of God but The popish sacrifice is abomination to God a wicked abbomination no more pleasing unto God than if men should offer a dogge in sacrifice unto him It might suffice to satisfie a modest minde that all which they doe is naught because they doe make themselves Priests after the order of Melchisedech and so do challenge to themselves greater honour than any Angell hath even the honour that is due alone unto the onely begotten Son of God And yet where the scripture sheweth that this honour was given unto Christ with an oath they will have part with him being not able to bring one sentence of the word to prove that there should be any Priest besides Christ He never ordained any Priest no one of his Apostles was called a Priest and in every point their order is so contrary unto the order of Melchisedech this I say might satisfie but yet to lay open their trechery further we will prove that they have abused the world and made them worship that for God which was but a cake of flower I will not goe farre for proofe hereof for it is manifestly and fully to be prooved by that which the holy Ghost hath set downe as concerning the sacrifice of the New Testament in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Those reasons which are there brought to prove that the sacrifices of the law could doe nothing and therefore were to be abolished will also serve to throw downe the abominable idol of the Papists For if the weaknes of those former sacrifices were gathered by their nature and order which was used in them then shall the sacrifice of the Masse if it bee found to differ as farre and further from that of Christes than those be found not to be the sacrifice of the New Testament In the Epistle to the Hebrewes Chap. 9. ver 1 it is said that the former covenant had also ordinances of religion and a worldly sanctuary and there he doth repeate particularly sundry things as the Candlesticke the Table the shew bread the Golden censure the Arke of the Testament the Golden pot with Manna Aarons Rod that had budded and the Tables of the Testament In this worldly Sanctuary with these foresaid ordinances of the same nature did the priests of the law exercise their office and this is one argument to prove that their priesthood was weake and could not bring men unto God For the habitation of God is in the heavens there is his throne of glory and most high majesty thither must those be brought which shall come unto him whereupon it followeth that the Priest that shall bring men unto God must be a minister of the Tabernacle of Heaven For the entring into the holy place made with hands and the ministring in the same with ordinances of the like nature that is to say earthly and transitory can by no meanes bring men eternally unto God For how shall earthly things compasse heavenly or things which vanish and decay bring that to passe which shall last for ever Those Priests therefore whose priesthood was transitory for their priesthood must needs be of the same nature and condition that their temple and ordinances were and can stand no longer than they were for to cease when the time was come unto which they were prefixed Vnto these is Christ opposed in the same Hebr. 9. ver 24. where he saith that Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are similitudes of the true sanctuary but is entred into heaven it selfe to appeare in the sight of God for us For as the sacrifice which he offred was heavenly and of eternall power so also is his Tabernacle and likewise his Priesthood For those three must ever be joyned together Then if the Priesthood of Aaron and his sacrifices could doe nothing but were to cease because their Tabernacle and ordinances were worldly how much lesse shall the greasie popish priestes be able to offer any sacrifice to appease Gods wrath seeing the sacrifice which must do that is heavenly and spirituall and cannot be offred in a worldly sanctuary nor with such ordinances as be of earthie nature For it is most manifest that all the trinkets ◅l the Popish ◅nkets are ◅rthly and trash of Popish Masse mongers wherewithall they do juggle and play with their Mammets are earthly and transitory so is also their Temple and Altars and consequently their Priesthood And further also it is certaine that the Priesthood of Aaron ◅on was cal◅d of God might rather be called heavenly than theirs because it was the paterne of the heavenly and he was called unto that honour of God but they can shew no calling thereto at all Who then is so blinde but may see that seeing the sacrifice propitiatory The Priests ◅hite cake o◅er his head is ◅ dead idol cannot be offred by an earthly Priest nor with earthly ordinances that the white cake which the uncleane shaveling the Baalamite doth hold up over his head is not the Sonne of God but a dead Idol If the blinde idolatous Papists will object that the efficacy of their sacrifice and priesthood is heavenly although it be executed on earth they are to be answered that if the efficacy of their priest hood be heavenly then is it eternall but they are mortall and doe not remaine Priests world without ende Againe the power of the sacrifice dependeth upon the power of the priest and so their sacrifice is not eternall This thing shall be yet more manifest by a further comparison which is made betweene the sacrifice of Christ and those of the law in the same Chapter verse 13. and 14. where Heb. 9. 