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they are not in the Scriptures mentioned as parts or members of the Church, nor can be imagined to be built upon the Prophets or Apoftles; being we are at this time to speak of the proper notion of the Church, therefore I fhall not look upon it as comprehending any more than the Sons of Men. Again, being though Chrift was the Lamb flain before the Foundation of the World, and whofoever from the beginning pleafed God, were faved by his Blood; yet because there was a vaft difference between the feveral Difpenfations of the Law and Gofpel, because our Saviour fpake expreffly of building himself a Church when the Jewish Synagogue was about to fail, becaufe Catholicifm, which is here attributed unto the Church, must be understood in oppofition to the legal Singularity of the Jewish Nation, be*Thus S.Igna- cause the ancient * Fathers were generally wont to diftinguish between the tius fpeaking Synagogue and the Church, therefore I think it necessary to restrain this T & T Notion to Christianity.

of Chrift, 'Av

Πατρός δι ἧς

εἰσέρχονἢ ̓Αβραάμ, κὶ Ἰσαάκ, καὶ Ἰακώβ, καὶ οἱ Προφῆς, οἱ ̓Απόςολοι, καὶ ἡ ἐκκλησία. Εp. ad Philad. Where ἡ ἐκκλησία is flainly taken for the multitude of Chriftians who were converted to the Faith by the Apostles, and those who were afterwards joined to them in the Profeffion of the fame Faith. Sacrificia in populo, facrificia & in Ecclefia. Iren. 1.4. c. 34. Diffeminaverunt fermonem de Chrifto Patriarchæ & Prophetæ, demeffa eit autem Ecclefia, hoc eft, fructum percepit. Id. l. 4. c. 24. Quid Judaicus populus circa beneficia divina perfidus & ingratus? nonne quòd à Deo primùm receffit impatientiæ crimen fuit. Impatientia etiam in Ecclefia hæreticos facit. S. Cypr. de Bono Patient. Quis non agnofcat Chriftum reliquiffe matrem Synagogam Judæorum veteri Teftamento carnaliter adhærentem, & adhæfiffe uxori fuæ, S. Ecclefiæ? S. Aug. contra Fauft. l. 12. c. 8. Mater Sponfi Domini noftri Jefu Chrifti Synogaga eft ; proinde nurus ejus Ecclefia-Idem, Enar. in Pfal. 44.

quam non

ftruxerant.

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Thirdly, Therefore I observe that the only way to attain unto the knowledge of the true notion of the Church, is to fearch into the New Teftament, and from the places there which mention it, to conclude what is the nature of it. To which purpose it will be neceffary to take notice that our Saviour In quem in- firft fpeaking of it, mentioneth it as that which † then was not, but afterwards gruerent-in was to be; as when he fpake unto the great Apoftle, a Thou art Peter, and Ecclefiam ? upon this rock I will build my Church; but when he afcended into Heaven, dum Apoftoli and the Holy Ghoft came down, when Peter had converted ↳ three thoufand fouls which were added to the hundred and twenty Disciples, then was there a Church, (and that built upon + Peter, according to our Saviour's a Mat. 16. 18. Promife,) for after that we read, & The Lord added to the Church daily fuch 6 Acts. 2. 41. as should be faved. A Church then our Saviour promised fhould be built, Qualis es e- and by a Promise made before his Death; after his afcenfion, and upon the vertens atque preaching of St. Peter, we find a Church built or conftituted, and that of a manifeftam nature capable of a daily increase. We cannot then take a better occafion to Domini in- fearch into the true notion of the Church of Chrift, than by looking into the perfonaliter origination and increase thereof; without which it is impoffible to have a hoc Petro right conception of it.

Tert. de Bapt. c. 16.

b
c Acts 1. 15.

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commutans

tentionem

conferentem.

