Church is an obedient wife and will not in any thing contradict the will of her heauenly Spouse The second sort of aduersaries are our Separatists who for euery externe and indifferent ceremonie make as great combustion and stirre in the Church of God as if some mayne Article of Faith were called in question They must be intreated to consider that the Text doth not simply condemne all commandements of men but when they are taught for doctrines and rules of Gods worship as Caluine speaketh The doctrine of our Church might giue them coment being the same with all the rest of the reformed Churches namely That it is not lawfull for the Church to ordaine any thing contrary to Gods written Word and that besides the same it ought not to inforce any thing to bee beleeued for necessitie of saluation Whereby they may if they will open their eyes without preiudice see of what nature the Ceremonies of our Church of England are And so much for the definition of the Church by which wee may see what that Church is to which wee must bee ioyned if euer wee looke for saluation that is the society of true beleeuers But for the better vnderstanding of the state of the Church diuers things are to bee considered which giue more light to the Doctrine and more full satisfaction to such as desire vnfainedly to know the truth heeâ—ein The first consideration is that the Church is onely one though different in time as farre as from the beginning to the end of the world distant in place as remote as East from West North from South nay heauen from earth distinct for people being of all Countries and Nations For as hath beene said before it is the societie or congregation of the faithfull of all ages This voity of the Church is noted in the one Arke of Noah in Salomons Doue My Doue my vndefiled is but one in the wheat field in the draw net in one flocke one fold vnder one Shepheard in one Bride and Bridegroome in one body vnited to one Head Christ For saith the Apostle by one Spirit are wee all baptized into one body This consideration doth second that which hath beene said of the Church for it doth euidently euince and prooue that there is no necessiâ—ie of being vnited to this or that particular Church aâ— Rome or the like so long as a man is of the number of the faithfull wheresoeuer dispersed for as S. Paul disputes The body is not one member but many Is the foot not of the body because it is not the hand or the eare because it is not the eye So we may truly say Is this or that Nationall or Prouinciall Church no Church because it is not dependant vpon Rome Are they that are baptized into one body and vnited to Christ Iesus by one faith vnfained no members of the mysticall Body of Christ the Church because they are not incorporated and reconciled to Rome If the body though it bee buâ— one yet is not one member but many then reason will teach vs that euery member hath his proportionable nutriment life and motion from the head without any dependance one vpon another The second consideration is That it is Catholicke or Vniuersall and that in respect of time place and persons because there is euer was from the beginning and euer shall be to the end of the world a company more or lesse of true beleeuers because the Church is not confined within the limits of any one Countrey as in the time of the Iewes but is spred ouer the whole world and because it consisteth of all sorts and degrees of men of all nations kindreds people and tongues as it is in the Reuelation So that to bee of the Catholike Church is to hold and beleeue as the Church of the whole world euer did and constantly doth hold and beleeue Therefore it was that in the ancient Church when Heresies and Schismes sprang vp those that did cleaâ—e to the truth had giuen vnto them the name of Catholicke excommunione totius orbis for their communion with the Church of the whole world not for their communion with this or that particular Church Whilest the Romish Church doth assume the title of The Catholicke Church calling it selfe Catholicam Apostolicam Romanam being as other Churches but a particular Church what doeth it but expose it selfe to the laughter of the whole world for what concordance is there betweene generall and particular or with what sense can it bee called The Vniuersall particular Church And yet they make their credulous followers beleeue that they cannot bee of the Catholicke Church vnlesse they communicate with their particular Romane Church cleane contrary to the name and nature of the word Catholicke The third consideration is that the Church is visible and that in all ages but it must be knowne how and in what sence it may be truly said to be alwaies visible According to the Romish Tenet it is said to be visible and palpable as some eminent State Monarchy or Common wealth as Rome France or Venice conspicuous in flourishing pompe to the eye of the World so that it may at all times be sensibly discerned But alas this conceit is a meere golden dreame and senslesse dotage for let an ingenuous minde awaked once out of that slumber looke seriously into the Word of God and consider the state of the Church in all ages he shall finde for his satisfaction that the