Ministerie though with corruptions how wil they be able to bear out such as are excoÌ„municated for so great contempt and errour 3. Thirdly as Antichristians doo excoÌ„municate such as they should not so doo they baptise such as they ought not even open impenitent Idolaters and their seed the generation of Vipers which Iohn Baptist would refuse Yea Mr Iohnson himself hath sayd of a better estate then Romes that Gods covenant is sacrilegiously violated whiles it is sayd to the open wicked in delivering them the seals of Gods covenant Thou art righteous Therfore if the Popes excoÌ„municatorie bulls are but bubbles because they are unjustly executed his baptisme also will be found but a fiction no true seal of salvation to such as receive it of him Finally touching circumcision I think it cannot be manifested that any people 's fallen from God and his Church using it colourablie for a religious action as al Antichristians and heretiks doo baptism at this day did or were bound to cutt their foreskin the second time if they came unto the truth of God as for example the Colchians Aegyptians and Aethiopians whom histories mentioÌ„ to be circumcised or the Samaritans whom Mr Iohnson acknowledgeth to have stil vsed circumcision Hereunto we may add out of the Iewish records how they hold that Al have leav to circumcise yea though it be an uncircumcised person or a servant or a woman or a child circumcising in the place where ther is no man But an hethen may not circumcise at al yet if he doo circumcise ther is no need to return circumcise the second time If this rule stand we shal not need to repeat our outward washing in baptism though given us by Antichrist or any other aliants from the church covenant of promise Of the Church of Rome The Church of Rome being acknowledged by al that fear God to be the throne of Antichrist Mr Iohnson himself having professed that the hierachie and Church-constitution of Antichrist is the most detestable anarchie of Satan that ever was yet imitating now M. Gifford M. Bernard and other professed enemies of the truth he pleads for that Church after this manner The Apostle expressly teacheth that Antichrist should sit in the Temple of God 2. Thes. 2 4. And by the Temple understanding the Church of God it wil folow that Antichrist should sit in the Church of God and is there to be sought and found and not among Jewes Turks Pagans c. neyther that Antichrist takes away wholly the church of God and every truth and ordinance of the Lord c. I answer truth errour are closely couched togither in this their plea for the discerning wherof we are to consider first how Antichrists church is described in Gods word secondly what the state of the church of Rome is at this day The Antichristian synagogue is by the holy Ghost caled a Beast which signifyeth a kingdom it is named also a great citie which noteth the largenes of that politie and kingdom It cometh up out of the earth as being of this world which Christs kingdom that coÌ„meth down from heaven is not and therfore is caled a man of syn and a great whore whose head is Abaddon or Apollyon the destroyer of others and himself the son of perdition and they that follow him are the children of damnation This wicked generation warreth against the Lamb Christ and against the saincts blasphemeth Gods name tabernacle and them that dwel in heaven â—hat is the true Church whose conversation is heavenly Yet doo they all this mischeif under shew of Christian religion therfore this beast hath horns like the Lamb Christ this whore is arayed with purple skarlet guilded with gold precious stones and pearles as if she were the Queen and spowse of Christ she hath peace offrings Vovves as if she were devowt in Gods service bread and waters as ready to refresh the weary sowls Her doctrines sweet amiable lyeâ— spoken in hypocrisie but yet confirmed with signes and miracles as if they came from heaven her power and efficacie great prevayling over the many and the mighty the Kings Princes of world deceiving al nations with her inchantments and if it were possible Gods very elect her continuance and outward prosperitie long her end miserable consumed with the spirit of the Lords mouth and abolished with the brightnes of his coÌ„ming and for her destruction the heavens shall rejoyce and sing praises to God Now for to find the accomplishment of these things we are directed by the now Romish religion to a Catholik or Vniversal church one part wherof lives on earth an other under the earth and a third part in heaven 1. On earth is the whole multitude of such as are named Christians through the world united as a catholik body under one visible head the Pope who with his 2 horns like the Lamb pretendeth to be Christs Vicar in the Kingdom Preisthood and is professed of his vassals to be that triâ—d precious corner stone that sure foundation in Sion Jsa 28.16 and it is declared defined and pronounced that it is of necessity to salvation for al men to be subject unto him Vnder this Captain are three bands of souldiers the first clergie men as Bishops Preists Deacons Subdeacons and the rest of those shavelings the second Lay men as Kings Pinces Nobles Citizens and Commons of al sorts and vocations the third sort is both of the Clergie and Laitie caled Monks or Regulars 2. Vnder the earth or in Purgatorie fyre are the sowles they say of al such as dye with venial synns whose payns are to be holpen by prayers and masses sayd for them by such as are alive on earth 3. In heaven are the sowls of men departed in the popish fayth and delivered from purgatorie some of which the Pope canonizeth for Saincts whom the people on earth are religiously to honour and pray unto as their mediators with God This church on earth cannot err in things which it commandeth men to beleev oâ— doo whither they be expressed in scripture or not therfore men must beleev in her and trust her in al things for the truth of the faith as touching us relyeth upon her authoritie and she hath power to make lawes which doo bind and constreyn mens consciences These things premissed I come to our Opposites arguments Their first reason from 2. Thes. 2.4 is unperfectly alledged for the text there sayth of the man of syn that he dooth sit as God in the TeÌ„ple of God wherupon their conclusion must be that Antichrist sitteth as God in the church of God And if they can prove that he is the true God I wil yeild that his temple is the true temple his Church the true
