it is the name of a whole nation also So Sion is the name of a hill yet it signifieth also the Church And it is as simple to say that Antichrist must deny that Jesus Christ in plain words for then every man would detect him and detest him neither could then his doctrine be called the mystery of iniquity nor could the great whore bear on her forehead properly the name Mystery Rev. 17.5 which in former time was written upon the Popes Myter however it is now taken away and put on the front of their religion It is as vain to think that the Turk is Antichrist for he is understood to be signified in Magog whose interpretation is Uncovered but the Papacy by Gog which signifieth covered or secret because he is not as the Turk an open enemy but a close enemy of Christs An earthly minded beast having horns like a lamb but a voice like a dragon Rev. 13.11 seeming like Christ but teaching like the devill making great shew of religion with a golden chalice but it is full of soule poison Rev. 17.4 The chiefe tokens that this Antichristian whore must be taken for Rome the Popes seat is plain First because the ruine of Rome was the forerunner of Antichrist and while the Empire was setled at Rome it hindred the delection of Antichrist which many learned men do write that it was the meaning of St Paul 2 Thes 2.7 he that now letteth will let till he be taken out of the way Indeed the Emperour Constantine departing from Rome to Constantinople gave the Pope the first inlet to Romes state and government But then the Goths and Vandals invasions of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hindred him again in the years 414. and 459. and 549. by turning it to ruine This was the head of the first Beast which was wounded Rev. 13.3 as able Divines write but was healed again by Popes repairing the ruines of Rome and taking on himselfe the image of the first beast and getteth as much honor to the Roman Bishop as before was given to Roman Emperours and more for he hath made Kings and Emperors to kisse his feet Rev. 13.11 and hath brought Rome into as much respect of the world as any Emperor could And as this second beast made fire to come down from heaven so doth the Pope by making that heavenly censure of excommunication and absolution stoop to his earthly pleasure and places of heavenly Scripture to serve his sensuall desires It is he that gave life to the image of the beast that is to that shape which he left to the Emperours which he made to speak what and when he pleased for they became but his creatures for he made them and caused the people to make them at his pleasure yet but as images of Emperours to what they had been The seat of this Beast is Rome which in St Johns time was built on seven hils and if it be not so now Virgill Propertius it matters not so long as it stands for old Rome And the City of Rome is called the great whore sitting and her religion spirituall fornication and her dominion very vast as extending it selfe over many nations by power and wicked policy She is likewise called Babylon Rev. 17.5 Babel was a Tower and after a City called Babylon The Tower was built by certain families that schismed from the family of Shem Gen. 11.1 2 3. Gen. 10.8 of which the apostate Nimrod was the head and therefore Micah calleth that soile the land of Nimrod Micah 5.6 Here God confounded their language and they left off to build the Tower yet afterward men built a City there which in processe of time became a great Monarchy of which Nebuchadnezzar was a famous King which City and Kingdome was a great adversary to the people of God the Jews In all which respects it was a type of Rome which at first as it was built for vain glory and to get a name as Babels tower was and next became the greatest Monarchy as Babylon did and opposed the true Church by idolatry and persecution so hath Rome done and therefore hath been esteemed as a second Babylon by authentick Writers as Tertul. adv Judeos cap. 9. Rhenanus in his ancient Copy though Pamelius the Romanist blots Babylon Roma out of the margent Heir Fabiolae de veste sacerdot Andreas in Apocal. cap. 53. Ausbert in Rev. 13. But this spirituall Babylon Rome will have a fearfull fall Grostead Bishop of Lincoln said it must fall by a bloody sword which indeed St John foretold him Rev. 17. and the 18. chap. But first by him that sate upon the white horse chap. 19. who is called the word of God King of Kings and Lord of Lords as in opposition to the titles of the man of sin and son of perdition The wals of this spirituall Babylon have been falling a long time First by divers Kings falling from them Rev. 17.16 who in time will be Romes ruine Secondly by their slit tongue and divided languages in divinity as may be found in Ferus Granatensis and Pintus and many others I will name but a few as Orkam that writ against the Decretals and in defence of the Emperour about 1333. Next Armachanus the Irish Bishop writ against Friers 1363. Then Wickliffe discharged against Rome wals two hundred volumes of books like so many vollies of shot to stop whose doctrine was called the Faedifragus Councill of Constance who contrary to their covenant burnt John Husse and also Jerom of Prague and digged up Wickliffs bones and burned them in spight as the dog that bites the stone because he cannot him that flung it Then one Walter Brut in the time of Richard the second did affirm that the 1260 daies 〈◊〉 Martyrology DVX CLERI spoken of by St John in the Revelation were prophetically so many years and that the Pope being head Captaine of the Clergy appeared to have the number of the Beast in that title Now as God stirred up many faithful Christians in England so he did abundance in forrein parts as Marsilius Patavinus Joannes de Gunduno Luitpoldus Vlricus Hargenor Dante 's Aligerus Gregorius Ariminensis Andreas de Castro Franciscus Petrarcha Joannes de rupe scissa Michael Cesenas Gulielmus Ockam Petrus de Corbaria and Matthias Parisiensis with abundance more many of whom were persecuted by the Beast and many were by Gods providence preserved who have set such a fire in Rome that will never be quenched but she must burn and the smoke rise up for ever Rev. 19.3 Mathe. But if the Pope be this great Antichrist why is St Paul and St John so close in the describing of him Phila. Not because they were fearfull of persecution but because they would prove faithfull to the Church as Daniel to save the Jews from hatred and dangers penned some things that concerned their enemies the Persian and the Grecian in a language least known to them and many things
Phaenicia and Palestina and beat the army of Heraclius also and composed the Alcoran for their Religion by the help of some Jewes and Sergius the Nestorian Heretick that denied the personall union of two natures in Christ and also by the help of John of Antiochia an Arrian Heretick who made it a medlie of the Pagan-Jewes and Christian Religion Saracen per. to the acknowledging of which Mahomet ordained all whom he conquered should be compelled by fire and sword which proved a terrible plague to many Christians Mathe. But what other persecutions arose from one Christian to another Phila. As they suffered from the Arrians and Eutychians so they did afterward from the Roman when ambition and covetousnesse 〈◊〉 made the Bishop of Rome rich potent and universall Therefore you must know that after the Empire began to stand like Nebuchadnezzars image on two legs the East and West part much decaied till Pope Leo the third perceiving the decay of the East proclaimed Charls the great Emperour in the West Mathe. How did the Pope first get to such an height to proclaim the Emperour Phila. You must know that before the reign of Constantine most of the Bishops of Rome were Martyrs or Confessors to the number of thirty from Linus the first Bishop who began to govern the Church of Rome after Peter and Paul had suffered But after the reign of Constantine and his sons the Bishops of Rome grew in higher esteem more and more First in being made Patriarchs together with the Bishops of Alexandria and Antiochia by the generall Councill of Nice for the timely suppressing of heresies But he got the start of them all and was accepted as the prime Bishop both in regard of the antiquity of his See and also because his seat