demaund of them first how it doth appeare in Deut. 12 that the Israëlites were tyed to examine whether all such places had been so dedicated from the verie foundation Secondly I would know of them how they know that all our Churches were founded by Romes Apostacie to that Idolatrous woorship Here they must make a religion of it to search after the ages of Churches and whether they were builded since Anti-christ was mounted Here I will help the Nouices Dioclesian destroyed the Temples Euseb l. 8. cap. 2. as Eusebius recordeth verie aged were these Churches and then the Gentiles vpbraided the Christians saith Orig. ad Celsum l. 4. Arnob. l. 2. Origen with their lacke of Temples as now they might well laugh vs to scorne if we would pull down our Churches for satisfaction of Brownists who neuer are like to build a Church destroyers somuch as in them is both of Churches materiall and spiritual The former losse by Dioclesian was recouered by the edict of Galerius Maximinus after the hand of God had been sharp vpon him as Euseb l. 8. c. 16. 9. ch 10. Niceph. l. 7. c. 3. Eusebius and Nicephorus witnesse After this how bountifull Constantinus Magnus was this way th'ecclesiasticall hystories sufficiently vtter Nor was this of Constantine effected so late as 340. yeeres from our Sauiours incarnation Now let our Church-ruinors teach vs First when Antichrist had subdued our Westerne parts vnto him so that thence-forth all stood subiects to that Beast Secondly let them proue vnto vs that our Churches in such and such times of Antichrist they were builded at his commandement and by his members vnto his apostaticall woorship Sixtly admit that Antichrist and whosoeuer had reared vp and dedicated our Temples to idoles yet the creature recouered out of their handes it ceaseth not to be the good creature of God 1. Tim. 4.4 5 For the Apostle teacheth me that euery creature of God is good and nothing ought to bee refused if it be receiued with thankesgiuing and reason heereof he thus rendreth Because it is sanctified by the word and praier If no meat entring into me though once vncleane by the Lawe can now pollute the beleeuer much lesse can garments and houses that are creatures externall and outward The Apostle indeede saith that in not touching tasting handling such things as the Law once counted vncleane Coloss 2 it hath a shew of wisedome but in trueth no substance of wisedome And for that cause he calleth it no better then Ethelo-threskeia A will-worship whereas if we be risen with Christ then wee will vse our Christian liberty in the free vse of God his creatures not bring our selues backe into a Iudaicall bondage Iohn 4.20 21. c. Hereof the woman of Samaria coulde not be ignorant who by our Sauiour himselfe was taught that not in Iaakobs mountaine nor yet in Beniamins hilles was Gods worship or sacrifice to bee longer seated but the houre was comming and euen then was begunne for abolishing that forme of sacrifice as also the Place And hitherto Saint Paul had relation when hee writeth thus vnto Timothy 1. Tim. 2.8 I will therefore that the men pray euery where lifting vp pure hands without wrath or doubting Because foolish man hath dedicated Creatures to the patronage of this or that true or false Saint I must therfore abhorre the creature specially in ecclesiasticall or spirituall vsage By this crooked rule I may not preach nor pray in England because it was dedicated to Saint George nor in Wales because Dauid is there made patrone nor in Ireland by reason of Saint Patricke nor in Scotland bicause of Saint Andrew nor in Fraunce because of S. Denys nor in any countrey where Rome hath domineerd because all is dedicated to somewhat Nay I must in no one day of the yeare preach or pray because they haue to euery day giuen a Saint Thus if a man desire to runne himselfe into a labyrinth and endlesse Maze let him but leape into the Brownists and Anabaptists faction This shal suffice for manifestation of the former Doctrine namely That Christians are not to retayne the whole or any part of Moses Ceremoniall kingdome in the nature of Ceremony THE Second Sermon THe second generall doctrine That the newe Testaments kingdome once established it can neuer bee totally remooued that remaineth in the next place to be further cleered And that by the grace of God shall be done first by obseruing the difference betwixt vs and the Romanists we both holde the Church euer visible but they in one forme we in another secondly by examining the Arrians Anabaptists and Brownists allegations whereby they would haue the Church for very many yeares to haue no Face or visibilitie at all Touching the discrepance twixt Romanists and vs it lieth heerein they hold that the new Testaments church once generally planted the face thereof continueth euermore gloriously visible And to this end they alledge diuers places specially out of the prophets which doe inferre a large and glorious face of Christ and his kingdome here We of the other side doe teach that this new church howsoeuer in her first plantation by the Apostles it was both passing large and glorious yet in succeeding times it wained with the Moone shee lost much