Pagan which did impose her Idolatrous wrship upon the world Lastly that it is Rome Papal as it now is and hath been for many ages past which is this Babylon and not Rome when she shall utterly renounce the Christian faith in the end of the world as some Papists without shadow of reason fancy is proved in that she is arrayed in purple and Scarlet decked with gold and precious stones and pearls which is the garb of the Pope and his Cardinals In that she is the Mother of fornications Idolatries through the earth and that she is drunk with the blood of Saints and Martyrs Rome Papal having destroyed far more Christians than ever Heathen Rome did And that the beast that carries this whore the Roman State is full of names of blasphemy v. 3. the blasphemous titles and power which the Pope usurpeth to himself and his Roman Church above any heathen that ever was And especially in that the ten horns upon the head of the beast that carries this Whore which are ten Kingsarising out of the dissolution of the Roman Empire are said to have received no Kingdom in Johns time but to receive it one hour with the beast v. 12. yea to give their power to the beast to set him up and maintain his Empire and to be deluded by him till God shall turn their hearts against him to destroy him v. 13 -17 The beast himself also was to be the eighth head of the former great beast and yet one of the seven i. c. a new government in Rome for the manner of it not much different from the preceding Emperours all which are apparently fulfilled in the Pope and his adherents For when Augustulus laid down the Empire Ann. Chr. 476. there immediately appeared ten small Kingdomes sometimes more sometimes fewer in this Western part of the world and then the Pope began to usurp the dominion of Rome and both he and they grew up together and strengthened each other till they were all inslaved by him and had inabled him to trample Emperours under his feet likewise the declining or wane of Popedome in these too last ages hath been caused by the withdrawing of these very Princes from his subjection whose Kingdomes were once provinces of Rome and whose predecessors had given their power to the Pope and when a few more shall follow their example the Pope will lofe his triple Crown These things thus explained the Observation is clear Obs It is the command of Christ to all his people to withdraw from the communion of Papal Rome as they would avoid joyning in her sins and to those that have opportunity to forsake the dwellings of Rome as they would escape her plagues When the whole world after the flood apostatized from God and his worship God singled out the family of Abraham and in time increast them to a nation to put his name and to keep up his worship among them for this the rest especially their neighbours in the East hated and opposed them and the heads of this opposition were Egypt Niniveh and at last Babylon in Chaldea which swallowed up all her neighbours Thus there was a long contest betwixt the Church of the Jews who adhered to God and pure religion and Babylon which was become the head of the Pagan Apostasie in the East In like manner the Gospel was no sooner planted and spread throughout the Western world but there began a defection to Idolatry in the worship of Saints and Angels and after some while Rome became the head of this Apostasie and for above 1 thousand years past there hath been a continual contest betwixt a purer part of Christs Church scattered through divers Countries and this Mystical Babylon a certain number specified by one hundred forty four thousand Rev 14.1 have kept themselves pure from the whoredomes of Rome they were Virgins and followed the Lamb whithersoever he went and with them the Roman beast hath continually made war and still seeks to destroy them out of the earth now all that would be the faithful servants of Christ must joyn with this small persecuted company and neither comply with nor submit to Rome nor connive at her power and impositions as they would not be found guilty of her Apostasie and be swept away in her destruction To prove this because we speak to them who are already separated from Rome it will be sufficient to clear these 2 Questions which being cleared will also prove the duty of others to separate from her who yet either adhere to or lean towards her 1. Question whether there was a just ground for the Potestants to separate from the Church of Rome 2. Whether there can be any reconciliation of Protestants to Rome In which I shall be brief because a foundation is in a sort laid for it in the foregoing discourse 1. Qu. Whether Protestants did upon just and necessary grounds separate from the communion of the Church of Rome in her worship and discipline Answ They did which I thus prove 1. Because the Church of Rome hath altered the rule of the Christian faith The Church is a holy Common-wealth under the government of the Lord Jesus Christ and he governs it by his laws contained in the holy Scriptures these are the rule of their worship and obedience to him Math. 28.18 19 20. He that alters this rule altereth the fundamental constitution of the Church But the Church of Rome hath altered this rule they teach the Scriptures to be a defective insufficient rule and therefore they joyn to them the Apocryphal books of the Old Testament and the Traditions of the Church which also they receive and reject at their pleasure Decrees of Councils and decretals and decisions of Popes all these together are the perfect rule that the Papists acknowledge and pretend to I say pretend because the Scripture hath little share in it when it comes to Tryal hereby they have made a new foundation of the Church both of faith and practice For it is not sufficient that we believe and practise all that is in the Canonical Scriptures but we must believe and obey the Apocryphal writings and unwritten Traditions as of the same authority with the Bible thus the Council of Trent hath determined as was shewed before This altereth the very constitution of the Church and subjecteth it to men instead of Christ and this is the root of all apostasie 2. Because the Papists pretend their Pope or Church to be above the Scriptures and to put an authentick authority on them and their sense Thus all our faith and obedience is resolved into the determination of men That the Papists pretend the Pope their Council or Church to be above the Scriptures cannot be denied they give the authority and authentickness to the Scriptures 't is from their command that the Bible is received and if they pleased they might cause it to be laid aside it cannot be known they say that the Scriptures are Gods word but that
