such as they name if any mā do the Church gouernment doth not allow it againe that this is not a denying of Christs priesthood sacrifice the putting of another thing in stead thereof as the papists did but rather a misse applying of it where it should not be applied Wherefore wee doe not deny his priesthood As concerning the propheticall office of Christ that by vs is not obscured and diminished but magnified and highly aduanced His word onely hath soueraigne authoritie it is published and it is receiued in our Churches Let them shewe wherein we derogate from his prophecie The first accusation is a slander as that we adde to the word that we vse humane traditions we obtrude things contrary to the word and that we oppugne and reiect the manifest trueth These things must be answered in the particulars We adde nothing as necessarie to saluation we teach nothing contrary and we imbrace all the knowne and euident trueth But that is not an addition or a knowen trueth or a thing contrary to the word which they imagine to be so But as I sayd these things are answered in the particulars The next accusation is that we giue not obedience to the word of Christ but vse it as a mantel to couer our sinne rather then as a rule to direct our life We cannot say that all doe obey the Gospell in heart and some in hypocrisie vse it as a cloake for sinne This frustrateth his prophecie with those persons so that they haue no benefite by it But his prophecie hardeneth and not onely softeneth and there be in the Church such as waxe worse and worse as well as those which waxe better and better And Christ is a Prophet vnto both Neither the lawes nor the publike teaching doe mind or propound this that the word of God should be disobeied or that any should make it a couer for sinne The fault of some persons may not be imputed to the whole Church nor to the lawes and gouernment Another thing whereby we weaken or quite frustrate they say the prophecie of Christ amongst vs is because we seeke not a true ministerie but mainteine a false of which sort they say the whole ministerie of the land is which are permitted to teach in the publike places to whom eare is giuen Such are their words This accusation is very large and grieuous No true ministers in the whole land All false ministers Why do they so account vs Is it because we teach false doctrine or haue corrupted the faith or do teach heresies No such thing They obiect none of these against vs. Then I hope we may answere them the easier and be heard the more willingly purging our selues They cannot obiect vnto vs heresie nor false doctrine nor teaching of any thing that destroyeth the grounds of saluation What be the things then which they say make vs a false ministerie I will recite vnto you all which they lay against vs I will dissemble nothing the crimes then are these First they say we haue not the names of Ministers of the gospel but are called Priests Parsons Vicars and Curates It is not in our power what other men will call vs. Some of these names are giuen of the maintenaunce whereby we liue and pertaine not to our callings we delight to be counted the Ministers of the Gospell But this about the names is a vaine cauill Secondly they condemne our preparation to the ministerie which is by studie and bringing vp in the Vniuersities Schooles and Vniuersities they cannot whollie condēne The Church of the Iewes had the schooles of the Prophets and euer among Christians they haue bene esteemed as the best nurses of the ministerie They condemne them for the study of humaine learning and for certaine vices among some persons If for the faults of some of the persons that professe any kind of life the trade it self be to be condemned then no course of life must be taken in the world The studie of Logike Rhetorike Philosophie and the Mathematicals is so necessarie that without them we should be barbarous and but by the helpe of them neuer can any perfection by ordinary meanes be attained in Phisike Lawe or Diuinitie There are none but madde men which can condemne Vniuersities Thirdly they mislike our entrance into the ministerie none of vs is chosen by a whole congregation nor ordayned by laying on of the hands of the Eldershippe nor iust tryall made of giftes and conuersation But we are ordained by one man the Byshoppe and are thrust vpon the places where we take charge whether the people will or no. The ordaining of a minister by one or fewe is not against the word of God Paul and Barnabas appointed Elders by the laying on of hands at Antioch And Titus was left in Creta to ordaine Elders in euery citie Wherefore it wanteth not the word of God that Pastours are ordayned by one that hath skill yet that one with vs doth it not alone Cyprian and other ancient fathers acknowledge themselues to haue aucthoritie to doe the like If they be not examined and tryed as they ought the fault is in the Byshoppe That they are preferred by one to their charge that is not against the word seeing there is nothing in the word that commandeth or cōmendeth the election by the multitude or inioineth it to be perpetuall The fourth accusation is against the vnlearned vnpreaching ministers which is a crime that they make to touch al. for so much as they are no ministers at all that cannot preach therefore they thēselues to be condēned then all the rest eyther by silence or by consent or by preaching in their charges or by defending them to be ministers are also guilty And the whole people are wrapped they say by them in the same sentence of dānation for either keeping vnder thē or suffering thē And hereupō they make that they are no sacraments no praiers no word of promise and saluation that is vttered by them but that all their actions are voyd and frustrate This being so great a matter