Lastly, If to this it be objected, as Socinians do, who hold this way of Notes to find out a Church, to be useless and vain, That true Doctrine cannot be a sign of the Church, because it's the Form and Essence of it. Now 1that which notifieth the essence of a thing, must be distinct from it. To this it is answered, That the form, as it giveth being to a thing, so it giveth to distinguish from others, Forma dat esse, & distingui. Although we do not say, True Doctrine is the Note of a Church, but the external preaching, and receiving of it, that is a Note, incurring into our senses: Even as Reason, though it give a man his rational being, yet speaking is the proper and true sign, that manifests this: So let true Doctrine, or a true faith be the soul and life of a Church, yet the external profession is the outward Note and Sign of it. And if further it be said, That every Sect doth claim to it self the pure preaching of the Word, and the right administration of Ordinances; Therefore these cannot be a sign. It's answered, The consequence is denied, for true preaching and confession is a sign, although Heretics pretend thereunto. As true Miracles were a sure Argument to prove the truth, although others have done, and Antichrist will pretend to true Miracles. And indeed, though all Sects, as the Socinians especially, pretend much to the Scripture, yet it is not the words only, but the sense of it, that is by the Context and Scope to be discovered, that is the word of God. Therefore Irenaeus of old said elegantly, That Heretics making the Scripture to speak what sense they pleased, did as if a man should take the Statue, or Image of a King, and so transpose the ⟨p. 62⟩parts of it, as to make it the image of a Dog, or some other vile thing.
Lastly, If to this it be objected, as Socinians do, who hold this way of Notes to find out a Church, to be useless and vain, That true Doctrine cannot be a sign of the Church, because it's the Form and Essence of it. Now 1that which notifieth the essence of a thing, must be distinct from it. To this it is answered, That the form, as it giveth being to a thing, so it giveth to distinguish from others, Forma dat esse, & distingui. Although we do not say, True Doctrine is the Note of a Church, but the external preaching, and receiving of it, that is a Note, incurring into our senses: Even as Reason, though it give a man his rational being, yet speaking is the proper and true sign, that manifests this: So let true Doctrine, or a true faith be the soul and life of a Church, yet the external profession is the outward Note and Sign of it. And if further it be said, That every Sect doth claim to it self the pure preaching of the Word, and the right administration of Ordinances; Therefore these cannot be a sign. It's answered, The consequence is denied, for true preaching and confession is a sign, although Hereticks pretend thereunto. As true Miracles were a sure Argument to prove the truth, although others have done, and Antichrist will pretend to true Miracles. And indeed, though all Sects, as the Socinians especially, pretend much to the Scripture, yet it is not the words only, but the sense of it, that is by the Context and Scope to be discovered, that is the word of God. Therefore Irenaeus of old said elegantly, That Hereticks making the Scripture to speak what sense they pleased, did as if a man should take the Statue, or Image of a King, and so transpose the ⟨p. 62⟩parts of it, as to make it the image of a Dog, or some other vile thing.
- 1How the form of a thing may be a Note or Mark of it.
