vnto the time of reformation which being by Christ abolished are not fit for true worshippers which must worship God in spirit and in truth Iohn 4.24 their continuall smiting of their brests crossing of themselues numbring of their prayers lifting vp the hoast Signes Gestures Pictures and infinite such like trash some borrowed from the Iewes some from the heathen idle complements superstitious impious vnseemely most of them are vnprofitable scarce any of them warrantable indeede they are a meer foppery as many beholders haue iudged euen by sense and reason when they haue not beene besotted with their iuglings neither are they onely carnall that is full of shadowes and Ceremonies but they are carnall too that is as being most agreeable to flesh and blood what more carnall perswasion then this that a pardon for sinnes may be bought with money that a Priest may absolue vpon auricular confession that if a man haue no merits of his owne yet for money hee shall haue out of the Church Treasury the merits of Saints that after death hee may be relieued with prayers of the liuing that many sinnes are veniall and pardonable in their owne nature that if a man giue to Churches Hospitalls or monasteries or the like hee shall goe to heauen yea that which in shew is most labour to the flesh yet indeede is meerly carnall as their whipping of themselues almost to death there is no spiritualnesse at all in it it is but the blood of the body for the sinne of the soule the Prophet scoffes at such like dealing Micha 6.7 The truth is this that euery naturall man had rather be scourged and die then vndertake the spirituall combate against his beloued sinnes and the Papists vse that to be excused of this as they folishly imagine and they measure out Religion for the most part by natural reason grounds of Philosophy so that we see they haue a carnall Religion Secondly they haue a wil-worship that is a seruice for the most part of â—heir own deuising their pilgrimages praiers abstinence from diuers meats voluntary pouertie works of supererogation their Masses Satisfactions Holy daies fasting daies all these and many more are meerely mens inuentions so that God may say to them as he doth to the people of Israel Esa 1.12 Who required these things at your hands so that vpon the point we see that they serue please theÌ„selues but they serue nor please not God at all Thirdly they haue policies in their Religion for the maintenance of their outward state their purgatory praiers for the dead Images and Reliques of Saints erected in their Churches to be offered vnto are meerely a meanes to inrich their owne Coffers and to vphold the honour of the triple Crowne and to maintaine the Beast in her Scarlet colours when they sell a man a pardon for his sinnes or so many yeeres release from purgatorie for some round summe of money doe yee not thinke they laugh at him when he is gone euen as our cheaters doe when they haue gulled some poore simple hearted man They know these can doe no good and yet they practise this for policy Machiauel held it and these practise it that Religion is meerely a matter of policie to keepe men in awe and to maintaine a state cursed wretches haue they none to make a scoffe at but God and his Religion and seruice Is this to serue God no it is to make God to serue them and abuse and change his word to their vile purposes Secondly as they erre and are foulely corrupted in the carriage of Gods worship in generall so are they also in the particular parts of it for first the word which was purposely deliuered to the Church for their light to walke by this is purposely obscured by the Papists that to the people it is a darke light they see little or nothing by it The word is to be preached there is little preaching among them or if there be any they preach faction traditions and commandements of the Church and the Word of God least of all As for any other publike minstration of the Word it is altogether in an vnknowne tongue without any profit or edification to the people well yet if the people might haue accesse to the Word as the Bereans had that they might heare the Pharises but yet beware of their Leauen it were somewhat but they are kept farre enough from that they shall learne no more but what the Priests and Iesuits teach them they are likely to be good Christians then and they must take all vpon their words a sure ground to build vpon this is a notable policie to cloake their errors that the people may not discerne them and a great dishonour to God to suppresse and smother vp his owne ordinances and to put that Candle vnder a Bushell which himselfe hath put on a Candlesticke that it might giue light to all in the house and a notorious wrong to Gods people to sterue them of the food of life and to keepe them hood-winkt that they might not see with their owne eyes into the euidences of their owne right and matters of their owne saluation Secondly the Sacraments not to speake of the number of them increased by them from two to seuen though I know there is no authority in the world can make a Sacrament but those Christ Iesus himselfe hath ordained But euen in Christs own Sacraments they are full of abominations as first in Baptisme they adde oile salt spittle and exorcismes and I know not what toyes and toyes are loathsome in Gods Seruice but in the Lords Supper their corruptions are not onely in the outward Barke as they are in Baptisme but in the very sap hart there is adoration of the Sacrament as of God himselfe and defrauding of the people of the one halfe of it and the making of it a Sacrifice propitiatorie for the quicke and the dead and the making of Christs owne body by the hands of the Priest all these are wicked deprauations either of the nature or right vse of this holy Sacrament Thirdly for their Discipline they haue scarce any thing sound in that the Lawes they rule by are Canons and Lawes of their owne making and not found in the Scripture the ouerseer is the Pope armed as well with a Temporall as with a spirituall sword the power of the keyes that also is horribly abused by them in binding excommunicating true Beleeuers Christian States and Princes that will not submit to the Popes yoke in stead of obstinate offenders against Gods Law and so in loosing absoluing offenders for money and for fauour yea and before repentance too because before the fact whereto if wee adde their dispensations and reseruations whereby they haue an absolute power to free whom they will see now if there be any fouler carriage in any heathen State in the world Fourthly for their prayers they are
indirect allegations by way of inference from Gods commandements bidding vs to doe well and from his promises if we doe well which rather send vs to God for that which we cannot doe of our selues then imply any ability for the doing of them in our selues The third instance iustification by faith alone against mans merits we teach according to the Scripture Rom. 3.20 28 that by the workes of the law no flesh shall bee iustified But that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law And Gal. 2.16 A man is not iustified by the workes of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ And Ephes 2.8 9. by grace ye are saued through faith not of workes c And Titus 3.5 not by the workes of righteousnesse which wee haue done but according to his mercy he saued vs That which the Papists pretend to the contrary Iames 2.24 yee see then how that of workes a man is iustified and not of faith onely doth not crosse the former except they wil blaspheme and say that God doth contradict himselfe but is plainely spoken of another saith that is dead Verse 90. whereas iustifying faith is a liuing faith and of another iustification that is before man as Verse 18. whereas this is before God The fourth instance Christ our onely aduocate against other intercessors wee hold and teach according to the Scripture 1 Iohn 2.1.2 that wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes And Reuel 8.3 Another Angell came and stood before the Altar hauing a golden censor and much odours were giuen vnto him that he should offer with the Prayers of all Saints This Angell is Christ who as the high Priest in the Law Exod. 28.38 doth appeare before God making the Prayers of the Saints acceptable to God And there is not any shew of warrant in the word neyther for any one no nor for all the Saints together to doe the like The fifth instance the spirituall worship of God against images Our Religion teacheth according to the Word Iohn 4.23.24 that all true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth for the Father requireth euen such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and truth And Exod. 20.4 5. Thou shalt make thee no grauen Image thou shalt not bowe downe to them c This second Commandement is so plaine for this that the Papists leaue it out in some of their Catechismes and make vp the number of ten Commandements by diuiding the last And there is not one titâ—le of Scripture for Images neyther precept dispensation exception or example approoued but on the contrary they are fearefully threatned and strangely punished The sixth instance Our Communion against their Masse Our Communion is warranted by Gods Word 1 Cor. 10.16 the Cuppe of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ c And 1 Cor. 11.23 24 25 c whereas their Masse hath no warrant at all in the Word not so much as the name of it found there nor in the Nature of any propitiatory Sacrifice nor any Intimation of repeating it but directly the contrary as wee may see Hebr. 10.10 14. the offering of the body of Christ once made with one offering c The seuenth Instance our carriage of the meanes of Saluation in open sight against their carriage of all in a cloude Our prayers made in a knowne Tongue are warranted in the word 1 Cor. 14.14 15. If I pray in a strange Tongue my spirit prayeth but my vnderstanding is without fruite what is it then I will pray with the Spirit but I will pray with vnderstanding also c And so for the word to be free and common to all as it is with vs hath his warrant Matth. 5.15 neither doe men light a candle and put it vnder a Bushell but on a candlesticke and it giueth light to all that are in the house And Prou. 9.4 5. who is simple let him come hither c And Esa 55.1.3 Loe euery one that thirsteth come ye to the waters c encline your eares and come vnto me and your soule shall liue So likewise hath an explicite faith his warrant Ioh. 9.35 Doest thou beleeue in the Son of God where our Sauiour requires an explicite and particular faith in the blinde man And in the 1 Pet. 3.15 the Apostle would haue vs bee ready alwaies to giue an Answer to euery man that asketh vs a Reason of the hope that is in vs c That which the Papists pretend to the contrary Matth. 7.6 Giue yee not that which is Holy to Doggs c is a malicious peruerting of Christs Words to his peoples destruction and their owne Ruine Thus wee see that their Religion is too light and oars full weight in this second Ballance of Gods word Let vs try them in the third Ballance The Ballance of true holinesse That is the best and true Religion of God that is most powerfull to worke Holinesse of heart and life for God is holy and our calling and the end of â—â— what cold deuotion will there be in vs and what hourely prayers and little faith and lesse reuerence as dealing with men and not with God himselfe For the fifth instance If wee worship God in Spirit without Images it workes in vs Spiritualnesse and truth for wee presenting our selues in all our worship nakedly without any Image before the Lord as before a pure Spirit wee are stirred vp thereby and growne by vse to frame our selues to his owne Image to be spirituall men and spiritually minded spiritually affected our vnderstanding will thoughts desires meditations and courses will be spirituall and heauenly lifted vp to an higher strayne in affection and eleuation of Spirit the onely meanes whereby to be truely renewed in the Spirit of our minds it will be a notable meanes against all carelesnesse and Hypocrisie and formality in our hearts and liues Sixthly our spirituall and true Communion with Christ against their Masse By this Communion Christ spiritually enters into vs and stirs vs vp to the life of God and incorporates vs into his mysticall body here faith doth her right office in discerning the Lords Body with a spirituall eye and applying Christ and his death and merits soundly to the heart of the receiuer and feeding vpon Christ in heauen at Gods right hand whereas in the Masse there is but the flesh which without the Spirit profiteth nothing and the bodily eye and hand and mouth and belly doe in a manner all faith doth little or nothing Seuenthly if the meanes of Saluation be carried openly and not in a cloude then all is done in knowledge and vnderstanding And then there is an holy will desire deuotion affection and endeuoure to serue the Lord in an holy manner as may best beseeme him and
in heauen contained as well Angels as men and therefore we spake of them by themselues and proued that the Angels were a part of Gods Church as well as men then we came to speake of that part of Gods Church which consists of men and in handling this Point we propounded three things to be spoken too First to speake of that part of Gods Church consisting of men which are in heauen by themselues Secondly of those which are in earth by themselues Thirdly of both those which are in heauen and which are in earth together Concerning the first we haue spoken and shewed that Heauen is the place of receipt for all Gods chosen after their departure out of this life Now we are to speake of the second namely that part of Gods Church consisting of men which are on earth and so to proceede to the third Point And first of that part of Gods Church on earth For although there be the same chosen now in heauen which sometime were on earth and the same now in earth which sometime shall be in heauen so that the Church or Chosen in heauen doe not make a seuerall Church by themselues nor those in earth a seuerall Church by themselues but both together make one and the same Church yet because there are some particular considerations incident to that in heauen which they on earth haue not yet attained to and likewise some other particular considerations incident to that on earth which they in heauen haue already passed from therefore each of them is to be handled by it selfe and therefore hauing spoken of that part of Gods Church which is in heauen before now wee are to speake of that on earth I shall not need to define this on earth because it is apparantly defined before in the generall for if that were the whole company of Gods Chosen in heauen and in earth then this must needes bee the whole company of Gods Chosen liuing on earth Doctr. All that I will speake concerning this Point shall be contriued into one obseruation and that is this namely That God alwayes hath had from the beginning and hath now and shall haue to the worlds end a company of Chosen people vpon earth belonging to him calling vpon him beleeuing in him and worshipping him in spirit and truth You see that the obseruation consists of three parts first that God euer had secondly that he hath now and thirdly that he shall haue to the worlds end a Company c. First God alwayes had In matters of fact examples are fittest and strongest proofes this being then a matter of fact already done it is best to be prooued by examples taken out of Histories of seuerall times we will begin with the first beginning God had his Church in Paradise How prooue you that Why first there was God the Preacher secondly there was our first Parents Adam and Eue the hearers and thirdly there was the Word and Commandement Gen. 2.16 17. There is the Doctrine of saluation and the strict forme and manner of worship prescribed by God which he will bee honoured by Now what is here wanting to the full being of a true Church For here is a Pastor and a People and the Word and such a Word as is fitting for their saluation Therefore in Paradise God had his Church Also out of Paradise God still had his Church for there is still the same Preacher God the same hearers Adam and Eue the Doctrine of saluation though not the same it was before yet here is that Doctrine of saluation fitting their present state and condition a Doctrine of repentance and of punishment of sinne and specially the Doctrine of the Gospell a Doctrine of Faith in Christ Genes 3.16 The Seede of the Woman shall breake the Serpents head so here God had his Church still To passe from them to Abel there was Abels sacrificing and his Faith and there was Gods presence and acceptance as we may see Gen. 4.4 compared with Heb. 11.4 Now where these are there is a true Church Afterward in the time of Seth it is said Gen. 4 25. that then men began to call vpon the Name of the Lord that is men did then begin more zealously to worship God so here God had his Church still Let vs passe from Seth to Enoch It is said of him that he walked with God beleeued in God and that he pleased God Genes 5.24 Heb. 11.5 Now where there are men walking with God beleeuing in him and pleasing him there is a true Church So in the time of Noah Abraham Isaac and Iacob and in the time of the Patriarches God had his Church still Heb. 11.6 7 c. to the end of the Chapter there the succession of the Church in the faithfull is set downe as it were of purpose to proue this Point which we haue in hand namely that God had a Church from the beginning of the world To proue this Point further we will omit to speake of the flourishing times of the Church for of them there is no question there being then not embracers onely of the heauenly truth but professors too in great number and we will instance in those times that were most obscure when there was the least likelihood of a Church and if we can prooue that God had his Church in those times then the Point will be prooued that God hath alwayes had a Church We will therefore instance in them first at the Flood when all flesh had corrupted their wayes Gen. 6.12 and that the earth was filled with cruelty Vers 13. yet in that desperate time there was found Noah a iust and vpright man in that generation Vers 9. So God had his Church then Let vs passe from these times and come to the bondage and slauery of the Children of Israel in Egypt when Gods peculiar people were in the hands of a most prophane idolatrous and cruell Nation so that they had neither liberty nor time nor meanes of Gods true worship yet as there was a light in Goshen when palpable darknesse was ouer all the Land of Egypt besides so when all the World was ouerwhelmed with grosse ignorance sinne and error yet then God had his Church amongst the Israelites there were some Midwiues fearing God Exod. 1.21 and there were some that cryed and prayed and sighed to God and were heard of him Exod. 2.23 24. So God had his Church in those times Likewise in the dayes of Elias when the Church was brought to a low ebbe the Prophet could see no more left but himself and yet he had eyes to discerne it yet he was a true worshipper of God and so God had his true Church then if there had been no more then he 1. King 19.10 But the Lord saw seuen thousand more that were true worshippers and had not bowed their knee to Baal vers 18. In this desperate time when they killed Gods Prophets and brake downe his Altars and sought the life