13. ◅ it is shewed that if the bloud of calues and of goates and the ashes of a red Heffer sprinkling those that were defiled did sanctifie as touching the carnall purging then how much more shall the bloud of Christ which by his eternall spirit offred himselfe to God without spot purge your conscience from dead workes to serve the living God This comparison is brought in to prove that Christ by entring once into the holy places by his owne bloud hath found eternall redemption for that being the summe of the two verses going next before is proved by this It was graunted without controversie that by reason of gods ordinances the bloud of those poore beasts and the water made with the ashes of the Heffer being but a dead thing had power in some manner to purge as namely that which he calleth the carnall purging For if a man were polluted with any outward pollutiō and there fore might not come unto those holy things which were the carnall commandements being but shadowes and ceremonies yet if he were sprinkled with those although he were not purged within from sinne he was counted cleane then how much more shall the bloud of the sonne of God which hath the power of life in it because it is the bloud Note this of him that
A BRIEFE TREATISE AGAINST THE Priesthood and Sacrifice of the Church of Rome VVherein the simple may perceive thir intollerable impietie usurping that office and action which ever appertaine to Christ only By G. G. Newly reprinted LONDON Printed by W. I. for ANDREVV KEMBE dweling by the Sessions House in Long South-Warke 1635. A BREEFE TREATISE AGAINST THE Priest-hood and Sacrifice of the Church of Rome THe Pope and his clergie doe stiffely affirme and goe about to mainetaine that they bee Priests and that it is an holy Priesthood which they have even the Priesthood of the New Testamnet Further also they boast that the sacrifice which they offer is the sonne of God himselfe even Christ Iesus God and man flesh bloud and bone as he was borne of the blessed Virgin We on the contrary affirme that they be very Baalamites and not Priests of the New Testament and that their sacrifice is not the sonne of God but the stinking and Idolatrous sacrifice of Antichrist Who shall be beleeved we or they Let neither of both for our selves have any credit at all For what is man that he should have any credit Let neither of us be our owne Iudge for then there would be partiality But let God onely strike the stroke let him alone pronounce the sentence let that part be credited which hath his witnesse and testimony When he speaketh let man keepe silence When he pronounceth sentence let the mouth of all flesh be shut up For who shall reply against the words of his mouth which are in perfect trueth and wisedome His testimony hath he expressely set downe in the sacred Scriptures his voyce hath he there uttered to declare his perfect minde and will Let them be brought forth and heard search them for so are ye willed Crave the true understanding at his hands who is the onely teacher If by them it be manifestly proved unto you that the popish Priests be not the Priests of the New Testament nor their sacrifice the sonne of God then let men no longer doubt but that all their whole worship is idolatrous and Antichristian For if their priesthood and sacrifice which are the two principall things be awry what can be good in them Let us come to the triall of the matter And first in generall which they deny not the word doth teach that the dignity privilege and office of the holy Priest is to approch into the presence of God to offer giftes and sacrifice and to make request and supplication for the people The necessity of this office doth come from the profanesse and impurity of men All men are uncleane sinners God is most pure and holy and doth perfectly hate sinne And for the same cause he doth curse and reject all those which are polluted therewith They can not approch nor indure his presence before whom nothing uncleane can stand The prayers which come from them cannot be heard being the prayers of sinners and therefore not cleane No gift can be accepted at their hands to make any reconcilement or to get any favour they and all theirs are still rejected they must either have some other to do it for them or else for ever remaine still out of favour and be utterly cast away in eternall perdition He that shall do it must be without spot or sinne and therefore among all the sonnes of Adam only Iesus Christ is found