of Gods people For Simon Iustus called also Hillels son or disciple and Zecharie Iohn Baptists father as also the Elders of our Sauiour so well as others whose names are vnknowen they conserued doubtles the Substance of religion not bowing their knees to the traditionary and sectarie Baal The last times of Iudahs church is a type of our times For in all times the Lorde reserued to himselfe a Church yea in the midst of heresies schismes corruptions And them times were a type of these our last times wherein at this day we liue In which pad of Bullinger Caluine Peter Martir al of any note in these latter times do vniformely walke This poynt I will to the shame of hereticall Christians shutte vp with Sybillaes prophecie Sed postquam Roma Sybil. l. 2. Aegyptum reget imperioque Froenabit summi tum summa potentia Regni Regis inextincti mortalibus exorietur Rex etenim sanctus veniet quitotius Orbis Omnia seclorum per tempora sceptra tenebit Wherein she plainely affirmeth that after Rome shall rule ouer Aegypt and that it did presently after Herods creation of King for Iudaea a most high King namely Messiah should set vp a kingdome ouer the whole world whose kingdome shal haue no end In the second place so this secōd doctrine is clered namely That the New-testaments Kingdome once established it neuer after can be totally remooued Nowe it remayneth we consider more particularly this same Cittie and that is doone by searching out first what is the Citties foundation then in the next place who bee the Citizens The foundation of this City that is of this Church it is first Personall secondly Reall Personall as the Church is sayd to be built vpon some person or persons Reall as it is said to be built vpon some Thing or matter The foundation personall is two-folde first as it is built vpon Christ secondly vppon the Apostles and Prophets That Iesus Christ is the foundation harken to Paul 1. Cor. 3.11 Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Iesus Christ That the Apostles and Prophets are also termed Foundation harken to the same Apostle Ephesians chapter 2. verse 20. And ye are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone Nor is the word foundation expressed in both these places otherwise then by one and the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Themélton in the original Aquinas Tho. Aquin. super 1. Cori. 3. remembreth both these thus Vnum habet per se soliditatem c. The first of them hath the soliditie of it selfe like as some Rock wheron some edifice is builded and vnto this foundation Christ Iesus is resembled for he is the Rock spoken of in Math. 7.24.25 Th' other foundation it hath the soliditie not of it selfe but of the other solide subiect like as stones which first are placed vpon a solide Rock and in this sense the Apostles are called the foundation of the Church Ephes 2.20 So far the Schoolman Touching the foundation Real it is onely the Faith or Gospell of Christ Iesus whereon the Church or faithfull are said often of diuers to build And this Gospell is somtimes called Simply the gospell of God and Christ Iesus as in Rom. 1.1 9 16 and 15 16 19 29 c. Sometimes Respectiuely the Apostles gospell as in Rom. 2.16 and 16.25 The Gospell of God and Christ Iesus it is as they are the Authors therof but the Apostles gospell as they are the Preachers therof Both these senses of foundation remembred let vs come to examine the Romanistes on the one hand and then the Brownists on the other hand The Romanists from these words in Matth. 16.18 Thou arte Peter and vpon this Rocke I will builde my church they with tooth and nayle labour to enforce that Saint Peter is the Churches foundation that vpon him as on a Rocke it is builded as if these wordes on this rocke were spoken of Peters person and which more is of al Romish Pops succeeding in that Sea Let vs examine the Text. Our Sauior demanding of the Apostles whome they did say him to be Peter in the name of all the rest answereth Thou arte the Christ the sonne of the liuing God Then Iesus saide vnto him Blessed arte thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it to thee but my Father which is in heauen And I say vnto thee Thou arte Peter and vppon this Rocke I will builde my Church Vpon which Rocke vpon Peter Then hee woulde haue said Thou arte Peter and vpon thee not vpon this rocke I will builde The change of speech from The to This from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou Peter to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vppon This very Rocke it argueth that Iesus would haue Peter to looke from himselfe to some other person or thing If to some other person then only to him selfe whom Peter had confessed to be the very Messiah Which Christ is onely sayd to be the Rocke 1. Corin 10.4 The worde Foundation is communicated also with the Apostles and Prophets but the tearme Rocke is neuer giuen vnto anye meere creature For hee that is God can onely be the rocke of our saluation And to keepe people from applying the tearme Rocke vnto Peter the Holy-ghost presently after recordateth how because of his euill counsaile soone after our Sauiour saith vnto him Matth. 16.23 Get thee behind me Satan thou arte an offence vnto me c. And not long after hee three times forsweareth his Maister Yea after he hadde receiued in the day of Pentecost a fulnesse of the Holy-ghost he halteth in his ministerie and draweth Barnabas into the same dissimulation Galathians chap 2. verse 11. c. for which the holy apostle Paul resisteth him to the face and blameth him And that this was Saint Peter the Apostle and not some other Cephas as some malitious Romanists haue lately vrged but indeede an auntient errour first obserue how they oppose to Paul who saith it was Peter whome in the Syriacke terme hee before calleth * Elias in Thisbi affirmeth that Simon Iesus of Nazareth his disciple he was called Cepha whiche signifieth Strength Cephas but also vnto the antient Fathers as Tertullian in praescriptionibus aduersus haeret Ambrose in ep Gala cap. 2. Chrysostome on the Galat. chap. 2. Augustine contra mendac ad Consentium cap. 12. Ierome on Galat. 2. Cyrill contra Iulian. li. 9. in fine * Collecting it out of Austines epistle to Ierome as also out of other his writings So doth Aquinas on the same place Baeda on Galath 2. c. Yea heerein they oppose vnto Gregorius Magnus their Pope cōfuting the same fond fancie in his eighteenth homily vpon Ezekiel post B. Thus the Romanists propound vnto vs weake foundation Peter for Christ the creature for the Creator To shutte vp this poynt briefly hearken to Augustines testimonie
* August in Ioh. ttact 124. The Church is founded vppon the Rocke whereon Peter tooke his name * Non enim a Petro Petra sed Petrus a Petra c. For the Rocke was not deriued of Peter but Peter of the Rocke euen as Christ is not so termed of Christian but Christian of Christ. Vppon this Rocke therefore saieth hee whome thou hast confessed I will build my Church for the Rocke was CHRIST vpon which foundation also Peter himselfe is builded Whereunto ioyne that of Isidore * Isid hisp lib. 7. etymologiarum c. 9 Peter tooke his name of the Rocke that is of Christ vppon whome the church is founded For Christ was the Rocke vpon which foundation Peter himselfe was also builded If they will that Peter shoulde be in some sense a foundation then they must admitte all the residue of the Apostles in the same respect to be foundations And that is it which Saint Iohn in his Apocal. 22.14 speaketh of when hee seeth this Ierushalem to haue twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue Apostles Obiection But Peter only had the keyes giuen to him Answer First that is nothing to this Secondly it is false for the keys namely the power of binding and loosing is afterwardes giuen to many others euen to the whole Church so well as vnto him Iohn 20.22 23. And this Origen precisely from the same place of Iohn doth prooue in his Homily on Mathew 16. not to speake of other Ancients as Cyprian de simplicit praelat Aug. super Ioh. 124. Tertull. scorp aduers Gnostio c. 10. Rabanus c. 8. de poenit Ansbert li. 3. c. 5 in Apoc. c. who grant that in Peter was considered the church to whom the power is giuen of binding and loosing spiritually If we consider Faith that is the Gospel to bee the foundation of the Church then that is it which diuers haue well vnderstood seeing Faith is the hand which coupleth Christ and his church together Hence it is that Chrys Chrys serm de Pentecoste Super hanc petram non dixit super Petrum c. thus writeth Vpon this Rocke not vpon Peter for not vpon man but vpon the Faith Christ buildes his church And what was that Faith namely Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Nyssenu in testim delect ex vet testa vtters the same So do Theophil in Mat. 16. Smarag on the same place and Vict. Antiochenus saith that frō this faith sound doctrine