Satans throne in it and the vndoubted subversion of their execrable Ilium they cry out a great cry and a bitter That if thus men once depart from the iudgement of the Church what certain warrant can they ever finde to stay on or What guyde can they be sure to follow for finding out of truth So still they cease not to dallie and shameleslie in one sort Wee would not have men to depart from the iudgement of the Church which is the piller and stable seate of truth and without which is neither veritie nor lyfe but howe much we are necessarilie to cleave thereto so much the more carefullie by the right rule of examination to trye and discerne betwixt the Church and the pretending harlot and to this end the Lord hath given vs his word his spirit and in all ages hath recommended them to his owne children as vndoubted guydes in all doubtfull cases so vnder the lawe men are ever exhorted to the lawe the Testimonie David and the Prophets direct al men alwayes thereto they have the Lawe and the Prophets saith Abraham in parables And our Lord for cleare testimonie of himselfe biddeth the Iewes search the scriptures Peter from an other spirit then have our adversaries calleth the word of the Prophets a sure and certaine word and exhorteth to attend thereto And Paul even vpon this that the Church is the house of God the piller and stable seat of trueth and that godlines is a great mysterie groundeth both a reason why hee did write to Timothie and an earnest exhortation to take heed to the reading of the scripturs for that many diverting therefroÌ„ and giving themselves to spirits of error and fables should fall from the truth and teach doctrines of Devils We read many warning not to be miscaried with common errors or the authoritie of men yea as I have before touched divers times both Pastors and people in common are taxed for falling away from the word We are exhorted carefullie to proove and try what word men doe offer vnto vs but never in all scripture have we so much as one mine of secure relying vpon the authoritie of ordinarie Pastors without due examination and the iudgement of al sound antiquitie accordeth hereto One of the Fathers saith thus Qui vuls cognoscere quae sit vera ecclesia non cognoscat nisi tautummâ—dâ— per scripturas and sone after Christiani ergo volentes firmitatem accipere doctrina verae ad nullam rem fugiant nisi ad Scripturas aliâ—qui si ad alia respexerint scandaliz abuntur peribunt non intelligentes quâ— sit vera ecclesia per hoc incident in abhominationem desolationis quâ— stat in sanctis ecclesiâ— locis the place is remarkeable in English thus who wil know which is the true church let him not seeke to know it but only by the scriptures c. Christians then willing to receave the stable assurance of true doctrine let them runne to nothing but to the scriptures otherwayes if they look to ought else they shall stumble and perish not vnderstanding which is the true Church and shall fall hereby in the abhomination of desolation which standeth in the holy places of the church This same is yet more plainly shewed in these wordes quum videritis c. that is when ye shall see vngodly heresie which is the armie of Antichrist standing in the holy places of the Church then let them who are in Iudea flee to the mountaines that is they who are of christianitie addresse themselves to the scriptures because when once that heresie hath obtained place in these Churches there can bee no tryall of true christianitie neither any other refuge for christians willing to know the veritie of the faith but the divine and holy Scriptures And the same Chrisostome in the same place Antea multis modis c. before many wayes was shewed which was the Church of Christ but nowe no maner of way but by the Scriptures Thus is cleare not only that the scripture is the sole rule of tryall but that the necessarie reason why only to have recourse thereto is Antichrist his obtaining so farre within the Church as to escape the abhomination of desolation standing therein also wee must runne and runne only to the Scriptures Non enim per alium saieth Ireneus dispositionem salutis nâ—strae cognovimus quam per eos per quos Evangelium pervenit ad nâ—â— quod quidem tunc praecomaverunt postea verâ— per Dei volâ—â—tatem in scripturis nobis tradiderunt fundamentum columnam fidei nostrâ— futurum that is for by none other have wee knowne the disposition of our salvation but by these by whom the Gospell hath come vnto vs which then they preached and thereafter by the will of God delivered to vs in the Scriptures to remain in all tymes to come the foundation and piller of our faith The same father in another place speaketh thus Plantatus est enim Ecclesiae Paradisus iâ— hoc mundo ab omni ergo ligno Pâ—radisi manducabis id est ab omni scriptura dominica c. that is for the Paradise of the Church is planted in this world thou shall eat therefore of every tree of Paradise that is of all the Lord his Scripture And as Ierome sayeth both pleasantly and pertinently When ever the Church looketh to any other warrant egreditur de finibus suis she passeth out of her owne bounds let any man in whom is left any spunk of spirituall sense conferre these sayings of the Fathers with the dealing and doctrine of Rome now labouring ever to divert men from this Paradise of the Scriptures where only is the fruit of lyfe to a barren wildernes without water and Cisternes of their owne digging and thus making millions to fall in that abhomination of desolation which standeth in the holy places of the Church but their soares are seene they shal prevaile no longer 22. They exclame here against vs that thus we pervert all order in God his house making every privat Christian iudge over Pastours and subduing the spirit of the Church to every privat spirit And O how they both please themselves and play themselves in amplifying the absurditie as they think of this point But to calme a little their chear heerein First I aske them is it not a common direction for all Christians to trye spirits and not to believe every spirit Are we not coÌ„manded to proove al things to hold that which is good Are we not often carefully exhorted to beware of false Prophets While they cannot or dare not though they would gainsay so cleare Scripture they runne to this that the only sure trial is to acquiesce in the iudgement of the Church But shameles men is not this all one thing as if they said the best triall were to â—se no triall at all And what doe they hereby but still assume the question It is
extraordinarie calling wee have to worke miracles Who of any sound mynd can not but extreamlie wonder how by so manifold and childishe a cavillation men affecting the opinion of learning and holynes should so evidentlie make themselves ridiculous and bewray openlie an evill conscience For first as I have already cleared for our Churches in common they are impudent to deny our ordinarie vocation But to let this passe with them if my doctrine proove it selfe to bee the truth what place have such men as it convinced to bee â—yers to except against my vocation which justifieth it selfe sufficientlie even by that fame Doe men gather grapes of thornes or fygges of thistles And if necessitie were of miracles what greater can bee then this that The stone even reiected of the builders is yet made the head of the corner Which by the Lord his owne Testimony is marveilous in our eies and yet it is the Lod his doing If our doctrine bee truth their mouthes are stopped who directlie impugne it and if it bee false what foolishnes is it to crave a warrant of our callings as if all the miracles which ever were wrought could warrant a man to teach lyes Besides all this that miracles are alwayes requisite for iustifying an extraordinarie callinge it is falslie assumed For of Iohne Baptist whose callinge Christ his answer to the Priestes prooverh to have beene extraordinarie it is witnessed that hee wrought no miracles as neither did divers Prophets before him And whatsoever was then either vsed or requisit while that manner of dispensation had place yet now when the whole Counsell of GOD is reveiled and that manner of dispensation altered miracles in these our tymes without any more were even enough wherefore to mistrust the worker For that howsoever at the beginning of the Gospell in so strange and great alterations as were the inbringing of the Gentiles and the abrogation of the legall worshippe which was of GOD his owne appointement it was as sayeth Augustin miraculis inchoata begun with miracles yet now the Sonne of man having long agoe come in his kingdome with power and the Sinagogue beeing buried with honour the case in these last tymes varieth so farre as miracles and wonders are the badge of Antichrist who hath come with all effectuall working of Sathan in signes lying wonders and strong delusion So as whosoever now worketh miracles quanto magis miraâ—ilia confiâ—emur tanto cautius vitare debemus How much more wonderfull wee confesse them to be wee ought the more warilie to eshew them as sayeth the same Augustin And this diversitie oâ— dispensation the holy Ghost in goodly and convenient types most fitlie expresseth Chapter 4. and Chapter 15. of the Revelation In the first is put a cleare Christallin Sea with seven burning Lampes apart So to designe the pure word worship according thereto in these first tymes accompanied with the powerfull cooperation of the holy spirit but in such sort as then there was a distinct outward and visible dispensation and donation of the holy spirit by imposition of hands and kything in visible symbols of the holy spirit and divers gifts and miraculous operations In the fifteene Chapter is shewed again that the Sea is cleare as Christall and hath the ioyned operation of the holy spirit but the Sea is mingled with the fyre To shew in the last dispensation for overthrow of Antichrist a puritie of the word and worship the vertue of the spirit ioyned therewith as at first but yet so as no dispensation of the spirit should be but by and with the word as mingled therewith all outward and visible extraordinarie donation of the spirit and miraculous operations now ceassing And verelie an other manner was requisite for bringing in first the Gentiles to the faith and so casting Satan from heaven even that the Gospell should be miraculis inchoata then for overturning his fraudfully reerected throne in the church vnder pretence of the Lambe his hornes and to much different dealing for burying the Synagogue with honour then for thrusting Antichrist to the doore with shame At first the Lord had to procure credit to his Gospell as to his owne sacred will word next again he had by this Gospell so now obtaining as the partie to be detected and overthrowen thereby dare not openly denie the authoritie thereof but to convince the traitour covered vnder false pretences 25. To disproove this power of plaine and prevayling truth and to discredit the argument of our miraculous successe thereby our adversaries yet ryse against vs with two obiections The first is that if successe and wyde obtayning were a note of truth then also or more iustlie might Arrianisme and Mahometisme acclaime the title thereof as wee But these instances are sophisticallie brought against the truth and vs. For albeit wee confesse heresie to bee verie contagious and the word thereof to be fretting as a gangrene through the conveniencie it hath with the vaine humour of man who is naturallie a lyer yet when soever it is put to iust tryall by the truth then can it retaine no strength It is indeed true that truth alwayes prevayleth not for then the mysterie of iniquitie had never attayned to such height but this falleth not through the weaknes of truth but partlie through the vanity of men who falling away froÌ„ the love and due regard of truth are in God his iustice given vp to the efficacie of errour Partlie through their vniust furie reiecting and persecuting the truth vntryed wherein yet the great odds betwixt veritie and lyes is wonderfull in that even in the highest degree of prevailing error while Satan hath a throne in the verie temple of God yet even then as in Pergamus the truth still dwelleth and a number keep the name of God even where Satan his throne is and against the terrour of bloodshed Whereas on the other part truth being but admitted to plead for it selfe albeit the holders have little strength as in Philadelphia yet the adversaries are forced to come and worship at their feet But this we maintaine and hold that when ever it pleaseth the Lord to send out his light and truth for leading men to his holy mountaine and that herefie howe stronglie soever grounded is reduced to due examination thereby that then albeit it hath vsurped even the holy citie court of the tempel yet by the true measuring reed it will be clearlie found to be cast out Their argument is a deceitfull falacie by confounding of divers cases and causes of the truth admitted to plead and of the same againe after in God his iustice hid or by mens crueltie and vniust violence debarred from all defence And this is evident in both the alleadged instances For Arianisme albeit having for it great but vnsanctified both learning and eloquence yet was ever ashamed before the truth till by the crueltie and violence of Easterne Emperours in Asia and
and printe that if we could but once cleare the lawfulnes of our callings they would without more adoe or furder disputation about heads of doctrine give vs their handes For our vocation I have said somewhat against their obiections in my Treatise of defence and againe in my epistle to a recusant I have replyed to their censuring notes If I have cleared the point why remember they not their covenant If I have not yet why in place of refelling my argumentes and strengthening their owne point am I deceitfully drawen away from the question in hand by newe and impertinent demands of a different matter and yet if in this their shameles shifting there were in them any one spunke of sinceritie I could even gladly bee drawen to follow them for that I confesse it is a much more sure way from truth of doctrine to establish lawefulnes of vocation then vpon the slipperie ground of outward ordinary calling to build a warrant of doctrine But consider I pray you first the ingenuitie of the demaunder in the substance of his demaūds and next his aequitablenes in his prescribed rules wee are desired in summe to evince that the Church of Rome hath made apostasie from the truth and therewith to cleare that our doctrine is the veritie of God But shameles men what have we bene doing these more then a hundreth yeares agoe but filling the world with volumes whereby wee have so plainly discovered their abhominations and verified the truth of our Doctrine as wearied with contesting therabout or rather vexed with their cleare convincing power of light they were faine to cast vp all either disputation come in end as to their last refuge to quarrell our vocation the lawfulnes whereof when thervpō we have stablished against al their cavillations they leape now back of new again intend accusation against our doctrine what is this else but as children in their sporting childishly practise and more childishly speak to play titbore tatbore with vs Now as he hath forgotten all shame in so childish shifting the question so by his limitations laid down to vs I know not by what law how to answer him in both the points demanded he exponeth plainly to the perception of any sensible Reader what sound mind he hath what aequitablenes is in his dealing with vs. First for evincing the apostasie of the church of Rome we must take this law of the demander that in so farre as the Church of Rome was once the true Church of Christ we must therefore condescend what yeare of God shee made first defection and by whom accordingly shee was condemned of Haeresie Reasonable men indeed And yet their companions in spirit pretended in al 's bad a cause some more equitie VVe have a law said they by this law he ought to die Our adversaries neither having nor so much as pretending any stable law against vs and therefore in an evill conscience shunning all right lawes of examination they wil in no small modestie forsooth set downe rules of their owne braine whereby they will have both them selves and vs tryed But heerein first I can not but greatly muze whither foolishlie or fraudfullie the demander hath fallen vpon so either an improper or so presumptuous a maner of speach as indefinitlie and absolutlie to call the Church of Rome the true Church of Christ. that consequently all other churches may either bee secluded from this title or bee compelled to come in vnder the name of the church of Rome