ANTICHRIST ARRAIGNED …

ANTICHRIST ARRAIGNED: In a Sermon at Pauls Crosse, the third Sunday after Epiphanie.

WITH THE TRYALL OF GVIDES, On the fourth Sunday after TRINITIE.

By THOMAS THOMPSON, Bachelour in Diuinitie, and Preacher of Gods WORD.

PHILIP. 3.2.

Beware of Dogges; beware of euill workers.

HILAR. lib. contra Arianos & Aurentium.

Lusit quidem ille verbis, quibus possit fellere Electos: sed patet impie­tatis tantae professio.

LONDON, Printed by William Stansby, for RICHARD MEIGHEN, and are to be sold at his Shop at Saint Clements Church, ouer-against Essex House, and at Westminster Hall. 1618.

To the High, Noble and most ver­tuous, CHARLES, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornewall, Earle of Chester, and Heire Apparant to the Crowne and Monarchie of Great BRITTAINE, his Gracious LORD,
All happie increase of Grace and Glorie heauenly, and earthly, from GOD the FATHER, and from our Lord IESVS CHRIST.

MOst Gracious, and most hopeful­ly Puissant Prince, Place may yeeld much preiudice against the perso­nall performance of any good acti­ons, to those mens conceits, who make custome a vertue, with [Page] the blinde Pharises, thus taunting at NI­CODEMVS; John 7.52. Art thou also of Galilee? search and looke: for out of Galiee ariseth no Prophet.

But such sinister thoughts God in his prouidence so graciously preuenteth, that as the Sunne shineth in euery Climate; and fruits are there found proportionable to the measure of celestiall influence shed downe by the Spheres-orbicular motions and light to the same place: so Christ is preached euery where, and pious plants are there discouered, answerable to that mea­sure of sauing Grace, which God in his mercie, by the vniformely working moti­ons of his free Spirit, and light of his Truth, vouchsafeth to send them, as Peter said in his Sermon to CORNELIVS, Act. 10.34.35 Of a truth, I perceive, that God is no respecter of persons; but in euerie Nation hee that feareth GOD, and worketh righteousnesse, is accepted with him.

My hearts true comfort is then well set­led by a full assurance of right good accep­tance, in offering to your Gracious High­nesse, this small reward of a poore Prophet, since the place whence it commeth is priui­ledged [Page] from preiudice, it being your High­nesse owne Principalitie of Wales.

For albeit some Iohn Penrie against the vn­learned Mini­sters in Wales to the Right Ho­nourable Lord, Henrie, Earle of Pembroke, Lord President of the Marches of Wales. Schismatically-rash Censurers, in times past, layd an heauie a­spersion of a Galilaean barrennesse vpon this Countrie, for want of Prophets and Prophets Children therein: yet God bee thanked, their complaint was causelesse, since not to rifle vp any olde Rowles and Registers of the Ancient Brittaines, great endeuours, and good proceedings in all holy Learning, and deepe Literature, God no sooner sent the beames of his Gospell to shine vpon this Hemisphere of the Reformed Church of Great Brittaine: but presently Wales was, as well as other places of this Kingdome, comforted with the warmth of this hea­uenly Light, conueyed thereinto, euen through the hard stormes of those Anti­christian Persecutions in former times, by the faithfull Ministerie of blessed Bishop Far­rar, Rawlins, White, and o­ther at Gloce­ster, Worcester, &c. burnt. Martyrs and glorious Confessors, and now conti­nued, yea, and mightily encreased by the faithfull paines of zealous Pastors, our Right Reuerend Fathers, and pious Pres­byters, who Iohn 5.35. like shining and burning Candles, [Page] haue so cleered these Coasts of the Clouds of Popish Ignorance, that Wales is like Ga­lilee in the dayes of Christ Iesus, The Mat. 4.16.17 people which sate in darknesse, seeing great light. A full proofe whereof your Graces Highnesse daily findeth by the growth of godlinesse in Persons of all sorts, by the loyall obedi­ence of all true-hearted Subiects, and by the constant obseruance of all good Or­ders set downe most intirely, by those most Honourable, Godly, and Prudent Sages of his Maiesties Councell, within these Mar­ches, of whose sincere Gouernment and Guidance of this your Highnesse Principa­litie, I must needes say as I finde, the Lord the Searcher of all hearts, knowing that I lye not, in the wordes of EVRIPIDES, Euripid. in Antiope apud Tholosanum lib. [...]. de Rep. cap. 1 [...]: By the sentence of these men, the Cities are well inhabited, and so is the House; also they are helpfull to Warlike affaires.

For these fiue yeeres together, I being called through Gods meere Prouidence, by the sole care and fauour of a most Wor­thie Sir Edward Herbert, Knight of the Bath. Personage for all deepe Learning, and truely tryed valour, to his immortall [Page] honour, into this parcell of GODS true Vineyard, can testifie with all boldnesse the happie successe of those true paines, which God hath in his mercy blessed to the com­fort of vs his poore Seruants, that we labour not in vaine;Iohn 4.36. reaping and receiving wages, and gathering fruit vnto life eternall.

The liuely strength of which great en­couragements hath and doth animate me Gods poore Creature, to spend all spare time from the ordinarie execution of my necessarie Function in preaching GODS Word vpon the Lords Day, and at other fit seasons, in writing out and publishing such of my Sermons, as are iudged by my Hearers to bee most profitable, that what was lost in hearing, may by reading be re­couered, and what was well heard, might better bee holden; by the Example of the olde Vid. Danaeum cap. 20. Prole­gom, in M [...]nor. Prophetas. Prophets and the Apostles of Christ, who preaching much, yet penned no more then what Gods Spirit thought fit and pro­fitable for the present, and to future Ages. And so vpon this settled resolution, which I trust in God, good men will iudge truely honest, I fastened my Studies for some [Page] time vpon this Sermon, preached long since, yet freshly desired to bee published for their benefit, by diuers godly Learned, especially, for that our Antichristian Aduer­saries seemed much discontented, that their Pope should be arraigned and adiudged to bee that Great Antichrist; and themselues to be prooued so plainly Antichristian, euen open Rebels to Christ and Christian Prin­ces, whereas (as they thinke) in the Theo­rique part, Andreas Eudaemon hath answered our obiections, and for the practique, their loyaltie is approoued in the sight of GOD and Man.

Indeed this Argument is the very roote of all the differences betweene them and vs, vpon which, after so many Great Lear­ned Men, I doe not presume to deliuer more then hath beene said, but only to re­fresh the Memories of the Learned, with a new Method of olde matters; both re­plying vpon Eudaemon, where he seemeth to presse, and explayning the miserie of our enslaued Countrymen vnder the Pope.

Al which I most humbly present to your Highnesse, as to whom the execution of [Page] most things here mentioned may chiefly belong, for the rooting out of Antichrist, and vtter extirpation of the Romish Babylon; since what God hath begunne by the Gra­cious hand of our most Learned, Wise, Godly, and Puissant Soueraigne for the de­tection of that Man of Sinne, Your Graces Highnesse in Hereditarie imitation may fi­nish in due time, to the Glory of God, in maintenance of Truth, and your owne e­ternall Honour, by settling Gods people in this happy, healthfull, and orderly peace. The God of Power and Grace so blesse your Excellencies Highnes with all the rich Endowments of his holy Spirit, that with the full encrease of all true Honour, your Grace may passe many many good dayes here on Earth, in all Peace and Godlinesse, with the sealed assurance of endlesse Hap­pinesse, in the heauenly Ierusalem, with the general Assembly and Church of the First-borne in Iesus Christ. Amen.

Your Highnesse most humbly
deuoted daily Oratour,
THOMAS THOMPSON.

TO ALL THAT HATE ANTICHRIST, Light in sauing know­ledge, and perseuerance in holynesse through IESVS CHRIST.

GOod Christian Reader, I must bee bolde to ad­uertise thee concerning some passages in this tripled Treatise, wher­in thou shalt find three maine points of The­ologie, handled as plainely and as fully as I could. The first part is, define Saeculi: of the end of the World: an Argument apt for the Atheists to muse of, both in the Doctrine, informing their mischieuously misse-led vnderstandings, and in the vses refor­ming their manners. The second part of An­tichrist, whom I prooue to bee the Pope, both by artificiall demonstration, and by testimonie of Ancient Fathers, and of later Writers, dige­sted into a pannelled Iurie to cast the Pope: [Page] What either Sanders, Bellarmine, Pererius, Viegas, or Eudaemon haue obiected in any point of the Controuersie, I haue to my power sa­tisfied, vsing the helpe of our owne good Wri­ters, as Bishop Iewel, Doctor Whitakers, Do­ctor Abbats, Doctor Willet, Doctor Sharpe, Tilenus, Peter du Moulin, Gabriel Powel, and Master Brightman with other more an­cient strong men of our Israel, that I might, as neere as possibly I could, abridge their large Vo­lumes into a Manuell, Only I wish thee well to marke the vses of this point; the former of which will notifie the miserie of our English Papists, together with the Villanies of the Trayterous Ie­suites, and Seminarie Priests: the latter will in­forme thee of what course God in his most Gra­cious Prouidence tooke, to bring in this happie Reformation of Religion, professed in this Church of Great Brittaine, together with an answere to all those exceptions, which Papists haue vsed to scandalize our Profession of truth. The last is of Heretikes, going before and fol­lowing after Antichrist, briefly discouered in the forme of a short motion to Princes, Pre­lates, and other Peeres for an order against them. The second part is the largest, and so gi­ueth [Page] title to the whole Discourse, which I seri­ously commend to the blessing of God, for the helpe of his Elect in knowledge and holinesse, and withall prefixe for their readier finding out of the particulars, this Catalogue or Table of the seuerall Contents expressed in euery Section, thus:

The first part.

§. I.
  • 1. WHy IAMES & IOHN were called Boanerges: Sonnes of Thunder.
  • 2. The distinction of Saint IOHN his Writings.
  • 3. Why the first Epistle was called Catholica.
§. II.
  • 1. The scope and summe of what the Text yeeldeth obser­uable.
§. III.
  • 1. The Diuision of the whole Text into seuerall parts.
§. IIII.
  • 1. Why Time is called [...], an houre?
  • 2. What is meant by the last houre.
  • 3. The six periods of the worlds age.
  • 4. PAVL and IOHN reconciled about the last day.
§. V.
  • 1. There shall be an end of time.
  • 2. How the world is said to be established for euer.
  • 3. The world not of long continuance.
  • 4. The change of the world, according to two opinions.
  • [Page] 5. The manner of this change is an hidden secret.
§. VI.
  • 1. The end is euen at hand.
  • 2. The signes of the last end set downe in Scripture.
  • 3. The complement of those signes in these latter dayes.
§. VII.
  • 1. The first vse of this Doctrine is for sobrietie in opinion and life.
  • 2. Why the time of the last day is not reuealed?
  • 3. Mans presumption therein.
  • 4. ELIAS and NAPIER iustly corrected.
§. VIII.
  • 1. Sobrietie of life.
  • 2. We must not make haste to be rich.
  • 3. Rich mens miserie.
  • 4. We must be sober in expences.
  • 5. The absurd change in liuing by Gentlemen, & Citizens.
§. IX.
  • 1. The Second vse is to watch and pray.
  • 2. What watching is.
  • 3. Good Rulers are to watch ouer their Charge.

The second part.

§. X.
  • 1. THe Prophecies of Antichrist set downe in Scrip­ture.
  • 2. The causes of these Prophecies.
  • 3. The order and method of this discourse.
§. XI.
  • 1. The litteral name of Antichrist, [...].
  • 2. BELLARMINE and EVDAEMON confuted.
§. XII.
  • 1. The mysticall name of Antichrist in these letters [...], 666.
  • 2. The sundry applications of these letters to diuers names.
  • 3. The absurd dealing of Papists in this name.
  • 4. The word [...] what.
  • 5. The nominall description of Antichrist.
§. XIII.
  • 1. The efficient cause of Antichrist, principall and lesse principall.
§. XIIII.
  • 1. The materiall cause of Antichrist.
  • 2. Whether Antichrist bee one onely person, or a suc­cession of Apostates?
  • 3. Our reasons prouing a succession in Antichrist.
  • 4. The Rhemists make for vs.
  • 5. EVDAEMONS exception fully answered.
  • 6. IRENAEVS and AVGVSTINE are on our side.
  • 7. MALDONATVS also for vs in the meaning of IOH. 5.43.
  • 8. Antichrist no Iew, nor of the Tribe of DAN.
§. XV.
  • 1. The former cause of Antichrist.
  • 2. Antichrist, an Heretike, denyeth all the Creede.
  • 3. Antichrist most wickedly breaketh all the commande­ments.
  • 4. Antichrist his character couetously imprinted.
  • 5. Antichrist his false myracles.
  • [Page] 6. Antichrist his cruell warres against the Saints.
  • 7. Antichrist in the middest of the Church visibly mili­tant.
  • 8. Antichrist his residencie in the Citie of Rome.
  • 9. Antichrist his beginning and growth till sixe hundred yeeres after Christ.
  • 10. Antichrist must continue in some sort till Christs comming.
§. XVI.
  • 1. The finall cause of Antichrist.
§. XVII.
  • 1. The Reall and causall definition of Antichrist.
§. XVIII.
  • 1. MAHOMET is not Antichrist, by BELLARMINE, proued against IODOCVS CLICHTHOVEVS.
§. XIX.
  • 1. The Pope of Rome is that Great Antichrist before defined.
  • 2. The litterall name [...] agreeing to the Pope.
  • 3. The mysticall name [ [...].] fitly applied to VITALIA­NVS, &c.
  • 4. The course of edifying the Church was changed by VI­TALIANVS his bringing in of the Latine seruice.
§. XX.
  • 1. The Pope is all one with that Antichrist in the cause ef­ficient.
  • 2. CONSTANTINE his Donation forged.
§. XXI.
  • 1. The Pope agreeth with Antichrist in the materiall cause.
  • 2. The hollow Chayre, and Pope IOAN proued.
  • 3. How the succession of Popes is to be taken.
§. XXII.
  • 1. The Pope is that Antichrist in the formall cause.
  • 2. The Pope is an Heretike denying the Creede.
  • 3. Instances of his Heresies deliuered for doctrines è Ca­thedrà, against euery Article of the Creede, truely pro­ued from the testimonie of their owne Writers, and rightly reprooued by the holy Scriptures, and ancient Fathers in a large discourse, worthy the perusing by all louers of true Faith.
  • 4. The Pope as Pope, is a most wicked transgressour of eue­ry Commandement in the Decalogue.
  • 5. Speciall records of the Popes vile acts and deedes against the whole Law of God, gathered out of the Popes owne Historians, Schoolemen, Canonists, Casuists, and Ce­remonials.
  • 6. The Pope imprinteth the Character of Antichrist vpon Princes and Priests, and all other sorts of people.
  • 7. The Pope doth coozen the world by lying wonders.
  • 8. SANDERS, BELLARMINE, and other Papists an­swered, touching the Miracles of Antichrist.
  • 9. The Popes crueltie against Gods Saints.
  • 10. Rome Antichristian, the Popes place of Residence.
  • 11. The Pope, and that Great Antichrist, haue all one be­ginning, growth, continuance, and ending.
  • 12. When Rome shall fall in all likelihood.
§. XXIII.
  • 1. The end why God so long doth suffer the Pope.
§. XXIIII.
  • 1. The forme of the Demonstration gathered from all be­foresaid, and proouing the Pope to be that Great Anti­christ.
§. XXV.
  • 1. The first exception against the Demonstration fully an­swered.
  • 2. How is the Gospell preached throughout the world?
  • 3. How the Romane Empire is said to stand at this day?
§. XXVI.
  • 1. The second exception from the iudgement of some Pro­testants, denying the Pope to be that Antichrist, fully and truely satisfied.
  • 2. How we are to take the words of the ancient Fathers in this question of the Great Antichrist.
§. XXVII.
  • 1. The testimonies of the Fathers, prouing the Pope to bee that Great Antichrist two wayes:
  • 2. First, by way of Prophecie, declaring two maine points:

    First, that Antichrist shall sit at Rome vpon the ru­ines of the Romane Empire: so Tertullian, Cyrill, Hie­rosolym. Chrysostome, Theophylact, and Rodolphus Fluuiacensis, alleadged by Coccius.

    Secondly, that Rome is Babylon, the proper seat of Antichrist, and to bee destroyed before the end of the World: so Tertullian, Hierome, and Lactantius.

  • 3. Secondly, by way of open verdict and proclamation; where the Pope is put vpon a Iurie of twelue good men and true, whereof foure are,
    • 1. Kings and Emperours,
    • 2. Archbishops and Bishops,
    • 3. Abbots and Monks;
    together with a supply of a Decem Tales, if any of the former should be challenged.
  • 4. The sufficiencie of these testimonies warranted,
    • [Page]First, by three specialties, the Pride, the Schismes, and the filthy liues of Popes.
    • Secondly, by the iudgement of the Popes owne Dear­lings, (viz.) BELLARMINE and BARONIVS.
§. XXVIII.
  • 1. The first vse of this doctrine, is to bewaile the misery of our English Papists.
  • 2. The manner of their bondage to the See of Rome.
  • 3. The dealing of Iesuites and Seminarie Priests.
  • 4. The outragious Conspiracies against our most Gracious Soueraignes, the Kings and Queenes of England.
  • 5. No Papist, as a Papist, is a true Christian.
  • 6. No Papist, as a Papist, is a good Subiect.
  • 7. The suspicious courses of Papists in taking the Oath of Alleagiance most plainely detected.
§. XXIX.
  • 1. The second vse of the doctrine, is to reioyce heartily for our gracious deliuerance from Antichrist.
  • 2. The double meanes by which God deliuered this Mo­narchie of Great Brittaine from the tyrannie of Anti­christ.
  • 3. The libertie wee enioy now vnder our most Gracious So­ueraigne Lord, King IAMES.
  • 4. The Popish obiections made to scandalize our Profession of the Reformed Religion, fully satisfied by declaring three things:
    • First, how Temporall commodities are deare or cheape.
    • Secondly, Vpon what grounds our departure from them standeth.
    • Thirdly, in what case our fore-fathers were, liuing in and vnder Popery.
  • [Page] 5. An Exhortation to our Iudges, for the strict execution of our Lawes and Statutes made against Iesuites, Semi­narie Priests, and Popish Recusants.

The third part.

§. XXX.
  • 1. THe diuers acceptions of the word [Antichrist.]
  • 2. There must alwayes be Heretikes in the Church militant, till the comming of Christ to Iudgement.
§. XXXI.
  • 1. The vse of the former doctrine is iustly to reproue the Se­paratist, the Brownists, whose grounds and reasons are fully examined, and their wickednesse discouered.
§. XXXII.
  • 1. All Heresies haue a necessary dependance vpon that Great Antichrist.
  • 2. What Heresie is.
  • 3. The Hereticall forerunners of Antichrist.
  • 4. The reliques of Antichristian Heresies maintained by some priuate spirits in the bosome of the Reformed Churches.
§. XXXIII.
  • 1. The vse of this doctrine is threefold: to direct
    • First, the Ministerie, to fight by the Word against An­tichrist and Heresies.
    • Secondly, the Magistracie, to cut off Heretikes by the Temporall Sword.
    • Thirdly, the People of God, not to murmure at the [Page] Execution of Iustice, but rather, First, to prayse God for His Maiesties great zeale in defending Gods Truth against all Heretikes: Secondly, to pray God for the strengthning of His Maiesties heart and arme against them: Thirdly, to auoyd them, and flee from them that be Enemies to our Christian peace.
  • 2. The conclusion of all in a briefe recapitulation, with a short Prayer for the Comming of Christ.

And now, my deare Brethren, take in good part, my poore endeuours wholly bent and im­ployed for the good of his Elect in the Seruice of his Church, wherein I labour as a weake and vnworthy Minister of Gods Word. It may be, some will require an Index Alphabeticall of the Contents. But that Table should be framed by the Leaues, and Page: and I am farre from the Presse. Only therefore marke the method, and your memories will bee an Index sufficient for finding out any matter in this Booke contained. Reade all before you for your better vnderstan­ding. Trust mee not, before you try mee in the pith of my proofes, not taken vp at the second hand, but sought, and brought out of the Store­house it selfe of holy Wisdome, to wit, the Ca­nonicall Scriptures, the Ancient Fathers, and other good Authours of humane Learning. God open their eyes, and touch their hearts that are [Page] otherwise minded. God increase and strengthen our faith, who are right minded, that in the peace of Hierusalem our hearts may bee comforted with a full assurance of euerlasting happinesse in Iesus Christ. AMEN.

From my Studie in Mountgomerie in Wales, this sixth day of Ianuarie, being the Feast of EPIPHANY: Anno Dom. 1618.

Your Brother in the Lord,
Christ Iesus,
Thomas Thompson.

ANTICHRIST ARRAIGNED.

THE TEXT IS, 1. Iohn 2.

18. Babes, it is the last time; and as yee haue heard, that Antichrist shall come, euen now are there many An­tichrists, whereby we know, that it is the last time.

19. They went out from vs, but they were not of vs; for if they had beene of vs, they would haue continued with vs. But this commeth to passe, that it might appeare, that they are not all of vs.

20. But yee haue an oyntment from him, that is holy, and yee haue knowne all things.

IAMES, and Iohn the sonnes of Zebedee (most Honourable, right Worshipfull, and dearely beloued men, fathers, and bre­thren in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ) are called by our Sauiour Marke 3.17. Boanarges, sonnes of thunder, because of the powerfull voice of their prea­ching, [Page 2] saith Nazianz. 19. Gregorie Nazianzene. For Iames was lowd in Herods eares, who slew him Act. 12.2. for the Iewes sake: and Iohn was powerfull, as an high sounding thunder, according to the Aristot. lib. 2. Meteor. ca. 9. & in illū Vicomer­catum, & Senec. lib. 2. Natural. Quaest. cap. 27. Naturalists their distinctiō of thunder, in nube, & ex nube: in the cloud, and from the cloud: In the blacke cloud of his flesh, wherein whiles he liued, he kept the Church pure by his ef­fectuall Preaching from hereticall contagion, if wee may well beleeue the report of Hegesippus as Eusebi­us Euseb. lib. 4. histor. Ecclesiast. cap. 8. hath recorded it: From the bright cloud of his doctrine, when after his death he now thundreth in his writings, first concerning things past, in that his Gospell, which where other Euangelists speake most of Christs body, Caluin. in pro­ [...]m. commentar. in Joh. most especially deliuereth the historie of his soule, and not of his soule onely to shew Christ truely man, but of his God-head also to prooue him very God: Secondly, of things to come, in his Booke of Reuelation, Danaeus in proleg. in Minor. prophetas, ca. 10 which is the last prophecie of the new Testament, to which Reue. 22.10. whoso addeth, God will adde vn­to him the plagues written therein: Thirdly, of things present, to wit; Faith, and Loue: Faith of sound do­ctrine, and Loue of good workes, in these his three Epistles; in the first of which called by all Diuines, Catholica, because it is not dedicated or directed to any one man, Church, or Countrie in particular (for Ʋid. Posside. in Indic. Oper. D. Augustini. it is not probable, that he sent it to the Parthians, of whom he maketh no mention at all) these points of Doctrine are handled so promiscuously, as that yet they are attempered, and fitly framed to the strength and capacitie of euery true faithfull one, be he olde, yong, or babish: olde by experience, who Heb. 5.14. through [Page 3] long custome, hath his wits exercised to discerne both good and euill: Yong in his best strength, that Ephes. 4.26. he might no way giue place to the deuill; but resist Iam. 4.7. him rather, that he may flee from him: Babish as 1. Pet. 2.2. new borne, desiring the sincere milke of the word, to grow thereby. For as in the Plutarch. in Lacon. Institut. Spartan festiuals, all the people reioyced, but e­uery man in a seuerall companie with a seueral tune, as old men said they haue beene strong, yong men sung that they are strong; and children, that they may bee strong: so although the faithfull performance of these dueties belong vnto all true Christians alike; yet Iohn in his heauenly wisedome directeth diuers dueties to diuers ages, as louing experience to anci­ent Fathers: liuely strength to flourishing young men: and sauing knowledge to tender babes; by which as old and yong men take heede of the world, which is contrarie to the Father: so these babes es­pecially are carefull to beware of all wicked here­tikes, destroyers of faith.

§. II. For this is the end,The end and summe of all. and purpose of these words, onely to forewarne, that as olde men with yong men flee these worldly euils, pride, couetous­nesse, and luxurie: so must these babes looke with a circumspect eye vnto all false seducers in these dan­gerous times. ‘Because (that you may now see at once the summe of all to be said out of these words) now it is the last age of the world, wherein accor­ding to the ancient prophecies of the comming of Antichrist, there are now risen many forerunners of that great one, who since they are reprobates, are become Apostates, that may bee discerned, [Page 4] what they are by vs, who are indued with the grace of Gods holy Spirit from Iesus Christ, to know all things necessarie for our saluation in this behalfe.’

The Diuision of the whole Text.§. III. Hence therefore you see two things to be obserued out of this Scripture, a temptation, and an issue; a danger, and a deliuerance. The danger is twofold, first, in respect of time [Babes, it is the last time:] Secondly, in respect of wicked teachers liuing in that time, who are here described certainely to come for an euident manifestation of this last time. First, by the greatnesse of the head [and as yee heard that Antichrist shall come:] Secondly, by the multi­tude of the members [euen now are there many Anti­christs, by which we know it is the last time,] yet the de­liuerance is greater then the danger, 1. Cor. 10.13. our faithfull God not suffering vs to be tempted aboue that which wee are able to beare, but giuing the issue with the temptation, that we may be able to beare it. For our deliuerance is described procureable two maner of wayes: First, in respect of the seducers themselues, who are noted to be knowne: Secondly, in respect of the faithfull in­dued with grace for to know them. The marke of these Antichrists is their Apostasie, disciphered out two wayes, first by the cause, and secondly by the end. The cause is formall, or as Zaharell. de medijs demonstr. cap. 5. & Keck­erm. lib. 1. system. Logic. cap. 15. Logicians call it, efficiens per emanationem, to wit, Reprobation, necessarily concluding these men to bee Apostates, in this de­monstration a causa propter quam; whose proposition is [if they had beene of vs, they would haue continued with vs.] Assumption, [But they were not all of vs.] Conclusion is, and therefore [they went out from vs.] [Page 5] For secondly the end is [that it might appeare, that they were not all of vs.] And therefore that by this marke we might know these Antichrists, our God doth in­due vs with the grace of his Spirit, here liuely discri­bed, first by this fountaine [ye haue from that holy one:] secondly by the floud [an vnction, or an oyntment,] and thirdly from the Sea, or rather from the end, for which this floud floweth from this fountaine [and know all things.] Euery word hath his weight, and euery weight hath worth, in the danger, for a corro­siue; in the deliuerance, for a comfort; in both, for sound doctrine, and true instruction, which although I cannot but rudely deliuer, being not accustomed to so honorable a Celebritie: yet hartily in the Lord and most humbly I beseech you to heare me pati­ently, since I will endeuour by the grace of GOD preuenting, and assisting me in this present businesse, to speake to the purpose, and prooue what I speake, concluding thus with Salomon; Prou. 8.33.34 heare instruction, and be yee wise; and refuse it not. Blessed is the man, that heareth me, watching daily at my Gates, and giuing atten­dance at the postes of my doores. For hee that findeth me, findeth life, and shall obtaine fauour of the Lord. And so now to the first danger in respect of the time.

¶The first part of the end of the WORLD.