would be examined by it selfe at large But in a word to touch it The reader bringeth the word of reconciliation and forgiuenesse of sinnes in Christ sheweth the way of repentaunce and amendement of life mininistreth the Sacramentes and prayers in a publike function layde vpon him by the Church therefore he is a minister and a man may safely heare him and receiue the sacrament at his hand Hee nourisheth fayth by reading therefore he may beget it for wherewith it is nourished therewith it is begotten By the same meanes wherewith our best preachers haue bin both at the planting of the Gospell after the darkenes of Poperie in this land and are made now dayly and continued in their sufficiencie by the same meanes may the people come to faith and be continued in it And who seeth not that reading both begetteth and chiefly confirmeth and nourisheth many preachers And
THAT THE POPE IS THAT ANTICHRIST AND An answer to the Obiections of Sectaries which condemne this Church of England Two notably learned and profitable Treatises or Sermons vpon the 19. verse of the 19. chapter of the Reuelation the first whereof was preached at Paules Crosse in Easter Terme last the other purposed also to haue bene there preached By LAWRENCE DEIOS Bachelor in Diuinitie and Minister of Gods holy word REVEL c. 19. v. 19. And I sawe the Beast and the Kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make battell against him that sate on the horse and against his armie ¶ Imprinted at London by George Bishop and Ralph Newberie An. Dom. 1590. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND MOST REVEREND FAther in Christ my Lorde the Archbishop of Canturbury his Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitane one of her Maiesties most honourable priuie Counsell THE impugnations which the enemie of the whole Church so strangely diuersly maketh against this Church of England are not so much to be marueiled at as of euery true Christian heart to be lamented They of the Church of Rome condemne vs for falling away so farre from them such as are sprong vp amongest our selues and are gone out from vs because wee approch so neere vnto them The first hold vs as Antichristian for shaking off the Popes gouernment whome they make Christes vicar the others for that wee retaine they say his gouernment still are in bondage to it The first say we are out of the true Church the others say no lesse and that we haue not Gods Church amongst vs. The first affirme that we haue no Ministers no sacraments no lawful seruice of God amongst vs the others that we haue no Ministers rightly called no sacraments duely administred no worship of God and that we worship a false Christ The first holde that the seruice of God in our Churches is so wicked as it is not to bee frequented the others that it is idolatrous and to be auoided The first are of opinion that the Soueraigne Christian Magistrate ought not to haue gouernment in causes Ecclesiastical otherwise then to defend the Church and to see the lawes therof executed because making of Church lawes and gouernment Ecclesiasticall is soly in the Pope and in his Clergy the others holde the like position against the Princes Ecclesiasticall supremacie for that this gouernment belongeth to Elderships and Synodes of Ministers and Elders for else Christ doth not gouerne in his Church as they teach Thus both sortes push at the peace of this Church with the hornes of the beast and albeit vpon diuerse groundes yet to one and the selfe same end which is the vtter ouerthrowe of the Church if their courses be not carefully and speedily preuented Which me thinketh may best be effected by doctrine and by discipline The first by instructing the simple seduced and by confuting mightily the froward and insolent the second by sharper corrosiues against the wilfull and obstinate sect-masters on both sides being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men condemned euen of their owne consciences This teaching and confutation in sundrie weightie pointes is in mine opinion very soundly and iudiciously though in briefe sorte as best fitting sermons here performed both against the Romanistes and Catharites The copie whereof happely falling into my handes I haue made so bolde with the Authour as to prefixe a title thereunto implying not all but the most principall matters treated of and thus to publish it for common instruction and comfort Dedicating the same to your Grace as to him to whom the Author hath dedicated himselfe in all duetiful seruice and who daily seeketh by the said two meanes mixed with mildnes and grauitie to reforme the fancie-full nay sinnefull conceipts of both the factions and to settle this Church in the vnitie of the spirite and bonde of peace Which that your L. and others in authoritie may effectually bring to passe vnder the long and blessed gouernment of our dread Soueraigne to Gods glorie the propagation of the Gospell exceedingly impeached by them and to the comfort of all godlie and peaceably affected English The Lorde of Lordes in mercie graunt for Christes sake Amen 17. Nouemb. 