be beleeued besides the Word Gal. 1.8 Reas 6 Lastly the practice of the faithful is answerable to this both of teachers and learners the Teachers they haue referred the people still for certaine proofe of the truth to the Scriptures Esa 8.20 to the law and to the testimony if they speake not according to this Word it is because they haue not light in them Acts 10.43 to him giue all the Prophets witnesse saith Peter to Cornelius referring the truth hee taught to be tryed by the Scripture and so this hath beene the practice of the learners Acts 17.11 12. The men of Berea seached the Scriptures to try whether the things were so as Paul had taught them and yet Paul was a principall member of the Church and in his Doctrine hee was specially guided by the Spirit more then euer any Church was since and the Bereans are commended for this and not accounted curious So that the Teachers and the Learners haue still referred themselues for the tryall of the truth to the Scriptures and not to the Church and therefore the authority of the Scripture is greater then the authority of the Church Yea Obiect but you will say so the Scriptures are vsually referred to the censure of other Scripture and yet that is no proofe that therefore one Scripture is of greater authority then another how then doth this proue that the Scripture is of greater authority then the Church I answer Answ yes It proues the first ponit of the obseruation plainely that is that the Church is not aboue the Scripture which is the maine controuersie Nay if it be well considered it proues the second point of the obseruation that the authority of the Scripture is greater then that of the Church I say it proues it as sufficiently though not at the first sight so plainely for still in euery kinde there must be one highest which all the rest must settle vpon else there will be no stay at all but we shall runne on infinitely and without end now the Scripture or the Church is the highest thing in this kinde whereon we are to rest for they cnanot be equall then the Scriptures must needs be highest and if they be referred to any at all it must be to themselues for there is none greater nor higher as in the matter of an oath Heb. 6.13 to 16. men sweare by him that is greater then them selues But God sweares by himselfe because there is none greater to sweare by So likewise the Church is referred to the Scripture for trial because the Scripture is higher then the Church but Scripture is referred to Scripture because there is none higher to be referred to nor there cannot be two highests in one kinde for that is against nature and reason too and therefore when the sayings of the Church are referred to the approbation of Scripture it is the referring of them to an higher and so the authority of the Scripture is greater then the authority of the Church The vses are these The first is matter of refutation Vse 1 against the Papists that vsually disparage the holy Scriptures and set them downe too low and doat on the Church aduancing it too high their reach therein is not so much the loue they beare to the Church it selfe but that thereby they might exalt themselues and their owne Church and that their faith might be reputed the onely true sauing faith because their Church teacheth it So that God and his Word must goe downe that they might be lifted vp but if it be true that the Church were aboue the Scriptures yet except they can proue their Church to be the only true Church of God which they are neuer able to doe it helps not their cause It is strange to see and heare what monstrous and blasphemous speaches and positions many of them haue deliuered to this purpose as that the Scripture is of no more authority without the approbation of the Church then Esops Fables Oh horrible blasphemie there are some others of a better kinde that are more modest that say that the Scriptures are to be fitted to the times and the sense thereof is to be altred as the times alter others there are that say that the Churches are not bound to take the Scriptures as true without the allegation of the Church and that the Church hath authority to reiect or allow Scripture and that yee may know that by the Church they meane their Romish church and by that the Pope hearken how blasphemously they ascribe vnto him all power in heauen and in earth that hee may dispence against the Apostles and their Canons and against all the commandements of God in the old and new Testament c. Here the world may see that the church of Rome is that whore of Babilon an impudent and shamelesse strumpet that sets such a brasen face and belches out such whorish filthy blasphemies against God and his Word the very naming of these positions is refutation enough for them in any Christians iudgements To come to their best positions in this controuersie Position 1 First the Church say they is supreme Iudge in all controuersies of Religion but yee see by this obseruation that it is not so God is higher and the Scripture is higher the Spirit indeede is the Iudge and the highest Iudge speaking openly and plainely in in the Word and secretly in the minde and heart of euery beleeuer 1. Ioh. 2 20 27. you haue anoyntment from that holy one and know all things And againe the same anoynting teacheth you of all things Obiect yea but say they are not men sent to the Priests to enquire at their mouhes Mal. 2.7 and is not the Priest the highest Iudge then Answ I answer What are wee to goe to the Priests for for the Law not for their owne Iudgement whereto if they speake wee are to receiue it yet not because it is their saying but Gods Law but happly they can deliuer no other but Gods Law that is flatly contradicted verse 8. where the Prophet saith that they are gone out of the way and haue caused many to fall by the Law yea but say they the high Priest was the Iudge as wee may see Deut. 17.8 12. But hee was to iudge according to the Law as we may see in Vers 11. so that except they will arrogate more to themselues then the messengers of the Lord of hoasts did vnder the law they cannot be Iudge nor Iudges of the Scripture The second position of theirs is this Position 2 That whatsoeuer the Church saith we must take it as a Law and obey it It is true that whatsoeuer the Church saith according the Law and Word of God we must obey it not otherwise The Scribes and Pharises were to bee obeyed as they sate in Moses chaire that is as they taught his Doctrine Matth. 23 2 3. but if they transgresse and bring in the precepts of men and their owne traditions
as sometime they did then is their Doctrine vayne and to be reiected Marke 7 7 8. so that it is plaine that the Church is to bee beleeued and obeyed so long as they goe according to Gods Word but when they swerue from that they are no more to be beleeued Esa 8.20 to the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them except they speake according to the Scripture they are but darke and blind guides no light in them at all and that which is pretended to the contrary Matth. 18.17 is directly vnderstood of Church Censures which yet are not simply authenticall in themselues but as they are proceeded in Christs name Ver. 20. that is according to his order else there is no danger in it Iohn 9.34 Their last Position is this Position 3 which is directly against this obseruation namely That the authority of the Scripture depends vpon the authority of the Church In which grosse assertion they first dishonour God exceedingly as who should say man is to bee beleeued before God at least that God should not be beleeued but because of man Besides whence had the Scripture its authority in the writers of it from God or man Surely from God he is the author himselfe of Scripture 2. Timothy 3.16 euery Scripture is giuen by Inspiration from God then it must haue its authority from God who is the author of it Againe who giues vs faith the Church No it is the worke of God Iohn 6.29 Therefore that wee beleeue the Scripture to be Scripture or any booke of it to be Scripture it is wholly from God himselfe who workes Faith in vs to beleeue it Well Ob say they it is of God indeed that the Scriptures haue their authority but yet by meanes of the Church Answ I Answere It is true as the Church is the propounding witnesse thereof but not as enduing it with authority for that is from God alone and it is a great dishonour to him to giue any part of it to any other Secondly as it dishonours God so it disgraceth the Scriptures making them inferior to the Church whereas indeed they are the cause of the Church and subiecting them to the arbitrement of man whereas all our faith and discerning and thoughts are to be framed by direction from Scripture Ob. But they except and say It is no disgrace to the Scriptures that the Church is thus aduanced no more then it was to Christ that his Apostles gaue witnesse to him Answer I Answer yes for they make the Church aboue the Scripture in this case but the Apostles were witnesses of Christ as his vnderlings and Disciples They reply But the Protestants doe magnifie euery one himselfe as much as we doe the Church Answer I Answer No for euery one of vs beleeue that we are in the right because we goe by the right rule of the Scripture and the Spirit and so farre as the Church goes by that rule we will follow her as soone yea sooner then any particular man Thirdly this weakens and indeed ouerthrowes Religion setting it vpon man a ground weakeand insufficient whereas Religion must stand vpon Diuine authority else it is not sound Fourthly it spoiles the faithfull of their surest comfort which is this that God is the author of their faith and not man Fifthly it bereaues the Church of her maine hould and defence against the aduersary for whiles she saith the Religion which she professeth is true because shee saith so her selfe she layes her selfe open to the scoffes insultations of the aduersary For by that reason euery Religion wil be a true Religion seeing the professors thereof will say It is true as well and as confidently as the Church whereas if she say her Religion is true because God saith so in his word and so prooues it this is sufficient to stop their mouthes or else to leaue them without excuse Vse 2 The second vse is for Instruction teaching vs how to carry both our selues towards the Church and towards the Scriptures that is with an euen hand as our Sauiour said of tribute money giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and vnto God that which is Gods So must we giue vnto the Church that which is the Churches and vnto the Scripture that which is the Scriptures First esteeme of the Scripture as Gods owne Word 2 Pet. 1.21 22. able to make vs wise to saluation and perfect to euery good worke 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17 Secondly esteeme of the Churh as the Piller that is as the keeper and vphoulder of the truth 1. Tim. 3.16 not that light but a witnesse of that light Iohn 1.8 she is to inquire search propound expound pronounce teach approue iudge according to Scriptures themselues and not otherwise she is as the woman of Samariah that propounded the Messiah to the men of the city and brought them to him but when they heard him they say now we beleeue not for thy saying but we haue heard him our selues and know that this is indeed that Christ Iohn 4.42 So the Church propounds and brings vs to the Scripture but when we looke into it and heare it speake then we beleeue But ye will say how then do we know which is Scripture or how shall we know that the contents therein are true and of God I Answer First wee shall know it from the Scripture it selfe as the Sunne is knowne by his owne light so the Scriptures are knowne by their owne light God speaking and shining in the Scripture Doe wee then beleeue the Scriptures because the Church saith they are Scripture No but because the Scriptures themselues say so 2 Tim. 3.16 Secondly we shall know them by the Spirit working in vs together with the Word and perswading vs that they are true 1 Iohn 5.6 Thirdly they are made knowne to vs by the miracles whereby they were first confirmed Iohn 20.30 31. Fourthly wee know them by the testimony of the Church that is that congregation that truly professeth the sauing faith of Christ So that first not euery company that professe themselues to be the Church but professing the sauing faith are to be beleeued And secondly not whatsoeuer the Church saith is to bee beleeued but that which she saith by the euidence of the Scripture it selfe and interpretation of the Spirit And thirdly that which is so beleeued is not chiefely to bee beleeued because she saith so but in a second place aftre the Word and Spirit And fourthly not formally or essentially but instrumentally as an outward instrument onely Fifthly and that which shee doth say so shee speakes not infallibly but with some faylings errors and imperfections mans corruption still bewraying its selfe euen when he is much inlightned Sixthly that which she speakes without error is not absolutely to be beleeued because the Church saith it but conditionally because shee speakes according
office of the mediator the third is concerning Images the fourth is concerning Iustification for the first which is her corruption in Doctrine concerning the Scripture which is the truth and ground of Religion they teach uery erroniously not onely that which disparageth them which yet is a presumptuous sinne but that which by consequence vtterly ouerthrows them First in that they dare deny the sufficiency of Scripture Secondly in that they peruert the truth of Scripture thirdly in that they disanulle the authority of Scripture First they deny expresly the sufficiency of Scripture whereas God hath deliuered them as a particular rule 2 Tim. 3.16 they say No It is not sufficient of it selfe they must be pieced and perfected by traditions No man dare adde to the will of a dead man and yet these are so shamelesse and presumptuous that they dare presume to adde to the sacred Testament of Iesus Christ thus they deny the sufficiency of Scripture Secondly they peruert the truth of Scripture teaching and deliuering first concerning the translation that none is to be admitted as authenâ—icall but the vulgar Latine translation which themselues confesse is sometimes faulty and doth misse of the meaning of the Holy Ghost secondly for the interpretation of Scripture they will admit of none but such as it pleaseth the fathers to giue who themselues acknowledge may and doe sometimes erre and are deceiued now to teach that an vntrue translation is the Text of Scripture and an vntrue interpretation to be the sense of Scripture what is this but to make the Scripture vntrue Third they disanull the authority and credit of the Scripture and that many wayes first teaching that the Apochryphall bookes which are knowne to containe certaine vntruthes to be Canonicall Scripture secondly equalling the traditions of men with the written Word of God and vrging them to be receiued with as great authority as the Word of God Now if the Word of God be of no more authority in matters of Saluation then the word of man it is very feeble and not worth trusting to Thirdly they goe further preferring the authority of the Church aboue the Scripture the Scripture say they is to beleeued for the authority of the Church that is as much as if they should say God is not to beleeued for his owne sayings but for the witnesse of man thus they disanull the authority and credit of the Scripture Now all these layd together see whether that may not be iustly taken vp against them which our Sauiour speaketh against the Iewes Iohn 8 47. he that is of God heareth Gods Word ye therfore heare them not because yee are not of God and Iohn 10.26.27 ye beleeue not because yee are not my sheepe my sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me Gods children heare his word and will not impeach the truth and credit of it the Popish faction will not heare it but will impeach the truth and credit of it and therefore they are none of Christs sheepe So much for their error in Doctrine concerning the scripture where wee see that their fountaines are corrupt and therefore we are like to finde but foule waters in their Channels Their second Error in Doctrine is concerning the direct office of the mediator God saith directly that there is but one Mediator betwixt God and man that is Christ 1. Tim. 2.5 they say there are many the blessed Virgin Mary and other Saints not onely praying for vs but to bee inuocated by vs doth not this iustle Christ out of his roome at least to sit so close that others must sit in commission with him in that office they would shift it off with this that they make the Saints mediators of intercession onely and Christ of Redemption and the Apostle say they when he saith there is but one Mediator c. hee meanes of Redemption not of intercession I Answere that the Apostle in that place speakes of a Mediatour of intercession for he speakes of Prayers and intercessions in the first Verse and as in reason he that is to make intercession for any must be able to reconcile them and to take away the enmity and to bring the parties whom he intercedes for into fauour else it would be a friuolous and vayne intercession and he that intercedes for any must be such an one as the person interceded doth appoint or at least approue of for that businesse euen so the Scripture propounds Christ alone to be intercessor in both these respects 1 Iohn 2.1.2 If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocat with the Father Iesus Christ the Iust and he is the propitiation for our sinnes He is our Aduocate or intercessor and our propitiation or reconciliation both and Iohn 16.23 whatsoeuer ye shall aske the Father in my name he shall giue it you hee doth not say whatsoeuer ye shall aske in my mothers name or in the Saints names but in my name And therefore both Redemption and Intercession are oft times in Scripture by name ioyned together as in that 1 Tim. 2.5 6 there is one Mediator betwixt God and man c who gaue himselfe a Ransome for all men Rom 8.34 who shal condemne vs it is Christ that died ye rather that is risen again who is euen at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for vs so that we see to be mediator of intercession is as peculiar to Chrst as to be mediator of redemption They shift again say we pray to the Saints not as helpers but as intercessors onely but wee pray to Christ as intercessor and helper by his owne power too I answer yet still they make them intercessors then though not in the same degree and so they eyther iustle Christ out of his roome or set his mother and the Saints on the Bench with him but if therebe any other intercessors then either the intercession of Christ is imperfect or else the intercession of the Saints is superfluous But say they we doe no more to the Saints in heauen then yee doe to the Saints on earth and then the Apostle did to the Thessalonians in the 2 Thes 3.1 Brethren pray for vs c. I answer First wee haue a warrant for this Scripture but for the other wee haue none at all Secondly will any man say that the Apostle made them intercessors for him This were a disparagement to him no but hee intreats them to be fellow Suitors and ioint Petitioners to God with him and for him Thirdly the Saints that are aliue we haue accesse vnto and can vtter our mindes to them but so wee cannot to them that are deceased and therefore they that pray to them though it be but as fellow suitors they make God of them in that very fact that is they make them knowers of the desires of the heart for Prayer is the desire of the heart and to know that is proper to God
and naturall Mother that Reas 5 brings forth a Childe of her owne body and after she hath brought it forth nourisheth it with her owne milke So likewise the Church that doth beget us by the Word of Truth and nourish us with the Sacraments is not shee a true Church Sixthly every Tree is knowne by the fruites Matth. 7.16 Reas 6 17. The false prophet is knowne by his false doctrine for so the place intends if that bee a sufficient marke to know them by then true doctrine is a sufficient marke to know the true Church by Seuenthly it is Christs presence that makes a true visible Reas 7 Church therefore the Word and Sacraments outwardly representing Christs presence so as nothing else doth and so making him notoriously present make a true visible Church Lastly frō the sufficient enumeration of the parts of a true Reas 8 visible Church it must be so none are members and parts of it but the Ministers and people now the Ministers doing their duties in dispensing Gods mysteries both for preaching the Word and administring the Sacraments they are the Ministers of Christ 1 Cor. 4.1 and the people doing their dutie in obeying that they teach at least outwardly they are the sheepe of Christ Ioh. 10.4 Now which of these markes might be spared or what other are Vse 1 there that neede to bee added Therefore where these are there is a true visible Church The vses of the point are these The first vse is matter of reproofe and that of many aduersaries First it reprooues such as except and say first that other Congregations besides Except 1 the true visible Church have these markes and therefore they are not sufficient nor infallible markes I answere Answ It is true that other Congregations pretend to haue these markes as what Heretikes or Schismatikes are there that will not say they have the Truth and right faith with them this is the generall claime of them all the Scriptures are ours and for us But this is a false pretence for when it comes to the tryall it will appeare that it is but their saying not that it is so in truth for either they will refuse some part of the Scripture or else they will mangle and deprave it or else they will take the Letter for the sense as the Papists doe in the matter of Transubstantiation this is my Body and other Heretikes that because it is said He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire therefore they baptize with fire taking the Letter of the Scripture instead of the sense of it Or else they adde somthing to the word as traditions and such like and so though they doe approue and take it in at the fore-doore yet they cast it out at the backdoore so that indeede they haue it not at all whatsoeuer they pretend we may say truly therefore that they challenge these markes but wee cannot say they are theirs but they still remaine the proper right of Gods true Church Wee know that the Divels policie and the depth of his subtiltie is to imitate apishly the courses of God that thereby hee may deceiue the more cunningly and therefore hee will counterfeit Gods owne markes and cognisance but wee must trie the Spirits 1 Ioh. 4.1 and the proofe will make all cleare for Sathan can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light and his Apostles can transforme themselues into the Apostles of Christ and his Ministers as though they were the Ministers of righteousnesse 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. So then though these lay claime to these markes and say they are theirs yet they have no right to them it is but their vaine bragges their master Sathan himselfe alleageth Scripture and pretends it is for him but hee was shamefully discouered by our Sauiour for hee left out part of it and depraued it as wee may see Math. 4.6 7. And so the harlot Pro. 7.14 said I have peace-offerings this day I have paid my vowes therefore came I out to meete thee she pretends to pray but her intent was to play the harlot And so Zidkiah 1 King 22.24 braggs that hee had the Spirit of Prophecie when indeede it was a lying Spirit that was in his mouth So the Congregations of Heretikes and of Schismatikes lay claime to the Word and Sacraments and say they are theirs when as indeede they are not because they doe either refuse some part of them or depraue them or adde vnto them their owne Inuentions Secondly that except and say that many visible Churches haue Except 2 not these markes at least not all of them alwayes I answer yes they haue them all Answ and that alwayes in some measure more or lesse els they are not true visible Churches For the better vnderstanding hereof consider these two things first the different estate of Churches sometimes Gods Church doth thriue and flourish and then it hath all these markes without doubt Gods Word is truly preached the Sacraments rightly administred and obedience to them both is professed and yeelded and that in an high degree But sometimes a Church of God is not in such an excellent estate some are but in their beginings newly planted and so cannot haue all at once but hath euery thing in its order place first the Word is tendred to them then the people if they beleeue and submit themselues and professe obedience to it they are to be made partakers of the Sacraments First Baptisme and then the Lords Supper so far forth as it is a visible Church it hath all these marks these Church's are but in their beginnings and therefore they haue but the beginnings of these notes and markes Againe sometimes a Church is in a dying and decaying estate either by reason of Apostacie or persecution if the Church bee in a decaying state by Apostacie what shall I say to such Churches I say that so farre forth as these be true visible Churches so farre forth they retaine these markes if they be but the remainders of a Church then they haue the remainders of these markes if it bee a dying and a decaying Church then it hath dying and decaying markes So then these markes must be found in all true visible Churches according to the state of those Churches if it be a dying Church then the Word and Sacraments and Obedience are dying and decaying too but when it is quite fallen it ceaseth to be a true visible Church nor hath it these markes And so likewise in the time of persecution when the Church is so persecuted that there are none left to make open profession of the Faith and Religion of Christ yet so long as there are any that publikely suffer for the Gospell so long there is a true Church though troubled and brought low for by their suffering they professe obedience to the Gospell and though they are debarred of the publike vse of the Word and Sacraments yet the fruit and effect of them is still visible
to the word and the Spirit There must be a perswasion in vs that the Word is of God else there is no profit by it 1 Thessa 2.3.2 Peter 1.19 20. 2 Tim. 3.16 And therefore still the Preface of the Prophets is Verbum Domini And so much shall seue to be spoken concerning the authority of the Scripture The foure and twentieth LECTVRE of the CHVRCH COncerning the power of the Church yee haue heard how it extends it selfe to persons and things for so we diuided it for our more easier proceeding in the point that which concernes persons wee haue already spoken of And that which concernes the thing wherein the Church hath power wee haue entred into and shewed that they are of two sorts eyther matters of circumstance or matters of substance The Churches power in matters of substance are eyther in matters touching Scripture or besides Scripture touching Scripture and that I shewed was of two sorts eyther touching the authoritie of Scripture or the sense of Scripture Of the authority of Scripture we spake in the last Lecture Now wee are to speake of the sense of Scripture which wee shall be the longer in handling because looke what was wanting in the former point shall be here supplyed Touching this point what authority the Church hath in the sense of Scripture it is as materiall and as difficult a point as the former First as materiall for after we are made acquainted which the letter of Scripture so that we know which are Canonicall bookes written by the Infallible direction of the Holy Ghost and that euery thing contained in them is the vndoubted truth of God wee are still as far to seeke in matters of faith as before till we proceed further and be acquainted with the sense and meaning of Scripture for the Word of God is not so much the letter as the sense and the Scripture is not so much the bare written word as the right meaning and vnderstanding of that which is written That what a man saith is his speech indeed in common acceptation But yet if it bee not taken in the sense hee meanes it he will and may iustly disclaime as none of his speech A mans meaning is contained in his words as the things signified in the signe because words are the signification of our meaning but the subiect of them wherein it properly rests and is seated is the breast of the speaker So the Word of God is in the Scripture as the signe whereby God signifies his meaning but the subiect of them wherein properly the meaning of them restes is in God himselfe so that this is a materiall point to be knowne Secondly it is as difficult a point as the former for after we heare which is the right letter of Scripture it is as difficult to know which is the right sense as before it was to know which was the right letter for the same words sometimes haue diuers significations and one and the same sentence may be vnderstood many wayes and diuers men are of diuers minds expounding one and the same Scripture diuers wayes euery man abounding in his owne sense the true beleeuer expounding it to the maintenance of the true Catholique faith the Heretique to the maintainance of his Heresie Yea among and true beleeuers themselues one interprets the same words to that opinion that he fauours and another to a contrary that he fauours What is to be done in this case The Church is here thrust vpon vs as the onely or chiefest vmpyre in these differences and that alone to be the true sense which shee pronounceth And surely I see not but that the Church may as probably and plausibly challenge authority to deliuer which is the meaning of Scripture as which is the letter of Scripture We haue giuen the Church her due touching the former acknowledging her authority in and about the letter of Scripture but not ouer or aboue it and so God willing we will deale as ingenurously in this concerning the sense of Scripture But yet we will limit and bound it within certaine necessary cautions and limitations And that we may doe so we will handle it by way of Obseruation The Obseruation is this Doct. That howsoeuer the Church hath great authority in expounding Scripture yet she must not expound it as shee list and according to her owne minde but according to Gods minde and the meaning of the Scripture it selfe But say some the Church will not nor cannot expound them Ob. but according to Gods minde and therefore this is a needlesse Obseruation I Answer It is true that the Catholique Church that is Answer the whole company of the faithfull cannot do otherwise But particulâ—r visible Churches may and oft times haue expounded Scripture to their owne minde and not according to Gods minde And therefore it is reason that they should bee thus bounded and limited we will proceed then to the proofes of the obseruation And first I will prooue it by rules And secondly by examples The rules in the Scripture are plaine for this note and that first in generall Esay 8.20 To the law to the Testimony c. whosoeuer is the speaker and whatsoeuer he speakes in matters of God and of Religion and therefore specially in expounding Scripture it must be according to the law and the testimony that is according to the meaning that God intendeth therein and so in the 1 Peter 4.11 the Apostle saith Let him that speakes speake as the words of God that is in Gods sense As in generall all must thus speake Gods Word so specially the Preacher or whosoeuer that takes vpon him to expound Gods Word he must speake it as the Word of God that is not onely for the manner of it reuerently and zealously as becomes the Word of God but for the matter much more that is in the same sense that God himselfe hath spoken it as hee being then in Gods stead and deliuering his message else he speakes his owne words not Gods Secondly more particularly Iohn 5 39. Search the Scripture saith our Sauiour he doth not bide them take the Scriptures and reade them and giue what sense of them they thinke good But he bids them search them that is examine them and consider aduisedly of them lay them rightly together weigh one place wel with another and make diligent inquiry after the sense reach that God intends in them And so we shall find that they are first witnesses of Christ and then that they are helpes to eternall life See it yet more neerely Rom. 12.6 Let vs prophesie according to the proportion of faith saith the Apostle whereby prophecy is expresly meant interpretation of Scripture for so it is taken in the 1 Cor. 14.3.31 and that is to be framed according to the proportion or Analogy of faith which whether it be meant of faith contained in the Creede or of the measure of faith that God hath endued vs with all yet still
follow them not they breake their oath what a snare doe these men intangle themselues in Lastly if they should neuer erre yet to sweare to the words of men is to inthrall our consciences to men which the Lord alone is to haue the command thereof The last practice of theirs here reproued is that when the Church dissents they rely finally on the iudgement of Councells and Popes for the sense of the Scriptures whereas they are all but men and may erre yea and haue erred one of them crossing that which another hath held and therefore we must not tye the Scriptures to mens humours no let God be true and euery man a lyer let Gods Word expound it selfe and let not vs ty it to the interpretation of men though they be neuer so many neuer so holy so learned so painfull or so great in the Church For that may be truely said of Councells and Fathers and without disgrace to the best of them that is spoken of Iohn Baptist Iohn 1.9 that they are not the light but men that beare witnesse of the light Vse 2 The second vse is for Instruction to teach vs what wee are to doe in this case for now that we haue ouerthrowne the error of the aduersaries wee must set vp the truth of God and therefore this teacheth vs warinesse and care and conscience in meddling with the Scripture and the sense thereof for wee must know that God is dishonoured when his word is mistaken and belyed when it is falsely interpreted and wee must know that God is made the author of sinne and heresie when his Word is peruerted to the maintenance thereof and God himselfe is subiected to man when man presumes of himselfe to expound or to tye his meaning to other mens interpretations Briefely it is light life and saluation if it be vnderstood and beleeued aright else it is death and destruction and therefore wee had neede looke well about vs in meddling with the Scripture and the sense thereof and carry our selues warily carefully and conscionably therein And that first in admitting the expositions of others secondly in making expositions of our owne First in admitting the expositions of others wee must not altogether looke into them with other mens eyes but with our owne wee are not to take any expositions vpon any mans or any churches bare word but wee are to examine their grounds and their reasons whereby they are maintained But some may say If I examine their grounds I make my selfe the Iudge of the sense of Scripture and were I not as good rest on the Churches iudgement as mine owne I answere first that if I doe thus yet I doe not properly censure the Scripture but their grounds secondly I answer that any Church or any of the faithfull may iudge of the sense of Scripture that is as being led by it and following it thirdly I say we rest neyther on our owne iudgement nor on the Churches but on the Scriptures and when the Church iudgeth according to them wee must willingly embrace it if shee dissent from them wee may and must make bold to dissent from her wee haue an excellent example in this case for the receiuing of expositions in that holy Father Austin who finding an interpetation of Cyprians a holy man too not so well agreeable to Scripture and another of Liconius an heretike on the same Text more agreeable thereto refused Cyprians exposition though otherwise hee greatly reuerenced him and receiued that of Liconius though otherwise hee knew him to be out of the right way and said Pardon mee Cyprian I must leaue thee heere and take Liconius exposition not because it is his but because it is Gods This is an ingenuous practice and this we must follow we must looke into other mens expositions with our own eyes and examine their grounds and that without respect of persons Secondly in framing expositions of our owne when we come to the Scripture to seeke the sense hereof we must not come as Lords to command but as seruants to obey not as masters to teach what we will haue it say but as schollers to learne what it selfe doth say not as the speaker but as the interpreter to take that which is spoken to our hand And that we may walke vprightly herein and take such a course as is pleasing to God and worthy of the Scripture and beneficiall and comfortable to our selues let vs be ruled by these directions they are very pithy he that is ruled by them God will reueale his meaning to them so far as shall be for their saluation There are some things that we are to be ruled by before we come to expound the Scripture and some things in the exposition of it and some rules we are to obserue after it I labour to make this point plaine because it is a maine difference betwixt vs and the Papists And also because that without the knowledge of the sense of Scripture we cannot be saued First then we are to obserue these directions before we take the Scripture in hand and that is First we must goe to God by prayer wee must begin with God that he may begin with vs and goe on with vs and leade vs safe through to the end of our businesse pray with Dauid Psal 119.18 Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law pray for light and for the grace of illumination of him that is the Father of lights Iames 1.17 for thy selfe art darkenesse and pray to him for wisedome Iames 1.5 for all thine owne wit in this case is foolishnes and pray for the Spirit of God that hee may be present with vs and effectuall vnto vs to instruct direct quicken and teach vs for that which is in vs is but flesh and nature and the naturall man perceiueth not the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 and doubt not but that thou shalt be heard and find good successe for thou hast Gods promise for it Iames 1.5 If any man lacke wisedome let him aske of God and it shall be giuen him Luke 11.13 The second Rule we must be directed by herein is this we must haue a reuerent affection and conscionable respect to the Word wee must consider that it is Gods owne voice one of the holiest things of God a most precious Iewell bestowed on the Church touch it not with vnwashen hands with vnprepared hearts handle it reuerently religiously and charily If we doe thus nothing shall be more profitable vnto vs it shall be life and saluation if not nothing shall bee more dangerous to vs it shall be death and destruction 2 Cor. 2.16 Thirdly be not fore-stalled by preiudice that is doate not vpon some conceipt and be not wedded to thine owne opinion for this will preuent vs of all the good that otherwise we might receiue by the Scripture wee haue an example of this in the Iewes who would not beleeue Iesus Christ to bee the
proportion in like cases Christ himselfe when hee came to teach saluation spake nothing but from the father Iohn 12.49 50. and whatsoeuer the Spirit doth teach hee receiued it from Christ Iohn 16.13 If Christ doe tye himselfe to teach those things and nothing but those things hee receiued from the Father and the Spirit nothing but those things he receiued from Christ then I hope the Church hath not greater liberty in respect of the Scripture then Christ in respect of his Father and the Spirit in respect of Christ Therefore as Christ spake nothing besides that hee heard of his Father and the Spirit nothing but that hee receiued from Christ so by proportion the Church is to speake nothing in matters of saluation besides Scripture Reas 6 Sixthly the Church is to do nothing heerein but by direction and assistance from the Spirit and as it is horrible presumption to say the contrary so the Papists themselues sometimes ingenuously confesse that the Testimony oâ— the truth consists in the holy Ghost and the Prelates iointly so that it is not in the Church alone without the Spirit And what doth the Spirit teach the Church any new Doctrines or Reuelations No but that which Christ hath reuealed before If ye compare Iohn 14.26 with Iohn 16.13 14 15. you shall finde that the holy Ghost whom Christ promiseth to send shall teach all things that Christ hath taught which beâ—ng the same which is in the Scripture then the Spirit teacheth the Church nothing besides Scripture And so the Church is able to decree nothing besides the Scripture because shee is able to doe nothing without the Spirit Lastly when things are decreed by the Church are Reas 7 we to receiue them hand ouer head or vpon tryall and examination If ye say haâ—d ouâ—r head without examination that were a gracelesse speech and vtterly vnlawfull being against the rules of the Word 1 Thess 5.21 Trye all things 1 Iohn 4.1 Trye the Spirits If then they must be receiued vpon tryall and Examination how must they be tryed and by what rule Eyther by the Iudgement of the present Church or by the Scripture If ye say by the Church that were to make her Iudge in her owne cause then it must bee examined by the Scripture as the men of Berea did Paules Doctrine Act 17.11 they searched the Scriptures daily whether the things were so as he taught So the things the Church decrees must bee tryed by Scripture and if that cannot approue them as being not there found they are to be reiected and the authority of the Church in imposing them to be disclaimed So we see in reason that the Church hath no power nor authority to decree anything or matter of substance in Religion â—yth 〈◊〉 faith oâ— for obedience without or besides Scripâ—â—â— The â—irst vs◠〈…〉 of reproofe of sundry Popish practises and positions not to name all For indeede if this point be well vnderstood it razeth and ouer throweth the very foundation of Popery Here then we see first that the Church cannot coyne any new Articles of faith why is any man so gracelesse to doe so yes the Papists doe so And howsoeuer many of them will not seeme to fauour it in word yet their practise makes them guilty of it Pope Pius the fourth propounds a Creede and tyes his children the Papists to it wherein after hee had set downe the twelue articles contained in the Nicene Creede he addeth twelue more of his owne concerning traditions Purgatory c. And these hee will haue acknowledged and vndoubtedly beleeued as the former and is not this to coyne new articles of faith Ob. But say they why may not we doe so as well as you that haue your articles of Religion and all reformed Churches haue their seuerall confessions wherein there are many things besides those in the Creede and yet professed and beleeued Answ as well as they I Answer It is not a like comparison for we though we doe beleeue many things that are not in the Creede yet wee beleeue nothing besides Scripture and that which is soundly proued by Scripture is to be beleeued as well as that in the Creede But theirs are such for the most part as haue little or no shew of Scripture for them but are matters besides Scriptures which they obtrude on the people meerely or at least principally by the authority of the Church But hath the Church then no authority about Articles of Faith newly to be made I Answer No But onely as thus if any article hath beene neglected obscured and layen hidden in former times the places of Scripture whereon it is grounded being not well vnderstood then the Church hath power to declare and publish it vpon the better vnderstanding of such places as it is proued by And this is not to make new articles of faith but to reuiue and renew those that were before and that not beside the word but with and by the word This may be cleared by an Instance The article of Iustification by Faith had lyen hidden for many yeeres before Christ came but when Christ and his Apostles came they reuiued it and yet made no new article of it but the same that was taught from the beginning of the world to come neerer home After that this doctrine was againe obscured lay hid for many yeeres till it pleased God to raise vp Luther and others which brought it forth to that cleare light that it was in in the Apostles times And is this to make new articles No but to reuiue and to bring to light that which had lyen hid a long time And thus far the Church may goe and no further The second Position is this that the Church cannot make any booke to be Canonicall Scripture which is not so of it selfe For this is to ordaine and decree matters of substance in Religion besides Scripture But do the Papists doe this yes they doe and therefore are here to bee reproued for it as being vtterly vnlawfull for them so to doe For first the number of Canonicall bookes are certaine as themselues confesse and therefore no authority can admit more Secondly if the Church hath power to make bookes that are Apocrypha Canonicall then also shee hath power aswell to reiect some that are Canonicall for hee that hath power to build hath also power to destroy And what were this but for the Church to mayme and mangle the Booke of God as shee list her selfe what an horrible wrong were this to God Thirdly the sheepe of Christ heare his voice they doe not make or frame it Lastly as a Gold smith takes a peece of gold and tries it whether it bee right or counterfeit by the touch stone and before he finds it to be true Gold he doth not make it true Gold for if he finde it to be counterfeit all the Gold smiths that are cannot make it true so must the Church cry which are Canonicall
