mysteries than Gospel institutions Their chief worship devotion lyeth in building and adorning Temples for Masses not for preaching in buying Masses in decking of images with Gold Jewels in offering incense and wax Candles in pilgrimages and offerings to their Saints in vows of forced and usually feigned chastity of Hypocritical and lazy poverty and such like bodily exercises which profit little 1 Tim. 4.8 4. The Church of Christ owneth him only for her head King and Lord. God gave Christ to be head over all things to his Church which is his body Eph. 1.23 He hath all power in Heaven and earth committed to him to rule and order all things concerning his Church which is his own house Mat. 28.18 19 20. Whereupon he appointed Apostles to bring all nations to be his Disciples to consecrate and ingage them to him by Baptism and to teach them to observe all as he commanded Christ as mediator is the only head of the Church which is his body and all Christians members in particular of him receiving life strength and spirit from him and being governed by him But the Papists acknowledge and adhere to the Pope as the head of their Church which they say could not be one Church unless it be united to the Pope as their visible head Catec Rom. de Symb. Art 9. Q. 11. De eo i. e. Pontifice Romano fuit illa omnium Patrum ratio sententia consentiens hoc visibiel caput ad unitatem ecclesiae constituendam conservandam necessarium fuisse They say that Christ and the Pope make but one compleat Head of the Church That all which is said in the Canticles or elsewhere concerning Christ's relation to his Church may be truly applyed to the Pope That he hath all power in heaven and earth given to him Pope Boniface the 8. declared that it was absolutely necessary to Salvation for every man to be subject to the Pope of Rome Definimus decernimus declaramus esse de necessitate salutis omni humanae creaturae esse subditum Pontifici Romano accordingly they teach peccatum pagantiatis incurrit quisquis Pontifici non est obediens i. e. Whosoever is not obedient to the Pope doth thereby become an Heathen They ascribe to the Pope an universal headship not of order only but of power and jurisdiction he is the Rock the foundation of the Church he giveth authority to the Scriptures and without him authoritas Scripturarum plane nulla est saith one i. e. the Scriptures have no authority at all he can lay aside the Bible if he please or dispense with any of the commands of the old or new Testament saith their Canon Law and he daily doth dispense with oaths vows and obligations of all sorts both to God and man with unlawful marriages c. They say indeed in disputation that the Pope is a ministerial head the Deputy the Vicar of Christ but a Minister is only to execute the pleasure of his Lord a Deputy and Vicar is to see his Masters laws and commands observed not to enact laws of his own not to relax or abrogate any of his Masters laws which power the Pope both challengeth and exerciseth 5. Christ's Church professeth subjection to his law only Isa 33.22 The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King Christ is the only King of his Church and the power of making Laws is the chief prerogative of a King He gave his word to be the standing Law whereby his people should be ruled and guided and by which they must be judged at the last day John 12.48 But the Papists have another Law by which they are governed and the Pope is their law-giver who ruleth them The Scriptures they own indeed as the word of God but not as his whole mind and law and that no otherwise than as the Pope interpreteth and alloweth them They joyn with the Scriptures unwritten Traditions which the Council of Tent saith are of equal authority Traditiones non scriptas pari pietatis affectu reverentiâ suscipit veneratur Conc. Trid. Ses 4. Cat. Rom. Pref. Q. 12. The Canons of Councils viz. those that the Pope likes and confirms and the decretal Epistles of Popes they reckon equal with the Holy Scriptures Decretales epistolae meritò inter Scripturas canonicas recensentur The consciences of men they do subject to the determinations and commands of the Pope as to Jesus Christ so that the law of the Church of Rome is composed and made up of the Scriptures Traditions Canons and decretals of Popes over all which the Pope superintends as the supreme law-giver to confirm relax add or alter as he pleaseth according to the known Ruleof Cardinal Cusanus Lex currit cum praxi c. Whatsoever is the present allowed practice of the Church of Rome that must be taken for the infallible rule or law of Christ So that the will of the Pope is the supreme law of conscience to the Papist in this world 6. Christs Church acknowledgeth only his Sacraments Baptism and the Lords supper The Sacraments of the Gospel are badges of our professed Subjection to Christ and of our dependance on him for remission of sins for grace and eternal life and it is fit that Christ alone should appoint what should be the signs Seals and conveyances of his grace and the marks of subjection to him and the tokens of the Covenant betwixt him and his people Christ appointed his Disciples to enter into his Covenant by the sign and Seal of Baptism Matth. 28.19 to renew and confirm this Covenant from time to time by the use of his holy supper 1 Cor. 11.23 24. c. and he appointed no other but these and his people must institute and use no other as signs and Covenant seals betwixt him and them But the Papists have added five more which they own and maintain to be Sacraments besides many other significant ceremonies to which they attribute the use and effects of Sacraments these they make signs of Gods Covenant means to convey grace some of them as universally necessary as those that Christ appointed yea without which Christs Sacraments are not sufficient to Salvation viz. the Sacraments of Confirmation and Penance of the former they say a man cannot be a Christian till he be confirmed by the Bishop Baptism is not compleat without it De consecra dist 5. ch de jejun Nemo potest esse Christianus nisi ad Baptismum accesserit unctio episcopalis nisi confirmatione chrismatus Their penance consisteth of confession of sin to the Priest contrition for sin and the Priests absolution and they teach that sins cannot be forgiven unless they be particularly confessed to the Priest and he absolve them in the name of Christ upon their undergoing or promise to undergo some outward austerity or penance imposed on them by him These Sacraments are badges and means of their subjection to the Priest and to
to the Tryal and examination of all and such as carried an undeniable evidence and divine impress with them but these of Antichrist are lying wonders ungodly cheats many of them ridiculous trifles of no use unbeseeming the finger of God that are done in a corner and will bear no Tryal of judicious men but are fitted only to deceive the ignorant multitude it is not to be supposed that Papists could ever work any real sign or miracle to confirm their falsehoods for that were to make God himself who alone is the author of true miracles to bear Testimony to a lye and also to invalidate the Testimony of miracles when they are wrought to confirm the truth seeing they may be wrought also to prove a lye A false prophet may indeed give a sign foretell some future event by art and God may suffer that sign to come to pass to prove his people whether they will stick to his word Deut. 13.1 2 3. but he will never interpose his immediate power to work a miracle to confirm false doctrine which were to set his own seal to that which is contrary to his own word the miracles and signs therefore that Papists pretend to some of them are the meer works of nature only strange to the common people some are works of art Physick Mathematicks c. some are meer tricks of Legerdemain and some are more lies without either foundation in the things or colour of truth many of them also are wrought by Magick and assistance of the Devil as when they cause doleful cries and howlings in the night and apparitions of persons deceased to make the simple believe that the souls in Purgatory come forth to beg prayers and Masses which practice was very frequent in Luthers time The pretence of signs and miracles is peculiar to the Papists the Turks to whom they would turn this prophecie profess them not but impose and propagate their Religion by force Christians that own the Scriptures for the perfect rule of faith and manners need them not the matter of those Scriptures having been abundantly confirmed long since by unquestionable miracles and Divine attestations but the Papists who add unwritten uncertain traditions and the decrees of Popes and Councils to the rule have need to confirm them by signs and miracles if they could and upon the pretence of these all their chief doctrines are built as 1. Transubstantiation and adoration of the Host for this they pretend sometimes that the Host hath been seen to bleed sometimes that the hand of a child hath been seen in it that Wittikin the Saxon King in England seeing Christians receive the Sacrament in a certain Church went out and reported that he saw the Christians each one put a little smiling boy into their mouths some affirmed that they have seen a youth in a glorious shape sitting upon the Altar at or before the time of celebration and they commonly tell us of Cows Horses Bees yea and the Ass of a Jew or a Heretick adoring the Host and the bees building a wax chappel over it when it was casually lost in the field 2. The worship of Saints when the invocation of Saints was opposed in its beginning and Pope Constantine had called a Council at Rome to consider on it Ann. 1012. Edwin a Monk of Gloucester made Oath before the Council that the Virgin Mary appeared to him in a vision in great glory commanding him to go to Rome and tell the Pope that it was the command of God that they should worship her pray to her and erect Temples and Images in honour of her upon this