will bee hardly any scraps left for poore Lazarus seeing all is too little to furnish the table to pamper the backe and the belly for the seruice of sinne and Sathan Then if this pride be spread through the Citie and through the land what may we expect but greater plagues to come vpon vs If any man will put me to prooue it that it is to bee sound he shall pardon me I will adde no light to the sunne because if a man doe but looke thorow the Citie in euery place in euery familie in euery man and woman in euery Church and assemblie he shall see how the pride of Israel and of England doth testifie it to her face Now to these I will adde this speciall one 2. Chron. 36.16.17 where was a sinne that brought the wrath of God vpon the prople without remedie which was that they misused the messengers of God despised the word of God mocked the Prophets of God therefore the Lord gaue them into the hands of the Galdeans who slowe their young men with the word and spared neither young man nor virgine auncient nor aged And are not these rhinges thus with vs were euer the ministers of God in more contempt Nay are they not all in extreame contempt either justly or vniustlie whether such as doe conforme themselues according to the custome of the Church and will of his maiestie or they who refuse Whether such as bee gluttous or drinkers of wine and friends of publicans sinners as they falsly said of Christ or they be of an honester life and cariage comming neither cating nor drinking as Iohn whether they be either negligent and idle in their places and will hardly preach in any season but vnsauourly or they be diligent and painfull preaching in season and out of season whether they be plaine dealing Amoses or slattring Amaziahs all are in contempt some of one and some of another Is there thē any remedie but that heauier wrath must come vppon vs then yet any wee haue felt Ezech. 22. When the Lord had reckoned vp many sinnes which were in that people Hee saith I haue smitten my hands vpō thy couetousnes A similitude from those who incourage dogs to pull downe and deuour shewing with what desire and earnestnes he would contend with them and bring iudgements vpon them if such sinnes be found among vs not lessoned but increased since the height of our plague that crueltie and blood bee in our streets as verse 7.8 c. In thee haue they despised Father and Mother in the middest of thee haue they opposed the strangers in thee haue they vexed the fatherlesse and the widdow Thou hast despised my holy things and hast polluted my Sabboaths c. What can wee expect but the Lord should clappe his hands vpon our couetousnesse and bring a fresh and sierce reply of some fearefull iudgement To conclude this with a speech of Chrysost in his 5. Homilie to the people of Antioch after the Emperours wrath was asswadged towards that Citie Chrysost Ho. 5. 2d Pop. Ant. he said We haue made a happie change yet this I dare say if you reforme not your corruptions and sinnes though this cloude be ouer we shall see and suffer worse things for I haue euer beene more afraide of your security then of the Emperours wrath So say I wee haue a happy change in respect how it was with vs this time three yeres a happie change in respect of that which our cruell and bloody papists did designe vs vnto this time twelue-moneth But this I dare say If we doe not reforme our corruptions and manners though this cloud bee ouer yet we shall see and suffer more fearefull things for whatsoeuer other mens opinions are for my part I haue euer feared more the the securitie of the land then the wrath of God because the wrath of God if we were not secure were to be expiated and appeased by our repentaunce and turning vnto him but we being secure and setled vpon the dregs of our sinnes there is no hope that the wrath of God should bee remooued but that he should doe to vs as is spoken heere Cut off head and taile c. and that these should bee but the beginning of sorrows Vse 2 Secondly Psal 42.1.9 here is instruction for all christian magistrates who are called Gods and are so by their office and the communication of power and authoritie that they deale thus with wicked and obstinate malefactors when their lenitie or their smaller corrections will not make them relinquish the former corruptions and returne to better manners they ought to take them in hand and to vse more seueritie and sharpnes towards them amongst many I would presse this concerning one kind of offendors who are the greatest enemies of the kingdome of Christ the grossest idolaters of all the kingdomes of the world and the most pestilent enemies of this kingdome and state I meane our seducing and seduced papists In whom I rather instance because this day reuiues the memorie of their cruell designement seeing they purposed that it should haue beene the last day when any should haue spoken against them out of this place pretending they meant to to be the Lords executioners of this iudgement here set downe by the Prophet when they intended indeede to haue bin the diuels instruments to haue cut off from Jrael from England head and taile braunch and rush in one day Concerning these I say when neither lenitie of the state nor smaller meanes and mildenes will serue to reduce them from their heresies and Idolatries to make them conformable to the lawes of God and the land there ought now more seuerity to be vsed Psal 119 126. And as Dauid said to God It is 〈◊〉 for thee Lord to lay too thy hand for they have destroyed thy law So it is time for you gods to lay to your hands else they will destroy both the law and the land That such may and ought to be seuerely dealt with especially such as are seducers and obstinate I thinke no man will put mee to prooue neither doe I intend it being that which I once manifested out of this place since which the whole state in the honourable court of Parliament haue manifested their perswasion of the truth of this point else why haue they enacted established and confirmed more seuere yet most iust lawes against them for the execution of these lawes it is that I nowe speake and do vrge vpon this grounde that if you loue them if you loue the Church and truth if you loue your selues and the State do not the worke of God of the king negligently I say if you loue thē you must execute for if that be true of Hierom. Ille haereticum interficit c. he killes an hereticke who suffers him to be an hereticke Cont. Pelag lib. 3. c. 6. but a iust punishment of them is the quickning and putting life into them that dying to
