than al they And a great deale of labour in a shorter time is more worth than lesse labour in a longer space And as it is this in teachers so generally may it bee and sometime is my brethren among the rest of beleauers one beleeueth sooner another later God can teach him in one daie as much as thou hast learned in tenne before An olde and an humble graie whiteheadead Latimer or Whitehead to mention these two onely in steede of manie is a venerable spectacle and a reuerend sight but a conuerted soule saued out of the fier and thus to become a preacher of the Gospel is a most admirable mirror in mine eyes And yet thus can the spirite of Christ blow and purifie and woorke euen thus mightily where and vpon whom it wil and therefore it was not preiudicial at al to Paul that hee was no sooner called that was so effectually called in the end Iames and Iohn Andrew and Peter because of their calling before Paul were growen in good credit True And therefore Paul telleth them that notwithstanding that God doth not accept mens persons and external credit God can and doth raise vp instrumentes of his glory in latter daies some passing and exceeding many of former tymes Wherefore Paul with great right and reason setteth it down that he borowed not his light of others who were before him but ascribeth al to God almightie whom he sheweth to be no respecter of persons How God accepteth and accepteth not of persons Yet herein may arise some question For doth not God accept persons Who then shal be accepted if he accept none That that wee are we are by grace by fauor and by acceptation Then certainly he accepteth some He accepted Iacob when hee reiected the elder Brother Esau Yea whom hee accepteth not he doth reiect Therefore in this sense it is true he accepteth persons to wit according to his good will purpose choise and pleasure But for any thing acruing to man or rising in him externally by meane of ordinary circumstances God is not respectiuely partial to prefer one person before another the rich before the poore Peter before Paul for that cause and therefore because Peter was first called because many had a better opinion of the one than of the other And this is Saint Pauls meaning in these words God is no accepter of persons 2 In the second point I obserued a declaration of the Apostles friendly and full consenting to Paul As there was great reason why hee should stand vpon the authoritie he had receaued of God so when the Apostles saw 1. His commission in the Gospel and 2. the grace of God in him among the Gentiles they strait ioyned mutually togither in one societie Wherein you marke plainly 1. the euidence of Pauls authoritie 2. the limits of his charge 3. and their equality and association among themselues Triall and prouing goeth before consenting 1. They first saw and knew so much before they yeelded The eye commonly is a true informer of true knowlege when they saw they knew But seeing knowing here may be alone the outward sense for the inward vnderstanding but til they knewe they did not ioyne Ios 9.14 The Gibionits deceaued Iosue because Iosue was ouer-credulous but they vpon thorough triall found Pauls euidence good and found 1 Tim. 2.7 2. the limits and bounds of his calling reached vnto the vtmost partes and as it were to the hems and skirts of al the woorld and namely and chiefly to the Gentiles Chiefly to them not folely among them for he had a harty consideration and desire for * Rom. 10.1 Israel also But the Iewes were rather Peters charge and the Gentiles were chiefly committed to Paul and the Iewes more chiefly to Peter Wherefore the papacy that claimeth from Peter may better seeke a chiefly among the Iewes than among vs the Gentiles 3. And this was concluded among them that neither should more than was conuenient put sickle in the others haruest and that all should in their lot labour and he rein they agreed and they which were reputed pillars gaue to Paul and Barnabas their right hands vpon it How Ministers are wel resembled to the pillars in a building It were not amuse ouer and aboue to note how the Apostles and after them the ministers of Gods Church may be called and should be reputed and he indeed the pillars of their congregations The staie of an house are the pillars thereof euen as the strength of mans body are his hones And such should men of our vocation be the wals and watchmen of a cuy the beautie the strength the defence 2 King 2.12 the horse and chariot of Israel as was Elias Of old such were the olde Patriarches and Prophets afterwarde such were the Apostles and Euangelists and such are now good Bishops and vigilant Pastors and Teachers till the comming of Christ whom in the meane while he * Ephes 4.11 gaue to his Church for the gathering togither of his Saintes for the worke of the ministery for the building vp of his bodie Iudg. 16.29 It is storied of Sampson that hee tooke the midle pillars of the Philistines temple and pulled them both downe at once These pillars are stronger than so They shal not faile they cannot fal God that hewed them out wil hold them vp and who shal pul them downe Iob. 1.19 The wind out of the wildernes ouer-turned Iobs house It is not so with Gods house it is founded on a rocke and fixed on sure pillars and these pillars are fixed Sampsons strength wil not and Sathans cannot pul them downe Fugitiues and lookers-back from the plough they once laid their hands vnto For if al these pillars yeelde the whole edifice followeth after When but a minister shrinketh the faith of many is much weakned But dearly beloued be not deceaued Al should be pillars firme and strong that seeme to bee some seeme and bee as they seeme some onely seeme to bee and bee not indeede And what if some such haue defected What if some certaine haue gone out of the dore that came in at the window What if certaine that were among vs but neuer of vs Acts. 1.25 haue gone into their own place and shewed themselues as Iudas among the Apostles What if certaine haue with-drawen their shoulders from Gods labour and being but greene timber and that not of the Lordes hewing haue shrunck away misliking this great duety yet good seruice of ours in humility to support and stand vnder others to doe them good Nay what if some in steede of holding vp hale and pul downe Certainly the iudgementes of God are iust and will be hard and heauy toward al these in that daie And yet for al this the Lords house shal stil stand vpon hir pillars vpon such pillars as are of imputrible wood of wood that wil not rotte well seasoned by the Lord and therefore cannot