bookes by the Scripture and not make any so of her selfe for this she cannot doe The third Position is this That as the Church cannot make any booke Canonicall which is not so of it selfe for she hath no power to deuise adde diminish or alter any part of Gods worship outward passages of Gods worship are much in her power as we shall see hereafter but that she may ordaine any part of his worship besides Scripture or affixe remission of sins or other supernaturall effects to the obseruations and ceremonies which she deuiseth all this is but will-worship hatefull to God and expresly forbidden Col. 2.23 Intolerable hath beene the presumption of the Church of Rome in both these For first they haue ordained besides Scripture Images satisfactons new Sacraments new intercessours new propitiatory sacrifices and sundry other parts of Gods worship and seruice Secondly euen to ceremonies of their owne deuising as to crossings processions ringing of Bels pennance and such like they haue ascribed forgiuenes of sinnes driuing away of Deuils and such like gracious effects wherein consists no small part of Gods worship The fourth point is concerning the customes of the Church custome we know preuailes much in matter of practice and many times they are very approuable and not to be varyed from but vpon good occasion yet in matters of Religion yeelding to customes hath bred much inconuenience as wee see amongst vs profaning the Sabbath by playing and walking in the streets and in the fields after the exercises is growen to such a custome as that men thinke it no sinne and so in other things And to speake plainely customes are but a carnall motiue apt to ouer sway the naturall man but of themselues besides Scripture they are no spirituall motiues to the true Beleeuer The ancient fathers tye vp customes in Religion thus short that they must be agreable to the truth so that where truth and customes agree there they are to be admitted else to be reiected Now what is truth Our Sauiour saith Gods Word is truth Iohn 17 17. then if there be any customes in matters of Religion besides the Scriptures which are the truth they must be abolished euen by the Iudgement of the Fathers whom the Papists would seeme to alleadge for these things yea but say they the Apostle Paul alleadgeth custome 1 Cor. 11.16 but how doth he alleadgeth them Against contentions because contentions are against the Word of God so that custome besides Scripture is nothing worth The last point is for matter of traditions Traditions are one mine Piller of Popery and if they leaue them once they will quickly leaue their Religion too Now if we vnderstand traditions in a general sense It intends the whole Doctrine of Saluation which from time to time hath beene deliuered from the fore fathers to the children of the Church And so we willingly embrace traditions as being the Doctrine contained in the word and so the speeches of many of the ancients are to bee expounded and doe make for traditions But in the particular sense as the Popish Church intends them that is vnwritten verities and matters besides Scripture then so there is no building on them If they be verities it is more then we know and being vnwritten we haue no warrant to receiue them to his point we say first eyther there were no such traditions at all or secondly if there were yet they were needlesse considering the sufficiency of the Scripture thirdly if they were needfull yet they were vncertaine lastly if they were certaine yet certainely they were but the words of men and not certainely the word of God First eyther there were none at all I meane for matter of substance yes say they for substance ye haue something by tradition as the Baptisme of Infants the change of the Sabbath and that so many bookes are Canonicall Scripture c. We Answer wee haue not these by tradition for they may sufficiently be proued by good consequence out of the Scripture As first for the Baptisme of Infants we haue the example of our Sauiour in Marke 10.14 And secondly for the Canon of Scripture we haue that place 2 Tim. 3.16 the whole Scripture is giuen by Inspiration from God c. yea but what place in the word saith that so many bookes are Canonicall I Answer euery booke beares witnesse of it selfe and this place of them all that they are Canonicall Thirdly for the change of the Sabbath we haue Reu. 1.10 where it is called the Lords day so that we haue Scripture enough for these things to satisfie an humble minded man that is not contentious Secondly if there were any such yet they were needlesse for supposing the sufficiency of Scripture which we haue proued before what neede vnwritten traditions besides Scripture Indeed before the Word of saluation was committed to writing It was needfull that it should be deliuered by word of mouth from man to man but the word being now written and hauing beene now written these 1610. yeeres and as much written as euer shall be what haue we to doe with traditions besides Scripture Thirdly if they were necessary yet they are vncertaine for how shall I know that the Apostles deliuered ought by tradition or that the Churches after them be they either de facto or de iure For that which is alleadged from the Apostle in the 2 Thess 2.15 keepe the Instructions yee haue bin taught eyther by word or by Epistle whereupon they say the Apostle left traditions and Epistle I Answere these words doe not imply any diuersity in the things he taught but onely in the manner of deliuery looke what he preacht he writte And whatsoeuer can be alleaged for the Churches after them is but the testimony of man we must know it by history and what certainety is there in that to repose my Saluation vpon Lastly if they were certaine yet all this while they were but certaine the traditions of men and certainely not the Word of God And therefore here is the damnable presumption of the Papists that they by name call them the Word of God vnwritten equall them both in authority to binde the conscience in necessity to be beleeued and obeyed with the written word common sence and reason which is endued but with the least touch of Religion will easily decide this controuersie If we adde heere to determination of councels consent of fathers decrees of Popes and other patches and faynings of Popish Religion the conclusion must be this that either there were none such or if there were they were not beside Scripture but according to it or else if they were besides Scripture then they were no matter of substances nor Saluation nor to be receiued as such The second Vse is for Instruction to teach vs what Vse 2 it is that our faith must be framed by and what euery truth is to be tryed by And that is
the Scripture the written Word of God and nothing else The Scripture is the onely rule of Faith and of obedience what it teacheth must onely be beleeued and what it commands must onely be obeyed and nothing else as necessary to saluation And generally all Churches acknowledge the Scripture to be the canon yea the Popish Church to his day retaines the name though they cast it out at the backgate yet at the foregate they take it in the Canon that is as much to say as the rule Now what is to be done with a rule All things are to be fitted to it and not it to any thing Carpenters and Masons they fitte their tymber and stone to the rule and not the rule to the tymber or stone so then the Scripture being the rule whatsoeuer is to be beleeued or obeyed must be squared by it and looke how much it comes short or goes beyond or misseth on this hand or that of the rule so much it comes short of true sauing faith and obedience and so much wee goe out of the way of Saluation therefore cast away all other measures as crooked traditions customes c. and sticke fast onely to this rule as to the perfect square of all Religion we must put nothing to Gods Word nor take ought there from this the Lord himselfe commands Deut. 4.2 and 5.32.35 Secondly as this is the rule of faith so it is the tryall of euery truth the Scripture is the onely touch stone of truth if Paul teach the truth it must be tryed by the Scriptures Act 17.11 Let heathen men bring their Paganisme the Turcks their Alcoran the Iewes their Talmud the Papists their Catechismes councels customes and traditions to this touchstone and this this will shew them all to be starke counterfeits very drosse and filth not worthy to be once looked after much lesse to bee esteemed the pretious golden truth of God that soules should be saued by Lastly yet mistake not as to thinke that all matters of substance and saluation were expresly in the word that is by name and in so many words as we are to apprehend it but at least by consequence and to be deducted by sound and sanctified reason applying it to the circumstances of the Text and to the analogy of faith And so we haue finished those things that concerne matters of substance Wee come in the next place to matters of circumstance and these are of two sorts either miracles or discipline either miracles for indeed it is a part of the power of the Catholique visible Church as it containes altogether from the Apostles themselues downe to our times for with them it was an ordinary thing to doe miracles Matth. 10.1 Our Sauiour gaue them power against vncleane Spirits to cast them out c and Marke 16.17 and 1 Cor. 12.9.10 to another is giuen the the guifts of healing to another the operation of great workes by the same Spirit And it was very necessary at the first planting of the Gospell that they should haue this power for the confirming of their office and authority that planted it but now there is no vse of miracles their Doctrine and writings being sufficiently confirmed already and therefore that power is restrained and what Church soeuer challengeth this power may iustly be censured for Anti-christian spoken of in the 2 Thes 2.9 Secondly or Discipline and that is of two sorts either matter of Gouernement or matter of Ceremonies of the first wee haue spoken already of the second wee will speake a word by Ceremonies we vnderstand the time place and gesture to be obserued in Gods worship and seruice we will contriue the whole businesse into this obseruation Euery particular visible Church hath power from God to ordaine some outward Rites and Ceremonies for the outward carriage of Gods worship within that Church or Congregation Marke the parts of the Note Doct. First I say euery visible Church for the inuisible not being contained within the bounds of any one setled outward state can haue no such orders Secondly I say particular for besides that a generall visible Church cannot so be properly assigned to a place and if it were yet being of so large an extent as commonly it is it cannot be brought within the compasse of the same outward Rites Thirdly I say hath power from God to ordaine Ceretaine Rites Fourthly I say for the outward carriage of Church businesse for they haue nothing to doe with the Inward man Fifthly I say they must be within that particular Church for one Church is not to prescribe another what they should doe except their case be very like and that there be a willingnesse in the Receiuer So the Note is cleare we come to the proofes Acts 15.1 2. In the Church of Antioch there was a matter in question as touching Circumcision an outward Ceremony the Apostles being then at Ierusalem were by the consent of the Church of Antioch consulted withall about it and accordingly they deliuer their iudgement in the 23. verse c. And therein shew their power and consequently the power of the Church after them for the causes being perpetuall the course must be perpetuall too and they shew their power both in disanulling some Ceremonies as Circumcision vers 10. as abstaming from meat offered to Idolls and blood verse 20. which were certainely things in their owne nature indifferent as the Apostle shewes of meats 1 Corinth 8.8 And yet all this they did with the assistance of the holy Ghost verse 28. and that onely in things needfull as in the same verse and this they did not so much for the thing it selfe but for the auoyding of offence And so in the 1 Cor. 11.2 c. where the Apostle mentions the ordinances which hee had deliuered them already which are generally vnderstood of matters of order and decency and the circumstances make it plaine enough for after verse 3 c. he deliuers them other ordinances keepe which hee had not deliuered them before concerning the vncouering of the mans head and the couering of the womans head which were things indifferent in themselues yet for comlinesse sake hee doth there inioyne them and verse 20 c. hee deliuers certaine other ordinances concerning the outward carriage of Gods worship in the Lords Supper as their tarrying one for another eating before c. verse 33.34 And whereas many other things were out of frame with them he promiseth in the end of 34. verse to order the rest at his comming to them where it is cleare that the ordering of things concerning the outward carriage of Gods worship is in the power of the Church it selfe for still the Rule holds that the disease continuing alwaies requires a continuall reamedy from time to time So in the 1. Cor 14.26 40. The Apostle would haue all things done decently and in order hee giues them this generall rule for matters of Ceremony and they must draw particulars accordingly
though they liue vnder the miserable slauery of the Turke yet are to bee accounted true visible Churches we will take our patterne by that of Constantinople where there is a Patriarke at this day who hath answered the Obiections both of the Protestants and Papists to their Religion Now there is a true Church First because they affirme the foundation and euery part thereof Secondly their errors doe not directly ouerthrow the foundation nor any part thereof For the first they hould so much of the right Catholique faith as may iustly intitle them to the name of a true Church The whole Creede that we professe they retaine also In the interpretation of some points they differ somewhat from vs but in the maine substance they agree holding the foundation firme and sure Christ Iesus God and man the onely Sauiour of the world c. they renounce the head-ship of the Pope and many other points of Popish Religion They submit themselues to the direction of Scripture though the interpretation thereof they would fetch most willingly from their predecessours the Greeke fathers of whom some being more sound others lesse their Religion is not so sincere as it should Therefore the second part of the proofe is whether their errors be such as directly ouerthrow the foundation or any part thereof They are tainted with the errors of free will Intercession of Saints and Transubstantiation and some other Popish opinions which yet they doe not maintaine altogether so obstinately as the Romish church doth But their maine error is their denying of the holy Ghost to proceede from the Sonne from the Father they acknowledge and by the Sonne but from the Sonne this they expresly deny Now wee know that the Doctrine of the maiestie of God himselfe in his nature and in his persons is a most profound and principall point in Religion and very warily to be considered of Euery error therein being dangerous and fearefull and neere to blasphemy And this very error happly if it be throughly sifted will be proued to ouerthrow by consequence the foundation yet seeing first it doth not directly ouerthrow any part of it and seeing secondly wee heare they doe not eyther absolutely oppose herein to the knowne truth or omit the search of Scripture for it but professe that vpon playner euidence of Scripture they will yeeld And thirdly seeing they hold the foundation and euery part thereof in expresse words we dare hardly charge them for hereticall Churches much lesse to bee no true visible Churches at all but that men liuing in those Churches beleeuing otherwise aright in Christ crucified and repenting of their manifold errors and ignorances may be all saued vndoubtedly Vse 1 The Vses of this point are these first it is matter of reproofe And first of the Papists and that in two points first in that they presuming the Church of Rome to be the onely true visible Church affirme that no Church is a true visible Church but they that are subiect to the Pope and haue him to bee their head we see here that these are true Churches and better then the Popish Church and yet are farre from his Iurisdiction yea they hate and defie it so that their definition of a true visible Church is false when they say that there is no true Church but that which is gathered vnder the head-ship of the Pope whereas the Greeke Churches as we see are true Churches and yet not gathered vnder that heade It is true that in former times A Patriarke of Constantinople did in ambition seeke the title of head or vniuersall Bishop And the Pope of Rome at that time withstood him saying that whosoeuer tooke vpon him that title should be the forerunner of Antichrist and it proued true for not long after one that succeeded that Pope tooke this title vpon him and was indeede Antichrist I say that a Patriarke in ambition sought it but now he is brought low enough his head is vnder the yoke of the Turke the Aduersary of Gods Church who then thought to be the head of all Churches But though he missed of that the Church still continued a true visible Church is so to this day and yet neuer acknowledged the Pope to be their head Secondly it meetes with them for their vncharitable censuring of these Churches as no true Churches of God They are both hereticall Schismatical say they what if they were so yet still they may be true Churches as wee shewed before For Heresie as I will not precisely condemne them so neither can I altogether acquitte them but as for Schisme they are guilty of none But only they are rent from the Romish Church in particular so that here is the quarrell because they doe not submit their necks vnder the Popes yoke And seeing they and euery particular church is a body within itselfe as that of Rome I see no reason that their estate should be iudged Schismaticall except they had departed when they had beene members of that Church but they were neuer subiect to the Church of Rome One thing there is found in these Greeke Churches which the Papists take in their state to bee a chiefe note of the Church and that is Succession of Bishops which is as currant in the Church of Constantinople and Alexandria as in Rome euen from the Apostles times Succession in Rome is a certaine note and marke of a true visible Church and there is as good Succession in the Greeke Churches as at Rome and yet they say they are no Churches at all eyther let them disclaime this in the one or acknowledge it in the other I am perswaded that the Lord hath preserued this succession in the Greeke Churches of purpose to abate the pride of the Romane Church building so directly vpon that allegation It would else haue beene a farre more colourable plea to the naturall man but they denying the force of the Vse 2 reason in others doe plainely answere themselues The second Vse teacheth vs the great goodnesse of God and the care he hath in the preseruation of his Church these Greeke Churches haue liued many a hundred yeeres vnder the gouernment and slauery of the Turke that bought and sould them and their children and amongst the Professours of Mahomet the foulest Idoll that the world affords In regard of gouernment they liue vnder what a heauy yoke is it what a bloudy seruice how many persecutions disgraces indignities taxes and oppressions horrible wrongs and miserable slaueries doe they vndergoe They are bought sould imprisoned and put to death It cannot be spoken what slauery they liue in And yet behould God hath vpheld his Church amongst them all to this day I dare say that Israels preseruation vnder the bondage of Egypt so many hundred yeeres was not more miraculous then this of these Christians vnder the Turks So likewise in regard of the Religion of those that they are mixt with it is an heauy yoke
What things are to be warranted Warrants for the cautions conditions and carriage of the businesse are First more principall Secondly inferâ—our warrant Second head and in it fiue Rules The second Rule That is vncomely in one place which is decent in another What is to be reputed decent Order extends it selfe to two things First to things to be done Secondly to persons The third Rule Three wayes how peace is indangered The fourth Rule Three wayes how this rule is broken The fifth Rule The third head and that is the end And there be two kinds of them Two graces necessary for this First wisedome Secondly love When this Rule is swerved from Instances in divers duties Proofes are here vsed because omitted before The sixth generall things concerning the Church viz. the priuiledges of it In this head two points handled 1 handled by way of obseruation Reasons 2 things handled viz. the priuiledges of Church and they be of two sorts 1 humane 2 diâ—r these â—uers sorts generally of two sorts 1. In respect of others both friends and enemies 2. In respect of themselues 1 temporall priuiledges 2. Spirituall priuiledges theseâ— of two sorts 1 common to all the members 2. proper to the true Beleeuers and these of two sorts 1. matters of present possession of diuers kindes 4 The workes God doth for the faithfull 2. matters of future certainties 2. other speciall priuileges added and intreated on 1. concerning the infallibe guidance of the Church by Gods Spirit and so whether the Church can erre or no either in manners or in Doctrine or in both or in neyther Errors of foure sorts 1. what a fundamentall Errors is Errors in smaller matters what they be Difference btwâ—eene them that erre in the foundation and them that erre in smaller matters The second thing is concerning the necessity of being a member of the Church if euer wee will attaine saluation and so whether any may be saued out of the Church or no. Extra fidem Ecclesiae Morn 451. The seuenth generall head in the doctrin of the church viz. the aduersaries and opposites of it This handled in 5. point â— Th◠〈…〉 that the Church of God hath many Aduersaries to oppose it deliuered in a Doctrine Stiâ—ting vp to many duties The second point what these aduersaries are and they are many 2. sort 3. sort 4. sort 5. sort 6. sort 7. sort 8. sort 9. sort 10. sort 11. sort 12. sort Vse 3. The third point which is how these Aduersaries oppose vs. The matter they strike at 1 against the persons of professors 2 against their profession The manner of their opposition â— secretly 2. openâ— 3. The means or weapons wherby they fight against Gods Children 1 carnall reasons and therein 2. Religious pretences and herein 1. Scriptures 2. that they are the Church 3. miracles 3. more grosse dealing The 4. point how the Church is to carry her selfe to her aduersaries 2. things to be done that we may be able to make a good fight What is to be done in it and therein 2. things The 2 worke to be done 2 thing how it is to be done The 5 point how the Lord carrieth himselfe to his Church and their aduersaries How God is with the saith full in many respects How God is against the enemies his Church many waies Vse 2. The 8. generall head of the Church viz. the power and auhority of it And in it 3. things to be spoken vnto 1. that there is a power 2. point what manner of power it is and in it things asserted 1 that it is not humane but diuine How we may know when the Church speakes true or false Two things asserted that power of the Church is not temporal but spirituall The 3. thing asserted that the Power of the Church is limited and scantled within the bounds of the Word The 4. thing asserted that the power of the Church is the greatest power on earth Kings are vnder the power of the Church though they be aboue the persons that exercise it The 3 point is what it is that the Church haue power in it is double 1. ouer persons and that 1 either as members either not come in to admitte Who are to be admitted The Act and meanes of admission This not to be renued vpon any falling away How far the Magistrate may compell Or to repell them Or secondly as come in to keepe them in or cast them out Or thirdly ouer members as Officers to choose or refuse place or displace Secondly the Church hath power ouer things and these either matters of substance as touching the Scripture and therein first touching the credit of the Scripture And herein whether the authority of Church bee greater then the authority of the Spripture Bellarmy de Verbo Dei interpret 246. The blasphemous speeches of the Papists concerning the Scripture without the approbation of the church The Church of Rome is that whore of Babilon The best positions of the Papists in this controuersie Answered How the Church is to be beleeued and obeyed Answered Reasons against it Reply How we must esteeme of the Scriptures How we must esteeme of the Church 4. Wayes how we may know the scripture to be the Scripture 6 Rules concerning our beleeuing what the Church saith of the authority of the Scripture The second thing the Church hath power in about the Scripture is thâ— sense of it and how farre it hath power therein Hieron in Epist ad Gelat cap. 1. Reprouing first the opinion of the Papists The Scriptures speake and haue a voyce How the Church is the mouth of the Scripture The Scripture not dumbe Secondly their practice first in regard of the vulgar latine translation imposed by them as the authenticall Text. Secondly in that all their Expositors are slaues and vassalls to their Church Thirdly in regard of the oath which generally all Papists recâ—ue concerning the exposition of the Scripture The Fathers doe all generally concur and yet misse in the right expounding of the Scriptures Fourthly in that they rely vpon the iudgements of Councells and the Popeâ— in case the Church dissent First other mens and the Churches expositions are to be examined by vs. Ob. Answer 1. Rectract lib. cap. 18. Secondly in framing expositions of our owne we must come not as masters to teach but as schollers to learne to the Scriptures Directions to walke and be ruled by when wee seeke the sense of the Scripture they are of three sortes 1 some before wee come to expound the Scripture they are 7. Things to be obserued in the businesse it selfe How we may consulie with Gods Spirit What is the analogie of faith Things to be doue after Diuers obiections against this doctrine Ob. 2. Ob 5. Of the authority of the Church in matters besides the Scriptures and what is to be held therein The places that proue this are of foure sorts First such as ascribe thâ—s authority to God alone Secondly such as commend
vnto vs the sufficiency Scripâ— Thirdly such as forbid any addition to or detraction from the Scripture Fourthly such as condemne all Doctrine taught either without or besides the Scripture Rhemists 15 Acts â— The Papists say the church may coyne new articles of faith What authority the Church hath about articles of Faith Hyper 6â— Hyper 54. Secondly that the Church make any booke to bee Canonicall Scripture Which the Papists hould this confuted by diuers reasons Thirdly that the Church hath power to deuise adde diminish or alter any part of Gods worship which the Church of Rome hath done prooued by diuerse things Fourthly concerning customes The fathers iudgement concerning customes Fifthly concerning traditions How and in what sense tradition is to bee receiued Answers to the Popish tenent concerning tradititions Answer 1. Ob. Answer wherin is shewed that the Baptisme of Infants the change of the Sabbath and that so many bookes are Canonicall Scripture and are not had by tradition but proued by good consequence out of the Scripture Answ 2. Answ 3. Their proofe out of 2 Thes 2.15 Answe Answ 4. The scripture the so onely rule of saith acknowledged to bee by all Churches generally Secondly the Scripture is the onely tryall of euery truth How euery matter of substance is to be found in the Scripture Concerning Churches power in matters of circumstance and they are of two sortes one of miracles and what is to be helde concerning the same Secondly of discipline and this is of two sorts either matter of dâ—scipline which is spoken of before or secondly matter of ceremonies and what the church hath power to doe therein The bounds the Church is to keepe in ordaining matters of ceremony 1. 2. Vse 2. 1. The ninth generall point concerning the Church viz. the application of all that hath bin spoken to all visible Churches in christendome that I know of The generall diuision of all churches that haue beene or are since our Sauiours time into Easterne and WesteÌ„rne and this according to their scâ—tuation Secondly according to their language and so some be greek and some latin Churches VVhether Schismaticall or hereticall Churches may be accounted true visible Churches What a Schismatike church is Hereticall Churches First what they are and when any particular man is to be reputed an Heretike Heresies of 2. sorts first such as ouerthrow the foundation What this fundation is Resol Those that deny directly this foundation or any part thereof cease to bee Christians and are no more visible Churcher The Greeke Churches be here spoken of and what weare to thinke of them 1. of the Greeke Churches generally disperse in most at the Easterne parts of the world Ortelius 100. Ortelius 97. 98. 108. Secondly the Greeke Churches which are more particularly and properly so called and what we are to hold of them deliuered in an obseruation Doct. The mayne error of the Greeke Churches The Greeke Churches better then the Popish-Church The Papists vnchatarible censuring the Greeke Churches answered The Greeke Churches not guâ—lty of Schisme from Rome The Greeke Churches neuer subiect to the Romane Church One note of the Church as the Papists account it is found in the Greeke Church viz succession of Bishops The goodnes of God in perseruing of his Churches seene in the Greeke Churches vnder the Turke The miseries of the Greeke Church vnder the Turke in many particulars in regard of their persecutions in regard of the Religion of the Turks The Religion of the Turks 1. a pestilent Religion directly opposite to Christ 2. It ouerspreadeth a great part of the knowne world 3. It is a pleasing Religion For what it was that the Lord suffered such famous Churches to come to ruine applied to vs. The Western churches and first of those that acknowledge the Pope their head as the Church of Rome and those that hold with her and what maâ— be said and held of her deliuered in two obseruations The church of Rome as now it standeth may in some sense be reputed a true visible Church A differenâ—e betweene the papacy or the popâ—sh â—action and some better spirits amongst them in regard of whom the whole may be called a true Church The popish church doth not directly deny any part of the fundation but in outward shew of words affirme it The church of Rome hath beene a true Church The Papists by their Doctrine of iustification by workes must ouerthrow the foundation they by this ouer throw Christ not directly but by consequence Quest Answ It is not so great a sin to deny Christ directly as by consequence yet hee that doth this deserueth to be cut off from Gods mercy The Church of Rome compared with the Church of Israel 2. with the Church of the Iewes in our Sauiours times With the Church of Galatia Circumcision doth as neerely by consequence cut off from Christ as iustification by workes with the of Church Sardis Baptisme a true Sacrament in Rome and rightly administred there for the substance of it Those that were Baptised in the Church of Rome were lawfully Baptised Ob 1. Answ Ob. 2. Answ The ordinati of our Ministers from the Church of Rome and yet a lawfull ordination The question where the Church was before Luthers time answered The inconuenience preuented by acknowledging that the Church of Rome may be accounted a true Church What to thinke of our fathers that liued in the Popish Church They of the Popish Chuâ—ch are to â—e â—udâ—ed rather mis-beleeuers then vnbeleeuers The 2. Obseruation wherein is further delired what may be sayd and held further of the church of Rome The Church of Rome so corrupt that it is not lawfull to ioyne with her This that is spoken against thee is in respect of the Pope and Popish factors Corruption of the Church of Rome reduced to 2. sorts 1. matter of Doctrine reduced to 1. part of the Doctrine Foure heads 1 concerning Scriptures And their error therein Three things 1 denying the sufficiency of the Scripture 2 Perâ—erting the truth of the Scripture 3 Disanulling the authorâ—ty and credit of the Scripture many wayes 1 teaching the apochryphaâ—l bookes to be canonicall Scripture Secondly equalling traditions of men with the written word of God Thirdly preferring the authority of the Church aboue the Scripture Two heads wherein they orre in matter of Doctrine viz concerning the direct offices of the Mediator The Papists say there bee many mediators betwixt God and man The distinction of mediators of intercession and redemption answered Two things in a Mediator To be mediator of intercession is peculiar to Christ as well as to be mediator of redemption The popish shâ—ft off praying to the Saints not as helpers but as intercessor Answered The popish reason for praying to the Saints departed drawn from our desiâ—ing the Saints on earth to pray for vs Answered The third head wherein the church of Rome erreth in doctrine and that is concerning Images The church of Rome an abominable whore deseruing
businesse My purpose is therfore God willing to trauerse this whole controuersie so farre as strength and time and your capacitie will permit and so farre as I conceiue I will deale plainly and simply and indifferently without preiudice to the Aduersaries Cause or partialitie to our owne cause without traducing them or flattering our selues nor will I wittingly conceale any of Gods Truth from you vpon any sinister affection or respect whatsoeuer It is your duty also to trauell with me in this businesse faithfully and conscionably both by prayer to God and all other our best endeauours with this reach alwaies in our eye that euery one of vs be found members euen of the Church liuing members euen of the true Church of God for as it is of riches it is comfortable speaking of them when wee haue a part in them so it is of the Church much more It is sweet and comfortable to speake of it then when we know ourselues to haue our parts therein And thus much for the Introduction to prepare vs to the religious and sanctified handling of the question Now we come to the question it selfe in the handling whereof first some generall Points art to bee laid downe secondly we are to come to the particular matter The generall Points are these First of the name secondly of the titles thirdly of the nature fourthly of the diuision of the true Church and so wee will make a passage into the true visible Church First we wil begin with the name Church is a word that we haue at the second hand from the Saxons for they call'd it Kirke the very ancient sound and pronunciation wherof many of our Nation in the Northerne parts retaine to this day but it seemes to be fetcht originally from the Greeke for as they call the Sabbath day the time wherein God is worshiped 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords that is the Lords day Reuel 1.10 so the place too for the Lords publike seruice Musc 555. Bulling But this is not so vsed in the Scriptures and therefore seeing wee are to speake of religious matters it is good to speake as the Scripture speakes we will therefore insist onely vpon the name that the Scripture expresseth it by In the former Testament the Originall signifies a Company or Congregation as in Exod. 16.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 33.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when it is so called it is intended by way of excellency of the Church as that being the assembly of assemblies the most excellent Assembly in the World In the new Testament it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Matth. 16 18. which signifies a calling or a company called forth from amongst the rest according to the custome of the Athenians where certaine men were called forth by the voyce of a Cryer from the rest by some speciall meeting and businesse and so the holy Ghost seemes to translate it from a ciuill sense and vse to a religious intending another manner of Cryer and calling then was in Athens And it doth not only signifie the company so called but also the place where they are assembled for publike and religious exercises which I cannot say that it so signifies in Scripture but in vse of speech amongst vs and in some Ecclesiasticall Histories Piscat on 1. Cor. 11.18 22. Muscul pag. 556. Hyper. Method 527. 528. When God tyed his presence to a materiall building as in the former Testament the Temple might more properly be called the Church but now that hee is tyed to a spirituall building onely which are the faithfull it is not so properly called so but yet Synagogue signifies as well the place as the company Luk. 7 5. And by a figure we may call the place by the name of that it containes This I speake to iustifie the vse of the word Church amongst vs though as I said I cannot see that it signifies so in Scripture The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Congregation intends in the sence of the holy Ghost three things first that there is a company of them whether many or few there must be a congregation secondly they must have vsuall and solemne meetings for the publike worship and service of God Thirdly that the Lord himselfe hath called them to bee of this assembly and to performe this duty and this last is the maine and principall thing intended in this word Doctr. And from hence from the name of the Church I will draw this obseruation namely That those which are of the Church are called forth of God from amongst the rest to the knowledge and obedience of his will To open the way to the easier and fuller vnderstanding of the point we must consider and make some discourse of callings this word is vsed much in Scripture and hath diuers significations Wee will make foure diuisions of Callings First there is a generall calling and a particular calling Secondly there is an extraordinary and an ordinary calling Thirdly there is an inward and an outward calling Fourthly there is an effectuall and a not effectuall calling First there is a generall and a particular calling A generall that is when God doth proffer the meanes of saluation to a whole Citie or a Nation or to the whole world as it is Act. 17.30 but now God admonisheth all men euery where to repent or else when God onely giues to some particular men some generall or confused notice of sauing grace A particular calling is when God tenders occasions and a meanes of grace in some particular manner to some particular persons comming neerer to sinne and dealing more directly with sinne Examples wee haue of this Psal 31.6 Dauid saith thou hast taught me wisedome in the secret of mine heart And such a calling had the Iaylor Act. 16.31 there God deales particularly and directly with sin Beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued Now if this particular Calling bee apprehended and layd hold upon when God tenders it then we are saued if not it increaseth our condemnation The second diuision of Callings is extraordinary and ordinary Extraordinary calling is when God calls men euen many times without meanes or by some by-meanes or by weake meanes not tending or at least not sufficient vsually to such effects or else by some rare and strange meanes as when Paul was called by a voyce from heauen Act. 9.3 An ordinary calling is when the means time place and effect of grace is such as they are vsually wont to bee in that case if any of them be away it is extraordinary in that respect yet if the meanes be ordinary that is the preaching of the Word the calling is ordinary too because God ordinarily seconds the preaching of his Word with the worke of the Spirit as we may see Act. 10.44 while Peter yet spake the Word the holy Ghost fell on all them that heard him and Act.
