some ignorant silly soules whose humble peaceable obedience makes them safe among any part of men that professe the foundation Christ. Answ. You belieue you wot not what yet you hope that will not hinder your salvation But you belieue as the Church belieueth You meane as the Church of Rome believeth Well And the Church of Rome tells you in her Councell of Trent that she belieueth no otherwise she admitteth of no other faith then that which the Deuils and damned in Hell haue If any dare deny this he will but bewray his shamelesse ignorance in this point But being ignorant silly soules whose humble peaceable condition makes them safe among any part of men that professe the foundation Christ are they not in the state of salvation This indeed may seeme a good indulgent Doctrine to nuzzle silly Papists in their ignorance and blind religion while they cary themselues like humble and peaceable men But they professe the foundation Christ. What is it generally to professe Christ and particularly to haue no interest in him What is it to professe the foundation and not to be built vpon it And who can be built vpon Christ but he that hath a liuely faith in Christ To belieue as the Church of Rome belieueth is only to haue a generall historicall faith that Christ is the Redeemer of mankind the Saviour of the world Thus farre the very Devils belieue But that Church forbiddeth any man to believe in particular that Christ is his Redeemer his Saviour that hee is iustified from his sinnes by Christ alone and that his sins are forgiven onely for his name sake This no Devill can belieue no Papists may belieue vpon paine of Anathema and damnation Therefore though they professe the foundation Christ in the generall yet wanting a speciall faith in Christ to apply his merits for the remission of their owne sinnes in particular how are they safe in any part of men professing the foundation Christ May a man then bee saved nay is he safe to witt actually saved living in any part of men professing the foundation Christ No matter then what religion a man be off so in generall it professe the foundation Christ and a man be humble and peaceable though a silly ignorant Thus all Hereticks are in the state of salvation if humble and peaceable men for they hold commonly and generally the foundation Christ. But know O all ye silly ignorant Papists that living here where the Gospell the only meanes of saving knowledge and of saving faith is preached all your silly ignorance all your pretended humble peaceablenesse shâ—ll never saue your soules but shall aggravate your condemnation so much the more by how much you contemne the living fountaines of salvation and chuse to your selues to drinke in the bainfull Doctrines of that bloody Sea of Rome Indeed those silly ignorants that liue in Spayne Italy and so forth where the Inquision restraines them from the meanes of better knowledge may haue some plea for their ignorance and God may shew mercy vpon their silly soules but for you that are English Papists and pretend ignorance the more you goe about to excuse your ignorance the more you accuse and condemne your pride and arrogance that can so scorne and villifie the pretious word of God which while you doe it makes your damnation out of measure damnable And while you contemne the Gospell how can you be either humble or peaceable â— for it is the Gospell of grace and peace which who so reiecteth is a proud and factious heretick But another of you objecteth What doe you tell vs of the Councell of Trent What though it be like such a Sea as ye tell of all like the blood of a dead man in which every living soule dyeth But wee here in England do not come to drinke in that blood we haue our Ghostly Fathers who broach and bring to vs no such drinke as you talke of but such as carrieth good reason with it to be wholesome for the soule Answ. It is indeed an observation of Dr. Sheldon once a â—eminary Priest but now a worthy Convert and learâ—ed Minister of the Church of England that the subtle Priests and Iesuits in England having to deale with peoâ—le not so ignorant as in forraine parts where the Gosâ—ell is wanting but such as haue heard at least in some measure of the grosnesse of Popery as of their Image â—orship the robbing of the cup from the people in the â—ucharist and the like doe therefore tenderly and waâ—ly attemper their Doctrines to their Disciples among 〈◊〉 vntill such time as they be growne to have more â—rong stomackâ— to be able â—o take downe and digest 〈◊〉 grossest meate without any curious dressing As a â—entlewoman obiecting to a Iesuite their taking away 〈◊〉 the Cup in the Sacrament as a grievous Sacriledge 〈◊〉 told her plainely that their Church was belyed â—hey did it not for proofe at the Sacrament he ministers 〈◊〉 her the Cup. She tells her Minister of it who perâ—eiving the Iesuits iugling told her it was certainely 〈◊〉 Cup vnconsecrated that hee gaue her Whereupon â—ee pressing the Priest about it he was forced to conâ—â—sse the truth that indeed it was so Thus can these â—hostly fathers play fast and loose with their credulous â—â—sciples that must take all their sayings vpon trust â—hus Romes Fishers show the silly fish at first nothing but the baite till they haue gotten her fast vpon the hooke But what kind of holy water all Papists may expect from their Ghostly Fathers the pouring out of thâ— Third and 4. Viall will plainely declare But before we proceed to the third Viall for the fuller confirmation of what hath beene said of the state of the Church of Rome whose Sea of doctrines is all turned into mortall blood in this second Viall it will be very requisite here to discusse one question Whether the Church of Rome be either a true Church or a true visible Church A Question of so much the greater moment by how much some by their no small authority and no lesse renowned opinion in the Church doe so sway the ballance on that side that many ill affected and of the adverse party taking the advantage are 〈◊〉 to catch the word out of their mouth and to say 〈◊〉 they Thy Brother Benâ—adâ—d Thy Mother Church of Româ— Which advantage how perilous it is in these luke warme indifferent neutralizing dayes is not hard to determine And Popery hath learned to get over the stile againe 〈◊〉 enough without our helpe And though it were true that the Church of Rome were a true Church yet the countenancing or pressing of it in these times might very well to be spared Buâ— why then say they do otheâ— cry down the Church of Rome for no true Church at all Surely this were a fault if it were an vntruth For giuâ— the Divell his due as wee say It is good therefore thâ—â— all men be well advised