AN EXPOSITION AND OBSERVATIONS VPON SAINT PAVL TO THE GALATHIANS TOGITHER with incident Quaestions debated and Motiues remoued by IOHN PRIME 1. Cor. 10.15 I speake to them which haue vnderstanding Iudge yee what I saie AT OXFORD Printed by IOSEPH BARNE and are to bee sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Tygers head Anno 1587. TO THE MOST WORTHY LEARNED AND REVEREND FATHER IN GOD IOHN PIERCE the Lord Bishop of Sarum RIGHT Reuerend being desirous to shewe some part of thankefulnes for your Lordships fauorable vndeserued respect and kindnesse to me-ward and with that intent looking into my papers and studie notes specially into such as were deliuered euery other weeke at ABINGTON by OXFORD in your Lordships Diocesse among other things of greater length I resolued to reuise and frame out this exposition vpon S. Paul to the Galathians with Obseruations Questions Motiues The rather for the shortnes of the text best fitting with my leasurelesse occasions and likewise for the waightinesse of many matters either naturally arising or incidently taken and accordingly discoursed Wherein to declare in what sort I haue gone in out before that people their worshipful neighbors repairing to them and ioyning with them in this seruice for these many years together albeit I haue much abridged and somewhere enlarged and altered yet for the most part these READINGS may be called but the REMEMBRANCES of things that haue passed amongst thē and nowe are briefely set downe in this short impression And herein plainly to confes what I think of this bookish humor of writing bookes truely in them that can write why shoulde they as it is in the Poet Periturae parcere chartae They haue a gift a talent that way why should they hide it For others who may be better occupied there is no reason they abuse the Reader pester the world with vnprofitable vanities For my selfe the last of many and for the rest of greatest ability al our books are but entrāces to the book of books vnto the sacred Bible book of God which were it indeed deeply imprinted in the harts of al mē I could easily haue spared this simple labor and could and would haue wished euen LVTHERS wish vppon the same verie condition that he did That al bookes els were in a faire light fiar But men beeing men God so ordering it require neede humane helps and Master LVTHERS booke vpon this very Epistle is a profitable writing and full of comfort Euerie man cannot readily vse the Scripture strait-way euery man cannot at the first blush tell which Scripture is fittest for confirmation of this or that article in faith which fairest for exhortation in manners which fullest for refutation of errors therefore by preaching by penning by conference and by imprinting God hath prouided sufficient aids as the times haue required that men may looke and looke againe vpon things examine the spirits compare matters and causes ruminate and chue the kud meditate the state of their saluation and go the waies there-unto with a cleane and a clouen foot that is as ISICHIVS saith with a wise a discreet a distinguishing vnderstāding To these ends I haue performed this present account of my dealing in your Lord-ships Diocesse humbly crauing may it please your Lord-ship so to accept thereof it may be a slender monument and meane-pledge of greater dutie to your Lord-ship and of my good will and FAREWELL to ABINGTON likewise to the Gentlemen Iustices neere adioining The Lorde preserue your honor to his holy will blessed pleasure From the New Colledge in OXFORD 1587. IANVAR 30. Your L. to commaund in Christ IOHN PRIME THE EPISTLE OF THE APOSTLE PAVL TO THE GALATHIANS The Argument PAVL had preached the gospel some 14. yeares together generally among the Gentiles namely to the Galathians But by reason of the largenes of his commission hee was not to dwell in any one place therefore departed from Galatia and betooke himselfe into other partes of the world This oportunitie of the Apostles necessary departure and absence by the busie instrumentes of Satan who neuer sleepeth was soon espied as soone taken Incontinentlie they conueied in themselues being crept in with all endeuor they labor to bewitch inueigle the Galathians minds the more effectuallie to discredit the synceritie of the Gospel faire pretenses of Moses name of the Laws prerogatiue were made euer a thorough special disgrace of Pauls person was most shotte at Wherevpon ensueth 1. a direct defence of his vocation 2. a dew maintenance of the cause 3. a true reformation of a deceaued people both in matters of faith conuersation CHAP. I. 1 PAVL an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Iesus Christ God the Father which hath raised him frō the dead 2 And all the brethren which are with mee vnto the Churches of Galatia 3 Grace be with you peace from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ 4 Which gaue himselfe for our sinnes that hee might deliuer vs from this present euill world according to the will of God euen our Father 5 To whom bee glorie for euer and euer Amen Calling either by name or vnto office PAVL an Apostle Hee describeth himselfe by his calling And as the worde calling doth signifie either the name that a man is known called by or the state he is preferred called vnto so S. Paul expresseth both 1. his name Paul 2. the state of his office withal to be an Apostle Calling by name 1 Touching his name it is too light a labor much to sticke at names when wee haue caught such smal fish we but cast thē into the sea againe And it hath euer beene thought a vaine curiosity so * Iudg. 13.18 carefully to make enquiry for the messengers name and titles when the message is most certaine Wherefore for this matter that rule is best may suffice that where the writers of holy writ and Scriptures are knowen that there God vseth such so specified by name as certaine instrumentes to declare his will voutsafeing to shewe the children of men with what quill and penne himselfe would write Againe when the writer of Scripture is lesse knowne know wee that wee are to esteeme no lesse of those diuine Scriptures than of the rest euen so farre foorth as if they came immediately from himselfe without our knoweledge of any certaine humane meanes in the penning 2 After his name followeth the calling of his office Calling vnto office or state Paul an Apostle Calling to any funetion is either in earthly thinges or in heauenly matters And in heauenly things calling is either generall to be * Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1 2. Saintes sanctified and washed in the blood of the Lambe or els * Rom. 11. 1 Cor. 1.1 speciall to be a teacher and a minister in the Church of God house of Saintes And