of her glory and of her outstretched visibilitie And to this purpose wee allege first the state of Israels church as a tipe and figure thereof secondly very many scriptures old new which can admit no other collection lastly we vrge experience it self First I. Type touching the Type or Figure we see the church of Israel going out with banners in the wildernes and finally seated in glorious Canaan by Ioshuah After his death al ranne out of order the vncircumcised had them long in subiection there was no king in Israel and euery man didde what was good in his owne eyes Then in Saul Dauid Solomons times we see the church by sundry steps mounted enlarged but in Rehoboams dayes wee see ten tribes schisme from the twoo that is from Iudah and Beniamin and that which was worse didde reare vp and woorshippe first calues in Dan and Bethel secondly Baalim with his abhominations Nor was the bodie of these tenne tribes at anie tyme recouered but finally in Hosheahs raigne carried away by the Assyrian armie Colonies of straungers beeing in their rowme transported vnto theyr Metropolitane Citie Samaria and them parts In the meane time the little kingdome of Iudah contayning also Beniamin it did not euer retayne the face of her orderly gouernement for sundrie of the Kinges brought Idolatrie in but by others agayne in some good sorte purged Yet finally such was the height of their sinne GOD left them to the boyling potte of the North euen to Nebuchadnetzar who spoyled their Cittie and Temple and departed the chiefe of the Royall seede vnto Babel Then for seuentie yeares did orderly sacrifice cease their Iudiciall pollicie giuen
by God at mount Sinai so well as the ecclesiasticall it was subiected to the pleasure of straungers then where was their beauteous Constitution And at the end of seauenty yeares Babels Monarch was subiected to the Medes and Persians who licenced Iudah to returne for building their Cittie and Temple which after some nine and fortie yeares were reedified but where was the sacramentall Arke of God his presence Where was Moses originall copie Where was Vrim and Thummim for decision of extraordinarie scruples What was become of Aarons rod and the sacramentall Manna And that which was not least what became of their Iudiciall pollicie from that time vnto Christ Iesus Somewhat I know there was but farre from the first patterne Curtailed they were of their Mosaicall constitutions First by Babels monarch secondly by that of Medes and Persians thirdly by the Greekes Alexander fourthly by the two legged gouernement of Aegypt and Syria springing out of the third Monarch and lastly by that last Monarch Rome swallowing vp the former togither with Messiahs appearance who had so manacled Iudah that they coulde not condemne Iesus but by the policie of wicked Rome This being the condition of the typical church it followeth say we that the New-testaments-church be in some measure thereto analogized And then onely it is so when we find after her fulnesse of grace a declining thereof running into schismes and desperate apostacies whereby God is prouoked to lessen her light to diminish her glory to ouer-turne her constitution to abbreuiate her pollicie Scripture II. Secondly the scriptures which inferre such lamentable ruine of the church they be many wherof a few to this purpose pregnant That 89. psalme is a typicall prophecie of Christ his kingdome who grants not wherein wee first see a glorious large kingdom giuen to Christ for his possession but anon behold as grieued at his Messiah or vncted who hath sinne considered as vpon him but in his members he casteth his crown on the ground he breaks downe his walles ruinates his fortresses and leaues him to be spoyled rebuked of the multitude Wherof the learned monke Folengius thus writeth These things may be applyed to the Christians times and perchance to our present times Presently whervpon he plainely saith that Religion is conculcate and trode vnderfoote And Aben-ezra citeth a certayne Spanish Iew so amazd at this psalm for the Iews dreame Io. Baptista Fol. in psa 89 40. Ad christianorum tempora forsanque praesentia aptari possunt that Messiahs kingdome shoulde be according to the worlds glory so perpetuall as he refused to reade it euen as the Romanists at this day can not abide to hear or reade any thing that crosses their Iudaicall opinion touching the outward face of Messiahs kingdome Nor maruell I thereat seeing heere in the person of Aetham brought in by the holy Ghost expostulating the cause of such downfall wee are taught howe hardely our nature brooketh the cast-down estate of Messiahs outward glorie Another Scripture wee haue in the foure and twentieth of Mathew whereas our Sauior euidently foretelleth the notable intricate estate of the faithfull in after times namely that many false christs false apostles false prophets shoulde arise in the church to the seduction of many charitie growing colde and iniquitie hauing the vpper hande Yea heerewithall that seduction and delusion as in the second Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians and the second chapter should be so strong that if it were possible the very elect of God shoulde be seduced This generalitie of false prophecie of horrible iniquitie and mightie delusion it can not stand with a notable and glorious visibilitie of the Church nor yet can be considered where the constitution and pollicie is as at first sounde and vnshaken Nay it argueth according to that of Saint Paul in 1. Tim. 4.1 2 3. and 2. Timoth. 