our soules Answere So in Math. 23. himselfe sayth One is your Doctor one is your Father and that Doctor himselfe sayth is Christ and that one Father is in heauen and therefore no one in the earth teacheth Christ is to be called Father Doctor When the Doctor of schisme hath opened Christs meaning let him but put the same key vnto his owne Obiection and the spring flies so open that bad eyed Leah running by will easily discouer his follie ¶ The other Presbyter or Elder for the Greeke word Presbiter is Elder in English he is as the Ordinarie Priest vnto the Hy-priest imployed in the Word and Sacraments also And therefore in Act. 20. 17. 18 c. one and the same persons be indifferently called Elders Ouerseers or as the Greeke words sound Presbiters and Bishops For that in 1. Tim. 5. 17. it is to be read thus The Elders that gouerne well are worthy double honour specially they which wearie themselues in the word and doctrine where the comparison is not betweene Elders some Gouerning some teaching but betweene Elders labouring more or lesse which caused Zuinghus at the first starting vp of such Lay-eldership in his expounding of the former verse to oppose vnto all Eldership sauing the Teaching Nor could Gualter see any vse of such sole Gouernours where the ciuill Magistrate hath his place Before God added the Ciuill Gouernour to the Church there might happily haue been some vse of such Lay-elders yet I see no Scripture for proofe of it but God giuing once Kinges and Princes to be of the Church the weaker gouernment might giue place And indeed the peruerse holding of a Lay-eldership as a setled function of Christes it hath ministred occasion to the Anabaptistes of thrusting the Magistrate out of the Church as hauing no vse of his sword within The Deacons are called to assist the Presbiters as Euangelistes did the Apostles and as in the Temple of Salomon the Common Leuites attended the Priestes Seauen such were ordained to the Church in Ierushalem but vpon the persecution of Stephen one of the seauen the Church being scattered Philip one of the Deacons comes to Samaria and there not onely preacheth but also baptiseth Vnto whom some of the Apostles repayred conferring vpon the Christians the guiftes of the Holy Ghost After that time Philip might well become an Euangelist and so be assistant vnto the Apostles as Iohn Marke was to Barnabas and Silas to Paul but before that he was but a plaine Deacon and as a Christian Deacon he so preached and baptised euen else where then in Ierushalems Church whereto he was at first ordayned Now leauing to contend about wordes which the Apostle forbids to Timothj what difference of ministerie is there betweene Apostles Prophets Euangelistes the extraordinarie sort and these of Pastors for so the new Testament Ministers be also called and put thereto also the Deacons which in Ephe. 4. may be very well meant in the tearme Doctors seeing Bishops and Deacons be the whole Ministerie in 1. Tim. 4. where the Apostle precisely describes the callinges as also in Philip 1. 1. where the salutations from the Apostle runnes thus To the Saintes of Philippj meaning the body of the people with the Bishops and Deacons intending the whole Ministerie in them two words What difference I say is there in the matter of their ministerie Apostle is in English One that is sent Whereto to minister the word and both Sacraments and so doth the Bishop Presbiter or Pastor All the rest minister the same word and preaching must also of necessitie minister Baptisme For the Deacon doing that as before and he being the least it followes that the greater had no lesse power to doe that specially seeing not onely in the Commission Math. 28. 19. Preaching and Baptisme be conioyned but also for that the Apostle euidently maketh Preaching the greater 1. Cor. 1. 17. and necessarily it must be so seeing the Word is greater then the Seale for that by the word of Fayth some soule can be saued without the Seale as afore but none by the Seale without the Word As for the Sacrament of Communion it can onely be ministred to a Communion of people and therefore cannot be fitly administred but by him that is Superintendent to such a Communion of people And that is by the Apostle that ruleth ouer the Whole or the Pastor that ruleth ouer a Part. Yet seeing Prophets and Euangelistes were to assist the Apostle and Deacons to assist the Pastor it cannot follow otherwise but the Maisters of the worke calling for the helpe of their Ministers they might also follow in the administration of the other Sacrament though not goe before as Presidentes And as the Scriptures intend all this so God hath preserued the true footesteps of it through all ages in the Churches which none but fantasticke Nouelistes can but admit with Reuerence And the not admittance hereof what hath it bgeot in the Factions Euen so many crosse opinions and vnresolued positions touching Callinges and duetie of Called as themselues begin to stinke in the nosethrilles of their owne Disciples Which sadly also obserued will cause the Ingenuous minded hereafter not so easily to blot and blurre the lines of Antiquitie As for the Widowes mentioned in 1. Tim. 5. they are not to be counted with Church-officers Once for that neither they nor any other Woman was to speake in the Congregation Besides for that the greatnes of their yeares being threescore before they might be receiued as also their impotencie of outward meanes considered ere they might be admitted do argue that they were taken in not so much to minister as to be ministred vnto Touching whom a most auncient Father thus writes Let not the Widowes be neglectâ—â— but next to the Lord see that thou doe care for them Such a Widow was Phaebe of Cenchrea and such a one vnder the Law Anna the Prophetesse some 84. yeares Widow who continued in the Temple night and day with fastinges and prayers An Apish imitation whereof the order of Nunns is in the Church of Rome As for Philips Daughters Propetisses that was a fulfilling of the Prophecie in Ioel. 2. 28. and a thing not common to the Church in their kind Vnto old mother Zion such was Deborah in the time of the Iudges and Huldah vnder the raigne of Iosiah Such a sweete harmonie is betweene the Mother-church and her Daughter whether we respect that is Substantiall or otherwise Accidentall Are they not then well helped vp that leaue the Analogicall frame of both Testaments for digging to themselues Cesternes that will neuer hold Water They should as Ieremy aduiseth haue stood in the wayes and so haue inquired of the good and old way But leauing these wayes of sacred tradition they neuer haue been able to find out the Good and old way deliuered in the Scriptures For as Agur teacheth The eye that mocketh the Father and despiseth the
ostendit probat discipulum Tho. Aquinas in Lect. 4. super Galat. 3. see him also on Rom. 3. his tongue turned to English runnes thus No Workes either Ceremoniall or Morall are the cause why any man is iust before God For Workes are not the cause that man is iust but the execution and manifestation of his iustice because no man is iustified with God by his Worke but by the habite of Fayth infused Let the Romanist wrangle in the abuse of Distinction so long as they shall euen through their Church as they will haue it it hath through all ages passed for vndoubted trueth that vnto Iustification with God no one externall Worke whatsoeuer no not of Baptisme or Circumcision hath once been required for essentiall to the sauing-being of a Christian but Sola fides Fayth onely which is internall and the guift of God also But to become a Christian visible vnto others there is required such outward Workes as fruites whereby we may be well perswaded of the Fayth that is inward as the inward life of the tree which is vnseeable otherwise then in the fruites flowing from it The first fruite of which Fayth to vs-ward is a free Confession that the heart so beleeueth For sayth the Apostle with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation The second speciall Worke is subiection to Baptisme the seale of their iustification annexed to the word of beleefe and therefore the Apostles commission ran thus First Preach and then Baptize Nor would the Eunuch so instantly haue craued Baptisme had not Philip taught the necessitie thereof True it is that it is not necessarie to saluation simply but conditionally as it may be conueniently had But Contempt or wilfull Omission is as damnable as Esaus base thought of Canaan and king Ahaz his hypocriticall shew in seeming not to stand in need of a Signe For how can a soule haue true respect to Gods Word when it shall thinke lightly or vilely of that Seale which is suffixed to that Word A third Worke flowing from true Fayth is a Desire of being further informed in the mysterie of the Gospell which the Angels themselues desire to peire into whom notwithstanding it so much concernes not And who will not desire to know the full of their Fathers Will The fourth fruite issuing from true Fayth is to Loue God aboue all and our Neighbour as our selfe and to testifie the trueth of such loue in all duties of Pietie and Iustice as from Gods word shal be manifest Such a soule so beleeuing working is to vs-ward a true visible Christian. 