was in the most ancient imperiall City Rome But he began to encroach and usurp authority exceedingly as others did who succeeded him But when I say such an one succeeded next I mean not alwaies the next in person but in regard of his office though some came between for my intent is not to make an absolute direct chronology or catalogue of them but to shew which of them was most active in advancing Antichristian Tyrauny though here and there some of them were of better condition Therefore as Pope Zepherinus before the Emperour Constantine Popes pride begins to appear Zepherinus Innocent Caelestius would have no Bishop condemned till his cause was heard by the Bishop of Rome So afterward Innocentius the first the predecessor to Zozimus writ to the Councill of Carthage that no Decree could be firm till allowed by the Chair of Rome whom Caelestinus followed and urged submission of the Church of Carthage to the Chair of Rome and therefore they should receive Appiarius whom they had excommunicated for appealing from his own Bishop to the Bishop of Rome but they regarded him not Faelix the third did also excommunicate Acacius Bishop of Constantinople because he absolved Petrus Moggux the Eutychian heretick without his leave upon which Acacius did as much for him But Gelasius his successor was more peremptory Gelasius for he plainly declared that the Church of Rome should be the Judge of all Churches but be judged by none nor would be reconciled to the Eastern Bishops except they would excommunicate Acacius and raze his name out of the catalogue of Bishops He also made bold to excommunicate the Emperour Anastasius for favouring the Eutychian heresie which example was by his successors put in execution upon Emperors without being hereticks So Faelix the fourth excommunicated also Athanasius Patriarch of Constantinople for heresie And Bonifacius the second Faelix upheld the authority of the Roman See against the Church of Carthage and Hippo and maintained Eutalius appeale to Rome against Aurelius Bishop of Carthage and Augustine Bishop of Hippo and a Councill of two hundred reverend Fathers so much did Rome affect superiority And by all these proud Prelates Vigilius had got stomack enough to resist the Emperour and his fifth generall Council of Constantinople though he came in not by the door but by means of Theodora a wicked Empresse who had caused Silverius Bishop of Rome to be banished who succeeded Boniface the second and placed Vigilius for bribes and base promises in his Chaire Pelagius the first that succeeded Vigilius was more crafty then peremptory for though he was vexed at Honoratus Bishop of Millain because he ordained Paulinus to succeed Macedonius Bishop of Aquileia without his leave yet he put it as a contempt of the Emperour Justinian in his relation of it to Narses the Emperours generall hoping to creep into sovereignty the more securely under colour of respect to the Civill Magistrate John the third and Benedict the first did not stickle much because the Lombards at that time much oppressed Italy Pelagius the second was elected without the knowledge of the Emperour but that was excused by the Popes Embassadour Gregory because that Rome was so strictly besieged that no messenger could be sent unto him This Gregory the first succeeded Pelagius by the choice of the Clergy and people of Rome he seemed unwilling to accept it and wrote letters to the Emperour to refuse their choice which were intercepted and other letters sent to desire the Emperours condescension He first set up the stile that the Popes use still in their title the servant of the servants of God in opposition to John the foster-Patriarch of Constantinople Servus servorum Dei who usurped the stile of universall Bishop and called him the forerunner of Antichrist yet he basely flattered Phocas the Emperour in his Epistles who had murthered his Lord Mauritius his wife and children This Gregory forbad spirituall men to marry Marriage forbidden to the Clergy but was forced to recall it because of their fornication and murthering of young infants so begotten But though this Pope did declaime against the title of universall Bishop and Fabianus his successor did not claim it yet his next successor Boniface the third did obtain it of Phocas by absolving him the murther of Mauritius namely to be Bishop of Bishops and that the Church of Rome should be the head of all Churches After him came Boniface the fourth obtained of Phocas the heathen Temple called Pantheon because it was built to the honour of all the heathen gods and dedicated it to all Saints and appointed an holiday to be kept in their honour so Idolatry crept in which afterward was the cause of much persecution for he took it from the heathen gods and by it made gods of the Saints Theodalus succeeds him and brings in Antichrist by an Ordinance that none should marry that woman that had been witnesse with him at Baptisme which was never forbidden by Gods Law or Gospell So Boniface the fifth who succeeded him constitutes that no man who took sanctuary for any crime should be violently taken out from thence Popes usurpation over civill power
which the ungodly have no propriety of estate By which doctrin the people are filled with mad zeale and coveting of rich mens estates and marking them out for destruction by fire and sword God keep his people from becomming their prey Mathe. What are our Antisabbatarians Phila. Such as are against the keeping of any Sabbath whether the Jewish Sabbath or the Christians Lords day Of which opinion was one Hetherington a Box-maker who said not only the Jewes Sabbath day was of no force since Christs time and the Apostles but also taught that every day was a Sabbath as much as the Lords day But he recanted his error at Pauls Crosse God be praised And good reason for though the Jewish Sabbath being but a shadow of Christ be now abolished and we are not to be judged by the keeping of it Col. 2.16 yet the morality of that Commandement is observed in keeping still one day in seven holy to the Lord for delivering us from the bondage of sin by Christs resurrection as the Jewes kept theirs in remembrance of their freedome from the bondage of Egypt Deut. 5.15 And thus the Law by the Christians observing the first day of the week Rom. 3.31 is not made void but established It is true that there is no precept for the changing of it because there was no need for the morall intent of the Law commanded only that one day in seven be kept so that if the Patriarchs before the Law was given by Moses kept a seventh day in respect to the creation and the Jewes kept a seventh in respect of their liberation from Egypt and the Christians keep their seventh day in relation to Christs redemption that Commandement is fulfilled so far as it requireth an holy seventh day And though we have no precept for changing yet we have their practice and examples who had the mind of Christ For the first day of the week called since Christs time the Lords day was first kept at Jerusalem Acts 2.1 upon which the Holy Ghost descended on the Apostles Then again at Troas Acts 20.7 in which verse is declared that it was their usuall meeting day And the holy Fathers have alwaies observed it Epist ad Magnes and urged the keeping of it as Ignatius scholler to St Iohn the Apostle his auditor about thirty years the second Bishop of Antioch and a Martyr but 107 years after Christ in the raign of the Emperour Trajan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He saith let every one that loveth Christ instead of the Sabbath celebrate the Lords day And Basil saith that when all daies prescribed by the Law are abolished yet there remains one great day of the Lord which shall never be abolished Of this opinion for the seventh day Jewish Sabbath and against the celebration of the Lords day Traskilus was one Iohn Trask and Theophilus Brabourn but both recanted their errors for which glory be to God Trask preached against eating of blood and unclean creatures upon mistake of the injunction of the first Councill of the Apostles to the Gentiles Acts 15.2 where blood and things strangled do not relate to such things prepared for meat but to the barbarous or canibal eating of things halfe alive and halfe dead in their blood or eating any thing that was torn from a living creature therefore Paul saith that every creature of God is good Mathe. What are your Soule-sleepers Phila. Those that revive that Sect in the time of Origen Soul-sleepers in the third centurie of years after Christ who held the soule did sleep in the dust with the body after death because God said to Adam Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return not perceiving this was spoken of the body only not of the soule which came not from thence Gen. 2.7 And also because Solomon saith Eccle. 