Nazianzene For Iames was lowd in Herods eares who slew him c Act. 12.2 for the Iewes sake and Iohn was powerfull as an high sounding thunder according to the d Aristot lib. 2. Meteor ca. 9. in illuÌ„ Vicomercatum Senec. lib. 2. Natural Quaest cap. 27. Naturalists their distinctioÌ„ of thunder in nube ex nube in the cloud and from the cloud In the blacke cloud of his flesh wherein whiles he liued he kept the Church pure by his effectuall Preaching from hereticall contagion if wee may well beleeue the report of Hegesippus as Eusebius e Euseb lib. 4. histor Ecclesiast cap. 8. hath recorded it From the bright cloud of his doctrine when after his death he now thundreth in his writings first concerning things past in that his Gospell which where other Euangelists speake most of Christs body f Caluin in proâ—m commentar in Joh. most especially deliuereth the historie of his soule and not of his soule onely to shew Christ truely man but of his God-head also to prooue him very God Secondly of things to come in his Booke of Reuelation g Danaeus in proleg in Minor prophetas ca. 10 which is the last prophecie of the new Testament to which h Reue. 22.10 whoso addeth God will adde vnto him the plagues written therein Thirdly of things present to wit Faith and Loue Faith of sound doctrine and Loue of good workes in these his three Epistles in the first of which called by all Diuines Catholica because it is not dedicated or directed to any one man Church or Countrie in particular for i Vid Posside in Indic Oper. D. Augustini it is not probable that he sent it to the Parthians of whom he maketh no mention at all these points of Doctrine are handled so promiscuously as that yet they are attempered and fitly framed to the strength and capacitie of euery true faithfull one be he olde yong or babish olde by experience who k Heb. 5.14 through long custome hath his wits exercised to discerne both good and euill Yong in his best strength that l Ephes 4.26 he might no way giue place to the deuill but resist m Iam. 4.7 him rather that he may flee from him Babish as n 1. Pet. 2.2 new borne desiring the sincere milke of the word to grow thereby For as in the o Plutarch in Lacon Institut Spartan festiuals all the people reioyced but euery man in a seuerall companie with a seueral tune as old men said they haue beene strong yong men sung that they are strong and children that they may bee strong so although the faithfull performance of these dueties belong vnto all true Christians alike yet Iohn in his heauenly wisedome directeth diuers dueties to diuers ages as louing experience to ancient Fathers liuely strength to flourishing young men and sauing knowledge to tender babes by which as old and yong men take heede of the world which is contrarie to the Father so these babes especially are carefull to beware of all wicked heretikes destroyers of faith § II. For this is the end The end and summe of all and purpose of these words onely to forewarne that as olde men with yong men flee these worldly euils pride couetousnesse and luxurie so must these babes looke with a circumspect eye vnto all false seducers in these dangerous times Because that you may now see at once the summe of all to be said out of these words now it is the last age of the world wherein according to the ancient prophecies of the comming of Antichrist there are now risen many forerunners of that great one who since they are reprobates are become Apostates that may bee discerned what they are by vs who are indued with the grace of Gods holy Spirit from Iesus Christ to know all things necessarie for our saluation in this behalfe The Diuision of the whole Text. § III. Hence therefore you see two things to be obserued out of this Scripture a temptation and an issue a danger and a deliuerance The danger is twofold first in respect of time Babes it is the last time Secondly in respect of wicked teachers liuing in that time who are here described certainely to come for an euident manifestation of this last time First by the greatnesse of the head and as yee heard that Antichrist shall come Secondly by the multitude of the members euen now are there many Antichrists by which we know it is the last time yet the deliuerance is greater then the danger p 1. Cor. 10.13 our faithfull God not suffering vs to be tempted aboue that which wee are able to beare but giuing the issue with the temptation that we may be able to beare it For our deliuerance is described procureable two maner of wayes First in respect of the seducers themselues who are noted to be knowne Secondly in respect of the faithfull indued with grace for to know them The marke of these Antichrists is their Apostasie disciphered out two wayes first by the cause and secondly by the end The cause is formall or as q Zaharell de medijs demonstr cap. 5. Keckerm lib. 1. system Logic. cap. 15. Logicians call it efficiens per emanationem to wit Reprobation necessarily concluding these men to bee Apostates in this demonstration a causa propter quam whose proposition is if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. Assumption But they were not all of vs. Conclusion is and therefore they went out from vs. For secondly the end is that it might appeare that they were not all of vs. And therefore that by this marke we might know these Antichrists our God doth indue vs with the grace of his Spirit here liuely discribed first by this fountaine ye haue from that holy one secondly by the floud an vnction or an oyntment and thirdly from the Sea or rather from the end for which this floud floweth from this fountaine and know all things Euery word hath his weight and euery weight hath worth in the danger for a corrosiue in the deliuerance for a comfort in both for sound doctrine and true instruction which although I cannot but rudely deliuer being not accustomed to so honorable a Celebritie yet hartily in the Lord and most humbly I beseech you to heare me patiently since I will endeuour by the grace of GOD preuenting and assisting me in this present businesse to speake to the purpose and prooue what I speake concluding thus with Salomon r Prou. 8.33.34 heare instruction and be yee wise and refuse it not Blessed is the man that heareth me watching daily at my Gates and giuing attendance at the postes of my doores For hee that findeth me findeth life and shall obtaine fauour of the Lord. And so now to the first danger in respect of the time ¶ The first part of the end of the WORLD § IIII. BAbes it is the