this glorious and fearefull name the Lord thy God then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy seede euen great plagues and of long continuance moreouer he will bring vpon thee all the diseasâ—s of Egypt whereof thou wast afraid and euery sickenesse and euery plague that is written in this booke of this 〈◊〉 wil the Lord heape vpon thee till thou bee destroyed Levit. 26.21.22 23 24. Like to this is that in Leuiticus 26. where the Lord saith If you walke stubbornly against me and will not obey me I will then bring seauâ—n times more plagues vpon you according to your sinnes I will send wild beasts vpon you which shall spoyle you and destroy your carttell and make you fâ—we in number yet if by these you will not bee reformed by me but walke stubbornely against me then will I also walke stubbornelie against you and I will smite you yet seauen times more for your sinnes This also made the Prophet Esay in this chapter to repeate three times these words For all this the wrath of the Lord is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still as in the 12.17 and 21. verses And in the Gospel our Sauiour Christ said to the man that had beene sicke 38. 〈◊〉 5.14 yeares Goe thy way sinne no more least a worse thing happen vnto thee Out of which places it is apparant that the Lord brings heauier greater plagues vpon men Reason 1 when they profit not by lesser The reason of this is because there is neither equitie nor right in it that the Lord should go away as ouercome with the stubbornnesse and obstinacie of the people That were as if a Prince hauing a rebell standing out against him and beeing norable with a fewe to subdue him should giue ouer gather no more forces against him which to him were too much indignitie and dishonor So no reason the Lord giue ouer his armes til his rebells are brought in 2. Sam. 20.22 As Ioah would not giue ouer his siege against Abell till hee had the head of Sheba throwne ouer the wall So the Lord will not giue ouer his siedge against men till hee haue the heads of their sinnes cut off and cast away The second reason is that as it is a dishonour to God Reason 2 so it would be daungerous to men whom he should spare because if that be true in Ecclesiastes 8.11 Because sentence is deferred and not executed speedily therefore the harts of the children of men are fully set to doe euill Eel 8.11 If deferring of a sentence doe harden men in their sins then much more if God should remooue his iudgements and not renew them againe therefore lest he should harden them he will vndoubtedly renew them that he may reclaime them Thirdly the Lord must doe it Reason 3 whether he deale with his owne or with those that are none of his with his owne to cure them or the other to destroy them for so is the practise of Physitians and Chirurgians if they meere with a body harde to worke vpon and a setled disease they double the doses of their medicines and vse more violent meanes So the Lord will deale with his owne when he sindes them obstinate but if they be not his owne then must he doe it that he may shew his power that hee is able to abate and destroy whosoeuer stands out against him for these reasos or the like it is that the Lord wheÌ„ he deales with obstinate men if lesse afflictions doe them no good he will bring greater and heauier plagues vpon them now hence doe arise many seuerall godly considerations and vses First Vse 1 this may make vs to feare nay bee assured of it that though God hath for the most part freed the land from this deuouring plagues Euen from the pestilence that walketh in the darknesse and the plagues that destroyeth at noone day Psal 91.6 saue that he hath a little returned to this Citie where he begunne yet are there more heauie and fearefull plagues and iudgements at our dores readie to breake in vpon vs for this that is here said is true and as it were spoken to vs by Esay For this is yet the state of the Citie refractary and obstinate as if they had conspired against God that doe what hee will they will still bee alwayes the same wicked as they have beene I speake generally for I doubt not but some fewe haue well profited by it Hosea 4.1 The Lord hath had a controuersie with the inhabitants of this Citie and he hath followed it hard almost for the space of these foure yeres But why did he thus trouble vs complained he without cause No assuredly For will a Lyon roare in the forrest when he hath no prey Amos. 3.4 For those sinnes which made him contende with Israel haue beene the cause of his controuersie with vs Cap. 41. Hosea saith the Lord had a controuersie with the inhabitants of the Land because there was no truth nor merey nor knowledge of God in the land by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they breake forth and blood toucheth bloud There is no man who dare deny these least he reprooue the Lord for conteÌ„ding causeleslie but some will say indeede these sinnes were