THE WAY TO HEAVEN: SHOWING, 

1. That Salvation is only in the Church.  
2. What that Church is.  
3. By what means men are added to the Church.  
4. The Author, or Efficient of this addition.  
5. The time & continuance of that work.  
6. The happiness of those that are added to the Church.    
By john Phillips, Bachelor of Divinity, and Pastor of Feversham in Kent.  Isa. 30.21. 
This is the way, walk in it.  
LONDON, Printed by FELIX KINGSTON. 1625.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL, THE MAYOR, and the JURATS his BRETHREN: AND TO THE COMMONALTY of the Town and PORT-LIMME of FEVERSHAM in KENT, I. P. wisheth happy society with the heavenly jerusalem, here, and in heaven.  
Right Worshipful, and Beloved,  
Happiness, is the common object of every man's desire; so that, as Seneca saith, 
Seneca de vita beata, l. 1. c. 1.  Vivere omnes beatè volunt; There is not a man that would not be happy. But there are two obstacles that hinder the attainment of this desired Happiness. One is, as he saith well, Sed ad pervidendum, quid sit, quòd beatam vitam efficient, caligant: Their sight is so dim, that they cannot perceive, what that thing is that makes a man happy. The other is, Si viâ lapsus est: If a man miss of the right way. In which case; Ipsa velocitas maioris interualli causa fit: The faster he runs, the farther he is out of the way: Therefore this wise Heathen man doth give good counsel; Decernatur it a que & quò tendamus, & qua: We must look both to the end whereunto we aim, as also to the way, whereby we may attain unto it.  
For the course of the world is utterly against reason, Pecorum ritu se qui antecedentium gregem, pergentes non qua eundum est, sed qua itur: That men endued with reason, should imitate the brute and unreasonable creatures, which follow one another, though it be out of the way: as if men should go on, not considering what way they ought to go, but what way is usually gone of others. But this is, non ad rationem, sed ad similitudinem vivere: not to live according to reason, but according to example, not like men, but like Apes.  

joh. 14.6.  Now our good Guide, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life: and therefore a better Instructor than the wisest heathen, hath directed us Christians, both to the end, and to the way, leading unto that end, which is true Happiness in deed, and consisteth in the fruition of God, 
Psal. 144.15.  by the means of saving knowledge and grace in this life, 
joh. 17 3.  with the rest of the Church Militant here in earth: as also by enjoining his glorious presence with the Church Triumphant in heaven: So that, if we follow his direction, we shall know, & quò, & qua, both whither, and by what way we must go, to attain true felicity; here below, 
Aug▪ de Ciu. Dei. l. 19 c. 27.  as S. Augustine saith, by faith, and hereafter above, by sight.  
And this is the scope, which I have propounded to myself in this Treatise, that I might not only by lively voice, say, This is the way, walk in it; but, as it were, by the hand, lead you in the way: for I am obliged by the bond of duty, as being your Pastor, and you my flock, both to pray for you, and to direct you, the best I can, in this heavenly course. Which, as I have carefully endeavoured to do amongst you, by the space of almost twenty years: so I wish I may with good success happily continue, to our mutual joys, through God's blessing: For I can truly say with the Apostle; 
Rom. 10.1.  My hearts desire, and prayer to God for you, is, that ye might be saved; and with the Prophet Samuel, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord, and cease praying for you: but I will show you the good and right way.  
Give me leave then, I beseech you, to stiree up your Christian minds, to an unfeigned desire and endeavour to enter into this way, tending to life and happiness. In worldly benefits we would not have others to go before us: why should we not have as great, nay greater care of heavenly things? Our Saviour upbraided the chief of the jews, 
Mat. 21.31, 32.  for that Publicans and Harlots went into the Kingdom of God before them. And what a shame is it, as S. Augustine saith, V● simplices Idiotae rapiant nobis Coelum, & nos cum nostra scientia mergamur in infernum? That simple Idiotes should snatch heaven from us, and we with all our knowledge and learning should be plunged into hell? Oh let us not do ourselves so great aniniurie. It is the property of worldlings, who live not according to faith, as S. Augustine speaketh, 
Aug. de Ciu. Dei, l. 19 c. 17.  to angle for all their peace and prosperity, in the sea of temporal profits, whereas the righteous live in full expectation of the glory to come. Which that you may also do, take for your furtherance, this weak help in good worth; use it, and peruse it, I hope you shall find your labour well bestowed.  
The occasion of this Work, was the interring of our neighbour, Master Edward Lapworth, Doctor of Physic: It is for the method and matter, the very same, that was then publicly delivered by lively voice, but is now, not only amplified, by access of those things, that the strictness of time would not then permit; but is also further enlarged into a convenient Treatise; the weight of the matter, and fitness of these times so requiring.  
If any desire to know the reason of the publishing of it, I must ingenuously confess▪ it was never liberally intended on my part, but rather extorted and wrung from me: for had it not been for a furious and overhasty Midwife, that drew it out of the womb by violence, this Embryon had never seen the light. Yet when I did call to mind, 
judg. 14.8.  That Samsons Lion had honey in it, so that, out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness, I did willingly set upon this Work, hoping that by the blessing of God, some wholesome food, and sweet repast might issue out of these bitter beginnings, to the refreshing of the hungry soul.  
But to leave Parables, and to speak plainly: This Gentleman deceased, was noted of all that knew him, to be inclined to the Romish Religion. At the Funeral, I took occasion to speak something of the deceased, which either of simple misprision, or sinister acception, was misconstrued, and by some officious hearers, carried as news to such, whose ears are patent, and gates wide open to receive the tale-bearer. Hereupon the poor Predicant was rated, as if it had been a Schoolboy, by some austere Pedantee; and yet the Censor had nothing to object, praeter auditum, but only by bare hearsay: not one auditor objecting any thing against the Teacher; but some godly and wellminded, showing their acceptance, did give him thanks for his labours.  
Now, forsooth, the criminations or faults objected, were these:  
1. That the deceased party was commended, being accounted a Papist, yea, and a seducer. The truth is, there was not so much as one word of commendation given him, whereat Momus himself might cavil (as the i●dicious and ingenuous Reader may here see by the simple truth faithfully related) unless any will be so censorious, as to tax S. Paul for saying, as the truth was. 
Act. 28.2.  That the Ba●barians were courteous, and showed them that had suffered shipwreck, no little kindness.  
That it is said, he was noted to be a Papist, who ever denied it? The proposition was not, that he was no Papist, but (according to the Doctrine of our Christian reformed Churches) That a simple-hearted Papist, not holding the whole mystery of Romish iniquity, but only erring in some less points, which overthrow not the foundation, may upon repentance in general, of sins known and not known, find mercy with God, relying upon Christ alone for salvation.  
Where it is said, That he was a seducer: I have myself charged him with it; but he was so far from maintaining that bad office, that he did in excuse of himself affirm, That he knew no cause, why any man should count him a Papist, unless it were for keeping the King's laws, in abstaining from flesh upon Fridays, and such like times. I call God to record, I do the man no wrong, but testify herein the very truth; and did expastulate with him, that if the conscience of the King's Laws did so prevail with him in that, why it should not also cause him to come more often to the Church, the reason being the same for both; whereunto, his answer was silence.  
But for the matter of seducing: It makes not a man by and by a settled Professor in his Religion, because he labours to draw others unto it: for we see by experience, that if any conceive well of a Religion, and begin to entertain it, though they be as yet but very Novices, they will presently seek to induce others to the same: this may appear by those that were Converts to the truth, 
joh 1.41, 45.  as Andrew and Philip, and the like, whom as Apes these Errants imitate.  
2. Unto the former, another aspersion was added, which did touch the whole Ministry, and was urged with no little spite and clamour, viz. That any man, be he never so vile, for a Cloth and a fee, shall as his Funeral be commended and extolled to the heavens. If any be guilty of this crime, let him bear his own burden; for my part, I have learned with Elihu, not to give titles, 
job 32. 22.  lest my Maker should become my destroyer, for thereiss a woe denounced against them, 
Isa. 5. 20.  that speak good of evil, and call darkness, light.  
It is well known, that for diverse years I did utterly abstain from speaking any one word of the dead, but only applied myself to the instruction of the living; insomuch as it grew distasted: yet never did I abstain, as holding is unlawful: for I know there is very good use of it: 1. That the virtues of the godly may be propounded for imitation: that we might be followers of the Saints, who through faith and patience have inherited the promises. 2. That the perseverance of the faithful, being made known, we may with the ancient Church, as is noted afterwards in this Treatise, 
Reu. 2.10.  sing laud to God, that being faithful unto the death, they have received the Crown of life. 3. That if any having lived scandalously in open sin, but, through the mercy of God, by the means of his afflicting rod, are recovered, and brought home with the Prodigal, the Congregation being made acquainted with it, may glorify God, that hath given them repentance unto life, and with the Angels, rejoice at the conversion of a sinner. 4. That upon any extraordinary accident, men being suddenly surprised by death, their example propounded, may be a monitory to the living, that they may take it to heart, and profit by it. These and the like, are good occasions of the Teacher's Discourse in this kind. And upon this ground, I have endeavoured to avoid scandalum datum, the giving of any offence, keeping myself always in the mean, or middeway, between both extremes.  
3. A third crimination, or fault objected, and that with no little asperity, was, that even the very profane should make a scoff of it. And what did they say? Why, forsooth, being upon their Alebenches, they call for another Pot, deriding the Doctrine of God's Mercy and Patience, 
Isa. 22.12, 13.  in that he calleth not all at once, but some even at the eleventh hour. Did not the wicked do this, 
2. Pet. 3.3.  even at the very preaching of the Prophets and Apostles, yea, of Christ himself? Can any pretend piety, and take part with such impiety, taking it up, and casting it as dung in the face of God himself? for it is not Moses, but God, against whom men open their foul mouths: and the contemptuous usage of the poorest servant of Christ, he counts as a despite done to himself, howsoever men slubber it over.  
4. A fourth crimination was, that I should show so much respect to one, that was a noted enemy to myself. But be it that he was so; 
Mat. 26.50.  I have learned of my Master, though he were my enemy, yet to call him friend. Could he be a greater enemy to me, 
2. Sam. 1.23, 24  than Saul was to David? yet see how David gives him his due praise, in his mournful song upon the death of Saul and jonathan.  
5. The next objection was, that his not coming to Church was excused, for that his memory was decayed. In this point I cannot tell whether I should blame more, the reporters laesum ingenium, or laesam memoriam, his want of wit, or his want of memory: for what reason is there to think, that a Papist should refrain coming to Church, because he cannot remember what he doth hear? when in truth he would willingly be there stark deaf, or learn the Art of oblivion. But the truth is, that the failing of his memory was spoken of in the beginning; his not coming to Church, in the end of all the speech, and almost the last point of all, and it was applied only to his faculty, wherein I said he did practise with good liking▪ till through weakness his memory began to fail.  
But the substance of the speech which I now come unto, will clear all. You may therefore please to understand, that the Sermon being ended (according to my usual manner) I took occasion to speak somewhat of the party deceased; not by way of commendation or excuse, in regard of his Religion, which I had before taxed for many errors; but only by way of application of one special point in my Sermon; which was, that in a corrupt Church some may be saved, holding the foundation, though tainted with diverse errors of less moment: and so consequently in the Romish Church; provided, that they hold not the whole Mystery of that Iniquity, nor by any doctrine or practice overthrow the fundamental grounds of Faith and Religion. This I did apply to the person of the Gentleman deceased, charitably deeming him to be in the number of these, and that (as I did take it) for good reason.  
The effect of my speech concerning him, was digested into these two branches: His faculty; and his Religion. For the first▪ I did only touch it in a few words, showing, that he did practise the Art of Physic with good and commendable acceptance, till such time, as through weakness, his memory began to fail: that he was very courteous, and ready to afford his best help, specially to Scholars, as I could testify of mine own certain knowledge; and not wanting therein to poor neighbours, as I had partly seen with mine own eyes, and near dwellers to him could testify.  
Touching his Religion, I did endeavour to express my charity, with our Christian reformed Church, that all men might see the difference between Christian and Antichristian Religion. They cast down headlong into hell, all that consort not with them, in dependence upon one Head, The Roman Bishop, we charitably and hopefully conceive, that in the midst of them, notwithstanding their error of that dependence, yet many have been, are, and shall be saved, the Lord having his thousands among them that never bowed their knee to Baal.  
My reasons why I did so charitably judge of his estate before God, were briefly these: 

1. First, I showed that he was not infected with the whole Mystery of Iniquity, nor did appear to be obdurate and obstinate that way; because in our Christian families where he came, he was known to join with them in Prayer.  
2. In conference and dispute about Religion, every man that did converse with him, can testify his unskilfulness and weakness that way: wherein his disability of answer was supplied usually, with these or such like evading speeches: God send us all to heaven. The Son of God be good to us, etc.  
3. He protested to me, that he was never at the most solemn part of their Romish Religion, that is, The Mass, nor did ever know what it meant. This confession was not long before his death.  
4. His skill in the Utensils and Vessels of their Religious service was so little, that he did not know a Chalice, but would pleasantly tell of his mistake, taxed by a Gentlewoman, better skilled in the trade then himself.  
5. Myself reading to him a Sermon of S. Bernard, wherein the Father vehemently inveighed against the Court and Prelacy of Rome, and demanding of him, Whether Luther or Caluine, or any of our men, could more plainly and more powerfully speak against such impiety, he did, as a man convicted, admire it, as strange to him; for he ●aw there was no deceit, inasmuch as it was read to him in his own Book.  
6. He ordinarily (though not so often as was fi●) resorted to Church, and communicated annually; excepting the last year, or little more before his death: and that was upon occasion of the Princes going into Spain; which made many befool themselves.  
7. Last of all, in the shutting up of his life, near his end, myself praying with him, he did show his consent, by erecting both his hands up to heaven, and after the Prayer ended, by giving me his hand cheerfully and willingly of his own accord.    
If these be not sufficient arguments to induce my charity towards him, judge you: And tell me, I pray you, whether such a speech, so charitably uttered, need to flee the light, and be glad of the covert of darkness; or not rather with boldness come into the light, as now it doth, that it may be approved of God, and discreet good men.  
That I may not with too much prolixity offend your patience, I will now draw to an end; entreating your courteous acceptance of this token of my sincere love unto you. It is indeed many ways due unto you of right, but especially in regard of your love and kind respect showed to me of late; that whereas for the space of above ten years, I constantly continued the weekly lecture upon the Market day, having no recompense for that pains, but only Master William Sakers Legacy of five pounds per annum, it hath pleased you, upon due consideration, to augment it to a convenient stipend: which good Work was first well begun by Master Reginold Edward's, and that not only motioned by word, but seconded by his liberal act, in contributing most largely to so good a purpose. And whereas voluntary contributions, depending only upon the Donors' free disposition, are in like manner as Charity itself, subject to wax cold; it was not only very kindly towards me, but exceeding providently, for the better continuance of so religious a work, propounded by Master William Thurston to the whole Corporation, and by their general consents condescended unto, that the stipend should ever hereafter be paid out of the Chamber. Of which pious Work, I commend to the world, this Monument, in the just praise, both of those Prime Motors, as also of you all, who were the Concomitants and Adinuant causes of that so good and needful a furtherance of God's Religious service; desiring the Almighty to bless you all, and to give you the comfort that religious Nehemiah had in the like case; that with him, every one of you may be able to say unto God with joy and confidence; 
Neh. 13.14.  Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds, that I have done for the House of my God, and for the offices thereof.  
Yours in the Lord jesus, JOHN PHILLIPS.   

THE WAY TO HEAVEN.  ACTS 2.47. 
And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved.  
THere is nothing more fit, not better beseeming a Christian mind, at such times, and upon such occasions as this, when our mortality is set before our eyes, then to consider seriously with ourselves, what shall become of us after this life▪ that seeing our passage out of this world by death is inevitable, we may, before our departure, learn here upon earth, how to live for ever in Heaven.  
This heavenly lesson is here taught us in this short and sweet text: which that I may open unto you, and in opening it, may set open Heaven gate to every faithful soul, you shall understand, that these words are The conclusion of a memorable History, concerning the prime and first gathering together of the Christian Church, by the Apostles, after the glorious Ascension of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ.  
Know therefore, that to the end, that so great a work, as the converting of the whole world, consisting of many Nations, and different languages, might the better be effected, our blessed Lord did, 
Luk. 24.49.  according to his promise, send the holy Ghost upon the Apostles, 
Act. 1.4, 5.  enabling them to speak to every Nation and people in their own tongues, 
Act. 2.4, 11.  that all countries might be taught to know and worship God in their own language. And for the greater encouragement of the Apostles, it pleased God to give such a blessing to these beginnings, that about Three Thousand souls were converted at the first Sermon of Peter. 
Act. 2.41.   
Now to show that this blessing ceased not there, but that it continued still, and shall continue to the end of the world, it is said in the shurting up of this History, That the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved.  
These words offer unto us at the first view, four remarkable observations.  

The first is, The way to salvation; and that is, by being added to the Church.  
The second is, the Efficient or Author of this addition▪ and that is, The Lord God.  
The third is, the time and continuance of this work, and that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, daily, or from day to day.  
The fourth is, the happy end of such as are added to the Church, and that is, Salvation. They all, and they only, are such as shall be saved.   
In the first observation, that I may complete the whole doctrine of it, three things are to be considered. 1. That the way to salvation, is by the Church. 2. What that Church is, where salvation may be had. 3. By what means, and how men are to be added to the Church, that they may be saved.  

