Catholicke Church are taken out of the vale of teares and conueighed into Abrahams bosome in respect of them the Church is triumphant and whereas some are left in this Forrest of Lebanon to wrestle with the Diuell the World and the Flesh in respect of them the Church is Militant Lastly in respect of the outward practice of Religion the Church is Visible and in respect of the faith of the beleeuers it is inuisible The condition therefore of the Church in generall and of euery member in particular is to be called out but they are not all called out at one age at one time or vpon one occasion That great Master of the Vineyard hired some of his labourers very early in the morning some at the third houre some at the sixt some at the ninth and some at the eleuenth houre Iohn the Baptist was sanctified from his mothers wombe Timothie was called in his youth Paul a young man and the Thiefe vpon the Crosse at the last gaspe Againe it is not one kinde of meanes that doth preuaile to win all those that are called to the faith or if you will haue it so not the same manner or method of preaching Augustine was insnared by the eloquence of Ambrose and the great disputer at the Nicene Councell Aug. Confess lib. 5. cap. 13. Râ—f Ecclâ—â—st lib. 1. cap. 3. was caught by the words of a plaine man GOD hath sanctified the eloquent tongue of the learned man to preuaile on some and the humble speech of the vnlearned to preuaile on others for he that doth ordinarily call men by his Word is if it please him able to conuert theÌ„ without his Word Let no man cease to hope wel of his brother thogh for the present hee see noe uident tokens of his obedience God hath a time for him seriùs ociùs Sors exitura first or last it may fall to his lot the Lord of the Haruest may if it please him send him into the vineyard though at the eleuenth houre O terque quaterque beati thrice happy all those whom the Lord doth call effectually to his seruice Againe let vs not bee absent when God doth call for if we heare not how shall we obey Had the fiue wise Virgins beene out of the way when the Bridegroome did come how had they beene admitted into the wedding Chamber Mat. 25. Luc. 19. Had Zachaeus not stood in the way how had Christ called him from the tree Strange it is to see the practice of the world we account him sottish or rather mad who will absent himselfe when a worldly preferment may be gotten per maâ—e per saxa per ignes we ride and runne when we may be heard for our profit yet when the King of Heauen calleth vs by his Word and Sacraments we sticke not to goe about our worldly businesses nay our pleasures and delights as Playes Tauâ—râ—es and worse things then these two O misâ—râ— quâ—â—taâ—â—â— inâ—ania ciues Shall we be so studious of these things and shall we not attend for our eternall profit Lastly let vs not bring itching eares into Gods House but humble and obedient hearts and because the Ministers of the Word doe summon vs on Gods behalfe let not our owne delights and pleasures let not the wicked worlds sinnes and vanities reteine our hearts in Sodome for Gods Family is Ecclesia a company called out This Church so selected Of the second exposition therein of the first proposition viz the Church is builded by Christ I will build my Church 1 Cor. 3.9 Exod. 36.1 so called out is builded or rather called out that it may be builded for it is Gods building When GOD would haue his Tabernacle in the wildernesse he sanctified Bezaleel and Aholiab for the worke and into many others he put wisdome and vnderstanding to know how to worke all manner of worke for the seruice of the Sanctuarie according to all that the Lord had commanded The sumptuous Temple of Hierusalem builded by Salomon 1 King 6.7 was of stone made ready before it was brought thither so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any toole of yron heard in the House while it was in building A further preparation for the building of the spirituall House was heereby fitly shaddowed viz. Christ who is to build his Church doth first prepare the stones secondly hee sanctifieth certaine wise workmen to lay them into the pile thirdly he directeth them how to build and lastly by this meanes the stones are placed Conceiue this to be the order of the building First the preparation of the stones is meerely Gods worke who himselfe sorteth and chooseth out such as he will lay into the Temple de diuinae gratiae largitate of the bounty of his diuine grace saith Augustine Aug. Euchirid cap. 98. Eph. 1.4 For he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue By this meanes we come to be stones for the worke per misericordiam gratuitam by the free mercie of God others being cast by per