Neither doe I so much muze hereon for any doubt I have of the Demaunder his owne meaning for I know how blasphemouslie bold they are if not to mende the magnificat yet to carve careleslie at the Creed by adding Romanam to Sactam Ecclesiam Catholicam thus forcing all if not to receave the character yet at least the name or number of the beast but that he proponeth this as a point graūted by vs. I admire his impudencie for of the church of Rome before shee became a harlot we confesse that shee was a true church of Christ or one of his true churches or a true part of that his true church which is but one but to intitle any particular Church absolutly and indefinitly with the name of the true Church of Christ it is an insolent speach and not according to the stile of holy scripture which addeth alwayes some distinguishing designation as the Church which is at Rome in Iudea in Corinth of Galatia of Ephesus Smirna Pergamus c. As for the church of Rome at length becumming not only a harlot but also the mother of whoordomes in all the earth in which respect only it was that all commonlie therein did take her name wee deny her so to bee either the true Church of Christ or anie true part thereof but the Synagogue of Sathan and an abhominable Whoore borne vp and advanced by a blasphemous and bloody beast howsoever all the while vnder and within his vsurpation even where Satan his throne was the true Church of God long dwelt shruded and suffered to live vnder the name and number of the beast yet free alwayes from his character but least I seeme over narrowlie to sift syllables I passe this there whither ignorant or arrogant maner of speaking For prooving the church of Rome to have made apostasie from truth we must by our adversaries iniunctions cōdescend vpon the yere of God wherein the first made defection and who they were that therevpon even then convinced her of haeresie and shall this then serve to exime her or any other church from the blot of defection or haeresie in all time thereafter and make all whatsoever shee holdeth to be vndoubted truth if the first houre and firste degrees of her apostasie have escaped a publike note or howsoever noted if yet shee hath not bene publikely condemned of haeresie or howsoever both noted and condemned yet if no publike record thereof be extant to future ages shall any long space of time iustifie waxing and obtaining errour or is there any such prescription against truth but that jure postlimin◠at least it may alwayes pleade iustly for reposition I leave here to the vpright consideration of any indifferent minde what true confidence these men can have of their owne cause who prescribe such limitations and being challenged of sacrilegious guiltines will offer themselves no otherwayes to tryall then as if a cunning and long covered Thiefe tatched with innumerable fangges and having all his houses stuffed with stolen wares yet should partly protest that in so farre as he had bene once honest and of all men accounted so hee ought therefore to be reputed so still notwithstanding of any thing found by him except it may bee cleared what houre of his lyfe he did first begin to steale in what place and from what persones and therewithall who had even then convinced and condemned him for a Thiefe Or as if a subtile and long dissembling harlot
we have no more ordinarie vocation then our adversaries alledge yet in so great a confusion brought in the Church by Antichrist and in such evidencie of truth in our side it sufficientlie answereth for our calling And albeit that perhaps it not onely may but also ought to be brought in defence of some particular men who waÌ„ting som ordinarie points of an ordinary vocation yet comming in the way of righteousnes and in evidencie of spirit and power coÌ„verting sinners and convincing errour witnessed clearelie their ministerie to bee from heaven yet for our Church in common I see no necessitie to have recourse heereto For whatsoever our adversaries may pretend heerein against some particular persons whose defect if it any were hurteth not the Church in common yet I marvaill with what face they can denye our first open contesters with Antichrist in common to have beene ordinarie Church-men bearing publike charg of Pastours or Doctours therin And that I goe not higher what iustlie can they lay heerein against VViclesse Iohn Husse Hierome of Prague and the Bohemian reformed Churches against Luther Melanâ—thon c. of the Churches of Germanie and whatsoeuer cavillation their peruerse contentious mindes may suggest to them against these yet what pretence can they have against the ordinarie vocation of so many famous Bishops and Pastours of the Church of England Yea and who of our first Preachers were not either ordinarie Church-men ere then had their admission to the Ministerie by the reformed Churches of England Geneva or Germanie If they were not blindlie miscarried they might perceave that what they speake and write of our men in derision and contumelie calling them Sir Iohn Knâ—x and Frere Iohne Craig c. it verifyeth their ordinarie vocation And giving that nothing might bee alledged for the ordinarie vocation of our first Preachers and that it were al 's essentiall a defect as our adversaries account it so as they had thereby a iust exception against our Church yet I pray you what doth this helpe them against the Church of England and so many other famous reformed Churches all agreeing in communion with vs and glad to give vs the right handes of fellowship What a peevish pretence is this for their errour and how weak an obiection against so many famous Churches convincing them that forsooth the Ministers of Scotland have no ordinarie calling But neither is the want of ordinarie vocation in our first Reformers anie iust exception against our Church as partlie alreadie and more at length heereafter shall bee shewed neither if it were may it be iustlie laide against our first Pastours They labour indeed much to convince vs as destitute of all lawfull either Pastours or Church and bringe to this end as seemeth to them an irresistable argument that ordination is only proper to Bishops But by evident scripture and cleare testimonie from antiquitie that is positive Whereby it is that our Reformed Churches agreeing soundly in all the substantiall points of faith without break of communion yet heerein for the matter of governement have takeÌ„ libertie diverslie as seemed best to each to rule either by Bishops or the common counsel of Elders which of them most laudably I do not here dispute Neither mattereth it much for the point coÌ„troverted with the coÌ„mon adversary For giving theÌ„ that the appropriating of ordinatioÌ„ to Bishops were not only tolerable but even most of all other commendable and also positively necessarie yet from the defect of that which by a positive law is or hath beene practised or which in the iudgement of many is still most expedient for common order to bee practised to infer that wee have neither any lawfull Pastours or true Church it is from that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or respectively necessarie to conclud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a necessitie absolut Wherin both antiquity standeth strongly for vs by clear Testimony of not onely lawfull power but also of approoved practise in that Ambrose recordeth â—lim in Aegipto Presbyteros absente Episcopo consignare solitos And Augustin also that in Alexandria per totâ—m Aegyptum si desit Episcopus consecrat Presbyter their owne lay Schoolmen also even in the last declining degree to ignorance and corruption yet heerein will plead our quarrel Our owne couÌ„trie man Ioannes Maâ—â—r in a much semblable case bringeth that distinction which in the Schooles of Sorbon hee had both learned and taught that ad actum moraliter bâ—nuâ— non â—equiritur quod à vera prudentia reguletur actuâ— sed sat est quod ab ignorantia invincibili vel errore noÌ„ imputabili reguletur erat jus Pontificium in oppositum quod non tenebatur sâ—ire Scripturii sacru devotionise accommodabâ—t c. in humanis legibus positivis â—nusquisqueâ— suo sensu abundat c. This same Major and with him all our ancient Historiens do witnesse that before the dayes of Palladius whom he and al others confesse to have bene the first either consecrated or consecrating Bishop in Scotland per Sacerdotes Monachâ—s sine Episcopiâ— Scoti in side erudiebantur Now I aske our adversaries who heerein as in a substantiall defect divini juris thinke they have enough wherefore to condemne all both our Church and Pastours for that their ordination hath not bene by Bishops if they dare say but in Scotland there was a notable Church excellently both learned holy Pastours long before Palladius if they would deny it they are coÌ„vinced by cleare and vniforme consent of storie and testimonies eveÌ„ of their owne men who all confesse it to have bene so by the space at least of two hundreth and twentie yeares and if not with more yet with alse high iust commendation both of learning and holynes as ever thereafter And if it cannot be denyed but such was the estate of our Church then dare they condemne those men for theeves who vnlawfullie had broken in vpon the sheepfolde whom they them selves have both superstitiouslie canonized and do still idolatrouslie worship Or if that was no essentiall defect in them or a relevant exception against our Church then how impudent are they therevpon to conclude so peremptorilie against vs as if all both light and life of a true Church did hange wholy vpon that one point of Episcopal ordination whereof when all is graunted that the most vehement and not shameles assertours thereof in al their partiall heat and all probable apparance can plead for yet besides a cleare shewed instaÌ„ce of more then two hundreth yeares practise in our owne Church and that in the primitive and most pure times thereof their owne schooles also in the height of palpable prevailing darkenes have given vs yet this to answer them quod ad actum moraliter bonum non requiritur vt à vera prudentia reguletur actus sed satu est si ab ignorantia invincibili errore non imputabili reguletur 4. Thus then
the Pastours of our reformed Churches having in common had even an ordinarie calling and therewith holding the true Apostolike doctrine wee are the true successours of the Apostles and not our adversaries as they both vainly falsly boast For as Ireneus saith Eu qui in Ecclesia sunt Presbyteris obedire oportet his qui successionem habent Apostolis sicut ostendimus qui cùm Episcopatus successione charisma veritatis certum secundum placitum patris acceperunt reliquos verâ— qui obsistunt à principali successione suspectos babere that is we must obey such Pastours as are in the Church these who as we have shewed have a successioÌ„ to the Apostles namely who with Episcopall succession have also according to the pleasure of the Father receaved the gift of truth but all others who slyde away from this principall succession we must suspect And in another place he noteth those to be only true successours apud quâ—s est caquâ— est ab Apostolis successio id quod est irreprobabile sermoâ—â—â— constat with whom is that succession which is froÌ„ the Apostles and with whom constantly abydes that word which cannot be improved quia as saith Augustin nec Catholicis Episcopis consentiendum sicubi falluntur vt contra Canonicâ—s Scripturas aliquid sentiant For we ought not consent no not to Catholike Bishops if any where they be deceaved so as they hold any opinion coÌ„trarie to the Canonik scriptures and it holdeth ever true that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith Gregorie Nazianzen his words are notable and which alone are even enough to oppose to all our adversaries shameles brags of bare succession they are to this sense the succession of pietie is properlie to be bolden Succession for who professeth the same doctrine of faith he is partner of the same chaire but who embraceth a contrarie faith he ought to bee accounted an adversarie albeit even sitting in the chaire this indeed hath the name but the other hath the substance and truth of succession 5. Where-vpon this our acclaiming even of ordinarie calling they inferre against vs that we iustifie them to be the true church and that consequently we have made defection therefrom in so farre as we could have no such ordinarie vocation but with and amongst them it is a childish fallacie from themselves but a part in the Church and yet not of it even the abhomination of desolation staÌ„ding in the holy places as saith Chrisostom to the whole church or rather to the true Church which is both within the church and of the church For as within the vsible church in sanctis Ecclesiâ— locis are both Christ and Antichrist truth and lyes Pastours Wolves sheepe and goates wheat chaffe and now and then either of them obtaine beare sway in totâ—â—cclesia commuâ—iter in the whole church in common but never universaliter in singulis vniversally in each one so both of vs our adversaries and we who contest with them beeing within the visible Church the true defence of either partie were by the right rule of examinaâ—ion to proove them selues so to bee in the church as that they ar also of it and not by impudent and ridiculous assuming what is in question to flee all tryall Wee never denyed Antichrist to be in the church and as was foretold of him to have so far prevailed therin by force of errour standulent pretence of the Lambe his hornes as he obtained place and ruled in tota Ecclesia communiter in the whole church in coÌ„mon but à toto communiter from the whole in coÌ„mon to conclude ad vniversum singulariter to vniversalliâ— each one it is a deceitfull aequivocation 6. Here yet they think vs intangled in a great incoÌ„venient for that the Bishop of Rome whom we hold to be Antichrist having bin for som ages acknowledged ministerial head of the church the outward ordinatioÌ„ of al churchmen either mediatly or immediatly flowing froÌ„ him wee must coÌ„fesse vs to have no ordinarie calling at all or then that we have it from Antichrist so as they think vs hereby reduced to one of these necessities either to refuse al ordinary vocatioÌ„ or then for maintaining of our ordinary callings to iustifie their Pope from whoÌ„ they have proceded and so coÌ„sequently to coÌ„demne al our owne both church doctrine But while they think vs intrapped we are by an open way escaped for we both yeeld that our ordinary vocatioÌ„ hath outwardly in a sort proceded froÌ„ the Bishop of Rome that he is notwithstanding that very Antichrist man of sin And to shew how these two so apparaÌ„tly repugnant points do yet very wel coÌ„sist without any either discredit or derogation to the dignitie or lawfulnes of our callings we have rightly to wey the distinct coÌ„ditions of Antichrist as he coÌ„meth to be diversly coÌ„sidered in his first hatching yea the many insensible flow long succeeding degrees of his grouth towards that height whereby against al that is called god Satan his throne was erected in the mids of the church and againe in that toppe of impietie whereto the mystery of iniquitie did mount vp by time nemo enim repente fit turpissimus for none becommeth extreamlie evill at once for even from the Apostolike times that mischiefe was a workinge and albeit first by slow and insensible and next by more speedie and sensible degrees and even in the height thereof it had yet two degrees In that first like a fraudulent Parde albeit having on his head the name of blasphemie the beast deceaved and as Balaam crastily laying stumbling blockes bewitched the earth as in Pergamus And secondlie by increase of crueltie and impietie he became all of the Dragon his colour and had his whole body full of the names of blasphemie the Whoore borne vp by him being druÌ„kt with the blood of Saintes and furiouslie as Iezabel an impudent cruell queein domining in Thyatira and yet still in both these states he was long so borne out with Propheticall pretence as even the true Church lurking vnder and within his compas where Sathan his throne was yet had her eyes so dazeled and courage so quailed with the glistring shew proud pretence of Pastorall and Propheticall authoritie that howsoever shee keeped her selfe pure from his spirituall fornication and held the name of God yet shee had not either the knowledge or courage to challenge directlie the impious vsurpation which was indeed an argument of the true Church her weaknes and that Christ had therein somewhat against her but no argument for all that why either she so dwelling in weaknes tolerating that evill was not the true Church or that Balaam and Iezabel thus tolerated of her were not that false prophet and mysticall whoore 7. An other consideration of Antichrist is that hee is no outward enemie openlie and directly fighting against the ensigne of profession and name
