Christ and his Church: or, Christianity explained, under seven evangelical and ecclesiastical heads; viz. Christ I. Welcomed in his nativity. II. Admired in his Passion. III. Adored in his Resurrection. IV. Glorified in his Ascension. V. Communicated in the coming of the Holy Ghost. VI. Received in the state of true Christianity. VII. Reteined in the true Christian communion. With a justification of the Church of England according to the true principles of Christian religion, and of Christian communion. By Ed. Hyde, Dr. of Divinity, sometimes fellow of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge, and late rector resident at Brightwell in Berks.

The Preface to the Iudicious and unprejudicate Reader.

I Hope it will not be said I seek to justifie a Church which is not; for the truth and righteousness whereby it was a Church, are the same they ever were; or that I seek to justifie a Church which ought not to be; for no man can shew a better truth and righteousness whereby to make a better Church: Till men can establish a better Religion then Gods word hath established, they cannot find, they should not seek a bet∣ter Church, then such as most entirely professeth that Religion: For a Church which hath the Religion God commands, must needs have the Communion God approves.

This smal piece seeks to justifie such a Church, and hopes to be the confirmation of your faith, and not only the Account of mine; Wherein I profess my self an Accountant, not as a Politici∣an, but as a Divine; For without doubt so many pious Mini∣sters, scandalous chiefly for this, that they durst be true to their Oaths and to their Trust in such a perfidious and false age, have not lost themselves for nothing in this present world; But they have a good conscience to comfort them against their losses, and a good cause to countenance them against the world; However, this can be no immodest assertion to say, that he which values the Communion of his Church above his living, is most likely to value the Religion of his Church above his life▪ and God make me such a scandalous Minister: For I may not forsake the true Christian Religion without being a Rebel against •…•…y God▪ nor the true Christian Communion, without being a Separation from Him; And if such a Religion, and such a Communion be in the Church I seek to justifie, I shall fall under the curse of Meroz if I do not my best to justifie it; For this is not to come to the help of the

Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty, Judges 5. 23. unless we ought rather to say, they have lost their might by opposing the Lord, who have lost their Innocency by opposing his Church: If you be Unchristian, you may perchance think I seek to justifie a Church that is not to be regarded; If Antichristian, A Church that is to be oppressed; But if truly Christian, you know I seek to justifie a Church, which conscience doth bid you to regard, and God doth forbid others to oppress. A Church which doth most entirely set forth Gods glory without the falsities of a superstitious, or the novel∣ties of a factious worship; and in that it doth most entirely set forth Gods glory, it cannot but most entirely promote Mans salvation; And this being the proper End of Religion, is also the proper work of a Church, which though it may be a company from the multitude of worshippers; yet is it not a Communion but from the verity and unity of worship. O thou who art the way, the truth, and the life; the way for us to walk in, the truth to direct our go∣ings, the life to reward us at our journeys end, forgive us our many strayings out of thy way, our fierce oppositions against thy truth, that thou mayst give us the happy enjoyments of thy life: O thou eternal Sun of righteousness, who hast enlightned the Chri∣stian Church by thy Holy word, and holy example, and multipli∣ed illuminations of thy holy Spirit, be pleased also to enlighten our wandring souls, that thy holy word may instruct us, thy holy ex∣ample may guide us, thy holy Spirit may rule and govern us, that we may not love darkness more then light because our deeds are evil; But may love thee who hast given us thy heavenly light, may love thy Church to whom thou hast given it, may love thy Mi∣nisters by whom thou hast given it, may love our own souls for which thou hast given it, and dost still continue it; So shall we be preserved from that inner darkness which will not see thee here, and from that outer darkness which shall not see thee hereafter; and also be preserved in the unity of thy Church to be ever with thee by a Holy Communion in Earth, and by a blessed fruition in Heaven, Amen,

Amen.