iudicium debitum by the righteous iudgement of God that so in this respect wee might attribute nothing to our selues or glory in any thing that we can doe but according to the Apostolicall counsell He that glorieth 1 Cor. 10.17 let him glory in the Lord. Secondly the Ministers of the Word doe worke vpon these choice stones to lay them into the pile and for this cause are called builders Saint Paul affirmeth himselfe to be a wise Master-builder And they are sanctified separated 1 Cor. 3.10 or put apart from men for this worke as the Apostle saith that he is separated vnto the Gospell of God Rom. 1.1 Like as in the building of that great Ephesian Temple one of the worlds seuen wonders erected by all Asia in 220. yeeres as Plinie reporteth Lib. 36. Cap. 14. the builders layed a sure foundation of Coles trodden and rammed hard together and fleeces of Wooll superimposed to keepe it from sinking and from earthquakes so the builders whom God doth call and sanctifie to that office doe in this spirituall House vse all good meanes to preserue their worke that nothing may bee able to demolish it Thirdly they haue receiued rule and direction for GOD who will haue his Church to be builded doth direct the workmen how to doe it and therfore they worke according as they haue receiued order from him Now God directeth the builders two manner of wayes ordinarily or extraordinarily Our ordinary direction is the written Word which teacheth the true and right faith according to which we must build Rom. 12.6 Let vs prophesie according to the proportion of faith It is therefore requisite that the Workmen be learned in the Scriptures to compare spirituall things with spirituall things to discerne which is the faith which is not the faith which thing is to be done by the Scriptures for Sacra scriptura
when he said Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God In this meaning haue the Fathers with great iudgement interpreted this place August de verb. dom Ser. 13. Greg. Nyssen in testim de Trinn Cont. Iudaeos Cyryl de Trinit lib. 4. Chrysost in Mat. Hom. 55. Amb. in Epist ad Ephes cap. 2. Hillâ—r de Trint lib. 2. 6. Bed in 1 Cor cap. 1. This Rocke which thou hast confessed saith Augustine vpon this Rocke which thou hast knowne saying Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God will I build my Church I will build thee vpon me not me vpon thee For men intending to build vpon men said I hold of Paul I of Apollos I of Cephas that is Peter and others who would not be builded vpon Peter but vpon the Rocke said I hold of Christ For the Rocke was Christ vpon which foundation Peter himselfe was builded sith no man can lay any other foundation beside that which is laid which is Iesus Christ And in this same sense haue Gregory Nyssen Cyril Chrysostome Ambrose Hillarie Venerable Bede and many other ancient Fathers and learned Diuines vnderstood this place otherwise then the Theologians of the Iesuiticall Order the pillars of the Church of Rome would haue it And Christ is the Rocke of his Church because he is the Redeemer of his Church For by Adams fall all mankind being in the loynes of Adam tanquam in radice as it were in the roote of mans nature as the Fathers speake both Adam and all his posterity were cast into the mire but the Rocke was promised when the promise of the womans blessed seed Gen. 3.15 to breake the Serpents head was made which promise when Adam apprehended by faith he was then built vpon the Rocke and not all mankinde which had fallen in and by him though it were then in his loynes but onely the elected members of the Church who by the same faith should apprehend the same sauing promise which Adam did The Rocke of the Church therefore is the Redeemer for the Church hath no other Rocke to be builded on Hence it must necessarily follow that in what respect he is the Redeemer of the Church in the same sense is he the Rocke on which it is builded but he is the Redeemer of the Church qua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore as he is both God and Man hee is that Rocke on which the Church is built And I say that he is the Rocke qua 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because that both natures are vndiuidedly necessary to the redemption of mankinde How should a satisfaction be made proportionable to our debt but by the diuine Nature How should a cure be found to an infinite euill but by an infinit good how should death be vanquished the greatnesse of sinne and the infinitenesse of the diuine Iustice be sustained but by the diuine Nature Againe who can giue satisfaction to the Iustice of God according to the Law by suffering sufficiently by obeying perfectly but onely man made vnder