Epi/ileofS. Paarlta Tittu. CHAP. i.5 raft andperemprorie fentcnce arainfi cum whole Churches ? Did nor 81 Paul when the Church ofGalatia had reuolted from theDo6triue offree jollification by Chrii,yet call and account it a Church hill ? Let them (hew anyof our errors ofthis nature. Obieff. But thole Churches, and this inCreta was in contlituting; but yours after a long time by publike lawes,and commoncontent, haae refuted the lawes ofChrii , and that after you haue beene conuinced not to be the Church of Chrii. eA ifiv. But where is this fuflïcient conui &ion ? If it be laid in their bookes; the truth is, although they hauepointed vs to tomewants,yet none ofthem haue fufficiently concluded vs no Church at all : and fuppofe our cafè were altogether as ill as they would make it, who are they that they fhould glue vsabili of diuorcement? If a private man erre and offend, mull henot firsbe admonifhed, and then cenfured, and iudged ? but by whom ? by private men ? no, but by the Church : and !hall not a whole Church, or many Churches challenge the fame forme of proceeding?and therefore teeing this is not done by our neighbour reformedChurches, which nodoubt are the true Churches of God : wee remaine , and (hall truely retaine the nameof the Church , andpeople of God; and kaue them to the reforming oftheir error, both in thematter of their plea, as alto in the manner of their proceeding. Thirdly , we learne hence, that no Church is haflily brought toany No ChU&,can perfe6iion. The Apoflies themfelues the mafler builders, with much fi,ddentybe wifedom,and labour, & often in long time, made not fuck proceedings; rcaio,,:W;,y. but thar,had they not prouided labourers to follow them with a diligent z hand, all had been lot. Much adoe had they to lay thefoundation, and prepare matter for the building : and yet this they did, by conuerting men to the faith, andbaptizing them: but after this ro ioyne theta into a publikeprofefhion ofthe faith, and conf iturevifible faces ofChurches among them, required more helpe and labour, and for moll part was left to the Euangelifs. So as thebuilding of Gods houle , is not vnlike to the fini(hingof other great buildings: with what labour are tones digged out ofthe earth ? with what dill cultie depart they from their na- tural! roughnef;c?what (wear, and irength is fpent ere the Malon can (mooch them? as it is alfo with the timber : andyet after all this,rhey lie a long timehere and there fcatteted a (under, and make no boule, till by the skill ofTome cunning builder, they be aptly laid , and fafened toge- ther in their frame: So euery mans heart in the naturali roughneffe of ir, is as hard as a none; hiswill and affe6tions, like the crabbedand knottie okes,invincibly refilling all thepaires ofGods mafons,and carpenters, till the finger ofGod in the Miniflrie come,& make plaine, and (mooch way, working in their conuerfion. And yet many conuerts ( although F z they
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