last time Time here in the originall is called * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Illyriâ— in voc Hoca an houre both for opportunitie since considering Å¿ Rom. 13.12 the season it is now time we should arise from sleepe For t 2 Cor. 6.2 behold now the accepted time behold now the day of saluation and for breuitie for which cause it is here called the last houre as by Saint Paul in another u 1. Cor. 10.11 Vid. Zaâ—ch Miscellan lib. 2. lect de fine saeculi place it is tearmed the end of the World in a double respect first of qualitie because all things necessarie for mans redemption are consummate in Christ fulfilling the Law and abolishing the ceremonies with the types and shadowes that at length he might bring in the truth of the Gospell as he said x Luk. 16.16 The Law and the Prophets endured vntill IOHN and since that time the kingdome of God is preached and euery man presseth vnto it Videntur enim minora compleri cum maiora succedant saith y Ambros lib. 8 Commen in Luc. Ambrose vpon that place lesser things seeme to be fulfilled when greater things succeede them secondly of quantitie because as saith Saint Peter z 1. Pet. 4.7 The end of all things is at hand and as Saint Paul said a Philip. 4.5 also the Lord is at hand first in his Godhead b Iere. 22.23.24 filling heauen and earth a God neere hand and a God farre off secondly in his Spirit which c 1. Ioh 3.18 he hath giuen vs that he might abide in vs and thirdly in his comming For behold saith he d Reue. 22.14 I come shortly Shortly to vs who are dayly to expect him since e Heb. 10. yet a little while and he that commeth will come and will not tarrie Shortly in himselfe who f Mat. 24.22 will hasten these euill dayes for his elects sake and shortly to the world it selfe which is now in the old age For as we may read this often in Saint Augustine g Vid. Praecipuâ— lib. 83. quaest cap. 50. the world is as a man whose ages are sixe Infancie Childhood Youth Strength Grauitie and Old age the first age of the world is from Adam to Noah the second which is Childhood from Noah to Abraham the third which is Youth from Abraham to Dauid the fourth is strength from Dauid vnto the Captiuitie of Babylon the fifth which is Grauitie from that Captiuitie to the comming of Christ the sixth from the first comming of Christ in the flesh vnto the end of the world is called Old age ob incertitudinem because of vncertaintie in the finall approach For as Olde age in a man beginning at his sixtieth yeere may be longer or shorter but alwaies vncertaine in the last period when it shall come So the last age of the world may bee either further protracted or presently contracted into fewer dayes according to the onely good pleasure of God but alwayes to vs both vnknowne and not found quibus generatiònibus computetur saith the same Father by how many generations it may be accounted So that here may be made a true reconciliation of some opposition in appearance onely betweene the two blessed Apostles Saint Paul and Saint Iohn For S. h 2. Thes 2.3 Paul denieth the day of the Lord to be at hand in his dayes i Bucanus Instit loc 38. quoad vltimum temporis according to the last instant of time before which approaching many things were to be done Whereas Saint Iohn saith here that the last time is come quoad vltimum tempus according to the last time so here said to bee last both in respect of Ages past and because there shall bee no time after this vnto which succeedeth that heauenly k Heb. 3.9 Sabaoth which remaineth for Gods children Wherefore since no time followeth after this time which Iohn calleth the last time hence ariseth a double doctrine and from them a double vse of good instruction The first doctrine is this The doctrine of the first part that there shall bee an end of time and of all things in time The latter this that this end is euen now very neere at hand Proofes of the former doctrine § V. Concerning the former it is an Assumpsit amongst all sorts of men both Christians and Heathens Christians who beleeue this both by Scripture and Fathers Scripture both of the old Testament prophecying that they that is the heauens and the earth l Psal 102.26 shall perish where God endureth for euer and of the New Testament preaching m 2. Cor. 4.17.18 that the things which are seene are temporall where the things which are not seene are eternall Fathers both Greekes as n Clem. lib. 5. Stromat Clemens Alexandrinus with o Euseb lib. 11. de â—rap Euang. cap 17. Eusebius Caesariensis and Latines as p Lactant. lib. 7 Iustit per totum Lactantius and Saint q August li. 20. de Ciuit. â— cap. 4 5. Augustine For all these together most certainely demonstrate that the world shall end not onely from Scripture to informe true Christians but also from Philosophers to reforme Heathens who are compelled to confesse the worlds end by a double strength of arguing first from Authoritie and secondly from Reason For the Authoritie which bindeth them is a double cord of true consent plainely to be found in their Poets Philosophers Their Poets such as their Sybille in r Lactant. lib 7. Institut cap. 23. Lactantius who reporteth this from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is There shall be a confusion of the earth and mortall men Their Philosophers as Pythagoras Stoickes Epicures Academickes yea and Peripatetickes if wee will beleeue the faithfull report either of the fore alleaged Fathers or of Plutarch himselfe who saith Å¿ Plutarch li. 2. de plac Phylosop cap. 4. that all Philosophers teach the end of the World yea and the Peripateticks confesse the end of the sublunary World that is of those bodyes that are vnder the Moone For reason euinceth it first from their owne grounds and secondly from experience Their own grounds who deny t Arist lib. 3. Physic cap. 5. Infinitum actu that is any thing to bee actually infinite and therefore must necessarily renounce that their u Arist lib. 1. de Caes cap. 9. opinion of the Eternitie of the world since if there bee giuen an eternall addition of yeeres to the infinite yeeres past then must x Valesius ca. 1. de sacr Philosq it needes follow both that there is Infinitum actu an infinite thing in act in respect of time past and that by continuall addition of yeeres there is something more then that which is infinite against their owne best y Arist lib. 3. Phys cap. 6. Beda in axiomat tit s axiomes and rules Infinito nihil est maius Nothing is more then an Infinite