3.1 2 3 4 5 c. and that of Saint Peter 1. epistle 2.1 c. that all shall lie in horrible confusion and disorder do the holy men of GOD what they can Which also is denoted by the * This I haue manifested largely in my Antidoton Hieron in Zeph. 1.12 Recte aeutem Ierushalem c. parable of tares Math 13.24 c Touching which first and latter estate of the Church hearken what Ierome writeth on Zephaniah 1. Chronic. verse 12. I will search Ierushalem with candles Rightly Ierushalem that is the church which first was called Iebus that is trode vnder foote Because it was conculcate of the Gentiles and was a laughing stocke to the Deuils it was called Iebus And after the peace of the Lord began to dwell in it and his place made in peace it was called Ierushalem But because in the last-times as I haue oft said Charitie shall freeze and Iniquitie shall be multiplied yea the light of the Sun shall withdraw from Ierushalem and the vastation shall be so great that the verie elect of God shall hardlie be saued the Lord therefore then with the Lanthorne of his word and Reason will search all the vices in Ierushalem and bring them into sight Another plaine scripture we haue in Reuel 6. where after our Salomon hath rid foorth vpon the cleere word of Truth Ps 45.4 and Meeknes and Iustice and by the bowe of his right hand hath subdued a people vnto him We presently after see bloodie persecution scarsitie death slaughter together with a fearfull darkning of the Sunne blood stayning the Moone accompanied with a generall Apostacie of the Church-starres from the kingdome of heauen vnto earthly conuersation effecting therewith a generall dissolution of all good order All which thinges can be but mystically vnderstood according to the nature of prophecie and so a plaine declaration of the Church turned vpside downe with a losse of her large visibilitie and glorie Other Scriptures may of Romanistes be held more litigious these shall here suffice Besides the type and plaine euidence of Scripture III Experience I will adde the argument of experience signed by Antiquitie For the first 300. yeeres and better after Christes incarnation we are not ignorant of a reasonable glorious estate of the Church for the which some haue not altogether vnfitly vrged that of the Apocryphall Esdras 2. Esd 7.28.29 a thing that he might gesse at by comparison of Scripture where in the person of the Lord he saith My sonne Iesus shall appeare with these that be with him and they that remaine shall reioyce with him 400. yeeres After these yeeres shall my son Christ dye and all men that haue life as if he should say Christ shall liue in his Church 400. yeeres then shal he dye and the Church be darkned And indeed for so long we find the writers giuing in a more excellent testimonie then for the 200. yeeres after But after 600. yeeres or there abouts I trow that by one litle horne starting vp at Rome and an other in the East vniuersall Pope and
of Gods people For Simon Iustus called also Hillels son or disciple and Zecharie Iohn Baptists father as also the Elders of our Sauiour so well as others whose names are vnknowen they conserued doubtles the Substance of religion not bowing their knees to the traditionary and sectarie Baal The last times of Iudahs church is a type of our times For in all times the Lorde reserued to himselfe a Church yea in the midst of heresies schismes corruptions And them times were a type of these our last times wherein at this day we liue In which pad of Bullinger Caluine Peter Martir al of any note in these latter times do vniformely walke This poynt I will to the shame of hereticall Christians shutte vp with Sybillaes prophecie Sed postquam Roma Sybil. l. 2. Aegyptum reget imperioque Froenabit summi tum summa potentia Regni Regis inextincti mortalibus exorietur Rex etenim sanctus veniet quitotius Orbis Omnia seclorum per tempora sceptra tenebit Wherein she plainely affirmeth that after Rome shall rule ouer Aegypt and that it did presently after Herods creation of King for Iudaea a most high King namely Messiah should set vp a kingdome ouer the whole world whose kingdome shal haue no end In the second place so this secōd doctrine is clered namely That the New-testaments Kingdome once established it neuer after can be totally remooued Nowe it remayneth we consider more particularly this same Cittie and that is doone by searching out first what is the Citties foundation then in the next place who bee the Citizens The foundation of this City that is of this Church it is first Personall secondly Reall Personall as the Church is sayd to be built vpon some person or persons Reall as it is said to be built vpon some Thing or matter The foundation personall is two-folde first as it is built vpon Christ secondly vppon the Apostles and Prophets That Iesus