beat the path for al licenciousnes For although the scripture sayth he that committeth syn is of the Divil and we know that whosoever is borne of God synneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth him self and that wicked one toucheth him not notwithstaÌ„ding men may be as prophane as Esau as filthy in life as Sodom as idolatrous and synful as the Aegyptians and Babylonians and yet if they wil but cal theÌ„selves Christians and be outwardly baptised they may be blamed in words and separated from by men but yet justified as Gods true Church they and their seed in his covenant of grace sealed with baptisme which is to remission of synns and what need they care for more Who wil feare his estate or amend his life for the doctrine of such men as pul down with the left hand build up with the right Is not this rather to strengthen the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wickednes by promising him life Moreover this acknowledging al that profess Christ and are baptised to be true Churches having the true baptisme of God wil necessarily draw unto a general communion with al such societies wher men think actually no evil is committed as may fal out ofteÌ„ in the sermons of Friers Iesuits and other false Prophets for with true visible Churches and members of Christ who may not communicate so it be not in euil And thus Christians may come to that vanity coÌ„fusioÌ„ vvhich was among the Hethens of whom an ancient Doctor noteth that though they had infinite and contrary opinions about the Gods and their religion yet al of them kept communion togither in their Temples and sacrifices Wheras Mr. Ioh. referreth us to his first writings in answer to M. Iacob pag. 7. 13. and 47. as having then written somwhat tending this way which now he pleads for the Reader may see by comparing them how farr they differ There touching England he distinguisheth between their Church estate in respect wherof he is perswaded they cannot be judged true Christians and the personal estate of some considered apart from their Church constitution that they may wel be thought in regard of Gods election to be heyrs of salvation and in that respect true Christians so in pag. 13. 47. touching the Church of Rome and some Gods elect in it Although in pag. 146 he is perswaded whosoever lives dyes a Papist and member of that Church of Antichrist in the knowledge profession and maintenance of that religion in the parts therof can not of us be esteemed to live and dye in the estate of salvation Now what is that to his preseÌ„t plea for the Church baptisme of Rome but rather the contrary And for us we never disputed with any touching Gods elect which we leave unto himself who onely knovveth those that are his We deny not but ther may be of the elect in al false Churches even as Satan hath his reprobates in the true Churches I hold it presumption for any to limit God by how smal means or mesure of faith and knovvledge he vvil save a man Who dares deny but God had many elect among the Hethens after he had separated Israel from them Yea God expresly sayd vven he made Israel his peculiar people that yet al the earth was his vvhich are the vvords of the covenant generally Wherfore vve leave Gods secret counsels to himself as he vvilleth us and doe consider onely the visible state of Churches by the rules of Gods Lavv and promises Finally in that very book vvhich he mentioneth hovv sharply doth M. Iohns inveigh against his opposers and against M. Hooker that pleaded for the Church of Rome because of some truthes there reteyned saith that what by the Prelats and their Proctours on the one hand and the Pharisâ—ical dawbing reformists on the other all may justly fear least the end of that Church wil be to look back not onely in part but even wholly to the Romish Egipt and Sodom and to wollow agayn in the same myre from which they would seem al this time to have been washed When the Prelats and Reformists shal see what the same man now writeth himself for that Romish Egypt what wil they say but that even he also is come to dawb with them for company and fear a further fall Of their judgment of the Church of Rome translated out of M. Iunius To countenance their cause the more they set it out with the name and judgment of a learned man now deceassed Against whoÌ„ themselves wrote heretofore when they would have been loath to stand to his judgment But what wil not men doo for help in time of need The thing borrowed from him is in deed his own judgment rather then proof of argument I shal therfore the more breifly touch it yet not medling with the author who I hope is at rest in the Lord but with these his translators The Church of Rome wherof they treat is properly they say the company which is at Rome as Paul wrote Rom. 1. abusively it is al the Churches on earth cleaving to it and the doctrine constitution therof They treat of the first but would have men by proportion understand the same of the later I answer A Church ther was at Rome in Pauls time beloved of God caled Saints whose faith was published through the whole world A Church or peece rather of a Church ther is at Rome now loathed of God caled Divils whose whordoms abominations are famous through al the earth In deed and truth ther is a great Citie spiritually caled Sodom Aegypt and Babylon Rev. 11.8 16.19 dispersed over the world under the name of a Christian Catholik Church whose cheif place throne is Rome As for the congregation of Saints that was there in Pauls time it is gone long since and the Man of syn with his worshipers come in the place Between these two ther is no just proportion for what concord hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.15 The Church of Rome considered as a subiect they say hath 2. parts Pastours and the flock of Christ for which Church th'Apostle of old gave thanks to God Rom. 1 8. Neyther doo we deny this subiect to be at Rome eveÌ„ at this day because we trust ther is God caling persons caled the caling it self yet in her which togither in one giveth being to a Church I answer First I deny that God is there caling as in his Church but the man of syn sitts there as God calling all to worship him and his calling is by the working of Satan and in al deceivablenes of unrighteousnes among them that perish and the persons caled are deluded to beleev lyes 2 Thes. 2.9 10 11. Al these togither give being to Antichrists church but not to Christs And we are sure God caleth out of her such