2 A companie of such gathered togeather are a true Christian assemblie or as the Apostle sometimes calles them finding them in some house a Church of God Which caused Tertullian to conclude thus Vbi tres Ecclesia est licet Laicj Where be but three although Lay-men there is a Church 3 A company of such not only gathered togeather but also possessed of spiritual Ouerseers and Seruitours for the regiment of the whole by Doctrine and Discipline such a people be a true visible constituted Church For as the common sort of them be but as an Eare for hearing so their Ouerseers be as an Eye for seeing and the Seruitours as necessarie Hands to their Ouerseers As the Apostle then can say If all the Body were an Eye where were the hearing So I by like proportion If all were Eye and Eare where were the power of conuayance betweene them CHAP. vij Touching the Ministers of an established Church THE auncient Church of Israel had constituted vnto it two sortes of Ministers Priestes Leuites The Priestes againe were deuided into 2. sortes first in that one was to be Hy-priest not onely for a yeare as was the corruption at last but for the whole tearme of life and he onely might enter into the Sanctum sanctorum and in other businesses was principall In the second place were many other Priestes attending the dayly Sacrifice which after by Dauid were for better order distributed into 24. Classios Of the Leuites simplie so called for otherwise the Priestes were of Leuj they were deuided into two rankes each knowing what partes of the Tabernacle he was to wind vp and carry the one sort of them called Gershomites the other Merarites as all the Priestes were called Kohathites according to the Heads of the Families they came of But when Dauid prepared for a Standing house vnto the Lord he distributed them into other Orders for other purposes as in 1. Chro. 25. and this by no particular precept from the Lord otherwise then from the generall rule whereto Naturall reason leadeth namely That all in the Church should be done with comlynesse and order Another sort of Ministers God prouided for that Church and these were the Prophets and Prophetisses stirred vp out of what tribe soeuer These were not constituted to the Tabernacle or Temples businesses but raysed vp of God besides any ordinarie forme of calling specially for calling Priest and people into order when they erred from the commandement And as their calling for forme sake was extraordinarie so they were furnished with guifes extraordinarie both for knowledge and strange workes working The Ordinarie ministrie therfore constituted to the Church were Priestes Leuiâ—es the extraordinarie ministrie tyed not directly to any one place or people they were such Prophets tearmed of elder times Seers This for that Churches ministrie ¶ The New-testaments Church hath her ministerie proportionable to her Mother Some for calling and qualification Ordinarie some againe Extraordinarie Extraordinarie were these Apostles Prophets Euangelistâ— all whose Outward forme of calling so well as qualification was besides the generall rule Apostles and Prophets hauing their calling immediatly from God howsoeuer the Church might adde sometimes their seale vnto it as in the sending out of Paul and Barnabas The Euangelistes had their calling immediatly from the Apostles and sometimes I doubt not from the Prophets being indeed to these that called them but as godly trustie seruantes as Elisha was to Elias Geâ—èzi should haue been to Eâ—isha The ordinarie ministerie were Bishops Deacons the first being as the Eye of the Church therfore in English called Ouer-seers the other as the Churches hands for better dispatch of some dueties therefore in English called Ministers and Seruitours And into these two sortes as Maister and Man the Apostle distributes them in 1. Tim. 3. But then these Bishops called also Elders for that ordinarily they were such for their yeares they be of two sortes one of them hauing preheminence for place and voyce as the Hy-priest ouer his brethren and for that in Râ—uel 2. 3. hee is styled The Angel of the congregation and very fitly for his place may be tearmed Arch-bishop which is in plaine English but chiefe Bishop or chiefe Ouerseer Obiection Christ is the onely Arch-bishop of
Prophets and Apostles hath attayned to perfect knowledge in the former sayd two Tongues as also for that in euery Minister is some remnant of naturall dulnesse of heart as was in the Emauites for vnderstanding all that is written it so comes to passe for we but see in part and prophecie in part that many times and in many thinges we sinne all the Minister aberreth from the Canon that is from the Word which is the rule of Fayth And as one Minister so euery Minister whereby it comes to passe that no one vniuersall consent could euer be had for so much as the Translation thereof The Septuagint went farre from the Hebrew as it seemeth of purpose to collogue with the Grecian-heathen in somethings specially in computation of Ages The Greeke and Latine Christians as may appeare by the Fathers sent about multitudes of Translations to the offence of many Of late time the Popes of Rome haue set foote into the worke Sixtus the Fift he mendes and marres as he could Clemens the eight he doth more Yet when all comes to all the Councell of Trident concludes that the corrupt vulgar shall onely bide authentike in Schooles and Pulpits Notwithstanding their great Arias Montanus prouoketh to the Hebrew and Greeke alleadging Ierome Augustine for like minded saying of the Latine that it is filthily corrupted Latina sacrorum Bibliorum Interpretatio faedè corrumpitur and so he boldly testifieth in an Epistle to the Iâ—terlinear Bible printed at the charges of the K. of Spaine the very best worke that euer he atchiued with gold of the Indies If any one denie Subscription because in his iudgement it is not all one with the Originall for our Church presseth no Subscription absolute as to euery particular for she beleeueth and teacheth that the best Church that euer was is or shal be hath doth and shall erre then hearken what absurdities follow 1. Such a one so intendeth a perfection and absolute puritie in mans labours heere and so becommeth plainely an hereticall Puritanâ— 2. Then such a one condemnes or at least calleth into question the credite of Christ and his Apostles in the vse of the Septuagint who otherwise specially to the Iewes could haue followed the Hebrew straightly not any Translation Melanchton in his Preface to the Septuagint commendes it to the Church by reason the Apostle Paul quotes diuers Scriptures directly from it And vpon this ground among others Franc. Iohnson being aduised by one that talked with him thereabouts in the Clincke at London did presse the vse of our singing Psalmes neglected before of his people for Apocrypha wherevpon his Congregation publikely in their meetinges vsed them till they could haue them translated into verse by some of their Teachers Which of some of them after was attempted but with what barbarous successe I am not ignoraunt M. Tho. Settle in Norffolke can with me witnesse this so well as some resident now in London 3. Then also followeth that no Subscription at all is to be made to any thing which the wisest and godlyest can doe in that kinde seeing a plea may be had a-against all as sauouring of mans weakenesse in this life vnseperable And then the next turne will be to turne not so good as Turke but plaine Atheist 4. Then will follow that neither such an excepter against such Subscription can presse his people to receaue for trueth any his Prayers sermons or prescription of Orders seeing he also is a man and subiect to errour so well as others 5. Then will follow that neuer we can haue assuraunce of Fayth till either God speake thereof vnto vs audibly from Heauen or stirre vp some miraculous Ministers that may draw vs a new Bible in our owne Language For if they should draw it into another language then we are as farre off as we were All these be ineuitable Consequentes and fruites good inough beseeming rending Wolues clad in Sheepes skinnes vnder a pretext of synceritie labouring to bring in a farre more palpable darknesse then euer the Romanist did in his intricate Latine seruice ¶ For the Sacramentes peculiar vnto the New testament as for Imposition of handes it hath in common with the Old And let it be thought off as it shall sure I am that the base esteeme of it doth cause the Ministers to be the more basely esteemed the sayd Sacraments be two Baptisme and the Lordes Supper Baptisme commeth in place of Circumcision and both of them the Seale of that Righteousnesse which is by Fayth and therefore the second as communicable to Infants as the first and through the mercie of our Lord to old young farre more easie The Lordes Supper commeth in roome of the Pas-ouer and exhibiteth accordingly Christ Iesus crucified for feeding of our soules As the Fathers vnder the Law were made partakers of him by Fayth so are wee As herein they were led thereto by Externall signes so are we And as we read not of any one amongst them no not in the Idolatrous times that euer dreamed of eating the Promised seed corporally so it should be a Christians shame to seeke vnion with Christ in such a Caniball manner farre dissenting from the nature of Fayth Such a fleshly eating if euer it had been fitting had rather been adapted to their times wherein as Children they were informed by most palpaple rudiments we being called much rather to worship God in Spirit and spiritually And so the Old and New Testament doe as Mother and Daughter kisse each other Let Schismatikes be ashamed to put them asunder ¶ Touching the Number let the Learned take these testimonies August Ep. 108. Sacramentis numero paucissimis obseruatione facillimis significatione prestantiss societatem noui populi Christus colligauit Rupert l. 3. de Sapientia c 1. Sunt duo Sacramenta maxima Baptisma scilicet viuifica corporis sanguinis eius Mensa Beda in c. 19. Iohn ex Augustino Aperuit latus vt illic quod ammodo ostium vitae panderetur vnde sacramenta ecclesiae manaucrunt Cardinal Bess. de sac cucharis Haec duo Sacramenta in Euangelio manifeste tradita legimus The like hath Alexander ab Ales part 4. quest 8. artic 2. and he auerres it Ex fluxione sanguinis aquae And from 1. Ioh. 5. Tres perhibent c. ¶ Touching Baptisme we haue litle controuersie therefore this Naz. orat 3. in sanctum lauacrum Omni aetati Baptisma conuenit Chrysostomo coniunct in Math. 4. hom 5. Constat in nobis quinque baptismata esse vnum in verbo Secundum â—n Aqua Tertium autem in spiritu Quartum in igne Quintum in Morte Dominus postquam â—aptizatus est in verbo factus est sub lege A Iohanne autem in Aqua a Patre vero in Spiritu â—unc a spiritu ducitur in desertum vt baptizetur in igne tentationis postmodum baptizandus in Morte A certaine Româ—sh-priest in
