the person if you aske me who are these miserable Antichristians I answere from The persons in danger the text Doct. They are such as beleeue not the truth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnesse They are described here by Infidelity in respect of the word of God and by euil beleife in respect of the word of Antichrist Which descriptiō that you may conceiue consider the foure tearms of it First what is meant by the truth secondly what by not beleeuing the truth thirdly what is meant by vnrighteousnesse fourthly what by taking pleasure in vnrighteousnesse By truth you must vnderstand the doctrine of the Gospel contained in the Scriptures Thus Christ expounds Ioh. 17. 17. it sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth which word is so called in three respects First in respect of the vndeceiueable nature of it All other doctrines are either false or may be vaine or fruitlesse They are false if they oppose the religion of the Scriptures They may be vaine whether they be naturall or ciuill if they doe possesse vs and captiuate or peruert our vnderstanding for these haue their places if they doe prepare vs for higher Modò praeparent ac non detineant ingenium imployments and doe not imprison vs from God and his more sauing truth Secondly the word is truth in respect of the imployment which God hath giuen it in the Church to be a rule and square of all sauing truth As Moses must build according to the patterne so must we lay the ground of all sauing Heb. 8. 5. and wholesome truth according to the Scriptures Therefore when Christ meant to destroy by degrees and to deface the deformities of Antichrist he giues Iohn as a tipe of the Ministery of the Gospel Apoc. 10. 8 9. the little booke to eate which is the word of God Hee gaue him not the great Popish volumes of decretals which together with the spirit of prophesie in the Popes owne breasts doe make vp the word of Antichrist but the little volume of the holy Scripture which maketh vp most fully the word of the Lambe Lastly it is called truth in regard of the worke of it because it doth confound errour and worke sinceritie in iudgement heart tongue affections and the whole conuersation of those who without preiudice doe cleaue vnto it For though some thorough the iust iudgement of God are giuen ouer to the blindnesse of their minds and rebellion of their wills and so doe not submit vnto the word as those who resisted the holy Ghost yet so many as are ordained Acts. 7. 5◠Acts. 28. 23. 24. Act. 2. 47. vnto life and shall be saued are by this meanes at some times or other reclaimed from their false courses and added to the Church Thus you see what is meant by the truth now if you aske mee what is meant by not beleeuing the truth I answere the not receiuing of it into our heads and hearts For that which he called before ◠Thes 2. 10. the not receiuing the loue of the truth that they might be saued heere he calleth not beleeuing the truth Besides the power of beleeuing is called a Ioh. 1. 12. receiuing by Iohn when he saith that as many as receiued him to them he gaue a right to be the sons of God euen to them that beleeue in his name The contrary to this not beleeuing is expressed by three significant phrases namely sealing grafting hiding Esay saith Seale vp the Law among my Disciples Esa 8. 15. The fowles pecke the wheate in the stony ground but that which is sealed vp is not easily come by to be stolne away Iames saith receiue with meekenesse Iam 1. 21. the word which is graffed in you As the graft is receiued of the stocke into one body so the word must bee incorporated into vs and not to bee separated from vs but to our ruine The Psalmist Psal 119. 11. saith that I haue hid thy promise in my heart that I might not sinne against thee As blessed Mary kept Luk. 2. 19. 51. the sayings of Iesus Christ in her heart so Dauid kept the promises of God by faith When the truth is not thus sealed vp and hid in our hearts by being taken into our nature that we may liue and die with it but the smoake of the bottomlesse pit is suffered Apo. 9 2. to darken our soules then are wee said not to beleeue the truth But what now is meant by vnrighteousnesse in this place Nothing but falshood For as sinne in generall is taken for false doctrine as when Christ Ioh. 8. 46. saith which of you can rebuke mee of sinne as we see by the opposition there but if I say the truth why doe ye not beleeue mee so vnrighteousnesse in particular in this place as we see by the opposition here not beleeuing the truth but hauing pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And falshood may be called vnrighteousnes both because it carryeth vs from the rule of righteousnesse which should informe our Quod efficit tale illud ipsū est magis tale vnderstanding and reforme our hearts and whole conuersation that we might haue an accepted righteousnesse as also because it is a fearefull cause of vnrighteousnesse The Romanes abusing the law of Nature and turning the truth of God into a lye Ro. 1. 