille de Ecclesia exire videtur qui corporaliter exit sed qui spiritualiter veritatis Ecclesiasticae fundamenta reliquit Hee goeth not out of the Church that departeth corporally but hee that spiritually hath forsaken the foundations of Ecclesiastical truth The right apostasie is a falling away from the true Catholique Apostolique Church of Christ and therefore from Christ and that by revolting from the Apostles doctrine the communion of the Catholique faith They went out from us If Luther Calvin and our selves went out of the Church of Rome wee incurre no crime of apostasie therein because we left that Church which was neither Catholique nor Apostolique We left not Bethel that is the house of God untill it became Bethaven that is the house of iniquitie An Apostolique Church it is not because it resteth not upon the doctrine of the Apostles but is fallen from it as wee have formerly shewed In which case we have S. Augustines grave advise Ne Catholicis quidem Episcopis consentiendum est sicubi sorte fallantur contra canonicas Scripturas aliqui sentiant No consent is to bee given to those Bishops which are Catholique when they are deceived or hold any thing contrary to the canonicall Scriptures Wee then in going out of that Church where the word of God is not purely taught the Sacraments are not administred duely according to our Saviour Christ his holy institution and God is not worshipped after the Apostles doctrine make no default or departure from the Church but as Moses went out of Egypt Lot out of Sodom Elias from Baals Priests and that is no apostasie but a renunciation of their apostasie that wee might marshall our selves under the Standard of our head and Captaine Christ Iesus and so enter into true Hierusalem which is mother of us all If the Church of Rome give impediment to us in this passage it is a step-dame no true mother no Apostolike Church Neyther is it the Catholike but a particular Church as the Churches were of Alexandria Milan Ephesus c. The Church is called Catholike first in respect of place
detriment to the Wheate but suffer both to grow together untill the Harvest and let him separate which hath the Fanne in his hand to purge the floore I know it will here be objected that the Antichristian sort may be well discovered by their apostasie and relinquishing the Church when the Church it selfe is not controverted but where the Church is ambiguous that men make question where the true Church is whether it be with those that professe the Gospell of Iesus Christ sincerely or amongst such as have addicted themselves to the Bishop of Rome there the notice of apostasie is not perspicuous it is not easily to bee taken For as Waspes make themselves combes like to Bees so hereticks have their Conventicles their Synagogues which they adorne with the stile title of Churches And this painting hath ever made a debate Inter nos Donatistas quaestio est ubi sit Ecclesia Quid ergo facturi sumus In verbis nostris eam quaesituri an in verbis capitis sui Domini nostri Iesu Christi puto quòd in illius verbis potius eam quaerere debemus qui veritas est optimè novit corpus suum novit enim Dominus qui sunt sui When doubts are moved where the Church should be there are but two manner of enquests or trials to finde it either by the markes which we have devised our selves or by evidences which Christ Iesus the lively head of the Church hath prescribed for the manifestation of it And this latter inquisition by the judgement of Saint Augustine is the surer and fairer proofe for CHRIST is truth and knoweth his owne bodie best Doeth not the Lord knowe who bee his Yes certainely Hee calleth his owne sheepe by name Ioh. 10. On the other side sadde experience teacheth us that live in this age how miserably they are mistaken that goe about to point out the Church not by anie certaine demonstrations out of the holy Scripture but by deceiveable fantasies of men Wherein they commend Antiquitie first for a speciall marke of the Church and consider not that it may bee counterfeited or pretended without anie truth of right and just antiquitie Did not the Gibeonites pleade it in that manner for their ragges their over-worne shooes and moulded bread So they did if they circumvented a wise and vigilant Governour with such colourable pleas how much easier is it to beguile ignorant and simple people or to put them into errour by maskes and pretences of feined antiquitie And though wee have not anie cause to avoide or shunne the triall of true antiquitie which commeth from the Ancient of dayes nor our adversaries to presume of it the unpartiall and due consideration of the thing it selfe will certainely evict that Antiquitie cannot bee anie firme or individuall companion of the Church and so no good marke For then the Church must have beene ancient in the verie infancie or beginning thereof which is a thing impossible Antiquitie is commendable not in it selfe or when it is alone but as it is joyned with veritie Therefore I conclude this article with the same exhortation that the Prophet Ieremy used to the men of his time Stand upon the wayes and consider which is the olde