Bellar. lib. 4. de Christo cap. 6. Bellarmines owne graunt but to make answere vnto their second forgerie we admit it into the summe of our faith all agreeing in the matter that Christ descended into hell howsoeuer there is amongst our learned men in priuate such diuersitie of iudgement onely in deliuering the manner of Christs descension into hell as may by distinction of time wherein all those actions were fully complete in my poore opinion be easily couched into one sound corps of necessary truth For some as i Caluin Instit lib. 2. ca. 16. §. 10 Master Caluin and the k Catechism Ecclesiae Geneuensis inter opuscula Caluini Church of Geneua say that then did our Sauiour descend into hell when he suffered in his Soule those hellish torments that were due for our sinnes expressing his humiliation vnder so great a burden by his griefe by his heauinesse and by his crying on the Crosse my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Others as l Oleuian in Symbol De substant foederis art de descens Oleuian and the m Palatin Belgiae in Catechismis Vrsmi Bastingij Churches of Germany holding against the reall bodily presence of Christs body in the Sacrament say that then did Christ descend into hell when vpon the dissolution of his soule from his body by death he entred into the state or condition of the dead which is nothing else but that the body lyeth in the graue and the Soule is with God separated from the bodie as Christ was till the third day vnder the lowest degree of his humiliation Lastly the ancient Fathers followed by the best and most learned n Vid nostros vt D. Hill B. Bilson M. Sparke D. Abbots in his Answere to D. Bishop against M. Perkins Aduertisment Diuines of the Church of England with whom the o L. Hutter in explic lib. de Concord art 9. Eckardus in Enchirid. Controu cap. 3. q. 30 31. Lutheranes also accord hold that then did Christ descend into hell when his soule being separate from his bodie then buried went really and locally downe into hell as a King into the prison to declare his power in it and therein to triumph ouer Satan and all the gates of hell which from thenceforth should not any way * Mat. 16.18 preuaile against his Church Opinions all true though it may be all of them cannot so fitly be applied to this article as the onely proper meaning thereof Wherefore with that most blessed and renowned seruant of Christ p Bucanus loco 25. Institut q. 6. Vrsinus Catechism p. 2 q. 45 pag. 315. Bucanus we thus reconcile them all into one by the true and necessarie distinction of times wherein our Sauiour first suffered in his soule those griefes and paines which were due to our soules both in all his life time but especially a little before and at his death in the state and condition of which death secondly he continued from the time that he gaue vp the ghost vntill his resurrection in which space of time thirdly his bodie was buried and his soule now being separated from the body returned vnto God that gaue it so as that it first went into Paradise where it was with the theefes soule and after by the power of his Godhead really and locally descended into the place of the damned it may be about the time of the earthquake which hapned a little before his resurrectioÌ„ there to make a defiance against Satan in his owne kingdome For all these assertions are seuerally true by the assent of diuers q Aquin. Opusculan Symbolii Colonienses in Instit super huÌ„c artic Ferus in Mat. 27. learned Papists themselues what reason then is there why they may not be as orthodox being ioyned together by way of reconcilement to make peace amongst brethren in whose diuisions as in r Iudges 5.15 those of Reuben there are great thoughts of heart For holding fast the matter we haue more freedome of saith concerning the manner in the opening of which if there be any difference it onely sheweth Å¿ 1. Cor. 12.7 the abundance of Gods Spirit in the Seruants of God who swim towards heauen their last and euerlasting Hauen through the waters of the Scriptures t Ezech. 47.1 2 3. that issue out of the Temple by diuers channels and seuerall depths So that against these wrongs of our Aduersaries thus clearely wiped away from our faces by the euidence of truth it selfe and their owne assent also we conclude with those words of S. Augustine u Aug. Ep. 174. ad Pascentium If men sometimes were not one according to diuersities of their wills and pleasures and according to the vnlikenesse of their opinions and manners yet shall they be one when they come to that end that God may be all in all The fift Article vndermined 1. By their practice Now to proceed from this fourth Article whereon wee haue insisted the longer that wee might the more fully discouer the very bottome of the filthy sinke of Popery the fifth concerning Christs Resurrection on the third day is secretly vndermined first by that Popish practice of going in Pilgrimage to visite the Sepulchre of Christ at Hierusalem both authorized by their x Synod Moguntina sub Sebastiano c. 44 Mediolanensi 4. An. Dom. 1573. c de Peregrinat apud â—inium tom 4. Concil Councels and confirmed by those Letters testimoniall which the y Vti vidi daâ—as cuidam Eduardo Long Generoso Anno Dom. 1609. Prior of the Couent now being at Hierusalem giues to the superstitious Pilgrimes our English PhaÌ„tasticks who vpon money let out to receiue some fiue for one vndertake that idle Iourney for if we beleeue it what need wee see it z 2. Cor. 5.7 Wee walke by faith and not by sight Gregorie Nyssen a Gregor Nyssen in Epist ad Cappadoc Graecolat apud Catalog testium verit tom 1. li. 4. p. 163 saith of this abuse that since locall motion doth not bring God neerer to vs to whom hee will come wheresoeuer we be we must labour to trauaile from the body to the Lord and not from Cappadocia or from any other Countrey else vnto Palestina which is not to be called aboue others b Innocent 3. apud Platinam an Holy Land being c Mat. 27.25 2. By their Doctrine subiect yet to the curse for the death of Christ as they wished His bloud vpon themselues and their children Secondly by that most strange assertion that d Iodic Coccius tom 1. Catholic lib. 2. art 5. Christ should rise clauso Monumento The Sepulchre being shut whereas the e Mat. 28.3 Angell came downe to roll away the stone not as some f Maldonatus in Matth. 28. of them say after his Resurrection onely that the woman might see it but before his rising as LEO g Leo 1. Ep. 83. cap.