Super te, inquit, adificabo Ecclefiam meam, & dabo tibi claves, non Ecclefiæ. Sic enim & exitus docet: in ipfo Ecclefia exftructa eft, id eft, per ipfum, ipfe clavem imbuit, vides quam, Viri Ifraelita, auribus mandate que dico: Jefum Nazarenum virum à Deo vobis deftinatum, & reliqua. Tertul. de Pudicitia. c. 21. So S. Bafil, Es gå in s φωνῆς ταύτης νοῦ μὴν Πέτρον διὰ τὸ πίσεως υπεροχίῳ ἐφ' ἑαυτὸν 7' οἰκοδομίω τ Εκκλησίας δεξαμθρον. Αdv. Eunom. l. 2. S. Peter took upon himself the building of the Church, that is, to build the Church, which he then performed, when he preached the Gospel by which the Church was first gathered. d Acts 2. 47. * Tertullian mentioning

the Acts of the Apostles, addeth these words: Quam Scripturam qui non recipiunt, nec Spiritûs Sancti effe poffunt, qui necdum Spiritum poffint agnofcere difcentibus miffum; fed nec Ecclefiam defendere qui quando & quibus incunabulis inftitutum eft hoc corpus, probare non habent. De Prafcr. Haret. c. 22.

Now what we are infallibly affured of the first actual existence of a Church of Christ is only this: There were twelve Apostles with the Disciples before the Acts 1. 15. defcent of the Holy Ghoft, and the number of the names together were an hundred and twenty. When the Holy Ghost came after a powerful and miraculous manner upon the bleffed Apostles, and S. Peter preached unto the Jews, that Acts 2.38,42, they should repent and be baptized in the name of Jefus Chrift for the re

47.

2

mission

*

Sacerdotes

reverfi ellent

miffion of fins; they that gladly received his word were baptized, and the jame day there were added unto them about three thousand fouls. Thefe being thus added to the reft, continued ftedfaftly in the Apostles doctrine and * Cùm remifellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers and all thefe Perfons fiffent fumat fo continuing are called the Church. What this Church was is eafily determi- tu ned, for it was a certain number of men, of which fome were Apoftles, fome Joannem, & the former Difciples, others were Perfons which repented, and believed, and ad reliquos were baptized in the name of Jefus Christ, and continued hearing the word Coapoftolos preached, receiving the Sacraments adminiftred, joining in the publick Pray- & Difcipulos ers prefented unto God. This was then the Church, which was daily in- eft in Ecclecreated by the addition of other Perfons received into it upon the fame con- fiam, S. Iren. ditions, making up the multitude of them that believed, who were of one 1.3.c. 12. heart and one foul, believers added to the Lord, multitudes both of men batis 5. 14. and women.

a

Domini, id

a Atis 4.32.

omnis Eccle

But though the Church was thus begun, and reprefented unto us as one in the beginning, though that Church which we profefs to believe in the Creed be alfo propounded unto us as one; and fo the notion of the Church in the Acts of the Apoftles might feem fufficient to exprefs the nature of that Church which we believe; yet becaufe that Church which was one by way of tori-Ha voces gination, and was afterwards divided into many, the actual members of that Ecclefiae ex one becoming the members of feveral Churches; and that Church which we qua habuit believe, is otherwife one by way of complexion, receiving the members of fia initium, all Churches into it; it will be neceffary to confider, how at the first thofe S. Iren. ibid. feveral Churches were conftituted, that we may understand how in this one Church they were all united. To which purpofe it will be farther fit to examine the feveral acceptions of this word, as it is diverfly used by the Holy Ghost in the New Teftament; that, if it be poffible, nothing may escape our fearch, but that all things may be weighed, before we collect and conclude the full notion of the Church from thence.