of Christ but an inward traytour deceaving by the ensigne and that so cunninglie and covertlie as a long time not only his characterized ones who only of his favoures are partakers both of his treason and endles iudgement but also many simple sheepe deceaved by the semblance of the Lambe his hornes and in singlenes of heart following the ensigne were made so to follow him and to receave his name albeit they receaved never his character nor learned the deeepnes of Satan and many also who never either receaved character or name yet lurking within him and shrouded vnder the common ensigne of profession receaved the number of his name that is were numbred and counted to be his albeit in effect they were none of his either by acceptation of character or name For hee treading downe the holy Citie Court of the Temple that is domining and ruling in the visible church and along time ouerthrowing therein all true worshippe as did Iezabel in Israel 42. monethes or three yeares and a halfe Antiochus Epiphanes in Ierusalem the same space all which time of his vsurpation the true church within his compas continuallie lurking as the Temple within the Citie and Court No other possible accesse could bee to the Temple the true Church but through the Citie and Court the visible Church wherein Antichrist sitting that is Domining all Christians behooved of necessitie to ioine to that body where was the common ensigne which howsoever or by whomsoever caried yet it was ever oportunum inquirendi exordium convenient entrie to inquire by and so alwayes many comming thither and spying the pollution of the Citie and court of the Temple they stepped in to the Temple where continually therefore in a close and deepe wisdome that case is numbred by dayes al the time of Antichrist his most absolut prevayling was the true church and true and faithfull Ministers of grace and light and albeit few and long lurking in heavines yet powerfully dispensing light and grace free from open and barbarous persecution till the little booke opened and obtained out of the hand of the great Angell and greedilie and sweetlie swallowed inabled and stirred them by the right measuring reed to examine the church and thereby to finde that citie and court were to bee cast out whereat the beast Antichrist highly chaffed murthereth first even with applause those true Ministers But God still stirring vp others in the same spirit at last a visible separation is made not from the Church as our adversaries vainlie pratle but from Antichrist and the long covered traitour in the church So as then truth and true professours within the church onely of the church but long borne down and lurking through prevailing errour at length begun to becom visible to the terrour and astonishment of their adversaries and to obtain and beare sway by the discoverie fall of Antichrist Whose sacrilegious impietie having come to such height as it could no longer bee covered or borne it was then said to the revived witnesses Come vp hither and their enemies saw them and were afrayde that is the long lurking afflicted and at last murthered ones become visible even to their enemies who first imagined none such to bee and next that they could bee no more and to their griefe and terrour are seene and knowen to beare away the title of the true Church in that place as through all that Prophecie signified by the name of heaven in opposition to the earth and earthlie ones Wee have not only stronge and invincible argumentes but even therewith such cleare foretolde storie of all the ryfinge grouth doctrine dealing and fall of Antichrist And of the continuall manner of God his gracious dispensation towardes his true Church lurking vnder him afflicted by him and victorious over him as that wherein our adversaries glorie most turneth most to their shame and that wherewith they most reproache our Church speaketh stronglie for vs. And the Lorde his wise providence for preserving thus his Church in the middes of Antichristian vsurpation while he appeared to possesse all was wonderfull in that even in time of greatest corruption yet a sure accesse and free way was still reserved and kept thorough the Citie and Court to the Temple the Sacrament of Baptisme in substance remayning and the doctrine of the Trinitie beeing kept sounde 8. Wee are so farre from denying to Antichrist a place yea and an ordinarie calling in the Church that wee affirme constantlie that so it must have beene And that not onely hee behooved to bee in it but also Sit that is beare rule therein But so wee grant him to bee in it as yet hee is none of it more then a boile or apostume in the body is a member of the body so wee grant him to have had rule and ordinarie calling in the Church as had these Husband-men to whom indeed the Vineyard was set but they murthered the heire such an ordinarie builder wee confesse him to bee as reiecteth that stone which yet in despyte of him becommeth head of the corner Wee yeeld him the ordinarie vocation of a Pastour but that hee is a wolfe to have beene sometime a starre of heaven and minister of light and of the keyes of the kingdome but to have fallen to the earth to have changed the keyes of heaven in those of the bottomlesse pit and to have become the minister of darknes whereby hee hath darkened Sunne Moone and Aire Sathan having bene once by Michael his valour so powerfullie cast downe from heaven had never againe bene able by the beast of his authoritie to erect his throne even in the Temple of God if hee had not pretended the Lambe his hornes neither had hee ever bene able to sende out our Sampson his ridle if hee had not plowed with his heifer Now then seeing that Antichrist of an order succession of degenerating Pastours and that not at once but slowlie and by degrees hath slylie arissen to that height of impietie as a beast rising out of the earth Sensim imperare incipiebat religio habenas imperij capere ius suum acquirere nibil subitum nihil tumultuarium sayth their owne parasite Steuchus And seeing that alwayes before his discoverie the pretence of the common ensigne carried him out and that there-through many true both Pastours and Professours receaving his name or his number but not his character did come in singlenes to the cōmon ensigne not properlie to him seeing that albeit he was a Wolf yet before it was said to the revived witnesses Come vp hither he brooked stil the place of an ordinarie Pastour and seeing that outward ordination and all the action of the ministers thereof serveth but for outward order all inward gift grace power and vertue comming from God the author of the calling what absurditie is it that a good Pastor receave ordination of a
wolfe who yet hath the place of an ordinarie Pastour in the Church more then a true Christian to receave the Sacraments from a reprobate being alwayes an ordinarie minister which sacraments yet by the inward cooperation of God are effectuall to the receaver for it is sufficieÌ„t for an outward ordinarie calling that the minister thereof have outward place and power of ordination albeit he be but a hireling and a thiefe and the receaver of outward ordinarie vocation as he hath al gift and grace from God only whose the work is so is he not tied or sworne to the will or appetit of the outward minister but only to the Lord no more then any minister baptizeth in his owne name but in the Lorde his whose badge and cognissance only we take on thereby and not of the minister thereof So as who therevpon would evince me to have made defection froÌ„ the church because I impugne the heresie of him who gave me ordination or that finding him to be a wolfe and both giving warning thereof to others and my self shrinking from him that so doing I either had no ordinarie vocation at all or theÌ„ had fallen from it I thinke that any of sound and setled senses would advyse to minister to him rather Hellebore for his braine then any other answer 9. Now then albeit our adversaries be more then impudent to deny our ordinarie vocation and it were in vs but childish simplicitie in such evidencie thereof to grant them any apparant advantage and albeit it harmeth nothing our cause that our outward calling hath in a sorte flowed from the Bishop of Rome whose long vsurpation in the church so litle dismayeth vs as rather it confirmeth vs the more Antichrist being so proper a soare of the body of the church as that he can befal none other body thus though no otherwayes yet even by sight of the soare in but not of the body being sufficientlie assured that certainlie the true body was there yet in so cleare and direct an answer and solution of this question given by Christ him selfe I will never yeelde that the want of ordinarie vocation shal be alwayes a relevant exception against truth and the true Preachers thereof 10. But thus say they a doore is opened to all confusion in the house of God while a liberty is left for each man to vsurpe a calling at his pleasure God forbid Yea we are so farre from this disorder and do so farre both reverence and maintaine ordinarie vocation that in a constitute Church holding the foundation albeit otherwayes divers things therein did require reformation if any man of how great giftes soever yet without ordinarie calling should intende him selfe to be a Pastour we would no otherwayes account of him then of a seditious and turbulent spirit who either fanaticklie presuming of graces would vainlie despise order or for some infirmities and defectes would arrogantlie and vncharitablie breake the vnitie of the Church But if corruption hath so farre prevailed that the faithful Citie hath become an â—aâ—lot and all her silver be turned in drosse if her husbandmen have become murtherers and her builders have become destroyers if from the Prophet even to the Priest every one followeth after lyes if there bee a conspiracie of her Prophets in the mids of her like a roaring Lyon ravening the prayâ— if her watchmen be al blind know nothing if they be all dum doggs and can not barke if they ly and sleepe and love to sleepe if her Pastours know nothing nor vnder stand and looke wholy to their owne wayes if night be to them for a vision and darknes for a divinâ—tion In such a case God both heretofore hath and alwayes may send out men extraordinarilie who comming in the way of righteousnes and in evidence of truth and power convincing the ordinarie husbandes to be thieves and the ordinarie builders to bee destroyers even thereby sufficientlie verifie their ministerie to bee from heaven For an evill tree can not bring foorth good fruit nor a good tree bring foorth evill fruit By their fruits ye shal know theÌ„ It is deceitfull sophistrie to reason froÌ„ the state of a wel constitut church to a church dead in Baall or contrare froÌ„ the first generatioÌ„ or as I may cal it regeneration and reformation of a Church from deadly confusion to that which in a constitut or well reformed church is to be observed froÌ„ a respective necessity to conclud a necessitie absolut he were a ridiculos phificioÌ„ who in the cure of a deadly desperat disease would admit nothing but what for maintaining of health in ordinary dyet wer observed Our maister who most precisely fulfilled all righteousnes hath taught vs by his owne exaÌ„ple that when the ordinary pastours have made the temple of God a house of merchandise the house of prayer a den of thieves that then by extraordinary motion from him the tables of these money-changers ar to be roundlie overturned these thieves to bee whipped to the doores That which is written of the house of God answering for the matter and that which is written of true zeale of the house answering for the manner And who I pray you did ever yet heare or what instance can bee given of anie reformation of a quiet disordered state but by some more at least in some points then an ordinarie foâ—me either in the persons reformers or in their manner of doing 11. Our adversaries answere that if such a case as that is in which onely wee make extraordinary calling to have place can not at any time befal the church theÌ„ all our reasoning is vaine But so it is that such a case caÌ„ never befal the church Ergâ— the major or first part of the argument is from our owne ground the assumption or minor they proove by that wherewith compendiously forsooth they alwayes in al things defend them selves and summarilie with one stroake overthrow all whatsoever wee bring against them Namely that the church can not erre For hath not the Lord builded her on a rocke so as the gates of hell cannot prevaile against her hath he not promised to be alwayes with her til the consummation of al things and end of the world we grant all these goodly and great promises made to the church we both reioyce glory of them in the Lord know assuredly that he who is faithfull and true holdeth well his height But their conclusion hereupon in their sense hath a wordle of aequivocations For first albeit it be most certain that God never so abandoneth his church as that finally fundamentally she falleth from truth or is miscaried with errour but that still even in most desperat cases shee hath in her both the light and life of God yet hereupon to inferre at all times and in all and every thing such an absolut perfection as is mixed with no degree of errour or infirmity it
coÌ„cludeth not Neither is shee for this rejected or not esteemed the true and beloved church of God for that hee hath somewhat against her but lovingly therupon exhorted to ameÌ„dement And albeit God in his word hath fully revealed what for her accomplishment in grace is requisit yet in this mortal course where we know but in part and prophecie but in part she neither alike at all times is capable neither of all things perfectly at any time And yet the Lord according to his promise leadeth her in all truth for that by degrees he bringeth her on to perfection and notwithstanding of her owne weaknes of all the gates of hell assailing her yet errour lies never so provaile but that she keepeth the name liveth the life of God And in the end victorious over all vntruth she is perfyted in all veritie The Lord is said to washe his church that she may be a holy and cleane spouse to him not having spot or wrinckle and hee performeth accordinglie but so as hee is still purging and cleansing her til fully at leÌ„gth beautified she be receaved in the mariage chamber Neither is she herefore not to bee counted holy because she not only is exhorted to the study of sanctification but also maketh a daylie progres therein He hath promised to subdue Satan vnder our feet Neither question we therefore of his truth herein because we find the enemy not onely standing armed against vs but also often wouÌ„ding vs for we know that he who hath promised will performe and the work which he hath begun he wil accomplish in his saints Would we accuse a phisicion who had assured vs of pâ—rfyt convalescing therefore to be skilles and false because albeit finding our selves in the way of health yet before attaining the full point wee had sustained many fittes apparant deadly traunces That which the Psalmist sayth of the outwarde afflictions of the Church may be truely affirmed of all whereby in any sort Sathan assaileth her They have often afflicted me from my youth but they haue not prevailed against me And that which the Apostle vpon his owne experience speaketh of our progres in the strength of the inner man is most true in all the graces of God bestowed on his Church that his strength is perfyted in â—â—â—â—nes and that therefore in patience we have to esteeme his measure of grace in the tyme sufficient for vs. Being assured that albeit we are not yet perfyt yet neither in fighting wee beat the aire nor yet run in vaine but are in the way towards ful perfeâ—tioÌ„ forgetting what is behinde endeavouring to what is before following hard towards the mark for the pryse of the high calling certain so to end our race as therewith to obtaine the crown And if the condition of the Church can be no otherwayes rightlie esteemed but according to that measure which in any of hir membres or in al jointly during her course here in weakenes is fulfilled which in the best degree of any ordininary state is ever mixed with some infirmity mist of ignorance what madnes is this to dream of a perfyt and ful point while we ar yet but in the midst of our journey 12. Now again when in a right sense such as I have shewed it is granted that the Church can not erre what I pray you is our aduersaries avantage