these vnwise Galathians that would gadde and runne after euery false Apostle that would but holde vp his finger The reproofe of the seducers 2 These are reproued as they well deserued for corrupt minded men purposely set egerly bent and fully * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intending to tourmoile the Church and peruert the Gospell of Christ To sower his dowe and to soder his goulde to trouble his trueth and the cleare water of their Christian profession they were entred into by Pauls teaching and their Baptisme Therefore Paul is earnest because the mysterie of the false Apostles endeuours had not altogether peruerted them yet hee forewarneth what in part they had doone and what in fine their sleights would effect euen in precise terms a full diuorst betwixt Christ and them And therefore he foretelleth the imminent daunger to the seduced and bouldly denounceth a Vae and woe to the seducers And whereas not only the name of Moses but of Peter Iames and Iohn also were pretended and therein for that it might bee thought a priuate matter of enuy to name any of these wisely and figuratiuely 1. Cor. 4.6 as vnder the persons of Apollo and of himselfe vpon like cause he dealeth with the Corinthians so here hee putteth a case and maketh a supposall and thereupon auerreth that if not man who euer but if a very celestiall spirit and an Angel from heauen should play the pranckes these men had doone in melling together things of intempered natures namely the Gospell with the Lawe they should defie him and in defiance say Christs curse come to him The Gospel The preaching of the Gospel was so carefully regarded of Paul so certainely receiued of the Galathians so glorious in it selfe so respected of God that neither the Lawe of Moses nor the names of men nor the Doctrine of Angels were to be compared much lesse preferred Yet lest in caring neither for high nor lowe the Apostle might be deemed to haue ouer-shotte himselfe in choler of minde and heate of wordes distinctly and aduisedly he repeateth them once again and farther manifestly to shew that hee doth what hee doth and speaketh what hee speaketh vpon due considerations and firme grounds he laieth open his hart and meaning more at large 10 Doe I nowe perswade men or God Either doe I seeke to please men For if I yet pleased men I should not bee the seruant of Christ The sense is not obscure What doe I saith Paul perswade I man or God Doe I curry fauour with the world Or pretend I mens names in Gods matters Seeke I to please mens fansies Or feare I their faces Serue I two so contrary masters I cannot I doe not You may ghesse who iugled in this case with both For the Apostle seemeth to point at or rather to paint out some In this speech I marke two thinges The hard lot of the preacher but yet his necessarie duetie manie times to displease 1. The great frowardenesse of man 2. The strict or hard condicion of the man of god to serue him alone and in seruing him to displease man Mans wisedome must not be controled or his will thwarted corruption will not be salted but we are the salt of the earth and the seruantes of God Saint Paul could not glauer we must not flatter If we doe as he did we doe as we should If otherwise wee serue not God but men and men and not God must pay vs our wages But were wee the suger of the earth and seruantes of men to feede their fancies and to speak to their humors how would men admire vs and our doctrine flocke to our sermons and frequent our lectures But because we are * Mat. 5.13 salt and salt is sharp because our endeuour is to profit you and to please God whom wee serue and not your itching eares our persons are the lesse esteemed and our teachings refused But to the text Now when Saint Paul had shewed his encent and vttered his meaning and declared how he stood vpon his necessarie duetie due to Christ and in Christ alone hee putteth it downe plainly whence he receiued this doctrine and how and wherevpon grew this his so weighty a charge 11 Now I certifie you brethren that the Gospel which was preached of me was not after man 12 For neither receaued I it of man neither was I taught it but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Saint Paul goeth not to woork at auentures hee standetâ—â—ot vpon vncertainties hee neither bought not stole the letters of his orders hee was not as * Iere. 28.15 Hannany that ran before hee was sent neither was his doctrine as * Num. 3.4 strange fier For he taught them that which himselfe was taught euen by Christ In somuch that if others were immediatly called to the Apostle ship so was Paul and that by no means of men as wel as any But hereof before 13 For ye haue hard of my conuersation in time past in the Iewish Religion how that I persecuted the Church of God extremelie and wasted it 14 And profited in the Iewish Religion aboue many of my companions of mine owne nation and was much more zealous of the traditions of my fathers Paul enlargeth the former matter of the vnlikelihood of his learning any thing by man most euidentlie by the tenour and race of his former life His whole conuersation continual practise his earnest zeale was quite a contrarie way and might he haue had his own foorth when he caried other manner of letters to Damascus Acts. 9.3 than are these he now writeth to Galatia hee would haue made a quick dispatch of Christian profession Yet no doubt many an olde heade might did get before Paul in deuising harme but Paul hied him after not * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an equal of his in yeares but was his inferior yea far behind him in his zeale So fast he profited in the Iewish religion that it was impossible for a maÌ„ to hold him back or hinder his course But wheÌ„ he was thus in al hast posting to Damascus God turneth him another waie sendeth him into Arabia then brought him back another man 15 But when it pleased God which had separated mee from my Mothers wombe and called me by his grace 16 To reueile his Sonne in me that I should preach him among the Gentiles immediatlie I communicated not with flesh and blood 17 Neither came I againe to Ierusalem to them which were Apostles before me but I went into Arabia and turned againe into Damascus When you looke vpon Paul in part describing himselfe or when you read his fury laid foorth in the Acts by Luke Acts. 9. 22. no maruel if you maruel how he should be thus chaunged But looke also and see the meanes of his chaunge for hee sheweth in these verses wherein because the Text is plaine some fewe obseruations wil be best as 1. Of the cause of