1590. Anno 33. D. Elizabethae Reginae The first Sermon vpon Apoc. cap. 19. verse 19. TWO things especially are sette foorth in this whole booke of the Reuelation First the persecutions and the rewardes of those that with true faith cleaue onely to Christ secondly the assaults and wicked attempts of the enemies of the trueth against the Church together with their punishments and ouerthrowe Because it is a prophesie of thinges to come therfore is the booke hard to be vnderstood for prophesies sooner are fulfilled in the worlde then the world can perceaue the true exposition and interpretation of them This verse doeth minister occasion to speake both of the wicked which do persecute and of the godly which are persecuted and it hath some thinges in it easie and some harde to bee vnderstoode Who the beast is and who be these kings and what be their armies and what is the maner of their fight we knowe and who it is that rideth on the horse and what is his armie wee may with smal searching easily finde out for time hath reueiled these things But the time wherein this last fight of the beast shall bee and the maner how he shal be ouerthrowen hath some doubt I wil speake of these things in order as they lie in the text The beast here spoken of is the Pope of Rome the Kings of the earth meant in this place are the princes that submit themselues to the obedience of him their armies are both the captaines and warlike souldiers and also the manifolde and sundry sortes of Ecclefiasticall and spirituall persons as they call them which either by force of armes or by witte and eloquence by strength or pollicie fight for him Hee that rideth on the horse is Christ his armie are they that beleeue in him onely for saluation and obey his Gospell In speaking of Antichrist and his armies and their fighting I must striue to bee the more briefe not onely because the matter of it selfe is large and such as whereof a man can finde no end if he would go about to speake all that may be said but also because I feare it would be somewhat tedious vnto you to heare me speake of that whereof you haue heard others speake very oft and largely already Of the other part that is of Christ and his armie it is comfortable and profitable for vs to heare because wee doe account our selues which doe professe the Gospell in this land to be as it were a wing or an olde trained band of that armie I thought it necessary to speake of these two pointes at this time First because Antichrist either now reneweth or continueth still his warre against vs or at least is suspected and of some reported so to doe Secondly because
to their destruction But as for the Iewes towards the end of the world whē the Papists say their Antichrist shall bee the Iewes before that shall be conuerted vnto Iesus Christ as Paul sheweth Rom. 11. and the popish imagined Antichrist of all others can neuer be receiued of the Iewes for they looke for a Christ to come of the tribe of Iuda and not of the tribe of Dan and they so detest an image that they can neuer acknowledge him their Christ that contrary to their law shall set vp an image to be worshipped But as I sayd Antichrist shall put vpon him the vizard and face of a friend and shall haue the heart and works of an enemy for as he is and hath ioined to him as his assistant the false prophet so likewise he will tread in the path of false prophets Beware of false prophets saith our Sauiour for they come in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues If that be true that some do say that in Ezechiel and Reuel 20. Gog is set for Antichrist and Magog for the Turke which both should succeed and deuide the Romane empire then not only this is manifest that Antichrist is a secret enemie but that hee should haue the West part of the Empire and the Turke the East and that wee neede not feare the Turke in these quarters of the world nor fauour the Spaniards as some doe seeme to wish in that behalfe because they thinke they be a wall betweene the Turke and Christendome But God hath set the bounds To the Turke that is to Magog and Mesek which is Arabia where Mahomets tombe is the East is alotted To Gog that is the Pope and Tubal with him which some say is Italie and others say is Spaine to this Gog the West part of the empire which hath hitherto reteined the name of Christian religion is assigned All the world deserued to be in bondage vnder enemies of the trueth but the East is vnder the bodily bondage of the Turke and the West vnder the spirituall seruitude of the Pope Now Magog which is set for the Turke signifieth vncouered open and manifest but Gog set for the Pope signifieth couered secret and hidden wherefore as the one is an open enemie so the other is secret and therfore more dangerous If by Gog and Magog be meant these two then the names do shew the difference but I know some take those names otherwise and some confesse they know not what they meane But if that Gog do not declare Antichrist to be a secret enemie yet by this it shall most easily appeare for that Paul saith of him he shal sit in the Temple of God that is to say he shall rule and gouerne in the church of God as he himselfe will call it and as it hath commonly beene reputed wherefore if he shall gouerne in the church of Christ he must shew himselfe to be a friend to Christ and to the church or els he can by no meanes deceiue the church of Christ To the woman Reuel 17. there is giuen a cup of golde which is vnderstood to be the shew of religion and yet it is full of abominations But what need we moe proofes to shew that this beast is a fained and a counterfet friend Iohn saith The beast hath two hornes like the lambe and yet speaketh like the dragon he shall make a shew of Christian religion shall haue spirituall and temporall gouernment and shall faine himselfe to be like Christ but his lawes and doctrine shal be the doctrine of deuils All these things prooue that Antichrist which is this beast is a secret enemy making shew countenance of a friend If I shoulde say no more by this that I haue spoken it may sufficiently be gathered that this beast this Antichrist is the Pope of Rome For who is there in the Church of Christ of long continuance and great authoritie that seemeth more a friend to Christ and is in trueth so sore an enemie to all that truely beleeue in Christ as is the Pope But if wee search further we shall see that whatsoeuer the Scripture speaketh of this Enemy agreeth fitly to the Pope and to none other