point I shall speake somewhat in the next part Thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of him which sitteth on the horse which is Iesus Christ our king and onely captaine The next and last generall head to be spoken of is the armie of Christ The beast and his armies fight against Christ and his armie The Church of Christ is called by many names but here in the matter and time of warre it is called an armie Likewise Salomon sayth of it that it is terrible as an armie with banners Paul vsing the same Metaphore will haue vs put on the armour of light and saieth that the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holdes and willeth vs to put vpon vs the whole armour of God that we may be able to stand against the assaults of the deuill and of himselfe he witnesseth that he had fought a good fight and finished his course So that there is a warre and armour and weapons and fighting that belongeth to gods people and they altogether make an armie The Church of England is an excellent and noble band of this armie Wee are Christs souldiers we beare his colours he rideth before vs and among vs vpon the white horse he is our captaine and we are his armie Two kinds of enemies we haue that labour to perswade thēselues the world that we are not Christs armie the Papists and the Barrowists Against the Papists we haue maintained that the sound teaching of the word of God and the lawfull administration of his Sacraments are the most sure ensignes whereby his armie is knowen and that we haue these among vs and they are effectuall in vs. When we allege that which Christ saith My sheepe heare my voyce and a strangers voyce they will not heare That which Esaie hath To the lawe and to the testimonie if they answere not according to this it is because there is no light in thē When we allege these and the like places we obtaine that the true and sound setting forth of the worde of God is a most certaine signe and note of the Church That which Paul hath If any man preach another gospel let him be accursed That which Iohn saith He that abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God and if any man bring not the doctrine of Christ receaue him not declareth that a false doctrine of the gospel and Christ destroyeth the Church especially if the errour be in the foundation which is our iustification by faith in Christ and all those things which doe necessarily depend vpon it Therefore the Apostle saith Other foundation can no man lay then that which is layed euen Iesus Christ And againe Ye are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone For this cause Paul doth so carefully and oft stand vpon the clearing of this article of our iustification by faith in Christ in so manie of his Epistles The true doctrine of the Gospel is thus founde to be the note yea and seede of the Church That the right and lawfull administration of the Sacraments pertaineth to the description and declaration of the Church we may easisily confirme Our Sauiour ioyneth the Sacraments to the worde Goe teach all nations baptizing them The Apostle doeth the like when hee sayeth Christ hath clensed his Church by the washing of water through the worde And of the other Sacrament it is sayde Doe this in remembraunce of mee And drinke yee all of this And the first Church gathered together after Christes ascension is thus described They that gladly receaued his worde were baptized and the same day there were added to the Church about three thousand soules and they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and praiers These things by the benefite of God we haue the trueth of the Gospell and the whole new and olde Testament in all points of substance of doctrine truly taught and set footh in this lande the sacraments also are rightly administred Wherefore we haue the true notes of the Church These are the true notes of the Church such notes as are also causes of it for the word and sacraments doe beget and nourish faith by which we are vnited to Christ as to the heade Many other things agree to the Church as good workes mutuall loue true repentance shunning of idolatrie a right inuocation of the name of God and the like But these are partes and effects and ornaments of the former and concurre together with them for the word taught must be vnderstood to be fruitfull and so the sacraments to worke in mens soules and both to be of power or els they are no longer tokens to vs that wee are of the Church of God These things thus vnderstood are the true and sufficient markes whereby he that hath spirituall eyes may see the Church of God These by the speciall working of Iesus Christ we yet retaine in such sorte as they bring foorth fruite in mens hearts and liues God grant they may continue with vs and be more effectuall to worke amendment in all As for those marks wherby the Papists would haue the Church to be discerned they are deceitfull they can not point it out Antiquitie hath erred Vniuersalitie hath bin corrupted Vnitie may be in falshood Succession in place may be without succession in trueth their other marks are of like nature The worde and Sacraments rightly set forth and receaued and bringing forth fruite can neuer deceaue vs but bring vs directly to the true Church of Iesus Christ. But what shal we say to them that make discipline a necessarie marke of the Church because our Sauiour saith Baptize them teaching thē to obserue whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you The obseruation that our Sauiour speaketh of is not of some certaine forme of outward gouernement but generally of obedience to faith to loue and to the whole lawe and Gospell As for that discipline by Elders in euery parish it will not be found in those wordes of Christ. The Church can not well stand without all ecclesiasticall gouernement Yet it seemeth it did so stand in the captiuitie of Babylon but without that forme it may very well stand and florish and so hath done in this and former ages in many places Wherefore the worde and sacraments remaine as the markes in generall whereby the Church may be discerned But the Barrowists and such of whome they haue learned their principles descend into a more speciall and neere description of the Church The worde and Sacramentes are not such notes with them as can point out a Church What then is the Church of Christ in their account diuerse of them haue gone about to describe it but one especially would seeme to doe it most fully therefore he describeth it in these wordes at large The true planted and rightly established Church of Christ is a companie of faithful people separated from the
Gospell openly that was not one person but many persons one after another holding vp the same estate The second beast reuiueth the image of the first in the same citie therefore the second is not one person but a succession of many which renew as it were the olde honour and state of Rome This doth the order of Popes succeeding one another And although as Bellarmine answereth one beast in Daniel is set for one man as the Leopard for Alexander magnus yet there also the Lion representeth the Assyrians and the Beare the Persians empire so heere in the Apocalypse as the first beast is set for the heathen empire so the second beast is set for the Antichristian papacie of Rome Augustine thinketh that this beast must not be vnderstood for one man but for one city Quae sit porro ista bestia c. What this beast is it is not repugnant to right faith that the very wicked citie be vnderstood as the people of vnbeleeuers contrarie to the beleeuing people and citie of God The beast then by Augustines opinion is a citie a multitude not one singular person If we shall marke that which Paul saith concerning the beginning and end of Antichrist the mysterie of iniquitie alreadie worketh and that the Lord shall abolish him with the brightnesse of his comming and that which Iohn saith Ye haue heard that Antichrist should come and now alreadie he is in the world wee shall see that the Antichrist can not be one man the foundation of whose kingdome was laid so long before and the end whereof shall not come till the end of all for is it not absurd that there should be so ancient a preparation for so late and so short a reigne of one man This also is most euident that