herein except that still impudently they take that which is in question For even herby we argue theÌ„ not to be the church because they have erred and that both foullie and fundamentally And thus again they fall in a second and their owne ordinarie aequivocation concluding from them selves the boile apostume and excrement of the Church in it and not of it to the true Church and promises proper to her whereof they vainly and falslie boast ridiculouslie pleading truth to be with them because they forsooth are the Church where their right defence were by evincing the truth to be with them which is the life of the Church so to vindicateiustlie to them selves that title 13. For strengthening of them selves in this vsurpation they fal to a third aequivocation The church say they is alwayes visible and in so farre as for some ages no other church can be shewed which was not of their communion it evinceth them to be that true Church which can not nor hath not etred And here they display all the force of their eloquence the Church being the sheepfold of the sheepe the house of God the piller and stable seat of truth would God invite vs to a church which cannot bee seene would he so delude his own childreÌ„ as to bid them heare a Church which doeth not speake That which I have already said of the arysing groneth and successe of Antichrist and of the condition of the true Church vnder him and within his compas answereth sufficiently to this aequivocation whereby deceitfully they reason from the visible Church to the truth and true Church alwayes in the visible Church but not alwayes visible in it except in a sort for that the visible church and commoÌ„ ensigne ever telleth where they are When we affirme the church to be invisible it is not that wee deny her to bee and to haue alwayes bene visible in the common ensigne of publike Profession But to infer herevpon that truth and true professours alwaies in her onely of her are at al times visible obtaine and beare sway it is a secret fallacy Sathan first in open and advoued rage oppugned the common ensigne till dispairing of succes therein he turned course and shape in his vicar of the bottomles pit pretending the Lambe his hornes he tooke vpon him to beare it and deceaved mightily thereby And yet neither thus did the Lord ever leave his owne sheepe incertain or wild whether to goe For the common ensigne albeit caried principallie by a traitour yet ever told them where the true church dwelt even where Sathan his throne was so as comming to the ensigne tanquam ad opâ—rtunum inquirendi exordiuÌ„ as to a coÌ„venient entrie to inquire by albeit they did finde both the holy Citie and Court of the Temple trodden vnder foot of the Heathen yet stepping inward there never wanted two olives and two candlestickes in the Temple And thus still also the true church did speak but so as amidst Antichrist his vsurpation while hee seemed without controlment to brooke all and that vnder pretence of the Lambe his hornes nothing was heard in the holy Citie and Court of the Temple but the Dragon his mouth albeit the two witnesses still prophecied and a 144000. sealed and secret ones cleaving constantlie to the Lambe on mount Sion while all the earth followed the beast and worshipping before the throne beastes and elders had a powerfull plentifull dispensatioÌ„ of grace like the roare of many waters the noise of strong thundrings and so
loude sweet a song of praise as the sound of douce and well tuned harpes could yeeld yea and albeit they keeped them selves in the mids of so commonlie a prevailing evill pure from spirituall fornication as which were all Virgines chast and faithful to their Spouse the Lambe yet while all the earthlie ones wondred and were in wonder miscaried after the beast none could either heare or learne their high and sweet song but themselves who in that cōmon Apostasie were bought from the earth to be the true Citizens of heaven and albeit in the earth yet not of it neither perceaved of their enemies till to their terrour astonishment and beginning fall it was saide to them Come vp hither and till that by degrees they did breake foorth through the middes of heaven with no new but even with that one and everlasting Gospell Our adversaries trifle by concluding from the whole church in common to vniversallie each one within it and from these who in the Church and even obtayning therein yet were not of it to these who were alwayes in it and albeit sometime borne downe yet were only of it Truth is alwayes in the visible Church yea no where els but yet not alwayes visible therein And who thervpō would infer this or that therfore it behoved alwayes to obtaine beare sway were in Logike no les ridiculous then who should cōclude that lies errour did ever prevaile therein for they ar alwayes in the church in that the envious one soweth his tares even with the good feed was a lier from the beginning God never forsaketh his church yet we must acknowledge to his glorie that sometimes if he had not left vs a remnant we had bene as Sodom had bene like Gomorrha Ipsa est sayth Augustin quae aliquando obscuratur tanquam obnubilatur multitudine Scandalorum aliquando tranquillitate temporis quieta libera apparet aliquando tribulationum tentationum fluctibus operitur at◠turbatur It is shee which sometime is darkened and as it were overcludded with multitude of offences sometime by trāquillitie of time quiet free sheweth her self somtime is covered and troubled with the waves of tribulations 14. But seeing by our owne cōfession truth ever abydeth in the church with whō shal it be foūd say they but with the ordinary pastors ministers therof whose lips should preserve knowledg at whose mouth the Lord wil have vs to aske coūsel shal the ordinance of God be despised each man follow his owne sense God forbid We know wel that howsoever the Lord be not tied to meanes but that against without al meanes he may accomplish his good pleasur yet that faith is by hearing it pleaseth the lord to save the world by the foolishnes of preaching we know that how soever the careful reading of scripture is both recōmēded to al is commendable in all yet that for vnderstanding what we read the cōmon sort have need of an interpreter a messenger who is a man of a thousand we are so far herein frō permitting every man to his owne sense as calūniouslie our adversarie give out against vs that we constantly avouch that who ever cōtemneth the Lord his ordināce herin he cōtemneth the Lord is worthily given over to giddines and blindnes of mind But because the Lord wil save by preaching and dispenseth all light and grace by Pastours doeth it follow heereupon that the ordinarie Pastours and Ministers can not erre and fall from this truth Or is the Lord the holy one of Israell so limited that though everie man be a liar yet his truth should faile or is he not able though all the naturall seed should degener yet of stones to raise children to Abraham And is hee not alike able yea hath hee not more then one to the praise of his power and truth when ordinarie Prophetes become fooles then even to open the mouthes of asses to rebuke the foolishnes of the Prophetes It is most certain that when prophecie faileth the poeple perish But from the necessitie of Prophecie and of Prophets togither that to the ordinarie succession truth alwayes is necessarily tied who seeth not herein a plain fallacy For though the ordinarie husbandmen becom murtherers and the ordinarie builders becom destroyers yet the Lord still maintaineth his promise reporteth fruit of his vineyard buildeth his house by stirring vp others extraordinarilie who come in the way of righteousnes and this is their fourth aequivocation in this their stout affeveration that the Church can not erre for that not only they conclude from the Church to Pastours a part of the Church which we could passe with them but that also from the necessitie of Pastours indefinitlie they conclude definitlie sophisticallie of ordinarie Pastours 15. Now I do not herefore affirme that ever God so left the ordinarie ministers of his church that albeit all did in cōmon yet that ever at any time vniversally each one did fal from truth Yea I am perswaded neither that by coniecture only but by cleare warrant of scripture that in all ages evē in most corrupt times of Antichrist God stil had a number of true and godly Pastors and that not only in them but also by them hee preserved light and life in his church howsoever for their tolerating in weaknes of spirituall fornication he had something against them But heere our adversaries fal in the fift that same aequivocation in the case of pastours wherby they deceave in the case of the church as if because truth still abydeth with by the ministrie of Pastors that therfore al or most part of Pastours did ever hold the truth or that amongst Pastours in common truth did alwayes obtaine and beare sway for it is most cleare and certain that howsoever vniversallie each one never do fal from the light life of God yet whē that carnallie presuming of God his promises and of their ordinarie place in the church they become secure and abuse their place to fulfil their owne lustes that then they both may and have communiter omnes al in common fallē away from the Prophet even to the Priest everie one following after his that then ther wil be a conspiracie of her Prophets in the mids of her thē all her watchmen will be blind and know nothing all dum doggs which can not bark lying and sleeping and loving to sleepe knowing no◠vnderstanding nothing but looking wholy to their own wayes So as most iustlie the Lord therevpon giveth them night for a vision darknes for a divination In which case for magnifying of his truth and power and for their confusion the Lord hath may extraordinarilie stirre vp men in the way of righteousnes to doe his work 16. But whatsoever say they might bee presumed of Pastours in common yet being assembled in Counsell or Synode they can
Chaâ—tage against all appellation from thence to the seat of Rome vpon evident conviction of his fraude in falsifying the actes of the Synode of Nice make more then manifest That I speak nothing of the sharpe check given to Iulius Bishop of Rome albeit topping a good cause yet therein arrogating too much to his state by the Bishopes of the East So as instead of helping the truth his ambition gave the adversaries an advantage to put him so to silence as al the sway and authority of Church matters remained with the Easterne Bishops saith Sabellicus till long after Phâ—câ—â— restored it to Rome many such instances the story affordeth But as the Romane Doctours are extreemlie impudent so any broken sentence or wrested authoritie is good enough to blind the ignorants whom God iustly giveth vp to believe lies because they delite in errour giving them therefore heape of Teachers according to their humours Now how far they are destitut of all sure warrant and yet how farre in giddines of mynd and force of the bewitching cuppe of fornicatioÌ„ they are carried to maintaine this absurd and monstrous opinion is cleare if it were but by this that they are not ashamed to bring an instance and argument from Caiphas prooving that the Popes cannot erre in the chaire in that by vertue thereof he did prophecy that one must die for the people one of their side goeth so farre herein in a deep speculation forsooth even from the bottomles pit as to iustifie Christ his lawfull succession and right to the Priesthood which otherwayes I warrant you could not beene well maintained he will have Caiphas by that saying in a hudge misterie to resigne the Priesthood and instal Christ therein Thus rather then he should appeare to brooke any thing but by ordinarie succession making our Lord who was neither of that tribe nor of that order but a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck to bee successour in a sort to Caiphas And it is the Lord his iust iudgement that who sel themselves to maintain lies they bee given over to such absurd blasphemous suggestions But what a blindnes is this to catch hold of that one word which was no definitive sentence of the chaire but a bloody advyse for incouraging the rest of his consistorie to passe roundly over all points of conscience or equity in that matter for that howsoeuer they could find no iust pretence against Christ yet in any sort it were better that one man should die theÌ„ that by the peoples believing in him and cleaving to him the Romans should be stirred to destroy the whole natioÌ„ why passe they by these sentences in the chaire whereby all were excommunicated who confessed the Lord Iesus and whereby the Sonne of GOD was convicted and condemned of blasphemie Will they rather subscribe these sentences then grant an errour in the chaire Or if these cannot bee excused how ridiculous are they for prooving an impossibilitie of erring in the chaire to produce amongst a number of execrable and blasphemous errours one reckles worde vnwittinge spoken Neither did the holy Ghost in noting that speech meane any such matter as these men to strengthen their owne imaginations fondlie build thereon But to shew that Caiphas while hee was vtterly corrupted and but set onely on mischiefe yet by the all and overruling power of him who hath al both hearts and tounges in his hand did speake such wordes as howbeit hee neither so vnderstood nor mynded them yet if in vprightnes and knowledge they had beene vttered in that sence which the wordes might have borne and according to that event which contrarie to the speakers mynd the all and overruling hande of God brought about that then they had well besiemed that place which that wicked man did occupy Such a prophet then was Caiphas herin as was the Devil when mynding but blaspemie deceit and murther hee told the woman that eating of the forbiddeÌ„ fruit they should become lyke vnto God For indeed out of man his fal much coÌ„trarie to Satans mynd the Almightie wrought that hudge and incomprehensible worke of the manifestation of God in the flesh and making thereby all true believers partakers in a sort of the divine nature And such a prophet for vs let their Pope be as who being continuallie set on lying and murthering yet never prophecieth true but when the overruling power of GOD bringeth some such thing to passe which albeit his wordes might beare yet he neither mynded not willed Yea this example of Caiphas so little helpeth them that thereby evidentlie all whatsoever they bragge of generall Counsels and of their Pope even in the chaire is seene to be foolishe For I pray you what instance can they bring of a more lawfull Counsell or of a Pope more solemnely sitting in the chaire as touching all outwards requisite for the lawfulnes either of persons or ordinarie power then were both that whereby Ieremy was convicted and this againe whereby our Lord was condemned as a blasphemer 18. But as men who disput more for maintayning any way their point then for resolution being sore pressed doe seeke all corners so heere they alledge that howsoever such a decay might have befallen the Church vnder the law yet of the Christian Church vnder the Gospel in so large a measure of light and ample promises no such thing ought to be presumed Wherein besydes an evident halting in Logike is also a horrible open blasphemy in divinitie The fallacie is that from the measure of dispensation of the promises made they reason to the truth of God in performing It is true that vnder the law albeit they had one and the same covenant in substance and the same promises yet not in a like measure or cleare manner of dispensation Now heerevpon to conclude because God promised not so clarelie nor plentifullie opened his grace that therefore he performed not alse truelie what hee height It is first a vicious argumentation and iuxt a contumelious blaspemie against the truth of God For as a true man promising a cottage to one and a kingdome to another is alike true in both albeit not alike liberall so is God alwayes in whatsoever or in what measure soever hee promised His Church was his Church alwayes and truth alwayes was the lyfe of his Church and hee prooved alwayes alike true in maintayning it in a sparkle as hee did in keeping it in a shyning toarch If they answere That they doe not meane that for the common errour of the Priestes Prophets and ordinarie Church-men vnder the Law that therefore either the promise of God failed or his Church perished then wee have all we plead for For what I pray you letteth him Or is his arme now shortened that he may not in the like manner and in the like cases preserve his Church And if in a common apostasie of ordinarie Church-men both Prophets Priestes he yet hath heretofore still had a