1 No salvation but in the Church.  Touching the first branch, it must be known and believed of all that desire salvation, that the Regia via, the King of Kings high way to heaven, is the Church: without which Church, there is no salvation.  

Demonstrated 1. by Noah's Ark.  That I may demonstrate this truth, cast but your eye upon the Ark of Noah, wherein was most lively figured, the Church of God. A type, twice alleged by Saint Peter, to this very purpose; to show, that salvation is, and only is in the Church. And therefore he urgeth against such as made defection from the Church, 
2. Pet. 2.5.  
Gen. 7.23.  that God spared not the old world, but did bring in the flood upon the world of the ungodly, that is, upon those that were out of the Ark, out of the Church.  
Again, Baptism being the Sacrament of our entrance into the Church of Christ, he doth parallel it, and compare it with the Ark, 
1. Pet. 3.20, 21.  intimating thus much, that as only those eight souls were saved in the Ark by water: so there is no hope of salvation, 
Eph. 2.12.  but only in the Church; the solemn entrance whereinto, is ordinarily by Baptism.  
We know, that the head is the fountain of life, 
2 By the proportion of the head and the body.  sense, and motion to the whole body and every member of it, but yet only to that body, whereof it is the head; even so it is between Christ and the Church; Christ is the head, the Church is the body, 
Colos. 1.18.  
Eph. 1.22, 23.  and every true Christian is a particular member of that body: 
1. Cor. 12.27.  Ye are, saith S. Paul, the body of Christ, and members in particular. Now as the head doth naturally perform the office of a head to the body, and to it only: so Christ doth impart the Divine influence of saving grace only to his Church. Therefore the Apostle, speaking of Christ, 
Colos. 2.29.  saith, That from the head, all the body by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God; 
Eph. 4.16. Eph. 5.23.  and having affirmed, That Christ is the head of the Church, he immediately inferreth upon it, 
Greg. in Ps. 5. poens. Istud est corpus, extra quod non vivificat spiritus.  and he is the Saviour of the body. This is that body, out of which the Spirit giveth no life.  
This Position, That salvation is to be had only in the Church, is not obscurely noted, by those sacred similes, so frequent in Scripture, 
3 By sacred similes.  where the Church is resembled to a House, to a City, to a Mother, to a Vine.  
To a House. 
1 Of a House.  So doth S. Paul call it, The house of God, which is the Church of the living God. 
1. Tim. 3.15.   
It is likened to a House, 
As it is taken for a building.  in a two fold sense: first, as the word is taken properly for an edifice or mansion, and building to dwell in, consisting of foundation, walls, and roof: thus S. Peter termeth the faithful, 
1. Pet. 2.5, 6.  lively stones built up a spiritual house; and Christ, the corner stone. Saint Paul calleth them, 
1. Cor. 3.9, 10, 11.  God's building; himself▪ and other Ministers, God's builders; and Christ, the foundation: for (saith he) other foundation can no man lay, then that is laid, which is, jesus Christ; and he telleth the Ephesians, 
Eph. 2.20.  that they are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Christ himself being the chief corner stone.  
As therefore the safety of a House standeth in the strength and firmness of its own foundation, which giveth support to it, and only to it: even so salvation and freedom from eternal and utter ruin, belongeth only to the Church, the House of God, built so firmly upon the Rock jesus Christ, 
Matth. 16.  that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.  

As it is taken for the inhabitans.  Again, it is compared to a House in another sense, the word House being taken for the inhabitants: so it is to be understood, when S. Peter saith, 
1. Pet 4.17.  that judgement must begin at the House of God, that is, with the godly, with the righteous, as he plainly interpreteth himself. And the Apostle to the Hebrews, calling the Church, Christ's own House, saith of himself, 
Heb. 3.6.  and the rest of the faithful, Whose House we are. Now the Church and every member of it is called, The House of God, and of Christ, because he doth dwell in their hearts by faith, 
Eph. 3.17.  as a householder in his house. More expressly elsewhere in plainetermes, 
Mat. 24.45.  the Church is called; The Lord's family, 
Eph. 2.19.  or household; The Domestickes, or household of God; The household of faith: 
Gal. 6.10.  The Ministers are called, Stewards, that rule over the household; 
Luk. 12.42.  and Christ himself, The Lord of the house.  
As then the Master of a family provideth only for his own house, all necessaries for maintenance and sustentation of life: but not for others, or other men's families, except it be in the case of charity: So God, though in his gracious Indulgence, as a Creator to his creatures, he be good to all; 
Psal. 145.9. Psal. 36.6.  he preserveth man and beast: he maketh his Sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just, and on the unjust. 
Mat. 5.45.  
Psal. 73.1.  Yet in a peculiar manner he is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart. 
1. Tim. 4.10.  He is the Saviour of all men, but specially of those that believe. This household of faith only, doth he save eternally: they only, having God for their Father, the Church for their Mother, Christ for their elder Brother, regenerated by one and the same immortal seed of the Word of God, nourished with one and the same sincere milk, partakers all of one Bread, and drinking all of one Cup. Therefore S. Peter saith of himself, and the rest of this family, 
2 Pet. 1.3.  That God, according to his Divine power, hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. None then can look for life and salvation, but they that are of God's household; who alone can truly say with the Psalmist, 
Psal. 119.94.  I am thine, save me.  
The Church is likewise resembled to a City or Commonwealth: 
2. Of a City, in two respects.  Thus it is set forth in a vision to Saint john, by the name of the Holy City, 
Reu. 21.2, 10.  new jerusalem; That great City, 
Heb. 12.22.  The holy jerusalem: So again it is called, The City of the living God, The heavenly jerusalem.  
It is compared to a City in two respects; that is to say, Defence, 
1. Defence.  and Privilege.  
We know, 
Num. 32.17.  that Cities are places of refuge, to defend the inhabitants from the force of enemies: 
jer. 4.5. & 8.14.  So is the Church to the true members of it, the only place of eternal safety. Therefore it is, that the faithful in their triumphant Song, do to the praise of God sing in this manner: 
Isa. 26.1.  We have a strong City, salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks. And the Prophet joel foretelling the state of the Christian Church, 
joel 2.32.  saith, In mount Zion and in jerusalem shall be deliverance. So that in this heavenly City, entered into here upon earth, is our only security of salvation; without it, there can be no safety at all. Hereupon Saint Augustine alluding to those words of the Psalm, 
Psal. 147.12, 13.  Praise the Lord, O jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion: for he hath made fast the bars of thy gates. 
Aug. de Ciu. Dei, l. 19 c. 11.  When (saith he) the bars of the gates are fast, as none can come in, so none can go out; intimating thereby, that they that belong not to this City of God, the Church, but remain without, cannot have the benefit of Defence, but lie open to eternal ruin: whereas on the contrary, they that are so in it, that they are also of it, can never be surprised by any enemy, but may sing comfortably with David, 
Psal. 31.21.  Blessed be the Lord, for he hath showed me his marvelous kindness, in a strong, or fenced City.  

2. Privilege.  Again, Cities or Commonwealths have their privileges, immunities, and freedoms, wherein the Citizens and Freemen only are interessed. To this purpose, that Father citeth the definition of Scipio, 
Ibidem c. 21.  in Tully de Rep. Respublica, est res populi. That is: The weal-public, is the people's wealth. Or thus, The commonwealth, is the wealth or welfare of the Commons. It is so with the Church. Therefore of this immunity and freedom▪ the Apostle speaking of the Catholic Church, 
Gal. 4.26.  saith, jerusalem which is above, is free: and telling the Ephesians, 
Eph. 2.12, 13.19  that before their conversion, they were without Christ, and were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and were strangers from the covenant of Promise, and had no hope, and were without God in the world: he saith, But now in Christ jesus, ye which were far off, are made near by the Blood of Christ: and afterwards addeth these words; Now therefore ye are no more strangers and Foreigners, but Citizens with the Saints; meaning hereby, that they had now, being entered into the Church, attained unto the immunity and freedom of the City of God. But wherein consisteth this freedom? Among other privileges, it doth mainly and principally consist in freedom from sin, and condemnation for sin: Hence it is, that S. Paul assureth the faithful, 
Rom. 6.14, 22.  That sin●● shall have no dominion over them, and that being freed from sin, they have their frowie in holiness, 
Rom. 8 ●.  and the end everlasting life. Again, that there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ jesus. By this it is evident, that the privilege of eternal life and happiness, is the peculiar right of the City of God, the Church.  

3. Of a Mother, in 2. respects.  It is also likened unto a Mother. So saith the Apostle, That jerusalem which is above, is the mother of us all. This semblance standeth in two things. 
Gal. 4.26.   

1. By conceiving and bearing.  First, the Church, as a Mother, doth conceive and bring forth children to God, by the immortal seed of the Word of God, 
1. Pet. 1.23.  in the Ministry of the Church: whereunto S. Paul alluding, 
Gal. 4.19.  saith to the Galatians, My little children, of whom I travel in birth again, until Christ be form in you.  
Secondly, 
2. By nourishing.  the Church, as a Mother doth, after her children are borne and brought forth, feed and nourish them with the sincere milk of the Word of God, 
1. Pet. 2.2.  out of her two breasts, 
Aug in Ep. joh. tract. 3. Est matter Ecclesia, & ubera eius, duo testamenta divinarum Scripturarum.  the sacred Scriptures of the Old and New Testament; and as they grow in strength, giveth them not only milk, but also strong meat.  
As therefore no man can live the life of nature, but he must have a mother, by whom he must be conceived and brought forth into the world; and must withal have convenient nourishment for preservation of life: 
Heb. 5.12, 14.  So no man can live the life of grace here, and the life of glory for ever, unless he be borne of his Mother, the Church, and nourished in it, to everlasting life. To this purpose is that noted saying of an ancient Father: He shall never have God for his Father, that hath not the Church for his Mother.  
The Church is again compared to a Vine, 
4. Of a Vine.  as we may see by the complaint of the faithful unto God in the Psalm, Thou hast brought a Vine out of Egyp●, 
Psal. 80.8, 12.  etc. why hast thou then broke down her hedges? And by God's complaint concerning his Church: 
Isa. 5.3, 4.  O Inhabitants of jerusalem, and men of judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my Vineyard: When I looked that it should bring forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes. Our Saviour Christ, under the Parable of the Vine, describeth the Church, likening himself to the body or stock, and the members of his Church to the branches. I am, 
joh 15.5.  saith he, the Vine, ye are the branches. It is inferred upon the words going before; noting the due proportion between the Vine and the Church▪ 
Vers. 4.  As the branch, saith Christ, cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the Vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. This he further amplifieth in these words; 
Verse 5▪ 6.  He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. All this importeth thus much, That unless we be engrafted into Christ, the true Vine, and so become lively branches in the body of the Church, we can have no hope of life and salvation: 
Aug. E●. 50. ad Bonifa●.  For, saith S. Augustine, out of this body, the holy Ghost quickeneth no man.  

Reasons that salvation is only in the Church.  This Doctrine, of salvation in the Church only, is not only thus illustrious by the bright-shining light of so many Divine Similitudes and Parables, but is also warranted by evident and invincible reason, grounded upon the Word of God.  


1 It only is the pillar of saving truth.  1. It is a Principle undeniable, That there is only one saving truth. And therefore the Apostle saith, that all men whom God will have saved, he will have to come to the knowledge of the Truth. 
1. Tim. 2.4.  Now this truth is no where to be found, but in the Church of God. Hence it is, that the godly are termed, 
Isa. 26.2.  The righteous nation, that keepeth the truth. And S. Paul styleth the Church, 
1. Tim. 3.15.  The pillar and ground of truth. And for this cause, the Spirit whereby the Church is guided, is called, The Spirit of truth: and it was promised by our Lord Christ, 
joh. 16.13.  that it should come and guide the Church into all truth. If then there can be no salvation without the knowledge of the truth, and no saving truth but only in the Church, it consequently followeth, That there is no salvation out of the Church.  

2 All saving graces are only in the Church.  2. There are certain graces, that accompany salvation, which are the peculiar of the Church of God; they may be all included in these four, that is, the grace of Election, the grace of Vocation, 
Heb. 6.9.  the grace of justification, and the grace of Sanctification; all which, jointly and inseparably have their period and end in Glorification.   
This we may plainly see, by that golden chain of man's salvation, in the Epistle to the Romans, whereof not one link can be broken by the greatest power of hell: Whom God did predestinate, 
Rom. 8 30.  saith the Apostle, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified.  
That these graces are concomitant to salvation, and the peculiar of the Church, is not only manifest for the general, by this golden chain, never worn of any but the faithful: but it will more evidently appear, if we examine the particulars.  
As for Predestination and Election, 
1 Election.  whereby God doth choose men to salvation of his free grace and mercy, without any merit in man; it is so proper to the Church, that S. Peter calleth it, 
1. Pet. 2.9.  A chosen generation, A peculiar people. S. Paul saith of the Church, 
Eph. 1.4.  that they are the chosen of God in Christ, before the foundation of the world; according to the good pleasure of his will; to the praise of the glory of his grace. Our Saviour, distinguishing the sound members of the Church from hypocrites, 
joh. 13.18.  such as judas, saith, I speak not of you all; I know whom I have chosen: And of the faithful, he saith, 
joh. 15.16.  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you.  
Then to be a sound member of the Church, and to be Elect, is all one: and not to be Elect, though in the Church, is no benefit to salvation. Therefore Saint Luke having said in our Text, that the Lord added to the Church such as should be saved, 
Act. 13.18.  saith afterward in equivalent phrase of speech, that as many as were ordained to eternal life, believed. To this acordeth that saying of S. Gregory, speaking of the Church; Within these limits, 
Greg. Mor. l. 28. c. 6. Intra has mensuras, sunt omn●s electi, extra has sunt omnes reprobi, etiamsi intra fidei limitem esse videantur.  saith he, are all the Elect, without them are all the reprobate; yea, although they may seem to be within the bounds of faith. No marvel then, though S. Peter advising the faithful to secure their own salvation, doth counsel them to do it, by giving diligence to make their Election sure.  
Touching Vocation or calling, I mean, effectual calling, the effect of Election, whereby God doth convert the souls of men to himself, 
2. Pet. 1.10.  calling them out of the society of the world, 
2 Vocation▪  into the Communion of Saints, 
1. Pet. 2.9.  as it were, out of darkness into light▪ it is also such a property of the Church, that it cannot possibly be separated from it. Therefore the Church is said to be, 
Rom. 1.6.  The called of jesus Christ: and to be those, 
Rom. 8.18.  who are the called according to the purpose of God, 
Heb. 3.1.  and partakers of the heavenly vocation.  
Now that it is a companion of salvation, is evident, by that exhortation of the Apostle, 
1. Thes. 2.12.  exciting the faithful, that they would walk worthy of God, who hath called them unto his Kingdom and glory: where we may see, that Glorification is the terminus ad quem, that is, the end whereunto tendeth the calling of God's people. And that they shall never fail of this end, 
1. Cor. 1.9.  he secureth them by the fidelity of the Caller: God, saith he, is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son jesus Christ our Lord. 
1. Thes. 5.24.  And again, Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. And therefore the Apostle, speaking of graces that accompany salvation, and by name of effectual vocation, the fruit of election, doth confidently assure the Romans, 
Rom. 11.29.  that the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. A Text so clear for the inseparability of God's effectual calling, and consequent salvation; that our Rhemish adversaries, who every where catch any thing, that may but seem to make for themselves, or against us, 
Rhe●. on Rom. 11.29.  are here, upon this verse, constrained to be mute, and say nothing, but only leave a Blank.  

3 justification.  Come we now to justification. It is a word of great variety for the signification of it; but we need trouble ourselves with no more but this one distinction. It is either that, whereby we stand just before God: or that whereby we are declared to be just before men. The former is properly justification: the latter is called, Sanctification. Yet both are sometimes included under the name of justification: as we may see by that golden chain of the Apostle, before cited: 
Rom. 8.30.  Whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified: otherwise the chain had been imperfect, and had lacked a main link, without which, Glorification could not follow. This distinction of justification before God and before men, is grounded upon these words of Saint Paul, 
Rom. 4.2.  If Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God: and it doth fitly reconcile Saint Paul and Saint james, the one speaking of justification before God, which we have now in hand: the other, of justification before men, or Sanctification, which we shall touch in the next place.  
Now concerning justification before God, we are to consider, both what it is, that it is proper to the Church, as also that it is a necessary antecedent of Salvation.  
justification then, 
What justification is.  is an action of God, whereby he pardoning all sins, imputeth righteousness to every true believer, out of his free grace and mercy, for the only merit of jesus Christ.  
The branches being many, require distinct explication.  

1. It is an action of God. 
1 It is an action of God.  So much intimateth the Apostle; Who, 
Rom. 8.33.  saith he, shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect? it is God that justifieth.  
2. It consisteth in the pardon of sins. 
2 It stands in the pardon of sins.  To this purpose the same Apostle allegeth the Psalm. As David, saith he, declareth the blessedness of the man, to whom God imputeth righteousness without works; 
Rom. 4.6, 7, 8.  saying, 
Psal. 32.1, 2.  Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.  
3. It is a mere imputation of righteousness, 
3 It is a mere imputation of righteousness.  out of man, in Christ jesus alone, that doth cause a man to stand just in the sight of God, and not any merit of works in man himself: 
Rom. 4.6.  for, as was said before, to constitute a blessed man, God imputeth righteousness without works. This imputed righteousness, not inherent in us, but out of us, in Christ, is expressly noted by Saint Paul, 
2. Cor. 5.21.  where he saith, That Christ who knew no sin, was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Mark here two things, 
Aug. de verbis Apost. Serm. 6. Vidite duo, iustitiam Dei, non nostram: in ipso, non in nobis.  saith Saint Augustine, The righteousness of God, not our righteousness: In him, not in us. So then, look how Christ was made sin for us, in the same manner are we made the righteousness of God in him: But Christ was not made sin, by infusion or inherency of sin, but only by imputation. So we, that we may be saved, must be justified, not by our inherent righteousness, which at the best, is imperfect; but by the imputed righteousness of Christ, who of God is made unto us, 
1. Cor. 1.30.  wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.  