those things which must be done of Antichrist can not be performed of one man no not in his whole life much lesse in three yeeres and a halfe He must restore the glorie of the Romane empire he must doe all that the other beast did before him he must worke many signes and miracles he must cause the former beast to be worshipped he must send foorth lying spirits to seduce them that dwell on the earth he must kill them that worship not the image of the beast and receiue not his marke nay those things that they grant Antichrist shall do can not be done in that space He must winne Ierusalem and build the Temple and ouercome all the world propound himselfe to be worshipped thorow the world and take away baptisme in all the world and doe many other things Can these things be done in three yeeres and a halfe or while he doth these things shall he not be their Antichrist But they say Paul calleth him the man of sinne and Iohn the Antichrist adding the Greeke article That is done for difference and not for singularitie of person No maruell if a common name of the man of the Antichrist signifie many seeing a proper name shall signifie a multitude Israel first a proper name of Iacob and yet signifieth all Gods people Sion the proper name of a hill and yet signifieth all the church of God The beast is the man of sinne and the Antichrist because of all Antichrists for there are many euen so many as there are heresies against Christ he is the greatest and cruellest and mightiest Antichrist and the man of sinne because of all sinfull men he is cause by his power lawes of greatest most sinne committed in Gods church Last of all they say that as Christ is one person so Antichrist his chiefe enemie must be one person as he that sitteth on the horse that is Christ is one person so the beast that is captaine of those against him must be one person The comparison holdeth not first because Christ abideth for euer therefore on that side there is one person captaine but on the other side to fight against him for the short continuance of the persons the long continuance of the fight there must be many persons in succession captaines Secondly because the fight is not against Christ in his person but in his doctrine and in his members both which are continued by succession and so are the captaines and the warre against them I need not fight so long with a shadow to destroy this opinion of theirs that the beast and the Antichrist spoken of in scripture is not one singular person but a line and succession of many that holde and mainteine a gouernement that destroyeth the faith and benefites of Iesus Christ Thus we see how vaine one especiall ground of their fained Antichrist is namely that he must be one singular person Another ground of their error is that this beast and Antichrist must be an open enemie of Christ both in deede and word in trueth and in shewe for they say he must deny Iesus to be Christ in plaine termes and in like maner deny that he is come that he must take away the sacraments of Christ and substitute others himselfe that he must make himselfe Christ and so be receaued of the Iewes and that he must by all meanes be without the Church The Pope they say is not such a one He acknowledgeth Christ to be come and himselfe his substitute and seruant and by our owne confession is after a sort in the Church But we holde and the trueth is that this beast and Antichrist is a secrete enemie cloked with the name of a friend an asse that hath put on a Lions skinne and that in this enemie especially Satan changeth himselfe into an Angell of light If Antichrist should come like an open professed enemie all Christians would easily detest him the elect should neuer be in daunger by him but hee shall come so cunningly that hee shall seduce if it were possible euen the elect And the name of a mysterie Reuel 17. declareth that his working is secrete and the same hath Paul the mysterie of iniquitie already worketh Wherefore if the kingdome and rule of the beast and Antichrist be a mysterie then is hee a secret and not an open professed enemie And whether doe these names of seducing of comming with all deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse and of strong delusion to beleeue lies all which are spoken of Antichrist agree rather to a counterfet or an open enemie The enemie that Christ would haue his people take heed of in the last time is especially the counterfet friend They shall say Loe here is Christ or there is Christ there shall arise false Christs and false prophets And to the Iewes he saith If another shall come in my name him will yee receiue Vpon these words they ground that opinion of theirs that the Iewes shall receiue Antichrist when he commeth which shall denie the first and true Christ and set himselfe to be their Christ But that saying of our Sauiour was fulfilled after his ascension in diuers that came vnto thē as deliuerers whom they followed
to their destruction But as for the Iewes towards the end of the world whē the Papists say their Antichrist shall bee the Iewes before that shall be conuerted vnto Iesus Christ as Paul sheweth Rom. 11. and the popish imagined Antichrist of all others can neuer be receiued of the Iewes for they looke for a Christ to come of the tribe of Iuda and not of the tribe of Dan and they so detest an image that they can neuer acknowledge him their Christ that contrary to their law shall set vp an image to be worshipped But as I sayd Antichrist shall put vpon him the vizard and face of a friend and shall haue the heart and works of an enemy for as he is and hath ioined to him as his assistant the false prophet so likewise he will tread in the path of false prophets Beware of false prophets saith our Sauiour for they come in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening wolues If that be true that some do say that in Ezechiel and Reuel 20. Gog is set for Antichrist and Magog for the Turke which both should succeed and deuide the Romane empire then not only this is manifest that Antichrist is a secret enemie but that hee should haue the West part of the Empire and the Turke the East and that wee neede not feare the Turke in these quarters of the world nor fauour the Spaniards as some doe seeme to wish in that behalfe because they thinke they be a wall betweene the Turke and Christendome But God hath set the bounds To the Turke that is to Magog and Mesek which is Arabia where Mahomets tombe is the East is alotted To Gog that is the Pope and Tubal with him which some say is Italie and others say is Spaine to this Gog the West part of the empire which hath hitherto reteined the name of Christian religion is assigned All the world deserued to be in bondage vnder enemies of the trueth but the East is vnder the bodily bondage of the Turke and the West vnder the spirituall seruitude of the Pope Now Magog which is set for the Turke signifieth vncouered open and manifest but Gog set for the Pope signifieth couered secret and hidden wherefore as the one is an open enemie so the other is secret and therfore more dangerous If by Gog and Magog be meant these two then the names do shew the difference but I know some take those names otherwise and some confesse they know not what they meane But if that Gog do not declare Antichrist to be a secret enemie yet by this it shall most easily appeare for that Paul saith of him he shal sit in the Temple of God that is to say he shall rule and gouerne in the church of God as he himselfe will call it and as it hath commonly beene reputed wherefore if he shall gouerne in the church of Christ he must shew himselfe to be a friend to Christ and to the church or els he can by no meanes deceiue the church of Christ To the woman Reuel 17. there is giuen a cup of golde which is vnderstood to be the shew of religion and yet it is full of abominations But what need we moe proofes to shew that this beast is a fained and a counterfet friend Iohn saith The beast hath two hornes like the lambe and yet speaketh like the dragon he shall make a shew of Christian religion shall haue spirituall and temporall gouernment and shall faine himselfe to be like Christ but his lawes and doctrine shal be the doctrine of deuils All these things prooue that Antichrist which is this beast is a secret