Pauls conuersion what it was 2. The end why 3. And his obedience thereto The cause of mans conuersion is not found at al in man 1 In the search of the cause of mans conuersion a proud Papist would seeke after some puritie in nature some preparation in man and for some fauorable willingnes thereunto in himselfe but looke wee vpon Paul being left to himselfe and see this one man and know al men what we are Nature worketh alike in al whereuer it worketh For if there be any oddes the difference is not in men naturally wherein we agree but aboue and beside our nature where lieth the ods Paul rideth a maine his commission is in his bozom and care at his hart for the ouerthrow of Christians and Christian profession when it pleased God here is the cause when it pleased God euen then to alter him wholely and cal him effectually here is the cause and in nothing else Nay from the wombe was Paul segregated by the prouidence and wil of God and here is the sole and onely cause both in the wombe where there neither was nor could bee cause at al and afterward in the world when there was great cause to the contrarie but that so great was Gods goodnes so good his pleasure The fruite of this example and of the lesson therein is double both for an assured confirmation of our faith and also to imprint a necessary remembrance of our duetie to so prouident and louing a God that not onely careth for * Gen. 39.20 Ioseph in the pit and prison or * Exod. 2.6 Moses in the flags c. but hath a special purpose in his chosen before he framed and when he fashioned them in the womb 2 The ende why God called Paul is apparent to reueale his sonne in Paul which was his special and priuate and endlesse comfort But the vse God would put him to was the commoditie and instruction of the Gentiles Neither could the Apostle haue reuealed that vnto others if it had beene hid from himselfe And therefore as it were to tinde the candle that should light a house was Christ reuealed to Paul that Paul might in preaching reueale Christ to them that should beleeue God vseth ordinarilie external and ordinarie meanes And thus it pleaseth God as without meanes to cal Paul at the first so afterward by meanes of Paul to win others Pharao himselfe could haue deliuered out of his Kingly prouision corne to his subiects but he sent them to Ioseph and said to his people * Gen. 41.55 Go to Ioseph Our Sauiour when by miracle he multiplied the fiue Loaues and the two Fishes Hee gaue to his Disciples and his Disciples I say his * Iohn 6.11 Disciples gaue to them that were set down Likewise in spiritual foode and releefe externally and in publique order by the ministerie of men and by the meane of preaching both then it pleased God to recal the Iews and cal the Gentiles and now * Eph. 4.13 stil hee vouchsaueth vs that his accustomed goodnes by men to deale with men and to anner this outward mean of preaching to the inward woorking of his holie spirit Ready and resolute obedience where God warranteth without al respects 3 For my third note Paul being thus freely called and fully illuminated not to shine onely to himselfe or to some fewe but purposely for the instruction of many and namely of the Gentiles for so general was his commission obedientlie immediatly and strait way as it were an arrowe out of a bowe or a boole downe a hil or a lightening out of the Heauens he hasteth about his busines and incontinently without farther debate or delaie iournieth but whither To Ierusalem To the holie Citie To his ancesters To them that were Apostles before him Nothing lesse He neither regarded the place nor respected their persons but the mightie and merciful God that called him and sent him sufficiently warranted and he went accordingly about his calling 1 Sam. 3.8 Young and yet ignorant Samuel when God called him could not tel what the calling went and went to Ely when he should haue harkened vnto God But Paul knoweth what hee doth he consulteth not with any at al neither with the Apostles that might seeme to aduise him better or authorize him farther neither with flesh and bloode kif or kin one man or other that could affection him best or affect him most but as it is storied of the * 1 Sam. 6.12 newe milch-kine that caried home the Ark whē their calues were shut vp that they went straight turned neither to the right hand nor to the left so Paul shutting resigning vp al his thoughts directly and foorth right respecting no one consideration at all what euer vnder heauen resolueth himselfe most readily vpon the obsequent and due performance of his Apostolicke office And great reason for he had warrant alsufficient and ability most conuenient The expresse warrant of God needeth not the allowance of men few or many And why should men then depend vpon farther councels and consultations of men either prouincial or els general when they are expressely commaunded enabled from God himselfe either immediatly speaking or in his Scriptures directing 18 Then after three yeares I came againe to Ierusalem to see Peter and abode with him fifteene daies 19 And none other of the Apostles sawe I saue Iames the Lords brother 20 Nowe the thinges which I write vnto you behold before God I lie not 21 After that I went into the coasts of Syria and Cilicia for I was vnknowen by face vnto the Churches of Iudea which were in Christ 22 But they had heard only he which persecuted vs in time past now preacheth the faith which before he destroyed 23 And they glorified God for me Paul went to Ierusalem when you see three yeares passing betweene his calling and his going thither and why to see Peter and al the midle while he wanted neither abilitie nor authority in the trade of his function In the remnant of this Chapter would be obserued two matters 1. First a doubt which must be resolued 2. And then a duetie that ought to be learned 1 The doubt is why Paul shoulde goe to see Peter * Stapleton de do prin l. 6. c. 13. For our aduersaries reason herehence in effect thus Paul went to see Peter ergo Peter was better than Paul and if Peter were better than Paul then Peters successors are also better than Pauls and the * The Popes supremacie deriued from Peter Pope succeedeth Peter therfore the Pope is better than any els head of al. I will not dispute the question whether the Pope if but locally and in place onely and why more at Rome he than others at Antioch succeedeth Peter whether so or no I dispute not nowe Suppose he there succeedeth what then Personal priuileges are nothing to him who hath nothing but a local