Church why doe our adversaries make no end of bitter contention against vs We have indeed great sure promises that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against his Church but that the ordinarie Ministers shall alwayes and all in common holde the trueth not one syllable yea contrarie we have not only manie and serious warnings of false prophetes to arise in the bowells of the church in sheepes clothing but also most clearlie foretold that such an Apostasie should come whereby Antichrist in al effectual deceyt should even sit and beare rule in the Temple of God If they will saye that the Church of Israel had not such promises of continuall presence and preservation of truth as the Christian Church hath It is a treacherous sophisme For they had also sure promises of continuall presence and preservation of truth according to the measure dispensed albeit not of so great measure of presence and light And as for that point whereof our adversaries glorie most and wherein now at last they are faine to place all defence namelie the prerogative of places and persons the Church of Israell had much more for them in so ample and many promises made of Ierusalem And to the house of Levie and familie of Aaron where as the Church vnder the Gospell in which neither at Ierusalem nor in any mountaine but every-where and of all men God is to bee worshipped in spirit and truth albeit having great sure promises of presence and preservation yet of tying God or his truth to any places or persons in all Scripture shee hath not so much as any shew of a warrant which if the holy Ghost had minded hee might with much lesse ado have reduced those many grave and earnest warnings given both by Christ in the dayes of his fleshe and by his Apostles thereafter of the perill of false prophetes and those carefull instructions of notes how to discerne and avoid them to a short and sure compende against all fraude bidding the Church but holde whatsoever the Bishop of Rome did holde for that hee forsooth could not erre If our adversaries yet oppone that howsoever the Church vnder the Law did sometime fall away all in common and that albeit the Christian Church should also in like manner yet the truth of God his promises should not therefore faile but that no such thing hath befallen the Christian Church or could befall her in respect of the great measure of light and cleare dispensation by the Gospell It is many wayes both foolish and impertinentlie alleadged for first it is a plaine taking of that which is in question Next as the state of our question is whither possiblie the Church may erre communiter tota and God his promise yet abyde true to oppone that shee hath not erred is alse ridiculous as if in disputation de iure one should answer de facto If God his promise still may consist albeit shee did so erre wee have the point wee pleade for And whither shee hath erred or not they must of necessitie come with vs to trye by such rules of examination as wee only labour to reduce them to and they in an evill conscience alwayes flee onely crying against vs The TeÌ„ple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord And the Church can not erre Thirdlie this their presumption of the ones possible and easie falling away and of the others assured standing in truth grounded vpon the lesse and greater measure of light it sheweth their foolishnes in divine matters For as whatsoever measure of light dispensed is God his free benefite so is our either imbracing or abyding therein his only gift Who as hee iustlie will give over presumptuous and secure men to groape even at noone day so is hee faithfull and wil not suffer his owne to bee tempted above that they are able but will give the issue with the tentation Wee have indeed to glorifie God and even to glorie in him for the huge measure of light and gracefull dispensation by the Gospell but so farre ought men to have bene from vaine boasting thereof or carnall and secure relying thervpon as in all watchfulnes and godly care they should have remembred with all that accordingly Satan was to advaunce the mysterie of iniquitie by all effectual working with all power signes and lying wonders and in all deceaveablenes of vnrighteousnes among them that perish because they receaved not the love of the truth that they might be saved and therefore God should send them strong delusion c. for Sathan as a craftie warriour and subtill enemie reserved and framed his last cunning force and maner of working according as he did see that for deceaving was requisite and accordinglie by God his wise permission iust iudgement obtained a throne even in the temple of God And as in the dealing of God it is not to be esteemed strange that he so farre gave over the world to the efficacie of errour whereby he iustlie punished the contempt of his truth and clearlie foretold the case so is it nothing derogatorie either to his goodnes and truth of his promises made to his Church or to his power of performance as our adversaries because the Lord whom they would make a varlet to their lustes hath iustlie cast dunge vpon their faces therefore by a doting dilemma would inforce vpon vs this blasphemie as a necessarie consecâ—arie of our doctrine For that if the Church have erred it must have beene that either GOD would not or then that hee could not keepe his promise to her But it is the propertie of their king Abaddon to blaspheme the name of God his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven Wee both acknowledge his goodnes and praise his truth and power and confesse that by this course of dealing they are more highlie manifested then if the gates of hell and smoake of the bottomles pit had never assailed the Church Or if the weaknes of men had never appeared to the praise both of his goodnes and power For as his incomprehensible goodnes and constant truth are herein magnified that though all men be liers yet hee abydeth true and the infidelitie of men can not make his promise of none effect so did his infinite power exceedinglie extoll the selfe in this that as hee bringeth light out of darknes and maketh his light to shine in darknes as hee bringeth life out of death and preserveth the children of death so in the middest of Antichrist his vsurpation and such absolute domination in the holy Citie and Court of the Temple the visible Church as no possible meanes appeared of intertaining light yet hee not only all the while preserved two candlestickes and two olives true witnesses and Ministers of light and grace but also when spyed out by Antichrist they were cruellie murthered and in his and his sectatours estimation vtterlie vndone hee revived them in furder vigour to his and their terrour That while all the earth
followed the beast wondering and singing who is like the Beast c. hee not only all the while had a 144000. singing another though an vnperceived note but also at length to the astonishement of all the earth made no newe but even that everlasting albeit long smoothered Gospell to bee proclaimed first through the mids of heaven and at last to descend so to the earth that all the earth is lightened with the glorie thereof hee thereby I say to the high praise of his power sheweth to all men that neither by an armie neither by strength but by my spirit sayeth the Lord. 19. Where they except yet heere against vs that for many ages no such Ministers can from any record of storie bee alleadged who did oppone themselves or contest with the Church of Rome so as of necessitie it must followe that either none such were or then they were not faithfull in dissembling so long the trueth which also could not bee so preserved by their ministerie It hath a manifolde Sophistication for to let bee that whereby our men have often answered them by faire Catalogues from cleare Storie of famous and worthie men in all ages holdinge the truth and striving against arysing corruption they are here even in Logike rediculous concluding as schooles speake ab authoritate negative whereon nothing doth follow they were not perceaved nor known or they are not recorded Ergâ— they were not who seeth not the weaknes of this consequence In the dayes of Ahab and Iezabel though princes have long eares and Prophets in God his matters bee sharpe sighted yet a hundreth Prophets in one cave and seven thousand true worshippers in one kingdome escaped the knowledge not onely of Ahab and Iezabel but even of Elias also An other fallacie is in this that because they are not recorded and so are not knowen to the world now that therefore they were not knowen in their owne times It followeth not for recordes beare commonly but what obtaineth in the tyme so as albeit some men in each tyme have either opposed them selves to prevailing evils or at least not beeing able to resist a speat of iniquity have keeped them selves pure from the corruption and were knowen to the Godly then yet as they were borne downe in the tyme so neither hath any record of theÌ„ come to the posteritie through the tyrannie of such who not onely maister-fully did set fordward wickednes but also disposed of all registers and recordes of matters at their pleasure Daylie experience maketh this more then manifest How many in all ages and in all countries will sigh for the evill which iniquity of time carieth through And from that which in a Province Church or Synode is enacted and taketh place in the whole in common without open resistance to conclude that in that Province Church or Synode vniversally each one did think so and that none were contrarie mynded whom doeth not daylie proofe teach that it were a ridiculous illation How many will give open signification of miscontentment whose both meaning and memorie yet wil be buried from the posteritie How many in weaknes will beholde and tolerat what they can not resist or without evident danger coÌ„demne How many at the first signification of opposition will bee silenced and terrified with some such check as this Art thou also of Galilie Was not Christ condemned by the whole Counsell of the Priests and yet the Scripture witnesseth that divers of the Priests did believe in him If one presentlie writing a story should therein affirme that in Italie all vniversally did now hold the Roman religion the future ages could have no reason but to esteeme it true but we who now live would laugh him to heading as a shameles lier if hee but denyed that many hundreth were even in Rome who hold the Pope to bee Antichrist The third deceit in this their argumeÌ„tation is that from their owne knowledge that is the knowledge of the earthly ones following the beast they conclude of all mens knowledge absolutly against the rules of Logike For although neither the beast nor his wondering sectatours did see them or heare their song which was GOD his speciall care and providence for their preservation yet the sealed ones and followers of the Lambe did each generation in their owne ryme both see and heare them as by Scripture is manifest Their fourth illusion herein is in that vpon this that no opposition was made to their Pope they conclude that none were contrarie minded Wherein besides that they still reason ab authoritate negative and so doe impinge foul â—y in all the sortes above specified And that by cleare instaÌ„ces in abages of famous learned men taxing the abuses of religion I might convince them as divers of our men have alreadie done they deceave also crastily by coÌ„funding tymes and cases For as the degrees of the mysterie of iniquity wrought on slowlie at first and Antichrist did not mouÌ„t vp to the height of Satan his throne at once so the measure and manner of contesting behooved in course of tyme and grouth of evill to bee much divers No age since the Apostolike tymes brought not with it some degree of grouth to that mischiefe which even in their dayes was a hatching â— and no age accordingly hath not left behind it in despyte of all repressing and suppressing tyranny recordes of some grievous complaints of holy men vpon the abuses in the tyme. Love is ever loath to cast of till all hope and possibility of remedie bee clearlie paâ—t The pretence of the Lambe his hornes and of Propheticall authority caried him long outso not only in hiâ— first and more tolerable beginnings but even in an insuing hudge height of impious vsurpation and multitudes even of true but simple sheepe following in vprightnes of mynd the common ensigne and through not discerning of the Dragon his mouth vnder the semblance of the Lambe his hornes receaving his name or at least his number but never his character so strengthened him as men had not yet gotten either the knowledge or the courage to challenge him directlie for Antichrist who yet both hated and abhorred his impiety and freely taxed it both by word and writ And it was the Lorde his will that before open and full contestation in the highest degree his impious vsurpation should mount to the highest While GOD gave even Iezabel tyme to repent her of her fornications that the more justlie shee might bee cast at length in the bed of torment Whose whoordomes that the true servants of God did tolerat so long it was indeed a point of weaknes in them and for which the Lord had somthing against them but no argument wherefore either they were not his true and beloved servantes or yet that they were not at al as sophistically our adversaries doe inferre And this their infirmitie will appeare yet the lesse wonderful if we consider how with the degrees
of arising impiety antichrist also arose to greater greater impatiency of any cure and to a tyrannicall intreating of opposers At first some freedom was of admonitions therafter they were repressed by deprivations degradations excommunications At last hee becommeth all and whollie of the Dragon his coulour and barbarouslie sheddeth the blood of Saints All which course of his waxing impietie and condition of Saints vnder and against him are so clearelie set foorth by the holy Ghost as I even loath to spend so many wordes in so plaine a matter And verelie if compassion of the weake whom they stupifie with these bugbaires did not moove me I would not once â—ake and were to such blind leaders of the blind and men so perverslie contentious against not onely invincible reasons but even clearlie foretold and fallen out cases The two witnesses a sufficient though a small number had a long tyme of prophecying and albeit in heavines for the prevailing evill and succes of the mysterie of iniquitie yet without open contestation But corruption growing to such height the beast not onely sitting in the holy city court of the temple but also treadding downe all true worship therein as of necessitie the right rod of examination behooved to be applied to discerne the temple the true Church and to trye if City and court being so far polluted could possibly come in the account of God his house or were to bee cast out Then the applying of the rod made Antichrist to perceave such to bee within him as he thought not of whom when thereupon he had so cruellie murthered even with applause of the blind worlde as they seemed not onely to be no more but also that their memorie was reproachfull and odious yet hee did find them revived in greater strength and visiblie at last to his griefe terrour to obtaine the tytle account of the true Church Wherat his kingdome falleth And this course of the Lord his working as it sheweth his great patience to the justifying of his iudgements against so obstinatlie impenitent an apostasie so it answereth abuÌ„dantlie the foolishe demands of our adversaries whereby in al the force of eloquence which a badde cause can affoord them they aske why in any case wee would not rather have reformed the Church then overthrow her and cured her rather then killed her forsaken her fellowship For first they are stil ridiculous in assuming the question by vsurping to theÌ„selves the tytle of the Church of which they are not in which they are no otherwayes then a soare proper evill of that body VVe have not forsaken the Church but have brought the Church out of Babel wherein shee was long captive We have not fled from the Church or left the ensigne but cleaving stil to the ensigne true Church we have iustly gone asyde from the traitour in the church pretending the Lambe his hornes but speaking with the mouth of the Dragon We have not rent the vnitie of the Church but by the example of the Apostle we have separated the Disciples from refractarie enemies Wee were so farre from wounding the Church as faine would wee have cured Babel in the Church but shee neither could nor would be cured So we behooved to leave her as a burnt mountaine wherein could not be found any more