amongst vs but since so many of vs fell the last plague we are fallen from them I would to God it were so then might we well hope the controuersie would end and that God would remooue his plagues from vs and renew them no more but alas who seeth not the contrary when that in Ieremie may well be verified of vs that the bellowes are burnt Ier. 6.2.29 the lead is consumed and the founder hath melted in vaine for the wicked are not taken away How should we then not feare greater iudgements But to goe a little further there are foure sinnes which brought the iudgements of God vpon Sodome first and after vpon Israel and made the Lord take away that people at his pleasure and sweepe them away as the dust of the earth and they were Pride Idlenesse fâ—lues of bread and contempt of the poore which sinnes in this land and in this Citre haue 〈◊〉 the cause why God hath swept away so many thousands of vs. And if these sinnes be still in the land and not remooued what hope is there but that there are more fearefull plagues hanging ouer our heads These soure sinnes are the begetters one of another Pride commonly begetts idlenes Pride and Idlenes hegette Fullnesse of bread for that is one part of Pride to haue a table richly deckt and furnished and whereas labour would bee satisfied with a little yet idlenesse is a deuourer now pride idlenesse and fullnesse of bread breede Contempt of the poore for where these are there can be little reliefe for them For if the rich man fare deliciously euery day and goe in purple and fine linnen there
limmit of the time vvill not suffer me to run through all The dependaunce of these vvords vpon the former is thus Coherence In this chapter are contained tvvo things First comfort and consolation to the godly from the first verse to the eighteenth Secondly iudgement and threatnings menaced against the vvicked and obstinate from the eight verse to the end but so as before he threatens the rod he tells them in the eight verse that he had sent his word vnto Iacob and it had lighted vpon Israel and hauing called them by his vvord and they vvould not be gathered and hauing indeuoured to bring them in order and they vvould not be reformed then according to that in the prophet Heare the rod and who hath appointed it Mich. 6 9. In the eleuenth and tvvelue verses of this chapter the Prophet threatens a heauie and grieuous iudgement that God should bring vpon them an enemie that should deuoure them vvith open mouth and because they profitted not by that iudgement he saith in the tvvelue verse The wrath of the Lord is not turned away but his hand is stretched out still the reason of it is giuen in the 13. verse and iusinuated in the 14. verse because the people haue not returned to the Lord that sinit them neither doe they seeke the Lord of hastes therefore he will cut off head and taile branch and rush c. Herein vve may obserue 2. things 1. the denouncing a Iudgement 2. the causes vvhy the Lord vvould bring it vpon them In the iudgement are 2. things to be considered 1. the generalitie of it 2. the impartialitie of it The generalitie because the Lord vvil cut off head and taile The impartialitie is double 1. because he vvill as vvell smite the head as the taile the braunche as the rush the great as the small 2. because hee vvill principallie smite the heads as those that vvere the cause of all the corruptions that vvere in the body The 2. is the causes and they are 2. First is general because the people had not profited by former iudgements and lesse afflictions therefore they should haue a 2. and 3. vvoe in the first vvord Therefore The 2. is a particular cause in the 16. verse because the leaders of the people caused them to câ—re and the people vvere content to bee misled by them therefore shall they bee deuoured all together So much for the coherence and diuision of the vvords And novv for the meaning of the vvords Therefore the Lord will cut off c. That is because the people haue not benefited by the former iudgements and afflictions to turne to God by repentance many of them onely seeking the Lord by mourning and fasting and sackcloth in outward show which is but as much as hipocrites may doe but fewe or none of them were sound to forsake their sinnes and turne to God by true repentance therfore saith the Lord I wil cut off head and taile c. The iudgement is God will cut off and destroy with a generall iudgement and consusion the whole state and the whole land for this sinne For to imagine as some do that the magistrate is called here the head because the head is the seate of sense and beginning of motion I take it it is besides the intent of the Prophet in this place and that he meerely intendes to note a generall consasion and plague that should spread ouer the whole body from the toppe of the head to the sole of the foote and 〈◊〉 one should be spared And not onely so but as it is saul that his iudgements are generall so they should be without partialitie God would out off as well the head as the taile the weake and feeble rush that hangs downe the head the stronge braunche that is high and mightie and therefore in the 15. verse hee tells vs whom hee meanes by head and whom by taile The head is the auncient and honourable and the taile is the Prophet that teacheth lyes Here is another part of Gods impartialitie obserued whereas the magistrate and the minister were the cause of the corruptions and cuill manners of the people therefore the Lord will smite them both and because these too conspired together the magistrate deceiued by the false Prophets slattering and fauning vpon him telling him of his insinite maiestie his absolute greatnesse and power to doe what hee list where he list and punish whom he list and being