3.10 that man and beast all return to one place yet they might have considered that he saith also the spirit of a beast goeth downward and the spirit of a man goeth upward even to God that gave it Eccles 12. and that the soules of the righteous are in the hands of the Lord Wisd 3. In the sight of the unwise they seem to die but they are in peace Mathe. What are your seekers Phila. Surely people that have so long contended about truth and the Church Seekers that they have quite lost it and therefore they say there is no true Church nor Minister nor Ordinances yet they expect and seek with Loe here it is and then there it is and catch at every thing but hold nothing like one that leaps out of a boat into the water and then catches at every rush and flag to save himself Mathe. What are your Divorcers Phila. Another sprout of the Anabaptists Divorcers who like the Jewes would put away their wives for a small cause under pretence that he finds her not an help meet for him But this is contrary to Christs rule Mat. 5.31 and c. 19.9 that no man should put away his wife but for whoredome lest he cause her to commit adulterie or another man to marry her and so he commit adultery Mathe. Is there any more such weeds in the Churches field Phila. Yes surely for I hear of some that account the Scriptures a thing of nought both the holy books of the Old and New Testament such were put to death under Moses Law Heb. 5.28 But we live in greater times of liberty I may say Libertinisme The Lord hold the reine which Magistrates let too slack lest these unruly creatures hurry both the Church chariot and the horsemen of Israel to destruction Mathe. I pray what are the Shakers Phila. A kind of people that pretend to have the spirit by fits But what spirit it is that casts them into these seeming or swooning extasies I know not but I doubt much whether it be the spirit of God or of Satan or of dissembling I have read of the spirit of Apollo that used such feats upon the bodies of those whom he had possessed namely of shaking and quaking which being past they have spoken some words which have been received for his Oracles So I have read and heard of Nuns pretended to be possessed by evill spirits beyond the seas which the Friers can expell at their pleasure But I never knew nor ever read in any credible author that the spirit of God doth or hath entred the body of men in any such manner but hath enlightned the mind with sober knowledge and sound repentance and comfortable faith and well grounded speeches that are unreprovable and lead them in a life unblameable But these Quakers their speeches are confused and yet perverse and peremptorie Their lives erroneous not knowing or refusing to use the creature of God as lawfully they may I find them people of no sound knowledge yet despising learning and rejecting Gods Ministers and Ordinances by which they may be better instructed They dare not use their
from the King and the Assembly to disable the King of Navar from succession to the Crown of France The other Leaguers at Paris were mad for the death of the Duke of Guise and railed at the King raised mony for wars against him and the Doctors of Sorbon declared the people of France free from their obedience to the King and so might take arms against him Upon this the Parliament at Bloyes dissolves and the King prepares to suppresse the rebellion at Paris To this purpose he took truce with the King of Navar by whose forces he discomfited the Leaguers and intended to besiege Paris but the Leaguers prevented him by procuring Frier Jaques to kill the King who did it in his chamber with a knife while he read a letter the Frier brought him This was done in that chamber say some wherein the massacre at Paris was formerly plotted this King being then Duke of Anjou and chiefe in the plot Mathe. How fared it then with the Protestants Phila. Henry the third before he died of that wound the Frier gave him which was not many hours after declared the King of Navar lawfull successour who after his funerall confounded the Leaguers in many Battels July 25. 1593. But he then began to halt in Religion for the Doctors of Sorbon and divers Bishops prevailed with him to hear masse in St Dennis Church But still the Leaguers hated him and sent one Peter Burrier to slay him by the instigation of a Capuchin Frier a Priest and a Jesuite but he was prevented Upon this the King published his declaration prescribing a months liberty to all that would come in and submit to his government but else they should afterwards find no favour from him By this means many Towns yielded to him and at last Paris it selfe which he entred so peaceably that within two hours the shops were all set open as if no wars had been But the wicked Leaguers again plotted his death by one John Castil Decem. 27. 1594 who came into the Kings chamber at the Louver among the Presse and strook at the King with a knife who stooping in taking leave of his Lords was strook by it on the right cheek and one of his teeth cut out This traitor as he confessed was a scholar of the Jesuits French Hist p. 874. and executed and the Jesuits banished out of France This King received many of his enemies into favour as the Duke de Mayenne and Nemours and enterteined peace with King Philip of Spain by the Popes mediation This King escaped many treasons plotted against his life And yet 1604. restored the Jesuits again and afterward admitted them to go into Navar and Berne to the great discontent of the Judges and Officers of that Country yet 1606. this King made speciall good orders in the behalfe of the reformed Religion confirming the Edict of Nantes 1598. concerning their pacification But this halting between two opinions did not certainly please God for though he suffered the Protestants to have a nationall Synod at Gap concerning their doctrin and discipline and therein to declare the Pope to be Antichrist foretold by the word of God and made it one of the Articles of their confession yet taking no warning by that stroke given on his mouth formerly he was strook to the heart by a cursed villain one Frances Ravillac riding in his Caroch even the next day after his Queens coronation day moved thereunto as he confessed by no other reason but because the King maintained two religions in France and by reading the book of Mariana the Spanish Jesuite and Bellarmins book of the Popes temporall power which books by a decree of the Colledge of Sorbon and by sentence of the Parliament were burnt as also Jasper Scoppius his book containing the same doctrine tending to the subjects rebellion against Princes 1612. This soule fact was suspected to be of the Jesuits plotting however Father Cotton endevoured to wipe off the aspersion yet the Author of the book called Anticotton refused it and proved the Jesuits to be the maintainers of that doctrine and were guilty of this Kings death by Ravilac's own confession to father Aubigny who being examined upon it said that God had given him the grace alwaies to forget what he heard in confession and so he saved his neck by that fine and false excuse But he that cals light out of darknesse brought out of this damnable act more respect to the Protestant and a check to the Pope For now the great chamber called the Tornelle made a decree against the Popes temporall power And the Protestants began an assembly of the reformed Churches at Saumur where Monsier de Bulloin told them from the King and Queen Regent that all their just requests should be favourably answered and whatsoever had been promised should be paied And the Universitie of Paris concludes against the Jesuits and propounds to them by Monsieur Servin four Articles to subscribe 1. That the Pope hath no temporall power over Kings nor can