but in regard of us for though the authoritie of John the baptist the miracles of Christ the testimonie of one sent from the dead the voice of an Angell from Heaven and the voyce of GOD heard of the disciples in the Mouâ—â— were of themselves divine and infallible yet in respect of us as testifieth Peter GOD will have his word to be of a more certaine authoritie In it God hath judged and determined all contraversies and his decision registrate by the Prophets and Apostleâ— continueth to the end of the world and the duetie of the Kirk is to search out his decisive sentence conteined in the holy Scriptures and apply the same Our adversaries to â—id this divine authoritie of Gods written word have forged four deceit full rules Antiquitie Councels Traditions and the voice of the Church which being tryed shall be found no rules for the rule of faith must be infâ—llible these are not so the Phaâ—â—sees pretended Antiquitie which Christ rejected tradition which also he rejected the voice of the Church even of the doctors that sate in Moses chair the Lord bids the people beware of it calling it the Leaven of the Pharisees which he interpreteth to be the Doctrine of the Pharisees Shall they alleadge Councels Christ His Apostles and their doctrine were condemned in themâ— yea and even by the testimonie of our Adversaries these rules shall prove no rules The ancient Doctors and Fathers of the kirk have erred in many things which the Adversaries themselves confesse The like they affirme of Councels On traditions they never yet could agree And as for the voice of the Church which by their glosse and commentarie is the voice of the Pope it hath beene by many of themselves condemned for heresie Therefore let us come out of Babel least we be pertakers of her plagues By these plagues is understood her destruction which shall not bee speedie but a lent destruction and by degres as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a consumption importeth a Thess 2 till at last she be totally and eternally destroyed For as the mysterie of iniquitie did grow and advance by degrees so shall it fall by degrees It was conceived as holy Scripture witnesseth in the dayes of the Apostles it was quickned in the time of Victor and did stirre more powerfully under Stephanus and Cornelius bishops of Rome more yet under Damasus and others following most strongly did it move in the time near the birth under Leo the first It was borme and brought to the view of the World by Boniface the third upon whom the title of universall bishop was conferred by Phocas Emperour as a sythment and satisfactorie price for the bloud of his Master Mauritiâ—â— cruelly and treasonably shed This bruid of iniquitie did grow and was advanced much by the decay of the Greeke impire and donations of the western Emperours till at last it came to the full hight and maturitie in Hildebr and in whom the Antichrist was so visible that many of the Cleargie in France and Germanie and others did avow him to bee the Antichrist This destruction GOD shall bring to passe three wayes as Wee learne out of holy Scripture First by the sword of the Spirit 2 Thessâ— chap. 2. vers 8. Next by the sword of the Kings on Earth Revel 17. chap. 16 and 17. verse Lastly by the brightnesseof the Lords coming 2 Thess 2. 8. God also hath wounded her by the sword of the Spirit first in raising up the Valdenses against her of whom Frier Reinerius who wrote against them thus reporteth saying That they were of all the most pernicious sâ—ct for Antiquitie some holding they were from the Apostles time for generality there scarce being any nation where they are not And tastly for shew of piety in that they live justly before men and believe all things touching GOD aright and all the articles of the Creed only they blaspheme and hate the church of Rome By these Vaidenss the Romane beast gote so deep a wound that though by all meanes they laboured to cure the same yet shall it not bee cured but waxeth more and more incurable for the publick and open reformation begun by them did not so wound that Beast as the reformation by Wickleph who did more clearly espie and more sharply refure the Mysterie of iniquitie then others before him and that reformation by Husse made the wound yet deeper and after him by Luther and Zuinglius it was deepest of all so this wound is incurable And as the mysterie of iniquitie rose by degrees so doeth it fall by degrees Neither doth the article ' O help their cause as if the Antichrist were one singular man seing it is usuall in Scripture under one to comprehend many The woman in the Revelation cloathed with the Sun having the Moone under her feet though shee be but one representeth the Church which is a collective body and comprehendeth many So the Angels in every one of the seven Churches is interpreted by many collectively for many Pastors and Messengers of God And every one of these four beasts recorded by Daniel doth signifie not onâ— singular King only but a race of many Kings and Kingdomes as is clear by the 23. and 