Peter receiued his name on Mar. 3. not to mention any others Thus respect we scripture or heare we the Antients their testimony the Romanists still are found loosers For the Brownists what foundation doe they by their necessarie consecution propound to vs This forsooth The outward Constitution of the Church that is The forme of plantation and church-gouernement and this is their Puppis and Prora the load-star of their Course Insomuch as they deny to haue communion in prayer in preaching in sacrament with any such Church whatsoeuer which hath not bin so planted is not so gouerned as they conceiue of the Primitiue churches their plantation and gouernement And as they deny spirituall cōmunion with England Scotland as failing in both so let it be such of the Dutch French churches as haue planted their chur rightly in their own iudgement yet bicause of som few things in gouernment ecclesiasticall which they dislike they not onely deny communion with them yea for very hearing the worde but also excommunicate such of their people * So Maister Pe. Al. Maister M. Sl. c came to be excommunicate as shall but ioyne with them in prayer or in preaching Whereby it commeth to passe that this people maintaining that that their father Browne dare not they conceiue of themselues for the onely true visible church of God which can be throwly communicated with Briefly to returne answere first they take it for granted that the faith of Christ was amongst vs first planted by force of the sword not by preaching of the worde whereby came to passe that all wicked were receiued c. Let it be so Augustine August in ep 48. indeede was once of opinion that no compulsion herin was to be vsed but by his felow ministers being put in mind how his owne citie was wholy Donatists til feare of imperiall lawes brought them from that schisme to catholike vnity the good man changeth his minde alleadging such Scripture Prouerb 9 9. and 29.19 c. And I woulde gladly know of these men to what end a Christian hath the sword put into his hand if not with Nehemiah Iosiah Hezekiah Iosaphat Asa c. to driue the subiectes vnto outward conformity of holinesse righteousnesse Take away this vse of the sworde and then so wel with Anabaptistes remooue Magistrate and his sword out of the church Obiection But it was prophecied that the Church should be a voluntary people Psal 110.3 and Christ gathered and planted his Church by the word onely Answer The Anabaptists do apply these thinges aswell to their purpose adding further The Primitiue churches had no Kings in them c. therefore Kings as Kings not of a true established Church And thus Brownisme leadeth to Anabaptisme But least the crie of these Lapwings draw me from my purpose I leaue the Brownist to answere the Anabaptist and this shall be my answere to the scripture and our Sauiours practise It is true people were and did voluntarilie giue vp their names to Christ vpon the Gospels preaching Christ herein would not vse the sword not because it had been vnlawfull for he in himselfe vsed a whip in the Temple and forcibly ouerthrew their chaunging tables but because for the first plantation of the Gospell he saw it not to be expedient The weakest and foolishest meanes in mans iudgement 1. Cor. 1 27 28 29 he now did vse that so no flesh should reioice in his presence As he vsed onely his woord so he chose vnlearned men for the publication thereof And because none should say that it was no maruell though simple subiects became Christians seeing some of their Kings were first Christians the Apostle therefore before said Not many Mighty not many Noble are called To conclude now That the Sword hath not his vse in churches plantation c. they may aswell conclude That Noble men wise and learned men they haue nothing to doe in Church plantation Indeed when there commeth a New-Christ and new Apostles we will either graunt they conclude well or else we wil hold them and the new Christ accursed Secondly they assume That the sword planted first the Faith here which we deny First it cannot be but the first plantation of the Faith wheresoeuer it must bee by the Gospell preached The sword may make a noyse together with the Words voice but none can by the sword alone take any knowledge of the Gospell Besides it appeareth by auncient record that the Gospell came