Virgil. lib. 6. de Inuentor â—er c. 2. could not vnderstand what was said or sung in an vnknowne tongue and the heat of zeale quenched in men of vnderstanding whose eares were tickled but hearts not touched whiles as S. Augustine g Aug lib. 10. Confess cap. 23. complayned of himselfe so most were more mooued by the sweetnesse of the song then by the sense of the matter which was sung vnto them And yet here was the mischiefe that men knew not their hurt which most did pinch them For it wrought as the h Aelian de histor animal lib. 9 cap. 11. deadly touch of the Aspis in a tickling dilight till it had vndone them not so manifest at the first because the manner of working was in a Mysterie like i Episc Eliensis in resp ad Apolog Bellar. ca. 12 pag. 249. growing Impostumes and sowring leuen not felt in fieri but well knowne in facto § XX. And yet the names do not so plainly shew the Pope to bee Antichrist From the Nature or causes of Antichrist as doth the nature of the thing if we will but mark the true applying of all the causes before deliuered For first touching the efficieÌ„t cause In the Efficient cause 1. Principall the principal efficient of Antichrist is the Deuil and so of the Pope since if we respect the grand corruptions either of the Chaire or of the Persons successiuely placed in the Chaire wee shall find the Deuill to haue a chiefe hand therein For the corruption in the Chaire is k Matt. 13.28 a Tare in the Field sowne onely by the Deuill of whose maine seducements the See of Rome the Chaire of Peter as they surname it is called l Reuel 11.8 Sodome Aegypt this for her Heresies and that for bad life vsed by the persons placed in that eminencie both for their owne and others destruction being instruments of the Deuil m Reuel 9.11 Angels of the bottomlesse pit called Abaddon Apollyon For after their discouery which of them ascended into that Throne but by the Deuill Some by Ambition as those who rose to the place by Schismes whereof there were n A. Damas ad Eugeni 4. Vid. Onuphr de schismatib some thirtie at the least some o Ioh. 189. apud Platinam by bribing of the Cardinals in the Conclaue some by p Ioh. 11. per Theodorä Io. 13. per Maroziä apud Luâ—prandum lib. 2. ca. 13 the fauour of Bawdes and Whores yea and some came to the Papacie by a direct compact made with the Deuill to whom they couenanted the possession of their soules and bodies after their death if they might attaine to their wished for honour of the Papacie as wee read in Chronicles of q Fascicul Tempor Platina Siluester the second r Hieronym Marius in Eusebio Alexander the sixth So that wee may very well conclude with these olde ruines made vpon these occasions Å¿ Apud Catalog testium Veritatis tom 2. pag. 832. Ima tenet IVPITER coelum habet PLVTO Et accidit dignitas animali bruto Tanquam gemma stercori picturaluto that is IOVE holds the lowest parts PLVTO hath Heauen got Dignitie to Beasts as Gemmes To dunghill sals in lot Now for the lesse principall efficient cause 2. Lesse principall Occasion as the liberalitie of Christian Princes which we noted in Antichrist to be either outwardly occasioning or inwardly inducing we find them the very same altogether in the Pope For the occasion of Papall rising was twofold first the ruine and decay of the Romane Empire and secondly the liberalitie of Christian Princes to the See of Rome when the t Sozomen lib. 2. cap. 2. Emperour hauing translated his Imperiall Throne from Rome to Constantinople and leauing u Carion lib. 3. Chron. pag. 404. only his Exarch or Lieutenant in Italie who was ouerthrowne and thrust out by the Lombards the Pope x Platina in Zacharia 1. Stephano 2. called the Frankes into Italie for the vtter ouerthrow of the Kingdome of Lombardie which with other great Seigniories in Italie hee obtained by the first Donation of Pipin the Father and the second Confirmation of Charles the Sonne and the finall Acknowledgement of Lewis the Grand-childe registred in y Gratian. dist 63. can 30. Gratian and being as Albertus z Albert. Crant zius lib. 2 Sax. cap. 1. Crantzius supposeth that which they call the Donation of Constantine For let a August Steuchus Eugubinus lib. 3. de donat Constant contra Laur. Vallam Eugubinus and others b Baronius Bisciola ad ann 324. c. of the Popes Flatterers sweat out their hearts whiles they seeke to make good this false Donation of the Great Constantine the truth is that the Pope had not any Temporalities by any grant of the Emperour till the c Albert. Crantzius vbi supra Inducements as the Abundance of worldly pleasures Gothes first gaue somewhat the Lombards added more and lastly the Franke Emperours made vp these Dominions vnto his desire But yet these occasions of his aduancement were not so lamentable as the inducements for the lifting vp of the Papall State are abominable and most truely Antichristian For it was the abundance of worldly pleasures which mooued them so much vnto the amplifying of their authoritie by the trampling downe of the Romane Emperours and the Princes of Italie that when others wept they might laugh when others stood penitent without in the cold three dayes together barefoot and bareheaded as d Vid Platinam in Gregor 7. did Henrie the foâ—rth they with proud Hildebrand might glut themselues with all pleasures in their Palaces according as Mantuan e Baptist Mantuan lib. 3. Calamitat hath in these words bewailed Petrique domus polluta fluente Marcescit luxu more 's extirpat honestos Sanctus ager scurris venerabilis ara cinaedis Sâ—ruit honorandae diuûm GANYMEDIBVS aedes that is NOW PETERS house polluted pines with flowing lust Casts out good manners holy field to Scoffers must Now serue for Bawdes is Altar set To GANYMEDES are Saints housen let § XXI Secondly for the materiall cause or subiect of the Papacie it is a man In the materiall cause 1. A Man and not the Deuill although such men bee little better then Incarnate Deuils For the hollow Chaire vsed in the Popes Consecration euer since Iohn the eight otherwise called Ioan English demoÌ„strateth him plainly to be a man since then when hee sitteth downe in that Chaire his Priuities are groped by the lowest Deacon as Platina f Platina in Ioh. 8. saith plainely although g Onuphrius in Annotat. ibidem Onuphrius doth impudently denie that which Bellarmine ingeniously h Bellar. lib. 3. de Pontif. cap. 24 granteth to be done not for tryall of humanitie but for demonstration of humilitie and remembrance of death Therefore the Pope must needs bee a man and as wee demonstrated