Christ is the foundation harken to Paul 1. Cor. 3.11 Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Iesus Christ That the Apostles and Prophets are also termed Foundation harken to the same Apostle Ephesians chapter 2. verse 20. And ye are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone Nor is the word foundation expressed in both these places otherwise then by one and the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Themélton in the original Aquinas Tho. Aquin. super 1. Cori. 3. remembreth both these thus Vnum habet per se soliditatem c. The first of them hath the soliditie of it selfe like as some Rock wheron some edifice is builded and vnto this foundation Christ Iesus is resembled for he is the Rock spoken of in Math. 7.24.25 Th' other foundation it hath the soliditie not of it selfe but of the other solide subiect like as stones which first are placed vpon a solide Rock and in this sense the Apostles are called the foundation of the Church Ephes 2.20 So far the Schoolman Touching the foundation Real it is onely the Faith or Gospell of Christ Iesus whereon the Church or faithfull are said often of diuers to build And this Gospell is somtimes called Simply the gospell of God and Christ Iesus as in Rom. 1.1 9 16 and 15 16 19 29 c. Sometimes Respectiuely the Apostles gospell as in Rom. 2.16 and 16.25 The Gospell of God and Christ Iesus it is as they are the Authors therof but the Apostles gospell as they are the Preachers therof Both these senses of foundation remembred let vs come to examine the Romanistes on the one hand and then the Brownists on the other hand The Romanists from these words in Matth. 16.18 Thou arte Peter and vpon this Rocke I will builde my church they with tooth and nayle labour to enforce that Saint Peter is the Churches foundation that vpon him as on a Rocke it is builded as if these wordes on this rocke were spoken of Peters person and which more is of al Romish Pops succeeding in that Sea Let vs examine the Text. Our Sauior demanding of the Apostles whome they did say him to be Peter in the name of all the rest answereth Thou arte the Christ the sonne of the liuing God Then Iesus saide vnto him Blessed arte thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it to thee but my Father which is in heauen And I say vnto thee Thou arte Peter and vppon this Rocke I will builde my Church Vpon which Rocke vpon Peter Then hee woulde haue said Thou arte Peter and vpon thee not vpon this rocke I will builde The change of speech from The to This from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou Peter to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vppon This very Rocke it argueth that Iesus would haue Peter to looke from himselfe to some other person or thing If to some other person then only to him selfe whom Peter had confessed to be the very Messiah Which Christ is onely sayd to be the Rocke 1. Corin 10.4 The worde Foundation is communicated also with the Apostles and Prophets but the tearme Rocke is neuer giuen vnto anye meere creature For hee that is God can onely be the rocke of our saluation And to keepe people from applying the tearme Rocke vnto Peter the Holy-ghost presently after recordateth how because of his euill counsaile soone after our Sauiour saith vnto him Matth. 16.23 Get thee behind me Satan thou arte an offence vnto me c. And not long after hee three times forsweareth his Maister Yea after he hadde receiued in the day of Pentecost a fulnesse of the Holy-ghost he halteth in his ministerie and draweth Barnabas into the same dissimulation Galathians chap 2. verse 11. c. for which the holy apostle Paul resisteth him to the face and blameth him And that this was Saint Peter the Apostle and not some other Cephas as some malitious Romanists haue lately vrged but indeede an auntient errour first obserue how they oppose to Paul who saith it was Peter whome in the Syriacke terme hee before calleth * Elias in Thisbi affirmeth that Simon Iesus of Nazareth his disciple he was called Cepha whiche signifieth Strength Cephas but also vnto the antient Fathers as Tertullian in praescriptionibus aduersus haeret Ambrose in ep Gala cap. 2. Chrysostome on the Galat. chap. 2. Augustine contra mendac ad Consentium cap. 12. Ierome on Galat. 2. Cyrill contra Iulian. li. 9. in fine * Collecting it out of Austines epistle to Ierome as also out of other his writings So doth Aquinas on the same place Baeda on Galath 2. c. Yea heerein they oppose vnto Gregorius Magnus their Pope cōfuting the same fond fancie in his eighteenth homily vpon Ezekiel post B. Thus the Romanists propound vnto vs weake foundation Peter for Christ the creature for the Creator To shutte vp this poynt briefly hearken to Augustines testimonie
