must of necessity be vnited or else there was no saluation for them If a man in this case of conscience being troubled in minde should demand of a Iesuite or Seminary What he should doe to attaine euerlasting life his answere would readily be this You must be reconciled to the Church of Rome But if S. Paul were asked the same question as sometime hee was by the Iaylour what would be his answere Surely none other but this What must thou doe to bee saued Beleeue on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt bee saued and thy house When so many soules with pricked and perplexed hearts cried out to the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we doe Did S. Peter salue their sore consciences with the Balme of reconciliation to Rome No no Rome had then no Christian being but he vniteth them to the Church of the faithfull by calling them to repentance and faith and to enter into the Church by Baptisme Repent saith he and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ c. The visible Church then whereunto whosoeuer will be saued must be reconciled is the Congregation of the faithfull of what nation or Countrey or condition soeuer they bee For saith the Apostle there is neither Iew nor Greeke there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Iesus Wherefore our blessed Lord hath left vs in this case a sure rule and stay whereupon the Christian soule may safely rest and it is this Where two or three saith he are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Absurdly therefore haue the Romish faction coyned a new definition of the Visible Church wherein they make the most formall and essentiall part to be this namely to be vnder the regiment of one head and gouernour of the Vniuersall Church the Vicar of Christ on earth and S. Peters Successor to wit the Bishop of Rome so that without adherence vnto and dependance vpon this head they admit no man to saluation The grosenesse of this conceit may appeare by these euidences 1. Thus to define the Church in this manner as they do is most illogicall and vnreasonable for a true and perfect definition requireth that it be constituted solely of causes materially and formally essentiall vnto the thing defined so that the one can neuer exist without the other But it is farre otherwise with the true visible Church for that both was and might be defined and thousands of soules vnited vnto it and saued in it before euer the Church of Rome had any being in the world as hath beene shewed before in part How many famous Churches were planted by the Apostles that neuer cast the glance of an eye towards Rome as Corinth Galatia Ephesus and the rest of the seuen Churches of Asia How many thousand soules conuerted that neuer heard of any such vniuersall head or so much as the name of Rome And indeede what should let but that they may be saued without any such respect which haue the graces of faith and repentance and are entred by Baptisme to to which the promise is made in the generall commission Goe ye saith our Lord into all the world and preach the Gospell to euery creature He that beleeueth and is baptized shal be saued Againe if there were such necessity to bee vnited to the Sea of Rome vpon paine of damnation how came it to passe that S. Cyprian as our Aduersaries themselues confesse in a Councell of fourescore and seuen Bishops opposed himself against the Pope and being cut off from communion with that great Head yet died a blessed Saint and was honoured with the crowne of Martyrdome dying out of that communion and as Bellarmine saith neuer found to make any retractation Or if to adhere to this one vniuersall Head bee a matter of so great consequence as they make it that the saluation of all men depend vpon it is it credible that it should be so vnknowne to Gregorie the Great that he himselfe being Bishop of Rome aboue fiue hundred yeres after Christ should renounce it with so many titles of disgrace in one Epistle He cals it a name of Nouelty an impious name a title of singularity and that he which taketh it vpon him is the forerunner of Antichrist with many more disgracefull termes giuen to that proud and pompous title elsewhere Besides how can that be a perpetuall and essentiall part of the Churches definition which was not knowne in the Christian world so many hundred yeeres after Christ but as their owne learned Historians confesse was obtained of Phocas the Emperour by Boniface the third who was the second Pope that succeeded after S. Gregorie Boniface the third saith Platina obtained of Phocas the Emperour with much importunity That the seat of S. Peter should be stiled and taken of all for the head of all Churches Where then was this head before S. Gregorie himselfe will satisfie vs. None saith he of my predecessours the Bishops of Rome did euer assume or challenge to himselfe the name of Vniuersall Bishop We see then how vnreasonable it is that dependance vpon the Sea of Rome should be essentiall to the definition of the Visible Church and of necessity to Saluation as they would make their blindfold followers beleeue 2. Againe it is manifest That as S. Augustine speaketh in those things that are