24. verses of the seventh chapter of Daniel Yea the Popes of Rome abuse the name of Peter pretending his name to all their usurped tyrannie Therefore it is that their large possessionm Italy are calleds Peters Patrimonie their Pole-money collected sometimes out of England Peters pence And their Plenâ—tude of jurisdiction they claime over the whole church Peters keyes and that one rocke in a popish glosse upon which they will have the church to be built is a lawfull succession of the Bishops of Rome which they affirme to have descended from Peter the blessed Apostle notwithstanding they be as far different from Peter in a doctrinall succession which is the only true succession as Cajaphas that condemned Christ was from holy Aaron first high Priest of the Jewish nation It may be haplie objected that many Bishops of Rome were godly and suffered martyredome for the Christian faith I answere that it is the antichrist and the antichristian Kingdome and not every person in that line that is appointed for destruction for what is recorded of Victor Lee the first and others who being tickled with the itch of ambition aspired to a supremacie over the church doth not argue them to be reprobates but men compassed with infirmities Who were building Babylon not knowing that they were building Babylon even as faithfull Gideon when he was making his Ephod of the ear-ring given him of the spoile of the Midianites was erecting a monument of idolatrie to the destruction of his house and knew not he was so doing So the Bishops in affecting Soveraignitie were ignorantly promoving the antichristian Kingdome which God appointeth to destruction Therefore Come of Babylon the
4. Senten that before the Lateran councell which was near twelve hundred years after Christ transubstantiation was no article of Faith In the Romane church the innocent person whether man or woman is debarred of the benefite of marriage after divorce This was not of old as is manifest out of Fathers Councels and Decrees of the bishops of Rome Was auricular confession thought to bee of Divine authoritie and necessare for salvation when Nectarius a learned and godly bishop of Constantinople did abrogate the same which also Chrysostome his successor did reject as unnecessare The like did after him Cassianus and in these our later ages Cardinall Cajetan â— Rhenanus and Erasmus Was the lording power of prelates over Presbyters received when they could determine nothing without their consent as is certaine out of Cyprian and the fourth councell of Carthage Why are Presbyters now debarred from a definitive voice in councell which they had and enjoyed in the Christian church for many hundred years As is manifest out of many Councels as the second holden at Rome and these of Eliberis Sinuessa the fifth Toletan and that late Councel of Constans as is related by AEnaeas Sylvius in that hote contest which was between Panormitan and the Cardinal of Arels Do not this day in the Romane church Archimandritae do not the generals of religious orders to this day voice in their Councels And both of them are but Presbyters no Prelats These and many mo pretended antiquities in the Romane Church are nothing but meer novelties As to the precise periode of time when every errour did enter into the Church it is not requisite to be knowne When the Scribes and Pharisees asked Christ Iesus of unlawfull divocre pretending antiquitie for the same Christ answereth no other thing but that it was not so from the beginning It is sufficient then for us though we point not out the precise article of time when errour did creep in into the Church that it was not so from the beginning as we have demonstrate If they reply that the precise period of time is known when Arrianisme Nestorianisme and other heresies had their beginning I answere though it hold in some it will not hold in all Who can designe the precise period of time of unlawfull divorce Who can designe the precise period of time of idolatrie The Jewes against the word sacrifized upon Mountaines but who knoweth the precise time The Saducees believed neither Angel nor spirit and the beginning of this damnable doctrine is not agreed upon The Scribes and Pharisees leavened the word of God with their traditions and inventions But the originall of these errours who can tell Laicks were deprived of the cup at the communion which is a breach of Christs institution The private and solitare communion of the Priest without the people used daylie in the Romane church is contrare to the word of God practise of the Ancients and Canons of Councels and who knoweth the beginning thereof The communion was given unto new borne children before the use of reason and was universally received and approven in the dayes of Cyprian and Augustine and who knoweth the originall of the sameâ— The custome of the church of old was first to enjoine repentance and after the performance of it to give absolution But now in a preposterous order absolution is first keeped then penance imposed to be performed afterward The beginning of