THAT THE POPE IS THAT ANTICHRIST AND An answer to the Obiections of Sectaries which condemne this Church of England Two notably learned and profitable Treatises or Sermons vpon the 19. verse of the 19. chapter of the Reuelation the first whereof was preached at Paules Crosse in Easter Terme last the other purposed also to haue bene there preached By LAWRENCE DEIOS Bachelor in Diuinitie and Minister of Gods holy word REVEL c. 19. v. 19. And I sawe the Beast and the Kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make battell against him that sate on the horse and against his armie ¶ Imprinted at London by George Bishop and Ralph Newberie An. Dom. 1590. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE AND MOST REVEREND FAther in Christ my Lorde the Archbishop of Canturbury his Grace Primate of all England and Metropolitane one of her Maiesties most honourable priuie Counsell THE impugnations which the enemie of the whole Church so strangely diuersly maketh against this Church of England are not so much to be marueiled at as of euery true Christian heart to be lamented They of the Church of Rome condemne vs for falling away so farre from them such as are sprong vp amongest our selues and are gone out from vs because wee approch so neere vnto them The first hold vs as Antichristian for shaking off the Popes gouernment whome they make Christes vicar the others for that wee retaine they say his gouernment still are in bondage to it The first say we are out of the true Church the others say no lesse and that we haue not Gods Church amongst vs. The first affirme that we haue no Ministers no sacraments no lawful seruice of God amongst vs the others that we haue no Ministers rightly called no sacraments duely administred no worship of God and that we worship a false Christ The first holde that the seruice of God in our Churches is so wicked as it is not to bee frequented the others that it is idolatrous and to be auoided The first are of opinion that the Soueraigne Christian Magistrate ought not to haue gouernment in causes Ecclesiastical otherwise then to defend the Church and to see the lawes therof executed because making of Church lawes and gouernment Ecclesiasticall is soly in the Pope and in his Clergy the others holde the like position against the Princes Ecclesiasticall supremacie for that this gouernment belongeth to Elderships and Synodes of Ministers and Elders for else Christ doth not gouerne in his Church as they teach Thus both sortes push at the peace of this Church with the hornes of the beast and albeit vpon diuerse groundes yet to one and the selfe same end which is the vtter ouerthrowe of the Church if their courses be not carefully and speedily preuented Which me thinketh may best be effected by doctrine and by discipline The first by instructing the simple seduced and by confuting mightily the froward and insolent the second by sharper corrosiues against the wilfull and obstinate sect-masters on both sides being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men condemned euen of their owne consciences This teaching and confutation in sundrie weightie pointes is in mine opinion very soundly and iudiciously though in briefe sorte as best fitting sermons here performed both against the Romanistes and Catharites The copie whereof happely falling into my handes I haue made so bolde with the Authour as to prefixe a title thereunto implying not all but the most principall matters treated of and thus to publish it for common instruction and comfort Dedicating the same to your Grace as to him to whom the Author hath dedicated himselfe in all duetiful seruice and who daily seeketh by the said two meanes mixed with mildnes and grauitie to reforme the fancie-full nay sinnefull conceipts of both the factions and to settle this Church in the vnitie of the spirite and bonde of peace Which that your L. and others in authoritie may effectually bring to passe vnder the long and blessed gouernment of our dread Soueraigne to Gods glorie the propagation of the Gospell exceedingly impeached by them and to the comfort of all godlie and peaceably affected English The Lorde of Lordes in mercie graunt for Christes sake Amen 17. Nouemb. 1590. Anno 33. D. Elizabethae Reginae The first Sermon vpon Apoc. cap. 19. verse 19. TWO things especially are sette foorth in this whole booke of the Reuelation First the persecutions and the rewardes of those that with true faith cleaue onely to Christ secondly the assaults and wicked attempts of the enemies of the trueth against the Church together with their punishments and ouerthrowe Because it is a prophesie of thinges to come therfore is the booke hard to be vnderstood for prophesies sooner are fulfilled in the worlde then the world can perceaue the true exposition and interpretation of them This verse doeth minister occasion to speake both of the wicked which do persecute and of the godly which are persecuted and it hath some thinges in it easie and some harde to bee vnderstoode Who the beast is and who be these kings and what be their armies and what is the maner of their fight we knowe and who it is that rideth on the horse and what is his armie wee may with smal searching easily finde out for time hath reueiled these things But the time wherein this last fight of the beast shall bee and the maner how he shal be ouerthrowen hath some doubt I wil speake of these things in order as they lie in the text The beast here spoken of is the Pope of Rome the Kings of the earth meant in this place are the princes that submit themselues to the obedience of him their armies are both the captaines and warlike souldiers and also the manifolde and sundry sortes of Ecclefiasticall and spirituall persons as they call them which either by force of armes or by witte and eloquence by strength or pollicie fight for him Hee that rideth on the horse is Christ his armie are they that beleeue in him onely for saluation and obey his Gospell In speaking of Antichrist and his armies and their fighting I must striue to bee the more briefe not onely because the matter of it selfe is large and such as whereof a man can finde no end if he would go about to speake all that may be said but also because I feare it would be somewhat tedious vnto you to heare me speake of that whereof you haue heard others speake very oft and largely already Of the other part that is of Christ and his armie it is comfortable and profitable for vs to heare because wee doe account our selues which doe professe the Gospell in this land to be as it were a wing or an olde trained band of that armie I thought it necessary to speake of these two pointes at this time First because Antichrist either now reneweth or continueth still his warre against vs or at least is suspected and of some reported so to doe Secondly because
of all other nations which they conquered But this beast sendeth out her Idoles and Saintes and pettie gods and commendeth them to the worshippers promising great things if they doe it Another marke followeth that she hath in her forehead a name written A mysterie This verie name in letters was written on the Popes Myter which hee did weare vpon his head and so they vsed it for a season Their Myters were branded with this marke Mysterium But they after tooke it out and now they vse not to beare that name in their foreheads But in the forehead of the whore that is of their whorish Religion it is written still but none saue Gods elect can reade it For the poyson and infection of their Religion is secrete It hath a goodly shewe it beguileth many For they keepe the names of Scripture and Christian religion but they haue turned them into another meaning yea they commend the basest and vilest ceremonie that they vse as a great mysterie Wherefore albeit the name mysterium be taken out of the Popes miter yet it remaineth still in the forehead of his religion Iohn commeth yet neerer and pointeth out the very place vnto vs for he calleth it great Babylon for as Babylon had the Monarchie and oppressed and caried captiue Gods people so likewise did both the olde and the newe Rome the first and the latter beast and so he calleth it when he speaketh of the fall thereof It is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great citie And in many other thinges was Rome like to Babylon as in the building but especially in the Monarchie and oppression of the Saintes All this the Papistes will graunt of olde Rome but not of newe Rome But if the first beast be olde Rome and the latter reuiueth the first then the first being Rome the second must needes also be Rome and therefore while he pointeth out one he pointeth out both Some Papistes haue imagined that Antichrist should make his seate at Babylon in the East or there be borne and so the name to be taken here in his proper signification But why then doeth he call it a mysterie There is in her forehead a name written a mysterie great Babylon It is Babylon in a mysterie and not in the proper signification of the name To point out Rome by the dominion which it had by the Empire and should haue by the popedome he sayeth further The waters which thou sawest where the