implieth authority that it is proportionably answerable to the taking away by death c that it is a special use of the keyes given by Christ to the Apostles that the force herof is such as therby a man is not onely cast out of that particular Church wherof he was a member but is cutt off excluded from all churches vpon earth as on the contrary by baptisme wee are entred into communion with al Churches of Christ in the world By these things compared togither we may observ 1. that the church elders may by their sole authoritie give judiciarie sentence that a man shal be excommunicated answerable to the Magistrates in Israel that gave sentence a man should be put to death 2. That the Elders may also by authoritie in particular deliver a man to Satan by the power of Christ which is proportionably answerable to the taking away by death which in Israel themselves grant was to be doon by the hands of the people Thus doo the Elders now chalenge by proportion in the Church that which belonged both to Magistrates and people in the cōmon wealth But because they fear the people they shape them this deceitful proportion that their avoyding the excommunicate person is the executing or putting in execution as they ambiguously speak of the sentence answerable to the peoples stoning of a malefactor in Israel how fitly let al that have understanding judge For whether the people avoid him or not the man is judged and delivered to Satan and so cut off from the church as on the contrary when one is baptised by the minister whether the people keep company with him or not he is made a member of the church and as a man beheaded in Israel was surely dead whether the people refreyned from touching him or no. 2. Agayn they give no more to the people of that Church wherof he is a member then to the people of all other churches that are bound to avoid the excōmunicated person as wel as they 3. Yea they give hereby their people no more power then the Pope dooth to his marked servants for he also wil have the people avoyd such as he dooth excōmunicate and if this be the boasted right and libertie of the people they had as much in the greatest bondage of poperie as now when they are caried thus blindfold by propertions But they tel the people that if any can except against the Elders proceedings they shal be heard I answer First before whom and unto whom shal any man except against the Elders is it not before and unto the Elders themselves And is it meet that they should be judges in their own cases In Israel when any complayned of wrong in the Synagogues or Cities ther was an higher Court to control unruly Elders and to help the oppressed But now 2. or 3. Elders in a Church bearing themselves upon their forged authoritie from Mat. 18.17.20 may be lawless and who shal let them in their proceedings Secondly how should the people except when by these mens doctrine they are not bound to be present at the hearing and deciding of the controversie wil it not be a just blame upon them if they except against a matter which they have not heard discussed Thirdly when the party accused shal except against the Elders proceedings as commonly he wil doo for if he acknowledged himself to have synned he should not need to be excōmunicated may the people now require to hear the case debated between the Elders and him nay they plead in their Treatise on Math. 18. saying But where hath the Lord appointed a rule of further proceeding beyond that of the Elders governours for hearing the brethrens causes and judging between a man and his brother c. And agayn the Elders also are the Churches officers c. so as when they have heard examined admonished and iudged according to the word of God it is to be estemed as doon by the Lord and the Church c. Thus let the mā except what he wil the judgm t is at an end the Lo hath doon it the Church hath doon it because the Elders have doon it and it must be presupposed that they have doon it according to the word of God though the man except never so much and though the scriptures foreshew of judges that were wolves not sparing the flock and latter dayes abundantly confirm the same And thus when a Naboth is condemned by wicked Elders if any except on his behalf they wil take him in a snare that reproveth in the gate perhaps he shal hear it sayd by what authoritie doo you speak are you one of the Church spoken of in the 1◠of Matthew for the Elders have power to deal with him also that shal except and can easily bring him within the compass of a contentious person or an oppugner of goverment and cast him likeweise out of the Church that a man sometime were as good take a Lion by the paw as except against the Elders proceedings Next folow their many questions and other matters imputed unto us wherein we observ how when arguments fayl them for their own cause they seek to darken the truth by casting clowds before the readers eyes 1. First they ask whither in Jsrael the Lord abridged the people of their right and libertie c. I answer No but these men that by wrested proportions give the ministers of the church the power that Magistrates Preists and people had in Israel doe abridge the people of their right as before is manifested And for the further clearing of it seing ther were diverse governours in Israel as the Preists and Levites in the Temple the ministers in the synagogues the Elders or Magistrates at the gates of the cities and these also divers and of unequal power as before is shewed I ask of them agayn whither now the Eldership of every church be proportionable in power and goverment unto al those governours and if not unto al unto which of them 2. Secondly they ask whither the people have any more right and authoritie in the churches goverment now then the people of Jsrael had in those dayes I answer they should not seek to intangle by ambiguitie of terms First we give not to the people goverment as before I have shewed but a right and power to observ and doo al the commandements of Christ touching his prophetical preistly and kingly office by the Elders teaching guiding and governing of them in the Lord. 2. The goverm t in Israel was diverse by Magistrates in the gate by Preists in the sanctuarie by ministers in the synagogues To the Magistracie al Christians are to be subject now as they were then for it is an humane ordinance tending to civil peace and concerneth al men whither within the church or without indifferently The external Preisthood of Israel is accomplished in Christ and now abolished Heb. 7.