into this land in the Apostles times according to that in Rom. 10.18 Tertullian Tertull. aduers Iud. ca. 7. saith Britannorum inaccessa Romanis loca Christo vero subdita c. That the Britans euen in such places as Romaines had not accesse vnto they were subdued to Christ That S. Paul after his first captiuitie at Rome should come into these partes Theodoret writeth Theod. l. 9. de cur Graec. affect Niceph. l. 2. ca. 4. Nicephorus affirmeth that Simon Zelotes came into Britaine And Iohn Bale from auncient Gildas our writer and from others affirmeth that Ioseph of Arimathia was sent into Britain by Philip the Apostle after the dispersion from the Galles this to be about the yeere of our Lord 63. Yea that Iames with some others did repaire to and preach in Ireland Vincentius Vinc. 8. c. 7. writeth But more of this I haue written in my Antidoton Who came first hither with the Gospell it skilleth not sure we are it came here for we find it here and the Brownists against his owne soule must confesse it except they will tell vs that them selues haue receaued the Gospell vpon Sea or in some foraigne country Obiection But this proueth no way an orderly plantation of the Church to haue bin here Ans Yes forsooth except you wil haue a companie of beleeuers dwelling together in the Faith as the Church first did lodge in a myles compasse by Welles now tearmed Glascon-bury to liue without rule without forme of true gouernment If they liued at first like Libertines which no sober spirit can think then we must greatly lament that none of the Brownists were then with them for instructing them in discipline Obiection Let it be what soeuer it was yet we find not true discipline now Ans Some of you haue also said that neither we haue the Gospell but if some of you vpon better aduise do graunt we haue the Gospell for the substance I think ye had best graunt also discipline for the substance that is such externall gouernment as for the substance at least doth stand for the Gospell for Christ And that the Gospell shall so soundly be preached and gouernment so faithfully executed of any Churches in these last times as was at first none of wit can beleeue because our Sauior and the Apostles do fore-tell the contrarie Math. 24 37 38 39 Luk. 17 22 23. Math. My Antidoton openeth that point at large 13 24 c. 1. Tim. 4 1 c. 2. Tim. 3 1 c. Reuel 13 11 c. 2. Thess 2 3 c. and yet no reason nor warrant of running out of the Catholike wheat-field or Church vnder a pretext of Replantation but rather to keepe within and as we can and may to labour for Reformation But where they say You want Christs gouernment and in the roume thereof you haue Antichristes and therfore we seperate I more particularly answer First after Peters confession in Math. 16 our Sauior doth not promise that outward Church-gouernment shall preuaile for euer against Hell-gates and themselues graunt it hath not but only A true being of the Church by reason of the Rock wheron it should be builded Secondly let them marke that Peter maketh no confession of Church discipline for as yet he had not learned that but of Christ Iesus to be as verilie the Son of God vnseen of flesh and blood as he was man well seen of flesh blood Who beeing the Christ or Messiah did verily carry with it that there was no other by whom Saluation was wholie or in part to be effected And the knowledge beliefe and apprehension of this not exteriour discipline is the essential foundation of the Church Which who so holdeth in the vnitie of the Catholike Church they are to be held of this Catholike Citie and not because of imperfections to be seuered from because Iehouah is Shammah There Thirdly let them consider that as outward Church gouernment is not the mark or badge euer of true Christians for in the Brownists iudgement many of the Anabaptists haue that and we know that Iesabel with her spiritual children Balaams sectaries the faction of beastly Nicolaitans c. Reuel 2. 