enemy making shew countenance of a friend If I shoulde say no more by this that I haue spoken it may sufficiently be gathered that this beast this Antichrist is the Pope of Rome For who is there in the Church of Christ of long continuance and great authoritie that seemeth more a friend to Christ and is in trueth so sore an enemie to all that truely beleeue in Christ as is the Pope But if wee search further we shall see that whatsoeuer the Scripture speaketh of this Enemy agreeth fitly to the Pope and to none other neither to him who they imagine shall come of the tribe of Dan nor to the Turke which is by all meanes out of the church This title of eternall ignominie and shame falleth vpon no estate in the world but only on the popedome All things agree to it The forerunner of Antichrist was the fall of the Romane empire and destruction of Rome in the West that is it in the opinion of many ancient fathers which Paul meaneth when he sayth Ye know what withholdeth that he might be reueiled in his time And againe Onely he which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the way The seat of the empire abiding at Rome withheld the Pope from his reigne dominion there But how was that remooued that the Pope might come into it emptie First by Constantinus magnus departing thence making the seat of his empire at Constantinople Secōdly because it was not yet empty enough Alaricus king of Goths taketh it anno 414. Gensericus Vandalus takes it spoiles it againe an 459. And last of all Totilas taketh it thrise ouerthroweth the walles and setteth Rome on fire and letteth it burne 40 dayes an 549. Thus was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rome was made emptie of the emperour that the Pope might step into it This is the head that S. Iohn saw wounded to death Here the heathen Romans that had killed with the sword were killed by the sword Although this be so yet the Papists contend that this is not yet fulfilled The Romane empire say they is not yet displaced These be notable cūning men that which was done 1000 yeres since is not yet done with them By this we may iudge of their religion For as the Romane empire remaineth yet so the true Christian religion remaineth with thē vnto this time no otherwise but that empire remaineth onely in name and not in truth so doth the religion For is that the emperour of Rome whom the Pope by a law hath bound not to dwell in Rome nor in all Italie at any time Is he emperour of Rome that hath no tribute no homage nor lands of the empire and vnlesse he haue somewhat to liue by of his owne shall be nothing inriched by the empire But saith Bellarmine he is emperour of Rome although he haue not Rome How can he be emperour of it that hath it neither in possession nor by right of title if he haue right to it then the Pope is an vsurper that keepes him from it for there is no officer in Rome but the Popes deputy by his appointment Wherefore the first note of Antichrist agreeth to the Pope which is that Rome should be made a ruine before he shuld come to build vpon it for that was fulfilled
the poyson of their doctrine and his mightie defence against all their manifest terrors and secret conspiracies This the God of all might and comfort graunt vnto vs through Iesus Christ our Lord and Sauiour To whome with the Father and the holy ghost three persons and one God be all honour and glory world without ende Amen The second Sermon vpon Apoc. cap. 19. verse 19. I Deuided this verse into two parts The one is of those that doe oppugne the other of those that doe defend I haue spoken alreadie of them that giue the onset They were the beast the kings of the earth and their armies I shewed that the beast is the Pope of Rome the kings of the earth are they that yeelde obedience to him their armies are first the spiritual and learned sorte that striue to maintaine the popedome by witte learning and secondly the warriers and other people that by sword and force do fight for him Now it remaineth to speake of the parties the are oppugned and doe defend themselues They fight against him that sitteth on the horse against his armie For armie some translations reade souldiers But it doth not so well aunswere to the Greeke The word signifieth an armie pressed forth and set in order to battel He that rideth on the horse is vnderstoode to bee Christ His armie are they that beleeue his gospel obey it These are assalted oppugned by the beast his armies Two thinges must bee obserued in this onset made against Christ and his people by the enemies First that Christ and his people haue the right and lawfull possession of the Church and the trueth of heauen of earth and of all things and that they would thrust both Christ and his out of this possession Christ sayeth of himselfe All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth and his people are made the heires of the world for to thē it is said all things are yours and againe He that ouer commeth shall inherite all The beast then and his armies labour to thrust Christ his armie out of all Which they could not doe if Christ and his people had not the right and possession of all And Christ hath suffered them to besiege him and his people and to thrust them into verie great straites for a season For they haue bene constrained to flie into the wildernes and there to ly hid But now Christ will vp on the white horse and raise the siege and bee shut vp so straite no longer That is the first thing that followeth of this that the beast is he that maketh the assault The second thing that followeth thereof is this that the enemies euer seeke their owne destruction or els it would not come vpon them It should seeme reason that Christ and his people should set vpon the beast his armies For is it meete that they holding that which belongeth vnto Christ frō him should not be suffered to liue and to enioye it But Christ dealeth not so he suffereth thē quietly to withdrawe thēselues from him and letteth their fury increase till they go about to roote him and his people from among them He giueth them scope to shewe their malice Now when Gods people seeme strangeliest assaulted and are in danger of greatest bondage then is their deliuerance neere at hand A prouerbe was made of the dealing of Pharao with the Israelities Quando duplicantur lateres tum venit Moses When the brickes are dubled thē Moses commeth When the enemies armies are greatest and best furnished then are they most neere their ouerthrow It is a thing worthie to be marked how Antichrist still giueth the onset and all his attempts for the most part haue turned to his losse This much of the beast his assaulting and of Christ and his being assaulted and defending thēselues It followeth to shew what it meaneth that Christ is described here by riding vpon a horse The horse that he sitteth vpon is said to be a white horse And that it is Christ that rideth vpon him there can be no doubt For the discriptiō that goeth before can agree to none other Thus Iohn saith of him I sawe heauē open and behold a white horse and he that sate vpon him was called faithful and true and he iudgeth and fighteth righteously his eyes were as a flame of fire on his head were many crownes he had a name written that no man knew but himselfe he was clothed in a garment dipt in blood and his name is called the word of God and out of his mouth went asharpe sword that with it he should smite the heathen For he shal rule them with a rod of yron for he it is that treadeth the wine-presse of the fiercenes wrath of almightie God All these thinges agree to Christ alone He is faithfull and true in his promises hee iudgeth fighteth righteously in punishing the wicked defending his people while they continue in obedience to him his eyes are as fire he seeth searcheth all things yea the hearts of men He reigneth ouer all and hath obteined many crownes by many victories and kings and princes subdued vnto him his garment was dipt in blood to redeeme vs and he hath dipt it againe doth now dayly in the slaughter of his enemies his name essence is such as none knoweth but God that is himselfe And hee is the word of God which was in the beginning which is God by whome all thinges were made Out of his mouth commeth the sharpe sword of Gods iust decree which cōdēneth the enemies last of all he executeth gods vengeance vpon thē and as it were presseth them in the winepresse of his wrath Christ therefore is vnderstood by him that sitteth on the horse But why is Christ said to sit vpon a horse that a white horse What meaneth this horse It is well knowen to all men that the horse is a warlike beast as it were made for warre He is strōg to carry bold to come vpō the face of the enemie he is swift to make speede fit to be turned this way that way So he was apointed to warre But for priestly actions and persons he was not thought meete Therefore the priests of Egypt might not ride vpon a horse It was thought among them a thing prophane Neither might some of the heathen Romane Flamines so much as touch a horse And euen now it is thought an vnseemely thing for the Pope to bee seene to ride vpon a horse within the citie of Rome except onely vpon one solemne day in the yeare when he rideth to the Laterane and all his prelates with him vpon white horses For otherwise in Rome he is caryed vpon mens shoulders for the most part Once a yeere he would like Christ ride vpon a white horse yet hee neuer rideth on the horse whereon Christ rideth he can not abide that white horse What then is this white horse
