father hath giuen him He is the holy one that dwelleth in the praises of Israel Psal. 22. 3. in whom our fathers trusted and were deliuered his therfore is the kingdome power Math. 6. 13. and glory for euer and euer Amen He is the Lord of hosts that now fighteth for the house of Israel whose fight let vs manfully vndertake commending our weake forces to his mighty protection Psal. 18. for he is a sure rock of defence in all his waies WHICH WAS CONCEIVED BY THE HOLY GHOST BORN OF THE VIRGINE MARY This especially doth confirme our beleef in Christ Iesus his only sonne in that he was conceiued by the holy Ghost All spirituall conception is from God the father of spirit and life whose works are all miracles in our cleerest sight but this comprehension of our sauiour was meerly spirituall therfore he truly descended from God the father of spirit for before they cam togither she was found with child and that which was conceiued in her was of the holy Ghost Math. 1. Before the morning sprang Messiah had the dew of his birth and before the womb of his mother was made he was knowen who hath been is and shall be all one with the father the same whose yeeres endure for euer although the heauens passe and waxe old as doth a garment He is Michael the Archangel of the couenant high sacrificer of the heauenly Ierusalem and he that buried Moses vsing the words of Iehoua S. Iude. The Lord rebuke thee sathan Here the Papists are seen extremely doting when they make the virgine Mary the queen of heauen and the speciall means by whose praiers and aduocation they attaine to saluation as if of necessity there must be both king and queen which absurd conclusions might by Homers diuinity be sufficiently reproued and corrected when he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. II. which is to say A gouernment of many is not good let there be one king Which words although he spoke them not diuinely yet our experience telleth vs that it was skilfully aduised concerning a Common-wealth In saying thus they abrogate the power of Christ and his authority in heauen and make the Trinity imperfect in vnity of Godhead the persons not hauing equal relation each to other they giue vnto Mary that which pertaineth vnto Christ all one with God conceiued by the holy Ghost of his father Wherfore it is he that remaineth still our King our Iudge and Sacrificer whose kingdom is infinit whose iudgement is irreuocable and his priesthood hath none end Saint Iohn saith If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father 1. Iohn 2. 1. Iesus Christ the iust and he is the propitiation for our sinnes But in that he was born of the virgine Mary he was a fleshly body to stand for the redemption of all flesh yea of his owne mother whom he reproued of ignorance when she said Why hast thou dealt thus with thy father and me we haue sought thee with heauy harts He answered How is it that ye haue sought me know you not that I must go about my fathers busines but they vnderstood not Which sheweth that she was of the earth earthly and now sleepeth no doubt with her fathers waiting for a glorious resurrection of an immortall body by the intercession of her owne Iesus to whom all power is giuen both in heauen and earth as it is said Blessed is the fruit of thy womb for thou hast brought foorth the sauiour of our soules the true Emanuel God-with-vs For he came in flesh to take away the sinne of the flesh and is also in spirit to continue with al them that beleeue in him for euermore Neither may we imagine any other wight in heauen or earth woorthy to be beleeued in besides the three persons in vnity for as the sonne is aduocate with the father and the father and sonne all one so the holy Ghost being of them both conueieth vs vnto them by an assured faith that we may be with Emanuel which is God with vs for euer He was called Emanuel long before by the prophet Isai A virgine shall conceiue a sonne and she shall call his name Emanuel SVFFERED VNDER PONTIVS PILATE WAS CRVCIFIED DEAD AND BVRIED The prophet Dauid spake of this his passion Psal. 22. 16. saying Dogs haue compassed me and the assembly of the wicked haue inclosed me they pierced my hands and my feet He submitted himselfe to the hands of Pontius Pilate for he knew his hower was euen then com and that his kingdom was not of this world Iohn 16. otherwise as he saith his soldiers would haue fought and not had suffered him to be deliuered into the hands of men Seeing then his time was com in which all things should be fulfilled according to his fathers will he besought of his father the cup to wit of bitter anguish might passe from him and lifting vp his eies to heauen Iohn 17. said Father the hower is com glorify thy sonne that thy sonne may glorify thee When he was to be betraied by the child of perdition Iudas Psal. 110. and knew it how great was his patience when as he reprooued him not but told him What thou doest Iohn 13 27. do quickly Pontius Pilate was a Roman vnder whose hands Christ suffered shewing that as the Romanes had alwaies persecuted the lowe Ierusalem the true Church on earth so that the Lord should iustly continue his wrath in them and that they might remaine in a perpetuall curse they also persecuted him whom the world was not woorthy of the high Ierusalem the spirituall Church Which example of cruell tyranny hath euer since beene found in them and shall be doubtlesse euen to their owne destruction But they will say Pilate was commanded to crucify him againe and againe and he excused him not guilty true wherfore Pilate was so much the more guilty of his death bicause he could find no fault in him For when the power to loose one was in him and not in the Iewes Iohn 19. 10. as he said to him Knowest thou not that I haue power to crucify thee and power to loose thee to them he had tried Christ to be guiltles yet willing to deserue the applause of the Iewes and the fauor of Caesar cleane against his owne conscience to his vtter condemnation to death he loosed Barrabas a notable murtherer Acts. 3. 14. and executed that most iust king of peace and righteousnes to euerlasting life It is like this manner of cruelty will not be left among the Romans vntill a finall desolation the end of affliction come vpon them according to the prophecy of Balaam Nomb. 24. 24. Ships shall come from the coasts Kittim Lord of Italy or Romania and subdue Ashur and vanquish Heber and he to say that Kittim shall come to destruction a most plaine prophecy not yet sufficiently noted for our defence against them By Ashur
therfore in these words consisteth the perfection of the church the members of Christ which is the rock and foundation therof For had not the Iewes had a perfect warning of redemption to come through the Messiah sauiour of the world and the full meanes therof and of all that he was to perform for the saluation of mankind how could they take notice of their redemption or be iustly condemned for misbeleef for they that liued in the time of Christs humanity were to see that which their fathers hoped for If then we will further know what ought the substance of our faith to be I answer in a word Our faith ought to be the haruest of our fathers hope so that we beleeue that we haue receiued that which they hoped for so through one faith in one Iesus they and we are both saued Isai. 53. 8. Who shall declare his age for he was cut out off the land of the liuing Heer my purpose was to shew that this article might safely be vsed without aduātage to the Papists or offence to such as I before meant Therfore as we now see with our eies and beleeue that Iesus the true Christ came and finished his pilgrimage heer on earth being the only begotten sonne of God conceiued by the holy Ghost born of the virgine Mary crucified according to the prophets so what he was to do he himself declared to the fathers in spirit insomuch that they also saw their saluation by the eie of faith which they had in the same Messiah Colos. 1. 