them and yet when they asked of him saying c Act. 1.6.7 Lord wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel he said vnto them It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power For d Mark 13.32 of that day and that houre knoweth no man no not the Angels which are in Heauen neither the Sonne but the Father Non filius ipse saith e Gregor lib. 8. Registr Ep. 42. GREGORY ex natura humanitatis licet in natura humanitatis Not the Sonne himselfe by the nature of his humanitie although in the nature of his humanitie For although hee may know it as hee is God and Man yet doth hee not know it as hee is man onely And therefore hee would not reueale vnto men because as Saint f August lib. 83 quaest cap. 60. Augustine doth glosse it and g Vid. Zanch. li. 1. Misc loc de fine saeculi cap. 4. Bucan Instit loc 38. q. 18. Polan lib. 6. Syntagmat cap. 65. many other good Diuines approoue it Nescit filius id est facit homines nescire quia non prodit hominibus quae inutiliter scirent The Sonne knoweth it not that is hee maketh not men to know it because he bewrayeth not those things vnto men which they would know vnprofitably For h Vid Durand in 4. s dist 47. q. 1. art 10. the Creation of the World from nothing to something is knowne to God only who alone did accomplish it and therefore must the dissolution of the World bee knowne and done by God alone seeing it is a changed ab ente ad non ens from something to nothing betweene which two termes the space is infinite solum percurribile perceptibile to be runne thorow and perceiued onely by the infinite God And therefore those who thrust themselues into this secret are deseruedly conuicted for lying spirits as those men of Bethshemesh i 1. Sam. 6.19 were iustly smitten with the plague of God for looking into the Arke For what else may we esteeme those men to bee who presumed to shew in former times that k Vid. Lactant. lib. 7. c. 25. August li. 18. de Ciuit. Dei ca. 53. Zanch. lib. 1. Miscell vbi supr the Day of the Lord should come first in the time of the Apostles secondly in the yeere of our Lord three hundred sixtie fiue thirdly some two hundred yeeres after CONSTANTINE the Great fourthly in the foure hundred or in the sixth hundred or in the thousand yeere after Christ yea by the computation of Arnalduâ— de nouâ villâ and Iohannes Regiomontanus it must be in the yeere of our Lord * It was from these coniectures said Octuâ—gâ—ssimus octauus miâ—abilis annus one thousand fiue hundred eightie and eighth the Men l 2. Tim. 3.13 deceiuing and being deceiued m Theognis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A lye at first doth find small grace In the end soule losse with heauie case But yet there are two coniectures of the last Day very much esteemed by some men of note amongst the learned the former concerning the Millenary the latter concerning the Centurie wherein the last Day must befall as they thinke certaine although the day and houre as our Sauiour said cannot bee knowne But good Saint Augustine n August Epist 78. quae ad Hesychium doth answere here plainely that no time at all neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is neither time of continuance nor of oportunitie wherein our Sauiour shall come to iudgement can be knowne by any man For in what Millenarie or thousand yeere will they haue CHRIST to come They say in the sixth thousand yeere after the Creation of the World according to that sentence of Orpheus in o Plutarch lib. de Eâ— apud Delphos Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aetate in sexta studium finite canendi that is In the sixth Age the World of harmony shal cease both because the World was finished vpon the sixth day for as S. Peter saith p 2. Pet. 3.8 One day is with the Lord as a thousand yeeres and a thousand yeeres as one day and also according to the tradition of Elias q Talmod lib. Sanheâ—rm cap. helec apud P. Galatinum lib. 4. de arcan fid Cath. cap. 20. there were two thousand yeeres before the Law two thousand yeeres in the Law and two thousand yeeres after the Law Indeed I find this opinion concerning the thousand yeeres to bee very much set by amongst some Fathers of the Primitiue Church as r Lib. q. ad gentes q. 17. Iustine Martyr Å¿ Lib. 5. cap. vltimo Irenaeus t Lib. 7. cap. 7. Lactantius u Jn exposit Psal 89. Hierome and x Apud Sixtum Senensâ—m lib. 5. annot 190. Germanus Patriarke of Constantinople which yet some other of sounder iudgement as y Lib. 7. in locuÌ„ Ambrose and z In exposit Psal 90. Augustine altogether disprooue as wanting good ground to be settled vpon For first that anagogicall interpretation of the sixth dayes Creation is besides Gods intent and Saint Peters meaning who by comparing of one day with a thousand yeeres and of a thousand yeeres with one day did but shew as saith Saint Augustine contemnendam futuri temporis breuitatem the contemptible shortnesse of future time Secondly that Rabbinicall and beggerly tradition falsly fathered vpon Elias doth not agree to the truth of time in the two former termes since according to the computation of the a Hen. Buntingus in suâ Chronologiâ Clariss Ioseph Scaliger l 5. de emendat temporum Christoph Helwicus in suis tabuliâ— Chronologicis best Chronographers the Law was giuen in the two thousand foure hundred fifty and third yeere of the World or at the most in the thousand foure hundred fiftie and fourth betweene which time and the comming of Christ there haue runne onely one thousand foure hundred ninetie and foure yeeres or at the most one thousand fiue hundred and fifteene yeeres Can it therefore bee probable that hee shall hit the marke in the third terme of time which is now after the first comming of Christ Since his credit is crackt in the former two thousands we may very well mistrust his truth in the last terme not yet fulfilled Another b Napier proposit 14. 15. Time-searcher of the like curiositie concerning the Centurie absolutely defineth the Day of Doome within these two yeeres of our Lord one thousand six hundred eightie and eight and one thousand seuen hundred But since as c Vid. Aristo de Jnterpret cap. 7. Logicians say de futuris contingentibus non est scientia there is no kind of knowledge concerning things to come I maruaile at his boldnesse who vpon so vncertaine a ground durst reare so high a building For
of our great Dutie against the fourth Commandement both by doctrine and life by doctrine when hee warranteth his l Aquin. 2.2 q. 122. art 3. ad 4. Dominic a Soâ—o lib. 2. de Instit iure q. 4. art â— Suarez tom 1. de Relig. lib. 2. cap. 4. Rhemists in 15. Mat. §. 3. Schoolemen to teach that the Lords Day is not the lawfull Sabbath by the Law of God but onely by Tradition whereas euen by the confession of some of m Bellar. lib. 3. de Eccles triumph cap. 11. Azorius tom 2. Instit lib. 1. ca. 2. his best Learned the Lords Day is in Scripture both commended to be the n Psal 118.24 Day which God hath made that is separated from other dayes by many of his actions especially o Mat. 28.1 of his Resurrection and p Act. 2.1 sending of the Holy Ghost and therefore commanded to bee the Day of Gods Seruice wherein we may be glad and reioyce 2. By life and practice by life when they vsually on that Day either allow openly or winke at idle sports of Playes May-games and youthfull Reuels as appeareth by the Relikes of this Rudenesse yet standing in some Parishes of England where since the Reformation there hath not beene resident a Preaching Minister and as it is q Raphael Volateran lib. 22. Anthropolog ca. de Alex. 6. recorded of Alexander the sixth that vpon all Festiuall Dayes without difference hee vsed to haue acted before him Plautus his Comedies and other Interludes and many times hee was woont to retyre himselfe to the toppe of Mount Hadrian thence to behold the Courtezans minsing and ietting by him as they went into the Fields Is this your Deuotion holy Popes on the LORDS Day which should be kept so r Esay 58.12 gloriously holy that you should not doe your owne pleasures Surely no maruell if your people now