a stone for a corner or for a foundation Her grapes were become as the grapes of Adâ—aâ— and her vine as the vine of Tzeboim that without so much as once looking behind vs wee behooved to goe vp to the mountaine for our lives and forsake Sodom And least we should be partakers in her iudgements we have great reason it being said to vs Come vp hither to escape and be like the he goates of the flock comming out from among that contagious incurable companie and touching no vncleane thing Did we goe out of Babel till there was no balme for her soare Did she not so farre refuse all medicine as we lay cruellie slaine and barbarouslie vnburied in the streetes before we left her And yet one of their mylde men sorie as seemeth they had no more of our blood is not ashamed to aske why we did not rather chuse to suffer for the truth if so be we hold it then to have rent the vnitie of the Church Thus still the Whoore impudentlie braggeth of the Brydes name and albeit her filthines be discovered yet shameleslie having eaten Shee wipeth her mouth and sayeth shee hath committed no iniquitie 20. Now I hope I have cleared that howsoever the promise of God can not faile but that truth ever abydeth in the Church yea and by the ministrie of true pastours is and hath alwayes bene maintained therein yet neither have our adversaries anie thing whereof to boast heerein as who neither are the true Church nor true Pastours of it neither albeit both Church and Pastours communiter omnes all in common have fallen away from this truth that it derogateth ought to the veritie of God his promises whom as it pleaseth sometime for magnifying and manifestation of his truth and power in man his falsehood and weakenes to preserve his truth in a smal sparkle in and by a few secret sealed ones so when hee will have it to breake foorth in a great fyre for chassing away and dispelling all overclouding errour hee both may and hath at all such occasions raise vp men extraordinarily in the way of righteousnes and in evidence of his spirit and power to the iust conviction and confusion of them who having the ordinarie place of husband men in the Vineyard yet were become murtherers and having the ordinarie place of builders of the house yet were destroyers Neither tendeth this to open a doore for anie to despise the Church of God Which whosoeever heareth not let him be a Heathen and a Publicane Neither giveth it libertie to coÌ„temne the ordinarie means of God his dispensation by Pastours seeing none ordinarilie can beleeve but by hearing or heare but by preaching but as I have said before it is to waken Pastours to looke to their ministerie and how they keepe the covenant of Levie and not securilie to sleepe and whyle they looke but to their own wayes yet proudlie to make God the varlet of their affections And on the other part it is to stirre all Christians to a carefull studie to discerne betwixt the true church and the Synagogue of Sathan calling themselves Iewes and yet are not and betwixt true Pastours and false propheres coÌ„ming in sheepes clothing but within are ravening wolves for it becommeth men not to be rechles in so important a matter and if it had not bene both a high and requisite point of wisedome the Lord and his Apostles had not given so many sad and serious warnings to that effect 21. Here now as at the pulling from them of their Palladium to the evident peril of their Pergamus
his spirit dwelling in vs to proove things that they notwithstanding dare so malapertlie exact of Christians a blind obedience and implicit faith Who setteth any wares a seale boasting of their fynesse and yet in any case will not have them lookt on or tryed but will bee blindlings believed vpon his baire word for me I would never seeke any greater argument that hee were a thiefe and no true marchant The Romanists plead stoutlie that the truth is with them why Because they are the Church and why the Church Because they have an ordinarie succession of Pastours since the Apostolik tymes If here you vrge that in so farre as often personall succession holdeth not the same doctrine but even all in common have and may fall therefrom therefore to approove themselves true successours to the Apostles they must also verifie themselves to hold the same doctrine then their hearts brust for anger and they will gnashe at you with their teeth and crie out fye on such an heretike as once thinketh such a blasphemie That no such thing hath befallen or possiblie could befall the Church If yet they bee requyred to bring then their doctrine to due examination by the written worde No but you must fide implicita believe them vpon their word And albeit Scripture did seeme never so farre to condemne them yet you must not suspect any evill of them why Because that is onely the true sense of Scripture which they approve so as you must not so much as doubt or once call in question their interpretation And why Because foresooth they are the Church Is not this proudlie to mocke God and impudentlie to delude men Is not this to picke out the eies of the worlde to cary them blindfolded as oxen to the slaughter and as fooles to the stockes for correction Augustin pleading for the truth and having trulie for him all which our adversaries doe falslie glorie of yet sheweth that he was of another spirit which taught him that verity was otherwayes to bee defended then by such subterfuges as they in an evill conscience flee to His words are these Nemo nostrum dicat jam inveâ—isse veritatem sic â—am queramus quasi ab vtrisque nesciatur Ita enim diligenter concorditer queri potest si nulla temeraria praesumptione inventa cognita esse credatur aut si hoc à vobis impetrare non possumus saltem illud concedite vt vos tanquam incognitos nunc primum audiam nunc primum discutiam justum puto esse quod postulo hac sane lege servata vt vobiscum non orem non conventicula celebrem non Manichaei nomen accipiam si non mihi de omnibus rebus ad salutem animae pertinentibus sine vlla caligine rationem perspicuam dederis That is let none of vs say that he hath alreadie found out the truth let vs so seek it as if it were vnknowen to vs both For so it may be diligentlie and peaceably sought out if in a rashe presumption men doe not esteeme that they have alreadie found and knowen it Or if neither this can be obtained of you yet grant me that other at least that I may now first heare you and now first trye you as vnknowen before I think it bee an equitable thing which I crave observing foresooth this rule that I neither pray with you nor keep conventicles nor take the name of a Manichaean except of all things concerning the salvation of my soule you give me without any obscuritie a most cleare reason And in that same place vt ergo hanc omittam sapientiam quam in Ecclesia esse Catholica non creditis multa sunt alia quae in â—ius gremio me justissime teneant Tenet consensus populorum atque gentium tenet authoritas miraculis inchoata spe nutrita charitate aucta vetustate firmata tenet ab ipsa sede Petri Apostoli cui pascendas oves suas post resurrectionem Dominus commendavit vsque ad presentem episcopatum successio sacerdotum c. Ista ergo tot tanta Christiani nominis charissima vincula recte hominem tenent credentem in Catholica Ecclesia etiamsi propter nostrae intelligentiae tarditatem vel vita meritâ—m veritas nondum se apertissime â—stendat Apud vos autem â—â—i nihil horum est quod me invitet ac teneat sola personat veritatis pollicitatiâ— quaequidem si tam manifesta monstratur vt in dubiuâ— veâ—iâ—e non possit praeponenda est omnibus illâ—s rebus quibus in Cathâ—lica teneoâ— that is to passe by then that wisedome which you beleeve not to be within the Catholike Church there be many other things also which most iustlie doe holde me within her bosome the consent of peoples and nations the authority by miracle begon nourished by hope increased by love and stablished by antiquitie a succession of Priestes from the selfe seat of Peter the Apostle to whom Christ after his resurrection recommended the feeding of his sheepe even to this present Bishoprike c. These then so many and deare bands of christianitie doe rightlie hold a maÌ„ beleeving within the catholik churh though for the slownes of our vnderstanding or merit of our life the truth do not as yet most plainly shew it selfe But with you where none of these are either to draw â—e or detaine me nothing soundeth but a bare promise of the truth which notwithstanding if you can so evidentlie shew as it cannot be doubted of it is to be preferred to all these other things whereby I am holden within the Catholike Church 23. But this truth say they can neither bee shewed but by the church which only hath it neither could men bee otherwayes induced to beleeve the Gospell except therewith the authoritie of the church did move theÌ„ as Augustin speaketh ego vero Evangelio noÌ„ crederem nisi me ecclesiae commoveret authoritaâ— We denie not that the church only hath and sheweth the truth Yea we grant also that according to Augustin his mind in that place the authority of the church is the ordinarie and necessarie motive whereby a infidell who neither knoweth Christ nor beleeveth the Gospell may wil be first induced to reverence religion but it is but a coÌ„motive and as the same Augustin speaketh oportunuÌ„ inquirendi exordium so as albeit men be so stirred to revereÌ„ce inquire yet they rest not vpoÌ„ this that the church saith so no more theÌ„ did the Samaritans vpon their womans report but because by the word spirit they finde that shee speaketh true non iam hominibus sed Deo intrinsecus mentem illuminante atque firmante for as in his testimonie little above cited he saith there be many things which be great motives to hold a man in the bosome of the church yet trueth manifested is to be preferred to all and as truth is only in the church and shewed onely by the Church so is it
that which only maketh the church to be the church wherby only she is discerned O but all heretikes say they doe pretend the truth yes verilie and the name and title of the true church also and so much the greater ought our attention and care be to examine all their pretences For bare pretence of truth as it never yet did so neither ever shall it be able to beare outfalshood longer then by the right rule of examination it is reduced to due tryall It is a great fallacie because that truth can be no where found but in the church nor shewed by anie but by the church and that the authoritie of the church as a fit entrie to inquire by first induceth men to reverence and seeke after the truth therevpon to conclude that truth opened hath no other vertue or cleare note whereby to be discerned from contesting errour but the authoritie of men affirming it For being admitted to plead for it selfe it is not so weak as to blindfold men our adversaries would make thē believe but that anie whose eyes the prince of this worlde hath not pyked out or whose hearts forstalled prejudices have not hardened may easilie discerne it from lyes indeed these to whom in God his iustice the mysteries of the kingdome are spokē in parables that hearing they should not heare or vnderstand and seeing they shuld not see or perceive can never discerne them But they to whom it is given to vnderstand them wil clearlie wel for a scorner seeketh wisedome and findeth it not but knowledge is easie to him that will vnderstande and as it is a vaine thing to reason with or offer any sound instruction to a drunken man while his wine is on him and possesseth all his senses so is all travell taken for clearing truth but fruitles towardes such as God hath given over to the bewitching cuppe of fornicatiō but who neither in pride singularitie nor bitternes are wedded to their owne will or to the will and appetit of men and give a free and an vnforstalled heart to God to doe in singlenes his will they will know of the doctrine whither it bee of God or whither men speake of them selves as witnesseth the Lord him selfe and as Solomon in the spirit speaketh of the words of wisedome They are all plaine to him that will vnderstande and streight to them that would finde knowledge For as saith the Apostle The day maketh every man his worke manifest for it shall bee revealed by the fire The word of God is not like the word of men He that hath the worde of the Lord let him speake it faithfullie what is the chaffe to the VVheat saith the Lord. Is not my word even like the fire and like a hammer that breaketh the stone as the lilie among the thornes so is my love among the daughters and as the apple tree among the trees of the forrest s◠i◠my well-beloved among the sonnes of men The wordes of the VVyse are like Goads and like nails fastened by the Maisters of the assemblies given by one Pastor Yea even as the night flyeth before the sunne in such sort as no thiknes of clouds or foggie mist can so farre darken but that men doe easelie discerne th◠light of day so trueth once shewing her face howe fewe howe base or howe weake soever the instruments bee then nether multitude nor high qualitie of maintainers nor prescription of tyme and prevailing darknes can give to error any strength to stand against it For the wise resolution of Gamaliel holdeth ever true that if the Counsell or worke bee of men it will come to nought but if it be of God none can destroy it but even in that wicked endeavour they will be found fighters against God The powerfull yea miraculous prevailing light of the Gospell whereby against all the deceit force and malice of Satan power of the world Antichrist is so sensiblie going to destruction that howesoever they obstinatlie blaspheme yet they are gnawing their toungs for sorow it sheweth sufficiently what power is in the word of truth against al oppositiō whatsoever 24. And this miraculous successe and evident finger of God wee indeed glorie of in the Lord who thus beareth witnes to the worde of his truth Whereby as by the roare of a Lyon seconded with seven thunders Antichrist is thunderstricken with astonishment and going sensiblie to pouder Neither doe wee this for that wee thinke vs holden to produce miracles for a warrant of our doctrine or callings as our adversaries iesting but with fained chear at this our successe require of vs. For a wicked and adulterous generation requireth a signe and no signe shall be given them but that of the Prophet Ionas and that albeit they destroy this Temple yet God shall raise it vp againe in three dayes This signe they have gotten and have seene it to their terrour and iust confusion In that howsoever with al malice fraud and barbarous feritie they have crucified the Lod Iesus in his members and destroyed his true Temple albeit his faithfull witnesses lay slaine and vnburied in the streetes of their great Citie three dayes and a halfe yet God raised them vp againe But to discover yet more clearelie in this point their either ignorance or evill cōscience or both I would aske thē who thus cry after miracles if we did work alse many yea and in appearance alse great miracles as ever did Christ and all other Prophets or Apostles would they therefore beleeve vs teaching any other gospel thē which is alreadie taught and written they are worthie indeed whom God should give vp in his iustice to this grossenes who by false miracles and lying wonders have seduced the world to believe lyes Yet I think there is none of thē that dare say so If thē our doctrine be new as they stoutlie affirme how vaine are they to require of vs miracles when onely this that it is new may sufficientlie improve it not only being destitut of miracles but even albeit it were backed with al the wonders of the world But if our doctrine be not new but even that everlasting Gospell then their desire prooveth them to bee a wicked adulterous generation If anie man or Angell preach any other Gospell then which hath beene taught and written though hee remove mountaines let him be Anathema In the verie infancie of the old Church vnder the law when in a smal measure of dispensation miracles had their owne place vse the Lord yet was so farre from making them the warrant of truth as even then hee would have them controlled by the word of truth Now shame I think shall dryve our adversaries to say that they requyre not miracles of vs for a warrant of doctrine but that seeing wee have no ordinarie vocation of Pastours in the Church that for maintenance of the lawfulnes of our
