EXOD. 8. 19. DIGITVS DEI. ESAY 59. 1. The Lords Hand is not shortned 2 TIM 3. 8 9. Now as Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses so do these also resist the truth men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith But they shall proceed no farther for their folly shall be manifest vnto all men as theirs also was To the Reader MY heart is inditing of a good matter I Ps 45. speake of the things which I haue made touching the King my tongue is the pen of a readie writer God shall wound the heart of his enemies Ps 68. and the hayrie scalpe of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses Loe they that are farre from thee shall perish thou hast Ps 73. destroyed all them that goe a whoring from thee But it is good for me to draw neere to God I haue put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all thy workes Confounded be all they that serue grauen Images that Ps 97. boast themselues of Idols It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue made Ps 126. void thy Law Thou hast giuen a banner for them that feare thee that Ps 60. it may be displayed because of thy truth The righteous shall see it and reioyce and all iniquitie Ps 107. shall stop her mouth So that a man shall say verely there is a reward for the Ps 58. righteous verely he is a God that iudgeth in the earth All men shall feare and shall declare the worke of God Ps 64. for they shall wisely consider of his doing The workes of the Lord are great sought out of all them Ps 111. that haue pleasure therein Who so is wise and will obserue these things euen they P. 107. shall vnderstand the louing kindnesse of the Lord. Many O Lord my God are thy wonderfull workes which Ps 40. thou hast done thy thoughts which are to vs ward they cannot be reckoned vp in order vnto thee when I would declare them they are more then can be numbred I haue preached righteousnesse in the great Congregation loe I haue not refrained my lips O Lord thou knowest I haue not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart I haue declared thy faithfulnesse and thy saluation I haue not concealed thy louing kindnesse and thy truth from the great Congregation I will speake of thy testimonies also before kings and will Ps 119. not be ashamed Helpe me O Lord my God O saue me according to thy Ps 109. mercie That they may know that this is thy hand that thou Lord hast done it Let them curse but blesse thou when they arise let them be ashamed but let thy Seruant reioice Let my aduersaries be clothed with shame and let them couer themselues with their owne confusion as with a mantle As we haue heard so haue we seene in the Citie of the Ps 48. Lord of Hoasts in the Citie of our God God will establish it for euer The Lord is knowne by the iudgement which he executeth Ps 9. the wicked is snared in the worke of his owne hands This shall be written for the generation to come and the Ps 102. people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. DIGITVS DEI. Luke 13. 1 2 3 4 5. There were present at that time some that told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their Sacrifices And lesus answering said vnto them Suppose ye that those Galileans were greater sinners aboue all the Galileans because they suffered such things I tell ye nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish Or those eighteene vpon whom the towre in Siloe fell and slew them thinke ye that they were greater sinners aboue al men that dwelt in Hierusalem I tell ye nay but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish IN the nine and fortieth Verse of the former Chapter our Lord saith that He is come to send fire on the earth And in the one and fiftieth Verse denies that he is come to giue Peace on the earth but rather diuision betwixt Father and Sonne Mother and daughter one friend and another This fire is his Word Is not my Word like a fire saith Ier. 23. 29. the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the Rocke in peeces the preaching whereof hath battered and shiuered asunder the Rocke of Rome and hath occasioned great diuisions in the world in euerie age filling it at this present with warres of all kinds reall and verball For this cause the Romish Catholikes a politique people haue taken order to stop the free passage thereof lest men should burne their fingers with it c. Or indeed lest thereby their Babylon should be set on fire as doubtlesse Rem Test Preface it must be so consumed 2 Thes 2. 8. And surely they haue seene a faire effect of this their policie For from this silence of the Scripture proceeds that vniuersall Peace amongst them whereof they so much boast and whereupon others so resolutely build In the beginning and infancie of the world the Serpent Ier. 8. 