apertly and plainely set downe in Scripture we may finde whatsoeuer doth concerne faith and good life Now let vs search the whole Booke of God from the first of Genesis to the last of the Apocalypse and wee shall not finde so much as one word either of prophecie precept promise or president to countenance any such necessary adherence to Rome How then can this be so mayne a point of faith as the Romanists would haue it that hath not so much as one expresse Scripture to ground it selfe vpon 3. And is it indeede so waighty a point of Christian beleeâ—e In what Creed I pray you may we finde it I am sure it is not in the Apostles Creed vnlesse they finde it in some thirteenth new-coyned Article of their owne There is onely the Holy Catholike Church the communion of Saints which for the visible and Militant part of it is all one in effect with our definition viz. That the visible Church is a congregation of faithfull men Saints by calling as Saint Paul speaketh In the Nicene Creed there is onely added by way of explication the word Apostolicke I beleeue one Catholicke and Apostolicke Church to shew against the Heretickes of that time that that was the onely true Catholicke and Orthodoxe Church which continued in the Doctrine of the Apostles As for Athanasius in his Creed hee makes Catholicke Religion to consist in the true Catholicke faith and beliefe of those things that are of necessitie to
Hee must not keepe away the Bread of life from Gods familie The word of reconciliation is committed vnto him Yea necessity is laid vpon him so that were he as great as S. Paul himselfe yet woe be vnto him if he preach not the Gospell This consideration that the Ministerie of the Word is the meanes of our life O what esteeme should it cause that sacred Calling to bee of among men How beautifull should their feet bee that bring glad tidings of peace How amiable their presence that present vs to God in Christ What haue wee or what can wee giue to them proportionable to the good we receiue from God by them being instrumentally the very Sauiours of our soules Who can open the mouth or lift vp the hand despightfully against such to whom hell it selfe is constrained to giue this applause These men are the seruants of the most high God which shew vnto vs the way of saluation The neglect of hearing the Word nay Recusancy contempt must therefore needs be a haynous sinne whatsoeuer salue of excuse may be laid vpon it For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation offered vnto vs in the Ministery of the Gospell of Christ Such men as thus reiect and put the Word of God from them if wee will beleeue the Apostle pronounce a direfull sentence against themselues for by the very act of neglect and contempt of the Word they iudge themselues vnworthy of euerlasting life Then how carefull ought we to be to attend vpon the ordinance of God in the Ministery of his Word Let the preaching of the Crosse be to the profane world to them that perish foolishnesse but saith the Apostle Vnto vs that are saued it is the power of God For so it hath pleased God by that which vaine men set so light by euen by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue Let euery soule therefore that would bee partaker of the grace of life neglect no good opportunity of hearing Consider that life eternall consisteth in the Knowledge of God in Christ and as all Learning so heauenly Knowledge must enter into the heart by the eare the sense of hearing being the organe or instrument of learning Set downe then this resolution in thy heart with the faithful in the Psalme I wil heare what God the Lord will speake for he will speake peace vnto his people and to his Saints but let not them turne againe to folly The second meanes of entrance into the Church is by beleeuing This must follow hearing and goe before Baptisme for without faith neither is the Word of force to vs nor we fit for Baptisme The Word preached saith the Apostle did not profit them not being mixed with faith in them that heard it And the Eunuch desiring Baptisme is told by Philip that he must first be a beleeuer If thou beleeuest saith he with all thy heart thou mayest Looke into the examples of all that euer were added to the Church if they will be sound members they must beleeue nay they cannot so much as be admitted into the outward society but they must at least professe faith yea euen Simon Magus himselfe Thus Chrispus beleeued on the Lord with all his house Many of the Corinthians hearing beleeued and were baptized And so of all the rest of the Conuerts to Christianity And there is great reason for it for no man can be added to the body of the Church to become a sound member of it but he must be vnited to the Head Christ Iesus in whom all the members grow vp into a compleate body Now we are vnited vnto Christ by none other meanes but by faith whereby hee dwelleth in our hearts Againe What is the Church but a company of beleeuers a congregation of faithfull men Therefore vnlesse a man beleeue he cannot be of that society Besides the Word is the bread of life the foode of the soule so that as naturall food cannot sustaine nature vnlesse it be