Secondly in that place of their Treatise on Mat. 18. they quote Mat. 2◠20 as alleged for a ground yet they give not any answer to that scripture but stil call upon us to answer their questions write more Wheras Christ there encōmendeth to his disciples of all nations to the worlds end the observing of all things whatsoever he cōmanded th'Apostles And excommunication was one of those things commanded Mat. 18. 1. Cor. 5. Therfore to be observed by a Christian people though they want officers unless these men can shew some prohibition Christ requireth to observ al things these men say nay not excommunication it lyeth now on them to shew wher Christ or his Apostles have excepted excommunication But from that place and by the very same reasons doo the Anabaptists deny baptisme of Children caling for scripture example precept ground to warrant it as these doo now in this case 3. Thirdly besides al things heretofore written they have a ground in the article it self which they neyther doo nor can take away which is the power that the church alwayes hath to receiv in members and therfore consequently to cast them out agayn if they deserv it Which ground if they deny they in effect deny that ther can be any church without Elders contrary to the express scripture Act. 14.23 1. Cor. 12.28 Tit. 1.5 Yea or that ther can be any visible Christians without Elders for how can they be Christians without union with Christ And if men cannot be united with his members and body because ther wanteth Elders how should they be united with him the head 4. They have it proved a point of false doctrine by Mr Iohnson himsef to teach that the Church of Christ hath not alwayes power to receive in and to cast out by the keyes of the kingdom Answer to M. Iakob pag. 159.160 2. They secondly allege sundry examples grounds that it hath been doon by the Lord himself and by his officers c. This we never doubted of but a Church having officers may excōmunicate Though yet the proof for the Elders wil be excepted against by the Prelates and such like For th'examples of Abraham of Paul of Titus of Timothee and of the Preist judging a leper make rather in show for one Bishop then for a Church of Elders and so are alleged by Papists for the Prelacie The other scriptures doo none of them shew the Elders power to excōmunicate but to watch take heed reprove admonish c al which the Prelates grant to their inferiour Preists whom yet they wil not suffer to excommunicate with out the Bishop or his Official as these wil not the Church without an Eldership The examples of excommunicating by the Rulers of Israel I wil turn against them thus If the Magistrates and people of Israel might not onely punish civilly with death but also execute a spiritual censure of excommunication upon the consciences of evil doers though they had wanted ministers of the Temple and synagogues then a Christian magistrate and people may doo so now though they want ministers ecclesiastical And if the Church may excommunicate having a magistrate it may also do it wanting one seing the power of spiritual censure dependeth not upon the civil magistracie as the state of the Churches in the Apostles dayes sheweth 3 Thirdly they wil have us to consider how a people can chalenge the ministration of excommunication more then of the sacraments c. This we have considered and find that if the reason be good the ruling Elders may not excommunicate any more then minister the sacraments which whither they hold or no let them tel us in their next For they know wel the Prelates object these things against the ruling Elders as themselves doo now against the people 4. Fourthly they say they cannot find in scripture but when the church is caled the body of Christ or compared to a body howse city or kingdom it is spoken eyther of particular Churches having officers or of the catholik church in respect of Christ the head c. I answer it appeareth then plainly they have lost that which they had found and let them take heed least for not keeping it God deprive them of finding it any more But I wil help them if it may be by their own writing where this same author sayth A company of faithful people though considered a part by themselves they be privat men yet being gathered togither in the name of Christ and joyned togither in fellowship of his gospel they are a publick body a church a citie a kingdom and that of Jesus Christ who is present among them to guide bless and confirm what they doo on earth in his name and by his power So that like as in a city the citizens considered a part are commonly privat members yet jointly togither are the corporation and publick body of that town so is it also in the church of Christ whither it consist of moe or of fewer yea though they be but 2. or 3. so as they be joyned togither in the communion of the gospel and gathered togither in the name of Jesus Christ as before is sayd These things they have acknowledged though now it seemeth they have forgot them or which is worse doo dissemble them Vnto these I wil add th'Apostles testimonie concerning a howse Christ is the chief corner stone and Christians that come unto him as lively stones are made a spiritual howse an holy Preisthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices Men come unto Christ by beleef and are joyned unto him and one to another by mutual covenant The ministers of Christ are as builders of this howse by preaching the gospel laying first the foundation Christ then upon him Christian people Gods building But if as often cometh to pass the builders doo refuse yet the Lord without them putteth Christ for head of the corner and causeth the faithful to come unto him and maketh them his spiritual howse to dwel in them whose howse they continew to be not by having officers alway among them but by holding fast their confidence and rejoycing of hope unto the end Wherfore these men that can find no howse of God without Elders must prove that men can not come unto no◠continew in Christ unless it be by ecclesiastical officers which they shal never be able to manifest or al may see how they are beguiled with errour that they can not find things so apparant and heretofore acknowledged by themselves Ther opinion is injurious not onely to Christians but to Christ himself whiles they wil not grant him being the corner stone the head the king and the faithful the living stones his mēbers and subjects to make a howse body or kingdom if the Elders want or refuse though he as is written walketh among his Churches and is with them al dayes to the worlds end 5. Fiftly they