acknowledgement the Council establisht the first decree for the invocation of her and other Saints They write whole Legends of Saints their apparitions revelations miracles and these they give to the people to read instead of the Scriptures they also read the acts and lying wonders of their Saints upon their festival days in their Churches always concluding their fabulous narrations with such words Let us then learn to admire such a Saint let us pray to such a Saint c. Saint Francis and his-Friars they say have raised above a thousand men from the dead their Saints heal all manner of diseases cast out Devils can bring fire from heaven as they report and these are the proofs of Divine worship due to them 3. Their worship of Images and Reliques of Saints to this purpose they pretend that some Images do speak though it is the Devil or the Priest that speaks through them some Images nod their head some hold up their hand as if they did bless the people that pray to them Mr. Downame saith he saw an Image of St. Nicholas at Chester who would lift up his hand as if he blest his petitioners which was done by a string put through the arm by which the Priest draw'd it up Some Images have bled they say when they have been abused diseases have been cured and all manner of miracles done while men have been praying before Images 4. Purgatory and prayers for the dead The only proof of this is the apparition of persons deceased that complain of their torments and beg Masses and prayers of their surviving friends to this purpose they make great use of the Vulcans i. e. burning Mountains in Italy Sicily and the Isles of the Aeolides where are heard frequent noises of divers kinds which they tell the people are the gates of Purgatory and the noises the cries of the tormented there They report of one Birstan Bishop of Winchester that as he was walking according to his custome in the Church-yard at midnight earnestly praying for the souls in Purgatory when he came to those words requiescant in pace let them rest in peace he suddenly heard the voices of an innumerable company small and great in the graves say Amen 5. Their religious orders St. Benedict St. Dominick St. Francis the founders of so many Orders of Friars and Ignatius Loyola the Father of the Jesuites all obtained both the honour of Saints and of Founders of religious Orders by many pretended visions revelations and miracles and the opinion of miracles done by Friars Monks and Nuns in every generation is that which keeps up their authority with the people Vse This should warn men to cleave close to Scripture Revelations and miracles are the engines of deceit but written truths are manifest and exposed to the consideration and Tryal of all and have been already confirmed by the Prophets our Saviour and his Aposties by very many and unquestionable signs and miracles f men will not be content with this which God hath so abundantly testified to be his mind and will it is just with him to suffer them to be deluded if there be now any miracles revelations or extraordinary impressions of the holy spirit they are of private concern for direction or encouragement in particular cases but they are not intended to confirm any doctrine or part of worship signs and Tongues
Pagan which did impose her Idolatrous wrship upon the world Lastly that it is Rome Papal as it now is and hath been for many ages past which is this Babylon and not Rome when she shall utterly renounce the Christian faith in the end of the world as some Papists without shadow of reason fancy is proved in that she is arrayed in purple and Scarlet decked with gold and precious stones and pearls which is the garb of the Pope and his Cardinals In that she is the Mother of fornications Idolatries through the earth and that she is drunk with the blood of Saints and Martyrs Rome Papal having destroyed far more Christians than ever Heathen Rome did And that the beast that carries this whore the Roman State is full of names of blasphemy v. 3. the blasphemous titles and power which the Pope usurpeth to himself and his Roman Church above any heathen that ever was And especially in that the ten horns upon the head of the beast that carries this Whore which are ten Kingsarising out of the dissolution of the Roman Empire are said to have received no Kingdom in Johns time but to receive it one hour with the beast v. 12. yea to give their power to the beast to set him up and maintain his Empire and to be deluded by him till God shall turn their hearts against him to destroy him v. 13 -17 The beast himself also was to be the eighth head of the former great beast and yet one of the seven i. c. a new government in Rome for the manner of it not much different from the preceding Emperours all which are apparently fulfilled in the Pope and his adherents For when Augustulus laid down the Empire Ann. Chr. 476. there immediately appeared ten small Kingdomes sometimes more sometimes fewer in this Western part of the world and then the Pope began to usurp the dominion of Rome and both he and they grew up together and strengthened each other till they were all inslaved by him and had inabled him to trample Emperours under his feet likewise the declining or wane of Popedome in these too last ages hath been caused by the withdrawing of these very Princes from his subjection whose Kingdomes were once provinces of Rome and whose predecessors had given their power to the Pope and when a few more shall follow their example the Pope will lofe his triple Crown These things thus explained the Observation is clear Obs It is the command of Christ to all his people to withdraw from the communion of Papal Rome as they would avoid joyning in her sins and to those that have opportunity to forsake the dwellings of Rome as they would escape her plagues When the whole world after the flood apostatized from God and his worship God singled out the family of Abraham and in time increast them to a nation to put his name and to keep up his worship among them for this the rest especially their neighbours in the East hated and opposed them and the heads of this opposition were Egypt Niniveh and at last Babylon in Chaldea which swallowed up all her neighbours Thus there was a long contest betwixt the Church of the Jews who adhered to God and pure religion and Babylon which was become the head of the Pagan Apostasie in the East In like manner the Gospel was no sooner planted and spread throughout the Western world but there began a defection to Idolatry in the worship of Saints and Angels and after some while Rome became the head of this Apostasie and for above 1 thousand years past there hath been a continual contest betwixt a purer part of Christs Church scattered through divers Countries and this Mystical Babylon a certain number specified by one hundred forty four thousand Rev 14.1 have kept themselves pure from the whoredomes of Rome they were Virgins and followed the Lamb whithersoever he went and with them the Roman beast hath continually made war and still seeks to destroy them out of the earth now all that would be the faithful servants of Christ must joyn with this small persecuted company and neither comply with nor submit to Rome nor connive at her power and impositions as they would not be found guilty of her Apostasie and be swept away in her destruction To prove this because we speak to them who are already separated from Rome it will be sufficient to clear these 2 Questions which being cleared will also prove the duty of others to separate from her who yet either adhere to or lean towards her 1. Question whether there was a just ground for the Potestants to separate from the Church of Rome 2. Whether there can be any reconciliation of Protestants to Rome In which I shall be brief because a foundation is in a sort laid for it in the foregoing discourse 1. Qu. Whether Protestants did upon just and necessary grounds separate from the communion of the Church of Rome in her worship and discipline Answ They did which I thus prove 1. Because the Church of Rome hath altered the rule of the Christian faith The Church is a holy Common-wealth under the government of the Lord Jesus Christ and he governs it by his laws contained in the holy Scriptures these are the rule of their worship and obedience to him Math. 28.18 19 20. He that alters this rule altereth the fundamental constitution of the Church But the Church of Rome hath altered this rule they teach the Scriptures to be a defective insufficient rule and therefore they joyn to them the Apocryphal books of the Old Testament and the Traditions of the Church which also they receive and reject at their pleasure Decrees of Councils and decretals and decisions of Popes all these together are the perfect rule that the Papists acknowledge and pretend to I say pretend because the Scripture hath little share in it when it comes to Tryal hereby they have made a new foundation of the Church both of faith and practice For it is not sufficient that we believe and practise all that is in the Canonical Scriptures but we must believe and obey the Apocryphal writings and unwritten Traditions as of the same authority with the Bible thus the Council of Trent hath determined as was shewed before This altereth the very constitution of the Church and subjecteth it to men instead of Christ and this is the root of all apostasie 2. Because the Papists pretend their Pope or Church to be above the Scriptures and to put an authentick authority on them and their sense Thus all our faith and obedience is resolved into the determination of men That the Papists pretend the Pope their Council or Church to be above the Scriptures cannot be denied they give the authority and authentickness to the Scriptures 't is from their command that the Bible is received and if they pleased they might cause it to be laid aside it cannot be known they say that the Scriptures are Gods word but that
