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A73009
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Tvvo sermons delivered at St. Peters in Exeter. By Rychard Pecke, Master of Arts, and minister of Gods word, at Columpton in Devon; Two sermons delivered at St. Peters in Exeter
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Pecke, Richard.
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1632
(1632)
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STC 19522.5; ESTC S104988
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46,565
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83
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the blasphemous dreames of their Prophet Mahomet I appeale to the Occidentall what a notorious reuolt hath there been made from their primitiue faith and purity Is' t not euidence sufficient the vniuersall leprosie of Heresie and impurity that hath so ouergrowne the whole body of the Church of Rome that for these many yeeres not one print almost of pristine soundnesse can be espied Is' t not euidence sufficient those infinite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 superstitious will worships and traditionall inuentions of men that since the first 600 yeeres haue by the vsurpt authority of the Bishop of Rome preuail'd and gotten head in the Westerne Church Is' t not euidence sufficient those innumerable errours not circumstantiall onely but fundamentall and these expresly or consequentially so at least confirm'd now by their Trent Anathemaes as their resolu'd doctrines and the peremptory Tenents of their Church their Iustification by works Popes supremacy and infallibility merit freewill satisfaction supererogation worship and inuocation of Saints purgatory prayers to and for the dead adoration of the Eucharist Transubstantiation priuate Masses pardons indulgences caetera pecora campi in all which haue they not left their first estate palpably deuiated from plain rule of Scripture and fallen from that first Roman faith and worship taught them once by Paul in his Epistle to Romans whereby that Bethel once how is it become a Bethauen now and that City that was once Faithfull now a Strumpet I spare prolixity in a fact so plaine But doe yee see what issue The Apostasie by Paul foretold then hath already been and so one forerunner of Christs second comming passed must wee not henceforth then look for Christ But 2 With this Paul connexeth our second prognostique Signe 2. the reuelation of Antichrist the head indeed of that forenam'd Apostacy when as 2 Thes 2. 3. that day saith he shall not come except first that man of sinne be reuealed that sonne of perdition Now can we haue him brought plainer vpon the worlds Stage plainer discouered then he is already I meane not in 2 Thes 2. Reu. 13. 17. the Turk to whom the great Antichrists description made by Paul and Iohn are not truly competible I meane not in some indiuiduall Iew of the tribe of Dan of a virgin borne by the Deuils helpe to sit at Ierusalem whom Enoch and Eliah forsooth returning from the terrestriall Paradice must buckle with three yeeres and halfe before Christs Comming Bellarmines Chimera But that Beast that Saint Iohn Bellar. De Rom. Pont. lib. 3. Reu. 13. 11 Reu. 17. saw horn'd like a lambe buttongu'd like a Dragon that purple strumpet and whore of Babylon that monster of Luciferian pride mounted vpon the seauen-headed Beast or seauen-hill'd City the Pope or Reu. 17. 7. 9. 18. Papacy of Rome For I demand who 's the Antichrist if not he that sitting in the Temple of God and seated in his chayre of Pestilence couertly at least opposeth Christ in all his offices and exalteth himselfe aboue all Kings and Emperors that are called gods Who 's the Antichrist if not he that being but a silly man yet claimes all power both in heauen and 2 Thes 2. 4 earth makes lawes of his owne to binde mens consciences and dispenseth when hee lists with the breach of Gods that vsurps authority to forgiue sinnes to put downe Kings and dispose of Kingdomes claymes supremacy Monarchicall ouer the whole earth both in spirituals and temporals as Christs Vicar generall on earth Who 's the Antichrist if not he that sets vp a new sacrifice propitiatory for sinne preferres his Decrees and traditions before Gods written word makes himselfe the infallible Interpreter of holy Scripture and supreme Iudge of controuersies Who 's the Antichrist if not he that mangles Christs Sacraments as hee pleaseth addes new of his owne and maintaines flat idolatry both in the breaden host in the inuocation of the dead and worship of Saints reliques images forbids mariage commands conscientiall abstinence from meates seduceth men by lying miracles and hath 1 Tim. 4. 