in all the chiefest Citties and Townes and in many other places as any Church in Europe whereby thousands are taught the true knowledge of Iesus Christ are confirmed in the faith and continued in holy obedience liuing dying in most heauenly certaine assurance of Gods fauour and of eternall life Despise not then that Church which by the Word and Sacraments and the Discipline she hath bringeth forth nurseth and bringeth vp euen to their seating in the Land of Canaan thousands and that not once in twenty yeares extraordinarily but daily ordinarily through the great blessing of God c. Q. Tell me what is the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments you speake of Ans The Ministery of the Word and Sacraments is an office ordeined by the Holy Trinity 1. Cor. 12.28 Eph. 4.11 1. Cor. 12.11 Mat. 28.19 20. 1. Cor. 13.9.10 1. Cor. 14.34 1. Tim. 3.2 c. Tit. 1.6.7.8 1. Tim. 3.2 2. Tim. 2.15.24 Ro. 10.14 Heb. 5.4 5 Mat. 28.19 the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost to be in the Church to the end of the world whereby men of vnblameable conuersation able and apt to teach being lawfully called doe administer holy things in publique Prayer and thankes-giuing dispensing the Word and Sacraments Expli The Ministery of the Word and Sacraments is not an Inuention of man hut of God himselfe for the saluation of man most necessary not in regard of God who is able without it to effect his purpose but of vs who ordinarily without it cannot be saued in as much as God hath once ordained by the foolishnes of Preaching to saue then which beléeue called foolishnesse when indéed it is the wisedome of God because ignorant and euill men so account of it This calling is either Inward or Outward The Inward is the good testimony of our hearts that not through ambition or couetousnesse c. we séeke and accept of such office but onely through a sincere desire in the feare of God to edifie and build vp Gods Church And this calling must be in all who would approue their Ministery to God The outward is that which is according to the comely order of the Church and it is Ordinary or Extraordinary 1. Tim. 3. Titus 1. The Ordinary is that calling which by men is administred according to such a comely order which is agréeable to the word Extraordinary calling is that which is immediately from God without the ministery of man before spoken of as the calling of Iohn Baptist And this is not to be expected or pretended in an established Church But when the state of a Church is wholly decayed or interrupted God doth extraordinarily stirre vp and endue with answerable gifts some to restore the same There are foure rules to be obserued in the examining of such a Calling The first is concerning the time and place whether it be there and then where and when there is no vse or possibility of lawfull ordinary calling Secondly concerning the life and doctrine of such Ioh. 5.39 Mat. 7.20 that they be in more then ordinary manner answerable to the Word Thirdly concerning their gifts as Knowledge Wisedome Utterance vndantable Courage that these be manifestly extraordinary in them Fourthly for the successe effect and continuance that it bring an incredible and vnexpected blessing in Reformation and Conuersion notwithstanding any opposition made by the whole world and the deuill himselfe Where there is an extraordinary calling pretended and not according to these Rules it is to be accounted a deceit and wicked imposture and such which pretend the same to be of the number of those of whom Paul speaketh Rom. 16.18 Vse 1. Art thou a Minister enabled with gifts Presume not though into the Office of the Ministery without the calling of the Church As Esay goeth not till he be sent Esay 6.6 and Iohn stayeth his Preaching till the appointed time And our Sauiour Christ till he was Baptized c. Vse 2. Art thou enadled with gifts Luk. 1.80 and lawfully called Looke well to the Ministration thou hast receiued of the Lord stirre vp the gift that is in thée be diligent and faithfull cast of all impediments as too much worldlinesse the practise of other Callings as Phisicke Surgery c. for this Calling requireth a whole man and who is sufficient for it The reward of the faithfull is great the punishment of the slothfull great also Preach but not thy selfe or thy owne deuices but the sincere Word of God and let thy life be an example to thy Flocke that they may reuerence thee as well when they see thée as when they heare thée if thou wouldest do good and haue comfort of thy labours c. Vse 3. Reuerence the Ministery of the Word as the ordinance of God and receiue the Ministers in all loue and respect for their workes sake and the doctrine they deliuer according to the Scriptures as the word of man but as it is indéed the Word of the liuing God Phil. 2.29 1. Thess 2.13 5.12.13 Speake not euill of the Ministery of the Word neither account it as a base or bootlesse thing for without it ordinarily thou canst not haue faith neither canst thou be begotten vnto Christ Rom. 10.17 Iames 1.18 1. Cor. 4.15 1. Cor. 1.21 c. nor finally be saued For God hath pleased by the foolishnesse of Preaching to saue them which beleeue c. Quest What are the Sacraments Ans The Sacraments are visible and outward Signes and Seales instituted and ordained of God whereby he confirmeth to the Elect the free promise of the Gospell Rom. 4.11 Gen. 17.7.10.11 1. Cor. 11.23 and also bindeth them to the performance of duty to himselfe Quest How many Sacraments hath the Church of God now Ans Onely two 1. Cor. 12.13 Act. 2.38.41 Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Quest What is Baptisme Ans It is a Sacrament of the new Testament instituted by Christ in the which the confecrated water representeth the Bloud of Christ sealing to all that are sprinkled therewith into the name of the Father the Soune and the Holy Ghost the merite of Christ remission of finnes Rom. 4.11 Col. 2.12 Rom. 6.3.4.5 1. Pet. 3.21 and Eternall Life and testifying our grafting into Christ and Regeneration with the repromission of our obedience Expl. God is the Authour of Sacraments and none can adde any to the Word but God Now God added them to the Word not that the Word was not sufficient without them but for a helpe to our weakenesse that wée might haue as it were liuely pawnes before our eyes of those things which wee heare with our eares as euen Adam had Sacraments in Paradice and these he ordained to be Seales of the couenant of Grace which was not néedfull on Gods part who is alwaies better then his word but it was néedfull for vs to succour whose weakenesse who in regard of our vnworthinesse are prone to doubting the Lord
of his Apparrell and outward shape Thus the Church on Earth is said to be Inuisible in regarde of the inward essentiall forme which is sanctity which cannot be seene with mans eie Hebr. 12.14 1. Ioh. 2.19 2. Tim. 2.19 Rom. 2.29 or Visible either in regard of the particular companies professing Christ or in regard of the outward forme which is the ministery of the Word and Sacraments by the which it is visible becauss these being the means whereby it is gathered and gouerned are visible Vse Examine how thou standest in the visible Church for many are called but few are chosen and many are in the visible which are not of the inuisible as the Lées are in the Vessell which are not wine nor of the wine It is not enough to be in Gods field vnlesse we be good corne not enough that we be in the body vnlesse we be members For if wee be wennes and spottes we must be purged and scowred off not enough to be in Gods floore vnlesse we be good Corne For hee will gather the Corne into his Barne but the Chaffe hee will burne with vnquenchable fire so not enough that thou arte among the Saints vnlesse thou be a Saint For C ham was in the Arke Saul among the Prophets Iudas among the Apostles and yet these are damned So thou mayst be baptized and ioined to the visible company of the faithfull yet if thou want the Spirit which quickens al the true members of Christs body to holinesse and righteousnesse of life thou art but a withered branch to be cut off and cast into the fire Looke therefore to thy standing Question What call you the Inuisible Church Ans It is the vniuersity of the Elect and Regenerate Rom. 2.29 which doe at any time or in any place professe and truely haue faith and conuersion to God Quest What is the visible Church Ans It is a company embracing and enioying the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments Mat. 28.19 Ephes 4 11 and professing the Gospel Quest What are the true notes of a true visible Church Ans The true proper and essentiall notes of a true Church are two namely The pure and incorrupt Ministerie and profession of the Word and Mat. 28.19 Act. 2.42 46. Ephe. 5.25 26. The lawfull Administration of the Sacraments to the which some adde Discipline Explic. Vnto those Scriptures in the answere which shew that the lawfull vse of the Word and Sacraments are the two genuine notes of a true Church because the Primitiue Church is so in them described You may adde concerning the Word these Iohn 8.31 and 10.27 and 14.23 1. Corint 4.15 Ephes 2.20 1. Tim. 3.15 And of the Sacraments these 1. Corin. 20.16 and 12.13 So that wheresoeuer there is a Company preaching and professing that Iesus Christ the Sonne of Marie is the Sonne of GOD Christ the Lord by whom onely and alone they séeke to be saued that Company is a true visible Church though there be many corruptions in the same Simon Magus was by Baptisme receiued into the Visible Church Acts 8.13 for an outward profession of Christ in word And the Corinthians were a true church euen then when they abounded with grosse corruptions as Paul denyeth not in his Epistles written vnto them These notes haue their degrées the more pure they are the more pure is the Church which hath them the lesse pure they are the lesse pure is a Church to bee accounted and where they are not all or wholely adulterated there either is no Church or a very corrupt one