such as they name if any mā do the Church gouernment doth not allow it againe that this is not a denying of Christs priesthood sacrifice the putting of another thing in stead thereof as the papists did but rather a misse applying of it where it should not be applied Wherefore wee doe not deny his priesthood As concerning the propheticall office of Christ that by vs is not obscured and diminished but magnified and highly aduanced His word onely hath soueraigne authoritie it is published and it is receiued in our Churches Let them shewe wherein we derogate from his prophecie The first accusation is a slander as that we adde to the word that we vse humane traditions we obtrude things contrary to the word and that we oppugne and reiect the manifest trueth These things must be answered in the particulars We adde nothing as necessarie to saluation we teach nothing contrary and we imbrace all the knowne and euident trueth But that is not an addition or a knowen trueth or a thing contrary to the word which they imagine to be so But as I sayd these things are answered in the particulars The next accusation is that we giue not obedience to the word of Christ but vse it as a mantel to couer our sinne rather then as a rule to direct our life We cannot say that all doe obey the Gospell in heart and some in hypocrisie vse it as a cloake for sinne This frustrateth his prophecie with those persons so that they haue no benefite by it But his prophecie hardeneth and not onely softeneth and there be in the Church such as waxe worse and worse as well as those which waxe better and better And Christ is a Prophet vnto both Neither the lawes nor the publike teaching doe mind or propound this that the word of God should be disobeied or that any should make it a couer for sinne The fault of some persons may not be imputed to the whole Church nor to the lawes and gouernment Another thing whereby we weaken or quite frustrate they say the prophecie of Christ amongst vs is because we seeke not a true ministerie but mainteine a false of which sort they say the whole ministerie of the land is which are permitted to teach in the publike places to whom eare is giuen Such are their words This accusation is very large and grieuous No true ministers in the whole land All false ministers Why do they so account vs Is it because we teach false doctrine or haue corrupted the faith or do teach heresies No such thing They obiect none of these against vs. Then I hope we may answere them the easier and be heard the more willingly purging our selues They cannot obiect vnto vs heresie nor false doctrine nor teaching of any thing that destroyeth the grounds of saluation What be the things then which they say make vs a false ministerie I will recite vnto you all which they lay against vs I will dissemble nothing the crimes then are these First they say we haue not the names of Ministers of the gospel but are called Priests Parsons Vicars and Curates It is not in our power what other men will call vs. Some of these names are giuen of the maintenaunce whereby we liue and pertaine not to our callings we delight to be counted the Ministers of the Gospell But this about the names is a vaine cauill Secondly they condemne our preparation to the ministerie which is by studie and bringing vp in the Vniuersities Schooles and Vniuersities they cannot whollie condēne The Church of the Iewes had the schooles of the Prophets and euer among Christians they haue bene esteemed as the best nurses of the ministerie They condemne them for the study of humaine learning and for certaine vices among some persons If for the faults of some of the persons that professe any kind of life the trade it self be to be condemned then no course of life must be taken in the world The studie of Logike Rhetorike Philosophie and the Mathematicals is so necessarie that without them we should be barbarous and but by the helpe of them neuer can any perfection by ordinary meanes be attained in Phisike Lawe or Diuinitie There are none but madde men which can condemne Vniuersities Thirdly they mislike our entrance into the ministerie none of vs is chosen by a whole congregation nor ordayned by laying on of the hands of the Eldershippe nor iust tryall made of giftes and conuersation But we are ordained by one man the Byshoppe and are thrust vpon the places where we take charge whether the people will or no. The ordaining of a minister by one or fewe is not against the word of God Paul and Barnabas appointed Elders by the laying on of hands at Antioch And Titus was left in Creta to ordaine Elders in euery citie Wherefore it wanteth not the word of God that Pastours are ordayned by one that hath skill yet that one with vs doth it not alone Cyprian and other ancient fathers acknowledge themselues to haue aucthoritie to doe the like If they be not examined and tryed as they ought the fault is in the Byshoppe That they are preferred by one to their charge that is not against the word seeing there is nothing in the word that commandeth or cōmendeth the election by the multitude or inioineth it to be perpetuall The fourth accusation is against the vnlearned vnpreaching ministers which is a crime that they make to touch al. for so much as they are no ministers at all that cannot preach therefore they thēselues to be condēned then all the rest eyther by silence or by consent or by preaching in their charges or by defending them to be ministers are also guilty And the whole people are wrapped they say by them in the same sentence of dānation for either keeping vnder thē or suffering thē And hereupō they make that they are no sacraments no praiers no word of promise and saluation that is vttered by them but that all their actions are voyd and frustrate This being so great a matter would be examined by it selfe at large But in a word to touch it The reader bringeth the word of reconciliation and forgiuenesse of sinnes in Christ sheweth the way of repentaunce and amendement of life mininistreth the Sacramentes and prayers in a publike function layde vpon him by the Church therefore he is a minister and a man may safely heare him and receiue the sacrament at his hand Hee nourisheth fayth by reading therefore he may beget it for wherewith it is nourished therewith it is begotten By the same meanes wherewith our best preachers haue bin both at the planting of the Gospell after the darkenes of Poperie in this land and are made now dayly and continued in their sufficiencie by the same meanes may the people come to faith and be continued in it And who seeth not that reading both begetteth and chiefly confirmeth and nourisheth many preachers And