Church hath beene oftentimes obscured captiuated persecuted and so farre from being acknowledged that it hath beene accounted of the world no better then Schisme and Heresie and the true Professors of it prosecuted as malefactors for their soundnesse as both the Prophets Christ himselfe and the Apostles were by the corrupt members of the visible Church bearing the chiefe rule To this effect the Prophet Esay did complaine that in his time the Church was but a small remnant and those howted at like Owles being as signes and wonders in Israel The complaint of Elias is that hee was left alone The faithfull were glad to bee hid in caues and fed wâ—th bread and water by religious Obadiah And as it is in the Epistle to the Hebrewes They wandred about in Sheeps skins and Goate skins being destitute afflicted tormented of whom the world was not worthy they wandred in Desarts and in Mountaines and in dennes and caues of the earth The prophecies of the Christian Church foretell as much both for outward persecutions and open apostasie vnder one eminent Head called That man of Sinne who should take vpon him to oppose and exalt himselfe aboue all that is called God challenging the chiefe soueraignty in the Temple or Church of God In S. Iohns Vision the Woman the Church was constrained through persecution to fly into the wildernesse Our Sauiour foresheweth how hard it should
that it should come and guide the Church into all truth If then there can be no saluation without the knowledge of the truth and no sauing truth but onely in the Church it consequently followeth That there is no saluation out of the Church 2. There are certaine graces that accompany saluation which are the peculiar of the Church of God they may be all included in these foure that is the grace of Election the grace of Vocation the grace of Iustification and the grace of Sanctification all which ioyntly and inseparably haue their period and end in Glorification This we may plainely see by that golden chaine of mans saluation in the Epistle to the Romanes whereof not one linke can bee broken by the greatest power of hell Whom God did predestinate saith the Apostle them hee also called and whom he called them he also iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified That these graces are concomitant to saluation and the peculiar of the Church is not only manifest for the generall by this golden chaine neuer worne of any but the faithfull but it will more euidently appeare if we examine the particulars As for Predestination and Election whereby God doeth choose men to saluation of his free grace and mercie without any merit in man it is so proper to the Church that S. Peter calleth it A chosen generation A peculiar people S. Paul saith of the Church that they are the chosen of God in Christ before the foundation of the world accâ—rding to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace Our Sauiour distinguishing the sound members of the Church from hypocrites such as Iudas saith I speake not of you all I know whom I haue chosen And of the faithfull hee saith Yee haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you and ordained you Then to be a sound member of the Church and to bee Elect is all one and not to be Elect though in the Church is no benefit to saluation Therefore Saint Luke hauing said in our Text that the Lord added to the Church such as should be saued saith afterward in equiualent phrase of speech that as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued To this accordeth that saying of S. Gregorie speaking of the Church Within these limits saith he are all the Elect without them are all the reprobate yea although they may seeme to be within the bounds of faith No marueile then though S. Peter aduising the faithfull to secure their owne saluation doth counsell them to doe it by giuing diligence to make their Election sure Touching Vocation or calling I meane effectuall calling the effect of Election whereby God doth conuert the soules of men to himselfe calling them out of the society of the world into the Communion of Saints as it were out of darknesse into light it is also such a property of the Church that it cannot possibly bee separated from it Therefore the Church is sayd to bee The called of Iesus Christ and to bee those who are the called according to the purpose of God and partakers of the heauenly vocation Now that it is a companion of saluation is euident by that exhortation of the Apostle exciting the faithfull that they would walke worthy of God who hath called them vnto his Kingdome and glory where we may see that Glorification is the terminus ad quem that is the end whereunto tendeth the calling of Gods people And that they shall neuer faile of this end hee secureth them by the fidelity of the Caller God saith he is faithfull by whom ye were called vnto the fellowship of his Sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. And againe Faithfull is he that calleth you who also will doe it And therefore the Apostle speaking of graces that accompany saluation and by name of effectuall vocation the fruit of election doth confidently assure the Romanes that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance A Text so cleere for the inseparabilitie of Gods effectuall calling and consequent saluation that our Rhemish aduersaries who euery where catch any thing that may but seeme to make for themselues or against vs are heere vpon this verse constrained to be mute and say nothing but onely leaue a Blanke Come wee now to Iustification It is a word of great varietie for the signification of it but we need trouble our selues with no more but this one distinction It is either that whereby we stand iust before God or that whereby wee are declared to be iust before men The former is properly Iustification the latter is called Sanctification Yet both are sometimes included vnder the name of Iustification as wee may see by that golden chaine of the Apostle before cited Whom he called them he also iustified and whom he iustified them hee also glorified otherwise the chaine had beene imperfect and had lacked a maine lincke without which Glorification could not follow This distinction of Iustification before God and before men is grounded vpon these words of Saint Paul If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath whereof to glorie but not before God and it doth fitly reconcile Saint Paul and Saint Iames the one speaking of Iustification before God which wee haue now in hand the other of Iustification before men or Sanctification which we shall touch in the next place Now concerning Iustification before God we are to consider both what it is that it is proper to the Church as also that it is a necessary antecedent of Saluation Iustification then is an action of God whereby he pardoning all sinnes imputeth righteousnesse to euery true beleeuer out of his free grace and mercie for the onely merit of Iesus Christ. The branches being many require distinct explication 1. It is an action of God So much intimateth the Apostle Who saith hee shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that iustifieth 2. It consisteth in the pardon of sinnes To this purpose the same Apostle alledgeth the Psalme As Dauid saith hee declareth the blessednesse of the man to whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne 3. It is a meere imputation of righteousnesse out of man in Christ Iesus alone that doth cause a man to stand iust in the sight of God and not any merit of workes in man himselfe for as was said before to constitute a blessed man God imputeth righteousnesse without workes This imputed righteousnesse not inherent in vs but out of vs in Christ is expresly noted by Saint Paul where he saith That Christ who knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him Marke heere two
and perfect mans saluation are the written Word of God called the Scriptures the ministerie of preaching the Word the two Sacraments of the new Testament and prayer That these are meanes see first for the Word written what Saint Paul saith to the Romanes Whatsoeuer things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope To this purpose is that commendation of Timothy propounded for the imitation of all the faithfull that from a childe he had known the holy Scriptures which are able to make him wise vnto saluation Therefore our Sauiour aduiseth to search the Scriptures for in them saith he ye thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Touching the Ministery of Preaching it is called by the Apostle The power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth The Sacraments they are the seales of the righteousnesse of faith and so consequently of saluation Prayer is that to which the promise is made Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued That these are the prerogatiues of the Church it is out of question For to them are committed the Oracles of God and he sheweth his Word vnto Iacob saith the Psalme his statutes his iudgmeÌ„ts vnto Israel He hath not dealt so with any nation As for the Ministery of preaching God hath committed it to the Apostles and the succeeding Pastors of the Church God saith the Apostle hath giuen vnto vs the ministerie of reconciliation and hath committed vnto vs the Word of reconciliation Again That he hath set or ordained them in the Church and not elsewhere and that for the gathering together and edifying of the Saints to continue to the end of the world That the Sacraments are the Churches proper right is manifest For to whom doe the Seales belong but onely to them that are within the couenant whereof the Seales are the effectuall signes and pledges And of whom is it said Goe and baptize them but of those which ioyne themselues to the Church by beleeuing Or to whom was it euer spoken but onely to the Church Doe this in remembrance of me eate ye drinke ye all of this c. Touching Prayer they onely can pray that haue true sauing faith for how shall they call vpon him saith the Apostle in whom they beleeue not and none can inuocate God aright that cannot truly and with confidence call God Father which none can doe but they that are led by the Spirit of God which Saint Paul calleth the Spirit of adoption whereby wee cry Abba Father This therefore is the Prerogatiue of the Church by which they are in Scripture as by a proper note distinguished