way and the good way and walke in it that you may finde rest to your soules Let us passe on further to the consideration of other markes and you shall see it cannot stand good to make the Church alwaies visible or conspicuous That would take away an article of our Faith and Creed VVhen wee beleeve there is a Church we doe affirme plainely that it is not visible or ocularly to be discerned for Faith is an apprehension of things that cannot be seene So beleeving there is a Church as is by all professed we acknowledge therein that the same is not visible Why should anie speake of multitudes to be a marke of the Church seeing Christ himselfe calleth it a little flocke Quid gaudendum ad multitudines This marke of multitudes had beene a weake and impertineÌ„t allegation when all the world was drowned but eight persons saved in the Arke and that was then the whole number of the Church Or when the five cities were destroyed with fire and Lot onely escaped with his two daughters or in Elias time when hee coÌ„plained he was left alone The Church is not ever in one state but like the Moone sometimes encreasing sometimes diminishing sometimes at the full sometimes in the waine and therefore the multitude or paucity of people in the Church being but accidents and not essentially inherent in the Church are made markes of the Church unproperly Thus they are deceived and deceive others that seeke and set forth a Church in their owne words Nolo humanis documentis sed divinis oraculis sanctam Ecclesiam demonstrari I will not have any demonstration of the Church made unto me saith S. Augustine out of mens instructions but from the oracles of God Seeke then for the Church in the words of Christ and the demonstration thereof will be infallible Our blessed Saviour sendeth his Disciples into all the world that is the extent of the Church he chargeth them to preach the Gospell unto every creature to baptize them in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and to teach them to observe all that he hath commanded These be the things which the Sonne of God would have practised in his house and by them you may easily finde out the Church of God The sincere doctrine of the Gospell the true and right administration of the Sacraments and that forme of discipline which may bring obedience to his commandements who can make that a Church where these things be wanting who can deny it to bee a Church where they be exercised My sheepe saith our Saviour heare my voyce Therefore the Word of God must be read it must be preached it must sound amongst them else how is it possible that they should heare it Ecce Scripturae communes ecce ubi novimus Christum ecce ubi novimus Ecclesiam The Scriptures which are propounded to all men saith S. Augustine are the usuall markes to know Christ and his Church by So Christ saith himselfe If yee abide in mee and my words abide in you yee are verily my Disciples But alas how can his wordes abide in those which heare not of them that are forbidden to heare or know them Non est pax sed bellum nec Ecclesiae jungitur qui ab evangelio separatur There can be no peace but warre with such people neyther can they be joyned to the Church that sever themselves â—â—om the Gospel Or put case they have the Gospell yet if it bee not expounded truely unto them if it bee not taught purely and sincerely what advantageth it them As all gold was not holy but that only which belonged to the Sanctuary so every sense that is without the compasse of Holy Writ glistering without
never so much otherwise yet can it not be holy unlesse it be conformed to the word of God Quicunque Scripturam aliter intelligit quà m sensus spiritus sancti flagitat licet de Ecclesia non recesserit tamen haereticus appellari potest Whosoever interpreteth the Scriptures otherwise then the holy Ghost meaneth by which it is written may well bee called an hereticke although hee be not departed from the Church Are not the interpretations from God Ioseph teacheth us they are from God in expounding Pharaohs dreame then much more are the interpretations of holy Scripture from God By the same Spirit the Scriptures were written by the same they must be interpreted and understood For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man that is within him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God and those that are taught of God Scripture is not of private interpretation but must be interpreted by Scripture the darker places by those which be more plaine easie and as Tertullian writeth oportet secundum plura intelligi pauciora ne unus sermo multa alta subvertat secunduÌ„ omnia potius quam adversus omnia intelligendus erit The interpretations of the Scripture must be made according to the meaning of the more places and lest that one Text should warre against many others that is to be expounded in a correspondency to all the rest rather then in a repugnancy unto them And if you will try the Spirits whether they bee of God or no as S. Iohn adviseth us or examine every interpretation we have two rules to measure them by The first examination is whether their interpretations and expositions