18. the first born of the dead and of al things to haue the preheminence He is the reconciliation of all the world and euen as his father spred the heauens and adorned them and created the earth and sea with all the implements so is the sonne commaunder of all and the beginning and end of all things are in his hand he is made iudge of all flesh comming as it were in the meane time to reconcile the limits and to constraine all nations to worship him He was made all one with the father the beginning of the world and the last end must ply vnto him from whom al sentence of ioy eternall or perpetuall misery shall proceed and to this end he preached in spirit long before he was incarnated Gen. 6. 3. The Lord said And my spirit shal not alwaies striue with flesh and his daies shall be an hundred and twenty yeeres 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to say 1. Pet. 3. 19. By which also he went and preached to the spirits in prison which were somtime disobedient when the long suffering of God waited in the daies of Noah while the ark was in making Your father Abraham reioiced to see my daie Ioh. 8. 56. and he saw it and was glad Suppose saith Peter 2. Pet. 3. 15. that the long suffering of the Lord is saluation euen so our brother Paul according to the wisdom giuen to him wrote vnto you Doest thou the same Rom. 2. 3. and thinkest to escape iudgement and despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnes and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnes of God leadeth to repentance Wherfore as by one man sinne entred into the world Rom. 5. 12. and death by sinne so death went ouer all men for vnto the time of the law was sinne in the world but sinne is not imputed while there is no law Gal. 3. 17. The law fower hundred and thirty yeeres after the promise cannot disanull the couenant God gaue the promise to Abraham but death reigned from Adam to Moses euen on them also that sinned not after the maner of Adams transgression which was as a figure of the second Adam Seeing then before the law all men were dead in sinne without any hope of iustification to eternall life it was most needfull that the Gospell should be preached vnto them 1. Pet. 4. 6. Wherupon it seemeth Saint Peter continueth his speech of preaching to this end was the Gospell preached also to the dead that they might be condemned according to men in the flesh but might liue according to God in the spirit Now this is plaine that whoso were vnder the law were condemned by the law according to the flesh By this all men vnder the law were iudged by the law But seeing the dead were before the law howbeit many righteous men to whom the promise was giuen were iustified by faith they were not to be iudged or condemned by the law but by the spirit of Christ that preached vnto them while they were in the prison of death that they might beare fruit in the resurrection also otherwise should they be born without adoption in Christ at all like as the cloudes are congealed and melt againe to nothing or as the wind passeth through the aire and no man marketh it so without law or grace should they perish without conscience which the Atheists now adaies would soon graunt But their iudgement long ago is not far off 2. Pet. 2. 3. and their condemnation sleepeth not They are wels without water and clouds caried about with a tempest to whom the black darknes is reserued for euer Now if we doubt that Christ did preach in the spirit before he came in the flesh let vs consider the Epistle of Saint Iude Iude. vers 9. where is said touching blaspheming of authority Yet Michael the Archangel Christ when he stroue against the diuell about the body of Moses durst not blame him with cursed speaking but said The Lord rebuke thee Mark then this Michael was a cheef Angell yea more than an Angell Apoc. 12. 5. as the Reuelation sheweth also There was a battell in heauen Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon and his angels fought but they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen And the great Dragon that old serpent called the Diuell and satan which deceiueth all the world he was euen cast into the earth and his angels were cast out with him Heer Christ the seed of the woman brused the serpents head This Michael is the man-child that was borne to rule all nations with a rod of iron Psal. 2. 9. and break them in peeces like a potters vessell Diuers times is this Michael spiritually mentioned through the old and new Testament Dan. 10. 12. Lo Michael a cheef prince holpe me and there is none that holdeth with me Dan. 10. 22. but Michael your prince Dan. 12. In that day shall Michael stand vp the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people And in the same place Lo Michael one of the cheef princes cam to help me Wherfore it is to too absurd for vs to think that a king hauing banished an offender for punishment into a most desolate place of the world to remaine there for euer would himselfe go after to obteine greater power ouer him For what
Iailor saying Do thy selfe no harmme we are all heer and lastly by the admonition of Paul and Silas to saluation wishing him to beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and both he and his house should be saued wherupon both he and his house were baptized out of hand and were saued For our owne sakes I thought it not amisse to lay downe the strong faith of this so soon-conuerted Iailor before as it were a meer stranger to christianity to incite vs to a more stedy conuersation in our owne profession likewise the faith of the Centurion is to be noted Math. 8. by our sauiours approbation saying Not in Israel haue I found the like faith So the faith of the two blind men that cried incessantly Math. 9. Sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon vs who euen as Christ bad them beleeued his power and receiued their sight With many other like places in scripture to fortify our weak faith to extinguish infidelity and root out Atheisme throughout the whole body of all Christian churches Wherfore let vs say It is Iesus that we follow he is our master we fear not and not mistrust at euery little tempest of this world when the wicked rise vp against vs Psal. 2. 1. imagining vaine things Peter failed of faith at the beginning of the wind wherby he began to sink but then that the Lords saluation might seem more manifest he cried Lord saue me and he passed safely Heer the Lord made the very floods a sufficient rock to build his church vpon for through his faith he passed them as on the firm ground Now that Iesus was called Christ the true Messiah or annointed whom the Lord annointed with the oile of gladnes aboue his fellowes Heb. 1. 9. foreshewed in all ages from the beginning of the world vntill he came to be annointed the most holy Dan. 9. 24. Neither among men is there any other name giuen vnder the cope of heauen by which we can be saued he being the end of Iubiles or ioyfull yeeres the sealing vp of all prophesies visions miracles and of all ceremonies whom the Lord annointed with glory and honor Heb. 2. 7. and set him ouer the work of his own hands The Paschall lambe being now offered vp once for all Ioh. 1. 29. He was called the annointed Ioh. 3. 6. bicause it was the manner of the Iewes coronation and election both of kings and priests it pertained vnto him for he was their lawfull king apparent whom the wise men from the East visited to worship at Ierusalem Math. 2. 1. saying Where is he that is borne king of the Iewes Mich. 5. 2. Thou Bethleem art little to be among the thousands of Iuda yet out of thee shall com the ruler in Israel whose goings foorth were from the beginning euerlasting that is to say out of the house of bread shall proceed the bread of life food for our soules vnto euerlasting life Our fathers did eat Manna and died but whoso eateth of this Manna shall liue for euer Psal. 110. 4. As he was also high sacrificer after the order of Melchizedek it pertained vnto him but the Iewes receiued him not as king bicause he was Iosephs sonne and a Carpenter and came not like a king in white raiment neither as a sacrificer bicause he was to imitate Melchizedek in his priesthood and not Aaron Neither did their blinde harts conceiue that the law should be changed and dreamed of none other priesthood but Aarons when as in deed Melchizedek was a figure of the true Messiah as in a large prophecy is expounded Isai. 9. 