their Church declares it nor is any sense or meaning to be fixt upon as the certain sense of any Scripture but what they determine to be the meaning of the place Accordingly the Trent Council out of their great power have determined the vulgar Latin Translation of the Bible to be authentick and equal to the Greek and Hebrew originals Council of Trent Ses 4 though their own authors acknowledge it to be most false defective and in many things ridiculous Now then our faith is not ultimately resolved into the Scriptures we do not believe and obey because we know and are sure from Scripture that this is the mind of God but because the Pope or Church declare it to be the mind of God yea though the words of Scripture plainly condemn what they teach or though the Translation of a Scripture be contrary to the original which was indited by the spirit of God immediately yet if they say this is the meaning of the place and the true translation of it we must believe it The foundation then of all our faith and obedience is the determination of the Church or Pope Obj. But they are infallible they say Answ This they can never prove but if they were if I must believe meerly upon their Testimony and saying they are infallible my faith is still resolved into the witness of men their testimony concerning themselves is but a humane Testimony they do not cannot prove it by any divine infallible proof therefore my faith and obedience must ultimately pesolve into humane authority The Apostles were infallible yet had not they dominion over the faith of the Church 2 Cor. 12.24 to command what should be believed and practised but they proved by infallible and divine Testimony of miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost that what they taught came from God and so the belief of the people was built upon the Testimony of God to the Apostles doctrine 1. Cor. 2.4 5. the Apostle saith his preaching was in demonstration of the spirit and of power That their faith might not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God If their faith had been grounded upon the Apostles own Testimony of his self that he was infallible and upon his determination concerning any Scripture or doctrine out of his own wisdom though he had seemed to prove it strangely their faith had stood upon the authoty wisdom of man but therefore their faith was built on God because his spirit did powerfully demonstrate what the Apostle preacht to be from God therefore unless the Papists can prove their infallibility by miracles and demonstration of the spirit theirs is but a humane Testimony and so we know it is and a false one too and therefore it is an intolerable abuse to take the Church off from faith and obedience to Christ as the head commanding and ruling her and from the holy Spirit as inditing and confirming the holy Scriptures and to subject her to the authority and determinations of fallible and sometimes most wicked men To let pass that the Papists themselves not being agreed who is the infallible supreme judge whether the Pope Council or the whole Church no man of them hath any sure foundation for his Faith If they say the Scripture declares who is the supreme infallible Judge I answer that Judge must again tell us what is the meaning of that Scripture The Pope saith it means him the Council and Church say it means them here are three pretenders to supreme and infallible authority and to interpret the Scripture which soever a man adheres to it is two to one but he is mistaken however here is no way to determine who is the infallible Judge unless there be infallible marks and Testimonies of it given by God and then they are of the supreme authority and neither Pope Council nor Church themselves but such they can never produce Thus the whole matter is but an inconsistent juggle to bring the Church into subjection to the Pope 3. Because the Church of Rome takes away the Scriptures from the people yea and alloweth the Clergy themselves the use of the corrupt vulgar Translation of the Bible only Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10.14 How then shall the people get Faith or grow in it when they must not have the Scriptures to read themselves nor have them read to them by their teachers but in an unknown tongue and that Translation so corrupt also that if any of them should understand Latin they would yet have much difficulty to find the truth The Scriptures are Christs Law whereby he governs his Church and the peoples Magna Charta the Charter of all their priviledges and of all Gods promises spiritual and temporal to take this from them is to deprive them both of the rule of their obedience and of the foundation of all their faith and hope in God This is not to be endured upon any pretence whatsoever 4. Because they impose the celebration of Gods worship in an unknown tongue the Papists celebrate their prayers Sacraments and singing of Psalms all in Latin which as they know the people understand not so they would not have them understand it by this means the people are deprived of all true worship For worship is the reverence and affection of the soul to God either in ascribing honour to him or desiring of him and trusting in him for whatever we need This it is impossible man should give to God in and by those words and expressions which he understandeth not which for what he knows may blaspheme God or beg a curse instead of a blessing which as managed by illiterate Priests oftentimes are nonsense and signifie nothing and sometimes contrary to sound Doctrine yea may at all times for what the people know be directed to an Idol or a Devil instead of God For preaching of the word the Papists pretend but little to it And thus the Roman Church is a Church of Christ which acknowledgeth not him for her head and Governour nor his word for her rule and Law nor his worship for her practice but sabjecteth her self to a wicked man under the name of Christs Vicar taketh his will for her Law and his institutions for her worship without Question and without understanding This is an abuse Jot to be tolerated 5. The Idolary that the Papists impose on the Church the Apostle is express You cannot partake of the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devils the Cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils 1 Cor. wor-10 20 21. and these Devils he saith are shipped in Idols by Idolaters with whom therefore we must have no communion now the greatest part of the Papists worship consists in the worship and invocation of Saints Angels and the Virgin Mary and their waser-God which they practise upon the very same grounds on which the Heathens worshipt their Idols and therefore are Idolaters as well as the
wearied with their ill carriage And in the times of the Prophets there were usually false Prophets seducing the people 2 Pet. 2.1 Our Saviour foretold false Christs and false Prophets should arise soon after his days Mat. 24.24 And his Apostles that there should be false teachers in the Church privily bringing in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and that many should follow their pernicious ways 2 Pet. 2.1 2. The Primitive times as they were most happy in Zeal and affection in the sound and Orthodox professours so they were as unhappy in the manifold errors Sects divisions that did disturb them as any of these latter Ages Augustin hath given us a Catalogue of 80. Heresies that troubled the Church in those days August Lib. de Haer. ad Quod vult Deus and yet he saith he omitted many and named but the principal It appears by their Epistles that the Apostles had no sooner planted Churches but the weeds of errors and opinions did straight ways spring up amongst them and this chiefly by these three means here mentioned 1. By pretence of the spirit When God did afford his spirit in extraordinary gifts and revelations to his Prophets and Apostles there never wanted men who pretended to the same spirit and the like revelations for their own devices most of them wilfully feigning some artificially and some by diabolical means procuring revelations and Enthusiasms and some weakly mistaking their own fancies and strong perswasions for dictates and inspirations of the Holy Ghost 1 Joh. 4.1 2. Believe not every spirit but try the spirits whether they are of God for many false prophets are gone out into the world such as pretended to the spirit and that to the subversion of the greatest truths in the Gospel even to deny the person and coming of Jesus Christ as Simon Magus and his followers therefore he subjoyneth this mark v. 2 3. Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and every spirit that confesseth that he is not come is not of God The same direction is given 1 Cor. 12.2 3. I give you to understand that no man speaking by the spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed Such it seems there were that preten ding to the spirit the Apostles had rejected and reviled Jesus Christ 2. By pretence of a word or oral tradition They that could not pretend the spirit speaking in themselves pretended the judgment and sayings of Christ and his Apostles when absent for their own opinions sometimes forging their sayings sometimes mistaking the meaning of them affixing their own sence to them Thus a tradition was received as coming from the mouth of Christ that the beloved Disciple should not die Joh. 21.22 23. and is yet believed in the Greek Church who shew a place near Ephesus where they say that Apostle when old commanded himself to be buried alive where by some estuation or bubling of the earth they conclude he still breatheth St. Paul was often troubled by the Judaizing Christians who would have kept up the ceremonial law pretending the authority and practice of Peter and other Apostles that lived among the Jews which he refuteth at large Gal. 2. And it appeareth by almost all Pauls Epistles that this tradition was importunately urged and scattered through all the Churches by that sort of men even when the Apostles and Church of Jerusalem had declared that they never commanded such doctrine to be preached Acts 25.24 3. Thirdly By the pretence of Scripture our Epistle in the text And this either by pretence of forged Scripture or false and forced interpretations of the true Canonical writings Of the former sort were the writings of the false Prophets among the Jews and those fabulous Legends of Tobit Judith Susannah c. which were never received by the Jewish Church And such were the many suppositious writings in the primitive times as the Gospel of Peter Andrew Thomas Nicodemus and almost of all the Apostles the Gospel and Epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans the Liturgie of James and the like mentioned by Eusebius and other writers Of the latter sort the Apostle speaketh 2 Pet. 3.15 16. That there were many unlearned and unstable Christians who did wrest some hard places in Pauls Epistles and the other Scriptures to their own destruction of this kind is this in the text as some suppose Cartwr in Locum that this opinion of Christs coming to judgment was rashly collected by some from those words in the former Epistle to the Thes ch 4. v. 15. We that are alive and remain unto the coming of our Lord shall not prevent those that are asleep hence they thought that the Apostle supposed that at least some of them who were then alive might live to the coming of Christ Though it seems that all these three means of pretended revelations traditions and Scriptures were used for this doctrine These arts have been all along used to disturb the Church and to pervert souls The Gnosticks Montanus and Manes pretended their inspired revelations Cont. Haer. De praeser and many others in latter ages Irenaeus and Tertullian tell us that many of the Hereticks of their days pretended traditions from one Apostle or other for their doctrine and practice as also others had their Apocryphal Scriptures or Canonical texts misapplied to maintain their errors The Papists make great use of all three of these pretences to establish their grossest errors The doctrine of the real presence of Christ in the bread of the worship of Saints and of religious Orders and Images is mainly built upon Revelations dreams and apparitions Lindanus ingenuously confessed that all those doctrines and practices wherein the Protestants do oppose them and dissent from them are to be proved by traditions of the Apostles not from the Scripture Their doctrines of Purgatory invocation of Angels equivocations and dissemblings are proved by the book of Tobit Judith Susan c. The Apostles Canons increased from 50 to 85 in the last age do them great services in the matters of their discipline and sometimes they wrest Scriptures for their purpose but they have been so baffled and shamed out of this since the Bible hath been common and studied by Protestants that they have forsaken this hold and the Jesuites think the poor secular Priests have betrayed their cause by undertaking to dispute for it out of the Scriptures These troubles by errors arise from the weakness of some who have more zeal than judgment and usually desire new things 2 Pet. 3.16 2 Tim. 4.3 People unlearned and unstable and that have itching ears from pride and conceit in others who that they may seem wiser than their brethren will be wise above or against what is written some teach perverse things to draw disciples after them some for secular interest There was no other reason why the Popes of Rome imbraced the worship of images transubstantiation and some such doctrines but because
mysteries than Gospel institutions Their chief worship devotion lyeth in building and adorning Temples for Masses not for preaching in buying Masses in decking of images with Gold Jewels in offering incense and wax Candles in pilgrimages and offerings to their Saints in vows of forced and usually feigned chastity of Hypocritical and lazy poverty and such like bodily exercises which profit little 1 Tim. 4.8 4. The Church of Christ owneth him only for her head King and Lord. God gave Christ to be head over all things to his Church which is his body Eph. 1.23 He hath all power in Heaven and earth committed to him to rule and order all things concerning his Church which is his own house Mat. 28.18 19 20. Whereupon he appointed Apostles to bring all nations to be his Disciples to consecrate and ingage them to him by Baptism and to teach them to observe all as he commanded Christ as mediator is the only head of the Church which is his body and all Christians members in particular of him receiving life strength and spirit from him and being governed by him But the Papists acknowledge and adhere to the Pope as the head of their Church which they say could not be one Church unless it be united to the Pope as their visible head Catec Rom. de Symb. Art 9. Q. 11. De eo i. e. Pontifice Romano fuit illa omnium Patrum ratio sententia consentiens hoc visibiel caput ad unitatem ecclesiae constituendam conservandam necessarium fuisse They say that Christ and the Pope make but one compleat Head of the Church That all which is said in the Canticles or elsewhere concerning Christ's relation to his Church may be truly applyed to the Pope That he hath all power in heaven and earth given to him Pope Boniface the 8. declared that it was absolutely necessary to Salvation for every man to be subject to the Pope of Rome Definimus decernimus declaramus esse de necessitate salutis omni humanae creaturae esse subditum Pontifici Romano accordingly they teach peccatum pagantiatis incurrit quisquis Pontifici non est obediens i. e. Whosoever is not obedient to the Pope doth thereby become an Heathen They ascribe to the Pope an universal headship not of order only but of power and jurisdiction he is the Rock the foundation of the Church he giveth authority