24 25. were giuen vp in their hearts vnto lusts vncleannesse and other Gentiles as well as they hauing their cogitations darkened and hearts hardened for Eph. 4. 18 19 want of sauing truth gaue themselues vnto wantonnesse to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse Thus you vnderstand vnrighteousnesse one thing more will cleere all and that is what may be meant by taking pleasure in it I answere the giuing of our hearts to the pleasing enticements of Antichrist as effeminate persons giue themselues to the pleasing enticements of harlots For there are three sorts of the followers of Antichrist Some that are simply seduced such are they who are said to dwell on the earth that is in the visible state and condition of the Church who were Apoc. 13. 14. deceiued by the signes and great wonders of the beast Some that are by feare and torture compelled such are those small and great rich and poore Apoc. 13. 16 17. bond and free whom he made to receiue his marke or else they should neither buy nor sell Some also there are that are carnally minded who liue in pleasure with the whoore of Babel such as are said to commit fornication with her and to be drunke with Apoc. 17. 2. the wine of her fornications and to waxe rich with the aboundance of her pleasures Of these doth the Apoc 18. 3. holy Apostle speake in this place Thus haue I as God hath inabled mee opened vnto you the words of the Apostle by which you may perceiue that the text driues at the description Who are Antichristians of Antichristians and
THE DANGER OF POPERY OR A SERMON PREACHED at a Visitation at Ashford in Kent vpon 2. Thess 2. 12. Wherein the marks of Antichristianisme and signes of truth are opened and applied and the Question of the sauing and damning of those that follow Antichrist is explaned by the Scriptures By ROBERT ABBOTT Preacher of the Word of God at Cranebrooke in Kent APOC. 14. 10. The same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God LONDON Printed by I. L. for Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith and are to be sold at the Golden Lyon in Paules Church-yard 1625. TO THE REVEREND and Right VVorshipfull Doctor KINGS LEY Archdeacon of CANTERBVRY my louing friend ROBERT ABBOTT wisheth all increases of faithfulnesse in Gods Church heere and glory hereafter through Iesus CHRIST Right Worshipfull and Reuerend WHat you thankfully and louingly accepted when it was preached commeth you see in another forme crauing a second veiw Though what I intended could not all be spoken in the allotted time yet may it all be seene If you thinke it may be vsefull in this secure age for any of the Cleargy vnder you your countenancing of it may incourage others to reade it I doubt nothing of your loue either to mee or mine much lesse to the common good This poore Sermon will I hope be found to ayme at good because at God and against Antichrist It is true it might haue beene the worke of farre more able but not more willing Therefore as such a worke it is tendred vnto you from him who desires to continue to God a faithfull souldier against the Pope of Rome and to your worship A poore friend and fellow-helper in the worke of Christ Iesus ROBERT ABBOT The danger of Popery or a Sermon preached vpon 2. Thess 2. 12. That all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse THE Wise-man who as Salomon saith hath his eyes in his head may easily perceiue that in these words there is a fearefull danger when they say that all they might bee damned and a full description of those which are in danger when they say they are such who beleeue not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse Concerning which it is impossible that either we should be profitable learners or speakers except we take a short veiw of the whole chapter without which we cannot aptly vnderstand this present text In the chapter therefore you may conceiue The chapter analysed with mee two points first a doctrine and secondly an vse The doctrine concernes Antichrist and commeth in thus There were seducers as it seemes in the Primitiue Church who would haue perswaded the Christians that the day of iudgement was at hand And hence afterwards grew that Atheisticall question in Peter where is the promise of his comming Now to 1. Pet. 3. 