childe of this famous Church doth not reuerence and submit to the authoritie of this his Mother But who shall be the Church of Englands interpreter Any priuate spirit Or who dare say that the doctrine of the Church of England is any other then the doctrine of the Scriptures For once diuide the doctrine of our Church from the Scripture and then we shall quickly come to that passe to belieue as the Church belieueth or as the Church of Rome belieueth And how is that As the Scriptures teach No but as the Pope teacheth and interpreteth or as the Pope belieueth How belieuest thou as the Church of England How is that As such or such a learned great man or great learned man perhaps as great in conceit in the Church of England as the Pope in Rome belieueth or interpreteth But it was the custome of the ancients in case of controuersie in faith to call Ad fonâ—es they went not to the cesterne but to the fountaines the Scriptures If any therefore should presume to interpret the words of the Church of Englands doctrines to any other sense then the Scriptures teach is worthy at least of his Mothers rod if not of his fathers high displeasure But do not the Scriptures put an infinit difference betweene Gods loue to his owne elected ones and others who are none of Christs sheepe Read John 13.1 The father loued his owne And 2. Tim. 2.19 And Iohn 17.2.9.11.12 24. Yea and doth not our Mother Church of England reduce Gods loue to mankinde in redeeming of vs to his elect people in sanctifying of them by his spirit I would such great Rabbies were a little better versed in their Catechisme before they vented such nouell Aphorismes We haue to answere touching our Creed Thirdly I belieue in God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the elect people of God This is our Mothers doctrine according to the voice of her Husband Iohn 17. Prou. the sixt verse vnto the end of the chapter Enough to put to silence all Arminian vniuersalists Read also the 17. Article of Predestination which fully cleared the Church of Englands minde in this point But thirdly he will proue that God loues all men alike because all men are alike redeemed by his Sonne And this he will also proue from the doctrine of the Church of England Which is answered as before The Scripture saith in matter of censure heare the Church but in matter of faith and doctrine heare him that is Christ. The Church must euer submit her doctrines to the touchstone of the Scripture And so the Church of England doth I am sure And what saith the Scripture of the redemption by Christ and for whom Read Ioh. 10.5 I lay downe my life for whom for the sheepe And Act. 20.28 The Lord hath with his owne blood purchased whom The Church of God But other Scriptures say that Christ died for all men Those all must be reduced to all Christs sheepe being scattered ouer all the world for these onely he laid downe his life these onely he purchased with his blood these onely he prayes for whom he laies downe his life for Joh. 17.9 read the place and marke it well and consider But in this point we need no other opposition but the Authors Tenet then his owne contradictory confession He saith Nothing can make the Creature hatefull or odious to the Creator besides its hatred or enmity of that loue by which it was created and by which he sought the restauration of it when it was lost Nor is it saith he euery degree of mans hatred or enmity vnto God but a full measure of it which vtterly exempts man from his loue Vpon whomsoeuer he would father this doctrine sure wee are the Apostle saith that by nature we are borne the children of wrath as well as other Doe we not then bring enough with vs into the world to pull Gods hatred vpon vs besides the height of malice against God contracted in the world Doth not the least sinne deserue Gods hatred and wrath vpon vs But this hee contradicteth againe saiyng That Christ onely receiued our infirmities and originall disease and not the contempt of him and his law Now if Christ did receiue our infirâ—â—ties onely and originall disease yet euen those then cost Christ his pretious blood yea and made him a curse for vs and to cry My God My God why hast thou forsaken me And was there euer any sorrow like to his sorrow But you say Christ receiued not the contempt of him and his law You meane then that Christ died not for contemptuous sinners And if Christ died not for the rebellious contemner what shal be become of a great many in these daies that not onely contemne but oppose and seeke to oppresse the knowne truth Surely the state of such is very exceeding dangerous yet I dare not say desperate which yet should be desperate if Christ died not for the greatest sinnes euen sinnes of rebellion and presumption as well as of infirmity Was there not in the law a Sacrifice as well for sinnes of presumption as of infirmity And was not that Sacrifice a type of Christ. And doth not God in the 50. Psalme preach repentance euen to the contemner of his knowne word But if he repented how should he be pardoned vnlesse Christ tooke vpon him the centempt of him and his law But I hope some of the Authors conâ—orts at least will discipline him well fauourdly for such a doctrine as no lesse vncomfortable then vnsound In vaine else doe Preachers beat the ayre in preaching repentance to habituated contemners if Christ bore not all kind of sinne vpon him We read of no sinne but it is pardonable sauing that against the holy Ghost and that also say the Fathers if a man could repent of it were pardonable and if pardonable vpon faith and repentance no doubt but Christ tooke even that vpon him also Indeed if a man runne on in sinne with a high hand hating to bee reformed contemning the Ministry of the word and so persist and dye in his impenitency it is euident that Christ the Lambe of God hath not taken away the sin of that man But in the fourth place he saith That God loues all men vnfainedly as they are men or as men which haue not made vp the full measure of iniquity But hauing made vp that or hauing their soules betrothed vnto wickednesse he hates them His hate of them as reprobates is no lesse necessary or vsuall then his loue of them as men But though he necessarily hates them being once become reprobates or hauing made vp the full measure of iniquitie yet was there no necessitie laid vpon them by his eternall Decree to make vp such a measure of iniquitie So he yet a little before where he saith God vnfainedly loueth all men God doth not loue but hate the Reprobate although they be men yea the greatest part of men I well hoped