their Church declares it nor is any sense or meaning to be fixt upon as the certain sense of any Scripture but what they determine to be the meaning of the place Accordingly the Trent Council out of their great power have determined the vulgar Latin Translation of the Bible to be authentick and equal to the Greek and Hebrew originals Council of Trent Ses 4 though their own authors acknowledge it to be most false defective and in many things ridiculous Now then our faith is not ultimately resolved into the Scriptures we do not believe and obey because we know and are sure from Scripture that this is the mind of God but because the Pope or Church declare it to be the mind of God yea though the words of Scripture plainly condemn what they teach or though the Translation of a Scripture be contrary to the original which was indited by the spirit of God immediately yet if they say this is the meaning of the place and the true translation of it we must believe it The foundation then of all our faith and obedience is the determination of the Church or Pope Obj. But they are infallible they say Answ This they can never prove but if they were if I must believe meerly upon their Testimony and saying they are infallible my faith is still resolved into the witness of men their testimony concerning themselves is but a humane Testimony they do not cannot prove it by any divine infallible proof therefore my faith and obedience must ultimately pesolve into humane authority The Apostles were infallible yet had not they dominion over the faith of the Church 2 Cor. 12.24 to command what should be believed and practised but they proved by infallible and divine Testimony of miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost that what they taught came from God and so the belief of the people was built upon the Testimony of God to the Apostles doctrine 1. Cor. 2.4 5. the Apostle saith his preaching was in demonstration of the spirit and of power That their faith might not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God If their faith had been grounded upon the Apostles own Testimony of his self that he was infallible and upon his determination concerning any Scripture or doctrine out of his own wisdom though he had seemed to prove it strangely their faith had stood upon the authoty wisdom of man but therefore their faith was built on God because his spirit did powerfully demonstrate what the Apostle preacht to be from God therefore unless the Papists can prove their infallibility by miracles and demonstration of the spirit theirs is but a humane Testimony and so we know it is and a false one too and therefore it is an intolerable abuse to take the Church off from faith and obedience to Christ as the head commanding and ruling her and from the holy Spirit as inditing and confirming the holy Scriptures and to subject her to the authority and determinations of fallible and sometimes most wicked men To let pass that the Papists themselves not being agreed who is the infallible supreme judge whether the Pope Council or the whole Church no man of them hath any sure foundation for his Faith If they say the Scripture declares who is the supreme infallible Judge I answer that Judge must again tell us what is the meaning of that Scripture The Pope saith it means him the Council and Church say it means them here are three pretenders to supreme and infallible authority and to interpret the Scripture which soever a man adheres to it is two to one but he is mistaken however here is no way to determine who is the infallible Judge unless there be infallible marks and Testimonies of it given by God and then they are of the supreme authority and neither Pope Council nor Church themselves but such they can never produce Thus the whole matter is but an inconsistent juggle to bring the Church into subjection to the Pope 3. Because the Church of Rome takes away the Scriptures from the people yea and alloweth the Clergy themselves the use of the corrupt vulgar Translation of the Bible only Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10.14 How then shall the people get Faith or grow in it when they must not have the Scriptures to read themselves nor have them read to them by their teachers but in an unknown tongue and that Translation so corrupt also that if any of them should understand Latin they would yet have much difficulty to find the truth The Scriptures are Christs Law whereby he governs his Church and the peoples Magna Charta the Charter of all their priviledges and of all Gods promises spiritual and temporal to take this from them is to deprive them both of the rule of their obedience and of the foundation of all their faith and hope in God This is not to be endured upon any pretence whatsoever 4. Because they impose the celebration of Gods worship in an unknown tongue the Papists celebrate their prayers Sacraments and singing of Psalms all in Latin which as they know the people understand not so they would not have them understand it by this means the people are deprived of all true worship For worship is the reverence and affection of the soul to God either in ascribing honour to him or desiring of him and trusting in him for whatever we need This it is impossible man should give to God in and by those words and expressions which he understandeth not which for what he knows may blaspheme God or beg a curse instead of a blessing which as managed by illiterate Priests oftentimes are nonsense and signifie nothing and sometimes contrary to sound Doctrine yea may at all times for what the people know be directed to an Idol or a Devil instead of God For preaching of the word the Papists pretend but little to it And thus the Roman Church is a Church of Christ which acknowledgeth not him for her head and Governour nor his word for her rule and Law nor his worship for her practice but sabjecteth her self to a wicked man under the name of Christs Vicar taketh his will for her Law and his institutions for her worship without Question and without understanding This is an abuse Jot to be tolerated 5. The Idolary that the Papists impose on the Church the Apostle is express You cannot partake of the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devils the Cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils 1 Cor. wor-10 20 21. and these Devils he saith are shipped in Idols by Idolaters with whom therefore we must have no communion now the greatest part of the Papists worship consists in the worship and invocation of Saints Angels and the Virgin Mary and their waser-God which they practise upon the very same grounds on which the Heathens worshipt their Idols and therefore are Idolaters as well as the
the promoters of them did also promote their authority and strengthen their hands against the Godly and most serious part of the Church But the most usual causes of errors are ignorance of the Scriptures and of the principles of religion founded on them which in the primitive times had a great occasion given it by the prejudicate opinions that new Converts brought from Judaisme and Paganisme and from the new Testament not being fully written in a considerable time and the several books thereof not gathered into one volume in a long space after and chiefly corrupt affections Men will imbrace errors because they love not the truth Vse 1. This sheweth the necessity of adhering to the Scripture and of a standing Ministry If we stick not to the Scripture the pretence of the Spirit and Traditions will lead us into a wilderness where there is no end Heathens Mahometans Papists and all Enthusiasts will distract us by their several and contrary pretensions And if there be not a standing and learned Ministry Apocryphal Scriptures and false interpretations of Scripture will easily beguile the unskilful and hinder the edification of the more wise 2. The Papist's brags of infallibility of the Pope or Church and the necessity of it to the foundation of our faith is as foolish as it is untrue The Apostles and Apostolical men were infallible and yet this will not prevent errors and Heresies of the highest nature either in their own or in the next succeeding ages An infallible head or guide will not secure the Church from errors and divisions unless all the people be infallible likewise certainly able to discern the truth declared to them and perfectly free from all evil affections which may hinder their receiving and submitting to the truth 3. It is no Wonder to see errors and divisions in these last days of the Church sith they were in the first While men are subject to ignorance and evil affections there will be both errors and divisions and if we go to the Church of Rome to avoid all errors and Schisms because they boast of such Unity which was never promised nor long enjoyed by any Church we shall but do like Children that tear many little holes in a garment into one great one that comprehends them all and more and cannot be repaired Obs 2. It is certainly foretold that there should be an Apostasie in the Church The same Apostle almost in the same words foretels it 1 Tim. 4.1 The spirit speaks expresly that some shall depart from the faith The first Christians might be apt to expect the coming of Christ and their everlasting rest to be at hand from the love and joy they had conceived upon their first receiving the Gospel but they are here told that happy time is not so nigh There must come a departure of many from the faith first and many contests and persecutions should ensue thence and therefore they should arm themselves with patience to a conflict before they must expect the Crown When God made the world he made it wonderful great and large and stored it with almost infinite variety of creatures to set forth his own Majesty he hath also continued it some thousands of years with as great variety of providences in his governing of it to shew his manifold wisdom power mercy and justice and what will be the wonderful transactions of the world to come throughout eternity to set forth the glory of the â—ernal