for these Reasons first many of the Church are chosen that are not yet called as Paul an Elect vessell before his conuersion and yet not called and so all the Elect before their conuersion nay many are chosen that shall neuer be called as the Angels which belong to the Church too and are a part of it And therefore the Church in the nature of it is to be described by their choosing and not by their Calling Secondly many are Called that are not chosen so saith our Sauiour and therefore if we should describe them by their Calling we should make such to be of the nature of the true Church which are not chosen and so are no true members of Christ nor shall euer enter into the heauenly Ierusalem Thirdly those which are chosen are called too their Election and chusing is the cause of their Calling and not their Calling the cause of their chusing Rom 8.30 whom he predestinated them also hee called Therefore in these respects it is fittest and most agreeable to the nature of the Church to be described by their election rather then by their Calling And so much of the first part of the Description namely the efficient Cause of their being The second thing they are described by is their number the whole company c. Which wee musâ— vnderstand thus First that all that are of the Church are God chosen and none else and that all that are chosen are of the Church none excluded as who should say the whole company of Gods chosen all these and none but these Here may be an exception made for you will say Are the elect of the Church before they are Called Yes sure in the purpose and account of God though they bee not so in their owne account nor in the account of thâ— World though they be not as yet actually assembled to the Church yet they are in the way and first or last they shall certainely haue an effectuall Calling whereby they shall bee made actually of the Church both in faith and in their owne knowledge and account And secondly we must vnderstand that all those together make vp one Church the whole Company of God Choseâ—â—s his Church as they are considered all together as members of one body and incorporated into one societie or Company and not as they are members apart And also so â—ll togâ—â—her as that all the chosen of all times and places and kinds make vp one only Church So much of the second part the number they are described by The third thing they are described by is the places where they are in heauen and in earth And so we do first fetch in all Gods Saints whether liuing or departed whether fighting on earth or triumphing in heauen As also secondly the Angels that haue kept their habitation in heauen are all comprehended together as so many seuerall parts of the Church to make vp the whole Body So yee haue the particular heads of the Description expounded and inlarged the whole company of Gods chosen in heauen and in earth Now that the holy Angels are parts of the true Church because yee shall not thinke that it is a deuise of mine owne braine yee shall see that the Apostle vseth the same words Eph. 1.10 That in the fulnesse of time he might gather together in one all things both which are in heauen and which are in earth And Eph. 3.15 Of whom is named the whole family both in heauen and in earth And Col. 1.20 To reconcile to himself through him I say all things which are in heauen and which are in earth All which places must be vnderstood not onely of the Saints departed that rest in heauen but also with reference to the holy Angels in heauen that fell not who hauing a benefit by Christ the mediator as well as wee are therefore to be seated with vs in the society and body of the Church Doctr. Now to make this matter more plaine I will draw it into an obseruation and that is this Namely That the holy Angels that kept their first estate are parts and members of the true Church as well as we are The Scripture is plaine for this First in expresse wordes secondly by necessary consequence First by expresse words Heb. 12.22 23. But ye are come to Mount Sion c. and to the innumerable company of Angels Where the Apostle speaking of the Church takes the holy Angels as Limmes of that Body and members of that Company And Reuel 19.10 The Angell tels Iohn I am thy fellow Seruant one of thy Brethren I haue the testimony of Iesus the Spirit of Prophesie I am thy fellow Seruant as who should say A fellow of the same House and Family with vs that is the Church A Brother as hauing the same Father God and the same Mother the heauenly Ierusalem that is the Church hauing the testimony of Iesus that is communicating in the same gifts and graces of the Spirit as the Spirit of Prophesie which is peculiar to the Church onely as 1. Cor. 12. So wee see by expresse Scripture that they are members as well as wee Secondly by necessary deduction and consequence First the Angels are elect 1. Tim. 5.21 and therefore they are parts of the Church Secondly Christ is their Head Col. 2.10 yee are complete in him that is in Christ who is the head of all principalities and Powers therefore they must be parts of his Body Which is his Church Thirdly the Angels peepe and prie into the misteries of our redemption by Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 1.12 therefore except we will make them busi-bodies to prie and meddle with that which they haue not to doe in which is vtterly against their wisedome and vprightnesse they must needes be parts and members of the true Church and so much of the Proofes The Reasons are these First the Church is the most excellent Reas 1 and glorious and blessed Assembly that is as wee haue shewed before the Angels therefore that excell in strength and beautie and glorie and absolute happinesse must needs be members of it Secondly the Church is that fulnesse of Christ that filleth Reas 2 all things Eph. 1.23 If the Angels be left out where is that fulnesse Thirdly it is against the bountifulnesse of Christ and Reas 3 the worthines of his obedience that any Creature should know and embrace the Doctrine of the mediation of Christ and yet not receiue benefit thereby for themselues But the chosen Angels do know and embrace it worshipping him and doing him all the seruice they could in the dayes of his flesh whilst he was working this mediation And therefore they haue benefit thereby to themselues And so consequently they must needes bee parts and members of the Church For to them are all sauing benefits peculiar and properly belonging Fourthly the euil Angels that fell away are a part of the Reas 4 malignant Church of the Sinagogue of Sathan as our Sauiour Christ giues vs
to vnderstand when he saith Math. 25.41 Goe ye cursed into euerlasting Fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels As who should say as you had your part with them here in sinne so you shall haue a part with them in punishment now if the euill Angels bee a part yea a great part of the Church malignant then the good Angels must needes be a part yea a great part too of the gracious and glorious Church of God Fifthly they must needes be a part and members of the Reas 5 true Church because they haue many necessary Imployments in the Church about the faithfull It is said of them Heb. 1.14 that They are ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for their sakes that shall be heyres of Saluation And in Luk. 15.10 that They reioyce ouer one sinner that conuerteth c. And Ps 91.12 It is said that They beare vs in their hands And Math. 24.30 that At the last day they shall gather the Elect together from the foure windes Now therefore they must needes bee parts and members of the true Church that so they may minister to vs the more cheerefully and reioyce ouer vs the more affectionately and beare vs in their hands the more charily and gather vs together at the last day the more earnestly as knowing they doe it not as Seruants and slaues altogether for others but somwhat respectiuely for themselues for the aduancement oâ— the good of that body whereof themselues are members Vse 1 The vses are these First this teacheth vs the wonderfull Loue of God towards mankind In that he vouchsafeth and is pleased to associate and sort vs with the blessed company of heauenly Souldiers the holy Angels incorporating them and vs both together in one and the same mysticall body they are of a farre nobler stampe wee are of a baser yet God hath been pleased to ranke them and vs fellow members of the same Body What a wonderfull loue and fauour of God is this to vs Yea they neuer sinned we are defiled with many sinnes and much wickednesse yet such is Gods loue to vs that he hath been pleased to ranke vs sinfull men with sinlesse Angels Yea further whereas some of this noble company had sinned the Lord passed by them and let them perish and separated them for euer from their companions by nature and Creation and neuer receiued them to mercy againe whereas many of vs of this baser kind that haue sinned as well as they yet the Lord did not sort vs with our fellow-sinning Angels the damned Spirits but hath made vs fellowes with the sinlesse Angels the blessed Spirits and them with vs. Oh what wonderfull loue of our God is this to vs What thankefulnesse doth this require of vs What Care and endeauour must there be in vs to leade Angels liues in all holinesse purenesse and innocencie seeing the holy pure and innocent Angels are our fellowes and parts of â—he same body with vs The second Vse is for matter of comfort to as many of Vse 2 vs as bee of the Church for first though wee haue many Angels against vs that be our aduersaries yet we haue many for vs too that be our friends and fellowes and those that are against vs are damned and wretched Spirits those that are for vs are most holy and glorious in themselues and pretious and gracious in the sight of God Secondly here is comfort to vs in that they being fellow-members with vs they doe not carelesly or vnwillingly labour for vs but they affect our businesse thorowly and take our welfare soundly to heart as their owne and as feeling members of the same body they are very sensible of euery good thing that befalls vs and reioyce in it as much or rather more then we our selues knowing it will turne to their benefit they being members of the same body with vs. The third Vse shewes vs the disablenesse of the Angels Vse 3 in themselues to merit or effect their owne saluation they must be found in Christ their Head else there is no saluation for them If God looke vpon them with the pure eyes of his Iustice and behold them as they are in themselues they cannot stand Iob 4.18 He laid folly on his Angels meaning the good Angels they are not vpright in regard of Gods perfect iustice but when God beholds them in the face of Christ whose righteousnesse is as pure as the eyes of the Lord himselfe then they find fauour with him If so be then that they bee not able to merit their owne saluation but must be saued by Iesus Christ then consequently it is folly in men to repose any trust in themselues for their saluation or to pray to them or to worship them no inuocation or worship is due to theÌ„ no they vtterly disclaime it as robbery against God they being not Gods but Gods seruants and disparagement to our selues they being but fellow-seruants and members of the same body with vs Reuel 19.10 Vse 4 The last vse This may shew and set forth vnto vs the infinite worthinesse of the Merits of Christ that is not auaileable onely for Men but euen for the Angels in heauen also they are partakers of the same saluation But some will here except and say Obiect That Christ is not said in Scripture to be Mediator betwixt God and Angels but betwixt God and Man then why doe you say That he is their Mediatour too Answ I answer That it is true he is so vsually called in Scripture and the reason is First because that is the mediation that concernes vs most to know Secondly because the most sensible workes and offices of his mediatorship are most apparant in that reconciliation that was made for Man yet this hinders not but that hee may be a Mediator for the Angels too for it is no where denied in Scripture though the other onely be expressely affirmed The Case is thus Their estate differs from ours in many kinds and the mediation must bee answerable to the estate of the parties that are mediated for and therefore Christs mediation for them in some maine circumstances is diuers from ours too and it differs in two maine things first in the worke secondly in the meanes First in the worke There is not the same worke done for them as for vs as Redemption for they neuer fell and therefore need no Redeemer wee are fallen and therefore he is the Mediatour for vs he must redeeme vs else wee can haue no saluation Secondly it differs in the meanes for that is not the same for whereas some of the Angels fell as well as we that was but a personall fall onely chargeable on them that did fall but when Adam fell besides his personall sinne it was the common sinne of all mankind we being all wrapt in Adams loynes and therefore he that was to mediate for vs was to take our very nature on him and to be incarnate that so according to the course of Gods
hath promised vs therefore that is the place we must goe to Reason 2 Secondly Christ himselfe being our Head is thither ascended therefore the members must ascend thither too that so we may be conformable to Christ in glory hereafter as we are in sufferings here Reason 3 Thirdly the worthinesse of Christs obedience cannot be answered by any thing but by Heauen it selfe therefore Gods chosen to whom it is imputed must needs inioy Heauen Reason 4 Lastly the present miseries and afflictions that Gods children endure here can neuer be sufficiently recompenced but that Heauen it selfe must be their retribution and that counteruailes and ouer-waighes them all Vse 1 The Vses are these The first Vse is against them that dreame of Purgatory for it is a meere Popish dreame and fancy the Scripture is silent in it so is God and his true Church they know it not therfore their Church shewes her self to be a presumptuous harlot and not Christs spouse to affirme it And if men would be awakened by the voice of the word as a dreame it would vanish out of their thoughts Christ reconciled things both in heauen and earth therefore if Purgatory be not in heauen nor in earth as the Papists deny both surely the Church and soules in it haue no benefit by Christs reconcilement Let the matter of it be what it will be it fire or be it water or let the place of it be where it will either in the Aire or in some Caue or hole in the earth let there be in it what soules there will many or few pure or vnpure men women or children yet sure it is that none of Gods children shall euer come there no they are either in heauen or in earth there is no Purgatory for them God loues them more dearely then so heauen it selfe is their receptacle and mansion place after once they are departed this life So you see this is a foolish dreame of theirs and so consequently is all that is built vpon it their Prayers Dirges and such like they are built vpon a dreame and so are vaine prophane and sinfull lay once a false ground and a thousand absurdities will follow vpon it grant once that there is a Purgatory and then Masses and Dirges and many such trumperies will follow Let vs therefore know that Gods Chosen which are departed this life are in heauen and let vs account better of them then to thinke they are in any such place Vse 2 Secondly this may minister great comfort to all those that know themselues to be of the number of Gods chosen because die they sooner oâ— die they later they are sure heauen shall be their place of Receit This may comfort them against the difficultie of their labour and trauell in the course of godlinesse which they meet with here in this life here wee must mortifie our flesh deny our selues forsake all rent our hearts mourne for our sinnes lay downe our liues for Christs sake these are grieuous things yet bee of good cheere it is Heauen we labour for and that we are sure we shall obtaine and that will make vs a plentifull recompence of Reward for all that we endure here though the way be narrow and the passage streight yet Heauen is the place we go vnto and which we shall certainely attaine in the end therefore be content to passe through all such difficulties And so it is comfort to vs against all our sufferings thinke not much to be scorned and persecuted here It is for a Kingdome that we suffer and that in Heauen and what is not to be endured for such a Reward Onely be sure that thou be of the Church and then this comfort belongeth to thee Vse 3 Thirdly is Heauen the the place of Receit c. Then let vs labour to liue worthy of Heauen whilst wee are here on earth Defile not thy selfe with sinne obey not the lusts of the flesh possesse your vessels in holinesse and honour that so we may be fit to enter in there where no vncleane thing shall come be sequestred in your carriage and thoughts from this world carry your selues as strangers on this earth regard not the profits and pleasures of this life that so yee may haue a witnesse in your owne hearts that you seeke a Countrey from aboue so did the faithfull Heb. 11.13 14 15 16. They were strangers and pilgrimes here which did declare plainely that they did seeke another Countrey euen Heauen it selfe And let your hope and affections bee in Heauen whilst ye are here on earth Col. 3.1 2 3. If ye be risen with Christ saith the Apostle seeke those things which are aboue c. Let your conuersation be in Heauen Phil. 3.10 And as your treasure is in heauen so let your hearts bee there also Math. 6.20 And as for this earthly Tabernacle of our body let vs not pamper it nor please it nor delight in it nor admire it but let vs be content to lay it downe cheerefully sighing and desiring to be cloathed with our house which is from Heauen 2. Cor. 5.1 2. And surely if wee would thinke of this place whither wee are going our hearts would be in Heauen before we come thither like as a man that is gone a great iourney and is farre from his house yet still his minde and his heart is at home and still his thoughts runne vpon that because there is his Comfort there bee knowes he shall haue rest from all his Trauels and therefore thither hee postes And so we must doe Vse 4 Fourthly This teacheth vs the great bountie of God towards vs that propoundeth promiseth and performeth Heauen vnto vs for the Reward of our obedience Alas what is our poore and imperfect obedience compared to Heauen yet such is the rich mercie of God that he crownes it with Heauen When I say Heauen I meane not onely the place of Heauen though that be most glorious and blessed but also the good things that God hath treasured vp for vs in Heauen that is the ioyes of Heauen the glory of Heauen the riches of Heauen the Light of Heauen the rest and comfort and peace of Heauen the fruition of God Himselfe the fruition of Christ the fruition of all the holy Angels and Saints in Heauen there we haue the fruition of all that God in his owne wisedome could deuise to make vp our perfect blisse and intire happinesse such things as the eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither can it enter into the heart of man such things hath God laid vp for his chosen in Heauen to enioy without intermission and without end The fourth Lecture of the Church THe third generall Point which we propounded to bee handled before we came to the handling of the Question was concerning the nature of the Church which we defined in this wise To be the whole company of Gods Chosen in heauen and in earth We shewed that that part of Gods Church which is
it is holy thirdly that it is Catholike so it is said in expresse words Fourthly that they are ioyned to Christ And fiftly that they haue a Communion amongst themselues both these are intended where it is said they are a Communion of Saints sixtly and lastly that they are knowne onely to God and themselues and this is intended when it is said I beleeue it Wee haue past through two of these adiuncts for so I call them first that the Church is one and secondly that it is holy now we are to come to the third Adiunct Catholike The Church of God is Catholike In handling of this Point wee will first shew how this word Catholike hath been wronged secondly wee will right it and thirdly we will draw such obseruations from thence as it will fitly minister First it hath been much wronged for many hundred yeeres and that by many First by those in the Romish Church Secondly by some of our owne Church First it hath been wronged and corrupted exceedingly by those of the Romish Church and that in these respects first in that they falsly challenge it and appropriate it to themselues alone Secondly in that they boast of it as their Crowne and glory Thirdly in that they put their confidence in it that because they haue this name therefore they are vndoubtedly the true Church and in certaine state of saluation First the word is wronged in that they of the Romish Church do falsly challeng and appropriate it to themselues as if their Church were Catholike and none else and as if their faith were Catholike and none other and as if they were the onely Catholikes and none but they If they were Catholikes as they pretend to bee yet they might giue others leaue to be called so as well as they but they are not so onely the name of Catholikes is falsely arrogated to themselues and flatteringly yeelded vnto them by their friends and fellowes but indeed and in Truth they are no Catholikes at all Secondly it is wronged by them in that they boast and vaunt themselues of it as their Crowne and glory and they take it in great snuffe if they be not so called yea if you call them Papists or such other like name I know it by experience they wil be ready to fly in your face Surely it is a glory to those of whom it is truly affirmed yet it is not in that case to be boasted of but quietly and soberly to be inioyed Gods best graces in vs are not vainely to be boasted of much lesse any outward names which are but cast vpon vs least of all such as we take vpon our selues without desert Thirdly they wrong it in that they put much confidence in this name that because they are so called therefore saith Bristow and the Rhemists wee are the vndoubtedly true Church in certaine state of saluation for this is one of the Pillars of Popery the very names of the Church and Catholike they are the two pillars that Popery builds vpon But it is to be considered that the name makes not the man to be such as he is called but on the contrary because a man is such an one as the name imports therefore hee is so called As for example A Father or a Master is not such an one because he is so called but because hee is a Father or a Master therefore he is called so Therefore we must first examine our selues whether we are such as the name imports and then we may haue Comfort in our States whether we bee so named or not if the name be vpon vs without cause we are nothing the neerer to saluation If it be on vs vpon good cause then we may haue comfort in our state not for the name but because we are such as the name signifies so that the name is no way any matter of confidence to build our saluation on In the second place it is somewhat wronged by some amongst vs too not that wee either mistake it as the Papists doe nor maligne it as they say we doe but occasionally by their errour on the one side wee run into another on the otherside because they aduance it too high we debase it too low First some labouring to suppresse the name quite as certaine Lutherans that haue changed Catholike in the Creed into Christian Secondly others scoffing at it as a toy and a Iest Thirdly others that in the heate of their spirits and pregnancy of their wit doe depraue it and make a nickname of it cacolicke cartholike but these are distempered spirits not seasoned with grace and modesty as it were to bee wished Fourthly and lastly generally all of vs little regarding it nor hauing it in that good request as it well deserues It is true that the name of Christian is farre more ancient and proper and more warrantable as we may see in Act. 11.26 they of the Church of Antioch were first called Christians yet let not this name be supprest for to be called Catholikes hath been a matter of long continuance and vnderstanding it for the members of the Catholike Church it is a reuerent and an honourable stile Thus we see how this name hath been wronged first by them of the Romish Church secondly by some amongst vs. Now secondly we are to right the Word and restore it to the originall sense that so we may frame vs to a reuerent and sober estimation of it and neither esteeme of it too much nor too little and to this end first therefore wee will consider of the antiquitie of the Word secondly wee will shew the right meaning of it and thirdly the common receiued vse of it First consider the antiquitie of it this word is not found in any of the bookes of Scripture onely it is found in the preface of the Epistles of Iames Peter Iohn and Iude there they are called Catholike Epistles which is a Greeke word and signifies generall which prefaces whether they bee Scripture or not is vncertaine they may bee so and they may not yet certaine it is that the name is very ancient But come to the Creed and there this word is plainely found and that as an adiunct of the Church I cannot say that it was the Apostles owne doing but surely it was very neere to the Apostles times So likewise it is found in the Nicene Creed and also in Athanasius Creed and there hee applies it to the Faith The Faith professed by the Catholike Church is the Catholike Faith So wee see that the word is very ancient Secondly to right it we are to consider the right meaning of the word Catholike which is generall or vniuersall for so the Ancients expound the Prefaces to the generall Epistle of Peter and the generall Epistle of Iames as directed not to any particular Nation or Citie as Paul did his Epistle to the Romanes but generally and vniuersally to all the faithfull or to
profession Secondly their profession must be publike or open that is it must be so publike and open that there may be notice taken that such and such men are of such a society and Religion else they are rather of the inuisible Church spoken of before And looke as their profession is more or lesse publike so the Church is to be reputed more or lesse visible Thirdly as they must publikely professe so they must ioyne together in this profession and that intends first their separation from all others whether they be of none or of a contrary and diuers Religion and secondly it intends their associating or sorting of themselues together with professors of the same Religion growing into and liuing in a louing Communion and fellowship with them Thirdly it intendes that they must doe it voluntarily and of their owne accord some ioyne for fashion some for feare some for hope of gaine and some others for the sauing of their goods and the like yet all these doe it voluntarily for the will cannot be forced yea if they doe it against their will it is a sinne to them though they ioyne to the purest Churches in the world And so much for the second part of the definition that they must ioyne together in a publike profession of Religion Thirdly that there may be a true visible Church the Religion which this Company make profession of must be the true Religion for as without the Church there is no saluation so without the true Religion there is no true Church there are diuers Religions in the world and accordingly diuers Churches yet there is but one onely true Religion which is that which is contained in the Scripture the Word of Truth and so there is but one only true Church that is that which embraceth that true Religion So that whatsoeuer Congregation vnder the Sunne doth not professe that one true Religion let them professe whatsoeuer Religion they will besides they cannot iustly bee reputed true visible Churches For the better vnderstanding of this Point I will draw it into an Obseruation and so discourse of it at large and the Obseruation is this Doctr. Whatsoeuer Company or Congregation of men doe openly professe the sauing Truth of God the same Congregation and Company is to bee held and reputed a true visible Church The truth of this Doctrine holds generally in all Congregations whatsoeuer of that quality from the greatest to the least and from the best to the worst for first whereas all and euery Professor of Gods Religion through the world doe concurre and ioyne together in the acknowledgment of the common sauing faith though not in the outward Communion of the same Ecclesiasticall Assembly and therefore all these may bee termed a true vniuersall visible Church so also euery particular Ecclesiasticall Assembly professing the same sauing Truth and ioyning together in the outward Communion of one setled Congregation and obseruing the same lawes and Orders at the same time and place may be called a true particular visible Church and that whether it be in the same Countrey and Prouince or in a Parish or in a priuate house and accordingly they are called a Prouinciall a Parochiall or a domesticall Church and each of these is a true visible Church though one be vniuersall and the other particular For Instances of all these in Scripture First for a Prouinciall or Nationall Church which is a Company of people professing the same Truth in the whole Land or Nation you may see an instance Act. 9.31 Then had the Churches Rest in Iudea and Samaria and Galile c. There were Prouinciall Churches named by the Countrey they were in as Iudea Samaria c. And in the Reuelations the second and third Chapters the seuen Churches there mentioned were Nationall Churches as Ephesus c. And 1. Cor. 1.2 vnto the Church of God which is at Corinthus c. there was a nationall Church Secondly for a Parochiall or Parish Church which is a Company of people professing the same faith in a Towne or in a Parish we shal reade of them in Act. 14.23 Where it is said that the Apostles ordained them Elders in euery Towne Thirdly for a domesticall Church which is a Company professing the same faith in a priuat house as we may reade in the Rom. 16.5 and in the 1. Cor. 16.19 of Aquila and Priscilla with the Church in their House And Colos 4.15 We reade of a Church that was in the House of Nimphas though these are rather to bee reputed inuisible Churches except they may be so openly taken notice of and so notoriously knowne as the Church that was in Priscilla and Aquila's house then they may be called Domesticall visible Churches So much for the first diuision that some Churches are either vniuersall visible Churches or particular Churches and that either in a whole Land or in a Towne or in a priuat House Secondly whereas some Churches are more notoriously knowne some lesse yet both are true visible Churches though one be more visible and the other lesse visible In the time of the Apostles it was so the Church of Rome was notoriously knowne for their faith was knowne throughout the whole world Rom. 1.8 and their obedience was come abroad amongst all Rom. 16.19 so that this Church was more visible Other Churches were lesse knowne as the Church at Cenchrea Creet which are only named in the Scripture and no Epistle written to them Now because they are onely mentioned therfore they were lesse knowne and so lesse visible yet true Churches as wel as the other Thirdly whereas some Churches professe the sauing faith more purely and sincerely others more corruptly yet each of these is a true visible Church though the one bee more pure not more true the other lesse Instances of these we haue in the second and third Chapters of the Reuelation some Churches there were more pure some more corrupt yet all true Churches Churches more pure were Smyrna and Philadelphia all commended in them nothing dispraysed Churches lesse pure were Ephesus Pergamus and Thiatira in which Churches some things are commended some things discommended Churches yet lesse pure were Sardis and Laodicea where there is nothing commended but all things dispraysed So we see that some of these profest the true sauing faith more purely some lesse purely and some more corruptly yet euery one of them was a true visible Church Fourthly and lastly whereas some Churches are growne to some Ripenesse and perfection and to some setled forme of Gouernment others are in their infancy and haue not such a forme established for Gouernment yet each of these is a true visible Church though the one be more the other lesse perfect Instances of these we haue in Scripture First for them that were more perfect as at Hierusalem where Iames was Bishop there the Church was growne to some perfection there the Apostles met and had a Consultation
Church So that in Ioh. 21. where our Sauiour saith three times to Peter Feede my sheepe c. What a slight ground is this to build the headship of the Church vpon And if they aske then why Christ should thus presse it vpon Peter so often The Fathers answer them that it is onely a speciall charge binding to Duty not any vniuersall authority or iurisdiction pressed thrice vpon him for his former threefold deniall of Christ that so hee might be the more carefull for the time to come else the charge is alike to all the rest of the Apostles for shall wee think that any of them were not bound to feede the sheepe of Christ as well as he The Apostle giues this charge to all Ministers 1 Pet. 5.2 Feed the flocke of God c. Yea but Peter is the Rocke and vpon this Rocke Christ will build his Church Matth. 16.18 I answer if the Church were built vpon Peter then it was either built vpon his person or vpon his Confession but it was not built vpon his person for then when he died the Church must haue failed too Therfore the place must be vnderstood of Peters confession or of his faith or of that Christ which he confessed Christ built his Church on the confession of Peters faith because himself was the substance of his confession c. Peters confession of his faith is the Rocke in making knowne the Church But Christ himselfe is the Rocke as being the substance of that his confession so that the Church is not built vpon Peters person And if it had what is that to the Pope Vnlesse they can proue these two things First that Peter sate at Rome as head of the vniuersall Church secondly that hee intended to leaue his headship to the Pope of Rome and to none other which is a meere fancie and deuice of their owne braine for which they haue no colour So then Christ neuer gaue Peter much lesse the Pope this headship Secondly as Christ neuer did giue it so he saith expressely he neuer will giue it Luk. 22.25 26. Our Sauiour saith to his Disciples that it was enough for the Gentiles to be Lords and to raigne one ouer another but it shall not bee so amongst you saith he so that Christ checks them for hauing but a conceit of superiority so far is he from giuing it to any of them Further this being a great part of Christs glory as he is Mediator to be head of his Church hee will not giue it to any other Isai 48.11 My glory will I not giue to another And as Christ neuer gaue this nor meant to giue it to any other so no man is able to weeld or sway it no more than any one temporall Gouernor can rule all the Kingdomes in the world no this power is reserued onely to him that made the whole world and all things therein So that we see they ouer-reach in saying the Pope is the head of the vniuersall visible Church Secondly they ouer-reach as far in saying he is the head if you aske them what head they meane They will say onely a ministeriall head vnder Christ heere is some shew of modesty But aske them further what power they ascribe to him And then they bewray themselues for they say that the gouernment of the whole Church through the world depends on him that he hath power and authority to iudge and determine of all causes of Faith and Religion to rule Councells to order Bishops and Pastors to excommunicate and to suspend and to inflict other penalties vpon offenders yea whatsoeuer concerneth either preaching of Doctrine or the practice of Discipline in the Church of Christ the power of gouerning in all such causes they say lies in the Pope Is this to be a ministeriall head This is rather to be an absolute supreame head If by head they meant onely some chiefe Gouernour the name head in that sense might agree to some one man in respect of some one particular place for so the Scripture vseth the word in other cases in the 1 Cor. 11.3 The man is the womans head c. But neuer in this case for a man to be the head of the whole Church This transcendent power by them ascribed to the Pope is a great part of Christs owne power and can neuer agree to any man in the world for Christ is the onely Doctor of his Church Mat. 23.8 10. How then can the Pope determine all matters of faith and religion Is not this to make him a great Doctor yea the onely Doctor No say they for hee doth it but vnder Christ But he doth it of himselfe if the Pope in controuersies would take Christs booke and vse prayer to God for direction therein and in humility and sincere loue of the Truth would examine euery cause and so iudge there were some hope that he would doe many things well and that he would iudge rightly as in Christs stead and so honour his Master and doe good seruice to the Church But first he takes no such course but mingles with the word and vseth his owne Canons in stead of the word and he is so farre from vsing prayer to God for direction as that he presumes the truth is tyed to his Chayre and therefore that he cannot erre in any of his Sentences likewise hee is sinisterly affected to the Truth framing it to the state and practice of his owne Church and accordingly hee iudges and pronounces Secondly if he should take the former course yet his reach is not infinite hee cannot iudge rightly in all causes of faith and religion for no one man that euer was Christ Iesus onely excepted and his Apostles that was able to iudge of all Truth Therefore euery Pope in particular must be at least as one of the Apostles nay he must be as Christ is For if the Apostles could doe it yet they had fellowes Paul as well as Peter could do this But the Pope is without any fellow yea he will take vpon him to iudge of the Apostles owne Doctrine and writings so that though he pretends to be Peters successor only yet vpon the point he takes on him to be Peters Master euen to be Christ so proues himself to be very Antichrist yea and he not onely takes vpon him Christs Office but he takes his name vpon him also hee calls himselfe the chiefe Shepheard which name is proper to Christ onely 1 Pet. 5.4 What is this but to step into the throne of Christ But they except against vs and say doe you finde fault with vs for saying the Pope is the head of the Church Why you your selues make the King supreame head of the Church I answer how do we say the King is the head of the Church as they say the Pope is No but wee say the King is the head of the Church within his iurisdiction to see Gods religion maintained Answ and to see the