with all things contrary thereunto and whatsoeuer Heresies condemned and reiected and Anathematized of the Church I in like manner condemne reiect and accurse This true Catholick faith without which none can be saued which here I freely professe and truely hold the same I will be carefull most constantly by Godâ— helpe to retaine and confesse intire and inviolate vntill my very last breath and that also as much is in me lyeth it may be kept taught and preached of my subiects or those whose Cure shall in that behalfe to me appertaine I the same Nâ— doe promise vow and sweare so help me God and these 〈◊〉 holy Evangels Lo here is not this a â—olemne Divorce sued out and as solemnly sworne to Is not Christ here as solemnly renounced as we in our Baptisme renounce the Devill and all his workes But not expressely Noâ— Expressely all those doctrines are pronounced as Heresies which are condemned by Canons and Councells but chiefely by the sacrosanct Councell of Trent And what are those Heresies Are they not the very Doctrines oâ— the Scriptures which we professe and maintaine These the Church of Rome renounceth not admitting or interpreting the Scriptures but onely according to the limited sense of the Church of Rome the maine Oracle whereof is the Pope Why then shall any man say that the Divorce betweene the Church of Rome and Christ is not yet sued out Obiection But it is sued out but on the one side who without iust cause on Christs part hath taken out an absolute and peremptory Divorce chusing the Pope for her only husband whose only voyce she will hearken vnto And the Divorce being vpon no iust cause and vpon a false ground it is of no â—orce and so â—etteth not why the Church of Rome may not yet be Christs spowse if he will claime her Answer No is it not of force when publikely and â—olemnly sworne to in open Court inviolably to bee â—ept but yet if any will needs require a proofe on Christs part that he hath also publikely given the Church of Rome a bill of Divorce let him but search 〈◊〉 Gods Records In the booke of the Revelation doth â—ot Christ openly dâ—clare the Church of Rome to bee a â—â—eat Whore that Whore of Babylon Rev. 17. And in the â— chapter the bill of Divorce and that by a voice â—â—inly heard from heaven saying Come out of her my peoâ—â—â— that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue 〈◊〉 of her plagues Is not here a plaine bill of Divorce â—ven by Christ to the Church of Rome that whâ—re that â—â—â—rituall Babylon she that saith I am no widow being â—â—rried to another man sith Christ now separates his â—â—ne people his owne Spowse out of Babylon Come out 〈◊〉 my people And this divorce on Christs part came 〈◊〉 of force vpon the Councell of Trent when now the â—hurch of Rome having long played the Whâ—re yet 〈◊〉 her second marriage to another husband was soâ—â—nely concluded and Christ excluded Now therefore â—â—rist giues her the bill of divorce also in pronouncâ—â—g her a strumpet and separating his spowse from her 〈◊〉 hence forth to haue no communion with Her â—hat need be said more to proue this Divorce and that 〈◊〉 both sides Is there any Minister of the Church of â—ngland that while he affirmes the Church of Rome to 〈◊〉 a true Church or a true visible Church or the Spowse of â—â—rist yet will or dare say that the Church of Rome is 〈◊〉 that Whore that Babylon mentioned in the Revelaâ—â—â—n I dare say there is none if together with learâ—â—ng he haue more loue of the truth then of the world 〈◊〉 his heart Yea even he that saith The Church of Rome 〈◊〉 true visible Church will confesse withall that She is Babylon and the Antichristian Church Now if she be Babylon Christ ownes her no longer for his Spouse 〈◊〉 out of her my people But here followes a distinction As it is a 〈◊〉 Church we haue not detrected to â—old communiâ—â— with a 〈◊〉 Babylon we can haue nothing to doe with it Answ. I must here craue pardon that this distinctâ—â—on tooke not place till a day after the faire for we haâ—â— newly packt away Babylon for a naughty pack here confessed by those who yet affirme she is a true visibâ—â— Church and Christ hath disclaimed her for his spoâ—â—â— bidding his Spowse to come from her And so I say this distinction comes too late after the sentence of 〈◊〉 divorce is given on both sides Therefore as whom 〈◊〉 doth ioyne together let no man separate so whom God â—â—â—parateth let no man ioyne together When Christ â—aith Come out of Babylon my people Let not vs say we 〈◊〉 not to hold communion with the Church of Rome Ye◠〈◊〉 this case no distinction will serue to ioyne vs together againe in one communion Herein we must not 〈◊〉 to the voyce of any man be he never to Reverend â—â—fore and against the voyce of Christ But Christ 〈◊〉 peremptorily Come out of her my people and that vpoâ— a severe penaltie or perill least ye be partakers of 〈◊〉 sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues Let vs thereâ—fore in this case follow Pythagoras his lesson to his scholars not to looke our face in the glasse by the 〈◊〉 light but by the Sun-shine Thus if we be of Chrâ—â—â— spowse we will heare his voyce alone saying Come of Babylon my people and no voyce of man saying to 〈◊〉 contrary By what distinction I pray you can an 〈◊〉 chast Matron saâ—ue her credit by keeping company having communion with a notorious strumpet Will say As she is a woman a creatâ—â— of the same flesh and 〈◊〉 as bearing the Image of God I detreâ—â— not to hold comâ—â—â— with her but as she is a whore I can haue nothing to do 〈◊〉 her What a confused distinction were this Woul◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 in the next place that charitable profession of 〈◊〉 Luther is alledged who saith 〈…〉 〈…〉 breast is the spirit sense authority summe and all And allowing no other Scripture but the vulgar Latine a language vnknowne to the vulgar what is it but a meere shell They haue the Creeds but the shell only while they deny the faith Yea they professe the Catholick faith but they haue only the shell of it to witt the historicall faith common to them with the very Divellâ— the kernell they haue not to wit the true affiance in Gods mercies apprehended and Christs merits imputed to justification This faith the Councell of Trent accurseth So that in that whole Councell yee shall nor find in the Councells owne word once Credere in Deum to belieue in God least they should admit of the saving faith whereby only a man can say Credo in Deum I belieue in God whereaâ— the historicall faith can lay only Credâ— Deâ— or Deum I belieue God as the Divelâ—s belieue and tremblâ—◠〈…〉 Thus haue they no more but the