God no creature can conceive In like manner when our Lord came from Heaven to purchase a Church to serve him it was not quickly to expire but to conflict with the world and the Devil with enemies without and within through many changes and vicissitudes a considerable time and at last through faith and patience to inherit the promises It was long that the Church continued under the bondage of the Law and there were many changes and declinings of it at several times under the Judges and Kings of Judah but there was one great Apostasie of the Ten tribes under Jeroboam which ended in the ruin of that State and people Such a departure was there to be in the Christian Church signified here by the indeterminate word There shall come a departure or Apostasie for the falling off of a few particular persons was no strange thing but happened in every age Now such Apostasies are permitted 1. To punish the ingratitude of men for the Gospel Because they receive not the love of the truth because Christ and his Gospel are not welcome to the generality of men but any or no religion would content them as well if they might have outward peace and prosperity therefore Christ suffers them to be inticed with Errors and Heresies to their own destruction which at last bring publick calamities and ruin 2. To punish the Hypocrisie of others Some pretend great zeal and affection in the peace of the Church which is either meerly pretended for worldly interest or but a light and transient passion as in the stony ground who can never be perswaded to be zealous and rooted Christians Matth. 13.20 therefore when they have been tryed a convenient time opportunities of backsliding are sufferred to come to discover and shame them 3. To manifest and honour those that are sound 1 Cor. 11.18 19. There must be heresies among you that they which be approved may be made manifest among you When peace and truth meet together the sound and best Christians are unknown and for the most part less regarded than the Hypocrites that make more shew and noise Christ therefore suffers apostasies to come to discover and honour his sincere humble diligent and stedfast servants 4. Errors are also permitted to clear the trut more and make them that are sound more stedfast and strong The truths of the Gospel have in all ages been prejudiced by the zeal and good affection of some well minded as well as by the opposition of enemies because their affection over-run their judgment and their care to get a distinct knowledge of the principles of religion but the appearance of errours and corruptions makes them more careful to search the truth which hath been always more cleared and fortified by occasion of the oppositions against it and those who are upright have been put upon getting a clearer knowledge of the grounds of their faith worship and practices thereby 5. And in all this Christ manifesteth his distinguishing grace to some and his righteous judgments upon others Rom. 11.22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God on them which fell severity but towards thee goodness if thou continue in his goodness 6. Hereby all are stirred up to diligence and watchfulness When there shall come a falling away of many all are warn'd thereby to take care how they stand lest they also fall Rom. 11.20 Vse Be not therefore suprized at discouraged or tempted by the apostasies of others Though the Church be fair as the Moon she hath
the Pope their head not to Christ The Lords supper is not sufficient to comfort a dying Christian but they add their Sacrament of extreme unction to strengthen them against the flames of Purgatory Thus they have more Sacraments and for other ends than Christ appointed 7. Christs Church is to be guided and governed only by the officers and Ministers of his own appointing and that according to his word Christ as the head and Saviour of his Church hath appointed that it shall be instructed and governed by his laws guided and ruled by his officers in the practice and execution of his laws and Commands what they shall be he hath appointed Eph. 4.11 12 to 16. viz. Apostles Prophets Evangelists to convert the world and raise his Church at first Pastors and Teachers to guide and instruct it to the end of the world and these he hath ordered to teach his people his Commands Matth. 28.20 to preach his word administer his Sacraments and to be examples to the flock of all humility and holiness not for filthy lucre but out of desire of their good 1 Pet. 5.1 to 4. But the Papists have quite altered the nature and use of the Ministry of the Church Council Triden Sess 23. ch 1 2 3. Can. 1 2. They have added five or six orders of Officers to those that Christ appointed only for pomp and superstition viz. Subdeacons Exorcists Readers Singers Acolothites and Porters Their Priests preach not the word but are chiefly ordained to offer the sacrifice of the Mass which also is most of their imployment The Pope the Head of their Church is an earthly Monarch above all Princes and Emperors living in all the state and pomp of the old Roman Emperours challenging the same honour observance and more than they did viz. the kissing of his feet except one or two most insolent Tyrants His Cardinals are Princes and the chief Cardinal Bishop taketh place of the Emperours Embassadour and the next takes place of all other Embassadours Their whole ministry almost consisteth in hearing confessions pardoning sins enjoyning penance preaching the authority of the Pope the Canons and Traditions of their own Church and in saying Masses and prayers for the absent and for the dead 8. The great design of the Gospel is that men being reconciled to God may live to him in all holiness and righteousness and this is the practice of the Church of Christ The Church is redeemed and purchased to be a peculiar people to Christ zealous of good works therefore is it called out of the world inspired with his spirit of grace and holiness taught by his holy law and subjected to his holy discipline the work of Christians is to be dying to the world mortifying their lust and growing in grace in hope of and preparation for Glory Titus 2.11 12 13 14. But the design of Popery by keeping the people ignorant of the word and Sacraments is to bring them into subjection to the Pope and his Clergy Their ordinances and worship tend not to purifie the conscience but under a vain shew of a carnal pompous service to cheat them of knowledge and spiritual edification and to enthral men to their Church and their own Institutions They teach that the bare use of the Sacraments conferreth grace though a man neither understand what he doth nor is serious in it and if perhaps he should be serious yet the efficacy of the Sacraments dependeth on the Priests intention so that if he be not serious or understandeth not what he doth the Communicant can have no benefit They tolerate all manner of wickedness Pope Nicholas teacheth it is better for their Clergy to live in secret fornication than to marry Satius est pluribus occultis implicari quam in conspectu mundi cum una ligari And the people may live how they please so they be obedient to the orders of the Church confess and receive Mass once a year this will blot out all sin and though a man should live in wickedness all his days yet if he but die in their communion with the Priests absolution which may be easily had he shall go to Purgatory but for a time and so to Heaven and money may procure Masses and prayers for him when dead that will hasten his deliverance thence also so that they that will not leave their sins while they live may buy their pardon and redemption from torment after they are dead how can there be a more effectual way to encourage men in sin 9. Self-denyal contempt of the world and bearing the Cross are the profession and badge of Christs Church Our Saviour declared that his Kingdom was not of this world and his Disciples must not expect nor fight for it here John 18.36 He hath promised them his spirit and comforts in a greater measure than formerly because they were to meet with much tribulation in this world John 16.33 and our Saviour hath given us this universal rule except a man deny himself and take up his cross and follow me he cannot be my Disciple Lub 14.27 Matth. 16.24 But the Papists make outward prosperity and grandeur a mark of the true Church and that the Pope and Bishops are Princes above all Princes and that instead of suffering any persecution they are to make War upon all Princes that displease them to destroy by open force of battle or sudden Massacres and private treacheries all they can reach that are not obedient to them or suspected not to be hearty or but to favour or be mild towards those they call Hereticks 10. Heaven is proposed as the certain reward of the servants of Christ The grace of God that brings Salvation teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godlily in this world looking for the glorious appearance of God our Saviour Tit. 2.11 12 13. In this life Christians are to fight strive and run but when this life ends their course is finished and there remains nothing but a Crown of life which the righteous judge shall give to all them that love his appearance 2 Tim. 4.6 7. But the Papists teach that all assurance of Salvation is presumption Concil Triden Ses 6. ch 12 13. Can. 15 16. the most we must expect is after many afflictions from Gods hand and voluntary severities upon our selves to satisfie for sin at last to go to Purgatory for a long time there to suffer the same torments that the damned do in Hell It is reported of Bellarmin that when some about him would have comforted him at his death with his great merits and that he should certainly go to heaven he answered It is not so easie a thing to get to heaven and that he could be content to suffer the pains of Purgatory many years if he could be sure to come to heaven at last Thus though they tell men they may merit Heaven and do works of supererogation viz. more than God requires of