Lords Supper Sitting or Standing Preaching Leauened or Vnleauened bread in the Communion This or that houre for Meeting Formes of Garment at the Church or abroad c. touching all which the Apostle sheweth that Decency and Order must be obserued but for the particulars he hath no particular iniunction from the Lord. But when the Church hath concluded of the particulars then it shal be a mighty sinne to oppose as for the Child to oppose to the Mothers honest aduice or the Subiect to his Princes lawfull determination and this falles out rather in respect of the thinges Vse then Nature Dauid had no particular preceptes from Moses or the Lord for such and such Musicall Instruments or such such distributiue classes of Priestes Singers c. Nor had Salomon any expresse commaund for making the two Pillers Iachin Boaz so many Caldrons vnited with the molten Sea such Knops and Flowers as beautified the Pillers c. And yet hee that should haue been an opposer to these particulars should haue sinned mightily against the King and so consequently against God for the breach of the fift Commandement is a violation to the whole Decalogue Obiection If the King or Church should inioyne the Minister to weare such Garments as a Diuell weares in a Play can it lawfully be vndergone c I answere First it hath been sayd that it is no Play that hath not a Diuell and a Foole. The Schismatique found out the Diuel and knew we the Obiectors name we could as easily finde out the Foole. Secondly what proportion is there betweene Decencie and Vndecencie Or thinke they it to be a true Church yea thinke they that in the Churches Synode or in the body of the Parliament that there is a reasonable spirit that put a case of such absurditie as no reasonable spirit though vnchristian euer yet committed Had this fellow had no more witte to hide his name then to couer his shame ten to one they of S. Dunstanes would hire him to be the Foole to S. Dunstanes Diuel in the Pageant If I haue answered a Foole according to his foolishnesse I haue but followed the precept of Salomon in Prou. 26. For a Corallarie obserue these Writers August in l. 2. de serm in monte collected by Beda on Rom. 14. Sunt quaedam facta Media quae ignoramus quo animo fiant quia bono malo fieri possunt de quib temerarium est iudicare maxime vt condemnemus And in Ep. 118. c. 2. ad Ianuar. Quod neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's iniungitur Indifferenter est habendum pro eorum inter quos viuitur societate seruandum est Mart. Bucer l. 1. de regno Christi cap. 13. Ecclesijs Christì sua est permittenda libertas quò vnaquaeque cum prefiniat modum rationem sacrarum lectionùm interprelationem scripturarum Catechisini administrationis sacramentorum praecum psalmorum item publicè peccantium reprehensionis c. Quam posset quaelibet ecclesia confidere suis populis maximè conducturam c. Exhorting afterwardes Vt quantum possiâ— in his reb obserues Conformitâ—tem And in script Angl. pag. 454. Has etsi supple ceremonias etsi seruare omittere etiam extraâ— candalum licet tamen si ex proteruia aut petulantia quis ordinem publica authoritate Constitutum contemnat turbet non leuiter peccat Caluin in 1. Cor. 11. 2. Scimus vnâ—cuique ecclesiae liberum esse politiae formaÌ„ instituere sibi aptam vtilem quia Dominus Nihil Certj prescripserit Melan. in Commun locis Cum Ministerium diuinitus ordinatum debeat esse publicum externum opus est aliquib humanis ordinationibuâ— Bezae Ep. 24. c. Res alioqui per se Mediâ— mutant quodaÌ„modo naturam cum aliquo legitimo mandato vel precipiantur vel prohibentur quia neque contra iustum preceptum omitti possunt si precipiantur neque contra interdictum fieri si prehibeantur Nam etsi conscientias propriè solus Deus ligat tamen quatenus Ecclesia Ordinis Decori adeoque aedificationis rationem habens leges aliquas de rebus Medijs rite condit eiusmodi leges pijs omnibus sunt obseruandae eatenus Conscientias ligant vt nemo sciens â—rudens rebeâ—landi animo possit absque peccato vel facere quae ita prohibentur vel omittere quae sic praecipiuntur And Vpon this ground M. Iohn Burgesse went in his answere to our King when as he sayth I doe thinke and beleeue touching the gouernment by Byshops as with vs in England or by ruling Elders as in other Churches of God that neither of them was prescribed by the Apostles of Christ neither of them is repugnaunt to the word of God but may well and profitably be vsed if more fault be not in the persons then in the callinges themselues Secondly I doe hold and am perswaded of the Crosse and Surplice that as our Church vseth them they be not vnlawfull c. And this man standing as he doth his testimonie not medling with the application is auaileable against the factions Of Fundamentall poyntes the league runneth thus Hee that is not vvith vs it against vs But of poyntes not fundamentall thus Hee that is not against vs is vvith vs. And so that Rite Fashion and Forme that is not fundamentall in Fayth is not against the Church but with it CHAP. x. Touching the Churches Keyes THE Churches Keyes is a certaine power of shutting the dore of mercie to the impenitent and of opening the dore of mercie to the soule that is penitent This power our Sauiour promiseth to S. Peter in Math. 16. 19. And is giuen to that Apostle and the whole Church in S. Iohn 20. 21. when as the Lord breatheth vpon them saying Receiue the Holy Ghost whose sinnes soeuer you remit they are remitted vnto them and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retayned Whereby appeareth that this power is stinted that is is not giuen to the Church to be exercised otherwise then she shall therein be led by the Holy Ghost The Phrase seemeth to allude vnto Eliakim and Shebnah Stewards to Iudahs king vpon whose shoulders the Key of Dauid was layd for opening and shutting the treasurie at and for the Kinges pleasure All which is expounded in Reuel 3. 7. to appertaine in the first place to Christ our Lord who is the true Eliakim which soundeth in English My God standing vp or My strong God of Resurrection The Rule of proceeding in this businesse is layde downe in Mat. 18. where for finding vp the lost Sheepe or sinner the Lord enioyneth first priuate brotherly admonishment specially in a case priuate And not so preuayling then by communicating the case to one or two moe which neither preuayling then to bring it to the Church And if the Church cannot preuaile for bringing the sinner to repentance he is thencefoorth while he so
continues impenitent to be held as an heathen person and as a Puplicane As a meere heathen man might not enter into the Temple there to communicate with Israel so neither must this impenitent soule be admitted to the Churches communion in prayer and Sacraments But as an heathen might for his coÌ„uersion heare the Prophets preach so these may pertake in a Sermon seuered from the ordinarie Communion As a Publicane likewise he is to be held that is not easily to be admitted to our fellowship for eating and drinking as the Iewish Church walked towardes the Publicane who in all probabilitie was a Iew ready for pleasuring the vncircumcised Romaines to make a diuorce from his breathren and their lawfull discipline By all which it is euident that vpon an humble confession of his fault with promise to forsake it mercy and forgiuenesse was preached vnto him But contemning finally the Churches motherly admonishment he was to haue the dore of Mercie shut against him Which latter censure the Apostle in 1. Cor. 5. calleth A giuing vp to Satan and we commonly tearme it Excommunication If the sinner should not onely not repent but proceed to a Not louing Christ Iesus which I take to be the sinne of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost consisting first of a willing desertion from the Groundes of Christian Fayth Secondly from fellowship with the Church in that Fayth there then remayneth to him the Maranatha 1. Cor. 16. 22. which is an absolute declaration of the Lord comming to quit him with vengeaunce as a soule despayred of But as this is a sinner happily extraordinary and the rule in Math. 18. is giuen for ordinarie vse so I will adde the iudgements of some Aunâ—ients for the Ordinarie Origen in Math. 16. Petra est omnis qui imitatâ—r est Christi Si autem sâ—per vnum illum Petrum arbitraris vniuersam Ecclesiam edificari a Deo quid dicas de Iacobo Iohanne filijs tonitrui vel de singulis Apostolis Apud Iohanneâ— enim dans SS Iesus discipulis suis per insufflationem sic dicit Accipite SS c. quasi omnibus talibus constitutis qualis erat et Petrus Ambrose in 1. Cor. 5. Perfides Episcopus non potést iudicare Cum fratre autem in quo vitia haec reperiuntur non solum sacramenta non edenda sed ne communem escam docet vt erubescat Cum vitatur se corrigat Theodoret. in 1 Cor. 5. Si non oportet eos communis esse cibi partâ—cipes nec mystici quidem Diuini Chrysostome in English may helpe to stay some in their precipitate zeale against their infirme Brother His speach runneth thus It behooueth not a man priuily to calumniate his Brother but as Christ commaunded to take him apart and correct him The reprehensions that are giuen publiquely doe oftentimes make men impudent And very many sinners while they perceiue that their sinne may be concealed haue their mindes easily resolued to returne into the way But if once they perceiue their credite to be lost with many not a few such doe thence-foorth fall into desperation and tumble downe into shamelesnesse So farre hee And indeed Origen calleth such preposterous dealing with a Brother the action of an Infamer not of a Corrector Aquinas vpon 1. Cor. 5. giues this Verse for a rule towardes him that is excommunicate Os orare vale communio mensa negatur For Mother Zion shee for certaine pollutions did suspend the partie a while till they were cleansed and for Leaprosie did put them out of the hoste for euer except they were cured The first signified smaller euils for which the Pastor in holy discretion is to barre them some thinges for a season The other signified deeper sinne as Contumacie for which the sinner was further to be secluded Hereupon it is that Nyssâ—nus hath this Vetus est haec Ecclâ—siae regula quae cepit a lege fuit confirmata in Gratia And so the Auncient and new Church still are at vnitie in the substaunce of their Ordinaunces If inferiour Presbyters doe not of themselues exercise this power for Casting out but haue ioyned with them the chiefest Super-intendentes this is a good way to preuent such in playing Popes ouer Gods heritage and the likelyer course also of bringing the sinner to repentaunce Maliciously foolish therefore must they bee that call such ioynt exercise of that heauie censure by the name of Antichristian Virtus vnita fortior sed quis Schismatico stolidior CHAP. xj Touching Church-leitourgie THE Greeke word Leîtourgia signifying generally any publique ministerie or seruice and so the Angels are called Leitourgizing spirits it in Ecclesiastique vse is taken for some Forme of diuine Seruice prescribed for the Churches publique vse And this forme contayneth Prayers Lections of Scripture and Psalme-singing framed vnto seuerall occasions The Auncient mother Zion ouer and besides the Priestes preaching and the Prophets prophecying had a set forme for all their Seruice as appeareth through Leuiticus a peculiar forme of blessing the people Nomb. 6. 