Å¿ Iere. 8.6 rush into all prophanesse since you their Shepheards t Iere. 50.6 cause them to erre from Mountaine to Hill and so to forget their resting place But I hope that howsoeuer you neglect your dutie towards God yet for shame you will haue some respect of your Neighbours who esteeme so well of your high stile of holinesse Surely no such matter he that feareth not God doth not regard man and therefore against the fifth Commandement Against the fift Commandement as Antichrist was to lift vp himselfe aboue Kings and Princes so the Pope exalteth himselfe aboue all Christendome 1. By proud practices First by practice of Pride against the Emperour as u Vid. Plat. in horum omnium vitis Gregory the Third excommunicated LEO ICONOMACHVS ZACHARIE the First deposed the lawfull King to set vp Pipin to be the king of Fraunce LEO the Third created for Emperour CHARLES the Great GREGORIE the seuenth first attempted to depose the lawfull Emperour HENRY the fourth ALEXANDER x Volaterran l. 22. Anthropolog in Alex. 3. the third trode vpon the necke of the Emperour FREDERICK BARBAROSSA as ADRIAN the y Idem ibidem fourth had made him hold his stirrop yea and z Roger. Houedenus pag. 2. Annal sub Rich. 1. CAELESTINE the third was not ashamed to put the Crowne vpon the heads of HENRY the sixth and of the Empresse with his feet pushing it off againe with his foot and saying 2. By seditious doctrines I haue power to make and vnmake Emperours at my pleasure secondly by positions of doctrine wherin the Pope teacheth that a Decret Greg. li. 1. tit 33. ca. 6. there is as great difference betweene Popes and Kings as is betweene the Sunne and Moone and that b Extrauag Commun lib. 1. tit 8. cap. 1. the materiall sword is subiect to the spirituall this being put into the hands of Priests that of Kings and Princes and both of them in the power of the Church Whereupon besides the spirituall power of binding and loosing there is ascribed vnto the Pope a temporall power of setting vp or deposing Kings either directly as the c Hostieusis in Can. Quod super his c. Syluester Angelus Silmistae alij in verb. Papa Canonists the Popes parasite d Tho. Bozius l. 4. de Regno Italiae cap 5. 6. Tho. Bozius say or indirectly by force of the spirituall sword as the subtill and wicked e Bell. lib. 5. de Pont. RoÌ„ c. 5. c. Iesuits haue craftily imagined both these in truth like f Iudg. 15.4 Samsons foxes tied together by the tailes to carrie the firebrands of furious rebellion against Kings and Princes into the middest of Christendome g Vid. G. Barcklaium lib. de Potestate Papae auouching these positions against all Scripture which requireth h Rom. 13.1 euery soule to be subiect to the higher power euen the soule saith i Chrysost in Epist ad Rom. hom 23. Chrysostome of Apostle Prophet Prelate and all as therefore many Popes look k Tom. 1. 2. Concil apud Binnium into the Epistles of Leo Gregorie Agatho others haue willingly acknowledged the Emperor for their Liege Lord. But those were men of a moderate spirit and Antichrist was then but in the hatching For afterward that which was crushed l Esay 59.4 Against the sixth Commandement brake out into a Viper or Serpent which did not onely sting great Kings but poysoned all poore people For as against the sixth CoÌ„mandement Antichrist was to be a Murderer so is the Pope proued to bee by his practices both accomplished in sundry Princes as in m Historia de vita Henrici 4. apud Christoph Vistitium tom 1 Illustr German Scriptorum HENRY the fourth Emperour n Abbas Vrspurgens in Frederico 1. FREDERICK BARBAROSSA o Math. Paris Roger Houeden in Ioh. King IOHN of England the p Vid. French Inuentarie Process in Fr. Raualliac two HENRIES of France all slaine by the Popes and Papists procurement or happily preuented by God eyther disclosing them intended as against q Vid. English Iustice blessed Queene ELIZABETH by PARRY and other Villaines iustly executed for Traitors or turning them backe into his owne bowels as to ALEXANDER r Guicciardin lib. 5. histor the sixth who thinking to haue poysoned his Friend a Cardinall was by the mistaking of his Seruant mistaking the bottle full of Poyson dispatched himselfe Å¿ Erasm Chili sub tit Malum retortum Turdus malum sibi cacat The Pope here prouided a rod for his owne taile as t Prou. 26.26 whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein and hee that rolleth a stone it shall returne vpon him For whosoeuer u Gene. 9.6 sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed It is a point of Gods Iustice which a priuate man must not vndertake without a publike calling set downe in the Law x Deut. 19.21 life for life eye for eye
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
27. Angel Canin in Orthog apud Clenard exedit Schot pag. 103. new haue taught without controlment then doth it most fitly expresse the number of sixe hundred sixtie and sixe or if it be the name of a man proper or common it maketh no matter whether since as it is proper to the whole body so is it common to euery one supplying the head of that bodie then it fitly noteth the time wherein from the Natiuitie of Christ after all other Heretikes in the Primitiue Church Antichrist should come euen that then from the yeere sixe hundred sixtie and sixe of our Lord and so alwaies afterward till the second comming of Christ the same Antichrist should raigne in the Latine Church as some very good approued i Balaeus in Vital lo. Fox in 13. Apoc. D. Whitak in Sander demonst 39. D. Willet in Synops pag. 197. Authors doe deliuer it from other words intimating the same number both by Hebrew and Greeke letters By the Hebrew in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Rome and by the Greeke in the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which noteth out plainely the Church of Italie So that now from these two names litterall and mysticall wee may define Antichrist to be an enemy and contrary to Christ who yet so dissemblingly behaueth himselfe that he would be taken for the Vicar of Christ ruling and raigning in the Latine and Italian Church at Rome with all worldly pompe and raging crueltie against Gods Saints from the yeere of our Lord sixe hundred sixtie and sixe till the comming of Christ Iesus to iudge the world § XIII The causes of Antichrist whence wee shall gather a full definition and first But what is this Monster Antichrist really The reall definition is to be gathered from his Nature which wee shall easily finde by the true and due consideration of these foure causes First the efficient Secondly the materiall Thirdly the formall And fourthly the finall cause of this great Antichrist The efficient cause is two-fold The cause efficient the first is principall and this is Sathan k 2. Thes 2.9 after whose effectuall working the comming of Antichrist is in the world The second is lesse principall and this is eyther occasioning or inducing Occasioning this mischiefe two manner of wayes first by the raigne of the Romane Emperours which l 2. Thes 2.7 was to let or stop the comming of this Beast for a time till at length he should bee taken out of the way And secondly by the liberalities and donations of mighty Princes who committed m Reue. 18.9 fornications and liued deliciously with the Whore But inducing and drawing on this mysterie to a ripenesse by those many worldly pleasures wherein this great n Reuel 18.7 Esay 47.8 Harlot glorified her selfe and liued deliciously saying in her heart I sit a Queene and am no Widdow and shall see no sorrow 2. The materiall cause § XIIII Now the matter or subiect of Antichrist is a Man not a Deuill although the o Occumen in 2. Tress 2. The state of the Question in the Materiall cause The first opinion of Papists Deuill must be Antichrists Doctor Onely heere is the question betweene vs and our Aduersaries the Papists Whether this great Antichrist shall be one onely man in person or many men succeeding one after another in a Kingdome apostaticall from the true Church of Christ They all so p Saund. den 2 8. Bellar. lib. 3. cap. 2 ac 12. Henriq vbi sup Blasius Viegas qu. de Antich 2. 