he by excommunication deprive them of their estates or dignity 2. That the Councill is above the Pope 3. That Clergy men ought to reveal conspiracies against the King or Kingdome to the magistrate though it be revealed in confession 4. That Clergy men are subject to the secular Prince or politicall magistrate Mathe. How sped the reformed Religionnow among the Netherlands Phila. They having suffered much misery under Duke de Alva their governor History of the Netherlands who had in his time executed 1860 people beside by wars and tumults as you have heard and Don John of Austria being little better the States Generall called Matthias Arch-Duke of Austria to be their governor He appoints the Prince of Orange for his Lievtenant which much displeased the Earl of Lalain who expected that dignity so that Don John by this discontented siding defeated the Netherlands Army The Duke of Anjou offers aid to the States it is accepted and prospereth against Don John and he is chosen at last Lord of the Netherlands Yet for all these wars and troubles the reformed Religion thrived For notwithstanding the Popes Bull offering pardon of sins and life eternall to all that would take part with Don John against the Prince of Orange yet Amsterdam agreed with the States of Holland and turned all the popish magistrates and Friers Monks and Priests out of the Town and pulled down the images in the Churches and suffered only the reformed Religion to be exercised so they drove the Jesuites and Friers out of Antwerp and granted Churches to the Protestants In Gaunt they whipped and burnt Friers for committing Sodomy At last the Prince of Orange accepts the government of Flanders and in the year 1580. images and cloisters were demolished in Deventer Swool and Vtrich And being the King of Spain would allow no Religion in his dominions but the Roman the General Estates set forth an Edict whereby was declared that the King of
So the Arrians who denied the consubstantiality and coeternity of Christ with the Father and such as did deprave the form of baptism saying I baptize thee in the name of the Father by the Son Niceph. hist l. 10. c. 35. in the Spirit the baptisme of such indeed is vaine and no baptisme but the baptisme of those that hold the foundation of faith as the Novatians did but built not rightly upon it yet kept the true form of baptizing such might be admitted into the Church again without rebaptization because there is but one truth faith and baptisme Again another error rose up about the year 380. Donatus by Donatus and his disciples Donatus was Bishop of Numidia and held that the true Church was only among those in Africa that held with him contrary to that universall donation which God gave to Christ by promise Psal 2. I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Optatus whom Optatus Bishop of Milevitane confuted in the time of Valentinian the Emperour Also this Donatus affirmed that all that had been baptized in the universall Church save by those of his party ought to be rebaptized whose error the Anabaptists still follow These were worse then the other for they were not only schismaticks but hereticks also for they denied that Article of the Creed which confesseth the Church Catholick yet our Brownists and Anabaptists in these latter times follow their steps by refusing communion with the Church of England and in their uncharitable censures of all that are not of their party Aug. ep 50. as also in defacing the Churches and breaking down Communion Tables for a third error sprung up 1525. by the Anabaptists in Germany of whom I have spoken already They held that children ought not to be baptized til they came to ripe age and can give account of their faith These are very deeply plunged in this old error yea more then any of the former for they not only nullifie all baptisme by Papists or Protestants but deny baptisme to infants also which neither the Novatians nor Donatists did Mathe. But what say you to the third tenet That there ought to be no set form of Praier or Liturgy in the Church Phila. I shall prove that such set forms may be in the Church 1. By Scriptures 2. Antiquity And 3. By reason 1. By Scriptures Liturgy proved lawfull God set a form of blessing the people Num. 6.23 So of confession Deut. 26.5 and of praier Hos 14.2 and Joel 2.17 And therefore the Church may imitate God in this she having the spirit of supplication poured upon her though such forms be not indited to her by immediate infusion Beside we find in Scriptures that holy men of themselves did without any prescription from God set down forms of praier and praises as Moses Num. 10.35 36. and David set Psalms to be sung at certain times as Psal 92. a song for the Sabbath day and Psal 102. is a Psalm for the afflicted So we find some called Psalms of degrees which they sung when the Priests went up the steps to the Temple This they did and yet no doubt could pray by the spirit also In the New Testament also Cyp. de orat dom Christ not only set us a rule to pray by Mat. 6.9 but as a form to use Luke 11.2 When ye pray say our Father c. And Christ used a form thrice saying the same words Mat. 26.39 So the Apostle used a form saying The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you and so in many Epistles 2. It may be proved by antiquity and modern history that the Churches from the Apostles had set forms that they might with one mind and one mouth glorifie God Rom. 15.6 And some think that the form of sound words committed to Timothy was some symbole of faith or form of Liturgy But however it is plain that in the first hundred yeers Victorinus Sciaticus in praef Laturg Clem in Epi. ad Corinth Hegesippus both the Greek and Latine East and West Church had set forms which some write they received from the Apostles And surely James chosen Bishop of Jerusalem by the Apostles had not the name of Liturgus given him for nothing some say from a Liturgy that he composed So likewise in the next age we find that the Christians met every Lords day and had certain select places of scripture read to them and had common praiers beside the ministers particular conceived praier and also sung Psalms So Ignatius writing to the Magnesians an Epistle generally confessed to be his saith Iust Mart. apol 2. ad Antoninum Imperat. and chargeth them to meet all in one place and to have one common praier and to meet in one faith and one hope unblameable in Jesus Christ and so to run as if all were but one to the Church as to one Altar and one Jesus Christ This man suffered martyrdome in the year 107. after Christ And as in the former times they had their common praiers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tertul. apol c. 30. so they had also prescribed praiers as appears in the forms of their praiers for Emperours recited by Tertullian and the short antiphonas and responsories which we find in St Cyprians which are retained in our Liturgies to this time Magd. hist cent 3. viz. Lift up your hearts saith the Minister at the Communion the people answered We lift them up to the Lord. He lived about the year 250. Then next in the time of Constantine the great about 300. and odd years after Christ He commanded praiers to be made in a set form for the welfare of the Empire Euse Eccl. hist lib. 4. c. 19. and the propagation of the Gospell and thanksgivings for that God had given him victory over all the tyrants and persecuters of the Church and he himselfe made a form for his souldiers to say every day And farther the Councill of Laodicea about 368. called after the death of Jovinian the Emperor set down rules that one and the same service should be used morning and evening And when some began to make use of extempore praiers of their own and left the common forms then the Milevitane Councill assembled afterward in the raign of Arcadius about some 400 years after Christ whereof St Austin Bishop of Hippo was president and wherein the hereticks Pelagius and Caelestius who held that man had power and free will to do good without the support of grace were sufficiently confuted This Councill I say made orders that none should in the Churches use any other praiers but those that were composed by the Synod and gives this reason lest some by ignorance or want of care might utter something in the Church that might be dissonant from the Catholike faith to which order not only Presbyters but also Bishops were to be subject After this in the next age Basil