6. by the prince of peace for Melchizedek was king of Salem Gen. 14. 18. Sem and Melchizedek are both one who for his vprightnes might be called the king of righteousnes Malchi-zedek Hebr. 7. 1. and for his antiquity without father and without mother without beginning or end of daies His birth was vnserchable bicause he was born before the flood and his end of daies not seen bicause he out-liued all his owne posterity of the next age Therefore saith Noah Blessed be the God of Sem Gen. 9. 26. and God will perswade Iapheth to dwell in the house of Sem. So the priesthood of Melchizedek remained in Sem that had this blessing of God Gen. 14. 19. and he blessed Abraham Gen. 14. 20. who paid him tithe of all Thus much of Iesus which was called Christ in whom we also beleeue of whom his disciples first receiued the cognizance of Christianitie in Antiochia where they were presently persecuted by Herod Such Herods haue been euer vntill this day but they are such whose darknes vanquisheth their light Let vs therfore be euer glad to say We haue found the Messiah Ioh. 1. 41. which is the Christ. To this end therfore God sent his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life He it is that declareth God Ioh. 1. 18. for he is in the bosom of his father for this Christ is sent a sauiour to the beleeuers of saluation but to the vnbeleeuers a speedy iudge of condemnation which shall be thus they saw the light and being ashamed of their ill works Gen. 3. 8. hid themselues in darknes the mother of all errors and vntruthes for truth loueth the light and the light doth glorify it HIS ONLY SONNE Math. 3. 17. This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Psal. 118. 22. this is the head corner stone that ioineth togither the building of Iapheth and Sem. Iohn 3. 35. The father loueth the sonne and hath giuen all things into his hands He that beleeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life Iohn 7. 38. and out of his belly shall gush floods of liuing waters Deut. 18. 15. but he that obeieth not the sonne shall not see life and the wrath of God abideth in him Iohn 4. 14. this is the well of waters springing vp vnto eternall life that whosoeuer drinketh therof should not thirst againe Now to wit what the thing is that we worship and beleeue in It is the only sonne of God begotten of his father before all worlds spiritually for God is spirit and to be worshipped in spirit and truth And as the Iewes beleeued that this Messiah the son of God should com so we must know and beleeue that he is com they refused him in the flesh and we may not plead IGNORAMVS in spirit let our spirits then be guided with knowledge otherwise our beleef is no beleef for no credit can be giuen to an vncertain hope Wherfore Iohn 5. 39. let vs search the scriptures for in them we thinke to haue eternall life and it is they that testifie of him otherwise but a few by ignorance can be excused Rom. 15. 4. bicause these things are written for our learning and aedification As the father raiseth vp from death and quickeneth
the sonne before the world the sonne was the holy Ghost and the fain the world the father is the holy Ghost and the sonne in the world to come The concentricall Trinity being thus Father Sonne Holy Ghost whose might authority and power shal be at that time all one ouer them that shal be baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire for now euen to day is the holy Ghost labouring in the harts of men to win them vnto the father and the sonne Wherfore harden not your harts as in the prouocation in the day of temptation in the wildernes Happy shall the wise virgins be which are found with oile in their lampes not trusting to borrow in the busie day of all flesh when none can lend Wherfore good brethren be not as the foolish virgins the sleeping disciples the sluggish seruants or as the busie Martha but haue care to choose the better things during the time of the flesh that the holy Ghost may find a resting place in your soules to bring you to euerlasting life Math. 11. 5. Then shal it be said The blind receiue their sight the hault go the lepers are clensed the deaf hear the dead are raised vp and the poor receiue the gospell Mark 14. 38. Take heed watch and pray least ye enter into temptation Mark 13. 33. Take heed watch and pray for ye know not when the time is For Christ saith Iohn 14. 16. I will pray the father and he shall giue you another comforter that he may abide with you for euer the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue bicause it seeth him not nor knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you I will not leaue you comfortlesse I will come to you yet a little while and the world shall see me no more but ye shall see me bicause I liue ye shall liue also And in the same place following Christ saith These things haue I spoken vnto you being present with you but the comforter which is the holy Ghost whom the father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things vnto your remembrance which I haue told you and so foorth to the end of the chapter And in the next chapter But when the comforter shall com whom I will send vnto you from the father euen the spirit which proceedeth of the father he shall testifie of me and ye shall be witnesses also bicause ye haue been with me from the beginning And againe Christ saith I tell you truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the comforter will not com vnto you but if I depart Iohn 15. 26. I will send him vnto you and when he is come he will reprooue the world of sinne of righteousnes and of iudgement of sinne bicause they beleeue not in me of righteousnes bicause I go to the father and ye shall see me no more of iudgement bicause the prince of the world is iudged Iohn 16. 7. I haue yet many things to say vnto you but ye cannot hear them now howbeit when he is come which is the spirit of truth which will lead you into all truth for he shall not speake of himselfe but whatsoeuer he shall hear that shall he speak and he shall shew you the things to come he shall glorify me for he shall receiue of mine and shall giue it vnto you To this place may be applied the Lords words spoken by the prophet Ioel Ioel. 2. 28. I will powre out my spirit vpon all flesh your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesy your old men shall dreame dreames and your yoong men shall see visions and also vpon the seruants and vpon the maidens in those daies wil◠I powre my spirit Whosoeuer therfore shall call vpon the Lord with a contrite hart dooing the works of the spirit and not of the flesh he shall be saued For in mount Sion and in Ierusalem shall be deliuerance as the Lord hath said and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call The holy Ghost is a diuers gift vnto the chosen to som the gift of prophesie to some the interpretation of toongs as Saint Paule saith touching spirituall gifts 1 Cor. 12. Brethren I would not haue you ignorant wherfore I declare vnto you that no man speaking by the spirit of God calleth Iesus execrable also no man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost Now there are diuersity of gifts but the same spirit and there are diuersity of administrations but the same Lord and there are diuersity of operations but God is the same and worketh all in all Now the manifestation of the spirit is giuen euery man to profit withall for to one is giuen by the spirit the word of wisdome to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit and to another the operations of great works and to another prophesie and to another the discerning of spirits and to another the diuersity of toongs and to another the interpretation of toongs Now all these are the body of Christ and members seruing to seuerall vses in the church of God as some for apostles some for prophets some for teachers some to do miracles some for healers some for helpers some for gouernors some for linguists and some for interpreters This gift lighteth on the chosen in many shapes it came vpon the sonne of man in the likenes of a doue Acts 2. 