4 It is imputed to faith only.  4. This righteousness is imputed to every true believer: for it is faith only whereby we apprehend Christ with all his benefits, as we may see, if we compare together, Faith, Hope, and Charity: Faith, like a hand, receiveth and layeth hold on the object, 
joh. 1.12.  Christ; therefore S. john maketh receiving of Christ and believing in him, all one. Hope only expecteth & looketh for the accomplishment of that which faith believeth, 
Rom. 8.25.  and with patience waiteth for it. Charity distributeth her good things to the benefit of others. Hence it is, that faith only is said to justify, because it is the only instrumental cause of our justification, in that it alone doth apprehend Christ, 
Act. 13.39.  by whom we are justified. 
Rom. 3.28.  Scriptures for this are plentiful; 
Bern. Serm. 1. de annun●. Sic enim arbitratu● Apostolus gratis iustifis a●i hominem per fidem.  From all things, saith Saint Paul in his Sermon at Antioch, from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses, by Christ, every one that believeth, is justified. And disputing the question of justification, he doth thus determine it; Therefore we conclude, that a man is justified by faith, 
5 It is of mere mercy.  without the deeds of the Law. This, saith Saint Bernard, is the Apostles meaning, that a man is justified freely by faith. 
Rom. 3.24.  
Bell. de just. l. 5. c. 7. Propter incertitudinem propriae iustitiae, & periculum inanis gloriae, tutissimum est, fidu●iam total, in sola Dei misericordia & benignitate reponere.   
5. Our justification is of God's free grace and mercy: This the Apostle avoucheth, That all men are justified freely by his grace. A truth so evident, that it hath obtained the Adversary's ingenuous confession: For the uncertainty of our own righteousness, saith Bellarmine, and the peril of vainglory, it is most safe to repose our whole confidence in the sole mercy and favour of God. Thus, even our Adversary's being witnesses, our Christian reformed Religion directeth men the safest way to heaven.  

6 It is for the only merit of Christ.  6. It is for the only merit of jesus Christ: therefore the Apostle having said, That we are justified freely by his grace, addeth, 
Beda in Ps. 87. Christi mors, nostra vita est, eius damnatio, nostra iustificatio.  through the redemption that is in jesus Christ. And venerable Bede saith, That Christ's death is our life, his condemnation, our justification.   
Thus we see what justification is, now that it belongeth only to the Church, and is a concomitant of salvation, our Creed may teach us, where we are directed to believe, as special privileges of the Catholic Church, the forgiveness of sins, and the Resurrection to life everlasting. And the Apostle saith, 
Tit. 3.7.  That we being justified by his grace, should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Where we have in one text, both the persons, to whom justification doth belong we, saith the Apostle, that is, the Church and faithful people of God: and the inheritance of eternal life following.  
The last grace accompanying salvation, 
4 Sanctification.  is, Sanctification. It is a grace of God, whereby a man being justified, is in every part of soul and body renewed by the Spirit of God, 
1. Thes 5.23. Rom. 6.2, 4. Col. 3.10. Ephe. 4.24.  no more to live in sin, but to walk in newness of life. It is in a word, the renewed image of God, consisting in knowledge, righteousness and true holiness. You may see it in the lesson, that grace teacheth all her children, 
Tit. 2.11, 12. & 14.  which is, To deny ungodliness, and worldly lusts, & to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, being zealous of good works. justification and sanctification differ in four points. 1. justification is before sanctification in nature, though both be together in time: for as the branch must first be in the Vine, before it can by virtue of the sap bring forth fruit: 
joh. 15.4.  so a man must be first in Christ, by faith, before he can be a new creature, and so bring forth the fruit of holiness. 2. justification is without us, in Christ, as was said before, but Sanctification is within us, inherent, and infused by the Spirit of God. 3. justification, is that whereby we stand absolved, and made just in the sight of God, but by Sanctification we are only declared to be just. 4. justification doth quiet the conscience, by reconciling it, 
Rom. 5.1.  and making it at peace with God, for, being justified by faith, we have peace towards God through our Lord jesus Christ. But Sanctification cannot do so, because our best actions are imperfect, and in regard of their defect stand in need of pardon. 
Psal. 130.3.  If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?  
Now, that Sanctification is also the Churches peculiar, hear the Apostle, showing the difference between men out of the Church, and such as are in it: speaking of their profaneness before their calling, he saith, and such were some of you: 
1. Cor. 6.11.  but telling them of their change, he addeth, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified. It is therefore the style or addition of the Church. Unto the Church of God, saith Saint Paul, 
1. Cor. 1.2.  which is at Corinth, To them that are sanctified in Christ jesus, called to be Saints. And we believe in our Creed, the holy Catholic Church, the Communion of Saints. That it doth accompany salvation, 
Heb. 12.14. Rom. 6.22▪  is more than manifest: for without it, no man shall see the Lord: but being ●reed from sin, we have our fruit in holiness, and the end everlasting life. Therefore we must know, that sanctification is such a necessary antecedent, though no meritorious cause, of Salvation, that notwithstanding no man shallbe saved for the merit of it, yet no man can be saved without it: because true saving faith, the instrumental cause of our justification and salvation, 
Gal. 5.6.  worketh by love, and can be no more without sanctity and good works, than fire can be without heat, or water without moisture.  
To conclude then, if there be no salvation without election, calling, justification, and sanctification, and none of these to be found, but only in the Church of God, it followeth necessarily, that there is no salvation out of the Church.  

The 3. Reason is, That the means of saving grace is only in the Church.  3 There are certain means appointed of God, to work and increase saving grace, which if they shall be found to be the Prerogative of the Church, it cannot be denied, but that there only Salvation is to be had: for in reason, the end cannot ordinarily be attained without the means leading unto it. Our Saviour telling the woman of Samaria of the Water of life, 
joh. 4.11.  she answered him, Sir, you have nothing to draw withal, and the well is deep, from whence then have you that Water of life? Indeed the well is profound and deep from whence we must fetch the everliving Water: and the woman's reason may teach us, that we had need of instruments and means to convey it unto us. 
The means are 1. The written Word of God.   
Now the means to effect and perfect man's salvation, are the written Word of God, called, the Scriptures: the ministry of preaching the Word: the two Sacraments of the new Testament, and prayer. That these are means, see first for the Word written, 
Rom. 15.4.  what Saint Paul saith to the Romans: Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. To this purpose is that commendation of Timothy propounded for the imitation of all the faithful, that from a child he had known the holy Scriptures, 
2. Tim. 3.15.  which are able to make him wise unto salvation. Therefore our Saviour adviseth to search the Scriptures: 
joh. 5.39.  for in them, saith he, ye think to have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me. 
2 Preaching.  Touching the Ministry of Preaching, it is called by the Apostle, 
Rom. 1.16. 1. Cor. 1 18.  The power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth. The Sacraments, they are the seals of the righteousness of faith; 
3 The Sacraments.  and so consequently of salvation. Prayer, is that to which the promise is made, 
Rom. 4.11.  Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, 
4 Prayer.  shall be saved.  
That these are the prerogatives of the Church, 
Rom. 10.13.  it is out of question. 
Rom. 3.2. Psal. 147.19, 20  For to them are committed the Oracles of God, and he showeth his Word unto jacob, saith the Psalm, his statutes, & his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation.  
As for the Ministry of preaching, God hath committed it to the Apostles, and the succeeding Pastors of the Church. 
2. Cor. 5.18, 19  God, saith the Apostle, hath given unto us the ministry of reconciliation, and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation. 
1. Cor. 12.28.  Again, That he hath set or ordained them in the Church, 
Eph. 4.12, 13.  and not elsewhere, and that for the gathering together and edifying of the Saints, to continue to the end of the world.  
That the Sacraments are the Churches proper right, is manifest: For to whom do the Seals belong, but only to them that are within the covenant, whereof the Seals are the effectual signs and pledges? And of whom is it said, Go and baptise them, 
Matth. 28.19. Act. 2.41.  but of those, which join themselves to the Church by believing? Or to whom was it ever spoken, but only to the Church, 
Mat. 26.26, 27.  Do this in remembrance of me: eat ye, drink ye all of this, etc.  
Touching Prayer, they only can pray, that have true saving faith: 
Rom. 10.14.  for how shall they call upon him, saith the Apostle, in whom they believe not? and none can invocate God aright, that cannot truly and with confidence call God Father, which none can do but they that are led by the Spirit of God, which Saint Paul calleth the Spirit of adoption, 
Rom. 8.14, 15.  whereby we cry Abba, 
Chemnic. exam. parts. 3. p. 179. b.  Father. This therefore is the Prerogative of the Church: by which they are in Scripture, as by a proper note distinguished from all others, 
Act. 9.14, 21. Rom. 10.12. Psal. 14.4. Math. 6.7. & 15.8. Math. 4.10.  both profane, that pray not at all: hypocrites, that babble with their lips, but their hearts are far from God; and the superstitions, that invocate creatures, with confidence to be heard of them. Thus the Apostle describing the Church, among other notes, setteth it forth by this, 
1. Cor. 1 2. 2. Tim. 2.22.  that they are such as in every place call upon the name of jesus Christ our Lord: and again, that call on the Lord, out of a pure heart. Now then, if the invocation of God, 
Psal. 145.18.  and of him alone, and that in truth, be not an essential property of the Church, and as the Logicians call it, proprium quarto modo, proper to all and every member of it, to them alone and at all times: how can it distinguish them, as the Scripture doth, from all others? Then we see, that the means of Salvation being only in the Church, Salvation itself is there only, and not elsewhere to be found.  

The 4 reason is, because the Church only have Christ for their Mediator.  4. To shut up this Doctrine in a short sum, it must be granted of all, that none can be saved, that have not Christ for their Mediator & Advocate; for other there is none, as there is none other but one God. So saith the Apostle, There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ jesus. 
1. joh. 2.1, 2. john. 17.9.  And that he is only the Mediator of the Church, we may take it at his own word: I pray for them, I pray not for the world: but for them which thou hast given me: for they are thine. And S. Paul speaking of himself and the rest of the faithful, saith, that Christ is at the right hand of God, 
Rom. 8.34.  and maketh intercession for us. Thus by a cloud of witnesses, is this divine truth confirmed, That out of the Church there is no salvation.  

Use.  1. Gross therefore and absurd is that Libertine opinion, That any may be saved in any Religion, leading an outward civil life; the Turk in his Mahometisme, the jew in his judaism, the Heathen in his Paganism. They may as well say, that in the Deluge a man might have been preserved out of the Ark, upon some tree, or house top: or that a limb separated from the body, or a branch cut off from the Vine, can live.  
2. This also discovereth the fearful and damnable estate of those, who never regarding Church or Religion, content themselves as mere naturals, and worldlings to enjoy the world. 
Heb. 12.16.  These Esavites had rather with their father Esau, please their palate with a little meat, then enjoy the heavenly blessing. They gaze upon the Ark with the old world, they wonder to see such pacing unto it: 
Aug. d. Civit. Dei. l. 2. c. 23.  nay, as S. Augustine speaketh, They murmur and eat their galls, to see the people flock unto the Church, to those pure solemnities of Christ: where both sexes are so honestly distinguished by their several places: where they may learn how well to lead their temporal lives here, that they may become worthy of the eternal hereafter. These profane ones have their eyes so blinded by the god of the world, 
2. Cor. 4.4.  that they cannot see any other heaven, but the world.  
3. A caveat is here given to all Schismatical spirits, who for external things, as matters of order and ceremony merely adiaphorous or indifferent, separate themselves from the society of the Church, like some foolish and furious Navigator, who in his voyage, upon every occasion of discontent, casts himself over board, presuming to be safe enough out of the ship. Let such know, that though God in his mercy may save the simply-seduced, as being of his invisible Catholic Church, yet the road way is, to be joined with some visible orthodox congregation.  
4. This calls all men, with a most forcible invitement, even as ever they desire to be saved, to enter timely into this strait gate, 
Matth. 7. 1●. Exod. 12.38.  that leadeth unto life. Many of the Egyptians and other strangers, when they saw the great works God did for his Church, and in what safe and happy condition the people of God were in, over they were; they left their own country alliance, and friends, and joined themselves to the jews. 
Mark 10.28.  Thus should we do, forsake all and follow Christ, leave all societies, for the communion of Saints: for as the Dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, 
Gen. 8.9.  but was fain to return into the Ark again: so let a man compass the whole world, yet shall he never be able to find rest to his soul, till by entering into the Church, he take Christ's yoke upon him. 
Matth. 11.29.  Let him with Solomon, try all things under the Sun; pleasures, riches, honours, and what the world can afford, he shall at the last be driven to cry out, Vanity of vanities, 
Eccles. 1.2 & 12.13.  and conclude when all is done, He are the end of all, Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is all of man, 
junius in Eccl. 12. Sine quo totus homo nihil est nisi vanitas.  all his duty, and all his dignity: and without this, all that a man is, or hath, is but mere vanity. So much for the first branch.  

2 What that Church is.  The next point to be considered, is, What that Church is, where salvation is to be had. A very necessary question for these times, wherein we live: in regard there is not a sect or faction in all the Christian world, that doth not challenge the name of the Church to itself.  

The name of the Church is not sufficient.  But we must know, that there is nothing more childish then to boast of the name of a thing, when the thing itself is wanting. We have a maxim in Logic, A nomine ad rem non valet consequentia. To argue from the name, to prove that the thing is so, because it is so named, is an argument inconsequent. 
Reve. 2.9.  Our Saviour ●e●s the Church of Smyrna, that there are that say, they are jews, and are not, but are the Synagogue of Satan. 
Reve. ●. 1.  And to the Church of Sardi he saith, I know thy works: for thou hast a name that thou art alive, but thou art dead. 
Reve. 3.15.  The Church of the Laodiceans was, of all the rest of the Seven Churches, in the worst condition (being neither cold nor hot) as we may see, in that our Saviour giveth them not any one commendation at all, as he doth to the rest of the Churches, giving them their due praise, notwithstanding he doth withal tax them for their errors: no doubt to this end, both to show his detestation of lukewarmeness, and that where lukewarmeness in Religion is, there is no goodness to be expected. Yet these Laodiceans, as f●rre as they were from the true zeal of Religion, did notwithstanding boast themselves to be rich, and lack nothing; whereas indeed they were wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. It is therefore a very silly and simple part, to take men at their bare word, as our seduced Romanists do, in so weighty a matter as Religion is. The men of Berea are commended, for that they searched the Scriptures daily, 
Act. 17. 1●.  whether those things were so or no, even which Paul himself taught. And it is recorded to the praise of the Church of Ephesus, 
Reu. 2.2.  that they had tried them, which said they were Apostles and were not, and had found them liars. And indeed, it is verity that we ought to look for, and not suffer ourselves to be carried away with words and shows. For whosoever is a good and true Christian, 
Aug. de Doct. Christ. l. 2. Quisquis bonus ve●usque Christianus est, Domini sui esse intelligat, ubicunque invenevit veritatem.  saith S. Augustine, must know, that wheresoever he shall find truth, it belongs to his Lord.  
Let us therefore search into this truth, that so we may find out the true Church where salvation is to be had.  
The Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; it doth signify a company, an assembly, 
The meaning of the word.  or congregation of people called together: and is sometime taken for civil meetings in Towns and Cities, or humane societies: 
Act. 19.32, 39  sometimes for Ecclesiastical assemblies, and meetings of the Church and people of God, as in our Text, and every where is Scripture, and Ecclesiastical writers. It is also vulgarly used for the place where the congregation doth meet to perform Religious service, but improperly and abusively, 
Valla l. 4 c. 47. Multi Ecclesia, nescio quo iure, aedes s●cras appellant, cum coetum hominum signifi●ot, non loca.  and is therefore reprehended by Laurentius Valla; Many, saith he, call sacred Temples by the name of the Church, but I know not by what right, for indeed the word doth signify a congregation of men, not places. Which I would entreat you the rather to note, because our Adversaries in their Rheims Testament, 
Rhem. on Eph. 5.23.  do with such spiteful words traduce us, for translating Congregation, rather than Church. 
Cambrian. 3. Audito i●● Ecclesi●● nomine, hostis ●xpalluit.  They would make the world believe, with their Bragadochio Campian, that the very name of the Church, is a Scarecrow to Protestants.  
They might have moderated their sharp censure, considering that the Translation was answerable to the propriety of the Greek word: or they might have opened their eyes, 
1562.  and looked into our Book of Articles, published twenty years before their Rheims Notes did see the light: 
Art. 19, 20.  or they might have seen, if they had not been wilfully blind, that in our Book of Common Prayer, the word Church is ordinarily used in every passage; in our Prayers and Collects, in the administration of our Sacraments, in the celebration of Matrimony, in the confession of our Faith, at every meeting of the Church. By all which evidences, it may appear, how far the Church of England is from any distaste of the name of the Church. But indeed they had their answer long ago, 
D. Fulke against Rheims.  that their Note is false and foolish, and that the Translator rather used the word Congregation, than Church, to avoid ambiguity: but after the people were taught to distinguish of the word Church, and to understand it for the mystical Body of Christ, the later Translators used that term, not that the other was any corruption, or the later any correction, but to declare, that both is one.  