so perswaded by him because of his power he thinkes any thing is lawfull for him to doe and on the other side the lying Prophet because he had gotten fauour and countenance with the magistrate he thought that he should settle his neast so sure that he should haue no hurt whatsoeuer came thus saith the Lord because they haue agreed together the one to deceiue and the other to be deceiued herefore they shal be destroyed both together The leaders of my people cause them to erre c. Here is the particular reason why God would destroy them because there was deceiuers amongst them and they were willing to be deceiued as if he should say I set ministers ouer my people that they should lead them and teach them in the right way that they should learne knowledge out of the word and then teach it to others and teach them what they ought to doe and reprooue them when they doe that which is not fit and which they ought not to doe but on the other side they haue set their faces to get the applause and liking of the people preach onely pleasing and foothing things to please the care onely to get fauour and a name they therefore haue caused the people to erre and they that were lead by them are willing to be seduced therefore they shall bee deuoured together so much for the meaning of the words Therefore will the Lord cut off from Israel c. The first thing is the generall cause of the iudgement that should come vpon this people which was because they had not sought the Lord nor turned to him nor profited by their former afflictions There the Lord would cut them off Doct. 1 The first thing that wee learne in these words is that this is the dealing of God with an obstinate and gaine-saying people when they doe not benefite by former and lesse iudgements that he layes vpon them to bring heauier and more fearefull plagues vpon them this is manifest euery-where in the word of God as Deut. 28. Deut. 28.45 Chapter and in verse 45. after the Lord had threatened a great many plagues against his people hee saith further that if this should doe them no good then All these curses shall come vpon thee and ouertake thee to destroy thee because thou obeyest not the voyce of the Lord thy God And in verse 58. c. The Lord saith If thou wilt not obey and doe al the words of this law that are written in this booke and feare
and oppression vsurie iniustice adulterie theft and such like and giue themselues to practise sobrietie to refraine their tongues to honour the Sabbothes and holy things to followe chastitie to be iust and faithfull to seek iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defend the widow then as Esay saith of sinnes Isay 1.18 though your sinne were as crimsin they shal be made white as snow c. So for the punishments of them if they were neuer so great he wil remoue them and the euill that is feared shall not come as Chrisost vrged the people of Antioch with the example of the barbarous Niniuitos Hom. 5. Quomodo non admirabile What an admirable thing is it saith he That when the Iudge had pronounced sentence the guiltie persons should by repentance dissolue it they did not flee out of the Citie as we now doe but abiding at home did disannull the sentence they heard their houses should fall vpon their heads but they did flee from their sinnes none of them did forsake his owne house as wee doe now but euery one departed from his wicked way They said not the walles haue brought and begotten this anger wee who are authors of this wound let vs prepare the medicine therefore they trusted not for safetie to the change of place but to the change and mutation of their maners These things the Barbarians did and are not wee ashamed to doe the contrary If any of vs were angry with his seruant and he should not seeke to appease our anger but get him into his chamber and begin to gather his clothes and stuffe together and make a packe of them and prepare to flee away would wee easily beare this contempt And shall wee thinke God will take it at our hands Let vs then imitate the Niniuites Ionah 3.9 who vpon vneertainties repented for all they had was but this Who can tell whether God will turne and repent and turne away from his sierce wrath that wee perish not For they knew not the law and the Prophets but wee haue a certaintie namely a most sure word euen the certaine promises of God Let vs as we haue more incouragements then they turne to God But to conclude this poynt I would say as the Prophet Gad said to Dauid when hee had deliuered Gods fearefull message vnto him touching the choyee of his plague Wilt thou that seuen yeares famine come vpon thee in thy land Or wilt thou flee three monethes before thine enemies 2. Sam. 24.13 they following thee Or that there bee three daies pestilence in thy land Now aduise thee and see what answere I shall giue to him that sent me So say I aduise your selues and see what aunswere I shall giue to him that sent mee Let mee not say that you will not returne for that is not profitable for you nor ioyfull newes for me to carie But if I shall say to God you will returne then as Moses said Ezod 8.29 Let not Pharaoh deceiue any more So let not Englād deceiue any more For Be not deceiued God is not mocked Gal. 6.7 for whatsoeuer a man sowes that shall he reape He that sowes repentance shall reape mercie and he that sowes obstinacie and hardnes of heart shall reape confusion for God shall multiply his plagues still vpon him and his wrath shall not be turned away but his hand shall bee stretched out still So much may suffice for the generall cause of this threatened iudgement In the next place as they are here placed by the Prophet followeth the iudgement it selfe Whereof I haue many things to speake but the time passing so fast