Now though Discipline be allowed and necessarily required to the well being of a Church yet a Company holding Christ and maintaining the Scriptures though they should want Discipline are a true though a defectiue Church It is the duty of the Church to vse Discipline but as a wife ceaseth not to be a true wife for the neglect of houshold gouernement so long as she kéepeth the mariage oath to herhusband vnbroken so a Church ceaseth not to be a true Church for some saults or neglects so long as she acknowledgeth her head Christ according to the Word Vse Withdraw not thy selfe from the fellowship of the Churches of God and if thou hast depraued the Church of England and separated from it repent of thy rash and vncharitable censures Remember what great things God hath done for the Church thou despisest and spit not in her face that hath brought thée forth to Christ Remember that God hath alwaies preserued a séed of Christ in our land euer since the first conuersion therof from Heathenisme which as a little leauen lay a long time hid in thrée peckes of meale as our Sauiour speaketh till at the last by the hand of a King Henry 8. it began to sowre the whole lumpe And after him remember how God raised him vp a Iosias to finish his fathers beginnings Afterward Edward 6. how it was watered with the bloud of as famous Martyrs as euer the world saw Then thinke how God miraculously preserued and gaue a Quéene to nurse this Church labouring Queene Elizabeth and almost fainting vnder afflictions yea such a Quéene as he neuer stablished in the Throne of any Kingdome since the day of Adams Creation And then consider how that when we reckoned that all our happinesse had béene ended and expected nothing but dissipation fire sword bloud and the ruine of Church and Common-wealth euen then the Lord beyond all expectation sent amongst vs a most tender Father our most gratious Soueraigne King IAMES whom God long preserue vnmatchable for mildnesse of Gouernment Vigilancy care for the good of all his subiects déepnesse of iudgement soundnesse of Religion and together with many other blessings whereby we are blessed in him for incomparable learning hauing to the admiration of the world with his Owne Pen defended and aduanced the truth And if thou standest vpon a right constitution remember that the replanters of the Gospell here were Kings and Princes and not without the preaching of the word Remember that the people of the land were not conuerted from Heathenisme by them as such which had no knowledge of Christ but from Papisme vnder which they had some knowledge of him Remember that if the Church were not rightly constituted by Quéene Elizabeth neither was it by King Henry the eighth and King Edward the sixth and so thou wrongest the ashes of the Martyrs as if they were not Martyrs of Christ but of Antichrist And say that there was something wanting in the first constitution cannot God forgiue it Nay hath he not forgiuen it How darest thou say the contrary Remember these things stay thy tongue from reuiling Israel and thy foot from withdrawing thy selfe from the people of God If thou wouldst haue Discipline we are not without it though without that of thy deuising If thou wouldst haue the preaching of the Word we haue it I may boldly say as soundly and powerfully
to vs in vaine Euen as the euidences of another mans land are nothing auaileable to me but to the Land-holder they are of singular vse So the Sacraments are part of the euidences of a beléeuers hope and seale to him Gods fauour but to vnbeléeuers they seale nothing but their greater condemnation if they repent not Euen as if an vnlearned man open a booke he séeth the letters but is neuer the better and cannot attaine the meaning but a man that is learned readeth and is instructed So an vnbeléener séeth the Bread and Wine and eateth the signe but the beléeuer onely hath the benefite of the thing signified through his faith For the spirituall grace is present not to the signe but to the person beléeuing Euen as Pharoh had a dreame but not the interpretation and as the noble man of Samaria saw the plenty but tasted not of it Euen se vnbeléeuers ignorants vnthankefull for the death of Christ haue the shell but not the kyrnell haue that which goeth into the body not that which blesseth the soule First therefore get faith Secondly repent of thy sins hauing an vnfained and stedfast purpose alwaies hereafted to liue godlily If thou comest with a hungring desire of the righteousnesse of Christ with a broken heart for that which is past and with a holy purpose for the time to come then thou art welcome to thy Sauiour and shalt without faile taste of his swéetnesse but if thou hast béene and yet art a Drunkard a Blasphemer Vncleane Proud Couetous Contentious c and hast not vnfeignedly repented or at least doest not begin to repent For this cause thou art guilty of the body and bloud of Christ being more fit to be at the méetings of Turkes and Infidels then of such as professe Iesus Christ Get