by the Barbarous feretie of Vandall and Gothik Kings in Africk and Europe it was inforced and yet neither so could it ever either beare downe the truth or continue long vngone in smoke before it As for Mahometisme nothing bred it but preceeding degrees of Antichristian darknes decay of light in the Church and with Antichrist his arysing to a heigh it still increased as which was both an effect thereof and in God his wrath a punishment of Antichristian Idolatrie Neither doeth ought yet still maintaine it but ignorance of the Gospell the revived light whereof hath not as yet come to them For thereby first the waters of Babylon at which both they and the Iewes doe still stumble must be dryed vp that so the way may bee prepared for the East to receave the Gospell as increase of Antichristian Idolatrie the swelling of Euphrates first alienated the one from it and still holdeth the other in induration Moreover this instance of Mahomet and the comparison thereof with our powerful prevailing light of truth is ridiculous For that Mahometisme never was advanced one foot of earth but so farre as by sword and fyre it was set forward Wheras the Gospell having sword and fyre and when sworde and fyre even in the hands of pitilesse persecuters yet by the patience of Saints have fainted having nowe at last privie poisonings bloodie complots and all the treasonable and tragicall machinations which the Emissarie frogges of hell can hatch against it yet it prevaileth and still shall in despit of all opposition till Antichrist being vndone these errors of Iudaisme and Mahometisme shall also vanishe at the cleare light thereof when they shall even see him who pearsed him and shall mourne apart for him which great events no doubt are approching neere in such strange and busie endeavour â—â—â—he frogges of Satans mouth to assemble their forces to Armageddon that their iust destruction may much against their intention minister matter even of an Ebrew song in a sweete and high tuned Halleluiah 26. Their other obiection is the manifold Sectes which have sprung vp with the revived light of the Gospell each contrarie to other and all stoutlie acclayming the prerogative of truth And O howe our adversaries doe heere applaud themselves of their vnitie and how skoffinglie they exagitat this as they call it our distraction and multitude of opinions so as one of them in a faire but faintlie fought challenge sent to the Ministers of Scotland at the end of his weake wrestling minding to finishe it with a deadlie blowe concludeth his discourse in a good tale faire tale forsooth of this our diversitie which for the greater force hee fetcheth from a tippling Taverne in Germanie seeking belike in Vino veritatem But doe not these men erre because they know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God yea though they themselves bee Ministers of Satan his deceit and men of his right hande yet are they not skilled to discerne his slight and malicious maner of working Might not this wherewith they reproach our Churches have bene laid alse yea and more iustlie against the first out-going light of the Gospell and primitive Church raised thereby yea was not this then the common accusation thereof in the mouthes of all ignorant and earthlie men for that even with the beginning and prevailing light of the Gospell Sathan stirred vp such an infinite number of detestable heresies and prodigious opinions abhominable even to any naturall man of stayed witts and all vnder the name of Christianitie that therevpon without more sifting or tryall the worlde was stirred madlie to reiect and condemne the whole profession and with sword and fyre to persecute it as a horrible Pest. When Satan brooketh all at ease then is hee at rest but if a stronger then hee come in to spoile his house then hee imployed might and slight When by the valour of Michael and his Angels Sathan is thrust out from brooking a place in Heaven then commeth hee downe on earth with great rage then VVoe to the inhabitants of Sea and earth For being by the power of the Gospell cast out of Heaven and falling downe thence as lightning then seeing hee can not brooke a roome in God his house hee furiouslie mistrammeth his own When hee can not keepe downe the light of the Gospell nor by all his guyle and malice obtaine but that precious pearle must come foorth his next endeavour is to cast in therewith such a multitude of counterfaits as may make the vpright pearle either hardlie to bee discerned or then with the rest to be esteemed all alike false so to divert mens heartes from it This their obiection then maketh so little against the Gospell as it sheweth evidently by this angrie busines of Satan that he is indeed highlie chafed and therefore the wyse hearted ought the more diligentlie to search after that precious pearle the manifestation whereof so breeveth him for that true and vpright money which hee laboureth among the mids of his counterfâ—its and false coine to conceale â—r then to discredit When Satan by the beast of his throne and authoritie brooked all then was that â—ase and vnitie whereof our adversaries glorie For God had put in the heartes of the Kings of the earth with one consent to give their Kingdomes to the beast till the wordes of God were fulfilled Sahtan never invyeth vnitie in errour nor zeale in a false religion If vnitie simply without respect of that wherein parties are vnited were a note of the church then might hell vindicate to it selfe that title For the Deuills have an vnitie and Satan his kingdome is not divided against it selfe Brigands conspiring to shed blood and having one purse are vnited It is then vnitie in truth and not a conspiracie in errour or brotherhood in evill which men may glorie of As at the first publishing of the Gospell Sathan was put besides his possession and thereupon stirred vp swarmes of herefies so having once again by the beast of his power gotte his throne erected even in the Temple of God brooking al peaceably therein when again the litle long closed but at length opened sweetly swallowed booke gave hability by the right 〈◊〉 to examin him cast him out then he returned madly to his former policie Thus the sorcerers of Egipt to discredit the works of Moses 〈◊〉 did work the like and thus ever the invious one with the good seed soweth in his â—ares But all this maketh so litle against the truth that by the coÌ„trarie the vertue power thereof aâ— so much the more clearly manifested In that these who are the Sinagogue of Sathan calling themselves 〈◊〉 and â—re not ar eveÌ„ forced to come worshipe before the feet of Pâ—ilâ—â—â—â—ia and are compelled to know that God loveth her in that shee only is stablished and made a piller in the house of GOD which
shall goe out no more and shal at length beare away the name of the true Church written on her evidently with her Lord his finger even of the true and new Ierusalem from heaven in despyte of all this slight of Sathan Wheras all counterfaits calling themselves Iewes and are not shall either come and worshippe at her feete or be cast out of God his house lose the name which they doe falslie vsurp In one word though al the Inchanters of Egypt strengthened with all both the craft and power of darknes should make apishlie to imitat Mosâ—s yet Aaron his Rod shall alwayes devour the Rods of all inchanters Even truth shall both discover and coÌ„sume errour in the end And this vertue in the truth now preached all who with single eyes looke on things may evidently perceave and so much the more as in litle outward strength walking in meeknes and patience and oppugned with all wordlie power and great pryde and bitternes yet in despyte of all opposition â—t prevaileth Glorified be the Lord our strength 27. All whatsoever our adversaries lay against vs wherby they syle the eyes and beguyle the mindes of the simple being lookt on with iudgement is founde but meere Sophistrie and cavillation so as they have to bring more solide stuffe if they would spoile our Pastours of all lawful calling and vs of any true church 28. We plead ordinarie vocation for our Church in common and this because so it is and not for that of absolut necessitie it behooved to be so Neither speak I thus as partiallie caried to maintaine the credit of some particular men whose defect herein if it were any could never preiudge our Churches For mine owne part as in all sobernes and cleannes of heart by the gift of GOD I have beene carefull to know the truth so was I never much curious to inquire of the particular state of our first mens callings Which whether it were ordinarie or extraordinarie and that whollie or partlie in some men or in all as it matereth litle oâ—â—othing in so great extraordinarie a worke wrought by their ministerie as is the discovery and conviction of Antichrist sitting masked in the Temple so is the disputation thereabout but idle and childish For if ever any such evill and confusion did befall the church as that for reformation therof any extraordinary dealing was requisit The vsurpation of Antichrist most of all other as I doubt not but God accordingly shewed in some either persons workers or works of persons or both I approve our men who sustain our ordinarie vocation in common but who plead so for it as a point absolutly requisit for approoving our cause and in such a case of the church doe place al defence therein in my iudgement they doe wronglie limit the holy one of Israel against both the priviledge of his power and his vsuall manner of dealing in such cases And who defend our first mens callings to have bene partlie ordinarie partlie extraordinarie whither that some extraordinary persons were raised by GOD or that ordinary persons were by him stirred to extraordinarie motions and actions I think for me they have fallen vpon the right defence and which is both most agreeable to GOD his honour and manner of working and also most strong and honorable for our church and cause 29. And these now forsooth are the invincible arguments in confidence whereof they are bold to offer that if wee can bee able to maintain the lawfulnes of our callings and that so wee have any true Church they will without any more doubt or disput about other points in controversie joyne in communion with vs. But certainlie if truth bee with vs and they consequentlie bee heretiks they jangle with vs impertinentlie of outward calling the having whereof as it will never justifie errour so neither will the defect thereof bee ever a relevant exception against truth clearlie convincing it For an evill tree cannot bring foorth good fruit nor a good tree bring foorth evill fruit And whosoever is not against vs is on our part And if our doctrine may be prooved false why make they such adoe about calling or why thus flee they the tryall of the cause and goe not the neerest and plainest way to justifie themselves and to bereave vs of all defence An evill conscience maketh men to seeke subterfuges And as they bewray it evidentlie in this their quarrelling of our vocation so when in course they are put to their defences they manifest themselves yet more 30. When by cleare scripture we proove their Pope to bee Antichrist to free him of that blot albeit they be otherwayes extreemelie impudent and malicious in forging false criminations and calumnious slaunders yet with all the ingyne of hell finding none other vpon whom to lay over the staine of that odious title they are faine to refuse that hee is yet come and that when hee commeth hee shall openlie overthrow all true worshippe and obtaine rule over the whole earth Yea some of them are so straited by evident truth that with pale faces and trembling lippes they are forced to confesse that probablie hee may expell the Pope from Rome and Domine there And shall so strangelie destroy all truth and true Professoures as forsooth Enoch and Elias must returne I know not whence to fight with him and to bee killed of him Now in this case I pray you where shal be all the long boasted of prerogative of Rome and of Peter his chaire whereto against vs they infalliblie doe chain all truth Where shal be these goodlie and true promises which they wronglie wrest and falslie vsurpe against vs Where shall then bee the notes of vniversalitie in their sense multitude visibilitie personall succession and externall maiestie and Pompe If these bee the certaine and infallible notes of the true Church how faile they at any tyme Or if as they themselves confesse in Antichrist his vsurpation the case shal be such why see they not that vainlie and absurdlie for eximing their Pope to bee that Antichrist they obiect to vs as impossibilities and horrible blasphemies these same yea much smaller things then they themselves grant that in Antichrist his vsurpation the Church must suffer If when Antichrist commeth multitude visibilitie and vniversalitie shall bee with him if all personall succession of Pastours shall so farre faile as that for pleading the truth Enoch and Elias must come from another world against him if the church then shall not only in truth and true professors but even in all publict ensigne of profession bee invisible if he shal possiblie sit in Rome and peaceablie brook all why in the disput about Antichrist are multitude vniversalitie personall succession and visibilitie still laid against vs Why is ruinous Rome as an infallible rock opposed for al defence vnto vs and why see they not that by their owne confession they must otherwayes vindicat their Pope from that blot that
wee have but to cleere whither the Pope bee hee who was to come or if we must looke for another If they would pretēd the short space of the churches defect vnder Antichrist according to their dreame of three yeeres and an half yet how doth the truth of God his promise consist as for their owne defence they interprete if it faile but one day or if he may and shal in a totallie prevayling evill whereby not onely truth but also al pretence and profession of Christianitie is overthrowen yet preserve both his Church and promise to her three yeares and an halfe why might he not alse well and vnder the vaile of permitted profession much better for many ages and if vnder their imaginarie Antichrist directlie impugning Christianitie and advowedly exalting him selfe against GOD and Christ whose name he shall not so much as pretend yet both truth and a true Church shall lurke three yeares and an halfe how much more vnder him who of a degenerating succession of ordinarie Pastours pretending Christ his name and power who did not become extreamlie evill at once but by degrees mounted to the height of impietie masked in a Mysterie might the true Church vnder the common ensigne of profession have lyen long hidden For where deluding simple minds they affirme that Antichrist must be one singular person because in scripture he is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Antichrist the adversarie and the man of sinne they proove exceeding either childish or shameles cavillators Might not the 4. Kingdoms of Babel Persia Macedonia and of the Seleucides prophecied of Daniel Chap. 7. have by this reason excepted that the foure beastes there foretolde could not bee meaned of them in so farre as in each of their Kingdomes was a succession of mo◠persons then one and these foure beastes are of the Prophe◠interpreted to bee but foure kings Who would hereby refell any affirming that there is but one great Turk because that from Ottoman many divers persons have succeeded in that Empire should he not prove but a ridiculous sophist reasoning from one in seat state succession and subrogatiō to one in person the seat hath but one person at once who by reason of succession dyeth not It is the Pontificality which we challenge not personallie Pius Leo Paulus or Clemens And to how hard shiftes our adversaries are driven in this point it is easie to perceave when to pul mens minds from espying their Pope they propone to bee exspected such an Antichrist as comming could not possiblie in all his three yeares and a halfe find three phrenetick fooles to be his followers As if foresooth one directlie damning all Christianitie openlie blaspheming the name of God and Christ and impudentlie and advowedlie challenging to him selfe all diuine honour in such daylie growing light of the Gospell and settled knowledge of God could possiblie in three yeares a halfe roote out all religion and subdue all nations of the earth in which space a verie deliver single man in fulnes of bodilie strength and continuing vigour yet were scarce able with all possible speed vpon a wager to survey them And that they should not appeare vnresolved forsooth in such important matter without so much as any mine of Scripture warrant they will have him a singular persone of the tribe of Dan who albeit it was the honour of faintes a thousand yeeres that they receaved not the beast his marke yet shall in three yeres and a halfe immediatlie before the day of iudgement begin accomplishe and end in open and avowed