whore sitteth are people and multitudes and nations and tongues and afterwarde more plainely The woman which thou sawest is the great citie which reigneth ouer the kings of the earth Two or three notes yet he addeth to describe the citie and gouernment and authoritie thereof One when he sayth The beast that thou hast seene was and is not And againe The beast that was and is not and yet is The Monarchie was there vnder Augustus Tiberius and some that followed most flourishing but now in Iohns time is not and yet is for vnder Domitian it did not flourish and therefore was not in comparison of that it had bene and yet was then for it had great power But after this it should ascende out of the bottomlesse pit euen out of hell by the subtiltie of the deuill after it was quite ouerthrowne by the Goths for it was reuiued and quickned in the Pope and Rome had as much authoritie by the papacie and as much riches as euer it had by the Monarchie The other note is when he saith I will shew thee the mysterie of the woman and of the beast that beareth her which hath seuen heades and ten hornes But of the ten hornes because they are set for ten kings I will speake afterward when I shall speake of the kings that ioyne with the beast in the fight against him that rideth on the horse Therefore of the seuen heades thus he saith Here is the minde that hath wisedome The seuen heades are seuen mountaines whereon the woman sitteth they are also seuen Kings First of the mountaines then of the Kings The woman sitteth vpon seuen hils and the woman is a citie Rome then on seuen hils and the latter beast reuiueth the first No matter if this Rome stande not vpon all seuen nay if it stande vpon none of them so that it stande for that Rome that stoode vpon them hath that name and dignitie and answereth to it in idolatrous religion and cruell persecution of the Saints Then was Rome well knowen to stande on seuen hils No other citie did so no other citie bearing rule ouer Kinges doeth so It was called Septicollis of the seuen chiefe hils whereon it stoode Virgil hath relation to them when hee sayeth Septem quae vna sibi muro circumdedit arces Meaning by towres the hilles on which that stoode And Propertius sayeth Septem vrbs alta nigis toto quae praesidet orbi Romulus sette it on foure hilles which were called Palatinus Capitolinus Auentinus and Exquilinus Afterward Seruius Tullus added three which were Caelius Viminalis and Quirinalis From this time was it called Septicollis although when it was further inlarged it comprehēded mo hils And the second beast with his kingdome and dominion is most fitly described by the citie for they challenge all their priuiledges by the citie Because Peter they say was Bishoppe there thence euen from the place they deriue all their authoritie There they delight to dwell although other cities are more pleasant and commodious There the Cardinals must meete when they choose the Pope there all the counsels and conspiracies are made against Gods Church Bellarmine maketh so great account of the citie that if the Pope should be driuen thence or it be destroied yet wheresoeuer he were he should still haue the honour and dignitie and title of the Pope of Rome Thus here by the seuen hils the very place is noted As in this Chapter Rome is most expresly described so of learned men in the sixteenth it is thought almost to be named They gather themselues together in a place called in Hebrewe Armageddon Foxe and others take it to be an allusion to Megiddo and Har megiddo the riuer and hill so called where Sisera with his armie was ouerthrowne which should signifie the like euent to the battels of the beast But for as much as it may be read so in some bookes was in two wordes each of two syllables arma geddon and Sigonius saith he sawe it written Geddon harma and the letter N. is not in the name of the place where Sisera was ouercome therefore it is thought that some other thing then the allusion to Megiddo must be found in the letters the signification of the word If Iohn had meant the place Megiddo he neede not haue said it is named so in Hebrewe for the name only would haue referred vs to that place although he had left out the mention of the language The signification of Geddon harma agreeeth well to the
not drinke wine nor strongdrinke that ye may put difference betweene the holie and vnholie and betweene the cleane and vncleane This helpeth not an Eldershippe but rather establisheth an Archbishop Deut. 17.8 An Eldership of laie men it can not set vp For Aaron and his sonnes were Priestes The next is out of Deuteronomie If there be anie matter of plea thou shalt come vnto the priests of the Leuites and vnto the iudge that shal be in those dayes And againe that man that will not hearken to the Priest or the Iudge that man shal die This likewise doth ouerthrowe the laie presbyterie and by proportion and like equitie establisheth the Archbishop and the prerogatiue of the Prince And last of all 2. Chro. 19 2. that in the Chronicles maye warrant an hie commission for the whole land but not a presbyterie for euerie parish Thus it sayeth Moreouer in Ierusalem did Iehoshaphat set of the Leuites and of the Priestes and of the chiefe of the families of Israel for the iudgement and cause of the Lorde and they returned to Ierusalem This was generall for the whole kingdome and will not helpe to erect a presbyterie in euerie parish The places of the newe Testament are these The first out of Matthew Matth. 18.17 If he wil not heare them tell the Church If Christ when he spake this had relation to the state of the Iewes hee might meane the generall Synedrion at Ierusalem for particular they had not If the state of the Church to come be vnderstoode then either the gouernors in what forme soeuer it shall bee or else the whole bodie of the Church may be meant but an Eldership of laie persons can not anie waye bee inferred of wordes so generall Another place is in the Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 5.4 when yee are gathered together by which wordes the whole Church is meant and not anie laie Elders For hee speaketh to them that were puffed vp and shoulde haue sorrowed and those were not Elders onely if there were anie in the Church of Corinth and it is manifest that he writeth to the whole Church And out of the Epistle to Timothie they would fetch an vnteaching Eldership when hee sayeth 1. Tim. 4.14 despise not the gift which is giuen thee by prophesie with the laying on of the hands of Eldership This presbyterie or Eldership Caluine sayeth maye be meant of the office which hee receaued to bee an Elder that is a Minister of the worde and not of anie companie by whome he receaued it And how shoulde wee thinke that the laying on of handes to make a Minister shoulde pertaine to them that are no Ministers After these particular places for their Eldership they haue some also which seeme to inferre these and all their other officers but the chiefe are two The first is to the Romanes Rom. 12.6 Seeing then that we haue giftes that are diuerse according to the grace that is giuen vnto vs whether we haue prophesie let vs prophecy according to the proportion of faith or an office let vs waite on the office or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation he that distributeth let him do it with simplicitie he that ruleth with diligēce he that sheweth mercie with cherefulnes hence they will seeme to fetch all their officers But this none of the ancient fathers none of the learned writers of our time did see till of late This seemeth not exactlie to agree to their plot for first here are three names for doctrine Prophesie Teaching and Exhortation and all maye bee performed by one man Then to Rule and to haue an Office are so generall that they can not bee restrained to the forme and name of such Elders as they appoint To distribute and to shewe mercie either pertaine to all or else if there must be such officers it is not necessarie vnder their names of Deacons and Releeuers nor at all times but as time occasions require Their other place is to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 12.28 God hath ordained some in the Church as first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers then them that doe miracles after that the giftes of healing helpers gouerners diuersitie of tongues Here are more then fiue and by no direct waye can these precisely bee hence fetched Apostles Prophets Teachers diuersitie of tongues pertaine all especiallie to doctrine The gift of working miracles and of healing were but for those times Helpers and gouerners are too large names to bring in onely Deacons and Relieuers and Elders into euerie congregation in such sort and order as they prescribe Gouernors wee haue and helpers although wee haue not their Elders nor their Deacons These are the chiefe places whereon their discipline is builded Other they haue in the Actes and to the Ephesians and Timothie and Titus but none of them make the whole number nor the particulars in their forme and especially which is the chiefe they helpe not their Eldershippe of vnteaching persons Now then wee may haue Christs gouernement