the Law who could suffer death being made a curse that so in all things he might be made like vnto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and faithfull high Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people Iseb 2.17 but onely man See the necessitie of the humane Nature thus it behoued the Redeemer the Rocke that redeeming Rocke to be both God and man Ludouic Gran. ducis peccat lib. 1. part 1. cap. 4. Sum quidemsummo iure tibi obstrictus Domine mi eo quod me liberasti ab inferno meque tibi reconciliasti multa vero maiora tibi debeo propter moduÌ„ ipsum quo me liberasti quam propter ipsam libertatem in quam me asseruisti Highly am I bound vnto God that hee hath vouchsafed to redeeme me from Hell and to reconcile me to himselfe but in afarre greater band am I bound for the manner of my Redemption then for that libertie into which hee hath brought me Set before your eyes the great mystery of your Redemption looke vpon the manner after which it was done and if it was not grieuous to the Sonne of God to assume vnto himselfe the humane Nature nay the sinnes of men nay the penalty due by the Law to sinners that he might be the Redeemer of his Church you that professe your selues to be members of that saued Family let it not bee grieuous vnto you to come forth of the Sodom of this worlds sinnes and vices with which Christ will haue no peace and a Christian will haue no agreement viz. your pride your lusts your intemperances and what things else are forbidden by the Law of God that like as the Word of God doth acquaint you with the mystery of your Redemption the Spirit of God may seale vnto your consciences the day of your Redemption Till this bee sealed though you haue the world at will though you be planted as high as the Cedars of Libanus in wealth and honours though you come into no mis-fortunes like other men though there bee no leading into captiuitie no complaining in your streets I will not therefore magnifie your happinesse Why your consciences doe tremble when you thinke of death Sinne raigneth in your mortall bodies and the sentence of the Law threatneth a fearefull iudgement I note not here how neere such a one is to the desperation of Iudas Iscariot but what can he hope for who doeth willingly either contemne or neglect so great saluation It is a great and a fearefull sinne to commit adultery or murther it is a greater sin to commit periurie or idolatry most vncleane are such persons and the doores of Heauen are close shut against them both in this world and in the world to come 1 Pet. 4.17 without great and vnfained repentance but to disobey the Gospell of God to cast aside the Redeemer that sure Rocke vpon which whosoeuer is not built shall surely bee blowne downe oh how great is that sinne how wide doth Hell gape for such a one Consider this ye Gadarens who preferre your Swine before Christ for so doth euery one who will not be a new creature in Iesus Christ for the loue of any kind of sinne and if yee will not hearken and be wise but still goe on to fashion your selues like vnto this world yet that you may not be ignorant of your owne miserable condition behold the happinesse of the Church of Christ and therefore the blessednesse of euery member of the same It is built it is firmely builded it is builded vpon a Rocke a redeeming Rocke the Rocke Christ Iesus and shall therefore neuer bee ouerthrowne by all the aduerse power The gates of Hell shall not preuale against it Of the conclusion and first what those gates of Hell are Noua glossa in Mat. 16.18 Vpon this reason that the gates of Cities are most strongly fortified and most firmely barred and
bolted by gates you may vnderstand omne robur omne munimentum all power and all fortification and by Hell omnem vim contrariam Satanicam omnem host is impetum the Diuell himselfe and all his angels all the power that they haue the wicked world Illyric voce porta all tyrants and seducers which are the Diuels instruments For to make the matter more plaine in the words of a learned man the state of the faithfull and chosen of God in this present life is as it were a Warfare 2 Cor. 10.4 whereof the Church is called Militant The aduersaries and enemies whom we must fight against our Sauiour speaketh of them as of a strong kingdome Ephes 6.