Pelagians what a August lib. 2. contra Pelagium Caelestium cap. 29. Saint Augustine auoucheth and the b Glossa in dist 23. can 1. Canonists repeat that as the Floud c Gene. 7.23 ouerwhelmed all men saue Noe and his family so originall corruption seazed vpon d Rom. 5.12 euery one none excepted but the very e Heb. 4.15 2. Of Christ his birth person of Christ Secondly by that grosse opinion concerning Christs Birth that f Aquin. 3. p. q. 28. art 2. q. 35. art 6. Coccius tom 1. Catholicismi lib. 2. cap. 5. D. Bishop in his answere to M. Perkins Aduertisement Vbi vide D. Abbots Replie Christ was borne of the Virgin clauso vtero the wombe being shut Directly contrary to the cause of his presentation to the Lord in the Temple recorded by g Luke 2.23 the Euangelist out of h Exod 13.2 the Law Euery male that openeth the wombe shall bee called Holy to the Lord by which yet there hapned no breach of virginitie since she i Luke 1.31 knew no man being as Tertullian k Tertull. lib. de Carne Christi cap. 23. The fourth Article vndermined by deuillish doctrines saith A Virgin and not a Virgin a Virgin as touching man and not a Virgin as touching childe-bearing The fourth Article Suffered vnder PONTIVS PILATE was crucified dead and buried hee descended into hell although he dare not deny in the thing done for feare of being found yet hee subtilly vndermineth the efficacie of these actions wrought for our saluation by sundry deuillish doctrines deliuered by his Schoolemen for the easier l Vid. Concil Trid. sess 14. cap. 8 sess 25. ca. 1 1. Of Christs sufferings bringing in of humane satisfactions and the setting open wider the gates of picke-purse Purgatorie For first they say that Christ did not properly suffer any punishment or death but m Bellar. lib. 2. de Christo cap. 8 Feuardent li. 5. Thâ—omac Caluinisticae cap. 11 of the body onely whereas if hearty griefe be a proper passion of the soule by which it is troubled and suffereth paine not by sympathie with the body only but properly in it selfe as all true n Aquin. 1.2 q. 35. art 1. 7. c. in eundem ibidem B. Medina Diuinitie and o Lodon Viues lib. 3. de Anima Philosophy doth teach vs we may rather beleeue that Christ did properly suffer in soule the p Damascen lib. 3. Orthod fid cap. 26. Aquinaâ— 3. part q. 46. art 5 6.7 Caluin Institut lib. 2. cap. 16. §. 10 c. paines of hell although not in regard of losse damnâ— but of feeling sensus and that not for euer as q Esay 66.24 Reprobates finde whose worme neuer dyeth but only for some time and this not long as r M. Luther Iohn Glouer c. apud Io. Fox some faithfull men haue endured a tryall but for a very moment and as it were at an instant euen then when he Å¿ Luke 12.49 grieued t Heb. 5.7 when he feared and when u Mat. 26.38 hee found his soule heauy vnto the death as vpon these symptomes it was concluded by x Concil Hispal 2. can 13. the Fathers of the second Councell of Seuill amongst whom were these great men Isidore and Fulgentius out of a place y Ambros in 23. Luc. of Ambrose that the soule was subiect passionibus to sufferings but the Godhead was free For as Hierome z Hieronym in Esay 53. 2. Of Christ offered said it is very plaine that as his body being beaten and torne did beare the signes of iniurie in the prints of strokes and in the blewnesse so his soule verè doluisse truly grieued lest partly the truth partly a lye should bee beleeued in Christ. Secondly they auerre a Aquin. Opuscul de sacra altaris cap. 1. that as the body of the Lord was once offered vpon the Crosse for originall sinne so it is offered continually vpon the altar for our daily transgressions whereas we are onely bound to beleeue that by one b Heb. 10.14 Offering he hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified then vpon the Crosse so c Iohn 19.29 finishing the worke of our Redemption as his bloud then shed clenseth d 1. Iohn 1.7 vs from all sinne Originall and Actuall without exception as e Eusâ—b lib. 1. Demonstr Euangel cap. 10. Eusebius therefore calleth him the atonement for the whole world the sacrifice for all soules the pure hoste for euery blot and sinne who as f Athanas orat 3. contr Arianos Athanasius saith offered a faithfull sacrifice continually induring and not falling downe For as Chrysostome g Chrysost hom 17. in Ioh. gathered vpon the word in the present tense vsed by h Iohn 1.29 S. Iohn Baptist Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world when he suffered he did not then onely take away our sinnes but from thence hithereto he taketh them away hee is not alwayes crucified for he hath offered one sacrifice for our sinnes but alwayes by that he now purgeth vs from all sinne saith i Aquinas in 1. Ioh. 1.7 3. Of Christ not meriting alone Aquinas himselfe originall actuall mortall veniall Thirdly they k Biel in lib. 3. sentent dist 19. q. 1. conclus 3. Nicholas de Orbellis in eundem ibidem hold that although the passion of Christ did merit saluation for all the sonnes of ADAM yet the working of those that are to be saued must helpe together with it as a merite of congruity or of condignity because although it be the principall yet it neuer was the whole cause nor the sole cause meritorious of opening the Kingdome of Heauen wheras we are not in any sort to acknowledge either any other way to heauen but onely Christ who is l Iohn 14.6 the Way the Truth and the Life or any meritorious worke of man to bee ioyned with Christs merit seeing first m Vid. Caluin lib. 3. Inst cap. 15 §. 2. D. Fulke in 13. Heb. § 15 in Answere to Greg. Martin touching haeret translat cap. 9. no Scripture at all no not in any translation euer made mention of the word Merit secondly no man can plead for any such perfection as thereby to merit being n Gal. 5.17 troubled with his rebellious flesh Thirdly Christs merit is not so weake as to bee supplied by the helpe of our merit his merit being able to redeeme a thousand worlds so effectuall for vs that thereby now o Rom. 8.35 not any thing can be layd to our charge so that against this blasphemie besides these grounds of faith in Scripture we may oppose the iudgement both of ancient Fathers of some moderat learned Papists those both iointly agreeing in the second CouÌ„cel of Orenge against the Pelagians to these Canons p Concil