seeing it is the spirit that giueth grace and breatheth where it listeth why not vpon the good heart when the word is read In the time of persecution vnder Queene Marie the reading of some fewe bookes brought many to the light and did preserue them in it Euery faithfull man hath experience how his owne reading edifieth why should not then the publike reading edifie The want of skill to preach maketh not a nullitie in him as in a child or a beast for he giueth consent to that he taketh in hand and nature it selfe excludeth such from the office Faith in deed commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God and they cannot heare without a preacher But reading is a certaine kind of preaching for if the shewing of Christ himselfe without words when Christ descended into hell was and is of many learned men called preaching and so they could vnderstaÌ„d the preaching that Peter speaketh of then why might not the reading of the word of God be called a preaching of it Act. 15.20 And Iames calleth the reading preaching Moses he saith of old time hath in euery citie them that preach him seeing he is read in the Synagogues euery Sabbath day This importeth that reading is a kind of preaching There were ministers that only read in the Synagogues of the Iewes When they were so ready to desire a stranger to speake it seemed it was not ordinary to haue an expounder in euery Synagogue They were not alwaies preachers that did baptize Christs disciples baptized Iohn 4. when as in the iudgment of many that are learned Christ had not sent forth any yet to preach I speake not this to make reading preaching in the Church equal or that reading should banish preaching or preaching exclude reading The expounding of scripture and applying of it to the present state by the working of Gods spirit in the mouth of a man called for that purpose is most excellent necessary for al Churches our Lawes and gouernment do require it Otherwise as some conclude let all be readers banish preachers quite heare only the reader if there be no excellency nor necessitie of the preacher aboue the reader Therfore let the preacher by voice by inuention froÌ„ the spirit and his own heart haue the first place and as the case standeth with vs the reader must not haue no place at all They may be weake ministers or ministers of necessitie or assisting ministers although they be not the chiefe nor most perfect and sufficient Thus much of that matter The fift defect they find in the ministery is in the dueties which are put vpon them or taken from them Burying of the dead ioyning of man wife in marriage making of funerall sermons going about the bounds of parishes all these in their opinions are no works of the Minister of the Gospell And againe whereas they ought to gouerne in their congregations together with others all gouernmeÌ„t is taken from vs. besides wheras no Minister should be aboue a Pastor Byshop are aboue vs therefore say they are we no Pastours nor Ministers of the Gospel Publike prayer doth aptly agree and is a duety of our calling This is not wickedly ioyne with buriall and marriage considering our owne frailtie which are alwaies neere death and the difficulties in mariage which God onely helpeth God himselfe ioyned the fiâ—â—â— mariage why may not his Ministers now doe it in his name seeing yet they which are married are ioyned together by God The word may be preached in season and out of season and no time amisse when the people come together and are fit to be taught What time better to comfort them that mourne or to rebuke the sinner or to put vs in mind of our frailtie then at the buriall of the dead The going about the bounds and limits of parishes pertaineth to his own maintenance and the common quiet therefore the doing of these things hath nothing contrary to his duty seeing they hinder not that which is principal but rather further it And as for the gouernmeÌ„t it is not mete for al so much neither as they do chaleÌ„ge was neuer in the church permitted to euery particular pastor To admonish to suspeÌ„d to rebuke is granted to vs and more is not necessary the labor of preaching is inough Pastours haue had superiours ouer them in the churches First Apostles then Byshops and so is it at this day Neyther is there any disorder in it In a moderate subiection the minister may better performe his duty more safely His pouerty and meanes cannot sustaine the burthen of publike gouernment any further theÌ„ for teaching exhorting rebuking suspeÌ„ding or withholding the vnworthie from the Sacraments In the sixt place they will perswade that we are no ministers because many remaine ignoraÌ„t vnder vs the sinnes of men are not cut off but abouÌ„d notwithstanding al we do This should argue Gods curse vpon vs and vpon our ministerie If none did profite by vs we might mistrust our selues but of many we may say Yee are our Epistle yee beare witnesse of the fruite which we bring Yea this continuall peace all this time is especially vnder God and our most gracious Queene to be ascribed to the preaching of the word of God among vs. That sects and poperie spread not ouer all it is to be imputed much vnto publike preaching There is no place in this land but the word of God worketh in the hearts of some to their conuersion The seuenth crime is against our maintenance We liue by set stipends by tenths and we depend vpon noble men and such as are able to pleasure vs we preach for gaine we hunt after liuings and ioyne diuerse together An vnlawfull maintenance if this were granted so to be maketh not an vnlawful ministerie If for gaine we should peruert the truth then we should degenerate from our office why should set stipeÌ„ds hurt our ministery Is an vncertaine liuing meeter then a certaine Tenths do not reuiue the ceremonial law we take not them in that sence The Emperours had them afterward bestowed theÌ„ vpon the Churches We chalenge them not by the law of Moses but by the gift of the prince And the Barrowists theÌ„selues confesse that as they were giuen by princes so they may be taken away by them To adhere to them that are great so that we helpe them in truth do not for theÌ„ peruert the truth hath no dispraise but coÌ„meÌ„dation In a good Christian gouernment if we be linked one to another by many dueties it is the safer and if the liuings be of the prince and lawes then may the prince lawes vnite or seuer them in some moderate sort so that the dueties to the people be perfourmed These are the chiefe crimes which they lay against vs. In all this there is nothing of false doctrine in any matter of saluation in any article of our faith but all is of things that are cleane
not drinke wine nor strongdrinke that ye may put difference betweene the holie and vnholie and betweene the cleane and vncleane This helpeth not an Eldershippe but rather establisheth an Archbishop Deut. 17.8 An Eldership of laie men it can not set vp For Aaron and his sonnes were Priestes The next is out of Deuteronomie If there be anie matter of plea thou shalt come vnto the priests of the Leuites and vnto the iudge that shal be in those dayes And againe that man that will not hearken to the Priest or the Iudge that man shal die This likewise doth ouerthrowe the laie presbyterie and by proportion and like equitie establisheth the Archbishop and the prerogatiue of the Prince And last of all 2. Chro. 19 2. that in the Chronicles maye warrant an hie commission for the whole land but not a presbyterie for euerie parish Thus it sayeth Moreouer in Ierusalem did Iehoshaphat set of the Leuites and of the Priestes and of the chiefe of the families of Israel for the iudgement and cause of the Lorde and they returned to Ierusalem This was generall for the whole kingdome and will not helpe to erect a presbyterie in euerie parish The places of the newe Testament are these The first out of Matthew Matth. 