worthy and able to execute this office For if we respect this great worke of reconciliation betweene God and men we shall finde that alone he hath wrought it and therefore is the onely Priest of God None other can in such consideration be called Priests It is true in deede that Aaron and his sonnes were consecrated and made Priests and did execute the Ministery of the Priesthood in the Temple But yet as their sacrifices did not nor could not take away sinne being but shadowes and the resemblance of the sacrifice of Châ—ist so also they were not sacrifices in deede but so called for that they were the patterne of that which is the true sacrifice The same is to be said of the Priests that they were no o her Priests but in figure because they did resemble Christ who alone is a Priest in truth Those o her Priests were separated from the people and consecrated to the service of the Temple The cheife of them might enter into the most holy place and come before the Arcke of the covenant and the mercy seate and there offer with bloud to make recoâ—ciliation They bare the names of the tribes of Israel and so presented them before the Lord. But yet all was but a shadow to direct the eyes of their faith unto Christ for these Priests could not wash away sinne they could not bring men into heaven and therefore when he came which is the Priest indeede and which doth accomplish that which was by them but resembled then all those shadowes did cease and give place He continueth a Priest for ever He hath perfectly wrought the worke of reconciliation and brought men into favour with God For with the sacrifice of his body he hath ransomed them and with his bloud he hath purged away their sinnes with full satisfaction and his prayers have beene accepted He hath received honour and power to save for ever all those whom he doth sanctifie Now the question is whether any can be joyned with him in this office and be partakers with him in this high dignity as to offer up to God the same sacrifice which he offered For this is without all controversie that such as do challenge a copartnership with him in offring the sacrifice and gift which he did offer do also challenge a fellowship with him in the dignity and glory of the Priesthood by which he did offer Heb. 9. 1 4. it For was not the great glory of his Priesthood in this that he offred himselfe in sacrifice unto his father shall not those then which do the same thing receive the same honour and glory therfore Thus we see that when as none could be found worthy in heaven and earth but onely the Lambe v. 6. 7. Revelat. 5. yet every greasie shaveling will have fellowship and glory with him even in the highest part of his office Lord how long wilt thou spare looke downe and visite the blasphemy of the wicked Beast upon him and upon the heard and route of his horned shavelings They say they be Priests doubtlesse then are they mediators of the New Testament For the Testament and the Priest are Christ onely the Priest of the New Testament joyned together the Priest of the New Testament is the mediatour of the New Testament For Christ is compared with Aaron and his sonnes to have obtained a ministery so much more excellent as he is the Mediatour of a better Testament Hebr. 8. 6. The excellency of the ministery of Aaron and his sonnes was according to the worthinesse of the Testament whereof they were the
them then can have the honour of the priesthood to obtaine pardon of sinnes for the Church that glory and power being reserved onely to the Sonne who is farre aboue principallities and powers Such a priest as this must bring vs that are base and sinfull wretches unto God in him we must be sanctified in him we must obtaine favour in him we must be heard that is so high in favour that no request can be denied him In him we must be saved who hath received all power and authority both in heaven earth and liveth for ever What fouler beastlinesse then can there be than this that sinfull unholy and base wormes of the earth should challenge unto themselues to be Priestes of the New Testament yea that such filly Asses as are scarce fit to keepe swine will yet have that office that the glorie honor and power of is aboue the Angels let all men judge now of this conclusion The Priests of the New Testament is pure and holy separated from sinners made higher than the heavens The POPE and all his broode are sinfull whoremongers theeues and murtherers base and vile wretches of the earth farre off from being higher then the heavens Therefore their priesthood is not the priesthood of the New Testament There is also another notable difference betweene the old priesthood and the newe that those former did minister in earth in a Tabernacle made wi h hands which had no enduring substance This latter is entred into the Sanctuarie of Heaven and there doth execute the Priests office he doth not any thing in an earthly sanctuarie For why His Priesthood is heavenly and eternall his Tabernacle must be agreeable unto the same And it is said that if he were one eareh he could not be a Priest whâ—le those Priestes did stand which were after the Law Heb. 8. 