Jerusalem but the Churches of Christ. And according to this sense our Saviour Matth. 24. 15. speaking of Antichrists seat doth not say When ye see the abomination of desolation stand in the temple at Jerusalem but he saith stand in the holy place that is to say in the Church which is more holy then ever was the temple at Jerusalem by reason of the time of grace And this reason also evinceth For if Antichrist should not have his residence in the Church among Christians what opportunitie could he have to tread under foot the holy citie by the space of fourty two moneths and to compasse the tents of the saints about and the beloved citie which is the Church of Christ prophesied of in the 11 and 20 chapters of the Revelation Lastly to this cometh the prophesie of Sibylla speaking of Antichrist in the 8 book of Oracles and quoted by Jewel upon the 2 Thess. 2. where she hath these words The greatest terrour and furie of his empire and the greatest wo that he shall work shall be by the banks of Tybur And to this agree the Remenses saying Credibile omnino est Romae sessurum Antichristum It is altogether credible that Antichrist is to sit at Rome Secondly this is shewed from the Fathers S. Hierome quaest 11. ad Algas saith He shall sit in the temple of God either at Jerusalem as some think or in the Church as we more truely suppose S. Chrysostome upon 2. Thess. 2. He shall command himself to be worshipped for God and to be placed in the temple not onely at Jerusalem but also in the Churches S. Augustine de Civit. Dei lib. 20. cap. 11. speaking of Antichrists persecution saith Haec erit novissima persecutio novissimo imminente judicio quam sancta Ecclesia toto terrarum orbe patietur universa scilicet civitas Christi ab universa diaboli civitate quantacunque erit utraque super terram This shall be the last persecution the last judgement hanging over our heads which the whole Church shall suffer in all the world that is to say the whole citie of Christ from the whole citie of the devil c. But to stop the mouth of these testimonies some perhaps may say that there is no Church at Rome To such will Calvin give answer in his fourth book of Inst. chap. 2. sect 12. Hinc igitur patet nos minimè negare quin sub ejus quoque tyrannide Ecclesiae maneant From hence it is plain that we denie not but that under his tyrannie the Churches may remain Likewise in the 11 section he hath Ut manebant olim inter Judaeos peculiares quaedam Ecclesiae praerogativae ità nec hodie Papistis adimimus quae superesse ex dissipatione vestigia Ecclesiae inter eos Dominus voluit As in time past among the Jews certain peculiar prerogatives remained so neither do we at this day take from the Papists the steps of the Church which the Lord would have to remain among them out of that dissipation Here again may some other ask why Antichrist may not as well make choice of some other Seas in Christendome as of Rome and namely among the reformed Churches I answer Of necessitie he must sit at Rome to fulfill the prophesie Revel 17. and because this was the seat of the first beast Reason also will runne with the prophesie for that conquerers will aim at the fairest as the Turk the second beast hath made choice of Constantinople as being the principall citie of the East Church The Papist and the Protestant strive about the seat of Antichrist the one would have it to be at Rome the other not In my judgement the Protestant sets the saddle on the right horse Wherefore if the Papist will be advised by me let him yeeld the horse and saddle too and save the rider Let him free the Pope amend his teaching especially whereby he shed so much Christian bloud and maintain peace and charitie with his brethren who dissent not from him in the main and let the devil and Antichrist take Rome when the time comes They had it at the first and they will have it again at the last sit the holy Father as sure as he can When the great deluge and overspreading shall come spoken of by Daniel and John then all shall down the Pope must stoup his Cardinals shall be off their hinges and his triple crown shall lie in the dust In the mean time God of his great goodnesse have mercie on us all Antichrists destruction Vers. 8. Whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his coming In these words Antichrists destruction is prophesied to the great comfort of Christs little flock The overthrow is described to be given as it were by a double blow and a twofold weapon to shew the certaintie and inevitabilitie of it The Lord Christ shall utterly consume and destroy his enemie but how Spiritu oris sui with the spirit of his mouth that is as Carthusianus upon this place saith With his precept in commanding him to be killed by Michael the archangel or else in killing him by himself that is to say with his look or as Anselm hath it SPIRITU ORIS SUI id est invisibili virtute spiritûs sui c. WITH THE SPIRIT OF HIS MOUTH that is with the invisible vertue of his spirit which spirit is the holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne and is the power of the Godhead In short he shall destroy him not by the preaching of his Ministers as some would have it but because he is his personall opposite he shall destroy him in his own person by his divine power and command whose command is to do not in the multitude of an armie nor in the strength of souldiers nor in the aid of angels but as darknesse is banished by the sunnes presence so by the lustre of Christs coming by the look of his countenance and by the breath of his nostrils he shall destroy him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the brightnes of his presence when he shall say Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum Go ye cursed into everlasting fire Whether Antichrist be yet come I answer No because the scripture testifieth that he shall come in the end of the world for when he is come and hath reigned his three yeares and an half as is before declared then our text saith that Christ shall come to consume him with the spirit of his mouth and to destroy him with the brightnesse of his coming Some understand this of Christs spirit in his preachers by created graces but this cannot be good because the Greek hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth by the appearing of his substantiall or personall presence Secondly because the preachers of that time shall not kill Antichrist but be killed as appeareth in the prophesie of the two witnesses Revel 11. 3
her fruit Then neighbours if you desire the cry of our poore to cease and the judgements of God to forbear us let us give God his due and respect his house There was a time when our holy fathers spared no cost nor labour to build Gods houses now let us take our time to adorn them as many of our devout brethren have begun So forward were good people in the old world to this service that Moses made proclamation to stay their devotions as we reade in Exod. 36. O that but half this willing heart were among us Christians to shew our love to God in this kinde The second office of holinesse is a holy preparation before we enter Gods house This is taught by Solomon Eccles. 5. 1. Take heed to thy foot when thou entrest into the house of God as if it had been said Thou canst not enter as thou oughtest without a preventing and preparing thought Why sayest thou not to thy self Whither goest thou what art thou about to do If thou sayest To serve God then consider what God is Is he not the maker of all things and the mover of all things made canst thou see any thing that is not his canst thou heare any thing which his hand hath not made canst thou wear any thing which his fingers have not spunne canst thou set thy foot on that which his power hath not founded All this week before thou hast sitten at his table and tasted of his cates and canst thou come at any time to his house to thank him for all this and not deeply consider what thou art to do The third office of holinesse is To reverence Gods Sanctuarie and as by other acts of reverence so by keeping off our hats while we stay in it whether there be Service or no Service and this reverence is commanded in generall Levit. 