then when the incumbent died the Pope must be judge who shall have it of all these which shall certainly be he that will give most money Thus they make woful Merchandize with mens souls 4. Continual endeavours to stir up wars and imbroil Nations The Pope pretends to be Lord of Lords and King of Kings and therefore he disposeth of Kingdoms sets up and pulls down Princes as he pleases and this is a sufficient pretence for any unjust wars and invasions and wherever there are any differences among Princes and their Subjects he interposeth his authority usually taking the unjust part if like to prevail that they being beholding to him may requite him with some addition to his authority or revenue Pope Zacheriah gave France to Pipin an aspiring man deposing Childerick their lawful King as unfit to govern Leo the 4. gave the Empire of the Romans to Charles the great and another gave England to the French in King Johns time and sent them to Conquer it and of late the Pope gave the East Indies to the Portugal and the West to the Spaniard where they murdred the poor natives as wild beasts made to be destroyed These doctrines and practices are not taught and practised by a few only among them but they are the State policies by which they stand which they never disown never endeavour to reform it is the design of their government to be universal and to attain it by any means Hence we infer that to hold communion with this Church is to conspire against the Church of Christ against all that is sacred or moral Nor may we expect any reformation from them they will not they cannot be better their interest and government depends upon these methods and therefore this Man of sin is the son of perdition appointed to be destroyed not to be reformed let us not deceive our selves with vain hopes They are and must be the same when they have opportunity The second character of this Apostasie is laid down v. 4. Who opposeth himself viz. the man of sin the Head of this apostasie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an adversary or one that sets himsel against Christ The same title that is given to the Devil viz. Satan an enemy or adversary Now the Devil was an adversary not by denying the true God he believes and trembles James 2.19 nor by causing himself to be worshipped as the supreme God for the Idols which the Heathens worshipped they worshipped as Mediators and servants to the supreme God but under this pretence the Devil took to himself all the worship and service of the world and left God but an empty name of Creatour and supreme residing in heaven when he himself was the God of this world ordering all things after his own lusts this the Devil did so long as Heathenism prevailed by the several Governours and Princes of the world and when he was cast out of Heaven viz. his worship Idolatry and Heathenish superstition abolished by the fail of the Heathen Roman Empire Rev. 12. v. 7 8 9 10. and opposition to the name of Christ was taken away he cast about and after some time delivered his power to the second Beast who used the power and tyranny of the former Beast i. e. the Roman Empire opposing Christ and his worship setting up himself with all superstition and Idolatry but under fair pretences of Christs authority Rev. 13.11 12 c. This beast was like a Lamb but spake as the Dragon and used all the power of the former beast viz. the Heathen government Now that the Pope and his adherents do thus oppose Christ and not his name but his power and worship drawing all subjection to himself and leaving Christ but a bare and empty title he being as Stapleton calls him plain supremum in terris numen i. e. the most high and absolute God in earth It is manifest 1. The Pope will not suffer Christ to be King and law-maker in his Church Kingly power consisteth in making laws and ruling according to them this belongs to Christ and he gave his word to be the law of his Church and his Mininisters to execute and administer it according to his mind But the Pope challengeth the sole power and government of the Church on earth to belong to him the authority of the Scriptures to belong to him that he can add to them take from them or dispense with any thing there commanded that he only must interpret and give them their sense that his determinations is the rule of conscience for whatsoever he defineth or commandeth is to be believed and obeyed and so under the pretence of Christs Vicar he rules as Christ on earth 2. The Pope will not allow Christ to appoint the ordinances of his own worship It belongs to Christ as King to appoint how and by whom he will be worshipped but the Pope will not give him leave He appoints more orders of Officers than Christ did more Sacraments and alters those of his appointing the bread in the supper he maketh a God to be worshipped and yet a Sacrifice to be offered to God the cup he takes away from the people the Council of Trent most insolently telling us that though our Lord Christ instituted and gave his supper to his Apostles under both kinds of bread and wine yet that doth not oblige all the faithful to receive it under both kinds Concil Trid. Ses 21. ch 1. Etsi Christus dominus in ultima coena venerabile hoc Sacramentum in panis vini specicbus instituit Apostlis tradidit non tamen illa institutio traditio â—ò tendunt ut omnes Christi fideles statuto domini ad utramque speciem accipiendam astringantur He appoints Saints and Angels and especially Christs Mother to be worshipped and honoured yea the very Cross on which he was murdered pretending these to be more honour to Christ than the preaching or hearing his holy word Almost the whole body of the Papists worship is of the Popes own institution 3. The Pope will not suffer Christ to appoint the means of his own grace to Salvation Christ as the Saviour of his people as divine and Princely Saviour is to appoint and hath appointed by what means and in what duties he will bestow and increase his grace to eternal life but the Pope lays these aside at his pleasure viz. the reading and hearing the Scripture the use of the Sacraments and prayer in a tongue that can be understood by those that use it and appointeth more upon which the greatest stress of salvation is laid as confession of sin to Priest without out which there is no forgiveness to the living and private Masses both for the quick and dead anointing of Children to confirm them in grace and anointing the dying to strengthen and comfort them against the terror of death crosses and holy water to drive away the devil and so many of this kind that they have greatly obscured the means
Church and all Bishops Priests c. receive their power from him So that all are but his Deputies his servants the disposal of all Bishopricks and benefices if he please throughout the world belongs to him The power of Excommunication and absolution of making and altering all Ecclesiastical laws and injunctions resides in him and to him all appeals must be made 3. The Pope challengeth power over the Devils They have their book of exorcismes the office of exorcists their many mysteries certain prayers forms of words Holy water consecrated circles c. by which they pretend to cast out to raise to lay and bind the Devil as they please 4. They pretend also that the Holy Angels and glorified Saints are at their Command Pope Clement 6. the first author of their Jubilees in his Bull wherein he promised great priviledges to all that would come to Rome adds this viz. that if any of these holy Pilgrims should chance to die by the way in their journey he commandeth the holy Angels immediately to transport their souls to heaven The Keys of heaven are one of the Ensigns of the Popes dignity he can unsaint those that are gone to heaven he can release out of Purgatory as soon or detain there as long as he pleaseth Yea Pope Gregory the 1. they say by his prayers brought the soul of Trajanus the Emperour out of Hell 500. Years after he was dead They interpret the 8. Psalm v. 4. c. of the Pope viz. he is that son of man that is crowned with glory and dignity that hath dominion over all the works of God that hath all things put under his feet all Sheep and Oxen i. e. all Christians all the Beasts of the field i. e. all the Infidels the Fowls of heaven i e. the Angels and Saints above and the fish of the Sea i. e. the souls in Purgatory 5. The Pope exalteth himself above Christ he challengeth the sole government of the Church on earth to belong to him to make and abrogate Laws and to guide it infallibly so that Christ now hath nothing to do with the Church militant he can and daily doth interpret and dispense with the Laws of Christ and hath authority above his word When the Pope goes out of Town the host his breaden God is carried on Horse-back amongst his Sumpters and other furnitures a day before-hand as one of his utensils and in the Church the Pope sitteth above the Altar and above the Host and giveth it but a small nod as he passeth by when the people give ten times more reverence to him than they do to the Host even according to their own ceremonies 6. He exalteth himself above God He taketh more care to have his own Laws observed than Gods commands and punisheth the violation of them more severely than sins against God To speak against the Pope the virgin Mary or any of their Saints to work on their Holy-days to eat flesh on a fast-day especially in Lent are greater offences and harder to be forgiven than any sins against God Yea it is the design of the Papacy to exalt themselves whatever comes of the honour of God A man may be of any religion or no religion may live as he please so he own the Popes power and hold the Communion of that Church and this is all their unity they so much brag of Papa potest omnia quae Deus potest say their Canonists The Pope can do all that God can do yea and more as they add potest facere justum ex injusto he can make evil good vice to be vertue yea every Popish Priest they say can make his God and