by the Spirit when they fight so much against the true working thereof by denying those Truthes which the Spirit doth testifie in the Word and deluding those Workes which the Holy Ghost effecteth in the conscience for comfort by strengthening the assurance of life eternall But why doe I vrge Grace to those who either refuse it or receiue it in vaine their hearts and consciences being hardened and feared They doe not onely grieue the Spirit The ninth Article infringed 1. By false members of the Church but abuse the Bride that is the holy Catholike Church and the Communion of Saints the subiect of the ninth Article first by accounting both x Bell. lib. 3. de Eccles Militante cap. 4. Heretikes and Reprobates to bee members thereof when my Text saith plainely y 1. Iohn 2.19 They were not of vs and our Sauiour himselfe saith z Iohn 15.6 If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned For as Saints are the members of Christ so are the wicked the members of the Deuill saith a Am. in Psal 37 Ambrose secondly 2. By holding the Church to bee onely visible by b Bell. lib. 3. de Eccle. Milit. c. 11 making the Catholike Church to bee visible onely when Dauid saith that c Psal 45.16 the Kings Daughter is all glorious within and our * Luke 17.24 Sauiour that the Kingdome of God is within you For because one part of this Catholike Congregation is Triumphant now in the Heauen of the Blessed secluded from our eyes and the other part scattered into a warfare here vpon Earth some secretly amongst Iewes Turkes and Heathen others openly in a visible particular Church wherein yet the best part are the fewest and knowne to God onely therefore the good men d Interrelig Caesariana c. 9. apud L. Osiand in Epitome hist Eccles Centur. 16. tom 1. lib. 2. cap. 68. of that Deuillishly-deuised Interim or hotch-potch religion penned and published by the sole Commandement of Charles the fifth ingeniously confesse that the Church as it consisteth of those members which liue according to Charitie is onely belonging vnto the Saints 3. In affirming that the Church cannot erre and in that respect spirituall and inuisible thirdly in holding that a particular visible Church such as e Bell. vbi supra they call the Church of Rome can neither erre in faith nor faile in state when yet experience sheweth what the Prophet f Esay 1.20.21 said of Ierusalem and the Church of the Iewes the holy Citie is become an Harlot it was full of iudgement righteousnesse lodged in it but now Murtherers thy siluer is become drosse thy wine mixt with water to bee fulfilled not onely in most of the Greeke Churches g Vid. Brierw Enquiries and Knollâ— his Turkish Historie both corrupted with the Heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches and now subuerted vtterly almost by the furie of the Turkes but also in the Church of Rome it selfe by the iudgement h Apud Gowlaâ—tium in Catalog tâ—st Veritat of Petrarch who alluding to the Prouerbe in Samnio nihil Samnij said Et Româ Romae nil reperi mediâ I found nothing of Rome in Rome For the i Mat. 13.38 Deuill is alwaies ready to sow his Tares of Heresie and Iniquitie and the Church through the allurements of the flesh and the World very apt to retaine them whereupon GOD in iudgement many times remooues the k Reuel 2 4. Candlesticke out of his place that as the Moone which receiueth her Light from the Sunne sometimes shineth cleerely when the Sunne-beames are not hindred and sometimes is eclipsed and darkened in the shadow of the Earth interposed betweene the two bright bodies of the Sunne and Moone it is a similitude vsed by good l Sadeel lib. de legitima Ministorum vocatione D. Whitaker de Eccles q 3. cap. 3. arg vltimo learned men borrowing it of m Ambros lib. 4 Hexan cap. 7. August Ep. 80. ad Hesych some Ancient Fathers so the Church which receiueth all her light of Truth from the Sunne of Righteousnesse Iesus Christ sometimes flourisheth in the bright Profession of the Truth not hindered or crossed by the Cloudes of Errour and sometimes lyeth desolate vnder the darke shaddow of Hereticall Opinions interposed by the Deuill betweene Christ and his Chosen Congregation visible which when it once came vnto Christian Princes became greater in Power and Riches saith n Hieronym in vita Malchi 4. By wrong marking the Church with vnproper Notes Hierome but lesse in Vertue fourthly by assigning such notes and markes to the Church as marre her but marke her not some being false markes as the o Bellar. lib. 4. de Eccles mil. cap. 14. power of Miracles for p Tharasius in Concil Nic. 2. Actione 4. ex 1. Cor. 14.22 Signes are done for Vnbeleeuers q Math. 7.21 Autor oper Impers hom 19. many times by such some true but not fitly agreeing to the particular but to the generall onely as Antiquitie and Vniuersalitie for this is the right Catholicisme r Ex regula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Aristot lib. 1. Poster cap. 4. of the whole Church from the beginning of the World lastly others being both true and fit to a particular visible Congregation but not well vnderstood as Succession which Å¿ Bellar. lib. 4. de Eccles mil. cap. 8. they take to bee personall whereas it is the succession of Doctrine that t Tertullian lib. de praescript aduers haer cap. 21. prooueth a Church to be Apostolicall But what need I so strictly examine their markes They u Vid. D. Whitaker q 5. de Eccles cap. 1. B. Keck rm system theolog lib. 3. cap. 6. make indeed so many that a reasonable man may well thinke that they haue not one true marke amongst them some reckoning foure as Costerus some sixe as Sanders some twelue as Cunerus some fifteene as Bellarmine and some full twentie as Socolouius whereas if this bee a true rule which all the x Hieronym in Psa 133. August lib. 11. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 1. Albert. Magnus Comment in Luc. 13. best Diuines allow for a maxime in Theologie that nothing marketh out a Church but that which maketh vp a Church the Church shall haue but one onely proper and essentiall marke to wit the Word of God effectually preached vnto which if we adde the true administration of the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Eucharist as Seales to an Indenture we haue the full marke of a particular visible Congregation of Christ if besides diuers Ancients wee stand to the iudgement of y Apud T.M. celeber Doctor p 1. Apolâ—g lib. 2. cap. 28.39 c. learned Papists who conuicted in conscience subscribe to this truth deliuered in the z Interrelig Caesarian