3. it came vpon the Apostles in the form of clouen toongs like fire it came vpon disciples at Ephesus Acts 19. 6. that neuer before heard of the holy Ghost by Pauls laying hands on them How the faithfull may be assured of this gift let them read the eight chapter of the Epistle to the Romans concerning the hope patience and prosperity of this gift which will something ease the tediousnes of this treatise Therfore kind reader take it in woorth that I so often send thee to the spring it selfe for the water that is most sweet and fresh the carriage not far and the burden easie albeit I will not omit to lay downe in this place the fruits of the flesh and the fruits of the spirit for they rebell ech one against the other the operations of both are contrary For the works of the flesh are adultery Gal. 5. 19. fornication vncleannes wantonnes idolatry witchcraft hatred debate emulations wrath cōtentions seditions heresies enuie murther drunkennes gluttony and such like which things whosoeuer doth exercise he shall not inherit the kingdom of God But the fruit of the spirit is loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meeknes and temperancy against which there is no law Thus much I thought good heer to mention that ye may haue in this Enchiridion as it were a marriners compas to passe by for as by it we recouer a direct course againe after many stormes and at last
SAINT PETERS ROCKE Vnder which title is deciphered the faith of Peter the foundation of the Church Christs sacrificehood and the comfort of the holy Spirit Done by Alexander Top Gent. Printed 1597. To the reuerend father in God Doctor Lions Bishop of Cork Rosse and Cloin in Ireland A. T. wisheth prosperitie and grace euerlasting COnsidering your Lordships zeale to the truth due respect of the Gospell and vnfained loue to the professors I presumed to publish this small worke vnder your Lordships protection partly bicause it was begotten in that country partly bicause the country beareth but little fruit of the scripture but principally and especially to gratifie your Lordship for many fauours The subiect is easie yet not learned often red seldom marked obserued of many yet vnderstood of few But seeing the leuell of all controuersie is to hit the truth whose champions ye all are and by you all arguments must die or liue I appeale vnto your L. for my iust defence or your Lordships better aduise The spirit of grace illuminate your L. vnderstanding London March Anno 1597. Euer your Lordships to command Alexander Top. To the Reader GEntle Reader I haue for thy vse and comfort framed as neere as I could the deriuation of the Christian faith and that thou maist the better vnderstand my meaning heerin knowe that as the Creede was a thing most breef and learnedly composed in the prime time of the Church from many places of scripture so my purpose was to make a true dissipation of the articles disposing them to the places from whence they were first taken to the end that from henceforth thy faith should not he grounded vpon bare words but vpon knowledge of these scriptures so materiall for saluation My paines is free freely vse it God giue grace in all points Farewell A. T. SAINT PETERS ROCKE I BELEEVE First I thinke it needfull to expound this word BELEEVE then to shew the vse of it and lastly to what end it is vsed of the beleeuers The word seemeth of a compound and proper signification deeper than meere English can vnderstand for it meaneth therein or thereby throughly to liue wherein we do beleeue yeelding vp the possession of all spirituall senses disposed from all earthly affection of the members by the true mortification in spirit for this syllable be in apposition is no lesse possessiue or effectiue with vs at this day than with the Hebrewes of ancient time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or BE which alwaies importeth in by or through but far more inwardly of vs to be vnderstood bicause it giueth a most secret meaning to the word it maketh as for example thinke and bethinke adding a very deepe cogitation to thinking get and beget where it hath some speciall conceit in meaning seem and beseem here it makes that which was in outward shew only like it self simple becom a very beautifull creature to the beholders Besides this syllable be that holdeth so small room in a Common-wealth causeth any adiunct to remaine substantially in his subiect as I BELEEVE to wit I am wholy liuing in God the father c. so as quicksiluer confoundeth all other mettals and transformeth their bodies by his liuelyhood so doth this syllable bring a word of common and open sense to a most close and necessarie signification in spirit so that to beleeue argueth a trustie confidence in the essentiall subiect of spirit and for the time of stedfast beleeuing the spirit hath no manner of sympathie with the flesh but the flesh remaineth dead and mortified to all naturall inclination in pleasure or suffering whether it be health or sicknes riches or pouertie loue or hatred cheerfulnes or griefe of hart or any other pleasure or calamitie incident whatsoeuer the communion of the spirit being hereby redeemed out of the prison of flesh and euapored into life eternall For the spirit is no more ruled by the flesh but the flesh by the spirit What then is subiect to this spirituall beleef Ezek. 20. 29. mettals wood or stone as the altar Bamah or such like No you shall not finish that you haue in your mind to do if you serue wood or stone as the heathen Is it mettall not the preciousest of all mettals gold for mightie Emperors haue been deceiued by their golden Idols and haue perished Dan. 3. 1. as Nebuchadnezar by his Image of sixtie cubits high and six broad The Idols stand vp as a palme tree Ierem. 10. 5. but speake not they are born for they cannot goe they can doe neither euill nor good Ierem. 10. 9. fear them not Siluer plates are brought from Tarshish and gold from Vphaz the work of mens hands There shall com out of Bels mouth that Ier. 51. 44. which he hath swallowed vp and the nations shal no more flow vnto it But the wall of Babell shall fall and become an astonishment among nations Can men make gods that are no gods Can their owne hands make them a redeemer or their handy worke saue them No for the beleef of all men being liuely and spiritual cannot liue for euer or be faithfully reposed in such vnprofitable subiects seeing in them there is no blast of life for they neither breath nor smell nor hear nor walk nor speak wherin then can they liue How should they defend a man that trusteth in them but both the caruer and the work perisheth togither What then is subiect to this spirituall beleef A horse bicause he runneth fiercely in the battel or many thousand chariots bicause they seem inuincible or man bicause he can deuise and determin long before nay or princes that so many millions of knees bow vnto these all haue place of life for they both breath smell hear and speak and eeke can go and not be borne yet seeing their bodies be altogither fraile and dissoluble wasting to nothing there is no place for euerlasting life found in them whereupon the spirit of beleef should work much lesse any meanes wherby the grosse nature of man might be iustified Psal. 33. 17. The horse is void of vnderstanding Exod. 14. 28. All Pharaos chariots and confidence perished at once 2. Sam. 24. 1. Dauid was plagued for numbring of his host of eight hundred thousand fighting men whose power and trust was soon abated by affliction This teacheth vs then the vanity of gold the senslesnes of wood and stone the weak defence of horse and chariot nay more Psal. 118. 9. the vtmost safety of an host and the confidence in princes for here Dauid being a king could not saue his host from the pestilence nor his incomparable number worke their Lords securitie wherfore man we see is not the thing to be beleeued in albeit he hath both sense and power in a firme vnderstanding For in nothing but in man is this worke of faith required so that whatsoeuer is aboue man knoweth al things and what so is below him hopeth for nothing One man