therefore Repentance also And testifie this thy repentance not onely by a shew of sorrow and sobriety the day thou comest to the Lords Table but all the dayes of thy life after Many haue I séene which on that day haue gone softly spoken patiently looked sorrowfully behaued themselues grauely which within a day or two haue with the swine returned to the wallowing in the mire and with the dogge to the vomit of their former euill courses But vnderstand thou that euen as when a man hath escaped the danger of some great distemper of surfeit it is not enough for him to kéepe a good dyet a day or two So it is not a dayes obedience or two nor such fits of deuotion which vanish as a flash of lightning that will approue our faith repentance and profession but it is perseuerance in these holy duties when the sauour of the Sacrament remaines with vs all the daies of our life Therfore euen as Daniel was the fairer and better fauoured by his dyet of Pulse so it is required and the Lord erpects that if thou eate drinke at his table thou shouldest be the fairer by it and the better reformed in thy conuersation And if thou béest notwithstanding ill-fauoured that is without Knowledge Faith Repentance Obedience Patience Temperance Charity c. it is a manifest argument that thou hast a foule and corrupted conscience that thou hast receiued vnworthily and so art in danger of the wrath of God Qu. You said that some thinke Discipline to be a note of the true Church What is that Discipline Ans It is that power in the Church by the consent and approbation of the Christian Magistrate whereby by persons fit and lawfully called Constitutions are made 1. Cor. 5.3.4 14.40 both for comelinesse and order in the worship of God and for the censuring of prophane liuers Expl. Though a true Church may bée without this power of Discipline yet bée well without it it cannot both that the ministery of the holy things may with the greatest reuerence and profite be performed and also that the Church may be holy and a maintainer thereof First then because without order things cannot well procéede or continue and God is the God of order the hold that the Church hath power to make Canons and Constitutions but with a thrée-fold restraint First that they be onely about matters Ecclesiasticall Euery man is to kéepe within the compasse of his calling Secondly that as concerning the worship of God they be determinations of circumstances necessary profitable as concerning time place order méetings maner of reading Scriptures c. In all which comelinesse order edification of the Church auoiding of offence are to be respected and such determinations in their owne nature to remaine mutable to be altered as the Magistrate shall sée it make for the good of the Church Thirdly that if there be a Christian Magistrate they be with his consent and authority because the authority of making confirming lawes concerning both the ciuill Ecclesiasticall good of the subiects is principally in the chiefe ciuil Magistrate This order being obserued the Ecclesiasticall things as dispensation of the Word Sacraments and execution of Discipline be handled not by lay persons but by Ecclesiasticall persons onely by the authority of God and the Prince For the other part which concerneth Ecclesiasticall censures this is to be remembred that properly they are not executed by mulcts fines hodily smart imprisonment death such like which are proper to the power of a ciuill Magistrate but by admonition Mat. 20.25 26. 1. Pet. 5.3 reproofe suspension excommunication The highest degrée of Ecclesiasticall censures is excommunication when notorious stubborne offenders are cast out of the Church the parties deseruing this censure being notorioufly prophane and there being extreme danger of offence and of the infection of others by their society In the execution whereof procéeding must be as in the body in the cutting of a member which is when no meanes will recouer it and least it should procure decay to the whole body then to cut it off though it be with griefe Also excommunication is not absolutely to be executed but on the contumacy of the delinquent for the party as a lost shéepe is both carefully to be sought vp if he repent to be with all reioycing loue receiued againe into the fellowship of the Church for the end of excommunication must be first that holy things be not giuen to dogges Secondly Math. 7.7 that the Church may frée herselfe from an euill fame of suffring them which dishonor God Thirdly 1. Cor. 5. 1. Cor. 5.6 lest others be infected Fourthly that such as offend may be ashamed and come to repentance 2. Thess 3.14 1. Cor. 5.5 that their Spirits may be saued in the day of the Lord. And this order of censuring offenders excommunication ought to be perpetuall in the Church because the causes thereof are vniuersal perpetuall which are those foure before mentioned together with the commandement of Christ 1. Cor. 5.4 and Paul testifieth that the incestious person ought to be excommunicated in the