shell of faith and so the shell of the Creed They haue the Sacraments What say I The Sacraments No surely among all their seven Sacraments haue they any more but the bare broken shell of Baptisme onely For the sole efficacy and 〈◊〉 of it they â—ang vpon the Priests Intention and not vpon the spirit of God and his word and true faith in the baptized As for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper they haue vtterly abolished it and turned it into mâ—ere Accidents without substance joyned with an imaginary Idol wrought by vertue of the Priests Intention Thus we see that there is no more left of the Church of Rome but an empty crackt shell and therfore it is now no more either a true Church or a true or truly visible Church But to conclude this discourse to the aforesaid allegations a vouching the Church of Rome for a true or true visible Church is added an Apologeticall advertisement to the Reader beginning Nothing can be so said or done but may be ill taken Now God forbid But is it well said or done to affirme that the Church of Rome is yet a true or a true visible Church 〈…〉 the Reverend Author iudge indifferently having well weighed the former reasons whether we doe ill or no in taking this his saying ill or whether we had not reason to haue expected an ingenious Palinody 〈◊〉 Augustinâ— like Retractation rather then such an Apology which whether it be rather to be pittied then any vncharitablenes in the Reader in taking such a saying ill let judicious charity it selfe judge Nor need we stretch the saying to imply that the Church of Rome is a true believing Church Suffice it we except against any being yea or visibility of a true Church in the Synagogue of Rome But the Reverend Author referres Visible 〈◊〉 outward Profession to some essentiall Principles of Christianity neither of them to sound◠〈…〉 Grant the Romanists to be 〈…〉 and we cannot deny them the name of 〈◊〉 Church Answer Now vnder 〈…〉 Profession a sufficient marke of visibility for a Church This is none of those markes which the Church of England takes notice of a Church by 〈…〉 sheweâ— Againe the Scripture calleth 〈…〉 Synagogue of Satan who call themselves Iewes 〈…〉 The Samaritanâ—s sometimes professed themselues to be of the Iewes Religion having their Temple nâ—are the Mount Garisim They had their Priests also who 〈…〉 how they should feare the Lord◠〈…〉 Lord but withall 〈…〉 the manner of the Nations Did they not then 〈◊〉 the worship of the Lord Surely they did 〈◊〉 were they therefore a visible Church Nay saith the Scripture there They neither feare God c. So the Church of Rome professeth to feare the Lord but 〈…〉 like to the Nations so that it will follow she neither feareth God nor doth after his lawes c. Obiect But she holdeth some essentiall Principles of Christianity Answ. So do the 〈…〉 this day they hold the Old Testament Obiect But withall they deny Christ expressely Answ. So doe the Papists implicitly and by their owne expresse doctrines of Trent haue no more communion with Christ then the Iewes haue Nay Papists doe expresly abiure the doctrine of Christ as we shewed before in the Popes owne Bull how doe they then any more hold Christ then the Iewes But Grant the Romanists to be but Christians how corrupt soeuer and we cannot deny them the name of the Church But why should we grant them that which never a Papist is able to demonstrate to vs or yet vndoubtedly to perswade himselfe of He is not certaine of the Priests Intention in his Baptisme no nor yet of the Bishops Intention by whom that Priest was ordeined no nor of that other Bishops Intention by whom the Bishop was ordained Priest Therefore no Papist can be sure whether he be a Christian or no. And why then should we grant them to be Christians Although for the bare name of Christians and of a Church we will not much stand with them so they doe not hereupon nor any for them incroach and challenge the being and reality yea or the very visibility of a true Church No noâ— to say That we are all the same Church by vertue of our outward vocation whosoeuer all the world ouer worship Iesus Christ the only Son of God the Sauiour of the world and professe the same common Creed Nor That which Rome holds with vs makes it a Church Nor That Rome holds the foundation directly Nor That because those things were affirmed twenty yeares ago therefore now they must be true nor that if any be otherwise minded he shall doe more wrong to his cause then to his Aduersary nor that sundry of our iâ—dicious Diuines were of this mind nor In that she holds the foundaâ—iâ—n directly she is a true Church For first doth the Church of Rome worshipp Iesus Christ who for Christ worship the Beast and his Image bearing his marke Secondly doe they hold the same Creed that deny the Faith without which they cannot say the first word of the Creed I beleeue in God Thirdly what foundation do they hold directly with vs For other foundation can no man lay then that which is layd Iesus Christ. Wee shewed before that they haue nothing of Christ but the shell the shadow the Pope is the kernel if any Nay doe they hold more of Christ directly then the very society of Devils doe Yea or so much as they The Devils hold that Iesus Christ is God and man they beleiue and tremble They Devils belieue not that Christs body can be made of a peece of bread hee knowes it well enough to be but one of his owne iuggling tricks which his Romish Disciples learned of him The Devils dare not deny that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh Yea he openly confesseth him to be the Son of God I know thee who thou art even the Holy one of God Doe the Romanists so much No they are of that Spirit of Antichrist that denyeth that Iesus Christ is come in the flâ—sh How He that maketh Christ of a Peece of bread denyeth him to be come of the Virgine Mary If Christ haue a body made of bread and yet this body the same that was borne of the Virgine Mary then it followeth directly that with the Manichees they allow Christ no other but a meere imaginary fantasticall body sliding downe from heaven as Dianaeâ— Image that came from Iupiter For is not that a meere phantasme which they worship in the bread A body naturall it is not which wants both substance quantity dimensions flesh blood and bone and all other properties which a mans naturall body ought to haue Therefore in directly saying This is Christs body they deny Christs true naturall body which he received from the blessed Virgine and so deny directly that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh How doe they then directly hold the foundation And yet this is not simply to hold