* August in Ioh. ttact 124. The Church is founded vppon the Rocke whereon Peter tooke his name * Non enim a Petro Petra sed Petrus a Petra c. For the Rocke was not deriued of Peter but Peter of the Rocke euen as Christ is not so termed of Christian but Christian of Christ. Vppon this Rocke therefore saieth hee whome thou hast confessed I will build my Church for the Rocke was CHRIST vpon which foundation also Peter himselfe is builded Whereunto ioyne that of Isidore * Isid hisp lib. 7. etymologiarum c. 9 Peter tooke his name of the Rocke that is of Christ vppon whome the church is founded For Christ was the Rocke vpon which foundation Peter himselfe was also builded If they will that Peter shoulde be in some sense a foundation then they must admitte all the residue of the Apostles in the same respect to be foundations And that is it which Saint Iohn in his Apocal. 22.14 speaketh of when hee seeth this Ierushalem to haue twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue Apostles Obiection But Peter only had the keyes giuen to him Answer First that is nothing to this Secondly it is false for the keys namely the power of binding and loosing is afterwardes giuen to many others euen to the whole Church so well as vnto him Iohn 20.22 23. And this Origen precisely from the same place of Iohn doth prooue in his Homily on Mathew 16. not to speake of other Ancients as Cyprian de simplicit praelat Aug. super Ioh. 124. Tertull. scorp aduers Gnostio c. 10. Rabanus c. 8. de poenit Ansbert li. 3. c. 5 in Apoc. c. who grant that in Peter was considered the church to whom the power is giuen of binding and loosing spiritually If we consider Faith that is the Gospel to bee the foundation of the Church then that is it which diuers haue well vnderstood seeing Faith is the hand which coupleth Christ and his church together Hence it is that Chrys Chrys serm de Pentecoste Super hanc petram non dixit super Petrum c. thus writeth Vpon this Rocke not vpon Peter for not vpon man but vpon the Faith Christ buildes his church And what was that Faith namely Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Nyssenu in testim delect ex vet testa vtters the same So do Theophil in Mat. 16. Smarag on the same place and Vict. Antiochenus saith that frō this faith sound doctrine Peter receiued his name on Mar. 3. not to mention any others Thus respect we scripture or heare we the Antients their testimony the Romanists still are found loosers For the Brownists what foundation doe they by their necessarie consecution propound to vs This forsooth The outward Constitution of the Church that is The forme of plantation and church-gouernement and this is their Puppis and Prora the load-star of their Course Insomuch as they deny to haue communion in prayer in preaching in sacrament with any such Church whatsoeuer which hath not bin so planted is not so gouerned as they conceiue of the Primitiue churches their plantation and gouernement And as they deny spirituall cōmunion with England Scotland as failing in both so let it be such of the Dutch French churches as haue planted their chur rightly in their own iudgement yet bicause of som few things in gouernment ecclesiasticall which they dislike they not onely deny communion with them yea for very hearing the worde but also excommunicate such of their people * So Maister Pe. Al. Maister M. Sl. c came to be excommunicate as shall but ioyne with them in prayer or in preaching Whereby it commeth to passe that this people maintaining that that their father Browne dare not they conceiue of themselues for the onely true visible church of God which can be throwly communicated with Briefly to returne answere first they take it for granted that the faith of Christ was amongst vs first planted by force of the sword not by preaching of the worde whereby came to passe that all wicked were receiued c. Let it be so Augustine August in ep 48. indeede was once of opinion that no compulsion herin was to be vsed but by his felow ministers being put in mind how his owne citie was wholy Donatists til feare of imperiall lawes brought them from that schisme to catholike vnity the good man changeth his minde alleadging such Scripture Prouerb 9 9. and 29.19 c. And I woulde gladly know of these men to what end a Christian hath the sword put into his hand if not with Nehemiah Iosiah Hezekiah Iosaphat Asa c. to driue the subiectes vnto outward conformity of holinesse righteousnesse Take away this vse of the sworde and then so wel with Anabaptistes remooue Magistrate and his sword out of the church Obiection But it was prophecied that the Church should be a voluntary people Psal 110.3 and Christ gathered and planted his Church by the word onely Answer The Anabaptists do apply these thinges aswell to their purpose adding further The Primitiue churches had no Kings in them c. therefore Kings as Kings not of a true established Church And thus Brownisme leadeth to Anabaptisme But least the crie of these Lapwings draw me from my purpose I leaue the Brownist to answere the Anabaptist and this shall be my answere to the scripture and our Sauiours practise It is true people were and did voluntarilie giue vp their names to Christ vpon the Gospels preaching Christ herein would not vse the sword not because it had been vnlawfull for he in himselfe vsed a whip in the Temple and forcibly ouerthrew their chaunging tables but because for the first plantation of the Gospell he saw it not to be expedient The weakest and foolishest meanes in mans iudgement 1. Cor. 1 27 28 29 he now did vse that so no flesh should reioice