neither to him who they imagine shall come of the tribe of Dan nor to the Turke which is by all meanes out of the church This title of eternall ignominie and shame falleth vpon no estate in the world but only on the popedome All things agree to it The forerunner of Antichrist was the fall of the Romane empire and destruction of Rome in the West that is it in the opinion of many ancient fathers which Paul meaneth when he sayth Ye know what withholdeth that he might be reueiled in his time And againe Onely he which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the way The seat of the empire abiding at Rome withheld the Pope from his reigne dominion there But how was that remooued that the Pope might come into it emptie First by Constantinus magnus departing thence making the seat of his empire at Constantinople Secōdly because it was not yet empty enough Alaricus king of Goths taketh it anno 414. Gensericus Vandalus takes it spoiles it againe an 459. And last of all Totilas taketh it thrise ouerthroweth the walles and setteth Rome on fire and letteth it burne 40 dayes an 549. Thus was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rome was made emptie of the emperour that the Pope might step into it This is the head that S. Iohn saw wounded to death Here the heathen Romans that had killed with the sword were killed by the sword Although this be so yet the Papists contend that this is not yet fulfilled The Romane empire say they is not yet displaced These be notable cūning men that which was done 1000 yeres since is not yet done with them By this we may iudge of their religion For as the Romane empire remaineth yet so the true Christian religion remaineth with thē vnto this time no otherwise but that empire remaineth onely in name and not in truth so doth the religion For is that the emperour of Rome whom the Pope by a law hath bound not to dwell in Rome nor in all Italie at any time Is he emperour of Rome that hath no tribute no homage nor lands of the empire and vnlesse he haue somewhat to liue by of his owne shall be nothing inriched by the empire But saith Bellarmine he is emperour of Rome although he haue not Rome How can he be emperour of it that hath it neither in possession nor by right of title if he haue right to it then the Pope is an vsurper that keepes him from it for there is no officer in Rome but the Popes deputy by his appointment Wherefore the first note of Antichrist agreeth to the Pope which is that Rome should be made a ruine before he shuld come to build vpon it for that was fulfilled
fiue hundred and fiftie yeeres after Christ and sixe hundred yeeres were expired before the papacie did shew it selfe in his antichristian colours The second note of the beast agreeth also to the Pope for Iohn saith He commeth out of the earth hath two hornes like the lambe and speaketh like the dragon Antichrist should in shew make himselfe like Christ and performe the works of the deuill He will write himselfe Seruus seruorum and in some sence so he is for he serueth the lust of those that are seruants and slaues to inrich them and bring them to honour He hath not the hornes of the lambe but like them for he challengeth to himselfe power in temporall and in spirituall matters he maketh himselfe not onely a priest but a king also he will rule in heauen and in earth If these be not the two hornes of the lambe what are they howsoeuer it is he will be like the lambe especially in the hornes He would resemble Christ in his power but not in his holinesse And to expresse his power he delighteth much with the number of two for he hath on his head a miter which hath two toppes two sharpe points one before and another behinde two keyes also hee hath set a crosse And in the yeere 1300 Boniface the eight in the first Iubile the first day went in his bishops robes the second day in the habite of the emperour hauing two swords borne before him this being proclamed Ecce duo gladij hîc How can he declare more plainely that he beareth two hornes like the lambe whose title in the world commeth so neere the title of Christ for he will be called Christs vicar Of the two hornes he had the spirituall iurisdiction first and then the temporall for first he ruled ouer bishops and ministers only and in processe of time he ruled ouer kings and emperours but although he haue hornes like the lambe yet his speech is like the dragons The crying of the dragon is fierce and terrible and the spirituall dragon the deuill speaketh contrary to God For the religion of the Pope is in name Christs religion but in truth contrary to it Christ saith to the people Search the Scriptures the Pope saith they shall not reade them Christ saith Thou shalt serue God onely the Pope saith Thou shalt serue saints Christ saith Thou shalt not make nor worship images the Pope saith thou shalt do both and in many points besides Hesshusius reckoneth vp sixe hundred the Pope speaketh contrarie to Christ and altogether like the dragon The Papists say this note can not agree to the Pope Why not because he hath not two hornes like the lambe nor because he speaketh not like the dragon but because it is said here of the beast that he cōmeth out of the earth for they thinke their Pope hath not a base but a noble beginning In deede their first bishops were from heauen and went to heauen but they that tooke the hornes like the lambe and presumed to challenge spirituall temporall iurisdiction ouer all the church were from the earth for this was an earthly deuise what persons in the world come to so high authoritie from so base beginnings as the Popes of later times bastards and friers magicians are not these base are not these from the earth To this description of Iohn agreeth that of Paul for as Iohn saith he should speake like the dragon