maker out of a piece of bread A Frier in a Sermon before the Spanish Governour at Milan magnifying the Priests power said a Priest could do more than God For God could only make creatures but every Priest could make the infinite God the maker of all which God could not do and yet saith the Authour this passed without controul The Apostle amplifieth this pride in the next words he exalteth himself so as he sitteth as God in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God i. e. he ruleth in the Church of God and challengeth honour from the Church as if he were God The Papists would hence infer that Antichrist or this man of sin shall be a Leader of the Jews sitting and being worshipped in their Temple at Jerusalem to be rebuilt by him but that Temple shall never be rebuilt when the Jews attempted it in Julians time they were hindred by fire breaking out of the earth and descending from heaven and the Jews themselves shall all be converted to Christ The Temple of God here is his Church in which the Man of sin must sit who must therefore be an apostate Christian only not the Turk neither alone as some Papists would have it nor in conjunction with the Poipe as some Protestants think Piscator in Loc. he never was a Christian nor sitteth in the Church nor endeavoureth to alter or corrupt the worship of it nor assumeth divine prerogatives to himself nor was known to the world for many ages after this was written neither his religion name or Nation whereas this mystery of iniquity was working in the Apostles days and by him discovered and pointed at to the Church But that the Pope doth sit in the Church as if he were God is manifest It is not amiss to observe the word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sitteth in the Temple of God is the term the Popes use Kings are said to reign Popes to sit so many years and Rome it self is Sedes Apostolica the Apostolical See or Seat 1. The Pope challengeth an absolute universal power over the whole world When John the Bishop of Constantinople usurped the title of universal Bishop Pope Gregory the 1. called him the King of pride the forerunner of Antichrist yet he challenged that title only over the Church and meant it only of a primacy of order to be the first and chief Bishop but Boniface the 3. ten years after obtained to be head and universal Bishop and his successours have ever since used it exercising an absolute jurisdiction both in Civil and Ecclesiastical matters The Pope challengeth the disposal of all Kingdoms if there be any question about succession or any controversie among Princes he interposeth and pretendeth to decide all as having the absolute power of disposing and ordering all things and in the Church the sole authority belongs to him of binding and loosing of appointing Bishops and Ministers and degrading them of conferring all imployments receiving all appeals not only in reserved cases but in all ordinary cases when he pleases or the parties please to remove the case to Rome This is a power beyond a mortal man a charge that no creature can perform to inspect and order the affairs of the whole world both of this life and that which is to come 2. He
not fit the Ministers of Christ should be under the power of men of this world or that they should judge of Ecclesiastical causes or dispose of Ecclesiastical imployments but that all should be managed by a spiritual Court and spiritual person 2. They pretend the benefit of the Church It is necessary they say that as the Church is one body on earth though dispersed in all quarters so it should have one visible Head who should be the fountain of Unity that he should have supreme and absolute power to judge all persons and to determine all cases to prevent divisions and to preserve Unity to maintain the doctrine and worship of the Gospel and to prevent or redress errors and corruptions and that things may be managed with safety it is necessary this Head should be infallible who may neither be subject to deceive or be deceived for what end shall there be of Questions and controversies in Religion or in Civil matters How shall Heresies Schisms Wars and Seditions be prevented if there be not a supreme infallible head and judge whose authority and decision may put an end to all strife and lead into all truth 3. They pretend great care of the peoples Salvation They take away the Scriptures from them for fear they should prophane them by using them in common discourse or fall into error and Heresies by mistaking the meaning of them or be puffed up with knowledge and so be disobedient to their teachers and run into Sects divisions therefore they give them Images Crucifixes c. which they call Lay-mens books to stir up their devotion without danger of making them heady or high-minded they allow them little preaching and celeberate all the worship of God in an unknown tongue that the people may not grow slight and prophane and that they may still admire what they understand not ignorance being the best mother of devotion and for the greater security and ease they teach them implicitely to believe what the Church believes and that being infallible they cannot believe amiss especially when they know not in particular what she believeth nor can call her faith into Question 4. They pretend great devotion and zeal to Gods worship spiritual knowledge pious affections spiritual worship such as teaching the word prayer and use of plain Sacraments as Christ appointed them they think are mean things instead of these they build Temples adorn Images adore the bread in the Eucharist offer incense Tapers and many gifts as more real devotion Conc. Trid. Ses 25. The Council of Trent commands that the Priests should carefully teach the people the right use of Images which are to mind them of their Saints their virtues and miracles and sufferings that they may be stirred up thereby to the imitation of them Their worship of the Virgin is devotion to her Son and their praying to Saints and Angels is honour to God whose servants they are and the Pomp and riches of the Pope and his Bishops is to preserve the Gospel in honour and religion from contempt 5. They pretend great mortification They have frequent fasts at least from flesh and some sorts of food to curb keep down the flesh has they pretend Their voluntary penance whippings pilgrimages to remote places confessing all their sins to a Priest and craving his absolution and all to shew their sorrow for sin and to break them off from it more surely than the plain Spiritual means of the word and prayer It is thought great self-denyal to forsake the world to live in wildernesses and Monasteries to vow single life and to refrain those comforts and imployments which God hath both allowed and commanded 6. They pretend great humility It is humility in them to be subject to their superiours especially the Pope against their own reason and conscience and to obey all the commands and ordinances of their Church without presuming to inquire into the reason of them or to prove them by Scripture They account it presumption to pretend to assurance of Salvation and great humility to live and dye in doubt but especially that the best of them must not pretend to go to Heaven but through long suffering the pains of Purgatory and the help of the prayers of the Church on earth and of the merits of the Church in Heaven 7. They pretend great care to have the Ministery pure and industrious therefore they allow them not to marry because said Pope Ciricius they that are in the flesh cannot please God and that being free from the cares of a family they may wholly attend upon their Ministry and lest the service of Parish Priests should not be sufficient they have multitudes of Monks and Friars to help them in private and whose prayers and private Masses are always going for the benefit of the Church Thus they have plausible pretences for all their doctrines and practices nevertheless it is a mystery of iniquity in every particular 1. The universal power the Pope claimeth is only to set up himself and his own institutions therefore he taketh upon him all the state and grandeur of the Roman Emperours even the proudest of them he gives away Kingdoms when Kings any way displease him though they be very religious towards God and when he can make any advantage He sets Christian Kings at war with each other and taketh the unjustest part so it be the strongest yea himself raiseth War and driveth Princes out of their dominions to increase the riches of the Church or to preferr his own Nephews and kindred This was notorious in Julius 2 and many of his predecessours he maketh the Emperours swear allegiance to him and the Bishops at their consecration use to swear to maintain Regalia sancti Petri the royalties of Saint Peter 2. The pretence of infallibility is only to gain authority to himself that he may command and do what he pleaseth in the world it is used only to draw people into seditions and massacres to patronize any unjust actions or claims when the Pope giveth away the right of a King or other person when he dissolveth Lawful marriages or giveth dispensations to contract unlawful Matrimony as betwixt Uncle and Niece in Philip 2. of Spain or betwixt Brother and brothers Wife as at this day in Portugal the former husband yet living and the like when he forgives all manner of sins when he maketh as his Canons give him leave just things unjust and sins to be duties then he maketh use of his pretended infallibility and never but it such cases for the Popes never do nor never will determine or end any controversie in religion for fear of losing one part of the contenders There is a great difference among themselves betwixt the Dominicans and Jesuites about the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary Philip the 2 and 3. of Spain did for many years together by their Embassadours earnestly sollicite the Popes to use their Infallibility and decide the controversie but they could never