3. they were in the Asian Churches rightly established and possessed of right gouernment but yet bearing the badge of Antichrist so neither is humane regiment a marke euer of false Christians For if Christ his gouernment externall it can not cause all vnder it to be vnto vs true visible Christians much lesse can humane regiment or Antichrists outward gouernment cause all vnder it to be of vs reputed Antichristes Seeing Anti-christes gouernment can not haue more vice in it then there is vertue in Christes Fourthly they know not what Antichrists marke is for if euery good thing be not the marke of a true Christian for Arrius Nestorius yea euery Heretike holdeth some good thinges so neither can euery bad thing be the badge of Antichrist for then euery man should be Antichristian seing euery man at least somtimes hath some bad thing visible in him As Antichrist is opposed to Christ so in nothing so much as in the verie foundation of Religion â—â—r which the Apostle S. Paul tearmeth him Anti-keimenos 2. Thess 2.4 the Layer of an opposite foundation And in very troth as it is the verie essentiall truth of the Gospell which is the mark of a true Christian so it is the very fundamentall falshood of Antichrist for the which he is entitled Antichrist his members Antichrists The foundation false not hay stubble c. vpon a true foundation 1. Cor. 3.10 c. is the beastes marke differencing his people essentially from Christes Obiect But the Apostle saying Let euery man take heed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how he builds not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he builds it argueth he there speaketh of the manner of teaching not of the matter taught I answer He intendeth both maner and matter And that may be seen First by comparing the 2. chap. the 1. verse with that which foloweth there in this chapter for he compareth not only his plaine manner of teaching with humane Eloquence but also the plaine matter of the Gospell with the worlds wisdom which elswhere he tearmeth Coloss 2.8 Philosophie Secondly gold siluer c. hay stubble c. they cannot in any proprietie so much resemble manner as matter specially compared with Fire which is not appointed so much to trie the manner as the matter or thing it self Thirdly seeing Eloquence may stand with Christ the foundation first for that it is the gift of God 2. is sanctified to his people Exod. 4.10.11 Eccles. 12.9.10 Act. 18.24 1. Cor. 1.5 Lastly an hundred schollers may be called together for defining fully what is the Primitiue forme of Church-regiment and 3. of them though otherwise goodmen not be found in one iudgment for all things How vnwise therfore are these people that about the forme of discipline do rend
demaund of them first how it doth appeare in Deut. 12 that the Israëlites were tyed to examine whether all such places had been so dedicated from the verie foundation Secondly I would know of them how they know that all our Churches were founded by Romes Apostacie to that Idolatrous woorship Here they must make a religion of it to search after the ages of Churches and whether they were builded since Anti-christ was mounted Here I will help the Nouices Dioclesian destroyed the Temples Euseb l. 8. cap. 2. as Eusebius recordeth verie aged were these Churches and then the Gentiles vpbraided the Christians saith Orig. ad Celsum l. 4. Arnob. l. 2. Origen with their lacke of Temples as now they might well laugh vs to scorne if we would pull down our Churches for satisfaction of Brownists who neuer are like to build a Church destroyers somuch as in them is both of Churches materiall and spiritual The former losse by Dioclesian was recouered by the edict of Galerius Maximinus after the hand of God had been sharp vpon him as Euseb l. 8. c. 16. 9. ch 10. Niceph. l. 7. c. 3. Eusebius and Nicephorus witnesse After this how bountifull Constantinus Magnus was this way th'ecclesiasticall hystories sufficiently vtter Nor was this of Constantine effected so late as 340. yeeres from our Sauiours incarnation Now let our Church-ruinors teach vs First when Antichrist had subdued our Westerne parts vnto him so that thence-forth all stood subiects to that Beast Secondly let them proue vnto vs that our Churches in such and such times of Antichrist they were builded at his commandement and by his members vnto his apostaticall woorship Sixtly admit that Antichrist and whosoeuer had reared vp and dedicated our Temples to idoles yet the creature recouered out of their handes it ceaseth not to be the good creature of God 1. Tim. 4.4 5 For the Apostle teacheth me that euery creature of God is good and nothing ought to bee refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing and reason heereof he thus rendreth Because it is sanctified by the word and praier If no meat entring into me though once vncleane by the Lawe can now pollute the beleeuer much lesse can garments and houses that are creatures externall and outward The Apostle indeede saith that in not touching tasting handling such things as the Law once counted vncleane Coloss 2 it hath a