and seeke his kingdome although wee haue not these officers in these names and this order Their newe officers are not necessarie to the building of the Churche but peraduenture they whome we haue doe pull downe the Church That is their opinion for thus they speake of our estate In steade of these they remaine most seruilely subiect to the Antichristian gouernement of the popish Archbishops Byshops Chauncelors Archdeacons Deanes Commissaries Doctors Proctors Aduocates Notaries Registers Purseuants Cursetors Summoners and from the Apostaticall seate of the Byshops they receaue as Antichristian and false a Ministerie as their Parsons Vicars Curates Hirelings Lecturers Mercenarie preachers All which together with this people stand bounde and subiect to the Byshops Romish courtes of hie commission of faculties of arches of prerogatiues of delegates of their Commissaries and the rest Because wee haue some officers of like name though not all nor of like qualitie as they childishlie imagine They saye neither gouerners nor subiectes neither pastors nor people can bee the Churche of Christ. Foure orders they make here of thinges and persons to bee condemned and remoued First all those that haue Ecclesiasticall gouernement committed vnto them the Byshops and all that doe assist them Secondlie all sortes of Ministers preachers and not preachers Thirdly Ecclesiasticall courts and iudgements Last of all the whole people for being and continuing subiect vnto those If we aske a reason of this their peremptorie sentence wee can perceaue none here but because they are popish and Antichristian If I shoulde confesse this and saye the gouernement is such and defende our Church by the example of the Church in Babylon as one doeth I shoulde iustifie them and condemne our selues I shoulde lye against the trueth and against mine owne soule But thus I saye If these thinges be popish as they doe stand among vs let them bee excluded naye let vs bee excluded out of the
fiue hundred and fiftie yeeres after Christ and sixe hundred yeeres were expired before the papacie did shew it selfe in his antichristian colours The second note of the beast agreeth also to the Pope for Iohn saith He commeth out of the earth hath two hornes like the lambe and speaketh like the dragon Antichrist should in shew make himselfe like Christ and performe the works of the deuill He will write himselfe Seruus seruorum and in some sence so he is for he serueth the lust of those that are seruants and slaues to inrich them and bring them to honour He hath not the hornes of the lambe but like them for he challengeth to himselfe power in temporall and in spirituall matters he maketh himselfe not onely a priest but a king also he will rule in heauen and in earth If these be not the two hornes of the lambe what are they howsoeuer it is he will be like the lambe especially in the hornes He would resemble Christ in his power but not in his holinesse And to expresse his power he delighteth much with the number of two for he hath on his head a miter which hath two toppes two sharpe points one before and another behinde two keyes also hee hath set a crosse And in the yeere 1300 Boniface the eight in the first Iubile the first day went in his bishops robes the second day in the habite of the emperour hauing two swords borne before him this being proclamed Ecce duo gladij hîc How can he declare more plainely that he beareth two hornes like the lambe whose title in the world commeth so neere the title of Christ for he will be called Christs vicar Of the two hornes he had the spirituall iurisdiction first and then the temporall for first he ruled ouer bishops and ministers only and in processe of time he ruled ouer kings and emperours but although he haue hornes like the lambe yet his speech is like the dragons The crying of the dragon is fierce and terrible and the spirituall dragon the deuill speaketh contrary to God For the religion of the Pope is in name Christs religion but in truth contrary to it Christ saith to the people Search the Scriptures the Pope saith they shall not reade them Christ saith Thou shalt serue God onely the Pope saith Thou shalt serue saints Christ saith Thou shalt not make nor worship images the Pope saith thou shalt do both and in many points besides Hesshusius reckoneth vp sixe hundred the Pope speaketh contrarie to Christ and altogether like the dragon The Papists say this note can not agree to the Pope Why not because he hath not two hornes like the lambe nor because he speaketh not like the dragon but because it is said here of the beast that he cōmeth out of the earth for they thinke their Pope hath not a base but a noble beginning In deede their first bishops were from heauen and went to heauen but they that tooke the hornes like the lambe and presumed to challenge spirituall temporall iurisdiction ouer all the church were from the earth for this was an earthly deuise what persons in the world come to so high authoritie from so base beginnings as the Popes of later times bastards and friers magicians are not these base are not these from the earth To this description of Iohn agreeth that of Paul for as Iohn saith he should speake like the dragon so Paul saith he shall be an aduersarie and as here it is said he should haue two hornes like the lambe so there it is said that he should sit in the Temple of God as God shewing himselfe that he is God for he taketh the office name of God vpon him The third marke is proper also to the Pope For thus Iohn speaketh of him He did all that the first beast could doe before him and caused the earth and them that dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed The first beast was olde Rome and the state of the empire therefore when this second beast had gotten hornes like the lambe that is spirituall and temporall iurisdiction hee pusheth so long with these hornes that hee maketh the Romane name to flourish as much or more then it did before which was a thing much to be woondered at thorow the world Who knoweth not that Rome hath bene these later hundred yeeres in more estimation then any citie in the world besides or then it selfe had beene in former times and how came it to that wealth honor but onely by the two horned beast Nothing els had it to commend it now in comparison but the false title of the seat of Christs vicar And heerein standeth all the indeuour of Antichrist not that Christ may be worshipped but that the first beast may be had in honour For the name and religion and credit of Rome he fighteth The Pope is as it were the first beast for in him the ancient state seemeth to be restored The fourth note of the second beast is as fit as any of the rest for the pope For Iohn sayth He did great woonders so that he made fire to come downe from heauen on the earth in the sight of men and deceiued them that dwell on the earth by the signes which were permitted to him to doe in the sight of the beast To this agreeth that which Paul saith of Antichrist whose comming is by the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying woonders And our Sauiour saith There shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall shew great signes and woonders so that if it were possible they should deceiue the very elect Signes and miracles are so common with the papistes as they haue not beene among any since the Apostles times They haue miracles to commend euery thing to the world miracles to confirme purgatory and praying for the dead and the masse and the force of reliques and whatsoeuer superstition there is besides in poperie But their miracles are lying signes miracles both because many of them are but done in shew and not in trueth and many are fained and all tend to confirme and establish lies The trueth needeth no new miracles it persuadeth confirmeth it selfe in the heart of him that hath it Iohn nameth one especiall miracle The calling of fire downe from heauen in the sight of men Some imagine that as Elias did it to consume the fifties that came to take him so the Pope at some time or other should do or as he did to commend his sacrifice against the sacrifice of the priests of Baal so the pope should cause the like for the confirmation of his masse and other idolatrie It is time for him now to doe it if euer he will doe it for he is neere taking and his masse almost euery where is out of credit There be that refer it to Pope Hildebrand which by the art of Magike danced in fire raised vp round