§. IIII. BAbes, it is the last time.] Time here in the originall is called [...]. Vid. Illy­ri [...] in voc. Hoca. an houre both for opportunitie, since considering Rom. 13.12. the season, it is [Page 6] now time we should arise from sleepe; For 2 Cor. 6.2. behold now the accepted time; behold now the day of saluation: and for breuitie, for which cause it is here called the last houre, as by Saint Paul in another 1. Cor. 10.11 Vid. Za [...]ch. Mis­cellan. lib. 2. lect. de fine saeculi. place it is tear­med the end of the World in a double respect, first of qualitie, because all things necessarie for mans re­demption are consummate in Christ, fulfilling the Law, and abolishing the ceremonies with the types, and shadowes, that at length he might bring in the truth of the Gospell as he said; Luk. 16.16. The Law and the Pro­phets endured vntill IOHN, and since that time the king­dome of God is preached, and euery man presseth vnto it: Videntur enim minora compleri, cum maiora succedant, saith Ambros. lib. 8 Commen. in Luc. Ambrose vpon that place, lesser things seeme to be fulfilled, when greater things succeede them: secondly of quantitie, because, as saith Saint Peter, 1. Pet. 4.7. The end of all things is at hand, and as Saint Paul said Philip. 4.5. also, the Lord is at hand; first in his Godhead, Iere. 22.23.24. filling heauen and earth, a God neere hand, and a God farre off: second­ly in his Spirit, which 1. Ioh 3.18. he hath giuen vs, that he might abide in vs, and thirdly in his comming, For behold, saith he, Reue. 22.14. I come shortly: Shortly to vs, who are dayly to expect him, since Heb. 10. yet a little while, and he that com­meth, will come, and will not tarrie: Shortly in himselfe, who Mat. 24.22. will hasten these euill dayes, for his elects sake: and shortly to the world it selfe, which is now in the old age. For, as we may read this often in Saint Augustine, Vid. Praecipu [...] lib. 83. quaest. cap. 50.. the world is as a man, whose ages are sixe; Infan­cie, Childhood, Youth, Strength, Grauitie, and Old age: the first age of the world is from Adam to Noah; the second, which is Childhood, from Noah to A­braham: [Page 7] the third, which is Youth, from Abraham to Dauid; the fourth is strength, from Dauid vnto the Captiuitie of Babylon: the fifth, which is Grauitie, from that Captiuitie to the comming of Christ: the sixth, from the first comming of Christ in the flesh, vnto the end of the world, is called Old age, ob incer­titudinem, because of vncertaintie in the finall ap­proach. For as Olde age in a man beginning at his sixtieth yeere, may be longer or shorter, but alwaies vncertaine in the last period when it shall come: So the last age of the world may bee either further pro­tracted, or presently contracted into fewer dayes, ac­cording to the onely good pleasure of God, but al­wayes to vs both vnknowne, and not found, quibus generatiònibus computetur (saith the same Father) by how many generations it may be accounted. So that here may be made a true reconciliation of some opposi­tion in appearance onely, betweene the two blessed Apostles, Saint Paul, and Saint Iohn; For S. 2. Thes. 2.3. Paul denieth the day of the Lord to be at hand in his dayes, Bucanus In­stit. loc. 38. quoad vltimum temporis, according to the last instant of time, before which approaching many things were to be done; Whereas Saint Iohn saith here, that the last time is come, quoad vltimum tempus, accor­ding to the last time, so here said to bee last, both in respect of Ages past, and because there shall bee no time after this, vnto which succeedeth that heauenly Heb. 3.9. Sabaoth, which remaineth for Gods children. Where­fore since no time followeth after this time, which Iohn calleth the last time, hence ariseth a double do­ctrine, and from them a double vse of good instru­ction: [Page 8] The first doctrine is this,The doctrine of the first part that there shall bee 1 an end of time, and of all things in time. The latter 2 this, that this end is euen now very neere at hand.

Proofes of the former do­ctrine.§. V. Concerning the former, it is an Assumpsit amongst all sorts of men, both Christians, and Hea­thens: Christians, who beleeue this both by Scrip­ture and Fathers: Scripture both of the old Testa­ment prophecying; that they (that is, the heauens, and the earth) Psal. 102.26. shall perish, where God endureth for euer; and of the New Testament preaching, 2. Cor. 4.17.18. that the things, which are seene, are temporall, where the things, which are not seene, are eternall. Fathers, both Greekes, as Clem. lib. 5. Stromat. Clemens Alexandrinus, with Euseb. lib. 11. de [...]rap. Euang. cap 17. Eusebius Caesariensis, and Latines, as Lactant. lib. 7 Iustit. per totum. Lactantius, and Saint August. li. 20. de Ciuit. [...]. cap. 4 5. Augustine. For all these together most certainely demonstrate, that the world shall end, not onely from Scripture, to informe true Christians; but also from Philosophers, to reforme Heathens, who are compelled to confesse the worlds end by a double strength of arguing, first from Authoritie, and se­condly from Reason. For the Authoritie, which bindeth them, is a double cord of true consent, plainely to be found in their Poets & Philosophers: Their Poets, such as their Sybille in Lactant. lib 7. Institut. cap. 23. Lactantius, who reporteth this from them: ‘ [...];’ That is, ‘There shall be a confusion of the earth, and mortall men:’ Their Philosophers, as Pythagoras, Stoickes, Epicures, Academickes; yea and Peripatetickes, if wee will be­leeue the faithfull report either of the fore alleaged [Page 9] Fathers, or of Plutarch himselfe, who saith, Plutarch. li. 2. de plac. Phylosop. cap. 4. that all Philosophers teach the end of the World: yea, and the Pe­ripateticks confesse the end of the sublunary World: that is, of those bodyes that are vnder the Moone. For reason euinceth it, first, from their owne grounds, and secondly, from experience. Their own grounds, who deny Arist lib. 3. Physic. cap. 5. Infinitum actu, that is, any thing to bee actually infinite; and therefore must necessarily re­nounce that their Arist. lib. 1. de Caes. cap. 9. opinion of the Eternitie of the world, since if there bee giuen an eternall addition of yeeres to the infinite yeeres past, then must Valesius ca. 1. de sacr. Philosq. it needes follow, both that there is Infinitum actu, an infinite thing in act, in respect of time past; and that by continuall addition of yeeres there is something more then that, which is infinite against their owne best Arist. lib. 3. Phys. cap. 6. & Beda in axiomat. tit. s. axiomes and rules: Infinito nihil est maius; Nothing is more then an Infinite thing: Extra infini­tum semper est aliquid; There is alwaies something in the world without that, which is infinite. The moderne experience, whereupon both Varro A. Gellius lib. 3. Noct. Atticar. cap. 10. in Gellius, and Plenius lib. 7. natu. h [...]st. cap. 16 Plinie doe gather a sensible corruption of the Infe­riour world, is the waxing old, and continuall de­creement of all things in this world, which will at length come to nothing hereby, since other things and men grow lesse and lesse, because men aboue all other things grow worse and worse.

Horat. lib. 3. Od. 6.
Aetas parentum peior auis tulit
Nos nequiores mox daturos
Progeniem vitiosiorem:

That is,

Our Fathers age is worse, then were our Gransiers dayes:
Who brought vs forth, that others bring forth worse and worse alwayes.

[Page 10] I know,The obiection of Atheists a­gainst the for­mer truth. that this seemeth to bee a very Paradoxe vnto all Atheists, who except against vs, First, out of Scripture, Psal. 93.1. that the World shall bee established, that it cannot be moued, and that Whatsoeuer Eccles. 3.14. God shall do, shall be for euer: Secondly, from the long continuance of the World in the same estate still one from the begin­ning, and therefore which cannot so quickly be changed as wee pretend: Thirdly, from the vncer­taine manner of change, which cannot but bee knowne,Our Answere. if euer it shall bee. But in truth, our an­swere is as easily made to euery one of these points, by Reason, and Grace, as they seeme ready onely from the corruption of nature to vrge them. For first, the Scriptures are mainly wrested from their proper purpose, since the Holy Ghost there speaketh of Gods Decree onely, which in despight of man shall stand vnmoouable, be it of whatsoeuer subiect it may be, whether of the World, or the things of the World, according to that of the Lord by the Prophet: Esay. 46.10. My counsell shall stand, and I will doe, what­soeuer I will. Secondly, that long continuance of the World in the same estate is onely supposed, not prooued, but euidently disprooued by the Apostle Saint Peter, pronouncing plainely against this obiec­tion, 2. Pet. 3.6.7. that the World that then was perished, ouer-flowed with water, but the Heauens, and the Earth, which are now, are kept by the same Word in store, and are reserued vnto fire, against the Day of Condemnation, and of the destruction of vngodly men. For Noahs Floud in­fringeth the opinion concerning the former conti­nuance of this worldly Fabrique: and the diuine [Page 11] supportation of the World by the Word, sheweth the World to bee but a Nowne Adiectiue, which cannot stand by it selfe, but must needes haue the whole dependance thereof from God onely, who as hee will doth change it, seeing Esay 40.22. that hee sitteth on the Circle of the Earth, and the Inhabitants thereof are but as Grashoppers. And therefore now to speake to the third concerning the manner how the World shall bee changed, What need wee vse such curiosi­tie? They who are euill, shall bee cast into a farre lower place; For the Psal. 9.17. wicked shall bee throwne into Hell, and all the people that forget God: They that are good, must ascend vp higher, since euen now Christ Iesus is gone Ioh. 14.3.4. to prepare a place for vs, Whence hee will come againe, and receiue vs to himselfe, that where he is, there may wee bee also, as the Apostle also said, 1. Thes. 4.17. that we must be caught vp into the Cloudes, to meet the Lord in the Ayre, and so to be euer with the Lord. And yet to giue them some further satisfaction vnto this demand, I find amongst the learned Fathers of the Church two famous Opinions, and both very probable concer­ning the manner of the Worlds change: The former is expressed in these two conclusions, the first, that this change is not a meere corruption of substance into nothing, but a renewing of qualities into a better estate, as PHILO IVDAEVS said, Philo. lib. de incorruptibilita­te mundi. the corruption at the end is a change vnto a better estate: and as Euseb. in Esaiam. Eusebius calleth it only a [...] renewing; both these well agreeing with the Apostles words; Rom. 8.21. The creature also shall bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God: the second, that this purging [Page 12] renouation of this visible World shall bee made by fire. For besides the Scriptures affirming, that Psal. 50.3. a consuming fire shall goe before our God; and that 2. Pet. 3.10. the Heauens shall passe away with a noyse, and the Elements shall melt with heat, and the Earth with the workes, that are therein shall be burnt vp, it is the iudgement of ma­ny good Christian Fathers and Doctors, as Chrysost. hom. 14 in Epist. ad Rom. Chry­sostome, Ambros. lib. 1. Hexam. cap. 6. Ambrose, Aquia. in lib. 4. Lomb. li [...]. 48. Aquinas and Durand. in▪ li. 4. dist. [...]7.9.3. Durand [...]s, yea and of some Heathens, as appeareth by these words of the Poet Lucan,

Lucan. lib. 3. Phar [...]al.
Communic mundo superest rogus, ossibus astra
Mixturus.

that is to say,

For World remaines a common pile;
The stars with mens bones to desile.

But now the latter opinion, which is of our most iu­dicious latter Diuines Dan. Tilenus. p. 2. Syntagm. lo­co. 67. Thes. 32. admitting the second con­clusion of the former opinion (to wit, that the World shall bee changed by fire)▪ doth altogether denie the first; whiles that; it absolutely affirmeth, that the Earth, Water, Ayre, Fire, and all the visible Fabrique of the running heauens shall so vtterly be consumed by fire into nothing, that it shall not ro­maine in the World to come. For so the Scripture seemeth to affirme where Iob saith, Iob. 14.12. that man slee­peth, and riseth not; neither shall wake againe, nor bee raised from his sleepe, till the Heauens bee no more: and where Esay. 51.6. Isaiah saith, that the Heauens shal vanish away, like a smoke, and the Earth shall wax old, like a gar­ment, and they that dwell therein shall perish in like man­ner, &c. Yea, and the proportion of faith seemeth [Page 13] plainely to demonstrate this vnto vs, since first this visible World is onely appointed for a lodging vnto man, quatenus est Vtator, as hee now is trauailing towardes his Countrey: and therefore what need shall hee haue of this World, when after the Day of Iudgement hee dwelleth in his owne Land? Secondly, Natura non amat vacuum, nec gratia super­uicaneum: Nature loues no emptinesse, nor grace idlenesse: Mat. 22.13. Wicked men must bee cast into vtter darknesse Mat. 25.41. With the Deuill, and his Angels: and can­not vse this World: Godly men shall bee placed in Heauen, like the Mat. 22.30. Angels, and shall not need this World; since there in Heauen Reuel. 22.5. shall bee no night, and they need no Candle, neither light of the Sunne: for the Lord God giueth them light, and they shall raigne for euer­more. Therefore if this visible World shall then bee, it shall be emptie, or if it be full, then it shall be idle; and that is against nature; this against Grace. Where­vpon seeing the manner of this change is secret, and the change it selfe most certaine; hold we most cer­tainely this truth for our stay, that the World shall end; and leaue we the manner thereof to bee reuea­led by him, who will very quickly performe it, as now it followeth in the second Doctrine, which I noted before.