23. â— Euen as Moses had his prescribed forme of Prayer when the sacramentall Arke remooued or rested Nomb. 10. 3â— 36. And in after times their Leitourgie was much enlarged by King Daâ—id framing thereto right many Psalmes some Psalmes of Prayer some of Dedication some of Instruction some of Remembrance some of Degrees some of Hallelujaâ— c. And all that was done in the time of their non-age To the Church of Christ there is giuen a larger Body of Scripture out of the which and sutable to which the Church is to draw her forme of Leitourgie collecting such Scriptures for common Lections as may be held most fitting such a purpose And for the sanctification of all intermixing such kinds of Prayers as also may be fitted to ordinarie and extraordinarie occasions If any one man thinke he can doe this well of him selfe I thinke it can be better done of many conuening and concluding vpon such a forme of Prayer And as for our publique Forme of Seruice reiected of some in part for that some part of it hath before been in vse among Papistes as if God or the Ghospell or good wordes were therefore to be reiected it was of the holy Martyr Martin Bucer of loue he bore vnto it after due ouersight turned into Latine for vse of all that should vnderstand Latine Against this Leitourgie two sortes of Aduersaries insurge One of them as the Brownist and the like doth condemne all set forme of Prayer saying that nothing is to be brought into the Church sauing the Canonicall Scriptures and the Liuely voyce of Gods graces Now by Liuely voyce they meane Conceiued preaching and present Conceiued prayer And herevpon it is that they hold the Lordes Prayer in Math. 6. Not to be Prayer but Doctrine of Prayer I answere it is both Prayer and Doctrine of Prayer Doctrine it is for that thereby we are Taught
Prayer specially he being a Priest vnto God and deuoted to Prayer By this little taste iudge of our Aduersaries learning and discretion though I of many be most vnfitted to propound it 4. Touching their exception at Capitall letters an exception now very vulgare the case standes thus There be in the Common-seruice Booke certaine great Letters within whose Circumference the Grauer of these Letters hath sometimes put certaine Pictures resembling Triton Hercules c. For which diuers doe charge the Booke for an vpholder of Idolatrie I answere it is nothing to the Matter because not of the Bookes matter Nor is the Matter a pinne the worse though the Manner of conuaying it be not so sutable as may be If there be a fault in the Fashion blame the Taylor not the Wearer These Spirites by like proportion may rayle vpon euery Bible as an vpholder of Corruption Why for that euery Printer wil be found to haue fayled in something as in mistaking a Letter displacing a Poynt c. Secondly if they so stumble at the Pictures of persons that haue been idolatrized why not also at the Picture of a Rose which some Mahumetistes venerate as sproung of the blood of the most lasciuious Goddesse that the Gentles ouer had namely Venus others of them for that it had as they say the originall from the sweat sweete sweat of their Prophet Mahomet a sweete sweatie Prophet vpon which superstitious conceites the Rose may not forsooth fall to the ground And why with as good reason doe they not reiect the two Capitall letters T and X the first hauing been idolatrized as the Crosse of Christ the other as the Crosse of S. Andrew Or why contend they not about the Capitall I which being the fashion of a Piller vnder which forme it is sayd of Clemens Alexandrine the Gentiles did worship God they might also entitle it a Monument of Idolatrie The Apostle forbids men to contend about Wordes and these hold it a vertue to make warre about Letters yea about the very Ornament of Letters I perceiue that they will play small play ere they sit out for wranglers Though it be not alwayes of Absolute necessitie that there be a Leitourgie yet respectiuely times may bring with them a deepe necessitie thereof And if any times then these times for if no forme be concluded of but euery one left to his owne discretion herein as the Apostles iustly were they being filled with spirit of Discretion not one Congregation wil be like another But as among the Romanistes the multiplicitie of Monckerie begot multiplicitie of Differences euery one affecting so his owne Order as therewithall grew a contempt of the other so this Church would so affect this Forme and that Church that Forme and a third a third forme c. as therewithall would arise such praysinges dispray singes likinges dislikinges as no one Parioch would be at quiet with another nor any possible vnitie among the Teachers Let it remaine then for Orthodoxall not onely that such a Leitourgie is lawfull but also for begetting and continuing vnitie that such an vniforme Leitourgie is very expedient and needfull With the Apostle to the Corinths he there handling also matters of Order in the Church I thus conclude If any man lust to be contentious we haue no such custome nor the Churches of God CHAP. xij Touching the Beginning of the Christian Chruch c. VVHen the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Sonne made of a Woman who being aged about 30. yeares the age whereat the Koâ—athite began to waite at the Altar did then publiquely fall a preaching and of gathering Disciples vnto him About three yeares a halfe after he suffered and was buried The third day after he arose and for fourtie dayes after he appeared to his Disciples specially to eleuen of them who are called Apostles Then he ascended vp into Heauen and ten dayes after the Apostles then being conuened in an house in Ierushalem he raines downe Guiftes vpon his Disciples by the which they were not onely fitted to Teach and Gouerne the Church but also furnished with all Language and power of Myracles They so furnished doe take to themselues Assistants called Euangelistes or Prophets and the Church of Ierushalem being shaken asunder they to Samaria and so to the vttermost partes of the earth as they were of Christ foretold and commaunded immediatly before his Ascension And as they were before commaunded to cry that as vpon the house-top which he had told them as in the eare so they repaire vnto the most publique and populous Cities which were Head-townes to the Countrie adiacent So they preached in Ephesus Corinth Colossus Philippi Thessalâ—nia Rome c. that so the Christian fayth might not onely beat the Diuel at first hand out of his principall fortes but also from these Head-townes the Law might goe out to their Pagies or Villagies which Pagies receiued the Gospell at second hand and so subiected themselues to the Church in their Citie And because many Pagies were long ere they came to the Fayth being much remote from the holy meanes in the Citie they came to be called Paganes in an ill sense as Infidels whereas before it was but the tearme that belonged to the inhabitants of these Pagies or Country places Heere I could note and it is worthy the noting that the Countrie Christians howsoeuer meeting in some Countrie house might be tearmed a Church as before yet they made not an established Church The Church for plenarie power of doctrine and gouernement was stablished in the Citie that City-church exercising her iurisdiction ouer Country assemblies came to be called the Metropolitane Church and the like Ecclesiastique Histories make this poynt plaine and easily from the Apostles Actes and Epistles the thing may be collected The Bishop of Brownisâ—â— must needes in this ioyne with mee seeing his Established Church at Amsterdam in Netherland exerciseth authoritie ouer some assemblies in England and elswhere which is a Bishoppricke of more length by many hundred myles then any Bishop in England hath besides that betweene him and some of his Sheepes dwelling plots there is a large Sea if not Seas by the which he is not like to ride somuch as once in a yeare through the Suburbes of his Church for keeping Visitations But what doe I following that squeaking Lapwinge As the Apostles were appoynted to take possession for Christ from one corner of the earth to another and to the Romaines he testifieth that their sound then was gone through the earth as Dauid also foretold in the 19 Psalme though in amâ—sterie so that blessed gladâ—tidinges was brought into Britaine and our predecessors then barbarous rude naked and painted with Woad were amongst others of Iaphets seede allured by the sweetnesse of the Gospell to come into Shems Tent and to worship one and the same true God the Father of Christ Iesus That some of the Apostles or