The name of the Church is diversely taken.  Leave we the word, and come to the thing and matter itself. The Church, out of which there is no salvation, is set forth unto us in a divers Notion: not that there is any more than one true Church, 
1 For the elect, known only to God.  but because that one Church is considered in a divers respect, and is in the parts of it of a different condition. The name of the Church comprehendeth sometimes the whole company and congregation of the faithful, 

Aug in Ps. 56. Qui ●uerunt ante nos, & futuri sunt post nos, usque ad finem seculi.  
Aug. Enchir. c. 55 Templum Dei est Ecclesia Sanct●, sc. universa in coel● & in terra.   that ever were, are, or shall be to the end of the world: within this Notion are included, not only that part which is Militant in earth, but that also which is Triumphant in heaven, yea, the very Angels themselves. Therefore it is said, that by Christ, God hath reconciled all things unto himself, and set at peace, through the Blood of his Cross, both the things in earth, and the things in heaven. These are the elect, 
Colos. 1.20. Eph. 1.4. 1. Pet. 1.2. 2. Tim. 2.19.  invisible, known only to God in the judgement of verity and certainty: The Lord, saith the Apostle, knoweth who are his: and known to men, only in the judgement of Charity; as we may see by the same Apostle to the Thessalonians, distinguishing the sound members of the Church from the counterfeit; 
2 Thes 2 13 Rom. 2 ●8, 19  But we ought to give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because that God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation.  
In a second Notion, 
2 For the outward professors of Christianity mixed of good and bad.  by the Church, is understood the society of those which make external profession of the truth, being a mixed company, consisting of good and bad. And in this acception, it is taken sometimes for the general company of professed Christians, 
Mat. 22.10.  living in any one or more ages: thus we call the prime Christians in the Apostles time, and the near adjoining ages, wherein the assemblies continued Orthodox and sound in the faith, The primitive Church. 
3 For particular congregations.  Sometimes also the name Church, is given to particular Congregations, being members of the Universal, is, The Church of Rome, The Church of Corinth, The Church of Ephesus, 
And in them sometime for the Pastors.  and the like. Again, in particular Churches, the name of Church is sometimes given to the Pastors, as where our Saviour saith, Tell it unto the Church. 
Mat 18 17.  Sometimes to the people, 
Sometime for the people.  as may appear by Saint Paul's charge given to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus: Take heed, saith he, unto yourselves, 
Act. 20.28.  and to all the flock, whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 
Sometime for both Pastor and people.  Sometimes the name Church includeth both Pastors and people, as in the Revelation, where it is said, 
Reu. 1.4, 20.  To the seven Churches, which are in Asia, is meant both the Angels or Ministers of those Churches, and the Candlesticks or Churches themselves, as afterwards it is expounded: 
Reu. 2.7, etc.  In this sense is it so often said, Let him that hath an ear, hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches. These distinctions, as hereafter we shall see, are of great use for the clearing of many necessary truths.  
And first of all, from hence we may derive the true definition of the Church, whereunto they must be united that ever look to be saved. It is out of all controversy, that such must be of the number of the Elect, (according to the first Notion of the Church) as hath been showed before, upon the point of Election, being the first grace, and fountain of all other graces accompanying salvation. But yet because the Elect are not subject to the eyes of men, but are only known to God, the sacred Scriptures direct us every where to the visible Church, according to the second Notion: for whomsoever God doth elect unto the end, those he doth appoint unto the means tending to that end.  
Such therefore as desire salvation, must join themselves to the visible Church, by the ordinary way and means of Effectual calling, justification, and Sanctification; all which Graces express themselves visibly to the eye of the world, by their effects and properties, causing the faithful to shine as a light in a dark place.  

The definition of the visible Church.  Let us come then to the definition of the visible Church: which I cannot better commend unto you, then in the words of our Church of England; and it is this: The visible Church of Christ, 
Article 19  is a congregation of faithful men, in the which, the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments be duly ministered, according to Christ's Ordinance, in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same.  
Where we have the essential parts of a true definition: namely, The general & common matter, whereof the Church is materially constituted; in these words, A congregation of faithful men. And the difference, whereby the Church is formally distinguished from all other societies, partly in the former words, partly in these words following, viz. In the which the pure word of God is preached, and the Sacraments duly ministered, etc.  
To open the definition more distinctly and plainly. We call the Church, A congregation of faithful men, to distinguish it, both from Civil and Profane societies, that are without; as also from Hypocrites and unsound members, that are within the Church, but not of it.  
Again, we say, that the Church is a congregation of faithful men, in which the pure Word of God is preached, and the Sacraments duly ministered, according to Christ's ordinance: to distinguish the Orthodox and true Church, from Heretical assemblies, which maintain doctrine against the foundation; as also from Idolatrous and superstitious societies, who serve not God aright, according to his will revealed in his Word, but after the inventions and Traditions of men: concerning whom, 
Isa. 29.13. Mat. 15.9.  Christ alleging the Prophet, saith, In vain they do worship me, teaching for Doctrines, the commandments of men.  
We add further, In all those things, that of necessity are requisite to the same; both to meet with will-worshippers, as also with Schismatical conventicles, who make every extern and indifferent ceremony, an essential part of the worship of God, and therefore fly the assemblies of the most Orthodox Churches, for such external rites, as if they were gross Idolaters, and not lawfully to be communicated withal.  
From this definition thus explained, we gather three remarkable points, carefully to be noted of all, that laying aside all prejudice and partiality, desire to be rightly informed, in what Church they may find salvation.  

1. That it is wheresoever the society of the faithful may be found, and is not alleged or tied to any one particular place or person.  
2. That it is to be discerned from all others, by the purity and soundness of Doctrine; and by the due administration of the Sacraments.  
3. That it admitteth nothing as of necessity to salvation: or as an absolute and necessary part of God's worship, that is not consonant to the Word of God, and according to Christ's ordinance in the same.   
Touching the first point, 
1 The Church is the society of the faithful, not tied to any place or person.  that wheresoever the society of the faithful is, there is the true visible Church, and is not locally or personally tied to any: let Saint Peter, the prime Bishop of Rome, as they call him, determine it: Of a truth, saith he, I perceive, that God is no accepter of persons: but in every nation, 
Not to Rome.  he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. 
Act. 10.34, 35.  here is no one Africa, in it no one Cartenna, no one person or order of Bishops, whereunto the Church should be tied. here is no Italy, no one Rome, no one Pope or succession of Popes, challenging an allegation or dependence of all Churches upon it: but where true faith and the fear of God is, there is the Church of Christ.  
This was revealed to S. john in a vision: where we may see, 
R●u. 5. ●.  that the Church is the company of the redeemed, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. He received no revelation concerning any one eminent place above all others, upon which all other Churches and their members should depend, as their Oracle: only this was showed unto him by vision, 
Reu. 17.1, 2, 18.  that, that great City, which then reigned over the Kings of the earth (and that we know was Rome) was resembled to a woman, called, The great Whore, by whom the Kings and inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. If our Romists like this, let them take it and make much of it, we envy them not.  
When the Apostles converted any to the Faith, did they direct them to any particular Country, City, or Church of note, and namely, to Rome, as whereunto they must of necessity be united, or else there was no salvation for them? If a man in this case of conscience, being troubled in mind, should demand of a jesuit or Seminary; What he should do to attain everlasting life? his answer would readily be this; You must be reconciled to the Church of Rome. But if S. Paul were asked the same question, as sometime he was by the jailor; what would be his answer? Surely none other but this: 
Act. 16.30, 31.  What must thou do to be saved? Believe on the Lord jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.  
When so many souls, with pricked and perplexed hearts, cried out to the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Did S. Peter salve their sore consciences with the Balm of reconciliation to Rome? No, no: Rome had then no Christian being: but he uniteth them to the Church of the faithful, by calling them to repentance and faith, and to enter into the Church by Baptism. 
Act. 2.37, 38.  Repent, saith he, and be baptised every one of you, in the name of jesus Christ, etc. The visible Church then, whereunto, whosoever will be saved, must be reconciled, is the Congregation of the faithful, of what nation, or Country, or condition soever they be: For, 
Gal. 3.28.  saith the Apostle, there is neither jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ jesus. Wherefore our blessed Lord hath left us in this case, 
Mat. 18.20.  a sure rule and stay, whereupon the Christian soul may safely rest; 

●anis. Catech. In uno capite ac rectore universalis Ecclesiae, vicario Christi scilicet, ac Divi Petri Successore. Bellar. de Eccl. l. 3. c. 2.  
Sub regimine, etc. praecipuè unius Christi in terris vicarij Romani Pontifi●is.   and it is this: Where two or three, saith he, are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.  
Absurdly therefore have the Romish faction coined a new definition of the Visible Church, wherein they make the most formal and essential part to be this, namely, to be under the regiment of one head and governor of the Universal Church, the Vicar of Christ on earth, and S. Peter's Successor, to wit, the Bishop of Rome, so that without adherence unto, and dependence upon this head, they admit no man to salvation.  
The grossness of this conceit may appear by these evidences. 
Reason's why the Church is not tied to Rome.   
1. Thus to define the Church, in this manner, as they do, is most illogicall and unreasonable: for a true and perfect definition requireth, 
1 It is against the definition of the Church.  that it be constituted solely of causes materially and formally essential unto the thing defined; so that the one can never exist without the other. But it is far otherwise with the true visible Church: 

Esolis causis essentiam constituentibus.  
Oc●ham dial. part. 1. l. 5. c. 23. Extra Ecclesiam R●manam potest esse salus, quemadmodum post assension●m Christi ●uit salus, antequam Romana Ecclesia inch●ar●tur.   for that both was, and might be defined, and thousands of souls united unto it, and saved in it, before ever the Church of Rome had any being in the world, as hath been showed before in part. How many famous Churches were planted by the Apostles, that never cast the glance of an eye towards Rome? as Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, and the rest of the seven Churches of Asia? How many thousand souls converted, that never heard of any such universal head, or so much as the name of Rome? And indeed what should let, but that they may be saved, without any such respect, which have the graces of faith and repentance, 
Acts 2.28.  and are entered by Baptism, to to which the promise is made, in the general commission. Go ye, 
Mark. 16.15, 16.  saith our Lord, into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature: He that believeth, and is baptised, shallbe saved. Again, if there were such necessity to be united to the Sea of Rome, upon pain of damnation, how came it to pass, 

Bellar. d. Concil. l. 2. c. 5.  
Romano Pontifici, etc. adversabatur, Martyrio postea co●oratus.  
Et ibidem. Nec tamen eius retractatio unquam invenitur. Bellar. l. 3. the eccles. mil. Subesse Romano Pontifici est de necessitate salutis.  
Greg. l. 4. ep. 32. Nomen nowm, S●elestum, Nomen singularitatis. & ep. 34.  
Quod qui tenet, est praecursor Antichristi. See ep. 60.   that S. Cyprian (as our Adversaries themselves confess) in a Council of fourscore and seven Bishops opposed himself against the Pope, and being cut off from communion with that great Head, yet died a blessed Saint, and was honoured with the crown of Martyrdom, dying out of that communion, and as Bellarmine saith, never found to make any retractation?  
Or, if to adhere to this one universal Head, be a matter of so great consequence as they make it, that the salvation of all men depend upon it, is it credible that it should be so unknown to Gregory the Great, that he himself being Bishop of Rome above five hundred years after Christ, should renounce it, with so many titles of disgrace in one Epistle? He calls it a name of Novelty, an impious name, a title of singularity: and, that he which taketh it upon him, is the forerunner of Antichrist: with many more disgraceful terms given to that proud and pompous title elsewhere. Besides, how can that be a perpetual and essential part of the Church's definition, which was not known in the Christian world so many hundred years after Christ: but as their own learned Historians confess, was obtained of Phocas the Emperor, by Boniface the third, who was the second Pope, that succeeded after S. Gregory? Boniface the third, saith Platina, 
Platina in in vita Bonifacij. 3. Greg. l. 4. ep. 60. Nullus praedecessorum m●orum, Pontificum Romanorum vniue●salis Episcopi nomen sibi assumpfit.  obtained of Phocas the Emperor with much importunity, That the seat of S. Peter should be styled and taken of all, for the head of all Churches. Where then was this head before? S. Gregory himself will satisfy us. None, saith he, of my predecessors, the Bishops of Rome, did ever assume or challenge to himself the name of Universal Bishop. We see then how unreasonable it is, that dependence upon the Sea of Rome, should be essential to the definition of the Visible Church, and of necessity to Salvation, as they would make their blindfold followers believe.  
2. Again, 
2 No Scripture requireth it.  it is manifest, That, as S. Augustine speaketh, in those things, that are apertly and plainly set down in Scripture, we may find whatsoever doth concern faith and good life. 
Aug. d. doct. Chr. l. 2. In his enim quae apertè in Scriptura posita sunt, in u●niumtur illa omnia, quae continent fidem, moresque vivendi.  Now let us search the whole Book of God, from the first of Genesis, to the last of the Apocalypse, and we shall not find so much as one word, either of prophecy, precept, promise, or precedent, to countenance any such necessary adherence to Rome. How then can this be so main a point of faith, as the Romanists would have it, that hath not so much as one express Scripture to ground itself upon?  
3. And is it indeed, 
3 It is in no Creed.  so weighty a point of Christian believe? In what Creed, I pray you, may we find it? I am sure it is not in the Apostles Creed, unless they find it in some thirteenth new-coined Article of their own.  
There is only the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, which for the visible and Militant part of it, is all one in effect with our definition, viz. That the visible Church is a congregation of faithful men; Saints by calling, as Saint Paul speaketh. In the Nicene Creed, there is only added, by way of explication, the word Apostolic, (I believe one Catholic and Apostolic Church) to show, against the Heretics of that time, that that was the only true Catholic and Orthodox Church, which continued in the Doctrine of the Apostles. As for Athanasius in his Creed, he makes Catholic Religion to consist in the true Catholic faith and belief of those things that are of necessity to salvation, not alleging the believer to repose himself upon any one place, as Rome, or Constantinople, or the like; but placeth him that shall be saved, in the Congregation of the faithful. And good reason; for he knew well that Arianisme had possessed all places, yea Rome itself; and had infected the head, even Liberius himself, the Bishop of Rome; as is not only witnessed by the Fathers, as Athanasius, Hierome, Hilary, Augustine: but is also acknowledged by their own Romish Doctors, Cardinals, and Historians, though Bellarmine and Baronius would gladly feign some excuse for him.  

4 Because Rome is but a particular Church, as others are.  4. Moreover, it must be considered, that Rome is, and ever was (when it was at the best) but a particular Church, and member of the universal, as other Churches are: and therefore can no more challenge the dependence of other Churches upon it, than they can subject it to any of them. See how clearly and fully S. Paul, writing to the Romans, speaketh to this point: 
Rom. 1.5, 6.  where, telling them, that he had received grace and Apostleship, for obedience to the f●ith, among all nations; among whom, saith he, ye are also the called of jesus Christ: He saith not, above whom, as giving Rome primacy over all the rest, but among whom, as conjoining them in fraternity with other Churches, and them with it.  

5 Because it is subject to error, as well as others.  5. Lastly, we must know, that Rome is not only a particular Church, but is also subject to error, as well as other Churches. This the Apostle intimateth by that severe Caveat, which he g●ueth to the Church of Rome, among other Gentiles: 
Rom. 11.20, 21, 22.  Be not high minded, saith he, but fear. For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed, lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God; on them which fell, severity: but towards thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. here we see, that Rome hath no more immunity from error then any other Church, no, no more than the Church of the jews; Rome, no more than jerusalem; and that God doth tie himself to none, but with condition; If they do answer his goodness to them, with perseverance and continuance in his goodness, and care of correspondent duty to him. Therefore our Church of England hath well added in the Article of the Church, these words, viz. As the Church of jerusalem, 
Article 19  Alexandria, and Antioch, have erred; so also the Church of Rome hath erred, not only in their living, and manner of ceremonies, but also in matters of faith.  

A catalogue of Romish errors.  here it will not be amiss, out of the manifold errors of the Romish Church, to give instance in a few, as a taste of the rest. I will enrol them in a short Catalogue, and they shall be only such, as no man that will be a Roman Catholic, can avoid, but must upon pain of damnation, in his order & place, believe and practise. The very naming of the errors may be a sufficient conuiction, they are so palpably gross.  
1. They deny the reading of the holy Scriptures in common to Christian people; 
1 Error.  which is not only an error, but the cause of all other errors: 
Preface to Rhem. Test. Mat. 22.29. joh. 5.39. Col. 3.16. Deut. 6.6. & 11.18. Act. 17.11.  as our Saviour told the Sadduces, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures. And this they do, contrary to the express command of Christ, Search the Scriptures: contrary to the exhortation of S. Paul, Let the word of God dwell in you richly: contrary to the usual practice of the faithful in all antiquity, both jews and Christians: contrary to the very end and use for which sacred Scriptures were written, 
Rom. 15.4.  as the Apostle telleth the old Romans, Whatsoever things, saith he, were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope. Yea, and contrary to the general judgement of the Orthodox Fathers of the Church: The Scripture being, 
Greg. l. 4. ep. 40. Quid est aut●m Scriptura Sacra, nisi epis●ola Omnipotentis Dei ad creaturam suam?  as S. Gregory said well, nothing else, but an Epistle of Almighty God to his creature.  
2. They attribute such eminency of power to the Pope, over all soul's subject to him: that in a blindfold obedience they must be at his b●cke, to believe and to do as he will have them: therefore they style him, The supreme judge in causes of faith and manners; 
2 Error.  and stick not to say, Satis est, si is legem tulerit; 
Bel. l. 4. c. 1. de Paul. Rom. Summus Index in causis fidei & morum.  It is sufficient, if he say the word: and are so impatient of control herein, that no man must dare to say unto him, Curita facis? Why dost thou so? though his fact were too odious to name. An error, not only impious in Religion, but pernicious in any civil State: for hereby, not only his prohibet, forbidding, shall keep men from God's true worship and service; but his iubet, commanding, shall arm them against their Sovereign; as we know, it hath done here in England. far were the greatest Apostles from assuming to themselves any such absolute power; their voice was, 
Rom. 11.1.  Be ye followers of me, as I am of Christ. And again, 
Gal. 1.8.  Though we, or an Angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you, let him be accursed. Therefore they must needs be strangely bewitched and possessed with error, that can believe that a sinful man should have a privilege above Apostles and Angels.  