of the Sacraments and profession of Obedience to the requiring of them both that is to that which they both require are the chiefest and most infallible markes of a true visible Church I doe not say that they are the onely markes for many other are assigned and may be admitted but not vpon these properties afore mentioned for they are not essentiall nor better knowne than the Church it selfe as these are therefore these are the chiefe and most infallible markes For proofe of the obseruation looke into Matth. 28.19 Goe teach all Nations baptising them saith our Sauiour in the Name of the Father the Son and the holy Ghost c. What is the businesse our Sauiour sends his Apostles about It was to plant and erect visible Churches in the world how is that to be done Go saith he teach all nations c. First they must teach the Word there is the Word preached secondly Goe and baptize c. there is the Sacraments administred and though but one bee named as that being of most speciall use for the present dispensation of planting Churches yet figuratiuely the other is intended for so you shall find was their practice Act. 2.41 42. where it is said not onely that they did baptize but that they brake bread also there is the Lords supper too and it is not to bee thought that they went beyond their commission in this for it was the Ministers part to deliuer it and the peoples to receiue it So then here is the Word preached and the Sacraments administred and what else are they to doe vers 20. Teaching them to obserue and do c. there is at least profession of Obedience As if Christ should say Let them professe at least that they will obay you else turne away from them and shake off the dust of your feete as a witnesse against them The words are so precise for euery particular in the obseruation and that from our Sauiours owne mouth and containing such an absolute description of the office both of Ministers and people and the intendment being the erecting and settling of true visible Churches that me thinks it is as much as if our Sauiour had said Wheresoeuer these three are performed there let the World take notice of a true visible Church and so from time to time wheresoeuer there is any true Church to the worlds end And what is this but that which I have affirm'd in the obseruation that the preaching of the Word and the administration of the Sacraments and obedience of the people to that which they doe both require are the most infallible and chiefest markes of a true visible Church Another Euangelist reporting the same Commission speakes as much in effect though not in such precise tearmes Mark 16.15 16. Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospell to euery Creature he that shall beleeue and bee baptized shall bee saued c. there is the Word preached and there are the Sacraments as before and there is profession of obedience to them both for if they beleeue they must obey This point is so cleare that it needs no further proofe yet because it is a question betwixt vs and the Papists and also betwixt vs and the separation and likewise among Divines therefore wee will see further proofe of it There are other places of Scripture which auouch the same in effect yet not so pregnantly as these doe Ioh. 10.4 our Sauiour saith He goes before his sheepe that is before his people and they heare his voyce and follow him How doth Christ go before his people He goeth before them in the Word and in the Sacraments leading them in the wayes of saluation for the Word is there expresly named My voyce and vnder that the Sacraments are figuratiuely to be vnderstood And they heare it and follow him there is obedience Our Sauiour alludes to the custome of the Shepheards in that Countrey that were wont to tune a voyce to their sheepe which they hearing and knowing did all follow Now this voyce of Christ is his Word and his Sacraments are parts thereof therefore if yee aske who are the sheepe of Christ The answer is ready They that heare the voyce of Christ and follow him As who should say Where is a true visible Church The Answer is where the Word is truly preached and at least professed to be obeyed The like speech is in the 27. verse of the same Chapter So likewise in Ephes 5.26 the Apostle saith that Christ gaue himselfe for his Church that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the Word Apply these words to the visible Church then there is the Word and Water that is Baptisme and vnder that Sacrament the Lords Supper is implied and there is profession of obedience for they are sanctified and cleansed so that wheresoeuer these are there is a true visible Church Answerable vnto these assertions you shall find it by experience to haue been from the beginning looke into Paradise Gen. 2.16 17. there is the Word Gods Commandement giuen to our first Parents Yee shall not eate c. and there were the Sacraments the Tree of life verse 9. purposely to signifie and to seale vnto them eternall life if they did obey and there was also their obedience acknowledged in that they accepted of their estate and that vpon that condition If any doubt of this it is plainely laid downe Gen. â— 4 Where the woman acknowledged that they were bound not to eate of that Tree so there is their profession of Obedience So you see how it was with the Church in Paradise before the fall Now let vs see how it was with the Church out of Paradise after the fall Gen. 3.15 There was the promise of the Gospell there is the Word preached and Gen. 4.3 4. There were the Sacrifices there was Caine and Abel offering Sacrifices which were representations of Christs owne Sacrifice of himselfe and consequently of the Sacrifices of the new Testament and there was also their profession of Obedience in that they brought their Sacrifices vnto God no doubt but Adam their Father taught them the Doctrine of the Gospell and how they ought to worship God and they profest obedience to that he taught both Caine as well as Abel for then they were both members of the visible Church so heere is the Word and the Sacraments and Obedience profest to them both and so a true visible Church Likewise that in Gen. 9. from the eighth to the seuenteenth verse In Noahs time after the floud there was Gods Couenant made with Noah so there is the Word and there was the Bow set in the Cloudes there was the Sacrament and thirdly their profession of obedience too for it is a Couenant which intends obedience on Noahs part for else how is it a Couenant if it be not condescended to on both parts And so also in Abrahams time Gen. 17 4 7.10.23 in the 4. and 7. verses
that outward Gouernment is not simply necessary to the being of the Church but to the well-being onely Vse 4 Fourthly seeing there is an outward Gouernment necessary in Gods Church for the well-being of it then this should teach vs to rest content with that which we enioy and to be careful to liue in obedience to it and to be thankfull for it and to bee earnest with God by prayer for the supply of it where it is wanting for though it concernes not our life yet it concernes our health though it concernes not the being yet it concernes the well being of the Church and euery man is to make conscience of it in his place both those that gouerne that they gouerne according to Gods word and those that obey that they obey according to Gods Word Vse 5 Lastly this reprooues those that take vpon them not as men and Ministers to exercise this Gouernment but they will bee Lords they will take vpon them against Gods Word to deuise a new Gouernment So the Pope he will not onely exercise the Gouernment as a Minister but as a Lord. The Apostles Rule is directly against it 1 Pet. 5.3 where he giues all Ministers charge that they should rule not as Lords ouer Gods heritage c. yet the Pope hee will be Head and Lord ouer all Churches on earth Yea but say the Papists though wee say he is Head of the Church yet we meane a ministerial Head as I haue said heretofore the very name of the Head of the Church is harsh and dangerous yet this word Ministeriall qualifies it well if it be soberly vnderstood it may agree to a particular but neuer to the generall Church ouer all the World as the Pope challengeth it And so much for this point The fifteenth Lecture of the Church WEe haue already entred into the businesse concerning Church Gouernment In handling whereof wee propounded these things in order to discourse vpon First of the harmes and euils that this matter hath occasionally brought forth in Gods Church Secondly what is meant by these words Church and Gouernment Thirdly how necessary it is in the Church Fourthly whether there bee any prescript forme of Church-Gouernment for euerie particular set downe in the Word Fiftly if there be not then what is to bee done in this case Of the three former wee haue already heard Now wee are as God shall enable vs to speake of the fourth Whether there bee any prescript forme of Church-Gouernement in euery particular set downe in the Word It is naturall to euery man when hee heares that such a good thing there is and that it is behoouefull and necessary to his owne vse to haue a longing desire after it he would then faine know where it is be to be had and how hee may come by it I doubt not but this is your pure minde in this case you haue heard that there is a Church-gouernment you haue seene also how necessary it is to the well-being of the whole Church and the members thereof Now you would cast about to see where it is to bee had that so you may bee made partakers of it For the satisfaction of this your desire I will propound it here by way of question Whether there be any prescript forme of Church-gouernment in euerie particular to bee found in the Word For if it bee found any where surely it must be found in the Word For first it being Gods owne Ordinance as you haue heard it must haue Gods owne warrant and ordinarily there is no warrant from God but in his Word Secondly that which is to bee gouerned being the Church the House of the liuing God it must bee fashioned to his owne mind for who is to prescribe Orders for the gouerning of the House but the Master of the house And who shall prescribe Orders for this House the Church to bee gouerned by but Iesus Christ the Lord and Master of this House And wee cannot know the mind of the Lord but by the Spirit of the Lord and Gods Spirit reueales Gods minde onely by Gods Word Therefore wee must doe in this case as in all other doubtfull and difficult cases in Religion Flie to the golden Rule Isai 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this Word it is because they haue no light in them Gods Word must bee consulted withall and what that faith must bee embraced If wee haue not the light of Gods Word in it we are blind and dumbe and no light is in vs at all This Rule of the Prophet is seconded by our Sauiour himselfe Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures c. they testifie of me not onely of the person of Christ who or what hee is but of his minde what hee would haue vs to doe in all our courses Now what the Scripture saith and what order it takes in this kinde may be truly and plainely deliuered in these two Positions First that the whole substance of Church-gouernment is so set downe in Gods Word as that euery particular Church may receiue instruction how to bee gouerned by it Secondly that there is not any one set particular forme of Church-Gouernment so set downe in the Scripture that euery Church may receiue instruction thereby how to be gouerned in euery particular ceremonie and discipline These two positions being well vnderstood doe teach vs all things needfull to bee knowne in this point There may seeme to bee some contradiction betwixt them the one affirming that there is a forme of Church Gouernment set downe in the Word the other denying it But this is onely in shew a Contradiction and is easily reconciled by this distinction It is one thing to speake of the generall another thing to speake of the particular The affirmatiue Position saith That it is wholly set downe there in the generall and partly in the particular The negatiue saith It is not there wholy in euery particular These Positions I purpose to deliuer by way of Obseruation that so I may speake the more plentifully vpon them and that they may bee the fitter for your vnderstanding I will beginne with the first which is this namely Doctr. 1 That the whole substance of Church-Gouerment is so set downe in Scripture that euerie particular Church may receiue instruction and direction thereby how they ought to bee gouerned This Doctrine I doubt not but it is the certaine Truth of God Matth. 28.20 Teaching them to obserue and doe whatsoeuer I haue commanded you First wee must here presuppose the necessity of Church-gouernment as I haue taught before and secondly that it is Gods ordinance as I haue also before shewed and then it must needes follow that Christ gaue it in charge to his Apostles and so they taught it and that not by preaching onely but by writing too For what they preached they writ the substance of it so that euen in their writings at least the substance of this businesse is
contained and this is the more likely because about that very time that is somewhat before his Ascension hee spake vnto them of the things which appertaine to the Kingdome of God Act. 1.3 which if we vnderstand not of the substance of Gods Kingdome which is inward in the hearts of his Children but of the appurtenances of it as it seemes to bee then it cannot bee fitter applied than to this matter of Church-Gouernment For what doth more neerely and properly appertaine or is annexed to that Kingdome than this Now the Apostles must teach all that Christ taught them but Christ taught them this therefore they must teach it too and that not by preaching onely but by writing too for what they preacht they writ the substance of it therefore there is sufficient matter to bee found in Scripture to direct euery Church in the substance of Church-gouernment Let vs come somewhat neerer to the point Ephes 4.11 12. It is there said that Christ did therefore giue some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the repairing of the Saints and for the worke of the Ministry and for the edification of the Body of Christ Whereby it is plaine that by those which Christ so gaue to be Apostles c. there is sufficient direction left for the edification of the whole body Now Gouernment is one speciall meanes for edification yea and for the gathering of the Saints and for the worke of the Ministry and therefore that is not vntaught by them and so consequently not vnwritten at least for the substance of it Ad to this that which the Apostle hath in 1 Cor. 12.5 9. especially in vers 28. and then it will appeare to be cleere enough where the Apostle tels vs of administrations and gifts so comes to those that are endued with those gifts and that are to exercise them whereof though some be temporall yet others are perpetuall Which if wee adde to that Ephes 4.11 then here is sufficient prouision ordained of God and set downe in his Word for euery Church to bee directed by for substance of Gouernors and Gouernment And consider that this is not spoken of the Corinths onely but of the Church in generall God hath ordained some in his Church c. that thereby it might bee plaine that it is appliable to euery particular Church The like place is in Rom. 12.7 8. where the Apostle speakes of Offices in the Church and of them that vse them These places then laid together proue the point Let vs come to examples of Churches in Scripture to proue the point further Wee haue examples of this in two Churches in Scripture that were best prouided for in this kinde and that is in the Churches of Corinth and of Ephesus Take the Church of Corinth for an example and see how sufficiently it was prouided for in this kinde and that in most particulars for they had the Word and the Lords Supper Sects and Offenders were punished yea and generally they haue Rules giuen them for the whole Carriage of Gods worship as in the 1 Cor. 14. Consider what Rules of edification and Order hee there prescribes and extends them to all Churches in their kinde and say then whether all Churches bee not sufficiently prouided for in the generall for this matter of Church-gouernment See this also in the Church of Ephesus Act. 20 28 Consider the Charge there giuen to all the Ouerseers of that Church that they should feede the flocke c. that is gouerne them as well as teach them Consider the manifold instructions hee giues them there how they should carry themselues and withall consider the particulars he chargeth Timothy withall in both his Epistles for the Gouernment of the Church and say if this Church were not sufficiently prouided for in this kinde If you yet doubt of it beleeue the Apostle Act. 20.20 where the Apostle saith that hee had kept nothing back from them that was profitable so that if Church-Gouernment bee profitable for them as surely it is very necessary then for the substance of it they were sufficiently instructed And so it will follow that all other Churches must bee so too either more or lesse though happily not in that degree of perfection as these were And so much for the proofe of the point The Reasons of it are these First it is so in matters of substance Reas 1 both for duties of life and for matters of faith namely that the whole substance of it is so set downe in Gods Word that euery particular man may receiue Instruction thereby how to carrie and how to gouerne himselfe If this bee so for a particular Christian in matters of faith and practice then this being a matter partly of faith but more of practice and being for the good of the whole body of a Church therefore the substance of it must needs bee set downe in Gods Word Secondly it was so in the Iewish Church in the former Reas 2 Testament God set down the matter of Church-Gouernment very precisely for the substance of it and that in most particulars and therefore he doth so with the Church in the latter Testament for must not the Church now bee as well prouided as then surely it must in matters of substance Reas 3 Thirdly Christs care of his Church proues it It is not credible that hee so tenderly louing her welfare and so gratiously prouiding euery thing else for her that hee would faile her in this leaue her without Gouernment at least for the substance of it It is not credible but that Christ being the Sonne would bee more faithfull in Gods House than Moses being but a Seruant as the Apostle makes the comparison Heb. 3.4 5 6. Or shall wee beleeue that Christ was not so carefull of the whole Church as Paul was of Ephesus But Paul wrote sufficiently to Timothy how hee was to gouerne and to behaue himselfe in that Church 1 Tim. 3.15 therefore Christ being more faithfull than Moses and more carefull of the whole Church than Paul was of Ephesus must needes leaue sufficient direction in Scripture how euery Church ought to be gouerned at least for the substance of it Reas 4 The fourth Reason is drawne from the Churches insufficiency if shee were left to her selfe Alas the Church is but a company of men blind and ignorant not able to direct and gouerne themselues besides they are headstrong and wilfull that they will not be ruled or else they are peremptory in their owne conceits loth to part with their owne inuentions though they are neuer so much against the Word therefore Christ must leaue direction and where but in his Word Reas 5 The fifth Reason is taken from the sufficiency of the Word 2 Tim. 3.16 17. For the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse But how farre forth is it thus
profitable The Apostle saith in the 17. verse That the man of God may bee absolute being made perfect to all good workes That the man of God may be absolute Who is this man of God Surely Timothy and such as he is that are in the chiefest place for Gouernment in Gods Church and these must be perfect to euery good worke and therefore to this worke to gouerne aright Therefore if gouernment bee a good worke and that the Scriptures make the man of God perfect to euery good worke then also it instructeth him and maketh him perfect in this good worke Lastly the maine businesse in this matter of Gouernment Reas 6 is set downe and prouided for by name in the Scripture there is the Word and the preaching of it the Sacraments and the administration of them Officers and their Duties and visiting the sicke releeuing the poore casting out the infectious and such like as might bee shewed by many places of Scripture yea if any man can name any other substantiall part or businesse of Church-Gouernment I dare vndertake to shew in the Word that there is some good order at least in generall taken for it So much for the Reasons The Vses are these First here is a Rule for all Churches Vse 1 to goe by in their Gouernment wee must follow the Rule and direction of God in his Word as Moses in building the Tabernacle was to doe all things according to the patterne which he saw in the Mount so must they doe euery thing in the Gouernment of the Church according to the patterne set downe in the Scriptures And here two extremities are to be auoided that some haue fallen into First let vs take heed wee goe not too farre as some haue done that haue been exceeding bold and presumptuous this way taking vpon them to coine new Lawes and to deuise new Officers and to erect a whole new forme of Gouernment and to intrude it vpon the Church Others there are that pretend to goe no further than Christ hath prescribed in his Word yet they obtrude more on the Church than euer he meant though not of their owne heads as they say but vnder pretence of his owne Ordinance Others make that perpetuall which is but temporall as the workes of Miracles c. these things haue been the occasion of much mischiefe in the Church of God and therefore howsoeuer the intent of these may be good yet the euent is naught as if the euent of them be at any time good yet the practice of them is foule and naught for hereby they accuse the Scripture of insufficiency and Christ himselfe of neglect that hee did not or of want of wisdome as if he could not prouide sufficiently for his Church Secondly as we must not goe too farre so we must take heed that wee come not too short for that is as great a sin to leaue out any thing that God hath prescribed as to adde any thing thereto to decline from Gods Word either to the right hand or to the left is alike sinfull to charge Christ with superfluitie as well as with defect are alike euill Thus they erre that make those Offices or Officers temporall which Christ hath made perpetuall to endure to the worlds end For this is to charge Christ with superfluitie Therefore the best and safest course in this businesse is to do thus The whole body of a Church both Magistrates Ministers and people are to consult with Gods Word and to intreate God by prayer to open the Scriptures to them and to open their vnderstandings that they may see what is propounded to them therein in this case and that they are to embrace and not wilfully either to take or refuse any thing but with submission to receiue better aduice if God send it them and accordingly they are to proceed as in Christs stead and as if himselfe were personally present to direct them what is to be done in this case Vse 2 The second Vse is to teach vs Obedience to Church-gouernment for seeing it is Gods ordinance it must be embraced and obeyed and yeelded to else if wee resist it we resist God because we resist Gods Ordinance this is specially to be prest in our Church for the Christian Magistrates sake who hath ratified such a Gouernment amongst vs for his sake we must yeeld yet alwayes in the Lord the Conscience is free from being subiect to men But you will say What if I liue in a Church where I thinke their Gouernment is not according to Gods Word I answer First that though euery particular in that Gouernment cannot bee maintained by Gods Word yet in the generall it may bee soundly maintained Secondly I say that except thou canst disproue it on very good ground out of the word thou must take it on their words that impose it and thou must obey it till thou bee better resolued For this is the Rule concerning outward Gouernment in the Church when it is imposed by the Magistrate it is not left free to vs either to obey or not to obey but wee must obey vnlesse we haue a good warrant out of Gods Word against it But what if I doubt must I yet obey before I am resolued Yes though thou doubt of it yet thou must obey except thou canst bring some sound proofe out of Gods Word against it either directly or by necessary consequence Vse 3 Lastly this teacheth vs thankfulnesse to God in Christ for that he hath so sufficiently and carefully prouided for vs not onely for matter of Doctrine but of Gouernment not for our being onely but for our well-being too A louing Father will not teach his Childe onely how to liue but also how to liue orderly and healthfully and how hee may gouerne himselfe with grace and credit to the world So Christ prouides not onely for the being of his Church and for the life of it but also for the health and grace and well-being of it A good Shepheard prouides not onely pasture to feed his sheepe but hee hath his Crooke too to gouerne them and keepe them in order So our chiefe and heauenly Shepheard furnishes vs not onely with Doctrine but also with Discipline too in a sufficient manner he prouides his Word and Sacraments to feede and nourish vs and he hath Discipline his Rod to keepe vs in the right way Alas what would haue become of vs if wee had been left wholly to our selues and to our owne direction the silly sheepe is not more ready to goe astray and become a prey to the Wolfe and Beare and Lyon than wee are ready to runne into the snares of sinne and by our misdemeanors to betray our selues into the hands of Satan if wee had not the Rod and Staffe of our blessed Shepheard his holy Discipline to guide vs in the right way Lord saith the Prophet Ieremy I know it is not in man to direct his owne steps We may truly apply this speech to the Church
It is not in her to deuise her owne Gouernment If Christ therefore had not prouided for her in this case but had left her to her selfe a thousand to one she had neuer hit on the right way or if she had she could haue had no comfort of conscience in that case nor hope of blessing in the course because still shee would haue been vncertaine and doubtfull whether it were of God or not Therefore as it is and must bee from the Lord so let vs blesse and praise the Lord our good God that hath so mercifully and plentifully furnished vs in this kinde And so much of the affirmatiue point namely that the whole substance of Church-gouernment is so set downe in Scripture that euery particular Church may receiue instruction and direction thereby how they ought to be gouerned Now I come to the second point the negatiue Position namely That there is not any one particular forme of Church-Gouernment set downe in Scripture that euery particular Church is precisely bound vnto to obserue for ordering euerie particular This being a negatiue Position as you see must bee content with negatiue proofes for seeing the question is whether there bee such a Gouernment in Scripture for euery particular or not and seeing the answer is that there is not no maruell then though there bee no direct place to confirme it But you will say that many together will I say No many laid all together will not they that pretend there is such a thing must instance in some such places in the Word where it is proued else the contrary is presumed to be true And so it followes that the refutation of such allegations is the direct proofe of the Position Therefore for proofe of this negatiue Position First I say no place of Scripture saith that there is or prescribes that there should bee such a particular forme of Church-Gouernment c. for euerie part of discipline nay nor many places conferred and laid all together doe not For matter of substance and in generall there is proofe enough as wee heard before in the former point but not for any particular forme in euery particular c. As there is no place that affirmes or prescribes this particular forme of Church-Gouernment so I say further there is no example for it in all the Scripture There is no question but that if our Sauiour or his Apostles had intended any such forme of Gouernment to bee obserued in euery particular either they would haue giuen it in expresse charge particularly or at least there would haue beene some notorious patterne of it in some Church but there is no such in Scripture To instance in the best Churches Corinth and Ephesus were the best prouided for in that case yet these had no particular forme of Church-Gouernment whereunto they were precisely bound First for Corinth there was more written to that Church for matter of outward Gouernment than to any other Church yea almost as much as to all others yet it was not prouided for in euery particular no not in regard of it selfe in many particulars it was well prouided for in all it was not by writing for some the Apostle respited till his presence 1 Cor. 11.34 Other things will I set in order when I come So then the Church of Corinth was not prouided for in euery particular by writing for her selfe much lesse was it so prouided for as that euery Church should be directed thereby But you will say are not the Church-orders of the Church of Corinth the Lords owne Commandement 1 Cor. 14.37 Yes they are to them of that Church so farre as was directly inioyned them but not to all Churches else So likewise for the Church of Ephesus though it were then the most famous Church in Asia and plentifully prouided for that way yet it was not so prouided for that euery Church should be directed by it nay it was not prouided for in euery particular for it selfe But you will say are not particulars profitable If so bee they are then the Apostle Paul saith to the ouerseers of that Church Act. 20.20 I haue kept nothing back that was profitable for you and therefore not those particulars I Answer Surely particulars are profitable and therefore this Church had enough in generall whereby they might frame vnto themselues such particulars as were needfull for them but they had not all particulars this place proues the former Position well that the substance of Church-gouernment is set downe in the Word wholly in the generall but not in euery particular though they had some to measure the rest by Yea but there is a further matter for Gouernment in the Church of Ephesus than in any other Church for the Apostle imposeth on Timothy a charge of perpetuity as in 1 Tim. 6.13 I charge thee in the sight of God c. that thou keepe the Commandement without spot vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ So then that Gouernment which hee chargeth him withall was to bee perpetuall I answer first that that Commandement is chiefly if not onely of faith and holinesse Secondly if it be vnderstood of Gouernment yet that was but personall to Timothy that he should keepe it as much as in him lay and also it was onely for that particular Church and for those particular things there commanded which came farre short of euery particular that they should perpetually bee there obserued this is the charge hee giues Timothy Lastly I answer If it bee extended to euery particular Church it must be vnderstood of matters of substance which as wee haue heard must be perpetuall in all Churches So that wee see there is no proofe for this nor no example in Scripture nay there are examples against it because wee finde not the same Gouernment in all Churches for some wanted that which others had and so by this rule one of them should haue sinned as in the Church of Philippi there are onely Bishops and Deacons named So that wee see there is no particular forme of Church-Gouernment for euerie particular set downe in the Word for euery Church precisely to bee ruled by Reas 1 The Reasons of the point are these First it is impossible it should bee so the multitude and varietie of particulars being infinite and still new occasions arising in the Church dayly which if they were foreseene yet they could not bee written the world could not containe the bookes as the Euangelist speakes of the Word and workes of our Sauiour What ciuill Law was there euer that the best heads haue been layd together to deuise that were sufficient at the first for euery particular but by new occasions still increased for particular causes Yea but though men could not yet God could haue prouided for that But yet he did not yea I say further that the Word of God though it bee a most perfect and absolute Law of faith and life yet it prescribes not for euery particular what is to
