5. And St. Paul tells us other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which he saith not is St. Peter not Petrus but Petra is Jesus Christ the true Rock who is the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets both that upon which they themselves were built and stood and that upon which they as God's Builders built his Church 1 Cor. 3.11 Ephes 2.20 And surely no man can stand more strongly by being built upon St. Peter than by being built upon Christ Nor find we either Christ himself or any of his Apostles to say or signify any such thing as that the place or Church where Peter should reside or praeside should be more Infallible than any other Church or Churches founded resided in or praesided over by any other of his Apostles Nor that such as should succeed him as Bishops in any place much less in Rome praesided in by him should be more Infallible than other Bishops If the praesidency of St. Peter in Rome can secure that Church or it's Bishop from failing or falling into Errour how comes it to pass that his sitting at Antioch did not also secure that place Church Yea those Churches of Judaea of the Circumcision whereof he was the Prime and immediate Apostle Gal. 2.9 Surely they ought rather to have had this Privilege and Praerogative from him than Rome a Gentile Church which was rather under S. Paul's Barnabas's Jurisdiction as being the Apostles of the Gentiles It 's strange that none of the Churches more certainly planted by him should have this Privilege but only Rome which it is not certain that he planted or ever came into for some of no small learning have made a question of that that I say not have positively denied it Surely none but simple persons and such as are easy and willing to be deceived and therefore look not well to their goings will believe such groundless praetexts imposed upon them True it is that some of the Ancient Councels gave a Patriarchal power to the Bishop of Rome subjecting these Western Churches thereunto but that was but an humane constitution for order and unities sake and gave him no more Infallibility than the like constitutions gave to the Bishops of Jerusalem or Antioch or Alexandria or Constantinople whom they made Patriarchs also in their respective Jurisdictions Nor yet did that make Rome or it's Church the whole Catholique Church or the Bishop thereof the Head of it as is evident by the 6th Councel of Carthage where Faustinus the Popes Legate challenging for his Master a power to order all great matters in all places pretending for it a Decree of the Nicene Councel was upon diligent search into the Records of the said Councel found a falsifyer thereof and thereupon was decreed an equality in power with the other Patriarchs But beside all this against the plea of that Church's Infallibility it is evident 2. That she hath in Fact erred and can there be a clearer and better demonstration of the possibility of her Erring deceiving and being deceiv'd than that she hath actually Erred For though à posse ad esse non valet consequentia yet ab esse ad posse est validissima Now that she hath actually Erred is evident not only in her members and different parties but also in her conjunct consideration and in her Head As for her having erred and yet erring in her parties and members it 's demonstrable in this that contradictoria non possunt esse simul vera of two contradictory positions maintained by different parties the one must needs be false Now in the Church of Rome there are contradictory positions maintained by several parties witness the Dominicans and Franciscans the one contradicting the other in the matter of the immaculateness of the conception of the Virgin Mary the one denying and the other asserting it if the Virgin Mary was conceaved in her Mothers womb without sin then the Dominican Party of the Roman Church errs and if otherwise then the Francâ—scan Party errs The like may be said of the Jansenists and Jesuites in the five Articles wherein they differ But I say not only their members but their Head and Bishop may erre also even in Cathedrâ or in his solemn Determinations and doings yea in matters of Faith as is made manifest in Liberius subscribing to Arrianisme and Vigilius who both condemned and commanded the same things to be believed as in the three Chapters condemned by a Councel as favouring Nestorianisme and in Honorius who was condemned by a Councel for a Monothelite And surely if a Pope may contradict himself and say and unsay a thing as Pope and Head of their Church and both condemn and command the belief of the same thing as in that case of Pope Vigilius he must needs be Fallible and erre in the one of them And there is no way to avoid it but that either some of their Popes have erred or some of their General Councels which is the Church representative and were some time also declared and held to be about the Pope and were usually consented to and confirmed by their Popes have been deceived in condemning them as having erred either of which supposals mightily infringes the Infallibility of their Church Nay and it is believed that the Jansenists would they speak out do not look upon the late Pope Innocent as Infallible in his condemnation