to the Scriptures and without him authoritas Scripturarum plane nulla est saith one i. e. the Scriptures have no authority at all he can lay aside the Bible if he please or dispense with any of the commands of the old or new Testament saith their Canon Law and he daily doth dispense with oaths vows and obligations of all sorts both to God and man with unlawful marriages c. They say indeed in disputation that the Pope is a ministerial head the Deputy the Vicar of Christ but a Minister is only to execute the pleasure of his Lord a Deputy and Vicar is to see his Masters laws and commands observed not to enact laws of his own not to relax or abrogate any of his Masters laws which power the Pope both challengeth and exerciseth 5. Christ's Church professeth subjection to his law only Isa 33.22 The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King Christ is the only King of his Church and the power of making Laws is the chief prerogative of a King He gave his word to be the standing Law whereby his people should be ruled and guided and by which they must be judged at the last day John 12.48 But the Papists have another Law by which they are governed and the Pope is their law-giver who ruleth them The Scriptures they own indeed as the word of God but not as his whole mind and law and that no otherwise than as the Pope interpreteth and alloweth them They joyn with the Scriptures unwritten Traditions which the Council of Tent saith are of equal authority Traditiones non scriptas pari pietatis affectu reverentiâ suscipit veneratur Conc. Trid. Ses 4. Cat. Rom. Pref. Q. 12. The Canons of Councils viz. those that the Pope likes and confirms and the decretal Epistles of Popes they reckon equal with the Holy Scriptures Decretales epistolae meritò inter Scripturas canonicas recensentur The consciences of men they do subject to the determinations and commands of the Pope as to Jesus Christ so that the law of the Church of Rome is composed and made up of the Scriptures Traditions Canons and decretals of Popes over all which the Pope superintends as the supreme law-giver to confirm relax add or alter as he pleaseth according to the known Ruleof Cardinal Cusanus Lex currit cum praxi c. Whatsoever is the present allowed practice of the Church of Rome that must be taken for the infallible rule or law of Christ So that the will of the Pope is the supreme law of conscience to the Papist in this world 6. Christs Church acknowledgeth only his Sacraments Baptism and the Lords supper The Sacraments of the Gospel are badges of our professed Subjection to Christ and of our dependance on him for remission of sins for grace and eternal life and it is fit that Christ alone should appoint what should be the signs Seals and conveyances of his grace and the marks of subjection to him and the tokens of the Covenant betwixt him and his people Christ appointed his Disciples to enter into his Covenant by the sign and Seal of Baptism Matth. 28.19 to renew and confirm this Covenant from time to time by the use of his holy supper 1 Cor. 11.23 24. c. and he appointed no other but these and his people must institute and use no other as signs and Covenant seals betwixt him and them But the Papists have added five more which they own and maintain to be Sacraments besides many other significant ceremonies to which they attribute the use and effects of Sacraments these they make signs of Gods Covenant means to convey grace some of them as universally necessary as those that Christ appointed yea without which Christs Sacraments are not sufficient to Salvation viz. the Sacraments of Confirmation and Penance of the former they say a man cannot be a Christian till he be confirmed by the Bishop Baptism is not compleat without it De consecra dist 5. ch de jejun Nemo potest esse Christianus nisi ad Baptismum accesserit unctio episcopalis nisi confirmatione chrismatus Their penance consisteth of confession of sin to the Priest contrition for sin and the Priests absolution and they teach that sins cannot be forgiven unless they be particularly confessed to the Priest and he absolve them in the name of Christ upon their undergoing or promise to undergo some outward austerity or penance imposed on them by him These Sacraments are badges and means of their subjection to the Priest and to
the Pope their head not to Christ The Lords supper is not sufficient to comfort a dying Christian but they add their Sacrament of extreme unction to strengthen them against the flames of Purgatory Thus they have more Sacraments and for other ends than Christ appointed 7. Christs Church is to be guided and governed only by the officers and Ministers of his own appointing and that according to his word Christ as the head and Saviour of his Church hath appointed that it shall be instructed and governed by his laws guided and ruled by his officers in the practice and execution of his laws and Commands what they shall be he hath appointed Eph. 4.11 12 to 16. viz. Apostles Prophets Evangelists to convert the world and raise his Church at first Pastors and Teachers to guide and instruct it to the end of the world and these he hath ordered to teach his people his Commands Matth. 28.20 to preach his word administer his Sacraments and to be examples to the flock of all humility and holiness not for filthy lucre but out of desire of their good 1 Pet. 5.1 to 4. But the Papists have quite altered the nature and use of the Ministry of the Church Council Triden Sess 23. ch 1 2 3. Can. 1 2. They have added five or six orders of Officers to those that Christ appointed only for pomp and superstition viz. Subdeacons Exorcists Readers Singers Acolothites and Porters Their Priests preach not the word but are chiefly ordained to offer the sacrifice of the Mass which also is most of their imployment The Pope the Head of their Church is an earthly Monarch above all Princes and Emperors living in all the state and pomp of the old Roman Emperours challenging the same honour observance and more than they did viz. the kissing of his feet except one or two most insolent Tyrants His Cardinals are Princes and the chief Cardinal Bishop taketh place of the Emperours Embassadour and the next takes place of all other Embassadours Their whole ministry almost consisteth in hearing confessions pardoning sins enjoyning penance preaching the authority of the Pope the Canons and Traditions of their own Church and in saying Masses and prayers for the absent and for the dead 8. The great design of the Gospel is that men being reconciled to God may live to him in all holiness and righteousness and this is the practice of the Church of Christ The Church is redeemed and purchased to be a peculiar people to Christ zealous of good works therefore is it called out of the world inspired with his spirit of grace and holiness taught by his holy law and subjected to his holy discipline the work of Christians is to be dying to the world mortifying their lust and growing in grace in hope of and preparation for Glory Titus 2.11 12 13 14. But the design of Popery by keeping the people ignorant of the word and Sacraments is to bring them into subjection to the Pope and his Clergy Their ordinances and worship tend not to purifie the conscience but under a vain shew of a carnal pompous service to cheat them of knowledge and spiritual edification and to enthral men to their Church and their own Institutions They teach that the bare use of the Sacraments conferreth grace though a man neither