19. after such an emphaticall manner as if the breach of it were equall to the sinne of not keeping the fourth commandment for they are joyned together both in the same precept vers 30. Ye shall keep my Sabbaths and reverence my Sanctuarie I am the Lord. Where ye see why God commands his house to be reverenced because it is his house and the honour that is done in it and to it is done to himself I am the Lord. As the good usage which we give to the family of a nobleman reflecteth from the family to the nobleman so is it between God and his house When we go into our kings chamber where stands his chair of state though the king himself be not there yet we put off and are uncovered in remembrance of his majestie but our heavenly King as he is in all places because he is infinite so he is in this his palace by a more speciall resemblance of his holinesse but then chiefly when Gods people are met together there for Gods house is a little heaven on earth here dwels the Father Sonne and holy Ghost the Father in receiving our devotions the Sonne in directing them and the holy Ghost in sanctifying them Thus saith the Sonne of God Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Thou wilt say I cannot see either Father Sonne or holy Ghost in this place I answer God is a Spirit therefore not to be seen with bodily eyes yet hath he given thee bodily eyes to inform thy spirituall eyes Seest thou not Gods Minister here speaking to God and bowing his knees to him when he speaks Seest thou not the Sonne of Gods seat here the holy Altar at the upper end of this house and seest thou not the holy Font at the nether end where the holy Ghost is alwaies ready to receive all into his kingdome If the Sonne and holy Ghosts seats be at both ends of this house must not the Father needs be all the house over because both Sonne and holy Ghost proceed from him and are but one Spirit and one God Moses saith The Lord our God is one Lord. He is in the light that shines in at the window he is in thy breath by which thou prayest and speakest Thou mayst say further I cannot see the holy angels here attending on him Wilt thou beleeve no more then thou canst see then art thou no better then S. Thomas in this case to whom our Lord preferreth all them that beleeve have not seen See with S. Pauls eies in the 1. Cor. 11. 10. where men are directed to be uncovered on their heads in Gods house women to be covered because of the angels that is to say lest the holy angels in the congregation should be offended at the womens irreverent carriage with bare heads and long hair and at the mens hats on their heads Wherefore good fellow-brethren if you respect God and his holy place have a speciall care to maintain good orders and manners in it lest God and his holy angels be offended at us To conclude as all the holy saints in heaven behold Gods face there so all the saints of the earth are here in this lower heaven beholding the beauty of his holinesse Now if God be here his seat here his angels here his saints here his word and worship here then what reverence and holinesse becometh this house above all places in the world Wert thou in the kings chamber the king there speaking to thee and thou to the king how wouldest thou tremble what passions wouldest thou have within thee what thoughts of humilitie what cares of oversights But because thou canst see none but thy neighbours here here thou art bold and servest God with lesse fear then men serve the work of his fingers Si quis regem hominem saith Erasmus alloquuturus circumstante procerum coronâ nec caput aperiat nec genu flectat non jam pro rustico sed pro insano ab omnibus haberetur Quale est ergò illîc opertum habere caput erecta genua ubi Rex adest ille regū immortalis immortalitatis largitor ubi vener abundi circumstant aetherei spiritus nec refert si eos non vides vident illi te nec minùs certum est illos adesse quà m si videres illos oculis corporeis It skilleth not whether thou seest them when as they see thee for it is as certain that angels are present in Gods house at such times as if thou sawest them with thy bodily eyes Open therefore all thy eyes the eyes of thy minde and the eyes of thy body the eyes of thy body to behold the outward beauty of this house in divine service and the eyes of thy soul to behold the inward beauty of Gods holinesse majesty and greatnesse and thou canst not choose but be reverent more then our usuall manner is The 4 sort of reverence and office of this holinesse beseeming Gods house is at the entring in before we take our seats to bend the knee and to bowe our body to him
56. 7. My house shall be called an house of prayer and our Lord in the Gospel confirmeth it Wherefore if God will heare the prayers of his people in all places then he will heare them sooner and with greater respect in his own house which is specially dedicated to prayer and his service Neither doth this any way derogate from his ubiquity but from his being ubique uniformiter for as his mercy although it is over all his works yet is it not equally in hell and in heaven or the measure of his justice equally poured forth upon saints and angels as upon the children of disobedience so likewise although this be Gods attribute to be every where yet he is not every where alike both in regard of the promise of his especiall presence made in Scripture in such houses consecrated to his name by which they become more especially holy as also because in this house God will heare for the presence of his Sonne For as S. Chrysostome saith Where Christ is in the Eucharist there is no want of angels where such a King is and such princes are there is a heavenly palace nay heaven it self It followeth now to shew what God is and that he is the great owner of this house Great is Gods house but greater is the owner because no house can hold him therefore my Text useth an exclamation which intimateth a great entity Holinesse becometh thy house O Lord God is far greater then his house for he not onely dwelleth in his house but in the hearts of men in the intelligences of angels and in all other creatures And because nothing can contain him he dwelleth in himself most perfectly Of all places the prophet David speaketh Whither shall I go from thy spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence If I ascend up to heaven thou art there if I make my bed in the grave thou art there also If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea even there shall thy hand leade me and thy right hand shall hold me And in Isa. 66. 1. God challengeth the whole world for his house Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool what house will you build for me saith the Lord hath not my hand made all these things Wherefore when we come to worship God in his house we must bring this thought with us to surrender up all our own thoughts of serving him and desire him to ayd us with his holy Spirit And when after this we have done our lowliest service and served him with our best devotions yet we must say Lord we can never serve thee enough because thou art infinite and we uncapable of thy greatnesse and worthinesse Thus farre have I spoken of God and his house but before we enter it it is fit to know our selves and how we are to be qualified for it From the highest to the lowest alas we are all poore creatures At the first originally we were born abroad in the fields our mothers name was the earth and our fathers name was nothing for from nothing God made all his creatures according to that in Heb. 11. 