18.17 If he wil not heare them tell the Church If Christ when he spake this had relation to the state of the Iewes hee might meane the generall Synedrion at Ierusalem for particular they had not If the state of the Church to come be vnderstoode then either the gouernors in what forme soeuer it shall bee or else the whole bodie of the Church may be meant but an Eldership of laie persons can not anie waye bee inferred of wordes so generall Another place is in the Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 5.4 when yee are gathered together by which wordes the whole Church is meant and not anie laie Elders For hee speaketh to them that were puffed vp and shoulde haue sorrowed and those were not Elders onely if there were anie in the Church of Corinth and it is manifest that he writeth to the whole Church And out of the Epistle to Timothie they would fetch an vnteaching Eldership when hee sayeth 1. Tim. 4.14 despise not the gift which is giuen thee by prophesie with the laying on of the hands of Eldership This presbyterie or Eldership Caluine sayeth maye be meant of the office which hee receaued to bee an Elder that is a Minister of the worde and not of anie companie by whome he receaued it And how shoulde wee thinke that the laying on of handes to make a Minister shoulde pertaine to them that are no Ministers After these particular places for their Eldership they haue some also which seeme to inferre these and all their other officers but the chiefe are two The first is to the Romanes Rom. 12.6 Seeing then that we haue giftes that are diuerse according to the grace that is giuen vnto vs whether we haue prophesie let vs prophecy according to the proportion of faith or an office let vs waite on the office or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation he that distributeth let him do it with simplicitie he that ruleth with diligēce he that sheweth mercie with cherefulnes hence they will seeme to fetch all their officers But this none of the ancient fathers none of the learned writers of our time did see till of late This seemeth not exactlie to agree to their plot for first here are three names for doctrine Prophesie Teaching and Exhortation and all maye bee performed by one man Then to Rule and to haue an Office are so generall that they can not bee restrained to the forme and name of such Elders as they appoint To distribute and to shewe mercie either pertaine to all or else if there must be such officers it is not necessarie vnder their names of Deacons and Releeuers nor at all times but as time occasions require Their other place is to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 12.28 God hath ordained some in the Church as first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers then them that doe miracles after that the giftes of healing helpers gouerners diuersitie of tongues Here are more then fiue and by no direct waye can these precisely bee hence fetched Apostles Prophets Teachers diuersitie of tongues pertaine all especiallie to doctrine The gift of working miracles and of healing were but for those times Helpers and gouerners are too large names to bring in onely Deacons and Relieuers and Elders into euerie congregation in such sort and order as they prescribe Gouernors wee haue and helpers although wee haue not their Elders nor their Deacons These are the chiefe places whereon their discipline is builded Other they haue in the Actes and to the Ephesians and Timothie and Titus but none of them make the whole number nor the particulars in their forme and especially which is the chiefe they helpe not their Eldershippe of vnteaching persons Now then wee may haue Christs gouernement and seeke his kingdome although wee haue not these officers in these names and this order Their newe officers are not necessarie to the building of the Churche but peraduenture they whome we haue doe pull downe the Church That is their opinion for thus they speake of our estate In steade of these they remaine most seruilely subiect to the Antichristian gouernement of the popish Archbishops Byshops Chauncelors Archdeacons Deanes Commissaries Doctors Proctors Aduocates Notaries Registers Purseuants Cursetors Summoners and from the Apostaticall seate of the Byshops they receaue as Antichristian and false a Ministerie as their Parsons Vicars Curates Hirelings Lecturers Mercenarie preachers All which together with this people stand bounde and subiect to the Byshops Romish courtes of hie commission of faculties of arches of prerogatiues of delegates of their Commissaries and the rest Because wee haue some officers of like name though not all nor of like qualitie as they childishlie imagine They saye neither gouerners nor subiectes neither pastors nor people can bee the Churche of Christ. Foure orders they make here of thinges and persons to bee condemned and remoued First all those that haue Ecclesiasticall gouernement committed vnto them the Byshops and all that doe assist them Secondlie all sortes of Ministers preachers and not preachers Thirdly Ecclesiasticall courts and iudgements Last of all the whole people for being and continuing subiect vnto those If we aske a reason of this their peremptorie sentence wee can perceaue none here but because they are popish and Antichristian If I shoulde confesse this and saye the gouernement is such and defende our Church by the example of the Church in Babylon as one doeth I shoulde iustifie them and condemne our selues I shoulde lye against the trueth and against mine owne soule But thus I saye If these thinges be popish as they doe stand among vs let them bee excluded naye let vs bee excluded out of the
to a perfect man This place speaketh onelie of doctrine and not of lawes for gouernement either in the Church or common-wealth except they thinke their Pastors and Doctors must make lawes for al things And as for that to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 14.37 cutteth not off al lawes for the Church made by men If any man thinke himselfe to be a prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things which I write vnto you are the commandements of the Lorde He writeth there of not vsing strange languages where they are not vnderstood and and of women that they should not preach in the Church But there are other thinges which by lawes must be ordered which Paul nor the scripture anie where hath determined in speciall Last of all they applie to this purpose all those places of scripture which teach that nothing must bee added nor taken from the worde of God The making of lawes about orders in gouernement is no addition to Gods worde For the thing is not there forbidden Thus they will seeme to proue that in the worde are sufficient lawes to order mens actions vpon this grounde they will haue the penall lawes of Moses reuiued then they must bring vs againe to the land of Canaan they must establish to vs againe that kingdome For those penall lawes like as the ceremoniall were proper onely to that people Now the Priesthoode being changed the lawe is changed As they saye the worde hath sufficient lawes to determine all thinges so likewise they will not admitte that princes shoulde make lawes thereby to helpe forwarde the kingdome of Christ. For they saye the kingdome of Christ commeth not by the lawes of men but by the worde and spirite For this purpose they abuse these scriptures First that of Saint Luke Luke 17.20 The kingdome of God commeth not with obseruation They meane with obseruing princes lawes but Christ meaneth that his kingdome commeth not neither is discerned by outwarde pompe and worldlie glorie which the Pharises looked for but is properlie a thing inwarde in the heart That place nothing pertaineth to outward lawes Also they misapplie that of Zacharie Neither by an armie nor strength Zach. 4.6 but by my spirite saieth the Lorde of hostes This is spoken by comparison that God in the preseruing of his Churche vseth principallie the working of his spirite and not an armie nor strength of men Yet that hee vseth armies and strength for their defence the Churche in all ages hath had experience But the principall is his spirite outwarde strength and lawes in comparison of it and without it are nothing When Esaie sayeth Beholde Esaie 40.10 the Lorde God will come with power and his arme shall rule for him his arme ruleth euen by the good and wholesome lawes of men Iere. 17.5 And that curse in Ieremie pertaineth not to vs because we are ruled by lawes of princes Thus sayeth the Lorde Cursed bee the man that trusteth in man and maketh fleshe his arme and withdraweth his heart from the Lorde For we trust not in the lawes of princes nor in them when we vse thē vnder God for our quiet gouernement we knowe that Kings are nursing fathers and Queenes are nursing mothers Dauid Salomon and Iosaphat and Ezechias and Iosias and all godlie princes made lawes for the Churche of God and were approued yea the lawes decrees of Nebuchadnezzar of Cyrus and Darius were for the behoofe benefite of it Manie thinges are left vndetermined in speciall wherein princes make good and