3. â—udaem lib. 2. in Rob. Abbat c. The latter opinion of Protestants being the truth many as I haue read of them hold the former affirming that this great Antichrist being but one man in person shall be a Iew by Nation borne of the Tribe of DAN But we maintaine the latter denying the former while q Vid. D. Whit. contra 4. q. 5. cap. 1.2 D. Abbat de Antich cap. ◠§. 6. M. Lauren. Deios in his first Serm. D. Willet D. Down Gabr. Powel D. Sharp in speculo Papae cap. 1. c. we plainly and truly auouch thus much against them That Antichrist at one time is but one person but in continuance of time he is many men succeeding one after another in a gouernment gotten by meere vsurpation as in a well setled Monarchie there raigneth onely but one King at once although in succession of time there may bee many one after another according vnto our owne English Prouerbe The King neuer dyeth Our prooâ—eâ— For this we shall make good by many strong reasons from the Scriptures from the proportion of faith and from the plaine testimonies of Orthodox Fathers From Scriptures out of these plaine words first of Paul First from Scriptures and secondly of Iohn Of Paul two wayes first when he saith r 2. Thes 2.7 that the mysterie of iniquitie doth alreadie worke For this is not spoken onely in respect of the fore-runners of Antichrist who were open Heretikes as our Å¿ Bellar. cap. 2. resp 1. Aduersaries interpret it but also in regard of that secret transfusion of inuenoming poison from one Heretike to another through the close conueiance of deuillish delusions vnto the great Antichrist who being the common corps of all their corruption t Theod. in 2. Thes 2. shall after that he is reuealed openly and plainely preach what he alwaies had priuately confirmed as therefore before he was openly made knowne it is said of his working in the time of the Apostles Many u Ioh. 2. Ep. v. 7 deceiuers are entred into the world who confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that deceiuer and that Antichrist then working in a mysterie euen at Rome by Simon Magus and other Heretikes whose poyson is now deriued tanquam per traducem into Peters Chayre For vpon the Whores fore-head x Reue. 17.5 was a name written Mysterie Babylon The great the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth Secondly this appeareth from the same Apostle calling Antichrist y 2. The. 2.3.11 an Apostasie and shewing that it must continue till the end of the world when the Lord shall consume him with the Spirit of his mouth and shall destroy him with the brightnesse of his comming For this Apostasie which is not as z Ambros in 2. Thess 2. some thinke a reuolting in obedience from the Romane Empire but as Cyril a Cyril Hierosol Catech. 11. saith and to him our Aduersaries conuicted in conscience do assent a defection from the right faith cannot be complete in the number of few yeeres nor yet haue full residence in one only man since it must endure from the first full disclosing thereof which fell out in the yeere of our Lord sixe hundred sixty and sixe vntill the end of the world as we shal haue occasion God
laboured to excuse some to defend others to patronize those who fled away yea to register for Saints the chiefest Authors of this deuillish intendment I need goe no further then to Eudaemons Apologie soundly and most religiously confuted by the most Learned and Reuerend Authour of the Antilogie So that all the premisses put together haue enforced mee to this settled iudgement concerning a Papist which without any feare or scruple of conscience Two certaine Correllaries grounded vpoÌ„ the Premises The former The latter The former demonstrated I boldly thus propose in these two conclusions the first A Papist as a Papist is no true Christian the second A Papist as a Papist is no good subiect What I speake I will prooue or else take all for nothing In the former point thus No sworne Slaue of Antichrist is a true Christian For no u Mat. 6.24 man can serue two Masters for either he shall hate the one and loue the other or else he shall leane to the one and despise the other no Yee cannot saith the x 1. Cor. 10.22 Apostle drinke the Cup of the Lord and the cup of Deuils yee cannot bee partaker of the Lords Table and of the table of Deuils He saith y Ambr. sâ—r 17. AMBROSE that will bee partaker of heauenly things must not bee a fellow or companion of Idols But euery Papist as a Papist is a sworne Slaue of Antichrist because as a Papist hee holdeth onely of the Pope whom wee haue sufficiently prooued before to be that Great Antichrist Therefore no Papist as a Papist is a true Christian Hee may haue the outward Name but he wanteth the true Nature and forme of a Christian as indeed z Rom. 9.6 All are not Israel which are of Israel Hee may bee baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost according to the outward forme not to be iterated vpon his Conuersion by a new Baptisme but not according to the inuisible Grace which through his Apostasie hee either receiued not at all or if hee made some small shew of it only he wilfully thrust it from him by the Witchcraft of his wicked Stepdame the Romish Synagogue which as Hierusalem in the a Ezech. 16.20 Prophet bare children vnto God but offered them vnto Molech The latter demonstrated In the latter thus None who giue any Primacie to the Pope in another mans Dominion wherein he liueth as a member of that Common-wealth can bee a true subiect to that his owne Liege King and naturall Soueraigne Because he depriueth the King of his due contrarying therein the precept of the Apostle who willeth vs to render to b Rom. 13.7 all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custome feare to whom feare honour to whom honour For it is the c 26. Hen. 8. apud Rastal in â—a Rom. Kings due that he should be acknowledged by euery person borne bred and liuing as a Subiect within the Kingdomes and Dominions of the same King for Supreme head and gouernour next vnder Christ in all causes and ouer all persons as well Ecclesiasticall as Temporall as it was prooued in the dayes of King Henry the eight largely and learnedly by two great Clarkes of that time Stephen d Gard. l. de verâ obedientiâ Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and Cuthbert e Tonst in his Sermon before K. Henry 8. in Act. Monument p 986. Tonstall Bishop of Duresme For the very title of Supreme head next vnder Christ c. is assigned