§. VI. That the end is euen now neere at hand. Proofes of the second do­ctrine. For besides the plaine testimony of Scripture recorded in my former exposition of this part of my Text, the signes of the end exhibited by Christ himselfe, and his holy Apostles, will euidently declare it, if we well perceiue, first, what those signes are, secondly, [Page 14] how in these dayes they are fulfilled. That we may know them the better, what they all are, let vs with our selues at our best leisure priuately recount and peruse these places written in the 24. Mat. 25. Mat. 13. Marke. Luke 17. & 21. Cap. Rom. 11. 2. Thess. 2. 1. Tim. 4.2. 2. Tim. 3. and the whole Booke of Saint Iohns Reuelation. For out of all these places, the signes of Christs Comming are gathered to be two­fold; first, the further remooued, secondly, the nee­rer conioyned signes. The further remooued signes beginning long before the Comming of Christ, are especially three; First, Warres amongst Nations, as our Sauiour said, Mat. 24 7. Nation shall rise against Nation; Realme against Realme; there shall bee Famine, and Pesti­lence, and Earthquakes in diuers places. For although there shall bee such peace amongst the Godly in the time of the Gospell, that Esay. 7.4. they shall breake their Swords into Mattockes, and their Speares into Sythes; Nation shall not lift vp a Sword against Nation; neither shall they learne to fight any more; yet the Esa. 57.20.21 wicked are like the troubled Sea, which cannot rest, whose waters cast vp mire, and dirt: For there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked, since amongst themselues they rush heads together, like mad Rammes, and wild Buls; and towards the Faithfull fulfill Christ his Prophesie, that Mat. 10.36. a mans foes shall bee they of his owne Houshold. The second, Carnall securitie, such as be­fell in the dayes of Noah, vnto them of the olde World, and in the dayes of Lot, amongst the Inha­bitants of Sodom, and Gomorrha, when Luk. 17.26.27.28.29. &c. they did eate, they dranke; they married wiues, and were giuen in Mar­riage, [Page 15] till the Floud came vpon the one sort, and the fire from Heauen fell downe vpon the other. For Prou. 16.18. pride goeth before destruction, and an hautie spirit be­fore the fall. The third, the Reuelation of Antichrist, as my Text, and other Scriptures to bee opened hereafter will plainely proue. Now the signes, which are neerer at hand vnto the latter Day, are likewise three in number. The first, the Conuersion of the Iewes, Rom. 11.25. after that the fulnesse of the Gentiles shall come in. The second, the terrour Reue. 6.15.16.17. of all Tribes, and Kindreds, when the Kings of the Earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chiefe Captaines, and the mighty men, and euery bondman, and free man, hide themselues in the Dennes, and in the Rockes of the Mountaines, and say vnto the Mountaines, and Rockes; Fall on vs, and hide vs from the face of Him, that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe. For the great Day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand? The third and last, and the very next vnto the finall dissolution of all, is the shaking of the visi­ble Heauens, when as our Mat. 29.29. Sauiour sheweth out of the Prophet Ioel. 21.31. IOEL, The Sunne shall be darkned, and the Moone shall not giue her light, and the Starres shall fall from Heauen, and the Powers of the Heauens shall bee shaken. For God doth exhibit these signes vnto vs in his holy Word both to shew that hee shall come, and also to prepare vs his Children for his com­ming, since by these signes we see, how he hasteneth it according as hee spake this Parable of the Figge Tree vnto his Disciples, Luk. 21.29.30.31. Behold the Figge Tree, and all the Trees, when they now shoot forth, yee see, and know [Page 16] of your owne selues, that Summer is now nigh at hand: so likewise yee, when yee see these things come to passe, know yee that the Kingdome of God is nigh at hand. The fruit, saith Gregorie, Gregor. Hom. 1. in Euangelia. is the fall of the World: for this end it groweth, that it might fall: for this end it falleth, that it may bud againe; for this end it buddeth forth, that whatso­euer it buddeth sorth, it may consume by ouerthrowes. For loe, the first signe complete in bloudy wars not one­ly amongst Pagans both of old, as Romans against the Gothes, and Parthians, and of late, as Turkes and Per­sians; but also amongst the Christians, as Greeks, and Latines; & amongst the Latines, as Germanes, & Franks, Spaniards, & Englishmen; Protestants, & Papists, who all fulfill that Prophesie of Dan. 9.27. Daniel cōcerning the abomi­nation of desolation standing in the holy place, applyed by our Mat. 24.15. Sauiour vnto this purpose. For as the Learned Vid. [...]uni. lib. 1. parcello sacr. cap. 45. well expound it, it is nothing else, but a most de­populating and raging Armie of Infidell people in the middest of the Church, Esa. 9.21, 22 Euery man eating the flesh of his owne arme; EPHRAIM MANASSEH, and MANASSEH EPHRAIM; and both these together be­ing set against IVDAH. Secondly, concerning carnall security, whereby men Amos 6.4. put farre from them the euill day, and approch vnto the seate of iniquitie; what need we vse many words? For the Gluttonie amongst the Rich, and the Drunkennesse amongst the poore, and the abominable coupling of all men in Polygamie, with those Vid. Act. & Monuments Jo. F [...]x pag. 225. Edit. vltimae. three Daughters of King Richard, the first of that Name King of England, Pride, Co­uetousnesse, and Luxurie (which Fulco the Bishop wished the King to marry away from his Person and [Page 17] Court; and which vpon good experience that Great Prince then bequested presently after this order, the first to the proud Souldiers of Hierusalem, called Templars; the second to the Monkes of the Cistercian Order; the third to the Prelates of the Popish Church) this matching, I say, of their soules and bo­dies vnto these three most abominable vices, and crying sinnes, sheweth plainely that the last Day is neere at hand, although euery Deut. 19.19. man blesse himselfe in his heart, saying,) I shall haue peace, though I walke in the imagination of mine heart, to adde Drunkennesse to thirst; as if Esay. 28.15. they had made a couenant with death; and with hell were at an agreement. But certainly, when 1. Thes. 5.3. they shall say, Peace and safetie, then sudden destruction commeth vpon them, as trauaile vpon a woman with childe, and they shall not escape. For Prou. 16.5. euery one that is proud in heart, is an abomination to the Lord, though hand ioyne in hand, he shall not bee vnpunished. Thirdly, concerning the Reuelation of Antichrist, we shall hereafter in this Discourse find him painted out in his colours by the Spirit of God. In the meane time wee may obserue the neerenesse of the last end by the complement of the fourth signe, to wit, the Conuersion and resto­ring of the Iewish Nation vnto the faith of Christ. For, although in the iudgement of many Zegedin. loc. comm. pa. 36. & Bucan. Instit. loc. 38. q. 15. godly, and learned men, it is not yet knowne, when and how this Conuersion of the Iewes shall be accompli­shed, because it is not reuealed in the Word of God, whether it shall be a Conuersion visible or inuisible; totall or partiall, made all at once, or by succession: yet is this certaine, that many thousand Iewes, by [Page 18] Iames his Act. 21.20. report in the time of the Apostles beleeued; and Vid. Act. & Monument. pag. 886. that in euery age of the Church some of them haue bin baptized into Christ, & Vid. Marlar. in Rom. 11.25. that vnto the end of the World, some of them shall daily be conuerted, that so our Sauiour might fulfill in due time that his Pro­phesie; Ioh. 10.16. Other sheepe I haue, which are not of this sold: them also must I bring: and they shall heare my voice; and there shall be one Folde, and one Shepheard. Neuerat eos in turba furentium, & praeuidebat eos in pace credentium, saith August. Tract. 47. in Ioh. Saint AVGVSTINE: hee knew them in the com­pany of the madly roging, and foresaw them in the peace of the godly beleeuing. For howsoeuer their moderne Synagogues be most Satanicall, and deadly Aduer­saries to the truth of Christianitie, as appeareth by their doctrine and customes discouered by the lear­ned man Buxtorf. in Synagog. Iudaic. Buxtorfius: yet some may be true Israelites, and in their time also bee truely conuerted vnto the faith of Christ; since (as Petrus Galat. lib. 1. de arcanis sid. Cathol. cap. 4. Galatinus hath well distinguished the condition of the Iewes after Christs Resurrection) some of them follow Christ & fide & opere, both in saith, and in worke, as old Act. 5.39. Gamaliel in the Talmud famous, and the great Rabbi Haccanas Nehumiae filius: other some cleaue to him fide, nō opere, by faith, not by work, because they are zealous of the Law withall, as the Iewes in the Act. 21.20. Acts, and the Histo­rian Iosephus, but others will not follow Christ, nec side nec opere, neither by faith, nor by worke, al­though they cannot deny the Truth, which they see­ing to bee fulfilled, will yet in the obstinacie of their hearts conceale. And may not some of these last sort returne? Lodouicus Carettus, Iohannes Isaacus, Imma­nuel [Page 19] Tremellius, and diuers other most famous Con­uerts of the Iewish Nation are euident proofes of a present reconciliation of Israel vnto Christ euen in these last dayes, wherein the Gentile fulnesse is past, since Mahomets Musulmans doe now possesse the middest, true Christians being extruded into the out­most parts of this our Hemisphere, as is plaine by the Apud Petr. Plaut. & Io. Magin. in Tabul. Ptolom. de Asia & Africa. Maps both of the Turkish and Persian King­domes. But howsoeuer this Conuersion of the Iewes shall be; the end is neere, since the first signes are past, and the second sort begin to approch in the first of them, that now wee may daily looke for the complement of the two last, to wit, the amazement of the Reprobates, and wrapping vp of the visible Heauens, for our happy deliuerance out of this mi­serie, that we may bee partakers of the onely blessed Kingdome in greatest glory, as Titus Bostre. in Luc. 21. & A­quin. in Caten. ibid. one said well; Ipse aduentus Domini climinans omnium principatum, & potestatem praeparat Regno Dei: The comming of Christ destroying the rule or chiefedome of all others, prepareth a power for the Kingdome of God.

§. VII. Wherefore hence I conclude with the Apostle Saint Peter, that now 1. Pet. 4.7. since the end of all things is at hand, we therefore must bee sober, and watch vnto Prayer. For this is the double vse of the Doc­trines proposed, first, for Sobrietie, and secondly,The first vse of the two for­mer doctrines: and the first part of it. for Watchfulnesse. For Sobrietie both in opinion, and life. In opinion and iudgement, as the Apostle doth warne, that Rom. 1 [...].3. No man thinke of himselfe more highly, then he ought to thinke, but that hee thinke soberly, accor­ding as God hath dealt to euery man the measure of faith. [Page 20] For as Salt seasoneth euery thing, and therefore by the Leuit 2.13. Law they were to season with Salt euery Oblation of the meate Offering: euen so a sober discretion in iudgement is the most wholesome condiment to all our Meditations, since it maketh the minde peacea­ble, and the tongue seasonable: as therefore our Sa­uiour speaketh for the former, Haue Mark. 9.50. Salt in your selues, and haue peace one with another, and Saint Paul for the latter, Coloss. 4.7. Let your speech be alwayes with grace, seasoned with Salt, that yee may know, how yee ought to answere euery man. For as Bernard. Ser. 3. de Circumcis. Dom. Bernard sayth well, The light of discretion is the Mother of Vertues, and the con­summation of perfection, when according to the Horat. de Ar­te poetic. Poets rule, Singula quae (que) locum teneant sortita decenter, Every thing keepeth his owne proper place in a comely sort, as Prou. 16.23. The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. For that we may apply these things vnto this very particular, a question is made, when our Sauiour shall come at the end of the World; but omnino importunè, altogether vnseasonably, saith Saint August. lib. 18 de Cim. Dei. c. 53 Augustine; because if it had beene expedient for vs to haue knowne it, of whom should it haue beene spoken better then of God himselfe, the Master to his Disciples demanding the question, since he plainly professed vn­to his Disciples, that Ioh 15.15. because they were his friends, all things that he had heard of his Father, he had made knowne vnto them? and yet when they asked of him, saying, Act. 1.6.7. Lord, wilt thou at this time restore againe the Kingdome to Israel, he said vnto them, It is not for you to know the times, or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his owne power. For Mark. 13.32. of that day, and that houre [Page 21] knoweth no man, no not the Angels which are in Heauen, neither the Sonne, but the Father. Non filius ipse, saith Gregor. lib. 8. Registr. Ep. 42. GREGORY, ex natura humanitatis, licet in natura humanitatis; Not the Sonne himselfe by the nature of his humanitie, although in the nature of his humanitie. For although hee may know it, as hee is God, and Man; yet doth hee not know it, as hee is man onely. And therefore hee would not reueale vnto men; because as Saint August. lib. 83▪ quaest. cap. 60. Augustine doth glosse it, and Vid. Zanch. li. 1. Misc loc. de fi­ne saeculi. cap. 4. & Bucan. Instit. loc. 38. q. 18. & Polan. lib. 6. Syn­tagmat. cap. 65. many other good Diuines approoue it, Nescit filius, id est, facit homines nescire; quia non prodit hominibus, quae inutili­ter scirent: The Sonne knoweth it not, that is, hee maketh not men to know it; because he bewrayeth not those things vnto men, which they would know vnprofitably. For Ʋid Durand. in 4. s. dist. 47. q. 1. art. 10. the Creation of the World from nothing to something is knowne to God only, who alone did accomplish it, and therefore must the dissolution of the World bee knowne, and done by God alone, seeing it is a changed ab ente ad non ens: from something to nothing, betweene which two termes the space is infinite, so­lum percurribile, & perceptibile, to be runne thorow, and perceiued onely by the infinite God. And therefore those who thrust themselues into this secret, are deserued­ly conuicted for lying spirits, as those men of Beth­shemesh 1. Sam. 6.19. were iustly smitten with the plague of God for looking into the Arke. For what else may we esteeme those men to bee, who presumed to shew in former times, that Vid. Lactant. lib. 7. c. 25. & August. li. 18. de Ciuit. Dei▪ ca. 53. & Zanch. lib. 1. Miscell. vbi supr. the Day of the Lord should come first in the time of the Apostles? secondly, in the yeere of our Lord, three hundred sixtie fiue; thirdly, some two hundred yeeres after CONSTANTINE the Great: fourthly, in the [Page 22] foure hundred, or in the sixth hundred, or in the thousand yeere after Christ; yea by the computation of Arnal­du [...] de nouâ villâ, and Iohannes Regiomontanus it must be in the yeere of our Lord It was from these coniec­tures said: Octu [...]g [...]ssimus octauus mi [...]abi­lis annus. one thousand, fiue hundred, eightie and eighth, the Men 2. Tim. 3.13. deceiuing, and being de­ceiued.

Theognis.
[...]
[...].

that is,

A lye at first doth find small grace:
In the end, soule losse with heauie case.