up in the place of Christ and his precious blood which it is not pretending to give grace and wash away synns which it dooth not but it is a lye in the right hand of al that so receiv it and the saying of the Apostle is verified in it an idol is nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8.4 Yet I hope they think not that the Apostle is contrarie to the Prophet who sayth their idols are silver and gold the work of mens hands Psal. 115.4 an idol then for the matter and workmanship is somthing but for the relation unto God or divine grace it is nothing and thus th'Apostle meaneth as his next words shew ther is no other God but one So Popish baptisme as touching the material thing is somwhat the salt the water the oil are God creatures the outward action is the work of the hands of an idolatrous Preist and this work remayneth as did the work of the Idolaters circumcising in Israel but as touching the relation which is the mayn thing in a sacrament that it should seal up unto them the forgivnes of synns and as they blasphemously say quite take away synns and conferr grace so it is a vayn idol and nothing for neyther doo the true Sacraments in Christs church work any such effect to Gods own people and as for that Antichristian synagogue it is not appointed to salvation but to condemnation by the just sentence of God Rev. 17.11 18.8.20.21 2. Thes. 2.11.12 Therfore it wil not help them to say that baptisme in it self considered is Christs ordinance for the brazen Serpent was in it self Gods ordinance at first and a sacramental signe of their redemption by Christ yet they that burnt incense to it made it an Idol and therfore as Nehushtan a peece of brass it was destroyed Yea this is acknowledged of the popish baptisme by the most learned and conscionable of our own Land M. Perkins sayth and proveth it The Church of Rome transformeth the sacraments to Jdols by teaching that they conferr grace ex opere operato by the work doon c. To this effect sayth he the Preist is appointed to pray that the nature of waters might conceiv the vertue of sanctification that God would make the water fruitful by the secret admixtioÌ„ of his godhead that having coÌ„ceived sanctification a new creature may spring out of the immaculate womb of the divine fountayn that it may be living water c. Yea further he sheweth that God himself Christ being worshiped in at or before an image is presently transformed into an idol But what need I insist upon other men even Mr Iohnson himself hath pleaded the Prelates and Preists which administer baptisme to be Jdol shepheards the sacraments to be not true but false and citeth against them their own testimonies to prove that Christ himself is made an idol among theÌ„ Yet loe how he now inveigheth against us for saying that the baptisme in Antichrists synagogue is an Idol But now as Satan hath begun to perswade Antichrists christening to be Christs true baptisme although the scripture plainly sayth what concord hath Christ with Belial so he wil not cease there but justify the cursed Mass by like reason to be the blessed Supper of our Lord. For it is the same church that injoyeth these 2. sacram ts the same preists minister them both in the same Babylonish unknown language both of theÌ„ having Christs institutioÌ„ abused by the man of syn and as water is in their baptisme so bread and wine is in their mass as in baptism they use the name of the Father the Son the holy Ghost so in the Mass they use Take eat this is my body c. Now why should one of these sacraments be true and not an other Al that are not Antichrists bondmen detest his Mass as a monstrous idol let them that lyst honour his baptism Agayn excoÌ„munication is Gods ordinance as wel as baptisme and these our opposits say that by it a man is cut off from communion with al churches of Christ upon earth having his synns also bound in heaven as on the contrary by baptisme we are entred into communion with al churches of Christ in the world This Excommunication the church of Rome useth as wel as baptisme and hath power from Christ to doo it as wel as to baptise wherupon it wil folow if we be bound to communion with them that they baptise we are also bound to avoyd the communion of them that they excommunicate Now for asmuch as these our Opposites themselves besides al other that have separated from the church and doctrines of Rome have many curses and Anathemaes layd upon them by the council of Trent and Popes Bulls what ar they the better for being baptised in their infancie now that they are excommunicated in their mans age They told us before and sayd we have not yet learned it as we should that by our baptism we ar bound to communion and now let them also teach us whither by their excommunication we ar not bound to shun their communion Or if they wil not answer us let them answer the Papists who plead that their Apostate preists being divided and cut of from the church and excommunicate may not lawfully minister the sacraments And wheras M. Iewel complayned we have been cast out by these menâ— being cursed of them as they use to say with bâ—l book and candel Harding answereth To be excommunicate ye have deserved c. neyther were ye by excommunication put from vs til ye had by contumacie severed your selves from the Church and shewed your selves desperate and incorrigible And what wil they say to the Synedrion the representative church of England whose excoÌ„munications ipso facto if they be of the Lord doo forbid al Christians to coÌ„municate with these men that thus plead for Antichrists baptisme yea they wil tel M. Iohnson in his own words that it is a fearful syn their Church being a true Church to contemne their excoÌ„munication If they answer their excoÌ„munications are unjust therfore they are of no weight this wil not salve the sore For 1. al excoÌ„municated wil say they are cast out unjustly shal their own sayings be accepted if not then neyther these mens til their particular causes be cleared In the mean time men wil more regard the church then him that is cast out of the Church and according both to Christs doctrine the doctrine of the Church of England he should be estemed an hethen and publican 2. Agayn many have been cast out for contemptuous refusing to come unto the Bishops synedrion they have left those Bishops Ministers Consistories Churches as being al false and Antichristian unto whom no church duty of admonition c. did belong And now that these men have changed their mind and count it a true Church and