3. So that things which are seen were not made of things which appeare Seeing then we are so poorely descended what shall we do we must go to service we must seek some good house for our preferment The best house in the world is Gods house for he is owner of heaven and earth and able to advance all But what are the orders of this house what will here give content Holinesse becometh thy house O Lord. Would we know what this holinesse is It is no common but a superlative honour it is Gods honour which we call godlinesse and holinesse common honour belongs to all that have Gods image in them but holinesse reflecteth onely upon the high and mighty God For this cause our Saviour hath taught us to say Hallowed which is more then Honoured be thy name according to the Psalme Holy and reverend is his name And this holinesse respective to Gods house consisteth of certain holy offices The first is To adorn and beautifie it fit for his greatnesse as himself gave pattern in beautifying his tabernacle there was gold and silver precious stones silks with all precious colours the most choice woods and all things framed with the best cunning that God inspired Bezaleel and Aholiab and all the wise-hearted of that time Now to prosecute S. Pauls argument if that which was to be done away was glorious much more is that to be glorious which is to remain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Dei domus sort well together comelinesse and holinesse joyn hand with each other Thus saith my Text Holinesse becometh thy house O Lord. This office equity exacteth of us for seeing God hath made the worlds great ornament and our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our little world for our honour and use should not we proportion a due ornament for his house and service A mans house is his state and the greatest men are esteemed by it And according to this Ezra saith Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers which hath put into the kings heart to beautifie the house of our God that is in Jerusalem And the Psalmist saith Worship the Lord in the beauty of holinesse that is to say in the beautified sanctuary or as the Geneva translation expoundeth in the glorious Sanctuary But how are our Sanctuaries about us for the most part beautified If basenesse were not more then want of beauty I would hold my peace One beauty hath beat out another the beauty of preaching which is a beauty too hath preacht away the beauty of holinesse for if men may have a sermon prayer and church-service with the ornaments of Gods house may fit abroad in the cold Alas that the daughters should drive away the mothers Is it not a shame for us to see the houses of knights and gentlemen sweeter kept and better adorned then the houses of the King of heaven To the one one mans means is sufficient to the other the means of a whole town is liable and yet this latter nothing so beautified as the other is is not this a second shame Our Saviour telleth us that in his Fathers house there are many mansions Shall we look for glorious mansions in the kingdome of heaven and will we not prepare comely mansions in the kingdomes of the earth Doth not God challenge us where he challengeth his chosen people Is it time for you to dwell in your cieled houses and this house to lie waste Gods judgement follows Ye looked for much and lo it came to little and when ye brought it home I did blow upon it and why saith the Lord of hosts because of my house that is waste and ye come every man to his own house Therefore the heaven over you stayed it self from dew and the earth stayed
dedicating Temples to God in their names we have the blessed saints still living and dwelling among us Oh blessed we And this doctrine is confirmed by the Article of the Communion of saints therefore they which neglect this holy fellowship in joyning with them to serve and worship God in this lower house as they serve and honour him in his higher house do as much as in them lies cut themselves from this holy Communion and have a great losse which none can see but they that have spirituall eyes But what will worldlings say If we come to Gods house every saints day we shall come short of our houshold businessâ— and our poore should be hindered from providing their necessaries I answer Because you come short with God in his service therefore he comes short with you in his blessing where Gods service is wanting there means want foison Saith not Hagge so Ye have sown much and bring in little ye eat but ye have not enough ye drink but ye are not filled with drink ye clothe you but there is none warm and he that earneth wages earneth wagâ—s to put it into a bag with holes What is now either gotten or saved this way by sparing from God We pull from him and he pulls from us who is the stronger The eighth office is To use all the responsals or answers prescribed in the holy Liturgie The people must not onely joyn with the minister in heart but in voice too because of all outward means this is most significant and effectuall as being the hearts eruption and interpreter And for such as are unlearned it is fit for them to learn them and to have them printed in their hearts to make them their own and to use them at other times because no pattern of prayer can equall this And this dutie of praying and praising God together with Gods ministers is by S. Peter prescribed to all the faithfull where he tells them that they are an holy priesthood to offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. These spirituall sacrifices are three Prayer Fasting and Almes by Prayer we sacrifice our souls to God by Fasting we sacrifice our bodies and by Almes our goods These three we have to give to God and no more and these three are bettered to us by our giving to him Our souls are bettered by his accepting and sanctifying of them our bodies are bettered by being freed from surfetting and diseases and our goods are bettered by Gods blessing of them The charitable mans cow casteth not her calf his corn is not blasted his fruit not eaten with caterpillers and the borrower runnes not away with his money Therefore Ecclesiasticus saith A mans almes is his purse as if it were said It keeps his â—â—â—te Further he saith Bestow thy treasure aâ—â—â—â— the commandment of the most high and it shall bring thee more profit then gold And again Lay up thy almes in the secret chambers and it shall keep thee from all afflictions What are the secret chambers they be the hungry bellies of the poore little see we what they want But to proceed Shall we think our souls to be sacrificed by all manner of prayers No for Isaiah prophesieth This people draw neare unto me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but their heart is farre from me The sacrifice of prayer is no lip-labour but a breaking of the heart before God for sinne 't is sobs and sighs and an ardent desire of obtaining Gods favour in Christ before all the goods of the world This is the fire of Gods Sanctuarie to kindle and enflame our sacrifice of prayer For Fasting this is not as many use it to abstain onely from flesh and care not to swallow up sinne but it is to beat down the body by abstinence and to bring it into subjection to the spirit it is to abstain from flesh and other delightfull food that thereby we might be taught and brought to abstain from fleshly pleasures from hunting after strange women from excesse of eating and drinking carding dicing and other vanities which feed the greedy appetite of flesh and bloud and the soul unreformed to abstain on fasting daies from meats forâ—â—dden and before thou comest to Gods house to be of an empty stomack that God may fill thy soul with his graces and after the sinnes of thy flesh to punish and keep down thy body with the coursest nourishments Lastly for the sacrifice of our goods this is not to give them when we cannot well keep them any longer When thy coat is moth-eaten then the moth gives it when thy bread is mouldie and thy meat smells then the mould and ill savour bestows it This is no true sacrifice of our goods because it smells not sweet in Gods nostrills But neighbours I cannot fault you in this kinde for that I know you to be more charitable and readier to give then others are worthy to receive Therefore I exhort you that when you give bodily food to some you would give some spirituall food with it admonish them of their idlenesse rebuke their sinne chide them for filching and stealing and other misdemeanours which you heare of or know This is as necessarie for them as their meat and drink and more too But here I cannot but suspect that our carnall Gospellers will object that our bodies and goods are no spirituall sacrifices