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Sermons preached before his MajestySermons preached before his Maiestie
Sermons preached before his Majesty; and upon other special occasions viz. 1 The pillar and ground of truth. 2 The new life. 3 A sensible demonstration of the Deity. 4 Exact walking. 5 Samuel's support of sorrowful sinners. By the late faithful and worthy minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston Dr. in Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolns Inn.Sermons preached before his Maiestie; and vpon other speciall occasions viz. 1 The pillar and ground of truth. 2 The new life. 3 A sensible demonstration of the Deity. 4 Exact walking. 5 Samuels support of sorrowfull sinners. By the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston Dr. in Diuinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiesty, master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.
London: printed by Eliot's Court Press and R. Young for Leonard Greene of Cambridge, 1630
THE PILLAR AND GROUND Of TRUTH.THE PILLAR AND GROVND Of TRUTH.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
More instances might easily be given, but these suffice to warrant this conclusion, That a general Council may err in fundamental points. For though the universal Church of Christ, taken for his mystical body on earth, and complete number of his elect, cannot err in matters fundamental (for then they might fall away, and the gates of hell prevail against them) yet the external visible body of the Church may err, because the truth of God may be locked up within the hearts of such a company, as in competition of suffrages cannot ⟨p. 15⟩make a greater part in a general Council; so that the sentence decreed therein may be a fundamental error.
More instances might easily bee given, but these suffice to warrant this conclusion, That a generall Councell may erre in fundamentall points. For though the universall Church of Christ, taken for his mysticall bodie on earth, and complete number of his elect, cannot erre in matters fundamentall (for then they might fall away, and the gates of hell prevaile against them) yet the externall visible bodie of the Church may erre, because the truth of God may bee locked up within the hearts of such a companie, as in competition of suffrages cannot ⟨p. 15⟩make a greatet part in a generall Councell; so that the sentence decreed therein may bee a fundamentall errour.
From these grounds thus laid, may fitly rise a threefold application.
First, seeing it is the received and approved doctrine of the Papists, That the Church of Rome cannot err in points of Faith and Doctrine; we see how little hope there is that we and they should ever be reconciled, or that one truth should arise from a composition of their and our opinions: for if they yield in any thing to us, it would presently follow, that in that wherein they now yield, before they erred, and so this fundamental point of their Churches not erring, would from thence be overthrown. We may alter our Tenets if we will, but they are strongly engaged to keep theirs without any change or variation; we may go to them, they cannot come to us; witness the Germane Interim, so carefully and often tempered, wherein there were but few of their ingredients left out; yet was it more than Charles the Fifth could do to get it entertainment on either side: and therefore those Cassanders that think by wit and policy to reconcile us, attempt a thing impossible. For of what materials shall any middle course be framed, when neither side can spare the smallest piece of timber in their building? they cannot, because thereby they