thing Extra infinitum semper est aliquid There is alwaies something in the world without that which is infinite The moderne experience whereupon both Varro z A. Gellius lib. 3. Noct. Atticar cap. 10. in Gellius and a Plenius lib. 7. natu hâ—st cap. 16 Plinie doe gather a sensible corruption of the Inferiour world is the waxing old and continuall decreement of all things in this world which will at length come to nothing hereby since other things and men grow lesse and lesse because men aboue all other things grow worse and worse b Horat. lib. 3. Od. 6. Aetas parentum peior auis tulit Nos nequiores mox daturos Progeniem vitiosiorem That is Our Fathers age is worse then were our Gransiers dayes Who brought vs forth that others bring forth worse and worse alwayes I know The obiection of Atheists against the former truth that this seemeth to bee a very Paradoxe vnto all Atheists who except against vs First out of Scripture c Psal 93.1 that the World shall bee established that it cannot be moued and that Whatsoeuer d Eccles 3.14 God shall do shall be for euer Secondly from the long continuance of the World in the same estate still one from the beginning and therefore which cannot so quickly be changed as wee pretend Thirdly from the vncertaine manner of change which cannot but bee knowne Our Answere if euer it shall bee But in truth our answere is as easily made to euery one of these points by Reason and Grace as they seeme ready onely from the corruption of nature to vrge them For first the Scriptures are mainly wrested from their proper purpose since the Holy Ghost there speaketh of Gods Decree onely which in despight of man shall stand vnmoouable be it of whatsoeuer subiect it may be whether of the World or the things of the World according to that of the Lord by the Prophet e Esay 46.10 My counsell shall stand and I will doe whatsoeuer I will Secondly that long continuance of the World in the same estate is onely supposed not prooued but euidently disprooued by the Apostle Saint Peter pronouncing plainely against this obiection f 2. Pet. 3.6.7 that the World that then was perished ouer-flowed with water but the Heauens and the Earth which are now are kept by the same Word in store and are reserued vnto fire against the Day of Condemnation and of the destruction of vngodly men For Noahs Floud infringeth the opinion concerning the former continuance of this worldly Fabrique and the diuine supportation of the World by the Word sheweth the World to bee but a Nowne Adiectiue which cannot stand by it selfe but must needes haue the whole dependance thereof from God onely who as hee will doth change it seeing g Esay 40.22 that hee sitteth on the Circle of the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof are but as Grashoppers And therefore now to speake to the third concerning the manner how the World shall bee changed What need wee vse such curiositie They who are euill shall bee cast into a farre lower place For the h Psal 9.17 wicked shall bee throwne into Hell and all the people that forget God They that are good must ascend vp higher since euen now Christ Iesus is gone i Ioh. 14.3.4 to prepare a place for vs Whence hee will come againe and receiue vs to himselfe that where he is there may wee bee also as the Apostle also said k 1. Thes 4.17 that we must be caught vp into the Cloudes to meet the Lord in the Ayre and so to be euer with the Lord. And yet to giue them some further satisfaction vnto this demand I find amongst the learned Fathers of the Church two famous Opinions and both very probable concerning the manner of the Worlds change The former is expressed in these two conclusions the first that this change is not a meere corruption of substance into nothing but a renewing of qualities into a better estate as PHILO IVDAEVS said l Philo. lib. de incorruptibilitate mundi the corruption at the end is a change vnto a better estate and as m Euseb in Esaiam Eusebius calleth it only a * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 renewing both these well agreeing with the Apostles words n Rom. 8.21 The creature also shall bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God the second that this purging renouation of this visible World shall bee made by fire For besides the Scriptures affirming that o Psal 50.3 a consuming fire shall goe before our God and that p 2. Pet. 3.10 the Heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the Elements shall melt with heat and the Earth with the workes that are therein shall be burnt vp it is the iudgement of many good Christian Fathers and Doctors as q Chrysost hom 14 in Epist ad Rom. Chrysostome r Ambros lib. 1. Hexam cap. 6. Ambrose Å¿ Aquia in lib. 4. Lomb. liâ— 48. Aquinas and t Durand in li. 4. dist â—7 9.3 Durandâ—s yea and of some Heathens as appeareth by these words of the Poet Lucan u Lucan