But yet there are two coniectures of the last Day, ve­ry much esteemed by some men of note amongst the learned; the former concerning the Millenary, the latter concerning the Centurie, wherein the last Day must befall (as they thinke) certaine, although the day and houre (as our Sauiour said) cannot bee knowne. But good Saint Augustine August. Epist. 78. quae ad He­sychium. doth answere here plainely, that no time at all, neither [...], nor [...], that is, neither time of continuance, nor of o­portunitie, wherein our Sauiour shall come to iudge­ment, can be knowne by any man. For in what Millena­rie, or thousand yeere will they haue CHRIST to come? They say in the sixth thousand yeere after the Creation of the World, according to that sentence of Orpheus in Plutarch. lib. de E [...] apud Del­phos. Plutarch;

[...]:
Aetate in sexta studium finite canendi;

that is, In the sixth Age the World of harmony shal cease, both be­cause [Page 23] the World was finished vpon the sixth day (for as S. Peter saith, 2. Pet. 3.8. One day is with the Lord as a thousand yeeres, and a thousand yeeres as one day,) and also accor­ding to the tradition of Elias, Talmod. lib. Sanhe [...]rm, cap. helec. & apud P. Galatinum, lib. 4. de arcan. fid. Cath. cap. 20. there were two thou­sand yeeres before the Law, two thousand yeeres in the Law, and two thousand yeeres after the Law. In­deed I find this opinion concerning the thousand yeeres, to bee very much set by amongst some Fa­thers of the Primitiue Church, as Lib. q. ad gen­tes q. 17. Iustine Martyr, Lib. 5. cap. vl­timo. Irenaeus, Lib. 7. cap. 7. Lactantius, Jn exposit. Psal. 89. Hierome, and Apud Sixtum Senens [...]m lib. 5. annot. 190. Germanus Pa­triarke of Constantinople, which yet some other of sounder iudgement, as Lib. 7. in locū. Ambrose, and In exposit. Psal. 90. Augustine, altogether disprooue, as wanting good ground to be settled vpon. For first, that anagogicall interpre­tation of the sixth dayes Creation is besides Gods intent, and Saint Peters meaning, who by comparing of one day with a thousand yeeres, and of a thou­sand yeeres with one day, did but shew, as saith Saint Augustine, contemnendam futuri temporis breuitatem, the contemptible shortnesse of future time. Secondly, that Rabbinicall and beggerly tradition falsly fathe­red vpon Elias, doth not agree to the truth of time in the two former termes, since according to the com­putation of the Hen. Buntin­gus in suâ Chro­nologiâ, & Cla­riss. Ioseph. Scali­ger l▪ 5. de emen­dat. temporum, & Christoph. Helwicus in suis tabuli [...] Chrono­logicis. best Chronographers, the Law was giuen in the two thousand, foure hundred, fifty and third yeere of the World, or at the most, in the thou­sand, foure hundred, fiftie and fourth: betweene which time and the comming of Christ there haue runne onely one thousand, foure hundred, ninetie, and foure yeeres, or at the most, one thousand, fiue hundred, and fifteene yeeres. Can it therefore bee [Page 24] probable, that hee shall hit the marke in the third terme of time, which is now after the first comming of Christ? Since his credit is crackt in the former two thousands, we may very well mistrust his truth in the last terme not yet fulfilled. Another Napier, propo­sit. 14. & 15. Time-sear­cher, of the like curiositie concerning the Centurie, absolutely defineth the Day of Doome within these two yeeres of our Lord, one thousand, six hundred, eightie and eight, and one thousand, seuen hundred. But since, as Vid. Aristo. de Jnterpret. cap. 7. Logicians say, de futuris contingentibus non est scientia, there is no kind of knowledge concerning things to come, I maruaile at his boldnesse, who vpon so vncertaine a ground durst reare so high a buil­ding. For where he would conclude a certaine num­ber of yeeres from those one thousand, two hundred and ninetie in Dan. 12.11. Daniel, and from some other num­bers in the Reuelation, I answere first with the most learned both August. Ep. 78 ad Hesych. Fathers, and Rolloc. & Iu­nius in Daniel. new Writers, that Da­niels Prophesie reacheth onely to Christs time, be­fore which the Law ruled; and secondly, as our most Gracious Soueraigne In Meditat. super 20. cap. Apocalyp. King Iames could tell him, that in the Reuelation of Saint IOHN a certaine number most commonly is put downe for an vncertaine number: So that rather then wee should runne into so hard Imputations, as such men deserue for so many mon­strous falsities, and lyes; I thinke it were farre better for vs to follow the good counsaile of that most ho­ly Father Saint August. vbi supra. Augustine, who thus concludeth for sobriety of iudgement concerning the last Iudge­ment. First, concerning the comming of our Sauiour, who is expected in the end, I dare not reckon or count the [Page 25] times; neither doe I thinke, that any of the Prophets haue certainely defined the number of yeeres concerning this matter; but that this should rather preuaile with vs, which the Lord himselfe Act. 1.7. said; It is not for you to know the times, and seasons, which the Lord hath kept in his owne power: Secondly, August. in Psal. 6. and therefore let vs be willingly ig­norant of that which God would not haue vs know.

§. VIII. Now for sobriety in life,The latter part of the former vse for sobrie­tie in life. which is to be practized of vs all, because of the neerenesse of our end, it consisteth in these two duties especially, first, in the sober getting; secondly, in the sober spen­ding of goods so gotten. For in getting goods wee are sober men, while wee neither make too much haste to bee rich, neither trust too much in goods gotten hastily. For concerning hastie wealth, how­soeuer it bee gotten, Salomons sentence is most sure, first, of the sinne, that Prou. 28.20. he that maketh haste to be rich, shall not be innocent; and concerning the punishment, Prou. 20.21 that an inheritance may bee gotten hastily at the begin­ning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed. For 1. Tim. 6.9. they that will bee rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish, and hurtfull lusts, which drowne men in destruction, and perdition. [...], (saith the Apud Stobae­um Serm. 10. Poet MENANDER) no man haste­neth to be rich, in the way of Iustice. For

—
Iuue. Sat. 14.
quae reuerentia legum?
Quis metus aut pudor est nimium properantis auari?

a couetous Wretch careth neither for Law, nor feare, nor shame, so hee may bee enriched by any [Page 26] meanes. Riches (saith Bern [...]ser. 3. in Psal. Q [...] habi­tat. BERNARD) are the Deuils snares, from which sew men are free, and with which ma­ny doe very much lament, that they are not intangled. But if they well marked, first, the great things they lose (for Mat. 19.22. rich men hardly enter into the Kingdome of God;) Secondly, the small gaines they get (for Luke 12.15. a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of things which hee possesseth;) Thirdly, into what certaine danger they thrust themselues by hastening to this store, whiles that they drudge to get, dread to keepe, and droope to lose (for Eccles 5.9. he that loueth Siluer, shall not be satisfied with Siluer, nor he that loueth abundance, with increase; this is also vanitie, as it is plainly prooued by the Rich man in the Luke 12.20. Gospell, whose soule was taken from him in the night of his bragge;) if I say they would well weigh in all their accounts, how they purchase in the seeking for wealth, onely labour for their trauaile; surely, surely, they would rather with Diog. La [...]rt. lib. 6. Crates the Theban resolue to cast their wealth and pelfe into the Sea, saying, Ego mergam te, prius­quàm to perdas me; I will drowne thee, before thou shalt destroy mee: or follow the counsell of Salomon thus aduising him, Pro. 23.4, 5. Labour not to be rich; cease from thine owne wisedome.

For first, wilt thou set thine eye vpon that, which is not? Secondly, riches certainely make themselues wings; they flye away, as an Eagle towards Heauen. The best wealth in the iudgement of CLEMENT Clemens Alex. l. 2. Paedagog c. 3. ALEXANDRINVS is the pouertie of desires, and the true magnificence is not to grow proud vpon growing wealthy, but rather to despise wealth. For (now to take [Page 27] downe their trust in goods thus lewdly gotten) what if they be rich in wealth or land? Are they therefore the better men? Or shall they liue the longer? They are not the better, because of riches, because that ri­ches are not bona simpliciter; simply good things. For Chrysost. hom. 17. in 1. Tim. what wee account to bee very precious things; as Gold, Siluer, Spices, and Iewels, are basely esteemed of amongst the barbarous Indians and Saluages, a­mongst whom yet vertue is of greatest price. A Iade will be a lade for all his stately trappings: wealth of it selfe will rather hinder then helpe goodnesse, since it is a sworne slaue vnto wantonnesse and riot, as we see in Luk. 16.19. the rich man, who was clothed in purple, and fine linnen, and fared well, and delicately euery day. Whereupon one Stel [...]h. in Luc. 8. said very well, that as the Moone, the fuller she is, the further shee standeth remooued from the Sunne, and neerer to bee eclipsed in the darke shaddow of the earth: so oftentimes it hap­peneth (for I cannot make it generall, since we know that many good men, as Abraham, Iob, Dauid, Salo­mon, &c haue beene very rich) that the richer men are, the further from God they liue in this world, and neerer to bee entrapped in the snares of the Diuell, who Luk. 4.6. challengeth wealth vnto himselfe as his owne true peculiar, to bestow where he will: our Saui­our threatning Luk. 6.24. a woe vnto such, because heere they haue receiued their consolation. But shall they therefore for their wealth liue the longer? Certainely no. Nei­ther they themselues, nor theirs. Not they them­selues. For then (as the Diuell Iob. 2.4. sayd) Skin for skin; yea, all that a man hath will he giue for his life. But Horat. lib. 5. od. 4. Pal­lida [Page 28] mors aequo pulsat pede Regum turres, pauperum (que) ta­bernas; Death knocketh as well at the Kings Pa­lace, as at the poore mans Cottage. For we Psal. 49.10, 11, 12. see that wise men dye, likewise the foole, and the brutish person perish, and leaue their wealth to others: Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for euer, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their owne names: neuerthelesse, man being in honour, abideth not; hee is like the beasts that perish. Therefore they shall not continue in their posterity. Summis Lucan. lib. 1. Phar. negatur stare diu; High things cannot stand long. Claudian. lib. 1. in Ruffin. Tolluntur in altum vt lapsis grauiore ruant; They are raysed vp on high, to bee rushed downe lower. It may well suffice them, that their soules are immortall, although their bodyes are dissolued, their goods scattered, and their lands demised ouer to other men. For there is (saith Eccle. 5.13.14 Salomon) a sore euill, which I haue seene vnder the Sunne, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt: But those riches pe­rish by euill trauaile, and he begetteth a sonne, and there is nothing in his hand. For: ‘Apud Cl. Mi­noem in Comm. sup. Alciat. Emb. 128. De malè quaesitis vix gaudet tertius haeres:’ That is;

Of goods which are ill got,
Third heyre scarce hath a lot.