of the five Articles maintained by them Nay did not St. Peter himself greatly erre in a main matter of Faith and that too after our Saviour had said to him Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church when he preaches such doctrine to his Master as that he should not suffer death for which our Saviour rebuking him cal'd him Sathan Mat. 16.22 23. But not only have and do great Parties in her and branches of her erre and even their Popes themselves but She herself in her whole Authoratative Constitution and Catholique complex consideration and that very grosly too if we look upon her Doctrines and determinations in the light of the infallible testimony of God and of his holy Spirit speaking in the holy Scriptures which is the Touch-stone to which the Prophet Isaiah or the Lord himself by him in Isai 8.20 and Christ himself in Joh. 5.39 directs us and to which the noble Boereans brought the Apostle Paul's preaching with commendation for their so doing Act. 17.12 yea and the Apostle St. Peter himself directs the Churches and the believers therein to that in 2 Pet. 1.19 and 3.1 2. and the Apostle Paul commends Timothy for that from a child he knew the holy Scriptures they being able to make men wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 implying therein that even Children if they will mind the holy Scriptures and set themselves to seek the knowledge of them may as they grow up in some good measure obtain it to their great benefit and salvation Now contrary to these holy Scriptures
vers 9 10. Even so the Church of Rome and it's Teachers reject the word of the Lord as is evident in the instances we have given and yet they say the Law the Scriptures and it's Exposition are with that is belong unto them They are they from whom men must receive it and upon whom they must depend for it Yea they do as the false Church in Isa 48.1 2. is said to have done who make mention of the name of the Lord but not in truth nor in righteousness though they called themselves of the holy City that is in effect the holy Catholick Church The like is timated of them in Jer. 18.18 where the persecutors of the Lord's Prophets that were such in truth yet said of themselves come let us devise devices against Jeremiah and add as if they had thence authority to do so for the Law shall not perish from the Priest nor counsel from the wise nor the word from the Prophet Now when we see or may see by the Scriptures of truth and the testimony of the Holy Spirit in them that there should be false Teachers among the Christians answerable to the false Prophets among the Jews that would bring in Doctrines swarving from the Scriptures and find that the Papists and their Teachers evidently do so their challenge of authority to be the sole Expounders of the Scriptures should nothing move us while we see that they therein walk in the steps of the false Prophets especially seeing also that they challenge an authority which the Holy Ghost hath not given them nor directed his followers any where unto For the Holy Ghost himself who led the Apostles into all truth Joh. 16.13 doth not in any Scripture testifie to us of Rome or the Roman Church that we should derive our Faith from her or resolve it into her or her Doctors more than into any other Church The Apostle Peter whose authority they pretend to have committed to them but without any evidence of the holy Scriptures and whose Successors they tell us their Popes or Bishops are could not leave more authority to them than he had exercised himself Now we find him expresly preferring the authority of the Scriptures before his own saying or testimony as to the resolution of other mens Faith Yea he as well as other Apostles proved his sayings by the holy Scriptures as is evident in his Epistles 1 Pet. 2.6 7. and 3.10 11 12. and obtruded nothing upon men on his own authority barely as the Popes presume to do He calls the word of Prophesy a more sure word than what he related of his own knowledge 2 Pet. 1.16 17 18 19. and instead of directing the Believers after his death to the Church of Rome and her Bishops which surely he would and ought to have done had he known of any power given of Christ to her or to them for resolving mens doubts and determining their Faith and exercising a dominion over mens consciences more than to other Churches or their Bishops yea or directing them to himself more than to the rest of the Apostles when he forewarned them of false Teachers Scoffers that would come in the last days He stirs up the Believers minds to remember the words of the Prophets and the Commandments of the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour He saith not his own Commands or his rather than of the other Apostles but indefinitely of the Apostles puting in himself with them as one of the same rank and of no superior rank or authority among or over them much less doth he say that we should after his death be take our selves to the Church or Bishop of Rome for our direction guidance and preservation from the Error of the wicked but directs us to the Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles the things spoken and commanded in and by them He thought not of the Lord Peter