vnto Kings and Princes first by the Holy Ghost in Scripture as where Peter saith f 1. Pet. 2.13 Submit your selues to euery ordinance of man for the Lords sake whether it be vnto the King 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is saith Bishop g Vbi supra Tonstall as to the chiefe head as indeed vnto him who hath a chiefedome or superioritie ouer vs like as h Psal 18.43 Dauid was called the head of the Nations and Saul tearmed the a 1. Sam. 15.17 head of the Tribes secondly by the ancient Fathers both assembled in Councell as in the b Apud â—innium tom 2. Concil in praefatione Toleta Concilij 8. eight Toletan where they all accord to the wordes of K. Reccesiunthus saying the cause of gouerning the members is the saluation of the head and the happinesse of the people the Princes clâ—mencie and seuerally whensoeuer they had iust occasion to manifest or demonstrate their most respectfull and bounden obedience to Regall Soueraignety as witnesse for the Latine Fathers Tertullian when he saith c Tertull. l. con Scapulum cap. 2. we reuerence the Emperour as is lawfull for vs and expedient for him euen as a man second to God and obtayning from God whatsoeuer he is and inferiour to God only for so is he superiour vnto all others as he is inferiour to the true God only and for the Greeke Church d Chrysost tom 4. bom 2. ad populum Antioch Chrysostome when bewayling the miserie of the Antiochians likely to ensue for their despitefull outrage done vpon the statue of Theodosius the Great he said he to wit the Emperour is abused who hath not an equall vpon the earth being the top and head of all men vpon the earth But euery Papist as a Papist giueth a supremacie vnto the Pope in these kingdomes and dominions of our most gracious Soueraigne For first the e Gratian. dist 22. can 1. ibi Gloss Extrauag â—om l. 1. tit 8. can vnam sanctam Canonists with f Tho. Bosius l. 3. de regno Ital. c. 4 lib. 4. cap. 5. Bosius g Carer li. 2. de Rom. Pontif. potestate cap. 9. Carerius and other h Apud Azor. part 2. Instit l. 4. cap. 19. M. Blackwels large Examination pag. 22. â—3 c. palpable flatterers of Popes hold him to be the Supreme head absolutely fully and directly both in Spirituall and Temporall things secondly the i Bellar. l. 5. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 4.5 c. Iesuits fraudulently maintaining as much as the other hold him to haue a Primacie directly in spiritualibus and in Temporall things indirectly only in ordine ad spiritualia thirdly the * Conc. Parisiâ— an Dom. 829. li. 1. c. 3. ConueÌ„t Paris 1561. 1595. apud Bochellum decret Gall li. 5 tit 4. Parisians and secular Priests our English Dormise such k Iohn Haâ—t in Ep. ante Collâ—t cum D. Rainoldo as Hart l Watson Quodlibet q. 8. art 4. Warmington Watson together with Doctor m Galiel Barc de pote Papae c. 2. Barkeley howsoeuer they collogue with Christian Princes in granting vnto them a chiefedome or Primacie within their Dominions in temporall affaires yet will they not in any case derogate any one iot from the Popes supremacie in spiritualibus making the Pope to be head of the Church
Gowlart in Catal. test veritatis others yet shall yee not find the purest Age of the Church free from some one Heresie or other either going before that Great Antichrist according to that Catalogue made of them with a sound Confutation by f Iâ—en aduers haer lib. 5. Irenie g Tertull. in praescrip aduers haer cap. 46. Tertullian h Epiphan in Panâ—rio Anacephalaeos 1. Epiphanius i August lib. de haer ad Quod vult Deum to 6. Augustine k Philastr lib. 1. Philastrius l Theodorit lib. 4. haeret fabular Theodorite m Isidor lib. 8. Etym. cap. 5. Isidore n Nicetas lib 5. thesaur Orth. sid Nicetas o Harmenopul lib. 9. tom primi Iuris Graeâ—o Râ—mani Harmenopulus and p Danaeus in August Zegedâ—n in tabul c. other such or following after as his dregs or relikes retained in the Church of Christ by some Reformers of Idolatrous abuses too much deuoted to pretended Antiquities through the subtiltie of Satan who will haue the Prouerbe verified Vbi vber ibi tuber Fatnesse breedeth filthinesse as Tertullian r Tertull. lib. 4. contr Marcion cap. 5. The vse of this doctrine Reproofe of Brownists well obserued Faciunt fauos vespae faciunt Ecclesias Marcionitae Waspes make Hony-combes and Marcionites make Assemblies For as we say in England Where God hath his Church the Deuill will haue his Chappell § XXXI Wherefore in mine opinion our Schismaticall Brownists ground their stiffe Apostasie from our Church of England vpon a very shaken and weake foundation when Å¿ Barrow and Greenewood in their Examinations and Fran. Iohnson in his Answere to H. J. and T. C. they pretend Hereticall corruption growing in the Church although it bee not of the substance of the Church q Apulâ—ius lib. 4. Florid. to bee the onely cause of their departure from vs as if that a particular visible Militant Church could bee free from all corruption For first why is it said to bee Militant but onely because wee in it and it by vs t Ephes 6 1â— Wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities against powers against the rulers of the darknesse of this World against spirituall wickednesse in high places Secondly where shall this spirituall Combat be fought wherein u Galat. 5.17 The flesh rebelleth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so that wee cannot doe the things that wee would Out of the Church it is not where all is flesh neither yet in Heauen where all is Spirit It must bee therefore in the Church as yet Militant here vpon earth wherein the x Prou. 24.16 iust man falleth into smart because of sinne for so the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cadu doth note a relapse into a double mischiefe y Vid. Merâ—er Remum Wilcocks in locum first of sinne because of infirmitie and then of punishment inflicted by GODS iudgement for their recouerie seuen times a dâ—y and riseth againe For as a Garment newly washed will gather by vsing more filth againe which must bee wrung out by washing continually till the Garment be worne so iust men fully purged by the bloud z Heb. 12.21 of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of ABEL euen a 1. Iohn 1.7 clensing vs from all sinne while they liue in this World by the weaknesse of the flesh are spotted with sin against which the bloud of Christ is alwayes effectuall and of comfortable force whiles they daily and duely dippe and bathe themselues soule and bodie therein by their liuely faith and vnfained Repentance as Hierome b Hieroâ—ym Epist c 6. ad Rusticum expounding the fore-alleaged words of Salomon saith Si cadat quomodo iustus si iustus quomodo cadit Sed iusti vocabulum non amittit qui per poenitentiam semper resurgit If he fall how is he iust If he be iust how doth hee fall But hee loseth not the name of a iust man who alwayes riseth againe by Repentance I know that as the Apostle c Ephes 5.25 27. saith Christ loueth his Church Ob. and gaue himselfe for it that hee might present it a glorious Church not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should bee holy and without blemish Sol. But this is spoken not of a particular visible Congregation set to warrefare hero on earth but of the vniuersall Church of Christ whose