and being much spent alreadie I shall bee forced to imitate cunning painters who hauing in a great story many pictures to expresse in a little table onely draw the chiefest and most principall at large and in their full proportions the rest they expresse by the heads and the halues onely So I shall bee constrained to touch many things briefly that I may handle the chiefest more fully then by the halues that I may follow these somewhat at the full The next thing then which is to bee handled is the generalitie of the iudgemēt in these words The Lord will cut off head and taile braunch and rush Whence for our instruction I obserue this point This is the dealing of God when he commeth to visite Doct. 2 Where he findeth sinne generally spreade ouer all then will he bring a generall iudgement vpon all this is manifest through the scriptures when sinne grewe generall in the world Gen. 6.5.7 and the Imaginations of mans hart was only euill continually then the Lord brought a general deluge of water and destroyed all saue Noe his family Gen. 1 8. when sinne couered Sodome Gomorrah and the fiue Citties about it so that not ten good men could be found in all those Cities there came a common fire from heauen and destroyed all when sinne in the daies of Dauid couered the people and Dauid left to his owne corruption numbered the people 2. King 21.12.13 and prouoked the Lord there came a common plague vpon them from Dan to Bersheba Also when Manasses and the people corrupted themselues with Idolatrie the Lord threatēs he would bring a cōmō plague vpon them that he would stretch ouer them the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab and would wipe Ierusalem as a man would wipe a dish and turneth it vpside downe by al these it is manifest that where sinne is general there Gods iudgements shall be generall The reason of this is Reason 1 First because Iustice requireth alwaies a proportion betwixt the sin and the punishment that both in the weight and greatnes of it and in the length and extent of it when the sinnes are great and crying sinnes the punishments must be great and heauie plagues so when they are generally spread ouer all proportiō requireth the iudgments also should be generall Secondly because by this Reason 2 God may manifest and magnifie his power for as it shewes his power to saue with fewe as well as with many 1. Sam. 14.6 so to destroy many as well as fewe though Dauid spared Ioab because he was weake and but newly anoynted King and the sonnes of Seruia were too strong for him 2. Sam. 3.39 yet God is King from euerlasting yea none is too strong for him but as well when hand ioyneth in hand the wicked shall not be vnpunished as when they are single Now vpon this ground and from hence may I teach our earthly gods that seeing the heauenly God will deale thus Vse 1 So ought our earthly gods to imitate not to suffer vnpunished nor to tollerate any iniquitie or any workers of iniquity because of the multitude or that many are wrapped in the same sinne especially when they are not so many but their power is able to deale with them without preiudice to the
enemies who compose themselues to their countenances and seeke not to frame them to the lawes of God who are like to some pictures that will looke on a man which way soeuer hee looke on the right haÌ„d or on the left before him or aside of him The Lord keepe all Christian Kings from such enemies And easie were it for them to be freed of them if they would countenance those that would deale plainely with them with discretion Prou. 25.23 and discountenance all such smoothers and flatterers For theÌ„ as the North-winde driueth away the raine so would an angry couÌ„tenance the slandering tong yea the flattering tongue I suppose that Alexander was a long time after free from flatterers when as Aristobulus hauing read vnto him many things that he had writ of him surpassing the truth as the was passing the riuer Hydaspis he tooke the booke from him and threwe it into the riuer and said hee was almost mooued to doe so with Aristobulus himselfe for his seruile dealing with such kind of entertainment they might easily rid theÌ„selues of such destroying flatterers least they be forced to say as Adrian the Emperour when he was a dying hauing delighted in Physitians all his life who administred nothing but pleasing things vnto him said that too many Physitians had killed the Emperor so too many flatterers haue caused their destruction Secondly ministers may learnes Vse 2 as they loue themselues to deale faithfully and to bee as the Cherubines vnto the mercie seate thither they looked and thence they gaue their aunsweres and not to be partiall in the law Mal. 2.11 least God cause them to bee despised and in the end destroy them as here is threatned They may liue in a time when such prophets as will speake of wine and strong drinke Mich. 2.11 and pleasing things shall be most desired and among such as are like those in Esay Isa 30.10 which say vnto the seers see not and to the Prophets prophecie not vnto vs right things but speake flattering things vnto vs prophecie errors and such as will tell them if they deale faithfully as Balacke told Balaam I thought surely to promote thee to honour but the Lord hath kept thee backe from honour Numb 24.11 And so it proues that this is the way to earthly honour preferment and liuing for a season and a little while but the Lord threatned it shall not prosper long with them he can in a night take all from them as he did Ionas his gourd But if they enioy it longer it is but for a while Iob. 17.5 for the eyes of his children shall faile that speaketh flattery to his friends But if no such thing happen to them in this life what haue they gained to