but things materiall and so not fit for the Gospel Let such learn that though body and goods be by nature materiall yet by the principall whereby they are offered which is the soul and spirit they become spirituall Therefore David saith Not my heart alone but â—sh also shall rejoyce in the living God And S. Paul saith I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service And to the Corinthians he urgeth it from the redemption of both Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodie and in your spirit which are Gods And Joannes Sarisburiensis presseth this yet further even from the glorification of both in heaven Sensu coli voluit qui sensum dedit qui animam glorificabit carnem utriusque fidelem expetit famulatum se quoque voluit etiam corporaliter honorari ut quantavis tarditas infidelitatis aut negligentiâ— excusâ—tionem non habeat He would be worshâ—pped sensibly who gave the sense and he which shall glorifie both flesh and spirit looks for the unfeigned service of both and he likewise will be honoured bodily that the dulnesse of unbelief and carelesnesse of his service may have no excuse Wherefore let us endeavour with all fear and reverence to practise that unto which the blessed Apostle exhorteth us viz. to give our bodies as well as our souls a living sacrifice to our God in his service which differeth farre from the dead
sacrifice of the old Law And according to this our Church-service enjoyneth us to come fasting and not full-gorged to holy feasts because as the book of Wisdome teacheth the body is heavy to the soul and thâ—â—â—ller it is the heavier it is Therefore S. Chrysostome saith that fasting and almes are to the soul wings to mount it up in prayer and contemplation to heavenly things Experience teacheth that the stronger the body is the weaker the spirit and grace is and that by the bodies delicates the soul becometh carnal and so adversary to things spirituall The ninth office is To sing holy psalmes and hymnes to Gods honour in his house and this is taught Ephes. 5. 18 19. Be not drunk with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the Spirit Speaking to your selves in psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. And again Coloss. 3. 16. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome teaching and admonishing one another in psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. In which words is signified not onely the spirituall edifying of the soul in knowledge and understanding but further the speciall grace of holy singing in stirring up all our powers to praise God and to petition unto him with greater fervencie and alacritie By this trumpet of heart and mouth the devil is put to flight we encouraged to the spirituall warre and our sacrifice of praise pierceth the clouds And here by the way I am put in minde of the exceeding commendation which the ancient Divines give to the book of Psalmes above other Scriptures The tenth office respecteth Gods Ministers First in putting on the holy vestments for it is not fit that the maker of heavens ornaments should be served with common garments Gods house is a house of holinesse therefore holy vestments set apart for so high service best beseem it These intimate to all sorts in what a reverent manner God is to be served When the great Alexander the worlds conquerour came to Judea the holy nation to win it Josephus reporteth that the high priest Jaddus went out of Jerusalem to meet him wearing about him his priestly robes with which he served God in the Temple whom when he beheld in this solemne and sacred habit the storie sheweth that he reverenced him as Gods Minister fell prostrate on his face before the name of God which he bore on his breast-plate gave him his hand offered sacrifice to God according to his direction and granted what immunities and priviledges he would request for his nation It is likewise credibly reported by historians of no mean note and renown that Attilas king of the Hunnes in Germany who was called too truely as the Christians of those times by wofull experience testified THE SCOURGE OF GOD and TERROUR OF CHRISTIANS he having now made havock of the most part of Italy by sacking their towns burning their cities wasting their countrey demolishing their temples and savagely massacring â—â—ose primitive Saints in all furie and madnesse marches to Rome utterly to rase down that Metropolis of Europe At which time Leo firnamed for his pietie the GREAT being Pope came out in ornaments truely pontificall to meet him but after a pious and learned oration little prevailing yet the storie affirms Pontificali indutus ornatu ipsam religionis majestatem conspicuè arguente non precum pondere sed vultu gravi habitúque sanctimoniam indicante venerandam nè Roman vastatum iret benignè persuasit Apparelled in his priestly vestments which plainly proved the very majestie of religion not with the fervencie of entreaty but with gesture grave and habit declaring his reverend sanctitie he gently perswaded him not to lay waste Rome And were our Churches and Priests naked of this ornament when Turks and Ethnicks should enter them would they not say Is the God of Christians so mean that he is no better served By this is signified the principall robe of Ministers fit for this house and service which is righteousnesse signified by the Urim and Thummim on the high priests breast-plate and rehearsed in Psalme 132. 9. Let thy priests be clothed with righteousnesse For that Minister who liveth innocently towards his neighbours and holily towards God alwaies beareth about with him his Urim and Thummim one signifying the light of knowledge and the other the perfection of charitie The second and principall part of the Ministers office is not onely to be clotheâ— with righteousnesse and to be an honest and just man but it is further the true understanding distinct reading and decent ministerie of the Church-service contained in the book of Common prayer This is the pith of godlinesse the heart of religion the Spina or Vertebrae the backbone of all holy faculties in the Christian body Which way soever you turn you here you shall finde the saying of our Saviour fulfilled Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousnesse Desire you new life here is Baptisme to give it Are you gone from it here is the Baptisme of tears and penance to restore it Want you weapons for the spirituall warre here is the Catechisme and Confirmation Need you food for the new life here is the bread and wine of Christs body and bloud Want you supply of vertuous young souldiers here is Matrimonie and Christian education Need you leaders and governours here are Christs Ministers Want you provision for the journey to the high Jerusalem here is the viaticum of the heavenly Manna expressed in the Communion of the sick After this a wise and discreet Sermon not made by every Minister but by a man of reading and discretion right well beseemeth this holy place Preaching is Gods mouth to his people therefore great care must be had that it be not abused either with false doctrines or unsavourie speeches In this case S. Paul makes his exclamation Who is sufficient for these things How this is regarded none but the learned see Not how well but a Sermon of the vulgar is expected But would you know what Sermons are fit for our holy assemblies they are such as are suitable to our book of Common Service and the two heads of religion faith and good life If you would know what faith we are to follow it must be that which S. Paul calleth the one faith As there was but one Tabernacle and one Temple in the old Law to preserve the unitie of their religion so here must be but one faith amongst us Christians to keep us from diversitie of opinions all the world over This one faith Titus 1. 4. is called the common faith and of Divines it is called the Catholick faith to shew that they which hold not it cannot be of the Communion of saints And this faith is contained in the three Creeds of the Apostles of Nice and Athanasius And the false faith is that which is contrary to this