take degrees in schooles with their corporal othe for their fidelitie to that See Their Byshops whole Cleargie with their shauen crownes oyle and othes All the people by open professing of thēselues to be of the Latine and Romish Church for to this end tend al their characters This they would haue all come vnto and they obteined it that they should professe themselues to be of the Latine Romish Religion Therefore Maister Foxe taketh this name to bee Romanus Which both in the Greeke and also in the Hebrewe letters maketh 666. He trieth it in both tongues because he thinketh the Reuelation was made to Iohn in the Hebrewe as being his mother tongue and therefore in the Hebrewe name the number should be answerable and because he wrote it in Greeke it should agree in that tongue also which it doth in Romanus For both the letters in Hebrewe and the letters in Greeke make that number Irenaens coniectured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the name and many learned men do rest in that and it fitly agreeth For all things with thē were in Latine the scripture their publike seruice their priuate prayers their lawes all were Latine But this deuise of the letters in a name to make vp the number seemeth to be Magical and Cabalistical not vsed in the scriptures as some learned mens opinion is and therefore they thinke the number should shew the time when he should bee brought foorth into the world And about that time they account that the Pope obtained his title of vniuersall bishop by a Councell hee had it giuen him by the emperour Phocas about 60. yeeres before So that which way soeuer it bee taken it falleth out right and agreeth still to them And herein standeth the note of Gods people to withstand and reiect this marke and character and by no meanes to be counted of that religion for they are threatened that do receiue it If any man worship the beast and his image and receiue his marke in his forehead or in his hand the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine which is powred into the cup of his wrath and he shall be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe and the smoke of their torment shall ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night which worship the beast and his image and whosoeuer receiueth the print of his name But if any withstand it and get the victorie they are highly commended Thus Iohn speaketh of them And I sawe as it were a glassie sea mingled with fire and them that had gotten victorie of the beast and of his image and of his marke standing at the glassie sea hauing the harpes of God and they did sing the song of Moses the seruaunt of God and the song of the Lambe Afterward hee sheweth how there fell a noysome and grieuous sore vpon the men which had the marke of the beast and vpon them which worshipped his image This sore of many is thought to bee the French disease which began among them in the warre at Naples betweene the French and Spaniard in the yeere 1494. it came by the companie of harlots in the campe and from thence was spred to most countreys Other writers expound it of the plague which in the time of poperie flourishing was more fierce and more generall in all these quarters then almost at any time before or since all chronicles are full of examples Thus much of the receiuing the character and marke of the beast which is the seuenth note It were long to describe the other notes of this beast for there are yet many things whereby it may bee knowen The seuenteenth chapter hath a full description of it That chapter hath much that pertaineth to Rome vnder the Emperours and much also belonging to it as it is gouerned by the Pope Nay both are as it were knit together for that they are so like for this that is nowe is but the olde reuiued and therefore he that knoweth one knoweth both The first and especiall marke is their whorish and idolatrous Religion For hee calleth her the whore that sitteth vpon many waters the gouernement ouer many people that maintaineth idolatrie which is spirituall fornication in the sight of God Then he sayth With her haue committed fornication the kings of the earth and the inhabitants of the earth are druncken with the wine of her fornication For what Idole did the Romans set vp which kings and people did not by and by embrace And they receaued them so gladly and maintained all their will worship their Saintes their Images their Reliques their Masses their ceremonies in such sorte as if they were druncke with the loue of them Yet touching their Religion he saith that this woman was full of names of blasphemie Blasphemie is that which hurts the name of God They were full then of blasphemies that hurt the name of God and the name of his people Himselfe to be called the vicar of Christ vpon earth the head of the Church the vniuersall bishop is a blasphemie against Christ and against all other Bishops and Pastours To saye that Saintes are intercessors and mediators for vs is blasphemie against the Saintes and Christ To affirme that Christ by his death put away originall sinne onely and satisfied for the fault of other sinnes and not for the punishment is blasphemie against Christes passion So is that which they affirme of the Masse that it is a sacrifice for the quicke and the dead These and infinite thinges more in that Religion are vile and horrible blasphemies Iohn is not yet satisfied with speaking thus much onely of their idolatrie but hee saith afterwarde that she had a cup of gould in her hand full of abominations and filthines of her fornications Shee had a goulden cup not onely for her riches and wealth but also for a shewe of Christian religion and holynes But this golden cup was full of poyson ful of abomination and filthie fornication For what number or measure or end was there of their Idoles not onely euery citie as in Iuda but euery house euery corner euery man had his Idole Neither that alone but there was for euery action for euery occupation for euery disease a seuerall Idole Last of all for the fertilitie of her idolatrie Saint Iohn calleth her the mother of whoredomes and abominations of the earth For where was the shoppe where these Idoles were deuised Whence were they authorized but onely from Rome These things that Iohn writeth of the idolatrie of the beast will not agree to the Antichrist that the Papists imagine for they say he shall abolish all other images and make his owne image onely be worshipped for the beast is the mother of all abominations and fornications of the earth neither will it so well agree to auncient Rome for that receiued rather Idoles from other people and worshipped the gods
striuing the inuestiture and placing of all Byshops in Italie and the Emperors dominions and at length in all the West besides By this the beast was growen so strong that he would nowe take vpon him to feede or famish his father and feeder For he would make the Emperour or else hee should be no Emperour hee would excommunicate him and depose him at his pleasure And hauing wrastled and ouercome him it was an easie matter for him to ouercome the other kings Nay the Emperors and kings did willingly giue the beast those thinges which made him strong and themselues weake For they sware obedience to him and that they would not diminish his dignitie nor commodities or dominions Edelwulphus king of the West Saxons here in England was the first that made his land tributarie to the Pope in the yeare eight hundred fortie and sixe And as this land receaued the yoke first so first it cast it off vnder king Henrie the eight By occasion that the Emperours in the East destroied images and for want of might could not holde vp the state of Rome against the Longobards in Italy the Pope excommunicated the Emperours of the East one after another and called Carolus magnus the king of Fraunce into Italy for his aide and there made the people proclaime him Emperour and he himselfe anointed him in the yeere 801. Thus Charles being an Emperour of the Popes owne making conferred vpon the Pope a great part of Italy and to requite him made him riche After that part of England other kingdomes by sundrie occasions came vnder the Pope The Sclauonians would vse their owne tongue in their publike seruice of God but they were content to doe it by the Popes permission and so declared themselues subiect to him an 861. When Miesko king of Poland embraced the faith of Christ appointed bishops in his kingdome Ioannes 13. sendeth one Giles the Tusculan bishop Cardinal to consecrate his bishops after the maner of Rome so maketh Poland subiect to himselfe as soone as it was christened in the yeere 965. To Benedictus the 8. Stephanus king of Hungarie sendeth ambassadours for his crowne and confirmation of the kingdome of Hungarie the Churches builded by him He then brought his kingdom to the obedience of the Pope Stephen himselfe at euery time the Pope was mentioned bowing his heade did bende his knee that by his example he might perswade also his people to the obseruance of the Pope Robert duke of Apulia Calabria in Italy bindeth himselfe by oth his hand writing to Pope Nicholas the 2. to send him aid whensoeuer he should neede because the Pope absolued him for deposing his brothers sonne the right heire from the dukedom A litle before Stephen the 9. brought the bishop of Millaine which before that time had alwaies bene free to the obedience of the See of Rome These increases came to the popedom about the yeere 1057 A little after this Hildebrand called Gregorie the 7. that is reported to haue poisoned sixe Popes one after another to make a way for himselfe to the popedom and was a most infamous coniurer Magitian excōmunicateth spoileth of his empire Henry 4. setteth vp first Rodulphus his seruant and afterward Henrie 5. his owne sonne against him He sent a crowne to Rodulph with this posie Petra dedit Petro Petrus