receiued into the body and digested no more can the Word bee a Word of life to the soule except it be apprehended by faith It is a sauing Word onely to them that beleeue They therfore that hearing beleeue not are in the same or rather worse condition then they that heare not at all For sinnes of knowledge are greater then sinnes of ignorance and the meanes not profited by doth aggrauate the sin Yea the sentence is feareful that He that beleeueth not shal be damned And the very same word that is by vnbeliefe so reiected shall iudge the incredulous that receiue it not by faith at the Last day This should mouingly perswade euery Christian Soule to mixe the Word with faith considering that as the means of vniting to the Church on Gods part is the liuely voice of his Word preached so on mans part the effectuall meanes is faith Nay God for our greater incouragement hath promised to his both the meanes and efficacy thereof For the meanes see the Prophet Esay Though saith the Prophet the Lord giue you the bread of aduersity and the water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be remoued into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy teachers And thine eares shall heare a word behind thee saying This is the way walke in it And as for the efficacie God hath bound himselfe so to assist his outward ordinance that his inward working grace shall concurre with it I wil put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts saith the Lord. This also may be a touchstone to try vs whether we bee indeede vnited to the Church of God or in outward shew onely for we see euidently that none are incorporated into the body of Christ but the true Beleeuers And who are those true beleeuers Take these briefe notes of them 1. A true beleeuer doth rely only vpon the mercie of God in Christ whose mercy he doth so account his al sufficient merit that he professeth vnfainedly that he hath none in heauen but the Lord and none on earth but he 2. The true Beleeuer liueth no longer in the former course of his ignorance and sinne he walkes not after the flesh but after the Spirit becomming by the power of the death of Christ dead to sinne 3. The true Beleeuer doth expresse his faith by his workes knowing that it is not idle but worketh by loue 4. The true beleeuer is constant in his way of piety and vertue that he may attain to the end of his faith the saluation of his soule for he knoweth well that he cannot receiue the Crowne of life vnlesse he be faithfull to the death The Sacrament of Baptisme is the third meanes of entring into the Church for the
there but that it continued still and shall continue to the end of the world it is said in the shurting vp of this Historie That the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saued These words offer vnto vs at the first view foure remarkable obseruations The first is The way to saluation and that is by being added to the Church The second is the Efficient or Author of this addition and that is The Lord God The third is the time and continuance of this worke and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daily or from day to day The fourth is the happy end of such as are added to the Church and that is Saluation They all and they onely are such as shall be saued In the first obseruation that I may complete the whole doctrine of it three things are to bee considered 1. That the way to saluation is by the Church 2. What that Church is where saluation may be had 3. By what meanes and how men are to be added to the Church that they may be saued Touching the first branch it must be knowne and beleeued of all that desire saluation that the Regia via the King of Kings high way to heauen is the Church without which Church there is no saluation That I may demonstrate this truth cast but your eye vpon the Arke of Noah wherein was most liuely figured the Church of God A type twice alledged by Saint Peter to this very purpose to shew that saluation is and onely is in the Church And therefore he vrgeth against such as made defection from the Church that God spared not the old world but did bring in the flood vpon the world of the vngodly that is vpon those that were out of the Arke out of the Church Againe Baptisme being the Sacrament of our entrance into the Church of Christ he doth parallell it and compare it with the Arke intimating thus much that as onely those eight soules were saued in the Arke by water so there is no hope of saluation but onely in the Church the solemne entrance whereinto is ordinarily by Baptisme We know that the head is the fountaine of life sense and motion to the whole body and euery member of it but yet onely to that body whereof it is the head euen so it is betweene Christ and the Church Christ is the head the Church is the body and euery true Christian is a particular member of that body Ye are saith S. Paul the body of Christ and members in particular Now as the head doth naturally performe the office of a head to the body and to it onely so Christ doth impart the Diuine influence of sauing grace onely to his Church Therefore the Apostle speaking of Christ saith That from the head all the body by