better than the naturall branches but that their church may be cut off if they grow wild if they could not grow wild which is if they could not er what neede Paul warne them or they care for his warning If it bee replied that there may bee error in some members but not in the head which is the Pope this will not serue Rom. 1.7 for the Apostle writeth to all at Rome without exception and where the text giueth no cause of distinguishing why should the gloze distinguish at all And the errors which Rome is willed to take heede of are worse than some once defining of an error for they may finally cut her off And in the meane time let no man fear that God wil lacke a Church though Rome become apostata that he wil want wine if she become vineger that hee will not haue a Ierusalem though Rome bee made a den of Theeues a nest of vncleane birds worse than Babylon it selfe And how holdeth that argument the Church shal not bee diuorsed ergo not Rome It will not follow For Rome is not the whole Church But she perhaps is the firt place and the Hierusalem of the Church Brist replie to D. Fulke Cap. 8. Par. 2. as Maister Bristow beareth D. Fulke in hand and for proofe thereof hee referreth him to the Actes of the Apostles if hee haue anie insight therein Yes his insight in the whole libraries of God and of men is well knowen at home and abroade and that to your shame and griefe And therefore yee neede not like Babish and * 2 King 2 23. Bethlemite skorning and mocking Boyes to fellowe Fulke him and flout him as you doe but rather stand in aw of him D. Fulkes books vnanswered whom ye dare not certainly haue not aunswered to his aunswers to most of your books Wel may you mock moe at him whose hast pen of a ready writer yet euer with great iudgement you can not imitate But now at and without your request Master Bristow D. Fulke hath intentiuely reuiewed often euery leafe and line in the Acts of the Apostles findeth you a lying reporter And how could it be otherwise For neither is Rome there termed the Churches Ierusalem neither doth the church nowe require a locall Ierusalem in earth at all Galath 4. Whereof more hereafter vpon fitter occasion The olde starting-hole from Christs praying for Peter was personall and vpon imminent future danger to Peter and nothing els Wherefore euen as hee that gathered Manna more than would suffice him it * Exod. 16.20 putrified and did him no pleasure so he that wil gather too much of a text it can serue him to small purpose And generally our Sauiour prayed for the rest of the Apostles by the like reason why should not their successors claime the like immunity of not erring Nay our Sauiour prayed for euery beleeuer Iohn 17.20 and then by the same reason euery priuate faithfull man is in as good case as is the Pope As for the Popes DEFINITIONS in faith I shewed before and say againe but that he taketh vpon him to define and because that now is made the question that his Definitions are nothing and nothing worth We haue but one Defining-Master and * Iam. 4.12 Law-giuer which can teach and controll the hart Yea euery sere Christian is to try other mens spirits to try * 1 Thes 5.21 all and therefore also to trie and examine the Popes pretended Definitions And what need they be tried if they could not erre If I were sure this golde were pure and perfect and nothing but golde what need the touchstone But because the iudgements of men are vncertain the spiritual man and child of God iudgeth all thinges because hee can and trieth them because he must therein is iudged of * 1 Cor. 2.15 none nor preiudiced of any and therefore not ouer-borne by the Pope and therefore also not necessarilie subiect to his papall decisions Which warrant of Pauls cleane cam against the haire the Pope applieth and appropriateth to himselfe and his Popely iudgement making it a new necessary article of saluation to be subiect to him because he if we beleeue him is only that spirituall man Extrâ—… de maio obdient that iudgeth al and is iudged of none specially being once in his consistory in his court and in Councell house at Rome though yet in trueth S. Paul wrate not that sentence to the Romanes but to the Saints of Achaia Church of Corynth Whereupon it may bee notwithstanding a litle suspected least hee may misse the quishien in his definitions that thus mistaketh Scripture to proue his authority and pierelesse Soueraignty in his defining I know what wil be and what hath beene answered lately in this behalfe that the Pope may by your leaue euen in his consistories and in his decrees faile in the allegation of Scriptures but neuer in his purpose be alleageth them for For no fig leafe is broad enough to couer the greatnesse or grossenes of his intolerable allegations and yet albeit they faile in their proofes concluding and in the * Stapl. de doctr prin li. 4. ca. 15. meanes of prouing yet for the matter they would conclude their conclusion is cock-sure A very strange case Can a man erre in the meanes to the end and not erre in the end it selfe Can a man fail in his foundation and wil not his building totter Erre in his proofes and obtaine his purpose If the Pope can doe al this I know not what he cannot do No doubt he can set-forth at midnight and not wander in darkenesse Nay hee can wander in darkenes and gad and magge quite out of his way and strait with a trice when the matter commeth to bee shut vp with a definitiue sentence to a decretall or a rescript iudicial the man is at home notwithstanding all his former vagaries in the night before Is not this good stuffe If I mistake not whether you rescribe or subscribe there is small difference a Popelike rescript or subscript is alike auaileable and autentique Liberius But Pope Lyberius subscribed to Arrianisme the greatest heresie that euer was and hee subscribed as Pope for otherwise Constantius would no more haue regarded his priuate subscription than a drop of water among a Sea of subscriptions Now how distinguish you what help nowe Euen thus As when we shew that Pope Honorius was a monothelite that is to say one that denied the two willes of both natures in our Sauiour you answere he was so in hart but outwardly in his * Hard. detect pag. 254. decisions he was not so so contrariwise you tell vs that Liberius ratified Arrianisme by his * Idem pa. 250. Subscription and hand-writing but this was not from his heart but outwardly for feare Say you for feare What then But I pray you in the meane time were not these