are meant all the Babylonians Medes Persians and Assyrians his posterity So vnder Heber is signified all his posterity the Hebrues and consequently the Iewes of whom Christ rose a naturall branch So from time to time their policy hath been to erect an earthly monarch by daily persecutions of the Church against their own spirituall consciences and by a catholike persecution of the church to exalt their catholike tyranny in steed of the Church Neither can I see them iustly called Catholiks except for the vniforme massaker of true Christians Now therfore least we should mistake this Christ by ignorance of his death our beleef is a consonant speech most diuinely composed for our vnderstanding that we may as well perceiue the certainty of his passion as of his incarnation wherfore it is necessarily mentioned in our beleef his conception his incarnation his passion the manner of his passion and the end therof Touching his conception and incarnation I haue before spoken touching the certainty of his passion his very enimies confesse that such a Christ came according to the prophets and suffered for their chronicles and ancient monuments of time say no lesse Notwithstanding they wilfully mistook him and abandoned him for a false Christ. That Pilate was a Roman the Romans themselues confesse and that he had such an office they do not deny and that such a Christ at the same very time suffered vnder his hands for their owne sakes they must conclude if they at all hope for saluation in him Hitherto I find not one idle word to be spared as friuolous or improper concerning our Christian faith and it is most euident that if any of these words had been omitted or for breuity sake not penned of necessity they must had beene deliuered and taught for the better vnderstanding of our beleefe HE WAS CRVCIFIED This was the manner of death that he was put vnto by Pilate the curse of the law for by the Iewes owne law Cursed is he that hangeth on the true Deut. 21. 23. But Christ bought vs from the curse Gal. 3. 13. being made a curse for vs that now in the true seed of Abraham all nations of the earth the sonnes of Iaphet might be blessed by the God of Sem and that Iaphet and Sem might now dwell togither Nay the Iewes made this curse more reprochfull in Christ than by the law otherwise could be deuised For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be fastened to the crosse far and very hainously exceedeth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be hanged Gal. 3. 13. as Saint Paul vseth it to the Galathians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hanged vpon a tree and according to Saint Mathewes exposition Math. 22. 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by these two commandements hang the law and the prophets But to shew their most outragious malice they cried crucify him crucify him which is to say Naile him naile him to the tree Neither can the washing of Pilats hands before the people Math. 27. 24. make his guiltines vnguilty they thought that they could not vse him too hardly For they made account heerby to see him do many great miracles as he had done before insomuch that they assaied him with all temptations not considering that his time was finished and that he was to enter the Ark of saluation as a new Noah sauiour of the world Neither did they regard the limits of his manhood but scourged him buffeted him spit on him and pierced his sides They mocked him Math. 27. 40. saying He that destroied the temple and built it againe in three daies let him saue himself their blindnes did not comprehend the temple of a second Salomon the body of Christ a second Adam which should within three daies be destroied and built againe to stand for euer and euer iust the distance of old Adams natural yeeres from the foundation of the first temple so proceeded they still to tempt him euen with extremity of anguish to his soule and mortall torments to his body when most patiently he crieth Math. 27. 46. ELI ELI LAMMA SABACTA NI My God Psal. 22. 2. my God why hast thou forsaken me but they vnderstood him not and soon after he gaue vp the ghost * and died And his soule left the vaile of his fleshly body at the consummation of all Math. 27. 51. the vaile of the temple rent from the top to the bottom 2. Chron. 3. 14. shewing that the high sacrificer was not from thencefoorth yeerly to enter in to make oblation and attonement for the sinnes of the people but that Christ being once offered vp for all was made high sacrificer for al to abrogate all ceremoniall priesthood of the law and therfore was he called a high sacrificer for euer Psal. 110. 4. after the order of Melchizedek Hebr. 7. his office was so far aboue the Leuites as Melchizedek excelled Aaron the one being only high sacrificer vnder the law the other an old paterne of priesthood before the law whom Christ was to imitate that in the appointed time he might take away and abolish the ceremonies of the law and make reconciliation for the sins of the people by his death Hebr. 2. 17. seeing he was sent as another Moses a brief expositor of the law that they that beleeued not in him their condemnation might bee iust DEAD This word sheweth the end of his passion that it was euen vnto death neither might this word be spared for he might suffer vnder Pontius Pilate and be crucified yet not vnto death and might had been by the interruption of passion void of death at all Wherfore this is necessarily added WAS CRVCIFIED DEAD That we cannot think he suffered fantastically or that he suffered in vaine for at his expiration he was said to be dead He died that day wherin Adam fell being with vs a friday which was the Iewes saboth euen that he might performe and finish to vs the long promised and liuely saboth which through the fall of Adam we had need of A most fine note that we became bound and free in one day the interruption of time being 3960 yeeres or therabouts Heer we may wel perceiue the eternity yea the euerlasting memory of the Lords counsell and prouidence What end is there of his wisedom Who can imagine a greater wisedom than this which is to search the tokens and figures of this Christ his most certaine comming It is a true pathway to Gods knowledge and teacheth vs to imitate him in spirit and truth and to ground our beleef according to that knowledge of him now com Verily it is much to be lamented that these things are so smoothly ouerpassed of many and so little regarded of any by the which the Lord had such pleasure to foreshew his sonne vnto the Iewes now for our aedification insomuch that by most diligent obseruation of the same they haue continually penned large volumes in the
admiration of it But we thinke and contend that it is ynough to acknowledge Christ our redeemer and to beleeue in him whom the father hath sent we are much deceiued to call that ynough which is in due respect nothing For the diuell acknowledged Christ to be the sonne of God which the Papists are alwaies ready to obiect when we argue iustification by faith but the text saith that he confessed him with trembling So then before we can acknowledge him our redeemer we must of necessity learne how we became bound and before we can rightly beleeue in him whom the father hath sent we must needs vnderstand some warning of his message which most often and breefly is repeated throughout the body of the old Testament Then must we try whether he came according to the fulnes of time wherin the father promised to send him and afterward when he is come whether his message be of God or not he himselfe exhorteth vs to make trial These seem good ground-works to build our faith vpon for as it is required in vs to beleeue so is it most expedient for vs to know him in whom we do beleeue bicause it separateth vs from death to life as before I alleaged For example Christ saith to the theef Luk. 23. 43. This day shalt thou be with me in paradise and againe of himselfe Father into thine hands I commend my spirit But concerning his body it died in the flesh for it was wrapped in linnen and laid in a tombe by Ioseph a iust man of Arimathaea and Nicodemus according to the manner of the Iewes Luk. 23. 