4. preuent the danger of them the Apostle giues an admonition forced vpon their hearts with a graue and powerfull charge that they would not Verse 1. be troubled with such a suggestion vpon what pretence soeuer For what he saith he giues a Verse 2. double reason the first drawne from the effect of that conceit it would deceiue them and the Verse 3. second from the proper reasons of that effect which are those things which must happen before Christs comming to iudgement and these are two The first is that Apostasie or leauing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 10. 20. our standing and by faith we stand and the Apostle expounds it when he saith that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith The 2. Tim. 4. 1. second is the reuelation of Antichrist and so comes in the doctrine concerning him Which doctrine is first propounded and secondly amplified It is propounded both by setting downe what he shall be and what he shall doe In respect of his estate naturall he shall be a Man in respect of his estate sinfull and cursed he shall be a man of sinne the sonne of perdition Now for what he shall doe both by opposition and ambition the text saith that he shall oppose and exalt himselfe as you may see Secondly the Apostle doth amplifie this doctrine Verse 4. both by the corrupting causes of Antichrist and by his furtherances and meanes of aduancement as also by the persons who shall giue him intertainment As for the corrupting causes they are three first the persons to whō hee should haue binne knowne that is the Thessalonians who remembred not what Paul had taught them concerning him Secondly the person Vers 5. Vers 6 7. Aetas Antichristi nascentis sub Benifacio 3. exultantis sub Adriano 7. regnantis sub Hildebrando triumphantis in Leone 10. Crak defens con Spal cap. 4. pag. 21. v. 8. Vers 9. Vers 10. which hindered his Reuelation that is hee which with-helde to wit the Romane Emperor who did decline as the Roman Papacy crept vp Thirdly the person hindering his progresse that is the Lord who shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth and abolish him with the brightnes of his comming Now for the meanes of Antichrists aduancement the Apostle sets them downe to bee these too which wee find to bee true in our owne experience when wee looke vpon the aduancement of Popery to wit signes and lying wonders in forged miracles and deceaueablenes of vnrighteousnes in guilded lies Lastly touching the persons who shall giue Antichrist intertainment they are described by their condicion they are saith the text in a perishing estate by the causes of it namely their owne sin they receiued not the loue of the truth gods iudgment who therefore sent them strong delusion and lastly they are descibed by the Issue of all that is damnation in this verse which is propounded Vers 1 2. vnto you So that this followes vppon those miserable Antichristians to be damned Antichrist is reuealed God fights against him The Summe of the chapter concerning Antichrist men willingly slight the truth the Diuell fights for him men beleeue lies and follow him and God damnes them This is the Summe Let not the following vse bee hungred after till the proper place of it For the present thinke with your selues that euery man is apt to harken after others danger and therefore if we heare Tunc tua res agitur of robbery or murther ye inquire who it was Seing then that in these works ye hear of danger of killing of bodies and soules and robbing them of god and happinesse diligently attend to two things 1. The persons in danger they who beleeue not the truth but haue pleasure in vnrighteousnesse 2. The danger of the persons that all they might be damned The order of the Apostle is I know by this meanes inuerted yet this I take to be the most proper naturall way of handling first to know a thing before we know the adiunct of it first to know a man before wee can know his danger Touching
aduancement of religion and to stirre vp deuotion Hence doe they belie their aduersaries both in their liues doctrine deaths as we know in Luther Caluine Beza Rob. Coâ— cen quoâ—undam script et multi abi bishop King others Hence do they counterfeit false Fathers and purge the true ones to make them speake as they please Hence do they thrust thousand of lies vpon the poore people as the historie of Loreto where we read of Pope â—ulius hauing performed his deuotion in our Ladyes Hist of Lor lib. 2. cap. â—2 Chappels by hir protection was preserued from a Cannon shot which beat down his Consistory where he was yet hurt not his Fatherhood and of the Dalmatian Priest that man of Chap. 18. true simplicity and great deuotion who hauing his bowels plucked out of his body by the cruel Turkes because he would not abiure Christ tooke his guts in his hand if any will beleeue it and so went a iourney of many dayes to Loreto and there was cured They haue also their Legends both in Latine English and other Languages which haue binne and are of dayly vse to abuse the credulous people There we reade of the power of S. Patricks Prayer which made a sheepe bleate in the mans belly that had stole it There wee read of the noble knight who Lâ—genda au de S. Patr. pa. 37 Vbi supra de Annunciat pag. 38. See Beards â—tract from the Rom. Rel. D. Featly hiâ— append to Fish net pag. 30. 