and therefore must preuaile notwithstanding their distinction some workes be Legall some Euangelicall seeing the Free fauour of God excludeth all our workes howsoeuer tearmed for iustifiyng onely Christes merit-worke for our iustification Obiection Fayth is a worke being iustified by Fayth we are so iustified by a worke Answere It is a worke in vs but not of vs for Fayth as the Holy Ghost witnesseth is the Guift of God and so our iustification to saluation the free guift of God and not of our selues onely nor also For if we will plant our thresholds by his thresholds Ezekiel will proclaime it an abhomination And because Christ doth not onely begin the worke but also perfect it the Author to the Hebrewes calles him The Author and finisher of our Fayth The premisses considered and sound in the iudgment of a Romanist were he to die the death for his Fayth against the Turke and not to maintaine a sworne opposition against vs let me put downe the following Positions 1. First these Schismatikes be most hereticall that by reason our outward forme of Discipline likes them not do affirme as some chiefe of them haue in my hearing that the Church of England neither holdeth nor teacheth the Ghospell of Christ. And yet the same people holdeth no other Ghospel then heere they receiued except they make their Lay-eldership their Ghospell or some of their outward workes to giue beeing to the Ghospell And then they fall vpon the Rocke of Poperie which they would seeme to sayle so farre from establishing not onely a Iustification with God by Fayth onely at first but after that a second iustification with God by works also Nor indeed is it better with them if themselues will vnderstand themselues Which easily cannot be done God hauing put vpon them the spirit of slumber 2. Secondly I doe faythfully belieue that in the Romish-church since the first plantation of it there hath been and still is a true Christian people holding the maine Foundation layd in Christes blood howsoeuer sometimes they build vpon it Hay Stubble and the like euen as in the thronge of the Tares the Lord had his Wheate and Children of the Kingdome And in Babel euen after the Returnes to Iudah by Zerubbabel Ezra and Nehemiah God there had his Daniel and others also with him God forbid that their malice against vs reforming the Church should beget in vs a deniall of any Grace which God continues amonst them notwithstanding their abode in lamentable Confusion Nor is this trueth of Christianitie which I beleeue to be amongst them onely an inuisible Grace according to secret election as some Scismatikes make it but in the profession visible witnesse not onely many their Writings but also many their Sermons there at home as these can witnesse that haue trauailed amongst them not to speake any thing of such as dayly do offer vp their blood amongst them in testimony against their false Ghospell 3. Thirdly I do verily belieue that a maine cause why the Apostle handleth so largely Iustification by Fayth onely in that Epistle to the Romaines was this for that he foresaw how that Church would quickly be drawing away from that Pillar for establishing a iustification of their owne in the roome thereof That they haue made a foule departure from that Fayth of the Ghospell and that we in that poynt haue recouered our standing let themselues iudge being vnpossessed of Sophistrie reading but the first eight Chapters soberly ouer or but the first foure accordingly as they be translated in their Rhemish Testament And will they be so bewitched as to giue more credeÌ„ce to the writing of any one among them then to the Apostle Paul enforming their first Christian people Let them labour to bring their opinion to the Epistle and not wrest the Epistle to their opinion holding it true Antiquitie to be one with the Apostle and that golden Epistle and not to reiect them for entertayning a Nouelty couered with colour of Antiquity He that teacheth any other Ghospell then that which S. Paul taught we are though he were an Angell from heauen to hold him accursed yea twise accursed as the same Apostle teacheth Galath 1. 8. 9. So much of the Ghospell preached to the Fathers and exhibited to vs the manner of Dispensation being diuerse but the Thing one and the same In noua Lege vetus inclusa tenetur And Vna est veterum ac nouorum patrum fides And one within 200. yeares after Christ writes thus Vnum quidem revera salutare testamentum quod a Constitutione mundj ad nos peruenit per generationes diuersas tempora etiamsi Datione existimatum fuerit esse Diuersum Consequensâ—n est esse vnam jmmutabilem Salutis dationem ab vno Deo per vnum deum quae multis modis prodest Propter quam causam tollitur Maceria quae diuidebat Graecuâ—â— a Iudaeâ— ad hoc vt esset populus peculiaris sic ambo perueniunt ad vnam fidej vnitatem ex ambobus vnae est Electio CHAP. XV. Touching Antichrist and his Oppâ—sition THAT the Greeke word Antichristes doth signifie one Opposite to Christ it is out of all question But wherein he is to be opposite in Fayth or Manners wholly or in part and if in part then in what part is a mightie Question Besides that there should be such an Aduersarie is out of all question but who that Aduersarie or whether One or Many and from whence he should arise is much in question The Fathers take the word sometimes very largely as they thinke S. Iohn doth in his 1. Epistle sometimes strictly as of one and the same person as they thinke S. Paul doth in 2. Thess. 2. vnder the tearmes Man of Sinne Sonne of Perdition Sometimes they vnderstand S. Iohn to call all these Antichristes that be Heades of Heresie vnder the name of Christ teaching thinges that be contrarie to Christ. And such be the violaters of Fayth Sometimes they vnderstand these Antichristes of such as ouerturne all good manners and order And so their Pope Honorius to that purpose writ thus Cast eye vpon the Princes and Iudges behold in them is plaeced the Beastes seat then he numbers vp their wickednesses Turne to the Cleargie and thou shalt see in them the Beastes Pauilion then he numbreth vp their worldlinesse Contemplate aâ—so the Conuentâ—â—les of Moncks and thou shalt see in them the Beastes Tabernacles then he fileth vp their Hypocrisies Behold also the habitations of the Nunnes and in them thou shalt see prepared the Beastes Bed-chamber then goe vp the Nuns abhominations Turne thy selfe to the rest of the people and thou shalt find in them the very Image of the Beast Thus the Maister in that Dialogue and that 's Honoâ—â—us doth teach his Scholler affirming further that the former Many is Babilon and at warre with Ierushalem whose inhabitants be not so Many Thus vnderstood hee of that Second Beast in Reuelatâ—â—
ocio juxta Babylonem Bethlehemetica forsuan Rura suspas Nor can he in this speach be thought to take Rome for Babylon in respect of time passed alone but that it was such for the time present else why should Fabiola sigh after Bethleems fieldes againe Andreas Archbishop of Cesarea in Cappadoce sayth the same thus Vetus Roma in Canonica B. Petri Babylonis vocabuso designatur And Ansbertus hath this S. Iohn vocat Romam Babylonem illam secundam And so minded be diuers others Some take the mysticall Babylon opposite to Ierushalem onely for such an vniuersall corporation of Christians as liue not according to the Ghospell or more plainely for the Multitude of Reprobates So doth Haymo and others And indeed I vnderstand a trueth to be in both For as S. Iohn in Reuelation 17. doth depaint out Rome â— first by the 7 Hilles according to no other Citie and secondly by this that it then raigned ouer the Kinges of the Earth which then Rome did it being the Monarchicall Citie so likewise that City-fornicatrix he sayth sitteth vpon the Waters which he expoundeth to be people multitudes and nations and tongues that is Nations not of one language but of many So that howsoeuer that Citie be the principall Seate or Sea yet true it is also that Multitudes of people abroad euen of sundry languages are of the the same body and corporation And seeing that body is called an Harlot which tearme properly is giuen to such a one as hath defiled the Mariage bed by ioyning her selfe to a Strange flesh and such a one no Christian can be that shakes not of Fayth in Christ for betrothing it selfe to some humaine inuention it necessarily followeth that all such people doe make vp that fornicating Body as seeke their iustification with God by any other meanes then by Fayth in Christ onely Nor can it intende the spirituall fornication which Heathen haue with their Idols seeing that is no Mystery or Secret but this is as S. Paul and S. Iohn call it And a Mystery must this needes be to hold Christ Iesus the Sauiour and yet vnderhand to seeke saluation by their owne worke much like to some Harlot that will fight and contende for her Husband and yet sometimes steale aside and say with her in the Prouerbes Stole Bread is sweete Such is my iudgment of this mysticall Babylon called also an Harlot ¶ For the Beginning and continuance of this Babel the cause standeth thus Satan that taught Adam to neglect the Tree of life and so consequently the Sonne of God in whom our life is hid taught him also to seeke a life God-like in his owne worke opposite to Gods appoyntment Heere was the beginning of Babel that is in English of Corfusiâ— for herewith not onely all thinges in Man but also Earth and all things in it became Confused and out of Order Cain his eldest Sonne continued this worke opposite to our great Shem by seeking happinesse in the outward worke of Sacrifice without Fayth in Christ Iesus howsoeuer he would be thought to haue Fayth in the blessed Seed promised to his Father in Paradise To Cain succeded others in the same euill going an whoring after their owne inuentions till the Flood tooke them away After the Flood Cham and Câ—naan reare vp this mysticall Babel againe whom Shems people after subdued as Noah fore-prophecied But the Duell hauing broched this Wine once he leaues not off till he made many in the Iewish