52. and buried and to manifest that his body was dead after the maner of men the women prepared sweet odours and ointments and rested the Saboth day Nicodemus might heer see a cleerer sight of the second birth than he had before neither was his buriall an illusion to deceiue mens sight for the Iewes would not be mocked but commanded a watch and sure fastening to the doore least his disciples should steal him away keeping in mind the words that he spake vpon the earth Math. 27 64. Within three daies I will rise Thus haue I concluded his passion the manner of his passion and also his buriall which was according to the law HE DESCENDED INTO HELL Heer commeth the article that drew me to this whole discourse for that I saw the learned somthing at ods about it yet so as all both the one and the other did firmly hold it necessarily inserted in our Christian faith Neither wil I take vpon me heer so much to reconcile the learned which diuersly allow of it as to debell the vnlearned opinions which admits it not at all holding it a superfluous and needlesse article to be taught among Christian families It is somthing strange when clownes exceed in sophistry This kind of men had rather be followed as Christs of a new church than follow Christ as disciples of the true Church It behooueth them therfore in whom remedy consisteth speedily to redresse such erronious errors least some other soone after should deny that hee ascended into heauen Acts. 23. wherby a sect of Saduces might arise amongst vs Math. 27. denying any resurrection at all and so the latter error become greater than the former Now therfore concerning the misconstruing of these words then touching the abiection of them and lastly how to vnderstand them both in their vtmost force and also how they were first ment in the primitiue Church as appeereth by the indifferency of the penners of them But as concerning his descending or going downe no man I know will deny this word that hath any feeling of the ascension and going vp which is most manifest by Saint Pauls Epistle to the Ephesians which reciteth the prophet Dauids words mentioned in the Psalmes Ephes. 4. 8. Thou art gon vp on high Psal. 68. and hast led captiuity captiue thou hast receiued gifts for men yea euen the rebellious hast thou led that the Lord God may dwell there praised be the Lord which ladeth vs daily Selah But Saint Paules allusion is this that he ascended and captiued captiuity and gaue dwelling places to men Now insomuch that he ascended saith he what is it but that he descended first into the lower parts of the earth and he that went downe is he that went vp aboue al heauens to fulfill all thingâ— If therefore he had been to go downe to the place of the damned as some will he must had descended into the lowest part of the earth as he went vp to the highest heauen for his depth ought to had been answerable to his height nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnder all the earth as he ascended 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aboue all heauens Reason will that as the Lords glory wherwith he glorified his sonne is aboue all heauens for they were made by him and they are the work of his owne hands and waxe old as doth a garment and shall passe and melt away like wax euen so the damned are to haue their portion below all the earth by opposition Seeing as happines and vnhappines are extremities so are their habitations most extreme and remote one from the other which cannot be in places to be discerned by flesh except we will deuise to make purgatories in the concauities of the earth as Papists haue done or our eies more sharp than Moses eies were For arguments sake then I conclude this that seeing the state of the damned is permanent for euer it is not to be changed by a new creation 2. Pet. 3. 9. For there shall be a new heauen and a new earth so that this heauen which we see is as a vaile before our eies to keep vs from the sight of God whose face would be so glorious that we should not be able to look vp for he appeered in a flame of fire Exod. 3. 6. which God our sauiour maketh himself vsing his fathers owne words shewing Exod. â—2 â—2 that it is he that sitteth on the firy throne this earth but a bar to defend vs from the outrage of the damned spirits which would consume vs with horror and there were no helpe for vs. But for the places of Gods existence and of the euerlasting prison the diuine scripture in no language hath affoorded names except circumstantiall or metaphoricall nay God himselfe hath forborne to name the place of the happy or vnhappy and much lesse was man able to perform it for he neuer went and came againe Neither in our sight can any proper resemblance be made of it Therfore let vs thinke of Christs descension that he went first into the lower parts of the earth which Saint Paul alluding Ezechiels words Ezec. 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writeth in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is all one as to say What is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth Heer he said
greater subiection can there be than for euer yea for euer and euer to abide a slauish vassall in all seruitude horror trembling Therfore suppose not that the Holy one saw other corruption than in flesh for he droue the prince of darknes into a corner where the sink of all corruption is Now what perfection he could draw out of this sink that he himself had cursed let the consciences of all men try and iudge and be warned with Peter that they defile not the things that the Lord hath purified and that they cleaue not so fast to corruption as to peruert the Lords waies and besot their own vnderstanding Concerning the word Apoc. 6. 8. Hell it is written Behold a pale horse and his name that sate on him was Death and Hell followed after him and power was giuen to them ouer the fourth part of the earth to kill with sword and with hunger with death and with the beasts of the earth Heer we see that our expositors plainly take Hel for the graue that is alwaies woont to follow after death Pet. 2. 13. So when the day of the Lord shall come by which the heauens being on fire shall be dissolued and the elements shall melt away with heat and a new heauen and a new earth established wherin dwelleth righteousnes Apoc. 21. 1. and the first heauen and the first earth passed away and when the Lord shall creat new heauens and a new earth and the former not remembred For Isai. 65. 19. saith the Lord as the new heauens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before me Isai. 66. 22. so shall your seed and your name continue and from moneth to moneth and from sabaoth to sabaoth shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord and they shall go forth and looke vpon the carkases of men that haue transgressed for their worm shall not dy neither shall their fire be quenched and they shall be an abhorring vnto all flesh This is the miserable condition of the wicked ones the second death the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone Apoc. 2. 8. at the opening of the books the resurrection of all flesh which is to say when the sea death and Hell shall giue vp their dead Apoc. 20. 1. which are in them and they shall bee iudged according to their works then both death and Hell which haue all this while had power ouer flesh to cut it off from inheritance of this life through the curse shall at the last resurrection be vanquished to all flesh and cast into the burning lake by our Lord sauiour Iesus Christ our forerunner In this world shall the cursed endure his damnation and the happy shall feel his blessednes He that liueth in this world an hundred yeeres shall dy a yoong man neither shall any be called a child of yeers but he that buildeth in this world shall inhabit and they that plant vineyards shall eat of the fruit neither shall they plant and another eat but they shal inioy the works of their own hands and shall not be made to labour in vaine and bring foorth in fear for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their buds with them Yet concerning his descension remaineth this one thing he made his graue with the wicked with the â—ich in his death though he had done no wickednes neither was any deceit in his mouth Now in that it is said he made him a graue he chose him a place in the earth whereinto he vouchsafed to descend and be buried for our saluation though many wicked and rich men lay as glorious as he whom the cell of the earth was far vnworthy to conteine Dan. 12. 