of the blind credulous vulgar to be believed only Thus it becomes a Miracle of implicit faith And what can he believed more miraculous then that an impotent Priest should be able to doe that which â—â—lls not within the compasse of Gods omnipotency For to cause one and the some naturall circumscript body to be in a thousand distinâ—â— places at one and the same moment of time 〈◊〉 to be in the highest heavens and here vpon 〈◊〉 at the same instant is a meere contradiction a meere lye and 〈◊〉 impossible for God to doe it but a silly Priest can easily doe this with saying over but fiue words To cause the same circumscript body consisting of so many dimensions such a length such a breadth such a thicknesse to remaine the same in all the quantities of it and yet to be confined and circumscribed within the narrow limits of a thin and narrow Wafer Cake the body suffering the while no diminution is a meere contradiction a meere lye and so is impossible for God to doe it but a soâ—â—y Priest can miraculously doe it swâ—llow downe the intire body of Christ with all the dimensions and large quantity of it at one morsell downe his wide Weson To cause the same body consisting of flesh blood and bone all of a solid substance to remaine in their solid constitution without alteration and yet at the same time vnder the formes of a Wafer Cake to melt in the mouth where neither flesh blood nor bone are to be felt as Christ shewing to his doubting Disciples his naturall body saith Handle mee and see a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue is a meere contradiction a meere lye and so impossible for the Omnipotent to do it but an vnclean spirit of the Divell breathed from the mouth of the vnreasonable Beast can do it In a word to cause the same blessed body which was borne of the blessed Virgin and now glorified in heaven to b◠〈◊〉 crâ—ated of the very substance of bread 〈…〉 into it is against the truth of God 〈…〉 of our Creed Bâ—râ—e of the Virgin Mary a morâ— wicked heresie then that of the 〈…〉 of Christâ— humanity to be of the 〈…〉 and so overthrowing mans salvationâ— which could 〈◊〉 be wrought but by the Sonne of God in 〈◊〉 nature that had sinned and so it stands noâ— with th◠〈◊〉 and glory of God to make such a counterfeit body yet 〈◊〉 Priest can doe it And such are the Miracles which these froglike vncleane spiritâ— of Diuells due worke daily Againe these spirits or Agents are here called the spirits of Divells VVe read not in all the Scripture of any men so called Iudas onely is called a Divell These 〈◊〉 spirits of Divells to note them to be Divells incarnate and that the spirit of the Divell is more predominant more raigneth and rageth in the world in the time of this Viall then ever from the beginning of the world and that especially in these sprightfull Agents with their confederates and consorts This being that 〈◊〉 wherein the Divell hath but a short space to â—aigne and therefore he now playes the Devill Chapter 12 1â— And these got to negotiate with the Kings of the earth Will not lesse serue These be 〈◊〉 Froggs indeed that like to those Aegyptian frogge daâ—e leap and crawle vp into Kings chambers So prudent are they in their generation They are no peddling merchants but professe to be great Iewellers fit to 〈◊〉 with Princes For so they may sweep whâ—le Kingdome along If they can 〈◊〉 the great Landlord they will be sure of the Tenants But whereabout doe they negotiate with Kingsâ— Surely in no small State-businesses but euen to stirre them vp to take part with the Beast and to make warâ—e with the Lamb to fight against the Gospell 〈…〉 or suppresse the true Religion and the Professors of it a matter I wiâ— of no small consequence for any state Although perhaps 〈◊〉 great many will not belieue this at least such as 〈◊〉 and will not 〈◊〉 but willingly winke for feare they should be eye witnesses of their owne wofull wrâ—ck and otherâ— which on 〈…〉 cowardise hath prouided 〈◊〉 when was there ever a greater and more generall confidence of these Froggs then now Yee all are 〈◊〉 A man would thinke some Bull had of late roared from Rome causing all the Froggs to couch close in their holes This 〈…〉 may be a shrowd signe of sâ—me such thing in good earnest Whereas otherwise it is one stonifician poynt of pollicy when any Bulls come from Rome to cast a hood over the hornes to dissemble and choake it altogether Iust so it was in King 〈…〉 of happy memory when a Bull came froâ— the 〈◊〉 Pâ—pe Paulâ— 5 so unreasonable as the Papists gaue ours 〈…〉 maliciously counterfetted by some who bore 〈…〉 will to them vntill the same was confirmed by a second Breeâ—e from the same Pope both 〈◊〉 and answered by his Majesty But we need not 〈◊〉 could to confirme the late former sith we see 〈…〉 so good effect in the obedient silence and calmnesse of hiâ— Catholicke sonnes who according 〈◊〉 that speciall charge given by the Pope in that late Breeue are now all hush'd expecting the signall of the 〈◊〉 day thâ—â—â— haue so long longed for For we must noâ— dreame that these froggs are asleep all this while They lye but closse 〈◊〉 froggs in the deepe of winter waiting till the spring câ—ll them forth to croake and hum 〈◊〉 togâ—ther 〈◊〉 Confederates to the battell Yet they arâ— as busie and clossâ— negotiating now as ever Even now 〈◊〉 they a gathering as fast as they can the Kings of the Earth and of the whole world a great part for the whole to the battell of the great day of God Almighty They are noâ— content in every state where they may 〈…〉 egge on Kings to suppresse the truth and the Professors of it in their severall dominions as in 〈…〉 and the rest but they labour to muster all the Kings of Christendome together to make warre against the Gospell and vtterly to their vttermâ—sâ— extinguish it at oncâ— Doe but goe to Dâ—vâ—râ—liftâ— â—liftâ— and loâ—ke beyond thâ— seas and then tell me whether eveâ— thiâ— Viall at least in this one point was so apparantly poured ouâ— And such is the condition of the time of this Viall that these froggs shall never lâ—â—ue croking their Kings together vntill they haue brought them to the â—aine battâ—ll Theâ— still sollicit the Kings of the earth But our hope and comfort is that which they make account to be their day is and shall proue the great day of God Almighty He it is that meanes to strike the stroke and to make it his owne day even the great day of God Almighty which shall be a day of darknesse and gloominesse to all Gods enemies The zeale of the Lord of hosts will performe this He is the God Almighty Next followeth the third branch or