cap. 11 Interim that the signes of a true Church are sound doctrine and the right vse of the Sacraments I am weary of wading thorow these puddles of pollution wherewith Pope and Papists doe pester the Church of Christ The tenth Article denied and therefore I will not speake of their denying the absolute and free remission of sinnes mentioned in the tenth article by their a Bellar. lib. 1. de Amiss grat lib. Arbitr cap. 1. 2. distinction of sinne into veniall and mortall and their tenent grounded thereupon b Idem lib. 1. de Purgator cap. 11. rat 2. that the punishment eternall of both is fully remitted in Christ but the temporall punishment for the veniall sinne is to be satisfied for by our selues either here or in Purgatorie whereas Scripture telleth vs that c Rom. 6.23 the wages of sinne is death and d Ephes 1.7 Hebr. 9.22 1. Iohn 1.7 that there is no remission of sinne but by Christ in his blood and that e Psal 49.7 Ephes â— 8 no man of vs can redeeme his owne soule and that f Eccles 9.4 Reuel 14 13. after this life there is no place either for repentance or remission and that g Luke 17.10 The eleuenth Article denied when we haue done all that we can doe we are but vnprofitable seruants neither will I trouble you with recounting the Atheisme of Iohn the 23. condemned and deposed by the Councell of Constance h Concil Constant sess 11. art penultimo sess 12. tom 3. Concil apud Binnium for denying the immortalitie of the soule and the resurrection of the dead specified in the eleuenth article because peraduenture i Canus lib. 6. loc Comm. cap. 8. ad 11. arg they will say that it was not è cathedra although k Bellar. lib. 4. de Pontifice Rom. cap. 5. he then was Pope certaine not vncertaine for else he needed not to haue been so solemnely depriued and another ordayned to be his true successor Lastly The twelfth Article misunderstood I wil not now touch at large that most presumptuous and sawcie doctrine deliuered in their l Aquinat appendix q. 96. art 1. 4. Schooles without all text of Scripture or witnesse of ancient Fathers de aureolis that is of a further crowne and reward then perfect and essentiall happinesse such as they assigne to Virgins Martyrs and the more learned For although m Danaeus Isagog Christ p. 4. lib. 6. cap. 8. Bucanus loc 36. quaest 14. we deny not the degrees of glory there proportioned by God according to the seuerall measures of grace as n Gregor in Psal 7 poenitent ss 142. Gregory well obserued God to giue rewards in heauen not per but secundum according to our workes done here vpon earth Yet can not we here know eyther to whom in particular the greatest degree of glory shall be giuen there or whether this litle crowne which they will haue to be added to the great one differ from essentiall happinesse since o 1. Cor. 2.9 eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither haue entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him Where p 2. Cor. 12.3 S. Paul professeth ignorance I will not search to know since secrets q Deut. 29.29 are Gods who concealeth the measure of future glory to further our endeuours vnto the highest degree thereof by faith hope and loue Many are their errors and mightie their bad opinions conceiued against the right vnderstanding of the Sacraments and the Lords Prayer all the grounds of the Catechisme which because other r Fr. Gomarus inresp ad F. Coster p. 1 M. Perkins Aduertisement M. D. Abbots in Bishop G. Powel godly and learned men haue fully discouered I will not relate hauing I hope layd open so plainely to the view of the world the Popes deniall of the Christian faith that no man can otherwise iudge of him then of an Å¿ Tit. 3.10 Heretike iustly to be cast off after so many admonitions seeing that as the t Grat. caus 24 q. 3. can 28. Canon law out of S. u August lib. de vti iâ—ate credendi cap. 1. Augustine defineth an Heretike so the Pope and Papists haue proued themselues to be An Heretique is he who for temporall profit and especially for glory and principalitie either forgeth first or followeth after false and new opinions and he who beleeueth such men is a man illuded by a certaine imagination of truth and godlinesse Yet is he not so hereticall Of the Popes Iniquitie against the ten Commandements as most villanously wicked and wickedly repugnant to all Gods Commaundements deliuered in the Decalogue as shall be demonstrated by many notorious and crying sinnes of seuerall Popes whereof some one way and some another way haue to make vp the monstrous body of sinfull Antichrist broken Gods Commaundements in word or in deede by doctrine or by life For now to make instance in euery particular against the first Commaundement Against the first Commandement as Antichrist was an Atheist and a coniurer so finde we in good histories that such were diuers Popes Atheists as he euen x Stella Balaeus Valera in vita Leonis 10. Leo decimus who said to Cardinall Petrus Bembus the great Scholler of his time citing a place out of the Gospell What profit this fable of Christ hath brought to vs and our company all the world knoweth Coniurers as y Benno Cardinalis de vit gestis Hildebran apud Gâ—wâ—art in Catalâ—go test Veritat tom â— lib. 13. pag. 383. Gregory the seuenth commonly called Hildebrand following the steps of eighteene together of his sweete predecessors euen to Syluester the second who z Platina in Syluestro z. gaue himselfe to the Deuill that hee might attaine to the greatest honours like as a Hieronym Marius in Eusebio C. Valera in Alexand. 6. Alexander the sixth did that hee might bee Pope I maruaile how these Beasts ouer whom the b Mat. 16.18 gates of Hell haue so farre preuailed could be Peters successours eyther in person or in doctrine since not onely Gods c Deut. 18.12 Law casteth out such hel-hounds from amongst Gods people but also their owne corrupted d Gratian. c. 26 q. 5. ca. 11.12.13 Canon law together with the rascall rabble of all their e Nauarrus Enchir. cap. 11. num 28. Tolet. lib. 4. Instruct cap. 14. Iacob à Graphijs p. 1. lib. 2 cap. 6. Azor tom 1. lib. 9. Instit cap. 13.14 c. Against the second Commandement 1. By Idolatry coozening Casuists denounce against such Monsters of the true blacke gard the great Excommunication as a sure seale of the second death reserued for such vile Non-repentants But see how he sinneth against the second Commandement by Idolatry and Superstition to shew himselfe truely Antichrist For if