shew of wisedome but in trueth no substance of wisedome And for that cause he calleth it no better then Ethelo-threskeia A will-worship whereas if we be risen with Christ then wee will vse our Christian liberty in the free vse of God his creatures not bring our selues backe into a Iudaicall bondage Iohn 4.20 21. c. Hereof the woman of Samaria coulde not be ignorant who by our Sauiour himselfe was taught that not in Iaakobs mountaine nor yet in Beniamins hilles was Gods worship or sacrifice to bee longer seated but the houre was comming and euen then was begunne for abolishing that forme of sacrifice as also the Place And hitherto Saint Paul had relation when hee writeth thus vnto Timothy 1. Tim. 2.8 I will therefore that the men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubting Because foolish man hath dedicated Creatures to the patronage of this or that true or false Saint I must therfore abhorre the creature specially in ecclesiasticall or spirituall vsage By this crooked rule I may not preach nor pray in England because it was dedicated to Saint George nor in Wales because Dauid is there made patrone nor in Ireland by reason of Saint Patricke nor in Scotland bicause of Saint Andrew nor in Fraunce because of S. Denys nor in any countrey where Rome hath domineerd because all is dedicated to somewhat Nay I must in no one day of the yeare preach or pray because they haue to euery day giuen a Saint Thus if a man desire to runne himselfe into a labyrinth and endlesse Maze let him but leape into the Brownists and Anabaptists faction This shal suffice for manifestation of the former Doctrine namely That Christians are not to retayne the whole or any part of Moses Ceremoniall kingdome in the nature of Ceremony THE Second Sermon THe second generall doctrine That the newe Testaments kingdome once established it can neuer bee totally remooued that remaineth in the next place to be further cleered And that by the grace of God shall be done first by obseruing the difference betwixt vs and the Romanists we both holde the Church euer visible but they in one forme we in another secondly by examining the Arrians Anabaptists and Brownists allegations whereby they would haue the Church for very many yeares to haue no Face or visibilitie at all Touching the discrepance twixt Romanists and vs it lieth heerein they hold that the new Testaments church once generally planted the face thereof continueth euermore gloriously visible And to this end they alledge diuers places specially out of the prophets which doe inferre a large and glorious face of Christ and his kingdome here We of the other side doe teach that this new church howsoeuer in her first plantation by the Apostles it was both passing large and glorious yet in succeeding times it wained with the Moone shee lost much of her glory and of her outstretched visibilitie And to this purpose wee allege first the state of Israels church as a tipe and figure thereof secondly very many scriptures old new which can admit no other collection lastly we vrge experience it self First I. Type touching the Type or Figure we see the church of Israel going out with banners in the wildernes and finally seated in glorious Canaan by Ioshuah After his death al ranne out of order the vncircumcised had them long in subiection there was no king in Israel and euery man didde what was good in his owne eyes Then in Saul Dauid Solomons times we see the church by sundry steps mounted enlarged but in Rehoboams dayes wee see ten tribes schisme from the twoo that is from Iudah and Beniamin and that which was worse didde reare vp and woorshippe first calues in Dan and Bethel secondly Baalim with his abhominations Nor was the bodie of these tenne tribes at anie tyme recouered but finally in Hosheahs raigne carried away by the Assyrian armie Colonies of straungers beeing in their rowme transported vnto theyr Metropolitane Citie Samaria and them parts In the meane time the little kingdome of Iudah contayning also Beniamin it did not euer retayne the face of her orderly gouernement for sundrie of the Kinges brought Idolatrie in but by others agayne in some good sorte purged Yet finally such was the height of their sinne GOD left them to the boyling potte of the North euen to Nebuchadnetzar who spoyled their Cittie and Temple and departed the chiefe of the Royall seede vnto Babel Then for seuentie yeares did orderly sacrifice cease their Iudiciall pollicie giuen