impiety that mischief which that in the own time it might come foorth cūninglie covertlie masked vp in a mysterie Satan in all deep deceipt was working since the Apostolike times and thus whereas God hath reserved to him self alone the knowledge of that last day which shall come as a thiefe in the night vpon a sleeping and secure world these men set vpon it so faire conspectible a mark as either no Christians at all shall at that time be in the world or then they may alse well know and calcule that day as we doe now Christmas namely having so iumpe a space of yeares and dayes and so notable coincident cases as the returning of Enoch and Elias their slaughter and miraculous resuscitation But it is not my purpose here to handle this point of matter either for prooving their Pope to be Antichrist or to refute these their foolishe dreames for more full resolution whereof and of ought else that from that booke may appeare here of me to be too shortlie touched I referre the reader to my commentarie on the revelation 31. The waxing light of the Gospell dayly more more discovering the man of sin maketh our adversaries to paint out Tragelaphos Chimeraes wherby they may stupifie detaine foolish hearts in expectation of such an Antichrist as shall come I warrant you ad grecas Calendas some thousand yeares after the Iewes have gotten their long but vainlie lookt for Messias But as these shall never get another Christ then whom they pearced so neither shall the others any Antichrist but whom they follow The Iewes in God his mercie shall yet see their true Messias and mourne for him Our characterized adversaries shall follow still blindlings their Abaddon to the lake of fire and brimstone waile then with him And they are so anxiously carefull of their credit herein that for holding still simple mindes in a maze least longing perhaps they should looke more nearly and so with setled senses espy the Dragon his mouth vnder semblance of the Lamb his hornes some surmise for intertaining exspectation of one never to come must be brought nowe and then from the East of som dumb Devil borne at Babylon and begotten forsooth betwix some feind or farie and a devised Daniel who hath I warrant you two thousand years agoe lost all the writings of his genealogie It is not so strange that these men whose filthines shame the glorious light of the Gospel hath so farre detected that now they see no remedie but desperatly to passe all bounds of shame should therfore so impudentlie delude the Worlde with such foolishe fantasies but it is both wonder and pitie in so cleare light of truth that still so many should be abused with them a iust punishment of the careles misregarde of that light which is come in the worlde but the worlde loveth darknes more then light And howsoever some of the Auncients whose tymes perception were farre remooved from the knowledge of these mysteries in a slender and careles consideration of them did fall vpon some points of these fonde speculations yet nowe when not only knowledge is with course of time increased but also the eventes have made things cleare it is not only a maigre defence but bewraying also evidentlie perversenes of mindes and guiltines of conscience to runne to such doting dreames and ridiculous raveries as albeit they
generall and indefinit whereby I conclude it is the Proposition thereof the restrict case of my speciall and definit position is that I affirmed not our callings to have flowed from the Bishop of Rome absolutly but in a sort The restrict case of my generall and indefinit position is that I affirmed not lawfull ordination might be taken of a Wolfe or Thiefe absolutly but from such a Wolfe Thiefe as in my Proposition is set downe at length and in my treatise more amply Now who either doth confound my positions or draweth them froÌ„ my restrict cases to absolut assertions he wrongeth me therein greatly And to cleare this In the restrict case of my speciall and definit position that I affirmed our callings to have flowed froÌ„ the Bishop of Rome in a sort it hath two considerations to be wel adverted First that the Bishop of Rome was not the proper particular personal minister of their ordination at least in common howsoever in a sort or mediatly it did flow from him Secondly that even this in a sort or mediatly must not be so vnderstood as if the particular proper and personall ordainers had done it but as the Bishop of Rome his deputies or procurators but as having also themselves properly place power of ordination Wherein by your adversaries doctrine the Bishop of Rome might well have the first place and highest power but not the only place or onely power For giving him this that he were not only primae sedis Episcopus in which degree the Fathers would faine have stayed his vsurpation and yet by canons of counsels could not but which was then interdicted that he were also primus Episcopus yet was hee never sole Bishop And though hee got at length by prevailing iniquity cheefe place power of ordination yet never only place For if hee onely were properly to bee held a Bishop and if ordination were only proper to him then could not he him selfe be any Bishop at all For none can be a Bishop without lawfull ordination and none can or may ordaine him selfe Neither can any other ordaine him by any power flowing from his predecessour quia mortâ—â— mandatore expirat mandatum And as Grogorie Bishop of Rome doth inferre if he were sole Bishop then vniversa Ecclesia corruit vbi ille vniversus cadit he falling the vniversal church should faile also And how hardly the said Grogory did esteeme of any such vsurpation these words doe shew Triste valde est patieÌ„ter ferre vt omnibus despectis frater coepiscopus noster solus nominetur Episcopus It is a heavy and hard matter to beare that our brother and fellow Bishop should be called onely Bishop and he giveth the reason in another place Quia si vnus Patriarcha vniversalis dicitur Patriarcharum nomen caeteris derogatur for if one be called vniversal Patriarch the name of Patriarch is taken from the rest so then is ordination of all Church-men flowing in a sort froÌ„ the Pope to be vnderstood not that either hee was the personall minister of all or that hee had sole power of ordination but because he was acknowledged first in that power and for that in the outward order policy and forme of church governement al did acknowledge their subiection to him Now for that ordination is graunted to flow from him in this sort therefore vpon the conviction of him to be a Wolfe Thiefe shal al ordination in the church particularly properly and personallie ministred by whatsoever other Bishops be vnlawfull Or shal he convinced to be a Thiefe and Traitour necessarily involve al other pastours of the church in the same guiltines with him because their ordinatioÌ„ hath in a sort flowed from him This were indeed to admit that which even a Bishop of Rome counted an execrable absurdity quod vniversa Ecclesia corruit vbi ille vniversus cadit your man might have learned from his owne Bellarmin by force of truth driven thereto at last that though the Pope should become an heretike yet should not the church therefore fail or fall from truth We wil never yeeld him this that at any time in the church vniversally all and singularly each pastour or ordainers of pastours were Wolves and Thieves albeit wee affirme that he from whom al ordinatioÌ„ in a sort did flow was long agoe a Wolfe and Thiefe Now then I having in the special and definit position of our callings flowing from the Bishop of Rome put this restrict case that they flowed from him in a sort hee should greatly wrong me sophistically also reason who would make this all one thing as if I had granted them to have flowed from him particularly as the proper personal minister thereof or from the Wolvish Thievish condition of him froÌ„ whom they but flowed in a sort would conclude of all and everie particular proper and personal ordainers or if hee should reason from ordinatioÌ„ as it floweth in a sort to ordination properly and personally proceeding My remarker might indeed have made me remarkeably forgetfull of my selfe truth both if in my answere to their first obiection sect 5. not admitting them therfore any iust claime in the title of the true church for that we forsooth could have no orditnary vocation but with amongst theÌ„ who howsoever they were in the church even bore sway and obtained in tota communiter yet were but a part in the church and no true part of it in that alwayes within the church also were true both pastours and professours if now I say I should againe confesse that all our pastours ordination had flowed properly and personally from the detestable head of all that mischiefe Which were not onely a manifest lie but an absurde impossibilitie also If any heere would oppone that this my distinction is vaine and that it freeth vs nothing more to have had our ordination but in a sort from the Bishop of Rome and properlie and personally from others then if we graunted the having it of him even particularly properly personally because all others particular and personal ordainers whatsoever were not onely in outward order of Church governement subiect to the Pope of Rome but also agreed all in one and the same faith and doctrine with him approving both his opinion and power and moreover had all of them or their ordainers or the ordainers of their ordainers c. their ordination even properly and personally of the Bishop of Rome In which respects neither could the personall ordainers bee free of any imputation laid by vs against the Bishop of Rome neither yee ordination from them be any better to the ordained by them then if it had properly and personally proceeded from him as the particular Minister therof I answer that in this allegation is a manifold sophistication First as I have already shewed from common subiection in the obtaining state of Church policie to conclude Vnitie in opinion and all points of faith and
have perhaps coniectured as I know somwhat the manner and meaninges of these men what surder hee would particularly have said by his other draughts which he hath drawn frequently and only on the 7. 8. sections but having cleared the maine point I will not dally impertinently with him or struggle with mine own shadow as even of this I have here done he may perhaps say and you even therfore esteeme it true but I am sure I have either mett with his minde or then hee shall not bee able to render any other such reason of his challenge which shall not bee found as little or lesse to his credit And when ever his dumb draughts are made speaking lines vppon the little I have lookt in them I dare give my worde that they shall bewray weaknes of sense defect of sinceritie or fraudulent shifting of the questioÌ„ Now as my treatise was written but for information of modest minds and neither for any who will not be cured neither yet to moove or to maintain iangling with any an exercise both fruitles evill beseeming Christians so now for ought your man could either have said or signed I would not have interchanged one lyne with him I know what is the efficacie of errour and bewitching force of the cuppe of forniation in refractary seducers I know that not onely the blind leaders of the blind but even such as are joyned to their Idoles are to be let alone And that such as would appeare to aske counsell of a Prophet having set vp their Idols in their hearts having put the stumbling bloke of their iniquity before their eies the Lord wil eveÌ„ in iustice answer theÌ„ according to the multitude of their Idols But these pages ar to you in remeÌ„braÌ„ce of my offer once made you if I should find any assurance of a syncere disposition in al singlenes laying a syde preiudice that you wouâ—d vprightly heare and learne and with an vnpartial heart try ponder both parts giving vs the one eare and alike attension with such other signes of indifferent affectioÌ„ as might assure vs of halfe barr and aequall bench in the seat of your iudgement and so much the more as you have these yeeres past given vs evidences of a heart quite alienated from vs and as wee plead from the truth also And albeit as yet we have gotten of you small or no tokens of any such intention yet I would not leave you this to say that I had failed you promise at the first as neither if I can yet see your mynd sincerely carefully and humbly set for resolution wil I in this sort or any other kynd of paines wearie to doe you pleasure according to my power in Christ. But if either you or any other lust to be contentious wee have no such manner neither the Church of God Now God even the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ according to his good pleasure abouÌ„dantly ritch grace graunt vs that our love may more and more abound in knowledge and all spirituall sense whereby we may bee able to discerne things that differ and prooving all to hold that which is good that wee may bee syncere and without offence till the day of Christ. Yours in Christ P. FORBES of Coirse A SHORT DISCOVERIE OF THE ADVERSARIE HIS DOTTAGE IN HIS IMPERTINENT AND ridiculously deceitfull demaunds THat thou mayest perceave Christian Reader how foolish fruitles a labour it is to dispute with these men When their pamphlet against our callings which stirred me to defence was put abroad it was backed by the applauders thereof with insolent braggs that no answere either would or could possibly be given it that though twenty answers were made thereto yet they should all be refelled with al 's many sound replyes Herevpon at the intreaty of some well affected brethren least the hearts of our weake ones should be dismayed I was mooved to writ my treatise of defence whereof a copy falling in the adversarie his handes and that without my knowledge and against my purpose who hating contention framed my paines onely for resolution of modest minds I heard divers and daylie surmises from them that my treatise would be in short tyme solidly refuted And I accordingly more exspecting what a traveling mountaine would bring foorth then mynding any reply therto at last my copy returned to me carying such notes of a censuring penne as occasioned my epistle to a recusant Wherevpon their boast of refutation still waxing and I thereby exspecting some what more then in end to find but a ridiculous mouse were brought to me at length after many weekes from the partie and delivered with no small circumstance forsooth and earnest protestation of an answer in writ these ensuing lines It is to be demanded of the ministerie for the true resolution of a Christian soule which if they resolve not wee will account them c. SEeing the Ministers of Scotland graunts the church of Rome to have been once the true Church of Christ wee desire them to thew in what yeare of God shee made first defection from the true religion and by whom shee was condemned for heresie Likewayes wee desire to know the names of these who since the Church of Rome fell from the trueth hes continually from time to time and age to age professed this religion in all substantiall pointes of doctrine as they presently professe whose doctrine and writings in all pointes of religion they will advow and byde by NOw consider good Reader what either pitifull ignorance or rather poysonable perversnes of an inpudently evill conscience these demaundes bewray most evidentlie Our disputation was about the lawfulnes or vnlawfulnes of our Pastorall callings This they by their treatise laboured to evince I by my defence pleaded the other In this our litis-contestation partly by dumbe partlie by speaking signes and draughtes set by them on the margent or drawen betwixt the lines of my booke they sought at first that it might seeme they had somewhat to say against me Therevpon in my epistle to a Recusant I sustained my point Now in steed of replying ought either for confirming their owne or impugning my part of our debated matter the question is whither impudently or ignorantly altered and from the institut point of our vocation like slipperie Iles they slyde backe to new demaundes of our doctrine Is this I pray you to dispute or to dallie Are these the fresh fyrie edged schoolmen arrived lately and with so great exspectation of working wonders from Paris Lovan Rhems Rome shaping shooting and slopping men through with syllogismes who neither can propoune ought or sustaine to heare any answere but in forma figura that nowe they forget not only all forme and figure but therewith all both mense and sense also in so shamelesly shifting the question casting in kowardly a kard of another kynd why remembred they not their owne offer so often and confidently made vs by worde write