3. drank himselfe drunke with the blood of the Saints If Iohn Bishop of Constantinople that for a season Ego fidenter dico quisquis se u niversalem Sacerdotem vocat vel vocari desiderat in elatione suâ Antichristum praecurrit Creg Papa l. 6. Ep. 30. de Iohan. Constantinop only claimed the title of Sacerdos universalis vniuersall Bishop was by Pope Gregories confident assertion Praecursor Antichristi the Forerunner of Antichrist then the Bishops of Rome that since Boniface the third haue euer vsed this title are that Antichrist indeed So that we doubt not with him in Aventinus to auerre Papam esse Antichristum that the Petrus Iohan. apud Averâ—inum Pope is Antichrist which Antichrist as he was conceiued euen in the Apostles dayes at what time the mystery of iniquity was working stroue vnto birth 2 Thes 27. for 300 yeeres after by aspired superiority betweene the Patriarchall Sees borne about Constantius reign when that sounded from heauen Seminatum est venenum in Ecclesia poyson is sowne in the Church Platina in ult Siluest Irenaeus lib. 5. cap. 25. Reu. 13. 18. Christened as I may say it by Irenaeus with the Beasts numerall name Lateinos whose Church hath beene called the Latine Church and whose Liturgy yet is Latine all So in Boniface the third was hee set vp in his throne when still'd by that parricide Phocas Emperour Episcopus Oecumenicus Occumenicall or vniuersall Bishop but then especially more openly reuealed then in his flourishing prime when afterwards out of the Empires ruines or at least translation encreased with secular dominion possessed with both the swords decreed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the infallible In Concil Lateran An. 1516. and vnerring Iudge of all controuersies from whom no appeale and superior to all generall Councels So then Antichrist is reuealed our second prognostique of our Sauiours second comming Who as hee hath beene mortally wounded since Luthers time by the sincere preaching of the Gospell so the Lord we trust will go on daily more and more to consume with the spirit of his mouth and destroy vtterly with the brightnesse of his comming which 2 Thes 2. 8. whether the Lord be now about to doe conjectures are not improbable only I referre vnto your secret thoughts what God is acting by the hand of Sweden 3 The wonderfull reuining of the Gospell in most Signe 3. parts of the Christian world I meane not here that preaching of the Gospell whereof our Sauiour speaks Mat. 24. 14. that the Gospell should be preached in all the world and then should the end come conceiued by some both Protestants and Papists an vndoubted praeludium of Christs comming to iudgement that saith Chrysostome was fulfilled in the Chrysost in Mat. 24. Apostles dayes through whose Ministery the Gospell was come into all the then inhabited world and Col. 1. 6. then came the
1 who and what this Iudge is Secondly on the Attribute what meanes his standing before the doore First who and what this Iudge is Quest 1. Answ No ordinary and common Iudge be sure whose skill and acts of iudicature comparatiuely are at best but imperfect limited and reach no further then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a few matters of fact amongst men no but a Iudge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transcendent excellency infinitely euery way surpassing all others No temporall or earthly Iudge liable to like frailties that are other men and meriting oft-times Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his reuenging eye as well as Homer Batrach others But one of whom wee may say most truly what Papists falsely of their holy father the Pope Omnis judicans à nemine judicandus one who iudgeeth Dist 14. Can. Si Papa all men but to be iudged of none yea the very Iudge of Iudges No mere or simple man neither no nor Saint or Angell but one to whom both Saints and Angels doe acknowledge homage and very deuils crouch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one both God and man Phil. 2. 7. Psal 22. 6. Isa 53. 3. Christ blessed for euer Who though while on earth a seruant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a worme and no man most vile contemptible yea himselfe like a malefactor accus'd arraygn'd condemned yet now inuested with Mat 28 18. Phil. 2. 9. all Regall power both in heauen and earth now exalted aboue euery name that 's named is by the authority of God his father ministerially in respect of manhood namely deputed the visible and generall Iudge at last of the whole world And would yee know what a Iudge this is T is one for power almighty none shall withstand him for wisdome wonderfull Act. 17. 38. none shall deceiue him for maiesty dreadfull none shall out-face him for iudgement most iust none shall trip him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that will search 1 Chro. 28. 