lib. 3. Pharâ—al Communic mundo superest rogus ossibus astra Mixturus that is to say For World remaines a common pile The stars with mens bones to desile But now the latter opinion which is of our most iudicious latter Diuines x Dan. Tilenus p. 2. Syntagm loco 67. Thes 32. admitting the second conclusion of the former opinion to wit that the World shall bee changed by fire doth altogether denie the first whiles that it absolutely affirmeth that the Earth Water Ayre Fire and all the visible Fabrique of the running heauens shall so vtterly be consumed by fire into nothing that it shall not romaine in the World to come For so the Scripture seemeth to affirme where Iob saith y Iob. 14.12 that man sleepeth and riseth not neither shall wake againe nor bee raised from his sleepe till the Heauens bee no more and where z Esay 51.6 Isaiah saith that the Heauens shal vanish away like a smoke and the Earth shall wax old like a garment and they that dwell therein shall perish in like manner c. Yea and the proportion of faith seemeth plainely to demonstrate this vnto vs since first this visible World is onely appointed for a lodging vnto man quatenus est Vtator as hee now is trauailing towardes his Countrey and therefore what need shall hee haue of this World when after the Day of Iudgement hee dwelleth in his owne Land Secondly Natura non amat vacuum nec gratia superuicaneum Nature loues no emptinesse nor grace idlenesse a Mat. 22.13 Wicked men must bee cast into vtter darknesse b Mat. 25.41 With the Deuill and his Angels and cannot vse this World Godly men shall bee placed in Heauen like the c
promised to the perseuerant vnder this good precept o Reue. 2.10 Be thou faithfull vnto death and I will giue thee a Crowne of life The Reall and full definition of Antichrist § XVII The efficient the matter the forme the end now all put together will openly discouer what is this Great Antichrist to wit a man by ordinarie substitution succeeding another in a kingdome raised vp by Satan vpon the ruine of the Romane Empire and the liberalitie of Christian Princes through the pleasures of the world who being in opinion an Hereticke and a most wicked man in life couetously seeketh to imprint his Character vpon all men whomsoeuer coozeningly endeuoureth to doe signes and wonders and cruelly persequuteth in bloodie massacres the Saints of God in the middest of the Church sitting at Rome growing mysteriously in the Primitiue time but from the sixth hundreth sixtieth and sixth yeere after Christ openly manifest till his vtter destruction at the end of the world both for the blinding of the reprobate and the triall of the elect to the glory of God Eculmo spicam By the halfe you may know what the whole tale meaneth For by this definition thus prooued in all points we may easily perceiue what now in the second place we are to make search for Who is this Great Antichrist § XVIII Some The second Question Who is this Great Antichrist The first opinion as Iodocus Clicthoueus p Clicthou Commentar in Damascen l. 4. ca. 27 reporteth thought that this Great Antichrist was that Seducer Mahomet and his succeeding bloud-suckers Saracens and Turks But Cardinall q Bellar. lib. 3. de Pontif. cap. 3. Sanders Henriq Viguer c. Bellarmine together with all our other Papists which I could as yet euer read concerning this matter vtterly reiect this opinion as most false being indeede conuicted by the strength of Truth For first Mahomet and the Turkes had neuer any place of residence in the middest of the Church at Rome secondly hee neuer was a Prince Ecclesiasticall thirdly he could not by any reason bee accounted for an Heretike or an Apostate from that faith which hee neuer professed fourthly although hee began to raigne in Arabia r An. Dom. 623. vt Genebrard lib. 3. Chronolog much about the time when Antichrist did manifest his rising at Rome yet he neuer made himselfe an vniuersall Bishop and the Vicar of Christ as Antichrist did And therefore some other must be found out to be Antichrist The second opinion and the Truth The Pope is that Great Antichrist Proofes are two 1. From the Names 2. From the Nature or causes of Antichrist From the name are two 1. Literall 2. Mysticall The Literall Name § XIX Who I pray you then can this Antichrist be but Pontifex Romanus the Bishop or as they commonly now call him the Pope of Rome For both his name and his nature agree so fitly vnto that which we haue noted of the Great Antichrist that we may well conclude them to be both one so truly and fully as that now the Pope of Rome is the onely Great Antichrist and the Great Antichrist is only the Pope The name of both is litterall and mysticall The litterall name is Antichrist by which although the Pope bee not called totidem sillabis in those same sillables yet in the same sense he beareth that name if we marke the true Etymologie of the word Antichrist since first hee is so opposite vnto Christ Iesus both in doctrine and life as we shall finde hereafter in the application of the formall cause And secondly since he is commonly called by his chiefest Å¿ Bell. in praefat Tom. 2. ad Sixtii 5. Azor. in dedicat Tom. 1. ad Clem. 8. Flatterers Christi in terris Vicarius Christ his Vicar on earth ouer the Church of which being but t Extrauag Cömun lib. 1. tit 8. cap. 1. vbi sic Ecclesiae vnius vnicae vnum corpus vnum caput non duo capita quasi monstrum Chrisâ—us viz. Christi Vicarius Petrus Petrique successor c. one onely there is but one body one Head not two heads as if he were a Monster to wit Christ and Christs Vicar PETER and PETERS successour c. But howsoeuer they may cauill against this application of the litterall name the mysticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 included in the number 666 more plainely agreeth vnto the Pope For who raigneth in Latio but only u Ex fictâ— Constantini donatione vide Laur. Vallam the Pope who maketh the Scriptures translated into the Latine tongue The mysticall name to be onely the Authentique Word of God but x Con. Trident. sess 4. decret 2. the Romish Pope onely who forbiddeth the vse of the Liturgie in any other language saue the Latine tongue onely but only the y Con. Trident. sess 22. can 9. Pope Yea marke how this mysterie of this name is made plaine For at that very time when the yeeres after Christ came vp to the number of sixe hundred sixtie and sixe Vitalianus a Musicall Pope notwithstanding through z Jn bello Longobardico inter Imperator barbaros vid. Ottonem Frisingens lib. 5. cap. 11 the misery of the time when hee liued there was more neede of praying then singing yet a Fascicul Tempor compilata historia Platina Balaeus Valero in Vitalian Magdeburgens Câ—nt 7. c. 6. Osiander Câ—nt 7. lib. 3. cap 10. brought into the Church singing of the Seruice the vse of Organes commanding that the Canonicall houres the Hymnes and other Ceremonies should onely bee celebrated in the Latine tongue A matter of mayne consequence since thereupon ignorance arose amongst all people now lulled as it were asleepe by the confused noyse of many voyces in an vnknowne tongue and vpon that ignorance an easie admittance of many grosse opinions if it carried the colour of aduancing deuotion although it was no better as their case then stood then b Act. 17.23 the Altar erected to an vnknowne God And therefore where some c Bell. in Apolog. pro Resp ad Reg. cap. 12. of our Aduersaries mocke at this our applying of this number to Vitalian Ob. since hee was in their opinion a zealous good man in whose time there was no such innouation or change in the Church as we pretend We answere for Vitalian Sol. that his goodnesse shall bee iudged of at the great Day of the Lord In the meane time we know that d 2. Cor. 11.13 14. Sathan himselfe is transformed into an Angell of light and his ministers as the Ministers of righteousnesse For secondly concerning the innouation and change which fell out to bee in the dayes of Vitalian Vitalian himselfe was the onely cause thereof by those his Ordinances for playing and singing Latine Hymnes in the Church since thereby e Luke 11.52 the Key of Knowledge was hidde when common people f Vide Polydor.
the deuill dispossessed and cast out of their Penitents leaueth alwayes behinde him a filthy stinke to annoy the beholders of so worthy a worke then knowne to be finished by that sweete signe euen so this Great Antichrist disturbed out of a Christian Kingdome by the preaching of the Gospell an act k Heb. 4.12 1. Iohn 3.8 Act. 19.15 more powerfull for destroying the workes of the deuill then all Popish exorcismes leaueth alwayes behinde him some rotten smell of some filthy abomination which either openly is published by his sworne slaues and seruants or secretly preserued by some of his Opposites onely in appearance being indeede his speciall fauourites as the l Autor Oper. imperfect in Mathaeum homil 49. Author of the imperfect worke vpon Matthew inserted into Chrysostome mystically interpreteth The abomination of desolation standing in the Holy place to be all such wicked heresies as preuaile in the Church and stand vp in the Holy place as if it were the Word of truth when yet it is not the Word of truth but the abomination of desolation that is the armie of Antichrist which hath made the Soules of many men desolate from God part of which Armie furiously marcheth like Iehu m 2. Reg. 9.20 the sonne of Nimshi before in the Vaunt-gard part of it slowly following like the gathering n Numb 2.31 hoste of the Tribe of Dan behinde in the Rereward For since heresie to a Christian is as the o Iosh 23.13 Canaanites were to Israel Scourges to their sides and Thornes to their eyes Thornes in wounding the eye of their vnderstanding by p 2. Thes 2.11 beleeuing lies through strong delusion and Scourges in piercing their sides that is their wils and affections by their peruerse choyce and stiffe defence of false opinions according as the q Aretius prob loco 46 Zegedin tab 1. de haeres Tolet. lib. 4. Instit cap. 3. Azorius tom 1. Instit lib. 8. cap. 9 learned define of heresie out of Saint r August lib. contra Manich. vt apud Grat. cau 26. q. 3. can 31. Augustine that it is a voluntarie error of the vnderstanding whereby as the wicked frowardly chuse so they stiffely maintaine an opinion which is contrarie to some substantiall point or doctrine of the Christian faith Wee cannot but include all heretikes whatsoeuer within the Sphere of Antichrist yea euen holding their onely proper motion vnder his truely Ecclipticke line at all his great points of Distinction in motion as first of his Rising secondly of his Height thirdly of his Setting or Fall from our Hemisphere His Rising was within the space of sixe hundred yeeres after Christ in which time there did fore-run him as harbingers most necessary to prepare him a way in the world Heresies of sundry sorts to the number of an hundred eight and twentie by the strict account which ſ Philastr de haer Philastrius made of them which seuerally t Zegedin Danaeus vbi supra infused some poysonous point or other to patch vp the monstrous bulke of great Antichrist as some haue taught him to tye the true Church of Christ to one place onely as the u August Ep. 50 Donatists some to buy the places of honour and charge in the Church with money and to pester it with Traditions as that x Tertullian ca. 46. de praescript aduers haeres Epiphan haer 