church Otherweise if he be but an Idol and not God his Temple church and body wil prove but an Idol like himself and his blasphemie is worse then theirs which sayd they were Jewes and were not but did lye and were the synagogue of Satan Secondly they take it for granted that by the Temple is meant the church and so goe on in obscuritie Wheras the Temple did primarily figure out Christ Joh. 2.19.21 and in the heavenly Ierusalem the true church ther was no other temple seen but the Lord God almightie and the Lamb Christ which are the Temple of it Rev. 21.22 If in this sense we understand that speech of Paul touching Antichrist then must we translate the words as some ancient Doctors have doon eis ton Naon for the Temple or as if he himself were the Temple and so in deed Antichrist taketh upon him the person and office of Christ under pretence of his Vicarship shewing himself that he is God proclayming himself to be the brydegroom of the Church which is the office of Christ yea taking a title above him for wheras Christ is caled Pontifex magnus the Great high Preist the Pope is usually intituled Pontifex maximus the Greatest high-preist and reason ther is for it because in the Pope ther is power above all powers as well of heaven as of earth as in a publick Council it was spoken of this Beast Now that these things should be true of the man of syn otherwise then by lyes spoken in hypocrisie none of grace I know wil affirm Secondarily the Temple figured the Church but first the catholik or universal church Eph. 2 21. then every particular church by proportion 1 Cor. 3 16 17. Which of these two our opposites doo intend they shew not If they mean a particular church it wil not agree with the prophesies of Antichrist whose Citie or church is so great as peoples kinreds tongues nations doo dwel in the streets therof Neyther is that answerable to the Temple in Israel which was not for one synagogue but for the whole natiō of the Iewes and for the Gentiles that came to the faith through the world If they mean the catholik or vniversal church vvhich indeed Antichrist claymeth for his Temple then we are to be taught of them how that whoorish company that worship the Beast and Dragon can possibly be the true catholik church and spowse of Christ otherweise then by counterfeysance and lying ostentation even as the Divil himself is an Angel of light And the very word Temple leadeth vs to vnderstand Antichrists church to be but a counterfeyt For what was the Temple or Tabernacle in Israel Not the Church or congregation of Gods people properly for they were the worshipers of God in the Tēple but it was a sacramental sign of Gods dwelling with his people as it is written they shal make me a sanctuarie that J may dwell among them So Solomon built the Temple that God might dwel therin and for the times under the gospel God promised J wil set my sanctuary among them for ever my Tabernacle shal be with them J wil be their God they shal be my people and the fulfilling herof is set down Rev. 21 3. behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he wil dwel with them and they shal be his people So in Revelat. 11.1 the Tēple is distinguished frō thē that worship therein which is the people The Temple then was an outward sign of Gods presence with his people and of his inward dwelling in their harts by faith and by his Spirit unto their salvation so Antichrists Temple is an outward shew of his presence with that seduced people in whose harts he dwelleth by Popish faith and by his Spirit of error carying them to damnation But as Antichrist shal not professedly deny the true God or Christ though in deed and truth he falsly sheweth himself that he is God so shal he not professedly deny the Temple or church of God but falsly vaunt his adulterous synagogue to be the same Gods true temple and tabernacle is in mount Sion in heaven wher God sitteth on a throne and dwelleth among his people wher is the ark of his covenant and from thence lightnings voices thundrings earthquake and hayl come forth against the Antichristians his enemies and vials of his wrath powred out upon the throne of the beast and on the men that have his mark On the contrary the Beast which is the kingdom of Antichrist ascendeth from beneath out of the bottomless pit and blasphemeth this heavenly tabernacle and sitteth in Babylon upon the Dragons throne and fighteth against the Lamb and against the Saincts treading under foot the holy Citie and casting down the place of Christs sanctuarie When th'Apostle therfore telleth us that Antichrist sitteth as God in the Temple of God it is to be understood first of their invading and destroying of Gods church and people as the hethens of old dealt with Ierusalē dwellers therin secōdly of their own vayn ostentatiō whiles they will have it caled the Christian catholik church and the Pope the head of the same The next point that Antichrist is to be sought there and not among the Jewes Turks Pagans is a fallacie from an insufficient division for al out of the true Church are not Jewes or Turks or Pagans ther is a fourth to make up the mease even popish Antichristians and among these is the Man of syn to be found though with a visar on his face and a sheepskin on his back In the true Church he hath somtimes been found raunging as a wolf but not reigning as a God which in his own Temple he dooth wher he is acknowledged Our Lord God the Pope and h Thou art an other God on earth and To beleev that our Lord God the Pope might not decree as he hath decreed it were a matter of heresie and O thou that takest away the synns of the world have mercy upon us with other like intollerable blasphemies Thirdly they say Antichrist takes not away wholly the church of God and every truth and ordinance of the Lord. I answer neyther did the Divil take away wholly every truth and ordinance of God from among the hethens but they reteyned many rites of Gods worship received from their fathers as before is noted Yet in very deed so much as in them lay and us stood with the safetie of their deceitful kingdom the Divil of old and Antichrist his son of late have sought wholly to take away the church truth of God and to put lyes in the place But God hath nourished the woman his church in the wildernes from the presence of the Serpent Rev. 12.14 And for further answer hereof let us hear what M. Iohnson