diadema Rodolpho But Rodulph hauing lost his right hand dying cursed them that perswaded him to this The crime layed to the Emperour was simonie as the Pope called the bestowing of Byshoprickes and other ecclesiasticall liuings by the Emperour These thinges fell out about the yeare one thousand threescore and ten Henrie the fift stroue so long with Gelasius the second and Calixtus the second for the bestowing of Byshoprickes till at length hee was constrained by the thunder-bolt of excommunication and by feare of depriuation through treasons and conspiracies by his letters to graunt it to the Pope for euer and the letters of the graunt in token of the Emperour being ouercome were hanged vp in the Laterane Church at Rome for a monument of the victorie Through this victorie Calixtus the second as seemeth waxed bould for thus hee decreed A Romana Ecclesia non licere dissentire quia vt filius venit facere voluntatē Patris ita oportet Christianos facere volūtatem Matris Romanae Ecclesiae It should not be lawfull to dissent from the Church of Rome because as the sonne came to doe the will of the father so must all Christians doe the will of their mother the Church of Rome Sicilie was a long time tributarie to the Pope and none almost should hold it but at his pleasure In the yeare 1130. Innocentius the second maketh warre against Rogerius duke of Sicily for it but it was like to haue cost the pope well for he himselfe was taken in the warre yet the pope got by the helpe of Lotharius the dukedome of Calabria from him and gaue it for a reward to Rainold captaine of Lotharius armie that helped him againe to his popedome Norweigh in the time of Eugenius receiued the faith of Christ and then became subiect to the pope in the yeere 1148. Liuonia had no sooner receiued the Christian faith about the yeere 1158 but pope Alexander seizeth vpon it and by asking a bishop of him they are brought in bondage to him It were long to tell how Frederike the first was handled of pope Adrian the fourth and Alexander the third The quarell at first of Adrian against him was because he required homage of his bishops and excluded his legate out of Germanie if he came when he was not sent for Adrian for these things cursed him and suborned one to faine himselfe a iester and finding oportunitie to kill him but the emperour escaped by leaping out at a window Then he procured one to poison him by an infected ring and that he escaped also Alexander the third pursued him for that he fauored Victor chosen against him therefore he cursed him made his chiefe captaine forsake him in fight traiterously and so was the emperour made to flee secretly away And at length when at Venice the emperours sonne fighting rashly against his fathers commandement before his comming was taken of the pope by the helpe of the Venetians hee to redeeme his sonne was constreined to come to Venice to submit himselfe to the pope At the staires in S. Marks church in Venice the emperour lying on the ground the pope putteth his foot on his necke vttring this verse of the psalme Vpon the aspe cockatrice shalt thou walke thou shalt tread vpon the lion and dragon This was the insolency of that beast Peter king of Arragon in Spaine maketh his kingdome and all that belonged to him tributary to the pope in the yere 1202 vt sic salutem animae mereretur saith Vincentius that he might thus merit the saluation of his soule King Iohn of England hauing deteined six yeres
point I shall speake somewhat in the next part Thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of him which sitteth on the horse which is Iesus Christ our king and onely captaine The next and last generall head to be spoken of is the armie of Christ The beast and his armies fight against Christ and his armie The Church of Christ is called by many names but here in the matter and time of warre it is called an armie Likewise Salomon sayth of it that it is terrible as an armie with banners Paul vsing the same Metaphore will haue vs put on the armour of light and saieth that the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holdes and willeth vs to put vpon vs the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against the assaults of the deuill and of himselfe he witnesseth that he had fought a good fight and finished his course So that there is a warre and armour and weapons and fighting that belongeth to gods people and they altogether make an armie The Church of England is an excellent and noble band of this armie Wee are Christs souldiers we beare his colours he rideth before vs and among vs vpon the white horse he is our captaine and we are his armie Two kinds of enemies we haue that labour to perswade thēselues the world that we are not Christs armie the Papists and the Barrowists Against the Papists we haue maintained that the sound teaching of the word of God and the lawfull administration of his Sacraments are the most sure ensignes whereby his armie is knowen and that we haue these among vs and they are effectuall in vs. When we allege that which Christ saith My sheepe heare my voyce and a strangers voyce they will not heare That which Esaie hath To the lawe and to the testimonie if they answere not according to this it is because there is no light in thē When we allege these and the like places we obtaine that the true and sound setting forth of the worde of God is a most certaine signe and note of the Church That which Paul hath If any man preach another gospel let him be accursed That which Iohn saith He that abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God and if any man bring not the doctrine of Christ receaue him not declareth that a false doctrine of the gospel and Christ destroyeth the Church especially if the errour be in the foundation which is our iustification by faith in Christ and all those things which doe necessarily depend vpon it Therefore the Apostle saith Other foundation can no man lay then that which is layed euen Iesus Christ And againe Ye are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone For this cause Paul doth so carefully and oft stand vpon the clearing of this article of our iustification by faith in Christ in so manie of his Epistles The true doctrine of the Gospel is thus founde to be the note yea and seede of the Church That the right and lawfull administration of the Sacraments pertaineth to the description and declaration of the Church we may easisily confirme Our Sauiour ioyneth the Sacraments to the worde Goe teach all nations baptizing them The Apostle doeth the like when hee sayeth Christ hath clensed his Church by the washing of water through the worde And of the other Sacrament it is sayde Doe this in remembraunce of mee And drinke yee all of this And the first Church gathered together after Christes ascension is thus described They that gladly receaued his worde were baptized and the same day there were added to the Church about three thousand soules and they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and praiers These things by the benefite of God we haue the trueth of the Gospell and the whole new and olde Testament in all points of substance of doctrine truly taught and set footh in this lande the sacraments also are rightly administred Wherefore we haue the true notes of the Church These are the true notes of the Church such notes as are also causes of it for the word and sacraments doe beget and nourish faith by which we are vnited to Christ as to the heade Many other things agree to the Church as good workes mutuall loue true repentance shunning of idolatrie a right inuocation of the name of God and the like But these are partes and effects and ornaments of the former and concurre together with them for the word taught must be vnderstood to be fruitfull and so the sacraments to worke in mens soules and both to be of power or els they are no longer tokens to vs that wee are of the Church of God These things thus vnderstood are the true and sufficient markes whereby he that hath spirituall eyes may see the Church of God These by the speciall working of Iesus Christ we yet retaine in such sorte as they bring foorth fruite in mens hearts and liues God grant they may continue with vs and be more effectuall to worke amendment in all As for those marks wherby the Papists would haue the Church to be discerned they are deceitfull they can not point it out Antiquitie hath erred Vniuersalitie hath bin corrupted Vnitie may be in falshood Succession in place may be without succession in trueth their other marks are of like nature The worde and Sacraments rightly set forth and receaued and bringing forth fruite can neuer deceaue vs but bring vs directly to the true Church of Iesus Christ. But what shal we say to them that make discipline a necessarie marke of the Church because our Sauiour saith Baptize them teaching thē to obserue whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you The obseruation that our Sauiour speaketh of is not of some certaine forme of outward gouernement but generally of obedience to faith to loue and to the whole lawe and Gospell As for that discipline by Elders in euery parish it will not be found in those wordes of Christ. The Church can not well stand without all ecclesiasticall gouernement Yet it seemeth it did so stand in the captiuitie of Babylon but without that forme it may very well stand and florish and so hath done in this and former ages in many places Wherefore the worde and sacraments remaine as the markes in generall whereby the Church may be discerned But the Barrowists and such of whome they haue learned their principles descend into a more speciall and neere description of the Church The worde and Sacramentes are not such notes with them as can point out a Church What then is the Church of Christ in their account diuerse of them haue gone about to describe it but one especially would seeme to doe it most fully therefore he describeth it in these wordes at large The true planted and rightly established Church of Christ is a companie of faithful people separated from the