who will suffer none to meddle with the administration of holy things without constitution Against whom St Bernard speaks well saying They become masters of the unlearned before they have been schollers of the learned and so are more ready to speak then to hear and apt to teach that they never learned and pour out before they have any thing poured into them It is true that it is prophecied Joel 2.28 I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh yet that was not meant upon all alike for when it was fulfilled in Acts 2.15 it was not given to all but to the Apostles only yet there was under the Gospell a greater measure of knowledge given to teachers and hearers then under the Law yet it followeth not that all sheep should be shepherds So we read of some extraordinarily called as Amos was an Herdsman but such things cannot be brought into ordinary imitation no more then souldiers can expect to batter down wals with rams horns or rout their enemies with breaking of pitchers as Gideon did the Midianites But if Anabaptists calling to preach be ordinary let them prove it by Scripture if immediate from God by a miracle Mathe. I remember for the fifth Question about an oath you have in some measure satisfied me yet I shall be willing to hear farther of the lawfulness of it Phila. Surely if it be a part of Gods worship as I have proved then sure it may be taken 2. It may be and ought to be the end of controversie saith St Paul God commands it Heb. â— â—â— Deut. 6.13 and the 10.20 and rewards are promised for so doing in truth righteousness and judgement Jer. 4.2 See Jer. 12.16 and Psal 63.11 It is Christ saith Mat. 5. swear not at all but that is meant by ordinary and customary swearing common in those times not religious oaths Calvin instr cont Anab. but swearing by the creatures I know the chief they deny is called ex officio whereby in a criminall businesse one is bound even to betray himselfe yet God imposed this upon the Jewes Exod. 22.11 and Christ obeied it before the High Priest Mat. 26.63 c. It is meant that by law no man is bound to betray himselfe true but that is to go to the Magistrate and accuse himselfe but if he be brought to him and urged by oath to clear or else to betray himselfe I know not how he can refuse it Mathe. Concerning the lawfulness of taking upon a man the office of a Magistrate which is the sixth Question hath been declared before except you please to add any thing more Phila. I say no more but I think with St Peter and St Iude that such are presumptious and selfe-willed and under a shew of humility and declining authority Calv. instr adv Anab. do despise government and dominion because as they despaire to attain dignity themselves they would have them despised that have it but such saith St Iude shall perish in their own corruptions Deut. 17.8 For Magistracy was ordained of God to decide controversies to punish the evill and maintain the good Rom. 13. and we have as much need of them among Christians as the Jewes ever had because the same lusts do strive in our members whereby we should be too apt to transgresse both Law and Gospell by avenging our selves Rom. 13. if there were not a magistrate appointed to be the avenger of wrath Beside we find God to abet magistrates both by his title given to them Gods and also by his providentiall presence among them Psa 82.1 6. and by his direction of them in the execution of their office saying you judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in judgement 2 Chron. 19.6 7. As also by a blessing promised to the Church by them Isa 49.23 Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and to want magistrates hath been threatned as a great judgement to a land as Iudg. 17.6 Isa 3.2 Hosea 3.4 and though the Anabaptists would perswade you that the reason of magistrates being over the Jewes was because they were a stubborn people yet if you examine the Anabaptists seditions and tumults you will find them to have as much need of governors as any people for their commotions in Germany have been the death of one hundred and fifty thousands Portanus Catal. Heres and at any time if they got any peace or security even nature and reason leads them to set up a superior Lamb. Hort. p. 31. and so Iohn of Leyden was made King of Zion by themselves and one Cniperdolling and Tuscocuver false Prophets And beside we find the authority of Magistrates though heathens established by the Gospell Tit. 3.1 and Christians charged to pray for them 1 Tim. 2.1 and therefore certainly their office is lawfull since we must pray for them that we may live a godly and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty And therefore much more may Christians have and pray for their proper magistrates Psal 2. and Christian men may entertain the office of a magistrate and be not only subject to Christs scepter but also may be a great means to advance the Kingdome of Christ And though Christ say my Kingdome is not of this world yet he means only that his Kingdome is spirituall ruling in the hearts of men or glorious in heaven not on earth not by that speech intending that Kings should have no temporall government no more than he intends that Christians should have neither houses nor lands because the Foxes had holes and the birds had nests but he had not where to lay his head And what though Christ refused to be made a King so to be a Judge between brethren nor to condemn the woman taken in adultery yet those acts of Christ warrants no man to refuse magistracy For first Christ refused to be made a King because the Messiah Kingdome was not to be temporall and also because Iudea's Kingdome by Gods permission was swallowed by the Roman conquest and turned into provinces Likewise if he had accepted of it the people had no power to perform it but he had made himselfe and them guilty of sedition and so brought scandall upon the Gospell and the peoples lives to danger if not destruction Beside he came to be as a servant not a King and therefore in accepting Kingship he had overthrown his own design so he refused to judge between the two brethren Luke 12.13 because he was not called thereunto for saith he who made me a judge or a divider not but that it was a blessed office to make peace Mat. 5.9 and warrantable enough to end controversies in St Pauls judgement 1 Cor. 6.2 But Christ was not sent to that end and therefore refused to do it teaching us ministers especially to follow our calling and all men not to meddle in secular affairs without lawfull commission And again he refused to judge the woman taken in adultery
that Church should appertaine and in these successions continued of one and no more though the Presbyters were many Ignat. in Epist ad Antiochen Therefore Ignatius in his Epistles to divers Churches warneth the Laity to obey the Presbyters and Deacons and that the Presbyters feed the flock till God shew who shall be your Pastor after my death Thus they succeeded one another and alwaies in an higher degree than Presbyters for although at first the name Bishop and Presbyter was used indifferently one for the other while the Episcopall office remained in the Apostles and Evangelists yet when they succeeded Calv. Instit l. 4. c. 4. S. 4. Theodor. in cap. 3.1 Ep. ad Tim. that were neither Apostles nor Evangelists then the higher degree were called Bishops answering to the Apostles by which term Apostle the Bishops were first called as was Epaphroditus * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2.25 but afterward they left that title to the twelve Apostles and took the name of Bishops or overseers to themselves so verifying the prophecie in Psal 45.16 concerning the Church instead of thy fathers i. the Apostles that begat thee thou shalt have children even such as thou hast begotten i. ministers Hieron in Psal 45. Aug. in Psal 45. whom thou shalt make rulers i. Bishops saith St Jerom whom the Church hath placed in the seats of her fathers and to bring them back to the cels of the Presbyters hath been accounted no lesse then sacriledge and however men may count it Reformation to abolish that order I shal pray that they