of the Kings Daughter is from aboue and it doth not but shall appeare to euery one who be who Visibility is not of the Nature but of the duety of the Church Wherefore visiblenes to be seene is not necessarily of the nature of Gods chosen Notwithstanding men being chosen of God and coapted into the number of his Saints of duety must not conceal what they are but publikly openly and in a visible order euery man according to the proportion of his calling is to keepe and retaine a seene and a sightly exercise of his profession And yet times in places may go so hard that a man might seeke and not finde an euident face of true professors in publique maner The complaint of Elias discussed and vrged as in the daies of Elias when he complained that he was left alone for ought he knewe Wherein I note that Elias knew not of any moe if you wil of no moe Prophets for what if wee graunt to that our aduersaries sorry cauillation that Elias was left a Prophet alone What As he knew no moe prophets beside himselfe so he was hid from the sight of others and no man knew what was become of this Prophet Then was the Church left without a Prophet to see too and where was then the forme of a Church visible keeping hir outward orders in apparent aspectable shew Master * Stapl. de doct Prin. l. 2. c. 13. Stapleton and the rest shift in this case but shifts will not serue They except that if it might be thus in the kingdome of Israel yet the Church was visible enough in the tribe of Iudah This is but a poore shift For Israel was not so bad sometimes as Iudah and Iudah no better than Israel And euen in the dayes of Aza much about these times 2. Chron. 15.2 when Aza came to the crowne of Iudah Azariah telleth the King that if God be sought after he will be found but if he be forsaken he wil forsake euen Iudah too And when Elias fled out of Israel hee fled not to Iudah as knowing whither to goe and where to ioyne himselfe in the society of a visible Church but passing by the confines of Iudah he left his man in * 2 King 19.3 Beersheba and himselfe fledde into the wildernes and there complaineth that he was left alone And least this complaint may seeme only to be the affection of a watery eye and of a troubled mind that could not discerne that which might be discerned and so not to bee stoode vppon by vs that so much alleadge it in this cause obserue that God in aunswere to Elias told him that he had reserued 7000 to himselfe and our aduersaries to shew that Elias complaint was imperfect and vntrue they vrge this aunswere of the 7000 reserued but can they marke withall that God saith he had reserued them to himselfe not in the sight or to the view of Elias For Elias lied not but God kept them to the secret knowledge of himselfe And can they yet farther mark for an vnāswerable answere to their oft * Sander visib monarch Pag. 207. replyed and * P. 295. multiplied triumphing cauillation that when we no doubt vnduely force this ensamble for the inuisiblenesse of the Church yet euer this they say was but matter that touched Israel and the ten tribes but Iudah and the whole Church it did not concerne I say can they mark that the * Rom. 11.4 holy Apostle Saint Paul vseth this very ensample to the very same purpose that we doe For the Iewes seeking their owne righteousnes missed of Gods righteousnes and though they hard the Gospell yet they gainesaid it and were a disobedient people and therefore God refused them who at first refused him Whereupon the Apostle questioneth in effect thus as I take it Did God reiect his people And were they reiected And were the people that once were his people now no more his people His people and his Church in sense and signification is al one If God had no people he had no Church But he had reiected and cast off that his people where was then his Church The Apostle aunswereth himselfe one way for the future time by receauing in of the Gentiles and another way for the present time that albeit the Iewes were cast off yet God had a Church What a visible Church No but he had a remnant and that remnant where euer it was was his Church and that Church was secret seen and discerned only of God and this Church and remnant was exemplified saith Paul by those secret 7000 reserued by God inuisibly as in the daies of Elias so was the state of the Church thus inuisible and so shewed and expounded to be by the Apostle and by this very example of Elias time What say ye Is it not so Questionles our aduersaries see as much as we tel them but euery mā must fetch his light at their candle Romes visibility is but a sightly mart of Religion and therefore their light must needs be a blazing star and their Church not only a visible Church but a visible Monarchy withall And they seeing that God is lesse bound to them than to Iudah and Hierusalem and that if Ierusalem might be ecclipsed much more might Rome and therefore they say that the Church in Israel was inuisible but not in Iudah But why is God more linkt to Rome than to Israel Wel Israel by their own confession might and did loose her beuty and Paul alleadgeth that for the secresie of the whole church reserued to the sight of God and not vnto the eies of Elias And al the Scripture is plaine that Iudah did sometime iustifie her Sister Israell in sinning more excessiuely than did shee and that God was not bound to keepe either the one or the other in his visible seruice whether he would or no. Of al the places where God hath been chiefely worshipped principally in Scripture are named three Bethel Silo Sion A word of euerie of these Bethel Bethel is by interpretation the house of God and Bethel was the gate of heauen and in Bethel was the ladder whereby the very Angels ascended and descended from God vp and downe notwithstanding euen in Bethel Ieroboam set vppe the goolden calfe The matter was goolde the charge great the entent faire but the calfe was an idol the intent was irregular beside and against Gods word Hos 10.8 and so Beth-el became to bee Beth-auen and of the house of god was made the house of iniquity and the ladder of discention into hell it selfe Silo. Concerning Silo Iosue placed the arcke there where it remained 300. yeares but sundry enormities arising and when Hely once suffered his youthfull sonnes to rome at riot to the great reproch and shame of Gods sacrifices what ensued His sonnes were slaine the Arcke was taken Hely brake his necke the place was a desolate place For the Lorde