gaine the whole world to get all honour and preferment and lose their owne soules and to answere for so many soules as haue perished through their vnfaithfulnes For what can they answere when God shall come to iudge will they pretend the greatnes of those whom they indeuoured so to please certainly it will not benefit them Hom. 28. ad pop Antio Chrysostome when he had spoken somewhat which seemed to offend the rich and mighty of his audience spake to theÌ„ thus Ne quis miht diues c. Let no rich man nor no great or powerful man swell against me or knit his browes at me I account of all these as fables shaddowes and dreames for none of those that are present shall be able to defend me at that day when I shall be challenged and reprooued for not deliuering the lawe of God with sufficient sharpnes 1. Sam. 2.4 this was euen this was the ruine of that admirable olde man who himselfe liued a blameles life it destroyed him with his sonnes what then can any flattring Amaziahs or fawning Zedkiahs expect that any mans greatnes should excuse them it will not defend themselues how then their flatterers nay as is said before they then shal haue none of their greatnes to defend themselues or helpe others Now in the 16. verse followeth the particular cause of the iudgement which is the gouernours and Ministers misleading of the people making them to erre whence it must needs be that they themselues erred and teached errors Whence I gather this That the gouerners rulers Ministers of a particular visible Church Doctri 5 may erre in matters of faith and manners doctrine and life which is manifest through the whole booke of the Scriptures First these things were foretolde for howsoeuer the people made a bragge Come let vs imagine some deuice against Ieremiah Ier. 18.18 for the law shal not perish fro the priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophets Yet the Lord he threateneth it shuld come to passe cleane contrary Ezek. 7.26 as it is said in Ezek. Calamitie shal come vpon calamitie rumour shal be vpoÌ„ rumor then shal they â—â—â—ke a vision of the Prophet but the law shal perish 〈◊〉 the Priest counsel from the auncient and Micha 3.6 Therefore night shall be vnto you for a vision Mich. 3.6 and darknesse shall be vnto you for a diuination and the sunne shall goe downe ouer the Prophets and the day shall be darke ouer them Secondly it is manifest by that which is in Esay The watch men are all blâ—â—â—… they be asleepe Esay 6.10 and delight in sleeping and by that in Ieremie I haue seene foolisimesse Ier. 23.13 in the Prophets of Samariah c. If the exception be that this was Israel and not Iuda then see that which followeth I haue also seene filthinesse in the Prophets of Ierusalem If it be said Verse 14.16 that these are prophets and not priests Thirdly I manifest it by the euent All the chiese of the priests also and of the people trespassed wonderfully 2. Chron. 36.14 according to all the abominations of the heathen and polluted the house of the Lord which hee had sanctified in Ierusalem And if it be said that this was in the Synagogue not in the christian church as they absurdly speake that all the cheise of the priests and of the people trespassed c. We will follow them whither they call vs and see the Apostles how they erred when Christ spake vnto them of his sufferings in Luke Luk. 18.34 it is said They vnderstood none of these things and this saying was hid from them neither perceiued they the things which were spoken which not vnderstanding of the speech of Christ grew out of an error which their mindes was forestalled withall before that Christ should raigne as a temporall king But it may be that this was before Christs resurectioÌ„ see therfore his disciples asked him Act. 1.6 saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdoe to Israel as dreaming of an earthly kingdome as if he should haue had one but though he now were risen vet was he not ascended
neither had sent the holy ghost The to say nothing touching certain of the Church those in like lihood not a sewe who erred concerning the calling of the Gentiles so that Peter was faine to make an Apologie for his going to Cornelius Acts 11 Let vs come to Peter the head of the Church Acts. 10.14 he was ignorant that by Christ the ceremoniall lawe was abolished I haue eaten nothing that is vncleane or polluted yea himselfe was ignorant of the calling of the Gentiles doubt not but goe therefore hee was ignorant before and verse 33.34 Of a truth now I know there is no respect of persons with God And as he erred in faith so also in manners Gelat 2.14 Paul reprooued him before all men that being a Iewe be walked as the Gentiles and not like the Iewes and yet compelled the Gentiles to dee like the Iewes Is it not then manifest they may erre and haue erred but see this confirmed Reason 1 First because the best knoweth but in part though their knowledge be neuer so great yet is it but imperfect for the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 3.9 Wee know in part and wee prophecie in part and the common speech is Maexima pars eorum quae sciâ—â—us est minima pars eorum quae ignoranuts The greatest part of those things we know is the least part of those things we yet are ignorat of Now ignorance is the mother of errour saith Bernard seeing al men theÌ„ are in partignoraÌ„t they may erre theÌ„ the Priest may erre in part Reason 2 Secondly because euery man is but in part sanctified and hath the remnants of the olde man remaining in him euen Paul who had so farre proceeded in sanctification as that hee was not inseriour to the very chiese Apostles 2. Cor. 11.5 had yet the remnants of the old man Now then it is no more I that doe it Rom. 7.17.24 but the sinne that dwelleth