1 t·erf I.• a llcl.I.:l· - ~------- - thq. i~ap.oj tbe 1\e0tt~-----_ ---=--T_3!~-- [ chc~ in this :tge. f\.s firft;ofrhc grc;It Churc;h .of. 1 A : ti0ns in t~1c great to\o\'nes rhcrco!J though n~t I I Rome, who i'trcguidcdby rhc Pope as ~y their ·11 (oJdqth.tnt J rc.t in regard ofmc.ns.COI1l!C[fau-.l ' head.Th:1c Chu:ch hath a name to be alllJC,and ons: for rue bpd1e of our people fccrnc to b-9a7 I' in thtir~wn pretence it i.s d_1c only true church / liuc by rhcir~utw:rd profC!Tion, bor i:Hlce~t':- of God Ill chc world , but :n rnnh and b:cforc ; d1c}: ar~dead 111 rl,l)pcC1: of rhc po'-'\'Cl' ot godh-· -I God it is dcJ.d. Sotne [Jy, it ts as a bod\c full of I ~dlc~ tm by occ~flon of ounv~ud _pcJcc th_cr(~ i• Ji!Cafcs, :tnd 1,\•hofcthro~UC IS cut: ~Ut )<.'t the i;I10CS abound, fu\ncs ofbrCJ.d, pndc both !~l..: r hclrt pantcth, and life rcmaincrh-i1crcin. But .. V\'Jrd in hcarr,and out..,\-::trd in a~ tire; alfo crl.lcl.:. I we n.1ay l~y, it h:nh no ~nannc;r.of,fj)irim~lllif~, ~y, co~ctoufncO~, and c:J.tn;~ll fccuritie; like os j buc !teth !brkdcad as ac:ukas mmc~rauc.Thc 1t was w No,,h.r umc. Now \\here rhcfc llnncs' , · rca(ons that fomc a!!cadge for it a7-e of fmall raignc, th<:rc the po•.nr of godlindlC is wan-· 1 1 moment: fir!!:, r.:~y r~;ey it.hath the Sacnmcnt of I ting: mcri c_omcnt. th,cm!c.J~c.s \\ i-.d.l 31~ our.: B::~pcitine, wll1ch JS a no.t.cof a true Church: w:ud profcn1on., bucthe fplrlruallldc ot gr:tce :tnd therefore it hath feme-life? Anfiv..Firll, is not to be fecnc.And yet thts JOlh nor prciuB:tptifine is noc.alv·oaies{lllOt'e of a true chuf;J.h} . dice the !lateofour Church~ to nul!ific it froni for cirnlimifion in v\'ho(c flc?d commoth bvpI 4eing the ChurcQ of God: for God bath hiS . tiline, w:1s 3 S:H:ramcnt vfcd ofthe S:unaritaps, B chorcn among V$ in all pbccs, whO liuc indeed when th<:y \\'Crc ano people ofGod, and lb no . ' :tf}!irituall iifC: though'thc bodfc ofourpcoplc Church of God. Again, B:~.ptifi11e withou~thc be dc'ad in!innc, & fo will c6tinuc while peace true prCa~·hing of the Go(pcl, is no infallibic abideth ; the thrcatriings of the miniflcrs, will. figne of aChurch: it is but a feale pulled from not :rwakc mtn out of the flcc:pe of flnnc; it the writing j or (et to a bare paper to no vfc: muft bc·the rod of corref\:ion rhat mull put rn..: :md further, outward bapr.ifn1e, without intd tf1cm rhepow~rof rtligion. Men are like to· ward baptifme, is no note of a Church: ~ut little children, \'\'ho befides :1.dmonition, muH fitch is baptifi11e in the Church ofRomc;ir hath fee le the finart of the roddc to bring them to not inward baptHine ioyncd vnto it,ncither the their duric. uue preaching of the word; fOr the doC\rinc Further, in this Churc~ of Sarclis, whomC which they teach, is a quite ouerturning of ChriJl callcth dead, thougn they had a name to Chrifi and bis Gofpcll: and therefore outward liue , note the !tare cf the Church of God; for bapt'ifi1:c may bee where there is no chur?h. this '"·as a true Church of God, "' bo <}mong Sccondly,I anfwcr that Baptifine in rhc church the refi-v,'as wafl1cd in the