understand what he doth nor is serious in it and if perhaps he should be serious yet the efficacy of the Sacraments dependeth on the Priests intention so that if he be not serious or understandeth not what he doth the Communicant can have no benefit They tolerate all manner of wickedness Pope Nicholas teacheth it is better for their Clergy to live in secret fornication than to marry Satius est pluribus occultis implicari quam in conspectu mundi cum una ligari And the people may live how they please so they be obedient to the orders of the Church confess and receive Mass once a year this will blot out all sin and though a man should live in wickedness all his days yet if he but die in their communion with the Priests absolution which may be easily had he shall go to Purgatory but for a time and so to Heaven and money may procure Masses and prayers for him when dead that will hasten his deliverance thence also so that they that will not leave their sins while they live may buy their pardon and redemption from torment after they are dead how can there be a more effectual way to encourage men in sin 9. Self-denyal contempt of the world and bearing the Cross are the profession and badge of Christs Church Our Saviour declared that his Kingdom was not of this world and his Disciples must not expect nor fight for it here John 18.36 He hath promised them his spirit and comforts in a greater measure than formerly because they were to meet with much tribulation in this world John 16.33 and our Saviour hath given us this universal rule except a man deny himself and take up his cross and follow me he cannot be my Disciple Lub 14.27 Matth. 16.24 But the Papists make outward prosperity and grandeur a mark of the true Church and that the Pope and Bishops are Princes above all Princes and that instead of suffering any persecution they are to make War upon all Princes that displease them to destroy by open force of battle or sudden Massacres and private treacheries all they can reach that are not obedient to them or suspected not to be hearty or but to favour or be mild towards those they call Hereticks 10. Heaven is proposed as the certain reward of the servants of Christ The grace of God that brings Salvation teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godlily in this world looking for the glorious appearance of God our Saviour Tit. 2.11 12 13. In this life Christians are to fight strive and run but when this life ends their course is finished and there remains nothing but a Crown of life which the righteous judge shall give to all them that love his appearance 2 Tim. 4.6 7. But the Papists teach that all assurance of Salvation is presumption Concil Triden Ses 6. ch 12 13. Can. 15 16. the most we must expect is after many afflictions from Gods hand and voluntary severities upon our selves to satisfie for sin at last to go to Purgatory for a long time there to suffer the same torments that the damned do in Hell It is reported of Bellarmin that when some about him would have comforted him at his death with his great merits and that he should certainly go to heaven he answered It is not so easie a thing to get to heaven and that he could be content to suffer the pains of Purgatory many years if he could be sure to come to heaven at last Thus though they tell men they may merit Heaven and do works of supererogation viz. more than God requires of
then when the incumbent died the Pope must be judge who shall have it of all these which shall certainly be he that will give most money Thus they make woful Merchandize with mens souls 4. Continual endeavours to stir up wars and imbroil Nations The Pope pretends to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings and therefore he disposeth of Kingdoms sets up and pulls down Princes as he pleases and this is a sufficient pretence for any unjust wars and invasions and wherever there are any differences among Princes and their Subjects he interposeth his authority usually taking the unjust part if like to prevail that they being beholding to him may requite him with some addition to his authority or revenue Pope Zacheriah gave France to Pipin an aspiring man deposing Childerick their lawful King as unfit to govern Leo the 4. gave the Empire of the Romans to Charles the great and another gave England to the French in King Johns time and sent them to Conquer it and of late the Pope gave the East Indies to the Portugal and the West to the Spaniard where they murdred the poor natives as wild beasts made to be destroyed These doctrines and practices are not taught and practised by a few only among them but they are the State policies by which they stand which they never disown never endeavour to reform it is the design of their government to be universal and to attain it by any means Hence we infer that to hold communion with this Church is to conspire against the Church of Christ against all that is sacred or moral Nor may we expect any reformation from them they will not they cannot be better their interest and government depends upon these methods and therefore this Man of sin is the son of perdition appointed to be destroyed not to be reformed let us not deceive our selves with vain hopes They are and must be the same when they have opportunity The second character of this Apostasie is laid down v. 4. Who opposeth himself viz. the man of sin the Head of this apostasie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an adversary or one that sets himsel against Christ The same title that is given to the Devil viz. Satan an enemy or adversary Now the Devil was an adversary not by denying the true God he believes and trembles James 2.19 nor by causing himself to be worshipped as the supreme God for the Idols which the Heathens worshipped they worshipped as Mediators and servants to the supreme God but under this pretence the Devil took to himself all the worship and service of the world and left God but an empty name of Creatour and supreme residing in heaven when he himself was the God of this world ordering all things after his own lusts this the Devil did so long as Heathenism prevailed by the several Governours and Princes of the world and when he was cast out of Heaven viz. his worship Idolatry and Heathenish superstition abolished by the fail of the Heathen Roman Empire Rev. 12. v. 7 8 9 10. and opposition to the name of Christ was taken away he cast about and after some time delivered his power to the second Beast who used the power and tyranny of the former Beast i. e. the Roman Empire opposing Christ and his worship setting up himself with all superstition and Idolatry but under fair pretences of Christs authority Rev. 13.11 12 c. This beast was like a Lamb but spake as the Dragon and used all the power of the former beast viz. the Heathen government Now that the Pope and his adherents do thus oppose Christ and not his name but his power and worship drawing all subjection to himself and leaving Christ but a bare and empty title he being as Stapleton calls him plain supremum in terris numen i. e. the most high and absolute God in earth It is manifest 1. The Pope will not suffer Christ to be King and law-maker in his Church Kingly power consisteth in making laws and ruling according to them this belongs to Christ and he gave his word to be the law of his Church and his Mininisters to execute and administer it according to his mind But the Pope challengeth the sole power and government of the Church on earth to belong