glory in this world is inward and inuisible as the o Psal 45.13 King is glorious within For if it bee outward and shining in the true perfection thereof then it cannot appeare in this scandalizing world wherein the p Reuel â—0 8 Deuill rageth by the raigning of Antichrist but in the world to come in which the Saints now militant shall rest from their q Esay 40.2 warfare then accomplished r Rom. 8.23 they enioying the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God being Å¿ 1. Iohn 3.2 then made like vnto him and seeing him as he is I cannot but grant Ob. that it is our dayly dutie t 1. Cor. 5.6.7 to purge out the old leauen that we may be made a new lumpe as we are vnleauened But are wee now therefore without any leauen Sol. Why must wee then purge it out Surely wee are said to be vnleauened two wayes first by the free imputation of Christs righteousnes vnto vs through faith as therefore it is said u Rom. 8.35 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Chosen It is God that iustifieth Secondly by the true working of the holy Ghost in vs according to the seuerall measures and degrees of our sanctification by which Gods Image is dayly renued in vs more and more till wee obtaine our measure in glorification as the Apostle x 2. Cor. 3.18 expresseth it most plainely in these words We all with open face beholding as in a Glasse the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory euen as by the Spirit of the Lord from the glory of Creation to the glory of Iustification and by this from the glorie of Faith to the glory of sight and in this from the glory of Grace by which wee are the sonnes of God to the glory of Glory by which we shall bee like him Thus Anselmus y Anselm in 2. Cor. 3.18 glosseth this place intimating what some z Aquin. 2. â— q. 184. art 20. Schoolemen and other a Danaeus p 5. Isagog lib. 2. c. 45 Steph. Zâ—gâ—dâ—n tab de Perfectione Vrsin Catechism part 3. q 114. good Diuines of late well note vnto vs that since there is a double perfection the one inchoatiua begun in this life called perfectio viae the other consummata finished in heauen partly after our naturall death in the soule alone but fully in the whole man at the
Christ Iesus So that such Heresies Schismes as arise in our Churches like a Math. 13.32 Tares in the field are defended by none but by such as b 2. Tim. 3.13 waxe worse and worse deceiuing and being deceiued as appeareth either by their secret colluding vnder colourable tearmes of a true meaning craftily deuised for escaping of due punishment so was it with c Arminius in declarat sententiae Apologia Arminius d Vorstius in Oratione Responsione ad articulos Angliae Vorstius and others or by their open and shamelesse reuolting to Papists as Schioppius Iustus Caluinus Walsingham and others or to Anabaptists as Smith or to Brownists as Iohnson or to the Anti-Trinitarians as Laelius Socinus or to the most abominable Sect of Familists as Dauid George Henry Nichols and some such Phantastikes in England and the Low Countries against all which Viperous Generation and Deuillish Brood of Hellish Heretikes Our Churches pronounce f 1. Cor. 16.20 a Maran-atha and our Soueraigne Princes according to their seuerall Estates of Gouernment vnder God in Christ Iesus are carefull to execute the sentence of death thereby g Deut. 13.5 to purge out all euill from Israel and to root out the Relikes of the Great Antichrist out of their Kingdomes For what should be done else to meete with these mischiefes § XXXIII Surely The vse of the latter doctrine what meanes God Himselfe vsed against the Head the same must bee taken in hand by good Men of God to cut off the Taile I meane that against such Heretikes and Schismatikes they must put in vse the double Sword Spirituall and Temporall that for the Ministerie this for the Magistracie To Ministers For that Ministers must fight with the Sword of the Spirit h Ephes 6.16 which is the Word of God against these enemies the Apostle doth warrantize by this his prescription directed to Titus who i Tit. 1.6.9 must ordaine in euery Citie of Creete where he left him such Elders or Bishops as hold fast the faithfull Word as they haue beene taught that they may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to conuince the Gayne-sayers For as when k Math. 2.14 Christ with Ioseph and Marie flying from HEROD went downe into Aegypt l Euseb lib. 6. de Demonstr Euangelicâ ca. 20. the Images there trembled and when the Gospell began to bee preached by the Apostles the Oracles there m Vid. Zâ—huerum Adag sacr Centur. 5. Adag 63. ceased according to that Prophecie of the burden of Aegypt n Esay 19.1 Behold the Lord rideth vpon a swist cloud and shall come into Aegypt and the Idols of Aegypt shall be moued at his presence and the heart of Aegypt shall melt in the middest of it c. So when Christ shall speake by the preaching of the Gospell for reformation of Religion then Antichrist shall feare and Heresies will flye away as o Iohn 3.23 they who doe euill hate the light to the great encouragement of all Gods seruants who because the Euangelicall and Apostolike faith ouerthroweth all Heresies therefore are alwayes to be most mindfull to keepe that rule saith p Leo primus Epist â—6 cap. 1. Leo to Anatolius For to the q Esay 8.20 Law and to the Testimonie if they speake not according vnto this word it is because there is no light in them since this Word is a r 2. Pet. 1.18 light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the Day-starre arise in our hearts But it may be this Word howsoeuer it be Å¿ Rom. 1.16 the power of God vnto saluation in them that beleeue yet cannot through the iudgement of hardening winne the Heretike although it most euidently conuinceth the Heresie and therefore the Temporall Sword must bee drawne out by the Magistrate onely t Rom. 13.4 who beareth not the Sword for nought To the Magistrate For u Prou. 20.26 a wise King scattereth the wicked and bringeth the wheele ouer them because it is a Law that x Deut. 17.12 the man that will doe presumptuously and will not harken vnto the Priest that standeth to minister there before the Lord thy God or vnto the Iudge euen that man shall dye and thou shalt put away the euill from Israel For lo a double rule fit for all Gouernours to obserue for their quietnesse against all such disturbances the former from y Tertullian lib. contra Gnostices cap. 21. TERTVLLIAN Duritia vincenda est non suadenda Stubbornenesse must by force bee ouercome and not be perswaded by any fayre meanes The latter from z Bernard BERNARD Melius est vt pereat vnus quà m vnitas It is better that one perish then that the vnitie should bee dissolued Princes are here to deale as Chyrurgions doe with ripened vlcers launce the sinners to let out sinne if not from the Offendor who it may be is incorrigible yet from the ouer-lookers and standers by who by that meanes may feare as Cyprian a Cyprian Ser. de lapsis said Plectuntur quidam quò caeteri corrigantur Exempla sunt omnium tormenta paucorum that is Some are punished that others may bee restrained for all may take example although some onely smart To the people of God Therefore if Christian Princes by that true Authoritie which they receiue from God shall seuerely punish either