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 10.4 which he calleth Hell because it warreth all for Hell and the Diuell is the prince of it The gates of Hell therefore doe signifie the holds the fortresses and munitions wherewith the powers of Hell doe fight against vs and assault vs that is euen all whatsoeuer the Diuell can doe by force or fraud all the which is meant by the name of gates because the gates of forts are wont to haue the best munition Epiphan lib. â—nâ—â—â—r Aug. de Sâ—mb 〈…〉 â—â—b 1. cap. 6. and to be fenced most strongly So that the gates of Hell are not onely Heresies though Heresies are of them as Epiphanius and Austin note but also persecutions and specially sinnes in a word all euils sweet or sowre faire or foule Orig. in Mat. tract 1. Chrysost cont gent. quod Christus est Deus Greg. in 5. Psal poenitent Theophil in Mat. 16. Hier. Raban Com. in Mat. 16. Raynold Confer cap. 7. diuis 8. Cypr. ad Donat. Epist 2. that seeke to subdue vs to euerlasting death as Origen Chrysostome Gregory Theophilact and others well obserue Let me now say vnto you as Cyprian said to a friend of his Suppose thy selfe to bee carried to the top of some high hill view the world beneath thee doe not touch the earth looke round about thee and behold how tempestuous the world is iam saeculi ipse misereberis tuique admonitus plus in Deum gratus maioâ—e laetitia quod enaseris gratulaberis certainely thou wilt pitty the world thou wilt be admonished of thine owne condition and being more thankfull vnto God wilt reioyce exceedingly that thou hast escaped such a place For shall I tell you Ye shall see wonders in the world and I will report that vnto you which if yee haue the Spirit of God in you shall prick your consciences In the Booke of Iudges it is reported as an argument of Samsons great strength Iudg. 16.3 that he carried the gates of Gaza vpon his shoulders an act almost as great as what the Poets can report of Atlas But see not the weake gates of Gaza but the strong gates of Hell not vpon the shoulders and backs of men and women only but that which you may admire set vpon their heads layed out by their cheekes worne vpon their hand-wrests hung at their eares O tempora ô mores else what meaneth this monstrous pride of apparell of tyres of bracelets of Iewels ouerflowing our nation like a generall deluge You put the gates of Hell into your purses by taking of bribes vsurie money euill gettings you set them at your tables in the persons of Hereticks and seducers you lodge them in your beds by vnlawfull lusts you let them in at your eares when you listen to vngodlines you looke vpon them with your eyes when you see in your houses that accursed thing which you ought to restore you lay them vp in your hearts when you deuise vaine things Certainely for many considerations this Citie may be called an holy Citie for heere the Word of GOD is most plentifully preached heere are good Lawes and for ought I know good Magistrates and I make no question many thousands of honest and obedient hearts Yet the cause being the same the complaint must needs be the same also Isai 1.21 How is the faithfull Citie become an Harlot The abuse of all good things within this place is wonderfull and doth ring Migremus hine in the eares of euery good man who might vtterly faint and bee discouraged did he not hope verily to see the goodnes of the Lord in the Land of the liuing I say the wickednesse of the place might vtterly dismay deceiue and ouerthrow the children of GOD themselues had not Christ so builded them vpon himselfe that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against them The words are Secondly how the gates of Hell preuaile not against the Church of Christ Psal 139.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hee doth not say they shall not assaile it but they shall not preuaile against it Many a time haue they afflicted me from my youth may Israel now say Many a time haue they afflicted me from my youth yet they haue not preuailed against me 2. The plowers plowed vpon my backe they made long forrowes 3. The Lord is righteous he hath out asunder the cords of the wicked 4. These gates of hell doe assaile the Church generally and euery particular member of the same both externally by slanders and persecutions and internally by motions temptations and inward suggestions so that to speake properly in all places and at all times the gates of hell come about them like Bees for the Diuell the Prince of Hell our Aduersarie 1 Pet. 5.8 as a roring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure They haue likewise preuailed thus farre that they haue tempted them sometimes by great and grieuous losses of their goods names and bodies but that which the Poets feigne of Sisyphus wee may truly affirme of them their labour is lost and the mischieues which they haue deuised haue euer returned vpon themselues They were neuer able to mooue the Church or any true beleeuer from that Rocke Shall I say more The impious attempts of the gates of Hell haue beene as well to the publike weale of the Church Rom. 8.28 as to the priuate