profitable decrees for the Churche If their position were true the Prophets and our Sauiour shoulde not haue condemned either the princes or the lawiers for making vniust lawes but for making anie lawes at all Princes especially serue Christ euen in making lawes for Christ Wherefore it appeareth not that sufficient lawes in speciall are set downe in the worde for the Churche nor that it is wicked for the Church to vse the lawes of princes and to bee subiect to them if otherwise they bee not vngodly Nowe marke what they saye of our lawes Wee they saye are not gouerned by the worde of God but by Canons Iniunctions and Decrees of these Antichristian and Popish courts Let them name one Canon or Decree and Iniunction that maintaineth anie thing that is popish or against Christ and surely it ought to be abolished But there be lawes which they had which came not from them but either from the word of God or the light of nature or former holy constitutions Why should their detaining of them in vnrighteousnes hinder vs from the conuerting of them to the furtherance of the Gospell They are not popish so long as they are not directed to maintaine poperie but are applyed to godlinesse and peace in obedience of the trueth The ninth marke of their Church is that al and ech one of them must stand in and for their Christian libertie to practise whatsoeuer God hath commanded and is reuealed vnto them in his holy word This their liberty is one of the chiefe points wherein they stand Here neither Prince nor Counsellour nor Byshop nor Law must restraine them from refusing or casting off whatsoeuer they mislike or from taking vpon them and putting in practise any thing that they haue determined and concluded to be done Seeing according to their conceit they haue found out that Byshops and all other officers in our Church are popish and that the ministery beareth as they suppose popish names and markes and the lawes are popish they will neither sue to Prince nor Counsell for the remouing of any of these things but with all speede cast the yoke from their owne necks And seeing they haue found in their fansies that an eldershippe and no other lawes but the written word is to be heard therefore they will erect these things among themselues For God say they hath left power in euery man and euery assembly of his people to cast off al that may hinder to transport thēselues to any thing that may further their saluation In matters necessary to saluation we graunt there is by Gods gracious working such freedome giuen to Gods people that all the deuils in hell cannot hinder them from hauing that whereby it should be brought to passe But such are not the things which they striue for Saluation may be had in this state without them But their opinion of vs in respect of Christian libertie is this They say that all wee remaine in bondage to the Egyptian and Babylonish yokes yeelding obedience to these Courts and their Cannons Now let vs heare their scripture by which they will maintaine their so absolute libertie and condemne vs as men in Egyptian bondage The places are these first that to the Galathians Gal. 4.9 But now seeing ye know God yea rather are knowen of God howe turne ye againe to impotent and beggerlie rudiments whereunto as from the beginning you will be in bondage againe Paul there speaketh
of the obseruation of dayes and ceremonies of the lawe with opinion of necessitie to saluation iustification we repose neither saluation nor iustification in any ceremony or outward thing which we vse not in the gouernment not in apparel this or that In the vse of them our minds are free The like meaning hath that to the Collossians Collos 2.20 If yee bee dead with Christ from the ordinances of the worlde why as though yee liued in the world are yee burthened with traditions There is no tradition in our Church that can be a burthen to a mans conscience being rightly taken seeing there is no idolatrous tradition among vs nor any ioyned with opinion of necessitie or worship of God or merite to saluation But in those things the soule is left free to depend wholly vpon Iesus Christ The like meaning hath that to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 7.23 Yee are bought with a price bee not the seruauntes of men Paul condemneth not obedience in things lawfull but in voluntarie worshippe And as for vs we place no necessary part of Gods worship in the traditions of any mē The booke of cōmon praier is not reckoned so necessary as if God were not otherwise rightly worshipped neither yet absolutely as meere traditions of men for as much as it is either scripture or agreeable vnto scripture Outward ceremonies are retained for order but no part of Gods worship placed either in crosse or garment To these places of scripture as of like nature may be ioyned that of the Actes Acts 4.19 Wee ought rather to obey God then men that is whē they cōmand things contrary But in the gouernmēt or in the ministery or in Gods worship or in the admission of men to the sacraments the lawes of this land doe not commaund things contrary to God for any thing that we haue yet found Last of all for our bondage Apoc. 14.19 they produce first the Reuelation where it sayeth If any man worshippe the beast or his image The gouernment by Byshops they take to be the image of the beast They were we confesse so to be accounted while they maintained the Pope and his lawes but now they are not so when they are set to further the Gospell and truth of Christ These are the places by which they would conuince vs to be in bondage But the Scriptures by which they chalenge their large and infinite liberty are these Ioh. 8.33 first that of Iohn Ye shall knowe the trueth and the trueth shall make you free Christ speaketh of freedome not from lawes and Magistrates and Ecclesiasticall gouernment but from sinne and Satan for he sayth He that committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne The next that is pretended to speake for their liberty is Paul to the Galathians Gal. 4.6 Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all Paul disputeth of our freedome from the curse of the lawe and from circumcision and other ceremonies so that the curse is not to be feared of vs that are made free by Christ nor iustification to be sought by the ceremonies of the lawe nor any part of Gods worshippe to be reposed any longer in them And the same is his purpose in the fift Chapter when he sayth Stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free This is the freedome of conscience the libertie from the curse pronounced by the lawe and from the ceremonies thereof with opinion of worshippe or merite of saluation Thus are we free We are vnder a gouernement and haue some fewe ceremonies but we neither count them parts of Gods worship nor any cause of our iustification or saluation Thus our minds are free although our bodies be bound in an outward obedience They may therefore become subiect with vs to this gouernment and yet inioy due Christian libertie The tenth and last note of their Church is this that it must haue the power that Christ hath giuen to his Church to the worlds end and all the powers in earth and hell cannot take from them namely to bind and loose and to reforme things that are amisse Which power they say we haue not For our assemblies as they iudge cast out Satan by the power of Satan namely say they by these impes of Antichrist the Byshops Commissaries and Priests These be their words Then if they say true in deed in this Church gouernement we haue no binding sinners and loosing them that doe repent but by the deuill Let vs see what binding or loosing the church of God should haue and how farre that which we haue is wanting and disagreeing from the trueth The power giuen to the Church in this respect they affirme to becōtained in these places which follow Psal 149. First in the Psalme when it is said To bind their Kings in chaines their nobles in fetters of yron This place seemeth properly to be vnderstood not of Ecclesiastical censures but of outward victory gotten by the sword against Gods enemies by his people after their oppression This God giueth oftentimes to his Church and hath his name be praysed giuen already vnto vs God graunt when need shall require we may obtaine it hereafter The