11 12. by Satans procurement found a meanes to betray our Parents by teaching them to seeke a prohibited and curious knowledge saying Ye shall not dye for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof then your eies shall be opened Gen. 3. 4 5. and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and euill But now in the dotage of the world Antichrist by Satans inspiration hath found a way to betray the Church by closing our eyes against commanded and necessarie knowledge saying Ye shall not dye for God doth know that in the day ye fast from the Scriptures ye shall be as Innocents knowing neither good nor euill The greatest part of the world especially of the Feminine gender beleeue this new-found Paradox of Antichrist and the rather because it neuer troubles their consciences nor straines their wits nor takes them off from their Canonicall howres deuoted to Poeticall fictions which Legendarie stuffe is the Diuinitie whereupon at this day the Faith of the Cloister Catechist is principally founded But the word of our Sauiour though it be the Gospel of peace is yet a Fire that inflames a Sword that deuides It aimes at another peace then worldlings and fleshlings dreame of they cast their eyes vpon peace with men this teacheth a peace with God they seeke temporall peace though therein they sinne against God and their consciences and doe obstinately pursue and often obtaine it though it lasts no longer then vntill the stronger hath gotten aduantage by it for whose purpose and benefit it was onely concluded this other aimes to reconcile God and man togither and to breed peace of conscience the earnest and initiation of an eternall peace hereafter The Apostle saith If it be possible as much as lyeth in Rom. 12 18. you haue peace with all men So farre as is possible Sana conscientia
Cakes rise alone from vnder the ruines or I shall neuer beleeue your Transubstantiation nor can you perswade any to retaine your erronious opinion any longer or receiue it farther except such as you with the Cup of Abhominations haue transubstantiated or transformed Spiritually as Medea and Circes did their Guests Corporally into such Don Quixshots or Gorgantuahs as would eat vp their God Almightie at a mouthfull or in their melancholly mood imagine themselues to be such Monsters as could doe it The Lord complaines against his People that they rob'd him of Tythes and Offerings But you haue rob'd Mal. 3. 8. our Sauiour of Head Heart Hands Feet of a true Body of his Humanitie Fifthly Obserue how after the Fact either those that were reserued or their obstinate friends clouded the worke of God and out of malice cast the aspertion vpon man to their owne disaduantage as if God who would not suffer them to blow vs vp in Parliament would yet fuffer vs to pull their Baalitish Temple ouer their eares in time of their deuotions So in the Powder-Treason it was their plot and purpose after the strocke to lay the fault if Gods mercie had not preuented their malice vpon the Puritans as now they haue gotten a tricke for their aduantage to nickname euen good Protestants accordingly they had drawne a Proclamation to that effect ready for the Presse Wherein they charged the Puritans meaning hereby all honest men that are not like them with that odious and execrable fact and with this draught they were found and taken in the manner beyond retracting or shadowing O what honest man can be safe among these Slanderers The poyson of Aspes is vnder their lips If they entend mischiefe the Innocent man must suffer for it if they suffer from God himselfe his Seruants shall be blamed for it But they speake truer then they are aware as Caiphas prophecied It is true it is true O Antichristians those poore Christians vnpind and sawed asunder the beame which vpheld the flore whereon you stood from whence you fell But they did it onely with Hands lifted vp to Heauen which will vnpin the principals of Babylon also and with Sampson plucke the House ouer the Phelistines in the midst of their mirth whilst they are reioycing and triumphing before their Idols Sixthly Obserue the silence of all men at that time and in that action prouokes God to speake and to doe Peter himselfe had here need of Paule to reproue him to his face for he was worthy to be blamed yea some of those that ought to haue honoured their profession with Martyrdome before they had giuen silent way to the encrochments of Antichrist shew their readinesse to hold their peace if they should be requested and say it is their Ps 39. dutie to doe so Holy Dauid a man after Gods owne heart made once a promise to doe the like but for all that when it came to the point he would not he could not hold his word against God and his Truth but we see his zealous heart was moued to heat and he spake with his tongue Silence in Gods cause was an iniunction layd vpon Peter and Iohn by the Councell who answered Act. 4. 19 20. Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken vnto you more then vnto God iudge ye For we cannot but speake the things which we haue seene and heard It was Saint Paules case whose heart was so stird when he came to Athens and saw that learned Citie deuoted to Idolatry as he could not hold his peace though his person was thereby in perill That Historie betwixt Theodosius the Emperour and Ambrose Bishop of Millan makes more for the vertue of the Emperour then for the valour of the Bishop It is no great matter to say what the Bishop did since he for so doing may be censured to be satis audax but what the Emperour did and said of the Bishop when his anger was ouer is to the purpose For as Sozomen records Soz. l. 5. c. 18. Theodosius dixit se solum Ambrosium dignum Episcopi nomine nosse Theodosius said he knew one Ambrose onely worthy the name of a Bishop And this was for speaking truth and discharging his conscience though herein he plainly condemned an action of the Emperors and doubtlesse crost his present desires Let no man cloake his luke-warmnesse or personall cowardice vnder the pretence of modestie patience discretion moderation prudence or temperance He that hath a Soule hoping to be saued will speake for his Sauiour Shall there be so many offer themselues to plead for Baal because he cannot plead for himselfe whilst few or Iudh. 6. 31. none pleads for Christ who pleads continually for vs all No no Let all men assure themselues if they will not speake because they will not be counted factious furious and hot-headed fellowes but discreet moderate and prudent persons fit for preferment and imployment that yet God can raise vp Stones to doe that which they should but will not or dare not neither shall they escape the Hand of God but he will find them out and punish their falshood and faintnesse in his cause Proceed to expresse your Christian courages therefore O Princes Nobles Priests People Behold God goes before you Who will not follow Remember what Nehemiah said to that false Prophet that hireling who sought to discourage him that his example might discourage all the rest Should such a man as I am feare Surely Neh. 6. 11. it doth not become his Place his Profession What could a Slaue a Coward a Traytour doe more O let it neuer be recorded of you to your perpetuall dishonours as it was of the ignoble Nobles amongst the Tekoites Next Neh. 3. 5 vnto them the Tekoites repaired but their Nobles put not their necks to the worke of the Lord. And what I speake to Ephraim I likewise speake to Manasses England and Scotland should be vnited in this They both looke for examples from each other both should be examples to each other England as the richer in regard of the world Scotland as being no lesse rich in Spirituall treasure England as the stronger Scotland as the freer England as being more engaged for the Royall Presence Scotland as being more enterested in the Royall birth and education England as being neerest the danger Scotland as being too neere to auoid it O all ye Peeres Priests and People ioyne with your Royall Head and remember what he hath often said written and vowed and caused you to say write and vow whilst he hath proued by his learned Labours that the Pope is Antichrist The truth is too strong to be repulced or retorted since Bellarmine that Romish Goliah with all his assistants could not wrest the Staffe and Sling out of his hand with Arguments Nor is our Dauid growne so 2 Sam. 21 faint now with age that he must goe no more to battell for feare of quenching the
to ruine thereby to settle them amongst such as hold them not to be indifferent And whether vpon the other side it be charitie in them who are at libertie to condemne vs and all other Churches of Antichristianisme who vse those formes and esteeme them indifferent Whether it can be imagined that we will in France by Treaties Articles and Arguments or in the Vnited Prouinces by reall assistance or in the Palatinate by chargeable Armies deale so seriously and effectually for the vpholding and replanting of Religion as long as these differences remaine vndetermined vnsetled vnreconciled as the Papists doe for the planting of their Superstition or as we would doe if in all respects we were perfectly one And whether the Religion in France the Vnited Prouinces and the Palatinate be not the same in substance with that in Great Brittaine which we should not doe well therefore to discountenance and abandon for the outward forme sake These points in the humilitie of my