sitteth as God in the Temple of God carrying them to destruction Whereas to prove the Temple of God 2. Thes. 2. which he expoundeth the Church of Rome to be the true Church he alleaged Zach. 6. 12. 13. Eph. 2. 11. c. 2. Cor. 6. 16. Rev. 11. 19. I shewed how he misapplied the Scriptures he repeateth his former answers which I have formerly resuted And now he addeth But to put him from his shifts let him tel us plainly when Paul sayth The Temple of God hath not agreement with Idols 2. Cor. 6. 16. if yet there be idols set in the Temple of God as was in the time of Manasseh and Antiochus whether now it ceased to be the Temple of God or not The Scripture sheweth it is the Temple of God notwithstanding 2. King 21. 7. Ier. 50. 28. Ezek 8. 5. 10. 16. Dan. 11. 31. 38. Answ. I tell them plainly that that Temple of God which the prophets speak of had no agreement with idols though the wicked set up idols in it by force But the Church of Rome which these call the Temple of God hath agreement with idols if images of silver and gold wood and stone a wheaten god in the Masse and the man of syn which sitteth as God be idols For these idols the Church of Rome worshipeth and serveth most synfully but the Temple of God which the Prophets speake of never worshiped the Idols set up in it nor had accord with them But this is a shift of shifts and a notorious sophisme in mine opposite to reason from the materiall Temple of God then which onely suffered that abuse to the spirituall Temple the Church or people now which are voluntary agents worshipers of Idols By which false argumentation he might even as well conclude that if the Papists should turn flat Pagans of Antiochus religion and serve his idols and be of his faith yet they should continue the true Church and people of God notwithstanding because the Temple then continued Gods true Temple notwithstanding all that Antiochus did thereto The next point touching their baptisme I will anone treat of in particular For his objection of salvation now had in the Church of Rome c. it was his second main argument for that Church which I have before answered he after his manner repeateth againe and againe the same things so lengthening his work I referr the reader to that answer I gave before Other things whereby I convinced his doctrine to beat the path for all licentiousnes contrary to the plaine Scriptures which shew that he that committeth sin is of the Divil and we know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not c. 1. Ioh. 3. 8. 5. 18. whereas if that he plead for be true men may be as prophane as Esau filthy in life as Sodom idolatrous and sinfull as the Aegyptians and Babylonians and yet if they wil call themselves Christians and be outwardly baptized c. they shal be justified as Gods true Church they and their seed in his covenant of grace c. which is to strengthen the hands of the wicked that he should not returne from his wickednes by promising him life Ezek 13. 22. These and other like things he passeth over without word of answer It is ynough for him to cry the Temple of God the Temple of God and to insist upon phrases which may diversly be understood Whereas the sound plea should be from the doctrines of faith and sanctification of life according by which the Apostles teach us to discern true Christians from false And who that seeketh after the truth would not rather insist upon these main grounds taught by our Saviour and his Apostles Verily I judge this pleading for Rome to be an exceeding great sin because it by consequence overthroweth both faith and holines seeing misbeleevers and most synfull idolaters as ever were on earth are justified to be Gods true Church notwithstanding and in his covenant of grace contrary to the whole Testament of Christ. It is to make a wide gate and broad way into heaven and will make men secure in all syn if they that serve the Man of syn himselfe worship his idols beleeve in his heresies and walk in his wicked works which hope to merit salvation by them in heaven may be sayd to be true Christians and in the state of grace Of the state of the Heathen WHereas I sayd J held it presumption for any to limit God by how smal meanes or measure of faith and knowledge he will save a man Who dares den but God had many elect among the heathens after he had separated Jsrael from them Yea God expresly sayd when he made Israel his peculiar people that yet all the earth was his Exod. 19 5. which are the words of the covenant generally Wherefore we leave Gods secret counsels to himself as he willeth us Deut. 29. 