filthy potion that is in it frō the Beasts counterfeyt Lambs horns as wel as from his Lions mouth and Bears pawes We may not in the truest Church in the world partake with their synns yet is not every true Church that synneth Babylon Secondly she being in this forlorn estate she is but a lump of syn a man of syn a child of perdition the Beast is not one person but the whole kingdom M. Iohnson himself hath acknowledged more then once that the man of syn is the false Church religion of Antichrist compared to the body of a man and consisting of all the parts togither Now to the defiled and unbeleeving nothing is pure their sacrifices are abominable their prayers are turned to syn We acknowledg therfore no good or holy thing in Antichrists synagogue as touching her use of it Thirdly we renounce not any good thing because that harlot dooth chalenge abuse it but we practise Gods ordinances as he hath cōmanded condemning utterly the profanation of them by Antichrist 7. They further allege that the Church of Rome was at the first set in the way of God since which time she is fallen into great apostasie as Jsrael did in which estate she hath kept sundry truthes and ordinances of God as Israel also did Which causeth a twofold consideration of her estate 1. in respect of the ordinances of God still reteyned among them 2. and of the mixture of their own abominations Jn regard of the one to acknowledge the truth and church of God there in regard of the other to observ their apostasie and confusion against Antichrist and for this mixture to separate from them and to practise every ordinance of God which was and is in that church leaving onely their corruptions least we fal into Anabaptistrie and other evils I answer they doo but roll the first stone saying the same things comparing Antichrists church with Israel wheras the holy Ghost compareth it with the gentiles even the most vile the Sodomites Aegyptians Babylonians and hethen Romans as before I have shewed In all which nations there were many truthes ordināces of God reteyned abused which truthes made them no true Church unless we wil say al the world was Gods true Church But I wil folow their particulars The Church of Rome they say was at first set in the way of God I answer ther was at Rome such a Church in Pauls time but the Romish Church now is a Beast since that time sprung out of the bottomless pit a Catholik monster dispersed as they feign through earth heaven and purgatorie as before I shewed such a Church Paul never saw but by the spirit of prophesie foretold of it That Church then was Saints worshiped God this Church now is an habitation of Divils and worshipeth Divils Since that time say they she is fallen into Apostasie True say I even soon after Pauls time for then the mysterie of iniquitie did work and many Antichrists were gone out whiles the Apostles lived For which their Apostasie like Israels when they would not repent as Christ threatned some that were new fallen into such synns the candlestick the Church was removed the Church of Rome as Paul forewarned for unbeleef was cut off among others and for a punishment of their Apostasie God delivered the East Churches into the hands of Mahomet and the West Churches into the hands of that false-horned beast Antichrist even as Israel and Iudah of old for their like synns were delivered into the hands of the Assyrians and Babylonians And this Paul prophesied that ther should be a departing frō the faith before that Man of syn should be disclosed and because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved therfore God would send upon them that Adversarie with Satans power and strong delusion to beleev lyes that they might be damned Thus Mahomet Antichrist were Gods 2 plagues to bring not onely the death of body but of sowl upō thē that loved not the truth but departed frō it For when the great mountayne which is the kingdom of Babylon Antichrists monarchie burning with the fyre of ambition and strife was cast into the sea that is among peoples and nations then the living creatures that were in the third part of the sea so corrupted and bloody dyed lived not agayn for a thowsand yeres as did the godly which worshiped not the beast Although therfore we may truely call the state of Mahometisme and Antichristianisme apostasie yet we are taught of God to understand such apostasie as was among the hethens in Sodom Aegypt and Babylon and so Rome is caled not onely figuratively as somtimes the Iewes are caled people of Gomorrah but spiritually that is in deed and effectually for the spirit and life so to speak of all their abominations are in her most powrful and apparant So their comparison with Israel falleth too short in mesure though Israel also when they forsook God and his Church and builded new Temples were not Gods true Temple or Church as before is proved Their cōsideratiō in respect of Gods ordinances to acknowledge the church of God there is a speculatiō of their own not of God For the stealing abusing Gods ordināces mixing thē with their own inventiōs maketh not a people Gods people or Ch any more thē a true mās mony in a theefs purse maketh the theef an honest mā If it were so then the hethens when they sacrificed swine were to be condemned but when they sacrificed bullocks and sheep were to be approved as Gods Church for they kept Gods ordinance asvvel as Rome with their sacrifice of the Mass. When they worshiped idols they were to be condemned but when they worshiped the true God in their ignorant manner they were to be justified as his people so when they kept the feasts of new moons they were to be praised as Gods Church for it was an ordinance of his but when they kept their Bacchanalia to be disclaimed for heretiks And what wil this come unto at the last but to justify the Divil as he is a creature of God and transformed into an Angel of light but to condemn him as he is a black Divil and Apostate from his original Their fear least they should fall into Anabaptistrie is before defrayed but as some mariners to avoid Charybdis have falln into Scylla so these to shun the shelves of Anabaptistrie have run their ship upon the rocks of Poperie 8. Their next double consideration is about the covenant of God made with his people For oftē the people on their part break the covenāt when the Lord doth not so on his part but stil counts them his people calls thē to repentāce folowes them somtime with judgm t somtime