Since, as Cicero Cic. 2. Philip. told Antonie out of an olde Poet; Malè parta malè dilabuntur; Ill gotten goods are farre worse spent: as we see it daily happen, that great mens houses are like to Dan. 2.32, 33 Nebuchadnezzar his great Image, whose head was of fine gold, brests and armes of siluer, belly and thighes of brasse, legges of iron, feete part of iron, part of clay. For the lower wee [Page 29] descend, the worse wee shall finde them; as Plato 1. Al­cibiad. Plato was wont to say, Aurei Patres, filij Plumbei; Golden Fathers, but leaden sonnes, that now it is no maruaile, if in all places of the world great mens houses come to nothing, seeing great mens children grow to no­thing, fulfilling the old Erasm. Adag. sub titul. Degene­rantiū in peius. Prouerbe, Heroum fi [...]ij noxae; Lords prooue but Louts, and Gentlemen Gulles, whiles Sonnes are heyres of Parents patrimonie, which they spend wastfully, and not successors in Pa­rēts vertues, without which it is impossible that their houses should stand, since Psal. 127.1. & ibi Hierony. except the Lord build the house (and that is onely when we are settled vpon the foundation Ephes. 2.20. of the Apostles and Prophets) they la­bour in vaine that build it. That therefore these mis­chiefes may happily be preuented, Fathers must bee sober in getting of goods, leauing to their children a patrimony of vertue by honest education, which (as said Apud Stobaeū. Ser. 3. Aristippus, cast out vpon the Rhodes naked and bare, but relieued by Philosophicall Arts) they cannot lose in shipwracke. (For, I pray you, why should the Fathers go to hell for leauing to their children a clod of earth only?) And children must care to keep sobrietie in the right vse of Inheritances, left to them by their Parents. For what needs this waste, which wee daily behold in Cities and Countrey by gorge­ous Apparell, stately Buildings, sumptuous Ban­quets, idle Sports, and other vanities, which Col. 2.22. perish with the vsing, yea, are vsed to our perishing, whiles by this our demeanour wee are like that bad seruant, which said in his heart, Mat 24.48, 49. My Lord delayeth his com­ming; and thereupon beginneth to smite his fellow ser­uants, [Page 30] and to eate and drinke with the drunken. Indeede as Prou. 27.8. a Bird that wandreth from her nest: so is a man that wandreth from his place. For in my small experience, I haue well obserued what euery man may see, that as an Archer, who shooteth aloft aboue his true compasse, lighteth his arrow farre wide of his marke: So whiles men are carryed with a hawtie and proud humour aboue their owne ordinarie condition and estate, they certainely misse of the marke and scope of their great desires, either for honour, the ayme of proude Citizens, or for the store of wealth, the Butte of our braue, but greedie Gentlemen. Because when Citizens, that they become Gentles, will goe into the Countrey there to keepe residence: and when Gentlemen, for sparing, will lye in Cities, lurking with a small retinue of Seruants about: them; Artes and Trades decay by those, Husbandry and Hospi­talitie doth fayle by these, and God bloweth vpon both, that Hagg. 1.9. when they looke for much, it commeth to lit­tle. Ier. 22.29.30 O earth, earth, earth, heare the Word of the Lord: (Earth, first in affection; (for what is this else but a dung-hill desire?) Earth, secondly in action; (for all this is but drudging.) Earth, lastly through dissolu­tion of all into dust.) Thus saith the Lord, Write yee this man childlesse, a man that shall not prosper in his dayes; for no man of his seede shall prosper; sitting vpon the throne of DAVID, and ruling any more in Iudah. For IECONIAH his case is ours, while we become like him: according to that of the Prophet Esay, touching the generall reward of all men, as they shall deserue: Esa. 3.10.11 say yee to the righteous, that it shall bee well with him: [Page 31] for they shall eate the fruit of their doings. Woe vnto the wicked, it shall be ill with him; for the reward of his hands shall be giuen him. But if we be men indued with rea­son, wee will learne wisedome of the Pissemire or Ant, Prou. 6.7.8. which hauing no guide, ouer-seer, or Ruler, pro­uideth her meate in the Summer, and gathereth her foode in the haruest: and if we be Christians enriched with grace, we shall quickly perceiue, that 1. Pet. 4.3. the time past of our life may suffice vs to haue wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciuiousnesse, lusts, excesse of Wine, reuellings, banquettings, and abominable idola­tries. For 1. Thes. 5.7, 8 they that sleepe, sleepe in the night; and they that bee drunken, are drunken in the night: But let vs, who are of the day, be sober: Yea, the night is farre spent, the day is at hand: let vs therefore cast off the works of darknesse, and let vs put on the armour of light: let vs walke honestly, as in the day, not in ryoting and drunken­nesse, not in chambering and wantonnesse, not in strife and enuying: but put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ, and make not prouision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. For as the Sunne, shining aboue our Hemisphere, both dispelleth darknes, and bringeth on light, by which wee walke safely vntill the euening: So the Sunne of Righteousnesse, the Sonne of God, Christ Iesus, now sending downe his bright beames of true­ly-sauing knowledge into these our ouer-deeply-darkned hearts, both driueth away the mists of ig­norance, and indueth vs with so great a light of grace, as by which we see cleerely what to flye, and what to follow, in this our day, before the night come, euen by his owne ensample, who said, Ioh. 9.4. I must [Page 32] worke the works of Him that sent mee, while it is day: the night commeth, when no man can worke. As there­fore good labourers apply themselues earnestly a­bout their businesse in the after-noone, that they may well finish their whole worke intended, before the night come: so wee men now hyred Mat. 20.6. into the Vineyard at the eleuenth houre, are seriously to en­deuour our selues Phil. 2.12. to worke out our own saluation with feare and trembling, before our Master commeth, that when we are called, we may receiue euery man a pen­nie, as the Prophet plainely warned vs, Iere. 13.16. to giue glo­rie to the Lord our God, before he cause darknesse, and be­fore our feete stumble vpon the dark [...] mountaines, and while we looke for light, hee turne it into the shadow of death, and make it grosse darknesse. For Aristot. lib. 4. Phys. cap. 8. naturall mo­tion is swifter in the end, then in the beginning; be­cause the neerer it commeth to his proper place, wherein it must rest, the more it desireth to attaine vnto that place, in which it may rest. If therefore heauen be our home, towards which wee make our iourney; thither then must we most swiftly returne, the neerer we come vnto the place; casting far from vs these worldly lets, these fleshly fardels, these de­uillish deceits, which slow our speede in our course for the Crowne; as wee may read it plainely practi­sed, first by Dauid, who said, Psal. 119.32. I will runne the way of thy Commandements, when thou shalt enlarge mine heart: Secondly, by Zachaeus, Luk. 19.6. who made haste, and came downe, and receiued Christ ioyfully: Thirdly, by Saint Paul, who Philip. 3.13.14. forgetting those things, which are behinde, and reaching foorth to those things which are before, pres­sed [Page 33] toward the marke for the price of the high Calling of God in Christ Iesus; fourthly, and lastly by all Gods Saints, Who Rom 8.23. waiting for the Adoption, euen the Redemption of their bodies, follow the good coun­sell of the Apostle thus aduising them, Heb. 12.1.2. Seeing we also are compassed about with such a cloud of Witnesses, let vs lay aside euery weight, and the sinne, which doth so easily beset vs; and let vs runne with patience vnto the Race, that is set before vs, looking vnto Iesus the authour, and finisher of our faith. For as Cyprian said well, Cypr. in orat. dominicam. He that hath renounced the World, is greater then the Ho­nours, and the Kingdome thereof: and therefore hee, who dedicateth himselfe to God, and his Christ, desireth not earthly, but heauenly Kingdomes. For so must wee be sober, and thus now must we watch.

§. IX. Watch; not in the night only:The second vse for Watch­ing in Prayer. For Physi­cians [...]o. Ferne. li. 1. Pattilog. cap. 17. doe teach, that Night-watching weakens the bodies of yong men; and Students doe find the heauy hurts of nocturne lucubrations by their sore eyes, and dry braines: but Watch, as well on the day, as on the night, as well in prosperity, as in aduersitie, as well in peace, as in warfare. For the watching hence to bee vrged as a second vse is a spirituall care, to bee diligently taken ouer soule and body, that we as men aliue from the dead, should alwaies Rom. 6.13. yeeld our selues vn­to God, not any way giuing our members to be weapons of vnrighteousnesse vnto sin, but alwaies to bee instruments of righteousnesse vnto God; first, watching ouer our hearts against euill thoughts, since from our hearts proceed Prou. 4.23. the actions of life; Secondly, ouer our eyes, that wee Iob. 31.1. thinke not of a Maide: Thirdly, ouer [Page 34] our mouthes, that Psal. 39.1. wee offend not in our tongue: Fourthly, ouer our feet, especially, when Eccles. 4.17. wee enter into the House of God: Fifthly, ouer our hands, that 1. Tim. 5.21. we lay them not suddenly vpon any man, lest we be partakers of other mens sinnes; Sixthly, and lastly ouer all our waies, that We Gene. 17.1. walke before God, and bee vpright, and that we Rom. 12.17. prouide things honest in the sight of all men. For Reue. 16.15. blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments; lest he walke naked, and they see his filthi­nesse.

Some (saith Saint August. Ep. 80. quae ad Hesych. AVGVSTINE) watch and pray, because the Lord will come quickly: others, because life is short, and vncertaine: a third sort, for that they know not, when the Lord himselfe will come: and these are alwaies to bee thought the best watchers, because they seeme especially to respect that Commande­ment of Christ, saying, Mark. 13.35. Watch ye (for yee know not, when the Master of the house commeth, &c.) and for that they well consider the manifold dangers of this last time, wherein first the World, as an old rotten house, is ready to fall (for 1. Cor. 7.31. the fashion of this World passeth away:) secondly, the Inhabitants thereof are as those in the old World; Gene. 6.4. mightie men (to wit, in mischiefe) and men of renowne (to wit, in Deuillish and Machiauillian policie) for want of the true loue of God, as our Sauiour said, because Mat. 24.12. iniquitie shall a­bound, the loue of many shal wax cold: thirdly, the Deuill hauing Reue. 12.7. but a short time, rageth more and more, both by inward temptations, by which hee Ephes. 2.2. worketh mightily in the children of disobedience, and by outward assaults, made very many wayes, First, by himselfe, [Page 35] who as 1. Pet. 5.8. a roring Lion, walketh about, seeking whom hee may deuoure, and then by his ministers, euen a cursed crue of wicked Antichrists, who must raigne in these last times. So that as in the Veget. lib. 3. de re Milit. ca. 8. & in illum Go­des. Stewich. Military discipline of ancient Romanes, their Watches were so set, and dis­posed in their (Castris) Tents or standing Garrisons, as that in the first Watch All, in the second, their (Tyrones) Fresh-water-souldiers, in the third (Viri­liores) their men of full strength, in the fourth and last and the most dangerous (Veterani) their tryed men stood at the glasse, all in their place with such circumspection, that if any had slept, he was beaten in the morning by all the whole Band with Clubs and Stones, euen to the death, if hee could not by his speedinesse make a quicke escape: so now GOD hath ordained, that howsoeuer in the former times of the Church of God, the faithfull did watch, but as yonglings, or in their fresh strength, wherein they grew, and flourished for almost sixe hundred yeeres together immediately after Christ; now in this last Age and most perillous times, wherein our foes are euery houre ready to surprize, if not to surcharge vs, We should stand on the Watch-towres, as Old-beaten-souldiers of tryed experience, like Caleb, who Iosh. 14.11. in Canaan was as fit for Warre, or Gouernment, as hee had beene fortie yeeres before, when Moses first sent him to spie out the Land.

For as the Prouerbe was amongst the Romanes; Liui. lib. 8. res ad triarios redit, all is by GODS prouidence brought now vnto the last push; since first the War is desperate to be taken in hand, not with Cic. li. 1. Offic. Carthagi­nians, [Page 36] but Cimbrians, not whether should rule Ho­nourably, but whether should liue safely (so deadly an enemie is the Deuill vnto vs:) and secondly, the Gouernment is growne wholly Anarchicall, through the inward Garboyles betweene the Flesh and the Spirit, worse then any Ciuill Warres raised eyther by Grecian, by Romane, or by any other disorderly State, because (as the Poet Lucan. lib. 1. Pharsal. said) In se mignaruunt, Great men gall one another; great things grow all to ruine by their mutuall violence, that we may now well Lamen. 2.19. cry out in the night, and in the beginning of the watches, powre out hearts like water before the face of the Lord.

For what may we expect but a sudden surprizing, if our eyes preuent not the night watches, as Psal. 119.148 Dauids did? Nay, let our enemies bee as sluggish as wee are; yet shall wee not bee free from the punishment of flothfulnesse, since the Saints, who are our fellow-souldiers, cannot but complaine against vs for our carelesnesse, and by Gods appointment driue vs out of the Campe of the Militant Church visible, wherein wee liue, by the heauy Clubs, and hard stones of censures Ecclesiasticall, and Excommuni­cations. For Yee Brethren, saith the 2. Thes. 3.13.14. Apostle, bee not weary in well-doing: and if any obey not our word, by this Epistle note that man, and haue no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Spiritali gladio superbi, & contu­maces necantur, dum de Ecclesiâ eijciuntur, saith Cypr. Ep. 62. CYPRIAN; the proud, and stubborne are slaine by the spirituall Sword, when they are cast out of the Church. All Christians then in these perillous times, euen for [Page 37] feare either of Forraine destruction, or Domesticke displeasure, are diligently to watch in the Warre, as Souldiers, 2. Tim. 4.7. fighting the good fight, in the Gouernment, as Captaines, going in and out faithfully before GODS people, as Salomon 2. Cor. 1.10. desired. We, my Brethren, who are inferiours must euery one watch, as a Souldier, ouer his owne soule, Ephes. 6.11. Putting on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the Deuill. And you, most Honourable Captaines of Is­rael, are to watch ouer vs, like Cornel. Nepos in Jphicrate. Iphicrates the Athe­nian, ouer his sleeping Souldiers, like Castriote, Rich. Knols in his Turk. Histor. called Scanderbeg, who himselfe kept the Centi­nell, nay, like the Keeper of Israel, who Psal. 121.4. neither slum­breth, nor sleepeth. For ‘Homer. Illiad. lib. 2. [...]:’ It becommeth not a man of counsell to sleepe all the night time. Est honos & onus: it is your Honour to bee Go­uernours, but your burden to gouerne in these dan­gerous times, and amongst so many enemies. The time may make you carefull: The enemies stirre vp valour; and both of them cause a watchfulnesse, lest we your poore, and silly sheepe be suddenly surpri­zed by these most subtill Serpents, of which now after this first aduertizement of the perillous times, we are to speake in the second danger, expressed in these words: ‘[And as yee haue heard that Antichrist shall come, euen now are there many Antichrists, whereby wee know, that it is the last time.]’

The second part of the Great Antichrist.

The two most dangerous par­ties liuing in these last times Antichrist, and Heretikes.TImes are full of dangers, because of dangerous men liuing in these times, as they are most liuely described here vnto vs, first, by the greatnesse of their Head; secondly, by the multitude of the members.

The Expositi­on of the Text concerning Antichrist.§. X. Their great Head, is that Antichrist, of whom, as Saint Iohn saith, the faithfull had of­tentimes heard by the plainest meanes of notificati­on in type and truth: In type (as some Hieronym. & Perer. in 7. Dan. & omnes, quos adhuc vidi Pont. thinke) of Antiochus Epiphanes, deliuered by Daniel in sundry Dan. 7.24.25 & Dan. 11.36.37. places. In truth of the Gospell, vnder which are diuers Prophecies of Antichrist, published first by our blessed Mat. 24.24. Sauiour vnto his Disciples; secondly, by Saint Paul both 1. Tim. 4.1.2 & 2. tim. 3.1.2.3 vnder termes generall; and most particularly in that famous place, the a ver. 3 ad 11 second Chapter of the second Epistle written to the Thessa­lonians: thirdly, by Saint Iohn in his Booke of the Reuelation, Vid. Praes. Sae­reniss. Reg. Iacob. pag. 90. & Apol. Bellar. & Respo. Reuerend Patris Lancel. Eliensis Episcop. cap. 12. vnder foure seuerall figures, shaddow­ing out one, and the selfe-same MAN, in foure seueral Visions tending to one, and the selfe-same end; the first of which is in the sixth Chapter at the eight Ver. where Antichrist is figured by the pale Horse at the opening of the fourth Seale: the second, is in the ninth Chapter at the first Verse, where Antichrist is noted by the Starre falling from Heauen, at the sounding of the fifth Trumpet; the third is in the thirteenth Chap­ter at the eleuenth Verse, where Antichrist is expres­sed [Page 39] by the second Beast ascending out of the earth: the fourth and the last, and indeed the plainest is contai­ned in the 17.18.19. and 20. Chapters, where Anti­christ and his Kingdome is most liuely set forth, both by the Great Whore of Babylon, sitting vpon the scarlet coloured Beast, and by the false prophet that ruleth in the Whore.

For God would haue these Prophesies of Anti­christ to bee deliuered in the time of his Gospell, first, to shew that such an one must come, before that Christ himselfe shall come vnto Iudgement: second­ly, to reproue, and conuince the Reprobates of mani­fest Apostasie, by which this MAN of sinne must come: and thirdly, to fore warne the faithfull Flocke of Christ, against whom he was to come. For Prae­monitio, praemunitio; Forewarning is twice arming, as our Sauiour said therefore vpon his Prophesie, to make all his Apostles, and Disciples to take heed, Mat. 24.25. Be­hold, I haue told you before. Wherefore, I hope, that no man can iustly blame me, for taking vpon mee so weightie, and so difficult a businesse, which yet by Gods grace preuenting, and assisting me, I shall easi­ly performe, both to manifest to our Papists their miserable captiuity, wherevnder they (poore soules) so long time haue layne, and to establish the weake, and male-contented Protestants in the true vse of that libertie, for which with Zacharie we may ioyful­ly sing; Luke 1.68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel: for hee hath visited, and redeemed his people.