bee done but there are generalls from which and some particulars by which the rest are to bee drawne and measured That is the first Reason the impossibility of it Reas 2 Secondly if it were possible yet it is inconuenient and vnfit fit for euerie seuerall Nation and Countrey haue their seuerall States and Customes and ciuill Gouernment so that that which is decent in one is not decent in another that which will stand with some ciuill Gouernment may not stand with another and therefore it is vnfit to impose the same particulars on the Churches in euery seuerall Gouernment As for Instance it is a decent thing in some Churches to weare long haire in some it is not In some Churches it is decent to haue the head couered when they prophesie in some it is not therfore where its decent it may bee done where it is not decent it may not be done so that Decency is held still in the generall though that the particulars faile and differ as farre as the East is from the West Reas 3 Thirdly some things we haue must haue in our Church Gouernment which in the Apostles times and many yeares after was not so and that is the Christian Magistrate who hath a chiefe stroke in Church gouernment that by right from God who dares deny it And therefore it was neuer meant that the same particulars should bee in all Churches And so no particular forme of Church-gouernment is left in the Word in euery particular whereunto all Churches are to conforme Reas 4 Lastly some things they had in the Apostles times by practice Act. 6.1 and there was Commandement about it too as well as about other offices as widdowes 1 Tim. 5.3 and yet this is not of necessitie required in any reformed Church So much for the Reasons Vse 1 The Vses are these First this should teach vs to moderate and stay our selues and to set our harts at rest frō seeking after such a particular precise and necessary forme of Church-gouernment for euerie case in Gods Word It is but vaine labour let vs neuer think to find it for the generall we may and for many particulars but for euery particular we may not How many excellent wits haue euen tyred themselues out in this businesse How long and how grieuously haue many learned and holy men vexed themselues about this Question and yet cannot agree among themselues Some pressing more particulars than others as that the chiefe Gouernour is but for a yeere or by turnes c. Yea how haue some and how doe some to this day wrest Scripture laying violent hands on Gods owne holy Booke sometimes putting out somwhat as Timothies Bishopricke in the Postscript to the second Epistle to Timothie so sometime they put in though not into the Text yet cunningly they adde it as in Eph. 4.11 where it is said Pastors and Teachers they say and some Pastors and some Teachers to make them a diuerse Office so likewise they mis-interpret as in Phil. 1.1 where they will haue Bishops to signifie lay-Elders a thing neuer heard of that they were called Bishops and so they are exceeding unconscionable in handling the Word in this businesse Obiect and all to maintaine their owne conceit of Gouernement But you will say was not the Church of the Iewes prouided for in euery particular And why then is not ours as well prouided for as theirs I answer First Answ that the Church of the Iewes was a particular Nationall Church and so might the better be prouided for in particular Secondly I answer that some particulars were not prescribed by them yea I say further that the certaine forme of Church-gouernment amongst them in euery respect is not at this day knowne by any and yet wee haue the Scriptures where this was recorded For my owne part I professe I cannot by all my poore endeauours and small reading come to any full vnderstanding in euery particular of that Gouernment neither could I euer heare or reade of any that could And so likewise I professe for matter of Church-gouernment now vnder the new Testament by all my labours and endeauours and prayers vnto God I could neuer see it in euery particular set downe in the Word For the generall substance it is and for some particulars enough to receiue some good direction for the rest but in euery particular I could neuer see it Vse 2 The second Vse is for refutation and reproofe of all such as pretend their particular Gouernment to bee Gods ordinance and condemne all others As first the Papists they alleage this that their Gouernment is Gods Ordinance for Christ say they when hee was on earth minding to erect one vniuersall head ouer all as his substitute and that all the Churches in the world should be at his becke and Gouernment First he erected it in Peter and from him it came to the Pope and so it is to contiene for euer and therefore say they whosoeuer is not vnder this head is no part of Gods Church But of all oppositions to this Obseruation this hath the least colour of truth and these opposites haue least colour of Scripture for them of all other for besides that there is no precept nor example for it in Scripture they are both most directly against it First for precept looke in Luk. 22.25.26 The Kings of the Gentiles raigne ouer them c. but it shall not be so among you c. there is our Sauiours precept directly against it And so for example looke in Act. 15.13 We shall see that Iames Bishop of Ierusalem moderates the matter in question and giues sentence in it which is the Office of a Bishop and which Peter should haue done if hee had been head of the whole Church Besides what meant Paul to write to Rome and to Corinth and Ephesus and other Churches and to prescribe Orders for them if Peter had been Head it had been his Office and he must haue performed it and if he were dead why did not his Successour doe it Likewise when commandement came from heauen for reformation of the seuen Churches in Asia why were they not reuealed to Peter or he being dead to the Pope his Successour but that they must be reuealed to Iohn in Pathmos if the Pope had been Head of the Churches the Epistles should haue been sent by him or at least by Iohn from him So that they haue no colour for their Gouernment Lastly this reproues those of the Presbytery that say that their Gouernment and their Rulers which they require are plainely set downe in the Word and is an ordinance of God to endure for euer Yet this is not sufficiently furnished in euery particular for first they are not certaine whether the Office of a Pastor and Teacher be diuerse or if they be so then secondly they know not whether they may not be in one and the same person thirdly whether of necessitie all these must bee in euery particular Congregation so
that it doth not suffice that they bee in some parts of the Church where most need is And lastly the Christian Magistrate who hath a chiefe stroke in Gouernment they speake nothing of him neither doe they interpret any of those places where the Apostle speakes of Rulers of the Christian Magistrate though I am verily perswaded that it is to bee vnderstood of them And therefore they erre in these particulars And so wee see that there is not any one particular forme of Church-gouernment set downe in Scripture which euery particular Church is precisely bound to obserue as prescribing to it euery particular in Gouernment The sixteenth Lecture of the Church HAuing propounded fiue principall heads to bee treated vpon touching Church-gouernment as namely First the harmes and euils that this matter hath occasioned in Gods Church Secondly what is meant by these words Church and Gouernment Thirdly how necessary it is in Gods Church Fourthly whether there be any prescript Rule in Gods Word for it And lastly if there bee not then what is to bee done in that case I haue proceeded in the foure former as God hath enabled mee Now I come to speake of the fifth namely That if God hath not ordayned any prescript forme in his Word for euerie particular in gouernment then what is to bee done in this case The Resolution whereof it is to bee fetcht from that which hath been formerly spoken For whereas euery particular Church must haue her particular gouernment and the Word hath not prescribed any one set forme for all Churches to obserue in euerie particular as I haue shewed in the second Obseruation of the former Lecture Therefore euery particular Church out of their owne power and wisedome and being guided by the generall forme set downe in the Scriptures as oft as necessity requires must make the best supply and prouision for themselues herein that they can howbeit because the whole substance of Church-gouernment is set downe in the Word c. as I shewed in the first Obseruation of the former Lecture Therefore the Church must not be presumptuous and licentious as if it were arbitrary and as if they might ordaine and do what they list But they must carefully see that whatsoeuer prouision they make in this kinde bee such as may well stand with those generall rules and directions which the word affords I take not vpon mee here to define what is prescribed in Gods word what not this is a hard taske too curious for mee and too tedious for you That is left to the enquirie of the particular Churches euery one for it selfe and the promise of the Spirit to leade the Church into all Truth of speciall vse for this purpose both to instruct the Church what is prescribed and what is not as also to helpe and direct them what to take and what to leaue and how to behaue themselues in such cases of Gouernment wherein they are destitute of particular warrant for each particular case from the word yet because I would faine informe you throughly of the whole businesse so farre as is needfull to know I will God willing inlarge my discourse farther than I thought to haue done and labour to rip it vp from the very bottome The whole forme of Church-gouernment as I conceiue consists of three principalls or Pillars as I may call them First of some Actions and duties to bee performed in the Church Secondly of some Persons or Officers that are to performe these duties in the Church And thirdly of some Lawes and rules that these persons are to be directed by in the execution of these actions and duties which are to bee done in the Church And if once you can tell these things first what is to be done in Church-Gouernment secondly by whom it must bee done and thirdly how and after what manner and vpon what ground and with what Conditions they are to bee done you may sit downe well satisfied and resolued in this point In the handling of all these points I shall bee in danger either to be too intricate or too tedious too intricate if I should handle them ioyntly all together or too tedious if I should frame a seuerall discourse for each particular by it self To preuent both I wil first propound them all in a generall view by themselues and then I will instance in two or three particular duties fitting them with their Officers and Lawes that so any man of vnderstanding may learne thereby to doe the like in all the rest First wee will beginne with the Duties or Actions to be done in Church-Gouernment haply I shal not touch them all but I will labour to touch the chiefe and principall and those to which all the rest may bee referred The principall Duties are these First Order must be taken that the Word and Sacraments and Prayers bee had in the Church Secondly there must be election of Officers from time to time as occasion shall require Thirdly Duties of Charitie must bee carefully and religiously practised Fourthly censures and proceedings against Offendors must be executed Fifthly order must be takē for calling publike Assemblies Lastly order must bee taken for the ouersight of all these things To beginne with the first Order must bee taken for the Word and Sacraments and Prayers I ioyne and couch all these together because there is a most neere and necessary league and affinitie betwixt them For as the Word is to beget faith so the Sacraments as seales and pledges accompany it for the more palpable Assurance of ou◠increasing in it and Prayer is to bee ioyned with them both that they may bee effectuall and powerfull for edification First for the Word order must bee taken that it may bee had in the Church first the Canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament must bee extant And how must they bee extant Surely in their owne originall languages because if there bee any corruption in the Translation wee may runne to the Originall so that it must be had in the originall languages And in what Copies Surely the best that be to be had But what then euery one cannot vnderstand these languages they may bee in a Nation whose language is not the Mother-Tongue What must bee done then Surely wee must get the most faithfull and best Translations that are and when they are got what must the Church see to bee done with them First some of these Copies must bee laid vp in a safe and secret place that if Desolation should come yet the written Word may bee preserued so the booke of the Law 2 Chron. 34.14 which was thought to bee written by Moses owne hand was found in a secret place where no doubt it had been laid vp by Gods speciall prouidence to bee preserued from that common hauock which was in the Land so that some Copies must bee laid vp in safe and secret places Yea but that is not enough but there must bee some extant
in places of publike and religious Assemblies as it may seeme to bee in our Sauiours time Luk. 4.16 17. where our Sauiour comming into the Temple there was a book of the Prophecy of Isaiah deliuered to him So that they must bee extant in the publike Assemblies And how must they bee extant there Not as dumbe shewes but as the liuely voyce of God to bee read openly so was the case Act. 13.27 The word of the Prophets were read euery Sabbath Day And not onely so but it must bee preacht too that is conscionably expounded and applied So you may read Act. 13.15 that there were Lectures of the Law and of the Prophets And that the Ruler of the Synagogue sent to Paul and Barnabas saying That if they had any word of exhortation they should say on And this is our Sauiours charge Mark 16.15 Goe preach the Gospell to euery Creature And so it is the Apostles charge to Timothy 2 Tim. 4.2 Preach the Word bee instant c. And this is so necessary as that it is the power of God to saluation Rom. 1.16 we cannot bee saued without it And it is impossible wee should beleeue without the preaching of the Word How shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and how shall they heare without a Preacher Rom. 10.14 And this was the practice both of Christ and of his Apostles they preacht the Word And as the Word must bee taught so it must bee heard vnderstood and obeyed therefore our Sauiour saith Luk. 11.28 Blessed are they that heare the Word of God and keepe it And therefore the Apostle Colos 3.16 saith Let the Word of God dwell in you plenteously hee vseth a very elegant Speech as if hee should say Let it not come as a Stranger to tarry with you for a little while but let it dwell with you c. And as it must bee heard and obeyed so it must bee diligently conferred vpon that is it which is commended in the men of Berea Act. 17.11 that they searched the Scriptures to try whether the things were so that Paul taught them So there must bee care had for the Word wee see Secondly there must be care had for the Sacraments first that they be vsed and none other which Christ instituted and secondly that they bee administred in the same manner that our Sauiour did administer them so it is commanded Matth. 28.19 Go teach all nations baptizing them c. there is the Sacrament of Baptisme inioyned and in the 1 Cor. 11.23 there is the Lords Supper and the practice of them appeares in both the Epistles to the Corinthians and by name for the Lords Supper in that first Epistle cha 11. v. 25. where the Apostle deliuers not onely the substance of it but in some measure the circumstances of it also Lastly the Duty of Prayer that must bee had in the Church that prayers must bee publikely made in the Church we haue the exhortation of the Apostle to it 1 Tim. 3.1 I exhort that first of all Prayers bee made for all men c. where hee intends it of publike Prayer and exhorts to it as to a chiefe duty I exhort that first of all prayers bee made c. and so in the 1 Cor. 14.16 And the practice of the Apostles is answerable to this Act. 1.14 after Christs assension they continued with one accord in prayer c. So you see how that in well-gouerned Churches the Word and Sacraments and Prayer are to bee had and vsed Wee haue an example for all these together Act. 2 41 42. where it is said That they which gladly receiued the Word were baptized and they continued in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and breaking of Bread and Prayer So there was the Word and the Sacraments and Prayer Here many good and profitable obseruations might bee had but they are here onely handled as by the way and wee haue handled some of them before in the markes and notes of a true visible Church and the maine thing in them rests to bee handled in the instances when wee come to them So much for the first point that the Word and the Sacraments and Prayer must bee had in the Church The second point is election of Officers from time to time as occasion requires this must bee had too for a duty to bee performed necessarily requires an Officer to performe it And the Duties being of sundrie kindes so must the Officers bee too that manage them else there would bee disorder and confusion and none must intrude or thrust themselues into such places of their owne heads for that were intolerable presumption Heb. 5.4 No man taketh this honour to himselfe vnlesse he be chosen of God as Aaron was there is no warrant of Conscience either in them that thus intrude to execute such offices nor in others to obey nor no hope of blessing by either Therefore there must be election of Officers in the Church that is there must bee a lawfull Assignment of such men to such Offices When a Church is first planted it is one of their first Duties to proceed to the election of Officers as Act. 14.23 They ordained them Elders in euery Church by election And so in Titus 1.5 Titus was left in Crete when the Church was first planted to ordaine Elders in euery City Againe as there must bee election of Officers when the Church is first planted so there must be election for the supply of Officers when any are displaced either by death or for their misdemeanor others must bee placed in their roomes by election And thus did the Apostles when Iudas was fallen away they fell to election by lot for another to supply his roome Act. 1.21 Againe when the Church of God is increast and when by multitude of businesse those that are Officers haue as much already to doe as they can turne their hands to other Officers are to bee added by election And this was the case Act. 6.2 3. When the multitude of Disciples grew there was a murmuring because the widowes of the Grecians were neglected in the dayly ministration Now the Apostles had greater matters in hand and therefore it was vnmeet for them to tend to it therefore said they Chuse you out seuen men from among you c. And so when the people of Israel were increased and that Moses knew not what to do Exod. 18.21 22. Iethro his Father in Law gaue him counsell to chuse other Officers to assist him and so he did So that election of Officers is a needfull duty in the Church Now as this must bee done in regard of all Officers so especially there must bee election of Ministers such as labour in the Word and Doctrine as they hauing the chiefe businesse to deale in and their election consists chiefly in two things Ordination and Assignation to some particular place First Ordination that is an Action whereby men are separated to the worke of the Ministery and
right to and possession in When God giues a man gifts he hath a possible right and when he is appointed by the Authoritie and Orders of the Church that giues him actuall possession Secondly euery such officer is an officer both for God and for men and therefore hee must bee inuested by each Man inuests him by appointment God inuests him when hee is qualified by himselfe and appointed by man according to Gods ordinance So much for the first generall answer that officers in the Church must bee men qualified with a competent measure of gifts Secondly that they must bee appointed thereto by the Authority and Orders of the Church wherein they liue Answ 2 Now I come to answer particularly and by name to the Question namely what these officers are It were too great a labour and yet to no great purpose to reckon vp all particular officers that haue had to doe in Church businesses for besides the ordinary there haue been many extraordinary Some in our Sauiours time and the Age next succeeding as Apostles that were to teach at large through the whole world Matth. 28.19 c. and Prophets to foresee and foreshew things to come as Agabus Act. 11. and Euangelists to bee Assistants to the Apostles Others there were also in many Ages after as Exorcists Doore-keepers Acolutiues and Readers c. but whether these were in rightfully or wrongfully is to bee seene hereafter In the meane time we will speake of such officers as were of ordinary and necessary vse in the Church either such as were indeed or else are pretended so to be on probable and plausible grounds Wee will begin with the officers of the Ministery as that being the principall duty and so they the principall Church-officers in the most strait and proper sense We will take them in their orders first we will begin with Bishops secondly we will come to Presbyters then to Doctors then to gouerning Elders then to Deacons then to Widowes then to other Assistants lastly we will come to speake of the Christian Magistrate First wee will begin with Bishops and first wee will speake of their name secondly of their office First of their name Bishop is as much to say as an Ouerseer in the Originall and it is attributed vnto them by a kind of excellency for there are many Ouer-seers but these are the chiefe in the Scripture sense that are and these are Ouer-seers by a kind of excellency whether we respect the persons they ouer-see or whether we respect their designement to that office or whether wee respect the worke they doe First if we respect the persons they ouer-see they are ouer-seers by a kind of excellency for they ouer-see the faithfull or the flocke of Christ for whereas they haue other ouer-seers as they are Subiects they haue the King and other Magistrates to be their Ouer-seers yet none are so as these for these are their Ouer-seers as they are the flock of Christ Secondly if we respect their speciall designment ouer that flock they haue a more speciall designment ouer the Lords flock than any other Ouer-seer hath ouer any other people the holy Ghost makes them ouer-seers after a speciall manner Thirdly if we respect their worke which is to feede and that not with bodily foode but with spirituall and heauenly food to eternall life All these are intimated Act. 20.28 Take heed to the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made ye Ouer-seers to feed the Church of God c. First they are Ouer-seers and that by a kind of excellency first in respect of the persons they ouer-see which is the flocke of Christ Take heed to the flocke c. Secondly in respect of their speciall assignment ouer which the holy Ghost hath made yee Ouer-seers And thirdly in respect of their work to feed the Church of God c. And as this name Ouer-seer is restrained onely to these so it may bee safely extended to euery particular in that kind and so is the vse in Scripture Phil. 1.1 To all the Saints in Christ Iesus which are at Philippi with the Bishops c. And most plainely in the 1 Tim. 3.1 If any man desireth the office of a Bishop c. this is the generall signification of the word in Scripture But you shall vnderstand that by common practice of speech I find this name alwayes almost euer since the Apostles times particularly applied to those that haue a primacy and precedency in the Church aboue their fellow-Ministers and so Bishops are not Ouer-seers of the flocke onely but also of the Pastors too within such a compasse some greater some smaller which we call Diocesses and as this is generally so in all antient Writers so likewise if the Postscript be authenticall 2 Tim. as for any thing I see it must then the Scripture fauours it too for there Timothy is said to be a Bishop in this sense and so had other Pastors vnder him And so much for the signification of the name Bishop Now wee come to their Office we speake still in the particular sense their Office besides their preaching and other ministeriall Duties common to all Ministers consists First in ordaining Ministers secondly in reforming things amisse First in ordaining Ministers So it is said of Titus that hee was left in Crete to ordaine Elders Titus 1.5 and so in the 1 Tim. 5.22 the Apostle would haue Timothy lay hands rashly on no man c. What is it to lay on hands but to ordaine Ministers And this Timothy must doe and thereto Antiquitie so plainely agrees that Ierome though otherwise bitter enough against Bishops acknowledged it to be done by them and misliked not the doing of it And surely seeing ordination must be continued in the Church some Persons must needs haue a special ouer-ruling hand in it and who are they but Bishops that is they that are highest and chiefest in the Ministery So the Apostles and so the Euangelists being the chiefest in the Ministry did ordaine Ministers If it be said that the Apostles ordained not as Bishops but as Apostles and Timothy and Titus not as Bishops but Euangelists yet the same office being of necessitie still to be performed some must alwaies be in the Church answerable to them in that respect call them how you will if not Bishops yet they must haue as much authoritie in this businesse as I for my part do ascribe to Bishops It is true that extraordinary Officers are not to be imitated in extraordinary workes but in their ordinary workes of continuall and necessary vse when extraordinary Officers cease ordinary must succeed them I doe not say they did this wholly and alone but stil other Presbyters or Ministers were assistants and layd on hands with them and so it was in the Primitiue Church and so our Law requires that the Bishop should make no Minister vnlesse other Ministers be with him but yet still they haue the chiefe stroke the power of ordaining
is in the one the approbation in the other The second thing wherein their Office consists is in ouerseeing and redressing things that are amisse for this purpose was Titus left in Crete to redresse things amisse Titus 1.5 and that not in the people onely but in the Ministers also 1 Tim. 5.19 20. Against an Elder receiue none accusation but vnder two or three witnesses them that sinne openly rebuke openly c. Timothy was at Ephesus as Titus was at Crete to redresse things amisse and there were many Ministers there and these must bee reformed too and therefore the Apostle would haue him in redressing things amisse amongst them to receiue no accusation against them but vnder two or three witnesses So that there must bee one aboue the rest for the performance of this Duty the same Reason may bee proportionably applied for this as for the former for seeing some ministers must bee redressed then there must be some that must haue this power to doe it and who are they but Bishops that are in the chiefest places I doe not ascribe to Bishops hereby any absolute power ouer their Brethren as to doe what they list but a limited power to proceed with the approbation of their Brethren neither say I that these were simply Diocesan Bishops as ours are but surely they were such as had some compasse of iurisdiction allotted them wherein were many Congregations at least many Ministers whom these did ouer-see Those of the Presbytery haue one that is chiefe amongst them and so is the confession of the Reformed Churches And Master Caluin himselfe confesseth as much that in the ancient Church there were such Superiours and saith further that their proceedings were not contrary to the Word yea and hee shewes and approues the reason why such were chosen and that was of purpose to preuent dissention which by equality would arise Mistake me not as if I did meane to settle in Bishops any Princely authority or Lordlike command neither he nor they nor I intend it but that at least there must be one superiour and aboue the rest for order-sake For so it must needs be in all Companies and Societies whatsoeuer else it cannot stand There were many Ministers in Ephesus Act. 20.28 And so Act. 15.35 we reade of many that were in the Church of Antioch and some of them are named Act. 13.1 Now what disorder would there haue been in these Churches if one had not been aboue the rest What danger of Schisme would there haue been How could matters haue been decided amongst them Who should there haue been to haue moderated their actions The freest State that euer was hath one Superiour aboue the rest as Venice hath her Duke Rome hath her Consuls c. yea the Apostles themselues exercised this order amongst themselues some in one Cause was Moderator some in another Nay I adde further that they exercised power though not ouer themselues for they were all equall yet ouer other Ministers Therefore the thing is not vnlawfull in it selfe if it bee moderately and lawfully vsed And the order which I pleade for I would not haue thought a bare Title but such as is armed with some kind of power too which is conferred on them by them which chose them to such places But you will say all this is tolerable if it were but for one Action or for one yeare I answere that surely the lawfulnesse is all one bee it for a yeare or for a mans life only there is lesse danger of abusing such a place if they be limitted to a shorter time And so much of the first Office namely Bishops where yee haue heard first of their Name and secondly of their Office Now wee come in the second place to Presbyters or Elders for so the word Presbyter in the Originall signifies an Elder and they were so called either as they were Ministers or as they were ancient in yeares or at least in carriage or because they were more ancient in grace and in begetting others to the Faith We speake here of such as labour in the Word and Doctrine for of such as are pretended to be gouerning Elders we shall speake in the next place This name wee find also to bee generall to all in the Ministery from the highest to the lowest yea euen the Apostles themselues are so called so Peter calls himselfe an Elder 1 Pet. 5.1 yet by vse for the most part both in Scripture as Act. 15.4 and the 14.23 and in other Writers it is restrained to those that are assigned to teach in some particular Congregation sometimes many of them together sometimes one by himselfe as times and occasions serued Their Office in regard of the maine essentiall duty is to feed and therefore they are called Pastors Ephes 4.11 Hee gaue some to be Apostles c. and some Pastors c. And to this duty they are often exhorted in Scripture 1 Pet. 5.1 2. The Elders which are amongst you I beseech feed the Flocke of God c. Act. 20.28 Take heed therefore vnto your selues and to all the Flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Ouer-seers to feed the Church of God c. And this feeding consists chiefly in two things that is first to teach secondly to rule and gouerne they must bee acknowledged to haue as absolute power and authoritie from God for both these duties within their Charge as the Bishops in theirs for euery Presbiter is a Feeder that is both a Teacher a Ruler within his Charge It is true that Presbyters haue bin most vniustly scantled abridged by Canons and Councels of this part of their office that consists in ruling and gouerning too much hath been taken from them that Bishops might be aduanced the more To speake more particularly of their Office it consists in many particulars First they are to teach the Word that is both to expound it and to apply it and whatsoeuer particulars of exhorting reprouing comforting c. are set downe in Scripture they are to bee referred to this head they were all exercised by the Apostles and Euangelists and are so to bee by euery Minister or Elder within his Charge that which is spoken of Paul to Timothy 2 Tim. 4.2 is spoken to all Ministers Preach the Word bee instant in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort c. And there is reason for it for the Word being committed to euery Pastor to bee ministred by them and that being profitable to teach to conuince to correct as it is in the 2 Tim. 3.16 therefore there is power and charge in them to handle it euery way for the edification of the Church Secondly they are to administer the Sacraments for that also being charged vpon the Apostles Mat. 28.19 was intended to all the Ministery as well as the Word and in the 1 Cor. 10.18 The Cup of blessing which we blesse c. there is the other Sacrament and the Apostle makes it
in their Synagogues that these were translated from them though this bee probable and likely enough yet it is but a coniecture there is no sure proofe for it But there must bee sure ground to erect a Church-officer vpon Secondly there is no example in all the Scripture of any Church so gouerned Thirdly the places of Scripture alleaged for them are scarce and few and indeed there is but one and that is in the 1 Tim. 5.17 I will not stand to scanne it or to make shifts against it but if it bee so expounded of Gouerning Elders besides Ministers it is subiect to many iust exceptions and also it may admit many interpretations to the contrary agreeable to the Analogy of Faith and fitting to the words themselues and there are a great many more harsh interpretations that passe for currant in farre weightier matters so that first either there were none such at all or secondly if there were such as for my part I will not vtterly deny it yet they were onely in practice then it cannot be proued to bee an Institution for many things were done then which in doing were not instituted Thirdly or if it were by Institution yet it was onely for that present dispensation when there was no Christian Magistrate so that now wee liuing vnder a Christian Magistrate are not bound to it nor haue no such vse of it and therefore it is not perpetuall Fourthly or if it bee perpetuall yet our Church is not vtterly destitute we haue in euery Parish Vestry-men to ioyne with the Minister in such parts of gouernment as needs such persons to heare and reforme some matters with the Minister that he might not carry all alone And therefore there is no cause of such quarrell and exclamation as is made against our Church vpon this occasion And so much for the fourth point concerning gouerning Elders In the fifth place we come to the office of Deacons that is an expresse Office mentioned in Scripture as Act. 6.2 though they are not there expressely called Deacons yet I doubt not but they were such In Rom. 12.8 they are called Distributors and in the 1 Tim. 3.12 there they are by name These are such as at the first were appointed and imployed altogether about the poore and about Church-Treasury but afterwards they did also exercise some ministeriall functions for Philip was a Deacon Act. 6. yet afterward hee preached and baptized Act. 8.5 38. though he did that rather as he was an Euangelist than a Deacon for so we may reade Act. 21 8. that Philip was an Euangelist And afterward the Deacons baptized which sauing the iudgement of the better learned I thinke they rather vsurped than had any right to it by office or other warrant for it yet in succeeding Ages they had generally a degree of the Ministery answerable to that of the Leuites vnder the Law who taught and looked to the Treasury too and the Scripture seemes to fauour it 1 Tim. 3.13 where it is said they haue ministred well c. so that it is neither strange nor much to be found fault with that there are some such amongst vs. But admit they were only imployed in Church-treasury for that is the true originall of them yet either they were onely for certaine times and places and so was the occasion of their first erection Act. 6. Caluin in Acts 21.8 And therefore they are not of necessitie to be in euery Congregation or if they bee necessary we haue Churchwardens and Collectors answerable to them though not so gifted as they were in Act. 6. that may bee the defect of the times that afford not men so well qualified or of the chusers of them that make not better choice and also though they be not so chosen by prayer and imposition of hands which either is not simply necessary in this case or else being omitted that is also the choosers fault But say they if you retaine the Office and not the Title this is to subiect Gods Ordinance to your owne inuention as if one should say he would yeeld to haue his matter moderated and determined in the Chancery and yet not by my Lord Chancellour whom the King appoints but by one of his owne chusing and so in the Church you will haue this matter of Church-treasury ordered and yet not by Deacons whom the Lord Iesus hath appointed I answer This is but a cauill about words so long as wee retaine the thing it selfe there is no such great matter for the name And so much shall suffice to be spoken concerning Deacons In the sixth place we come to Widowes of these we may reade in Scripture as in Act. 6.1 and 1 Tim. 5.3 and it is probable that these are meant 1 Cor. 12.28 where they are called helpers and Rom. 12.8 shewers of mercy Yee shall haue my iudgement briefly in this point and that is this That all these places of Scripture well vnderstood and compared together doe proue onely thus much first that in many Churches there were then such Widowes secondly that wheresoeuer they were there they were to bee relieued thirdly that where they were so relieued there they were to performe workes of mercy and charitie as to attend the sicke to wash the Saints feete and such like as occasion required But that they are a necessary Officer in euery Church and that where they are not there the Church-gouernment is defectiue that can neuer be proued In Geneua they haue rather poore men than women and in the Churches of France they haue no such vse of Widowes at all Seuenthly wee come to speake of other Assistants as Readers Fellowes Acolutiues Exorcists c. concerning whom because they bee not at all found in the Word wee therefore doe passe them by Eighthly and lastly wee come to the Christian Magistrate who though he be last named yet hath not the least hand in Church-gouernment And the question concerning him is First whether hee may bee rightly called a Church-officer I answer Hee may though not in that proper sense as the Minister because he hath not such an immediate hand in the Word and Sacraments but in a large sense he may and that very rightly For being a member of the Church and that a chiefe one too how can he be excluded from being a Church Officer and that a chiefe one too in his nature It is no disparagement to him Christ being the Head of the Church and he being Christs Lieutenant within his lawfull Dominions why may not he be a chiefe Ruler in Church-businesse It is Gods owne promise Isai 49.23 that Kings and Queenes should be noursing Fathers and noursing Mothers to his Church Themselues by Officers are Nurses and their Authoritie and countenance are like Breasts or Dugs to cherish and feede and hatch vp the Church withall And the Apostle layes it as a dutie vpon all the faithfull 1 Tim. 2.2 That they pray for Kings and all in authority that they