Church euen the strict Pharises that ages Puritanes to seeke iustification with God by the workes of the Law Our Sauiour comming in our Nature taught the people to seeke life in himselfe and the Apostles afterwards inculcate the same Ghospell but the Diuell still raysed some vp in the Christian Church that reuiued the Pharises doctrine as specially may appeare by the Apostles Epistle to the Gaâ—athians In fine the Church of Rome deuiseth a number of workes as Oblations Pilgrimages Censinges Deuotions to Images with a thousand the like in doing whereof the doers should be iustified euen ex opere â—â—orato by vertue of the outward worke wrought And to merit at Gods hands by such sleighty workes doing it was so toothsome to flesh and blood as the Kinges of the Nations did readily receiue it and they drinking of that cup their people followed till the Harlots cup of Abhominations made them generally drunken So this opposite Ghospell begun so it encreased and so Babylon was erected ¶ Now for the fall of it S. Iohn in Reuel 17. foretelleth that the former Kinges shall in time arise against the Harlot or Malignant Church wherevpon in chap. 18. he seeth Babeis fall How this is effected he telles in the 19 chapter when he attributes it there to him that rideth on the White horse whose names or titles be these The Word of God the King of Kinges and the Lord of Lordes And S. Paul to the Thessalonians calling the former Corporation a Man of Sinne a Sonne of Perdition a wicked Man because they be all one in an opposition to Christ and his free-grace he declares that the Lord shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth that is by the power of his Ghospell For as the rising was by propounding humaine Fables and leaden Legendes the Ghospell meane time wrapped vp in an vnknowen Tongue so the fall of it wil be by preaching Christes Ghospell in euery Tongue as vnto such purpose to the Apostles were giuen all sortes of Tongues And that the walles of Babel haue been a falling in these partes of the World euer since the time of our Wickliff vntill this hower and that by no sword of man but by the two edged Sword of Gods Word experience and the worke already wrought to Gods prayse will witnesse Tut say the Romanistes the Opposers haue been till now of very late yeares very few weake and simple I answere al the liker to be of God the work wrought to proceed from the power of God for so Christ did conquer the World the Foolish confounding the Wise and the Weake ouerturning the Strong Had our Churches been Reformed by the number and might of man we should not so easily haue seene the power of the Ghospell That therefore which they call our Shame we hold our Glory Decus non dedecus And that the walles of this Babylon will quickly fall flatte on the ground whereby the very Tower of their strength may be easily surprised these Reasons perswade mee 1. First diuers of the Kinges which were as their Bulwarkes are fallen vnto our side and S. Iohn sayth that the rest will follow 2. Secondly as their Tongues at the literall Babel were slit wherevpon that worke declyned so it is well knowne to them that haue conuersed inwardly with them they grow more more deuided in the language of Diuinitie So that Ferus Granatensis Pinâ—us and many able amongst them haue much vnuayled the
as the Ramanistes were glad to gather in Councell at Constance for damming vp the passage of the Ghospell But all in vaine for that the date of their Babel was out foure-score yeares before that wicked Councell and both the blessed times the lesser and the greater mentioned by Daniel were passed and all the said 80. yeares a parcell of the 1000. yeares alotted for chayning vp Satans mysticall iniquity And it would not be forgotten that presently vpon Wicliffes death God stirred vp one Waâ—ter Brute here in England who not only held that the 1260. dayes of S. Iohn were prophetically so many yeares and that from his tyme back to the first comming of the faith into this Desart-land it was so many yeares But also that the Prophet Daniels nomber aforesaide was to beginne the account for so many yeares euen with Ierusalems destruction as aboue saide And because the words DVX CLERI in English Captaine of the Cleargie had in them according to our and the Latines accompt the number of 666. he concluded the Pope to be the Antichrist And as God stirred vp many worthy spirits at home so abroad were Marsilius Patauinus Gulielmus Ockam Iohannes de Gunduno Luitpoldus Vlricus Hangenor Dante 's Aligerius Gregorius Ariminensis Andreas de castro Burdianus Euda Taulerus Franciscus Petrarcha Iohannes de Rupe scissa Conradus Hagar Penitentiarius Asiai Michael Cesenas Petrus de Corbaria Iohannes de Poliaco Iohannes de Castilione Franciscus de Arcatara Ioan. Richetaylada Nicholas Orem Mathias Parisiensis with troopes many Euery one had his testimonie and sundry hauing giuen in that testimonie the Beast that came out of the bottomlesse Pit did put them to death Diuerse againe were miraculously preserued to the fulnesse of age notwithstanding the plainenesse of their testimony as Wicliffe Chaucer and many others The walles of Babel are so taken and the Tower is on fire howsoeuer many at it doe murmure and labour by watery Arguments to quench it But all in vaine for Babel must be razed and no more be CHAP. xvij Touching Satans Binding vp SAint Iohn in Apocalips 20. presently vpon Babels fall doth see Satan chayned of an Angell and so put vnder locke and key for a thousand yeares that so he may not deceiue the people any more That this should be for 1000. yeares next after Christ or his Apostles is against experience it selfe for in that thousand yeares the contrary hath falne out He is shut vp not from euery euill but from deceiuing the people as afore Before he aduaunced a false Ghospell in midst of the Church which brought with it 1000. other euils but Babel once falling the Angell goes to chayning and as the Essentiall euill decreaseth the linkes of the Angels Chaine encrease and Babel downe the Ghospell riseth vp And if we marke it we shall finde that Satan was fast gyued in Wicliffes time For as heere he set much trueth at libertie so his sound by writing went all ouer and many abroad by his writinges came out of darknesse into Christes marueylous light At the brightnesse whereof the Romish Cleargie fretted and to salue the matter they conuened at Constance and there as men Constant in Euill they condemne Wicliffe a long time before that dead and send order into England for taking vp his bones and burning them Vpon which Councell Iohn Hus and lerom of Prage were burnt for Wiclifians for so they nicknamed the Christians And which would not be forgotten that howsoeuer this Councell of Constance was begun vnder one Pope namely Iohn 24. it was quickly graced with two Popes more Benedict 13. and Gregorie 12. What an head had the Romish Church then Three Popes at a clap make a plaine Cerberus Such a monstrous deuided head presaged a fall and in the next Councell which was held at Basill the Pope lost his Headship being made Subiect to the body of his Councell I troe that the Angels Chaine then came ouer Satans head and sure I am that all Stories make cleare that from Wicliffes time hiterto he hath been so farre from seducing Generally as he hath generally been of the loosing hand people and kingdomes still falling away from him Nor need we to feare the restauration of his mysticall Idolatrie for the generall It was but an ordinarie Stone which Serajah tying his Scrolle too did cast into Euphrates but the Stone whereto this Babels curse is tyed is as a Milstone in S. Iohns eyes and this throwne downe into the Sea with these wordes It shal be found no more Amen CHAP. xviij Touching the loosing of Satan and Gog and Magog AS Saint Iohn seeth Satan first Apprehended secondly Chayned thirdly cast into Prison and fourthly shut vp from power of seducing vniuersally that for a thousand yeares all which no doubt befall through the Mediation of Christ the Churches Head so he foreseeth that Satan vpon the expirement of the thousand yeares is loosed for a litle season Which season how litle soeuer he taketh vp in vsing all meanes of seduction for heere is the same word Planáô vsed as before of which word commeth Planéâ—a which we tearme a Planet and in S. Iude haue turned it a Wandring Starre Whereby may be collected the instabilitie of such spirites as Satan seduceth soone caryed about hither and thither as Cain was the auncient Arch-runnagate The vniuersall seduction that forewent the 1000. yeares Iubile was close and mysticall growing vp with the Body of the Church and somuch the more dangerous But after the expirement of the sayd 1000. yeares Satan hauing but a litle time cannot hope by that kinde of cousenage quickly to ouertake the Church That litle time therefore he vseth in another kind of seducement and that is by bearing certaine without the Church in hand that they may easily conquer the Christians and subdue the whole earth vnto them The Cheifetaines of that aduerse power are stiled Gog Magog whose armie for number is as the sand of the Sea Some haue sayd that Gog and Magog signifie in English Couered and Vncouered as if the Couered one should be Antichrist of Rome that couers himselfe with Christianitie and the other an Vncouered or plaine open-foe as the Turke Gog indeed signifieth a Couering such as were the flat battlements on the tops of the Israelites houses but not Couered and Magog must either be but the very same howsoeuer M be prefixed or at most can but stand for Man-gog that is one that is Of Gog and not opposite to Gog. Passing by the wordes signification we find Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38. to intend Vncircumcised Aduersaries dwelling North from Iudea it may be sproung of Magog Iaphets second Sonne of whom it is held of many the Scithians and Tartars had their originall Gyg is famous in Historie for giuing name to Mountaines to a Lake neare Saâ—dj to men and particularly to a brother of Briareus who was called Gyges a Gyantlike person at enmity with God The Rabbines of