For although many of the Worthies of Israel, whose Armes, as a Page, if I were able, yet am I no way [Page 40] worthy to beare, haue written many large, and lear­ned Volumes concerning this subiect, that it may seeme to the discreete, nothing could, or should bee spoken more then what they haue said; yet Plato in Phil. & Go [...]g. & lib. 6. de leg. [...]: a good Tale may bee twice told: multi­tude of witnesses giue greater assurance to a matter in question: and although that veritie be in vnitie, yet the abundance of Gods Spirit affoordeth much variety, in handling the one and the selfe-same thing, both to take away tediousnesse accrewing of identi­tie, or plodding still on one point; and to satisfie the diuers humours of men, desirous of noueltie, which although we cannot exhibit, in respect of the matter that is to bee handled: (For nihil Terent. Eu­nuch. in prolog. dictum e­rit, quod non sit dictum prius:) Yet the learned shall finde it in the manner of handling, whiles first they shall see another order: secondly they may marke, if not more proper, yet some stricter proofes of our conclusions.Our order of proceeding in this discourse of Antichrist. And our seue­rall kinds of proofe. For the order must be to seeke out first what is this great Antichrist: Secondly, who hee is. The proofes of the former must be onely the Scrip­tures, out of the fore-named places, and some other Texts of this Epistle of Saint Iohn: but the euiden­ces of the latter must be such scripts & monuments as are to be found plainly in the acts and monuments of Papists themselues, deliuering them vnto vs, ey­ther in their owne proper Histories, or in their Popes owne Decrees, bound vp for better carriage in Ex Editione Grego. 13. the body of their Canon law, and Bookes of Libritres Ce­rem. Rom. Eccl. & Missale, & Breuiar. The first Que­stion: What is the Great An­tichrist? First, in his Name, and that first, his literall Name Anti­christus. Ceremonies vsed in the Church of Rome.

§. XI. Now to answere the former question: [Page 41] That we may find out this Monster, What is this great Antichrist, let vs seeke out first his Name, and then secondly his Nature. His name is two-fold, Literall, and Mysticall. The literall name is Antichristus, Antichrist, so called, first, because he is contrary, and an enemie to Christ, as all Writers with one consent doe affirme out of these words of S. Iohn, 1. Ioh. 2.22. He is Anti­christ that denyeth the Father and the Sonne. Secondly, for that Wolsan. Mosc. loco de Minist. Eccles. yet to couer his enmitie, hee behaueth him­selfe pro Christi Vicario; for the Vicar of Christ. For this latter Etymologie may be, and is made good a­gainst the foolish cauilling of Bellar. lib. 3. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 1. Cardinall Bellarmine, and the witlesse wrangling of his wilfull Ape Andr. Eudaem. lib 2. in Rob. Ab­bat. de Antich. §. 4. An­dreas Eudaemon, by the true vse of this Preposition [ [...],] which both in apposition, and in compositi­on signifieth [Pro, For,] first in the Scriptures; and secondly in many of the most Classical Authors, that are extant in the Greeke tongue. In the Scriptures, as where Archelaus is said to raigne Mat. 2.22. [...] in the roome of his father HEROD, and where Sergius Paulus is called Act. 13.7. [...], Proconsull, or Pro­praetor, as wee say well in English, The Deputie of the Countrey. For as in the free state of the people of Rome, these Officers were sent into the Prouinces in stead of the Consuls or Praetors, (quorum L. Fenestella lib. 2. cap. 11. vice functu­ri essent) whose place or course they were to supply: So af­ter it became a Monarchie, Augustus Caesar, as Dio Dio lib. 53. re­porteth, called his Lieutenants, Propraetores, men vn­der him in the Prouince to execute that same office, euen as [...] (to deriue it according to the true com­position thereof) doth signifie One, next supplying the [Page 42] place of the chiefest, as not onely Plutarch. de praecep. Politicis. Plutarch, but also S. Act. 18.12. Luke sheweth by the vse of the Verbe [...], which noteth the execution of the office of a Vice­gerent. In Classicall Writers, as in Homer,

—
Jlliad. 9. & Spond. ibi videas
[...]
[...]:

that is, That man is in stead of many people, whom God shall loue in his heart: and [...] in Hesych. in lexic. & Steph. in Thesaur. [...]. Hesychius, which grow­ing in stead of an Acorne, is called by Plin. lib. 16. cap. 7. Pliny himselfe Galla, (Galls) as some thinke, and [...] in Apud H. Ste­pha. in [...] Stra­bo, an vnder-minister, as we Ʋid. Innoc. 3. lib. 1. de Miss. c. 4 say in the Church disci­pline, a Subdeacon, and Budaeus in Comment. & in Annotat. in Pan­dect. Prior. Budaeus his [...], against which they so much except. For although in Thu­cydides, and in Plutarch it signifyeth a Captaine of the contrary part: Yet in Demosthenes and other Orators, it is taken for one, who supplieth the place of the chiefe Captaine, as a Lieutenant, note equall, as saith Bellarmine, (for then hee doth not supply another mans place, but onely his owne, as a chiefe man) but a substitute to him, whose place hee beareth, as the word H Stephan. in [...]. [...], is not interrex (let Eudaemon still belye his lexicon, wherein no such signification is mentioned) but prorex, a Viceroy. So that wee may conclude, concerning the true deriuation of this name, out of these generall words of S. August. lib. 2. contra. aduers. legis & Proph. cap. 12. Augustine, that he sheweth himselfe to be an Antichrist, who (sub nomine Christi, quod est nomen Dei;) vnder the name of Christ, which is the name of God, (hoc est, Chri­stianum se videri volens;) that is, desiring himselfe to be thought a Christian, (superextollitur contra Christum;) is lifted vp against Christ. For 2. Cor. 11.14 such are false Apostles, [Page 43] deceitfull workers, transforming themselues into the A­postles of Christ, as doe now the great Fox, and his little Cubs, Antichrist, and Hereticks (for I take the words to be generally spoken of all whatsoeuer wic­ked Seducers, such as is Eudaemon, so called [...], being a right [...], a prettie young Diuell,) euen as all of them seeke, Mat. 24.22. if it were possible, to deceiue the very Elect, by signes and wonders, done (it may be) in the very name of Christ, and yet proouing in the end to be nothing at all, but as the Apostle spea­keth, [...], 2. Thes. 2.10. seductionem aut deceptionem. For all is one to vs, who know, that this [...], or drawing out of the way, being ioyned with [...], vnrighteousnesse, is taken alwaies in the worst part, and signifieth (as it is most pithily translated into English In the new Translation. of late) deceiueablenesse of vnrighteousnesse. They say it, and we know, that both Scriptures and Fathers, such as Damas. lib. 4. de fide Orthod. cap. 48. Damascen, and Hieron. q. 11. ad Algasiam. Hierome, take the word Antichrist, to signifie some famous false Christ: but yet this doth not disproue our deriuation, since he shall be as a false Christ, masking himselfe deceit­fully vnder the outward habit of an honest true Christian: yea, saith Hierome, shewing himselfe, as if he were Christ himselfe, and the Sonne of God, in the beginning of his Kingdome: or rather tyrannie, fayning some goodnesse, saith Damascene in the same place. For as the Poet Iuuencus l. 4. Euang. hist. cap. 6 wel turned our Sauiours words into these heroicall Verses:

Nomine fallentes Christi, falsi (que) prophetae
Exurgent terris, & monstra potentia fingent:

that is,

[Page 44]
Deceiuing in the name of Christ,
Fa [...]se Prophets shall arise
In earth, and to seduce good men
Shall powerfull Signes deuise.

The mysticall name vnder these letters, χ, ξ, ς.§. XII. Now the Mysticall name is concluded vnder these three Greeke Letters χ, ξ, ς, as Saint Iohn saith plainly of the name, though altogether mystically of the signification; Reue. 13.18. here is wisdome; let him that hath vnderstanding, count the number of the Beast: for it is the number of a man, and his number is, six hundred, threescore and six. A name of truth so very obscure, that I had rather with the ancient Fa­ther IRENAEVS Irenaeus lib. 5. cap. 30. sustinere ad impletionem Prophetiae, quàm suspicari, & diuinari nomina quaelibet; quando multa nomina inueniri possunt habentia praedictum nu­merum: endure or abide vntill the fulfilling of the Prophesie, then to suspect, and coniecture vpon this or that name, seeing many names may be found, which haue the foresaid number. For God gaue this name vnder this number mystically, only because it might not bee knowne, before it should bee done, and lest it might prooue a very open occasion vnto the Romish Tyrants for their vniust Persecutions, when they should haue seene plainly their destruction by Antichrist direct­ly foretold them in this Reuelation. And therefore in my poore iudgement that diligence of some very learned Men is somewhat needlesse, when they la­bour earnestly to apply very many names vnto this number of six hundred, sixtie, and six; to wit, as some Feuard in notis in [...]renae. lib. 5. cap. 30. & Henriq. lib. v [...]ti­mo Moralis The­olog. cap. 23. §. 2. in marginè, & Sixtus Senensis, lib. 2. Bibliot p. 9. edit. vltim. per Hay. Papists of note haue gathered them out of [Page 45] diuers Authors, twelue in number, 1. [...]; 2. [...]; 3. [...] (out of Irenaeus, and Arethas:) 4. [...], nego (out of Hippolitus and Primasius:) 5. [...]; 6. [...]; 7. [...]; 8. [...]; 9. [...]; 10. [...] (and all these out of A­rethas;) 11. [...] (out of Primaesius and Tyconius;) 12. [...] (out of Rupertus Tuitiensis;) that I need not adde more (as Dic lux) out of Haymo. For this their libertie hath emboldned some Geneb. lib. 3. Chrono. pag. 491. Edit. vltim. Sycophants to wrest this number vnto certaine other names, cleane contrary to the purpose and drift of the Holy Ghost in this Prophesie, as when some construe it of Maomitis, & apply it to Mahomet against both the right writing of the word, and the true time of Ma­homet: others G. Lindan. lib. 3. Dubitant. & Genebrard. qu. lib. 4. Chron. pag. 713. construit in [...] of Martin Lauter, and apply it vnto that true Witnesse of Christ, Martyn Luther, whose name and time (he liuing, and beginning to preach, in the yeere of our Lord, one thousand, fiue hundred, and seuenteene) doth of it selfe reprooue their impu­dency: others Bellar. lib. 3. cap. 10. of [...] which they would haue to be the name of that very learned Chronolo­ger, Dauid Chytraeus, not marking the right writing of his proper name in the Hebrew tongue, [...] yea, and of [...], which they would giue vnto Luther, with as good reason as others seeme to giue LATINVS to the Pope; although I cannot but tell them, that since Luther was but one man, and there haue been many Popes, and since the name of Saxon, is applyable but to one soyle, wherein Antichrist by IOHNS Prophecies was neuer to haue his personal residence, they are wholly mistaken, and carryed a­way [Page 46] by a wilfull wrangling spirit of errour into this delusion. For if it might suffice to handle this mat­ter by vncertaine coniectures; in mine opinion wee neede goe no further, then to those three names, which Irenae. lib. 5. cap. 30. Irenaeus (once Euseb. lib. 5. Histor. cap. 18. Scholler to Polycarpus, Bi­shop of Smyrna, who himselfe heard Iohn the Pen-man of this prophecie, and therefore is best to be follow­ed as most ancient, and who also might haue it by a direct tradition from Iohn) deliuered vnto vs [...], & [...]. For the Vid. Reuer. Patr. Epis. modò Sarisbur. D. Rob. Abbat. de Anti­christ. ca. 2. §. 10.11.12. &c. first noteth out a fairely flourishing Kingdome, or Gouernour ruling therein: the second expresseth one shining like the Sunne, who is called of the Ouid. lib. 1. Metamorp. & Virgil. saepiss. Poets, Titan, although all his glory is gotten onely by that irefull and direfull vengeance, which vpon Gods permission, hee still seeketh to worke vpon Gods people and holy Saints, iust like those Titanes, whom the Hesiod. in Theog. & Vid. Natal. Comit. lib. 6. Mythol. ca. 20. Poets haue fayned to make Warre with Iupiter, for a playne type of Antichrist, who sighteth against God: but the third name, [...], striketh it dead downe to the ground, whe­ther (as a most reuerend and learned Episc. Eliensis in Resp. ad Apol. Bellar. cap. 12. pag. 293. Bishop doth instruct vs) we take it for the number of a name, or the name of a man. For if it be the number of a name, then [...], written according to the true and most ancient Orthographie, not with the letter [i] but with the Dipthong [ [...]] as our best Grammarians both Quintil. lib. 1 Instit. cap. 7. & Isidor. lib. 1. E­tymolog. cap. 15. old and Iul. Scalig. lib. 1. de causis ling. Lat. cap. 27. & Angel. Canin. in Orthog. apud Cle­nard. exedit. Schot. pag. 103. new haue taught without control­ment, then doth it most fitly expresse the number of sixe hundred, sixtie, and sixe: or if it be the name of a man (proper or common, it maketh no matter whether, since as it is proper to the whole body, so [Page 47] is it common to euery one supplying the head of that bodie) then it fitly noteth the time, wherein from the Natiuitie of Christ, after all other Here­tikes in the Primitiue Church, Antichrist should come, euen that then from the yeere, sixe hundred, sixtie, and sixe of our Lord, and so alwaies after­ward, till the second comming of Christ, the same Antichrist should raigne in the Latine Church, as some very good approued Balaeus in Vi­tal. & lo. Fox. in 13. Apoc. & D. Whitak. in San­der. demonst. 39. & D. Willet. in Synops. pag. 197. Authors doe deliuer it from other words intimating the same number both by Hebrew and Greeke letters: By the Hebrew, in the word [ [...]] which signifieth Rome; and by the Greeke, in the words, [...], which noteth out plainely the Church of Italie. So that now from these two names, litterall and mysticall, wee may define Antichrist to be an enemy, and contrary to Christ, who yet so dissemblingly behaueth himselfe, that he would be taken for the Vicar of Christ, ruling and raig­ning in the Latine and Italian Church at Rome with all worldly pompe, and raging crueltie, against Gods Saints, from the yeere of our Lord, sixe hundred, sixtie, and sixe, till the comming of Christ Iesus to iudge the world.