4. For although our Lord were a Priest indeed when he was vpon earth and did offer the sacrifice of his body yet ye see there was no outward thing that the Priests vpon earth doe His body was slaine upon earth but was it caried into the Temple and slaine at the Altar Was the blood sprinkled before the Arke of the covenant No all things were heavenly and spirituall in this sacrifice If we regard the substance of his body it was the same that ours is But yet all the vertue and efficacy of the same when it was a slaine sacrifice was from aboue And so though he were in earth yet the whole fruite of his worke was in heaven For he being both God and man was a Priest even then in heaven when he was slaine upon earth The vertue and power of the sacrifice to purge away sinne was not of the manhood from it selfe but the manhood had it from the Godhead in that the manhood was so united unto the godhead that they made one person In this sense he saith Iohn 6. ver 63. It is the spirit that qu ckeneth the flesh profiteth nothing Howsoever the flesh of Christ hath power in it to give life as in deede it is the bread of life and whosoever doeth eate of it shall live for ever yet it hath not this life of it selfe but from the Godhead Likewise the bloud is able to purge away sinne because it is the bloud of a man which is also God It is also said 1. Cor. 15. The first man was of the earth earthly The second mâ—n was the Lord from heaven heavenly Wherefore is he called a man from heaven heavenly was it because his flesh was from heaven cursed be he which so holdeth No it was because all the vertue and efficacy which was in his manhood to redeeme the world was from heaven We see then that he being sacrificed in earth the efficacy of his Priesthood was in heaven There is nothing in his Priesthood nor in the execution thereof which is earthly But these priests are altogether earth and what can they doe without earth A Temple they must have on earth an Altar of earth many other things of earth which proove that all their ministery and function is earthy Then to â—…rists Priestâ—…od is heavenâ—… conclude the Mediator of the New Testament is not a Priest upon earth nor executeth not the Priests office but in the heavenly Tabernacle The Romanes are Priests upon earth they minister with earthly things in earthly Tabernacles and upon Altars consecrated to that purpose Who doth not see therefore that they have no affinity at all with Christ Moreover if it may be demaunded is sir Iohn a King Surely then have there beene many lousie Kings Every one which is a Priest after the order of Melchisedech is a King for those two are joyned together in his order the kingdome and the priest hood Is there any man so foolish as to take these to be kings They may be taken for priests but not after the order of Melchisedech so long as they have but shaven crownes and not crownes of gold nor after the order of Aaron which is ceased but after the order of the priests of Baal If they object that the Pope hath both swords the spirituall and the civill and therefore he is a King and a Priest I answere that therein he is more unlike Christ whose kingdome is not of this world The kingdome of Christ is spirituall he medled not with the civill sword but lefâ— it to the Magistrate The Pope chalenging it is not of that order which Christ is One Priest of â—he New Testament Seing then as we have prooved none can be partakers with Christ in the most high digniry and honour of the Priesthood seing every Priest is a mediatour of a Testament and of the New Testament there is but one seeing none can have that honour to be Priest but they which are called of God and the Papistes can shew no calling nor consecrating of Priestes in the New Testament Seeing in the order of Melchisedech all things are spirituall and full of endlesse power in the order of Popery all things carnall Melchisedech continueth for ever these die Seeing also the Priest of the New Testament must be perfectly holy and pure without spot of sinne and higher than the heavens the Popish priesâ—… are not of Gâ—… Popish Priests are abominable sinners Christ is a Priest in heaven they upon earth He is both a King and a Priest sir Iohn is not a king It doth follow that their order of Priesthood is not of God but they be the idolatrous priestes of Antichrist They cannot by their ministry and Priesthood bring men unto God but contrariwise they carry headlong unto the divell Such therefore as will save their soules must not be blind and wilfull but open their eyes and behold the claere and manifest truth of God which he hath taught in his word As we have proved this one part so let us now come to the other that is to shew that the sacrifice which they offer is not the sonne