to him the authority of the Scriptures to belong to him that he can add to them take from them or dispense with any thing there commanded that he only must interpret and give them their sense that his determinations is the rule of conscience for whatsoever he defineth or commandeth is to be believed and obeyed and so under the pretence of Christs Vicar he rules as Christ on earth 2. The Pope will not allow Christ to appoint the ordinances of his own worship It belongs to Christ as King to appoint how and by whom he will be worshipped but the Pope will not give him leave He appoints more orders of Officers than Christ did more Sacraments and alters those of his appointing the bread in the supper he maketh a God to be worshipped and yet a Sacrifice to be offered to God the cup he takes away from the people the Council of Trent most insolently telling us that though our Lord Christ instituted and gave his supper to his Apostles under both kinds of bread and wine yet that doth not oblige all the faithful to receive it under both kinds Concil Trid. Ses 21. ch 1. Etsi Christus dominus in ultima coena venerabile hoc Sacramentum in panis vini specicbus instituit Apostlis tradidit non tamen illa institutio traditio â—ò tendunt ut omnes Christi fideles statuto domini ad utramque speciem accipiendam astringantur He appoints Saints and Angels and especially Christs Mother to be worshipped and honoured yea the very Cross on which he was murdered pretending these to be more honour to Christ than the preaching or hearing his holy word Almost the whole body of the Papists worship is of the Popes own institution 3. The Pope will not suffer Christ to appoint the means of his own grace to Salvation Christ as the Saviour of his people as divine and Princely Saviour is to appoint and hath appointed by what means and in what duties he will bestow and increase his grace to eternal life but the Pope lays these aside at his pleasure viz. the reading and hearing the Scripture the use of the Sacraments and prayer in a tongue that can be understood by those that use it and appointeth more upon which the greatest stress of salvation is laid as confession of sin to Priest without out which there is no forgiveness to the living and private Masses both for the quick and dead anointing of Children to confirm them in grace and anointing the dying to strengthen and comfort them against the terror of death crosses and holy water to drive away the devil and so many of this kind that they have greatly obscured the means
Church and all Bishops Priests c. receive their power from him So that all are but his Deputies his servants the disposal of all Bishopricks and benefices if he please throughout the world belongs to him The power of Excommunication and absolution of making and altering all Ecclesiastical laws and injunctions resides in him and to him all appeals must be made 3. The Pope challengeth power over the Devils They have their book of exorcismes the office of exorcists their many mysteries certain prayers forms of words Holy water consecrated circles c. by which they pretend to cast out to raise to lay and bind the Devil as they please 4. They pretend also that the Holy Angels and glorified Saints are at their Command Pope Clement 6. the first author of their Jubilees in his Bull wherein he promised great priviledges to all that would come to Rome adds this viz. that if any of these holy Pilgrims should chance to die by the way in their journey he commandeth the holy Angels immediately to transport their souls to heaven The Keys of heaven are one of the Ensigns of the Popes dignity he can unsaint those that are gone to heaven he can release out of Purgatory as soon or detain there as long as he pleaseth Yea Pope Gregory the 1. they say by his prayers brought the soul of Trajanus the Emperour out of Hell 500. Years after he was dead They interpret the 8. Psalm v. 4. c. of the Pope viz. he is that son of man that is crowned with glory and dignity that hath dominion over all the works of God that hath all things put under his feet all Sheep and Oxen i. e. all Christians all the Beasts of the field i. e. all the Infidels the Fowls of heaven i e. the Angels and Saints above and the fish of the Sea i. e. the souls in Purgatory 5. The Pope exalteth himself above Christ he challengeth the sole government of the Church on earth to belong to him to make and abrogate Laws and to guide it infallibly so that Christ now hath nothing to do with the Church militant he can and daily doth interpret and dispense with the Laws of Christ and hath authority above his word When the Pope goes out of Town the host his breaden God is carried on Horse-back amongst his Sumpters and other furnitures a day before-hand as one of his utensils and in the Church the Pope sitteth above the Altar and above the Host and giveth it but a small nod as he passeth by when the people give ten times more reverence to him than they do to the Host even according to their own ceremonies 6. He exalteth himself above God He taketh more care to have his own Laws observed than Gods commands and punisheth the violation of them more severely than sins against God To speak against the Pope the virgin Mary or any of their Saints to work on their Holy-days to eat flesh on a fast-day especially in Lent are greater offences and harder to be forgiven than any sins against God Yea it is the design of the Papacy to exalt themselves whatever comes of the honour of God A man may be of any religion or no religion may live as he please so he own the Popes power and hold the Communion of that Church and this is all their unity they so much brag of Papa potest omnia quae Deus potest say their Canonists The Pope can do all that God can do yea and more as they add potest facere justum ex injusto he can make evil good vice to be vertue yea every Popish Priest they say can make his God and maker out of a piece of bread A Frier in a Sermon before the Spanish Governour at Milan magnifying the Priests power said a Priest could do more than God For God could only make creatures but every Priest could make the infinite God the maker of all which God could not do and yet saith the Authour this passed without controul The Apostle amplifieth this pride in the next words he exalteth himself so as he sitteth as God in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God i. e. he ruleth in the Church of God and challengeth honour from the Church as if he were God The Papists would hence infer that Antichrist or this man of sin shall be a Leader of the Jews sitting and being worshipped in their Temple at Jerusalem to be rebuilt by him but that Temple shall never be rebuilt when the Jews attempted it in Julians time they were hindred by fire breaking out of the earth and descending from heaven and the Jews themselves shall all be converted to Christ The Temple of God here is his Church in which the Man of sin must sit who must therefore be an apostate Christian only not the Turk neither alone as some Papists would have it nor in conjunction with the Poipe as some Protestants think Piscator in Loc. he never was a Christian nor sitteth in the Church nor endeavoureth to alter or corrupt the worship of it nor assumeth divine prerogatives to himself nor was known to the world for many ages after this was written neither his religion name or Nation whereas this mystery of iniquity was working in the Apostles days and by him discovered and pointed at to the Church But that