3 Error.  3. Their whole fabric and form of Religious service, and public worship of God, being in an unknown tongue to the people; what is it, but a notorious and intolerable error? For take to heart, I pray you, and think seriously, what a lamentable condition that people is in, that stand bound all the days of their life, to resort to a Church, where, in their most solemn Liturgies, Masses, and Service, they understand not one sentence, to their soul's comfort. The whole Volume of sacred Scripture, and examples of both Testaments are against it. 
1. Cor 14.11, 14.22.  S. Paul in confutation of it, bestoweth a large Chapter, 

O●●g●●. ●els l. 8. Graeci Graecis, Romani Romani●, si●gulique precentur propri●i linguam, etc.  
Cyp. de O●. Dom. n. 22. Quomodò te audi●● à Deo pustul●s, cum te ipse non audias? Caict. 1. Cor. 14.17. Melius a● edificationem Ecclesiae est Orationes publicas que audiente populo dicuntur, dici linguam communi Clencis & po●ulo. quam dici Latinè.   proving, that it is not only unfruitful, but barbarous, and a fearful note of God's judgement upon a people. They have not an ancient Orthodox Father, to father this error: among them you shall hear these voices sounding, Let the greeks in Greek, let the Romans in the Roman tongue, let all in their own language pray and praise God. Again, How canst thou, saith S. Cyprian, desire to be heard of God, who dost not understand thyself? Nay, our Christian reformed Churches have this happiness, that among the Romanists themselves, there are of chief note, that ingenuously confess, that it is better, and more to edification, that public Prayers be in the vulgar and common language, known of the people, then in Latin. Let us bless God then, that hath vouchsafed us the better part, and pray, that he would open their eyes, that are thus blinded with error, that they may take part with us.  
4. That foul error, of Idolatrous adoration of Images, in common practice among them, how expressly contrary is it to the Commandment of God? 
4 Error.  Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven Image, 
2. Com. Exod. 20.4. Leu. 26.1.  nor the likeness of any thing, etc. thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them. An error, whereof they are so consciously guilty in themselves, that in their Catechisms, and confession of their penitents, they commonly leave out that Commandment. And their professors being charged with this error, are so ashamed of it, that they in plain terms deny that they do any such religious service to Images; therein indeed denying their own Religion, and incurring the curse of their Trent Council: 
Concil. Trid. de Imag. Eisque debitum honor●●, & veneral●onem impertiend un.  which anathematizeth all those, that hold against their Decree herein, namely, That duke honour and worship ought to be given to Images. But doth not their real practice cross their verbal excuse? for if they do not worship Images, why do they perform so many religious services unto them? they veil, and bow down unto them, they set up before them, lights in honour of them, they offer up incense and other oblations unto them, they expand and spread forth their arms before them in Prayer. What can they do more, for outward service, to God himself? This Idolatrous practice is not only condemned in sacred Scripture, as expressly as Blasphemy, witchcraft, murder, adultery, or any other sin, and avoided of all the faithful of both Testaments; but is renounced as impious by the Fathers, for many ages after Christ; affirming Images in the Church, to be contrary to the authority of the Scriptures: 

Epiph. Ep. ●n Ecclesia Christi contra autoritatem Scriptura●um hominis pendere imag●nem.  
Lactan. l. ●mag. l. 2. c. ●9. Non est dub●u●t, qui● Religio ●●lla sit, vb●cunque sim●la●●um ●●l.  
Greg. l. 9 ep. ●. Adorare ●●●o imagines, omnibus mod●s devita   that there is no Religion, where an Image is. And S. Gregory about 600. years after Christ, forbiddeth utterly the adoration of Images: only allowing the Historical use of them, as we do at this day: whereby we may see that this foul error had not as yet in so long time possessed the Sea of Rome.  
5. Their Priests in the Mass offer up a propitiatory sacrifice, both for the quick and the dead, and their blind followers are bound so to believe, and do both pray and pay to be had in his m●mento. Whereas all propitiatory sacrifices have their period and end in Christ, who is the end of the Law, and the only Sacrificing Priest, in the Gospel, being a Priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech. This Sacrifice is only one, 
5 Error.  and once only offered, and that by himself alone: and therefore is called, The offering of the body of jesus once for all: 
Heb. 10 10, 12, 14.  and this Man, saith the Apostle, after he had offered one sacrifice for sin, for eu●● sat down on the right hand of God, For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. How sacrilegious then and blasphemous is that daily propitiatory sacrifice of theirs? where is their warrant for it? seeing Christ ordained no sacrifice to be offered by any sacrificing Priest, but only a Sacrament, commemorative to be administered by the Pastors of the Church, and received, together with them, by the people. Where, in the Gospel, can they find the calling of a Sacrificing Priest? The Commission is only, Go, teach and baptise; and the subject of their teaching, must be no other thing, but that which Christ hath commanded: other ordinary Priesthood our Lord ordained none, but Pastors and Teachers. The name Sacrifice we deny not to the Sacrament, but with the Fathers, we call it a Sacrifice for diverse good respects: and namely, because (as the Master of Sentences saith, 
L. 4. Dist. 12. In Sacramento recordatio fi● illius, quod factum est semel.  out of S. Augustine and S. Ambrose) It is the remembrance and representation of the true Sacrifice, offered upon the Altar of the Crosse. As for any proper, real, and propitiatory Sacrifice, we may see by this, that it was not known in Peter Lumbards' time, about twelve hundred years after Christ, and therefore is far from being truly Catholic.  

6 Error.  6. Their Transubstantiation, which they oblige every Christian soul to believe, not only upon pain of their faggot fire, but of the fire of hell: tha● is, that after the words of Consecration, there ceaseth to be the substance of Bread and Wine, & that there remain only the outward accidents, show and sh●pe thereof; under which, the very body and blood of Christ is substantially and corporally enclosed. How directly contrary is it to the express words of Christ, in the first Institution? For our Lord jesus, after the consecration and blessing, testifieth the elements to remain in their substance, calling them by their right names, Bread, and The fruit of the Vine. 
1. Cor. 11.26, 27, 28.  The like doth S. Paul, and that often in one short Context. It is an error, indeed against common sense: For let the senses of sight, smelling, taste, and feeling report, if there remain not the substance of Bread and Wine after consecration: insomuch, that if a man have sufficient quantity of them, he may well, for a proportionable time, sustain nature, with no other food; which could not be, if there remained nothing but the extern accidents, and mere show of Bread and Wine. It is against the nature of a true body, which is, to be only in one place, at one time, and that in his due dimension and substance. Now we know and believe that Christ is true man, in all things like unto us, sin only excepted; and therefore to make him to be without dimension, in so many hundred, nay thousands of places at one instant, doth manifestly imply a tacit denial of his humane nature. It is against our Christian Creed, where we believe, that Christ (leaving the world, in regard of his bodily presence) ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, and from thence he shall come to judgement: which S. Peter aptly interpreteth, in these words; 
Act. 3.21.  Whom, saith he, the heaven must receive, until the times of restitution of all things. But there is no one evidence, more apparently convincing this error, then if we consider, that at the institution of the Sacrament, Christ sat visibly before the Apostles, that they might plainly see with their eyes where his true body was. And withal did expressly signify unto them, that he spoke not simply of his body, but of his body crucified, and blood shed; which as yet was not then done: 
Luk. 22.19.  This, saith our Lord Christ, is my body, 
1. Cor. 11.24.  which is given for you: or as S. Paul relateth it, which is broken for you. 
Mat. 26.28.  Again, of the Cup, he saith, This is my blood of the new Testament, 
Mark. 14.24.  which is shed for many: adding also for the clearing of all doubt herein, the commemorative use of the Sacrament, which evidently confuteth all carnal and corporal presence: This do, saith he, in remembrance of me, that is, of me crucified: For, saith the Apostle, as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye show the Lords death till he come.  
Now whereas he calleth the bread his body, and the wine his blood, it is according to the usual manner of Scripture; speaking every where of Sacraments, it calleth them by the name of those things, whereof they are Sacraments. Thus Circumcision was called the Covenant, 
Gen. 17.10, 11.  because it was the sign and seal of the Covenant. 
Rom. 4.11.  So the Paschall Lamb is called the Passcover, 
Exod. 12.11.  because it was the sign of the Passcover. 
1. Cor. 10.4.  It is said in the same sense by Saint Paul, that the rock was Christ, because it typically and sacramentally represented Christ. Thus the ancient Fathers did speak and think of the Sacrament. The Lord doubted not, saith Saint Augustine, 
Aug. c. Adimant. c. 12. Non enim Dominus dubitavit di●●re, H●c est corpus meum, cum signum diret corporis sui.  to say, This is my body, seeing he appointed it to be the sign of his body. Yet forasmuch as our Romish adversaries harden themselves in their error, upon a conceit they have entertained, that we hold Sacraments to be only bare and naked signs: it must be known for their conviction, that it is but a mere slander, which they take to be true, upon the bare report of their guides, without so much as either hearing or reading what we hold. The truth is, we hold no such thing, neither is the question between them and us, whether Christ be substantially present in the Sacrament, but de modo, concerning the manner of his presence. They say, by conversion of the bread into the very body of Christ: so that whosoever eateth the consecrated bread, eateth carnally the very body of Christ, whether it be man, beast, or vermin that eateth. We, according both to Scripture and Fathers, teach, that Christ is pabulum mentis, non dentis, food for the mind, not for the mouth: and is as truly received of every true believer, as the bread and wine itself. 
Article 28.  Our Church of England is in no point more clear and plain then in this: affirming, that such as rightly, worthily and with faith receive the same, partake of the body and blood of Christ. And withal determineth & de modo, & de medio, both of the manner, and of the means, in these very words: The body of Christ is given, taken, and eaten in the Supper, only after an heavenly and spiritual manner. And the means whereby the body of Christ is received and eaten in the Supper, is faith. Yea and Calvin himself, at whom their spite is most, and whom they most scandalise in this matter, doth so plainly deliver the truth herein, 

Bellar. de Euchar. l. 1. c. 1. Verè in cana datur nobis corpus Christi. Substantian corporis Christi pa●●untur an mae nost●ae. Non ergo est vacuum aut inane signum.  
Eras. in 1 Cor. 7 Bellar. de Euch. l. 3. c. 23.  
An●● Lateranense Concilium non fuisse dogma fi●ici.   with us, that Bellarmine is constrained to confess, that Calvin teacheth, that the body of Christ is truly given unto us in the Supper. That our souls are fed with the substance of the body of Christ, and that it is not an empty and vain sign. But for the full conviction of this error, the novelty of it may be sufficient: for it is so far from any Catholic antiquity, that Erasmus affirmeth transubstantiation to be but a late definition. And their own subtle Doctor Scotus averreth, that before the Council of Lateran it was no Doctrine of faith. Which was above twelve hundred years after Christ: for that Council was held in the year of our Lord, 1215.  
7. Upon the former error dependeth another, and that is, the adoration of the consecrated Host. For upon this false ground, that there remaineth no more substance of bread and wine, 
7 Error.  but the very body and blood of Christ by conversion, they prostrate themselves before it, and worship it, as God himself, with that kind of religious worship, which they call latria, peculiar only to God. And this they do, not only in the use of the Sacrament, at the elevation or lifting up of it by the Priest, to that very purpose: but to the same end, they make reservation of it, and use circumgestion, or carrying of it about in open shows and processions; contrary to the express institution of Christ, who ordained no Sacrament extra usum, 

Tulli. 3. Natur. Quem tam amēt●m esse putas, qui illud quo v●s●atur Deum cr●dat esse?  
●uerr. in 12. Metaph. Arist. Quoniam Christi●ni manducant deum, qu●m ad●rant, sit ani●ma mea cum Philosoph●●.   out of the use of it: nor ever said, This is my body. This is my blood, but with an Edite & bibite: Eat ye and drink ye: so that they can pretend no bodily presence out of the use of the Sacrament. And in it, as hath been showed before, there is no conversion, or transubstantiation. And therefore the adoration must needs determine and rest in the creature: and so is none other but a mere artolatry: or bread worship, and abominable Idolatry. The very heathen could say, Who is so mad, as to believe, that to be God, which he doth eat? And indeed this madness hath made the heathen abhor Christian Religion, and in contempt of it to say, Seeing Christians do eat the god whom they worship, let my soul be with the Philosophers.  

8 Error.  8. Their private, or solitary Mass, wherein the Priest only doth participate, the people as in a Theatre gazing and looking on: which they so highly extol, and make the most eminent part of their Religion, and public service: consider we it seriously, and we shall find it without all ground and warrant of God's Word, nay, ex diametro, directly adverse and opposite to Christ's ordinance. For our Lord in the Supper did ordain a communion of many together, not a solitary eating and drinking of one alone by himself. 
Mat. ●6. ●6, 27  His mandate is, Take ye, Eat ye, Drink ye all of it. And Saint Paul accordingly calleth the Sacrament, The communion of the blood of Christ, 
1. Cor. 10.16, 17.  The communion of the body of Christ: And yieldeth a reason, from the correspondence between the elements and the Communicants. For saith he, we being many, are one bread and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. And this goodly Mass is so far from having any acquaintance with antiquity, excepting only the name, 

Greg. dial. l. 2. c. 23.  
Si quis non communicate, det locum.   that it was not known in S. Gregory's time, so many hundred years after Christ. For then the voice of the Deacon openly in the Church was this: Whosoever doth not communicate, let him depart.  

9 Error.  9 Their dry diet, in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper: wherein they deprive the people of the Cup, how sacrilegious is it, and injurious to the people? In the prime institution, our blessed Lord gave this express charge, 
Math. 26.27.  Drink ye all of it. 
Mark. 14.23.  And S. Mark noteth their answerable obedience. And they all, saith he, drank of it. And S. Paul faithfully reporting the institution, and according to the practice of the Church, often repeateth, as well the receiving of the Wine, 
1. Cor. 11.28.  as of the bread by the people: and so exhorteth, Let a man, saith he, examine himself, and so let him eat of this bread and drink of this Cup. Here, we may see, was no dry feast: here was no lame Sacrament, like theirs, hopping upon one leg. Nay it is a truth so evident, that it is by their own Cassander ingenuously confessed, 
Cassan. consult. art. 22.  that for the space of a thousand years since Christ, in the Roman Church itself, it was ordinarily dispensed to every member of the Church in both kinds: 
Id quod ex innumeris veteribus tàm Graecorum, quam Latinorum testimonijs manifestum est.  and that, saith he, by the testimonies of innumerable Ancients, both Greek and Latin.  
10. Their invocation of Saints, offering up unto them as solemn and set prayers, as to the sacred Deity itself, what is it, but a manifest derogation, and robbing of God, even of his peculiar right, 
10 Error.  which is, to be the sole hearer of the prayers of his creatures? O thou, saith the Psalmist, 
Psal. 65.2.  that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come. For we must know, that it is the act of an infinite Majesty, at one instant to hear the manifold variety of petitions of all men upon the face of the earth, yea and to know the very thoughts and desires of every heart, prayer being principally the act of the heart. Upon this very ground wise Solomon takes for granted, that all prayer ought to be made to God only; Hear thou in heaven, 
1. King. 8.39.  saith he to God, thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest: for thou, even thou only knowest the hearts of all the Children of men. Again, prayer to Saints wanteth that threefold prop, that must support every true and acceptable service to God, that is to say, Precept, Promise, and Pattern. For Invocation of God's name, we have express commandment, 
Psal. 50.15.  Call upon me. And our Saviour commandeth, that when we pray, we should direct our prayers to Our Father in heaven. 
Luk. 11.2.  We have also a sure word of promise, 
joh. 16.23.  Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. 
Rom. 10.13.  And, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. We have no such precept, no such promise, to warrant, and encourage us to invocate the Blessed Virgin, S. Peter, S. Paul, or any or all of the Saints. Again, for prayer to God only, we have express pattern, both personal, in all the Fathers from the first Adam, 
Gen. 4.26.  in the patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, 
Psal. 22.4, 5.  and prime Orthodox Fathers of the Church, who did suffer Martyrdom, 
Eph. 3.14.  for this very point, That God only in Christ is to be adored, 
Phil. 4.6.  and called upon. We have also a real pattern, 
Chemnic. exam. pars 3. pag 194.  in that Heavenly Manual of prayer and praise, the Sacred Psalter or Psalms of David: together with the set forms of the faithfuls prayers recorded every where in Scripture: and all directed to God only: not on pattern of prayer to Saints. 
Eccius Enchrid. Vt refert them. exam. pars 3 pag. 184.  This is ingenuously confessed by their own Eccius and other Pontificians, that invocation of Saints hath no warrant in sacred Scripture: not in the Old Testament, because the Fathers were then in Limbo: nor in the new Testament, lest the Gentiles should return again to their old idol-worship: and le●t the Apostles should be charged with arrogancy, as be speaking beforehand their own glory, and worship to be done to themselves after their death. 