Gowlart in Catal. test veritatis others yet shall yee not find the purest Age of the Church free from some one Heresie or other either going before that Great Antichrist according to that Catalogue made of them with a sound Confutation by f Iâ—en aduers haer lib. 5. Irenie g Tertull. in praescrip aduers haer cap. 46. Tertullian h Epiphan in Panâ—rio Anacephalaeos 1. Epiphanius i August lib. de haer ad Quod vult Deum to 6. Augustine k Philastr lib. 1. Philastrius l Theodorit lib. 4. haeret fabular Theodorite m Isidor lib. 8. Etym. cap. 5. Isidore n Nicetas lib 5. thesaur Orth. sid Nicetas o Harmenopul lib. 9. tom primi Iuris Graeâ—o Râ—mani Harmenopulus and p Danaeus in August Zegedâ—n in tabul c. other such or following after as his dregs or relikes retained in the Church of Christ by some Reformers of Idolatrous abuses too much deuoted to pretended Antiquities through the subtiltie of Satan who will haue the Prouerbe verified Vbi vber ibi tuber Fatnesse breedeth filthinesse as Tertullian r Tertull. lib. 4. contr Marcion cap. 5. The vse of this doctrine Reproofe of Brownists well obserued Faciunt fauos vespae faciunt Ecclesias Marcionitae Waspes make Hony-combes and Marcionites make Assemblies For as we say in England Where God hath his Church the Deuill will haue his Chappell § XXXI Wherefore in mine opinion our Schismaticall Brownists ground their stiffe Apostasie from our Church of England vpon a very shaken and weake foundation when Å¿ Barrow and Greenewood in their Examinations and Fran. Iohnson in his Answere to H. J. and T. C. they pretend Hereticall corruption growing in the Church although it bee not of the substance of the Church q Apulâ—ius lib. 4. Florid. to bee the onely cause of their departure from vs as if that a particular visible Militant Church could bee free from all corruption For first why is it said to bee Militant but onely because wee in it and it by vs t Ephes 6 1â— Wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this World against spirituall wickednesse in high places Secondly where shall this spirituall Combat be fought wherein u Galat. 5.17 The flesh rebelleth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so that wee cannot doe the things that wee would Out of the Church it is not where all is flesh neither yet in Heauen where all is Spirit It must bee therefore in the Church as yet Militant here vpon earth wherein the x Prou. 24.16 iust man falleth into smart because of sinne for so the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cadu doth note a relapse into a double mischiefe y Vid. Merâ—er Remum Wilcocks in locum first of sinne because of infirmitie and then of punishment inflicted by GODS iudgement for their recouerie seuen times a dâ—y and riseth againe For as a Garment newly washed will gather by vsing more filth againe which must bee wrung out by washing continually till the Garment be worne so iust men fully purged by the bloud z Heb. 12.21 of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of ABEL euen a 1. Iohn 1.7 clensing vs from all sinne while they liue in this World by the weaknesse of the flesh are spotted with sin against which the bloud of Christ is alwayes effectuall and of comfortable force whiles they daily and duely dippe and bathe themselues soule and bodie therein by their liuely faith and vnfained Repentance as Hierome b Hieroâ—ym Epist c 6. ad Rusticum expounding the fore-alleaged words of Salomon saith Si cadat quomodo iustus si iustus quomodo cadit Sed iusti vocabulum non amittit qui per poenitentiam semper resurgit If he fall how is he iust If he be iust how doth hee fall But hee loseth not the name of a iust man who alwayes riseth againe by Repentance I know that as the Apostle c Ephes 5.25 27. saith Christ loueth his Church Ob. and gaue himselfe for it that hee might present it a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should bee holy and without blemish Sol. But this is spoken not of a particular visible Congregation set to warrefare hero on earth but of the vniuersall Church of Christ whose glory in this world is inward and inuisible as the o Psal 45.13 King is glorious within For if it bee outward and shining in the true perfection thereof then it cannot appeare in this scandalizing world wherein the p Reuel â—0 8 Deuill rageth by the raigning of Antichrist but in the world to come in which the Saints now militant shall rest from their q Esay 40.2 warfare then accomplished r Rom. 8.23 they enioying the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God being Å¿ 1. Iohn 3.2 then made like vnto him and seeing him as he is I cannot but grant Ob. that it is our dayly dutie t 1. Cor. 5.6.7 to purge out the old leauen that we may be made a new lumpe as we are vnleauened But are wee now therefore without any leauen Sol. Why must wee then purge it out Surely wee are said to be vnleauened two wayes first by the free imputation of Christs righteousnes vnto vs through faith as therefore it is said u Rom. 8.35 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Chosen It is God that iustifieth Secondly by the true working of the holy Ghost in vs according to the seuerall measures and degrees of our sanctification by which Gods Image is dayly renued in vs more and more till wee obtaine our measure in glorification as the Apostle x 2. Cor. 3.18 expresseth it most plainely in these words We all with open face beholding as in a Glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory euen as by the Spirit of the Lord from the glory of Creation to the glory of Iustification and by this from the glorie of Faith to the glory of sight and in this from the glory of Grace by which wee are the sonnes of God to the glory of Glory by which we shall bee like him Thus Anselmus y Anselm in 2. Cor. 3.18 glosseth this place intimating what some z Aquin. 2. â— q. 184. art 20. Schoolemen and other a Danaeus p 5. Isagog lib. 2. c. 45 Steph. Zâ—gâ—dâ—n tab de Perfectione Vrsin Catechism part 3. q 114. good Diuines of late well note vnto vs that since there is a double perfection the one inchoatiua begun in this life called perfectio viae the other consummata finished in heauen partly after our naturall death in the soule alone but fully in the whole man at the