First then, that the word which fignifies the Church in the original Greek, is fometimes used in the vulgar fenfe according as the native Greeks did use the fame to exprefs their conventions, without any relation to the worship of God or Chrift, and therefore is tranflated by the word Affembly, of as great a latitude. Secondly, It is fometimes ufed in the fame notion in which the Greek Tranflators of the Old Teftament made ufe of it, for the Affembly of Acts 19. 32, the people of God under the Law, and therefore might be moft fitly tran- 39, 40. flated the Congregation, as it is in the Old Teftament. Thirdly, It hath been Acts 8. 38. conceived that even in the Scriptures it is fometimes taken for the place in Heb. 2. 12. which the members of the Church did meet to perform their folemn and publick Services unto God; and fome paffages there are which feem to c Acts 11. 26. fpeak no lefs, but yet are not fo certainly to be understood of the place, but I Cor. 11. 18, that they may as well be fpoken of the People congregated in a certain place. From thefe Befide these few different acceptions, the Church in the language of the New places s. AuTeftament doth always fignifie a company of Perfons profeffing the Chriftian guftine did faith, but not always in the fame latitude. Sometimes it admitteth of di- ̓Εκκλησία was ftinction and plurality: fometimes it reduceth all into conjunction and unity, taken in the Sometimes the Churches of God are diverfified as many; fometimes, as Scriptures for many as they are, they are all comprehended in one.

22.

collect that

the place of Meeting, or the House of

God, and came so to be frequently used in the language of the Chriftians in his time: Sicut Ecclefia dicitur locus, quo Ecclefia congregatur. Nam Ecclefia homines funt de quibus dicitur, Ut exhiberet fibi gloriofam Ecclefiam. Hanc tamen vocari etiam ipfam domum orationum, idem Apoftolus teftis eft, ubi ait, Nunquid domos non habetis ad manducandum & bibendum, an Ecclefiam Dei contemnitis? Et hoc quotidianus loquendi ufus obtinuit, ut, ad Ecclefiam prodire, aut ad Ecclefiam confugere, non dicatur, nifi quòd ad locum ipfum parietefque prodierit, vel confugerit, quibus Ecclefiæ congregatio continetur. Quaft. fuper Levit. l. 3. c. 57. By these words it is certain that in S. Auguftine's time they used the word Ecclefia, as we do now the Church, for a place fer apart for the Worship of God; and it is also certain that those of the Greek Church did use 'Ezzarria in the fame fenfe, as Eufebius fpeaking of the flourishing Times of the Church, before the Ferfecution under Dioclefian, fays the Chrifians μηδαμῶς ἔτι τοῖς πάλαι οικοδομήμασιν αςκάρθμοι ευρείας εἰς πλάτων ἀνὰ πάτας τὰς πόλεις εκ θεμελίων ἀνίσων εκκλησίας, Ηift. l. 8. c. r. And S. Chryf. Εἰ δ' Εκκλησίαν κατασκάψαι χαλεπὸν και ανόσιον,

X x

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καὶ ἀνόσιον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ναὸν πνευματικὸν, καὶ γδ' άνθρωπο εκκλησίας (εμνότερον. Hom. 26. ad Rom. But it is not fo certain that the Apostle used 'Exxanoia in that fenfe, nor is it certain that there were any Houfes fet apart for the Worship of God in the Apoftlet times, which then could be called by that Name. For Ifidorus Pelufiota exprefly denies it, and difinguishes between ἐκκλησία and Εκκλησιασήριον, after this manner, "Αλλο ἐσὶν Εκκλησία καὶ ἄλλο Εκκλησιατήριον, ἡ ἐκ τ' αμώμων ψυχῶν (ιωέτηκε, τὸ δ ̓ ἀπὸ λίθων καὶ ξύλων οἰκοδομή). And thus he proveth this diftinction, Ὥστερ δ' άλλο ἐςι θυσιατήριον καὶ άλλο θυσία, καὶ ἄλλο θυμιατήριον καὶ ἄλλο θημίαμα, καὶ ἄλλο βολο ήριον, καὶ ἀλλὰ βολή· τὸ μὲ γδ τ τόπον ἐν ᾧ κεδρούσσι μίωύς, ή ή τις βαλουομβρίας άνδρας, οἷς καὶ ὁ κίνδυνο και η σωτηρία ανήκε, ὅτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ Ἐκκλησιατηρία κα * Εκκλησίας. Then he concludes, that in the Apofiles times there was no Εκκλησιαςήρια, Ἐπὶ μ ν ̓Αποτόλων ὅτε η Εκκλησία ακόμα με χαρίσματι πνώματικοῖς, ἔδευε ἢ πολιτεία, λαμπρά Εκκλησιαςήρια εκ ήν. Ερίβ. 246. 1. 2.

a Alts 16.5.