bee referred to the glory of God or no If they tend to the glory of God our Saviour Christ giveth them a warrant of truth Qui quaerit gloriam meam verax est He that in his expositions seeketh my glory is a true interpreter Let us now in the name of God come to the tryall of particulars by this rule Is it possible for them to seeke the glory of God in the question of Iustification which refuse the justification by Iesus Christ and attribute salvation to their owne merites who magnifie the abilities of humane nature and extenuate the unsearchable riches of Gods grace I conceive no possibility or apparance of it Quid illis miserius quorum saluti salus ipsa noÌ„ sufficit Alas how miserable are they which will not have salvation it selfe sufficient to save them Beloved let us not abrogate the grace of God for S. Augustine writeth truly Tutiores vivimus si totum Deo damus Wee live in more safety when wee ascribe the whole worke of our justification to God The second tryall of interpretations is whether they be agreeable with the proportion of faith For he that prophesieth must doe it accorcording to the proportion of faith Measure the doctrine of Romish Catholiques by this rule and I thinke it will not prove Catholique Can the invocation of Saints stand with the proportion of faith will they beleeve in Saints how can they call on them in whom they have not beleeved I cannot stand upon many such particulars which you all doe see might be alledged but am forced through straitnesse of time to conclude them in this generall De Evangelio Christi hominis faciunt Evangelium aut quod pejus est diaboli These interpretations of Scripture which doe not agree with the proportion of faith make of Christ a mans Gospell or a divels and that is worse The Arke of God and Dagon cannot stand together there is no agreement betweene light and darkenesse the purity of the Gospel will never admit sophisticatioÌ„s of humane devises howsoever the Councell of Trent would have both to be received alike namely the bookes of both Testaments and the unwritten Traditions with equall piety and affection of reverence It is true that the Apostles delivered many things ore tenê° which Apostolike men received and delivered againe faithfully to their disciples but let that be wel remembred withall which Ireneus writeth that all these things were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were all agreeable to the Scriptures and their writings Is it probable or shall we beleeve that the Apostles writing wee should take heed and beware of Images did leave any tradition that times would come wherein the use of pictures and images would be requisite or fitting in the Church Is it credible that the Idols of Iupiter Mars Mercury c. should be cast out of all Temples by the Apostles doctrine and a tradition from the Apostles to set up the portraitures of Christ of the blessed Virgin Mary or their owne pictures in place of the other Is it possible that they which taught us to worship and call upon one God alone did ever give any tradition for themselves also to be worshipped and called upon when they were departed this life That they which writ VVe have an Advocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous did ever order that themselves also would be our advocates No no. It was impossible it is incredible it cannot be conceived without disparagement to the Apostles that men of their ranke and integrity inspired and governed by the holy Ghost should deliver or utter any thing by word of mouth varying or dissenting from the attestations they left in writing The pure word of God without addition or diminution is the true marke of the Church and so the Hucksters that chop and change it to serve their owne inventions or turnes carry not the right cognizance of Christians Touching Sacraments and the due administration thereof which is another marke of a true Church they that are most confident and make greatest vaunts of the Church do no wayes administer them rightly save that by God his providence the essential forme of Baptisme is reteyned amongst them otherwise they prophane it not a little when they apply it to senslesse things as to Bells when they add Salt Oyle and Spittle Is not the element of Water sufficient which Christ instituted to represent his precious bloud to wash away our sinnes without those mixtures The other Sacrament of the Lords Supper they have not defiled as they have done Baptisme but they have quite altered and changed it into a cursed and abhominable Idoll of their Masse And so have prevented and annihilated Christ his holy institution For first whereas two things bee necessary in Sacraments the signe and the thing signified they take away the Signes for establishing of their Transubstantiation Secondly they should distribute it unto others and they keepe it onely to themselves so make it private whereas it should be a publike banquet Thirdly they keepe the Cup from the people which our Saviour commanded should be given to all Fourthly in the Supper Christ offereth himselfe to us and their Priests offer him unto God who indeed cannot be offered but by