Soule and as in the presence of God the Searcher of the Heart and the Iudge of all men and all actions I present with all feare and reuerence to the eye and consideration of my Superiours not with any purpose to contend or saucely to censure the contrarie resolutions of such as God hath placed ouer me in authoritie or to giue them the least offence or distast by propounding these things publikely or as a man that thought my selfe able to direct in these bottomlesse Depths or to saile in these Seas by my selfe and my owne skill without Compasse where no Land can be seene but hoping hereby to giue occasion to men of place and abilitie to studie the point and to pursue it to purpose to a finall resolution and determination And if these poore vnworthy papers of mine shall euer haue the happinesse to kisse his Maiesties hands or the hand of any that may whisper a plaine truth into his Iuditious eare then I humbly desire he may know and from my Soule and the sinceritie and simplicitie of my Heart I speake it that nothing could haue moued me to write what I haue done lest thereby I should offend his Maiestie whose wisedome hath beene pleased to run a contrarie course but onely that I feared to offend God by concealing this truth from the eares of his Maiestie and the rest of his loyall Officers and louing Subiects which I am fully perswaded God put in my Heart to the end I should vtter it And to incourage me and prouoke me the more to this worke the infirmitie of this Season and of my body with it are continuall messengers telling me I must make hast for I am not likely to stay long here but I must appeare before his Tribunall where Kings and Beggers Pr. 12. 2. stand vpon euen termes and where men shall answer as well for the concealing of truth as for the venting of falshood The Pestilence also walkes about the Street and enters euerie mans dore at night or noone-day without knocking This also makes me the bolder as men that are in the heat of warre dare do more then vpon cold blood But my hope is in the vnspeakeable mercie of God that he will perswade the Heart of his Maiestie and all others that shall reade this Treatise that whatsoeuer is herein vtrered proceeds from an vpright and good intention thereby to helpe to vnite the reformed Churches in one and to remoue or qualifie such differences as hold them deuided to the great aduantage of the enemie Wherein if I haue tatled to little purpose or perhaps a little too much it is because I am able to doe nothing but tattle but were I able to doe more I would doe it that our deuisions might not be told in Gath nor our nakednesse published in the Streets of Askelon to the reioycing of the publike enemie For I know how much it concernes the Reformed Churches that they should be vnited in one if it be possible that the humours of men might be mittigated and made in loue with Peace which is so much in their mouthes And I know how much it concernes the prosperitie of our Church and State and the peace and prosperitie of all Reformed Churches that England and Scotland should first be perfectly vnited I know what aduantage euen in opinion much more in action the enemie takes from our deuision and I feare euen some of those who pretend to be Chyturgions to close the wounds do make them wider vpon purpose by pressing the Flesh too hard Force neuer did good especially with fierie natures but mollifying Oyles of interchange and abatement may by kind conference close and consolidate all differences And vpon the other side I know how much those Spirits haue disaduantaged the cause that haue made their breath bellowes only to blow vp contention by opposing Superiour powers with violence and dipping their pens in Gall and Vineger haue exasperated the humour without any other profit to the cause then prouoking of farther prosecution where patience submission and expectance might haue qualified and allaid the heat In which regard I could wish that men howsoeuer forward and zealous that way would be warie how they stirre vp coles of contention by writing against Iuda as if they writ against Aegypt lest they kindle a fire to the great hurt of the Reformed Churches which may waste that strength and Spirit within that employd abroad would waste and consume the foundation of Babylon I specially I wish this course were taken at this time when his Maiestie hath beene gratiously pleased to condescend to our weaknesse and to secure our feares and iealousies by open protestation that his whole intention is to procure and effect the good of the Reformed Churches and Religion in all his designes that he will neuer entertaine Treatie to the contrarie and to resolue vs of this a thing that he need not hath made a fearefull