so Paul saith he shall be an aduersarie and as here it is said he should haue two hornes like the lambe so there it is said that he should sit in the Temple of God as God shewing himselfe that he is God for he taketh the office name of God vpon him The third marke is proper also to the Pope For thus Iohn speaketh of him He did all that the first beast could doe before him and caused the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed The first beast was olde Rome and the state of the empire therefore when this second beast had gotten hornes like the lambe that is spirituall and temporall iurisdiction hee pusheth so long with these hornes that hee maketh the Romane name to flourish as much or more then it did before which was a thing much to be woondered at thorow the world Who knoweth not that Rome hath bene these later hundred yeeres in more estimation then any citie in the world besides or then it selfe had beene in former times and how came it to that wealth honor but onely by the two horned beast Nothing els had it to commend it now in comparison but the false title of the seat of Christs vicar And heerein standeth all the indeuour of Antichrist not that Christ may be worshipped but that the first beast may be had in honour For the name and religion and credit of Rome he fighteth The Pope is as it were the first beast for in him the ancient state seemeth to be restored The fourth note of the second beast is as fit as any of the rest for the pope For Iohn sayth He did great woonders so that he made fire to come downe from heauen on the earth in the sight of men and deceiued them that dwell on the earth by the signes which were permitted to him to doe in the sight of the beast To this agreeth that which Paul saith of Antichrist whose comming is by the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying woonders And our Sauiour saith There shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and woonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue the very elect Signes and miracles are so common with the papistes as they haue not beene among any since the Apostles times They haue miracles to commend euery thing to the world miracles to confirme purgatory and praying for the dead and the masse and the force of reliques and whatsoeuer superstition there is besides in poperie But their miracles are lying signes miracles both because many of them are but done in shew and not in trueth and many are fained and all tend to confirme and establish lies The trueth needeth no new miracles it persuadeth confirmeth it selfe in the heart of him that hath it Iohn nameth one especiall miracle The calling of fire downe from heauen in the sight of men Some imagine that as Elias did it to consume the fifties that came to take him so the Pope at some time or other should do or as he did to commend his sacrifice against the sacrifice of the priests of Baal so the pope should cause the like for the confirmation of his masse and other idolatrie It is time for him now to doe it if euer he will doe it for he is neere taking and his masse almost euery where is out of credit There be that refer it to Pope Hildebrand which by the art of Magike danced in fire raised vp round
Church altogether Nowe then how shall we knowe whether a thing be popish and Antichristian or no By the names that can not be Names of their nature be indifferent the thinges contained in the names as they are vsed of vs must be examined And how shall we finde whether they bee popish and Antichristian If they serue to promote poperie then are they popish then are they Antichristian But if they further Christs glorie his kingdome then may they bee retained in the Church of Christ and we hauing them bee his Church Therefore if none of these offices nor courtes nor Ministers helpe to maintaine idolatrie or the Popes supremacie or mens traditions against the written worde or free wil against the grace of Christ or mens merites against iustification by faith or the Idole and sacrifice of the Masse or pilgrimages or purgatorie or prayer for the dead or auricular confession or satisfactions for sinnes by penance or indulgences or the keeping of the worde of God from the people in an vnknowen tongue or such like if they doe not maintaine vice nor iniustice nor heresie among vs but are directed to roote out poperie to keepe vs in the true faith to aduance the worde of God to establish our iustification by faith to further repentance and good workes to punish sinne to define that which is equall and right to keepe the common peace of the Churche then are they not popish seeing they are bent and exercised to the ruine of poperie but they are Christian and holie and appertaining to the Church of Christ for as much as they further the kingdome and glorie of Christ our Sauiour All that are zealous striue for two thinges wherein all men are to put to their helpe by counsel by credite by authoritie by power and by all lawfull meanes that bee in them One that the worde of God maye bee more diligently and commonly taught the other that sinne may bee more seuerely and generally punished If these two may by this gouernement bee more set forwarde much of these troubles and contentions will be easier stopped There is no fault in the names or in the offices but they may helpe forward these or any good things Wherfore they be not simplie popish or Antichristian but in the abuse they were in the right vse they are now holie Christianlike Now let vs see what scripture doth condemne these names and offices Two places are brought out against thē One out of the Psalme The kings of the earth band themselues and the princes are assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ let vs breake their bands and cast their cords from vs. But do