ioynts and bands hauing nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God and hauing affirmed That Christ is the head of the Church hee immediately inferreth vpon it and he is the Sauiour of the body This is that body out of which the Spirit giueth no life This Position That saluation is to bee had onely in the Church is not obscurely noted by those sacred similies so frequent in Scripture where the Church is resembled to a House to a Citie to a Mother to a Vine To a House So doth S. Paul call it The house of God which is the Church of the liuing God It is likened to a House in a two fold sense first as the word is taken properly for an edifice or mansion and building to dwell in consisting of foundation walls and roofe thus S. Peter termeth the faithfull liuely stones built vp a spirituall house and Christ the corner stone Saint Paul calleth them Gods building himselfe and other Ministers Gods builders and Christ the foundation for saith he other foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Iesus Christ and he telleth the Ephesians that they are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone As therefore the safetie of a House standeth in the strength and firmenesse of its owne foundation which giueth support to it and onely to it euen so saluation and freedome from eternall and vtter ruine belongeth onely to the Church the House of God built so firmely vpon the Rocke Iesus Christ that the gates of hell cannot preuaile against it Againe it is compared to a House in another sense the word House being taken for the inhabitants so it is to bee vnderstood when S. Peter saith that Iudgement must begin at the House of God that is with the godly with the righteous as he plainely interpreteth himselfe And the Apostle to the Hebrewes calling the Church Christs owne House saith of himselfe and the rest of the faithfull Whose House we are Now the Church and euery member of it is called The House of God and of Christ because he doth dwell in their hearts by faith as a housholder in his house More expresly elsewhere in plainetermes the Church is called The Lords family or houshold The Domestickes or houshold of God The houshold of faith The Ministers are called Stewards that rule ouer the houshold and Christ himselfe The Lord of the house As then the Master of a family prouideth onely for his owne house all necessaries for maintenance and sustentation of life but not for others or other mens families except it bee in the case of charitie So God though in his gracious Indulgence as a Creator to his creatures hee bee good to all he preserueth man and beast he maketh his Sunne to rise on the euill and on the good and sendeth raine on the iust and on the vniust Yet in a peculiar manner he is good to Israel euen to such as are of a cleane heart He is the Sauiour of all men but specially of those that beleeue This houshold of faith onely doth he saue eternally they onely hauing God for their Father the Church for their Mother Christ for their elder Brother regenerated by one and the same immortall seed of the Word of God nourished with one and the same sincere milke partakers all of one Bread and drinking all of one Cup. Therefore S. Peter saith of himselfe and the rest of this family That God according to his Diuine power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertaine vnto life and godlinesse through the knowledge of him that hath called vs to glory and vertue None then can looke for life and saluation but they that are of Gods houshold who alone can truely say with the Psalmist I am thine saue me The Church is likewise resembled to a Citie or Commonwealth Thus it is set foorth in a vision to Saint Iohn by the name of the Holy Citie
saluation not allâ—ging the beleeuer to repose himselfe vpon any one place as Rome or Constantinople or the like but placeth him that shall be saued in the Congregation of the faithfull And good reason for he knew well that Arianisme had possessed all places yea Rome it selfe and had infected the head euen Liberius himselfe the Bishop of Rome as is not onely witnessed by the Fathers as Athanasius Hierome Hillarie Augustine but is also acknowledged by their own Romish Doctors Cardinals and Historians though Bellarmine and Baronius would gladly faigne some excuse for him 4. Moreouer it must be considered that Rome is and euer was when it was at the best but a particular Church and member of the vniuersall as other Churches are and therefore can no more challenge the dependance of other Churches vpon it then they can subiect it to any of them See how cleerely and fully S. Paul writing to the Romanes speaketh to this point where telling them that he had receiued grace and Apostleship for obedience to the fâ—ith among all nations among whom saith he ye are also the called of Iesus Christ He saith not aboue whom as giuing Rome primacie ouer all the rest but among whom as conioyning them in fraternitie with other Churches and them with it 5. Lastly we must know that Rome is not onely a particular Church but is also subiect to errour as well as other Churches This the Apostle intimateth by that seuere Caueat which he gâ—ueth