or the Lord Pope nor signified that the rest of the Apostles stood in relation more than himself to any man as their Lord but only to him who is the Saviour Yea and the Lord Jesus himself when afterward he appeared to John in the Isle of Patmos and gave him visions and revelations of the things that should come to pass in the world and unto the Churches directed him not to bid us go to Rome for resolution of our hearts in the matters of God and in what concerns our preservation in his truth but he in his several Epistles to the Churches bids Let him that hath an ear hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches He bids not That he that hath an ear should hear the Churches simply no nor yet what the Spirit saith in the Churches much less saith he Let him that hath an ear hear what the Church of Rome saith or what her Bishop as an heavenly Oracle or the Spirit as either in it or him as Infallibly tied to his Chair should dictate to us And yet which is very considerable this Book of the Revelations according to the most authentick testimonies of Antiquity was written after the Deaths of all the other Apostles and its probable at least that he lived not long after it himself who was the Penman thereof and therefore if there were any judge or orderer of mens faith infallible to be looked to by all Churches besides the holy Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles or any Infallible Interpreter of them above the rest to be taken heed to it had been the proper place and time surely for Christ the faithful and true witness of God the Amen the firm and sure friend and Pastour of his Church to have signified who it is and directed the Church and every one that hath an ear to hear and hearken to him but neither when he was asked or there was a strife among the Apostles who of them should be the greatest did he tell them Peter should be their Prince and chief among them nor did he direct them here to any Successor of his at Rome or elsewhere as an infallible Guide and Head to them no there is no other Director as to matters of Faith and Worship directed to of God by his Holy Spirit in any Scripture as our absolute and infallible Guide but only the Spirit himself as speaking in and by the Scriptures to the Churches what the Scripture saith being called the saying of the Holy Ghost or Spirit as is to be seen Heb. 3.7 and 10.15 Act. 28.25 And surely they are guilty of horrible Idolatry that prefer the Testimony Word or Determination of any person or persons Church or Bishop before or above yea or but as equal with the testimony of the Holy Ghost to cast by his sayings or commands to listen to and be ruled by men is indeed to have the fear of God taught us by mens precepts and in vain to honour God or worship him which was the fault of the Jewish Church reproved by the Holy Ghost in the Prophet Isaiah for which also he
our works for and in us in our listning to him and following his Word and Spirit we are too prone to slight and think much to put our selves to cost and pains and to stoop down to bear any burthens put upon us by him in and for his service Israel in the wilderness could readily pluck off their Jewels and Ear-rings to make themselves a Molten Calf of Exod. 32.2 3. when as afterward they could find in their hearts to put off God with the refuse or worst of what he gave them yea and to rob Him of his Tithes and Offerings Mal. 1.8.13 3.8 and so the false Worshippers of Rome are forwarder to put themselves to fastings and abstinence after their fashion with Devotions Alms-deeds and the like to make to themselves a confidence of or establish to themselves a righteousness in as the Apostles Phrase is in Rom. 10.3 and to purchase to themselves thereby forgiveness of that I say not with reference to some of them also a license to practise their Sins and to merit and deserve Gods favour and eternal Life when we that have the purity and simplicity of the truth of God more clearly among us and are Instructed into the alone sufficiency in the grace in Christ Jesus and have all freely promised to us upon his account only in a way of obedience to him and his instructions are yet too backward to yield up our selves to him and to be at such cost and charge and exercise such pains and patience as his instructions direct us to and his grace and love ingage us to that we might enjoy the pourings out of his spirit upon us glorify him worthily in our generations and do good to others to our capacities 6. Now upon all these premises I cannot but desire for all men especially for my friends and acquaintance that the Lord would grant to them that by all that is said or by what is otherwhere more fully and clearly said by more learned Persons they may so discern and see the Abominations of that Harlot as to avoid them and keep themselves far from them not listening to any of their fair and specious flatteries that would entice thereto of whom I may say in Solomons words None that go into her that is very few or none of those that willingly go into fellowship with her return again neither do they take hold of the paths of life so as to walk in the way of good men and keep the path of the righteous but with the