saued by before the Flood and Noah in the Flood and Abraham before the Law and Dauid vnder the Law and the Apostles whilest Christ was on earth the same saith are we and all the faithfull saued by from Christs ascension till his returne to Iudgement And therefore that is a damnable doctrine that some hold that euery man shall bee saued by his owne Religion whatsoeuer it be if he bee zealous in it no diuers Religions make diuers Churches but there is but one Church to be saued and therefore but one Truth and Religion to be saued by Vse 2 Secondly Is the Church but one Then wee should labour to maintaine the onenesse of the Church to keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace Ephes 4.3 Beware of factions and diuisions either of making or following them for they are the very bane of this onenesse of the Church and take heed of pride and singularitie for that is the common Mother and Nurse of dissensions and rents in the Church and doe not receiue the Word with respect of persons as when one saith I am of Paul another I am of Apollos c. What is Paul and what is Apollos but Ministers by whom yee beleeue They teach one Faith they preach one and the same Christ crucified they haue receiued one and the same ministration therefore embrace them all as one Ministry of one and the same Church What if God bestow diuers gifts on diuers persons and one more excellent then another Wilt thou abuse Gods gifts to the making of rents and factions in the Church No thou must know that thou art bound to profit the more by him that hath more gifts and to glorifie God the more for them and not to dote vpon them and maintaine Sects by them for that is not the end why God giues them but it is the malice of the Diuell that doth thus abuse them to a wrong end Vse 3 Thirdly this reprooues the Papists for they make two Heads and consequently two Churches except they will make a monster of the Church to haue two Heads and but one body Yea but say they the Pope is the Head of the Church in earth I am sure hee is not Head of the Church in heauen and therefore not Head of the Church on earth for they make but one Church and therefore can haue but one Head Some of the Iesuites hauing been pressed with this Argument and not knowing how to answer it haue affirmed that the Pope is Head of the Church in heauen so grosse and blasphemous haue they been So the Turkes and the Iewes that erect Churches of their owne and haue no fellowship with this Church they are not the true Church nor haue any part in this onenesse of the Church and whatsoeuer they are that haue no part in this Church they are none of Gods Church but of the Synagogue of Satan Fourthly this teacheth that difference in matters of circumstance Vse 4 doe not cut off from the true Church but holding one Faith with them wee are still in the vnitie of one Church First difference of states doe not cut off from the true Church though some Churches are greater some smaller though some are in their cradle others in their full age some before Christ others after Christ some purer some impurer yea though some be in heauen triumphing other some in earth fighting yet all are but one Church all are the same Wheate threshed in the floore and laid vp in the Garner and the same Gold digged out of the Mine with some drosse and tried and fined by the fire Secondly difference of times doe not cut off from the true Church before the Law vnder the Law and after the Law the first and the last Churches all are one Thirdly nor the difference of Persons Iewes and Gentiles bond and free male and female poore and rich all are one in Christ Iesus Fourthly nor yet difference of place Ierusalem Antioch Corinth England France Denmarke yea Paradise Earth and Heauen all are but one Church Fifthly nor yet difference of Ceremonies some worshipping at one time and place some in one habit some in another so long as all worship in Spirit and Truth they are but one Church Sixthly no nor yet difference of iudgement in Points not absolutely fundamentall doe not cut off from the true Church so long as all hold Christ Iesus he is the head-corner-stone that knits them all together into one building So much of the onenesse of the Church it selfe The second Note or qualitie of the Church is That it is holy Wee will draw it into an obseruation as wee did the former and that is this Namely That the whole Company of the faithfull both in heauen and in earth are a holy Company and euery part and member thereof is holy 1. Pet. 2.9 They are called a holy nation and in the fift Verse a holy Priesthood And it is said of Ierusalem that it is a holy Citie not that in heauen onely Reuelat. 21.2 but that on earth too Math. 4.5 And in Ephes 5.27 the Church is said to be holy and without blame c. And hence it is that those which are parts and members of the Church are called Saints and Saints on earth as Psal 16.3 And so the whole Congregation is called the Congregation of Saints Psalm 89.5 And their Head and Ruler is the King of Saints and they are not holy in profession onely for so are hypocrites too that are no part of the true Church but they are holy indeede they are truly sanctified therefore the Apostle calls them holy brethren Heb. 3.1 And this Holinesse is partly imputed Heb. 10.10 We are sanctified by the offering of the body of Iesus Christ And Colos 1.21 21. And partly inherent 1. Thess 5.23 Now the very God of peace sanctifie you throughout c. this is begun here but not perfected till we haue put off this body of sinne Reas 1 The Reasons of this Point are these First God the Father being most holy himselfe he sanctifies his Church and euery member of it and so makes them holy this Christ praies for Ioh. 17.17 sanctifie them with thy truth c. Iude. 1. sanctified of God the Father c. and therefore they are holy Reas 2 Secondly Christ their Head is holy and he sanctifies and makes them holy 1. Cor. 1.2 sanctified in Christ Iesus and in the thirtieth verse he is said to be their sanctification And Eph. 5.25.26 Christ gaue himselfe for his Church that hee might sanctifie it Reas 3 Thirdly the Spirit whereby they are enliuened quickened and ruled is the holy Ghost and he sanctifies them and makes them holy 1. Cor. 6.11 but now yee are sanctified by the Spirit of our God and Rom. 15.16 Fourthly the Word whereby they are gathered and the Reas 4 seed whereby they are begotten is a holy Word 2. Pet. 2.21 It is called the holy Commandement
in Christ Iesus And so they shall be raised at the last day Matth. 24.31 The Angels shall gather the bodies of the Elect from all quarters and corners of the World then there must needs haue been a Church in all Corners of the World and so they shall be found in heauen after the Resurrection Reuel 7.9 for there the Apostle Iohn saith I beheld and lo a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and people tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lambe praysing God and Reuel 21.13 So the Church is Catholike generally dispersed ouer the face of the whole world and euery beleeuing man is a true member of it The Reasons are these First God is the Lord and Ruler Reas 1 of all the world and therefore the Church the body of his Sonne who is Heire of the world must be as large too at least for some of all parts For shall the Kingdome of Gods power reach euery where and not the Kingdome of his grace proportionably In some measure though not in that generality altogether it is to reach as farre too Secondly Gods mercy and Christs merits requires it Reas 2 that the Church should bee generally dispersed ouer the whole world Gods mercy requires it who would that all men should be saued 1. Tim. 2.4 that is all sorts of men of all places So likewise Christs merits require it for that was for the sinnes of the whole world 1. Ioh. 2.2 that is for some of euery part of the world Thirdly God is glorified in the highest degree onely in Reas 3 those that are members of the Church that are saued It is true God is glorified much in the Reprobates that are damned but he is glorified in the highest degree onely in those that are saued And shall there be any place or Nation or Tongue in the world that the Lord will not be glorified in some portion of it euen in the highest degrees That cannot be beleeued therefore the Church is generall c. Fourthly Satans Kingdome is generall and euery wicked Reas 4 person is a member of his cursed Synagogue therefore Christs Kingdome is generall too and euery Beleeuer through the whole world is of his Church Fiftly the Church is thus generall to leaue the wicked Reas 5 without excuse so that no nation shall be able to pretend iustly that they were vtterly debarred from saluation now no man able to say that the Church of God neuer was amongst their Nation nor that none amongst them were saued No God shall stop their mouthes with many Instances of euery mans owne Nation when hee shall say Why here is a member of my Church euen of thy owne Nation and why mightest not thou haue been so too Reas 6 Lastly without the Church is no Saluation therfore euery beleeuer whosoeuer is a member of the Church Vse 1 The vses of the Point are these The first Vse is matter of Reproofe and first against the Iewes that would haue the Church and so the sauing faith confined to their owne nation as if they were the onely people of God and none but they It is true that so it was for many hundred yeeres the Lord chusing them from all the nations of the earth as his onely peculiar people to be glorified by them alone in his seruice and worship that so they might bee glorified alone as it were by him in heauen Yea but the greater the mercy of God herein was to them the greater was their vnthankfulnesse to him in that they shooke of his yoke and would not receiue Christ Iesus though he were sent specially to them but reiected him and crucified him and to this day for the most part they doe abandon him as a malefactor And therefore they are so farre now from being the onely people that God loues that they are the onely people that he hates and as it was fortold of them by the Prophet Hos 1.9 they are Loammi not Gods people now they are the onely people that are excepted against as not being of Gods Church And whereas they enuie the Gentiles that they should haue any part in God because they were once barred from the Church and hated of God and therefore they thinke they should be so for euer But alasse now they must know that now the partition wall is broken downe and that Christ Iesus hath made all one and that euery people is Iudah and euery faithfull man is a Priest and a Sacrifice and euery place is the Temple and hath spirituall Altars for a cleane sacrifice to be offered on and that now is come to passe that which the Prophet foretold Mal. 1.10 11. that in the place where it was said vnto them ye are not my people it shal be said vnto them ye are the Sonnes of the liuing God And as it is Matth. 18.20 That where two or three are gathered together in the Name of Christ he is in the midst of them And as our Sauiour saith Ioh. 4.24 God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth And that now is fullfilled the saying of Isaiah Isai 54.1 which he foretold that the Barren hath more Children then the fruitfull woman that is that there should be more Gentiles of the Church then euer there were Iewes And as it reproues them so it reproues the Donatistes that would haue no Church but in Affrica no Church but theirs somewhat like vnto the humour of the Separatists at this day that would haue no Church but theirs Principally it reproues the Papists that would haue no Church but that of Rome affirming that they that are not of the fellowship of that Church are in the certaine estate of damnation But this is against the nature of the Catholike Church to be restrained within them And let not them take vpon them to restraine that which God hath inlarged but as they brag of Peter so let them learne to be ruled by God as Peter was Act. 10.15 not to account those vncleane whom God accounts and calls cleane And therefore seeing God hath so far inlarged his bounty that he hath purified the whole world so that some of all parts and places should be members of his Church for shame let them not scantle his goodnesse and pollute all other Churches as vncleane except their Church But let them leaue all others to God and let them labour to see that themselues be purified lest as I said before of the Iews they proue themselues of all other Churches to be none of Gods Church The second Vse is for Instruction teaching vs what Vse 2 Church it is that we must esteeme and repute Catholike surely not any particular Church in the world though neuer so pure and sound but that which is generall that which is scattered ouer all the world It is true that a particular Church may be called Catholike that is a right beleeuing Church or Catholike that is a part of the
them It is a foolish doctrine of the Papists That ignorance is the mother of deuotion it must needs be a blind and gracelesse deuotion in thâ—t minde where knowledge hath not first inlightned the vnderstanding Let vs now come to the fourth and last ballance and therin try our religion and theirs in these seuen instances and that is the ballance of comfort of conscience that is the true Religion that bringeth soundest comfort of conscience for that is the right Gospell that brings glad tydings of peace to the afflicted soule and agrees directly with Christs spirituall office Esay 61.1 The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me therefore hath the Lord anointed me he hath sent me to preach good tydings to the poore to binde vp the broken hearted c and Matth. 11.28 But the Religion of our Church brings sound comfort to the conscience and the Popish Religion doth not so but rather purposely afflicts mens consciences then comfort them terrifying them with a slauish feare nourishing the Spirit of bondage and bringing men backe as it were to the Law againe Therefore our Religion is the true Religion theirs is the false See this in the first instance waighed in this Ballance The sufficiency of the Scripture sets the conscience at rest as hauing all that is needfull to be beleeued or done set plainely before vs in Gods Booke so that we need not wander after vncertainties and doubtings but we may know what wee must trust vnto And the absolute command of Scripture conuinces the conscience that it is well done and both together assures the conscience of him that endeauours truely to frame himselfe thereunto that he is in the right way to heauen and in the certaine state of grace and Saluation Secondly if all be of Gods free grace and not of mans free will then wee are singularly comforted in that all our thoughts desires and workes are not our owne for then they would be loathsome to God who can bring a cleane thing out of an vncleane But they are Gods owne doings and they are the actions of his owne Spirit and therefore cannot but be acceptable vnto him Thirdly if Iustification be by faith alone without mans merits then we haue peace with God Rom. 5.1 And then wee haue assurance of Saluation being grounded not on the sands of our owne merits but on the immouable rocke Christ Iesus and his righteousnes and the fauour of God and the free promise of mercy in him Fourthly if Christ be our onely Aduocat we haue assurance to bee heard Iohn 16.23 and 1 Iohn 5.14 15. and Rom. 5.1 2. for what can the Lord deny his owne Son or us for his sake whereas if we haue other aduocats we know not whether they heare vs yea of many we know not whether they be Saints or no or if they doe heare vs yet wee know not whether they will or can helpe vs yea we hauing no sound warrant to pray to Saints we know not whether the Lord will bee angry with vs for such an vnwarrantable course so fare the worse for sodoing amongst men Fifthly if we worship God in Spirit and truth and not in Images then we haue assurance that we worship the true God and that after the true and right manner And this is the specificall difference of Gods Religion from all other Religions whatsoeuer whereas if we worship in or by an Image wee doe still suspect whether wee doe well or no for euen nature it selfe if it be well marked abhors that God should be reputed a materiall substance and therefore how can God be pleased that he should be so resembled Sixthly if we celebrate the memoriall of the Lords death in our Communion then the benefit of Christs death is effectually settled to the beleeuing soule by the presence of the Spirit and the comfort and strength of the bread and the sweetenesse and comfort of the wine in our stomacke workes an answerable correspondency by the thing signified to the soule and puts vs in possession of it Lastly if we haue the meanes of Saluation plainely deliuered vnto vs that we may see into them with our owne eyes and not darkely as they are amongst the Papists then we know what we worship Iohn 4. Wee walke in the light whereas they poore soules goe on in the darke not knowing whither they goe So wee see in all these foure ballances that their Religion is too light and ours is downe weight And so we see that they are iustly reprooued for censuring our Church to be a false Church because wee haue a false Religion whereas theirs is the false and ours is the true Religion Secondly It is for reproofe of the Separatists They are very clamorous and bitter against vs But I purpose God willing briefly to answer the sum of all their exceptions and to let all their bitter clamours alone Their first Exception is against the constitution of our Church they say it hath a false constitution and therefore is a false Church But this is a false Consequence and can neuer be prooued there be many froggs and mice and other Creatures generated of putrefaction and yet are true froggs though they be not produced by naturall generation And hee that out of the very stones can raise vp children vnto Abraham is able to gather a Church otherwise then by that which they call a true constitution so that the consequence is false and the Antecedent is false too For our Constitution through Gods mercy is true and sound Constitution signifies sometime the state which a thing is framed vnto as the naturall constitution of the Body that is the state condition or dispensation which by the rule of nature it is endued with sometimes it signifies the Act whereby it is to be framed as the naturall constitution of the body that is the Act of Nature whereby it is constituted Each of these are in the Church as being a Body in a borowed sense And the constitution of ours is true in the first sense we haue the Word Sacraments ministry and Gouernment and people professing the true Religion and obedience thereunto And therefore what need we to inquire into the Act whereby wee were so constituted as thereby to disproue the Truth of our Church As for example when I come into a strange place that hath the name of a City and there I see people corporations Ciuill assemblies lawes and orders and a generall profession of obedience thereunto Shall not I hold that a true City though I know not how it was founded and gathered But if it be necessary to be inquired into in the second sense the Constitution of our Church is true and good in that sense also men are truly called and gathered amongst vs by the ministry of the Word but say they they were not so gathered at the first I Answer first if they were not it is no preiudice to vs we are so now