21. wicked Simon Magus and his associates some to let it out to hire vnto single men onely were they neuer so sensuall as y Epiph. haer 42 Marcionites z Jdem haer 47 Encratites a Jdem haer 66 Manichees and b August cap. 87. de haeres Abelonians some to ouer-burden the zealous followers of the true Church discipline with many Heathenish Iewish and most vnprofitable and idle Ceremonies as first of Vnction the c Irenaeus lib. 1. aduers haer c. 18. Valentinians secondly of Images the d idem ibid. cap. 24. Carpocratians thirdly of Reliques the superstitious e Epiph. haer 53 Sampsaei fourthly of Crosses washings yelping in singing Anticke gestures in ministring vsing diuers Garments from other men and hypocritically walking bare-foote the f Iren. vbi supr Valentinians g Epiph. haer 17 Haemerobaptists h Eusebius lib. 7. histor c. 24. Samosatenus i Theodorit lib. 4. haeretic sabul Meletians k August lib. de haer cap. 68. Nudipedales others who seeme more reasonable although they were onely naturall men taught him a Doctrine of magnifying mans free-will onely to puffe vp his fellowes with a vaine conceit of their proper worth as the l August de haeres cap. 88. Pelagians yea some came so neere him as they instructed him to open his mouth in blasphemie against Christ either by a plaine deniall of Christs Person as he is God for m Vid supra §. 12. c. so the Arrians taught Liberius and Foelix and as he is Man for so the Monothelites suggested to Honorius or by a secret supplantation of him out of his Office first as hee is a Prophet by the new Gospell which the n Epiphan haer 26. Gnosticks first inuented and o Balaeus Centur 4. cap. 21. appendic 2. the Minorites afterward thought to haue brought in if the Vniuersitie of Paris had not stood in the gap secondly as hee is a Priest by the inuocation of Saints and the Deifying of the Virgin Mary brought into the Church by p Nicephor lib. 15. cap. 28. Petrus Gnaphaeus and the idle q Epiph. nar 79 Collyridians thirdly he is a King ruling his Church with his Spirit and his Word against which the r Epiphan haer 48. Pappus in Epitome de haeres saec 2. Montanists pretended a spirit of comfort that proued to be but a collusion raised vp by the Deuill for the after-inspiring of this Antichrist now conceited of himselfe that ſ Bellar. lib. 4. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 3. he cannot erre especially in cathedrâ if he sit in his Chaire like the t Diodor. lib. 16 Bibliothec. old Witch at Delphos on her three-footed Stoole To conclude this point of his first rising as it was u Ambros Epi. 31. Prudent lib. 2. contra Symmachum obserued of the ancient Rome that when after their Victories they settled the Prouinces their course was to make this exchange that the conquered should admit of the Romane Lawes and the Romanes embraced the Religion of the conquered by which meanes Rome became the very Epitome or abridgment of all abomination that raigned in the World euen so wee may well finde in reading the Histories of the Church that the suppressing of the former Heretikes by the authoritie and learning especially of the Primitiue Bishops of Rome most of them till Gregorie for the space of sixe hundred yeeres after Christ being Orthodoxe Fathers in regard of faith howsoeuer too too ambitious in
Maiestie as d Euseb in orat de laudibus Constantini Eusebius did of Constantine the Great that whereas he alone is impugned by all false gods he alone of all Princes may most deseruedly be reputed the sonne of the true God who said by his Prophet e 1. Sam. 2.30 Them that honour mee I will honour and them that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Of Supplication 2. Of Supplication or most humble and dayly Praier that God in his great mercy towards vs his poore people would most firmely corroborate and strengthen the Arme of His most puissant Maiestie against all enemies whatsoeuer for the timely destruction of the wicked of the Land that he may with f Psal 101.10 holy Dauid cut off all wicked doers from the City of the Lord. For saith Salomon g Prou. 25.5.6 Take away the drosse from the siluer and there shall come foorth a vessell for the Finer take away the wicked from before the King and his Throne shall be established with righteousnesse because as Lampridius h Aelius Lampridius in Alexandro Seuero deliuereth of the Common-wealth it is safer if the Prince be euill rather then that his friends be euill For he is but one and may bee reclaymed by good aduice whereas they are but as so many Waspes or Vipers that not onely may hurt the head but infect the whole body And therefore i Apud Euripidem in Scirone one said well That it was a good duty to punish badde liuers for that as k Apud Stobaeum Ser. 44. Isaeus thought thereby is prohibited all iniurie from others Of Obedience and due obseruance of that most wholsome counsell which S. Paul l Rom. 16.17 gaue the Romanes 3. Of Obedience saying Marke them which cause diuisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned and auoyd them For that marking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sheweth sharpenesse of wit this auoyding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prooueth vprightnesse of will and both of them most behoofefull in dispatch of these duties seeing Heresie lyeth secret like Snakes in greene grasse very hardly to be discerned by bleared eyes or dull pates and Heretikes are craftie like their Master the Deuill able to seduce and withdraw the most constant from their settled true course if they doe not beware First therfore as the Foxes m Plutarch de solertia animaliuÌ„ of Thrace by Plutarchs report doe not runne or passe ouer any Ice whereof that