the Pope doth sit in the Church as if he were God is manifest It is not amiss to observe the word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sitteth in the Temple of God is the term the Popes use Kings are said to reign Popes to sit so many years and Rome it self is Sedes Apostolica the Apostolical See or Seat 1. The Pope challengeth an absolute universal power over the whole world When John the Bishop of Constantinople usurped the title of universal Bishop Pope Gregory the 1. called him the King of pride the forerunner of Antichrist yet he challenged that title only over the Church and meant it only of a primacy of order to be the first and chief Bishop but Boniface the 3. ten years after obtained to be head and universal Bishop and his successours have ever since used it exercising an absolute jurisdiction both in Civil and Ecclesiastical matters The Pope challengeth the disposal of all Kingdoms if there be any question about succession or any controversie among Princes he interposeth and pretendeth to decide all as having the absolute power of disposing and ordering all things and in the Church the sole authority belongs to him of binding and loosing of appointing Bishops and Ministers and degrading them of conferring all imployments receiving all appeals not only in reserved cases but in all ordinary cases when he pleases or the parties please to remove the case to Rome This is a power beyond a mortal man a charge that no creature can perform to inspect and order the affairs of the whole world both of this life and that which is to come 2. He
challengeth an absolute power to make laws for the whole Church Whatsoever he appointeth though against Scripture and reason must be accounted good and be observed He must with authority interpret Scriptures and what he determineth must be received as the sense of them He declareth what is Heresie and Schism he judgeth all things and persons but must himself be judged of none Now this is a Divine power and God's prerogative that the reason and consciences of men should be subject to him We are to submit our reason to God because he cannot err and our conscience to him because he can command nothing but what is good yea things are good because he commands them therefore the Pope in usurping this power sits as God 3. He claims a power to dispense with Gods Laws to appoint new means whereby men should come to heaven He doth frequently dispense with marriages in all the forbidden degrees Concil Trid. Ses 24. Can. 3.4.6 and the Council of Trent curseth those that think the Church hath not power to forbid marriage in more degrees than the Scripture prescribes or to alter those there set down and to allow marriage in those cases as it shall see cause The Scripture saith marriage is honourable in all Heb. 13.3 but the Pope saith it is not only a disgrace but a damning sin for any of the Ministers of the Gospel to marry It is Gods law 1 Cor. 7.2 to avoid fornication every man should have his own Wife and every woman her own Husband but the Pope saith it is better for Priests to live in fornication than to marry yea and for all persons 't is meritorious of heaven to vow not to marry though they live in all uncleanness he dispenseth with Oaths and vows and nothing humane or divine is or can he obliging any further than he alloweth it he being the supreme judge and determiner of all things God alloweth us the use of all meats fit for food but the Pope forbiddeth the use of many yea annexeth merit and the promise of heaven to the forbearance of certain meats at certain times though they gorge and glut themselves with other sorts of dainties And here let us observe that the Apostle speaketh of an apostasie from the faith that should be in the latter times v. 1. and he giveth this as one character of this apostasie that these apostates should forbid marriage and the use of meats in an hypocritical pretence of godliness which doth so point out the Papists as if they had been named none but they teaching those doctrines especially that of forbidding marriage The Pope maketh it meritorious of pardon and great immunitys to wear the habits to certain Monks and Friers to be buried in a Monks cowle or in the gown of a Capuchin or Carmelite Frier but above all to the saying of so many Ave-maries or Pater Nosters in the 7. chief Churches of Rome which will procure some hundred thousand years pardon 4. He pretends to forgive sin The Jews could say Who can forgive sin but God only and he that taketh upon him to forgive sin Luke 5.21 maketh himself a God But with the Papists every Priest taketh upon him to forgive sin yea a man cannot be forgiven unless he be first absolved by the Priest much more doth the Pope claim a power to forgive all sin and that not declarative only to pronounce the promises of pardon to the penitent but authoritative also to give absolution and heaven to whom he pleaseth In his Jubilees he carrieth in his hand a golden hammer to break open Paradise for all the Pilgrims that come to Rome They do often publish and sell indulgences for all manner of sins it was one special thing that stirred up the spirit of Luther that Frier Teselius came into Germany with indulgencies from Leo the 10. publishing in all Markets and Fairs that he could grant pardon for all manner of sins even though a man had laid with the Virgin Mary The Pope can prevent mens going to Purgatory at all or shorten and lengthen their time there as he pleaseth though they teach Purgatory to be a place where men must satisfie for their sins Part. 3. tit 22. cap. 5.5.6 7. Antoninus maketh a grave Quere whether the Pope may empty Purgatory and release all the souls that be there and as gravely determineth that out of the fulness of his power he may without doubt do it though he thinketh it not expedient he should and so doth the Pope too for then the private Masses and prayers for the dead which are a great part of their service and by which the poor Priests get their livelyhood would cease 5. The Pope taketh to himself the name and titles of God and Christ Dominus Deus noster Papa our Lord God the Pope is the language of their Canon Law Paul the 5. caused a triumphal Arch to be set up at Tolentum under which he was to enter the City with this inscription Paulo quinto Vice deo to Paul the 5. the vice-God They say the Pope is the rock the foundation of the Church her head and husband Lord of Lords and King of Kings c. When some among themselves were offended at these blasphemous titles Bishop Beedle informs while he was in Italy about 70. years since there was a congregation appointed at Rome to redress these abuses Beed answer to Wodsw called congregatio de moderandis titulis but before they could do any thing to purpose the Pope forbid them to proceed because he said there were no titles given him but what dignitas praerogativa Sancti Petri c. the dignitys and prerogatives of Peter would well enough bear Thus this Roman State is the Beast in whose head are the names of Blasphemy Rev. 13.1 Hence it appears though the Pope call himself the servant of servants and the Vicar of Christ yet he doth indeed usurp the place of Christ and the honour and authority of God himself wherefore he is deservedly accounted the Antichrist in both senses of the word Hostis emulus Christi both the opposer of Christ and his competitour that contends with him for honour and usurps his place and dignity The Apostle saith that there were many Antichrists in the world in his time 1 John 2.18 and that the spirit of Antichrist was then entered into the world 1 John 4.3 and that these Antichrists were apostates from the Christian Church They went out from us chap. 2.19 but yet that there was one special Antichrist to come of which the Church was forewarned you have heard that Antichrist should come cap. 2.18 and surely there hath never been a more dangerous enemy of Christ than this apostate State of Rome The Heathens had but one way of opposing Christ viz. persecution which tended much to the honour of Christ and his grace by the sufferings of the faithful but these both destroy by persecution those that are most upright