Esa 49.15 yet the Lord will not forget thee Yea Esa 54.10 the Mountaines shall remoue and the Hils fall downe but my mercy shall not faile nor my couenant of peace fall away saith Ichouah who hath compassion Thus much of Diuine Attributes Mat. 3.16.17 28.19 1. Ioh. 5.7 Deut. 6.4 Esay 44.4 1. Cor. 8.6 Eph. 4.5 1. Tim. 2.5 now of relation of Persons Q. You said that God is the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost are there not then three Gods Ans No These are three Persons subsisting in the Diuine Essence I beleeue there is but one God Ex. That there is one God 3 Persons is a Mystery propoūded in the Scriptures to our faith to beléeue not to our reason to dispute and discusse Wée know it is so because God hath so reuealed but the reason of it wée are not capable of and therefore wée must bée wise vnto sobriety admiring with humble acknowledgement this great Mistery Wée may not bée ignorant of it nor curious in inquiring into that which is not manifested both are very hurtful This then must bée holden that the God-head or Essence of God is one vndiuided the Persons onely distinguished not Essentially for euery one hath the whole Essence of the God-head and is that onely true God nor onely rationally but really and yet in a manner incomprehensible vnknown of vs. The Father is that God so is the Son so is the Holy Ghost Not thrée Gods nor thrée Eternals but One As Athanasius excellently in his Créed Neither aforencr after other And yet the Father is not the Sonne nor the Sonne the Father neither of these the Holy Ghost nor the Holy Ghost either of them but really distinguisht one from another in regard of their Persons So that the Father is another Person from the Sonne not another thing or another God c. Wée must beléue the Essence to bée one the persons to bée three neither confounding the Persons nor diuiding the Substance Vse Bee exceeding carefull rightly to vnderstand these things For as August wee cannot liue well vnlesse wee beleeue well of God And againe Errour is no where more dangerous seeking and study no where more painefull Finding no where more profitable If we conceiue amisse heere to whom are our prayers directed to whom our Worship Not to the true God but to the frame of our owne braines When wee pray therefore sometimes naming the Father sometimes the Sonne sometimes the Holy Ghost wee direct our prayers to the Diuine Essence and together to the three Persons Because we beleeue and professe not onely that the three Persons are the true God but that euery Person is not a part of that one Diuine Essence but the whole Diuine Essence that is the onely true God besides whom there is no other They that call vpon one of the Persons as separate from the rest erre from the true God according to that of our Sauiour The Lord eulighten vs. Ioh. 5.23 Q. What meane you by these words Essence and Person Ans Essence is the Nature common to the three Persons being the same vndiuided and whole in euery of them subsisting by it selfe A Person is a Subsistance in the Diuine Nature or that one Essence which being referred to the other Persons is distinguished from them by an incommunicable Property And this is the sacred and secret mystery of the Trinity in Vnity and Vnity in Trinity for euer to be adored Expl. These words Essence Person as also Trinity Vnity are not all in the Scriptures but the things signified by them are which tearmes the Church hath béene driuen by a necessity of speaking to finde out and to vse to auoyde the snares of Heretickes who vnder the words of the Church in time past hidde their hereticall prauities and so by their likely spéech conueyed their poyson to the vnskilfull As the Church acknowledged God to be one so the Heretickes but in a diuers sence The Church one in Essence the Heretickes not so but one in consent and will c. And therefore the Church out of the common vsuall maner of speaking vpon this necessitie borrowed certaine tearmes to defeat the Heretickes which tearmes it hath taken not as though these or any other could fully expresse this mystery but that it might not wholy be concealed of the which an Emperour spake well and modestly Gratian to Ambr. We speake of these things not as we ought but as we can Neither doth the Church vse these tearmes Essence Person in their common and vsuall meaning wholly as namely The Essence of man is a thing communicable but it is an vniuersall Name which truely exsisteth not by it selfe but is onely a collection of the minde and therein conceiued But Essence Diuine as it is communicable so also it truely is and subsisteth and is not an imaginary thing as the former nor an vniuersall name as the Philosophers speake of the humane Essence but the Diuine nature subsisting indéede being common to the thrée Persons and whole in euery one So also of the word Person In men what a person is we vnderstand as Peter Iohn and Paul are 3. persons to whom is common one humane nature So Father Sonne and Holy-ghost are thrée Persons to whom is