forsooke his habitation in Silo where he dwelt among men Psal 78. hee refused the tents of Ioseph and his seate in Silo. Sion Touching mount Sion and Iuda God indeede more singularly chose him a seate there because he had a fauor thereunto he loued it and therefore he chose it Dauid prouided brasse iron stone wood and timber Dauid defraid siluer and much gold toward the fabrick of a place for God but Dauid a man much according to Gods owne hart yet Dauid was not the man that shold make out and perfect that frame But Solomon by name the Prince of peace and the man of rest expresly in the worde of God vnto Dauid was the wise man that was appointed to this woorke And when the temple was built the Lord most gloriously appeareth to Solomon with his presence sanctified the holy place and spake vnto Solomon on this wise I haue heard thy Prayers I haue hallowed thy house which thou hast built to put my name in it for euer my hart mine eies shal be there continually Hierusalem Yea to say generally of the whole citty many glorious and excellent things are spoken of thee ô Ierusalem The Prophets taught in thee the ofspring of Dauid raigned ouer thee the fore-fathers of blessed memory and linage of beleeuing Abraham were thy cittizens al the godly sacrificed there and the sacrifices were commanded of God and continued from Moses time No priuilege of any value nor promise of good thinges was anie way defectiue or wanting to that place whereunto no place was comparable vnder heauen it beeing the very pledge of heauen it selfe and the onely place where the God of heauen delighted most But lo the ofspring of the first man Adam who when he was in honor was as a beast fell from his innocency and became a foole and was disobedient and therefore was turned out of paradise and the earth for his sake cursed that was made good a little before lo I say the children of Adam and Sonnes of a sinfull Parent euen the inhabitants of Ierusalem become like their first father and abusing the Lords kindner they suppose that the Lorde was in-loue with the walles of their Cittie and Temple and sitting securely vnder the sommer bower of this conceit though they committed Robberies Murders Adulteries Idolatries worse than Aegypt though their Prophets taught lies and their dery children gathered stickes and their weomen kneaded dowe to make cakes to sacrifise to the Queene of heauen yet they thought that they the spouse they could not be diuorsed hee would not plucke off that precious ring from his finger suffer the girdle of his lomes to rotte tread his own crowne vnder his feete abhor his inheritance forsake Hierusalem plow vp Sion and refuse the Temple He could not or hee would not No The Prophets forewarne the contrary Ierem. 26. and namely Ieremy that except they repent that god would turne their blessings into cursings make that blessed citty otherwise beeing the praise of the world the extremest curse and the very shame of nations The Iewes could not beleeue it but the Iews felt it in the end and feele it to this day and euersince the two shee bears Titus Vespatian ruinated their citty famished their people wasted their land and made hauock of all they are a vagabond nation in the eies of all the world This is an vndeniable verity And that which fully fell vpon them at the length fell vpon them as well for their former as their latter sinnes in forsaking their Lord in polluting his Temple in defiling the priesthood in killing the prophets in one word in diuorsing themselues from God and in breaking themselues from the stock of the naturall oliue whereinto they were engraffed so of a people became men that were not Gods people and of a church became no church muchlesse the visible Church of the liuing God and yet God still had a remnant but this silly secret remnant proueth not the visibility wee dispute of Wherefore when no shifting can possibly put off the euidence whereby we shew that the shew of the Church is not euer in sight and that the clamorous cries Ierem. 4. ô the Temple the Temple are lying words and will not serue their turne and that the true Church may be ecclipsed as in the daies of Elias expresly 1. By the prophets deposition I am left alone 2. By the answere of God I haue reserued 7000. To my selfe 3. And by the exposition of Paul that the church was brought to be a secret remainder when nothing wil help indeed though Sanders set a faire face and a big looke vpon the matter yet he master Stapleton Eisingrinius the rest that haue dealt in this argument are fain to come to this point that albeit the case might be so with Ierusalem was with her in the end yet since the propagation of the Gospell it cannot be so with Rome and Rome cannot shee cannot be remoued shee cannot not cannot in congruence of hir own dewry or likelyhood in opinion conceaued once of her but possibly she cannot be deuorsed at al. Let vs hear one of their own beasts bray out such bold sounds in his owne voice Bristow in his reply or rather in his fumbling confused hoge poge to D. Fulk hath these words Brist replie Cap. 8. Par. 2. The synagog with her Hierusalem might be and should be diuorsed But the Church of Christ with her Hierusalem which is Rome if you haue any sight in the Actes of the Apostles shoulde neuer nor neuer might nor may be diuorsed For our insight in the Actes I haue said sufficiently before Supra Pag. 70. And against the church of Christ we haue no quarrel But the Iewes might be diuorsed we take your confession and it is true Yet you oppose the church of Christ to the condicion of the Iewes We tel you though the externe face of the Iews be gone yet in Christ there is neither Iewe nor Gentil and as most notoriously the nation of the Iewes fel away and the Gentils were receaued into their roome so yet when they were receaued they were accepted not as it were another Iewry and that to the end that locally God might be serued among the Gentils with a newe erection of an other Hierusalem which should be Rome No. Rome is too * Psal 2 narrow a room for the church of God neither wil God be so locally worshipped as when he was onely known in that one corner of his owne choise I cannot tell what to say to these fellowes Rome hath no more promises than the borrow of Abington The Iewes were beguiled but the Romanistes are be witched The Iewes might seeme to haue more cause but verily shee was lesse presumptuous than are these Romish louers Ierusalem had many promises Rome hath not one no no one more she thā the least borrow village or hāblet amongst the Gentils Rome