Cassander ib. Hoc enim tutius esse existimo. Hofmeister. ibid. ex Aug. de visi●. infirm. l. 1. c. 2.  
Tutius & iucundius loquor ad meum jesum, quam ad aliquen Sanctorum, etc.   Nay more, they confess, that it is the safer and better way to call upon God only in the name of jesus Christ. And one of them, out of a work ascribed to Saint Augustine, concludes the question thus: More safely and more sweetly do I speak, in prayer, to my jesus, then to any of the Saints.  
The story of George Duke of Saxony is herein memorable. Lying upon his deathbed, the Monks like Locusts swarming about him, and beholding his agony, exhorted him; one, to invocate the Virgin Mary; another, to call upon the Angels; another, to pray to these and these Saints, for help in that extremity: but a Noble man, one of his familiars, standing by, directed his speech to the Duke in this manner: 
Ibid. p. 180.  Your Highness, saith he, was wont in your politic affairs, to take up this proverb: To go the direct way, without ambages or circumstances, is the most compendious course. Why then should your Highness, in this most dangerous passage, go about the furthest way, and not rather go the direct way unto God himself by Christ, 
Ibid.  who both will and can certainly help? Erasmus among other his pleasant conceits, doth merrily glance at this error, reporting a story of one at Sea, where (as their manner is) every man in a wrack, flieth to his Saint, as it were his Tutelar God. There was one, saith he, among the rest, when he saw the present and imminent danger, and that there was no delaying; in the midst of his distraction, thought with himself, If I should pray to S. Nicholas, it is uncertain whether he hear me, and it may be he is busy in hearing & dispatching other petitioners; or if not so, yet it may be, that he cannot have so speedy access to God, to mediate for me, as my present necessity requires: I will therefore, saith he, take the safest and surest course, and go the direct way to God himself, by Christ, because it is written in the Psalm, 
Psal. 50 51.  Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. And in the Hebrews, 
Heb. 18.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, 

Aug. de unit. Eccl. cap. 3.  
Non audiamus, Haec dico, Haec dicis: sed Haec dicit Dominus. Aug. àd Paul. ep. 112.  
Nolo authoritatem meam sequaris, ut ideo putes, tibi aliquid necesse esse credere, quoniam à me dicitur.  
Aug. ad Crescon. l. 2. c. 32.  
Quod in iis divinarum Scripturarum authoritati congruit, cum laude eius accipio: quòd autem non congruit, cum pace eius respuo. Gratian. dist. 8. christus non dixit, Ego sum consuetudo, sed, Ego sum veritas, etc.  
Consuetudo sine veritate, vetustas erroris est.   and find grace to help in time of need. If any stumble at this; that some Fathers are alleged, to countenance this error, let him remember that of S. August. We must not hearken to, This say I, This say you, but, This saith the Lord. And distinctly, first of himself, he saith, I would not have you follow my authority, that you should therefore think any thing necessary to be believed, because I say it. And of other Fathers, what he held, may appear by that which he writeth of S. Cyprians Epistle, viz. That it hath no authority to bind him. For, saith he, I do not hold Saint Cyprians Letters to be Canonical Scripture, but I examine them by the Canonical: and what I find thereunto agreeable, I embrace with his praise; what is not consonant, by his leave, I will leave. This is the true profession of a Doctor, concerning the Scriptures, at his inauguration! Quod tenet, teneo: quod respuit, respuo: What the Scripture doth hold, I hold: what it doth reject, I reject. If any harp upon the long custom of this error in the Christian world, let him consider, as one saith well, that Christ said not, I am custom, but I am truth. And that custom without truth, is but an old error, or, the antiquity of error. Which, like an old sore, is so much the worse, and more incurable, the older it is.  
11. Their prayer for the dead, to deliver them out of that fearful and hell-like torment in Purgatory, wherein they are made to believe, they lie boiling as in a fiery furnace: What an antithesis and plain opposition is there between the Word of truth and this gross error? We know, and are assured by the Word of God, that the blood of jesus Christ cleanseth, and purgeth us from all sin. So that there is no need of humane purgatives either for venial sins, 
11 Error.  or for temporal punishment of sins mortal. 
1. joh. 1.7.  For our Lord jesus assureth the faithful departing this life, 
joh. 5.24.  that he that heareth his Word, and believeth, is passed from death unto life: and that they that die in the Lord, 
Reu. 14.13.  are in a blessed estate, & rest from their labours. Yea, the poorest Lazarus that dieth in the faith of Abraham, is immediately in his precious soul conveyed by the Angels into Abraham's bosom, 
Luk 16.22, 25.  there possessed of heavenly joy, not afflicted with hellish torment. This may be a sufficient conviction of this error, that there is not one sentence, not one word, not one syllable, no not one letter in the whole volume of Canonical Scripture, 
Chry. Ser. 3. ad Philip. Fideles, possquam hinc dis●esserunt, bea●os esse, etc. Dionys. A●eop. Hierar. c. 11. Propinqui eius, qui mortuus est, etc. cum qualis est, beatum esse ducunt, quòd ad victoriae sinem peroptatum per●●nerit▪ & victoriae Authori gratias agunt cum cantu.  favouring prayer for the dead, as being in any such misery after their departure; Nay, that there is express Scripture to the contrary. The Fathers were far from any such conceit, who held that the faithful deceasing, are in a blessed condition, having obtained their desired end of victory, and beholding the Lord jesus face to face. And that the friends of the deceased, counting him happy, give thanks to the Author of the victory with a song. See here the difference between the ancient Fathers, and the now Romanists. They held the faithful deceased in a blessed and joyful estate: These count them to be in misery and torment. They congratulated their happiness: These condole their torments. They gave thanks for their attained victory: These pray and pay to free them out of their conceited captivity. In a word, They did sing for joy: These howl and cry for doleful sorrow.  

12 Error.  12. Their daily devotions, which we see in their Primers, Rosaries, and Manuals, what are they for the most part but Farthels of blind superstition? for beside that they are, in most passages, directed to a wrong object, worshipping the creature, in stead of the Creator, & so changing, as Saint Paul saith, 
Rom. 1.25.  the truth of God into a lie: they have withal this foul blot of superstitious vanity, that whereas God will be served by weight, they serve him by number: whereas he requireth serious, weighty, and judicious devotions, framed according to our present wants, 
● King. 8.38.  as we may see in all the religious prayers of the Saints in holy Writ; they, directed by their blind guides, (like a Horse in the Mill) perform a superficial, slight, and Circular service, placing virtue, and religious effect in the very number of their prayers, in saying so many times over, a certain number of Pater-nosters, Aue-maries', Credoes, & the like. Read their books, 
Hora Sarisbur. fol. 58.  & they will tell you, that for 3. Aue-maries', said three times over every day, at three several hours, and at every hour thrice, is granted three hundred days of pardon. Again, for saying before the Image of Pity, five Pater-nosters, five Aves and a Credo, 
Ibid. fol. 68  are granted thirty two thousand, seven hundred and fifty five years of Pardon. A multitude of these fopperies you may find every where in their superstitious devotions. And to further these numeral prayers, there was at the last found out a new trick, the invention of Beads. 
Polid. Virg. l. 5. c. 7.  When men, saith Polidor Virgil, began to number and reckon their prayers, as though God were in our debt, for often begging of him, there were devised by one Pe●rus Heremita a Frenchman, certain beads, about the year of our Lord, 1090. The novelty of this superstition is conviction sufficient. But the shame of it is, that in the judgement of him that cannot err, it is so far from Christian piety, that it is no better than flat Heathenism: therefore our Saviour, upon that very ground, doth warn all Christians to avoid such vain repetitions. 
Math. 6.7.  When ye pray, saith he, use not vain repetitious, as the Heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard, for their much speaking, which is, we see, in the Lords account, but vain babbling. A lively pattern of a Papist and a Protestant, for the manner of Religious devotion, we may see in the priests of Baal, & the Prophet Elias paralleled together; the one continue from morning till noon, and from noon till Evening, 
1. King. 18.26.  with Audinos, Audinos, O Baal, Hear us, O Baal, hear us, etc. with much cursitation, and stirring, as the Romish fashion is: The other, that is, the good Prophet Elias, a true pattern of piety, 
1. King. 18 36.  and sound Religion, reverently and humbly addresseth himself to call upon God, praying in a short, but yet a sweet and heavenly manner, according to the present occasion. Read the Story, and admire the difference.  

13 Error.  13. To be brief: concerning auricular confession, that is, that every man do confess all his mortal sins, with all the circumstances, once every year at the least, and that privately to a Priest, at the least in vote or desire, yea, and that also of necessity to salvation; it is utterly without either rule or example of God's Word; and this want of Divine authority, is ingenuously confessed by many of their own Authors. 
Mald. sum. q. 18. ar. 4.  The confessions we find in Scripture, are either unto God only: or if unto men or before men, it was in these cases; 
Psal. 32.5.  1. Before Baptism, at the entrance into Christianity; as in those that were baptised by john Baptist. 
Mat. 3.6.  2. In a case of free and voluntary testification of their sound conversion, 
Act. 19.18.  as it is said in the Acts: Many that believed, came and confessed, and showed their works. 3. In case of some grievous sin, lying heavy upon the conscience, as in the example of David's confession to Nathan the Prophet. 
2. Sam. 12.13.  4. In case of public scandal, 
jos. ●. 19.  to give glory to God, and satisfy the congregation, as in the example of Achan. 5. In case of private injury done by one man to another, whether Priest or private man, 
jam. 5.16.  as it is in S. james: Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another. In all these we have not one confession, after the Romish stamp, to be made of necessity to a Priest of all sins, and that anniversary, at the least once a year.  

14 Error.  14. Their placing of Religion in the distinction of meats, S. Paul hath branded with the note of error, doctrine of devils, and deep hypocrisy, Prophetically foretelling it to be a mark of that Antichristian Apostasy that should befall these later times: 
1. Tim. 4.1, 2, 3.  Now the Spirit, saith he, speaketh expressly, that in the later times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils: speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving, of them which believe and know the truth.  

15 Error.  15. Their violent laying hands upon themselves, by whip, to make satisfaction, and procure acceptance with God, hath no ground in sacred Scripture, unless they think the example of those Priests of Baal a good warrant. Indeed I must needs say, they went beyond our Romanists; for they used Knives and Lancers, these but Whips; they did lance, these do but lash.  
16. Their extreme unction, 
16 Error.  with which they shut up, and end their Romish race in this world, is as unwarrantable. For whereas they have but two only texts for it, they both fail them, as their own Doctors ingenuously confess. Those Scriptures in S. Mark and S. james, 
Mark. 6.13.  speak only of anointing with oil, 
jam. 5.14.  for the miraculous curing of the sick; 

Cassan. l. consult. art. 2.  
Bel. l. 1. de unc. ext. cap 3.  
Caiet. in jac. 5.   but they use anointing to no such end, but only when men are irrecoverable, and ready to depart out of this life. These instances may be sufficient for a taste of Romish errors, being the most usual, and common to every one that will be a professed Roman Catholic.  
Thus we have opened the first branch of our definition of the Church, showing that the true Church, is the company of the faithful, of what nation or country soever: and that it is not tied to any person or place, no not to Rome: Because many thousands were saved that never knew it, and before ever it was Christian: Rome's authority over others is in no Scripture, in no Creed: it is but a particular Church, and member only of the Universal, as others are: and subject to error as well as others.  
The second branch of the definition of the Church, 
2 Sound doctrine, and due administration of Sacraments, the notes of the Church.  is, That it is discerned from all other societies, by soundness of Doctrine, and due administration of Sacraments.  
Touching Doctrine, it is the eare-marke of Christ's sheep, My sheep hear my voice. It is that whereby the faithful are directed to try the true Pastor from the Impostor, 
joh. 10.27.  the Orthodox from the Heretical. 
1 For doctrine.  Ye shall know them by their fruits. 
Mat. 7.16.  Therefore S. john counselleth, not to believe every spirit, 
1. joh. 4.1.  but to try the spirits, whether they are of God: and chargeth the elect Lady and her children, 
2. joh. 10.  thus; If there come any unto you, and bring you not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him, God speed. And this charge he did ground upon a Divine rule of trial, in the words immediately going before; 
Vers. 9  the rule is this: Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. And lest any should think it strange, that the trial of Doctrine should be required of private Christians, our Saviour puts it out of doubt; showing not only that it is and aught to be so, but directeth how it may be done: 
joh. 7.16.  for, having said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me: 
Two rules to discern doctrine.  He giveth them a double rule, which being observed, they may discern of Doctrine; the one concerneth the Hearer, the other the Teacher. The rule concerning the Hearer, 
1 Concerning the Hearer.  is; If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself: that is, If a man in humility and sincerity of heart seek to be informed in the truth, and as God from time to time shall reveal it unto him, maketh conscience to put in practice that which he shall hear: and as Theophylact saith, shall embrace virtue, 
Theophylact. in Io. c. 7. Voluntatem autem Dei facit, & qui Prophetas, & Scripturas scrutatur.  and not suffer himself to be a slave to envy, and hate truth before he know it; such a man shall be able to discern of Doctrine; but yet with this proviso, which there Theophylact well inserteth, viz. That this is one main part of doing the will of God; namely, to search the Prophets and Scriptures.  

2 The Teacher.  Touching the second rule, which concerneth the Teacher, it is this: He that speaketh of himself, seeketh his own glory: 
joh. 7.18.  but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true. A good parallel, distinguishing exactly the false Teacher from the true; the one seeking his own, the other God's glory. 
1. Thes. 2.5, 6.  By this rule, we desire all men sincerely and without prejudice, to judge between us and our Romish Adversaries. Look with an indifferent and impartial eye, into the doctrine and practice on both parts: you shall find that all their doctrines and courses, wherein they differ from us, aim altogether at the extolling of nature, man's works and merits, with a glance still at the magnifying and enriching of their Roman Synagogue: whereas we, with our blessed Lord, make the scope of all our teaching and practice, the glory of God, and the praise of the all-sufficient merit of Christ.  
This direction of our Saviour, is sufficient alone of itself to prove, that the Doctrine is the right trial of the Church, and Pastors of it. But beside, we find the Congregation of the faithful, described in the Acts of the Apostles, by this very note, 
Act. 2.42.  that they continued steadfastly in the Apostles doctrine. And the Thessalonians are commended, that they received the Word of God, not as the word of man; resting upon the bare authority of the Teacher, 
1. Thes. 2.13.  but, as it is in truth, the Word of God. They that rested upon men, under the name and colour of the Church, and chief governors of the Church, 
Mat. 27.1.  the chief Priests and Elders of the people, did crucify Christ: whereas they that examined the Doctrine by the Word of God, 
Act. 17.12.  did believe. If therefore ye will approve yourselves to be the Disciples of the Gospel, 
Athan. in incar. Dom. Si discipuli estis Euangeliorum, per Scripturas incedite.  that is, true Christians, ye must walk, saith Athanasius, by the rule of the Scriptures. It is sound Doctrine then, grounded upon the Word of God, that the Christian soul must rest upon, for the discerning of the true Church: 
Aug. con. Petil. l. 3. c. 6. Sive de Christo, sive de eius Ecclesia, sive de quacunque alia re, quae pertinet ad fidem vitámque, etc.  for, whether it be concerning Christ, or concerning his Church, saith S. Augustine, or touching any other thing pertaining to faith and life; If we, or an Angel from heaven teach any otherwise, then that which ye have received in the Scriptures, let him be accursed. As for the Sacraments, that they are also discerning notes of the Church, I need here to say nothing, in regard that it hath been sufficiently showed before, that they are so peculiar to the Church, that the one cannot be without the other.  
Concerning the third branch of the definition of the Church, 
3 The true Church admitteth nothing as necessary to salvation, that is contrary to the Word of God.  That it admitteth nothing as necessary to salvation, or as an absolute part of God's worship, that is not according to the Word and Ordinance of Christ. This fully completeth and perfecteth the definition of the Church, which must be as pure in her Religion, and worship, as she is sound in her Doctrine: that there be no mixture of man's invention with God's Ordinance; for in the service of God, the hypothesis or condition of the Prophes must ever hold good: 
1. King. 18.21.  If the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal then follow him: God will have all or none. 
Isa 29.13.  He cannot abide that his flare▪ that is, his religious worship, should be taught by the precepts of men: and therefore accounteth it vain worship, and mere lost labour, 
Mat. 15.9.  when the commandments of men are taught and held for Doctrines, and, as it were, rules, and principles of necessity to be observed. This must be seriously considered, for the better meeting with two adversaries, which do assail truth on both sides, with their different extremes. 
Bell. de Sacr. l. 2. c. 30. Ceremoniae receptae, etc. sine gravi veccato o mitti non possunt; quum habe antony's vim etiam spiritualem, & sint pars divini cul●as, adeoque meritoria.  The one, is the Romanist; who hold that the ceremonies of the Church may not be omitted, without grievous sin, inasmuch as they have spiritual virtue, and are parts of Divine worship, and withal are meritorious▪ And they father this conceit upon the power which they attribute to the Church, to institute suo iure; that is, by her own right, such Ceremonies: and therefore to make their followers pliable, they teach them as a main principle of their Religion, that they must obey with equal respect, in regard of salvation, the Mother's precept, as well as the Father's Mandate: but they never consider, that the true Church is an obedient wife, 
Eph. 5.24.  and will not in any thing contradict the will of her heavenly Spouse.  
The second sort of adversaries, are our Separatists, who for every extern and indifferent ceremony, make as great combustion and stir in the Church of God, as if some main Article of Faith were called in question. 
Cal. in Mat. 5 9 Eos ertar●, etc. qui ●cco doctrinae obtrudunt hominum mandata: vel qui indè petunt regulam colendi Dei.  They must be entreated to consider, that the Text doth not simply condemn all commandments of men, but when they are taught for doctrines, and rules of God's worship, as Caluine speaketh: The doctrine of our Church might give them comment, being the same with all the rest of the reformed Churches, namely, That it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing contrary to Gods written Word: 
Article 10.  and that besides the same, it ought not to enforce any thing to be believed, for necessity of salvation. Whereby they may, if they will open their eyes without prejudice, see of what nature the Ceremonies of our Church of England are. And so much for the definition of the Church; by which we may see, what that Church is, to which we must be joined, if ever we look for salvation; that is, the society of true believers.  
But for the better understanding of the state of the Church, 
Considerations concerning the Church.  diverse things are to be considered, which give more light to the Doctrine, and more full satisfaction to such as desire unfeignedly to know the truth herein.  
The first consideration is, 
1 
Consideration.  
It is only one.   that the Church is only one; though different in time, as far as from the beginning to the end of the world; distant in place, as remote as East from West; North from South▪ nay, heaven from earth: distinct for people, being of all Countries and Nations. For, as hath been said before, it is the society or congregation of the faithful of all ages. This voity of the Church, is noted in the one Ark of Noah; 
Gen. 6.  in Salomon's Dove, My Dove, my undefiled, 
Cant. 6.9.  is but one: in the wheat field, in the draw net; in one flock, 
Mat. 13.24, 47.  one fold, 
Luk. 12.32.  under one Shepherd: in one Bride and Bridegroom: 
joh. 10.16. joh. 3.29.  in one body, united to one Head, Christ: For, saith the Apostle, by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body. 
1. Cor. 12.13.  This consideration doth second that which hath been said of the Church; for it doth evidently evince, and prove, that there is no necessity of being united to this or that particular Church, a● Rome, or the like, so long as a man is of the number of the faithful, wheresoever dispersed; for as S. Paul disputes, 
1. Cor. 12.14, 15, 16.  The body is not one member, but many. Is the foot not of the body, because it is not the hand? or the ear, because it is not the eye? So we may truly say, Is this or that national or Provincial Church, no Church, because it is not dependant upon Rome? Are they that are baptised into one body, and united to Christ jesus by one faith unfeigned, no members of the mystical Body of Christ, the Church, because they are not incorporated and reconciled to Rome? If the body, though it be bu● one, yet is not one member, but many: then reason will teach us, that every member hath his proportionable nutriment, life, and motion from the head, without any dependence one upon another.  