be subject to their own pastours and to take heed of admiring and hearkning after others if this had been done the Pope had never got the Chair Hitherto the Apostle hath given the description of Antichrist and soretold his insolency and Tyranny over the Church to teach Christians what to expect and to arm themselves with patience and courarge Now to prevent desponding he foretels his destruction v. 8. Whom the Lord shall comsume with the spirit of his month and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming The destruction of this man of sin is as certain to be in due time as his coming was the Lord shall consume him c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as this wicked one is in special manner an enemy to Christ so Christ will set himself to destroy him will consume utterly destroy as Armies lay wast a Country that they invade the means by which he will do it is by the spirit of his month i. e. his word accompanied by his spirit and we may observe that no other means have been very successful either to hinder the growth or to hasten the ruine of the man of sin the Eastern Emperours with all their power opposed the Gregories and in the West the Othos Fredericks and Henries opposed the Popes in their time but all to their own destruction the people being bewitcht and Princes too by the inchantments of the Great Whore but when the appointed time was come a few inconsiderable men Luther and his fellows only by preaching the word in the space of about 40. years rent from the Pope half his Empire and weakned him in all the remaining parts also many in all Countries receiving the knowledge of the truth and both Princes and people that still adhere to him standing in much less fear of him and paying him much less homage and subjection than before Again since the first reformation though powerful Princes and many Nations have imbraced the Gospel and have made some attempts by power and arms to promote it and have had some very fair opportunities as when Hen. the 4 a Protestant was made King of France and conquered all his opposers and in the late German wars yet nothing considerable hath been done but as to particular persons there hath rather been a loss in this last age and a great indifferency hath grown upon the Protestant Churches The time when this ruine shall be consummated is here exprest by the brightness of his coming fo by the appearance of his presence as the man of sin was conceived born and grew up by degrees so he hath been and gradually shall be destroyed 1. Christ by his word and spirit preserved a select number in all times that opposed him and bore Testimony against him both by word and sufferings some Princes some learned many both of the Clergy and people protested against the encroachments and impositions of the Popes whilst they were contending for the universal Empire of the Church and when they had gained it and thought all sure about Ann. 1160. God raised the Waldenses and Albigenses to bear witness against them who spread themselves into France Italy Bohemia Austria England and could never be extinguisht till their doctrine swallowed up a great part of Popery as Moses's Rod did those of the Magicians Thus it was prophesied Rev. 14 1-6 v. that there should be one hundred forty four thousand under the Tyranny of the beast who kept themselves undefiled Virgins who followed the Lamb whithersoever he went and kept his Fathers name in their fore head not submitting to the mark of the beast 2. A As the fall of this man of sin draws nearer so the word hath greater success and turneth Nations and rulers to the acknowledgement of it God dispenseth his grace gradually according to the times he hath appointed from the flood for above one thousand years it was restrained mostly to the Jewish Nation then our Lord sent his Apostles to teach all Nations but it was several hundred years before the Nations became Christian though there were many Christians in them and no sooner had they received the Gospel but it began to be darkned by the invasion of Pagans Goths and Vandals by the fraud and violence of Mahomet and his followers and mostly by errors and superstitions in the Church it self which bred and brought forth the Pope and he at last scaled up the Bible and quite changed Christian religion into a new sort of Paganism then for about 350. years the truth was forced into corners but few received and owned it in comparison of the world that wondred after the beast since that time whole Nations have been enlightened 3. Christ will yet more enlighten by the preaching of his word till all Nations shall see the frauds and corruptions of Popery and abhor them there will come a time when the Kingdoms of this world shall be the Kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever Rev. 11.15 Not only the godly but the generality of men also shall believe and acknowledge the cheats of the Pope the false doctrines and delusions of his Ministers and shall no more be enticed by them and they shall love the godly and willingly submit to the pure doctrine worship and discipline of the Gospel though they have been so unwilling to receive it hitherto 4. Christ will stir up the spirit of Princes to destroy Rome it self and that wicked Polity Rev. 17.16 The Kings of the earth shall hate the whore and burn her flesh with fire As the Kings for their own interest and private designs chiesly though under a pretence of devotion advanced the Pope till he was able to tread upon all their necks so some for their own interest and by reason of provocations from Rome shall in due time be incensed against her and utterly destroy her 5. And by this means the Tyranny insinuations and interests of the Pope and the Princes that joyned with him being removed and dissolved the Gospel shall have its free passage and the Church its full liberty Many learned men have interpreted this place of Christs destroying the man of sin by the brightness of his coming of Christs coming to the last judgement as if the Pope his Tyranny should continue at least in part till then and be utterly abolisht only by Christs personal coming to judgement but it is usual in scripture to express great changes in Church or State by the coming and appearance of the Lord particularly the destruction of the Jews for rejecting Christ is exprest by the Prophets Joel and Malachie in such phrases that have occasioned many to interpret them of the last judgement our Saviour also Math. 24 25. ch expresseth his judging of that Nation in like phrases and calls it his coming and commands his servants to watch and prepare for it likewise Rev. 6. the subduing of the heathen world to Christ by the Emperours receiving the Gospel and establishing
it for the publick religion is set out as if it were to be the end of the world and such a consternation to seise upon men as if the end of all things were come upon them The Scriptures foretel in many words and with many circumstances the fall of Mystical Babylon which is Rome and mostly in the same words that foretold the ruin of old Babylon as is plain by comparing the 51. ch of Jeremiah with the 18. chap. or Rev. and this is spoken both to deter men from complying with Rome and encourage the godly to patience in their sufferings under her Tyranny but all this is needless in a great measure if no more were intended than to tell the world that Rome and her power should be destroyed when the whole world should end moreover it is prophesied Rev. 17.16 that the ten Kings that gave their power to the beast i.e. some of them shall take the Whore eat her flesh and burn her with fire chap. 18.2 An Angel again foretells that Babylon should be cast down with violence as a great milstone into the Sea and never rise again which were no wonder if this were not to be till the end of the world It is also said v. 2 3. as it was of old Babylon that all unclean and hateful birds should lodge in the ruines of Rome v. 4 5. Christ commands his people to come out of her that they may not partake of her plagues v. 6. they are commanded to be the executioners of Gods wrath upon her and to reward her double for all that she hath done to them v. 8 9. some of the Kings that still adhered to her with others of all sorts are described to make great lamentation over her when they behold the smoak of her burning and chap. 19. is a triumphant Song of the Church for Christs victory over Babylon and their deliverance from her these things are certain and show that the Church shall be delivered both from the seduction and persecution of the Pope some time before the end of the world and it is very probable that the thousand years peace of the Church foretold chap. 20. is to succeed the fall of Rome all other conjectures about it are already confuted by the event and that it cannot be meant of heaven is evident from this that Gog and Magog are to make insurrection against the Church a little before the thousand years expireth and the general judgement is described to follow soon after Vse 1. This should keep men from embracing and persuade them to forsake the Romish religion It is as all other carnal things be a perishing Religion that Church Christ hath promised to destroy and that with a desolation proportionable to all the magnificence and pomp she hath enjoyed with an overthrow that shall make a change as if the world were ending 2. Let the godly strengthen their patience in bearing all her violence and persecutions there is an appointed end Rome shall as certainly fall and her power and policy be broken as old Babylon was ruin'd which was once the terror of the world and had held the Empire near fourteen hundred years longer than Rome shall the blood and sufferings of the Saints shall be revenged upon Rome abundantly Rev. 18.7 8. and they shall have abundant joy in her destruction and their own deliverance even such as Israel had when they were escaped out of Egypt thorow the Red Sea and saw all their enemies dead on the shore Rev. 15.2 3 4. 