our gouerners all the people in this estate band themselues against the Lord and against his Christ doe they not band themselues for the glorie of the Lorde and of Iesus Christ It might be done I knowe more plentifullie yet this gouernement setteth forth Christ onely to vs with his benefits to saluation Christs deitie Christs gospel Christs sacrifice Christs iustice Christs kingdome by this is aduanced Wherefore they band not themselues against Christ neither do they say let vs breake their bands cast their cordes frō vs but rather they willinglie receaue the bands yea the chaines of Christ if neede be We are contēt that his lawe binde our feete hands eyes and hearts also but we cast off their bands because we cast away their gouernement by Elders They are not the bandes of Christ they are but small threeds that wil easily bee broken Luke 19.14 The other place which they alleage against those titles offices is in Luke Now his citizens hated him and sent an embassage after him saying we wil not haue this man to reigne ouer vs. These places that were spoken of the obstinate Iewes that hated the name faith of Christ of the heathen idolaters that worshipped false Gods and would not acknowledge Christ to be God of the Mahometicall sect that reiect Christs gospel denie his redēption of the Antichristian popish rable which keepe his name and denie his efficacie sufficiencie in redeeming vs those I saye they bring against them that acknowledge all which they thēselues doe for sufficiencie of saluatiō for infalliblenes of his truth and for all his benefites onelie because wee yeeld not to thē for a certaine forme of outward gouernment But they must proue more euidentlie that those thinges are euill or else we will not be terrified by those places but that we may safelie say that that true Church of Iesus Christ is with vs euen in this gouernmēt To returne againe to their other notes which remaine whereby they will describe a visible church of Christ they say that Christs Church must be gouerned by his own lawes takē out of the olde newe Testament and no other They thinke as it seemeth that no lawes neede more to be made for any thing but that the lawes of Moses shoulde stand be sufficient to determine all matters Or if for ciuil matters they will admit more yet for punishments in matters Ecclesiasticall it is certaine they will acknowledge no more nor anie other Their groundes for this opinion are these scriptures First out of Saint Matthewe Mat. 17.5 This is my beloued sonne heare him It extendeth to matters of doctrine and saluation and all that hee hath taught but not to matters of gouernement Ciuill or Ecclesiasticall in particular For hee hath not made such lawes The next is out of the Epistle to the Hebrewes Heb. 3.6 Hee is Lorde of the house 1. Cor. 2.16 therefore hee is to bee obeyed in so much as hee hath set downe Particular ordināces he hath not prescribed for gouernmēt but left it free Thē they bring this out of the Epistle to the Corinthians We haue the minde of Christ hee meaneth for matters of saluation and the worship of God but not for particular actions that must be considered in gouernement After this commeth that to the Galathians Gal. 3.15 A mans testament when it is confirmed no man doth abrogate or addeth to it Paul speaketh of iustification by faith whereto works as a cause of iustification must not be added nothing there of outward gouernement Now as for their other places 1. Tim. 6.13 they inferre not that in the worde are sufficient lawes set downe for all thinges but that such as are commanded should be obserued as that to Timothie I charge thee that thou keep the commandement without spot and vnrebukeable vntil the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ That which Paul hath set downe as a commandement to be kept or hath so declared that must be kept for euer But who can saye that Paul hath set downe lawes for all things in that Epistle Ephe. 4.11 And that to the Ephesians doth not conclude their purpose Hee hath giuen Apostles for the worke of the Ministerie and gathering together of the Saintes til we all meete
of the obseruation of dayes and ceremonies of the lawe with opinion of necessitie to saluation iustification we repose neither saluation nor iustification in any ceremony or outward thing which we vse not in the gouernment not in apparel this or that In the vse of them our minds are free The like meaning hath that to the Collossians Collos 2.20 If yee bee dead with Christ from the ordinances of the worlde why as though yee liued in the world are yee burthened with traditions There is no tradition in our Church that can be a burthen to a mans conscience being rightly taken seeing there is no idolatrous tradition among vs nor any ioyned with opinion of necessitie or worship of God or merite to saluation But in those things the soule is left free to depend wholly vpon Iesus Christ The like meaning hath that to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 7.23 Yee are bought with a price bee not the seruauntes of men Paul condemneth not obedience in things lawfull but in voluntarie worshippe And as for vs we place no necessary part of Gods worship in the traditions of any mē The booke of cōmon praier is not reckoned so necessary as if God were not otherwise rightly worshipped neither yet absolutely as meere traditions of men for as much as it is either scripture or agreeable vnto scripture Outward ceremonies are retained for order but no part of Gods worship placed either in crosse or garment To these places of scripture as of like nature may be ioyned that of the Actes Acts 4.19 Wee ought rather to obey God then men that is whē they cōmand things contrary But in the gouernmēt or in the ministery or in Gods worship or in the admission