this change who can tell There was hereticks named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the source and fountaine from whence this heresie did spring was unknowne Shall we say that a man sick of a consumption is not diseased because we know not when his disease began The masse of errours wherewith the Romane Church is loadened is called a Mysterie of iniquitie because as a mysterie is dark they came in dâ—rkly And the good seed being sowen the ill One is said to have sowen cockle and darnell in the night Now as darnell and cockle while they are in the blade can hardly be discerned from wheat but in the fruit they are discerned of all so the errours of the Romane Church came in so maâ—ked and disguised that they were not perceived but when they came to the fruit and maturity then were they sensible to all that had eyes to see For clearing of this it is to be observed that three wayes errours have beene introduced in the Romane Church first Secretly next openly undercolour of law thirdly by force and violence Secretly invocation of Saints crosses images purgatorie the sacrifice of the masse authorizing of Apocrypâ— books and many other corrupt and erroneous doctrines these I say were brought in secretly and mystically by certaine degrees unknown at the first till they did show themselves in their owne colours when they came to the fruit and maturity Invocation of Saints had its originall from the festivall dayes dedicat to Saints first in the church of Smyrna for the commemoration of the martyrdome of Polyearpus bishop there but it did not stay at a bare commemoration of the death of the martyre and thanksgiving to God but this mysterie grew from a commemoration to publick banqueting in the annuall festivities of Saints and from publick banqueting to nomination in Church prayer from nomination to Rhetorick compellation and from that to invocation and consequentlie to idolatrie Likewise the signe of the crosse was used for a symbole of gloriation that Christians were not ashamed but did glorie in the crosse of Christ then it became impetrative as a virtuall prayer for sanctification thereafter operative for expelling of divels and diseases and from aeriall crosses they came to materiall crosse and from a relative worship of them to a terminative inferiour worship and from that to a divine worship Images was also first received as ornaments to beautifie the church thereafter as books to teach the unlearned then they became conduits only to convoy worship to the Samplate till at last they were adored Prayer for the dead is not founded upon scripture as Epiphanius against Aërius confesseth but upon tradition which often is deceatfull and ever uncertaine It was unknown to the apostles c their disciples and others succeding them who thought the souls to rest sequestrat in secret places expecting the second coming of Christ Afterward least the soule should seeme to be mortall and the Saints departed to be Gods as witnesseth Epiphanius they did broach this superstition which was advanced by a new conceit that the souls after this life did either reside in the outward porch of heaven before their entrie or if they were in heaven did not attaine at the first to the full fruition of God which made Augustine to pray for his father Patricius and others whom he affirmeth to be in the heavenly Hierusalem and if they were in the heavenlie Hierusalem why doth hee pray for them but that they might as hee thought come more speedily to
A WARNING TO COME OVT OF BABYLON In a Sermon preached by Master Andrew Ramsay Minister at Edinburgh At the receiving of Mr. Thomas Abernethie sometime Jesuite into the societie of the truely reformed Church of SCOTLAND LUKE XV. 10. There is joy in the presence of the Angels of GOD over one sinner that repenteth IN MY DEFENCE GOD ME DEFEND Printed at Edinburgh in King James his College by George Anderson 1638. REVEL Chap. XVIII Vers 4. And I heard another voice from Heaven saying Come out of her my People that yee be not partakers of her sins and that yee receive not of her plagues AMongst other properties of GOD whereby He describeth himselfe to Moses Exod 34. He is said to be long suffering But though he be a patient and long suffering GOD yet hee is not an Ever-suffering GOD. Long hath the Lord suffered the whoredomes and abominations of that mystick Babylon Rome but hee is not ever to suffer them for hee hath begun to poure out the vials of his wrath in that the fall of Rome is begun and shee shall continue in falling more and more untill the time the Lord hath totally and finally destroyed her But it is usuall with GOD before he execute his judgements upon any citie nation or place where his own chosen people dwell to provide first for the safetie and securitie of his owne before ever hee poure out his fierce wrath and indignation upon his enemies GOD when hee was to destroy the World before hee loused the catarects of the Heaven from above and brake up the fountaines of the waters from beneath that hee might sweepe away with the