31 32. An old post Manuscrip could learn no other lesson than these two words Aue Maria but to make amends hee did retaine them with so great deuotion that when hee was dead and buried a Lilly sprung out of his tounge euery leaf whereof had Aue Maria stamped vpon it with golden letters to the amazement of the beholders I might tell you of a certaine heretick who was conuerted to the faith by seeing S. Anthonies Horse worship the Hoste that is the bread in the Sacrament and of S. Francis his Lambe which vsed to goe to the Masse kneele downe to the eleuation and of a little child that did start out of the Sacrament when one did cut it of an euill minde which after a goodly procession entered into the forme againe and so was deuoutly receiued of the paenitent offender I could fill you with such Romish lies to make you loath againe all which the poor people being seduced do suck in vnder the pretence of the spirit of infallibillity for Bellarmine tells Ample deâ—l of Christ doct chap 6. p. 124. vs that the Church of Rome is the holy Church and the Spouse of God and hath the holy Ghost for her Master and therefore there is no danger that shee should be deceiued or that shee should doe or teach others to doe any thing that were against the Commandements of God Vnder this pretence what superstitious seducements Tria ignorantiae principia Inâ—er Philosophos coÌ„tra negâ—ntem principia inter medicos viâ—tus specifica Inter theologos ecclesia catholica Sr. Walt. Rayl Preface shall not be swallowed downe without examination If as the Philosopher cryeth out to those that would dispute it is a Principle so if the Papist can but alledge his Catholike Church it is sufficient to dampe all doubts and to worke entertainment to all lyes be they neuer so palpable and notorious Let them goe my brethren with these two badges of Antichristians to wit their sleighting the Truth of the Lambe and their beleeuing the word of the Beast Let vs pittie and pray for them that so many as are of the number of his sealed ones might be pulled out of these miserable snares and goe out of Babylon that they be not Apoc. 18. 4. partaker of her sinnes and so of her plagues Vse 2 But as for vs let vs in the second place be exhorted to entertaine and embrace the Truth that wee may prooue our selues not to be Antichristians It is the Truth alone in which the sufficiencie of our Soules is communicated vnto vs. The ancient Christians perceiuing that worldly men did place their sufficiencie in their wealth to signifie that that sufficiencie which commeth to vs by our riches commeth not from them but through Christ stamped vpon their Coyne a Cloud with this voice or Motto This is my beloued Math. 3. 17. Sonne in whom I am highly delighted So wee may stampe Christ vpon Truth as being that wherein wee haue fellowship with him who is our plentifull redemption and the sufficiencie of our bodies and soules by Truth But you will say how may we be assured that Quest How wee may know our religion to be the truth our religion is the truth that so we may receiue it to the comfort of our soules I answer there are three things which may settle a quiet and humble spirit First The foundation and ground-worke of our religion is that doctrine wholly and entirely which was preached by the Apostles as sufficient to conuert men to the faith and to make them fit to receiue the Sacrament of Baptisme Compare Act. 2. Act. 3. Acts 7. Acts 10. Act. 13 c. the Articles of our religion with the Sermons and Apologies of Peter and Paul and the rest of Gods seruants If it be so that their doctrine was sufficient to conuert Iewes and Gentiles and to bring them into couenant with God and our doctrine be wholly entirely one with theirs why should any that haue not the spirit of contention and contradiction doubt that our religion is not the truth Secondly our religion agreeth with the very nature of true religion which must be an holy art of liuing well There is no article of true religion Pet Geisteranus in actis Synod Dor. pag. 282. which driues not at this Though that foolish hereticke in the Synod of Dort could not see how the doctrine of three in one could further godlinesse yet Christ teacheth that euen that abstract article doth it for when he prayeth to his Father that as Hee and his Father are one so they Ioh 17. 