better records and so they and all heretical assemblies in the world among whom the Bible is must be judged Gods true Churches Let us add hereunto the testimonie of men and touching our own county D. Fulk answereth the Papists thus you taught the people nothing ells but to pronounce and that ful ylfavouredly like popingeyes certain Latin words which they understood no more then stocks or stones So that the people had no instruction from you no not of the name of God in many places but that they received by vncertayn talk of their parents as it were from hand to hand For how many thowsand parishes are here in England that within these 60. yeres would declare that they never heard sermon in their life As for that they heard of their service they learned as much of it as of the ringing of their bells which was a sound without understanding These things being so what caling had the poor seduced people more then among the heathens Wee wil make the matter playn say they by a similitude from Ier. 3. A wife being filthy with adulteries if her husband wil pardon her and consent to receiv her she abideth stil his wife c. So a church overflowing with adulteries c. I answer God if it were granted that he is the husband of this whore hath promised her no pardon but delivered her to Satan to be seduced deluded damned 2 Thes. 2.9 11 12. Secondly I deny that this harlot was ever Christs spouse otherweise then al the world was by our first parents Adam and Noah For this is not she unto whom Paul wrote Rom. 1. but an other of whom he prophesied 2 Thes. 2. She succeedeth in the same place as the night succeedeth the day The Church in Pauls time came from heaven Rev. 21.2 and is long since gone to God this came up from the bottomless pit Rev. 17 8. and thither she must return She is of an other religion the daughter of a strange God But they alledge touching the election as is sayd of the Jewes Rom. 11.28 she is beloved for her fathers sakes I answer first then this proveth rather the Iewes at this day a church for stil they are loved for their fathers sakes and shal be called againe as th'Apostle there sheweth Secondly if the Iewes are beloved for their good fathers sakes then Rome may wel be hated for her evil fathers sakes For who were her fathers but the Gentiles Sodomites and Aegyptians Rev. 11 2 8 18. not the saincts in Rome for she is not of their faith and sanctitie But you will say she is the natural posteritie of them Nay ther is not so much as likelihood therof much less any certainty For besides the bloody persecutions in those times that did cut off the godly there were after that many changes of the Romane state great cōmotions that heavens departed away as a scrol when it is rolled every mountayn I le were moved out of their places Kings Captayns and all sorts of men sled and hid themselves Rev. 6 14 15 so great were the troubles of those times And for particulars Alaricus with his Gothes above a thowsand yeres agoe did take spoyl and burn Rome in the yere of Christ 414. After that agayn within 44. yeres Gensericus with his Vandals took and spoiled it and Rome for a time remayned without any inhabitant A few yeres after did Odoacer with an other company invade Italie and conquer Rome put the Emperour to flight made himself King and did much spoyl Then Theodoricus and the Ostrogothes took it and after him agayn Bellisarius with his armie wann it But above al Totilas King of the Gothes in the yere of our Lord 546. after all the former invasions did overthrow Rome quite cast down the walls burn the howses and made it so desolate that there remayned in it neyther man nor woman These turmoiles in Rome within the space of a few yeres being observed and the possessing of that land by those forreyners the Gothes who mixed them selves with the people and degenerated into the name of Jtalians and other plagues afterwards by the Saracens that kylled innumerable sowls in Rome Italie these the like may teach us how unpossible it is to shew that the present church of Rome is so much as the natural posteritie of the Saincts in Pauls time though if they were yet would it help them no more in this estate then the Ismaelites Aedomites which were the natural seed of Abraham And Adonisedek with his Amorites and Iebusites in Ierusalem Josh 10 1. c may as wel be justified to be Gods true Church because of Melchisedek King Preist of God who with his faithful company dwelled there 5. or 6. hundred yeres before Gen. 14 18. c. as the popish Beast with his Iesuites and marked slaves at this day may be pleaded for because of the godly that lived in Rome 15 or 16. hundred yeres agone And thus their reasons from Israel are also impertinent to this estate they might wel serve for the times wherin Iohn lived when the true Churches were many of them apostate but the Aegyptians and Babylonians are shadowes of our Antichristians among whom their hethenish abominations are spiritually accomplished Rev. 11. ◠But they plead stil Jn that the Church of Rome hath al the divine things in the scriptures it is of God a Church in that it hath them al corrupt that is of it self and it is a corrupt Church The Church is not taken away by corruption unless it be total c. I answer stil they take for granted that which they should prove and which I have before again and agayn disproved It is not properly the old Church of Rome corrupted but a new church arisen out of the bottomless pit carying the shew and titles of the old It is not the woman fled into the wildernes but an other woman or citie reigning over the Kings of the earth The Lamb Christ is not there as on mount Sion with his 144. thowsand having his fathers name written on their forheads Rev. 14 1. but the Wolf Antichrist with his sheeps skyn lambs horns is there with his armie of Canaanites as on moūt Maggedon At first those Gentiles invaded the courts of Gods tēple and trode down the holy citie Rev. 11.2 as the Babylonians of old dealt with Gods sanctuarie Ps. 79.1 c. Ier. 51.1.3 c. Lam. 1.10 If that army of infidels were Gods true Church so is the synagogue of Antichristians And the Hethens in their altars temples sacrifices c. had the divine things of God among them as wel if not better then hath the man of syn and his worshipers in their sacrifice of the Mass and other manifold idolatries The dutie of those that are in the popish Church and see their corruptions is they say such as of those