The difficulty of and the encouragements to a reformation a sermon preached before the…

3. It is universal in regard of time, place, and persons, so that he is the true and good Catholic that keeps to this Catholic rule. The Word ⟨p. 5⟩was ever a rule; to declare unto the Church any thing besides that we have received, nunquam licet, nunquam licuit, nunquā licebit, Vinc. Lyr. Hence in the Old Testament, Isaiah 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony; if they speak not according to this, it is because there is no light in them: Hence also the good Kings Hezekiah and Josiah were guided by this pillar of fire when they set upon Reformation. It was a rule in the New Testament, therefore our Saviour often, Luk. 10. 26. Psal. 11. 17. How readest thou? and how is it written? Paul when he would reform the abuses crept in the Church of Corinth about the Sacrament, goeth to the first institution, and as it was delivered from Christ; And if we consult with the Fathers, we shall find that this Scripture was the brook, out of which they gathered those stones which they slung in the forehead of those Goliaths that oppressed the truth; There was never any error, but it went up and down, like Cain, from one place to another, fearing lest every place of Scripture that met it, would kill it. Then it is universal for all places, as the Sun in the firmament is light for the whole world, not for this Kingdom only, or that, but it is for Nations; so is Gods Word a rule to England, to Scotland, to Rome, to all where it is promulged. Lastly, it is universal to all persons, for as the Psalmist saith of the Sun, there is nothing hid from the heat thereof; so no person or persons are exempted from the Obligation of the Word; there is none too great to have his faith and life controlled by it: Hence it is able to make the man of God wise to salvation, 1 Tim. 3. 17. And not only a Minister, but an whole Council; yea, this is a rule that binds Kings and Parliaments. We must all stoop to his Word.

3. It is universall in regard of time, place, and persons, so that he is the true and good Catholike that keeps to this Catholike rule. The Word ⟨p. 5⟩was ever a rule; to declare unto the Church any thing besides that we have received, nunquam licet, nunquam licuit, nunquā licebit, Vinc. Lyr. Hence in the Old Testament, Esay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony; if they speake not according to this, it is because there is no light in them: Hence also the good Kings Hezekiah and Iosiah were guided by this pillar of fire when they set upon Reformation. It was a rule in the New Testament, therefore our Saviour often,