meanes that he tenders to vs for our reliefe either by resistance or by escape if hee affords vs meanes to fight and resist then we must withstand our enemies to the vttermost of our power Iames 4.7 Resist the diuell c. If God tender opportunity by flight take the benefit of that meanes so Christ teacheth vs Matth. 10.23 If they persecute you in one Citty fly into another and this did the Apostle Paul practise Acts 9.25 hee was let downe in a basket through the wall and so escaped form his enemies so that if opportunity be offered vs of flight wee must take it alwaies considering that this is the best course for vs to take which God offers vs opportunity of and wee may be bold to wait for a blessing on it fourthly wee must cleaue to God by walking with God in obedience to his will make and keepe thy peace alwaies with God whatsoeuer thou dost keepe him thy friend whosoeuer be thine enemy and this thou must doe by walking in his waies and then he will giue his Angells charge ouer thee to carry thee in their hands that nothing may hurt thee Psalme 91.11 12. and Psalm 34.7 The Prophet saith that the Angells of the Lord pitch their tents round about them that feare him and deliuereth them If thou feare God and labour to please him then thine enemies may goe about thee againe and againe seeking to deuour thee but still they shall finde the tents of Gods Angells euery where round about thee to deliuer thee that they should not hurt thee The third vse teacheth vs how to carry and behaue our selues to all things in the world euen to euery thing Vse 3 we heare and see surely very warily and suspitiously For feare left the enemy haue laid a snare in them to intrap thee and therefore when wee vse any of these things let vs sanctifie them to vs by the Word and Prayer and this wee must doe if not for any good and blessing that wee expect by them yet at least for feare of some euill that the enemie intends against vs in them specially wee are to carry our selues very warily to the men of the world euen to all those that are without take notice of them as enemies most dangerous such enemies as are euer seeking or ready to seeke thy destruction haue little to doe with them but euen as thou needs must and so thou shalt be safest from their danger learne Christs Lesson Matth. 10.17 Beware of men for they will deliuer you vp to Councells c. and follow his example Ioh. 2.24 when many beleeued in him because of his miracles yet hee would not commit himselfe to them because he knew them all There are many more particular duties to be learned hence but because they are more naturall to the next point we will referre them thither Now come wee to the fourth point and that is this namely how the Church is to carrie and behaue her selfe to her aduersaries they must not cowardly lye downe vnder their feete and suffer them to trample on them but they must oppose against them and that not rashly and desperately and presumptuously hand ouer-head but as their warfare is spirituall and Religious so must they carry themselues accordingly in it I will deliuer it by way of obseruation Doctr. take it thus Gods Church and chosen must so carry themselues in all their courses against their aduersaries that they may mannage a good fight of faith against them such as may well beseeme the Lords battels and the souldiers of Iesus Christ 1. Tim. 6.12 The Apostle bids Timothy fight out the good fight of faith shewing vs that it is a fight that wee are put to and wee must fight it out and it must be a fight of faith first because our faith is it that is specially stricken at by our enemies and maintained by vs and also it is the chiefe weapon and meanes whereby we fight so likewise the fight we make must be a good fight well mannaged in euery respect and that Timothy might see that Paul chargeth no more on him then he practised in himselfe hee professeth that hee for his part had done so and taketh his death 〈◊〉 it as it were 2 Tim. 4.6 7. I am now ready to be offered c. I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course and haue kept the faith c. And this is euery mans duty 1 Pet. 5.9 whom resist stedfast in the faith except wee will be deuoured by Satan and carried quicke to hell wee are to resist and that in faith and it must be a stedfast resistance in a stedfast faith And the Apostle Ephes 6.10 hauing exhorted to be strong in the Lord because the strongest if hee be not well appoined with armour and weapons may be ouerthrowne therefore in the 11. verse hee teacheth vs how to fight furnishing vs with armour and weapons and discretion how to vse them put on the whole armour of God c Now that wee may be able to make a good fight of faith against our aduersaries wee are to consider first what wee haue to doe in this fight secondly bow wee are to doe it First what wee haue to doe in it and that is two things there is a double worke to be done in this fight defensiue and offensiue wee are to defend our selues and to oppose our aduersaries and therefore the Apostle Ephes 6. making mention of the weapons of our Christian warfare reckons vp not onely a Shield and an Helmet but a Sword too the first work then to be done in this fight is defensiue we are to saue our selues harmelesse for wee are deare and tender to God in Christ euen as the Apple of his eye and therefore wee must defend and keepe our selues the best wee can this counsell the Apostle Iohn giues vs in his 2. Epistle verse 8. Looke to your selues that yee loose not the things yee haue done So likewise our Sauiour giues vs counsell for our bodily preseruation Matth. 10.23 If they persecute you in one City flie vnto another and God hauing promised that not one haire of our head shall perish wee are to vse all the good meanes wee can that it may be accomplished It will be replyed that our Sauiour himselfe did otherwise Matth. 26.53 hee would not defend himselfe though hee might haue had Legions of Angells to defend him I answer the case is not alike for he knew it was his fathers will that he should thus yeeld as you may see vers 54. hee did it that the Scripture might bee fulfilled but wee doe not know this and therefore we are to defend our selues if lawfully we can But yet if we see plainely that God will haue our liues it is as great a finne in that case to seeke to saue them as in the other case to loose them as wee see Matth. 10.39 and howsoeuer we our selues speede though wee doe loose our liues
vs now the voyce of the Scripture Therefore eyther they much wronged the womans voice in preferring Christs before it or else the Church is not of greater authority then the Scripture but the Scriptures of greater authority then the Church Iohn 5.33 to the 39. Iohn bare witnesse to the truth that Christ was the Messiah and his voyce therein is the voyce of the Church But doth our Sauiour rest there as if the truth were thereby sufficently confirmed no he disclaimes it in that respect verse 34. I receiue not the record of man and appeales to a higher and greater witnesse euen to his Fathers who did speake more sufficiently for him and doth not the Father speake in the Scriptures So that as the Testimony of Iohn is not greater then that of the Father but the Testimony of the Father greater then of Iohn so the authority of the Church is not greater then the authority of the Scripture but the authority of the Scripture is greater then that of the Church And in the 39. verse of that Chapter hee appeales from the Testimony of Iohn by name to Scriptures Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me as they being a greater witnesse then the witnesse of Iohn So in Luke 16. from verse 27. to 31. the rich man being in hell in torments intreats father Abraham that Lazarus might goe and forewarne his brethren that they might not come into those torments No saith Abraham they haue Moses and the Prophets and if they will not heare them they will not heare him The case is plaine if Lazarus had come to his brethren and told them that they should take heed of their brothers courses for hee was now in hell in torments for their sinnes if he had done thus had not his voyce been the voyce of the Church For what doth the Church but instruct exhort reproue and forewarne men from Sinne that so they might keepe them from hell and yet Abraham referres them to Scriptures as of greater authority and if Lazarus had come thus it had beene by miracle too which would haue added waight to his words and yet for all that hee referres them to the Scripture to Moses and the Prophets with a plaine affirmation of greater authority in them to perswade men from hell then if one had risen from the dead to perswade them The last place that I will adde for proofe of this point is in Iohn 10.3.4 the sheepe of Christ they follow Christ that is the faithfull they beleeue in him why because they know his voyce as who should say there is a secret skill that God hath endued them withall whereby they discerne the voyce of Christ from any other and that voyce of his they heare and beleeue it why because the Church tels them so No that is not it but because it is his voyce and he hath spoken it So that the authority of the Church is not greater then the authority of the Scripture but the authority of the Scripture is greater then the authority of the Church this is a materiall point not onely against the Papists but euen in our consciences that we may know what is the maine ground which wee are to rest vpon the Church or the Scripture Reas 1 The Reasons are many first the Scripture is the foundation of the Church Ephes 2.20 you are built vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ Iesus himselfe being the chiefe corner Stone that is ye are built vpon the Scripture then the Scripture is the foundation and the Church the building now we know that the foundation may and oft times doth stand fast without the building but the building cannot stand at all without the foundation therefore the foundation is a farre surer stay then the building and the Scripture then the Church Reas 2 Secondly the Scriptures is the immortall seede whereof the Church is begotten 1 Pet. 1.23 now which is greater the seed that begets or the fruite that is thereof begotten Reas 3 Thirdly the Scriptures are of greater authority to beget faith then Christs own miracles and therefore of greater authority then the Church Iohn 5.36 to the 39. Our Sauiour appeales from the voyce of Iohn which was the voyce of the Church to his miracles as being of greater authority and yet he appeales from his miracles to the Scripture as being of greater authority then them both And Luke 16.31 If they heare not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rise from the dead and 2 Pet. 1.17 18 19. miracles are of greater authority then the Church and the Scriptures are of farre greateâ— authority then miracles that the Scriptures are of more greater authority then the Church I will make it plaine by a Simile In a Family the wife being of more authority then the childe her word shall stand when the childes shall not stand yea but the husbands word is of more Authority then the wiues for his shall stand when hers shall not then it followes that the husbands word must needs be of greater authority then the childes Fourthly that which speakes true alwaies must needs Reas 4 be of greater Credit then that which doth speake true but sometimes but the Scriptures speake alwaies true in euery tittle as the Lord himselfe who cannot lye speaking in euery sentence of it all Scripture is giuen by inspiration from God 2 Timoth. 3.16 but the Church speakes sometimes false for euery man is a lyer Rom. 3.4 therefore the Scripture is of greater authority then the Church or take it thus more plainly God is to be beleeued before man but the voyce of the Scripture is the voyce of God himselfe and the voyce of the Church is but the voyce of man therefore the voyce of the Scripture is of greater authority and is to be beleeued before the voyce of the Church Fifthly our assurance of any truth stands more on Reas 5 that into which it is last resolued then of that which being but a meanes thereto is it selfe proued by it As for example If I be sure the King will giue me an hundred pounds because hee hath promised and past his word for it this promise is but the meane of this assurance that which my assurance is last resolued into is the honesty of the King for if I be not principally resolued on that his promise can giue mee no certaine assurance Now our assurance of the truth of Scripture is last resolued into the authority of the Scripture it selfe the Church is but a meanes bringing vs thereto and it selfe leaning thereon For if I beleeue the truth because the Church saith it then I must be sure that the Church saith true but how should I doe it but by the Scriptures therefore my assurance of the truth stands on the authority of the Scripture not of the Church and so the authority of the Scripture is greater then the authority of the Church an Angell from heauen is not to
it is to bee vnderstood that that faith which God hath reuealed in the body of the Scripture must needs be the rule and square of all interpretations And so in the 2 Peter 1.20 No prophesie of Scripture is of any priuate interpretation c. where intepretation of Scripture is named and all priuate interpretations of Scripture excluded now what is meant by priuate interpretations it is explained by the opposition vers 21. but holy man of God spake as they were mooued by the Holy Ghost so that euery interpretation is forbidden and condemned as ptiuate that is not according to the minde of the holy Ghost that speakes in Scripture and see it falls in right with the obseruation as if it were the same words Secondly the examples of the practice of the faithfull is plaine for this Nehem 8.7.8 The Text saith they read in the book of the Law and gaue the sense c. not that they did giue a sence of their owne but they gaue that sense that the Lord himselfe therein intended and so caused them to vnderstand it So in Act. 8.34 35. the Eunuch reading that place Esa 53. hee was led as a Sheepe to the slaughter c. hee asketh Philip whether the Prophet speaketh this of himselfe or of some other acknowledging thereby that the meaning of the Prophet himselfe must be the Rule that he must goe by in expounding the Prophet And Act. 17.11 The Bereans took not the Apostles word no farther then it was consonant to the sense of Scripture but they searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so And our Sauiour him selfe submitted himselfe to the same Rule Luke 24.27 he expounded Moses and the Prophets to them that is hee did plainely deliuer their meaning for that is the right office of an Interpreter as when two speake together being of a strange language the Interpreter is to tell what each of them meaneth And this being the chiefe office that the Church hath concerning Scripture to interpret them shee is then to giue no other sense of them but that which is the minde of God and the meaning of the Scriptures themselues this is true preaching and this did our Sauiour Luke 4.17.21 hee opened the booke and read in it and then expounded it So much for the proofe of the point The reasons are these Reas 1 first what the Church doth according to her owne will not following the sense of the Scripture they doe it as naturall men for so farre as they are spirituall so farre they follow the mind of God and deny themselues now the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God and the sense of the flesh is enmity against God Rom. 8.7 and when Peter confest aright that our Sauiour was the Sonne of God flesh and blood did not reueale this vnto him Matth. 16.17 and therfore if so be they will find out the truth in the Scripture they must not consult with themselues but with the Spirit of the Lord. Reas 2 Secondly the light of nature affords euery man to interpret his owne words acccording to his owne meaning specially hee that makes lawes is to expound them And is not the Scripture Gods owne Word and is not he the author of all the Lawes and Statutes therein contained And shall wee scantle God of that in this kinde which is due to euery man in the like kinde Shall euery man expound his owne words and interpret the lawes hee makes according to his owne meaning And shall not God doe so much more It is the Apostles reason for the words of the Prophets 2 Pet. 1.20 21. where he saith that no prophesie of Scripture is of any priuate interpretation but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost as if hee should say it is Gods Word and therefore not to be interpreted after the will of man and it may as iustly be applyed to all the Scriptures as to the Prophets because they be all of God 2 Tim. 3.16 all giuen by inspiration from God therefore God is to expound them Reas 3 Thirdly It is so in the iudgement of outward and carnall things because they be of God therefore they are to be proceeded and dealt in after his will and not our owne the iudgement that man giues is not his owne but it is Gods Iudgement as Iehosaphat saith to the Iudges in the 2 Chron. 19.6 7. if it be so in ciuill things that the Iudge must doe nothing but that which God will haue him to doe because it is Gods Iudgement much more in Religious iudgements as about the sense of Scripture it must needes be so for the life of naturall reason is farre more cleare in the other then these yea the Lord himselfe quotes them both together in this case limiting both alike Deut. 17.8 to the 11. If a controuersie arise they must goe vnto the Priest and vnto the Iudge and what they informe according to the Law that they must doe Reas 4 Fourthly the Church is the Spouse of Christ Now the wife must be aduised by her husband and not runne on her owne head So they are the sheepe of Christ and therfore to follow the Shepherds voyce and not to goe before it framing it to their owne fancies and the Church hath the promise of the Spirit no further but as following Gods Word Iohn 14.26 Reas 5 Fifthly the Church hath erred and that most dangerously in interpreting of Scripture and that was when they neglected to obserue the minde of God and followed their owne mind and therefore her owne wofull experience may teach her this wisdome Reas 6 Sixthly By this meanes the Scriptures shall be and are occasionally the author of all heresie for whence haue they sprung but from hence that men haue taken the Scripture and mis-interpreted them in fauour of their owne opinions Yea but what is this to the Church that particular men haue done this Yes for if they may doe it why not the other and these very Heretikes were of the Church when they did thus misinterpret the Scriptures Reas 7 Seuenthly by this meanes the Church shall be found contrary or at least diuers from her selfe two seuerall Churches expounding the same Scripture two contrary waies yea one and the same Church expounding the same Scripture now one way and now another way Reas 8 Eightly It is the practice of the diuell and his instruments to handle the Word deceitfully making merchandize of it turning it to their owne and other mens affections as the Apostle speaketh in the 2 Cor. 2.17 and 4.2 whereas the Apostles and Gods Ministers doe otherwise they make Gods meaning plaine in euery mans conscience in the sight of God So it is the practice of the diuell and his instruments to mis-apply Scripture wresting it to error to their owne destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 So they alleage it quite against the meaning of God as Satan did Math. 4 6. Lastly the sufficiency of
the Scriptures and plainenesse and constancy in it selfe is such that it requires that whosoeuer interpret them they must doe it according to the meaning of God in them and not their owne minde So much of the reasons Vse 1 The vses of this point are many The first is for matter of reproofe and that principally of the Papists and it meets with them two waies First it reproues their opinion and secondly their practice And first it reproues them for their opinion for they esteeme the Scriptures but a dead or killing Letter and the written Word but bare and dead Inke It is the Church say they that is the mouth of the Scriptures giuing it sound and sense and it hath no meaning but what shee pronounceth This is their wicked opinion but the faithfull haue spirituall eares they heare God himselfe speake euen in the written Word It is true that the Church sounds it to the outward eare but God speakes in it to the heart and conscience and they receiue it not as the word of man but as it is indeed the Word of God A dead letter doe they call them O horrible blasphemy Stephen calls them liuely Oracles Acts 7.38 and the Angell Acts 5.20 calls them words of life and Christ himselfe saith Iohn 5.39 that eternall life is in them and that they are witnesses of him If they be dumbe as they say they are then they giue but a slender witnesse of Christ but our Sauiour would haue vs to know that there is a liuing voyce in the Scripture as hee saith Iohn 6.63 the words that I speake are spirit and life I say not that this life is in the Scriptures simply but as it is in the Sacraments to the faithfull Receiuer that is by the promise of God and the presence of his Spirit It is true that the Church is the mouth of the Scriptures as Aaron was the mouth of Moses Exod. 4.16 Hee shall be thy spokes-man to the people hee shall be vnto thee in stead of a mouth and thou shalt be vnto him in stead of God And as the Prophets were the mouth of God Luke 1.70 as he spake by the mouth of all his holy Prophets c. thus the Church is the mouth of God and his spokes-man to the people and so farre shee is to be beleeued But that she is so the mouth of Scriptures as that what sense soeuer shee speakes must be esteemed the voyce of Scripture this is not to be beleeued No the Scripture is not dumb but speakes it selfe Rom. 10.11 the Scripture saith and Rom. 11.2 Wot ye not what the Scripture saith and most plainely Rom. 9.17 for the Scripture saith vnto Pharaoh c. that is God in the Scripture saith to Pharaoh so that the Scriptures are not dumb but the spirituall man heares God speake in them As it condemnes their opinion so secondly it condemns their practice and that in many respects and first in regard of their vulgar latin translation for they impose that vpon the Church as the authenticall Text and Word of God and in the councel of Trent they haue decreed that none may appeale frō it vnder any pretence and that vpon paine of Gods curse It is true that translations are Scripture so far as they goe with the originall Text but that any translation is to be equalled much lesse preferred to the originall Text wherein both the the matter and the words are Gods owne it is absurd And this is a sufficient motiue to any indifferent mans iudgement not blinded and besotted with mysts of preiudice and error that wee are in the right and they are in the wrong because we are willing to stand to the tryall of Gods own Text but they will onely stand to their owne translation refusing the other The second practice of theirs heere reproued is that all their expositors are slaues and vassalls to their Church for in all their interpretations either they must concurre to award with the sense that the Church hath already giuen or if they differ they must vaile Bonnet and say with submission of their iudgement to the church of Rome and then though they doe erre yet it is not damnable because they shew a willingnesse to be better aduised else they are Heretikes and Castawayes it were farre more grace in them to submit themselues to the iudgement of God with intreaty of pardon for that wee haue not attained to the full sense of his words for if any wrong be done therein it is most to him whose words wee haue mistaken and also wee must pray vnto him for further illumination who is the father of lights and in this they would shew themselues to be the good seruants of God whereas in the other they shew themselues to be the seruants and slaues of men Their third practice here reproued is this That in the oath which generally all Papists receiue they doe sweare to vnderstand Scripture onely so as the Fathers ioyntly do expound them and to receiue no other interpretation but that which they doe generally consent in No doubt but the Fathers ioyntly consenting and all agreeing in the exposition of a Scripture It is great reason to moue me to belieue that it is the true sense but yet it is no proofe that I should sweare to it but I aske what one place of Scripture is there that is not manifest by its owne light which is expounded one and the same way by all the Fathers If it be manifest by it selfe wee beleeue it for its owne light and not for theirs but if it be not manifest in it selfe then some one or other of Fathers dissent in the interpretation of it yea but say they if most agree then it is all one as if they all agreed But what if the most dissent from the best must we follow the most to doe euill But in the diuision of the Commandements they follow not the most but leaue all the rest of the Fathers and follow Austin who will haue but three Commandements in the first Table because hee had a conceit of a mystery of the Trinity to be in them But will they beleeue the most and leaue the best this is against Gods Commandement to follow the multitude to doe euill but thus they must doe or else they are foresworne See what dangerous plunges these desperate fellowes put themselues on to vphold the Churches transcendent authority in expounding of Scripture◠but secondly what if they do all generally concur and yet misse in the right expounding of Scripture some of the best learned amongst the Papists challenge them so to doe and we can giue instance of it as in the dangerous heresy of the Millenaries vpon that place Reu. 20.4 that Christ should raign on the earth after the day of iudgement a 1000. yeers now if they follow the Fathers in this exposition wherein they generally erre they must forsake the truth if they
Messiah because he was so base and so meane in his outward estate and thereby they were so blinded that seeing they did not see that is though the matter were as cleare as the Sunne that euery one that had any eies might see it yet they did not The fourth Rule that we must be directed by before we come to expound Scripture is this we must bring humility with vs humblenesse of heart laying downe our mindes wils and affections into the hands of God to be fashioned and framed according to the shape of the Word and Spirit and that we shall be sure to be taught for to such the promise of teaching is made Psal 25.9 he will teach the humble his way Empty thy selfe that thou maist receiue of his fulnesse deny thy selfe that God may teach thee and become a foole that thou maist be made wise Fifthly we must hunger and thirst after the knowledge of the Scripture as after the foode of thy soule without which it would sterue and dye for euer and then thou shalt be satisfied Matth. 5.6 Sixthly we must be sure wee haue a good marke to ayme at when wee come to handle the Scripture namely Gods glory and the finding out of the truth not to know it onely but to liue by it that God may be glorified we must say Lord it is thy face we seeke and thy glory wee aymeat and this is the end that God himselfe aimes at in the tender of the Scripture to thee and therefore if thou set the same End before thee God will surely assist and blesse thee accordingly Lastly before we come to handle the Scripture we must looke well vnto our selues and marke and examine our owne ability and gifts and attempt not higher then thou canst reach without strayning too much for many striuing to reach higher then their strength and ability would reach vnto haue ouer-reacht themselues and that is it which the Apostle exhorts vs to Rom 12.3.4 Let no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete but that he vnderstand according to sobriety as God hath dealt to euery man the measure of faith Secondly in the businesse it selfe what is to be done First we must take the Scripture and read it and consider and obserue the scope of the place and the consistence of it with the words going before and following after and compare sense with sense and phrase with phrase And if thy skill can reach so farre goe to the originall and thus doing thou shalt see the sense arise from the words sensibly as waters out of the Fountaine Yea but say the Papists the Scriptures are hard and containe darke speeches high matters and doubtfull words how can the vnlearned then expound them I Answer First for fundamentall points that concerne our saluation they are most plaine to euery mans vnderstanding that is eyther in the same place as most commonly it is or at least in other places as alwayes we finde it the Lord still confirming euery truth by the â—outh of two or three witnesses Other points also are plaine enough for the most part to a proportionable capacity I say not to euery capacity but yet so long as matters concerning saluation are plaine enough in Scripture that is enough But say they if you tye vs to this Rule to seeke the sense of Scripture by Scripture you doe but as Heretiques vsed to doe and yet they haue missed the right sense of Scripture I Answer It is true but that hath beene their owne fault the fault hath not beene in the duty It is in this as it is in the duety of Prayer many pray but they pray amisse as S. Iames saith shall not we pray because of that The second thing we are to doe in this action is this we must goe and consult with Gods Spirit who vnderstands them and best knowes the minde of God in them 1 Cor. 2.11.14 16. and therefore consult with him and wee shall know the minde of God too This is true say they but how shall we consult with Gods Spirit I Answer we must doe it by prayer and heauenly meditation the Spirit being by name Christs substitute on earth for this businesse Iohn 14.25 26. to teach vs all things and to bring them to our remembrance And looke what our Sauiour did when he was present vpon earth Luke 24.32 45. he opened the Scriptures to the Disciples and opened their vnderstandings that they might conceiue them so doth the Spirit now in his absence he opens the Scriptures to vs our vnderstandings that we may vnderstand them know the meaning of them But haue ye he Spirit say the Papists Yea we haue the Spirit of God for God promiseth to giue his Spirit to those that aske him to the meanest as well as to the learnedest And therfore that is but a scoffe of theirs to say you that are a plaine simple man haue you the spirit Thirdly we must still haue an eye to the Analogy of faith that is to those knowne grounds that are contained in the Creede the ten Commandements and the Lords Prayer and not admitte of any sense to crosse them For they are the summe and marrow of Scriptures in fundamentall matters they are in effect nothing but Scripture itselfe onely they differ in manner that which is more largely set downe in Scripture is there set downe in a briefe forme that so our eye might the better be fixed on them And this rule the Apostle teacheth vs Rom. 12.6 to prophesie according to the portion or analogy of faith as if hee should say still haue an eye to that Fourthly we must vse all Industry diligence watchfulnesse and study in reading and hearing the Scripture these helps procure rare and excellent things in carnall businesses and so will doe much more in Gods businesse Labour for the meate which endureth to euerlasting life saith our Sauiour Iohn 6.27 Lastly make vse of the Iudgement of the Church herein and of holy men that haue written vpon the Scripture both old and new the Papists bely vs when they accuse vs that we scorne the iudgement of the Church and affect nothing but singularity and nouelty No we hearken to the true Church and are much ruled by her iudgement yet not to builde only or chiefelye thereon but to be instructed thereby and to bee well aduised before we dissent For who among men are to be beleeued but they of the Church who haue the promise of the truth and of the Spirit made to them alone In the third place we come to that which wee must do after we haue layde the Booke of God by And the first thing that we must do then is prayer to God for the pardon of our faylings and for a blessing on our labours for prayer must bee the first second and last duty we must begin and end with it Secondly meditation we must meditate of it in our hearts as Mary did the words of the