common the Diuine nature but here is wonderfull difference First the Diuine nature common to the thrée Persons truly subsisteth so doth not the humane Secondly The thrée Diuine Persons differ not in substance but the thrée humane Persons doe substantially differ so that one whole is wholy distinct from an other Thirdly In the humane Persons there is a difference betwéene them in time as one yonger then another In dignity one more worthy then another In will one contradicteth another In works one laboureth more then another but there is none of these things in the Diuine Persons Fourthly In humane Persons it followeth not Iohn 14.10 where one is that there the other should be Paul is at Rome Peter at Antioch but in the Diuine it is otherwise Iohn 8.29 where one is there are all for their common and vndiuided Essence These things are after an vnspeakeable manner Vse That as wee reuerently thinke of this wonderfull mystery so that wee wisely speake of it not taking to our selues liberty to vse new formes of speaking or to swarue from the receiued custome approued by the Church according to the Scriptures but that as duetifull children wee tie our selues to her wholesome language For as Saint Hierome said Heresie breedeth out of words improperly vttered And Saint Augustines caueat is singular If thou canst not find what God is yet take heede to thinke of God that which he is not This doctrine of the true God one in Essence three in Persons is most religiously to be learned kept professed maintained and taught in the Church both for the glorie of the True God and also to distinguish vs from Iewes Turkes and Infidells and for our owne
thou bé et sensible of those terrors and the hellish torments following make good vse of it Quest But if the Soules of the Elect goe presently after their death to heauen and the Soules of the Reprobate to hell what neede a generall Iudgement Ans There must be a general Iudgement notwithstanding both that the iustnesse of such particular Iudgement may bee made more manifest to the glorie of God and that the whole man consisting of body and soule may receiue the du reward 2. Cor. 5.10 Quest Doe you then thinke that the bodies of man shall be restored at the day of iudgement Ans Yes verely I beleeue the resurrection of the body according to the Scriptures Act. 24.15 1. Cori. 15.12 c. Expli We are firmely to hold the generall resurrection both of good and bad for the good shall not onely rise though they shall rise onely to eternall life in which regard they are saide to be the children of the Resurrection Luk. 20.36 The wicked shall also rise but because they shall rise to receiue their full torments they are not so called Both shall rise but in a double difference first of the efficient cause for the good shall rise by the power of Christ their head The wicked by the power of Christ as Iudge of quicke and dead and by the vertue of that Sentence Gene. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death secondly of the end for the righteous shall rise to glory the wicked to shame and perpetuall contempt And note this carefully that those very bodies in which both iust and vniust liued here Dan. 12.2 Ioh. 10.27 Iohn 5.28 Mar. 10.28 2. Cor. 5.10 1. Corin. 15 53. shall be raised and restored as appeareth by the Scripture This corruptible shall put on incorruption This that is This same in number as if he had clapt himselfe on the breast Now though this séeme vnpossible to reason yet it is not so to our Faith whereby considering the power of God we know that he is able to restore the body though burnt to ashes deuoured by wild beasts or turned to dust as he was able to create them and all the world of nothing in the beginning And this the Iustice of GOD requires namely that that body which sinned should be punished and not another and that that body which hath béen tortured héere for the profession of his Name should be crowned with glorie at the last day The bodies shall rise the same in substance but the bodies of the Iust shall bée Immortall Incorruptible Spirituall not in substance but in quality or condition not néeding meanes of bodily nouriture not subiect to infirmities but powerfull firme strong and impassible nimble to moue as well vp-wards as downe-wards voide of all deformity and vncomelinesse glorious of perfect stature without the vse though not without the difference of Sexe Mat. 13.43 Mat. 22.30 1. Cor. 15. The bodies of the vniust shall rise Immortall also and Incorruptible but passible to endure the due punishment inflicted vpon them The manner of the Resurrection conceiue to be thus On the last day Christ shall suddenly come in the clouds in that visible forme in which He Ascended and shall send his Angell with a Trumpet Mat. 24.31 1. Cor. 15.31 1. Thess 4.15.16 at the sound whereof first they which are dead shall be raised and then those which are liuing shall bée in the twinkling of an eye changed Vse 1. If in this life onely wee had hope we were of all men the most