Countrey hath plenty in Winter before they haue layd their eares thereunto to finde either the water vnderneath running or the bottome soundly frozen so we in this wary wisedome of Foxes as of n Math. 10.16 Serpents are not to imbrace any doctrine deliuered vnto vs by any man whosoeuer before wee haue well tryed the soundnesse thereof both in matter and forme whether it be o 1. Cor. 3.13 as Gold Siluer and precious Stone or as Timber Hay and Stubble For the p Ioh 32.3 eare tryeth words as the mouth tasteth meate Secondly as by sensuall memory the Beast will shunne the pit into which he hath either formerly â—alne to his hurt or is likely to fall in by the very like danger so we men by reason and Christians by grace must carefully eschew those whom we haue found Heretikes or any way resembling them and that euen both in conceit and company as S. Iohn q Ioh. Ep. 2.10 gaue counsell saying If there come any vnto you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not into your house neither bid him God speede First bid him not God speede by any inward approbation either of his learning or of his life of his learning for Quid me melior si non iustior said r Plutarch in Apopâ—thegmatis Lacoricis Agesilaus of the King of Persia What is he better then I if he be not more iust then I am And so may wee enquire of any mans learning let him bee neuer so great a Doctor what is he better learned then another man if hee be not more orthodox He surely in my iudgement is the best Scholler that is first Å¿ Esay 54.13 6. Iohn 45. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught of God and then t 1. Tim. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach other what himselfe had well learned as therefore the Apostles although u Act. 4.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnlettered men yet were better seene in all x Luke 21.15 true learning then any of the Iewish Rabbines and so was y Epiphan haer 64. Methodius before Origen Malchion z Euseb lib. 7. histor Eccle. c. 23 the Priest before the Bishoppe Paulus Samosatenus onely for that they held and maintayned what God taught them out of the holy Scriptures For as there a Origen homil 3. in Leuiticum was no Gold either put in or bestowed vpon the Tabernacle which was not weighed with the shekell of the Sanctuarie so no kind of Learning is fit to build vp the Church of Christ but that which being weighed in the ballance of Gods Word is found to be Orthodoxe by true agreement with the proportion of Faith since b 1. Cor. 8.2 Knowledge puffeth vp and c Act. 26.25 much Learning will make a man mad if it be not found in the words of truth and sobernesse as therefore Iustine Martyr d Iustin Martyr in Exhortat ad Gentes accounted those to be the Teachers of our Religion who taught vs not according to their owne humane opinion but only from the gift giuen vnto them from aboue by God Of his life for Heretikes cannot bee honest men because they haue forsaken the ground of Honestie which is Truth as Gregory said e Gregor lib. 18. moral cap. 2. well Profectò ab aequitate discrepat quicquid à veritate discordat Truely that doth disagree from equitie which differeth from veritie Beware saith f Math. 7.16 our Sauiour of the rauening Wolues in the Sheepes clothing And therefore secondly receiue him not into your house for any priuate conuersement at all lest when hee is warmely setled he fill the house with Heresie as Aesops g Aesop de rustica serpente Snake is said to doe with hissing and so prooue no better then the base h Iudg. 17.8 18.6 Leuite did to rich Micah first a flattering Seducer and then a false Traytour as I feare me many Noble and Worshipfull Houses in England find by wofull experience in their too kind and bountifull entertainment of Iesuites or Seminarie Priests of Schismatikes or other Sectaries For as the Greeke Poet i Theognis said well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Thou shalt learne good things from the best With bad thy soule to death is prest Haue k Ephes 5.11 then no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse but rather reprooue them For your wits by the Scriptures are
and fine speeches we may auoyd the danger of falling otherwise if it prooue sound vpon our due tryall we may boldly march on with good lucke to our honour of so wise prudent and prouident discerners of spirits and doctrines and that by the example of many good men as y 1. Reg. 22.8 Iehoshaphat who suspecting the vnicent and agreement of Ahabs foure hundred false prophets said Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord besides that we might enquire of him and the z Act. 17.11 Noblemen of Berea who vpon Pauls preaching receiued the Word with all readinesse and searched the Scriptures dayly whether those things were so and the Iewes a Act. 25.25 at Rome who desired to heare from Paul of Christianitie and after they had heard him reasoned much amongst themselues For as Tertullian well b Tertull. de praescript cap. 9. aduiseth Quaerendum est donec inuenias credendum vbi inueneris nihil ampliùs nisi custodiendum quod credidisti Thou must seeke till thou findest and beleeue when thou hast found and then no more but thou must keepe what thou hast beleeued A great Question How and by what meanes may we know true Teachers and good Guidâ—s But here peraduenture some one carefull Christian or other will demand how or by what meanes he shall try or know good Spirits from bad right Teachers from wrong To whose iust demand I easily make this answere that God in his goodnesse hath giuen vs his Children both Meanes to try and Markes to know good Spirits from bad right Teachers from wrong For the meanes which GOD hath giuen