besome of an universall inundation the wicked from the face of the Earth did remember Noah and inclosed him in the Arke prepared for his preservation Before the LORD rained fire and brimstone from Heaven hee delivered Lot out of Sodome The Christians dwelling in Jerusalem before the last destruction by Vespasian were advertised by a voice from Heaven to depart from thence and goe to Tella Heerefore is it that GOD being to destroy Babilonâ— a voice is heard from Heaven commanding his people to Come out of Babilon least being partakers of her sins they should receive of her plaguâ—s In this Divine Oracle Wee have a commandement given from Heaven and reasons for inforceing obedience to this commandement In the commandement there bee these three observable First The authoritie of the commandement which is Divine to wit A voice from Heaven Next the persons to whom this commandement is given to wit GODS owne people Third the commandement it selfe that they come out of Babell The reasons follow least being partakers of her sins they receive of her plagues By the authoritie of this commandement being Divine and a voice from Heaven Wee learne what to answere our adversaries when they ask us what warrand and authoritie our Reformers had to depart and make secession from the church of Rome They had say wee a double authoritie one extraordinare being furnished with an extraordinarie measure of grace in an extraordinarie time for the extraordinarie work of reformation They had also an ordinarie authoritie and that threefold being Presbyters of the church of Rome next persecuted by them and thirdly warned by this Divine Oracle to come out of Babell If it bee objected that Christ Jesus did not make a separation from the corrupt Jewish kirk I answere That the outward service in the Jewish kirk then was free of Idolatrie and might bee haunted therefore with a safe conscience But the service of the Romane kirk became so idolatrous that they were necessitate to forsake her and come out of Babilon Therefore by the same Oracle whereby they were warned to come out of Babell because of her whoredomes and idolatries wee cease not dayly to warne Gods children to come out of Babell least being partakers of her sins they receive also of her plagues The persons to whom this commandement is given are Gods people Come out my people saith the voice from Heaven c. They are Gods people by free grace singled out of the corrupt masse of Adam predestinate through Christ unto life everlasting against whom the powers of Hell can never prevaile The infallible consequent heereof is that they cannot totally nor finally fall away from grace for the love of God the Father which continueth to the end and is unchangeable pleadeth for this perseverance the efficacious intercession of Christ doeth the same as likewise the sealing of the holy Spirit untill the day of their full and finall redemption the chaine of salvation proveth the same seing it is impossible as Christ saith that the elect shall perish and that the calling of GOD is without repentance and justification hath an individus all conjunction with glorification Adde to this that Faith perisheth not as sayeth Peter and hope maketh us to rejoice of life everlasting as a thing most certaine Rom. 5. 2. and charitie faileth not and the Godly sin not that is not totally nor finally for the seede abideth in them This seede is the habite of true grace or our habituall renovation which importeth a saving and abiding union with God It rests then that Gods people are so his owne that none is able to plucke them out of his hands for the love of God to them is not a generall but a speciall love and because of this speciall love this warning is given to come out of Babylon It is a mark of Gods speciall favour to call effectually from darknesse to light from dead idoles to the worshipping of the living GOD. Of this speciall love GOD called Abraham out of Vr of the Caldees There were many widows in the dayes of Eliah yet he was sent to none but to the widow of Sarepta Many leperâ— there were in the dayes of Elizeus but he was sent to none but to Naaman the Syrian There were many covetous customers in the dayes of Christ whereof none was called to be an Apostle of Christ but Matthew the Publican Many persecutors but none called as Saul to be a Paul to carrie the name of Christ to the Gentiles and this of Gods speciall love towards them Therefore it is a marke of GODS speciall favour to be called out of Babell that they bee not partakers of her sins and receive of her plagues This Babylon out of which they are commanded to come is not that royall citie situat upon Euphrates wherein the Kings of Caldea did reside but is Rome that mystick Babilon as evident by Antiquitie and Scripture As for Antiquitie I might name many but I will content me with Hierome who in the preface of his exposition of Didymus de Spiritu sancto hath these words Cùm in Babylon versarer purpuratae meretricis colonus jure Quiritum viverem placuit garrire allquid de Spiritu sancto that is when I