imprecation against himselfe and his posteritie in case he do otherwise It is no more then reason that we beleeue what we heare him say and sweare and shew so much good manners at least as to meet him halfe way vpon our knees when he wooes and inuites vs to come attending a while with silence and patience his Maiesties leasure and pleasure for the timely fulfilling and perfecting of these promises which as it is my resolution to doe out of dutie so I wish it were the resolution of all others especially considering if euer we may haue hope in outward meanes for effecting amitie and vnitie amongst the Reformed Churches a thing so much desired by all that know how to desire that which is good we may expect it in his Maiesties peaceable Reigne who is made by God an able instrument to this end being acquainted with all the controuersies that trouble the Church and exercised in all the differences both concerning fundamentall and circumstantiall points and armed with power art and argument beyond all other princes to accomplish this worke which
would make him more famous being finished and compounded by his meanes then if he had conquered the whole world And now to conclude by returning to the Romane Catholiques I desire them that they would not slightly passe by that Iudgement of God executed vpon their Brethren in the Black-Fryars but that they would lay it to heart and confesse ingeniously it was neither Chance nor Accident that did it but the Hand of Gods power which is in all actions yea in the ouerthrow of that house wherin the children of Iust Iob feasted Shall there be euill in a Amo. 3. 6 Citie and the Lord hath not done it Who is he that saith and it commeth to passe the Lord commandeth it not Confesse then your wisedomes had charmed many wise and sensible men but you could not charme senselesse Stones Man may be mocked and deluded God cannot Submit your selues therefore to him Kisse the Sonne lest Ps 2. 12 he be angry and so ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Acknowledge your Pope to be Antichrist that Man 2 Thes 2 of sinne that Sonne of perdition that sits in the Temple of God as God that is dispensing pardoning absoluing binding the conscience making new Articles of Faith which none but God can doe exalting himselfe also aboue all that is called God and worshiped that is aboue Kings Princes and Gouernours Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall aboue Saints and Angels whom he appoints to be worshiped and canonizeth or condemneth at pleasure All those that write and despute and labour the point so eagerly about personall and visible succession thereby to retaine you still in their superstitious bonds doe but labour to proue the Pope to be Antichrist For prouing a visible Temple of God at Rome they proue a visible Antichrist to be there The Field was well knowne to be Math. 13 the Householders wherein he first sowed Wheat the enuious man after sowed Tares If it had belonged to the enuious man why should the Householder or his Seruants complaine Might not he sowe what Graine he would in his owne Field But it was not his Field it belonged to the Householder and therefore his intrusion to intermingle Seed for the spoyling of the whole crop was an effect of Enuie The Doctrine of Christ and Antichrist is mingled in your Church as the Tares and Wheat both in one Field doe but distinguish that which is of God and that which is of man and the controuersie is cleared We confesse you haue sauing Truth amongst you but it is mingled with all-condemning falshood as Apotheocaries mixe poyson and preseruatiues And therefore the rising of Antichristianisme in the Church is called A Mysterie of Iniquitie for the subtile and close creeping in of Errour and winding about the Root of Truth so that they seemed all one and of one age This Mysterie began to worke euen in the Apostles time and good men perhaps out of good entention were made Seeds-men against their wills whilst one inuented one thing another man another one added this Ceremonie thereby to intice the people another that to win the Heathens from a grosser Idolatry to a lesse as they thought and thus doubtlesse if Errour be examined it shall be found to be verie old and much of it fathered vpon none of the worst men nay much of it will be found to be so ancient as the time when it was brought in and the person who introduced it will hardly be found yet if this be compared with the pure Wheat of the Word which God by his Sonne and the Ministerie of his Seruants the Apostles of Christ hath sowne in the Church it will easily be found to be Tares and trash of humane inuention Doe but cast Mar. 5. 