good of her particular members For all things worke together for good to them that loue God to them who are the called according to his purpose Vpon this resolution the people of God haue constantly indured couragiously contemning all the gates of hell battering the Walles of the Church like that great Ram with which the Romane Armie did day and night beate the Walles of Hierusalem Troy was besieged tenne yeeres in the end it was taken by policie Numantia was besieged fourteene yeeres and then conquered by famine Tyrus a Citie walled with the Sea in seuen moneths was ouercome by assault But the Church of GOD straitly begirt not by Agamemnon and Menelaus not by Scipio Africanus or Alexander the Macedonian not for tenne or foureteene yeeres but from the beginning of the world and expecting to be so dealt withal vnto the worlds end by the Deuil
and all his power shall neuer either by policie or force be ruined Isa 49.16 for Christ is the Rocke and Head of his Church and hath the walls of it euer in his sight This which is true of the Church in generall is as true of euery particular member for all the true members thereof are elected to life eternall and builded vpon Christ the Rocke And therfore the Church Ambr. in Luc. 2. lib. 3. as Ambrose saith may rightly be defined to be Mater vinentium quam aedificauit Deus in ipso summo angulari lapide Christo the mother of those whom GOD hath preordained to life eternall which he hath built vpon Christ the chiefe corner stone they may therefore be assaulted but neuer vanquished and if you will know how heare a few examples Moses was fiercely assaulted by the gates of Hell euen the wealth and honours of Egypt I will not say what a strong temptation it is When the Deuill goeth about to winne vs by prosperitie he doth then creepe in at our mouthes that hee may possesse our heart like the Fish called Langa who flattereth the Whale and creepeth in at his belly that he may eate his heart He who had experience of this temptation did fore-warne and fore-arme the people of Israel Deut. 8.12 saying Lest when thou hast eaten and art full and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therein 13. And when thy heards and thy flocks multiply and thy siluer and thy gold is multiplied 14. and all that thou hast is multiplyed Then thine heart be lifted vp and thou forget the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt c. For man in prosperity is like vnto the Mule who hauing suckt his fill of his Dams milke casteth vp his heeles and kicketh vnkindly But the gates of Hell could not preuaile against him Heb. 11.24 He refused to be called the sonne of â—â—â—raoâ—s Daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season 25. Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures in Egypt 26. for hee had respect vnto the recompence of the reward Iob was strongly assaulted by the gates of Hell he was bereaued of all his substance his children were slaine with the fall of their eldest brothers house and his owne body was smitten with sore biles Iob. 1 2. from the sole of his foote vnto the Crowne of his head Deare vnto a man are his goods and seruants dearer are his children the fruit of his owne body but most deare vnto a man is his own flesh Oh how great was this temptation neuerthelesse it preuailed not for he had set vp his resolution Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Iob. 13.15 Shadrach Meshach and Abednego were strongly besieged by the gates of Hell for they must either sall downe worship the golden Image that Nebuchadnezzar the King had set vp or the same hoâ—â—e be cast into the middest of a burning fiery fornace What will not a man giue for his life Many men haue beene constant in Religion they haue lost their goods their places their honours yet when their liues haue come in question they haue fallen away like rotten corne out of the Reapers hand And no maruell if those who were not built vpon the Rocke did fall away â—â—â—eing that euen the Apostles themselues in time of persecution when they thought their liues would come in question Mat. 26.56 and our Sauiour was apprehended forsooke him and fled But the gates of Hell could not preuaile against them Dan. 3.17 Our God whom we serue is able to deliuer vs out of the fiery furnace and hee will deliuer vs out of thy hand O King Behold the good estate of euery true member of the Church of Christ It is neither the prosperity of the wicked world nor all the worldly miseries and calamities which may be thought vpon no nor death it selfe that shal be able to cast them from the Rocke I doe not say that all true beleeuers are equall in graces to these that I haue named for neither doth God suffer them