administration of the World he doth it respectiuely to his Church for the good and benefit of his chosen There being then such a neere coniunction betwixt God and the Church and the Church carrying the precedency aboue all other of Gods works that are who seeth not that the doctrine concerning the Church doth very closely depend vpon the Doctrine concerning God and therefore hauing been informed and instructed in the Doctrine concerning God it followes naturally that we now be instructed in the Doctrine concerning the Church Secondly the order is as naturall in respect of Christ in the second question for there is a more immediate and farre neerer communion betwixt the Church and Christ in particular then betwixt the Church and God in generall for Christ is the King the Church is the Subiect Christ is the purchaser the Church his possession he is the Shepheard they his Sheepe he is the Vine they the Branches he is the Head they his Body hee is their Husband and they are his Spouse and therefore except we will dis-sunder these whom God hath ioyned most neerely together after we haue spoken of Christ it followes next and immediatly that wee speake of his Church You heard in the second question that Christ was incarnate and that hee was a fit Mediatour betwixt God and Man Now in this third question we are to heare who they are for whom he was incarnate and for whose sake he doth accomplish this work of Mediation and those are the Church And therefore in respect of the Doctrine of Christ handled in the second question it followes naturally that now in this third question we doe handle the Doctrine of the Church Thirdly in respect of all the three questions compared and laid together the order is very naturall ioyne them all together and they sweetly and orderly expresse the summe of all Religion God doth saue his Church by Iesus Christ God is the Author that saues Christ is the Instrument or meanes by whom hee saues the Church is the subiect or matter to be saued God purposed to saue his Church but not without the mediation of Christ Christ came to saue the Church but not without warrant frō God the Church is saued but not without God nor without Christ but by God in Christ according to that in 2. Cor. 5.9 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe where God is set downe in the first place Christ in the second and in the third the reconciled world that is the Church So you see the first branch of the Introduction the order of the questions in themselues and so our order to bee very naturall The second branch is this that the matter of the question is of great weight and importance For first the right knowledge and vnderstanding of the true Church is very profitable and of necessary vse and secondly the ignorance or mistaking of it is exceeding dangerous and hurtfull First the knowledge and vnderstanding of it is very profitable and of necessary vse and that in many respects first for direction secondly for confirmation thirdly for confutation and fourthly for consolation And first for direction for on the one side generally most men are endued with this principle that they ought to ioyne themselues to the true Church or else they can haue no saluation And on the other side generally all Heretikes and Schismatikes doe challenge to themselues the name of the Church as if they were the true Church and none else What is to be done in this vncertainty Wee must search the Word of God first learne there what the true Church of God is and that is the onely right Assembly that safely and boldly thou mayst ioyne thy selfe vnto Therefore for direction this question is very profitable Secondly for the confirmation of our faith for howsoeuer the Word and the Spirit are the best and most sufficient witnesses that the Faith wee embrace is the true sauing Faith yet our weakenesse requires also some outward witnesse to testifie the same vnto vs the best and onely witnesse in this kind is the true Church which is the Pillar of Truth Therfore we must first know what this true Church is and then finding that it doth embrace the same Faith with vs and we the same with it we are thereby certainely assured that we are in the right Faith Thirdly the knowledge of the true Church is profitable and necessary for the confuting of Aduersaries for the Papists on the one side and the Brownists on the other doe lay hard against vs that either we are no Church or at least a false Church therefore it is most necessary for vs to know what the true Church is that so we may discerne them and to iustifie our owne Church and our standing in it against all the oppositions Fourthly it is necessary for consolation and comfort of conscience for what greater comfort to a Christian soule then to know that it rests in the bosome of Gods owne Church I must first therefore know what this Church is before euer I can attaine to any sound comfort in this Case Therefore in these respects the question is very profitable and of great waight and importance Secondly the ignorance and mistaking of the true Church is exceeding dangerous and hurtfull for first many men are carelesse and wretchlesse and will not ioyne to any Church at all aske them the cause they wil answer First that there is so much difference about the Church that they know not what to make of it Secondly others would faine ioyne to the true Church but they dare not ioyne to this or that particular Church because they know not which or what is the true Church Thirdly others mistake the false Church for the true and so ioyne to the false in stead of the true and so runne headlong from God to the Diuell from truth and saluation to errour and condemnation I dare say that the very name of the Church misvnderstood hath been one of the greatest snares that euer the Diuell vsed whereby to entangle men in Popery and this one Allegation hath made more to become Papists and to continue Papists then any ten of their best Allegations and pretences besides Lastly those that doe ioyne themselues to the true Church are doubtfull of their standing whether they be in the right or not and not knowing the true Church are easily carried away to another Church that is worse or to a false Church So yee see how dangerous it is to mistake or not to know the true Church wee haue lamentable experience of these things amongst vs in these dayes some turne Papists some Brownists some become of no Religion at all euen for this that the true Church is either not knowne or not rightly vnderstood of them yea the best and most tender Consciences amongst vs are somewhat vncertaine and fearefull of their standing because they are not rightly acquainted with this
of Elias yet in this very time God had his Church and a flourishing one too in his eyes though men could not discerne it Afterward in that generall Apostasie when Israel and Iudah were both fallen from God yet here is a true Church still here was one out of a Citie and two out of a Tribe to worship God Ier. 3.13 14. So in the Captiuity of Babylon when the Church is quite ouerwhelmed as it were Ierusalem was so distressed Religion defaced all turned into a miserable desolation so as there was neuer the like Is there any sorrow like vnto my sorrow saith the Prophet speaking in the behalfe of the Church Lam. 1.12 yet then God had his Church there were both teachers and embracers as Ieremy Haggai Zechariah and Daniel and many others At our Sauiours comming in the flesh when the Law and the Temple Priests and people the Church and Common-wealth were vtterly corrupted and defiled yet still God had his Church there was Zachary and Elizabeth Ioseph and Marie Simeon and Anna true beleeueres and right worshippers of God Lastly in the height of the pride of Antichrist the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place for many hundred yeeres when all the Nations in the earth were made drunke with the Cup of fornications by the Whore of Babylon the Synagogue of Rome yet God had some from time to time that lothed her golden Cup some that were not defiled with her fornications but kept themselues pure Virgins and a chaste Spouse to the Lord Iesus Christ sweetly embracing his sauing truth And so much for proofe of the first part of the obseruation That God alwayes had a Church and company of chosen people c. The second part is that as God euer hath had so he now hath a Church c. I shall not neede to speake much for proofe of this point for it cannot be denied but that blessed be God there be many flourishing Churches at this day in Germany France England and Scotland many in all these places that worship God in Spirit and Truth yea vnder Popery no doubt but there are many true Christians yea euen amongst the Turkes and Iewes and Infidels I doubt not but that there are yeâ— remaining some that worship God with vs no question but there are some sparkes of fire amongst those burnt ashes some polished stones of these decayed Churches some gold amongst all that drosse some that serue the Lord amongst so many thousand seruants of sinne and slaues of Sathan we haue many instances now at this day of some that liue vnder Popery and amongst the Iewes that professe our Religion So the second part is proued that God now hath his Church and chosen people The last part and shall haue to the worlds end c. Wee cannot prooue this point by examples as we did the former because it is not yet throughly fulfilled yet wee haue as sure proofes for it as examples we haue Gods own Word for it and that which God hath spoken is as sure as if it were already done and therefore the Prophets deliuer many predictions in the Preterperfect Tense as if they were already done because of the certaintie of it I say wee haue Gods Word for proofe of this point Psal 132.13 14. For the Lord hath chosen Sion and loueth to dwell in it saying this is my Rest for euer here will I dwell c. God will dwell and rest and that for euer in his Church as himselfe is for euer so his Church is for euer So Math. 28.20 I am with you euer euen to the worlds end It is more then if hee had said I wil be with you c. It is as much as if he had said thus As sure as I am actually present with you now so I will still continue vnto the very end of the world And whereas in respect of his bodily presence it was nor so because he was to ascend into heauen yet by his Spirit hee is with vs effectually to all sauing purposes Ioh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall giue you another comforter that he may abide with you for euer vers 17. euen the Spirit of Truth c. And whereas there are many opposers of Gods Church men and Deuils and many times they haue a great hand ouer the Church yet they are still bridled and curbed and the Church still so protected and defended that the gates of Hell shall neuer preuaile against it that is vtterly to disanull it Math. 16.18 There are many other proofes for this Point but because we shall speake of them in the Reasons therefore we will passe to them The Reasons of the point that God euer had now hath and shall haue a Church to the worlds end are these Reas 1 First we haue Gods promise for it who is truth and cannot lie If that be too little we haue his Oath for it wherein it is impossible he should lie Psal 132.11 12. The Lord hath sworne in Truth to Dauid and will not shrinke from it saying of the fruit of thy Body will I set vp thy throne for euer He hath sworne it and will not shrinke from it that is hee will not recant which although it be typically spoken of Dauid and his seede yet in truth substance of it it is intended of Christ and his Church The same promise is renewed Ier. 33.17 18. where it is said that Dauid shall neuer want a man to sit vpon the Throne of the house of Israel And in the 20. and 21. verses it is said If yee can breake my Couenant of the day and my Couenant of the night then my Couenant may bee broken with Dauid my Seruant Giuing vs to vnderstand that his promise is irreuocable so long as there is day or so long as there is night on the earth so long the Lord will haue his Church on earth his Word and his Promise cannot be broken no saith our Sauiour Heauen and Earth may faile but my Word shall neuer faile therefore he hauing passed his Word for the continuance of his Church for euer it shall continue for euer in despight of all her aduersaries Secondly the sauing Truth and doctrine of saluation Reas 2 shall neuer perish from the earth therefore the Church that is the pillar of Truth shal neuer be abolished from the earth If the truth of God could faile then the Church might faile but that can neuer faile for still there shall be some witnesses of Gods Truth to feele the sauing power of it in themselues and to testifie it to others and therefore the Church shall neuer faile The third Reason is taken from Gods Fatherly Care ouer Reas 3 his Church euen for their owne sakes because he loues them and they are deare to him as the Apple of his eye and therefore they shall neuer be all destroyed except the Lord could forget his owne people his dearlings which is impossible Fourthly he doth preserue his Church
of God that one may be whetted on and prouoked by another Fourthly it is needfull for the maintenance of loue amongst the faithfull which can no way so well be maintained as when wee all see that we haue need of one another Lastly it is needfull in respect of the faithfull for the declaration and exercise of their faith that our faith may haue some fruits to be exercised in Philem. Vers 5. Fifthly and lastly there is this communion in respect of our Aduersaries and first for defending our selues for being strongly vnited together as one man they cannot ouercome vs whereas if we were separated and disioyned they would easily ouercome vs. Secondly for the offending and oppugning the enemies who band themselues together against them and therefore they are to set themselues all together as with one heart against their aduersaries otherwise they will be so farre from ouercomming them as that they will bee ouercome of them And so much for the Reasons why there is such a mutuall communion amongst the faithfull The Vses of the Point are these First this teacheth euery Vse 1 one of vs to labour to bee one of the members of Gods Church that so thou mayst haue thy part in this communion and that thou mayst haue thereby a right to God and Christ and the Spirit and to faith to iustification and to saluation and to all the gifts and graces of Gods Spirit and to all the promises and priuiledges of the faithfull and to all the meanes of grace here and glory hereafter these are no where to be had but here therefore if thou art not one of this communion and society thou hast no right in these things And here they are certainely to be had and inioyed therefore let euery one of vs labour to be liuing-members of this communion and society and so we shall haue a rich and a gracious portion with the faithfull wee shall be made partakers of the same grace with them here and of the same glory hereafter Maruell not then that Dauid and other of the Saints were so much grieued when they were depriued of this blessed communion though they were neuer depriued of this inward communion yet it was their griefe and the very breaking of their hearts when they were depriued of this outward fellowship And no maruell also though they did so reioyce when they could come to Gods House to bee partakers of this fellowship for then they could reach out their hands to partake of the pledges of Gods loue sensibly Secondly as this teacheth vs to labour to be one of this Vse 2 society and communion so it teacheth vs also to labour to maintaine this communion that as wee bee intitled to it so we must bend all our forces to contribute to it and to vphold it and not to content our selues with the bare Title onely but to be as we are called and to practise as we professe that as wee professe to haue a communion of state so we may haue a communion of practise also And this is it which the Apostle saith Ephes 4.3 Keepe the vnitie of the Spirit in the bond of peace As who should say As thou hast found that fauour with God that thou art associated by a calling to the Church and the communion thereof so let it be thy chiefe and principall endeauour to maintaine and keepe that vnity and communion Phil. 1.27 Continue in one spirit and in one mind as if he should say Flinch not from it but as you haue this communion so stand in it and maintaine it And that we may so doe we must take heed first that we separate nor cut off our selues nor be drawne from this communion this is forbidden Heb. 10.25 39. Not forsaking the fellowship we haue amongst our selues as the manner of some is And in the 39. Verse But wee are not they which withdraw our selues vnto perdition If wee separate we cut off our selues from the body and so from the head too and then we haue no part in Christ for hee is a head to none but his owne body nor in God nor in the Spirit nor in any of the promises and priuiledges and graces that belong to this societie And therefore this is a speciall matter that euery one of vs is to take heed of namely that wee entertaine not the least thought of leauing the Church though we doubt of the truth of it yet wee must be well aduised before we leaue it Secondly we must take heed wee giue no offence to the faithfull to cause them to alienate themselues from vs by walking inordinately 2. Thes 3.6 the faithfull are commanded to separate themselues from euery brother that walketh inordinately or by contention for the Church hath nothing to do with such so saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 11.16 nor by any other misdemeanour Thirdly as we must take heed that we giue no offence so we must take heed we bee not too apprehensiue of offence that we be not ready to breake out vpon euery little quarrell and discontent but wee must resolue to beare any thing so that it be not against conscience rather then to trouble that communion or to interrupt that fellowship Lastly and principally wee must take heed that we repaire to the publike assemblies and that wee gather together with these assemblies for the worship and seruice of God to heare the Word read and preached and to ioyne together in prayer for this is it that the Apostle approues 1. Cor. 5.4 When yee are gathered together c. And this is it that is commended in the Church at Ierusalem Act. 2.42 that they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayer Matth. 18.22 Where two or three saith our Sauiour are gathered together in my name there I am in the midst of them he promiseth his speciall presence to this communion and societie therefore we must be carefull to ioyne with such assemblies for there is no better way to continue this communion then this And as we must come to these places our selues so we must call vpon one another to doe so too for so it was prophesied that the faithfull should doe in the last dayes Isai 2.3 that they should say Come let vs goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord to the House of the God of Iacob c. and wee must also reioyce at such occasions when wee heare that men come willingly to the house of the Lord as the Prophet Dauid did Psal 122.1 Thirdly here is matter of examination whereby wee Vse 3 may try whether we be true mēbers of the Church or not Doest thou practise this Communion and fellowship then thou art a true member Else thou canst neuer truly perswade thy selfe that thou art a true member vnlesse thou practise this Communion proue and try and examine your selues therefore and that by these particulars First let vs examine our selues vpon this point doe we vse the meanes of