of all our thoughts words and actions but also as the only ordinary meanes to bring all his people elect to an effectvall participation and fruition of grace and glory by Iesus Christ and seeing no man in particular though never so wicked and so farre gone in sin and sunke downe in rebellion is for ought he knoweth excluded from salvation if vpon the word of grace preached he belieue and repent which was the case of this people in Ezechiel and seeing faith repentance is requyred in every one that heares the word that he may be saved and not the elect themselues are exempted from this condition of believing therefore after what maner soever God doth accommodate and apply himselfe vnto vs in the dispensation of his word whither by ptomises or threatnings whither by word or oath he doth but as a fisherman that to diverse kinds of fish vseth divers hookes baites and lines some stronger some weaker as the Apostle saith I am become all things to all men that I might by all meanes saue some And who be those some Certainely in the end they proue to be no other but Gods elect Gods word being like to a dragneâ—â— which taketh all manner of fish at least by the externall calling many are called which drawne to shore in the Resurrection the good are gathered into vessells few are chosen and the bad are cast away Now forasmuch as Gods secret ones his elect before their effectuall calling to the state of grace are in all kindâ— and degrees naturally as wicked and corrupt as any of the serpents seed blind incredulous rebelious as those people of the Iewes were and seeing wheresoever the word comes to be preached there are ever some whom God will effectualâ—y saue by the ministry of it as might be proved if we had not exceeded the bounds of a digression or at least wise Gods word wherever preached returneth not in vaine but accomplisheth that which God will haue it and it shall prosper in the thing whereto he sends it Esa 55 11 cannot God then vse his owne meanes and wayes to call men to repentance and so fit his iâ—strâ—ments as whereby effectually to worke the grace of faith and repentance in their hearts but mâ—n must quarrell the wisdome of God herein and so pervert the externall dispensation of his will as either his written word must interfere vpon his secret 〈◊〉 or else downe must fall the whole eternall and immutable Counsell of God Which what is it else but to pull God out of heaven and as the heathen Oratour said More Gygantaâ— bellare cum Dijs Againe sith no man knowes who are of the elect who otherwise but that every one being alike by nature a sinner and so for ought we know may come to be saved by the word of faith preached cannot this word then be preached to all indifferently vnlesse all without exception be saved by it effectually Let vs hearken to this word and obey it The Elect who they be is one of Gods Secrets The Lord knowâ—th who are his and Let euery one that nameth the name of Christ depart frâ—m iniquity And as Moses saith The secret things belong vnto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong vnto vs and to our Children for ever that we may doe all the words of this Law Deut. 29.29 To conclude then it is not good to remoue the ancient baunds of Gods eternall truth least men pull the Curse vpon them it is a sound and safe rule first to let all positiue truthes in Scripture to stand vnmoveable in their full strength and if there be any other places either of â—xhortation or admonition or redargution or the like whereby God vsually worketh vpon mens affections these must not overthrow Gods fundamentall truthes laid downe positiuely and expresly in his word whereupon our judgements and faith must rest firme and fixed Neither let men too curiously pry into the Arke of Gods secrets as to know how many or who they are that shall be saved but as Christ answered to his inquisitiue Disciples moving a fruitlesse question Are there few that shall be saued Striue ye saith he â—o enter in at the strait gate Luk. 13.23 24. Meddle not we with others matters but labour we to be found in Christ and so to belieue and follow Gods word as we may come to find our selues in the number of Gods elect reioycing that our names are written in heaven as Christ checking Peter about Iohn said Follow thou me Ioh. 21.22 I haue beene the longer in noting the corrupt and rotten doctrines of these times now growne to such a height as they threaten to pull Christ out of his Chaire and to divest his true Disciples of the garment of faith and salvation to the end that the discovery of them though but briefe for the present may cause vs the more carefully to attend and put in practise Christs watch word and no lesse serious then seasonable admonition in this place And so much the more by how much the abounding of false doctrines in these our times even razing the foundation of Gods Grace may point vs as it were with the finger and induce vs to belieue that now already this sixth Viall is begun in a great measure to be poured out hastening on the next and so to stirre vp our dull sides to keepe the stricter watch And here also we are given to note by the way how the great battell is first begun to be fought after a spirituall manner by the armies and forces of false Prophets in this Viall never more plentifull powerfull and perillous then now and so much the more perillous by how much they cover their heresies with the guilefull pretences of the Reformed Religion as of the Church of England This spirituall warre of theirs is nothing els but a beating vp of the Drum and sounding the Alarme in the eares of the Kings of the earth to induce seduce them to a confederacy and part-taking with the Beast against the Lambe with Antichrist against Christ. But the Lambe shall certainly overcome them Magna est veritas et praevalet And againe because ever where false doctrines begin to venditate themselues specially such as strike at the very root of the Gospell Gods free grace and saving faith they draw after them a traine of all vices and daring sinnes at their heeleâ— as Simon Maguâ— did that huge troope of his Samaritan Disciples intoxicating the heart and affections with the Circean Cup of their selfe-seducings forgoing and forgetting all conscience and honesty to become great and high as if their ambition aimed at the very throne of the Beast himselfe therefore also Christ admonisheth his servants to keepe a diligent watch over their wayes and guird the garment of sobriety closse about them least it be torn from their back either with the malignant teeth and tongues of false Prophets and croking Froggs which with their Sardonian smiles would scoffe