14.

23, 24.

a

For first in general there are often mentioned the Churches by way of 1 Cor. 1+ 3+ plurality, the Churches of God, the Churches of the Gentiles, the Churches of the Saints. In particular we find a few believers gathered together in the 11.8, 28. House of one fingle Perfon, called a * Church, as the Church in the House of Rev. 22. 16. Prifcilla and Aquila, the Church in the House of Nymphas, the Church in 1 Theff. 1. 4. the House of Philemon; which Churches were nothing else but the belie1 Cor. 11. 16. ving and baptized Perfons of each Family, with fuch as they admitted, and I Cor. 14.23. received into their House to join in the worship of the fame God.

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12.13.

Rom. 16. 4.

Thus Origen

*

Col. 4

Rom. 16. 5. I Cor. 16. 19. dóximos as x = oixiar innanciar weinoar,

for the most part speaks of the Church in the plural number ai cxxanoices. 15. Philem. 2. S. Chryf. obferveth of Prifcilla and Aquila, Oura y Σε τε τὰ πάντας ποιῆσαι πισεις, καὶ νὰὶ τὸ τοῖς ξένοις αὐτῷ ἀνοίξαι πᾶσιν, Chryfoft. Homil. 30. in Epift. ad Romanos.

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a Gal. I. 22. 9. 31.

I Cor. 16. 1,

19.

Rev. I. II.

2 Cor. 8. 1.

Gal. I. 2.

C

b

a

Again, When the Scripture fpeaketh of any Country where the Gofpel had Acts, been preached, it nameth always by way of plurality the Churches of that Country, as the Churches of Judea, of Samaria and Galilee, the Churches of Syria and of Cilicia, the Churches of Galatia, the Churches of Afia, the The 14 Churches of Macedonia. But notwithstanding there were feveral fuch Churches or Congregations of believers in great and populous Cities, yet the Scriptures always speak of fuch Congregations in the notion of one Church: b 1 Cor. 14.34. As when S. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, Let your Women keep I Cor. 1. 2. filence in the Churches; yet the dedication of his Epiftle is, Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth. So we read not of the Churches, but Acts 8.1, 21, the Church at Jerufalem, the Church at Antioch, the Church at Cafarea, 22 the Church at Ephefis, the Church of the Theffalonians, the Church of Lao3. 18, 22. dicea, the Church of Smyrna, the Church of Pergamus, the Church of 20. 17. Thyatira, the Church of Sardis, the Church of Philadelphia. From whence 2 The 1.15. it appeareth that a collection of feveral Congregations, every one of which Rev. 2. 8, 12, is in fome fenfe a Church, and may be called fo, is properly one Church by 3. 1, 7, virtue of the fubordination of them all in one government under one Ruler. And thus af- For thus in those great and populous Cities where Chriftians were very nuter they grew merous, not only of feveral Churches within the Cities, but all thofe alfo yet far more in the adjacent parts, were united under the care and infpection of one Bithe time of fhop, and therefore was accounted one Church; the number of the Churches following the number of the Angels, that is, the rulers of them, as is eviRome. H'Ex-dent in the revelation.

13. 1, 15.

Col. 4.

18.

14.

numerous in

Clemens

Bishop of

κλησία τῇ Θε8,

ή παροικᾶσα Ρώμων τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τῷ Θεῷ παροικήσῃ Κόρινθον, Ερ. Ι. So after him Ignatius. Τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τῇ ἀξιομακα είσῳ τῇ ἔσῃ & Ἐφέσῳ δ ̓Ασίας, and Εκκλησίᾳ ἁγίᾳ τῇ ἔσῃ & Τράλλεσιν. And fo the reft.