inward man This delight is the wills fulnesse often spoken of in the 119 Psalme O how I love thy law it is my meditation all the day long Again Therein is my delight I will observe it with my whole heart Now the whole is the fulnesse of a thing therefore there is an inward fulfilling of Gods will Notwithstanding we must not here rest but proceed to the outward also because the bodie is a part of the whole and so bound by the law to follow its inward principle By this outward fulfilling God is more glorified to the eye of the world and without the outward the inward is not seen wherefore upon every good opportunitie they ought to go both together But here we must take knowledge that the bodie in its own principle is so farre from fulfilling Gods law that it is a contrary law to it and is called of the Apostle the law of the members and the law of sinne and of death I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and leading me into captivitie to the law of sinne which is in my members That is to say as S. Augustine expoundeth it captivare conantem endeavouring to leade me into captivitie to the law of sinne in my members How may we be freed from this by another law that is the law of the minde called the law of the Spirit of life Rom. 8. 2. For the law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sinne and of death Then the law of the members cannot hold us in captivitie Here therefore come to be considered of us three laws in Gods word expressed The first is that which is called the law of God and this is the glasse of our lives shewing what we should do and what we should not do The second is called the law of the members and the law of sinne and of death because it labours and endeavours to draw us to sinne and to death And this is concupiscence giving precepts and motions for sinne which in the unregenerate draweth death after it The third is the law of the minde called of S. Paul Rom. 8. 2. the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus And this law is bestowed upon us habitually in baptisme and is nothing else but holy charitie which sanctifieth by the power of the holy Ghost and purifieth the minde before God and is opposite to concupiscence And because this is the strongest law and seated in the minde which is mans form and principle therefore this both freeth from the law of the members and of sinne also fulfilleth the law of God which is mans conformity with him And this is confirmed by that main conclusion Charitas est legis plenitudo Charitie is the fulnesse or fulfilling of the law Which is thus to be understood saith S. Augustine Diffunditur in corde charitas Dei unde fiat legis plenitudo non per vires arbitrii quod est in nobis sed per Spiritum sanctum qui datus est nobis The love of God is diffused in our hearts from whence proceeds the laws fulfilling not by the power of free-will which is in us but by the holy Ghost which is given to us It may be objected that the law of the members or concupiscence is imputed by God to the whole man being it is opposite and rebells against the law of the Spirit I answer that the sinne of the flesh is not imputed to the whole man because the flesh is not yet redeemed in execution according to that of the Apostle Rom. 8. 23. But we also which have the first-fruits of the Spirit that is the law of the Spirit of life in our mindes by which we are sanctified and consecrated to God even we do mourn in our selves waiting for the adoption the redemption of our bodies that is to say the deliverance of our bodies from concupiscence which is thus done saith S. Augustine Liberari à corpore mortis est omni sanato languore concupiscentiae carnis non ad poenam recipere corpus sed ad gloriam non enim à corpore mortis impii liberabuntur unquam quibus in resurrectione eadem corpora ad aeterna tormenta reddentur To be freed from this bodie of death is to heal all the languour or infirmitie of lust in the flesh and not to receive the bodie to pain but glory in the citie of God for the wicked shall never be freed from this bodie of death to whom the same bodies at the resurrection shall be restored to suffer everlasting torments And the reason why God hath not redeemed or delivered our bodies is because God hath ordained that man should not attain his end and perfection without difficultie or at one instant as the angels did but to go to heavens happinesse by much opposition and by many sighs and sorrows as our head hath done before us by many sufferings and that according to the difference of every ones conflict and striving they might be rewarded with the different orders of the glorious angels For which cause all they who have generous mindes according to the dispensation of grace must put on in the way of godlinesse the best that they can knowing with the Apostle that their labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. And from hence it will follow that whereas Christians have longer time and more difficulties to go to their end then the angels had therefore their rewards shall be greater and more then theirs though their grace be more and greater then that of Christians Wherefore when they both shall meet there shall be a blessed harmonie and sweet rejoycing in God together And to shew a little further the difference between the angels and mens travell toward the end this shall appeare from mans combate under the three laws warring one against another The law of the members challengeth the law of the minde and spirit and the law of the minde and spirit challengeth the law of the members and the law of God challengeth both saying Thou law of spirit and grace comest too short for mans salvation and thou law of members art out of measure sinfull and therefore killing What shall the distressed conscience now do when so many fists are one upon another in one man beside the unknown stratagems of the devil the multitude of the worlds incursions and the manifold falls into sinne O the fears the cares and the labours Is not here S. Pauls exclamation O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death At last comes in our captain to our comfort and then the Apostle saith I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Then take we heart and say further with the same Then I my self with the minde serve the law of God but with the flesh the law of sinne The Saviour of the world strikes in with
Cyprian to which S. Augustine Absit autem ut sanctum Cyprianum aut avarum existimemus fuisse quia cum avaritia aut impudicum quia cum impudicitia aut irae subditum quia cum ira c. confligebat God forbid we should think S. Cyprian covetous because he strove with covetousnesse or unchaste because with unchastitie or subjected to anger ambition carnall delights worldly vanities lust pride and the like because he was therewith hourely molested Imò verò ideo nihil corum erat quia his malis motibus partim de origine partim de consuetudine venientibus fortiter resistebat non acquiescens esse quod eum esse cogebant Yea verily saith he he was none of these because he valiantly resisted these evil motions partly arising from nature partly from custome not yeelding to that they would have compelled him Furthermore if it had been possible for Adam in his puritie to have had these sudden ictus or blows of concupiscence in his soul yet had he not consented without question he should never have been turned out of paradise for not to consent to evil suggestions is so farre from the least demerit that by this means rather merit is highly increased for Ubi maxima pugna ibi maxima est victoria Lastly it may be objected that the very best works of the saints are unclean impure menstruous and mortall sinnes therefore it is impossible for any man to keep the law I answer They that say so cannot in my judgement be excused from extream blasphemie yet seeing it is out of ignorance they may happily obtain pardon as the Jews did that crucified our Saviour as S. Peter told them Can the works and fruits of the holy Ghost be impure Hath Christ purchased to himself nought but a filthy and impure generation which can do nothing but sinne and that mortally How can this but derogate from the grace and wisdome