without vs and our ministerie our names our cōming in our maintenance our depending vpon great men and the perfourming of more in labor taking lesse in honor then pertaineth as they thinke vnto vs. Yet this is one of their maine grounds for which they depart forsake our Churches euen our false and Antichristian ministery as they call it But these things either are no crimes or be not such as therfore can make vs no ministers These things being so I may cōclude that our ministery is not a denying of the prophetical office of Iesus Christ but rather it doth bring the fruit benefit therof vnto vs. So then we deny neither his kingdome nor priesthood nor prophecy but in a true maner great measure haue thē their fruit among vs. God grant that they may cōtinue with vs and that the benefite may be much more large and plentifull to all the people The sixt note which they set vpon the visible church is that the people of one church must be knit together as members of one body So they gather first out of Paul when he saith 1. Cor. 12.12 As the bodie is one hath many members al the members of the body which is one though they be many yet are one body so is Christ They grow into one body are most neerely knit together which pertaine to Gods election and are spiritually vnited vnto Christ The rest are ioyned in an outward profession and so are after a sort to our account of the bodie And thus are we one body in this land Secondly they gather it out of Peter when he writeth 1. Pet. 2.4 To whome ye come as to a liuing stone and yee as liuely stones be made a spirituall house The godlie are in deed liuing stones and are made a spirituall house the rest because they are among them for the outward profession are so accounted Nowe let vs see what vnitie necessarie to Gods Church we want They say that we are not knit together as members into one congregation but that men runne and goe assemble and depart at their pleasure when they will whither they will as they will themselues What would they haue vs euery one to keepe in one place still Or would they haue vs to assemble to godly exercises with none but the same persons continually such as are wel knowne to vs to be brethren This they seeme to meane for they condemne the assemblies at Pauls Crosse and at the common Churches in the Vniuersities and of such solemne places But this imagination is absurd and the places of scripture conclude no such thing In some respect it is meete that euery man should keepe him to his owne congregation But if desire of instruction or other occasion cary him to any other place of exercise there he is not as it were out of ioynt as though he could no where doe good nor receiue good but in his owne congregation A hearer may be a profitable hearer any where a preacher may preach with fruit in any congregation God hath not tied any man so to one particular congregation but at another time he may haue the same or another place in another assēbly of Christians for Christians are of the same body whersoeuer they assēble for it is the word faith the spirit which do make vs one body these are the same in euery place amōg Gods people Wherfore it is an absurd collection nothing to the mind of Paul or Peter that a man should be so tied to one congregation that he cannot fruitfully be in another The cōming to spiritual exercises sometimes in this place sometimes in that breaketh not the vnitie of the bodie of Christ Another thing against the vnitie of the Church is as they suppose that we liue in continuall discord and vnpeaceable debate among our selues They accuse vs of debate which are the cause of al the discord that is among vs. For about these things which they wold bring in about their misliking of the present state is al the discord If discord destroy the church where became their church when Browne and Harison their two leaders fel out The Apostles dissented the church of Corinth had diuers sects if we keepe vnity in the foūdation dissention in the inferiour points will not be so dangerous but yet we must striue to agree in all things albeit we cannot hope to obtaine it For that was neuer roūd in anie Church long together And the voice of Paul is knowen there must be heresies These Barrowists in diuerse thinges slip and fall into poperie when they would seeme to bee farthest from it Vnitie and consent they make a note of their Church euen as the papistes doe In their seuenth note they ouerrunne and ouerturne all the officers of our Church at a breath They saye the true Churches must bee gouerned by such officers as Christ hath appointed to his Church The officers that they thinke euerie Church shoulde haue by Christs appointment are fiue Pastors Teachers Elders Deacons and Releeuers These they make to be necessarie in euerie congregation or else that there can bee no established Church without them Two officers they appoint in euerie congregation for the teaching of the worde Pastors for exhortation Teachers for doctrine and matters of controuersie It were to bee wished that euerie Church had one well learned and furnished for both these partes for maners and life to note and correct swearers idle persons drunckardes and all offenders and to order euerie thing in the Church with the Pastor and teacher they appoint Eders in no certaine number The rebuke and correction of anie sinne we account necessarie is done among vs by sundrie kindes of officers the pastors by worde the Ecclesiastical iudges by censures the other officers by punishments inflicted The thing it selfe we haue as we haue the worde taught and set forth among vs. The third thing in gouernement that they count necessarie is the Deaconshippe whose office shoulde bee to make collection and to distribute to the poore and needie This in euerie parish is done although by officers of other names Last of all they adde Releeuers which shoulde attend vpon the lame and sicke and such as can not helpe themselues There is not in euerie parish continuall neede of such a standing officer When it needeth some that are charitable and pitifull doe take some order for it Now therefore the things as being necessarie for the being or for the ornament of a Christian people we haue among vs yet all the strife in the land is especially to bring in this gouernment we must haue a change of all that these Elders and Deacons may be brought into euerie parish This is their Helena that they fight for The places that are vrged for the Eldershippe in the olde Testament are these First out of Leuiticus Leuit. 10.10 The Lord spake to Aaron and his sonnes saying yee shall
to a perfect man This place speaketh onelie of doctrine and not of lawes for gouernement either in the Church or common-wealth except they thinke their Pastors and Doctors must make lawes for al things And as for that to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 14.37 cutteth not off al lawes for the Church made by men If any man thinke himselfe to be a prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things which I write vnto you are the commandements of the Lorde He writeth there of not vsing strange languages where they are not vnderstood and and of women that they should not preach in the Church But there are other thinges which by lawes must be ordered which Paul nor the scripture anie where hath determined in speciall Last of all they applie to this purpose all those places of scripture which teach that nothing must bee added nor taken from the worde of God The making of lawes about orders in gouernement is no addition to Gods worde For the thing is not there forbidden Thus they will seeme to proue that in the worde are sufficient lawes to order mens actions vpon this grounde they will haue the penall lawes of Moses reuiued then they must bring vs againe to the land of Canaan they must establish to vs againe that kingdome For those penall lawes like as the ceremoniall were proper onely to that people Now the Priesthoode being changed the lawe is changed As they saye the worde hath sufficient lawes to determine all thinges so likewise they will not admitte that princes shoulde make lawes thereby to helpe forwarde the kingdome of Christ. For they saye the kingdome of Christ commeth not by the lawes of men but by the worde and spirite