blood ofChrifi, c.1, ofRomc, is a Sacramtnt not to their Syna- C 5.andyctChrififaith,itUd~adinfinnt':thatis, gogue, butto the hidqcn_: Chlll>ch of Goq a- ~ in part, not wholly. And therefore aChurch thong them, For God had}lis Church among that is in avery corrupt Hate both in r.cgard of them, eucn in the Jllidddl of Popcric., Th.erc outw:ud conucrfarion, and offundry crronc~ were alwai 1 es fomc among them that renqunous.opinions, may yet rcmainc the true churc.h ced their religion, whome God c:allc-th·bomc ofC.hrifl ,jffo be rheycnc not in the foundatlvnto himrcife by the meanes which were aon.W·hich fcrueth for anfwcqo tbC:th:n lhink mong them; as thevfe of this Sacrament, the our Church to be no Church, beca·ufc it main.. Aponies Crccde, at~d of other bookcs ofholy rnincth not that outward order which they Scdpwrc. For as God fai<l to EliM inAhabs rhink '{hould be in it. And thcrforc though we time, b/ h.:~Uercfemed fet~en thoufimd that neu~r mu!l prefcrre Church before Church: yet wee h()wed thck,.weeto Baal: So it may bcfaid of,m:tmull·notcondemnc a Church to be no Church ny among the Papi{h, Gpqhath 1hcrc-hjs.fc~ for iOme corruptions that bee therein. A true cret Church, who ncuer y(elclcd to the Popes bodie may hauc fomc blcmifh, & a true «;hurch gouerncmem and doCtrine- . .fomc '-'''ants. Secondreafim. Amic~rifl (fay they)Jitwh in 1 ,1\gaine, the Churches of Godfay, this is a the' Templeof Go(!, Now the Temple of God, 0 , Church; yet Chrif\ faith, they ore dead, How is Gods Church; and therefore the ChUrch of ca\1 thefc [W O !land? An f. The Churches about Rome is Gods Church? An[. He fincth there,/ Sardis iudgrd this to be aliuc,.accordiug to the not as a mcmqcr thereof, bmls an vfurpcrand ,fuk of charitie, bccaufe of their ourwJrd pro.- dccciucr. For in chc Church of Popcr.ie is the fCfftonoftrue religion:for as infams arc riot in~ hidden Chuxch of Go4: they ~re thcr<;in.rni.ndccdc all holy, !iS experience fhev.-cth, yet till glcd, a~ a little wheat with'much chaffe, and as we fc~ che fame tpadc manifdl, w.eare in ch:~ri- ·little gold vvith much droffc. So chat though tic to ludg rh€ ro be holy,that 2rc born offaiththe Ghurch of God bee where Antichrifi fit- ,ful parcms:ruon fo.pught the mini ller & cutrie teth, Y'=tthc: Church V\hercGf bee jshc:ad , is .ouc in Gods church to thinkc the bc(l ofeucry no Chur(.h of God; fo~ "':hctbcr wee regard on~~in Gods Church, till God make manifdl· 1 their doCtrine or wor01ip: of God, there is no \\'flat_ hce is. PaHl following this rule, callcth 1 mcancs tO bc·gct or prelcrue fpiritu:l\1 life in whole Ch\!rchcs eleCt. : their church.Ft1ahcr,this ..,, hieh ChriO f.1.i1h of .R!II thouart·d.eatj.. Here :1.rc t'.\'0 iudgm~nts , : S~rdis, rnay bee faid not only ofthe PJpi!ls,l~ut I one of neighbour Churches, the other of ; ot tf.c churches ofthe Protdbms,.as ofthis our ,Chrifi;:md Chrifis i~dgcmcn~ j<; prcfer~cd.\'Vc· fiC::burch ofEn(t"2'_~1_nd ofthe moll <;ong~gamullthercf"_'e_::g~~pecially the i\0g<m_'_l1t l ' G g ~_:._--;-;-----· o_f--'-;----
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