2. Where the many that sleep shall awake to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetuall contempt Againe that he was buried and descended also into hell read the ancient Christian meaning of the word Hell in the example of the rich man written by Luke the Euangelist translated into Saxonish many yeeres ago which saith thus ha peand re peleza dead and paer on Hell bebynzed which is now as much as to say And the rich man died and was buried in hel I should think it very absurd therfore farther to vrge any comment or exposition for the word Hell seeing no doubt these expositors of the Gospels sufficiently vnderstood what they said in their owne language Nay whosoeuer will not yeeld vnto so plain a testimony of truth the mark of controuersie he may be thought little zealous yea obstinate in his own profession Now of such as would haue Hell to be in the earth and to meane the place of the damned and would prooue it by the word Luk. 16. 26. Gulf that was betweene Abraham and the rich man the worde in the Greek originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HIATVS FISSVRA a gap or cliffe as Virgil citeth the word properly foorth of Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TELLVS IMA DEHISCAT Let the earth cleaue But we vnderstand the word Gulf a concaue and a deuouring place which is hardly argued by the circumstance following seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signify neither vp nor downe but passing ouer as it were from shore to shore as TRANSCENDERE and TRANSRIMARE agreeing with the prophets words before recited they shall go foorth and look vpon the carcases of men c. And beside Saint Iohn proueth a further punishment to insue after death and hell which is to say the burning lake Let vs absteine therfore farther to inquire of the places which the Lord hath shut vp from vs and our vnderstanding For saith the Lord Gen 3. 22. Behold the man is becom as one of vs to know good and euill And now least he put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat and liue for euer therfore the Lord God sent him foorth from the garden of Eden to till the earth whence he was taken And the Lord hath set Cherubims and the blade of a sword shaking to keep the way of the tree of life Heer we see that the iealous God excluded Adam out of the garden least he should attain to see the state of the eternall Wherfore the plaine and open things are for vs and our children to obserue and do but the secret and hidden things pertaine vnto God only The prophet Ionah was a most excellent figure of our sauiour if a man do diligently mark his prophesie 2. King 14. 25. First his name signifieth a doue in the Hebrue voice in the likenes wherof Iesus receiued the spirit of his father from heauen wher he himself confesseth Math. 3. 16. that he saw the heauens open and the spirit of God descending like a doue Psal. 74. 16. and lighting vpon him the true turtle doue whose soule the beast had neuer power of Ionah his message was to
preach so Christ Ionah willingly suffered shipwrack Iona. 1. 12. for the safety of the ship and mariners Christ willingly indured the curse for the saluation of the earth and the inhabitants therof Ionah was in the belly of the fish three daies and three nights so long was the son of man to be in the belly of the earth Ionah descended into the belly of hell for saith he I cried in mine affliction vnto the Lord and he heard me out of the belly of hel cried I and thou heardest my voice Which hel is heer nothing else but the vale of death and extreme mist of darknes wherinto our sauiour also descended for the same space Ionah arose and went to Niniueh to finish his message of preaching Christ arose likewise and ascended into heauen to consummate all his fathers will after he had once yeelded vp his spirit into his hands Math. 17. 50. and had destroied the temple of his body and built it againe in three daies Ionah had pity on the gourd for which he had not laboured neither made it grow which came vp in a night and perished in a night so dealeth Christ with his adopted members taking pity euen of the meere fruits of darknes whose beginning and end is not to be discerned of men for they abide not the light that truth loueth THE THIRD DAY HE ROSE AGAIN He walked the path of life euen to the presence of his father Psal. 16. 10. the fulnes of ioy at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore which path he hath also shewed to vs his followers whose flesh yet doth rest in hope Let vs therfore perceiuing the mortality of our vaile euen for his sake striue to enter into that path how narrow or straight soeuer it seemeth the crooked and hard waies are passed with care and fear to eternall ioy but the wide and easie waies in this life leade to destruction and pull vs hastily to condemnation and euerlasting woe in the world to come Our sauiour Christ by his power which he receiued of his father in heauen could destroy the temple and build it againe in three daies Iohn 2. 1◠as he said Destroy this temple pointing at his body and I will build it in three daies Which is a very fine and perfect exposition of the rock where he saith Thou art Peter and vpon this rock pointing to himself I will build my Church but the blind Iewes vnderstood not of what temple he spake albeit he had called it so neither will the Papists vnderstand of what rock he spake albeit it was his name long before His power was so infinite not only in framing to himselfe a new body Math. 27. but to many other that slept in the dust of the earth Dan. 12. such was his will to manifest his attractiue power to all flesh that hopeth for the resurrection in the world to com when the time of recreation of all flesh shall appeer Psal. 17. Wherfore stay our steps continually O Lord in these thy paths that our feet slide not and deliuer vs from the hands of such as haue their portion in this life Concerning his resurrection Saint Paul testifieth at large how that he died for our sinns according to the scriptures and that he was buried and rose againe the third day 1. Cor. 15. and that he was seen of Cephas then of the twelue after that he was seen of more than fiue hundred brethren at once of whom many at that time remained as a confirmation of his testimony the rest being asleep After that he was seen of Iames and then of all the Apostles and last of all of him Which chapter I intreat the diligent reader to turn to bicause it wholy concerneth this article For it prooueth the resurrection of the dead and that Christ is already risen then that we all shall rise and the manner how Wheras for me to make a new frame of the same texts adding nothing but forme to my purpose were meer arrogancy or rather as Saint Paul saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and might seem vnto the reader as the hony of one bee in comparison of a whole field of sweet flowers In many other places where the whol Psalm chapter or book cōcerneth the matter in handling I refer the reader to the ancientest testimonies therof whether it be of prophets Euangelists or Apostles which were the neerest recorders of that time FROM THE DEAD Which is to say them that sleep for whom Saint Paul willeth vs not to lament as others that are clean without hope for saith he as we beleeue that our Iesus died and rose againe so our God through Iesus will bring againe those that sleep with him for the Lord shall come downe from heauen with a showt and the voice of the Archangle 1. Thes. 4. 13. and with the trumpet of God and those that be dead shall rise first and then those which remaine aliue shall be carried vp with them in cloudes to meet the Lord in the aire and so shall we all be with the Lord. Also he taught his disciples Mark 9. 