all to be tempted in equall measure but I affirme all of them to haue the same grace to the same purpose the sauing of their soules And hence it is that a regenerate mans estate is perpetuall he shall neither finally nor totally fall from this Rocke The Diuell that old deceiuer hath his wayes and means to attempt his ruine somtimes by fraud somtimes by violence now this way and then that way but to no successe for the house of God is builded vpon Christ the Rock euery Peter of this building is so strongly placed that the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against him Thus farre you see that the Text is an allegory the continuation of diuers Metaphors which doe adorne and beautifie the place but extend no further then a Metaphoricall construction Here are diuers things compared the Church of God to a materiall temple the elected members to choice stones the gathering of the people of GOD by the Gospell preached with the inward assistance of the Holy Ghost to building or raising of stones the Redeemer Christ Iesus both God and man to a great Rocke whereupon you may suppose such a Temple to be builded the enemies of the Church to the gates and munitions of Hell their assaults against the Church and her members to assaults and batteries against an inuincible fort strongly builded vpon a Rocke and for the incomparable strength thereof bidding defiance to all her foes the lost labour of those that attempt any thing against this strong founded Castle to vaine and friuolous batteries All this is either expressed or necessarily included Now for as much as Peter truely beleeued he was therefore as it were a stone of this strong building and because he was chosen to the Apostleship he was therefore as it were a foundation stone lying close vpon the Rocke for the supportation of other stones to be laid vpon him For by his Ministery many should be conuerted to the faith both Iewes and Gentiles and bee also edified in the same faith by his doctrine to the which doctrine euen the Bishops and Elders of the Church should referre themselues and thereby confirme the truth confute errours and conforme themselues to the Catholike doctrine and manners Vpon the first reason that hee was a member of the Catholike Church the gates of Hell could not preuaile against him they might assault him they might cause him to recoile for Satan winnowed him and preuailed so farre that he denyed Christ but they could not auaile to throw him vtterly from the Rocke to his damnation or to separate him wholly and for euer from the grace of God which is to life eternall Now what Christ said to Peter he saith to euery true beleeuer he is Peter he is a stone of
Midas-like ouer-value the things of this world but bestow our chiefest care how to attaine the sauing faith let vs not studie how to bee grounded in wealth but how to bee founded vpon Christ the Rocke Let vs not emulate Semiramis in those Babels that we build but rather deuise how we our selues may be builded in this spirituall House of which Peter by sauing faith was made a stone and euery one that doth partake with Peter in the same faith is likewise a stone though not of so large a size or so curiously carued yet such a stone as shall remaine in the building for eternitie Psal 125.1 like to Mount Sion that cannot be remoued Now come we to his Function the Office of his Apostleship whereby he is made a strong Foundation stone vpon whom other stones in the building are fitly placed Ephe. 4.21 For Christ gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers 12. for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the Ministery and for the edifying of the Body of Christ Therefore the Apostles the Prophets the Euangelists the Pastors and Teachers of the Church are necessary stones for the building that it may be raised But the greatest of all these are the Apostles who because Apostles are therefore Prophets Euangelists and Teachers Mar. 10.2 Osiand Harmon Euang. lib. 2. cap. 1. Acts 1.26 Acts 9.15 Yet no other can attaine the dignity of the Apostleship but the eleuen first chosen by our Sauiour Christ in the second yeere of his Ministery Matthias who succeeded in the place of Iudas the Traitor and Paul that chosen and elect vessell the Apostle of the Gentiles last called In respect of the Church these are great Foundation stones for they obtained commission to teach all Nations and to baptize them in the Name of the Father of the Son Mat. 28.19 and of the Holy Ghost Rom. 10.18 Which Commission of theirs they faithfully executed for their sound went into all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world I need not tell you with what gifts and graces they were