vs by which wee may try blinde The first Answere of the meanes to trie them and yet blinding Guides are in number fiue first the Spirit of God secondly the Word of God thirdly the summe of their calling fourthly the testimonie of ancient Fathers fifthly the conference with holy Brethren For first Gods Spirit is c Vid Caluin har Euangel in Math. 7.15 a meanes of this tryall The first meanes when he giueth to the faithfull that excellent gift of d 1. Cor. 12.10 discerning spirits which is no naturall perspicacie or sharpnesse of iudgement but e Vid. Ambros Aquin. Marlaor in 1. Cor. 12 a supernaturall light and cleerenesse of vnderstanding by which the godly both quickly and throughly perceiue a plaine difference betweene men speaking by the Spirit of God and by the deluding spirit of the Deuill as f 1. Reg. 22.8 Iehoshaphat found the false prophets of Ahab and g Nehem. 6.13 Nehemiah perceiued that God had not sent SHEMAIAH the sonne of DELAIAH but that TOBIAH and SANBALLAT had hyred him to pronounce that Prophecy against him This gift more abundantly appeareth in the full time of the New Testament as wee may finde not only by h Act. 5.1.2 c PETERS discouery of ANANIAS and SAPHIRA their treacherie or i Act. 16.15 Pauls expulsion of the spirit of diuination out of the Mayd at Philippi but by the continuall course against Heretikes who no sooner appeared but were discouered either by the Councels or by other good Christians as Saint Iohn said to all the faithfull in generall k 1. Iohn 2.27 The anointing that yee haue receiued of him abideth in you and yee need not that any man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things and is Truth and is no lye and euen as it hath taught you yee shall abide in him Ob. For albeit that peeuish Papist STAPLETON l Stapleton in Promptuar Cathol dominic 7. post Pâ—ntec §. 1. would limit this gift only to the learned Teachers and Masters of Israel because it seemeth by the Apostle to be appropiated only to m 1. Cor. 12.10 some that albeit all Christians haue a generall iudgement of any doctrine yet the particular determination of truth or falsehood in any point belongeth to the Church and the Masters therein assembled in Councels as the Apostles and Elders n Act. 15.6 were at Hierusalem Sol. 1 Yet wee finde it otherwise in all Gods Children who being indued with the o Rom. 8.14 Spirit of Adoption are directed by the same Spirit p Heb. 5.14 through long vse and custome to discerne both good and euill as the Spirit q 1. Cor. 2.10 searcheth all things euen the deepe things of God so farre as God thinketh it necessary for those his Children to know who in this respect are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r Esay 54.13 Iohn 6.45 all of them taught of God Å¿ Ierem. 31.34 from the least of them to the greatest of them to know the Lord. And therefore where the Apostle saith to another discerning of spirits Sol. 2 it is no such appropriation to one or some as can or doth hinder the gift from all seeing the Apostle so speaketh not in regard of the substance of the gift which goeth with Gods Spirit but of the measure and vse thereof which some may haue more then others as To euery t Ephes 4.7 one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ and yet not gaue it for themselues alone but for others also who by their skill may bee directed to flee false prophets as thereupon all Councels wherein the Learned are Sol. 3 assembled to determine of Controuersies are u Vid Whitaker contr 3. q. 3. c. â— arg 2. D. Willet Synops Papis pag. 110. Ecclesia repraesentatiua A Congregation of the Learned representing the whole bodâ— of the Church of Christ wherein not onely Bishops but also any other faithfull and learned men may be called to giue suffrage as well decisiuum of deciding as consultiuum of counselling concerning points of faith which as their Pope x Apud Gratianum dist 96. can 4. Nicholas the first said is vniuersall and common to all and pertaining not only to the Clergie but also to Lay men euen altogether vnto all Christians as in the Councell of Hierusalem were gathered the Apostles and the Elders with whom y Act. 15.22 the whole Church there gaue their assent also So that if this gift of discerning spirits be amongst the Learned assembled in Councell it is a meanes sufficient enough vnto any good Christian for tryall of spirits since as they all assembled haue it together any faithfull man may haue it to himselfe in particular because both the z Psal 51.12 Spirit being free as the wind to blow a Iohn 3.8 where it listeth b 1. Cor. 3.17 giueth libertie to the Saints c 1. Cor. 6.2 to iudge and the Councell being assembled for the good of the Church is a speciall direction to all the true members of that Church whose Councell it is to approoue or disprooue according to their iudgement as Constantine d Apud Eusebium lib 3. de vit Constant cap. 18. called the consent of a