in his presence As he vsed onely his woord so he chose vnlearned men for the publication thereof And because none should say that it was no maruell though simple subiects became Christians seeing some of their Kings were first Christians the Apostle therefore before said Not many Mighty not many Noble are called To conclude now That the Sword hath not his vse in churches plantation c. they may aswell conclude That Noble men wise and learned men they haue nothing to doe in Church plantation Indeed when there commeth a New-Christ and new Apostles we will either graunt they conclude well or else we wil hold them and the new Christ accursed Secondly they assume That the sword planted first the Faith here which we deny First it cannot be but the first plantation of the Faith wheresoeuer it must bee by the Gospell preached The sword may make a noyse together with the Words voice but none can by the sword alone take any knowledge of the Gospell Besides it appeareth by auncient record that the Gospell came
themselues from the Catholike Citie of god Our Sauiour foretold that ther should be such schismatical spirites who in these confused times would crie Come into the desert come into the secret places Christ is here but therewith he saith to his sheepe Go not thither nor follow them Luk. 17.23 Thus much briefly touching the foundation of this new Citie Iehouah-Shammah This that followeth was not vttered as being preuented by the time THe foundation considered it now remayneth I speak of the Citizens that so brieflie as I can The Citizens are as the Citie is considered This Citie being the Church extended from the East to the West it must be considered either as existing of all Christians good and bad and so Heretikes Scismatikes Pharisaicall professors c. are all Citizens though bad Citizens Or else as it existeth only of such as are sanctified according to the end of their Election Ephes 1.4 who are verie deed the liuely members of Christ Iesus In the first consideration all are Citizens by reason they haue receaued the outward badge or cognizaunce of Christ and so by Baptisme haue giuen vp their names to Christ Who before they appeare euill are of vs to be deemed true Christians but appearing euill and not obaying the Churches voice for repentance they are to be denied all familiar communion specially in ecclesiasticall ordinances but not without some hope that God wil in time recouer them seeing the first excommunication is but for humbling the proud flesh that so the spirit may in the Lord his good day be saued 1. Cor. 5.4.5 As for the second excommunication tearmed Maran-atha 1. Cor. 16.22 it is seldom inflicted on any by the Church because such is their Apostacie from Christ as for the which the Church denieth afterwards to sacrifice or pray for them Heb. 6.1 2 3 4 5 6 compared with Heb. 10.26 1. Ioh. 5.6 and easily the Church dare not so iudge and leaue any soule vnto the Lord his comming to iudgement as the Syriake phrase Maran-atha importeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Máréa Dominus Dan. 2.47 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atha Venit vt in Ezra 5.3 And that the Church is considered in such sence namely to consist of good and bad it is to be heeded first in her types as in Noahs Arke and Israels congregation as also in such of the New testaments scriptures Math. 3.12 and 13.24 c. and there in vers 47. c. and 24.40 41. 2. Tim. 2.20 with many of like nature And so are ordinarilie vnderstood of our Auncients That the church is also vnderstood of such as be really sanctified and borne anew through the immortall seede of God his word and the inward operation of his spirit it may appeare first from the end of Election and vocation which is vnto sanctification of the Spirit wherevppon they are called Saints or Holy-ones Rom. 1.7 and 16.2.15 1. Cor. 1.2 6.1 16.1.15 alibi saepe compared with Ephes 1.4 Iohn 15.3 17.17 Secondly by such expresse testimonie Ephes 5.25 26 27 Heb. 12.14 1. Cor. 6.19 1. Pet. 1.9 And of this sort of Citizens is that Ierushalem from heauen and that Tabernacle of God with men which S. Iohn seeth in Reuel 21.2.3 vnderstood so Rabanus ca. 8. de modo poenitentiae Bale hereon Beza in ser 20. of Chr. passion Tho. Aquin. on Galat. 4.26 of Auncient and moderne writers though somtime of the triumphant Church also Obiection Here is a citty wherein no vnclean thing enters but the best of God his people here haue vncleane things in them therefore here they cannot be the Citizens of this new Ierushalem Answer The Antecedent is true but the illation or consequent is false For they are sayd to be Cleane not simply but respectiuely that is in respect that they are alredy in the Lauer of regeneration cleansed so in part as in Christ their head it is considered Absolute and perfect And that in S. Iohn cittizeas there be imperfections it may appeare in 22. chap. verse 2. where hee sayth that the leaues of this citties wood the Tree of life Christ Iesus in his word and spirit they were to heale the Nations with Whereas the healing of vs in regarde of our spirituall sores it appertaineth in proprietie to this life besides that the