3. that he should rise againe the third day and after I am risen I will go into Galile before you Mark 14. 28. His ascension in this place is little to be spoken of bicause by his descension it hath sufficiently appeered by the contrary argument yet thus much he testifieth Iohn 7. 34. saying Whither I go you cannot in the flesh come In my fathers house are many mansions if there were not I would declare vnto you I go to prepare a place for you Let not your harts be troubled ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me Though I go to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may you also be and whither I go you know and the way you know For it is I that am the way the truth and the life No man commeth to my father but by me Iohn 14. if yee had knowen me you should had knowen my father also and from hencefoorth ye know him and haue seen him Moreouer he saith to Mary Iohn 20. 17. Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my father but go to my brethren and say to them I ascend to my father and to your father and to my God and your God Heer he most comfortably becommeth brother vnto vs acknowledging his father and ours to be all one through his precise and faultlesse obseruation of his fathers will After that he had breathed vpon his disciples the holy Ghost Iohn 20. 22. and at the sea of Tyberias comforted them againe with his presence he was taken vp in a cloud out of their sight and while they looked stedfastly towards heauen as he went two men stood by them in white apparell Acts. 1. 9. which said Ye men of Galile why stand yee gazing into heauen This
come to a safe port so if by the weaknes of the spirit you wend with the tempest of the world doing the will of the flesh then haue you also before your eies the points of hope patience and prosperity the direct course vnto the holy land where ye shall arriue and anchor more safe than sowls in their nests Luke 9. 58. or foxes in their holes yea or any treasure in the depth of the earth for all such things in the day of iudgement shall shew foorth their owne property and be reuealed vnto the eies of the liuing at which day shall be the haruest wherunto the tares also are reserued as well as the wheat This is the land that is more worth than all kingdoms heer is the plentifull field that multiplieth so manifold this is the field of hid tresure Math. 13. the pearle of great price the draw-net that gathereth of all kinds the fruitfull senuy and the sauory leuen The heires of this kingdom shall shine as the sunne thus much concerning the comforter that guideth the chosen to saluation Now touching the catholike church If we beleeue in the catholike church we bring a curse vpon vs for the church are the members of Christ their head not cleer from sinne bicause the old man remaineth yet in them and saith the prophet Cursed is the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arme One man may haue a sympathy with another vntill perfection shall come by grace Also if we beleeue in the catholike church we lessen the power of God our father of Christ our sauiour and of the holy spirit our comforter to whose power no perfection is wanting for it made vs perfectly it saueth vs assuredly and most intirely releeueth and comforteth vs daily Which creation saluation and consolation the holy catholike church so far relieth on as is needfull for any one member of the same should we presume then to be made holy bicause they are holy or saints by beleeuing in the holy members of the church or will we all be catholikes one by one bicause we all make one catholike church No there is no saint but he whom the spirit sanctifieth nor any catholike but the church which is the composition of many members into one catholike and perfect body of Christ the head through the holy Ghost the spouse of the Annointed Psal. 45. The holy city of God Ierusalem came downe from heauen prepared as a bride trimmed for hir husband Apoc. 21. 2. I will shew the bride the lambes wife read the whole chapter Concerning the new citie Ierusalem the church holy catholike or vniuersall on earth This is the vineyard of red wine Isai. 27. 2. that the Lord hath kept so daintily and watred euery moment least any assaile it This hath the Lord set as a signe on the mountaines for all the inhabitants of the earth Isai. 18. 3. that when he bloweth the trumpet they might heare yea vpon mount Sion bloweth he and the most base and vile nations repaire vnto his name Isai. 26. 1. This is the strong city whose bulworks are saluation and in whose wals consisteth the whole strength of Iudah This church hath none other foundation but Christ and the faith which we haue in him 1. Cor. 3. 11. the true rock that followed the host Math. 16. Wherfore we are Gods laborers 1. Pet. 2. 4. his husbandry 1. Cor. 10. 4. and his building If any man lay other foundation than this Exod. 17. 6. the fire shall try of what sort it is Num. 20. 10. and if any mans work abideth he shall receiue wages but if his work burne he shall lose his labour Againe know ye not that ye are the temple of God and the spirit of God dwelleth in you This much hath shewed that we are the very temple of God founded vpon Iesus Christ of which the holy Ghost is minister and dwelleth in vs. Which temple if any man destroy God the builder will destroy him for the temple of God is holy More concerning this point read the whole third chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthes this temple of the Lords was sanctified in old time yea euen when he dwelt in no house 2. Sam. 6. 6. but walked in a tent or tabernacle leading his seruant Moses though the wildernes with the children of Israel euen as a shepherd leadeth his sheep Such was his tender mercy toward his possession at that time that in fower hundred and fowerscore yeeres he dwelt in tents and tabernacles and his arke remained within the curtaines Then Salomon built a temple for his name against the comming of Shiloh then to be sent Iesus Christ the very foundation wals and borders of the catholike church gathering togither a communion of saints by the holy Ghost a most comfortable minister in the same Therfore there is no catholike but the Lords building which is the common passion of the members of Christ. And we are not to beleeue in the catholike church of which our selues are members but we beleeue that we be of the catholike church and that we are part of the Lords husbandry and building vpon his sonne Iesus Christ the rock euen the foundation that was reuealed by God the father vnto Peter For when doubt arose who he should be Peter confidently answered Thou art that Christ the sonne of the liuing God and Iesus answered and said vnto him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionah for flesh and blood hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen and also I say Thou art Peter and vpon this rock will I build my church and the gates of hell shall not ouercome it Heer met I somthing concerning the catholike errors of the Popish church that make PETROS PETRA PETRA ROMA and ROMA CATHEDRA PETRI which in a word may be easily confuted for Peter at the pronuntiation of the words Thou art Peter c. was in the coasts of Caesarea Philippi Tetrarchae far from Rome neither was it euer spoken of by any testimony now of sixe hundred yeeres old that Peter was at Rome only a new opinion of that church hath of late inueterated Concerning the word Rock all rocks of saluation are spiritually taken Psal. 18. 3. as Dauid saith The Lord is my rock and my redeemer And in another place it is said Tzuri shaddai My rock is the all-sufficient but this is meant of our sauiour a rock of saluation seeing vpon it he will build his church a temple not made with hands therfore of necessity must this rock be taken spiritually as a reuelation of God from heauen to Peter of his sonne Iesus Christ which was the faith of Peter when he said Thou art the annointed the sonne of the liuing God And vpon this faith will Christ build his church so sure as vpon a rock neuer to be mooued Psal. 123. for they that trust in the