Shepheards and of Christ Luke 2.19 51. she did ponder and keepe these sayings in her heart And this wil ripen our thoughts digest our readings and conceits as chewing the cud separating the refuse and turning the best into good nourishment The third duty is conference we must conferre of the things we reade and heare as the two Disciples did Luke 24.4 32. for this will reuiue our vnderstanding and quicken our wits and wheâ— our reason and helpe our memories and stablish our iudgement and throw out the hidden substance as it were from the huske and winnow away the chaffe from the wheat And fourthly to these we must adde patience wait the Lords leasure and tarry till he giue the succsse and till he reueale his will to thee and thus doing God will reueale it Phil. 3.15 all this while that thou hast beene toyling and striuing expect and waite vpon God and thou shalt finde the successe in Gods good time thou hauing vsed the meanes dayly labouring and praying for the effect be sure it shall bee reuealed vnto thee when it is best for thee and thou fittest for it and if it should neuer be reuealed to thee yet thy former paines seconded with patience shall make thy state as good in Gods acceptance through Christ as if thou haddest knowne it Fiftly that which strikes the nayle to the head is practise and experience a most certaine guide in all points fundamentall After we haue done all the former rules we must adde practice therefore practise Religion in the obseruation of Gods wayes in afflictions in temptations in the court of thine owne conscience in thy dayly watch in the continuall course and terme of thy life Iohn 7 17. If any man doe his will hee shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or no Act. 5.32 the holy Ghost whom God hath giuen to them that obey him Psal 119.100 I vnderstand more then the ancients because I haue kept thy Precepts God wil not see vs erre in Iudgement and practice too in such necessary points as he sees we desire as well to obey as to learne And so much for the second vse which teacheth vs warinesse and care and conscience in medling with Scripture Vse 3 The third Vse teacheth vs thankfulnesse to God that we liue in those times of light wherein we haue so many good helpes for the knowledge of Scripture learning tongues sciences histories wits all of them being at the highest and ripest now And many godly men both at home and abroad yea many Churches haue published their iudgement touching the sense of most places of Scripture And therefore if men will be blind now let them be blind for euer let vs take the benefit of these helpes thankefully and soberly and let vs adde to these the vse of those seciall helps before mentioned then it is not possible that we should erre fundamentally and finally in any truth But there are diuers exceptions made against this Doctrine Obiect 1 first say some all this while this is but priuate interpretation flatly forbidden 2 Peter 1.20 Answ I Answer that is priuate which is of man as we may see in the 21 Verse of that Chapter so that our interpretation according to the former rules being framed out by the Spirit is falsely called priuate that same Spirit teaching vs which teacheth all the faithfull Secondly It is excepted that this is a detraction from the Church I Answere No for any priuate man that beleeueth is of the Church and as the Church must trye the Spirits so must euery beleeuer 1 Cor. 12.10 and 1 Iohn 4.1 and as the Church hath the promise of the Spirit so hath euery beleeuer And this is a sure rule the Spirit doth infallibly teach euery one of Gods chosen first or last euery thing needfull for his saluation he vsing such meanes as the Lord hath appointed Phillip 3.15 It is so in manners therefore it is so in Doctrine each being a part of the truth which God requireth and which the Spirit leads vs into Psal 25.5 leade me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my Saluation And Psal 143.10 teach mee to doe thy will for thou art my God Euery one of the faithfull hath the Spirit to comfort them in their distresse to helpe them in their temptations to perswade them to holinesse and why not therefore to inlighten and teach them the truth Ob. 3 Thirdly It is excepted how doe you know whether such an interpretation be from Gods Spirit or from your owne fancy for any Heretique can and will say as much as you Answ 1 I Answer If the matter bee necessary to saluation the promise of God puts vs out of all doubt Iohn 16.13 when the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth Secondly hast thou sought and attained that interpretation by prayer Then out of question the Lord will not giue thee scorpions and poyson when thou askest fish Errors when thou askest the truth Thirdly doth it concurre with the articles of faith not doubted of then it is the truth Obiect 4 Fourthly Is it not more likely that a whole Church specially the Doctors and Pastors of it are so guided then a particular man and so are to bee beleeued before him Answ Answer yes If they follow the former rules and yet then they are to be beleeued not so much because they are the Church but because they are directed by those rules sometimes one particular man or two follow these rules but the present Church doth not in this case the one or two are to be beleeued before the present Church as in the time of Wicklife Husse and Luther one or few then deliuering the truth ought to be beleeued before the present Church because they obserued these rules Sometimes the Church doth obserue these rules and particular men doe so too then eyther they concurre and so the truth is directly deliuered receiued or else they dissente and then rather follow the streame then one or two if there be no other reason to the contrary For sometimes euen in this case too one man may see more then many as Paphnutius in the Councell of Nice Againe sometimes the Church obserues these rules and some particular men doe not so In this case particular men are right Heretiques and the other the true Church of God Fifthly It is Obiected that by this meanes we all rest on our owne Iudgement and so haue no faith in God Answ I Answer Our Iudgement in matters necessary to saluation being wrought in vs by the letter sense of Scripture revealed by the Spirit is not our owne iudgement indeede but Gods our frailties wherewith we are accompanied are ours onely but wee are endued with our iudgement from God so that we rest on Gods iudgement now and not our owne Euery man must haue faith of his owne that is though not of his owne by working
yet of his owne by possession and feeling and therefore euery man must haue iudgement of his owne too for faith without iudgement is blinde presumption And must I not rest on my faith in that sense And why not on mine owne iudgement too that is on Gods Iudgement which he hath endued my minde and soule withall Obiect 6 Lastly it is obiected This is strange say they wee heare them confesse that euery man though he be neuer so much inlightned yet he is subject to error and yet euery one of them assures himselfe hauing one Answ no more warrant then another that hee is in the truth I answer so farre as wee haue full assurance that wee are in the truth that is in matters fundamentall so farre wee doe acquit all the faithfull from being subiect to error finally and therefore this is no strangenesse at all And so much concerning this point The fiue and Twentieth LECTVRE of the CHVRCH COncerning the power of the Church we haue heard that it reacheth to persons and things for so we diuided it for plainenesse sake concerning Persons we haue done concerning things we haue entred into them and shewed that the things wherin the Church hath power are either matters of substance or matters of circumstance matters of substance and that either touching Scripture or besides Scripture touching Scripture and that either touching the authority or sense of Scripture Of these two last points wee haue spoken namely concerning the power of the Church touching the authority and sense of Scripture Now wee are to speake of matters besides Scripture which is the last point concerning matters of substance that is the point we are now to speake to matters beside Scripture for though in deede and in truth there is nothing to be held in matters of substance in Religion but what is sufficiently warranted by the Word either expressely or at least by sound consequence and deduction yet because some haue fondly imagined and confidently auouched that such things there are and that it is in the Churches power to ordaine them and because some churches haue vsurped and incroached vpon more authority in this case then euer was granted or comitted to them from God therefore in handling the authority of the Church this point also amongst the rest is needfull to be spoken vnto Matters of substance in Religion are of two sorts some concerning faith teaching vs what to know and beleeue others concerning obedience prescribing vs what to do and practise in each of these the Church hath a great hand where the light of Scripture goes before and where shee followes the Doctrine thereof accordingly but where the Scripture is silent in any thing of either or both these kindes there the Church must be silent too and not desire to speake Wee will deliuer the matter plainly by way of obseruation and that is this namely Doct. that the Church hath no power to decree and ordaine any matter of substance in Religion eyther for faith or for obedience without or besides the Scripture The places that prooue this point are of diuers kindes for plainenesse sake wee will reduce them to these heads first some places ascribe this authority to God alone the second sort commends vs to the sufficiency of the Scripture in it selfe the third sort condemne all adding to Scripture and the last sort condemne all Doctrine so taught The first that ascribe this authority to God alone they are these Iames 4.12 there is one Law-giuer which is able to saue and to destroy and what is it to ordaine matters of substance in Religion but to giue Lawes Lawes I say of the highest kinde such as we must liue and be saued by and who is it that giues these Lawes hee onely that is able to saue and to destroy for so the Law-giuer is there described which being peculiar to God alone hee alone must be the Law-giuer Now the Lawes that God hath giuen are contained in the Scriptures which are therefore called the Word of God because therein God hath deliuered his minde and meaning therefore besides those in Scripture no other Lawes are to be ordained for matters of substance in Religion another proofe of this kinde wee haue Matth. 23.8 10. Be not called Doctors and be not called Master for one is your Doctor and Master and who is that but Christ himselfe Now what is it to be our Doctor and to be our Master It is to teach vs what to beleeue and what to doe that wee may be saued therefore Christ being our onely Doctor and Master he alone is to teach and direct vs in matters of Saluation And in Ioh. 1.18 The Office of reuealing God to man is appropriated to Christ hee onely declares him and the reason is there implyed because he onely came out of the bosome of the Father and therefore he onely knowes the minde of his Father and therefore consequently he onely being of ability and authority to declare it so that whosoeuer takes vpon him to reueale any part of the minde of God hee must shew that he comes out of Gods bosome else hee neither must nor can speake in this businesse that Christ himselfe hath already reuealed that is that which is contained in the Scripture Now that we may know that this Rule is inuiolably to be obserued wee must know that all which euer had to deale in matters of saluation were precisely tyed and and confined to this scantling both teachers and hearers Teachers they must teach nothing in this kinde but what Christ in his Word hath first taught The Apostles and in them all Ministers are forbidden to teach any thing but what Christ commands them Matth. 20.28 that and nothing besides that yea the holy Ghost Christs speciall and chiefe Deputy on earth hee is to receiue of Christ and to shew that to the people Iohn 16.14 15. he shall receiue of mine and shew it vnto you And the Text saith in the 14. verse that he shall glorifie Christ in this as who should say if hee teach ought besides it were a dishonour and disparagement to the Lord Iesus much more if any other should doe so and so the hearers they are tyed to this scantling too for so it was prophesied before Deut. 18.15 The Lord thy God will raise vp a Prophet vnto thee like vnto me from among you euen of your brethren vnto him yee shall hearken And this Prophet is Christ as the Apostle Peter proues Acts 3.17 And this was after confirmed by a voyce from heauen Matth. 17.5 This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him And it is the marke of Christs owne sheepe that they will heare his voyce Iohn 10.6.27 and his onely and not a strangers that is whatsoeuer is spoken not according to the voyce of Christ in the Scripture So much for the first sort of Scriptures The second sort that proue this point are such as commend vnto vs the
perfection and sufficiency of Scripture for if the Scriptures containe all things necessary to saluation then what hath the Church to doe in such matters besides Scripture the Church and the Scriptures stand in oposition in this point for that sufficiency being granted to the Scripture it disanulls all such power challenged to the Church and that power being granted to the Church disanulls that sufficiency of Scripture but the Scriptures are sufficient as wee will proue by these places following Iohn 20.31 but these things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God and that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his name All things that Christ spake and did are not written yet there is enough written for quantity and enough for power to cause vs to beleeue and so to beleeue that we may haue life through his name and therefore sufficient enough for all matters of saluation 2 Tim. 3.16 17. The whole Scripture saith the Apostle is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach and to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto euery good worke heere are reckoned vp such speciall works as are most effectuall to teach both faith and obedience and these are ascribed to the Scriptures True say the Papists they are ascribed to the Scriptures as being profitable to these but yet not sufficient yes it is sufficient too for it is so farre profitable to euery one of these that thereby the man of God is made perfect to all good works and is not this as much as if the Apostle had said the Scriptures had beene sufficient for euery matter of saluation and that hee meanes so is plaine in the 15. verse thou hast knowne the Scriptures of a childe which are able to make thee wise vnto saluation so much for the second sort of Scriptures The third sort are such as absolutly forbid any addition or detraction from Scripture as in Deut 4.2 there is an absolute prohibition yee shall put nothing vnto the Word of God which I commend you neither shall ye take ought therefrom and Pro. 30.6 put nothing vnto his Words lest hee reproue thee and thou be found a lyer Reuel 22.18 19. If any man shall adde vnto these things God shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke and if any man shall take away God shall take away his part out of the booke of life c. Now then if the Church can decree any matter of saluation besides Scripture and not adde to Scripture nor diminish from it then they may haue some colour for it notwithstanding these prohibitions but if that be impossible as it is then this is simply vnlawfull The Apostle amplifies this point by way of comparison Galat. 3.15 If it be but a mans testament no man will adde to it much lesse to the Testament of Christ The last sort of Scriptures are those that condemne all Doctrines so taught eyther without or besides Scripture Esa 29.13 It is a sore complaint which the Lord takes vp against the people there because the Religion they looked to be saued by was taught by the precepts of men and Matth. 15.9 Christ vtterly reiected this worship as vaine and hypocriticall when they teach for Doctrine mens precepts and 1 Tim. 6.3 4. If any man teach otherwise and consenteth not to the wholesome Doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ he is puft vp and knoweth nothing It is selfe-conceit and grosse ignorance yea and not onely when it comes from an ordinary man but if it come from an Apostle nay an Angel if they should teach any other Gospell not only that is against this but besides this which I haue taught you saith the Apostle hold him accursed Galat. 1.8 9. So that if any either Apostle or Angell from heauen deliuer or teach any other Gospell that is any matter of substance in Religion though it be but besides that which we haue in the Scripture they are accursed And so much for the proofe of the point The reasons are many And the first reason is drawne Reas 1 from the nature of faith which carries alwaies a iust correspondency to the Word of God Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Faith comes by hearing of whose sayings mans No but the Word of God whatsoeuer God speakes faith heares it and most willingly and sweetly beleeues and embraceth it but what any else saith whether it be man or Church or Angell as it is not powerfull to beget sauing faith so also it is the nature of faith to refuse it or at least to suspect it because it is beside the Word and God speakes it not Secondly The second reason is drawne from the state Reas 2 of conscience which is this God hath endued our conscience through his mercy and ordinance with that freedome and liberty that is in subiection to none but to God onely and therefore whatsoeuer God commands or forbids the conscience well rectified yeelds to it acknowledging the authority of the speaker to be a binding Law which necessarily must be obeyed but when a matter is imposed by man onely without or beside the prescript of God the conscience feeles not the commanding power of God to ouersway it and therefore may and must and doth take the benefit of her liberty and this is it the Apostle saith 1 Corinth 3.23 Be not the seruants of men The third reason is drawne from the property of the Reas 3 things themselues that are to be beleeued and they are matters necessary to saluation and therefore wee must haue such a sure ground and warrant for them as that we may be bold to hazard our saluation vpon them Now the Church being it selfe subiect to error where iâ— builds not vpon Scripture is vnable therefore to afford any such warrant therefore without and besides Scripture the Church hath no power in such things Reas 4 Fourthly that which the Church doth heerein in ordaning any thing in matters of saluation without or besides Scripture she doth inioyne it with condition of damnation to those that doe not beleeue and obey it Let them be accursed that doe it not but damnation is not to be threatned by any but those that haue power to inflict it but the Church hath no power of her selfe to inflict it and therefore it is ridiculous in her to threaten it The Church indeede threatens it in excommunications but that is not of her selfe but vnder God and in his name who is also able to inflict it as hee is to threaten it in his Word but wee speake heere of matters besides Scripture and therein the Church hath no power at all to inflict no not instrumentally in the lowest degree therefore not to threaten damnation and so consequently not to decree any such things Reas 5 The fifth reason is drawne from a rule of
rest Westerne Churches Secondly according to their language and so some are Greeke and some Latin Churches And because the most famous of the Easterne Churches vsed the Greeke tongue therefore vsually the Easterne haue beene called the Greeke Churches and on the other side most of the famous Westerne Churches haue vsed the latin tongue and haue therefore been called the latin Churches The Easterne Churches haue the precedence both for time and order and therefore we will speake first of them but because some both Easterne and Western Churches haue beene Hereticall and Schismaticall therefore this generall point offers it selfe by the way to be discussed viz. Whether Schismaticall or Hereticall Churches may be accounted true visible Churches which generall being cleared will giue great light to the right censuring of particular churches First for Schismaticall Churches that is such as embrace and professe the common sauing faith of the Catholike Church but yet haue separated themselues from the outward communion of those particular visible Churches that sometimes they haue beene and should be members of the cause of such Schismes is sometimes pride discontent weakenesse wilfulnesse pretended zeale a factious spirit alwaies it is Satans instigation and mans acceptation whatsoeuer the cause be and how great soeuer the Schisme be though they be iustly condemned as Schismaticall in regard they are rent from the outward fellowship of such visible Congregations as they belong vnto yet because they hold correspondency with the Catholike Church in matters of sauing faith and accordingly professe the same they cannot be denied to be true visible Churches Such were the Donatists of old and such are the Brownists at this day But you will say Ob. Thus wee giue them great vantage and cause of reioycing for they vtterly deny vs to be a true Church and therefore wee accounting them to be such the standers by may thinke it safer to be of their Church then of our their 's being confessed to be a true Church euen by their enemies themselues and ours being not so confessed to be a true Church by them I answer Answ that they deny vs to be a true Church the greater is their sinne and it makes their Schisme the more damnable that we acknowledge them to be a true Church and call them brethren it is our ingenuousnesse and charity and the standers by if they haue grace and Religion should rather ioyne with vs wee so louingly and charitably carrying our selues like to Christ our head euen to our reuiling aduersaries then with them that are so bitter vncharitable censurers and mercilesse iudges of vs They know we beleeue in Christ Iesus and in him crucified as our only Sauior they haue bin baptised in our Church into his name and they doe not yeeld to be re-baptized by which very practice of theirs they acknowledge that which in words they deny namely that wee are a true Church for there can be no true baptisme administred in and by a false Church where there are true Sacraments there is a true Church as wee shall heare further hereafter So much for Schismaticall Churches In the second place wee come to Hereticall Churches and they are such as hold and stiffely maintaine any materiall point in Religion contrary to the common faith of the Catholike Church a particular man is not to be reputed an Heretike except hee ioyne with his error obstinacy and that he wilfully persist therein against the admonitions and allegations of the Church and so a Church is not to be reputed Hereticall till they be obstinate in their error and this obstinacy must be in all or at least in the chiefest greatest part of them so that none of note amongst them do testify their dissent from them nor oppose themselues against their heresie but if any of note be found amongst them though but few that doe openly contradict the rest that Church till separation be made of the sound from the vnsound is rather in charity to be wel thought of because of the right beleeuers then in zeale to be vtterly condemned as hereticall because of the mis-beleeuers though they be the greater part Now Heresies are of two sorts first such as directly ouerthrow the foundation secondly such as affirme it in expresse words but yet hold some crosse positions which by necessary consequence doe ouerthrow it That wee may the better vnderstand this wee must know what is the foundation and that is Iesus Christ God and man the onely Sauiour of the world as hee is reuealed in the Scripture for so the Scripture propounds it First that Iesus Christ is the foundation the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3.11 other foundation can no man lay then that which is laide which is Iesus Christ Secondly Iesus Christ God the foundation Mat. 16.16 18. And Simon Peter answered thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God And I say vnto thee thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church In both which places he is expresly spoken of as the foundation Thirdly Iesus Christ man the foundation 1 Iohn 4.2 Euery Spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God And there by implication he is spoken of as the foundation too for they that so beleeue are of God as who should say they are within the foundation and contrarily they that doe not so beleeue are not of God Vers 3. that is are not within the foundation Fourthly Christ the only Sauiour of the world the foundation Acts 4.12 neither is there saluation in any other for among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby wee must be saued And there he is spoken of expresly as the foundation for looke in the 11. Verse and it is said hee is the stone cast aside of the Builders and is become the head of the Corner Lastly Christ the foundation as hee is reuealed in the Scriptures Colos 2.7 rooted and built vp in him and stablished in the faith as yee haue beene taught that is in the word for this is as truely a part of the foundation as any of the other and therefore the Scriptures else-where by a borrowed kinde of speech are called the foundation it selfe Ephes 2.19 And are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets c. for it is not enough to Saluation to beleeue the former of the definition without this clause as making a full and compleate description of the foundation to say that Iesus Christ God and man the onely Sauiour of the world is the foundation is not enough vnlesse this be added to make it compleate as hee is reuealed in the Scriptures for they teach concerning him his Nature Offices Birth life Death and Resurrection c And therefore the Layers of this foundation make the Scriptures the rule or line that they worke by they proued that which they taught by the Scriptures So the Apostle Paul Act 26.22 23. witnessing both to small and
great saying none other thing then that which the Prophets and Moses did say should come that Christ should suffer c And Act 28.23 he expounded and testified the kingdome of God perswading them concerning Iesus both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Prophets And 1 Cor. 15.3.4 I deliuered vnto you first of all that which I receiued that is how that Christ dyed for our sinnes according to the Scriptures c And so Apollos Act 18.28 mightily conuinced the Iewes and that publiquely shewing by Scripture that Iesus was Christ still the Builders made the Scriptures their rule and line whereby they taught And this foundation in Scripture is sometimes set down in fewer words as in the 1 Cor. 2.2 Iesus Christ and him crucified sometimes in more words as in the 1 Tim. 3.16 great is the mystery of godlinesse God was manifested in the flesh iustified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world and receiued vp into Glory But this is the substance of all Iesus Christ God and man the onely Sauiour of the world as hee is reuealed in the Scripture the shortest is intended by the holy Ghost and so it is to bee vnderstood of vs in this largenesse and the largest is sufficiently comprised in this shortnes And that this is the right foundation of the Church first appeares plainely by the difference betweene Christians and professors of other Religions If a Gentile or Pagan dispute with a Christian how happinesse is to be attayned We say by Iesus Christ they will reiect him and say there is no Christ and de ride vs to thinke that he can make vs happy So let a Iew and a Christian dispute about happinesse we say by the true Messiah Iesus Christ as he is thus reuealed They say by the Messiah but this Iesus thus reuealed say they is not hee looke into Act 25 13. to 19 the matter there in question is this very foundation Iesus and there is a Gentile Festus speakes scornefully of him there are the Iewes denying him and opposing against him and there is Paul a Christian professing and auouching him and that no doubt as hee was reuealed in the Scriptures for that was alwayes his manner before The like in effect we haue in the 1 Cor. 1.23.24 there the Iewe and the Gentile and the Christian they all fight about the foundation Christ to the Iewes hee is a stumbling blocke to the Grecians foolishnesse but to them that are called the power of God to saluation saith the Apostle So we see plainely this is the foundation Iesus Christ God and man the onely Sauiour of the world as he is reuealed in the Scripture The resolution then is this those hereticall assemblies that directly deny this foundation or any part therof cease to be Christians are no more visible Churches But those that directly affirme the whole foundation and euery part thereof though they doe hould some erronious Positions wherby they ouerthrow some part of the foundation by necessary consequence are yet to be held true visible Churches Marke the termes of the Resolution there be many by-wayes there is but one right way It is easy to misse of the right way hard to hit it to deny directly any part of this foundation is enought to make such persons no true visible church but to affirme one part is not enough to make them a true visible Church But they must affirme the whole and euery part of the foundation Now then we are to speake of the Churches according to their diuisions And first of the Greeke Churches they are generally disperst in most of the Easterne parts of the world And to speake plainely God hath in some sort euen a visible Church dispersed in euery part of the world at this day Those that are most remote from vs in the Easternely parts of the world are comprehended vnder the name of Greeke or Easterne Churches because though neither their language bee Greeke nor their scituation altogether Easternly yet they haue receiued their faith for the most part from the Greeke Churches There are Christians amongst the East Indians there are some there making publique profession of the faith of Christ as others doe of Iudaisme and Mahometisme c. whether they be the beginnings of faith as being but lately planted amongst them or the remainders of faith as being planted of old I am not very certaine nor is it much materiall so long as they beleeue in Christ crucified and professe it so far as the Lord hath reuealed vnto them why may they not be acknowledged for true visible Churches In Russia there are many professed Christians that are after the manner of the Greeke Church they are full of Ignorance and superstitions the Lord inlighten them and purge them yet professing Christ crucified their onely Sauiour though by some consequences as mediation of Saints they deny it they are not to be denyed to be true visible Churches And so in Ethiopia there are found great store of Christians who though they bee circumcised and tainted with many grosse errors yet holding the foundation Christ crucified for their Saluation may iustly bee acknowledged true Churches And so in many other Easternly countries as in Persia and Assyria there are many Churches of sundry names as the Iacobites minorites c but most of them are nestorians as being suspected to hold with Nestorius that there are two persons in Christ which yet they haue quitted themselues of And they were onely so called because they opposed most vehemently against the contrary error of Eutychus who held confusion of natures in Christ In Armenia likewise are many Christians who are generally held to bee Eutychans but they haue also cleared themselues but because they opposed the Councell of Chalcedon which condemned that heresie All these beleeue and professe Christ crucified and therefore howsoeuer all of them are either corrupt persecuted scattered or disorderly yet farre be it from vs to deny them to be true Churches of God let vs esteeme them as brethren and magnifie the Lord for them and let vs pitty their defects and reioyce at their graces And let vs intreate the Lord for them as the Church in Cant 8 8. did sometime for vs Let vs pray to God to perfect the beginnings of some of those Churches to build vp the ruines of others and to purge away the errors and corruptions of them all that so if it be his blessed will they may be glorious and flourishing Churches euen in the eyes of the world And so much of these Churches that are generally called Greeke Churches Now we come to speake of those which are more particularly and properly called Greeke Churches lying in and about Greece And these are more particularly to be spoken to And therefore wee will handle them by way of obseruation which is this namely That the Greeke Churches euen as they stand at this day