21 22 23. may be one in them doth he not teach that the Vnitie in Trinitie doth further our vnitie in our selues and the mysticall body Now if true religion be tryed by this generall nature of it wee shall finde two things First that Popery which is a religion whereby Christ is professed to bee the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world and men are baptized into the name of Christ but he is applyed by the false meanes of merit penall satisfactions masses and indulgences and we are made one in his body by a false and vsurping Prince in stead of Apostles Eph. 4 11 12. Prophets Euangelists Pastours and Teachers this Popery I say is not the art of liuing well For first it hides the rule of liuing well that is the certaine will of God in the Scriptures by
The like wee may say of the Adoration of the Hoste especially because we know not the Priests intention and of many other Articles of their Trent Faith whereof if wee cannot be assured how can they giue vs comfort either in life or death Thus you see in some measure how you may be assured that our religion is the truth If now you will aske me how then it could possible bee that the world could so much be deceaued by Rome I answere because the smoake of the bottomles Apoc. 9. 2. pit had darkned the Sun and ayre and the Lambs hornes were vpon the head of Antichrist that Apoc. 13. 11. foule beast Looke therefore as if a Traytor carry the colours of a Prince in warre all the common souldiers doe flock vnto him guard him fight vnder his Banner till the Traitor be knowne and the Treason be discouered So the Popes of Rome retaining the common principles of faith Communia fidei principia Cypr. and manners and professing themselues to bee Colour-bearers to Iesus Christ without which they could not so easily haue insinuated themselues into the hearts of the World their Profession giuing good occasion of enquiring after them and cleauing to them most of the Westerne Professio opportunum fuit inquirendi exordium Christians whom hee had wrought by power and policie flocked vnto him but when his pretences were discouered and they would no longer take his part against Christ then hee makes a faction and head against vs in the Councell of Trent and excommunicateth vs like the Iewes that cast out their brethren and said Let the Lord be glorified as if it were our fault that Esa 66. 5. Columba Noae pag 28 29 30. we would not drinke his poyson and not his who was so vncharitable and trecherous as to offer it vnto vs who did flye vnto him for shelter Yet let not this his furious and Antichristian course dismay vs but let vs in despight of all his power and policie beleeue the truth of the Lambe and stoppe our eares against the vnrighteousnesse of the Beast or else let vs hearken to what doth follow to be handled That they might all be damned Heere is the danger of these Antichristians The danger of Antichristians Such as haue poysoned heads reiecting the word of truth and poysoned harts taking pleasure in falshood which is manifested two wayes first by an eager pursuite of the thinges of Antichrist without examination as if they should say we will be thus because we will be thus doating vpon a spirit of infallibilitie secondly by a cruell quelling killing and sacrificing the opposers with fire and sword superstition being naturally cruell of such I say that the Apostle saith Doct. They shall be damned But you will say that the text saith they shall onely bee iudged The Popish Râ—emists say so indeede They would haue the punishment of the followers of Antichrist be as smal as they can Whether Antichristians shall only be iudged I cannot blame them for it is naturall to euery creature to seek to preserue it selfe but it will not serue their turne heere for first the greatnesse of the sin which is the contempt of the Gospel calleth for infinite more than iudging For if the word spoken by Angels was stedfast and euery Heb. 2. 2. 3. transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation Secondly the greatnes of the iudgement going before shewes that this can be no lesse then damnation for what else can 2 Thess â— 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 follow strong delusions which infatuate a man are sent in wrath Thirdly as the word it self doth signifie to iudge so to punish condemne Paul saith what haue I to doe to iudge them that are without i. punish by excoÌ„munication or otherwise 1 Cor. 5. 