15. out the Diuell therefore whose name is Legion or Multitude and the man is ours which is amongst you and will sit quietly at Iesus Feet Acknowledge also your Rome as it is the Seat and Sea of Antichrist and the Head Citie of your Church to be Babylon and as in the ruines of Shilo Ierusalem was Ier. 7. 12 taught to see her future miserie so in this shadow behold what the Lord will doe though perhaps mystically as Rome is mysticall Babylon to the Sinagogue of Satan which you now stile the Romane Catholique Church when it shall be fulfilled which the Spirit of God proclaimes Apocal. 18. 2. Babylon the great is falne is falne c. Not that I beleeue the Citie it selfe shall be ruined and burnt the Houses and Temples puld downe and your Pope no more named but that I thinke the Truth shall be reuealed to such as now sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death and then Kingdomes and Countreys and Churches will one after another reforme themselues and forsake the Doctrine of Diuels that absurd Superstition and Idolatry which you now zealously out of a scornefull Ignorace exercise thinking you doe therein God good seruice This seemes to be Hieroms opinion vpon these words 2 Thes 2. 8. Quem Dominus D. Hieron Com. in Mich C. 5. interficier Spirituoris Haec interfectio non abolitionem significat â—aith he This interfâ—â—tion doth no signifie a totall abolition but a cessation of euill life which they led before Et destruet illustratione aduentus sui And shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comming Nun quam autem destrueret si interfectio abolitionem sonaret cum iam esse cessasset But let vs returne to consider the words vsed by the Angell Apocal. 18. 2. Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and is become the habitation of Diuels and the hould of euerie foule Spirit and a cage of euerie vncleane and hatefull Bird For all Nations haue drunke of the Wine of the wrath of her Fornication Marke the note of vniuersalitie whereof the Church of Rome so much glories All Nations Marke also the Metaphor vsed to expresse beguiling Errour Drunke The most wise and learned man may be ouertaken and mistaken in drinke And the Kings of the Earth haue committed Fornication with her Marke the Metaphor doting Lust will doe much And the Merchants of the Earth are waxed rich through the aboundance of her delicacies Marke the Metaphor for couetousnesse and commoditie will preuaile verie farre and make euen good men looke through their fingers but for bad men they will easily be perswaded to proue such Merchants as Iudas was and to sell their Master Christ for pleasure and profit Here is the strength of Wine of Women and of Wealth or of the King ioyned 1 Esd 3. 10 11 12 against the strength of Truth yet at length Magna est veritas preualet Truth is strongest and beares away the victorie Yet Truth must struggle for the victorie her opposites are strong enough to striue and will not be conquered till we haue fought vnder her Banner and resisted vnto blood Heb. 12. 4. Now after you haue heard and considered this aduisedly then attend to that which followes immediately after at the fourth Verse And I heard another voyce from Heauen saying Come out of her my People God hath a People God hath a number of Elect names God hath a Church in Babylon that ye be not partakers of her sinnes and that ye receiue not of her plagues For her sinnes haue reached vnto Heauen and God hath remembred her iniquities Reward her euen as she rewarded you and double vnto her double according to her workes In the Cup that she hath filled fill to her double How much she hath glorified her selfe and liued deliciously Marke what she hath assumed challenged and arrogated to her selfe so much torment and sorrow giue her for she saith in her heart I sit a Queene and am no Widow and shall see Es 47. 8. no sorrow Doth any Church boast so but the Romish Therefore shall her plagues come in one day death and mourning and famine and she shall be vtterly burnt with fire for strong is the Lord God who iudgeth her Stronger then all the Kings that would defend her And doe not say or hear others saying that such as perished were greater or lesse sinners then the rest of the Romish Idolators that suruiue since we iudge not their persons but opinions and actions For except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish The Lord open your eyes that you may discouer Antichrist in the midst of his masking and open your eares that you may heare Christ in the midst of the Candlesticks and turne your hearts from following the vanitie and Idolatry of those superstitious Fathers of your Flesh that you may beleeue the Veritie of God the Father of your Soules and so possesse an eternall habitation with him in Glorie and Immortalitie Amen FINIS