29. and doe consider onely the visible state of Churches by the rules of Gods law and promises To this mine opposite sayth What is it that he meaneth hereby Jf by the covenant he mean the covenant of grace for salvation whereof we treat and think that all people of the world in all ages and places of the earth are under it what differeth this from the opinion of the Anabaptists and Armintans touching general redemption Jf he speak not of the covenant of grace which is for salvation all may perceive he speakes not to the point in hand Answ. My meaning is plaine that God had his elect among the heathens as he bath in the Church of Rome and he could not but see what I intended By the covenant generally with all nations I mean the same that himself alleaged whileare from Keâ—kerman of the Church largely taken which he explaineth the company of all those which professe Christian religion or the name of Christ in what manner soever And thus sayth he are all heretikes schismatikes and Arians Papists Anabaptists and such like referred to the Christian Churches So if he understood himselfe he might understand me when I spake of the covenant generally For such large Churches as he describeth I hold all nations to be when God made his speciall covenant with Israel Noe was a Christian and had the covenant of grace in Christ to him and to his seed as absolutely as any Christian Church in the Apostles dayes though the mystery of the Gospel was not then so clearly revealed * as it was afterward by the Apostles But for the substance of the covenant namely Christ and faith in him with obedience it was given to Adam and his seed to Noe and his seed Heb. 13. 8. 11. 1. 2 3. 4. 7. c. And this covenant of grace in Christ confirmed by sacrifices as to us now by the sacraments Which sacrifices all nations kept the first thousand yeers after Noe which was till after Moses death as well as the large Christian
with the Holy Ghost nor any other infants there baptised Answ. We and all are by nature the children of vvrath Eph. 2. 3. and being born in Antichrists church we had not the visible covenant of promise vvhich is given onely to Christs Church Albeit God hath his elect in false Churches as among the Gentiles of old and in Israel after they vvere divorced from the Lord. Jer. 3. vvhom he can save vvithout baptisme as he did vvithout circumcision The same is answered to his fifth obiection of the same persons come to yeares And is further cleared in the* answer to his second argument for the Church of Rome vvhere he alleaged the like things And vvhere he sayth Either we have no outward baptisme at all confirming the covenant of God or else we had it before we came under the Lords covenant and in a church divorced from the Lord. I answer Wee had the outward vvashing vvith vvater as the Israelites had the outward cutting of the flesh vvhen they were divorced from the Lord Ier. 3. 8. vvhich could not then confirme Gods covenant to us or them in such synfull estate But as after vvhen they repented and turned to the Lord they had their outward cutting sanctified unto them for a signe of his covenant and were admitted to eat of his Passover Ezr. 6. 21. vvhich no uncircumcised might eat of Exod. 12. 48. so our vvashing hath been by like grace sanctified unto us for a signe of his covenant and vve may lawfully eat of the Lords Supper His 6. reason is of like na ure touching the members of the Antichristian church that they have not the Lords baptisme being not come to the Lord in true faith and repentance c. This also is before spoken of in answering his reasons for that church The Scripture sheweth them to bee departed from the faith of Christ 2. Thes. 2. 1. Tim. 4. to bedead in syn Rev. 20. to bee under the vvrath of God Rev. 14. 9. 10. 11. Our opposite himself sayth of that church She is a notorious harlot and idolatress and of the Hierarchie the ministers of that church vvhich have the same baptisme vvith the people and doe administer baptisme to that people he sayth they are the Man of Syn the son of perdition 2. Thess. 2. the Beast Rev. 13. concerning vvhom he could not endure that vve should aske his proofe that ever they were maried unto Christ. And are such a people and Hierarchy remaining in that estate come to the Lord in true faith and repentance If they have brought themselves by their idolatries heresies and innumerable synns into a woeful estate vvhat are we that we should justifie those vvhom God condemneth Let false prophets preach peace unto them wee must notwithstanding declare the judgements of the Lord vvhose wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who deteyn the truth in unrighteousness Rom. 1. 18. 