A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

Indeed the Holy Church of Christ throughout all ages of the world, hath been his living Image, and so a living Witness of his Word, as showing by their lives the transcript of it in their hearts. It is easy for any that know them, except the maliciously blind, to perceive that the true servants of Christ are a more purified, refined, honest, conscionable, holy, heavenly people then the rest of the world. For my part, I am fully convinced of it; I see it; there is no comparison: for all their imperfections which they and I lament, I am fully satisfied that there is much more of God on them then on others. And therefore there is much more of God in the Doctrine that renewed them, then in any other: The Church is the living Scripture, the pillar and ground of the truth, 1 Tim. 3. 15. the Law is written in their hearts, Heb. 8. 10. better then it was in the Tables of stone, 2 Cor. 3. 3. And by their holy Love and Works, the world may know that Jesus Christ was sent of the Father, and may be brought to believe in him, by their Unity, John 17. 21, 22, 23. Matth. 5. 16. God would not concur so apparently and powerfully with a false doctrine, to make so great a change in man; nor so far own it, as to use it for the doing of the most excellent work in all this world, even the gathering him such a Church, and sanctifying to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. 2. 14.

Indeed the Holy Church of Christ throughout all ages of the world, hath been his living Image, and so a living Witness of his Word, as shewing by their lives the transcript of it in their hearts. It is easie for any that know them, except the maliciously blind, to perceive that the true servants of Christ are a more purified, refined, honest, conscionable, holy, heavenly people then the rest of the world. For my part, I am fully convinced of it; I see it; there is no comparison: for all their imperfections which they and I lament, I am fully satisfied that there is much more of God on them then on others. And therefore there is much more of God in the Doctrine that renewed them, then in any other: The Church is the living Scripture, the pillar and ground of the truth,