12. Againe whooremongers adulterers God will iudg that is punish So Christ saith though he Heb. 1â— 4. iudge them not who contemne his Gospell yet his word shall iudge that is condemne them Ioh. 12. 47. 48. Pilate saith to the Iewes iudge him according to your owne law that is condemne him So In the new translation also in many other places as well as in this text that according to the iudgment of our English Church which is not to bee slighted From hence then for the clearing of the text Whether all Papists shall be damned will arise this duestion whether all Papists shal be damned I answere God forbid we should delight to imbrue our heads or hands in the blood In my Sermon called the tryall of true religion of any The cruelty of their false religion the mercy of ours is well enough known as I haue shewed else-where Therefore we say three things In my Sermon called the tryall of true religion First that there are common principles in the Church of Rome which being known and accompanied with harts willing to be informed in the truth purposes and indeauours to know and doe a right holy obedience to what is knowne by those principles so far as they are come may bring men to saluation For who doubts but that the Beleife the ten Commaundements the Lords Prayer and the Sacraments doe comprehend all sauing fundamentall points of Faith and practice These therefore being in the Church of Rome though with much corruption vpon the former limitations may affoard grounds of saluation to them to whom God giues power with an honest hart to receiue them Secondly we say that in the midst of Popery God hath reserued a remnant according to the election of grace which is called the Temple of God and Gods people who by these meanes haue attained 2. Thess 2. 4. Apoc. 18. 4. to saluation Thirdly we say that such haue not bin members of the Popish Apostacy wherein euery liuing thing died though in the Romane Church for hauing knowledge of the Apoc. 16. 3. common principles and being ignorant or at the least not so fully stated in the pernicious errours of the Popish corruptions though they haue bin in that Church yet they haue not beene of it as many of our forefathers from age to age When therefore the holy Ghost saith that they shall be damned we must by the helpe of the same holy Ghost in his word distinguish of Persons of doctrines and of times As for Persons in the Church of Rome they are of two sorts First such as haue the name of 1 Persons the beast and the number of his name that is such as are in outward communion with him Apoc. 13. 17. who though they are deceiued yet they may haue docible hearts and mindes willing to learne when our prouident God doth offer opportunitie Secondly such as worship the Beast and his Image and receiue his markes that is such as are in inward fellowship and mysterie with him Apoc.
14. 9 10. being by wilfulnesse and resolution as it were imbowelled in that state of these the holy Ghost saith that they shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God Secondly touching doctrine they are of three sorts some are the foundation and this is double Doctrines FundamentuÌ„â—â— Veritatis 2. Salutis 1. Cor. 3. 12. either the foundation of truth such are all doctrines which haue ground in the word of God ignorance of much of which may stand with saluation so that it bee not affected and they who know most doe not know all or else the foundation of saluation such are all doctrines which doe concerne the causes of our saluation and the necessary meanes of application It is the ignorance of these which doth breede perishing Other doctrines againe are vpon the foundation as the Apostle speaketh of building on the foundation gold siluer precious stones timber 1. Cor. 3. 12. hay or stubble that is varietie of doctrine which hath beene or is of worth and vse as these things whereto it is compared And of this as there hath beene much as gold and siluer in euery age of the Church so there hath beene much as hay and stubble by sophisticall speculations forged traditions humane inuentions and friuolous and fryarly interpretations of the holy Scriptures Such trash is to be swept away as dung out of the streetes that it might not defile our Pulpits but that the glory of the word of God might appeare if it were possible as out of the mouth of Iesus Christ or of his Apostles Other doctrines lastly are against the foundation and that not onely of truth but of health also Such are all those which draw from Iesus Christ and that honour which is due vnto him as the Sauiour of his people Such is the Papall Monarchy which blemishes Christs kingdome traditioÌ„s as the obiect of faith which blemisheth Christs prophesie merits adoration of