Now as feveral Churches are reduced to the denomination of one Church, in relation to the fingle Governour of thofe many Churches, fo all the Churches of all Cities and all Nations in the world may be reduced to the fame fingle denomination in relation to one fupreme Governour of them all, and that one Governour is Chrift the Bishop of our Souls. Wherefore the Apoftle fpeaking of that in which all Churches do agree, comprehendeth them all under the fame appellation of one Church; and therefore often by the

name

a

15. 9.

Name of Church are understood all Chriftians whatsoever belonging to any Mar. 15. 18. of the Churches difperfed through the diftant and divided parts of the World. 1 Cor. 12. 25. For the fingle perfons profeffing faith in Chrift are members of the particu- Gal. 1. 13. lar Churches in which they live, and all thofe particular Churches are mem- Ephef. 1. 22. bers of the general and univerfal Church which is one by unity of aggregation; and this is the Church in the Creed which we believe, and which is in other Creeds expreffly termed *One, I believe in one Holy Catholick Church.

3. 13, 21.

23,25,27, Phil. 3. 6.

29, 32.

Col. 1. 18,24, Heb. 12. 23. Of this, as of one Church, Celfus calls the Chriftians, rus dari meydans cnxanoias. Apud. Orig. 1. 5. So the Creeds of Epiphanius in Ancorato, τις δύο αθρείς μίαν ἁγίαν Καθολικών και Αποσολικών Εκκλησίαν. So the Jerufalem Creed in s. Cyril. Thrs the Nicene, with the additions of the Council of Conftantinople, μίαν ἁγίαν Καθολικών και Αποςολικώς Ἐκκλησίαν. Thus alfo the Alexandrian, as appeareth by those already quoted of Alexander, Arius and Euzõius.

It will therefore be farther neceffary for the understanding of the nature of the Church which is thus one, to confider in what that unity doth consist. And being it is an aggregation not only of many Perfons, but alfo of many Congregations, the unity thereof must confift in fome agreement of them all, and adhesion to fomething which is one. If then we reflect upon the firft Church again, which we found conftituted in the Acts, and to which all other fince have been in a manner added and conjoined, we may collect from their union and agreement how all other Churches are united and agree. Now they were defcribed to be believing and baptized Perfons, converted to the Faith by S. Peter, continuing ftedfaftly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship, and in breaking of Bread, and Prayers. These then were all built upon the fame Rock, all profeffed the fame Faith, all received the fame Sacraments, all performed the fame Devotions, and thereby were all reputed Members of the fame Church. To this Church were added daily fuch as Acts 2. 41,42, fhould be faved, who became Members of the fame Church by being built upon the fame Foundation, by adhering to the fame Doctrine, by receiving the fame Sacraments, by performing the fame Devotions.

44,47.

From whence it appeareth that the first unity of the Church confidered in it felf, befide that of the head, which is one Chrift, and the life communicated from that head, which is one Spirit, relieth upon the original of it, which is one; even as an houfe built upon one foundation, though confifting of many rooms, and every room of many ftones, is not yet many, but one houfe. Now there is but one foundation upon which the Church is built, and that is Chrift: For other foundation can no man lay, than that i Cor. 3. 11. is laid, which is Jefus Chrift. And though the Apostles and the Prophets be alfo termed the foundation, yet even then the unity is preferved, because as they are stones in the foundation, fo are they united by one corner-ftone; whereby it comes to pafs that fuch Perfons as are of the Church, being fellow-citizens with the Saints, and of the houshold of God, are built up- Ephes. 2. 19, on the foundation of the Apoftles and Prophets, Jefus Chrift himself being the chief corner-ftone, in whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto a holy Temple in the Lord. This ftone was laid in Zion for a sa. 28. 16. foundation, a tried ftone, a precious corner-ftone, a fure foundation: there was the first Church built, and whofoever have been, or ever fhall be converted to the true Christian Faith, are and fhall be added to that Church, and laid upon the fame foundation, which is the unity of origination. Tertullian Our Saviour gave the fame power to all the Apoftles, which was to found speaking of the the Church; but he gave that power to Peter, to fhew the unity of the fame Apoftles, Ec

Church.