simple ones and the young man void of understanding that declining towards the corner of the strange woman go in the path to her house who with her fair speech are made to yeild and with the flattering of her lips are inticed they go after her as the Ox to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks till a dart strike through their liver as a Bird that hasteth to the snare knows not that it is for their life even for the life of their precious Souls Oh! might what follows with reference to this scarlet Whore be considered and received wherein wisdom adds Hearken now therefore unto me O ye Children and attend to the words of my mouth Let not thine heart decline or bend towards her way go not astray in her paths for she hath cast down many wounded yea many strong men men of strong parts have been slain by her as to spiritual life Her house is the way to Hell whether men think and believe so or not going down to the chambers of death Prov. 2.19 20. and 7.7 8 9.21.22.23 c. For if the Scriptures be true as undoubtedly they are both they and we confess that though they love to puzzle men with questions needlesly how they know them to be the Scriptures or word of God as if we must be beholding to them for that which is false then seeing the Scriptures affirm that no Idolaters shall inherit the kingdom of God nor any that love or make a lye they then that are of and hold communion with that Church are in a sad and piteous case they being clearly guilty of Idolatry and gross falshoods as may from what is said many other things that I have omitted be easily discerned And though some men they think charitably suppose that some who through their invincible Ignorance are necessitated to live in their communion may find mercy with God they believing and holding the fundamental Articles of the Christian faith though joyned with such corruptions as they joyn therewith whose charitable concessions to that purpose have I fear laid a snare for the feet of many I am confident have been and are abused to that purpose by her Priests and Jesuits to draw many in to joyn with them though no ground be given in them for that and to hold in them that were before of it Yet seeing as I question not the false Apostles and the Gallathians seduced by them did hold the main Articles of the Christian faith too only joyned with them a necessity of Circumcision as these joyn a necessity of communion with their Church in all that she injoynes and imposeth unto their salvation and the Apostle for all that pronounced that in case they were circumcised Christ would profit them nothing Gall. 5.2 I know little ground we have for that charity or what more than we may have for those of the Turks or Jews or Pagans who are invincibly kept from the knowledge of the truth of God and the true way of worshipping him received among us Christians by the prevalency of their false Teachers or the severities of their Rulers under whose power they live that they also may be winked at of God and saved Which if it may be supposed yet affords no good ground for any of us Christians to turn to any of their Religions and as little have we from the forementioned charitable concessions or suppositions of some to turn to Romes communion Nay it s most dreadfully dangerous for any that have known better or been brought up under the Protestant profession where they have had or might have had clear convictions of the falshoods and evils of that Church to depart from righter ways to her deceits and corruptions For to such doubtless belongs that dreadful sentence which we read of in Rev. 14.9 10. among others unto whom its possible it may hereafter also be applicable upon a farther account Where after the Angels preaching the everlasting Gospel openly as in the Mid-Heaven and warning all Nations to fear God and worship him in opposition to the false worship before in chap. 13. related and another Angels proclaiming Babilon that is Rome to be fallen both from the true Faith and worship and from her former lustre as before we explicated it there follows a third Angel proclaiming with a loud voice that any man namely if now especially after the two former proclamations either yet or having not done so before
now shall worship the Beast and his Image and receive his Mark in his forehead or in his hand shall either more openly or secretly either in profession or practice receive the mark and badge of communion and fellowship with the false worship of Rome for that 's clearly as was before noted the Woman supported by and riding the Beast whose worshippers are here threatned the same shall drink of the Wine of the wrath of God which is without mixture poured into the Cup of his indignation and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angels and in the presence of the Lamb and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever and they have no rest day or night who worship the Beast and his image and whosoever receiveth the Mark of his name A dreadful sentence worthy to be thought of and trembled at by all that still retain the false Idoatrous worship practised in the Romish Church especially by such of them as live among the Protestant reformed Churches and more