next place by which they chalenge this power is in Matthewe If hee will not heare them Mat. 18.17 tell it to the Church and if hee refuse to heare the Church also let him be vnto thee as an heathen man and as a publicane By the Church might here be vnderstood the gouernors to whō this authority should be committed of the church or els the whole assembly speaking by the voice of one or fewe for the declaration of the obstinacie and damnable state of such an one but as for a presbyterie in euerie congregation it cannot serue seeing if it be spoken by relation to the practise of the Iewes they had no such thing but in Ierusalem in one citie one assemblie one consistorie of such iudgement for all After this they seeke somewhat for their excommunicating presbytery in Luke Luk. 10.19 Behold I giue vnto you power to treade on serpents and scorpions and ouer all the power of the enemie and nothing shall hurt you This was a miraculous gift conferred vpon the Apostles both for their preseruation and the glorie of Iesus Christ as Paul by the viper hanging on his hand receyued no hurt The thinges going before are referred to the power of the word beating down Satan from the soules of men As for excommunication or punishing the wicked by censures this pertaineth not to that That to the Corinths maketh the most shewe for their purpose When ye are gathered together and my spirite by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 5.4 let such a one be deliuered vnto Satan But this maketh against that which they seeke seemeth to fauour that order which we haue For Paul being one man alone did decree this sentence The Church was to declare it But
whether it be done by one or many this needeth much heed and care and conscience that this sword bee drawne against none but those that doe deserue it Last of all that of the 2. Corinths doth not helpe the presbyterie Thus he sayeth The weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast downe holdes casting downe imaginations and euery hie thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ hauing readie vengeance against all disobedience A great part of this is vnderstoode of the word preached which worketh these effects The vengeance against disobedience was a thing in Paules owne hand as minister of it not in the power of the multitude or any presbyterie there mentioned So that if it pertaine to the censure of the Church it might be executed by one man But it is thought rather to be meant of bodilie punishment which by the mightie power of Christ the Apostles in the beginning did inflict vpon the disobedient So Peter killed Ananias and Saphyra and Paul stroke Elymas blind These are their authorities whereby they chalenge to their Eldership power and might to binde and loose and would inferre that in the Church of England there is no casting out of the diuell but by the power of the diuel because their presbyterie is not called to coniure him out Some reformed Churches vse no excommunication at all and yet are the Churches of Christ They haue other punishments for the offenders The trueth is that excommunication cutteth no man from the Church whome his owne sinne and vnbeliefe hath not cut off before Neither can it loose anie whome faith and gods spirite doth not loose Thus much of the tenth and last note of their Churche Thus I haue briefelie set before you a short viewe of the difference betwixt the Sectaries and vs. They that fauour these opinions these innouations are in diuers degrees some saye they are imperfections and wantes and maimes in our Church the most of those thinges which they mislike but yet to be tolerated It must be confessed there is no Church but hath imperfections We may not maintaine all thinges as blameles in our Church No man is founde faultles euery Church is wanting in their duetie both in respect of mens lawes and of the persons We can not iustifie our selues in all thinges but that euerie thing is such a deformitie and maime or anie so grosse as they seeme to make them if the particulars be examined it will not be founde These mislikers and tolerators haue begotten the last and extremest degree of reuolters of forsakers of refusers and plaine contemners whose case is much to bee pitied especiallie of those misslikers because thorowe them they are come into this downefal The controuersies wherein wee differ haue small weight in the matters and lesse in the proofes yet beholde the conclusion Thus they speake Therefore the parishes of England are not and for all these reasons seuerall and ioyned cannot bee helde in anie Christians iudgement the true Churches of Christ This is their sentence vpon all the parishes and people in this land that come to the Churches that heare the worde at our mouthes that receaue the Sacraments at our handes they shut vp all in one state of not being the people of God nor the Churche of Christ As for our selues notwithstanding their rash iudgement wee knowe vpon what grounde wee stand There can no other foundation bee layde then that which is layde euen Iesus Christ is the head corner stone he is the rocke Euerie parish in this land is taught either plentifullie or sparinglie yet all are taught this that Christ onely is our head our sacrifice our righteousnes that hee is to bee laide holde on onelie by faith ioyned with repentaunce and a good conscience Where this is taught and receaued there is the Churche of God All the parishes in this land bee taught it and by publike confession doe witnesse that outwardlie at least they doe receaue it The Lorde graunt that it maye bee made more cleare and that it maye bee whetted more sharpelie vpon all and that all maye receaue it fruitefullie to comfort and saluation 2. Cor. 13. Paul sayeth Proue your selues whether you are in the faith examine your selues knowe yee not your selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates We neede not be cast in doubt of our selues for a supposed appendant trueth of an outward forme of gouernement as though if we haue not that and yet haue the truth of faith the spirite of Christ the worde of God the sacraments of the Gospell repentaunce and newenes of life hauing these I say that are most necessarie and substantiall branches of Christian religion it were madnes to thinke wee haue nothing because they imagine wee haue some as bad or worse then infidels and heathen men among vs and because we haue not such an outwarde gouernement as pleaseth them because we worship God by the booke of Common prayer and because our Ministers some are not preachers and all are made by the Byshops and all tolerate or allowe the booke of Common prayer and the outwarde gouernement These are the chiefe heades of the difference betweene them vs. While men seeke to perfect Churches they will bring to passe that there will bee among vs no Church at all Now with vs there is leaue for all men to be good if they will by Gods grace indeuour They would haue it so as they fancie that no man should be euill but this is impossible If we can bring to passe that the Gospell be taught in all places and that sinnes bee most seuerelie punished and all be brought to the learning of the worde of God then shall we see a more perfect and beautifull forme of the Church among vs. Thus many of these controuersies will be appeased then shal we most clearelie appeare to bee the armie of Christ and hee will shewe himselfe to be our captaine and Lorde and God Thus much to them that denie that we are Christs armie and that our Churches as they now stand are not the true Churches of Christ This matter being thus runne ouer it is time to returne to that which wee haue in hand The beast and the kings of the earth and their armies fight against him that sitteth on the horse and against his armie A parte of this armie the Churche of England as it standeth nowe is by the singular goodnes of God All Gods people make but one armie and that an vnited armie How much more then is it necessary that we which be but one band as it were of this mightie armie should agree together in one Let all lay aside enuie pride and aemulation Let vs especially now in the time of so dangerous threatnings and attempts of the enemies put away strife about these matters Many doubtlesse stirre vp and set a fire the parties on both