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20, 21.

clefias apud

unamquamq; civitatem

condiderunt, à quibus traducem fidei & feipfam doctrinæ cæteræ exinde Ecclefiæ mutuata funt, & quotidie mutuantur, ut Ecclefiae fiant: ac per hoc & ipfæ Apoftolicæ, ut foboles Apoftolicarum Ecclefiarum. Omne genus ad origihem fuam cenfeatur neceffe eft. Itaque tot & tantæ Ecclefiæ una eft illa ab Apoftolis prima ex qua omnes. Sic omhes primæ & Apoftolicæ, dum unà omnes, probant unitatem: dum eft illis communicatio pacis, & appellatio fraternitatis,

X X 1

nitatis, & contefferatio hofpitalitatis: quæ jura non alia ratio regit quàm ejufdem Sacramenti una traditio. De Prafcript. Haret. c. 20. This is the Unitas originis which S. Cyprian fo much infifts upon, Ecclefia una eft quæ in multitudinem latiùs incremento fœcunditatis extenditur; quomodo Solis multi radii, fed lumen unum; & rami arboris multi, fed robur unum tenaci radice fundatum. Et cum de fonte uno rivi plurimi defluunt, numerofitas licèt diffufa videatur exundantis copiæ largitate, unitas tamen fervatur in origine, &c. S. Cypr. de Unitate Eccl. Loquitur Dominus ad Petrum. Ego tibi dico, inquit, quia tu es Petrus, & fuper iftam Petram adificabo Ecclefiam meam, &c. Et idem poft refurrectionem fuam dicit, Pafce oves meas. Et quamvis Apoftolis omnibus poft refurrectionem fuam parem poteftatem tribuat, & dicat, Sicut mifit me Pater, & ego mitto vos, &c. tamen ut unitatem manifeftaret, unitatis ejufdem originem ab uno incipientem fua authoritate difpofuit. Hoc erant utique & cæteri Apoftoli, quod fuit Petrus, pari confortio præditi, & honoris & poteftatis, fed exordium ab unitate proficifcitur, ut Ecclefia una monftretur. Ibid. Evès ὅλο τὸ Θεό, καὶ ἑνὸς τῇ Κύριε, διὰ τῦτο καὶ τὸ ἄκρως τίμιον καὶ τὸ μόνωσιν ἐπαινεῖν, μίμημα ὃν ἀρχῆς f μιᾶς. Clem. Αlex. Stromat. 1.7. This is very much to be observed, because that place of S. Cyprian is produced by the Romanifts to prove the neceffity of one head of the Church upon Earth, and to fhew that the Bishop of Rome is that one head by virtue of his fucceffion to S. Peter; whereas S. Cyprian speaketh nothing of any fuch one head, nor of any fuch fucceffion, but only of the origination of the Church, which was fo difpofed by Chrift, that the unity might be expreffed. For whereas all the reft of the Apostles had equal power and honour with S. Peter, yet Chrift did particularly give that power to S. Peter, to fhew the unity of the Church which he intended to build upon the foundation of the Apostles.

Ephef. 4. 5.
Jude 3.