of men to the sacraments the lawes of this land doe not commaund things contrary to God for any thing that we haue yet found Last of all for our bondage Apoc. 14.19 they produce first the Reuelation where it sayeth If any man worshippe the beast or his image The gouernment by Byshops they take to be the image of the beast They were we confesse so to be accounted while they maintained the Pope and his lawes but now they are not so when they are set to further the Gospell and truth of Christ These are the places by which they would conuince vs to be in bondage But the Scriptures by which they chalenge their large and infinite liberty are these Ioh. 8.33 first that of Iohn Ye shall knowe the trueth and the trueth shall make you free Christ speaketh of freedome not from lawes and Magistrates and Ecclesiasticall gouernment but from sinne and Satan for he sayth He that committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne The next that is pretended to speake for their liberty is Paul to the Galathians Gal. 4.6 Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all Paul disputeth of our freedome from the curse of the lawe and from circumcision and other ceremonies so that the curse is not to be feared of vs that are made free by Christ nor iustification to be sought by the ceremonies of the lawe nor any part of Gods worshippe to be reposed any longer in them And the same is his purpose in the fift Chapter when he sayth Stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free This is the freedome of conscience the libertie from the curse pronounced by the lawe and from the ceremonies thereof with opinion of worshippe or merite of saluation Thus are we free We are vnder a gouernement and haue some fewe ceremonies but we neither count them parts of Gods worship nor any cause of our iustification or saluation Thus our minds are free although our bodies be bound in an outward obedience They may therefore become subiect with vs to this gouernment and yet inioy due Christian libertie The tenth and last note of their Church is this that it must haue the power that Christ hath giuen to his Church to the worlds end and all the powers in earth and hell cannot take from them namely to bind and loose and to reforme things that are amisse Which power they say we haue not For our assemblies as they iudge cast out Satan by the power of Satan namely say they by these impes of Antichrist the Byshops Commissaries and Priests These be their words Then if they say true in deed in this Church gouernement we haue no binding sinners and loosing them that doe repent but by the deuill Let vs see what binding or loosing the church of God should haue and how farre that which we haue is wanting and disagreeing from the trueth The power giuen to the Church in this respect they affirme to becōtained in these places which follow Psal 149. First in the Psalme when it is said To bind their Kings in chaines their nobles in fetters of yron This place seemeth properly to be vnderstood not of Ecclesiastical censures but of outward victory gotten by the sword against Gods enemies by his people after their oppression This God giueth oftentimes to his Church and hath his name be praysed giuen already vnto vs God graunt when need shall require we may obtaine it hereafter The next place by which they chalenge this power is in Matthewe If hee will not heare them Mat. 18.17 tell it to the Church and if hee refuse to heare the Church also let him be vnto thee as an heathen man and as a publicane By the Church might here be vnderstood the gouernors to whō this authority should be committed of the church or els the whole assembly speaking by the voice of one or fewe for the declaration of the obstinacie and damnable state of such an one but as for a presbyterie in euerie congregation it cannot serue seeing if it be spoken by relation to the practise of the Iewes they had no such thing but in Ierusalem in one citie one assemblie one consistorie of such iudgement for all After this they seeke somewhat for their excommunicating presbytery in Luke Luk. 10.19 Behold I giue vnto you power to treade on serpents and scorpions and ouer all the power of the enemie and nothing shall hurt you This was a miraculous gift conferred vpon the Apostles both for their preseruation and the glorie of Iesus Christ as Paul by the viper hanging on his hand receyued no hurt The thinges going before are referred to the power of the word beating down Satan from the soules of men As for excommunication or punishing the wicked by censures this pertaineth not to that That to the Corinths maketh the most shewe for their purpose When ye are gathered together and my spirite by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 5.4 let such a one be deliuered vnto Satan But this maketh against that which they seeke seemeth to fauour that order which we haue For Paul being one man alone did decree this sentence The Church was to declare it But