in this point â—n speaking 〈◊〉 the Church of Rome Pro or Contra as a true Church oâ— no it being a matter not to be maintained by 〈…〉 wit or quaint rhetoricall discourse but vpon sound ground and substantiall demonstration Now for the more cleare and full yet briefe discussioâ— of the point it shall suffice onely to answer such Arguâ—ments as are vsed for it whereupon the positiue trutâ— will easily be concluded wherein I must crave pardoâ— having to deale in so waighty a cause and with 〈◊〉 mighty Authors as haue already tanquam â— Cathedra defined it But God forbid that the Triall of Truth should depend vpon the opinion of any mans person though never so great or esteemed in the opinion of the learned My brethren saith Saint Iames haue not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons And as Saint Augustine against Maximinus an Arrian Bishop said Nec tu mihi Ariminense nec ego tibi Nicenum Concilium obijcâ—am â—um ego illi tuque isti non detinearis sed Scripturis testibus communibus agamus res cum re causa cum causa ratio cum ratione concertet Neither doe thou obiect to me the Councell of Ariminum nor will I obiect the Nicene vnto thee seeing neither I am bound to the one nor thou to the other but let the Scriptures be common witnesses or vmpires to vs both let thing with thing cause with cause reason with reason plead Nor let any man here impute presumption to the weaknesse or vnworthinesse of my person as though I tooke a pride to bee meddling with such high matters and wherein great ones are interessed Alas God knowes I take so little pride herein that my heart is even torne in sunder to â—ee the ruefull rents of the Church of God and the Truth so opposed so oppressed And when Gods glory suffers pardon me if I professe my selfe a poore Defendant Yea my Profession not onely as a Christian but much more as a Minister of the Gospell binds mee to it And I know that God regardeth no mans person And as the Proverbe is Cucullus non facit Monachum And were it not a matter so nearely concerning the Glory of God and the salvation of mens soules I had farre rather sit me downe in safe and sweet silence wherein I should haue the more opportunity to pray for the peace of Ierusalem then any way stand vp to contend But it is Gods quarrell and that against Babylon Peace is beautifull indeede but there is a What peace In which regard Christ the Prince of Peace said I came not to send peace into the earth but a sword As faire as Peace is wee must not make an Idoll of it Wee must keepe Christs Peace And in these perillous dayes it being almost as dangerous to bee ignorant of the Mystery of Iniquity sith it is the next way to be led into it as of the Mystery of Godlinesse and hee that is ignorant in the former may well suspect his knowledge in the latter let no man thinke it labour superfluous or presumptuous to search out the true Mystery of Popery But I say in this place a kind of Necessity hath imposed this taske vpon me Now the first maine Argument which would conclude the Church of Rome to be a true Church is because say they A man in that Church may bee saved For Out of the Church no salvation Therefore the Church of Rome must bee a true Church But who are they that may be saved in the Church of Rome My Author expresseth An honest ignorant Papist or some ignorant silly soules c. Yea and this is delivered in the name of our Church or at least of all those that being affected to the Church of Rome in some good measure would seeme to be the Church of England Take we the Authors words We acknowledge an honest ignorant Papist may be saved And we haue not so learned Christ as to deny salvation to some ignorant silly soules whose humble peaceable obedience makes them safe among any part of men that professe the foundation Christ. Answere This makes well for Popish Ignorance when all failes This also giues liberty to any religion so it professe the foundation Christ that therein a man may be saved And surely if a silly ignorant idolatrous Papist may in this his religion bee saved in what religion may not any silly ignorant soule find salvation But here two Questions would be resolved 1. Whether any Papist by his religion may be saved For resolution the Author rankes all Papists into two sorts either Learned or silly Ignorants for the Learned he confesseth it is very hard for them to bee saved but if ignorant more easâ—e So then if a Papist be saved he may thanke his ignorance And indeede the Doctrine of Popery conferring nothing to a mans salvation but altogether against it it is safest to be ignorant of that religion But Christ the Foundation is there professed Well But how will Popish ignorance teach a man to bee saved by Christ Faith comes by hearing And without faith no salvation by Christ. But all Papists though never so silly yet are taught this lesson at their fingers ends even to hate and abhorre the Preaching of the word of God whereby they should belieue in Christ. They call it Heresie How then is it possible for such to bee saved bee they never so humble and peaceable men Or as if a Papist though never so simple could be humble There can be no greater pride then that which hee takes in his ignorance as his Ghostly Fathers teach him preferring it before all the knowledge of Christ. And can he be peaceable whose chiefe Article of his Creed is to belieue and hold the Pope to bee supreme over all Kings and Princes whom he must rather obey then them This is the Beasts marke which who so receiveth saith the Holy Ghost shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God No Papist then as a Papist can be saved And of Babylon saith God Come out of her my people least yee be partakers of her sinnes Babylon is the Dominion and Religion of the Beast of Antichrist Nothing then therein to bee expected but the punishment of Babells sinnes The second Question May not a simple Papist misled by education or long custome or over-valuing the soverainty of the Roman Church and so in the simplicity of his heart imbracing them finde mercy at Gods hand by a generall repentance and faith in the merit of Christ attended with charity and other vertues Answ. Here the state of the former question is quite altered By faith and repentance no doubt not onely an ignorant silly idolatrous Papist professing the foundation Christ but even an Infidell Turke or Iew opposing Christ though no such Idolaters as Papists be may find mercy at Gods hand and so be saved But withall this ignorant silly Papist believing and repenting must necessarily