as he is a King As a man he serueth God by liuing faithfully but as a King he serueth him by ordaining with force conuenient Lawes commanding iust things and forbidding things contrarie and againe k August lib. 3. contr Cresâ—onium Grammaticum cap. 51. In this Kings as it is giuen them in charge from God serue God in this respect they are Kings if in their Kingdome they commaund good forbid euill not onely pertaining to humane societie but also belonging to diuine Religion Secondly of Isidore l Isidor Hispal lib. 3. de summo bono cap. 53. Hispalensis Princes of this world many times exercise the heights of godlinesse obtained within the Church that thereby they may strengthen Ecclesiasticall discipline and that what a Priest will not doe by speech of doctrine Autoritie may accomplish by terror of discipline And this I hold for caution sufficient in the right vnderstanding of the Regall title which is not giuen in flatterie but acknowledged in his right as next vnder Christ whose seruant he is that so notwithstanding this subordinate power of earthly Princes vnder Christ in the Church as it is visibly militant in this or that Kingdome Countrey of this world yet Christ may be all in all euen m Eccles 5.8 Of Consolation higher then those who are the highest So that thirdly from the fore-spoken-of doctrine we finde to our particular benefit vnspeakeable coÌ„solation because we depending vpon this Foundation this Teacher this Head this Master Christ Iesus shall neuer perish by a finall fall For we shall not fall finally being taught by him in his holy Word our n Psal 119.105 light and o Iohn 5.39 our life being ruled by him through his holy Spirit p 1. Iohn 3.9 his seed and our q Rom. 1.4 sanctifier his teaching his ruling stayeth vs in his Truth from damnable Errours r Iohn 17.17 his Word is that Truth Å¿ Iohn 16.13 his Spirit leadeth to it So that although we liue in this world as in a Labyrinth going euer on but neuer getting out by the blinding and winding wayes of wickednesse yet need we not feare the want of an issue since his Word as a threed will shew vs the way his Spirit our Comforter will strengthen our hearts to encounter the Minotaurus that killing his companion our trecherous flesh and discouering his path-way this wide and wild world we may put him to flight and say with the People returned out of captiuitie vnto his holy Church t Esay 26.1.2.3.4.5 We haue a strong Citie for u Psal 48.3 God is knowne in it saluation will God appoint for walles and bulwarks to cast out our enemies and to keepe vs in compasse Open yee the gates yee x Iohn 10.5 Porters of the Lords house who haue the key y Luke 11.52 of knowledge and whom he hath appointed to carry the z Esay 22.22 Reuel 3.7 key of Dauid for opening shutting for a Iohn 20.23 remitting and retaining sinne that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in through the b Reuel 22.14 gate into the Citie by grace to glory For thou Lord wilt keepe him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee as on the rocke against which albeit c Matth. 7.25 all waues doe dash yet are they done away because he trusted in thee for the Lord neuer d Psal 37.40 faileth them that trust in him Therefore trust yee in the Lord for euer for in the Lord Iehouah who performes what he promiseth to be e Exod. 6.3 knowne by this Name is euerlasting strength As therefore we cannot finally fall so shall we not perish being set on that Foundation being holden of that Head For f 2. Tim. 2.19 the foundation of the Lord remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his Can we then be moued out of place by any storme being so well grounded Our vpper parts are safe too for our Head is g Phil. 3.20 aboue that we cannot be drowned in the middest of many waters being h Colos 2.19 knit vnto him by so many ioynts and bands If we be weake in our selues as we are all but flesh yet are we strong in him who first can so saue vs that i Iohn 10.27 none shall be able to take vs out of his hand who secondly will saue vs k Luk. 1.71.74 from the hand of all that hate vs that in peace we may serue him without feare who thirdly as he l Reuel 1.8 is Alpha by preuenting grace will also be Omega by his gift of perseuerance m Phil. 1.6 performing the good worke he hath begun in vs and bringing n Zâ—ch 4.7 Vid. Caluin ibid forth the head stone of his spirituall building in vs with shoutings of his gladsome o Luke 15.8 Angels for our conuersion crying Grace Grace vnto it For by p Ephes 1.8 grace we are saued and not of our selues his q 1. Cor. 15.10 grace is not in vaine in vs wee r Ephes 4 15. growing both so fast and so fully thereby into our head that we cannot be moued Å¿ Psal 30.7 God by his fauour hauing made our mountaine to stand so strong For first are our foes many Feare t 2. Reg. 6.16 not for they that be with vs are more then they that be with them u Rom. 8.31 God is on our side who can be against vs For secondly are our foes mightie Be of good comfort the Lyon x Gene. 49.9 couchant of the Tribe of Iuda who is our shield will y Matth. 4.11 put to flight the z 1. Pet. 5.8 rampant roaring Lyon of hell yea a Rom. 16.20 the God of peace shall bruise Satan vnder your feete shortly For thirdly haue our foes fought long against vs Be not discouraged their time is the shorter our glory is the neerer and therefore b Reuel 12.12 they rage He that saueth vs seeth them c Psal 59.9 and laugheth them to scorne for d Act. 9.5 kicking so foolishly against the pricks Our teares are put into his bottles our troubles are registred in his booke of remembrance that they may be in fresh suite against our enemies for our comfort and encouragement who shall finde in the end e Rom. 8.23.24 a glorious libertie by the full redemption of our bodies from trouble by death and from death by the comming of Christ vnto Iudgement For here we f Heb. 13.14 haue no continuing Citie but looke for one to come whereinto since in g Reuel 21. â—7 no wise shall enter any thing that defileth he h 1. Iohn 3. â— that hath this hope in him to enter therein and be like him shall purifie himselfe euen as he is pure For this is that conformitie vnto our Master in Christian perfection of which we are now briefely to speake of in