generall Councell directed by Gods Spirit the explanation of the will of God to which all and euery Christian is to agree and as good Saint Augustine e August lib. 1. de Baptis contra Donatist cap. 18. tearmed the sentence of a generall Councell to be the consent of the whole Church 2. Meanes But to passe forward lest this good gift of discerning spirits might bee or seeme to bee a delusion therefore a second meanes is added hereunto which is the written Word of God comprised in Canonicall Scriptures For this is a most sanctified soueraigne meanes thus ratified by the Prophet f Esay 8.20 To the law to the testimonie if they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them thus reckoned of by the Apostle g 1. Tim. 3.15.16.17 the holy Scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through faith which is in Christ Iesus for all Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable see the vses thereof for doctrine to wit of truth for reproofe of error for correction of a bad life for instruction in righteousnesse vnto a good life that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished vnto all good workes For the old and new Testament is as sayth h Basil de rectâ fide Basill the treasure of the Church the holy books of diuine Scriptures are as saith i Isidor Pelusiot lib. 1. Ep. â—69 Isidorus Pelusiota 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very ladders by which we climbe vp to God because k August tom 4 lib. de bâ—no viduitat cap. 1. the holy Scripture hath fastned a rule vnto our doctrine lest we should presume to vnderstand more then it behooueth vs to vnderstand but that as he saith we may vnderstand according to sobrietie as God hath giuen to euery man the measure of faith therefore it is not my part to teach you any other thing but to expound vnto you the words of the Teacher and to dispute of those things as God hath giuen Ob. But here againe Doctor Stapleton is l Stapleton vbi supra carping against this meanes also granting what we say to be true yet adding three things first that the Word of God is not the Scripture only secondly that the common sort of the faithfull doth not vnderstand this Word of God so exactâ—y as that they can iudge of euery new doctrine by the same Word of God and in the causes and grounds thereof thirdly that the proportion of faith which ruleth against new doctrine is the now approued and receiued faith of the Church Sol. All which exceptions are but beggerly crauings of what will not be granted neither to him nor to any Papist now liuing in the world For the first point is most false and a flat derogation to the sufficiencie of the Canonicall Scriptures which only conteine the whole reuealed will and Word of God as besides the Scripture it selfe which m Deut. 4.2 Reuel 2â— 18 curseth those that adde thereunto and Fathers alleadged by n Morn in praefat de Eucharist Polan cap. 1. symboâ— Theolog. c. our side and yet not answered by any of their Wranglers euen o Aquin. 1. p. Aquinas and Catetane their owne great Rabbies haue plainely auouched hee saying that our faith relyeth vpon the reuelation made to the Apostles and Prophets who writ the Canonicall bookes but not vpon the reuelation if any be made to any other Doctors this p Caietan in 2. Tim. 3.16 expounding the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by diuine inspiration as the speciall difference betweene Gods written Word and all humane inuentions And the second point is no better being an vncharitable debasement of Gods children who may be as S. Paul was q 2. Cor. 11.6 rude in speech but not in knowledge For since Gods Spirit r Iohn 16.13 which is the Spirit of Truth leading into all truth may be in Amos as wel as Esay may be in vnlettered Idiots as well as in a learned Rabbie we cannot with any godly reason debar simple men from the knowledge of the Scriptures which are not the Å¿ Esay 13.12 sealed booke but t Habbac 2.1 written so plaine that a man may runne and read them And therefore albeit they cannot out of Scripture exactly decide like a learned Schooleman a point of Controuersie yet may they by Gods enlightning grace attaine to so much knowledge of godlinesse out of the reading and hearing of the holy Scriptures as may through Gods acceptance suffice for their saluation according to their measure as the Apostle exhorteth u Col. 3.16 Let the Word of God dwell in you plenteously For hereby saith x Hieronym in 3. Coloss Hierome is declared that Lay men must haue the Word of Christ not onely sufficiently but abundantly and so teach and warne themselues mutually But thirdly where he seemeth to tye the proportion of faith to the Church not to the tenor of the Scriptures I maruell how hee dare so swarue from the Scriptures which y Clem. Alex. lib. 6. Strom. August lib. 2. contra Cresconium Grammatic all the Fathers call The Ecclesiasticall Rule both of faith and manners For what is this analogie or proportion of faith but z Vid. Hyperium lib. 2. de Theol cap. 35. the true agreement which one part of the Scriptures hath with another to make vp one faith Fides a Tertull. lib. de praescript aduer hâ—r cap. 14. saith TERTVLLIAN in regula posita est Faith is placed vnder a rule to wit of Law and Gospell that it should not depend vpon Man but vpon God and that it should be made knowne by it owne onely principles which are the Bookes of Canonicall Scriptures the onely best and Authentique b Iohn 5.39 Witnesses of Iesus Christ the c Heb. 12.2 Authour and finisher of our faith As then the Law-giuer is the best Interpreter of himselfe so let God in the Scriptures haue the place both of Text and of glosse d Psal 51.4 Rom. 3.4 that he may be iustified in his sayings and cleere when he is iudged For e Irenaeus lib. 3 aduers haer c. 12. ostensiones quae sunt in Scripturis non possunt ostendi nisi ex ipsis Scripturis saith IRENIE Doctrines in Scriptures cannot be declared but out of the Scriptures Whereupon f Tertull. lib. de veland virginib cap. 3. Tertullian thus cutting off all customes or prescriptions which seeme vpon pretence of antiquitie to derogate from truth cryeth out Exurge Veritas Arise vp Truth quasi de patientiâ erumpe and breake forth out of thy patience nullam volo consuetudinem defendas I will not haue thee to maintaine any custome Ipsa Scripturas tuas interpretare quas consuetudo non nouit Doe thou interpret thy Scriptures which custome hath not knowne si enim nosset nunquaÌ„ esset for if it