of God from grace in that it cannot purifie the heart from filthines from his wisdome and justice to reward menstruous rags for so they term them with heaven Can he reward sinnes how then shall he judge the world secundum judicium veritatem Now the least addition of evil we know in a good act makes it sinfull because bonum est ex integra causa malum ex quolibet defectu Seventhly King James upon the Lords prayer affirmeth it to be blasphemie to say that any of Christs precepts are impossible because this is to give him the lie who out of his own mouth told us that his yoke is easie and his burden light And his inward disciple S. John saith His commandments are not grievous From whence S. Basil the great averreth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Impious it is to say the precepts of Gods Spirit are impossible S. Augustine likewise thus Nunquam imperaret hoc Deus ut faceremus si impossibile judicaret ut hoc ab homine fieret Si considerans infirmitatem tuam deficis sub praecepto confortare exemplo utpote adest ille qui praebuit exemplum ut praebeat auxilium God would never command us to do this thing if he judged it impossible to be done of man If thou therefore considering thine infirmitie faintest under the precept be comforted by example for he that gave his example is at hand that he may also afford his aid Moreover this holy father abhorreth this doctrine as accursed in the hereticks of his time Execramur eorum blasphemiam qui dicunt impossibile aliquid homini à Deo esse praeceptum Dei mandata non à singulis sed ab omnibus in communi posse servari We detest their blasphemie that affirm God commanded any thing impossible to man and that Gods commandments cannot be kept of any man in particular but of all men taken together which erroneous doctrine is there much faulted Farre be it therefore from us to attribute that impietie to our heavenly Father which we cannot justifie to be in a tyrant or cruell governour Secondly in this doctrine of impossibilitie all exhortations to vertue and comminations against vice must needs be overthrown Cùm nemo ad impossibilia teneatur as the lawgivers have exprest it Thirdly if Gods law must be broken of us necessarily how shall God come to judge the world in righteousnesse and the people with his truth as holy David saith Psalme 96. 13. But this blessed Patriarch was doubtlesse of another minde when he said I will runne the way of thy commandments when thou hast set my heart at libertie I love them above gold and precious stones yea all the day long is my delight in them c. How then can these precepts be insupportable which are so easie lovely and delightfull And although as S. Augustine truely lex jubere novit cui succumbit infirmitas gratia tamen juvare quâ infunditur charitas For the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart good conscience and faith unfeigned And thus S. Leo is most true Justè instat praecepto qui praecurrit auxilio He may command what he will that makes man able to obey and not by enforcing the will but by infusing grace aids and elevates its actions to a higher end So where nature cometh short there grace supplies the defect Gods enemies and the unregenerate cannot possibly fulfill the law because S. Paul saith The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But Gods sonnes and servants are able not onely to discern and know them but also to observe and fulfill them because S. John saith Whosoever is born of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him neither can he sinne because he is born of God Again Love cometh of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God This is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous or heavie To the unregenerate they are very heavy and grievous unsupportable but to sonnes and friends they are easie and light because Gods Spirit comes in to their aid Wherefore get to be friends with God and then you cannot stand out for any aid obtain to be his not in name but in deed and then you shall want nothing that is good O that the world knew how good and rich God is then every one would strive to be toward him for all things work together for the best to them that love him Again in the regenerate there are two men the old and the new the flesh and the spirit According to this we affirm that the old man cannot fulfill Gods law because S. Paul saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Again I see another law in my members warring against the law of my minde and leading me
42. 8. Ego sum Jehova hoc est nomen meum I am Jehovah this is my name This name expresseth his eternitie Apoc. 1. 4. Which is which was and is to come This name Jehovah is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 esse to be In this name Jehovah are contained the 5 vowels which are the sinews of all languages As without them no tongue can be expressed so without the true knowledge of Jehovah no flesh can be saved This name Pagnine calleth ineffabile nomen This name of Gods essence was so reverenced of the Jews that they thought not themselves worthy to speak it therefore whensoever it came to be read in the old Testament they pronounced some other name of God for it as Adonai the Lord or Elohim God This expression of the name Jehovah is further confirmed in Isai. 43. 10. where it is said Ye shall understand that I am where is shewed that his essence is to be Again vers 13. Before the day was I am He was before the creation before there was day or night therefore he is the onely proper and true being All creatures yea the most perfect as angels are not perfect essences because there was a time when they were not and it is a thing possible for them not to be again It is as possible for them to have an end as to have a beginning but they had a beginning therefore for any thing that is in their being they may have an end and so their essence is not absolute but from God borrowed It sorteth with all creatures to be images and shadows of true being not to be true being it self The image is understood of men and angels because they come nearest to true and perfect life the shadow of sensitive and insensitive things Thus Plato denied things sensible truely to be And Seneca saith that they make a shew and for a time put on a countenance of being And for the immortalitie of angels and men mentioned in holy writing this is not to be derived from the immateriality or excellencie of their essence but from the speciall grant and charter of their Maker The Almighty hath ordained it to be so from their creation and therefore their immortalitie shall hold But here between the Fathers and Scholists there is difference about the essence of angels and spirits of men as we may reade in the second Nicene Councel and the fifth act where they are held to be materiate and corporate Their reason is to put a difference between Gods simple essence and their compounded which of necessity must be grosse in respect of Gods and to withstand their infinitenesse because that which may not be circumscribed or limited must be infinite but angels and spirits of men are not infinite therefore they must be bounded and defined with matter And this may be upheld by these reasons First because they are not absolutely eternal but frail in regard of their matter and eternal gratis Seneca epist. 58. Manent cuncta non quia aterna sunt sed quia defenduntur curâ regentis immortalia tutore non egent Haec conservat artifex fragilitatem materiae vi suâ vincens By this all things that are are frail or mortall in regard of the frailtie of their matter and immortall by God who keeps them so for things by nature immortall need no preserver Secondly there seemeth to be as much reason for spirits to be made of matter rarefied and sublimate as the Alchymists speak as for naturall bodies to be made spirituall bodies in the resurrection by rarefaction and sublimation 1. Cor. 15. 