shall that wicked be revealed c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wicked or lawless person when the restraint and laws of the Emperours were taken off then was the time for the lawless person to appear who professeth himself subject to no law but above all humane and divine The removing the imperial seat from Rome to Byzantium by Constantine the Great gave the first advantage to the aspiring minds of those Bishops for then the eyes of all were upon them instead of the Emperours then they disdained to come to Councils and set Ambassadours in their names two or three at a time in Princely manner then they cried up the dignity and primacy of Peter and of the Apostolick See and insinuated themselves into the affairs of all Churches again when Rome was sackt by the Goths and Vandals and the Emperours power decayed in Italy the Bishops of Rome assumed more authority to themselves and were ready to comply with barbarians and invaders against their natural and Christian Prince to increase their own power When Odoacer had taken Rome and made himself King of Italy Pope Gelasius joyned with him called a Council of seventy Bishops at Rome and presided in it in the presence of the usurper Ann. 570. After this when the Imperial race was almost extinguisht in the East by the impious Tyrant Phocas Boniface 3. readily joyns with him writes flattering letters to him and obtained of him the long desired title of universal Bishop Ann. 606. And now the Emperours are beholding to the Bishops of Rome to hold their dominion in Italy yet this was a Clog to them that their election must be approved by the Emperours when therefore they had prevailed with Constantine 4. to release them of this obligation and to grant that whom the Senate and people of Rome chose he should be received as Pope without asking the Emperours consent then they had perfectly shaken off the yoak and the following Popes Gregory the 2. and 3. excommunicated 2. Emperours Philippicus and Leo for opposing Image worship absolved their Subjects from their Oath of allegiance and raising war against them finally drove them out of Italy about the year 750. Yet the Lombards troubled the Pope till he called in Pipin who subdued them and his Son Charles the great who put an end to their Kingdom And now the Pope was Lord of Italy and giveth Charles the tile of Roman Emperour and after about 6 generations he tranferred it to the Germans And now the Pope had a new and his last difficulty these German Emperours challenged the confirmation of the Popes election and the investing of all Bishops within their dominons but the Pope was grown so strong that by plain force and continuall wars he at last compelled the Emperours to renounce all power over the Popes and Italy it self to resign the investiture of all Bishopricks to the Pope yea to have his own election confirmed by the Pope and to hold his Crown as his gift which was principally managed though not finished by Hilderbrand Pope Gregory 7. about the year 1077. And now the man of sin was revealed indeed and come to maturity and from his time divers learned men of every nation declared and proved the Pope to be Antichrist and ever since the Pope hath filled all the West with wars Massacres and the private murders of his inquisition to uphold the power he had so honestly gotten he hath also made attempts upon the Eastern Churches and he gained some power over them while the Latines reigned in Constantinople but that fell with them and the East hath been oppressed by the Turk as the West by the Pope though not altogether in so terrible a manner for he for money grants the Christians their Churches and exercise of their religion but the Pope will suffer none to live that will not submit to him It may justly be a wonder how it was possible the Bishops of Rome many of them mean and inferiour men and many most flagitious could possibly attain so great power and dignity It was a mystery saith the Apostle and it was done insensibly At first the Bishops of Rome were eminent for parts piety and sufferings as usually such men are preferred and imployed in great especially Metropolitical Cities this gained them great credit with all Churches and both Ministers and people had them in great veneration and desired their judgement and counsel in weighty cases then the Emperours newly become Christian thought they could not bestow honour and power enough upon the Church especially on the Imperial seat they granted them their Courts their Apparitors and attendance with leave to all Christians to bring their causes to their Courts this made them Pettie-Princes then they challenged the right of appeals from all Churches though opposed and shamefully foiled by the Churches of Africk they would receive any persons and causes into their patronage the more unjust the better for them for the criminal persons having no hope of redress in their own Churches wholly relied upon the Popes authority and he to increase his authority would do his utmost for them and this was the reason why the Popes of Rome who long maintained the true doctrinal worship at length set up image worship Transubstantiation and all the rest of their superstitions viz. because the promoters and defenders of these corruptions fled to the Popes authority to shelter themselves from the power and censure of the sounder part of the Church and the Pope still sided with the worst that thereby he might oppress those who would not acknowledge his universality and supremacy at last the Pope having by these means insinuated into the minds and affections of the worst but greater part he did by force establish his throne above all and by force he hath kept it moreover the sloth and ignorance of may in the ministry and the pride of others who sought to advance themselves by advancing the Pope did not a little contribute to his power also the confusions of the Empire by the invasions of the Barbarians much helpt it forwards for they overturned the government destroyed the more knowing people in themselves being both Pagans and void of all learning received Religion from the Pope and superstition together and suffered themselves to be inslaved by him under the pretence of obedience to Christ and is chief Apostle St. Peter and his successours and their poor Princes suffered their people to be deceived and were deceived themselves by these plausible arts insomuch that they gave up their power to that Roman beast and thought it good service to Christ when they could serve his pretended Vicar 't is reported that 30 Kings and Queens of England have left their Kingdoms and gone to Rome to see St Peters successor and to die there A fair warning to Princes and magistrates to maintain their own power and the dignity of their places and to all Ministers to look to their own charge and to the people to