especially still that having had better light and education do return or relapse thereto A sentence in which is no respect of persons but what or whoever they be high or low rich or poor Princes or peasants God will not be partial in his judgment upon them but if they will venture upon these sins they must also expect to indure these terrible torments here expressed and the Mighty man shall cry there bitterly Zeph. 1.14 O heavy portion of all our English Roman Catholicks The Lord open their eyes to see the evil of the way they are in and perswade them to renounce it to depart therefrom for it will be most sad in the latter end Though its probable that they of Rome may devise to make sad the portion of such as warn protest against them desire their conversion and that they may also prosper a while in their designs and bring sad things upon the righter Worshippers before their misery come upon them therefore it follows in Rev. 14.12 Here is the patience of the Saints here are they that keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus Here namely about this time when this is proclaimed and this warning given that is mentioned in the foregoing verses here is the patience of the Saints then the Saints and right Worshippers shall have a time to exercise their patience in waiting for the accomplishment of that predicted judgment or also they may have a sad time of tryal and therein for exercise of their parience because of some eminent sufferings then befalling them to encourage them under which and to keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus it is therefore added That he heard a voice from Heaven saying Writeb lessed are the dead that dy in the Lord from henceforth yea saith the Spirit that they may rest from their labours and their works shall follow them as implying that thenceforth would follow such labours and sufferings of the Saints as well would it be with those that should endure them to death so as to dy in the Lord and happy should be the dead of them rather than the living before the sad doom of the Beast-worshippers come upon them But yet as they that thenceforth especially dy in the Lord shall be blessed so the Beast-Worshippers however long they may live and their doom be deferred are and shall be in the issue most accursed Which things being so let us I pray Sir beware of that false worship keeping close to the Scriptures of truth and to the sacred truths revealed in the Scriptures and not for any respect honour friendship or worldly and carnal advantages respect them and turn aside to so corrupt and dangerous away and worship as that of the Roman Communion God will certainly better bare with such as have as it were been held captive by their deceits being always educated and brought up under them then with such as having been better instructed do turn aside to them Oh that these Nations and the Inhabitants thereof would therefore look about them and beware how they lissen to any that would thereto seduce them and mind those many convincing arguments and clear and unanswerable demonstrations of the desperate badness of that Church and its ways and Doctrines and doings which by many hands have been offered to them which yet if they please they may consult with and consider among which beside these many worthy men who have formerly wrote excellently against her corruptions as Jewel Reinolds Morton and many others the Labours of the Learned Doctor Stillingfleet Dr. Tillitson Dr. Brevint Dr. Whitby Sr. Christopher Wyvel who it seems in his Minority was educated among or insnared with them and Mr. Gilbert Burnet in my judgment are very worthy consideration And oh that men would not dally and trifle in so great a matter as their own Salvation but be serious and considerative in what they do therein allways remembring that of our Blessed Saviour What will it profit a man to gain the whole World and loose his own Soul Or what shall a man give in Exchange for his Soul For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his Angels and then he will give to every man according to his Works Math. 16.26.27 And that if thy hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee and so if thy foot offend thee for better it is to enter into the Kingdom of God having but one hand or foot and so halting or maimed than having two hands or two feet to be cast into Hell Fire where the Worm dyeth not and the fire is not quenched And if thine Eye thy right Eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee for better it is to enter into the Kingdom of God having but one Eye then having both thine Eyes to be cast into Hell Fire where the Worms dyeth not and the Fire is not quenched Mark 9.44.48 Consider what is herein though but briefly and weakly propounded and the Lord bless it to every one that may and shall read it for the establishing them in the truth where they are weak and wavering thereabout if not yet waved therefrom and for the recovering such as have declined or departed from it and the Lord deliver us all from every evil work and preserve us to his everlasting Kingdom in whom I take my leave and remain Yours and every Mans to serve you and them in the faith and truth of Christ FINIS