miserable but we looke for a day when our vile bodies shall gloriously rise and bee made like the Glorious Body of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 15.19 Phil. 3.21 Iob 19.25.26.27 comfort thy selfe against thy calamities with this This vpheld Iob in the day of his sore trouble So in the troubles of the Iewes vnder Antiochus Epiphanes Many were racked and would not be deliuered because they looked for a better Resurrection Act. 11.35 Let this also comfort against the loathsomnesse of the graue in as much as though our bodies be laid downe for a time in the dust they shall yet after bee restored to Life and Glory Vse 2. Remember that euen that body which thou hast vsed as a Weapon and Instrument to Lying Murder Vncleannesse Theft Pride and all manner of vnrighteousnesse shall rise againe and as thou hast done in the same that which thou shouldst not so shalt thou receiue in the very same that which thou wouldst not And if thou béest a Beléeuer remember that that very body of thine which hath bene vnto thy soule an instrument of Righteousnesse which for righteousnesse sake hath endured Griefe Smart or Contempt c. as it hath taken part with the soule in Mortification and in the affliction so shall it also pertake in the blessed Consolation to bee reuealed in the last day Quest You said that God was the Redeemer and Sanctifier of his Church Do you not beleeue that the Redemption Iustification and Sanctification which you haue spoken of are vniuersall and belonging to all Ans No Eph. 5.25 c. I verely beleeue that those Graces belong onely to the Church Quest What is the Church Ans By Church I meane the Holy Catholique Church 1. Cor. 12.12.13 Eph. 3.15.16.17.18.19 Eph. 4.15.16 Reu. 21.27 Heb. 12.21 22. Cant. 6.8 which is the whole Company of them which are from euerlasting Predestinated to Eternall Life and which in time are called by the Word and sanctified by the Bloud and Spirit of IESVS and this is but one part whereof is Triumphant in heauen and part Militant on earth Expl. As in our vsuall Créed wée are taught to beleeue the Holy Catholique Church to bee the company of Saints which haue Communion or Fellowship in the grace of Remission of sinnes and Resurrection to Eternall life So it is manifest that such onely are the Catholique Church and that such graces are proper and peculiar vnto them As the Scriptures do euery where restraine these benefites to Beleeuers onely and to the Church To Beléeuers Ioh. 3.16 and 5.24 and 6.40.47 Act. 10.43 Ioh. 12.46 Rom. 3.22 Gal. 3.22 To the Church Mat. 1.21 Ioh. 10.15 and 15.13 and 17.9.19 Now whereas in diuers places the Scripture speaketh with a generall note That Christ dyed for all and that God loued the world and such like Such places must bee vnderstood some of the sufficiency of Christs death for all not of the Efficacy which is onely to Beléeuers Some of a Precept vniuersall whereby all are commanded to beléeue Some of the publique Ministery of the Word whereby grace is offered to all Some collectiuely to signifie that the benefite of Redemption extends it selfe to Gentiles as well as to Iewes or distributiuely signifying that some of all Nations Conditions Ages Sexes haue that benefite not that euery singular of all kinds but the kinds of all singulars are made partakers
name of Christ that is by his authority according to his commandement yea this to be in force in all Churches euen which are vnder Christian Magistrates for otherwise doth the ciuill Magistrate punish otherwise the Church The Church aimeth at the repentance of the offender the ciuill Magistrate at the execution of iustice The Church procéedeth not to excommunication where the delinquent repenteth obeyeth The ciuil Magistrate notwithstanding the repentance of the party executeth the law as Ioshua notwithstanding the confession of Achan Ioshua 7. caused him to be destroyed Vse 1. All such whom it concernes to deale in Ecclesiasticall censures ought to beware of all filthy lucre faithfully discharge that which is cōmitted vnto thē to censure them which are prophane accordingly for the glory of God the good of the Church the repentance of them which offend and the furthering of their owne accounts at the last day Vse 2. Art thou prophane a drunkard a blasphemer an vsurer a breaker of the sabaoth c. deseruest thou to be stricken with the thunderbolt of excommunication yet escapest by thy purse or otherwaies yet know thou whatsoeuer thou art that although either through the corruption of them which excecute the same Discipline thou continuest in the fellowship of the Church yet in the account of the Lord thou art excluded from all spiritual priuiledges of the Church till thou repent not being worthy to sit among the dogs of the flocke as one may say the lesse thou answerest for here through the silence of the lawes the more thou hast to answere before Iesus Christ at the day of Iudgement Q. You seeme to say that where there is a Christian ciuill Magistrate there the Church ought to expect his