2 
Consideration.  
It is Catholic.   The second consideration is, That it is Catholic or Universal; and that, in respect of time, place, and persons; because there is, ever was from the beginning, and ever shall be to the end of the world, a company, more or less, of true believers: because the Church is not confined within the limits of any one Country, as in the time of the jews, but is spread over the whole world: and because it consisteth of all sorts and degrees of men; 
Re●. 7.9.  of all nations, kindreds, people and tongues, as it is in the Revelation. So that to be of the Catholic Church, is to hold and believe as the Church of the whole world ever did, and constantly doth hold and believe. Therefore it was, that in the ancient Church, when Heresies and Schisms sprang up, those that did clea●e to the truth, 
Aug. Epist. 48.  had given unto them the name of Catholic, excommunione totius orbis, 
Quia communicant Ecclesiae toti orbi diffusae.  for their communion with the Church of the whole world; not for their communion with this or that particular Church. Whilst the Romish Church doth assume the title of, The Catholic Church; calling itself, Catholicam, Apostolicam, Romanam, being as other Churches, but a particular Church; what doth it, but expose itself to the laughter of the whole world? for what concordance is there between general and particular? or with what sense can it be called, The Universal particular Church? And yet they make their credulous followers believe, that they cannot be of the Catholic Church, unless they communicate with their particular Roman Church; clean contrary to the name and nature of the word Catholic.  

3 
Consideration.  
It is visible.  
Bell. de Eccl. l. 3. c. 2.   The third consideration is, that the Church is visible, and that in all ages: but it must be known how, and in what sense it may be truly said to be always visible; According to the Romish Tenet, it is said to be visible, and palpable, as some eminent State, Monarchy, or Common wealth, as Rome, France, or Venice, conspicuous in flourishing pomp to the eye of the World, so that it may at all times be sensibly discerned. But, alas, this conceit is a mere golden dream, and senseless dotage: for let an ingenuous mind, awaked once out of that slumber, look seriously into the Word of God, and consider the state of the Church in all ages; he shall find for his satisfaction, that the Church hath been oftentimes obscured, captivated, persecuted, and so far from being acknowledged, that it hath been accounted, of the world no better, than Schism, and Heresy: and the true Professors of it prosecuted, as malefactors, for their soundness, as both the Prophets, Christ himself and the Apostles were, by the corrupt members of the visible Church, bearing the chief rule. To this effect the Prophet Esay did complain, 
Isa. 1.9. Isa. 8.18.  that in his time the Church was but a small remnant: and those howted at like Owls, being as signs and wonders in Israel. 
Rom. 11.3.  The complaint of Elias is, that he was left alone. The faithful were glad to be hid in caves, and fed w●th bread and water by religious Obadiah. 
1. King. 18.4, 13 Heb. 11.37, 38.  And as it is in the Epistle to the Hebrews, They wandered about in Sheep's skins, and Goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy: they wandered in Deserts, and in Mountains, and in dens, and caves of the earth. The prophecies of the Christian Church foretell as much, both for outward persecutions, and open apostasy, under one eminent Head, 
2. Thes. 2.3, 4.  called, That man of Sin, who should take upon him to oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God, challenging the chief sovereignty in the Temple or Church of God. 
Reu. 12.6.  In S. john's Vision, the Woman, the Church, was constrained through persecution to fly into the wilderness. 
Luke 18.8. Mat. 24.9, 12, 24.  Our Saviour foreshoweth, how hard it should be to find faith on the earth. How the faithful should be afflicted, killed, and hated of all Nations: That iniquity shall abound, and the love of many shall wax cold: And that the cunning impostures of false teachers, pretending the name of Christ and the Church, should be such, and so specious, being seconded also with miracles, that if it were possible, the very elect should be deceived.  

Vi●cen. Li●in. c. 6. Ariano●um venenum, non iam 〈◊〉 ul● quandam, sed ●enè orbem tut●m contaminaverat.  Where was the flourishing visibility of the Church, when the poison of Arianisme had infected almost the whole world? O which time, Saint Jerome wri●eth, Ecclesiae naeher fuiss fere obrutam: That the ship of the Church was almost sunk. And this some of our Romish adversaries confess, both for the time of Arian heresy; and in the days of Antichrist. Then, that we may not be seduced, and carried away with flourishing shows, we must know, that the Church, though it be always visible, yet it is not always alike visible: it is not always in pomp, and eminent estate: he that in the time of Christ should so ●aue looked for the Church, would sooner have io●ned himself to the jewish Synagogue, then to the society of Christ, and his Apostles. We must not therefore look so much to the multitude, and outward flourish, as seek for the truth, though it be but in a few, and those never so obscure▪ For it is not of necessity, that the Church be always discerned and acknowledged of the world▪ but it is sufficient for the visibility of it, that it never faileth to be visibly seen and acknowledged by the professors themselves: for this must ever hold in the Church, in the midst of all disturbances, 
Mat. 11.19.  that Wisdom is justified of her Children.  

4 Consideration. Some are more pure, some more corr●pt.  The fourth consideration is, That in the visible Church, some particular Churches are more pure, some more corrupt than others; as the Church of Corinth and Gala●ia and some of the seven Asian Churches were more infected with error th●n other Churches▪ Under this head are to be observed diverse remarkable points, and very necessary for our present use.  


Here observe.  1. That in a corrupt Church, sometimes the greatest member, 
1 That the greatest and chief are not always the best.  and among them the Chiefest for eminency and authority are most corrupted. Thus it was in the idolatrous times among the jews: All the chief of the Priests, and people, transgressed very much, after all the abominations of the Heathen, 
2. Chron. 36.14, 16.  and polluted the House of the Lord. They mocked the Messengers of God, and despised his Word, and misused his Prophets. 
joh. 1.11.  It was so at the coming of Christ. He c●me unto his own, and his own receiu●d him not. Nay, they rejected him. 
Act. 4.11.  This, saith S. Peter, is the stone, which was set at nought of you builders. The master builders were the chief destroyers: the prime governors in the Church, the greatest enemies of Christ, 
Vnic. Lir. ib. Capto prius omnium Imperatore, etc.  and Christianity. Thus for a time did the Arian faction prevail against the true Church, having gotten the Imperial Throne to countenance them, by means whereof they did sway all things at their pleasure. And thus it hath been a long time, and continueth to this day in the Church of Roman so that, 
Leo. ep. 8●. Ecclesiae nomine armamipi, & contra Ecclesi●m dimicatis.  we may well say to them with Leo, Ye are armed with the name of the Church, and yet ye fight against the Church. This may advise us, that the truth of Religion is not tied to multitude and greatness.  
2. That whereas many excellent privileges and comfortable promises belong to the Church, 
2 That the promises and privileges belong only to the good part.  we must know that the sound and good part only, and not the corrupt, is capable of those benefits. I dare not, saith Saint Augustine, speaking of the prerogatives of the Church, understand this, but of just and holy men. 
Aug. con. Don. l. 5. c. 27. Hoc intelligere non audeo, nisi in iustis & sanctis.  Therefore S. Paul doth tie the privileges to the true Israel of God, the Children of the promise. And S. Peter, the promises, to them that are effectually called. By this we may see, both that the chiefest and most eminent, yea & the greatest number in the Church, 
Rom. 9.4, 6, 8. Act. 2.39.  if they want true saving grace, have no right to the privileges and promises of the Church, though they live in the midst of it. And again, the poorest member of the Church, that is a true believer▪ shall sustain no prejudice, to hinder his happiness, by being mixed with the wicked: 
Math. 3.12. Rom. 3.3.  But the wheat shall be gathered into the Lord's garner, the chaff cast into the fire. 
3 That a corrupt Church may keep and convey to posterity, the Scriptures, the rule of faith, & the Sacraments.  For, saith the Apostle, What if som● did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect.  
3. That a corrupt Church may keep, and convey to posterity the Canon of ●●aired Scripture, the form of knowledge, and rule of faith▪ and ●holesome doctrine and Sacraments in a general manner: and yet overthrow all, by some particular opposite doctrines, and superstitio●● practices, to the loss of their own salvation, that so hold and practise. In the greatest depravation of Religion by Idolatry in the time of the jews, it was so. The Book of God, though it lay dusting and out of use, yet by the providence of God it was kept. The Sacraments, specially Circumcision, was in use even in corrupt times, and hypocrites much gloried in the outward circumcision, as we may see by the reproo●es of the Prophets and Apostles. 
Acts 15.21. Rome 3 2.  The jewish Synagogue at the coming of our Lord kept these Oracles, and that for us, 
Aug. in Psal. 56. Codicem portat judaeus, undè credat Christianus.  though they thought not so. The jew, saith Saint Augustine, carrieth the Book, whereby the Christian may believe. Yea, they did teach many things for the matter very sound, and therefore sitting in Moses Chair, by teaching Moses doctrine, 
Math. 23.2, 3.  Christ would have them so far at least to be heard. But yet for all this, mark what the Lord jesus saith of them, 
Math. 5.20.  Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of heaven. 
Math. 15 9  And again, In vain they worship me, teaching for doctrines, men's precepts.   