the Iewes do hold that the Warres of Gog and Magog shall goe before the setled Kingdome of Messiah or as Ram bam that is according to the 4. radicall letters R. M. B. M. Rabbj Moses Ben Maymony sayth in the beginning of Messiahs dayes shal be the Battailes of Gog and Magog The poore wretches speake a truth but vnderstand it not inasmuch as they beleeue not that Christes comming is twofold the first in Humility the second only in Glory With the heathenish Gog-magogs our Sauiour warred by the ministery of his Apopostles whose weapons were spirituall but the Gog-magog spoke of in the Reuelation must arise after the vnloosing of Satan And indeed vpon the downefall of that enemie and his infinite Army which can not be done but by the power of Christ Messiah is to settle a Kingdome of Glory 1. From Christes birth to Ierushalems finall ruine the world then being aged 4000. yeares were 73. yeares 2. From Ierushalems downe-fall through the times of Antichrist to the fall of his Babel be 1260. yeares 3. From the Periode to Satans being let loose be 1000. yeares The whole summe from our Lords birth till Satans loosing be 2333. yeares Then the Christians be to expect open Hostilitie But God knowes how to deliuer his in that day of tentation that shall come vpon all the earth A thousand yeares shall the Desolation be sayth the Talmud ¶ Meane time it would be remembred that the Râ—bbiâ—es ordinarily hold that God reneweth not the world Nisi septem millibus annorum transactis till 7000. yeares haue passed from the Creation And we may thinke that as for the Electes sakes he did shorten the dayes of the Romaines siege layd to Ierushalem so he will cut short the dayes of Gog-magog besieging the Tentes and Citie of Christians CHAP. xix Touching the last Iudgment TOgeather with the Fire falling from heauen vpon Gog-magogs Army euen the whole body of Heathenrie for then the Saints liuing shal be taken vp aloft and meete Christ in the Ayre 1. Thess. 4. 17. as the eight soules in the Arke were caryed vp aloft from the iudgment of Water S. Iohn noteth that the great and glorious Iudgment presently followeth Take his owne wordes for I thinke not good to paraphraze at this time vpon them 10. Vers And the Diuell that deceaued them was cast into a Lake of Fire and Brimstone where the Beast and the false Prophet shal be tormented euen day and night for euermore 11. And I saw a great white Throne and one that sate on it from whose face fled away both the Earth and Heauen and their place was no more found 12. And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the Bookes were opened and an other Booke was opened which is the Booke of life and the dead were iudged of those thinges which were written in the Bookes according to their workes 13. And the Sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and Death and Deapth deliuered vp the dead which were in them and they were iudged euery-man according to their workes 14. And Death and Deapth were cast into the Lake of Fire this is the Second death 15. And whosoeuer was not found written in the Booke of life was cast into the Lake of fire CHAP. xx Touching a certaine description of the Church in Reuel 21. and 22. FInally after the vniuersall day of Doome S. Iohn draweth an excellent Mappe of the Church but whether of the Church tryumphing after iudgement or of the Church militant heere before iudgement as it is seene by the eye of Fayth it is not a litle questionable Many haue taken it for the Church Tryumphant not onely for his description in the last place for that will not necessarily conclude seeing somewhat in the last place may be but an expositiue Commentary of that which went before but for that it is sayd of this people that All teares are wipe away from their eyes c. Which in proper sense accordeth to the Church Triumphant Some againe do take it for the Church heere Militant not onely for that the Apostle in Galat. 4. doth stile the Christian Church heere by the name of Ierushalem from aboue but also for that in this Church there be certaine Leaues of a Tree wherewith the Nations were to be healed and after this life there is no healing of any errour much lesse of the Gentile-kinges bringing their glory vnto the Triumphant Church And I haue long suspected that it is a description of that part of the Church Militant which should betide the Gentiles vpon the vniuersall addition of the Iewes or rather of all Israel For as we neuer read of the ten Tribes vnited againe with Iudah howsoeuer it be plainely foretyped twyse ouer in Ezek. 37. and there spoken of next before the Warres of Gog and Magog so S. Paul sayth that after the fulnesse of the Gentiles be come in All Israel shal be saued Rom. 11. 25. 26. And so S. Iohn seeth not onely thousandes of Iudah Benjamin and Leuj sealed in the forehead to Godward but also of other Tribes Reuel 7. following the Lambe and singing Moses his song of Deliuerance of whom it is sayd that there was no guile in their mouth and that they were without spot before the Throne of God Reuel 14. 1. c. which is the state of all to whom sinne is not imputed Herewith I haue marked that S. Iohn doth heere keepe the same methode as did Ezekiel for Ezekiel presently after the downefall of Gog-magog doth describe the New Temple and distinguish a new the Israelites portions in Canaan all one in effect with this description of S. Iohn Ezekiel ending with Iehouah Shammah and S. Iohn with this that in this new Citie The Lord is there But let it be at the first hand that it is a Description of Christes mysticall Body heere whose heartes are purified by Fayth yet at the second hand it may as a Type giue vs a resemblaunce of the Churches finall glory and that the rather for that to their glory there shal be after the destruction of all by Fire A new Heauen and a new Earth wherein shall dwell Righteousnesse as S. Peter plainely teacheth Heere I know that some vnderstand not according to sobrietie but as if they were Prophets of extraordinarie spirit they boldly determine of thinges yet secret As the light of the Righteous encreaseth till mid-day so the light of Gods Spirit shal be enlarged vpon his Church But euery age brings not with it all things and let vs be contented with our present measure Meane time the meditation of the Glory to come will effect in vs patience vnder present tentations because The Afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the Glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Heere Neighbours crosse pierce both hands feete Angels and Saints be there our Neighbours sweete Heere famine
phrase the Brownist vnderstandeth ordinarily a Society of People Really Sanctified for the whole testified in obedience to the whole of Gods will reuealed Such a Communion can they finde me one In Adams few it was not so In Noahs Eight it was not so With Rebeccaâ—s Twins it was not so With Israels Conuention it was not so With Iudahs assemblies it was not so With Christs Twelue it was not so With Corinths Church it was not so Fiue of Asiaes seauen Churches were not so And as for 〈◊〉 Philadelphia they be praised for the Generall of their obedience not for euery particular for In many things as the Holy Ghost witnesseth we sinne all That the Catholike Wheate-field or Church euen Christs possession through the World For by World there is intended the Earths Largenes as in Psa. 2. 8. that in it should be Weedes yea inseperable Weedes our Sauiour teacheth in Math. 13. from which parable may be obserued 1 That it is the Kingdome of Heauen neuer taken in the ill part as some times the word World is which is there compared 2 That the seed of the Kingdome is sowen through the World 3 That in the midst of that good seed the Tares be sowen and not without the Church as some Schismatikes would 4 That such euill is sowne when Christs seruants are a sleepe into the midst of Gods temple the aduersary so got 5 The Seruants awaking see these personall Euils keeping-vnder the personall Good And therefore the euill ones visible euen as visible as the Wheate and not onely Hypocrites as some badly haue taught 6 A purgation of all such Visible euill cannot with the Churches good be made till the Lord in the worlds end do come vnto iudgment And therefore meane time to be permitted which without rending the church cannot be seuered That for the estate of the Church Catholique That a Particular Church is no more priuiledged then the Totall or vniuersall must necessarily follow for that Sathan as an enuious man sowes his Tares Ana méson tou sitou euen through the middest of that Wheate his malice being no lesse against the partes then the whole as may appeare in Reuel 12. where not preuailing against that Woman hee goes and warres with the remnant of her seed And no maruaile it be so seeing euery particular person still sinneth whereupon still that petition is in force Forgiue vs our trespasses In which respect also it is that in Leuiticus is appoynted sacrifice both for the whole Congregation erring and for the partes of that whole as Priest Prince People So Gregories Decretall concludes Iudicium Dâ—â—veritatâ— quae non fallit nec fallituâ— sâ—â—peâ— iâ—nititur Iudicium autem Ecclesiae 〈◊〉 Opinionem sequitur quam fallere saepe contingit fallj â— propter quod contingit interdum vt qui ligatus est apud Deum apud Ecclesiam siâ— soâ—utus qui liber est apud Deum ecclesiastica sit sententia innodatus Particular Congregations are therefore called Communions of Saints or Holy-ones not because they all Really and indeed be such but for that they be called to be such as also haue vndergone the outward Signes and Meanes of sanctitie or holines Heereupon Israel became an Holy-nation though not al of them indeed holy So Israel after the Schisme from Iudah is called Gods sonne and Gods people and yet the most of them turners aside to grosse Idolatry which of all sinnes diuorceth froÌ„ God So the Corinths are Saints by calling yet amongst