this as a generall ground that the onely way whereby we are to find out the true Religion is by the true visible Church which may be true in some sense but not in this And their reach herein is to make all the Christian World to suspend thēselues vpon their Church as that being alwayes visible and so to receiue that Religion and none but that which their Church doth teach For say they there is no way to find out the true Religion but by the true visible Church but ours is the true visible Church therefore if euer you will find out the true Religion you must find it out by our Church It is not to be denied but that a true visible Church is a good meanes to find out the true Religion being assisted with the continuall presence of Gods Spirit and being furnished with the Word and Sacraments and gifts for that purpose but whereas they say it is the onely way it is not true for the Scripture hath another way and a better Ioh 5.39 Search the Scriptures saith our Sauiour for they testifie of mee Againe if this be the onely way to find out the true Religion by the Church then a man must first be well assured which is the true Church before hee can safely relie vpon her iudgement for the truth of Religion so that whereas before his care was to find out the true Religion and thereupon resolues to search it out from the true Church now his first and greatest care is to find out which is the true Church for other companies that are not may and doe bragge oft-times that they are the true Church when there is no such matter what are wee to doe in this case This Doctrine tells vs directly what is to be done where is it that the sauing truth is professed There and no where else is a true visible Church so that whereas they say the Church is the onely way for the finding out of the true Religion it is plaine as we haue shewed that the true Religion professed is the onely way or at least the chiefe way to find out a true visible Church The case is this we say the true Religion shewes forth the true Church the Papists say the contrary that the true Church shewes forth the true Religion And this that they say is true in some sense but that which we say is true in a better sense for the true Religion shewes the true Church as the cause shewes the effects but the Church shewes the true Religion as the effects shew the cause As for example the Sunne-shine is the cause of the day and the day proues that the Sunne shines Now one man may reason thus from the cause to the effect and say The Sunne shines therefore it is day another from the effect to the cause It is day therefore the Sunne shines and both say true but the first is the more forcible kind of reasoning when we reason from the cause to the effects So when I reason thus Here is the true Religion therefore the true Church here I reason from the cause to the effects and this is a more forcible and better reason then to say Here is the true Church therefore here is the true Religion which is but to reason from the effect to the cause This wee shall find to be true in the Scripture phrase where the Church is compared to a Candlesticke now what serues that for but onely to hold out the light then the sauing truth is the Light or Candle now the Candlesticke is not seene at all without the Light of the Candle in the dark night though it were of gold so in the darknes of this World the Church which is the Candlesticke if it hold not forth the sauing truth which is the Light or Candle it cannot be seene it selfe So that it is the truth of Religion that makes a true Church and the profession of this truth makes it visible then the Church is not the only way to find out the true Religion nor yet the best way but the best and safest way to find out the true visible Church is to find it out by the true Religion which they professe And so much for the reproofe of the Papists Vse 2 The second Vse is for triall Is it so that euery Congregation openly professing the sauing truth of God is a true visible Church then here is the straitest and precisest Rule to measure the being of a true visible Church by the definition containing all true visible Churches and no more Therefore look wheresoeuer the true sauing faith is profest there is a true visible Church And looke where there is a true visible Church there true sauing faith is profest for these hold in reciprocall termes so that whether wee would proue any assembly to bee a true visible Church or reproue and conuince any for a false we must lay it to this Rule so whether they professe the sauing truth of Christ or not and accordingly esteeme and iudge of them to bee true or false Churches Here certaine exceptions may bee made to this Doctrine The first exception is this What doe you say that a company professing the sauing truth makes a true visible Church Will profession onely make a true visible Church I answer No First it is required Answ that the sauing truth be amongst them indeed else they are no true Church Secondly that being amongst them it is not to bee smothered but profest Thirdly that it bee not onely outwardly profest but inwardly imbraced too at least by some of them Rom. 10.10 The second exception is this But what say you if they professe it with their lips and deny it in their liues and practise is such a Church a true visible Church I answer Answ a fearefull state are all such Churches in for God cannot bee more dishonoured his Spirit more grieued his Gospell more reproched his children more offended Satan and all Gods enemies more gratified and aduantaged then by this yet farre bee it from vs to denie them to bee a true visible Church so long as Gods sauing Truth is profest amongst them it cannot bee though there be neuer so great and generall a falling away from the practise of it but that some doe liue as they professe though they be not seene to vs. And therefore for their sakes though they bee but few and not to bee outwardly discerned it is to be reputed a true visible Church though a very corrupt and impure one The third exception But what say you of such a Church which though they professe the whole sauing faith yet they doe in certaine some crosse opinions which ouerthrow it Answ I answer wee must consider what manner of opinions these be which that Church holdes First whether they be such as ouerthrow the foundation secondly whether they bee publikely profest as the Doctrine of that Church thirdly whether they bee persisted in after they haue been admonisht by
neighbour Churches Then they are no longer to be taken notice of as true visible Churches But on the other side if they be matters of smaller moment that doe not ouerthrow the foundation then the hay and stubble shall burne 1. Cor. 3.12 15. but yet they shall remaine still a true Church Secondly if they bee greater matters errors that doe ouerthrow the foundation yet if they be not publikely profest as the Doctrine of that Church yea though they be publikely profest yet if vpon admonition of other neighbour Churches they doe recant and reforme their Errors then they are stil to be accounted true visible Churches and it is a sinne for any to forsake them being in them yea it is a sinne not to ioyne as a member to them liuing in them Deu. 12.5 at least we are to ioyne with them in consâ—nt and Communion of profession The case of the Churches in the second and third Chapter of the Reuelation make the former exceptions cleere as you may see in your owne reading of them Vse 3 The third Vse is this Euery man that hath any Touch of Conscience or any grace in him is desirous to be a member of the true visible Church for that is a good pledge and witnesse to their soules that they are members of Christ Iesus Here then thou mayst learne to know whether thou art a member or no and so likewise how to become a member First therefore labour to finde out to know vnderstand and beleeue the sauing Truth of God and for this end we must heare the Word preached and conferre of it and ioyne with the godly and frequent publike Christian Assemblies and also we must pray to God for his Spirit that he would be pleased to acquaint thee with his sauing Truth and to open thine eyes that thou mayst see the right way and that he would also leade thee therein Secondly thou must labour as thou knowest it so likewise to professe it and make open shew of it to the world be not ashamed of it it is a Royall Calling if we bee ashamed of it Christ will be ashamed of vs before his Father and before his Angls in heauen and as we must not be ashamed of it so we must not be afraid to professe it it is not a matter of shame or feare to be of Gods Church but a matter of glory and comfort therefore bee not afraid of reproch persecution temptation all outward misery which wee are sure to endure if wee bee knowne to professe the sauing Truth of Christ Christ Iesus did boldly oppose himselfe against the high Priest and Pilate and the Iewes the Scribes and Pharisies and the Souldiers yea he opposed himselfe to Death it selfe and to all the powers of darknesse and to the terrors of God himselfe for thee and wilt thou bee afraid to oppose thy selfe to some few outward dangers for him Nay it is for our selues in the end for wee shall haue the glory of it yet bee wise and doe not rashly thrust thy selfe into any danger but if thou haue iust occasion and a Calling from God shunne it not for feare of men Let not thy false heart betray the truth of Christ his cause but relying vpon Gods power promise and protection stand to it resolutely and with a good Christian courage and say I am a Professor of Christ crucified and so I will continew by his Assistance euen vnto the very death though I be crucified euen as he was Thirdly we must see that our profession be not in hipocrisie for this is the Canker-worme that eates out Religion in the hearts of many professors therefore professe the Truth sincerely and in singlenesse of heart as in the sight of God who seeth and searcheth the Reynes doe it as the onely cause whereby we may and must bee saued and whereby thou lookest for thy reward in mercy at Gods hand at the last day doe it as in obedience to God to glorifie his Name and to aduance his Kingdome and to the confusion of Satan and his complices Fourthly as wee must do it without hypocrisie so we must see we practise it and that openly for our publike practise of it is our greatest and best part of our profession we must not be like those Titus 1.16 that in their words professe that they know God but by their workes deny him that is their workes stand vp against them and tell them to their faces that there is no such matter that which wee professe with our lippes wee must practise with our liues Put the case that two men bee at ods one man saith one thing another man proues the contrary by plaine and euident Arguments whether of these two is the best and greatest auoucher of the thing So it is in this he that professeth in his words onely the Truth of God and another which doth practise it in his workes which is the best and greatest auoucher of Gods Truth surely he that practiseth it in his workes Fiftly as wee must labour to doe these things our selues so we must do the best we can to draw others to it according to the Commandement of our Sauiour Christ to Peter Luk. 22.32 When thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren Which when I thinke on it cannot but admonish mee of my Duty and so it doth vs all that wee should labour to draw others to that good which wee our selues are partakers of Thus it was with the woman of Samaria when shee was conuerted she laboured to draw all the City of Samaria to Christ Iohn 4.28 29. Especially wee should labour with our owne families that they may serue God as Ioshua did I and my house saith he will serue the Lord. So shall we haue true visible Churches within the walls of our owne houses howsoeuer it be in the Land or Countrey or Parish where we dwell Vse 4 Lastly this should teach vs thankfulnesse for our State that the Lord hath vouchsafed so gratiously to shew himselfe to the people of this Land for many yeeres that the whole sauing Truth of God should bee knowne and professed and that by publike Authority it is countenanced amongst vs we confesse there are many sinnes in our liues defects in our state and wee mourne for them and groane vnder them and pray with sighes and teares against them and we trust God in his good time will heare vs and redresse these corruptions and abuses amongst vs yet through Gods mercy we professe the whole sauing truth and therfore we are a true visible Church of God against all Schismatikes and Papists and slanderers whatsoeuer Euery one may see and say that it is a miraculous and wonderfull of God that still this profession is maintained be thankfull for it and walke in Obedience to it and honor God for it and vse it well and pray and labour for the continuance of it to vs and our posterity to all generations The blessing is so much the greater and thank-worthy
that it doth not suffice that they bee in some parts of the Church where most need is And lastly the Christian Magistrate who hath a chiefe stroke in Gouernment they speake nothing of him neither doe they interpret any of those places where the Apostle speakes of Rulers of the Christian Magistrate though I am verily perswaded that it is to bee vnderstood of them And therefore they erre in these particulars And so wee see that there is not any one particular forme of Church-gouernment set downe in Scripture which euery particular Church is precisely bound to obserue as prescribing to it euery particular in Gouernment The sixteenth Lecture of the Church HAuing propounded fiue principall heads to bee treated vpon touching Church-gouernment as namely First the harmes and euils that this matter hath occasioned in Gods Church Secondly what is meant by these words Church and Gouernment Thirdly how necessary it is in Gods Church Fourthly whether there be any prescript Rule in Gods Word for it And lastly if there bee not then what is to bee done in that case I haue proceeded in the foure former as God hath enabled mee Now I come to speake of the fifth namely That if God hath not ordayned any prescript forme in his Word for euerie particular in gouernment then what is to bee done in this case The Resolution whereof it is to bee fetcht from that which hath been formerly spoken For whereas euery particular Church must haue her particular gouernment and the Word hath not prescribed any one set forme for all Churches to obserue in euerie particular as I haue shewed in the second Obseruation of the former Lecture Therefore euery particular Church out of their owne power and wisedome and being guided by the generall forme set downe in the Scriptures as oft as necessity requires must make the best supply and prouision for themselues herein that they can howbeit because the whole substance of Church-gouernment is set downe in the Word c. as I shewed in the first Obseruation of the former Lecture Therefore the Church must not be presumptuous and licentious as if it were arbitrary and as if they might ordaine and do what they list But they must carefully see that whatsoeuer prouision they make in this kinde bee such as may well stand with those generall rules and directions which the word affords I take not vpon mee here to define what is prescribed in Gods word what not this is a hard taske too curious for mee and too tedious for you That is left to the enquirie of the particular Churches euery one for it selfe and the promise of the Spirit to leade the Church into all Truth of speciall vse for this purpose both to instruct the Church what is prescribed and what is not as also to helpe and direct them what to take and what to leaue and how to behaue themselues in such cases of Gouernment wherein they are destitute of particular warrant for each particular case from the word yet because I would faine informe you throughly of the whole businesse so farre as is needfull to know I will God willing inlarge my discourse farther than I thought to haue done and labour to rip it vp from the very bottome The whole forme of Church-gouernment as I conceiue consists of three principalls or Pillars as I may call them First of some Actions and duties to bee performed in the Church Secondly of some Persons or Officers that are to performe these duties in the Church And thirdly of some Lawes and rules that these persons are to be directed by in the execution of these actions and duties which are to bee done in the Church And if once you can tell these things first what is to be done in Church-Gouernment secondly by whom it must bee done and thirdly how and after what manner and vpon what ground and with what Conditions they are to bee done you may sit downe well satisfied and resolued in this point In the handling of all these points I shall bee in danger either to be too intricate or too tedious too intricate if I should handle them ioyntly all together or too tedious if I should frame a seuerall discourse for each particular by it self To preuent both I wil first propound them all in a generall view by themselues and then I will instance in two or three particular duties fitting them with their Officers and Lawes that so any man of vnderstanding may learne thereby to doe the like in all the rest First wee will beginne with the Duties or Actions to be done in Church-Gouernment haply I shal not touch them all but I will labour to touch the chiefe and principall and those to which all the rest may bee referred The principall Duties are these First Order must be taken that the Word and Sacraments and Prayers bee had in the Church Secondly there must be election of Officers from time to time as occasion shall require Thirdly Duties of Charitie must bee carefully and religiously practised Fourthly censures and proceedings against Offendors must be executed Fifthly order must be takē for calling publike Assemblies Lastly order must bee taken for the ouersight of all these things To beginne with the first Order must bee taken for the Word and Sacraments and Prayers I ioyne and couch all these together because there is a most neere and necessary league and affinitie betwixt them For as the Word is to beget faith so the Sacraments as seales and pledges accompany it for the more palpable Assurance of ou◠increasing in it and Prayer is to bee ioyned with them both that they may bee effectuall and powerfull for edification First for the Word order must bee taken that it may bee had in the Church first the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament must bee extant And how must they bee extant Surely in their owne originall languages because if there bee any corruption in the Translation wee may runne to the Originall so that it must be had in the originall languages And in what Copies Surely the best that be to be had But what then euery one cannot vnderstand these languages they may bee in a Nation whose language is not the Mother-Tongue What must bee done then Surely wee must get the most faithfull and best Translations that are and when they are got what must the Church see to bee done with them First some of these Copies must bee laid vp in a safe and secret place that if Desolation should come yet the written Word may bee preserued so the booke of the Law 2 Chron. 34.14 which was thought to bee written by Moses owne hand was found in a secret place where no doubt it had been laid vp by Gods speciall prouidence to bee preserued from that common hauock which was in the Land so that some Copies must bee laid vp in safe and secret places Yea but that is not enough but there must bee some extant
by vs are a priuiledge to vs Consider what is or might be against vs wee are freed from it and looke what is or may be for vs that we haue liberty in for the first what is or might be against vs that we haue freedome frō for the Son hath made vs free Iohn 8.36 First Gods Iustice was agianst vs to hurt vs and to condemne vs for our sins wee are sinners and God is Iust and hates sin and how can we stand before him But that we haue this priuiledge by Christ that hee hath fully satisfied for all our sinnes and so wee are freed from this danger so that now to vs in Christ God is a mercifull Father not a Iust Iudge yea Christ hauing satisfied the Iustice of God to the full for vs we may reuerently challenge the Lord in the Name of Christ that he cannot punish vs hauing punished one for vs and so Christs merits being all-sufficient haue purchased all good things for vs so that now Iustice is for vs to giue vs that which is due to Christ not against vs to giue vs our owne deseruings Secondly the Law is against vs and like Saul breathes out threatnings against the Church of God saying If thou doest not this thou shalt dye but this is satisfied too Christ tooke on him the curse of the Law and so redeemed vs from it Galat. 3.13 Next to the Law comes sinne that had defiled vs and exposed vs to Gods wrath and kept vs vnder as slaues and seruants that we could doe nothing but sinne here is our priuiledge euen the blood of Christ that cleanseth vs and frees vs from all our sins so that the filth doth not appeare in vs the guilt is not imputed to vs and the dominion is ended so that it doth not raigne in vs Rom. 6. After sinne comes death for the reward of sinne is death and death had seized on vs for her owne wee Death destroyes him that had power of death which is the diuell and sets vs at liberty so that we may now say with the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.56.57 The sting of Death is sinne the strength of sinne is the Law but thanks be to God who hath giuen vs victory through Iesus Christ our Lord. Afterwards comes in hell for her share and opens her mouth to swallow vs downe quicke Hell that house of horror that should haue beene by right the house of our perpetuall habitation and aboade but Christ Iesus hee hath triumphed for vs ouer Hell and Condemnation so that now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus Rom. 8.1 Lastly the diuell who is the ground of all these forces hee had fingered vs and got vs within his clutches and wrapt vs vp in chaines and fetters as his captiues and bond-slaues Christ Iesus hee comes and looseth the workes of the diuell 1 Ioh. 3.8 hee breakes these chaines and subdues Satan so that we may say with the Prophet Psalme 124.7 the snare is broken and wee are deliuered These are great and rare priuileges I would haue you wisely to consider of them For who so is wise will ponder on these things that they may vnderstand the louing kindnesse of the Lord wee should labour to know these things and to make vse of them and to stand fast in this liberty and not to be intangled againe in the yoake of bondage In the second place consider what was or could be for vs and all that wee haue freedome into we haue bold accesse vnto the Throne of Grace and an entrance vnto God the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 5.2 Ephes 2.18 wee may goe boldly and safely to God and tell him our wants and begge supply we may talke familiarly with him as a man doth with his neighbour as Iob speakes wee may come vnto God and say Thou art my Father and my maker despise not the worke of thy hands so we may goe to our Lord Iesus Christ and say with Thomas My Lord and my God hee by sight wee by faith so likewise we may goe to the holy Spirit and say thou art my Sanctifier and Comforter and I am thy Temple suffer not Satan to defile mee with sinne So likewise we may haue free accesse to the Word and to the Sacraments and to all Gods promises and we may lay our hands on them and challenge them for our owne So likewise wee may also reach out our hands to all the creatures as being our peculiar right and lastly when we are on our death-beds wee may with our Sauiour Christ and with Stephen sweetly and comfortably commend our spirits into the hands of God and say Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth this is an excellent priuiledge that at the houre of death when wee are assaulted with many sore temptations wee may throw them all from vs and safely commend our soules into Gods hand and if there were no other priuiledge but this it were enough to make vs desire to be of the Church The eighth Priuiledge is the power that is conferred vpon vs to admit or reiect to binde or loose c. but this is to be spoken by it selfe in the eighth generall head following The last sort of Priuiledges are in matters of future Certainties I say matters of future Certainties not of possibilities that is too weake a word in this sense possibilities are for men as that the sonne shall haue this and this after his fathers decease and yet the sonne may be disappointed many wayes but with God future possibilities are vndoubted Certainties they are as surely ours as if we had them already Now these are first perfection of all grace now we haue them but in part 1 Cor. 13.9.12 but hereafter wee shall haue them in perfection The second thing is the resurrection of the body but that you will say is common to the wicked too It is true they shall rise too but they shall not be able to stand in iudgement Psalme 1.5 they shall rise to condemnation as our Sauiour saith Ioh. 5.29 It were better for them to lye still the graue is better then hell so that it is no Priuiledge to them to rise Thirdly wee shall stand dreadlesse and fearelesse before the Iugdement Seat of God alas now wee are afraid of euery qualme how shall wee stand dreadlesse then I answer Then wee shall know God to be our Father in Christ wee shall know that our peace is made beforehand wee shall haue the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ to couer vs and then there shall be no sinne in vs this is it that will make vs stand dreadlesse whereas the wicked for want of this shall tremble and quake and call to the mountaines to fall vpon them and to the hills to couer them Lastly we shall haue euerlasting glory life and happinesse in heauen inioying the fellowship of God and Christ and the holy Spirit and the blessed
