A Brief survey of the old religion which may serve as a guide to all passengers, yet members of the militant church desirous to know & keep, among divers wayes, the old-good-way to Heaven ...

CHAP. XIII.

SEcondy, that way wherein the Patriarks, Prophets, A∣postles, Fathers, Martyrs, learned & holy men in severall ages have gone in, with joynt consent, & taught others according to the former rule, is certainly the good-old-way.

Constantine the first Christian Emperour, having called to∣gether that famous & worthyly renowned first Council〈…〉〈…〉 Nice (in old-time it was the Emperours power to assembl•…•… Councils.) Against the Arrians; at their meeting gave them in charge, that they decline to neither hand, but go forwar•…•… in that way, the Prophets, Evangelists & Apostles had descri∣bed & walked in, proposing the Bible for a rule (vid. Socra•…•… lib. 2. chap. 32.) In like manner it pleased the Synod a Ephesus to decree nothing for posteritie to beleeve, but wha•…•… sacred antiquitie agreeing with it self in Christ, held be∣fore, observing St. Pauls rule to Timothy, 1 Ep. 6: 20, 21. It is in their 43. Can. So the good Bishops assembled by Con∣stantius in the Council of Arimine refusing to subscribe to the Arrian heresie, gave this reason to the Emperour, that they thought it better & safer to walk still, in the old-way which the Prophets, Apostles, & Fathers in the Nicean Counci•…•… had described & walkt in, rather than in that new & dan∣gerous Arrian path. (Socrat. Hist. lib. 2. chap. 29. Epist. ex•…•… Council Arimi. ad Imperatorem.) Vincentius Lyrinensis in that little tract of his, for the antiquitie of Catholike faith against the innovation of Heresies, the very first Chapter, cleaves unto these two directions, which, as he saies, he received from learned & holy men, how to discerne Ca∣tholike truth from heresie, the old-good-way, from all evill-new-wayes, viz, by having recourse unto the Scrip∣ture & testimony of the Church, which guides & governs her self & children according to the rule. If we doubt & would know the truth, we must go to God by prayer, & to Gods servants, men famous in their times for learning & holynes. If amongst them we finde difference in opinion, (as most times may be, which is a great stumbling block to many poor travellers, who know not whom to follow. Vellem fieri Christianus, sed nescio cui adhaeream Singulidicunt ego verum dico, cui credam nescio Chrys. hom. 33. in Act. Contr•…•… Gentilem, it a replicant, yet) we have this help, viz. First to yeild most to such as interpret Scripture by Scripture; that is agreeable to it self, & according to the analogie of faith; whose exposition layes no aspersion on Gods word; making it contradict it self or the principles of nature &

reason. The mysteries of faith are above, but not contrary to nature, reason & common sense; it is the propertie of hereticks to interpret Scripture according to their owne fancies & privat traditions. Under the name of the Church, they fight against the Church, & with the great title of Catholike, to obscure the truely Catholike faith. Secondly, allwayes to prefer the Major part of good men, who setting aside all partiall ends, have spoken the truth in the fear of God, What all, or most or best, have joyntly agreed upon; what hath allwayes, in all places, of all faithfull men there remayning, been received & taught, that receive & follow. Christ never left any generall Vicar on earth, to whose sen∣tence, all should be confined. But to avoid pride, vain∣glory & this domineering superioritie in the Church, he appointed a continuall succession of faithfull Ministers, who should guid both themselves & others according to the word. Neither may they draw Religion after them, according to their own private Spirits, (no Scripture is of any private interpretation,) but must follow it, by the same rule, (2 Pet. 1: 20.) which the primitive Church received from the Apostles, they from Christ, he from God. None may invent a new rule, none will, but such as intend to spread a new Doctrine. The old rule best fits the old Doctrine; keep to that, with love & hearty desire, delivering to posterity only what is received from the antient of dayes.

Ob: The Scripture we know & yeild unto; but what or which is that Church, to whose testimony, we are to have such respect?

A. First, that without all doubt which the Scriptures doe de∣monstrate: that which beleeves intirely, teaches & proposes to her children, things Credible, the will of her head & husband: to which she must allwayes have respect; els sh'ele play false & cease ipso facto to be his Spouse. So that notes & Characters of a pure orthodox Church, must be fetcht only & cheifly out of Scripture, the words of Christs, who in all likelyhood best knows his owne wife. In Scriptu∣ris didicimus Christum, in SCripturis didicimus Ecclesiam. Saith Divine Augustine, Ep. 166. & againe, Puto quod in illius potius verbis eam querere debemus, qui veritas est, &

optime novit corpus suum. Nolo humanis documentis, sed divini•…•… Oraculis Sanctain Ecclesiam demonstari: Lib. de ••n••t. Ecoles. chap 2, 3. & 16.

Secondly, That Church which teaches & professes incorruptly, the fundamentoll points of Christianitie: where there is suc∣cession not so much of Persons in any one place, which was & is uncertaine, as of Apostolicall faith & Doctrine about the rule of faith, the matter & manner of divine worship, due to God alone; about the Evangelicall manner of man•…•… justification & finall salvation by faith in Jesus Christ the true & only Son of God, perfect man, our alone Saviour Mediatour, &c. Ubi vera fides, ibi vera Ecclesia; where the true saith is, there the true Church is; as Chrysost. hom. 6. in Math. doth expresse it.

Thirdly. that Church wherein there is assurance of salvat••on to all those which beleeving doe practice what she proposeth unto them out of the old & new testament. This undoubtedly is the true Church. [August. in Psal. 57.] & this condition is necessa∣ryly required; for in the old-good-way, whosoever walks, shall finde rest. It is certaine; none needs, none may doubt of it. The Lord hath spoken & shall if not come to pass? Follow these directions & no doubt of finding the old-way, which is the good-way, diversly.

First, in regard of the foundation; 1 Cor. 3: 11. For other foundation can no man lay. Ephes. 2: 20. And are built upon the foundation of the Arostles & Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the he if corner stone. He that builds on any thing els, builds on the sand.

Secondly, in regard of the safety to travellers in it. Isa. chap. 11.9. They shalt not destroy nor hurt in all my holy moun∣tain. It is the Kings high way, wherein we may expect safety. Men may be assaulted in this way; the divel may be tempting, but shall not be prevailing▪ As the Bee, he may startle to keep them wakefull but he shall not sting to make them w••full. He may disquiet, but not hinder their passage to heaven.

Thirdly, in regard of the certainty of the way & end. I call it certaine, because whosoever walks in it, shall certainly come to the expected end of his journey. He that walks in

other wayes, will come to the end of his life, but not to his desired end. He that enters into this & continues in it, shall as certainly be saved, as if he were allready saved, 1 Pet. 1: 8, 9. He that beleeveth, shall receive the end of his hope; &c. Salvation is the end of faith. Since there is such a line & rule to goe by, such a word sounding in their ears

This is the way, walk in it, having so many footsteps of learned, & holy men, to tread in, such as may ••e easily known from others, being mark∣ed with the Crimson drops of the distilling blood of many martyrs, none can loose the way. The foundation is Christ, other can no man lay: there is comfortable content & safety in the way; nay, there is freedome from totall & final deviation, with certainty of obtaining what is sought. Such good mens steps are ordered by the Lord, & they shall goe from strength to strength, till they appear before God in Zion.