Lord tearmeth things that are not as if they were because his Velle is Esse his present Wil is present Worke but vnto vs reuealed in time This holy people for if the first fruites be holy so is the whole lump and if the roote be holy so are the branches Ro. 11.16 for theyr sakes the wicked tares are spared Math. 13.29 yea the Sodomiticall worlde were it not for this righteous Lot should soon be consumed with fire brimston Wicked within wicked without they al fare the better for this little Citties sake and yet they can intreate it no better than Laban intreated Iaakob Sodom intreated Lot his good angels no better than Saul vnto Dauid While Iudahs Ierushalem stoode with her Temple and ceremonies then these Citizens for one gentle swallow makes not a summer were the seede of Iaakob or Israel pent vp within the typicall Canaan but now this new citties people are stretched from Sea to Sea from one ende of the world to an other consisting of all nations and kinreds and people and tongues Reuel 7.9 Sayd I of all tongues Yea not onely all sorts of people but all sortes of tongues are to stand before the Throne of Christ and prayse him Not onely the Hebrew the Greeke and Latin tongues wherein our Sauiours Inscription was written but all the tongues that were giuen vnto the apostles in Actes 2. ch whereby they were enabled to preach the doctrine of faith vnto all sortes of people Which were a sufficient confutation of the Romanists seruice in sole Latine compared with 1. Corin. 14.16 But because no instrument shal be lacking for cutting off that euill themselues now at last haue turned the new testament into English for euery Lay man to looke into as also haue made English Manuels of prayer besides their turning of Iesus his Psalter blasphemously so called into our language So great is the Truth and preuaileth Secondly these are that Ierushalem which is here tearmed Iehouah Shammah The Lord is there Where in this Citty in this people for they are the Habitation and Temple of the mighty God of Iaakob God riseth vp in them and they grow vp in God and so oh depth of wisdom mercie God and Man becommeth One. The diuell at first saide to Euah that in eating the forbidden fruit they should become AS GODS He meant As Diuels Blacke gods and yet hee spake truer than hee was aware For as the creature cannot become the Creator so we are not become really Gods but we through his free fauour that called Light out of Darknesse are become really As Gods not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim but Gen. 3 5. 〈◊〉
Sun when he riseth in his fortitude But here some will obiect Either Iehouah dwelleth not in and about his Church or els he hath promised no such protection for we see many of his people to fall by the sword c. I answer there is no contradiction in all this for as he dwelleth in and round about them for protection so he denieth them not the thing he promiseth but performes it with aduantage He lets Abels blood to be spilt he suffers Stephen to be stoned c. but what then Hath he not protected them to the death It is appointed that all men shall die for death is gone ouer all and then commeth iudgement Abell did but die Stephen did but die and all must die But marke those that die in the Lord are blessed for they thenceforth rest from their labours Reuel 14.13 This life is but a vallie of teares a prison a purgatorie when his people remoue hence teares are taken away no more prisoners free from necessitie of purgation no more labours for they rest in the Lord yea they enter into Abrahams bosome of blisse as did Lazarus they are with Christ Iesus in the kingdome of glory euen the very howre of “ Consider that in Iohn 19.31.32 and it cannot be easily iudged but at the very vpshot of the day he dyed and that day he was to be with Christ Luk. 23.43 their death as was promised to the penitent thiefe on the Crosse At the eleanenth houre he entred into the vineyarde the Church and in th end of the twelfth houre for the day hath but twelue houres he receiued the penny Matth. 20.9 and as saint Paule beleeued when hee concluded that it was best for him to die that so hee might goe to the Lorde and no maruell for pretious saieth the Psalmist in the eies of the Lorde is the death of his Saints If it bee good for them to stay heere they shall with Iudahs three yong gentlemen be vnsinged in the fornace vnharmed with Daniel of the greedy Lions for the Lorde knoweth howe to deliuer His in the day of trouble If it bee not good in some respect for them here to stay then he remoues them from an inconstant estate to a constant from sadnes to gladnes from a temporary life to an eternall in a word from hell to heauen They loose a rusty counter and therewith obtaine eternall treasure Furthermore protection is for good not for euill therefore no longer hee protecteth them heere because longer it shoulde not bee good for them to be here Agayne their body onely looseth such protection not theyr soule for the blessed Angelles attend the poorest Lazarus for conveying the soule into eternall blisse Besides neyther is the body in trueth howsoeuer in shewe vnprotected in death and graue for as not an haire