in me O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Therefore they may partlie striue against their owne iudgment and be drawne by temptation to defende an errour against conscience for howsoeuer errour in iudgement commeth from ignorance yet errour in act as in teaching defending and maintaing of some vntruth is ioyned often with knowledge and ariseth not out of ignorance but out of want of grace and sanctification Reason 3 Thirdly because that promise of the incessant assistaÌ„ce infallible guidaÌ„ce of the spirit was neuer made to any saue to the Apostles because they were to plant Churches where were neuer any before and being in a new sorme of gouernment of the Church which was neuer vsed nor heard of before therefore to them it was promised Iohn 14.26 He shall teach yâ—â— all things and bring all things to your remembrance and againe Iohn 16.13 Hee shall lead you into all truth By which is meant not an absolute illumination of all truth for that the Apostle had denied before 1. Cor. 13.9 Wee know in part But an infallible suggestion of the truth as occasion was offered And that this was promised onely to theÌ„ I proue because of that Ioh. 16.13 And he shall shew you all things to come which neuer any Pope or Patriarch durst challenge and therefore seeing they are both in one graunt and that this will not passe by vertue of that promise then why the other seeing they are both in one and the same promise Now this being so certaine a truth Vse 1 it will first euince the doctrine of poperie of errour which teacheth that the Church cannot erre nor a councell which is the representatiue Church for when all Ministers or the greater part may fall into grosse errours and things in a councell are caried by the most voyces shall we thinke they may not then erre for suppose a councell be collected of them is it not likely they will be the same in the councell when they meete together that they are seuered alone for Coelum non animum mutat c. They may well change the heauens and their places but not their minds and affections But to instance in some see a councel erring 1. Kings 22 400. false prophets with one consent aduising king Ahab flat against the minde of God and the word of the Lord by the prophet Michaiah But happely Bellarmine will say they were a councell of prophets not priests gathered by the King not by the high priest See therefore councels of priests gathered by the high priest and yet erring Iohn 9.22 In Iohn we haue a councell which met and decreed to excommunicate whosoeuer professed Christ did they not erre And in Marke there is a couÌ„cell which condemned Christ of blasphemie Mark 14.64 and that he ought to die for it Thinke you they were in the truth or in impious errour But Bellarmine will say that a councell of priests could not erre before Christs comming but he being come they might erre but for what reason must it not be because they were not priests and their high priest no high priest seeing Christ was now come But this is false for the priesthood of Aaron was not abolished till Christ offered vp his sacrifice and so had established an cuerlasting priesthood yea further the argument of the Rhemists which is common to them and other popish writers how should it hold good when Iohn 11.49.50 because Caiaphas spake the truth they would prone the Pope could not erre be he neuer so wicked for if he were not a high priest then there would be no consequent in this argument But he was the high priest and they all priests and yet they erred and so a councell may erre But more ingeniously dealeth Hosius Canus Hosius in lib. 2. Corara Brentium Prolegom Canus lib. 5. cap. vlt. in respons ad Secund. argum In action 16. who affirme directly that that councell did pronounce a right sentence and that the spirit of God was with them and that it neuer left the councell of priests till Christ had offered vp his bloudie sacrifice yet that councell condemned Christ of blasphemie and is not this the mouth of blasphemie that dare speake such things But see other councels the councell of Calcedon not demed to be a lawfull councell equalled the Biship of Constantinople with the B B. of Rome in authoritie honour and other priuiledges saue onely in precedence Canon 19. de baeret rebaptiz I hope they will say this councell erred The first councell of Necce established rebaptization of those heritiques who sollowed Samesatenus The second councell of Neece Action 5. established worshipping of Images decreed that Angells had bodies and that the soules of men were corporal If a councell cannot erre August de baptism CoÌ„tra Donatist lib. 2. Cap. 3. why did Augustine appeale from the Affrican councel where Cyprian was present to the Scriptures Affirming that we may not doubt of the Scriptures but
because he condemned Athanasius whome he knew to be persecuted for the true saith But Athanasius cotradicts Bellarm. who hued at the same time banished for the same cause who saith that Liberius after he had liued two yeares in hanishment relented and by the treatning of death was brought to subscribe namely to the Arrtan heresie But to adde no more testimonie I would knowe of Bellarmine if Liberius were not an herticke how Foelix the second could be Pope and the Church honour him and worihip him as Pope euen while Liberius was aline and the Romane Cleargie chose him Pope as he consesseth The fourth shal be Foelix Liberius his successor an Arrian also as Ierom writeth For him whereas Hierom saith he was an ArriaÌ„ wheÌ„ he was chosen Pope Bellarmine saith that that word Arrian was thrust into the text or if not so that he was an Arrian onely when he was not true Pope being chosen before by the Arrian Bishops and not by the Romane Cleargie