*Of this doth Irenæus

Speak, delivering the

many,

Secondly, The Church is therefore one, though the Members be because they all agree in one Faith. There is one Lord, and one Faith, and that Faith once delivered to the Saints, which whofoever fhall receive, embrace, and profefs, must neceffarily be accounted one in reference to that profeffion. For if a company of believers become a Church by believing, they must also become one Church by believing one truth. If they be one in refpect of the foundation, which is ultimately one; if we look upon Chrift, which is mediately one; if we look upon the Apostles united in one corner-stone; if those which believe be therefore faid to be built upon the foundation of the Apostles, because they believe the Doctrine which the Apostles preached, and the Apostles be therefore faid to be of the fame foundation, and united to the corner-ftone, because they all taught the fame Doctrine which they received from Chrift; then they which believe the fame Doctrine delivered by Chrift to all the Apostles, delivered by all the Apostles to believers, being all profeffors of the fame Faith, must be members of the fame Church. And this is the * unity of Faith.

fum or brief abftract of the material obje&t of Faith, Το κήρυ[μα παρειληφία, καὶ ταύτίω * πίσιν ἡ Ἐκκλησία καίπερ ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ διεασαρμλήίη ἐπιμελῶς φυλάσσει, ὡς ἕνα οἶκον οἰκᾶσα, καὶ ὁμοίως τις δύει τέτοις, ως μίαν ψυχίω καὶ ἢ αὐτῶν ἔχασα καρδίαν, και (υμφώνως ταῦτα κηρύσσει, καὶ διδάσκει και του Δαδίδωσιν ὡς ἐν τόμα κεκλημβρη. Adverf. Hær. 1. 1. Καλά τε εν πίσασιν, κατά τε ἐπίνοιαν, κατά τε αρχί, κατά τε ἐξοχτώ μόνω είναι φαμ τ' άςχαίαν καὶ Καθολικίω Εκκλησίαν εἰς ἑνότητα πίςεως μιᾶς δὲ καὶ τὰς ἰδίας διαθήκας, μᾶλλον ἢ καὶ τὰ διαθήκίω * μίαν διαφόροις τοῖς χρόνοις, ἑνὸς τῇ Θεῶ τῷ βολούμαλι, δι ἑνὸς το Κυρία (εάδησαν τις ήδη καταγελαδινός, ως προώρισεν ὁ Θεὸς, δικαίος ἐσομθώοις πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμος ἐΓνωκώς. Clem. Alex. Stromat. 1.7. This unity of Faith followeth the unity of Origination, because the true Faith is the true Foundation. Siqua eft Ecclefia quæ fidem refpuat, nec Apoftolicæ prædicationis fundamenta poffideat, deferenda eft, Petra tua Chriftus eft. S. Amb. in Luc. lib. 2. cap. 9. Ἡ γ ωέχεσαι τ' Εκκλησίαν, ὡς Φησὶν ὁ Ποιμὴν, ἀβεβὴ ἡ πίσις ἐςὶν, Clem. Alex. Stromat. 1. 2. S. Jerom on thofe words of the Pfalm 23. 11. Hæc eft generatio quærentium Dominum, bath this Obfervation: Superiùs fingulariter dixit, Hic accipiet benedictionem; modò pluraliter, quia Ecclefia ex pluribus perfonis congregatur, & tamen una dicitur propter unitatem fidei.

Mat. 28. 19.

Ephef. 4. 4.

Thirdly, Many Perfons and Churches, howfoever diftinguished by time or place, are confidered as one Church, because they acknowledge and receive the fame Sacraments, the figns and badges of the People of God. When the Apostles were fent to found and build the Church, they received this Commiffion, Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft. Now as there is but one Lord, and one Faith, fo alfo there is but one Baptifm; and confequently they which are admitted to it, in receiving it are one. Again, At the Institution of the Lord's Supper Christ commanded, faying, Eat ye all of this, drink ye all of this; and all by communicating of one, become as to 1 Cor. 10. 17. that communication one. For we being many are one bread, and one body; for we are all partakers of that one bread. As therefore the Ifraelites were all baptized unto Mofes in the cloud and in the fea, and did all eat the fame fpiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink, and thereby appeared to be the one People of God; fo all believing Perfons, and all Churches congregated

1 Cor. 10. 2,

3,4.

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