may not find it destruction to the Church Exact Synod Chalcedon de Photio Eustathio and lastly to themselves a curse Pro. 20.25 Mal. 3.9 Mathe. However they succeed the Apostles in ordination and corrections yet the Presbyters think not themselves inferiour and therefore not subject to them Phil. They ought not so to think but to be subject because God hath made them Fathers and Pastors and Christ cals them the seven stars in regard of their rule as the seven Planets do govern naturall bodies and Angels in respect of their intelligence they have with Christs mind which they are to convey to others This name Angels saith Austin was given to the Ruler of the Church of Ephesas Aug Epi. 162. So Auth. in 1 Cor. cap. 12. And Bullinger saith the heavenly Epistle was directed to the Angell i. the Pastour of the Church of Smyrna which was Polycarpus who was placed there by St John fifteen yeers before he wrote the Revelation By which may be gathered that these were chiefe in authority and that Presbyters and people were to take direction and reproofe from them for he is charged above the rest and therefore surely he had some power and authority above the rest these being the chief Priests Aug. in Psa 45 and Fathers of Christs Church and therefore are to be obâ—ied not only by the people but the Presbyters also as saith Jerom to Nepotian Hier. ad Nep. teaching the duty of a Presbyter Be subject to thy Bishop and reverence him as the father of thy soule and that Presbyter that doth not so Amb. offi lib. 2. cap. 24 Cyp l. 3. Ep. 14 he through pride swarveth from the right way And Cyprian blameth some Presbyters that without regard to the Bishop set over them do take upon them to do any thing but he threatens to suspend such from their ministry Ignat. ad Mag. Therefore Ignatius advised the Magnesians that as Christ did nothing without his Father so they should neither without their Bishop whether you be Presbyter Deacon or Lay man And he chargeth the Sarsonses thus Presbyters be subject to your Bishops Deacons to your Presbyters and Lay men to all My soule for theirs that observe this order the Lord will be alwaies with them This man lived neer enough to the Apostles time to know how the Church was then governed And by the Apostolicall Canons the Presbyters and Deacons are to do nothing without the consent of the Bishop Can. Apost 8. Concil Arelat 1. ca. 19. Hier advers Lucif for to his charge the people are committed no they are not to baptize without the Bishops leave saith Ierom and affirmeth that the safety of the Church dependeth thereupon not that Bishops usurped and took this power upon themselves but by the Apostolike tradition and example and afterward by the allowance of Emperours and lawes of States and Provinces and Synodall Canons none of which did allow any domineering in Bishops but gave them power over Presbyters and yet Presbyters leave to appeale from them if they thought themselves wronged to the neerest Bishops Concil African can 129. or to the Primate or to the next Synod Mathe. Whether may the people have the election of Pastors by Gods Word Phila. We find no such election in Gods Word Oâ—â—umen in 1 Tim. cap 4. By the commandement and appointment of the Holy Ghest were Bishops made as Timothy by prophecy Thâ— dâ— in 1 Tim. 1. i. by divine revelation say Theodore The phylact and Ambrose oâ— the first Epistle to Timothy Next they 〈…〉 se others as I have shewed you Afterward came in popular elections grounded upon humane society which in reason challengeth an approbation at least of those to whom they submit themselves and allow maintenance But yet even in this the people had only rather a proposall of one or approbation of one then an election of one for they had two waies to settle a Bishop the first by election Cyp. l. 1. Ep. 1. the second was by postulation the election was thus performed When a Bishops chair was void some Bishops that were neerest consulted to meet there at a certain day of which they gave notice to the people and Presbyters of that place who came on that day into the Church and three Bishops at least came also from the adjacent places and there observed whom the Clergy named and whom the people proposed and as all or most agreed so the man was chosen but another day fixed for his ordination In the mean time any objections might be made but if he were clear the Bishops made him Pastor of that Church But secondly if that City wanted an approved man then they desired the Bishop of the ancientest City called the Metropolis and he the Metropolitan to send them such an one as he approved which he did after himselfe and three other Bishops had tried him Thus also Presbyters were setled and ordained by the examination of the Bishop and testimony of the people Concil Cartha 3. Can. 22. Conc. Laodic Can. 23. yet the multitude must not elect those that were called to be Priests though they might present such as they thought fit But alwaies three Bishops at least ordained a Bishop and one Bishop a Presbyter Can. Apost ca. 1 2. This was the common order except when the people made tumults Eus l. 1.
c. 24. Evag. l. 2. c. 5. c. 8. as the Church histories tell us For which uprores the Emperour Justinian took away that power from the people and setled in the Governors of the City to propound three two Novella Consti 123. or one orthodox and holy man without partiality and the Bishops were to ordaine him and if in six months this was not done then the Metropolitan might settle one So that we may see that the peoples election was not founded on Gods command but upon the reason of humane government and was subject to the Lawes and Canons of Princes and Priests Dist 61. S. for the rule was that in the choice of Priests the people was not to be followed but taught and therefore their power may be forfeited and transferred to the superiour and therefore if the multitude have a right then the Magistrate much more And we find that election of Bishops by default abuse or petition hath devolved to the Prince being a Christian Therefore lest variance should arise as oftentimes it did about the choice of a Bishop Theodosius the Emperor commanded the Bishops then present with him to settle Proclus in the Episcopal chair before Maximianus successor to Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople was buried Pelagius being chosen Bishop of Rome without the Emperors consent was excused by Gregory Platina in Pelag 2. because the Town was besieged and no messenger could passe to the Emperor Greg. Ep. l. 1. c. 5. Dist 62. S. breviter which Gregory was by the Emperor chosen Bishop of Rome without popular votes The Canon Law in this case hath a good rule viz the people is to present the Clergy to elect the Prince to consent Mathe. How came this to Princes hands at first Phila. There were at first few great Princes Christians and so could have no right in this businesse of electing Bishops 2. Bishops though they had greater authority than Presbyters yet they had no endowment but from the common charity and therefore the people after the Apostles time might justly expect some hand in the choice of them and so they had For Fabianus the nineteenth Bishop of Rome was chosen by their full consent and so they generally had it till after Constantine the Emperour But we read of Theodosius the elder commands the Bishops to give him a catalogue of such whom they thought fit to be made Bishop of Constantinople Sozom. l. 7. They did and the Emperour chose Nectarius one not yet baptized and hardly known yet the Councill though he was neither chosen by Clergy nor people thought it their duty after that he was baptized to pronounce him Bishop of Constantinople And this power in Princes arose sometimes from the desire of the Clergy as when Valentinian willed the Bishops to elect a Bishop of Millane to succeed Auxentius the Synod praied him being wise and religious to chuse one So sometimes by reason of differences in the choice it hath been referred to the Emperour and sometimes in regard of favour the Emperour had shewed to them in recalling them from banishment building Cities and Churches for them and giving them endowments to those Churches whereby the people were the more eased and the Bishops more free in the exercise of their function And this was much like the right of patronage which was alwaies allowed and is still with us here in England But if we search antiquity we shall find Synods allowing this power to Princes viz. that no man shall be ordained Bishop without the King Conc. Aurel. 