whether it be done by one or many this needeth much heed and care and conscience that this sword bee drawne against none but those that doe deserue it Last of all that of the 2. Corinths doth not helpe the presbyterie Thus he sayeth The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holdes casting downe imaginations and euery hie thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ hauing readie vengeance against all disobedience A great part of this is vnderstoode of the word preached which worketh these effects The vengeance against disobedience was a thing in Paules owne hand as minister of it not in the power of the multitude or any presbyterie there mentioned So that if it pertaine to the censure of the Church it might be executed by one man But it is thought rather to be meant of bodilie punishment which by the mightie power of Christ the Apostles in the beginning did inflict vpon the disobedient So Peter killed Ananias and Saphyra and Paul stroke Elymas blind These are their authorities whereby they chalenge to their Eldership power and might to binde and loose and would inferre that in the Church of England there is no casting out of the diuell but by the power of the diuel because their presbyterie is not called to coniure him out Some reformed Churches vse no excommunication at all and yet are the Churches of Christ They haue other punishments for the offenders The trueth is that excommunication cutteth no man from the Church whome his owne sinne and vnbeliefe hath not cut off before Neither can it loose anie whome faith and gods spirite doth not loose Thus much of the tenth and last note of their Churche Thus I haue briefelie set before you a short viewe of the difference betwixt the Sectaries and vs. They that fauour these opinions these innouations are in diuers degrees some saye they are imperfections and wantes and maimes in our Church the most of those thinges which they mislike but yet to be tolerated It must be confessed there is no Church but hath imperfections We may not maintaine all thinges as blameles in our Church No man is founde faultles euery Church is wanting in their duetie both in respect of mens lawes and of the persons We can not iustifie our selues in all thinges but that euerie thing is such a deformitie and maime or anie so grosse as they seeme to make them if the particulars be examined it will not be founde These mislikers and tolerators haue begotten the last and extremest degree of reuolters of forsakers of refusers and plaine contemners whose case is much to bee pitied especiallie of those misslikers because thorowe them they are come into this downefal The controuersies wherein wee differ haue small weight in the matters and lesse in the proofes yet beholde the conclusion Thus they speake Therefore the parishes of England are not and for all these reasons seuerall and ioyned cannot bee helde in anie Christians iudgement the true Churches of Christ This is their sentence vpon all the parishes and people in this land that come to the Churches that heare the worde at our mouthes that receaue the Sacraments at our handes they shut vp all in one state of not being the people of God nor the Churche of Christ As for our selues notwithstanding their rash iudgement wee knowe vpon what grounde wee stand There can no other foundation bee layde then that which is layde euen Iesus Christ is the head corner stone he is the rocke Euerie parish in this land is taught either plentifullie or sparinglie yet all are taught this that Christ onely is our head our sacrifice our righteousnes that hee is to bee laide holde on onelie by faith ioyned with repentaunce and a good conscience Where this is taught and receaued there is the Churche of God All the parishes in this land bee taught it and by publike confession doe witnesse that outwardlie at least they doe receaue it The Lorde graunt that it maye bee made more cleare and that it maye bee whetted more sharpelie vpon all and that all maye receaue it fruitefullie to comfort and saluation 2. Cor. 13. Paul sayeth Proue your selues whether you are in the faith examine your selues knowe yee not your selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates We neede not be cast in doubt of our selues for a supposed appendant trueth of an outward forme of gouernement as though if we haue not that and yet haue the truth of faith the spirite of Christ the worde of God the sacraments of the Gospell repentaunce and newenes of life hauing these I say that are most necessarie and substantiall branches of Christian religion it were madnes to thinke wee haue nothing because they imagine wee haue some as bad or worse then infidels and heathen men among vs and because we haue not such an outwarde gouernement as pleaseth them because we worship God by the booke of Common prayer and because our Ministers some are not preachers and all are made by the Byshops and all tolerate or allowe the booke of Common prayer and the outwarde gouernement These are the chiefe heades of the difference betweene them vs. While men seeke to perfect Churches they will bring to passe that there will bee among vs no Church at all Now with vs there is leaue for all men to be good if they will by Gods grace indeuour They would haue it so as they fancie that no man should be euill but this is impossible If we can bring to passe that the Gospell be taught in all places and that sinnes bee most seuerelie punished and all be brought to the learning of the worde of God then shall we see a more perfect and beautifull forme of the Church among vs. Thus many of these controuersies will be appeased then shal we most clearelie appeare to bee the armie of Christ and hee will shewe himselfe to be our captaine and Lorde and God Thus much to them that denie that we are Christs armie and that our Churches as they now stand are not the true Churches of Christ This matter being thus runne ouer it is time to returne to that which wee haue in hand The beast and the kings of the earth and their armies fight against him that sitteth on the horse and against his armie A parte of this armie the Churche of England as it standeth nowe is by the singular goodnes of God All Gods people make but one armie and that an vnited armie How much more then is it necessary that we which be but one band as it were of this mightie armie should agree together in one Let all lay aside enuie pride and aemulation Let vs especially now in the time of so dangerous threatnings and attempts of the enemies put away strife about these matters Many doubtlesse stirre vp and set a fire the parties on both