For this purpose they abuse these scriptures First that of Saint Luke Luke 17.20 The kingdome of God commeth not with obseruation They meane with obseruing princes lawes but Christ meaneth that his kingdome commeth not neither is discerned by outwarde pompe and worldlie glorie which the Pharises looked for but is properlie a thing inwarde in the heart That place nothing pertaineth to outward lawes Also they misapplie that of Zacharie Neither by an armie nor strength Zach. 4.6 but by my spirite saieth the Lorde of hostes This is spoken by comparison that God in the preseruing of his Churche vseth principallie the working of his spirite and not an armie nor strength of men Yet that hee vseth armies and strength for their defence the Churche in all ages hath had experience But the principall is his spirite outwarde strength and lawes in comparison of it and without it are nothing When Esaie sayeth Beholde Esaie 40.10 the Lorde God will come with power and his arme shall rule for him his arme ruleth euen by the good and wholesome lawes of men Iere. 17.5 And that curse in Ieremie pertaineth not to vs because we are ruled by lawes of princes Thus sayeth the Lorde Cursed bee the man that trusteth in man and maketh fleshe his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lorde For we trust not in the lawes of princes nor in them when we vse thē vnder God for our quiet gouernement we knowe that Kings are nursing fathers and Queenes are nursing mothers Dauid Salomon and Iosaphat and Ezechias and Iosias and all godlie princes made lawes for the Churche of God and were approued yea the lawes decrees of Nebuchadnezzar of Cyrus and Darius were for the behoofe benefite of it Manie thinges are left vndetermined in speciall wherein princes make good and profitable decrees for the Churche If their position were true the Prophets and our Sauiour shoulde not haue condemned either the princes or the lawiers for making vniust lawes but for making anie lawes at all Princes especially serue Christ euen in making lawes for Christ Wherefore it appeareth not that sufficient lawes in speciall are set downe in the worde for the Churche nor that it is wicked for the Church to vse the lawes of princes and to bee subiect to them if otherwise they bee not vngodly Nowe marke what they saye of our lawes Wee they saye are not gouerned by the worde of God but by Canons Iniunctions and Decrees of these Antichristian and Popish courts Let them name one Canon or Decree and Iniunction that maintaineth anie thing that is popish or against Christ and surely it ought to be abolished But there be lawes which they had which came not from them but either from the word of God or the light of nature or former holy constitutions Why should their detaining of them in vnrighteousnes hinder vs from the conuerting of them to the furtherance of the Gospell They are not popish so long as they are not directed to maintaine poperie but are applyed to godlinesse and peace in obedience of the trueth The ninth marke of their Church is that al and ech one of them must stand in and for their Christian libertie to practise whatsoeuer God hath commanded and is reuealed vnto them in his holy word This their liberty is one of the chiefe points wherein they stand Here neither Prince nor Counsellour nor Byshop nor Law must restraine them from refusing or casting off whatsoeuer they mislike or from taking vpon them and putting in practise any thing that they haue determined and concluded to be done Seeing according to their conceit they haue found out that Byshops and all other officers in our Church are popish and that the ministery beareth as they suppose popish names and markes and the lawes are popish they will neither sue to Prince nor Counsell for the remouing of any of these things but with all speede cast the yoke from their owne necks And seeing they haue found in their fansies that an eldershippe and no other lawes but the written word is to be heard therefore they will erect these things among themselues For God say they hath left power in euery man and euery assembly of his people to cast off al that may hinder to transport thēselues to any thing that may further their saluation In matters necessary to saluation we graunt there is by Gods gracious working such freedome giuen to Gods people that all the deuils in hell cannot hinder them from hauing that whereby it should be brought to passe But such are not the things which they striue for Saluation may be had in this state without them But their opinion of vs in respect of Christian libertie is this They say that all wee remaine in bondage to the Egyptian and Babylonish yokes yeelding obedience to these Courts and their Cannons Now let vs heare their scripture by which they will maintaine their so absolute libertie and condemne vs as men in Egyptian bondage The places are these first that to the Galathians Gal. 4.9 But now seeing ye know God yea rather are knowen of God howe turne ye againe to impotent and beggerlie rudiments whereunto as from the beginning you will be in bondage againe Paul there speaketh
of the obseruation of dayes and ceremonies of the lawe with opinion of necessitie to saluation iustification we repose neither saluation nor iustification in any ceremony or outward thing which we vse not in the gouernment not in apparel this or that In the vse of them our minds are free The like meaning hath that to the Collossians Collos 2.20 If yee bee dead with Christ from the ordinances of the worlde why as though yee liued in the world are yee burthened with traditions There is no tradition in our Church that can be a burthen to a mans conscience being rightly taken seeing there is no idolatrous tradition among vs nor any ioyned with opinion of necessitie or worship of God or merite to saluation But in those things the soule is left free to depend wholly vpon Iesus Christ The like meaning hath that to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 7.23 Yee are bought with a price bee not the seruauntes of men Paul condemneth not obedience in things lawfull but in voluntarie worshippe And as for vs we place no necessary part of Gods worship in the traditions of any mē The booke of cōmon praier is not reckoned so necessary as if God were not otherwise rightly worshipped neither yet absolutely as meere traditions of men for as much as it is either scripture or agreeable vnto scripture Outward ceremonies are retained for order but no part of Gods worship placed either in crosse or garment To these places of scripture as of like nature may be ioyned that of the Actes Acts 4.19 Wee ought rather to obey God then men that is whē they cōmand things contrary But in the gouernmēt or in the ministery or in Gods worship or in the admission of men to the sacraments the lawes of this land doe not commaund things contrary to God for any thing that we haue yet found Last of all for our bondage Apoc. 14.19 they produce first the Reuelation where it sayeth If any man worshippe the beast or his image The gouernment by Byshops they take to be the image of the beast They were we confesse so to be accounted while they maintained the Pope and his lawes but now they are not so when they are set to further the Gospell and truth of Christ These are the places by which they would conuince vs to be in bondage But the Scriptures by which they chalenge their large and infinite liberty are these Ioh. 8.33 first that of Iohn Ye shall knowe the trueth and the trueth shall make you free Christ speaketh of freedome not from lawes and Magistrates and Ecclesiasticall gouernment but from sinne and Satan for he sayth He that committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne The next that is pretended to speake for their liberty is Paul to the Galathians Gal. 4.6 Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all Paul disputeth of our freedome from the curse of the lawe and from circumcision and other ceremonies so that the curse is not to be feared of vs that are made free by Christ nor iustification to be sought by the ceremonies of the lawe nor any part of Gods worshippe to be reposed any longer in them And the same is his purpose in the fift Chapter when he sayth Stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free This is the freedome of conscience the libertie from the curse pronounced by the lawe and from the ceremonies thereof with opinion of worshippe or merite of saluation Thus are we free We are vnder a gouernement and haue some fewe ceremonies but we neither count them parts of Gods worship nor any cause of our iustification or saluation Thus our minds are free although our bodies be bound in an outward obedience They may therefore become subiect with vs to this gouernment and yet inioy due Christian libertie The tenth and last note of their Church is this that it must haue the power that Christ hath giuen to his Church to the worlds end and all the powers in earth and hell cannot take from them namely to bind and loose and to reforme things that are amisse Which power they say we haue not For our assemblies as they iudge cast out Satan by the power of Satan namely say they by these impes