this loue is periert hatred And this hate passeth al hate that is begun in hypocrisie and continued in the greatest villame that euer was hearde of since the beginning In cōsideration whereof tuen as Naomi in the booke of Ruth Ruth 1.19 when it was bruted that shee was returned out of Moab the citizens of Bethleem said is not this Naomi Who answered tall me not Naomi which by interpretation is beuty but cal me mara which is bitternes cal me bitternes cal me not beuty When she went into Moab constrained by the famine in Canaan shee went out ful with conuenient wealth but in her exile her substance was spent hit husband deseased her two sonnes died and shee was left a poore widdowe rather Mara than Naomi Semblably while the church or rather a part of the catholick church is in the peregrination of this miserable world as Naomi in Moab what wroonges are sustained on euery side And sometimes those that should play the husbandes part deale woorse with hir than ethers who yet deale not wel She bringeth forth as it is figured in the * Reuel 12. Reuelation with paine and the fruite of her womb yea the most part of her children become an vncomfortable generation Scant Ruth euen a few those many times most vnlikely as the daughter in Law followeth accompanieth Naomi to the euerlasting home and heauenly Canaan Doth not this story suffer this application and may not the Church euen in places claiming by the name of the Church the Church cry foorth and say ô cal me not Naomi but cal mec Mara cal me not beutie but cal me bitter call mee not a visible Monarchie a glorious multitude a beutiful hierarchie a braue prelacie and a Romane papacie a galant tabernacle placed in the clearest Sun The true beuty of the Church what no cal me as the tents of Cedar fair indeed within by spiritual comforts and graces of the holy Ghost accompanied and made vn of the soules of the iust and righteous men euen of the sonnes of Sara and the children of Ierusalem which is from aboue but this beuty is altogether inwarde but outwardly these tentes are black both which the imperfection of humane frailnes and most by the blacke reportes and bad dealings we are daylie defaced with in the world and in opinion defamed O call not this condition generally Naomi specially to the outward view but cal it bitrernes for it is bitter in deed if there were not as it were some Elizeus meale to sweeten the pot withall But hereof as occasion shall serue euen as by occasion of the two mothers thus much hath been spoken Now look we vpon their children 28 Therefore brethren wee are after the manner of Isaack children of the promise 29 But as then he that was borne after the fleshe persecuted him that was borne after the spirit euen so it is now 30 But what saith the Scripture Put out the seruant and her sonne for the sonne of the seruant shal not bee heire with the sonne of the free woman 31 Then brethren wee are not children of the seruant but of the free woman The comparison betwixt Ismael and Isaack distinctlie considered The Church as it is likened by the Apostle to Abrahams wiues so also is it to Abrahams children and so in Gods Church appeareth also as plain a difference as before viz. 1. In their birth 2. In their affections 3. In the right of their inheritance 1 Albeit Ismael and Isaak both came from the loines of Abraham yet as out of one seede the solid corn and stender chaffe arise so was in them two great oddes much according to the ground wherein the seede was sowen according to the diuersities of the wombs according to the teperature of the regiō indeed according to the blessing of God and the grace of his promise A dry slip to take roote a deade wombe to conceaue was more than strange and the only work of the almightie Whereof before 2 Their contrary affection is descried by the open persecution not obscurely offered And as it was in the letter of the story so once so is it stil For this enmity was not ended in their persons neither was this a priuate case but a type of a farther matter And in them was represented in the one the malignant Church and in the other the Church of God Whether Ismaels mocking may be properly termed persecution Here it may bee questioned whether Ismael indeed did persecute Isaake or no. In the booke of Genesis God visited Sara as you haue hard Sara in her and hir husbands old age conceaueth and beareth a sonne When the child was borne he is in conuenient time circumcised named and weaned and the father maketh a great feast which when Ismael saw hee much scorneth at his brother Isaak But was this such a matter Or doth euerie frump come within the compasse and nature of persecution In cases the virulency of an adders congue the poyson of lips and the contradiction of railers and table-talkers and bitter speakers greeueth more than the wounds of a sword But yet there was more in this story than so He seeth his father liberal the mother ioyfull the childe made of and the promise perfourmed and yet he imagineth hee can defeat al and therefore hee scorneth setteth the promise at naught and maketh a May-game of the Lords purpose and this being rightly considered and laid to hart there can be no greater persecution whatsoeuer This cutteth deepe and poisoneth as it cutteth A man were better be flead with Bartlemew or sawed asunder as Isay or broyled on a gridiarn as Lawrence than tolerate the reproches of impiety Pharoes bricke or Phalaris bul that is the extremest persecution is nothing comparable In the booke of Iudges Iudg. 16.23 Sampson suffered the entisementes of Dalila euen to the boring out of his owne eies but when the Philistines were not content therewith but would needes send for Sampson to make them merry and in him sportingly to scorne the Lordes strength you knowe what followed In the 2 of Kinges 2 King 2. it may seeme at first sight but an vnmannerly prancke of young vntaught thinges to vpbraide the Prophet Goe vp thou bald bate goe vp thou balde bate but the greeuousnes of their punishment may easily enforme vs of the waight of that transgression Wherefore the mocking of a Prophet the illuding the promise the vpbraiding of the strength of the Lord the scorneful out-brauing the saintes of God as when they say Come sing vs one of your Sion songs or There is no helpe for Dauid in Dauids God or as to our sauiour If God wil saue him or let himselfe come downe from the crosse saue himself These are the sorest persecutions and the most insufferable sufferings that can bee suffered Wherefore Ismaels open throte and vnsauery breath his scorning head and scoffing spirite was a very persecution there is no