They are mingled with the professors of Mahomet which is a most pestilent Religion directly opposite to the Christian faith admitting no colour of Reconciliation but if we beleeue in Christ we must reiect Mahomet and if we beleeue in Mahomet we must reiect Christ And yet the Lord I say hath shewed himselfe a Ruler in the midst of his sorest enemies preseruing his faith and Church euen wheâ—e Satans throne is as he did the church of of Pergamus Reu. 2.13 secondly as it is a Pestilent Religion directly opposite to Christ so consider that it generally abounds and swarmes ouerspreading a great part of the knowne world and yet in these places the Lord hath reserued a remnant that sticke close vnto him and that follow not the sway of the world as he had 7000. in Israel in the daies of Elias that had not bowed their knees to Baall Rom. 11.4 so hee hath many thousands among them that haue not bowed the knee to Mahomet Thirdly consider the pleasingnesse of that Religion of Mahomet a great inchanter of nature yet still the Lord hath preserued some that chose rather with Moses to suffer aduersity with the children of God then to inioy for a season all the pleasure that euer Mahomet could euer promise or bestow vpon them Surely we must needs acknowledge it to be a heauy iudgement of God that such flourishing Churches in Achaia Macedonia Corinth Ephesus c. should come to that miserable ruine and desolation that Mahomet should raigne amongst them so generally in Christs own Territories and let vs know that it was for their vnprofitablenes in the vse of the Gospell and other meanes of grace which God so freely offered them and let vs consider of it and feare and labour to profit by the Gospell and pray to God that the like befall not vs for our vnprofitablenesse This I say is a great iudgement of God vpon them and yet withall see how in wrath God remembers mercy and in despight of Satan Turke and Mahomet and other instruments hee plucks out some as firebrands out of the fire to be professors of his sauing faith and members of his Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against them And so much of the Greeke Churches both improperly and properly so called Now wee come to the Westerne and Latin Churches which are generally of two sorts some acknowledging the Pope their head as the Church of Rome it selfe and sundry others that hold communion with that Church both in Doctrine and in all or most of the corruptions thereof others renouncing his headship and refusing to communicate in the deformities corruptions and abuses of the church of Rome being therefore called the reformed Churches I shall not neede to speake of the former in euery particular looke what is said of the Church of Rome it selfe the same may be applyed to all the rest as is the mother so is the daughter Ezech. 16.44 We will deliuer her state in two obseruation First we will shew what may be said in charity and yet in truth and sound iudgement for the church of Rome Secondly what may be said in zeale and yet in truth too and found iudgement against it For the first the obseruation is this Doctr. 1 That the Church of Rome euen as now it stands may in some sense be iustly reputed and acknowledged a true visible Church consider rightly of the Note First wee doe not absolutely say it is a true Church but for ought wee see it may in some sense be iudged a true visible Church Secondly wee say not a sound Church no that wee flatly deny as vntrue but a true visible Church as a man though hee be wounded fainting and dying yet so long as there is any sparke of life in him hee is a true liuing man not a false though he be an vnsound and dying man Thirdly we make a difference betwixt the Papacy or the Popish factâ—on and some better spirits in that Church which no doubt haue a righter beliefe and walke with a righter foote in the profession of the Gospell then the faction doth and these being mingled together with the rest the whole may be called a â—â—ue Church for their sakes as was in our Sauiors time the Scribes and Pharises were a faction in the Church pretending Religion and the true worship of God and yet swaying all against the truth and sincerity of it in their courses Mary Simeon Anna Zachary and Elizabeth and a few more with whom our Sauiour ioyned or rather they with him as liuing member of Gods Church and should not the whole be rightly acknowledged to be a true Church because of them Doubtlesse it may and so the church of Rome may rightly be acknowledged to be a true Church in respect of some better spirits that are mixed with them and not in respect of the Papacy and Popish faction alone The reasons to proue them a true Church are these first Reas 1 they haue beene a true Church of God directly affirming euery part of the foundation and they doe not directly deny any part of it yea in outward shew of words they expressely affirme it still and therefore may truely be acknowledged a true Church That they haue beene a true Church of God is plaine enough Rom. 1.8 But yee will say that is no sound arguement that they are so still I answer that yet this is to be considered for it is a great matter that must make a congregation that hath beene a true Church to become a false one and with more charity and loue are such to be censured that are in the state of Apostacy then other congregations holding the same errors that are but onely comming on in the saith and haue not yet beene throughly possest of the true being of a Church The Church of Ephesus was fallen away from her first loue Reuel 2.5 And the Church of Sardy had a name that she loued and yet was deade Reu. 3 1. And yet God calls them true Churches still A Church in Apostacy that is falling not vtterly fallen is still a true though an vnsound and dying Church hauing been a true Church and not directly ouerthrowing the foundation so long it may be still intituled a true Church well then the church of Rome hauing bin a true church it must appeare that they in outward shew at least affirme the whole foundation and euery part thereof but this they doe they affirme the whole foundation at least in outward shew and sound of words they professe the same Scriptures and the same Creed that we do yea they professe in words the very same foundation before spoken of in the very same termes in effect Looke into the Rhemists Testament you shall see that vpon those places 1 Tim. 2.5 1 Iohn 1.7 they acknowledge Iesus Christ to be the onely Sauiour of the world and therfore they may in some sense be rightly acknowledged
but say they the Saints in heauen can know the desires of our hearts by our words But how shall they heare our words God reueales them say they to the Saints I answer there is no warrant for that And thus we see that the Papists making other intercessors besides Christ they iustle Christ out of his roome or set others on the Bench with him and so much of their error in Doctrine concerning the direct Office of the mediator The third point is concerning images they teach that images are to be worshipped though God himselfe hath exprssely forbidden it Exod. 20.4 in the second Commandement and if that Commandement forbid Idolatry as what other meaning can it haue then they teaching the contrary doe teach flat Idolatry And if Idolatry be spirituall whoredome and if a Spouse playing the Harlot is to be diuorced from her husband both which are largely set forth in Ezech. chap. 16. Then howsoeuer the church of Rome hath beene the Lords owne Spouse yet vpon this abominable whoredome she deserues iustly to be diuorced and cut off as a filthy Strumpet but let vs heare how this Harlot pleads for her selfe to saue her credit and honesty First say they we worship not the Image but God in and by the Image I answer did not the heathen doe so and yet they were abominable Idolaters yea say they but they made Images of the false gods we of the true God I answer yes they made Images of the true God too Acts 17.23 whom ye ignorantly worship him declare I vnto you saith the Apostle And did not the Israelites worship the true God in an Image Exo. 3â— 9 and yet they were horrible Idolaters nay the very resembling of the inuisible God in any mâ—de image is in the second CoÌ„mandement and else where directly forbidden as flat Idolatry Nay is it possible that any man falling downe before the Image to worship God in it can be freed from worshipping the Image it selfe at least in outward worship which worship God challengeth as intirely to himselfe as the inward the matter is so plaine that themselues confesse that they worship the Image but here they haue another deuice some honour say they we giue indeede to the Image it selfe but that is a lesser honour but the greater we giue to God alone so they distinguish without any ground from the Scripture for both these worships are condemned alike in the Scripture Rom. 1.25 there the great worship is condemned Galat. 4.8 there the lesser worship is condemned when it is not performed to God Besides to examine the matter a little further I would faine know whether that lesser honour which they giue to the Image be any part of that worship which is due to God or not If they say it is not then there is some religious worship which is not due vnto God and so the Saints belike haue that which is not befitting his Maiesty whereas wee know that little great worship is all too little for his greatnesse If they say it is part of that worship which is due to God then it is plaine Idolatry for God will not giue the least part of his glory to any other Esa Lastly if this lesser seruice could or were or might be giuen to Images yet not the greater worship but they giue to the bread in the Sacrament to the wooden Crosse yea to the Image of God and Christ this greater worship this very Latria this they professe to be due and accordingly they giue it them which is as grosse Idolatry as any among the heathen We come now to the last point concerning their Corruption in Doctrine and that is in the matter of Iustification which is the life of Religion and the ground of Saluation as being our reconcilement to God and acceptance into his Fauour wherin consists our whole Comfort and true happinesse therfore to erre in this point is most dangerous of all The Apostle saith directly Gal. 2.16 that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law they say directly that a man is iustified in part by his owne works And here they mince it lest they should make a manifest Contradiction to the world and say that their works doe not iustifie of themselues but because of the diuine Grace dwelling in vs which makes vs worke and that we are saued by grace the Apostle saith it and ye grant it where then is the difference Surely the difference is very much though in appearance there bee little or none at all For by grace they vnderstand the gifts of Grace inherent in vs as faith and hope and loue c And so they directly conclude that our Iustification is by inherent Righteousnesse But the Apostle saith and so say we that we are iustified by the Grace and free Fauour of God in Christ Ephes 2.8 9. and Titus 3.3 and not by the workes of Righteousnesse which wee haue done Our Iustification is onely by Christs Righteousnesse imputed which wee apprehending onely by Faith that is beleeuing it for our selues and so applying it to our owne State by the comfortable perswasion of Gods Spirit in our hearts are therefore iustified by faith alone Alone I say not but that it is ioyned with good works in our liuing but because Christ our Iustifier is apprehended by our faith and not by our works Gods plaine truth without any quillets is this God is all in all for our saluation hee chose vs to saluation before the world was he calls vs takes vs out of our filth and bestowes his Spirit and the gifts thereof freely vpon vs and hee receiues vs into glory at the end of our life and all this he doth freely for his names sake and for the grace and mercy and merits of Christ Iesus without any merits of our owne or deseruing the least blessing at his hands this is the plaine truth of God the opposite whereof is a most fundamentall error and they that disclaime it not I see not how they can possibly be saued And so much be said for their errors in matter of Doctrine Secondly their errors and corruptions in matters of practice and they are of two sorts The first is their corruption in practice in the carriage of Gods worship And the second is their corruption in their ordinary manners First for the carriage of Gods worship they are exceedingly corrupt in their practice and this we will shew first in the generall Secondly in the particular parts of it In the general carriage of Gods worship they erre and are foulely corrupted for take it as it is caried by the Popish faction and it is fitter for man yea for an Idol then for the true and liuing God to be honored and serued by for first it is a carnall seruice full of Rites and Ceremonies like vnto that of the Iewes Heb. 6.10 Which stood only in meats drinks and diuers washings and carnall ordinances imposed on them
Esa 9.21 And so the Papist is against the Seperatist and the Seperatist against the Papist and both against our Church of England Each of them crying out with open mouth against the Church of England and our standing therein And the Papist thinks wee cannot iustifie our selues against their exceptions but that we must incline to the Seperatists And the Seperatists boast that wee cannot acquit our selues of their exceptions but that wee must incline to Popery here then is our present taske how to deliuer our selues from both these Aduersaries that we may fall foule on neither they doe not assault vs both in the same kinde nor about one and the same thing Each of them haue their seuerall Quarrell and each doe mannage a seuerall fight against vs and therefore we must frame our seuerall defences accordingly against them The Papist hee strikes mainely against our Religion the very life of our Church The Seperatist strikes specially at the State of our Church The exceptions of the Papist is the more dangerous but yet altogether vniust and vntrue that of the Seperatist may seeme to haue some more colour of Truth in some points but is much lesse dangerous First wee will beginne with the Papist as being the ancienter enemy of the two and his Quarrell the greater And because he excepts against our Religion we will ballance their Religion and ours together and so put the matter to triall and ioyne in this Issue whether their Religion be better then ours or our Religion better then theirs And because false Ballances are an abomination to the Lord we will disclaime them Carnall Reason outward Pompe plausible shewes and probabilities are deceitfull waights not fit for this vse Let vs bring them to the Scales of the Sanctuary and examine them by the equall and true waights of the Lord himselfe that is by such spirituall and sound considerations as the holy things of God are to be esteemed and tried by it were tedâ—ous if not infinite to reckon vp all the diffâ—rences betwixt them and vs I will therefore cull out six or seauen of the principall for Instances and thereby yee may iudge of the rest And I will weigh them in foure exceptionlesse Ballances and make it plaine God willing in euery one of these six or seauen Instances by euery of these foure Ballances that our Religion will hold waight full waight downe to the ground and that theirs is too light not worthy to be brought to the Beame The foure Ballances that wee will weigh these Instances in are first the Ballance of Gods glory Secondly the Ballance of Gods Word Thirdly the Ballance of true holinesse Fourthly the Ballance of peace of conscience The Instances of the differences betwixt them and vs which we will weigh in these Ballances are these The first is of the sufficiency of Scripture and the absolute Authority it hath aboue the Church and Traditions The second is of Gods free grace against mans freewill The third is of iustification by faith alone against mans of merits The fourth is of Christ our onely Aduocate against other Intercessors The fifth is of the spirituall worship of God against Images The sixth is of our Communion against their Masse The last instance is of our carriage of the meanes of saluation in open sight and plaine dealing that all may looke into them with their owne eyes against their carriage of all in a cloud and shaddow and huckurmucker of these in order And first let vs weigh these seuen Instances in the first Ballance and that is the Ballance of Gods Glory For that is the best and truest Religion of God that tends most directly and intirely to Gods Glory All that wee doe must bee framed and referred to Gods glory 1 Cor. 10.31 specially our Religion Col. 3.16.17 And if men should deuise a Religion for any God true or false they would resoule That that were the best Religion whereby that God to whom it is erected might bee most glorified yea our very Religion it selfe what is it But our worshipping of beleeuing in calling vpon and obeying God which is nothing else but our very glorifying of God But the Religion professed by the Church of England doth most directly and intirely tend to Gods Glory and the Popish Religion doth not but contrarily it tends to his Dishonour and therefore our Religion is the true Religion of God theirs is not as wee shall see in these Instances The first is concerning the sufficiency of Scripture and the absolute authority thereof aboue the Church and Traditions put this into the Ballance of Gods Glory and admit as we doe that the Scripture is sufficient in it selfe and hath absolute Authority aboue the Church and Traditions and see how Gods Glory is thereby aduanced for thereby God is acknowledged to haue prouided most bountifully and sufficiently for his Church a perfect rule of faith and life that needes no addition and thereby God shall rule by his owne will and Lawes and bee worshiped by his owne ordinances onely all which are matters of Gods greatest honour But deny this as the Papists doe and preferre or equall the Church with the Scripture and mingle Traditions with Gods Word and all this Glory shall be much ecclipsed The second Instance is of Gods free-grace against mans free-will Admit that all the good we do or haue proceeds meerely from the grace and Spirit of God without any will or towardlinesse to good in our selues And the Lord is thereby rightly and truely glorified If wee haue no sufficiency of our selues no not to thinke well but that the will and the deede be both from Gods grace If we haue nothing in Abilty or desire or endeuour but as wee are effectually mooued by the Spirit then the whole glory of our working which is the greatest honour we can here doe to God is wholly ascribed vnto God alone But deny this as the Papists doe and auouch that there is some freedome in our owne will to good then God doth the lesse for vs and so doth the lesse glorifie himselfe on vs extoll man in this corrupt estate and dishonour God but dishonour man herein and extoll God The third Instance is of Iustification by faith alone against mans merits If it be said as we say That wee are iustified by faith alone without mans merits and we yeeld to Christ Iesus the glory and prerogatiue of our alone and all-sufficient Sauiour and we magnifie his righteousnesse as being of that infinite worth and power in and by it selfe as to make vs truely and perfectly righteous that beleeue it which as his proper due is directly assigned of his father and iustly challenged by himselfe and worthily obtained by his doings sufferings and victory But say as the Papists doe that wee doe merit some fauour with God by our owne good works and then we detract from Christs glory and make men compartners together with Christ in this glorious worke
of Iustification The fourth Instance is concerning Christ our onely Aduocate against other Intercessors Say with vs that Christ alone presents our suits to God and makes them auaileable with God and that he is to be called vpon as our onely Intercessor and then we giue him the due honour of his place office of Mediatorship Ioh. 14.13 For his Intercession is a speciall part of that office as well as Redemption wherein if he be acknowledged to bee as we make him our alone Intercessor he is much magnified But if others be ioyned with him as they make it hee is much disparaged as being not sufficient of himselfe but needs others helpe or at least in that office being but of smaller moment such as the Saints might mannage well enough And so not Christ onely but God the Father also is much dishonoured that would put his owne Sonne to that which meaner persons might doe as well as hee The fifth Instance is concerning the spirituall worship of God against Images Let vs worship God as we teach onely in Spirit and Truth without an Image and he is rightly and truely worshipped being serued as he is a most glorious Spirit free from any matter or forme or outward apprehension and impossible to be expressed by any sensible Representation whatsoeuer But worship him in or by an Image as they teach and practise and we cannot but defile our selues and in some sort the Lords great maiesty to our selues by many grosse carnall bodily and materiall thoughts and imaginations wholly mis-beseeming the purity of Gods nature being and maiesty as if hee were a carnall bodily or manly God then which nothing can bee more contrary to his nature and will and so not more derogatory to his glory The sixth instance is of our Communion against their Masse Celebrate the memoriall of Christs death as we doe in the holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper and the Sacrifice of Christ once offered by himselfe on the crosse is thereby aduanced and acknowledged to bee a most perfect and sufficient expiation by it selfe of all our sins hereby it is only remembred and shewed according to the institution but not repeated But celebrate the death of Christ in the Popish Masse which the Papists themselues hould to be a propitiatory Sacrifice for the quicke and the dead and how can Christ once sacrificed be more disparaged The last instance is concerning the carriage of the meanes of Saluation in open sight and playne dealing amongst vs that all may looke into them with their owne eyes against their carriage of all in a cloud and shaddow and hukermucker Let Prayer be made in a knowne tongue and wee honour God not with lips onely but with vnderstanding too but let it be made in an vnknowne tongue as it is in Popery and we dishonour God babling and prattling to him we know not what Let the Scripture bee free and common to all that euery one may reade and vnderstand and the Lord is glorified in the comfort knowledge faith and obedience of many But let the Word bee kept from the people and then they cannot know God and so cannot honour him let men haue an explicite faith to vnderstand and beleeue particularly for themselues all things necessary to saluation and they shall glorifie God in giuing a reason of the hope that is them 1 Pet. 3.15 But if they be content with an implicite faith onely to beleeue as the Church beleeues they shall dishonour God in their blindnesse and ignorance and hardly shall the Lord be glorified in their Saluation God is iealous of his owne glory and so must all that professe his name and the more iealous we are of that and zealous for it the more truely Religious we are If wee bee out of our wits saith the Apostle we are it to God 2 Cor. 5.3 So we see in these seuen instances that our Religion is full weight in this ballance of Gods glory and the Religion of Popery too light not worthy to be tryed in this Beame The second ballance wherein we will try our Religion and theirs in these seuen instances is in the ballance of Gods Word for it is not enough to ayme at Gods glory in our owne intention but after his direction for hee cannot be truely glorified but so as himselfe teacheth in his word That is the best and true Religion of God thaâ— is most agreeable to Gods Word and that is the worst that most disagrees with Gods Word Leuit. 18.4.5 ye shall doe after my iudgements and seeke mine ordinances And Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures Mat. 15.9 In vaine they worshipme teaching for doctrine mens precepts And 1 Ioh. 4.5 he that knoweth God heareth vs c where is Gods Religion to be found but in Gods book As the Iewes religion is found in their talmud the Turkes in their Alcoan But the religion professed in our Church is most agreeable to Gods Word and the Religion of Popery is not agreeable thereto therfore our Religion is the true Religion That ours is most agreeable to Gods Word not theirs see it in the first instance The sufficiency of Scripture and the absolute authority it hath aboue the Church and traditions this is agreeable to that in the 2 Tim. 3.16 17. for the whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration from God and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes And Iohn 10.27 my sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and 5. Verse they will not follow a stranger but flye from him for they know not the voyce of strangers For that which the Papists alleadge for the Church that shee is to bee heard Matth. 18.17 It is to be vnderstood subordinately to the word that is so farre as the Church is aduised by God in his Word and for that which they alleadge for traditions out of the 2 Thes 2.15 keepe the instructions which ye haue beene taught eyther by word or by Epistle by word and Epistle are meant one and the same thing onely the manner of deliuery was diuers sometimes by word sometimes by Epistle And seeing the authority of the Church aboue the Scripture and traditions bee each of them a disparagment to the word except the word should disparage it selfe which no wise man can imagine there is no seeking for any warrant for them within the word The second instance Gods free grace against mans free will Our Religion teacheth according to Gods Word Phil. 2.13 that it is God which worketh in vs both the will and the deed And 2 Cor. 3.5 that we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God And Ier. 31.18 Conuert thou me And there is no colour of any one direct place to the contrary in all the Scripture There are some
indirect allegations by way of inference from Gods commandements bidding vs to doe well and from his promises if we doe well which rather send vs to God for that which we cannot doe of our selues then imply any ability for the doing of them in our selues The third instance iustification by faith alone against mans merits we teach according to the Scripture Rom. 3.20 28 that by the workes of the law no flesh shall bee iustified But that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law And Gal. 2.16 A man is not iustified by the workes of the law but by the faith of Iesus Christ And Ephes 2.8 9. by grace ye are saued through faith not of workes c And Titus 3.5 not by the workes of righteousnesse which wee haue done but according to his mercy he saued vs That which the Papists pretend to the contrary Iames 2.24 yee see then how that of workes a man is iustified and not of faith onely doth not crosse the former except they wil blaspheme and say that God doth contradict himselfe but is plainely spoken of another saith that is dead Verse 90. whereas iustifying faith is a liuing faith and of another iustification that is before man as Verse 18. whereas this is before God The fourth instance Christ our onely aduocate against other intercessors wee hold and teach according to the Scripture 1 Iohn 2.1.2 that wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the iust and hee is the reconciliation for our sinnes And Reuel 8.3 Another Angell came and stood before the Altar hauing a golden censor and much odours were giuen vnto him that he should offer with the Prayers of all Saints This Angell is Christ who as the high Priest in the Law Exod. 28.38 doth appeare before God making the Prayers of the Saints acceptable to God And there is not any shew of warrant in the word neyther for any one no nor for all the Saints together to doe the like The fifth instance the spirituall worship of God against images Our Religion teacheth according to the Word Iohn 4.23.24 that all true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth for the Father requireth euen such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and truth And Exod. 20.4 5. Thou shalt make thee no grauen Image thou shalt not bowe downe to them c This second Commandement is so plaine for this that the Papists leaue it out in some of their Catechismes and make vp the number of ten Commandements by diuiding the last And there is not one titâ—le of Scripture for Images neyther precept dispensation exception or example approoued but on the contrary they are fearefully threatned and strangely punished The sixth instance Our Communion against their Masse Our Communion is warranted by Gods Word 1 Cor. 10.16 the Cuppe of blessing which we blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ c And 1 Cor. 11.23 24 25 c whereas their Masse hath no warrant at all in the Word not so much as the name of it found there nor in the Nature of any propitiatory Sacrifice nor any Intimation of repeating it but directly the contrary as wee may see Hebr. 10.10 14. the offering of the body of Christ once made with one offering c The seuenth Instance our carriage of the meanes of Saluation in open sight against their carriage of all in a cloude Our prayers made in a knowne Tongue are warranted in the word 1 Cor. 14.14 15. If I pray in a strange Tongue my spirit prayeth but my vnderstanding is without fruite what is it then I will pray with the Spirit but I will pray with vnderstanding also c And so for the word to be free and common to all as it is with vs hath his warrant Matth. 5.15 neither doe men light a candle and put it vnder a Bushell but on a candlesticke and it giueth light to all that are in the house And Prou. 9.4 5. who is simple let him come hither c And Esa 55.1.3 Loe euery one that thirsteth come ye to the waters c encline your eares and come vnto me and your soule shall liue So likewise hath an explicite faith his warrant Ioh. 9.35 Doest thou beleeue in the Son of God where our Sauiour requires an explicite and particular faith in the blinde man And in the 1 Pet. 3.15 the Apostle would haue vs bee ready alwaies to giue an Answer to euery man that asketh vs a Reason of the hope that is in vs c That which the Papists pretend to the contrary Matth. 7.6 Giue yee not that which is Holy to Doggs c is a malicious peruerting of Christs Words to his peoples destruction and their owne Ruine Thus wee see that their Religion is too light and oars full weight in this second Ballance of Gods word Let vs try them in the third Ballance The Ballance of true holinesse That is the best and true Religion of God that is most powerfull to worke Holinesse of heart and life for God is holy and our calling and the end of â—â— what cold deuotion will there be in vs and what hourely prayers and little faith and lesse reuerence as dealing with men and not with God himselfe For the fifth instance If wee worship God in Spirit without Images it workes in vs Spiritualnesse and truth for wee presenting our selues in all our worship nakedly without any Image before the Lord as before a pure Spirit wee are stirred vp thereby and growne by vse to frame our selues to his owne Image to be spirituall men and spiritually minded spiritually affected our vnderstanding will thoughts desires meditations and courses will be spirituall and heauenly lifted vp to an higher strayne in affection and eleuation of Spirit the onely meanes whereby to be truely renewed in the Spirit of our minds it will be a notable meanes against all carelesnesse and Hypocrisie and formality in our hearts and liues Sixthly our spirituall and true Communion with Christ against their Masse By this Communion Christ spiritually enters into vs and stirs vs vp to the life of God and incorporates vs into his mysticall body here faith doth her right office in discerning the Lords Body with a spirituall eye and applying Christ and his death and merits soundly to the heart of the receiuer and feeding vpon Christ in heauen at Gods right hand whereas in the Masse there is but the flesh which without the Spirit profiteth nothing and the bodily eye and hand and mouth and belly doe in a manner all faith doth little or nothing Seuenthly if the meanes of Saluation be carried openly and not in a cloude then all is done in knowledge and vnderstanding And then there is an holy will desire deuotion affection and endeuoure to serue the Lord in an holy manner as may best beseeme him and
Secondly I answer that it was so at the first too Luther and others first spreading the Gospell First some of our owne loued beleeued and embraced it by their preaching and then they perswaded others And I know not how our English at Amsterdam can shew any better calling to their Church But they except and say that in England our Church was gathered by proclamation and by the sound of a Trumpet as in Queene Elizabeths dayes so was done by compulsion and was not voluntary I Answer first some did come voluntarily and gladly and therfore at least for them it was a true constitution Secondly the compulsion that was vsed was onely to the outward meanes not to the faith and that is very â—ustifiable Iosiah compelled ill that were found in Israel to serue the Lord their God 2 Chron. 34.33 But they say that was at the restoring not at the planting of a Church I Answer I see no Reason but that it is as lawfull in the one as in the other and therefore if it destroy not the true restoring why should it destroy the true planting But we say Queene Elizabeths Act was a restoring too for I hope wee had a true Church here in Queene Maries time though vnder persecution And I am sure then there was no compulsion to ouâ— religion nor such Gouernment Seruice ministry or people amongst the Protestants as they now except against and therfore it was a restoring Put case the Separatists haue any children or seruants that are negligent cold and backward in frequenting holy Assemblies or performing religious Duties publique or priuate and vpon admontion they will not reforme what will they doe in this case Will they vtterly cast them off or rather will they not punish them and thereby compell them to the outward meanes and to obedience thereunto wherein if God doe blesse their labours so that through his mercy such children or Seruants doe afterwards labour in the meanes soundly and conscionably shall this bee nought because they were brought thereto by compulsion No surely It is great comfort to the compellers that they tooke that course and it is great comfort to the compelled that they were so dealt withall So the compulsion vsed in restoring the Church in Queene Elizabeths time was lawfull and good against all their clamours and exceptions Secondly they except against the Government of our Church and say that wee haue a false gouernment and therefore a false Church But the consequence is false for then it must follow that a true Gouernment makes a true Church which is not true The Antecedent is false too If they had said it makes a faulty Church they had said true But that it makes a false Anti-Christian Church and I know not what it is a meere slander But say they your officers bee Anti-christian I answer the cheifest officers and those that be most spurnd at are the Bishops And they were before Anti-Christ Thirdly they except against our Seruice of God they say wee haue a false Seruice of God and therefore a false Church I Answer if they meane onely some part of our Seruice as they haue no colour so to traduce it all then the Consequence is false but if they meane all then the Antecedent is notoriously vntrue No part of our Seruice of God can be proued false it being performed of those that are truely religious amongst vs in truth and vnderstanding and affection They except first say they it is carnall I answer happly in some those that haue carnall mindes it is so but it is neither so in it selfe nor so in the conscionable performers thereof The Lord being one God an eternall infinite Spirit our hearts and spirits are lifted vp to beleeue in him to goe to him to cry and call vpon him in his Sonne Secondly they say It is Idolatrous your Seruice booke being your Idoll say they I answer that is no Idoll nor our Seruice thereby Idolatry Thirdly they say we haue a will worship inuented by man I answer wee worship not God by any inuentions of our owne or other mens as parts of his worship but onely as outward Carriages thereof And these also are such as our Church is perswaded are agreeable to these generall Rules of Decency and Order which God hath prescribed in his Word Fourthly they except against our stinted Prayers I answer them hath not the Church alwayes vsed stinted Prayers looke into these Scriptures and yee shall finde it so Numb 6.23 there was a stinted prayer appointed to Aaron and his Sons to blesse the Children of Israel withall Thus shall you blesse the Lord blesse thee and keepe thee c Deut. 26.3 to the 15. there is a forme of Confession and Prayer set downe which the people were to vse when they brought the first fruites 1 Chron. 16.7 to the 36. there is a Psalme which Dauid did appoint to giue thankes vnto the Lord by the hand of Asaph his Brethren Praise the Lord and call vpon his Name c And Psal 92. is intituled a Psalme for the Sabboth appointed to bee sung that day And our Sauiour Christ himselfe appoints a stinted Prayer Luk. 11.2 when ye pray say Our Father c And likewise himselfe vseth a stinted Prayer Matth. 26.44 and hee prayed the third time saying the same words And therefore stinted Prayer in it selfe is no sinne If they reply that they were so directed by the holy Ghost yet that is no let to vs for their conceiued prayers were also directly from the holy Ghost after a speciall manner yet that is no reason but that we may vse conceiued prayers though they be not so specially from the Spirit as theirs And yet we are not so confined to those set prayers but that we may and do in euery particular congregation before and after preaching inlarge adde alter and supply as occasion requires and that as freely zealously and spiritually as any may doe in other Churches yea but say they your Seruice was all taken out of the Portesse or Masse booke contrary to Gods Commandement Leuit. 18.2.3 Deut. 12.30 c I answer it is well knowne that the Church of Rome hath been a true and sound Church and it is knowne that in that time there was some forme of publike prayer and administration of the Sacraments in vse amongst them And as that Church fell by little and little from her integrity so that forme by little and little was corrupted Now the Church being to be reformed 〈…〉 was to bee reformed too and so it was that which was idolatrous and superstitious was cast out and that which was profitable was retayned partly for peace sake that the better sort might still bee held within the Communion of the Church but specially because it was of good vse euen before Popery so that we take nothing from them but what may in a charitable construction be well endured That which is most questioned is the crosse in Baptisme which we