of Antichrist the Byshops Commissaries and Priests These be their words Then if they say true in deed in this Church gouernement we haue no binding sinners and loosing them that doe repent but by the deuill Let vs see what binding or loosing the church of God should haue and how farre that which we haue is wanting and disagreeing from the trueth The power giuen to the Church in this respect they affirme to becōtained in these places which follow Psal 149. First in the Psalme when it is said To bind their Kings in chaines their nobles in fetters of yron This place seemeth properly to be vnderstood not of Ecclesiastical censures but of outward victory gotten by the sword against Gods enemies by his people after their oppression This God giueth oftentimes to his Church and hath his name be praysed giuen already vnto vs God graunt when need shall require we may obtaine it hereafter The next place by which they chalenge this power is in Matthewe If hee will not heare them Mat. 18.17 tell it to the Church and if hee refuse to heare the Church also let him be vnto thee as an heathen man and as a publicane By the Church might here be vnderstood the gouernors to whō this authority should be committed of the church or els the whole assembly speaking by the voice of one or fewe for the declaration of the obstinacie and damnable state of such an one but as for a presbyterie in euerie congregation it cannot serue seeing if it be spoken by relation to the practise of the Iewes they had no such thing but in Ierusalem in one citie one assemblie one consistorie of such iudgement for all After this they seeke somewhat for their excommunicating presbytery in Luke Luk. 10.19 Behold I giue vnto you power to treade on serpents and scorpions and ouer all the power of the enemie and nothing shall hurt you This was a miraculous gift conferred vpon the Apostles both for their preseruation and the glorie of Iesus Christ as Paul by the viper hanging on his hand receyued no hurt The thinges going before are referred to the power of the word beating down Satan from the soules of men As for excommunication or punishing the wicked by censures this pertaineth not to that That to the Corinths maketh the most shewe for their purpose When ye are gathered together and my spirite by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 5.4 let such a one be deliuered vnto Satan But this maketh against that which they seeke seemeth to fauour that order which we haue For Paul being one man alone did decree this sentence The Church was to declare it But
whether it be done by one or many this needeth much heed and care and conscience that this sword bee drawne against none but those that doe deserue it Last of all that of the 2. Corinths doth not helpe the presbyterie Thus he sayeth The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holdes casting downe imaginations and euery hie thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ hauing readie vengeance against all disobedience A great part of this is vnderstoode of the word preached which worketh these effects The vengeance against disobedience was a thing in Paules owne hand as minister of it not in the power of the multitude or any presbyterie there mentioned So that if it pertaine to the censure of the Church it might be executed by one man But it is thought rather to be meant of bodilie punishment which by the mightie power of Christ the Apostles in the beginning did inflict vpon the disobedient So Peter killed Ananias and Saphyra and Paul stroke Elymas blind These are their authorities whereby they chalenge to their Eldership power and might to binde and loose and would inferre that in the Church of England there is no casting out of the diuell but by the power of the diuel because their presbyterie is not called to coniure him out Some reformed Churches vse no excommunication at all and yet are the Churches of Christ They haue other punishments for the offenders The trueth is that excommunication cutteth no man from the Church whome his owne sinne and vnbeliefe hath not cut off before Neither can it loose anie whome faith and gods spirite doth not loose Thus much of the tenth and last note of their Churche Thus I haue briefelie set before you a short viewe of the difference betwixt the Sectaries and vs. They that fauour these opinions these innouations are in diuers degrees some saye they are imperfections and wantes and maimes in our Church the most of those thinges which they mislike but yet to be tolerated It must be confessed there is no Church but hath imperfections We may not maintaine all thinges as blameles in our Church No man is founde faultles euery Church is wanting in their duetie both in respect of mens lawes and of the persons We can not iustifie our selues in all thinges but that euerie thing is such a deformitie and maime or anie so grosse as they seeme to make them if the particulars be examined it will not be founde These mislikers and tolerators haue begotten the last and extremest degree of reuolters of forsakers of refusers and plaine contemners whose case is much to bee pitied especiallie of those misslikers because thorowe them they are come into this downefal The controuersies wherein wee differ haue small weight in the matters and lesse in the proofes yet beholde the conclusion Thus they speake Therefore the parishes of England are not and for all these reasons seuerall and ioyned cannot bee helde in anie Christians iudgement the true Churches of Christ This is their sentence vpon all the parishes and people in this land that come to the Churches that heare the worde at our mouthes that receaue the Sacraments at our handes they shut vp all in one state of not being the people of God nor the Churche of Christ As for our selues notwithstanding their rash iudgement wee knowe vpon what grounde wee stand There can no other foundation bee layde then that which is layde euen Iesus Christ is the head corner stone he is the rocke Euerie parish in this land is taught either plentifullie or sparinglie yet all are taught this that Christ onely is our head our sacrifice our righteousnes that hee is to bee laide holde on onelie by faith ioyned with repentaunce and a good conscience Where this is taught and receaued there is the Churche of God All the parishes in this land bee taught it and by publike confession doe witnesse that outwardlie at least they doe receaue it The Lorde graunt that it maye bee made more cleare and that it maye bee whetted more sharpelie vpon all and that all maye receaue it fruitefullie to comfort and saluation 2. Cor. 13. Paul sayeth Proue your selues whether you are in the faith examine your selues knowe yee not your selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates We neede not be cast in doubt of our selues for a supposed appendant trueth of an outward forme of gouernement as though if we haue not that and yet haue the truth of faith the spirite of Christ the worde of God the sacraments of the Gospell repentaunce and newenes of life hauing these I say that are most necessarie and substantiall branches of Christian religion it were madnes to thinke wee haue nothing because they imagine wee haue some as bad or worse then infidels and heathen men among vs and because we haue not such an outwarde gouernement as pleaseth them because we worship God by the booke of Common prayer and because our Ministers some are not preachers and all are made by the Byshops and all tolerate or allowe the booke of Common prayer and the outwarde gouernement These are the chiefe heades of the difference betweene them vs. While men seeke to perfect Churches they will bring to passe that there will bee among vs no Church at all Now with vs there is leaue for all men to be good if they will by Gods grace indeuour They would haue it so as they fancie that no man should be euill but this is impossible If we can bring to passe that the Gospell be taught in all places and that sinnes bee most seuerelie punished and all be brought to the learning of the worde of God then shall we see a more perfect and beautifull forme of the Church among vs. Thus many of these controuersies will be appeased then shal we most clearelie appeare to bee the armie of Christ and hee will shewe himselfe to be our captaine and Lorde and God Thus much to them that denie that we are Christs armie and that our Churches as they now stand are not the true Churches of Christ This matter being thus runne ouer it is time to returne to that which wee haue in hand The beast and the kings of the earth and their armies fight against him that sitteth on the horse and against his armie A parte of this armie the Churche of England as it standeth nowe is by the singular goodnes of God All Gods people make but one armie and that an vnited armie How much more then is it necessary that we which be but one band as it were of this mightie armie should agree together in one Let all lay aside enuie pride and aemulation Let vs especially now in the time of so dangerous threatnings and attempts of the enemies put away strife about these matters Many doubtlesse stirre vp and set a fire the parties on both