to the Church of Rome among other Gentiles Bee not high minded saith hee but feare For if God spared not the naturall branches take heed lest hee also spare not thee Behold therefore the goodnesse and seueritie of God on them which fell seueritie but towards thee goodnesse if thou continue in his goodnesse otherwise thou also shalt bee cut off Heere wee see that Rome hath no more immunity from errour then any other Church no no more then the Church of the Iewes Rome no more then Ierusalem and that God doth tye himselfe to none but with condition If they doe answere his goodnesse to them with perseuerance and continuance in his goodnesse and care of correspondent dutie to him Therefore our Church of England hath well added in the Article of the Church these words viz. As the Church of Ierusalem Alexandria and Antioch haue erred so also the Church of Rome hath erred not onely in their liuing and manner of ceremonies but also in matters of faith Heere it will not be amisse out of the manifold errours of the Romish Church to giue instance in a few as a taste of the rest I will inroll them in a short Catalogue and they shall be onely such as no man that will be a Romane Catholicke can auoyde but must vpon paine of damnation in his order place beleeue and practise The very naming of the errors may be a sufficieÌ„t coÌ„uictioÌ„ they are so palpably grose 1. They deny the reading of the holy Scriptures in common to Christian people which is not onely an errour but the cause of all other errours as our Sauiour tolde the Sadduces Ye doe erre not knowing the Scriptures And this they doe contrary to the expresse command of Christ Search the Scriptures contrary to the exhortatioÌ„ of S. Paul Let the word of God dwell in you richly contrary to the vsuall practice of the faithfull in all antiquitie both Iewes and Christians contrary to the very end and vse for which sacred Scriptures were written as the Apostle telleth the old Romanes Whatsoeuer things saith he were written aforetime were written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope Yea and contrary to the generall iudgement of the Orthodoxe Fathers of the Church The Scripture being as S. Gregory said well nothing else but an Epistle of Almighty God to his creature 2. They attribute such eminency of power to the Pope ouer all soules subiect to him that in a blind-fold obedience they must be at his bâ—cke to beleeue and to doe as he will haue them therefore they stile him The supreme Iudge in causes of faith and manners and sticke not to say Satis est si is legem tulerit It is sufficient if he say the word and are so impatient of controule heerein that no man must dare to say vnto him Curita facis Why doest thou so though his fact were too odious to name An errour not onely impious in Religion but pernicious in any ciuill State for hereby not onely his prohibet forbidding shall keepe men from Gods true worship and seruice but his iubet commanding shall arme them against their Soueraigne as wee know it hath done heere in England Farre were the greatest Apostles from assuming to themselues any such absolute power their voyce was Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ. And againe Though we or an Angel from heauen preach any other Gospel vnto you let him bee accursed Therefore they must needs be strangely bewitched and possessed with errour that can beleeue that a sinfull man should haue a priuiledge aboue Apostles and Angels 3. Their whole fabricke and forme of Religious seruice and publike worship of God being in an vnknowne tongue to the people what is it but a notorious and intolerable errour For take to heart I pray you and thinke seriously what a lamentable condition that people is in that stand bound all the daies of their life to resort to a Church where in their most solemne Liturgies Masses and Seruice they vnderstand not one sentence to their soules comfort The whole Volume of sacred Scripture and examples of both Testaments are against it S. Paul in confutation of it bestoweth a large Chapter proouing that it is not onely vnfruitfull but barbarous and a fearefull note of Gods iudgement vpon a people They haue not an ancient Orthodoxe Father to father this errour among them you shall heare these voyces sounding Let the Greekes in Greeke let the Romanes in the Romane tongue let all in their owne language pray and praise God Againe How canst thou saith S. Cyprian desire to be heard of God who doest not vnderstand thy selfe Nay our Christian reformed Churches haue this happinesse that among the Romanists themselues there are of chiefe note that ingenuously confesse that it is better and more to edification that publike Prayers be in the vulgar and common language knowne of the people then in Latine Let vs blesse God then that hath vouchsafed vs the better part and pray that he would open their eyes that are thus blinded with error that they may take part with vs. 4. That foule error of Idolatrous adoration of Images in common practice among them how expresly contrary is it to the Commandement of God Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse of any thing c. thou shalt not bow downe