3. The godly both ministers and people should be encouraged to oppose and strive against Popery to the utmost their labour shall not be in vain Christ will consume the man of sin by his word in their mouths and in time engage the Princes that now favour her to destroy her the preaching and writing of godly ministers the endeavours and sufferings of godly people are so many Testimonies against Rome and do weaken her interest and shall in time be all revived and prevail for her ruin notwithstanding all her arts and force and cruelties to preserve her self of which we have a pledge in that by these means many Kingdoms and Nations have already forsaken her 4. Though there be no power and strength to defend the Church and the truth though few should be valiant for it fear not the word and spirit of Christ will turn about the hearts of Princes and people to hate the Whore in due time the work is Christs own he hath undertaken it and who can resist his spirit when he will turn the hearts of men It seemeth that Rome shall have great probability of prevailing over the Church of Christ and great confidence of her own prosperity immediately before her fall Rev. 18.7 8. She saith in her heart I sit as Queen and am no Widow and shall see no sorrow Therefore shall her plagues come in one day c. even as Pharaoh did most distress Israel and was most confident of success the night before his ruin this very confidence of Rome and her last rage against the Church will engage God to its defence and provoke the world to her destruction Ver. 9. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders v. 10. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness Here are described the arts and methods by which the man of sin should attain his greatness and deceive the world partly that we may be the more aware of him and partly to set out the power of Christ and the efficacy of his word by whom he shall be destroyed notwithstanding all his arts and policies to preserve himself his coming saith the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his appearing and attaining supremacy in the Church is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the effectual working of the Devil the Devil never shewed so much art and contrivance in the erecting of any power or State as in that of the Popedom for besides force the usual methods whereby the four former great Monarchies were raised and preserved which also the Pope made use of here are other peculiar methods suited to the nature of a religious Monarchy or Tyranny under pretence of religion these are all power signs and lying wonders which are various expressions of miracles and miraculous operations to gain credit to their Doctrine and pretences 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all unrighteous deceits and cheats as Moses approved and confirmed his law and institutions by miracles and wonders and Christ with his Apostles confirmed the Gospel with signs and wonders and divers miracles and gifts of the holy Ghost Heb. 2.4 so Antichrist endeavored to prove his power errors and superstitions by miracles signs and wonders so the words here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie but the difference is great betwixt them the miracles of Moses and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles were real weighty and useful things frequent and innumerable apparent to all the world exposed
Heathens they say they do not worship them as God the Heathens said the same and as truly but they do ascribe to them the praise trust homage and subjection fear and reverence which is due only to God which is above the condition and desert of our fellow Creatures who depend upon God and the merits of Christ as much as we and this doth take off the Heart from God and makes men believe that the Saints and Angels are nearer to us more merciful more ready to help us than God is and more concerned for our good than our blessed Lord whose whole work it is to redeem and interceed for us 6. Their imposing the belief of Transubstantiation and worship of the bread in the Sacrament Most of our Marian Martyrs were put to death upon this point only their not believing the real presence as they Papists call it of Christ in the Sacrament i. e. that the bread was substantially turned into the body of Christ If men would impose upon us the belief of the least untruth though in natural or civil things we must not submit to them much less when they impose such an untruth as this Tiansubstantiation which is against the plain letter of Scripture which saith that Christ did not only take which was before Consecration but also that he gave bread and wine to be eaten and drunk by his disciples which was after they were consecrated 1 Cor. 11.22 23. which is also against our senses the eye the smell the touch and taste all witnessing the Elements to be still bread and wine against Philosophie which teacheth such a change of one body into another especially so small a one as that of a Wafer into so large as the body of Christ to be absolutely impossible yea and against common reason which knows whence the bread and wine came how they were made how they go into the stomach are digested refresh and are carried off like other food should such a Paradox be admitted there can be no certainty in any thing For by the pretence of such a change or miracle all evidence may be evaded and so the Apostles that saw Christ in the body heard him handled him both before and after his Resurrection might for what we know be all mistaken and all the witnesses of the miracles that confirm both Testaments might all failin their sense and judgement of things and so nothing be certain in Religion seeing there is continually in innumerable places such a prodigie as the Host which is as they say the glorified body of Christ now in Heaven and yet sense and reason take it to be a bit of bread what may they not perswade and impose on people that can prevail with them to believe this The worshipping of the bread doth also destroy the nature and use of the Sacrament where instead of a comfortable remembrance of Christ and his death to increase faith in him and love to him men are taught only ignorantly to worship a bit of bread and that with more solemnity than Christ himself was honoured with on earth 7. Because they take away the cup from the people in the Sacrament hereby they take upon them to alter Christs institution at their pleasure they deprive the people not only of one part of the Sacrament but in so doing wholly obscure the meaning of the Sacrament for seeing they break not the bread but give it whole nor pour out the wine nor suffer the people to see and drink it the people have no representation of the death of Christ neither of the breaking or bruising of his body nor shedding his blood and in this the Papists are most insolent of any other their Corruptions for that their Councils of a Sess 13. Constance and b Sess 21. Trent do acknowledge that Christ gave both Elements to his disciples and that the Primitive Church continued the like custom for many ages and yet they can presume to alter it upon trivial reasons 8. The Papists greatly obscure the Doctrine of Justification the Gospel is the glad tydings of peace the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5. ch 19 20. v. that God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself is the chief thing committed to the Ministers of the Gospel if therefore this be obscured the Gospel is in a great measure rendred ineffectual and the Ministry useless for the end it was appointed for It is the chief enquiry of sinful man what he should do to be saved Act. 16.31 and on this depends all his worship of God for till man be reconciled to God he cannot worship him acceptably nor can he trust love and fear God aright unless he know upon what grounds and in what way God will have this done If we lose the doctrine of Justification we lose the substance of the Gospel and of all Religion Now this the Papists do obscure so much that a man can scarce tell amidst their Doctrines what Christ hath done for him and what he must expect from Christ They say a natural man improving the gifts of nature doth in some fort merit the grace and spirit of God and when he hath that grace he doth ex condigno properly and of due debt merit the continuance of Gods favour and heaven it self yea over and above may merit for other men and if a man do commit sins after conversion his voluntary penances his patient bearing of Gods corrections in this world and Purgatory in the next together with alms-deeds fastings and such good works do make full satisfaction for all these sins and he that wants penance and satisfactions of his own may be supplied out of the treasury of the Church by Masses and the Popes indulgences Now this is not only the doctrine of Schoolmen but the chief part of Religion and worship among them and the chief things the Priests teach and are imploy'd about 9. The Popes claim of supremacy is blasphemous and not to be submitted to by the Churches Under the Gospel Christ hath appointed no high Priest to whom all Ministers should be subject no place of worship to which all Nations should repair no Mother Church on which they should depend none to be his Vicar on earth but all this the Pope and Church of Rome claim and usurp which tendeth to bring all the Churches on earth into bondage to them and to exclude the conduct of the spirit in the Ministers and Churches as if it were peculiar to them only it is also a power which no Creature is capable of and derogates from the honour of Christ who doth by his Godhead spirit and word preside in govern and guide his whole Church 10. Because the Papists have wholly changed the discipline of the Gospel into a pompous worldly Polity Christ appointed Pastors and teachers for the edifying of the Saints till they all come to the perfect man in Christ Eph. 4.12 13. but the Papists have changed this into a visible worldly Monarchy though under