vnchangeably indiuisibly inconfusedly and substantially vnited in the person of Christ the only Mediatour betweene God and Man perfectly obedient both in action and in passion in action q Matth. 3.15 fulfilling all righteousnesse to r Iohn 4 34. doe the will of him that sent him and to finish his worke in passion both of soule Å¿ Matth. 26.38 heauy through sorrow for Gods wrath due for mans sinnes vnto the death and of bodie sustayning many torments both in his life time by t Matth. 8.20 Luke 8.1 pouertie and u Luke 13. â—1 Iohn 7.32 c. persecutions and at x Vid. Math. 27 Ioh. 18. 19 his death by mocking buffeting whipping stretching nayling and piercing his sweet side with a sharp Speare vpon the y Gal 3.13 cursed Tree or Crosse then turned to be a blessed Engine of mans true happines in that z Colos 1.21.22 we that were sometimes alienated and enemies in our minde by wicked workes now hath hee reconciled in the bodie of his flesh through death to present vs holy and vnblameable and vnreprooueable in his sight Now this his formall inherent perfection is in himselfe as hee is alone God and Man the only Mediatour betweene God and Man and not that which here wee seeke it being only proper to himselfe who only a Esay 63.3 trod the Wine-presse and none of the people with him Wherefore we must briefly consider of that perfection of Christ which we call effectiue and communicable to wit that which is communicated vnto vs by his working in vs through his holy Spirit that wee b Rom. 8.29 may bee conformed to his Image in which after c Ephes 4.23 God we are new men created in righteousnesse and true holinesse A perfection distinguished according to those degrees which we make in it For as after our fall wee cannot rise of our selues but Christ d Ephes 2.5 must quicken vs so when we are reuiued by a new Birth we cannot attaine to the height of perfection at one leape but as e Gene. 28.18 IAACOBS Ladder had certaine degrees and steppes by which the Angels of God did ascend and descend so this course of perfection wherein we are to ascend vnto GOD hath certaine degrees of holinesse and righteousnesse through which we must passe before we can attaine to the height of our happinesse as the Apostle saith In f Rom. 1.17 the Gospell is the righteousnesse of God reuealed from faith to faith by which g 2. Cor. 3.18 we all with open face beholding as in a Glasse the glorie of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glorie euen as by the Spirit of the Lord. Learned Diuines h Hemingius Syntagm Gloss 4. cap. 4. Aret. Probl. 163. Polanus syâ—tag then out of their good experience obseruing the graduall proceedings of Christians vnto perfection out of the holy Scripture set downe this perfection to bee two-fold First Perfectio viae The perfection of the way Secondly Perfectio vitae The perfection of life that is the course wherein wee must runne this is the Crowne which we shall obtaine i 1. Cor. 9.25 So runne that ye may obtaine The perfection of the way is a blamelesse course of vpright walking only in this life of which the Psalmist thus pronounceth k Psal 119.1 Blessed are the vndefiled in the way who walke in the Law of the Lord and it is found to be two-fold Legall or Euangelicall Legall perfection is that when a man according to the tenour of the Law fufilleth all the Commandements of God as it is required by Moses saying l Deut. 10.12.13 And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes and to loue him and to serue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule to keepe the Commandements of the Lord and his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good Euangelicall perfection is a carefull endeuour of a faithfull man vnto the true obedience of Gods holy will reuealed in his Word fully setled for all his life time that hee may still grow in grace vnto glorie as Saint PAVL m Philip. 3.13 14. forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching forth to those things which are before pressed towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus and this perfection is wrought by the Holy Ghost First in the nature and substance of a regenerate man Secondly in his actions In his nature and substance this perfection is wrought when after the remission of our sinnes and the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse for our free and full â—ustification by a liuely faith that inbred corruption arising from the blot of originall sinne is lessened in vs and Gods grace so restored as that by it we grow still better and better for n 2. Tim. 3.13 as sinne maketh the wicked waxe worse and worse so Grace draweth the godly on in perfection to o Psal 84.7 walke from strength to strength till they appeare before God in Zion So that looke how farre sinne hath defiled the natural man by the issues of corruption throughout all the parts and powers of soule and bodie euen so farre doth and shall the Grace of Gods Spirit worke a restitution in the man regenerate that p 1. Thes 5.23 his whole Spirit Soule and Bodie may be preserued blamelesse vnto the Comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. For shall not Iaacob supplant ESAV Shall not the Spirit subdue the flesh Shall mans sinne eneruate or hinder Gods Grace No in no wise if God send his holy Spirit which q Iohn 3.8 bloweth where hee listeth And therefore this perfection of mans nature reformed spreadeth it selfe into many faire branches First in the minde by a quicke perceiuing and a sound iudgement of heauenly things not only for the knowledge of the principles and grounds of GODS Religion but also for the gathering of such good conclusions as may both strengthen and increase faith since r 1. Iohn 2.20 hee hath the anoynting from the Holy One and knoweth all things Secondly in the will by most ready inclinations and settled resolutions for the right performance of all holy Duties prescribed by God for holinesse righteousnesse and sobrietie since thereto are wee Å¿ Tit. 2.12.14 taught therefore are we purged to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good works Thirdly in the conscience both t 1. Iohn 3.18 by boldnesse towards God vpon the full assurance of the remission of our sinnes and by an honest care of liuing vprightly in the feare of God without scarre of scandall giuen or taken to his owne true quietnesse and the profitable edifying of other men since the high way u Prou. 16.17 of the vpright is to depart from euill he that keepeth his way preserueth