Angells and there wee shall liue continually praising and glorifying God there we shall haue fulnesse of ioy and pleasures for euermore Psal 16. To conclude therefore let vs not debase our selues to sinfull and vile and slauish courses but let vs labour to walke in some good measure answerable to such great and high priuiledges as these are The Twentieth LECTVRE of the CHVRCH THe last point we spake of was concerning the priuiledges of the Church not humane such as Kings and men endowed the Church withall but diuine such as God endues the Church withall and therein wee handled two points first that there are such priuiledges belonging to the Church secondly what these Priuiledges are there is something to be added to the last point namely what they are For there are two speciall priuiledges something questionable aboue the rest each of them subiect to mistaking and the mistaking of them is and hath beene the cause of much error The first is concerning the infallible guidance of the Church by the Spirit of truth and thereupon ariseth this question whether the Church may erre or no The second Priuiledge questionable is concerning the necessity of being a member of the Church if euer wee will attaine saluation and thereupon ariseth this question whether any can be saued out of the Church or no These are the two points which I purpose to handle at this time The first is concerning the infallible guidance of the Church by Gods Spirit wherupon ariseth this question whether the Church may erre or no And because error is a generall name affirmed as wel of matters of obedience as of knowledge of bad maÌ„ners as well as of false doctrine therfore in plaine and large termes it shall be propounded and handled thus whether the Church may erre either in manners or doctrine or in both or in neither to open the way to the disclosing of the point wee are to vnderstand rightly these words Church and Error First concerning the word Church for whereas sometimes it signifies the whole Company of Beleeuers liuing on earth somtimes some one visible Congregation professing the Faith of Christ the state of the question is not of both alike but we must vnderstand it far otherwise of the one then of the other For whereas in the first sense it containes Beleeuers onely and all of them together it must needs haue some speciall Priuiledge aboue particular Congregations at least for some kinde of Error Euery Beleeuer hath a Priuiledge in that respect aboue an vnbeleeuer therefore all together much more so that if it bee possible that one or two might be seduced to Error yet that all of them together should bee so it is impossible And whereas in the second sense the Church consists of Hypocrites as well as true Beleeuers yea sometime all or most of Hypocrites therefore the Church taken in this sense must needes bee more subiect vnto Error then in the former sense Secondly concerning the word Error The Word of God prescribes euery true and right way and euery swaruing from that is therefore called Error whether it be in Doctrine or manners because it is a going from that true and right way which the Word of God doth teach vs And though Error properly signifie a swaruing from the Truth whether on the right or on the left hand yet it comprehends â—gnorances too that is their not attaining to some heauenly Truthes these Errors are of diuers kindes especially foure First some are either fundamentall or in smaller matters Secondly some are either of obstinacy or of infirmity Thirdly some are either finite and for a time others are for euer Fourthly some are either generall or particular First some are either fundamentall or in smaller matters fundamentall Errors are such which being held doe race the very foundation he that erres in this manner cuts himselfe off from Christ and cannot be saued such was the Error of the Church of Galâ—tia in Gal. 5.2.4 where they ioyned the workes of the Law with Christ in the matter of Iustification and therefore the Apostle tells them in the 2. verse that if they were circumcised Christ should profit them nothing and vers 4. yee are abolished from Christ whosoeuer is iustified by the workes of the Law is fallen from Grace Other Errors are of smaller moment as when men hold the foundation but yet erre in building on it and such notwithstanding these errors may bee saued 1 Cor. 3.12 to 15. the Apostle saith that some build hay and stubble vpon the Foundation but shall this turne to their damnation No themselues shal be saued saith hee but what without Repentance No for in the 13. verse it is said The day shall declare it because it shall bee reuealed by Fire and the Fire shall trie euery mans worke of what sort it is that is the Day or Light of Gods Truth shall dispell this darkenesse and the Fier of Gods Spirit shall purifie and purge away these errors from them so that they must repent of these errors But then yee will say what difference is there betwixt those that erre in the foundation and those that erre in smaller matters for they that erre in the foundation shall be saued too vpon their Repentance It is true but yet there is great difference betwixt them for first they that erre in the foundation are seldome and hardly reclaimed not one amongst a hundreth but they that erre in smaller matters are vsually and easily reclaimed for if the foundation bee ouerthrowen all must bee reared vp a new but if any thing that is built vpon it be amisse it may be easily amended yea those that erre in smaller matters cannot chuse but bee reclaimed as hauing the foundation and therefore cannot possibly perish Secondly those that erre in the foundation must repent particularly of that error and must also embrace the contrary Truth else hee cannot be saued But those that erre in matters of lesse moment though they doe not repent of their error in particular Nay though they do not know them for who knowes his errors yet if they repent in general of them they shall find mercy pardon from God so that we see there is a great difference betwixt these Secondly some errors are either of Infirmity or of Obstinacy Of infirmitie as when wee are either by negligence Ignorance Ouersight weakenesse as being taken tripping in a snare against our knowledge and against our purpose and holy desire or by other occasions such the Apostle speakes of Gal. 6.1 Brethren if a man be suddenly fallen into any offence yee which are spirituall restore such a one c when as they see it not to bee an error or if they doe see it to be so yet they haue some weake desire and labour against it but yet the assault is so strong and their corruption so great that they cannot ouercome it this is an Error of Infirmitie Some errors are of obstinacy that is
when as the Partie knowes the right and yet willingly declines from it and these that thus erre are so far from striuing against their Error that they rather striue against a manifest Truth to maintaine their Error such an Error the Iewes are taxed for by Stephen Acts 7.51 and by Paul himselfe Acts 28.26 where he applies a place out of Esay to them shewing their obstinacie that in seeing they did see and not perceiue c. so that this is an error of obstinacy for a man to know the Truth and yet willingly to decline from it Thirdly some are finite and for a time onely some finall and for euer for a time onely and vpon better Aduice they change their minde such was Peters deniall of Christ Matth. 26.75 for which hee presently repented and went out and wept bitterly Againe some are finall and for euer as when men liue and dye in sinne without any Repentance at all at least without any true and sound Repentance such was the sinne of Iudas in betraying Christ he died desperately in it without any true Repentance Mat. 27.3 5. Lastly some Errors are particular some are generall and each of these in two respects first in respect of the persons that erre secondly in respect of the things they erre in for when as one or two or some few men in a Congregation are tainted with Error here is a particular Error in respect of the persons as it was in the Church of Corinth when as but some of them denied the Resurrection and not all 1 Cor. 15.12 But when as all or the greatest part in a Church erre this is a generall Error in respect of the persons An Instance of this wee haue in the Iewes when as they did all cry out against our Sauiour Christ Crucifie him Crucifie him So secondly in respect of the things erred in as when a man or a Church erres onely in one or in few things this is a particular Error in that respect so did the Church of Pergamus Reuel 2.14 I haue a few things against thee But when a man or a Church erres in all or the most things this is generall also in respect of the things they erre in as the Church of Rome at this day erres in all or the most things and so their Error is generall in that respect as also in respect of their persons Now to apply all this to the subiect of the question whether the Church may erre in all or in any of these respects or no If wee vnderstand the Church in the first sense for the whole Company of Beleeuers liuing on earth in this sense the Church may be said to erre first in matters of smaller moment not in the foundation Secondly of Infirmity not of obstinacy Thirdly at least onely for a time not for euer Fourthly particularly not vniuersally either in respect of the persons or of the things But if wee vnderstand the Church in the latter sense of one particular Congregation in this sense the Church may erre in all these which that I may the more largely and distinctly without Confusion deliuer and you apprehend receiue it plainely in these Obseruations The First is this That the Church militant the whole Company of Beleeuers on earth howsoeuer it hath many excellent Priuildges by the Spirit of truth yet it is not so exempted from Error but that it may and doth oftentimes erre both in Doctrine and manners I shall not neede to handle Errors in manners by themselues and Errors in Doctrine by themselues for each of these are transgressions against the Word Wil of God and they are both damnable and each alike may take hold of the Church 1 Cor. 13.12 The Apostle Paul speaking of himselfe being then a sound yea a principall Member of the Church of Christ acknowledgeth ingenuously much Ignorance that hee knowes little to that hee should know he knowes but in part Now Ignorance being an Error in a generall sense as wee heard before then we see that the Apostle willingly vndergoes the Imputation of Error and if he bee in Error who can looke to escape And therevpon it followes by necessary consequence that he erred in manners too for wee cannot bee obedient in that wee doe not know so that as his knowledge was imperfect so was his loue and obedience too But for errors in manners it is far plainer in Rom. 7.22 23. where the Apostle acknowledgeth that there was a Law in his members rebelling against the Law of his minde and leading him captiue vnto the law of sinne c and this was not his infirmity alone but it is the infirmity of all the Faithfull the Spirit stirres them vp to doe good yea but saith the Apostle Galat. 5.17 the flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh and these are contrary one to another so that you cannot doe the same things you would And our Sauiour giues an Inckling of this to his Disciples in a kinde of Parable Ioh. 13.10 where he faith He that washed is needeth no â—â—ue to wash his feete c. which though it be spoken in a negatiue sense as shewing that nothing needes washing in them but their feete yet it is affirmatiue in force shewing that none is so cleansed and purified but that still hee hath foule feete that is hee hath still sinne and error in him and these must be cleansed and washed away or else he can haue no part in Christ Iesus as in verse 8 So likewise for error in manners the Apostle Iames 3.2 saith In many things wee sinne all there all are included and that not in one kinde onely as nâ— a diuided sense as if one should offend in one thing and another in another thing but in a compounded sense not one or many but all sinne and that not in one or few things but in many And for further confirmation of the Truth hereof it is elsewhere negatiuely deliuered as in the 1 King 8.46 There is not a man that liues and sinnes not now lay these two together and we shall see that none is exempted from error in manners So for Error in Doctrine Rom. 3.4 where it is not onely affirmed in generall of all and of euery one in particular that euery man is a liar that is that he erres in some of his Apprehensions of the Truth but the Apostle doth likewise so derogate the holding of the whole Truth entirely and incorruptly from man that he appropriates it to God alone so that it is as possible for man to bee God as not to bee deceiued So that the Doctrine is cleare that the Church militant that is the Company of Beleeuers liuing on earth may and oftentimes doe erre both in Doctrine and manners So much for proofe of the point out of Scripture Reas 1 The Reasons of the point are these First mans frailtie The members of the militant Church true Beleeuers they are but men and therefore naturally louing darkenesse
more then light and euill more then goodnesse and howsoeuer the Spirit bee giuen them to enlighten them and to relieue them against each Infirmity yet their weaknesse is such that they are not so farre capable of the Spirit as that thereby they are enabled to vnderstand and know all Truthes and practise all goodnesse The Spirit indeed in it selfe is all sufficient but in them not so sufficient nothing can be receiued but according to the capacity of him that receiues it be the master neuer so good to teach yet if the Scholler be not capable of the Art he teacheth he shall neuer bring him to it so it is in this the Spirit is sufficient to teach them all Truthes but they are not capable of them the Spirit is sufficient in them for Saluation but not for perfect knowledge or obedience and that by reason of their frailty that they are not so farre capable of the Spirit The second reason is Satans malice and subtilty who Reas 2 as he is the father of lyes himselfe and the Auhor of all error and sinne so hee ceaseth not to tempt both to error and wickednesse and his labour is not altogether lost but that he fastens some of his Infections in both kindes on the best men Liuing or at the least as a hinderer he hinders that truth and holinesse is not embraced at least not in that measure that it should yea and he soweth errors and sinnes like Tares vpon that good seede of Truth and holinesse which Gods Spirit hath sowen in our hearts Thirdly whilest wee liue here we haue many occasions Reas 3 of Error many deceiuers false Apostles Heretiques Scismaticks many ill examples perswasions and sundry prouocations and these are too strong for vs to withstand them all and that at all times at least not so that wee may be free from all Infection by them Fourthly Our perfection both for knowledge and Reas 4 obedience is respited to the life to come not attained to in this life by the perfectest Phil. 3.12 the Apostle saith that he had not attained to perfection though he were inferior to no man no it is not for this life it is respited to the life to come then the Church shall be without spot or wrinckle Eph. 5.27 and that not onely by Imputation as we are here but by actuall possession then shall that be verified Cant. 4.7 where the Church is said to be all faire and no spot in her but that is for the Church glorious and triumphant it cannot bee so with the Church militant but they must sit downe vnder that ignorance and error which they cannot preuaile against and pray daily Lord forgiue vs our trespasses So you see the point made plaine by reasons too Vse 1 The vses are these First here is matter of Instruction teaching vs to humble our selues and to bee cast downe in our soules in that wee are such vile and corrupt wretches brutish in our selues both for matter of knowledge and obedience for so the Scripture sets vs foorth that wee are euen beasts in both First for knowledge the Prophet saith Ieremy 10.14 Euery man is a beast by his owne knowledge and for Obedience it is said Iob 15.16 that man drinketh vp Iniquitie as water c. concerning knowledge First wee finde by experience that wee loue error and falshood and that we are ready to accept lyes at the hands of Sathan and other deceiuers wee embrace them with both handes and make much of them and hardly can abide to bee wonne from them wee are sooner and easier perswaded from an hundred Truthes then from one Error Secondly for Truth wee know that naturally wee hate and abhorre it wee cannot learne or finde it our selues nor yet are we willing to receiue it from others when it is brought to vs no not when God himself and his Word his own blessed Spirit tenders it vnto vs or if wee doe receiue it it is but in part to the halues deadly and coldly and fearefully and wee are easily drawen from it the Euill one catching it out of our hearts our mindes wauering carried away with euery wind or blast of vaine Doctrine or if wee doe receiue it and sticke to it it is with much infirmity wee are apt to defile it with our owne Inuentions deuises glosses additions detractions mistakings doubts distrustes idle and euill apprehensions the Lord knowes the thoughts of man that they are all but vaine So concerning obedience we finde that of our selues we are prone to all sin and averse from all righteousnesse and in this wee doe much more resist the spirit of Grace then them former the Reason is this Truth and falshood being of the vnderstanding reason and iudgement the highest faculties of the soule we can more easily submit to the power of the Word and Spirit but good and euill being of the will and heart and affections the more base and more carnall parts in vs and the doing of good and the forbearing of euill being the denying of our selues and the bridling of the course of nature the forsaking of all our pleasures and profits and indeed the breaking of our hearts It is death to vs to bee thus mastred and this is the reason that wee are much more vnwilling to reforme in matters of obedience then in matters of knowledge and that reformation which wee doe attaine to in matters of obedience is much more imperfect then in matters of knowledge Let vs consider rightly of this and seeing the case stands thus with vs let vs be ashamed confounded before the presence of God and hate and abhorre our selues in dust and ashes what are wee ignorant of our selues and yet will not learne naught and sinfull and cannot bee reformed How doth this prouoke Gods Wrath against vs what a deforming is this to his Image in vs what dishonour to his name what griefe is this to his spirit that hee hath to deale with such peruerse and froward Schollers that will not bee taught by him either wee will not receiue his good motions at all or else not as wee should what reioycing is this to Satan that can insult and say I can perswade men to error and sinne when as Gods Spirit and his motions to Truth and righteousnes are reiected this is a great gratifying of Satan and a great reioycing to him besides what hurt doe wee to those amongst whom wee liue But specially what wrong doe we to our owne Soules this is to forsake our owne mercy and herein our selues are the chiefest Enemies to our owne saluation let vs confesse this to God and bewaile it and instantly beg pardon of him for it and striue the best we can against â—â— and let vs bee humbled all our daies that we can striue no better against this brutish nature of ours Vse 1 The second vse is for Refutation of the Puritanes those ancient hereticks that held an absolute perfection in this life and so the Papists