44. It is sown a naturall body it is raised a spirituall bodie There is a naturall bodie and there is a spirituall bodie Thirdly Berardus Bonioannes the expositour of S. Thomas insinuateth this Sum. par 1. q. 14. art 1. Formae secundum quod sunt magìs immateriales secundum hoc magìs accedunt ad infinitatem quandam From whence ariseth this argument In absoluta mera immaterialitate non est magìs minus In formis angelorum hominum est magìs minus immaterialitatis Ergò in illis non est absoluta mera immaterialitas Fourthly the materiality of mans spirit seemeth probable in regard of the union between the body and the spirit because contraries expell one the other hence there seemeth to be some materialitie in the spirit that the connexion and alliance might be the more easie and familiar Fifthly the materialitie of spirits is shewed because they suffer from the matter of fire in hell Matth. 25. 41. prepared for the devil and his angels but in immaterialitie there is no proportion for sense because sense is in matter qualitie without which there can be no passion Sixtly this may not seem strange to us if we compare the angels with the windes which in the holy tongue have the same name that angels and spirits have which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ventus spiritus anima angelus So simple is the windes substance that it is no more subject to our sight then angels are and for strength it is little inferiour while it turmoyls the great ocean overturneth trees and houses and makes the stedfast earth to quake and tremble yet is this materiate and then why not the other though they be more simple and in a degree higher The Scholists following S. Thomas exclude materialitie and their reasons are these First because it is consonant to the universitie of things that some should be Gods images in intellect and will but intellect and will are immateriate for that they are distinct from sense which riseth from bodies As some things are purely materiate as the elements some things mixt of matter form as men some of matter spirit materiall as beasts some of matter and spirit intellectuall as men so it is requisite that some things should be purely spirituall as angels because it is requisite that in every kinde there should be some perfect but in mans soul his intellect is imperfect because it gets knowledge by corporall senses from things sensible therefore it is fit that some substances should be meerly intellectuall without bodies not to gain knowledge by so base means but to have the roots of intelligence innate in themselves which are their powers replete with principles or species This then is the difference between the spirits of men and angels the one have a bodie united to them to receive species and to understand from bodily objects but the other have species of intellect connate with them and separate from bodily reason which is by discourse Secondly they shew this because spirits and souls have not commensuration with places for that they want quantitie which bodies of matter have and have no situation in continuo The incorporeall substance rather containeth then is contained as the soul is in the bodie containing it by its vertue and power and not contained applied and not circumscribed Because it wanteth
his bountifulnesse and patience and long sufferance not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance Having spoken of Gods will as it is antecedent and of signe now it followeth to speak of it as it is of good pleasure and of consequent The will of Gods good pleasure is expressed in the 135 Psalme vers 6. Whatsoever the Lord pleased that did he in heaven and in earth in the seas and in all deep places This is Gods proper and essentiall will first because it is of the nature of the will to do of pleasure and next because it is most generall and not restrained to any place or person His will of signe is not alwaies done because it is his will for men and not for himself respectively Therefore his precepts are broken his prohibitions slighted his counsels not regarded but his will of good pleasure is above the law of the Medes and Persians this cannot be put by because it is divina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lastly after that God hath shewed man all his favours by his will of signe and word revealed to which he addeth the effects of his grace expressed by S. Prosper in these seven particulars perswading by exhortations admonishing by examples terrifying by dangers inciting by miracles giving understanding inspiring counsel and lightning the heart with faiths affections When all these are despised and rejected then God proceedeth with his will consequent which is the will of his justice First he would have all men to be saved by his will antecedent but because all men will not consent to this therefore to maintain mans free-will God will not save all in effect but the same will turneth from mercie to justice which before turned from justice to mercie and saith Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels Neither is Gods will altered nor broken because it turneth from mercie to judgement for that it still retaineth its former mercie and man his former resistance to receive it How often saith our Saviour would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathereth her chickens but ye would not If God hath not bound man to one object but given him free-will to turn from object to object according to reasons rule then should God be bound and man free The will of God is wider then all wills all his divine attributes may rest in it his truth his wisdome his justice his mercie his power his pleasure and displeasure yea all the contraries that are in the world are within it and lie under it as life and death sicknesse and health good and evil salvation and damnation and without this there could be no world Notwithstanding though Gods will be never so wide and comprehensive yet it imposeth no necessitie upon mans will because all will by Gods creation is free and if it were not free it were no will Necessitie and will are incompatibilia they cannot stand together Nature and things without will are of a strait disposition therefore for them God hath ordained necessitie and determined them to one thing but mans will because it is the image of Gods will is wide and capacious and therefore he hath provided for it the ocean of contingencie He hath set fire and water before thee saith Ecclesiasticus stretch out thy hand unto which thou wilt Before man is life and death good and evil and whether him liketh shall be given him Now no man can justly complain while all things are set before him and he hath free choice to all Election expelleth necessitie and necessitie thrusteth out election If mans will were not free from necessitie then there could neither be merit nor demerit that is neither reward nor punishment and then the two great streams of Gods bountie and justice should be dried up but now he hath given to man free-will and to maintain this he hath ordained contingencie and added his grace to aid his will that there might be no defect on his part for freedome naturall to good Theologicall is not freedome but stubbornnesse without grace And this grace and goodnesse of God as it ordereth and aideth things naturall to their naturall ends so it ordereth and aideth man to his supernaturall end which is to live with his God in heaven And this goodnesse of grace is like to the vertuous magnet the most remarkable of all stones the guide of the diall and the direction for sea-travell for as the pin and needle of the diall being toucht with it the needle will stand no way but north and south so the heart of man being toucht with Gods grace in his regeneration will stand no way but to heaven-ward And this touch is that which Divines call the habit of charitie alwaies enclining and bending to heaven and heavenly things through all the rubs of the world Though the toucht needle for a while is shaken and justled from its former due station yet as soon as the shaking is over it returneth instantly to the same point right so though the heart be for a time justled either by the lust of the flesh or the lust of the eyes or the pride of life from its right standing yet as soon as the force is over presently it returneth to its former station to heaven-ward And the onely reason is the touch of Gods goodnesse in the regenerate soul to which above all things mans heart is beholding And this goodnesse proceedeth from the holy Ghost as truth proceedeth from the Sonne of God for as the Sonne is the Fathers essentiall truth so the holy Ghost is the Fathers and the Sonnes essentiall goodnesse And as the holy Ghost is the increate goodnesse of God in himself so love and charitie is the create goodnesse of the holy Ghost in man And untill this be wrought in us by the holy Spirit we may be men and true men but we cannot be good men nor for the kingdome of heaven Therefore S. Augustine saith Sola charitas dividit inter filios regni filios aeternae damnationis So excellent is charitie that God is called by it 1 John 4. 