Hereupon, some in a corrupt Church may be saved.  Hereupon it followeth, that by reason of these means, there may be in a corrupt Church, some that may preserve faith and true Religion, for the substance, as did Zachary the Priest, and Elizabeth his wife, Old Simeon, Nathaniel, joseph and Mary, and many more. And upon this ground, we of the reformed Churches think and judge charitably of our forefathers that lived in those blind and dark times of Popery, and of such as yet remain among them, or are entangled by them, upon conceit of their common claim of the only Catholic Church: we, I say, judge charitably of them, though they detrude us all into Hell. For thus we deem of their state before God: That as in the times of Apostasy and falling into Idolatry among the jews, the Lord had a remnant: 
Rom. 11.4.  he reserved to himself 7000. which never bowed the knee to Baal: He had in the Church of-Pergamus, even where Satan's throne was, 
Reu. 2.13.  those that kept his Name and denied not his Faith: and that in the heat of persecution, 
Reu. 3.4.  he had a few names in Sardis, which had not defiled their garments. So we doubt not, but God ever had, hath at this time, and shall have to the end, many, in the very midst of the Papacy, that do not know the whole Mystery of Romish iniquity, but in simplicity of heart lay hold upon jesus Christ, and him alone, for their salvation: They see, according to that light they have, many corruptions and enormities, bewail them and shun them, as far as their strength and measure of knowledge and grace will permit. These, we say, holding the foundation, though they may build upon it the hay or stubble of some errors and superstitions (not destroying the foundation) may be saved, through the mercy of God in Christ pardoning their sins of ignorance and error, upon their general repentance. We may see the like in the Church of Thyatira, 
Reu. 2.24, 25.  there were many that had not that learning (as the false teachers in their vainglorious bragging termed it) nor did know the deepness of Satan; but did hold fast the main truth, though in much weakness: and all that God requireth of them, is, that they be constant in that. In the same manner the Lord speaketh to the Church of Philadelphia, 
Reu. 3.8.  Thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my Word, and hast not denied my Name. For God doth not so much look to the measure and quantity of grace, as to the sincerity and soundness of it.  
Many godly and learned among them did not by and by, upon the sight of some corruptions, leave and forsake the society of the Church of Rome: Oecolompadius, Capito, Melancthon, and Luther himself; nay, some of them continued in the outward communion of the Romish Church till their dying day, as Erasmus and others, who thought well of the cause or matter of Reformation, but did not approve Separation, being carried away with the main stream of the name of Church, and Mother Church. No marvel therefore, if among us, we have of meaner learning, or of the simpler sort, that so harp upon that string, that they have no ear to hearken to Christ's Pipe. It is no new thing, to see a child mistake, and cry out after a stranger in stead of the own Mother: so, why may it not be, that some in their simplicity may fall into such a misprizion, as to take the Romish Synagogue to be their Mother Church, being indeed not so much as a sound member of it, but as a disease, a Pest or Gangrene in the body?  
It is apparent then, that in a corrupt Church some may be sound, and so be saved: and this we hold of the Church of Rome, as corrupt as it is: for our Lord would never have said of Spiritual Babylon, 
Reu. 18.4.  Come out of her, my people, if he had none there. And let not our Romanists brag of this our ingenuous confession, and play upon it, the better to seduce the simple: for in truth, in standeth them in no more stead to patronise their impieties, than the Father's approving of the Baptism of the Donatists and other Heretics, did countenance their Heresies. For what is the chaff the better, because it is acknowledged that there is some wheat hid amongst it? We do not say absolutely, there is salvation to be found in the Romish Babylon, but, in the midst of so great confusion, there may be salvation for some. There is great difference between possibility of salvation, which may be in a corrupt Church; and infallibility, which is ever without doubt in the true and Orthodox Church. Is any so simple, as to commit his whole estate into a Ship full of leaks, whereof there is just cause of doubt, whether ever it shall safely arrive at the desired Port; when he may transport it in a sound and safe vessel? 
Gen. 7.13.  Noah and all his, if they will not perish in the Deluge, 
Gen. 19.15.  must get into the Ark. Lot must not tarry in Sodom, if he will be safe and free from the common judgement. The people of God must, for this very cause, 
Reu. 18.4.  come out of Spiritual Babylon, both for the danger of infection, by sin; and destruction, by means of her plagues. Where therefore the doctrine is Orthodox and sound, the religious worship, service, and Sacraments, for the truth and substance of them, the very same with the prime Churches, and best antiquity, as it is this day (blessed be God) in our Church of England, and the rest of the reformed Churches, there is the surest and safest repose for the Christian soul: in this society there is infallible certainty of salvation: but in an Apostatical and corrupt Church, as the Roman Church now is, it is not so, though yet God may reserve a remnant, 
jude 23.  pulling them, as it were, out of the fire: And that, with this Caveat, That they tarry not in Babylon.  
Thus we have seen, that salvation is only to be found in the Church: and what that Church is where salvation may be had.  
Now let us come to the third branch: 
3 By what means men are added to the Church.  that is, by what means, and how men are to be added to the Church, that they may be saved.  
The means are expressed in this context, 
1 The Word preached.  and are these three: The Word preached: Faith to apprehend it: And the Sacrament of Baptism to seal and confirm it. 
Act. 2.37, 38, 41. Act. 18.8.  This is all required for the admission of any into the Church: to hear, believe, and be baptised.  
The Ministry of the Word, is the main Ordinance of God, 
Eph. 4.12.  for the gathering together of the Saints, appointed of God to that end, 
Mat. 28 20.  and to continue in the Church to the end of the world. 
1. Pet. 1.23.  Therefore it is called, The incorruptible or immortal seed, whereby we are regenerated and borne again; and The Word of Truth, 
jam. 1.18.  wherewith we are begotten of God, to become his dear children, and The first fruits of his creatures: 
Rom. 1.16.  yea, it is, as S. Paul calleth it, The power of God unto salvation. Therefore when God would have any converted to the faith, 
Act. 8.29, 35.  he sends them this means. Philip is commanded to join himself near to the Chariot of the Eunuch, that by his preaching the Eunuch might be joined to Christ and his Church. 
Act. 10.5, 6.  S. Peter is sent for to Cornelius, to teach him and his the way to heaven by Christ. S. Paul must tarry at Corinth, to teach Word of God among them: 
Act. 18.10.  For, saith the Lord, I have much people in this City. And indeed, the converting of souls is a great work; and great works had need of potent and mighty means: therefore it pleaseth God to use his powerful Word, which, as the Apostle faith, 
2. Cor. 10.4, 5.  is mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, and casting down of imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.  
This calleth the Teacher to a serious consideration of the weight of his Calling, and a conscionable regard to discharge it; he is put in trust with the precious souls of men, for whom he must give account unto God. He is made God's Steward, 
Heb. 13.17.  and therefore must be faithful. He must not keep away the Bread of life from God's family. 
1. Cor. 4.2.  The word of reconciliation is committed unto him: 
2. Cor. 5. 19  Yea, necessity is laid upon him, so that, were he as great as S. Paul himself, 
1. Cor. 9 16.  yet woe be unto him, if he preach not the Gospel.  
This consideration, that the Ministry of the Word is the means of our life: O what esteem should it cause that sacred Calling to be of among men! How beautiful should their feet be, that bring glad tidings of peace! How amiable their presence, 
Col. 1.28.  that present us to God in Christ! What have we, or what can we give to them, proportionable to the good we receive from God by them, being instrumentally the very Saviour's of our souls? 
1. Tim. 4.16.  Who can open the mouth, or lift up the hand despitefully against such, to whom hell itself is constrained to give this applause: These men are the servants of the most high God, 
Act. 16.16.  which show unto us the way of salvation?  
The neglect of hearing the Word, nay Recusancy & contempt, must therefore needs be a heinous sin, whatsoever salve of excuse may be laid upon it. 
Heb. 2.2, 3.  For if the word spoken by Angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward: how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation, offered unto us in the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ? Such men as thus reject, and put the Word of God from them, if we will believe the Apostle, pronounce a direful sentence against themselves; for by the very act of neglect, 
Act. 13. ●6.  and contempt of the Word, they judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life.  
Then how careful ought we to be, to attend upon the ordinance of God in the Ministry of his Word? 
2. Cor. 1.18, 21  Let the preaching of the Cross, be to the profane world, to them that perish, foolishness: but saith the Apostle, Unto us that are saved, it is the power of God. For so it hath pleased God, by that which vain men set so light by, even by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe. Let every soul therefore, that would be partaker of the grace of life, neglect no good opportunity of hearing. Consider, that life eternal consisteth in the Knowledge of God in Christ, 
joh. 17.3.  and as all Learning, so heavenly Knowledge must enter into the heart by the ear, the sense of hearing being the organ or instrument of learning. Set down then this resolution in thy heart, with the faithful in the Psalm; 
Psal. 85.8.  I will hear what God the Lord will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his Saints: but let not them turn again to folly.  
The second means of entrance into the Church, 
2 Faith to apprehend grace offered.  is by believing. This must follow hearing, and go before Baptism: for without faith, neither is the Word of force to us, nor we fit for Baptism. 
Heb. 4.2.  The Word preached, saith the Apostle, did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. And the Eunuch desiring Baptism, is told by Philip, that he must first be a believer: 
Act. 8.37.  If thou believest, saith he, with all thy heart, thou mayest. Look into the examples of all that ever were added to the Church, if they will be sound members, they must believe, nay, they cannot so much as be admitted into the outward society, but they must at least profess faith, 
Act. 8.13.  yea even Simon Magus himself. Thus Chrispus believed on the Lord, with all his house. Many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptised. And so of all the rest of the Converts to Christianity. And there is great reason for it: for no man can be added to the body of the Church, to become a sound member of it, but he must be united to the Head Christ jesus, 
Ephe. 4.15, 16.  in whom all the members grow up into a complete body. Now we are united unto Christ by none other means, 
Eph. 3.17.  but by faith, whereby he dwelleth in our hearts.  
Again, What is the Church, but a company of believers, a congregation of faithful men? Therefore unless a man believe, he cannot be of that society. Besides, the Word is the bread of life, the food of the soul: so that as natural food cannot sustain nature, unless it be received into the body and digested; no more can the Word, be a Word of life to the soul, except it be apprehended by faith. It is a saving Word only to them that believe. 
1. Co. 1.21.   
They therefore that hearing, believe not, are in the same, or rather worse condition, than they that hear not at all. For sins of knowledge, are greater than sins of ignorance, and the means, not profited by, doth aggravate the sin. Yea the sentence is fearful: 
Mark. 16.16.  that He that believeth not, shallbe damned. And the very same word that is by unbelief so rejected, shall judge the incredulous (that receive it not by faith) at the Last day. 
joh. 12.48.   
This should movingly persuade every Christian Soul to mix the Word with faith: considering, that as the means of uniting to the Church, on God's part, is the lively voice of his Word preached, so on man's part the effectual means is faith. Nay, God for our greater encouragement hath promised to his, both the means, and efficacy thereof. For the means, see the Prophet Esay: 
Isai. 30.20, 21.  Though, saith the Prophet, the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk in it. And as for the efficacy, God hath bound himself so to assist his outward ordinance, that his inward working grace shall concur with it: 
jer. 31.33.  I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, saith the Lord.  
This also may be a touchstone, to try us, whether we be indeed united to the Church of God, or in outward show only: for we see evidently, that none are incorporated into the body of Christ, but the true Believers. And who are those true believers? Take these brief notes of them.  

1. A true believer doth rely only upon the mercy of God in Christ, whose mercy he doth so account his all sufficient merit, 
Psal. 73.25.  that he professeth unfeignedly that he hath none in heaven but the Lord, and none on earth but he.  
2. The true Believer liveth no longer in the former course of his ignorance and sin, he walks not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, becoming, by the power of the death of Christ, dead to sin.  
3. The true Believer doth express his faith by his works: knowing that it is not idle, but worketh by love.  
4. The true believer is constant in his way of piety and virtue, that he may attain to the end of his faith, the salvation of his soul: for he knoweth well, that he cannot receive the Crown of life, unless he be faithful to the death.   
The Sacrament of Baptism is the third means of entering into the Church: 
3 The Sacrament of Baptism.  for the covenant being propounded in the Word, and accepted and embraced of the believer by faith, is ratified and confirmed by the Seal of Baptism; and so salvation, as by a deed under hand and seal, is effectually conveyed unto us. Therefore Baptism is called by S. Peter, 
1. Pet. 3.21.  The like figure, which now saveth us, because it is not a naked or bare sign of our regeneration and salvation but an effectual seal, organ, and instrument, to convey, and as it were, to set the very stamp and Character of Saving grace upon the soul of every faithful Christian. Hence is that of S. Ambrose, 
Amb. de voc. Gent. l. 1. c. 5.  Origo verae vitae, veraeque iustitiae in Regenerationis posita est Sacramento, etc. The original of true life, and of true righteousness, is grounded in the Sacrament of Regeneration. Suitable to this Antiquity, is the modern doctrine of our Christian Church. 
Article 27.  Baptism (saith our Church of England) is not only a sign of profession, and mark of difference, etc. but is also a sign of regeneration or new birth, whereby, as by an instrument, they that receive Baptism rightly, are grafted into the Church, etc. Yea, Calvin himself is so plain, for the efficacy of the Sacrament, and to show that it is not a bare sign; 
Rom. 6.3.  that he proveth out of the Epistle to the Romans, Quòd per Baptismum, 
Calu. Inst. l. 4. c. 15. §. 5.  Christus nos mortis suae fecerit participes, ut in eam inseramur: That by Baptism Christ hath made us partakers of his death, that we may be engrafted into it. And immediately after, in the very next words he saith, Qui Baptismum, eâ quâ debent side accipunt, verè efficaciam mortis Christisentiunt. They that receive Baptism with such faith as they ought, do truly feel the efficacy of Christ's death, even as the young graft receiveth sap from the stock into which it is set. And afterwards he calleth Baptism, 
Tit. 3.5.  with S. Paul, Lavacrum regenerationis & renovationis: the Laver or washing of regeneration and renovation: Noting thereby the force of Baptism.  

Calu. Inst. l. 4. c. 16. § 17.  Again, Calvin in another place defending the Baptism of infants against Anabaptists, and speaking of the state of infants in Baptism, saith, Eos ut vivificet, sui participes facit: That Christ, to the end he may make infants capable of life, he maketh them partakers of himself. And a little after he taketh away this anabaptistical objection: Quomodo regenerantur infants, nec boni nec mali cognitions praediti? How can infants be regenerate, say the Anabaptists, seeing they know neither good nor evil? Whereunto Calvin answereth, Opus Dei, etiamsi captui nostro non subiaceat, non tamen esse nullum: The work of God, though it be not subject to our capacity, yet it doth not therefore cease to be.  
Thus we see, that Baptism is an effectual means of our entrance into the Church of God. They are therefore worthy of severe reproof, who either out of error, undervaluing the excellency of this Sacrament, or through negligence, conceiting there is no such necessity of it, do sinfully omit and defer the seasonable use of Baptism. Such must suffer themselves to be informed in the truth, and know, that there is as express a mandate for Baptism, as there is for teaching, hearing, praying, or any other pious or moral duty. He that said, 
Mat. 28.19, 20.  Go and teach, said also, Baptise them. The Apostle did not simply say to those whom he directed in the way to salvation, 
Act. 2.28.  Repent ye, but withal he addeth, and be baptised every one of you, for the remission of sins. And it was according to the Lords charge given in the Apostles commission: which is, that they teach men to observe whatsoever he had commanded them. So than though it be not of that absolute necessity, that infants dying without it, when it cannot conveniently be had, should be damned, according to the Romish bloody position: yet seeing there is the necessity of precept, men must take heed of neglecting so weighty a duty. If the jew for the neglect of Circumcision was to be cut off, 
Gen. 17.14.  how shall the Christian be excusable? 
Heb. 2 3.  How shall he escape for the omitting of so great a Sacrament?  
Thus we have seen the means, 
The Author or efficient, by whom men are added to the Church.  whereby men are added to the Church, The Word, Faith, and Baptism: the next point is, The Author of this addition; and that is, The Lord: The Lord added to the Church such as should be saved. The Rhemists add the pronoun, Our Lord, as their usual manner is, contrary to their vulgar Latin Edition, which yet they pretend in their Translation exactly to follow. It is in truth a gross abuse of the sacred Text, to add so many hundred Pronouns, more than ever God made; and yet cavil at our Translation, for turning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, into the word Congregation, whereas it is the most proper signification of the word. But it is worth the noting, to observe how they are constrained sometime to translate The Lord, and not Our Lord, seeing in themselves the absurdity of it: as in Matthew, where it is said, 
Mat. 22 24.  The Lord said unto my Lord: there they leave out the pronoun, perceiving how odd and harsh the tone would be, to translate it, Our Lord said to my Lord. These Pronounists do so glory in the phrase, that it is become a distinguishing note of a Romish Catholic, insomuch that if any will symbolise with them, he must speak in their language, as some, to please them, do.  
To come to the point, It is the Lord that doth add to the Church such as shall be saved. 
Gen. 9.27.  God must persuade japhet: it is he that must enlarge him, that he may dwell in the tents of Shem. 
joh. 17.6.  He giveth unto Christ such as are ordained to life; otherwise there is a plain impossibility of our union with Christ and his Church. For our Saviour doth peremptorily affirm, 
joh. 6.44, 65.  that no man can come unto him, except the Father draw him; and except it were given unto him of his Father. The means without this efficient cannot be effectual. 
1. Cor. 3.6, 7.  Paul planted, Apollo watered, but God gave the increase: without whom, neither he that planteth is any thing, neither he that watereth. 
Act. 16.14.  God opened the heart of Lydia, before she could profitably attend to S. Paul's preaching. If his Spirit do not inwardly coworke with the outward voice, it shall but beat the air in vain.  
The reason is evident: for man's deadness is such, that he can no more move toward heaven, 
Eph. 2.1, 2.  so much as one step, than a dead man can rise of himself.  
Nay, there is in the corrupt nature of man, an opposite disposition & willingness to remain in the state of sin, like Lot, to linger in Sodom: so that there is naturally a reluctation and striving against the work of Grace: which remaining in the regenerate in part, causeth them, that they cannot always do the good that they would.  
Again, the work of conversation and regeneration is a miraculous work, greater than the work of creation, and therefore requireth a divine power to effect it. In the first Creation there was no let: God said the word, and the creatures had their being instantly: but in the work of Regeneration there are many obstacles, Satan, the world, the flesh: not that any thing can hinder the effect of God's omnipotency, but in respect of us.  
This confuteth the error of freedom of will to good in man by nature; whether wholly as the Pelagians held; or in part, as our Romists maintain. The right Christian and Catholic verity is, with S. Paul, by a negative, to exclude nature, and extol grace, 
1. Cor. 15.10.  whereby nature of nilling, is made willing. For it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do. 
Phil. 2.13.  Nos volumus, sed Deus dat ut velimus. We will, saith a Father, but God doth give us that power to will.  
Is any man partaker of this grace, is he drawn of God, hath the Lord added him to his Church? Let him give his Name the praise, 
1. Tim. 1.13.  and confess with the Apostle, that he hath obtained mercy. For indeed it is a great mercy of God, to be taken out of the slavery and bondage of Satan, and to be put into the Lord's service, 
Rom. 6.22.  which is perfect freedom, and hath for the end, everlasting life.  
To conclude this point; Doth any desire to be sincerely united unto the Church of Christ? Let him go to the Fountain of this grace, and cry with them in the Song of Solomon, Draw me, 
Cant. 1.4. Psal 86.11.  we will run after thee. And with David, Unite my heart, to fear thy name. And with the Prodigal, O Lord, make me as one of thy household servants.  
The time of this addition to the Church, 
The time and continuance of this addition.  is here said to be daily, or from day to day: it shall not fail, to the last day, nor time be any more, when the number of the elect is once complete. 
Math. 24.22.  Yet it is not so to be understood, as if the increase of the Church should be always apparent, and in a flourishing eminency, as our Rhemists upon this Text would have it: for we know by the Word of God, that there must be Apostasy and falling into error, in these last times, as was said before.  
The consideration of the time is of excellent use. It showeth the patience of God, 
2. Pet. 3.9.  in waiting so long from day to day for our conversion. 
1. Pet. 3.20. Gen. 6.3.  It was great to the old world, when the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, by the space of 120. years: but it was nothing to the time of the Gospel, from the first, to the second coming of Christ. This adviseth us, to take special notice of the day of our visitation. For through the tender mercy of our God, 
Luk. 1.78.  the dayspring from an high hath visited us. Have we the light? Let us walk in it, while we have it, and pray the Lord to send it, to them that sit in darkness.  
Again, let us not rashly censure, nor uncomfortably despair of those that are without: The Lord addeth to his Church daily: therefore let us, while there is time, both hope, and help forward the work of God. 
Math. 20.3.  All are not called in in the prime of the day, but some at the third, some at the sixth, some at the eleventh hour. He that is to day, with Saul, a persecuter, may be to morrow a Convert, and profess that which before he persecuted. We say, He runs far, that never returns. But know, that none can outrun God, when he will fetch him home to himself.  

The happiness of those that are added to the Church.  To close up this matter in brief; See here in the last place, the happiness of those that are added to the Church: it is in one word, Salvation; being made the servants of God, and becoming of his family, which is the Church, They have, saith the Apostle, 
Rom. 6.21.  their fruit in holiness, and the end, everlasting life. They are kept by the power of God, through faith, 
1. Pet. 1.5.  unto salvation. They are safe in the Ark, whilst the world of the wicked perish in the Deluge. They are in the little Zoar of God's Church, 
Gen. 19 22. Psal. 144.15.  out of the danger of the fire of God's wrath. Happy are the people that are in such a case, yea thrice happy are they that have the Lord for their God.  
What can allure us to be of this society, if this motive of eternal happiness prevail not with us? Men desire to be free of those Corporations, that have great immunities and privileges: then know, that no city can compare with the heavenly jerusalem: no society comparable to the Communion of Saints.  
How profane then and blasphemous is the conceit of wicked worldlings, 
Mal. 3.14. job 21.14.  that say, It is in vain to serve God: and what profit is in Religion and religious walking before the Lord: and count the proud and wicked, like themselves, the only happy men? What a lamentable thing is it, that the god of the world should so blind their eyes, 
2. Cor. 4.4.  that they should not see their own misery, and the contrary happiness of God's people, 
Luk. 16.23.  till with the rich Glutton, it be too late?  
As for those that have their part in this happiness, let them go on cheerfully, 
1. Cor. 15.58.  abounding in the work of the Lord: forasmuch as they know, that their labour is not in vain in the Lord. 
1. Pet. 1.3, 4.  Let them from the bottom of their hearts, say, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us. Amen.  
FINIS.