7. Finally sayth he Wheras they say the outward washing need not to be repeated and yet say also they have renounced the Romish Baptisme as an impure idol in their abuse they use shifts and contradict themselves For if the outward baptisme be an Idol why doe they reteyn it Jf not why have they renounced it Answ. I have formerly shewed the shift and contradiction to be in himself who pleaded against the Anabaptists that there is but one baptisme and now against us would have two 2. I have also shewed that Gods ordinance turned into an idol or lye the lye the idol is to be renounced the truth of the ordinance reteyned so doe we That sayth he which they speak of their abuse is a shift Difference is to be put between a thing abused and th' abuse therof The scriptures are the word of God and not an impure idol to be renounced though they be abused by the Papists and themselves c. Answ. when he hath nought ells to answer he casteth reproches and calleth my reason a shift Would he have me so impious as to call Baptisme the Lords supper or other divine ordinances idols unless for the syn and abuse of men which turne them to idols as the trueth of God was turned into a lye by the Gentiles Rom. 1. 25. And doe not I put that very difference which himself here putteth how then is it a shift in me more then in him The scripture in it self is alwayes pure yet popish heresies falsly gathered from the scriptures are most impure these we reject but hold fast the scripture Water in popish baptisme is Gods good creature Antichrist hath turned it and the action with it into an abominable idol as if it gave grace and washed away syn by the work doon of a sacrilegious priest This abomination we reject the creature of God is of his grace sanctified unto us and we reteyn it Now follow his other reasons to prove it no idol but true baptisme 1. Because an Idol c. is an invention of man in the worship of God wheras Baptisme in those churches is of the holy things of God a true signe of his covenant c. Answ. The first is granted him the latter is denyed and he but beggeth the question For neyther doth the church continew in Rome which th'Apostles planted neyther doth the true baptisme there continew any more then the true Supper of our Lord turned by them into an abominable Mass or any more then the true ministery which is changed by his own grant into a man of syn a Beast and the great Antichrist Or any more then the true Censure of excommunication which they profane against such as forsake their idolatrous church 2. Els those churches should not have a mixture of Gods ordinances with their own inventions c but should be utterly deprived of all and every one of Gods ordinances But they have such a mixed estate c. Answ. He concludeth nothing but should conclude therfore it is no idol to them in their abuse but Christs true baptisme This I deny And first I answer that all the heathens had before Christs coming a mixture of Gods ordinances with their own inventions yet were they not therfore in the covenant of grace neyther had they the true signes and seals therof 2. as mens inventions are idols so Gods ordinances may by men be turned into idols as are the sacraments in Rome For is not the wheaten God in their supper an Idol what mouth wil deny it Mine opposite pressed with it passeth it over alwayes as if he could not see it That thing alone would have convinced this and many other his reasons of like sort if he durst have medled with it 3. Jf their baptisme were an idol then it should be syn in them to reteyn that baptisme still c. Ans. How often shall we have repetitions of the same thing He hath been answered the idol ought to be put away the ordinance of God ought to be reteyned If the Iewes had
to mankinde c. I answer First for the persons that set downe this profession they are by the testimony of God that false prophet which with the Beast shal be tormēted for ever ever Rev. 20. 10. or at least they are those uncleane spirits which come out of the mouth of the Beast of the False prophet for they are the spirits of Divils working miracles which goe forth unto the Kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battel of that great day of God almighty Rev. 16. 13. 14. And this is apparant by that corrupt Testament and blasphemous notes and interpretations upon it which they there set forth to the world in sted of the true Christian and catholik faith Moreover they are a part of the popish hierarchie which mine opposite after maketh to be the Man of syn the son of perdition and the Beast which hee will not indure to heare that they should be accounted the church or maried to Christ yet here he maketh them the preachers of the doctrine of salvation Secondly for the Profession which they there make if it were sound and good yet denying it againe in their works it nothing availeth them for of such it is written They professe that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate Tit. 1. 