8. God is charitie And so good is it that Divines call it grace per Antonomasiam because it is the principall grace And S. Paul calleth it the greatest The greatest of these is charitie Yea so great is it that no good can be done without it because it is the cause impulsive of every good action You may beleeve without it but then your belief is not good because it wanteth his right end which must proceed from charities election and direction Therefore in this sense S. Paul gives faiths action to charitie It beleeveth all things it hopeth all things c. Why because it enliveneth faith and all other vertues by giving spirit unto them Faith is the candle to charitie and sheweth her light how to work according to Gods word but charitie being the impulse of the
feoffe it upon true doctrine and by writing when they forge a letter and put another mans name unto it Now denying the proceeding of impostours by these three he utterly barres the Thessalonians from admitting this false doctrine that Christs coming was then at hand And therefore he adjoyneth this generall to these particulars Let no man deceive you by any means Though they prophesie in the spirit though they preach out of the pulpit though they shew a letter signed as it were with mine own hand yet beleeve it not according to the like monition Gal. 1. 8. Though we or an angel from heaven preach unto you otherwise then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed The two antecedents of Christs coming For that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sinne be revealed the sonne of perdition The Apostle having bound the Thessalonians from the hasty expectation of Christs coming now he gives them two infallible antecedents which must go before so that till these be come Christ may not come and when both these are come then the time which we look for must be at hand so saying our Saviour When ye see all these things know that the kingdome of God is neare even at the doores The first antecedent is the falling away the second and last is the uncovering of the man of sinne These two by reason of congruitie must go before for before these two parts be acted how should Christ come to judgement Cuique sua est tempestas saith Ecclesiastes Every thing must have his time Before Christ can judge the deficient they must have a time to fall away in before Christ can crown the constant they must have a time to be tried in before Christ can fight with his adversarie his adversarie must first shew himself and come into the field so there must be a world before there can be an end of the world besides in generation there is privation ever before form therefore in the breeding of Antichrist before the end defection must precede The falling away Whereas the first antecedent is a falling away we must enquire what is meant by this 'T is not a falling away from the Romane empire as some have imagined for what hath Christ empire to do with the Romane empire but it is a falling away from the faith of the Gospell it is the greatest defection that can be because it is a falling from Christ to the breeding of Antichrist Thus S. Paul expoundeth himself in 1. Tim. 4. 1. Now the Spirit speaketh evidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith He saith some because all shall not But that this some shall be the greatest some our Saviour sheweth in the Gospel by an interrogation But when the Sonne of man cometh shall he finde faith on the earth Defection spirituall is like a river the further it runneth the greater it groweth therefore the fittest time for the great Antichrist is the last time Where the falling away is Next the question is where this apostasie is to be found in what part of the world whether in the east church or in the west church Let us search the new Testament and see if we can finde any thing for it there First the Gospel was preached to the Jews many embraced it at the first as we reade in the Gospel but now they be all gone from it looking for a new Messias Where is the Church of the Corinthians the Church of the Galatians the Church of the Ephesians the Church of the Philippians the Church of the Colossians the Church of the Thessalonians to all which S. Paul wrote what is become of the twelve tribes to which Saint James wrote and whither are gone the seven great Churches of Asia to whom S. John wrote All these East Churches founded by the scripture are fallen from Christ and become Mahometans and Nestorians Their falling away was prophesied by S. John in the 2 of the Revelation The Church of the Ephesians was challenged for leaving their first love and were threatned with the removing of their candlestick if they did not repent The Church of Pergamos was challenged for maintaining the doctrine of Balaam the doctrine of the Nicolaitans and was threatned to be fought against with the sword of Christs mouth The Church of Thyatira was charged for suffering of Jezebel to deceive the people and was threatned to be cast into a bed of affliction The Church of Sardis was challenged for being then dead or at least a dying and was threatned to be come upon as a thief comes unexpectedly The Church of the Laodiceans was challenged for that they were neither hot nor cold but luke-warm and were threatned to be spewed out of Christs mouth All these with all the Churches of Africa as lamentable experience proveth a long time ago are gone in denying Christ totally and in receiving of circumcision the mark of the beast Therefore here that is in these Churches of the east which at this day are all under the great Turk this apostasie of which S. Paul speaketh of necessitie must be understood Thus the Church which rose in the east like the moon in the firmament is going down in the west expecting Christs coming Then from this great defection let us acquit Christendome whether they be Papists Protestants or Lutherans because though there be some differences amongst us in ceremonies and expositions which destroy not yet still our head Christ by Baptisme standeth upon our bodie and the substance of the Gospel is entire and whole amongst us by retaining the articles of the faith the volume of the new Testament and the practise thereof by faith and good life But where Baptisme is removed there is perfect apostasie because there the head is cut off from the body And this is contrarie to the commission of our Saviour Matth. 28. 19. The authours of the falling away To proceed in this point next it is expedient to know the authours of this defection how long it hath continued and who is the upholder of it For the first we finde that the first authour was the arch-heretick Arius who as we reade in S. Austine held the Sonne of God to be a creature and the holy Ghost to be the creature of a creature Hence he is called of S. Hilarius Principium Antichristi the beginning of Antichrist and in the Councell of Sardis he is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fighter with Christ. The second authour was the heretick Nestorius who affirmed Christ to be onely man And he was termed Ecclesiae incendium the firebrand of the Church as we reade in Socrates and officina blasphemiarum the shop-house of blasphemies as we reade in Euagrius The third and last authour was the false prophet Mahomet who by the help of Sergius the Nestorian Monk forged his Alcoran in which as in the sink of heresies is contained