theÌ„ grieuous kinds of sinners both against Faith and good Manners This I speake not as the Schismatique raileth for iustifiing faults but for iustifying the Churches true-being notwithstanding such faults Let the Schismatique looke into himselfe let him search into the meanders and turninges of his heart and then let me see if he can say vnto God My heart is cleane there is no spot in mee If he be of the minde whereof one in Lyn-regis was that Dauid did lie of himselfe when he sayd to the Lord I was borne in iniquitie c. then I will say to sir Schismatique as I sayd to him I am too lowe to talk with one that is so hie Or as Constantine the great vnto the Nouatian Bishop Acesius Prouide thee a Ladde◠ô pure Puritane and thy selfe aione climbe vp into heauen CHAP. v. Touching the Churches Visibilitie in the earth OVR Sauiour saying that vpon that Rocke which Peter then preached and that was Christ himselfe hee would builde his Church against which Hel-gates should not preuaile cannot be vnderstood that hee speakes of this or that particular Church but of the Catholique body whereto himselfe is the Head For the Church of Rome it was chased away from that seat many yeares togeather by the Gothes and Vandales witnesse the Stories which cannot be gainesayd And no maruaile for from that place not onely proceeded the power whereby Christ was crucified but also whereby the great persecutions flowed for the extirpation of Christianitie Vpon which foresight no doubt S. Iohn hath left that Citie vnder the deepest curse in his Booke of Reuelation For the 7. Churches of Asia-minor which S. Iohn saw to be as Starres in Christes right hand a priuiledge neuer giuen to Rome they quickly vanished Which among other reasons doubtles was for keeping vs from tying faith to any particular place or person And if God spared not his owne peculiar people the Iewes but rooted them out for their sinnes sake what reason is there that he should spare any wilde branches inserted in the place of that naturall Oliue That promise therefore in Math. 16. must euen by euidence of Consequent be vnderstood of the Catholique Church which howsoeuer it might be beat downe in some part yet should continue in some other Euen as the Moone whereto she is compared might to some part of the Earth be eclipsed when to some other part she shyned brightly This I note against the Romanist which would not only tye the Church to some one place but also conclude that the Church hath beene to this part of the world alwayes visibly glorious Besides I conclude the Euer-visibilitie of the Church though in such defectiue manner for conuincing of some who haue not knowne how to answere the Romanist otherwise then by denying all visibilitie through some misunderstanding of some Scriptures in 2. Thess. 2. as also in the Reuelation Whereas indeed a great departure was to be made from the Fayth but yet meane time it should not cease to be Gods Temple though the Aduersarie vsurped a chiefe place in it for as S. Iohn foresaw some Trees should keepe greene in the Lordes court hauing the sauing Seale of Gods Grace printed vpon them And were it not so how should sauing Grace be conueyed vnto vs without new Apostles furnished extraordinarily from heauen And how should we come by Gods Booke contayning his written will if the Lord reserued not a Remnant
the Church being onely the Piller and Ground of that trueth The veritie of all which was typed out in the Auncient Church before Christ came in the flesh Before the Flood for 1656. yeares the Church remayned in some few Families After the Flood in a few Families till the guift of the Law at Mount Horeb or Sinaj Then the Church began to be more visible and of more glorious constitution first in the Wildernesse then after in Canaan till the time of Salomons sonne Rehoboam Then ten Trybes schisme from the two leauing the two in some orderly state but betaking themselues to grieuous Idolatrie Yet during the times of such Idolatrie God did not leaue them but stirred vp many excellent Prophets among them as Elias Elisha Ionah Amos and others togeather with excellent Schooles of Prophets as at Bethel and Iericho till such time as Assur caried them away captiue In meane time the case stood farre better with the Church in Iudah till the Lord for their sinnes sake suffred Nebuchadnezar of Babel to carry them captiue to Babel There they continued 70. yeares without exercise of Sacrifice At the 70. yeares end they are permitted by the next Monarchist to repaire home for building the sacramentall Citie and Temple But some seauen seauens of yeares euen 49 yeares as Gabriel foretold Daniel it was ere that worke could be finished From that time they continued vnder the gouernment first of the Medes Persians represented by Nebuchadnetsars siluery Breast and Armes Then vnder the Brasen Monarchy of the Greekes Afterwardes vnder the Duarchie of Egipt and Syria the first South from Iudeà the second North as Daniel plainely foretold them And so they reach to Christ that Stone cut from the Mountaine who dashed that Image of Nebuchaanetsars to powder When Christ came we finde the Church as for some 600. yeares it had been quite out of order and very few of them that could brooke the Lord of life or his sauing Gospell Principall Starres for this Storie S. Luke layeth downe when as he giues vs the most glorious persons in succession of pedigree from the first Adâ—m to the second that is vnto Christ Iesus who is blâ—ssed for euer From which holy typicall Storie I conclude first an Euer visibilitie of the Church Secondly but such a visibilitie as inow was more inow lesse inow glorious inow the glory eclipsed inow in constitution inow shaken asunder Nor can it be thought strange that the Daughter I meane the Christian Church brought foorth of mother Zion should be subiect to such mutabilitie and change when as she hath not been inferiour to her Mother for sinne and therefore as capable of iudgement To flesh and blood it is indeed somewhat harsh that Christes Diademe in the earth should be at any time deiected as may appeare by Ethan in Psal. 89. but such deiection is the Churches lot before the second comming of Christ as it was before his first comming And that it should so fall out himselfe foretels in Math. 24. the mysterie whereof begun to worke in the Apopostles times as the Apostle tels the Thessalonians This poynt I conclude with that of Bullinger Omnibus temporibus retinet sibi Dominus ecclesiam etiam in medio corruptissimi mundi et in medio haeresum schismatum atque corruptionum Tempora illa speaking of mother Zion â—ypum praetulere vltimis nostris temporibus in quibus ho die viuimus CHAP. vj. Touching a visible Christian a visible Christian society and a visible Christian society established AFter the deuision of Israels ten Tribes from Iudah for Benjamin being mixt with Iudah was so couched vnder that tearme togither with some of Leuj the people of the world was distinguished Israel being dispearsed as afore into Iew and Gentile So that who was not of the Iewes were called Gentiles The difference betweene which two sortes of people stood thus ¶ The Iew was a people possessed of the Couenant made to Abraham namely That in his Seed all the kindreds of the earth should be blessed He sayth not to thy Seeds as speaking of many but and to thy Seed as of one which is CHRIST Besides of them were the Prophets and to them was the adoption and the glory and couenants and the gift of the Law and the seruice of God and the promises Of whom were the Fathers and of whom concerning the flesh Christ came who is God ouer all blessed for euer Amen So that the Iewes were as Salomons seruantes standing before him as in his chamber of presence hauing all means to make them truely blessed An easie matter therefore for them had not wilfull pieuishnesse hindred them to haue become true visible Christians For the Gentiles they were as the Apostle tels the Ephesians without Christ and were Aliants from the common wealth of Israel and were strangers from the couenants of promise and had no hope and were Atheoi without God in the world Yea they were not onely destitute of all sauing Good but possessed with all euill By the worke of Creation they were necessarily drawen to acknowledge an inuisible Power for the Creator which they called God as the world is of Mercury Trismegistos called Gods sonne and that this God was Heis d' est ' antogenes One and of hiâ—â—selfe as a most ancient Poet Orpheus teacheth in his Hymne of God together with other excellent respects of God but wheÌ„ they should come to worship him they went a whoring after their owne inuentions comming to that one God by a thousand-thousand Idoles seeking God downe in the Creature whereas by the Creature as by Iaacobs Ladder they should haue clymed vpwards to the Creator An hard matter thus it was for a Gentile to become a true Christian. But as things impossible with man are possible with God so after the Lord had taken a first-fruites of the Iewes as Apostles and others he takes this wild Oliue of the Gentiles and plants it in the stocke of the Iewes that thencefoorth they might become children of Abraham by liuing in the fayth of Abraham 1 Who then is to vs a true visible Christian Euen Hee be hee Iew or Gentile that holds the fayth of Abraham And what was the fayth of AbrahaÌ„ This he beleeued that God would raise vp a Seed euen Christ out of his seed in whom alone himselfe and others should receiue the eternall blessing for earthly blessinges he saw to be flitting and therefore looked after a better as the Apostle enformeth the Hebrewes How was this blessing to be effected That he was taught from the Analogie of Sacrifice namely that the Messiah should feele the fierie indignation of God and by his death make satisfaction for Sinne. Adam lyued by the same Fayth expecting the promised Seed of the Woman which should breake the head of the Serpent And that Fayth Habel testified in sacrificing his Lambe Sheth Enosh and the rest knew no other Fayth And Noahs