Because faith he Liberius was not yet depriued but some two yeares after when as Liberius fel into his heresie the Roman Cleargie deposed him chose the other not that Bellarmine alloweth the Cleargie in that action howsoeuer he defends that he was no heretike As for Felix Bellarmine confesseth that he communicated with the Arrians that they chose him Bishop which is a great argument that he was an Arrian And if he was not then right and true Bishop then was the Church of Rome not onely without her owne Bishop he being sent into banishment but without any Bishop at all and that for two yeares space which how it will aduantage them to grant let them looke to it The fist Siricius who held that matrimonie was vncleannesse and pollution of the flesh which God had made honorable Touching whom Bellarmine saith that Caluine after his manner impudently lyeth for that Siricius spake not of lawfull mariage but vnlawfull coniunction But he that giues the lie hath more right to keepe it to himselfe and in this very thing for whosoeuer shall read his Epistle the 5. and 7. chapters shall find no such thing for he commandeth single life to priests and calleth their mariage pollution and wickedly for his purpose which is that Caluine reprooueth abuseth the words of S. Paul saying Sirius in Epist ad Hispan cap. 5. 7. And they who are in the flesh witnesse the elect vessell cannot please God but you are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be the spirit of God dwell in you And where can the spirit of God dwell but as we read in holy bodies Doth not this apparantly shew that he accounted marriage vncleannesse and pollution In the sixt place Vigilius who cursed them that held that Christ had two natures Which Bellarmine cannot deny but plainly confesseth that he writ such an impious Epistle vnworthy the name of a Christian wherein he condemned all who affirmed Christ to haue two natures But saith he he did not defend any thing publikely neither was an heretike in hart but secretly in a priuate Epistle which he did for desire of authoritie Againe that he did was then when he was not truly and lawfully Bishop for Syluerius was yet liuing who was Pope though in banishment To the first I aunswere Whether it was publiquelie or priuately it is not to the matter he did it and heresie priuate I hope is heresie whether it was in the heart or no that was knowne to God and wee may iudge truly of his heart by his writings If these shifts would scrue no body should euer be knowne or determined to be an heretike To the second I answere that Liberatus his words Liberat. in brcuia cap. 22. in the end of the chap. are these Vigilius writting these things closely to the heritikes permansit sedens did still keepe his seate namely after the death of Syluerius who dyed as Sigebertus writeth the same yeare he was banished 7 Honorius the first who denied that Christ had two wils two operations as Melchior Canus and diuers other Popes and councells haue written Bellarmine would gladly answere that those epistles of Honorius were fained falsely imputed to him but that hee will not greatly stand too but tells vs in the second place that Honourius did holde no such thing in those Epistles but onely forbids the vsing of the words of one or two wils and operations And being pressed with it that in those Epistles he hath these very words Vnam voluntatem fatemur domini Wee confesse one will of the Lord hee answereth that hee speaketh there of his humaine nature onely and would say that in the man Christ there were not 2. contrary willes one of the flesh another of the spirit but one onely of the spirit I aunswere that whatsoeuer he would haue said it 's apparant what hee did say it may be Bellarmine would hee had said thus but the wordes are plaine and not to vs onely who may be thought partiall but to 3. Synodes as Bellarmine confesseth and to 2. or 3. Popes Now Iudge whether it be equall that we should beleeue Bellarm. before so many Fathers and such authoritie as if he had better vnderstood him then all they did August cont Iul. Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 2. alâ—â—â— 8 So Innocent the first holding that Baptisme and the Eucharist was necessary for children to saluation as Augustine writeth the latter whereof was consuted by the councell of Trent 5. Session vnder Pius 4. whom Bellarmine seekes to defend from other errours and heresies and not from these passing them ouer in silence and so we take him for consenting to our accusation of him for that he held such things Bellarmine could not be ignorant seeing Augustine speaketh of them in many places 9 Behold Stephen the 6. abolishing all the Acts of Formosus his predecessor and decreeing that the Sacrament depended vpon the vertue of the Prtest 10 After him commeth Iohn the ninth who disannulled all the Acts of Stephen and established whatsoeuer Formosus had done In the 11. place Sergins the third disannulled whatsoeuer Formosus and Iohn had done and re-established the Acts of Stephen It may well be that all these may be in an errour but sure it is they all could not be in the truth For the defence or excuse of these three hee saith that touching Formosus the question was whether Formosus was true and lawfull Pope Stephen thought bee was not Iohn the ninth after round the contrarie and condemned the Acts of Stephen As if the holy Ghost did erre more in iudging of a fact then in iudging of the right he is God and knoweth all things They say the spirit of God is giuen to their Church and as it were tyed to their Councels being ouer them to lead them into all truth But to condemne him that was not to be condemned is farre from the truth and cannot come from the spirit of God But he saith