51. Greg. Turonici hist Fran. The Kings of France kept this power and so have our Kings of England to themselves neither suffering Clergy nor people to meddle in the choice but by roiall assent no not the Pope himselfe Henry the first of England sent the Pope word that he would not lose the investiture of his Churches Mat. Paris in Hen. 1. an 1103 for the losse of his Kingdome And no wonder if Emperours and Kings looked narrowly to this power of which as the Pope did strive to rob them on the one side so did the Presbytery on the other Therefore the Statute of Provisors of benefices Stat. Edw. 3. anno 25. Westmo provides cleerly for the King in electing Bishops or collating Bishopricks And this is no more then was allowed to those that founded Churches and gave maintenance to them viz. to present a Clerk for they gave the Church so did the King Ansegilus legum Franciae lib. 1. cap. 84. Statut. de Marlebride Novella Consti 123. cap. 18. but neither King nor patron did consecrate or ordain nor may any Bishop nor authority refuse such being men of good life and learning if they doe the Plea of Quare impedit lieth against them The same liberty was given of ancient times by the Councill of Toledo an 654. And the Roman Lawes determined the same throughout the Empire by all which you may perceive how Princes had the power of electing Bishops Mathe. But I have heard some holy Fathers and Councils to have been against receiving of Bishops from the Princes Palace Phila. It is true Epist Athan. ad solit vitam agentes Athanasius saith that there is no Canon that a Bishop should be sent out of the Palace But Athanasius speaketh of such as were sent from Constantius the Emperour and placed in the Churches by force of his souldiers which was an invasion of the Churches rites because they had no admission by the Bishops So it is true that the second Councill of Nice alledged a Canon Nic. Syn. 2. Can. 3. that all elections of Bishops Presbyters or Deacons made by the Magistrate are void because a Canon saith that if any Bishop obtaine a Church by the help of the secular magistrate let him be deposed and put from the Lords Table and those that communicate with him But this Councill did not deny power to the Emperor or Prince to nominate but to impose a Bishop by his own command against both the Metropolitan and other Bishops admittance and ordination Nic. Syn. 2. Can. 3. Conc. Paris Can. 8. who should properly admit and ordaine them So the Council of Paris will have no Bishop imposed upon the people with the other Bishops leave viz. the Metropolitan and his Com-provincials for if any such were no man should accept him for Bishop And this was decreed long before in the Apostles Canons saying Can. Apost 30. If any Bishop resting on worldly governors by their help obtain a Church let him be deposed and excommunicated and all that join with him Mathe. How did the Bishops govern the Church Phila. They followed the Apostles rule namely to order their speciall congregations by their own singular power but in a matter wherein the whole Church was interessed they governed by Synods and Councils as the Apostles did also Acts 15. which Councils they at first before there was a Christian Magistrate called by
since they are not of perpetuity Chem. Exam. part 1. p. 25. but have been alwaies changeable as we know at first in the Primitive time the people stood up at praier every Lords day from Easter to Whitsontide to argue their belief of Christs resurrection which is not now enjoin'd or used So the French prophecie or preach with their heads covered to shew their dominion of teaching their people are uncovered to shew their subjection to his doctrin which is contrary to the Apostles order to the Corinthians All ceremonies are not so fit for all times the Church hath liberty to settle or abrogate them as shee seeth cause which liberty no wise man ever denied the Church but holdeth significant ceremonies to be profitable for the people Calv. opusc p. 344. Calv. instit lib. 4. cap. 10. Chem. Exam. part 4. tract de Imag. p. 13. Zeppe Leg. Mos l. 4. c. p. 312 Juni cont lib. 4. p. 283. Chem. Exam. part 2. p. 32. so that such a mean be kept that Christ be illustrated not obscured I beleeve upon this ground it is that Luther Chemnitius and Calvin allow of pictures in the Church done by way of historicall narration both for ornament and remembrance without any superstition So Holydaies are and may be celebrated in remembrance of some speciall benefit received from God about that time or by some eminent person that he hath emploied for the Churches good And indeed none of these things were thought superstitious till opinion of merit and of efficacious operation was annexed to them But to conclude if ceremonies of humane institution being significant to some duty which Gods worship requireth be unlawfull I see not but men may refuse to take a lawfull oath because ones laying their hand on the book and kissing it Deut. 6.13 signifieth a worshipping God the author of that book in taking the oath and that one doth aver the truth of his conscience towards man as well as his faith towards God in so doing Nor can a man keep the Lords day religiously if it be not a mystical and significant sign to him of the resurrection of Christ past Heb. 4.9 and of our spiritual rest from sin of that eternal rest which is promised to the people of God Nor do I see how people can have any religious respect to Churches if they take them not as signs or shadowes of the celestiall Temple Zanch. de Redemp l. 1. tract de tempt col 703. where the spirits of the faithfull are collected together praising the Lord. Nor can we keep any festivall without casting an eie upon what it relates to in his signification And truly if ceremonies had no signification they were the more fit to be cast out of the Church as unprofitable and as such as the Papists use that want sign and sense Mathe. But having been superstitiously abused they ought rather to be abolished then used in the Church services Phila. Yet in Josh 6.19 the spoile of Jericho is commanded by Joshua to be brought into Gods treasury And Gideon was commanded to take the wood of the idolatrous grove and offer sacrifice Judg. 6.26 We find also that those things which the Jewes abused was continued by godly men Bishops of Jerusalem in the Primitive times as Circumcision though not as a Sacrament but as a sign to shew they came of the line of Abraham So the Feast of Easter was kept by many reverend and worthy Bishops and Martyrs before the Councill of Nice on the same manner and day as did the Jewes but not with the same end as the Jewes did So the Councill of Nice did not abolish the feast of Easter but changed it into the Lords day So the Papists have abused the Lords Supper by erroneous opinions and idolatrous adorations of it which sheweth many good things may be abused and yet are not therefore to be disused this were to deny the use of the Sun because Absalom lay with his fathers concubins in the open light Surely a ceremony washed from superstitious dirt may be used in the Church by mutation or correction Clem. Exam. p. 34. c. 1. Zanc. de Red. in 4. precept p. 678. without utter abscission for they being thus purged are sanctified to holy use And so the Church of England only retained three the Surplice to warn the Minister of purity the Crosse to warn Christians of constancy and kneeling to admonish communicants of humility We know the Papists have abused these and others to superstition but abuse makes nothing evill which is not evill in it selfe And therefore the best reformed Divines have concluded even as ancient fathers have done before them who did not demolish all that was dedicated to idolatrie Calv. opuscul tracb de vitand superst p. 78. but converted them to better use So neither doth Mr Calvin approve of that morosity in men who because some ceremonies of the Papists may not be observed therefore none may yea some non Conformists have written that though the Papists have dedicated Churches to