enriched for the performance of so great a businesse surely they so preuailed that by their Ministery Acts 2.47 the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saued These great stones vpon diuers respects are said to lye in the Foundation of the building for the supportation of other stones lesse in graces and lesse in office First because they were called to that office not by the Ministery of man but immediately by God as Paul saith that he is an Apostle Gal 1.1 not of men neither by man Secondly because they first of all had commission to preach Christ crucified vnto the Gentlies and to ioyne both Iewes and Gentiles into one people Isa 11.10 that so the roote of Iesse might stand for an Ensigne of the people and the Gentiles might seeke vnto it Thirdly because other great Officers of the Church as Bishops Elders and Deacons were ordained by their Ministery Acts 6.6 and consecrated the hands of their Apostleship but they themselues were not so ordained or ordered but were chosen immediately by God and receiued their commission frō Christ his mouth Lastly they ordained none to succeed them in the fulnesse of their office charge that is to say to go into all Nations to preach the Gospell vnto euery creature Mar. 16.15 which was their immediate commission Apostolicall but they ordained proper Pastors vnto particular Churches to whose care they recommended the Flocke of Christ in those places where they themselues had preached and preuailed reseruing vnto themselues Apostolick dignity euen to ouersee the Bishops and Elders of the Church And hence it is that St. Paul duiseth Timothy Titus how to behaue themselues in their function and that St. Peter taketh vpon him to instruct the Elders of the Church and that Saint Iohn counselleth reprooueth and commendeth the Angels or Bishops of the seuen Churches of Asia These things being branches of the Apostolicke authoritie it was no small matter that our Sauiour performed vnto Peter vpon his confession saying Thou art Peter Note here what excellent Ministers God hath raised vp in his Church for the sauing of the soules of his Elect By these the excellency of Christian Religion is much commended they are Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastours and Teachers If the Indian Schooles grew in estimation because of the Gymnosophists and the Persian wisedome by the Soothsayers and the Egyptian learning by the Sorcerers how much more shall our Religion bee aduanced by the worthinesse of the Ministers and their high calling in Christ Iesus This should also teach men to haue a reuerend regard vnto the Ministers of the Word for they are not onely stones in the building if they be faithfull but necessary workemen for the edifying of Gods Church and in respect of their Office closely laid vpon the Apostles for the building of Christ his Body and therefore Let a man so account of vs 1 Cor. 4.1 as of the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God Hitherto we haue spoken of Peters personall benefit now come we vnto that thing whereunto it hath relation and that is the Church vnto which it hath reference as a stone to the building Vpon this Rocke will I build my Church Secondly of the Church and therein first that it is a Church and more then that the Church of Christ my Church The Elect and chosen of God saith the Text are a Church and more then that my Church the Church of Christ The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is deriued from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to call out or summon so that when you talke of the Church it is as if you should say a company of men called out or summoned The Athenians were wont to call the Company of Citizens called out or summoned by the voyce of the Crier to heare the sentence of the Senate Ecclesiam And by the Etymologie of this word the condition of Gods elect chosen is fitly expressed for they are called out of the generality of men by the Word of God to know God and to worship and serue him and this their Calling because they obey it wee call an effectuall Vocation These so effectually called are in the Scriptures set forth to bee a peculiar people 1 Pet. 2.8 Ephes 2.19 Clem. Alexand. Strom. lib. 7. Ambros in Ephe. cap. 3. Bernar. in Cant. Str. 78. the houshold of God whom Clemens Alexandrinus calleth the company of the Elect. Ambrose a people whom God hath vouchsafed to adopt vnto himselfe Bernard the company of the elected which company was predestinated before the world began To speake expresly of this Church it is gathered out of all Sexes Orders Nations and Times and it is therefore called the Catholicke or Vniuersall Church Secondly whereas some of the members of this