thereupon repent him of all his Idolatries as well as of all his other sinnes Yes saith the Author by a generall repentance and faith VVhat a strange doctrine is this for a learned Doctor and more then so of the Church of England to teach Doth he not deserve to be the Popes white sonne for it Surely Bellarmine himselfe with the whole rabble of Pontificians could say no more but when they haue done all shuffle salvation iâ— the pack of a generall repentance and faith as Bellarmins Tutissimum est c. But doth this generall repentance include Idolatry with all Popish Trumpery as things to be repented of If nor such Repentance shall never bring him to salvation But if it do include them then by faith in Christs meritts he comes to bee saved not as a Papist but as a true believer renouncing Popery And then no Godamercy to his Popery or to his silly ignorance My conclusion is to be briefe No Papist as a Papist whether learned or ignorant can be saued My reason is because Popery denyeth the sauing Faith of Christ as in the Councell of Trent Againe they want the meanes of Faith as the Preaching of the Gospell Therefore Ordinarily they are not within the compasse or verge of salvation· If they bee saved then while they abide in the midst of Babilon it must be extraordinarliy by Gods speciall mercy and worke of his spirit which indeed is not tyed necessarily to the meanes though ordinarily it be· This Spirit then working saving Faith in the soule without which faith no salvation this 〈◊〉 such a Faith as the Church of Rome disclaimeth abandoneth accurseth Therefore such a one is saved not as a Papist but one so beleiving as he is accursed and by Anathama shut out of the Church of Rome and that by the solemne and definitiue sentence of the Councell of Trent If then by the peremptory doctrine of Trent or of the Church of Rome no Papist as a Papist can be saved If the Church of Rome cannot yeld salvation to any in it but altogether denyeth yea accurseth the very meanes it followeth as a conclusion vndeniable that the Church of Rome is no true visible Church of Christ. For only in the Church of Christ is salvation to bee found But sayes some this is a hard sentence Yea and our first Authour for one It is malicious and rash Is it malicious and rash or vncharitable to speake the truth Why should any learned man be so wedded to his charitie as to divorce himselfe from sound judgement and right reason in any thing Or as though that could be right charity which is not guided by true iudgement Yea such charitie as calleth evill good hath but a wofull reward But others would not haue it denyed that the Church of Rome is a true visible Church though not a true beleeuing Chruch What if we should deny this that the Church of Rome is a true visible Church Must we at the first dash be censured as men transported with zeale out of a dâ—testation of the Church of Rome as if it were all error no Church as affecting nothing more then an vtter opposition to their doctrine and Ceremony because theirs Because theirs That 's not it but because wholly Antichristian therefore wee detest the Whore And for my part I had rather some fire-sparkling zeale yet guided with right iudgement should even transport me with a detestation of the Church of Rome as a false Churchâ— then that I wot not what charity without zeale without sound judgâ—ment should so farre possesse me as to acknowledge the Church of Rome for a true Church yea or yet for a true or truely visible Church And yet vnder correction I see no such difference betweene these two but that if we yeeld the Church of Rome to be a true or truely visible Church we may as well call it a true Church For how can wee call that a true Church which is not truely visible And if a Church be truely visible what letts that it should not be a true Church of God at least in mans iudgement For that which demonstrates it a true or truely visible Church must also evince it to be a true Church As also the same author calls the Church of Rome a true Church as well as a true visible Church But let it be tryed whether zeale in denying or charitie in affirming the Church of Rome to bee a true Church or a true or truely visible Church haue more reason on their side First I proue the Church of Rome to bee no true or truely visible Church A true visible Church hath the true markes of a true visible Church But the Church of Rome hath not the true markes of a true visible Church Therefore the Church of Rome is no true visible Church The maior is vndeniable for a visible Church is not possibly knowne but by the proper markes of visibilitie The Minor I proue from Romes owne confession and the doctrine of the Church of England compared together For the doctrine of our Church if the Homilies containe any part of it in the second part of the Homily for Whit sâ—nday after the definition of the true Church of Christ these words are added The true Church of Christ hath alwayes three notes or markes whereby it is knowne Pure and sound Doctrine the Sacraments ministred according to Christs holy Institution and the right vse of Ecclesiasticall Discipline And it is inferred thereupon Now if you will compare this with the Church of Rome not as it was in the beginning but as it is presently and hath ben for the space of nine hundred yeares odd you shall well perceiue the state thereof to bâ— so farre wide from the nature of the true Church that nothing can be more c. But now these three markes or notes of â— true visible Church Bellarmine the mouth of the Church of Rome expressely disclaimeth as proper markes of the Church improper indeed for the Church of Rome and therefore he allowes them not so much as the place of a cypher among all his 15 Markes or Notes of the Church Therefore seeing the Church of Rome disclaimes those notes of a true visible Church which our Church acknowledgeth as necessary and proper to know the tru Church by why should any much lesse an Antistes of the Church of England affirme the Church of Rome to be a true visible Church But can Bellarmine shew it to be a true visible Church by all his 15 notes Surely when he hath done all hee is faine to confesse that all these markes cannot yet demonstrate or make it evidently true that it is the true Church of God but only evidently credible If the Church of Rome then cannot demonstrate it selfe to be a true Church and no maruell sith it wants the right demonstratiue markes why should we take the paines or be so â—fficious as to pin a true visible Church upon her sleeue Nay if