idolatry yet there being a good use for them among us they may be retained as also Popish vestments may be altered and make ornaments for the Church And surely they say well in that and it were good if the rest would not wrest away the liberty of the Church in such things which may make a lawfull use of indifferent ceremonies for conveniency without offence to God Mathe. But yet they are offensive to many good men and therefore to be left off Phila. First we must consider whether they be offensive in themselves or made offensive by the intention of the Church Theo. l. 3. c. 16. as Julian the Apostate set up his image in the Market place among the images of the heathen gods that he that gave eivill respect to his image might be thought also to do honour to them or if they did no respect then they might seem to despise both the gods and the Emperour So he set an Altar neer his throne with a fire upon it and incense upon a table Sozo l. 3. c. 17. and all Officers of his army that came to receive his largesse of gold did first cast some incense into the fire by which many were scandalized or caused to stumble So he caused all the fountains in the region of Antioch to be dedicated to the heathen goddesses and all the meat in the Market to be sprinkled with heathenish holy water yet the Christians were so wise as not to avoid their drink and meat knowing that to the clean all things are clean Tit. 1.15 and also bought what was sold and made no scruple as 1 Cor. 10.25 Then next we must consider whether the offence arises not from our own ignorance and weaknesse and so we be not straitned by the Church but in our own bowels and so like little children that complain their cloaths are to little when their bellies are too full The offence
they would have given him other titles than they did Pius 2. Ep. 301. as might become one of so high degree This swelling title of head of the Church and Christs Vicar and Universall Bishop was a forerunning signe of Antichrist as said Gregory the great who was Pope in his seventh Book Greg. M. lib. 4. Ep. 36. and Epist 39. to Mauritius the Emperor and therefore he much declined and waved such titles Mathe. I pray what think you of Antichrist what or who is he Phila. You know St John tels you there were many Antichrists in his time 1 John 2.18 that is some that were contrary to the Gospell of Christ in faith or manners or both Jerom. in Mat. 24. Some account all the heads of Heresies to be Antichrists Others say that they be such as overthrow all good manners and so one describes the state of the Church of Rome saying that the Princes and Judges are the beasts seale Papa Honorius in dial de libero arbit the Clergy his pavilion the Monasteries his Tabernacle the Nunneries his bedchamber and the people to bear his image This he spake of the second Beast Rev. 13.11 And Bernard the Abbot saith plainly Bern. ad Gaufrid Lorat Epi. 125. who writ about 546 years since that the Beast in the Revelation to whom a mouth is given speaking blasphemies is he that sits in Peters chair The other Beast is more subtle as this is cruell yet both joine against Christ So many other conclude the Pope and Papacy to be that man of sin and son of perdition that hath laied an opposite foundation to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Thes 2.3 4. politickly pretending Christian profession and yet overturning his truth Indeed if one would be lead by Chronograms or the numerall letters in the word Lateinos Pet. Mart. in 2 Reg. 4. Iren. l. 5. c. 25. or Ecclesia Italica or in the Hebrew word Romiith or in Maometis one may find the number of the Beast Rev. 13.18 which is 666. about which time after Christ the Pope was made supreme and universall Bishop in the West and Mahomet chiefe Prophet in the East And though I will not build my faith on numbers in names nor do I think that all names be imposed inevitably by the influence of the stars yet this is not altogether to be despised since Nimrods name included his nature i. an apostate rebell and Cyrus his name in Hebrew was like himselfe wh was an head to the people and in the Persian language a glorious Sun This Antichristianity is called the mysterie of iniquity 2 Thes 2.7 for it is a secret wickednesse in the name and nature of it for Antichrist may signifie one that is a vicegerent for Christ As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a Deputy or a Lievetenant for him and thus the Pope would be thought Christs Vicar because he sitteth in the Temple of God or a part of the Church visible corrupted and exalts himselfe above all earthly power that hath given to it the title of God or Lord and shewing himselfe as God 2 Thes 2.4 both in placing and displacing Kings and forgiving sins So is the nature of his doctrine opposed to Christ very subtilly namely because faith must appear by works therefore to set up works to justifie our persons which works the popish writers call also the works of faith not of the law though they be but works of mens inventions and so they prefer works before the formall righteousnesse of Christ imputed to man for justification Mahomet speaks also very well of Christ but he enjoins externall works of his own collection by which men must be saved So the Pope and Mahomet join in one against Christ in this and also in holding that the holy Scriptures are not sufficient for salvation but their canons and rules of obedience have more attributed to them for performance then the obedience of faith which devices are like the locusts that came out of the bottomlesse pit of their inventions Rev. 9. having the face of a reasonable creature but a scorpions sting which gives no rest to the soule but poisons it yet if hue and cry were made after the Pope and Mahomet a man might justly stop the Pope upon suspicion of being the more proper Antichrist for these reasons First because the name of Antichrist agreeth most properly to him and his seat yea all the descriptions of Antichrist in Scripture doth so likewise But by the Pope we mean not every Bishop of Rome from the Primitive times for many of them were Confessors and Martyrs till the time of Sylvester neither was Antichrist discovered much till Boniface the third took from the Emperor Phocas the name of Universall Bishop and his See of Rome to be called the supreme head of all Churches After this we find in the Pope and Church of Rome all the marks of Antichrist for he sets in the Temple of God like an Hornet in a Bee hive driving out the labouring Bees and devouring their hony The popish writers make this an argument of their Church being the true Church and Temple of God because Antichrist sits there It is true that they have the name and shew of a Church Christian but have neither true Doctrine nor Sacraments in their simplicity as the Scripture sets them forth and hath delivered them to the Church so that they have only the name of a Church as Sardis had that she was living but indeed was dead Rev. 3.1 And in this Church Antichrist sitteth as a usurping Tyrant over Gods ordinances abusing them and changing them at his pleasure and over all authority Ecclesiasticall and Civill that beareth any similitude of Elohim even as St Paul foretold 2 Thes 2.3 4. And this may be proved from their own writers some of them saying that it is not lawfull for any man to reprove what the Pope approves for all men ought to be judged by him Zodericus Zamorra lib. 2. cap. 1. but he by none and that he hath all power in heaven and earth so assuming to himselfe the right of Christ as well as his title King of Kings and Lord of Lords which made him so bold as to let Emperors kisse his feet Alexand. pap 3 and to set his foot upon the neck of the Emperor Frederick abusing the 91 Psalm saying thou shalt tread upon the Lion and the Dragon as also Pius the fift did when he deposed Queen Elizabeth abused Jer. 1.10 Behold I have appointed thee this day over Nations and Kingdomes Beside is not he right Antichrist that arrogates to himselfe power over Gods word and his law and saith Gratia in gloss that he can dispense with the law of nature and contrary to the Apostles and therefore hath dispensed with Princes to marry their brothers wives which St John Baptist would not allow to Herod and make parricides saints and forgives sins to