shall fall but by the heauenly Fathers appoyntment so neyther is the body vnguarded of his good Spirite seeing that the flesh doth rest in hope Lastly although theyr bodies fall by sundry deaths and all but death yet euer are they victors First in that their soules the chiefer part they triumph nor can of man be slain Secondly in that the whole body of this Citty neuer can of man be put to death but as the pruining of a vine causeth it rather to encrease in good so is all cutting afflictions sanctified to the Churches encrease Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae And warriours neuer say they are conquered notwithstanding the losse of many men when so the day is theirs in the end of the day And euer in the end the Church is found the conquerour her enemies dying for euer but her members raized vp to glorie as not euer slaine but hauing been in a sleep or slumber Iehouah-Shammah the Lorde is with his Church and if the Lord be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with vs then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who can be against vs Nor diuell nor man much lesse inferiour creature Though Rom. 8.36.37 c. we be killed all the day long accounted as sheepe for the slaughter neuerthelesse in all these things we are more than Conquerours through him that loued vs. For I am perswaded sayeth S. Paul to the Romanes that neyther death nor life nor angells nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to seperat vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. What shall we returne vnto the Lord who of * So is the Hebrew lo gnammi Not-my-people hath made and pronounced vs gnammi my people that where before we were many Nations now he hath made vs One people one nation Beda in 1. Cor. 12. ex Aug. ps 85. Vna gens vna patria c. Wee now are sayeth a holy Father of this Citty One Nation One Countrey Our countrey is heauenly our countrey is Ierushalem Whosoeuer is not thereof a Cittizen he pertaineth not to this people But whosoeuer is thereof a Cittizen he is of this people of God And this people is stretched forth from the East to the West from the North and the sea it is stretcht through the foure parts of the whole world For all his exceeding fauours irradiating this Citty this Church this People it resteth that we all walke more worthie our holy calling more worthy such a Gouernour as is Iehouah Shall I with the Psalmist say vnto all our soules * Lift vp your heades ye gates and lift ye vppe yee euerlasting doores the King of Glory shall come in Yea I say so and I moreouer say Take heede you fetch not in the Lorde of life with spreading braunches garments and crying to day Hosanna then to morrow betray him cry Cruci-fige It beseemeth Princes to cut traitors from their Citty and it shall neuer vnbeseeme God to execute speedy vengeance on the wicked This Citties gates Saint Iohn seeth euer open to the Elect such as cleanse themselues by vnfained repentaunce come they from what coast soeuer Vpon euery coast open three gates and euery gate an entire pearle by sacred Trinitie in vnitie euen by their sweete loue of more worth than any pearle al must enter For Porters there stand Angells euen the twelue great Angels of the particular Churches who by God his word inuite the repentant If Dauid accounted it such an happinesse to stand on this Cities thresholde what glory must it bee to walke in the streetes of pure golde to haue the face of Iehouah for theyr Sunne-shine to haue the Lord God almighty and the Lambe for their Temple and to haue for fellow Citizens Adam Habel Sheth Henoch Noah Shem Heber Abraham Isaac Iaakob Ioseph Moses Aaron Ioshuah Samson Samuel Dauid Salomon Hezekiah Iosiah Daniel Zerubbabel Ezra Nehemiah in a word all the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles true Martyres and Confessors of all ages As all waters returne into the Sea so all happinesses returne into this Citties vnitie gathered by the Holy-ghost founded on Iesus Christ gouerned by God almightie But without this Cities vnitie * Reuel 21.8 are dogs and inchaunters and whoremongers and murtherers and Idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lyes The holy enlightned as Israel in Goshen but the vn-holie darkned as the Aegyptians in the land of Mizraim God within the Deuill without for as there is no third gouernour so there is no third Place These that are not of Michaels side all these are of the Dragons side who shall fight but not preuaile neither shall they haue any place in heauen As the Prophet Ezekiel with reuerent admiration shutteth vp his Prophecie with this The name of that Citie that is of the New-testaments Church from a Day euen from the time of typicall Ierushalems ende shal be Iehouah-Shamma The Eternall is there so I with S. Iohns speach will finish my Sermon Reuel 22.14 Blessed be they that doe his commaundements that their right may be in the Tree of lyfe and may enter in through the Gates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into That Citie FINIS Errata in this Booke correct thus Page 16. line 8. for that reade this Page 40 line 19. reade departed Pag. 45. li. 22. for Chron. reade chap.