from all others both prophane that pray not at all hypocrites that babble with their lips but their hearts are farre from God and the superstitions that inuocate creatures with confidence to bee heard of them Thus the Apostle describing the Church among other notes setteth it forth by this that they are such as in euery place call vpon the name of Iesus Christ our Lord and againe that call on the Lord out of a pure heart Now then if the inuocation of God and of him alone and that in truth be not an essentiall propertie of the Church and as the Logicians call it proprium quarto modo proper to all and euery member of it to them alone and at all times how can it distinguish them as the Scripture doth from all others Then we see that the meanes of Saluation being only in the Church Saluation it selfe is there onely and not elsewhere to be found 4. To shut vp this Doctrine in a short summe it must be granted of all that none can be saued that haue not Christ for their Mediatour Aduocate for other there is none as there is none other but one God So saith the Apostle There is one God and one Mediator betweene God and man the man Christ Iesus And that he is onely the Mediatour of the Church we may take it at his owne word I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen mee for they are thine And S. Paul speaking of himselfe and the rest of the faithfull saith that Christ is at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. Thus by a cloud of witnesses is this diuine truth confirmed That out of the Church there is no saluation 1. Grosse therefore and absurd is that Libertiâ—e opinion That any may be saued in any Religion leading an outward ciuill life the Turke in his Mahometisme the Iew in his Iudaisme the Heathen in his Paganism They may as well say that in the Deluge a man might haue beene preserued out of the Arke vpon some tree or house top or that a limme separated from the body or a branch cut off from the Vine can liue 2. This also discouereth the fearefull and damnable estate of those who neuer regarding Church or Religion content themselues as meere naturals and worldlings to inioy the world These Esauites had rather with their father Esau please their palate with a little meate then inioy the heauenly blessing They gaze vpon the Arke with the old world they wonder to see such pacing vnto it nay as S. Augustine speaketh They murmure and eate their galls to see the people flocke vnto the Church to those pure solemnities of Christ where both sexes are so honestly distinguished by their seuerall places where they may learne how well to lead their temporall liues heere that they may become worthy of the eternall hereafter These profane ones haue their eyes so blinded by the god of the world that they cannot see any other heauen but the world 3. A caueat is here giuen to all Schismaticall spirits who for exterâ—all things as matters of order and ceremony meerly adiaphorous or indifferent separate themselues from the society of the Church like some foolish and furious Nauigator who in his voyage vpon euery occasion of discontent casts himselfe ouer boord presuming to bee safe enough out of the ship Let such know that though God in his mercy may saue the simply-seduced as being of his inuisible Catholike Church yet the roade way is to bee ioyned with some visible orthodox congregation 4. This cals all men with a most forcible inuitement euen as euer they desire to be saued to enter timely into this straight gate that leadeth vnto life Many of the Egyptians and other strangers when they saw the great workes God did for his Church and in what safe and happie condition the people of God were in ouer they were they left their owne countrey alliance and friends and ioyned themselues to the Iewes Thus should we doe forsake all and follow Christ leaue all societies for the communion
of Saints for as the Doue found no rest for the sole of her foote but was faine to returne into the Arke againe so let a man compasse the whole world yet shall he neuer bee able to finde rest to his soule till by entering into the Church he take Christs yoke vpon him Let him with Salomon try all things vnder the Sunne pleasures riches honours and what the world can afford he shall at the last be driuen to cry out Vanitie of vanities and conclude when all is done He are the end of all Feare God and keepe his commandements for this is all of man all his duty and all his dignity and without this all that a man is or hath is but meere vanity So much for the first branch The next point to be considered is What that Church is where saluation is to be had A very necessary question for these times wherein we liue in regard there is not a sect or faction in all the Christian world that doth not challenge the name of the Church to it selfe But wee must know that there is nothing more childish then to boast of the name of a thing when the thing it self is wanting We haue a maxime in Logick A nomine ad rem non valet consequentia To argue from the name to prooue that the thing is so because it is so named is an argument inconsequent Our Sauiour â—eâ—s the Church of Smyrna that there are that say they are Iewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan And to the Church of Sardi he saith I know thy workes for thou hast a name that thou art aliue but thou art dead The Church of the Laodiceans was of al the rest of the Seuen Churches in the worst condition being neither cold nor hot as we may see in that our Sauiour giueth them not any one commendation at al as he doth to the rest of the Churches giuing them their due praise notwithstanding he doeth withall taxe them for their errours no doubt to this end both to shew his detestation of luke-warmenesse and that where luke-warmenesse in Religion is there is no goodnesse to be expected Yet these Laodiceans as fâ—rre as they were from the true zeale of Religion did notwithstanding boast themselues to bee rich and lacke nothing whereas indeed they were wretched and miserable and poore and blind and naked It is therefore a very silly and simple part to take men at their bare word as our seduced Romanists doe in so waightie a matter as Religion is The men of Berea are commended for that they searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so or no euen which Paul himselfe taught And it is recorded to the praise of the Church of Ephesus that they had tried them which said they were Apostles and were not and had found them lyers And indeed it is veritie that we ought to looke for and not suffer our selues to be carried away with words and shewes For whosoeuer is a good and true Christian saith S. Augustine must know that wheresoeuer hee shall finde truth it belongs to his Lord. Let vs therefore search into this truth that so wee may finde out the true Church where saluation is to be had The Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it doth signifie a company an assembly or congregation of people called together and is sometime taken for ciuill meetings in Townes and Cities or humane societies sometimes for Ecclesiasticall assemblies and meetings of the Church and people of God as in our Text and euery where is Scripture and Ecclesiasticall writers It is also vulgarly vsed for the place where the congregation doth meet to performe Religious seruice but improperly and abusiuely and is therefore reprehended by Laurentius Valla Many saith hee call sacred Temples by the name of the Church but I know not by what right for indeed the word doth signifie a congregation of men not places Which I would intreate you the rather to note because our Aduersaries in their Rhemes Testament doe with such spightfull words traduce vs for translating Congregation rather then Church They would make the world beleeue with their Bragadochio Campian that the very name of the Church is a Scar-crow to Protestants They might haue moderated their sharpe censure considering that the Translation was answerable to the propriety of the Greeke word or they might haue opened their eyes and looked into our Booke of Articles published twenty yeeres before their Rhemes Notes did see the light or they might haue seene if they had not beene wilfully blinde that in our Booke of Common Prayer the word Church is ordinarily vsed in euery passage in our Prayers and Collects in the administration of our Sacraments in the celebration of Matrimonie in the confession of our Faith at euery meeting of the Church By all which euidences it may appeare how farre the Church of England is from any distaste of the name of the Church But indeed they had their answere long agoe that their Note is false and foolish and that the Translator rather vsed the word Congregation then Church to auoide ambiguitie but after the people were taught to distinguish of the word Church and to vnderstand it for the mysticall Body of Christ the later Translators vsed that terme not that the other was any corruption or the later any correction but to declare that both is one Leaue we the word and come to the thing and matter it selfe The Church out of which there is no saluation is set foorth vnto vs in a diuerse Notion not that there is any more then one true Church but because that one Church is considered in a diuerse respect and is in the parts of it of a different condition The name of the Church comprehendeth sometimes the whole company and congregation of the faithfull that euer were are or shall be to the end of the world within this Notion are included not onely that part which is Militant in earth but that also which is Triumphant in heauen yea the very Angels themselues Therefore it is said that by Christ God hath reconciled all things vnto himselfe and set at peace through the Blood of his Crosse both the things in earth and the things in heauen These are the elect inuisible knowne onely to God in the iudgement of veritie and certaintie The Lord saith the Apostle knoweth who are his and knowne to men onely in the iudgement of Charitie as we may see by the same Apostle to the Thessalonians distinguishing the sound members of the Church from the counterfeit But wee ought to giue thankes alway to God for you brethren beloued of the Lord because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to saluation In a second Notion by the Church is vnderstood the society of those which make externall profession of the truth