consent and by his authority make Constitutions and Canons Do you then thinke that the Clergie or Church-men are subiect to the Ciuill Magistrate Ans Yes verily do I and so God plainly teacheth in his word Rom. 13.1 Tit. 3.1 1. Pet. 2.13 14.15 Let euery soule be subiect c. Whether Apostle Prophet or Bishop Q. What is the ciuill Magistracy or Gouernment Ans It is an ordinance of God for the good of men whereby they are gouerned by good lawes both Diuine and humane that publike peace may be preserued Rom. 13.4 Pro. 8.15 Dan. 2.21 Ioh. 19.11 the good maintained the euill punished the worship and glory of God set forth Q. What is the office of the ciuil Magistrate Ans The office of the supreme Magistrate is to keepe and maintaine both the Tables of the morall law Deu. 17.18 19. 2. Chro. 19 6. and to minister right iudgment iustice to his subiects Q. What is the power of the superior Magistrate Ans In things diuine it is limited by the word but in humane things and ciuill it is wonderfull large as namely to command all his subiects in matters concerning the publike good of all or the priuate good of some To compell all orders Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill to do their duties to punish the stubborne To command the bodies and goods of his subiects in matters lawfull To exact Tribute Custome Subsidies Taxes Tenthes c. for the maintaining of his honour and magnificence and for the bearing of the publike charge To make and confirme lawes for the ciuill policy of his Iurisdiction Iob. 34.18 Eccles 8.3 4. Dan. 5.19 and to define all matters and causes by the same And in a word the Ciuill supreme Magistrate is in all causes and ouer all persons as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill supreme Gouernour next vnder Christ 1. Sam. 15.14 as also in the examples of the good Kings of Iudah appeareth Q. What is the duty of Subiects Ans The duty of subiects may be referrred to these heads 1. Pet. 2.18 Rom. 13.1 Tit. 3.1 1. Tim. 2.1 2. Ier. 29.7 Pro. 24.21.22 Rom. 13.6 1. Reuerence 2. Obedience 3. Piety 4. Faithfulnesse 5. Thankfulnesse Expl. One of the greatest blessings which God hath giuen to men is Order and Gouernment without which through confusion all things would soone come to ruine For as a Ship without a Pilot so is a Company or Society of men without a King or other lawfull Magistrate Therefore it was well said of Tacitus That it is better to haue an euill Prince then none And of S. Chrysostome It is better to haue a Tyrant then no Gouernour And the Scripture maketh mention that the state of the people of Israel was neuer worse while they were a free people then when they were without continual Gouernours Yea Nature euen in reasonlesse bruite creatures acknowledgeth Order Gouernment as in the Bées c. This great benefite came from the Lord as all other good things The prime care of the Soueraigne Magistrate must be to maintaine the first Table of the Law Kissing the Sonne and doing homage vnto Christ and therefore to maintaine the true worship of God and to forbid and vtterly to extirpate the contrary And yet this so to be vnderstood the through the necessity of dangerous times he may suffer such as are superstitious and do erre that some Common-wealth and Religion may be had rather then none at all It belongs to the Prince to sée the the true Doctrine be taught but to administer the same teach it in publique it belongs to Ministers and Ecclesiasticall persons It belongs to his Authority to appoint ordinary iudgements Ecclesiasticall to maintaine Schooles Vniuersities c. wherby fit Bishops Ministers may beset ouer the Flock of Christ to make lawes whereby such Pastors Teachers may be directed corrected suspended depriued as matters shall require It is his Authority which may call and moderate Prouincionall Nationall Generall Syneds appoint Fasts c. Yea he ought to punish Heretickes Idolaters Blasphemers c. as well as Murtherers Théeues c. and to do all things which may further the Spirituall good of his Subiects and to take away the contrary Rom. 13.4 For he beareth not the Sword in vaine So Moses appointed the worship of God prescribed it to Aaron Dauid disposed the Ministery of the Tabernacle called a Conuocation or Synode for the bringing of the Arke Salomon dedicated the Temple deposed Abiathar Iehoshaphat commanded the Priests and Elders to visite the Churches and to restore the worship of God As also did other good Kings of Iudah as appeareth in their Stories which they did not onely of Piety but euen of Office So also haue Christian Emperours called Ccuncels moderated Controuersies of Religion aduanced good Bishops repressed bad and made Lawes concerning Bishops Ministers holy things for the welfare of the Church and the glory of God For the Magistrate is the Father of the Common-wealth yea Esay saith Esa 49.23 That Kings Queens are nursing Fathers and Mothers of the Church Constantine the Great said the the Bishops were Ouer-seers in the Church and Hee a Bishop or Ouer-seer out