and the Anabaptists are here refuted that hold this error that they offend not in manners surely this is a farre higher straine then euer the Apostles attained to for they erred all in manners they all forsooke Christ and fled Matth. 26.56 but this was before the comming downe of the holy Ghost vpon them but did they so afterward yes euen after they had receiued the holy Ghost they erred in manners Iohn the Disciple whom Iesus loued would haue worshipped the Angell Reu. 19.10 and againe euen after admonition hee would haue done the like in Chap. 22.8 and so very likely hee did it after Repentance too And so wee see that Peter was reproued to his face by Paul for his sinne Galat. 2. If this bee so in the greene tree Alas Alas What shall it bee in the dry when Peter and Iohn and the rest of the Apostles haue had their falls shall any Puritan in the world bee so shamelesse as to boast of perfection This point shall neede no further Refutation all Gods Children from the first to the last will ondemne this Assertion by their owne contrary clamentable experience in the whole race of their liues I mention this the rather because some papists Anabaptists and familists are infected with this presumption at this day Vse 3 Lastly this serues for the Refutation of Papists that challenge to their Church and head the Pope an Immunity yea an impossibility of erring in Doctrine as if it must of necessity be true whatsoeuer they hold whereas this wee are able to shew how that they haue erred from themselues in many things holding one thing this yeare another thing the next and one contrary to the other so that except two contraries may bee true they must needes erre in the one or in the other but of this more shall bee spoken hereafter Thus wee haue seene the first point handled at large that the Church militant howsoeuer it hath many excellent priuiledges yet it is not so exempted from Error but that it may and oftentimes doth erre both in Doctrine and manners Now let vs come to the second Obseruation and Doct. 2 therein see how the Church may not erre The Obseruation is this That the Church militant is so guided by the Spirit of Truth that though it be subiect to error yet it cannot erre fundamentally obstinately finally and generally First not fundamentally Psal 62.2 he is my strength and my saluation and my defence therefore I shall not much bee moued that is fundamentally nor obstinately Psal 19.13 Lord keepe me from presumptuous sinnes nor finally Psal 55.22 the Lord will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer he may fall but not for euer nor generally in all her parts but still some are reserued that haue not bowed their knee to Baal 1 King 19.18 these two finally and generally are neuer found in the true members of the militant Church haply they may erre fundamentally and obstinately but neuer finally and generally Psal 37.24 though he fall yet shall he not bee cast off which if it be vnderstood of our outward preseruation here as the Text seemes to intend it then much more of our preseruation from sinne and error that though wee doe fall yet not finally for euer And Psal 125.1 they which trust in the Lord are like mount Syon which cannot bee remoued but standeth fast for euer And this is cleared by our Sauiours owne mouth Matth. 16.18 vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not ouercome it hee saith not shall not touch it but onely not ouercome it And Psal 102. last verse the Children of thy Seruants shall continue and their seede shall stand fast in thy sight So then the Church militant though haply it doe fall fundamentally and obstinately yet it cannot fall finally and generally The Reasons First it is Christs promise that the Reas 1 Gates of hell shall not ouercome it Matth. 16.18 if there were no other reason this were sufficient Reas 2 But secondly the Church is built vpon a Rocke Mat. 16.8 and therefore cannot fall Matth. 7.25 Reas 3 Thirdly Christ God and man knits and vnites vs and if God knit the knot who shall vnknit it Reas 4 Fourthly Chirst prayes for vs that we may not fall Luk. 22.23 and hee cannot be denied Reas 5 Fiftly the vnchangeablenesse of Gods Loue he admits none to bee of the Church militant but whom hee loues Now whom God loues once he loues to the end Iohn 13. Reas 6 Sixtly the presence of the Spirit is another Reason of it Ioh. 16.13 the Spirit of Truth is continually present with them inlightning quickning directing perswading and reclaiming them from sinne and error whereunto if wee adde the sufficiency of the Scripture for all matters both for life and doctrine what other direction can wee haue or how can wee erre finally and generally Reas 7 The last Reason is drawen from Gods Loue and Care of his owne heauenly Truth which if it be not beleeued at all it is much disparaged and if it be beleeued any where then surely it must be in the Church which is the Pillar and Ground of Truth therefore still the Truth is aliue at least in some of the Church so that the Church cannot fall finally and generally for then the Truth must fall too Vse The vses are these The first vse is for matter of comfort to the faithfull that howsoeuer if we be left to our selues wee are weake and darke and blind prone to sinne and error and vntoward to grace and goodnesse yet wee see Gods Grace is sufficient for vs to keepe vs in his holy Faith vnto the end It is true that in regard of our selues wee are like silly sheepe ready to be a prey to the Beare and the woolfe yet wee haue an heauenly sheepherd our Sauiour Christ and he hath still an Eye on vs and lookes after vs and rather then we shall be quite lost hee will bring vs home on his owne shoulders Luke 15. Satan may and does seeke to deuour vs and to swallow vs vp quicke but God hath set him his stint so that neyther altogether nor for euer hee can preuaile against vs Iohn 10.28.29 Christ knowes his sheepe and hee will giue them eterternall life and they shall neuer perish c. If wee be ignorant of any point God will reueale it if wee be doubtfull God will resolue it if wee be out of the way he will admonish and reclaime vs wee shall heare a voyce behind vs saying This is the way walke in it c. Esay 30.21 The second vse is for reproofe of the Papists and Vse 2 Lutherans which hold that the very chosen may fall away and that finally which cannot be held without blasphemy for by this they wrong God making his election to be a meere casuall thing depending on mans goodnesse and perseuerance therein so likewise it is an exceeding wrong to the faithfull for if they may
may erre And how can the Papists maintaine their doubting of saluation with the not errring of the Church yes say they though wee know what wee are now members of the true Church and therefore in the state of saluation yet wee are not sure what wee shall be whether wee shall continue so or not but yet then they confesse that there is assurance of saluation for the time present though not for the time to come and how also can they maintaine the falling away of the faithfull with the not erring of the Church For the faithfull are chosen of God but some of these that are of a visible Church are only called If then the chosen faithfull may fall away then those that are onely called much more yes saith Hosius Euery particular member may fall away but the whole Church cannot but I answer that the only bar to stay men from finall falling away is the decree of Gods election which is tyed no more to all the Church in generall then it is to euery man in particular but they retort this on vs you say they deny the finall falling away of the faithfull and yet affirme the finall falling away of the Church and yet also you call the Church the company of the faithfull I answer when wee say the faithfull cannot fall away for euer wee vnderstand the chosen faithfull But when we say the Church may fall away we meane only the faithfull by profession and by calling only not by election when we say that the Church is the company of the faithfull wee vnderstand it properly of the whole members not of any visible congregation and for that which they obiect that the Church cannot erre because the Church is the Spouse of Christ the Piller and ground of truth and because it hath the promise of the spirit to this I answer that these do belong properly to the whole militant Church not to any particular visible Church but onely by proportion that is so far forth as the faithfull and chosen are found in it But notwithstanding this promise of the Spirit they may sinne and therefore they may erre too for Gods Kingdome is the Kingdome of righteousnesse as well as of truth and that holy Ghost is the Spirit of grace against sinne as well as the spirit of truth against error he is a sanctifier as well as an inlightener And so much shall serue concerning the first doubt and question whether the Church may erre or no. The second matter of doubt is concerning the necessity of being a member of the Church if euer wee will attaine saluation And hence ariseth this question whether any may be saued out of the Church or no For this is one singular prerogatiue of the Church that whosoeuer is of it is in the state of Saluation and whosoeuer is out of it is in the state of Damnation To this question I answer that if we vnderstand it of the inward communion of the faith of the Church that is of the chosen it is simply true that without the Church there is no saluation at all And so also if we vnderstand it of the outward Communion in the profession of faith with the Church that is of the called it is true also that ordinarily and vsually without the Church there is no saluation So that it is true properly of the whole Militant Church and yet it extends to the visible thus far that if a man be where there is a visible Church if he ioyne not with it ordinarily he cannot be saued Doct. Take then the obseruation thus that Without the Church there is no saluation vnderstand it properly of the Church Militant but proportionably of the Church visible Esay 60.1.2 3. as there was light in Goshen when all Egypt beside was in darknesse so is there light and saluation in the Church when the whole world besides is in darknesse and the estate of Damnation And as all that were not in the Arke perished in the floud so they that are not of the Church cannot be saued but must needes perish with the world and that which the ancient fathers say is true that they which haue not the Church for their mother haue not God for their father and surely they that are not of the Kingdome of heauen here on earth shall neuer be of that Kingdome which is in heauen The reasons are these First the Church is the fold Reas 1 they that are not within this fold are no sheepe neither haue they Christ to be their Shepheard Secondly Election the promise of grace Christ himselfe Reas 2 the holy Spirit sauing Faith Holinesse Righteousnesse the vse of the meanes all these are onely in the Church and are no where else to be found Therefore they which are not in the Church can haue no part in these and so can haue no part in saluation The vses are these first this teacheth vs to labour to be Vse 1 members of the Church If we liue in a place where the Faith of Christ is profest and doe not ioyne our selues with them it is a great and a damnable sinne euery one wil labour to be of that company that hath best and most priuiledges then labour to be of the Church for that hath the most and best priuiledges and labour also to bring others to the Church specially those that are thine owne labour that they may be of the Church and so in the estate of saluation Loue Sion let thy heart be rauished with the desire and prosperity of Ierusalem Secondly let those that are in this State let them Vse 2 walke in the light while they haue it lest it be taken from them and then they cannot tell whither they goe Thirdly here we see the misery of those that are not Vse 3 members of the Church for though they be else neuer so wealthy witty mighty glorious or otherwise worldly priuiledged yet they are no better then of the damned crue they are out of the estate of Saluation without God and without Christ in the world Fourthly this teacheth those that are of the visible Vse 4 Church that as they haue communion with the Church in profession So also to haue communion with them in faith else as good not to be of the Church as not to haue our part in the effectuall meanes of saluation with the Church Vse 5 Lastly heere wee may learne what is to be thought of those that separate from the Church as men cut off from the Church and so if they be without the faith of the Church they can haue no saluation The one and twentieth LECTVRE of the CHVRCH WE haue already spoken of the 6th generall point propounded to be handled namely of the priuileges of the Church Now we are to proceed to the seuenth namely of the aduersaries and opposites of the Church for as the Church of God is endued with many excellent priuileges aboue all other congregations whatsoeuer So no other company in
be beleeued besides the Word Gal. 1.8 Reas 6 Lastly the practice of the faithful is answerable to this both of teachers and learners the Teachers they haue referred the people still for certaine proofe of the truth to the Scriptures Esa 8.20 to the law and to the testimony if they speake not according to this Word it is because they haue not light in them Acts 10.43 to him giue all the Prophets witnesse saith Peter to Cornelius referring the truth hee taught to be tryed by the Scripture and so this hath beene the practice of the learners Acts 17.11 12. The men of Berea seached the Scriptures to try whether the things were so as Paul had taught them and yet Paul was a principall member of the Church and in his Doctrine hee was specially guided by the Spirit more then euer any Church was since and the Bereans are commended for this and not accounted curious So that the Teachers and the Learners haue still referred themselues for the tryall of the truth to the Scriptures and not to the Church and therefore the authority of the Scripture is greater then the authority of the Church Yea Obiect but you will say so the Scriptures are vsually referred to the censure of other Scripture and yet that is no proofe that therefore one Scripture is of greater authority then another how then doth this proue that the Scripture is of greater authority then the Church I answer Answ yes It proues the first ponit of the obseruation plainely that is that the Church is not aboue the Scripture which is the maine controuersie Nay if it be well considered it proues the second point of the obseruation that the authority of the Scripture is greater then that of the Church I say it proues it as sufficiently though not at the first sight so plainely for still in euery kinde there must be one highest which all the rest must settle vpon else there will be no stay at all but we shall runne on infinitely and without end now the Scripture or the Church is the highest thing in this kinde whereon we are to rest for they cnanot be equall then the Scriptures must needs be highest and if they be referred to any at all it must be to themselues for there is none greater nor higher as in the matter of an oath Heb. 6.13 to 16. men sweare by him that is greater then them selues But God sweares by himselfe because there is none greater to sweare by So likewise the Church is referred to the Scripture for trial because the Scripture is higher then the Church but Scripture is referred to Scripture because there is none higher to be referred to nor there cannot be two highests in one kinde for that is against nature and reason too and therefore when the sayings of the Church are referred to the approbation of Scripture it is the referring of them to an higher and so the authority of the Scripture is greater then the authority of the Church The vses are these The first is matter of refutation Vse 1 against the Papists that vsually disparage the holy Scriptures and set them downe too low and doat on the Church aduancing it too high their reach therein is not so much the loue they beare to the Church it selfe but that thereby they might exalt themselues and their owne Church and that their faith might be reputed the onely true sauing faith because their Church teacheth it So that God and his Word must goe downe that they might be lifted vp but if it be true that the Church were aboue the Scriptures yet except they can proue their Church to be the only true Church of God which they are neuer able to doe it helps not their cause It is strange to see and heare what monstrous and blasphemous speaches and positions many of them haue deliuered to this purpose as that the Scripture is of no more authority without the approbation of the Church then Esops Fables Oh horrible blasphemie there are some others of a better kinde that are more modest that say that the Scriptures are to be fitted to the times and the sense thereof is to be altred as the times alter others there are that say that the Churches are not bound to take the Scriptures as true without the allegation of the Church and that the Church hath authority to reiect or allow Scripture and that yee may know that by the Church they meane their Romish church and by that the Pope hearken how blasphemously they ascribe vnto him all power in heauen and in earth that hee may dispence against the Apostles and their Canons and against all the commandements of God in the old and new Testament c. Here the world may see that the church of Rome is that whore of Babilon an impudent and shamelesse strumpet that sets such a brasen face and belches out such whorish filthy blasphemies against God and his Word the very naming of these positions is refutation enough for them in any Christians iudgements To come to their best positions in this controuersie Position 1 First the Church say they is supreme Iudge in all controuersies of Religion but yee see by this obseruation that it is not so God is higher and the Scripture is higher the Spirit indeede is the Iudge and the highest Iudge speaking openly and plainely in in the Word and secretly in the minde and heart of euery beleeuer 1. Ioh. 2 20 27. you haue anoyntment from that holy one and know all things And againe the same anoynting teacheth you of all things Obiect yea but say they are not men sent to the Priests to enquire at their mouhes Mal. 2.7 and is not the Priest the highest Iudge then Answ I answer What are wee to goe to the Priests for for the Law not for their owne Iudgement whereto if they speake wee are to receiue it yet not because it is their saying but Gods Law but happly they can deliuer no other but Gods Law that is flatly contradicted verse 8. where the Prophet saith that they are gone out of the way and haue caused many to fall by the Law yea but say they the high Priest was the Iudge as wee may see Deut. 17.8 12. But hee was to iudge according to the Law as we may see in Vers 11. so that except they will arrogate more to themselues then the messengers of the Lord of hoasts did vnder the law they cannot be Iudge nor Iudges of the Scripture The second position of theirs is this Position 2 That whatsoeuer the Church saith we must take it as a Law and obey it It is true that whatsoeuer the Church saith according the Law and Word of God we must obey it not otherwise The Scribes and Pharises were to bee obeyed as they sate in Moses chaire that is as they taught his Doctrine Matth. 23 2 3. but if they transgresse and bring in the precepts of men and their owne traditions
it is to bee vnderstood that that faith which God hath reuealed in the body of the Scripture must needs be the rule and square of all interpretations And so in the 2 Peter 1.20 No prophesie of Scripture is of any priuate interpretation c. where intepretation of Scripture is named and all priuate interpretations of Scripture excluded now what is meant by priuate interpretations it is explained by the opposition vers 21. but holy man of God spake as they were mooued by the Holy Ghost so that euery interpretation is forbidden and condemned as ptiuate that is not according to the minde of the holy Ghost that speakes in Scripture and see it falls in right with the obseruation as if it were the same words Secondly the examples of the practice of the faithfull is plaine for this Nehem 8.7.8 The Text saith they read in the book of the Law and gaue the sense c. not that they did giue a sence of their owne but they gaue that sense that the Lord himselfe therein intended and so caused them to vnderstand it So in Act. 8.34 35. the Eunuch reading that place Esa 53. hee was led as a Sheepe to the slaughter c. hee asketh Philip whether the Prophet speaketh this of himselfe or of some other acknowledging thereby that the meaning of the Prophet himselfe must be the Rule that he must goe by in expounding the Prophet And Act. 17.11 The Bereans took not the Apostles word no farther then it was consonant to the sense of Scripture but they searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so And our Sauiour him selfe submitted himselfe to the same Rule Luke 24.27 he expounded Moses and the Prophets to them that is hee did plainely deliuer their meaning for that is the right office of an Interpreter as when two speake together being of a strange language the Interpreter is to tell what each of them meaneth And this being the chiefe office that the Church hath concerning Scripture to interpret them shee is then to giue no other sense of them but that which is the minde of God and the meaning of the Scriptures themselues this is true preaching and this did our Sauiour Luke 4.17.21 hee opened the booke and read in it and then expounded it So much for the proofe of the point The reasons are these Reas 1 first what the Church doth according to her owne will not following the sense of the Scripture they doe it as naturall men for so farre as they are spirituall so farre they follow the mind of God and deny themselues now the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God and the sense of the flesh is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 and when Peter confest aright that our Sauiour was the Sonne of God flesh and blood did not reueale this vnto him Matth. 16.17 and therfore if so be they will find out the truth in the Scripture they must not consult with themselues but with the Spirit of the Lord. Reas 2 Secondly the light of nature affords euery man to interpret his owne words acccording to his owne meaning specially hee that makes lawes is to expound them And is not the Scripture Gods owne Word and is not he the author of all the Lawes and Statutes therein contained And shall wee scantle God of that in this kinde which is due to euery man in the like kinde Shall euery man expound his owne words and interpret the lawes hee makes according to his owne meaning And shall not God doe so much more It is the Apostles reason for the words of the Prophets 2 Pet. 1.20 21. where he saith that no prophesie of Scripture is of any priuate interpretation but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost as if hee should say it is Gods Word and therefore not to be interpreted after the will of man and it may as iustly be applyed to all the Scriptures as to the Prophets because they be all of God 2 Tim. 3.16 all giuen by inspiration from God therefore God is to expound them Reas 3 Thirdly It is so in the iudgement of outward and carnall things because they be of God therefore they are to be proceeded and dealt in after his will and not our owne the iudgement that man giues is not his owne but it is Gods Iudgement as Iehosaphat saith to the Iudges in the 2 Chron. 19.6 7. if it be so in ciuill things that the Iudge must doe nothing but that which God will haue him to doe because it is Gods Iudgement much more in Religious iudgements as about the sense of Scripture it must needes be so for the life of naturall reason is farre more cleare in the other then these yea the Lord himselfe quotes them both together in this case limiting both alike Deut. 17.8 to the 11. If a controuersie arise they must goe vnto the Priest and vnto the Iudge and what they informe according to the Law that they must doe Reas 4 Fourthly the Church is the Spouse of Christ Now the wife must be aduised by her husband and not runne on her owne head So they are the sheepe of Christ and therfore to follow the Shepherds voyce and not to goe before it framing it to their owne fancies and the Church hath the promise of the Spirit no further but as following Gods Word Iohn 14.26 Reas 5 Fifthly the Church hath erred and that most dangerously in interpreting of Scripture and that was when they neglected to obserue the minde of God and followed their owne mind and therefore her owne wofull experience may teach her this wisdome Reas 6 Sixthly By this meanes the Scriptures shall be and are occasionally the author of all heresie for whence haue they sprung but from hence that men haue taken the Scripture and mis-interpreted them in fauour of their owne opinions Yea but what is this to the Church that particular men haue done this Yes for if they may doe it why not the other and these very Heretikes were of the Church when they did thus misinterpret the Scriptures Reas 7 Seuenthly by this meanes the Church shall be found contrary or at least diuers from her selfe two seuerall Churches expounding the same Scripture two contrary waies yea one and the same Church expounding the same Scripture now one way and now another way Reas 8 Eightly It is the practice of the diuell and his instruments to handle the Word deceitfully making merchandize of it turning it to their owne and other mens affections as the Apostle speaketh in the 2 Cor. 2.17 and 4.2 whereas the Apostles and Gods Ministers doe otherwise they make Gods meaning plaine in euery mans conscience in the sight of God So it is the practice of the diuell and his instruments to mis-apply Scripture wresting it to error to their owne destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 So they alleage it quite against the meaning of God as Satan did Math. 4 6. Lastly the sufficiency of
Shepheards and of Christ Luke 2.19 51. she did ponder and keepe these sayings in her heart And this wil ripen our thoughts digest our readings and conceits as chewing the cud separating the refuse and turning the best into good nourishment The third duty is conference we must conferre of the things we reade and heare as the two Disciples did Luke 24.4 32. for this will reuiue our vnderstanding and quicken our wits and wheâ— our reason and helpe our memories and stablish our iudgement and throw out the hidden substance as it were from the huske and winnow away the chaffe from the wheat And fourthly to these we must adde patience wait the Lords leasure and tarry till he giue the succsse and till he reueale his will to thee and thus doing God will reueale it Phil. 3.15 all this while that thou hast beene toyling and striuing expect and waite vpon God and thou shalt finde the successe in Gods good time thou hauing vsed the meanes dayly labouring and praying for the effect be sure it shall bee reuealed vnto thee when it is best for thee and thou fittest for it and if it should neuer be reuealed to thee yet thy former paines seconded with patience shall make thy state as good in Gods acceptance through Christ as if thou haddest knowne it Fiftly that which strikes the nayle to the head is practise and experience a most certaine guide in all points fundamentall After we haue done all the former rules we must adde practice therefore practise Religion in the obseruation of Gods wayes in afflictions in temptations in the court of thine owne conscience in thy dayly watch in the continuall course and terme of thy life Iohn 7 17. If any man doe his will hee shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or no Act. 5.32 the holy Ghost whom God hath giuen to them that obey him Psal 119.100 I vnderstand more then the ancients because I haue kept thy Precepts God wil not see vs erre in Iudgement and practice too in such necessary points as he sees we desire as well to obey as to learne And so much for the second vse which teacheth vs warinesse and care and conscience in medling with Scripture Vse 3 The third Vse teacheth vs thankfulnesse to God that we liue in those times of light wherein we haue so many good helpes for the knowledge of Scripture learning tongues sciences histories wits all of them being at the highest and ripest now And many godly men both at home and abroad yea many Churches haue published their iudgement touching the sense of most places of Scripture And therefore if men will be blind now let them be blind for euer let vs take the benefit of these helpes thankefully and soberly and let vs adde to these the vse of those seciall helps before mentioned then it is not possible that we should erre fundamentally and finally in any truth But there are diuers exceptions made against this Doctrine Obiect 1 first say some all this while this is but priuate interpretation flatly forbidden 2 Peter 1.20 Answ I Answer that is priuate which is of man as we may see in the 21 Verse of that Chapter so that our interpretation according to the former rules being framed out by the Spirit is falsely called priuate that same Spirit teaching vs which teacheth all the faithfull Secondly It is excepted that this is a detraction from the Church I Answere No for any priuate man that beleeueth is of the Church and as the Church must trye the Spirits so must euery beleeuer 1 Cor. 12.10 and 1 Iohn 4.1 and as the Church hath the promise of the Spirit so hath euery beleeuer And this is a sure rule the Spirit doth infallibly teach euery one of Gods chosen first or last euery thing needfull for his saluation he vsing such meanes as the Lord hath appointed Phillip 3.15 It is so in manners therefore it is so in Doctrine each being a part of the truth which God requireth and which the Spirit leads vs into Psal 25.5 leade me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my Saluation And Psal 143.10 teach mee to doe thy will for thou art my God Euery one of the faithfull hath the Spirit to comfort them in their distresse to helpe them in their temptations to perswade them to holinesse and why not therefore to inlighten and teach them the truth Ob. 3 Thirdly It is excepted how doe you know whether such an interpretation be from Gods Spirit or from your owne fancy for any Heretique can and will say as much as you Answ 1 I Answer If the matter bee necessary to saluation the promise of God puts vs out of all doubt Iohn 16.13 when the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth Secondly hast thou sought and attained that interpretation by prayer Then out of question the Lord will not giue thee scorpions and poyson when thou askest fish Errors when thou askest the truth Thirdly doth it concurre with the articles of faith not doubted of then it is the truth Obiect 4 Fourthly Is it not more likely that a whole Church specially the Doctors and Pastors of it are so guided then a particular man and so are to bee beleeued before him Answ Answer yes If they follow the former rules and yet then they are to be beleeued not so much because they are the Church but because they are directed by those rules sometimes one particular man or two follow these rules but the present Church doth not in this case the one or two are to be beleeued before the present Church as in the time of Wicklife Husse and Luther one or few then deliuering the truth ought to be beleeued before the present Church because they obserued these rules Sometimes the Church doth obserue these rules and particular men doe so too then eyther they concurre and so the truth is directly deliuered receiued or else they dissente and then rather follow the streame then one or two if there be no other reason to the contrary For sometimes euen in this case too one man may see more then many as Paphnutius in the Councell of Nice Againe sometimes the Church obserues these rules and some particular men doe not so In this case particular men are right Heretiques and the other the true Church of God Fifthly It is Obiected that by this meanes we all rest on our owne Iudgement and so haue no faith in God Answ I Answer Our Iudgement in matters necessary to saluation being wrought in vs by the letter sense of Scripture revealed by the Spirit is not our owne iudgement indeede but Gods our frailties wherewith we are accompanied are ours onely but wee are endued with our iudgement from God so that we rest on Gods iudgement now and not our owne Euery man must haue faith of his owne that is though not of his owne by working
proportion in like cases Christ himselfe when hee came to teach saluation spake nothing but from the father Iohn 12.49 50. and whatsoeuer the Spirit doth teach hee receiued it from Christ Iohn 16.13 If Christ doe tye himselfe to teach those things and nothing but those things hee receiued from the Father and the Spirit nothing but those things he receiued from Christ then I hope the Church hath not greater liberty in respect of the Scripture then Christ in respect of his Father and the Spirit in respect of Christ Therefore as Christ spake nothing besides that hee heard of his Father and the Spirit nothing but that hee receiued from Christ so by proportion the Church is to speake nothing in matters of saluation besides Scripture Reas 6 Sixthly the Church is to do nothing heerein but by direction and assistance from the Spirit and as it is horrible presumption to say the contrary so the Papists themselues sometimes ingenuously confesse that the Testimony oâ— the truth consists in the holy Ghost and the Prelates iointly so that it is not in the Church alone without the Spirit And what doth the Spirit teach the Church any new Doctrines or Reuelations No but that which Christ hath reuealed before If ye compare Iohn 14.26 with Iohn 16.13 14 15. you shall finde that the holy Ghost whom Christ promiseth to send shall teach all things that Christ hath taught which beâ—ng the same which is in the Scripture then the Spirit teacheth the Church nothing besides Scripture And so the Church is able to decree nothing besides the Scripture because shee is able to doe nothing without the Spirit Lastly when things are decreed by the Church are Reas 7 we to receiue them hand ouer head or vpon tryall and examination If ye say haâ—d ouâ—r head without examination that were a gracelesse speech and vtterly vnlawfull being against the rules of the Word 1 Thess 5.21 Trye all things 1 Iohn 4.1 Trye the Spirits If then they must be receiued vpon tryall and Examination how must they be tryed and by what rule Eyther by the Iudgement of the present Church or by the Scripture If ye say by the Church that were to make her Iudge in her owne cause then it must bee examined by the Scripture as the men of Berea did Paules Doctrine Act 17.11 they searched the Scriptures daily whether the things were so as he taught So the things the Church decrees must bee tryed by Scripture and if that cannot approue them as being not there found they are to be reiected and the authority of the Church in imposing them to be disclaimed So we see in reason that the Church hath no power nor authority to decree anything or matter of substance in Religion â—yth 〈◊〉 faith oâ— for obedience without or besides Scripâ—â—â— The â—irst vs◠〈…〉 of reproofe of sundry Popish practises and positions not to name all For indeede if this point be well vnderstood it razeth and ouer throweth the very foundation of Popery Here then we see first that the Church cannot coyne any new Articles of faith why is any man so gracelesse to doe so yes the Papists doe so And howsoeuer many of them will not seeme to fauour it in word yet their practise makes them guilty of it Pope Pius the fourth propounds a Creede and tyes his children the Papists to it wherein after hee had set downe the twelue articles contained in the Nicene Creede he addeth twelue more of his owne concerning traditions Purgatory c. And these hee will haue acknowledged and vndoubtedly beleeued as the former and is not this to coyne new articles of faith Ob. But say they why may not we doe so as well as you that haue your articles of Religion and all reformed Churches haue their seuerall confessions wherein there are many things besides those in the Creede and yet professed and beleeued Answ as well as they I Answer It is not a like comparison for we though we doe beleeue many things that are not in the Creede yet wee beleeue nothing besides Scripture and that which is soundly proued by Scripture is to be beleeued as well as that in the Creede But theirs are such for the most part as haue little or no shew of Scripture for them but are matters besides Scriptures which they obtrude on the people meerely or at least principally by the authority of the Church But hath the Church then no authority about Articles of Faith newly to be made I Answer No But onely as thus if any article hath beene neglected obscured and layen hidden in former times the places of Scripture whereon it is grounded being not well vnderstood then the Church hath power to declare and publish it vpon the better vnderstanding of such places as it is proued by And this is not to make new articles of faith but to reuiue and renew those that were before and that not beside the word but with and by the word This may be cleared by an Instance The article of Iustification by Faith had lyen hidden for many yeeres before Christ came but when Christ and his Apostles came they reuiued it and yet made no new article of it but the same that was taught from the beginning of the world to come neerer home After that this doctrine was againe obscured lay hid for many yeeres till it pleased God to raise vp Luther and others which brought it forth to that cleare light that it was in in the Apostles times And is this to make new articles No but to reuiue and to bring to light that which had lyen hid a long time And thus far the Church may goe and no further The second Position is this that the Church cannot make any booke to be Canonicall Scripture which is not so of it selfe For this is to ordaine and decree matters of substance in Religion besides Scripture But do the Papists doe this yes they doe and therefore are here to bee reproued for it as being vtterly vnlawfull for them so to doe For first the number of Canonicall bookes are certaine as themselues confesse and therefore no authority can admit more Secondly if the Church hath power to make bookes that are Apocrypha Canonicall then also shee hath power aswell to reiect some that are Canonicall for hee that hath power to build hath also power to destroy And what were this but for the Church to mayme and mangle the Booke of God as shee list her selfe what an horrible wrong were this to God Thirdly the sheepe of Christ heare his voice they doe not make or frame it Lastly as a Gold smith takes a peece of gold and tries it whether it bee right or counterfeit by the touch stone and before he finds it to be true Gold he doth not make it true Gold for if he finde it to be counterfeit all the Gold smiths that are cannot make it true so must the Church cry which are Canonicall