9. Acts 1. 24 the very reines of men and dig open the hidden cauernes of euery heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one irrespectlesse Rom. 2. 11. of persons that will iudge impartially according to each our workes whom no bribes shall corrupt nor greatnesse brow beat whom intreaties shall not moue nor teares deflect that will take a most strict account of all mens wayes and will not put vp the wilfull transgressions of his lawes that blessed and only Potentate that King of Kings and Lord of 1 Tim. 6. 15. Deut. 32. 39. Lords in whose power it is to kill and to keep aliue to saue or to damne eternally who descending at last 1 Thes 4. 16. Mat. 25. 31. day from heauen with a shout enroab'd with shining glory attended with a traine of Angels and riding vpon the wings of flaming fire shall by the voyce of an Arch-angell and with the trump of God rouze vp the dead from their beds of dust and by a generall summons both of quick and dead gathering all before him shall from his Throne of iudgement erect Mat. 25. 32. Mat. ibid. in the ayre plead with all flesh Where sheepe and goats good and bad one seuered from t'other and all the bookes both of nature Scripture conscience and of Gods omniscience shall be opened and euery one iudged out of those things which shall be written in Reu. 20. 12 those bookes according to their works This done an eternall doome and sentence shall he passe of glorification vpon his elect and faithfull Venite benedicti Come ye blessed c. of condemnation vpon impenitent reprobates Ite maledicti Go ye cursed c. Mat. 25. 34. 41. You haue seene the Iudge But what of him Hee standeth before the doore What 's that that 's the second question Quest 2. Answ There are two doores in Scripture mentioned before which Christ standeth the one within vs the other without Christ stands at the one to tender grace at the other to bring in iudgement Mans heart 's the one whereat Christ daily presents himselfe and by the preaching of his word knocks for entrance Behold I stand before the doore and knock Reu. 3. 20. The other that of Christs great Iudgement hall and meant in my Text before which in a borrowed forme of speech Christ may be said to stand when as his exceeding neerenesse vnto iudgement is to be noted intimated For as in vsuall speech that stranger wee say is come very nigh our house that 's now standing before our doore So here so nigh proclaimes our Apostle this great Iudge his approach to iudgement as of one already before the doore Nay and that not sitting neither much lesse retiring backe againe as foreslowing entrance but standing as one awayting and ready instantly to step in as soone as but the doore is opened Thus briefly for resolution of parts In their Synthesis or composition secondly I le do but this set and ioyne them againe together and that 2 into this doctrinall frame That the comming of Christ the great Iudge of the Doctr. world is not farre off but very neere at hand Beloued take not the proposition as intimating any intendment of enquiry after the definite and exact point of this great Iudge his neerenesse our Sauiour checks such curious scrutiny when Acts 1. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is not for you saith he to know the times and seasons which the father hath put in his owne hand Mar. 13. 32. and auerres the knowledge of the very day and houre a depth beyond the fathom either of men or Angels My ayme is minding no deeper wading then along the shoare of Scripture to stay my discourse only vpon the indefinite and indeterminate neerenesse of this Iudge his comming and thus sense it T is not farre off but very nigh at hand though how neere for houre day month or yeere I dare not with some to attempt to calculate And here let me demand your thoughts Can we thinke that hee whose approach speeds daily onwards can after sixteene hundred yeeres standing before the doore bee by this time farre off from stepping in or that he who promised concerning this his second comming B hold I come quickly and againe Reu. 22. 12 Ioh. 16. 16 a little while and ye shall see me that hee can now bee any great way off since so many hundred yeeres of that little while or quickly is already spent No if Saint Iohn in his time said truth 't was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Ioh 2 18. 1 Pet. 4. 7. Phil 4. 4. Heb. 11. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last time Saint Peter in his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end of all things is at hand Saint Paul in his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord is nigh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet but a little while and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry then