The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

4. Words of consolation: and so he comforts them by two arguments, the one taken from the success of their doctrine, and the other from his own perpetual presence with them. The argument from the success of their doctrine is recorded by Saint Mark, and that is two-fold; the one ordinary, the other extraordinary. The ordinary success is either in the good, or in the bad. In the good, so many as will believe, and are baptised, and will observe all that Christ commands them (which is to be supplied out of Saint Matthew) ⟨p. 473⟩they shall be as certainly saved in heaven, as they are taught on earth. And contrariwise, such as will not believe, and receive their doctrine, Christ will revenge it upon them, with the damnation of their souls, nor shall their Baptism help them, if they will not believe and obey, Mark. 16. 16. The extraordinary success should be in the signs should follow such as believe, which are reckoned, Mar. 16. 17, 18. and these are attributed to all believers, though they were to be done but by some only, because the end of those miracles was to glorify the doctrine believed on by all. Nor did these signs last unto all times, but only in the first times of the Church, for the more effectual confirmation of that doctrine which could not be demonstrated by natural arguments. Nor did every believer, that showed some of them, show all of them; some spake with new tongues, that yet could not heal the sick, for there were diversities of gifts and operations, and yet all from one Spirit, 1 Cor. 12. 4, 5. The second argument of consolation, is taken from his perpetual presence with them, to the end of the world: which must be understood of his spiritual presence, and must be extended to all the godly, especially Ministers, seeing the Apostles could not live themselves to the end of the world.

4. Words of consolation: and so he comforts them by two arguments, the one taken from the successe of their doctrine, and the other from his own perpetuall presence with them. The argument from the successe of their doctrine is recorded by Saint Marke, and that is two-fold; the one ordinary, the other extraordinary. The ordinary successe is either in the good, or in the bad. In the good, so many as will beleeue, and are baptised, and will obserue all that Christ commands them (which is to be supplied out of Saint Matthew)