that say wee haue no true Ordination we Answer that we had our ordination from the Church of Rome at the first and that being a true visible Church therefore we haue a lawfull Ministery Vse 3 Thirdly this may serue for satisfaction to that question which the Papists aske vs where was your Church before Luthers time did he erect a new church No he erected no new church but by his Ministry brought many faithfull out of their impure and vnsound Church into a more sound and pure Church not onely for matters of ceremonies for then he had beene a Schismatique to separate from them but for matters of substance so that this point well considered preuents a number of inconueniences which wee should runne into if wee should fall into that heate of zeale as to deny them to bee a true visible Church Vse 4 Fourthly this may comfort vs in respect of our fathers that haue liued in the Popish Church what shall we thinke of them that they liued in no true visible Church and therefore could not be saued far bee it from vs no we are perswaded that they liued in a true Church and that many of them where sound in those times and now saued they attained not to that high straine of Iustification by workes I would faine know whether they did not doe that they did ignorantly or whether they did challenge or disclaime their merits on their death beds many at the point of death disclaime their merits now though that point now is more stiffly defended by the Popish faction then euer it was much more did they doe it then Now to disclaime all their owne merits at their death is not that both repentance of former errors if any in that kinde and faith in Christ alone too If any beleeue in Christ crucified in truth of heart though hee hold but by the hemme of his garment shall he perish Surely no. Vse 5 Lastly this teacheth vs to vse charity towards them of the Popish Church in censuring of their estate we are not rigourously and rashly to call for fire from heauen vpon them as the Disciples would haue Christ haue done on the Samaritanes No yee know not what Spirit ye are of saith our Sauiour wee must not rashly Iudge them to bee vnbeleeuers but rather mis-beleeuers And so much for that point what in charity and yet in truth maybe said for that Church The seuen and Twentieth LECTVRE of the CHVRCH HAuing entred into the last point concerning the matter of the Church namely the application of the Doctrine of the Church to all Churches that we know in the world After we had diuided them according to their scituation and language into the Easterne and Westerne the Greeke and Latin Churches we beganne with the Easterne and Greeke Churches and so proceeded to the Westerne and Latin Churches And of them I tould you that some were vnder the yoke of the Pope and haue him to bee their head Others haue shooke off that yoke and head-shippe and are therefore called the Reformed Churches Concerning the Church of Rome that which is spoken of her may be applyed to her Adherents as is the mother â—o is the daughter as I haue said Now for the Chuâ—ch of Rome I propounded these two obseruations to be spoken to first what might be-spoken in charity for her and yet in truth and sound iudgement too and of that we haue spoken Secondly what in zeale and yet in truth and sound iudgement too may be said against it And that is it which wee are now to speake to what may be said in zeale and yet in truth and sound iugement against her A point very needfull to be well cleared and rightly vnderstood for whereas we haue deliuered in the former obseruation that the Church of Rome in some sense may rightly be reputed a true visible Church ' Euery one will be ready to except against it and say why then haue yeâ— forsaken it why doe ye not still hould communion with her what iust exception can yee alledge for your separation from her For Answere to which exception Doct. 2 I will propound in the second place this obseruation namely that howsoeuer the Church of Rome in some sense may be reputed a true visible Church yet it is maruellous vnsound and corrupt and exceedingly corrupt with many foule abuses errors and abhominations yea so corrupt as it is not lawfull nor safe for vs to communicate with her The Obseruation ye see consists of two branches the former is the ground of the latter auouching that shee is polluted with many foule abhominations the latter is an inference from the former that therefore it is not safe nor lawfull to ioyne with her The whole obseruation is to be vnderstood of that Church specially in respect of the Popish faction the Pope and his Darlings for as when wee spoke in charity for them acknowledging that in some sense they are to be reputed a true visible Church it was intended of some that were of better Spirits amongst them that are sounder in some chiefe points of Religion and that are not so obstinate in their errours as the rest So now that we come to speake in zeale against them that they are so foulely polluted that it is not safe to ioyne with them It is intended in respect of the Pope and his chiefe Darlings and factors called the Popish faction neyther is this any wrong to the Church that we so speake of the whole body in generall tearmes because the Church and faction are there mingled together in that Body as when wee come into a Barne floore and see a great deale of chaffe in the same heape with good wheat we may speake fauourably of the wheate and say there is good corne and we may speake disgracefully of it too and say it is but light stuffe We will begin with the first part of the obseruation that condemnes her corruptions And we will reduce all her corruptions to these two sorts First matter of Doctrine secondly matter of practice And though these be much incident one to the other yet for playnnesse sake we will distinguish them God willing as well as wee can First for Doctrine the point is this The Doctrine of the Church of Rome as it is at this day vnderstood and maintained by the Popish faction is very vnsound and corrupt full of grosse and abhominable errors they haue changed the truth of God into a lye light into darknesse and the Gospell of Christ the comfortable Doctrine of grace and faith into the erors of Antichrist and the damnable Doctrine of workes and merits and of mans traditions We wil not speake of all her corruptions in doctrine that were too much only we will shew it in some chiefe particulars that briefely we wil reduce them to these foure heads The first is error in Doctrine concerning the Scripture the second is concerning the direct
but say they the Saints in heauen can know the desires of our hearts by our words But how shall they heare our words God reueales them say they to the Saints I answer there is no warrant for that And thus we see that the Papists making other intercessors besides Christ they iustle Christ out of his roome or set others on the Bench with him and so much of their error in Doctrine concerning the direct Office of the mediator The third point is concerning images they teach that images are to be worshipped though God himselfe hath exprssely forbidden it Exod. 20.4 in the second Commandement and if that Commandement forbid Idolatry as what other meaning can it haue then they teaching the contrary doe teach flat Idolatry And if Idolatry be spirituall whoredome and if a Spouse playing the Harlot is to be diuorced from her husband both which are largely set forth in Ezech. chap. 16. Then howsoeuer the church of Rome hath beene the Lords owne Spouse yet vpon this abominable whoredome she deserues iustly to be diuorced and cut off as a filthy Strumpet but let vs heare how this Harlot pleads for her selfe to saue her credit and honesty First say they we worship not the Image but God in and by the Image I answer did not the heathen doe so and yet they were abominable Idolaters yea say they but they made Images of the false gods we of the true God I answer yes they made Images of the true God too Acts 17.23 whom ye ignorantly worship him declare I vnto you saith the Apostle And did not the Israelites worship the true God in an Image Exo. 3â— 9 and yet they were horrible Idolaters nay the very resembling of the inuisible God in any mâ—de image is in the second CoÌ„mandement and else where directly forbidden as flat Idolatry Nay is it possible that any man falling downe before the Image to worship God in it can be freed from worshipping the Image it selfe at least in outward worship which worship God challengeth as intirely to himselfe as the inward the matter is so plaine that themselues confesse that they worship the Image but here they haue another deuice some honour say they we giue indeede to the Image it selfe but that is a lesser honour but the greater we giue to God alone so they distinguish without any ground from the Scripture for both these worships are condemned alike in the Scripture Rom. 1.25 there the great worship is condemned Galat. 4.8 there the lesser worship is condemned when it is not performed to God Besides to examine the matter a little further I would faine know whether that lesser honour which they giue to the Image be any part of that worship which is due to God or not If they say it is not then there is some religious worship which is not due vnto God and so the Saints belike haue that which is not befitting his Maiesty whereas wee know that little great worship is all too little for his greatnesse If they say it is part of that worship which is due to God then it is plaine Idolatry for God will not giue the least part of his glory to any other Esa Lastly if this lesser seruice could or were or might be giuen to Images yet not the greater worship but they giue to the bread in the Sacrament to the wooden Crosse yea to the Image of God and Christ this greater worship this very Latria this they professe to be due and accordingly they giue it them which is as grosse Idolatry as any among the heathen We come now to the last point concerning their Corruption in Doctrine and that is in the matter of Iustification which is the life of Religion and the ground of Saluation as being our reconcilement to God and acceptance into his Fauour wherin consists our whole Comfort and true happinesse therfore to erre in this point is most dangerous of all The Apostle saith directly Gal. 2.16 that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law they say directly that a man is iustified in part by his owne works And here they mince it lest they should make a manifest Contradiction to the world and say that their works doe not iustifie of themselues but because of the diuine Grace dwelling in vs which makes vs worke and that we are saued by grace the Apostle saith it and ye grant it where then is the difference Surely the difference is very much though in appearance there bee little or none at all For by grace they vnderstand the gifts of Grace inherent in vs as faith and hope and loue c And so they directly conclude that our Iustification is by inherent Righteousnesse But the Apostle saith and so say we that we are iustified by the Grace and free Fauour of God in Christ Ephes 2.8 9. and Titus 3.3 and not by the workes of Righteousnesse which wee haue done Our Iustification is onely by Christs Righteousnesse imputed which wee apprehending onely by Faith that is beleeuing it for our selues and so applying it to our owne State by the comfortable perswasion of Gods Spirit in our hearts are therefore iustified by faith alone Alone I say not but that it is ioyned with good works in our liuing but because Christ our Iustifier is apprehended by our faith and not by our works Gods plaine truth without any quillets is this God is all in all for our saluation hee chose vs to saluation before the world was he calls vs takes vs out of our filth and bestowes his Spirit and the gifts thereof freely vpon vs and hee receiues vs into glory at the end of our life and all this he doth freely for his names sake and for the grace and mercy and merits of Christ Iesus without any merits of our owne or deseruing the least blessing at his hands this is the plaine truth of God the opposite whereof is a most fundamentall error and they that disclaime it not I see not how they can possibly be saued And so much be said for their errors in matter of Doctrine Secondly their errors and corruptions in matters of practice and they are of two sorts The first is their corruption in practice in the carriage of Gods worship And the second is their corruption in their ordinary manners First for the carriage of Gods worship they are exceedingly corrupt in their practice and this we will shew first in the generall Secondly in the particular parts of it In the general carriage of Gods worship they erre and are foulely corrupted for take it as it is caried by the Popish faction and it is fitter for man yea for an Idol then for the true and liuing God to be honored and serued by for first it is a carnall seruice full of Rites and Ceremonies like vnto that of the Iewes Heb. 6.10 Which stood only in meats drinks and diuers washings and carnall ordinances imposed on them
of Iustification The fourth Instance is concerning Christ our onely Aduocate against other Intercessors Say with vs that Christ alone presents our suits to God and makes them auaileable with God and that he is to be called vpon as our onely Intercessor and then we giue him the due honour of his place office of Mediatorship Ioh. 14.13 For his Intercession is a speciall part of that office as well as Redemption wherein if he be acknowledged to bee as we make him our alone Intercessor he is much magnified But if others be ioyned with him as they make it hee is much disparaged as being not sufficient of himselfe but needs others helpe or at least in that office being but of smaller moment such as the Saints might mannage well enough And so not Christ onely but God the Father also is much dishonoured that would put his owne Sonne to that which meaner persons might doe as well as hee The fifth Instance is concerning the spirituall worship of God against Images Let vs worship God as we teach onely in Spirit and Truth without an Image and he is rightly and truely worshipped being serued as he is a most glorious Spirit free from any matter or forme or outward apprehension and impossible to be expressed by any sensible Representation whatsoeuer But worship him in or by an Image as they teach and practise and we cannot but defile our selues and in some sort the Lords great maiesty to our selues by many grosse carnall bodily and materiall thoughts and imaginations wholly mis-beseeming the purity of Gods nature being and maiesty as if hee were a carnall bodily or manly God then which nothing can bee more contrary to his nature and will and so not more derogatory to his glory The sixth instance is of our Communion against their Masse Celebrate the memoriall of Christs death as we doe in the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper and the Sacrifice of Christ once offered by himselfe on the crosse is thereby aduanced and acknowledged to bee a most perfect and sufficient expiation by it selfe of all our sins hereby it is only remembred and shewed according to the institution but not repeated But celebrate the death of Christ in the Popish Masse which the Papists themselues hould to be a propitiatory Sacrifice for the quicke and the dead and how can Christ once sacrificed be more disparaged The last instance is concerning the carriage of the meanes of Saluation in open sight and playne dealing amongst vs that all may looke into them with their owne eyes against their carriage of all in a cloud and shaddow and hukermucker Let Prayer be made in a knowne tongue and wee honour God not with lips onely but with vnderstanding too but let it be made in an vnknowne tongue as it is in Popery and we dishonour God babling and prattling to him we know not what Let the Scripture bee free and common to all that euery one may reade and vnderstand and the Lord is glorified in the comfort knowledge faith and obedience of many But let the Word bee kept from the people and then they cannot know God and so cannot honour him let men haue an explicite faith to vnderstand and beleeue particularly for themselues all things necessary to saluation and they shall glorifie God in giuing a reason of the hope that is them 1 Pet. 3.15 But if they be content with an implicite faith onely to beleeue as the Church beleeues they shall dishonour God in their blindnesse and ignorance and hardly shall the Lord be glorified in their Saluation God is iealous of his owne glory and so must all that professe his name and the more iealous we are of that and zealous for it the more truely Religious we are If wee bee out of our wits saith the Apostle we are it to God 2 Cor. 5.3 So we see in these seuen instances that our Religion is full weight in this ballance of Gods glory and the Religion of Popery too light not worthy to be tryed in this Beame The second ballance wherein we will try our Religion and theirs in these seuen instances is in the ballance of Gods Word for it is not enough to ayme at Gods glory in our owne intention but after his direction for hee cannot be truely glorified but so as himselfe teacheth in his word That is the best and true Religion of God thaâ— is most agreeable to Gods Word and that is the worst that most disagrees with Gods Word Leuit. 18.4.5 ye shall doe after my iudgements and seeke mine ordinances And Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures Mat. 15.9 In vaine they worshipme teaching for doctrine mens precepts And 1 Ioh. 4.5 he that knoweth God heareth vs c where is Gods Religion to be found but in Gods book As the Iewes religion is found in their talmud the Turkes in their Alcoan But the religion professed in our Church is most agreeable to Gods Word and the Religion of Popery is not agreeable thereto therfore our Religion is the true Religion That ours is most agreeable to Gods Word not theirs see it in the first instance The sufficiency of Scripture and the absolute authority it hath aboue the Church and traditions this is agreeable to that in the 2 Tim. 3.16 17. for the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes And Iohn 10.27 my sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and 5. Verse they will not follow a stranger but flye from him for they know not the voyce of strangers For that which the Papists alleadge for the Church that shee is to bee heard Matth. 18.17 It is to be vnderstood subordinately to the word that is so farre as the Church is aduised by God in his Word and for that which they alleadge for traditions out of the 2 Thes 2.15 keepe the instructions which ye haue beene taught eyther by word or by Epistle by word and Epistle are meant one and the same thing onely the manner of deliuery was diuers sometimes by word sometimes by Epistle And seeing the authority of the Church aboue the Scripture and traditions bee each of them a disparagment to the word except the word should disparage it selfe which no wise man can imagine there is no seeking for any warrant for them within the word The second instance Gods free grace against mans free will Our Religion teacheth according to Gods Word Phil. 2.13 that it is God which worketh in vs both the will and the deed And 2 Cor. 3.5 that we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God And Ier. 31.18 Conuert thou me And there is no colour of any one direct place to the contrary in all the Scripture There are some