pernitious Heretikes or obstinate Schismatikes according to their due deserts either with Death or Exile or Proscription or Imprisonment or depriuation from Benefice or by any other course which by Law is prescribed wee my deare Brethren must not grudge or murmure thereat as the a Numb 16.41 Israelites did vpon the iust destruction of rebellious Corah and his company lest as they were so we may bee plagued with some Iudgement for our rash discontentment which if it proceede of pitty is folly since they pitty not themselues but if from a settled affection of good liking towards those wicked Imps then it is a part-taking which is as obnoxious to punishment as the sinne was of the principall Offendors seeing as the rule of b 3. Henr. 7.10 Law runneth in high Treason such as Heresie is to God-ward there is no Accessorie When c Prou. â—9 16 the wicked are multiplied transgression increaseth but the righteous shall see their fall Surely wee true Subiects vnto His Soueraigne Maiestie within these His seuerall Kingdomes and Dominions Three dueties are most entirely bound and obliged to a threefold dutie First of Gratulation Secondly of Supplication And thirdly of Obedience 1. Of gratulation Of Gratulation or most heartie thanksgiuing vnto our great and best God that hath so thorowly inflamed the good heart of our most Gracious Soueraigne Lord King IAMES with so godly a zeale for the iust defence of the True Ancient Catholike and Apostolike faith that we may as truely report of His most Sacred
he strongly purgeth by violent Physicke his sicke Patient so our Magistrates and Ministers Gods Superintendents vnto this charge are first to labour by all gentle meanes to winne these stray and wandring Wights in p Gal. 6.1 the Spirit of meeknesse since q Prou. 25.14 a soft tongue breaketh the bone as Saint Paul r 1. Cor. 4.21 wished to come to the Corinthians not with a Rod but in Loue. For it lighteneth before it thundreth God sent his Prophets before hee sent his Plagues and all to see if they would Å¿ Iere. 7.25 18.16 repent of their sinnes that hee might repent of his punishments But if they bee so stubborne that warning will not serue then draw out the Sword You good Men of the Sanedrin denounce by censure Ecclesiasticall and Yee Great Men of Millo strike home and wound t Psal 68.21 the hairie scalpe of euerie one that goeth on still in his trespasses For you must u Luke 14.14 compell them by force of Law to enter you being Gods Lieutenants on earth x Rom. 13.4 not to carrie the Sword for nought And therefore as Saint Augustine y August Ser. 33. de verb. do cap. 6. concludeth For is inueniatur necessitas nascitur intus volunt is Outwardly let them find a constraint and inwardly a good will or liking may grow in time For the Spirit z Iohn â— 8 bloweth where it listeth on a Act. â— 5 Saul the persecuter on b Euseb lib. Eccles hist 6. cap. 4. Basilides the tormentor on c Sleidan Comment lib. 21. Vergerius the confuter and so it may worke in those who are brought to the Church by compulsion that of d Esay 65.25 Lyons they may be Lambs of Cormorants be made Doues and of peruerse Papists by the preuenting and assisting grace of God become perfect Protestants willingly now renuing by true repeÌ„tance the couenant first made in their Baptisme to Christ who is their only Teacher and Master as it followeth to be declared now in the Instruction first vnto humilitie in the lowly seruant The third part § IIII. The Disciple is not aboue his Master c Theophylact. in 10. Matth. 24 Theophilact expounding this place vnderstandeth it prouerbially spoken of any Master and any scholler because so long as they are schollers they are inferiour to their Masters for when once they become better they are no more their schollars as f Apud Cic. lib. 9. Ep. sam Ep. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many schollers are better then their Masters But this interpretation is somewhat too generall because albeit it be true in euery Master and Scholler as they are so correlata yet the article here is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 declaring with an emphasis or vehemencie who properly is that Master to wit as g Beda in 6. Luc. Beda h Strab. in glâ—ss ordin Strabus i Stella in Luc. Stella and k Aquin. in Catena Marlaorat the whole streame of learned Interpreters haue deliuered Christ Iesus himselfe noted by the article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For so he applieth it to himselfe when vpon this very speech he inferreth l Mat. 10.24.25 If they call the Master of the house Beelzebub how much shall they call them of the household Yea and he plainely auoucheth m Matth. 23.8 one is your Master euen Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—lle Doctor or ille Ductor that Teacher or that Leader of Israel far surpassing those who by a speciall commission from holy Iehoshaphat n 2. Chro. 17.6 taught the people and had the booke of the Law of the Lord with them and went about throughout all the Cities of Iudah and taught the people They were sent out by an earthly Potentate but he o Iohn 16.28 came downe from the King of Heauen They were directed by the booke of the Law but he was that onely true p Iames 4.12 Law-giuer himselfe they went throughout all the Cities of Iudah only but he preached the Gospell in all q Matth. 4.25 Palestina to wit in Gallie and Samaria as well as in Iudaea only to gather into one folde r Matth. 15.24 the lost sheepe of the house of Israel to whom he was sent So that his Disciples be they neuer so well furnished with grace and power either extraordinarie as were Å¿ Ephes 4.11 Apostles Prophets and Euangelists or ordinarie as Pastors Doctors and other good Christians had and stil from him may haue can neither be superiour nor equall vnto him who did but either send them as t 2 Cor. 5.20 Ambassadours in his stead or call them as lost u Luke 15.4 sheepe into his solde Wherefore hence wee learne a most certaine truth that Christ Iesus was is The Doctrine and euer shall be the sole supreme Teacher Leader Head and Master-builder of his holy Catholike Church and of all and euery member therein conteined For so Scripture Reason 1. Regula and Fathers doe demonstrate Scripture vnder these two heads of places as first where he is called the corner stone prophetically by Dauid saying x Psal 118.22 The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner For our Sauiour y Matth. 21.42 applieth it vnto himselfe to the iust conuiction of the contemning Iewes and St. Peter z Act. 4.11 feared not to vrge it beâ—ore the Elders in the Councell as the only pregnant place to proue Iesus to be Christ becauâ—e the a Esaâ— 11.10 Rom. 15.12 Gentileâ— as the Iewes shall â—rust in him being as S. Paul saith built vpon b Eph. 2.21.22 the foundation of the Apostles and the Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe bring the chiefe Corner sâ—one in whom all the building fiâ—ly framed together groweth vnto an holy Temple in the Lord. Secondly where he is intitulâ—d the c Ephes 1.22 Head ouer all things to the Church the d Ephes 5.23 Head of the Church as the man is of the wiâ—e For hereby is signified a full preeminence in regard both of honour since as the head is the chiefest part of the body naturall so is Christ the Head e Coloss 1.18 of the body the Church euen the beginning the first borne from the dead that in all things hee might haue the preeminence and of helpe which hee comfortably affordeth vnto al the other members of this his mysticall body whatsoeuer they be by due ministration of spirituall grace according to their seuerall necessities that in him they may be full and want nothing as all the f Colos 2.9.10 fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in him bodily and we are complete in him who is the Head of all principalitie and power For whatsoeuer saith g Ambros in Col. 2. Ambrose any thinketh great in any man he shall finde more in Christ because all haue from him as members from the head yet is he alwayes