16. But what shal we say if they deny the trueth of the doctrine of Christ not in work onely but even in word and profession First then to omitt their rayling against Calvin about the Godhead of Christ being of himself in their Annot. on John 1. sect 3. concerning Christs manhood and the trueth of his humane nature how ever they acknowledge him to have taken flesh of the virgin yet beleeve they and burne to ashes such as wil not beleeve it that the bread in the sacrament is transsubstantiated into the very body of Christ so they have a Christ made of a wafer cake a Christ whose whole bodie is in an hundred thousand places and moe at once even in all places of the world whersoever Masse is sayd by a Preist so he must have a fanatical bodie which can neyther be seen felt tasted or by any sense of man perceived as an humane bodie this breaden Christ they worship in that their idolatrous sacrament and doe eat him really properly with their mouthes And doe these now beleeve Christs humane nature aright when as by the plain scripture we are taught that the heaven must receive him until the times of restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. As for his office of Mediatorship wheras they profess him to be the singular Advocate and patron of mankinde by singular they mean not the onely Advocate or mediator as the scripture teacheth ◠Tim. 2. 5. 1 Joh. 2. 1. but a speciall or chief mediatour for they have innumerable other advocates and mediators as the heathēs of old had one chief God and many inferiour gods So the same Rhemists gloss on 1 Tim. 2. telleth us that though Christ be the onely singular Advocate and patron c. yet this letteth not but there may be other inferiour mediators though not in that singular sense And how they beleeve in their Queen of heaven let this one song amongst many other to the virgin Marie witness when they sing O regina poli mater gratissima prosi Spernere me noli me commendo tibi soli i. O queen of heaven c. J commend me to thee onely As for the redemption the full and sufficient ransome for all our synns payed by his blood which they would seem to hold it is with fraud and injurie to Christs blood which by their distinction satisfied for the syn but not for the punishment and therefore they have feighned a purgatorie fyre wherein mens soules doe beare the punishment of their owne venial synns Concil Trid-sess 6. can 30. Bellarm. de Parg. c. 1. From which also they can redeem themselves by money given to Antichrists priests that sacrifice for the synns of the living and the dead And whereas God teacheth us that we are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 24. and that we are not justified by the works of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ Gal. 2. 16. the Antichristians teach us a justification by faith and works togither by Christs merits Saints and Popes merits their owne and these works by which they beleeve to be saved in part are very many of them wicked works of their owne devisings as going on pilgrimage giving of their goods to mainteyne Antichrists clergie and idolatrie and other like works of the Divil And of their owne idols as of an Agnus Dei made of waxe they beleeve and profess Omne malignum peccatum frangit ut Christi sanguis et angit Jt breaketh all wicked syn as the blood of Christ doeth Thus blasphemously they tread Christs blood under their feet Finally the faith which they profess to have in Christ what is it Any trust or confidence such as the faithful have in Christ to be their saviour as the Apostle teacheth in Rom. 8. 33. ◠39. Gal. 2. 20. Hebr. 3 6. Ephe. 3. 12. Nay this confidence they reject as a presumption and their faith which is without confidence being but an assent to the trueth of Gods promises not a confidence of their justification in particular is such a faith as the Divils have who know and assent to the trueth of Gods promises unto mankinde See Bellarm. de Iustific l. 1. c. 5. 6. c. Now if this painted face of the Romish Iezebel be so fowle and uglie being compared with the beawtie of Christs true spouse what may wee think is the faith of that ignorant seduced multitude of Antichristians who professing Christ in name looke for salvation by the wicked workes which the Pope hath learned them and by the works of the Law of God and beleefe in Christ and their owne sufferings confusedly togither and yet neyther know Christ nor what true saving faith in him doth meane Object Who dare say but that God by this faith in Christ saveth some of them who doe thus beleeve in simplicitie c. Answ. And who dare say but that God notwithstanding this faith professed by the Iesuites as before may justly damne them though they thus beleeve in simplicitie ' Seing even in these things which they profess they corrupt themselves with horrible idolatries having many false Gods and false Christs in whom they also trust and dayly pray unto them as did the heathens And seing this their faith considered in the best is no true saving faith but as themselves say The faith which truely justifieth is not that wherby they beleeve that God is merciful unto them but that wherby they beleeve with the whole hart without any doubting that Jesus is the Christ and the son of