the crosse and Images sacrifice of the Masse Inuocation of the Saints and Angels and all other idolatrizing points of Antichrist which blemish Christs Priesthood besides other faults To take pleasure in and to be giuen ouer obstinately to these things cannot stand with saluation Thirdly touching times they also must haue a double consideration First the times before the Times restoring of the Gospel when the holy citie was trod vnder foote and the state of the Church Apoc. 11. was despicable in the eyes of the world then as God gaue his people lesse so he required lesse at their hands Secondly the times after the restoring of the Gospel First the beast appeared that cursed Antichrist in his Pontificalibus then Apoc. 13. the Lambe stood vp vpon Mount Syon with his sealed ones then the euerlasting Gospel was preached Apoc. 14. and next when the Gospel is once restored Vers 6. woe to them that take delight in the Whore for they shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe and the Vers 10 11. smoake of their torment shall ascend euermore and they shall haue no rest day nor night which worship the Beast and his Image Thus you haue now seene the danger of Poperie and how hard a matter it is to bring them that follow it into Christs Fould How many windings and turnings and how many distinctions to and fro must be vsed to bring them but into the iudgement of Charitie concerning Gods looking vpon them for good What therefore shall I now say Let me first lend a word to all in generall and next to my brethren of the Ministerie in particular To all I say suffer the word of exhortation both concerning our selues and others Vse 1 Concerning our selues seeing the followers of Antichrist shall be damned let not our soules enter into their secrets As the wicked man shall not meddle with the Christians ioy so let not the good man meddle with the Antichristians woe I know my brethren that this Conceit expressed in these generall tearmes That a Papist so liuing and so dying may be saued hath filled our hearts with worlds of indifferencie So that as the Arminians haue their middle knowledge as Scientia media Lect. Prid. pag. 23. 24. c. if there could be any cut betwixt a thing and nothing a being and no being so haue we had our indifferent conceits either of Protestancy or Popery as the world shall serue and the winde shall turne Hath their beene so much striuing vnto blood in vaine Haue so many martyrs lost the crownes of their martyrdomes when they haue layed downe their liues at the feete of the Pope and his image rather then to yeeld vnto the Romane abominations Haue so many glorious Dauids fought the battailes of God against that vncircumcised Philistime in vaine Haue so many Iohns and blessed preachers of the Gospel spent their time and strength in eating of the little booke and venting it againe to be as vials vppon Apoc. 10. the throne of the beast in vaine No No godly witnesses haue not writ in vaine victorious Kings haue not fought in vaine Constant martyrs haue not dyed in vaine They haue all striued as for life and death saluation and damnation Though saluation may be found in the Church as I haue said yet how hardly If it be an hard matter to finde it any where as in truth it is because the law is against it which were it not for the Mercy seate Christ Iesus would rise out of the Arke and accuse vs and because the creatures are against it which are abused by vs and doe call for vengeance and because euen we our selues are against it in our pronenesse vnto sin and delight in it then how hard and hard againe is it to find it in the stye of the beast and amongst the followers of Antichrist where there are so many killing poysons against it As therefore the Psalmist sung Wee is mee that I remaine in Psal 120. 5. Meshech and dwell in the Tents of Kedar so may such as lodge with the beast iustly say with griefe of heart But as for vs that liue out of the smoake of the pit in the shining rayes of the Gospel let vs at the Glassie sea sing the song Apoc. 14. 2 3 4. of Moses and of the Lambe praysing Gods power as the Lord God Almightie and his goodnes as the King of Saints who hath deliuered vs from the yron furnace and begun to take vengeance of that man of sinne Vse 2 Secondly concerning others let vs make the same vse which Paul makes in this place that is thanke God when we can prooue by sanctification 2. Thess 2. 13 14. of spirit and faith of truth whereunto men are called by the Gospel to obtaine the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ that they are the elect of God so are not in this perishing estate by the works of Antichrist We are in a naturall bond as digged out of the same