vnchangeably indiuisibly inconfusedly and substantially vnited in the person of Christ the only Mediatour betweene God and Man perfectly obedient both in action and in passion in action q Matth. 3.15 fulfilling all righteousnesse to r Iohn 4 34. doe the will of him that sent him and to finish his worke in passion both of soule Å¿ Matth. 26.38 heauy through sorrow for Gods wrath due for mans sinnes vnto the death and of bodie sustayning many torments both in his life time by t Matth. 8.20 Luke 8.1 pouertie and u Luke 13. â—1 Iohn 7.32 c. persecutions and at x Vid. Math. 27 Ioh. 18. 19 his death by mocking buffeting whipping stretching nayling and piercing his sweet side with a sharp Speare vpon the y Gal 3.13 cursed Tree or Crosse then turned to be a blessed Engine of mans true happines in that z Colos 1.21.22 we that were sometimes alienated and enemies in our minde by wicked workes now hath hee reconciled in the bodie of his flesh through death to present vs holy and vnblameable and vnreprooueable in his sight Now this his formall inherent perfection is in himselfe as hee is alone God and Man the only Mediatour betweene God and Man and not that which here wee seeke it being only proper to himselfe who only a Esay 63.3 trod the Wine-presse and none of the people with him Wherefore we must briefly consider of that perfection of Christ which we call effectiue and communicable to wit that which is communicated vnto vs by his working in vs through his holy Spirit that wee b Rom. 8.29 may bee conformed to his Image in which after c Ephes 4.23 God we are new men created in righteousnesse and true holinesse A perfection distinguished according to those degrees which we make in it For as after our fall wee cannot rise of our selues but Christ d Ephes 2.5 must quicken vs so when we are reuiued by a new Birth we cannot attaine to the height of perfection at one leape but as e Gene. 28.18 IAACOBS Ladder had certaine degrees and steppes by which the Angels of God did ascend and descend so this course of perfection wherein we are to ascend vnto GOD hath certaine degrees of holinesse and righteousnesse through which we must passe before we can attaine to the height of our happinesse as the Apostle saith In f Rom. 1.17 the Gospell is the righteousnesse of God reuealed from faith to faith by which g 2. Cor. 3.18 we all with open face beholding as in a Glasse the glorie of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glorie euen as by the Spirit of the Lord. Learned Diuines h Hemingius Syntagm Gloss 4. cap. 4. Aret. Probl. 163. Polanus syâ—tag then out of their good experience obseruing the graduall proceedings of Christians vnto perfection out of the holy Scripture set downe this perfection to bee two-fold First Perfectio viae The perfection of the way Secondly Perfectio vitae The perfection of life that is the course wherein wee must runne this is the Crowne which we shall obtaine i 1. Cor. 9.25 So runne that ye may obtaine The perfection of the way is a blamelesse course of vpright walking only in this life of which the Psalmist thus pronounceth k Psal 119.1 Blessed are the vndefiled in the way who walke in the Law of the Lord and it is found to be two-fold Legall or Euangelicall Legall perfection is that when a man according to the tenour of the Law fufilleth all the Commandements of God as it is required by Moses saying l Deut. 10.12.13 And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to feare the Lord thy God to walke in all his wayes and to loue him and to serue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule to keepe the Commandements of the Lord and his Statutes which I command thee this day for thy good Euangelicall perfection is a carefull endeuour of a faithfull man vnto the true obedience of Gods holy will reuealed in his Word fully setled for all his life time that hee may still grow in grace vnto glorie as Saint PAVL m Philip. 3.13 14. forgetting those things which are behinde and reaching forth to those things which are before pressed towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus and this perfection is wrought by the Holy Ghost First in the nature and substance of a regenerate man Secondly in his actions In his nature and substance this perfection is wrought when after the remission of our sinnes and the imputation of Christs Righteousnesse for our free and full â—ustification by a liuely faith that inbred corruption arising from the blot of originall sinne is lessened in vs and Gods grace so restored as that by it we grow still better and better for n 2. Tim. 3.13 as sinne maketh the wicked waxe worse and worse so Grace draweth the godly on in perfection to o Psal 84.7 walke from strength to strength till they appeare before God in Zion So that looke how farre sinne hath defiled the natural man by the issues of corruption throughout all the parts and powers of soule and bodie euen so farre doth and shall the Grace of Gods Spirit worke a restitution in the man regenerate that p 1. Thes 5.23 his whole Spirit Soule and Bodie may be preserued blamelesse vnto the Comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. For shall not Iaacob supplant ESAV Shall not the Spirit subdue the flesh Shall mans sinne eneruate or hinder Gods Grace No in no wise if God send his holy Spirit which q Iohn 3.8 bloweth where hee listeth And therefore this perfection of mans nature reformed spreadeth it selfe into many faire branches First in the minde by a quicke perceiuing and a sound iudgement of heauenly things not only for the knowledge of the principles and grounds of GODS Religion but also for the gathering of such good conclusions as may both strengthen and increase faith since r 1. Iohn 2.20 hee hath the anoynting from the Holy One and knoweth all things Secondly in the will by most ready inclinations and settled resolutions for the right performance of all holy Duties prescribed by God for holinesse righteousnesse and sobrietie since thereto are wee Å¿ Tit. 2.12.14 taught therefore are we purged to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good works Thirdly in the conscience both t 1. Iohn 3.18 by boldnesse towards God vpon the full assurance of the remission of our sinnes and by an honest care of liuing vprightly in the feare of God without scarre of scandall giuen or taken to his owne true quietnesse and the profitable edifying of other men since the high way u Prou. 16.17 of the vpright is to depart from euill he that keepeth his way preserueth