§. XIII.The causes of Antichrist, whence wee shall gather a full definition, and first. But what is this Monster Antichrist really? The reall definition is to be gathered from his Nature, which wee shall easily finde by the true and due consideration of these foure causes: First, the efficient: Secondly, the materiall: Thirdly, the formall: And fourthly, the finall cause of this great Antichrist. The efficient cause is two-fold;The cause effi­cient. the first is principall, and this is Sathan, 2. Thes. 2.9. after whose effectu­all working, the comming of Antichrist is in the world: [Page 48] The second is lesse principall, and this is eyther oc­casioning, or inducing: Occasioning this mischiefe two manner of wayes; first, by the raigne of the Ro­mane Emperours, which 2. Thes. 2.7. was to let, or stop the com­ming of this Beast for a time, till at length he should bee taken out of the way: And secondly, by the libe­ralities, and donations of mighty Princes, who com­mitted Reue. 18.9. fornications, and liued deliciously with the Whore: But inducing and drawing on this mysterie to a ripenesse by those many worldly pleasures, wherein this great Reuel. 18.7. Esay. 47.8. Harlot glorified her selfe, and liued deliciously, saying in her heart, I sit a Queene, and am no Widdow, and shall see no sorrow.

2. The materiall cause.§. XIIII. Now the matter or subiect of Anti­christ is a Man, not a Deuill, although the Occumen in 2. Tress. 2. The state of the Question in the Materi­all cause. The first opini­on of Papists. Deuill must be Antichrists Doctor. Onely heere is the que­stion betweene vs and our Aduersaries the Papists; Whether this great Antichrist shall be one onely man in person; or many men succeeding one after another in a Kingdome apostaticall from the true Church of Christ? They all, so Saund. den. 2 & 8. Bellar. lib. 3. cap. 2 ac 12. Henriq. vbi sup. Blasius Viegas qu. de Antich. 2. & 3. & [...]udaem. lib. 2. in Rob. Ab­bat. &c. The latter o­pinion of Protestants, being the truth. many as I haue read of them, hold the former; affirming, that this great Antichrist, being but one man in person, shall be a Iew by Nation, borne of the Tribe of DAN. But we maintaine the latter, deny­ing the former, while Vid. D. Whit. contra. 4. q. 5. cap. 1.2. D. Abbat. de Antich. cap. [...]. §. 6. M. Lauren. Deios in his first Serm. D. Willet. D. Down. Gabr. Powel. & D. Sharp. in speculo Papae. cap. 1. &c. we plainly and truly auouch thus much against them, That Antichrist at one time is but one person; but in continuance of time he is many men, succeeding one after another in a gouern­ment [Page 49] gotten by meere vsurpation: as in a well set­led Monarchie there raigneth onely but one King at once, although in succession of time there may bee many, one after another, according vnto our owne English Prouerbe, The King neuer dyeth. Our proo [...]e [...]. For this we shall make good by many strong reasons from the Scriptures, from the proportion of faith, and from the plaine testimonies of Orthodox Fathers: From Scriptures, out of these plaine words; first of Paul;First, from Scriptures. and secondly of Iohn. Of Paul two wayes; first, when he saith 2. Thes. 2.7. that the mysterie of iniquitie doth alrea­die worke. For this is not spoken onely in respect of the fore-runners of Antichrist, who were open Here­tikes, (as our Bellar. cap. 2. resp. 1. Aduersaries interpret it;) but also in regard of that secret transfusion of inuenoming poi­son from one Heretike to another, through the close conueiance of deuillish delusions, vnto the great Antichrist, who being the common corps of all their corruption, Theod. in 2. Thes. 2. shall after that he is reuealed, o­penly and plainely preach what he alwaies had pri­uately confirmed, as therefore before he was openly made knowne, it is said of his working in the time of the Apostles, Many Ioh. 2. Ep. v. 7 deceiuers are entred into the world, who confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh: [ [...]] that is that de­ceiuer, and that Antichrist, then working in a mysterie, euen at Rome by Simon Magus, and other Heretikes, whose poyson is now deriued tanquam per traducem, into Peters Chayre. For vpon the Whores fore-head Reue. 17.5. was a name written, Mysterie Babylon, The great, the Mother of Harlots, and abominations of the earth. Se­condly, [Page 50] this appeareth from the same Apostle, calling Antichrist 2. The. 2.3.11 an Apostasie, and shewing that it must continue till the end of the world, when the Lord shall consume him with the Spirit of his mouth, and shall de­stroy him with the brightnesse of his comming. For this Apostasie (which is not, as Ambros. in 2. Thess. 2. some thinke, a reuolting in obedience from the Romane Empire; but (as Cyril Cyril. Hiero­sol. Catech. 11. saith, and to him our Aduersaries, conuicted in conscience, do assent) a defection from the right faith) cannot be complete in the number of few yeeres, nor yet haue full residence in one only man, since it must endure from the first full disclosing thereof, which fell out in the yeere of our Lord, sixe hundred, sixty and sixe, vntill the end of the world, as we shal haue occasion (God willing) to shew hereafter.

Ob.For in the meane time where they Bellar. ubi yn. in resp. ad. 3.4. would haue this Apostasie not to appertaine to one body, and Kingdome of Antichrist, nor yet to require necessa­rily, that it should haue one only head thereof, but to bee only a disposition or preparation vnto the fu­ture Kingdome of Antichrist, and to be done in di­uers places, vnder diuers Kings, vpon diuers occasi­ons, as Afrike is fallen away to Mahomet, Asia to Ne­storius and Eutyches, and other Prouinces to other Sects; where, I say, they would thus vnseasonably separate Antichrist and this Apostasie;

Sol.I wish them to looke better into the holy Apostle, who maketh these two Reciprocals, Antichrist and Apostasie, since there can bee no Apostasie from the right faith, which is not against Christ, neither is their any one to be accounted Antichristian, which [Page 51] is not an Apostate either more or lesse, as Augustine August. lib. 20 de Ciuit. Dei, cap. 19. thought, and therefore construed these words of Saint Paul only of the Great Antichrist, yea, as Bellar­mine Bell. vbi supr. himselfe confesseth in his first answere vnto this our Argument, that Antichrist is called Apostasie, either by a Metonymie, because he is vnto many men the cause of their backe-sliding from God, or [...], by reason of some excellencie, in that hee is the most famous Apostate; although this figuratiue identitie supposed by these men doth not hinder the succession of the Great Antichrist in many men, who are heads of this Monster successiuely, since they all are both notorious Apostates in themselues, & villa­nous Seducers of an infinite number of people from Christ, as wee shall find presently from the formall cause. In the mean while, as this truth is proued from Saint Pauls wordes: so let vs now demonstrate the same from Saint Iohn, who calleth this Great Anti­christ in one place Reue. 13.11. a Beast that commeth forth of the earth, and after that in the same Chapter, the Verse 14. image of the Beast, and in another place, the Reue. 17.10. seuenth King. For euery one of these names signifie a succession of men sitting on Antichrists Throne, since, as the Reue. 13.1. first Beast rising out of the Sea, signifieth not one Emperour only, but all the whole company of Emperours, succeeding one another in that Monarchie: so the second Beast im­porteth a body of beastly Tyrants, arising by suc­cession into a Gouernment, which is called the I­mage of the Beast, Gloss. interlin. in cap. 13. Apo­calyp. & R [...]har. de Sanc. Victore lib. 4 in Apoca­lyps. cap. 5. because it most fitly resembleth the State and Pompe of the Empire; that as in the Empire the Head was one, not by vnitie of Person, [Page 52] but by succession of one person after another in that same authoritie: so in this Kingdome of Reprobate Antichrist, the Head must be one, not singular in one only person, and no more, but single by the succes­sion of one after another. For else how can hee bee the seuenth King, which was to come in the place of the sixth then flourishing, when Iohn did write this Prophesie? I will goe no further then to their owne Rabbies, the Rhemists An­not. in 13. Reue. §. 1. Rhemists, who first expound the seuen heads to bee seuen Kings (but how truely they speake this, I send them vnto Qui prorsus negat hanc gloss. lib. 2. in Rob. Ab­bat. pag. 127. Eudaemon for iudgement) Fiue before Christ, one present, and one to come, and se­condly Rhemens An­not. in 17. Reue. §. 8. interpret the eight to be the Great Antichrist, one of the senē in regard of order, but for that the malice of all the rest is complete in it called the eight, and the odd Persecutors. For who are the fiue Kings before Christ? The Iidem, ibid. §. 7 Rhemists tell vs that they were the Empires, Kingdomes, or States of Aegypt, Canaan, Babylon, the Persian, and Greekes, which bee fiue, as sixthly the Ro­mane Empire, which persecuted most of all. Well then, I demand, whether the seuenth head or Kingdome shall resemble the rest in State and Gouernment, or differ cleane from them? They cannot say, that hee shall differ from the other in forme of policie, since he is one of the seuen, and Reue. 13.12. shall doe all that the first Beast could doe. Therefore hence I conclude, that since the heads of Aegypt, Canaan, Babylon, Persians, and Greekes, yea, and of the Romane Empire were not one singular person, and no more but single men succeeding one after another, as the Herod. lib. 2. Pharaohs in Aegypt, Iere. 52.31. Nabuchadnezzar, Euilmerodach, &c. in Ba­bylon; [Page 53] Herodot. lib. 1.3. &c. Cambyses, and Darius Histaspis in Persia, Dindor. Sicul. bibliothes. lib. 17 18.19. &c. A­lexander alone, and after him his Captaines in foure seuerall Kingdomes of Grecians, and the Sueton. Dio, & Corpus Ro­mane historiae. Caesars in Rome; since I say these Kingdomes, to which Anti­christs Kingdome is like for outward Gouernment, had a succession of many, one after another, Anti­christ shall be such an head, as when the Deuill hath cut off one, he shal presently in succession set another in place. But although this glosing Exposition of the Rhemists be sufficient to conuict the Romish Sect; yet the faithfull must bee satisfied by reason onely grounded vpon the truth, which is this concerning these seuen Kings, that as the sixe former kinds of Gouernment were vpholden by succession of one after another vntill their last period: so must this Kingdome of Antichrist continue in a company of wicked Caterpillers succeeding one another, like Vipers, the latter eating out his way to raigne by the ruine of the former. For they are all alike both Heads and Kings for power and authoritie ouer the same Citie; and they had a succession in euery kind seuerally, as they were in force, first Kings, then Con­suls, thirdly, Tribuni militum, fourthly, Decemuiri, fifthly, Dictators, and sixthly, Emperours, as the Hi­stories and Annales of the Romanes doe demonstrate, and we shall shew hereafter.

‘But Eudaemon, pag. 122. &c. ad 128. &c. Eudaemon in his madnesse denieth all at once here, Antecedent and Consequent, that,Ob. because there were not in Rome before Christ fiue seuerall kinds of Gouernment, which kept this succession; since Kings, and Emperours were all one kind of Gouernment, [Page 54] as Consuls and Dictators, since Dictators were not or­dinary, but chiefe men chosen vpon extraordinary occasions, since there was an often interruption of Consuls by Dictators, and Tribuni militum: this, for that if we grant those fiue to haue a succession; yet it followeth not that the seuenth must continue by the like succession, since some of those raigned but two yeeres, as the Decemuiri, others, but fif­teene, as the Tribuni militum, nay, all of them but seuen hundred yeeres at the most before the time of Augustus; yea, and that in the time of the Per­sian and Graecian Monarchie, of which Iohn should haue had as great a regard, as of this poore place then, when those Empires were in their prosperitie, inhabited by poore Shepheards. For this seuenth then shall bee of longer continuance then all the rest, seeing they ended in Christs time, and the sixth was to cease about the time of Boniface the third.’

This is the summe (so well and shortly as I could take it) of all that his most impertinent Discourse made for an answere vnto our aboue said Argument, which yet standeth firme against all this babbling, both in the Antecedent and in the Consequent: In the Antecedent, because first there were fiue seuerall kinds of Gouernment in Rome before Christs time, since Kings and Emperours, though like in the sole­nesse, or alonelinesse, yet differed much both in the name, and the nature of their Gouernment, the Liuius lib. 2. name of King being wholly reiected, in token of their libertie vnder the Gouernment of Consuls, [Page 55] when the Dio lib. 43. name of Emperour was giuen most gladly vnto Iulius Caesar, and to his Posteritie after him, as a signe of greatest Soueraignetie: the nature of the Office of the King being in their Cic. pro C. Ra­birio perduello reo. opinion wholly opposite to their libertie, where their Sueton. in Augusto. Emperour was accounted the maintainer thereof, all the Offices, (as Dictator, Pontifex Maximus, Censor, & Tribuni Plebis) being conferd vpon him for terme of his own life, & to his Successours for euer after him; since also their Dictator and Consul, which this ouer-worne Greeke Antiquarie would haue confounded, were as farre different in the Romane Common-wealths, as the Ge­nerall and Prouinciall are now amongst their King-killing Iebusites, the Polyb. lib. 6. Consuls hauing in obedience and subiection all the Offices of the Common-wealth, saue the Tribuni Plebis, where Dionys. Haly­carness. lib. 5. the Dictator had authoritie aboue the Consuls, the Tribunes and all.

Secondly, although the Dictators were set vpon the most weightie extraordinary occasions; yet they may well bee said to retaine this succession, since, when one was to giue it ouer ordinarily at the halfe yeeres end, they either made choice of another or Liu. lib. 5. & Plutarch. in Ca­millo. of the same man a new, as occasion serued.

Thirdly, the interruption of the Consular Go­uernment by Dictators, and Tribuni militum, did not hinder the succession of Consuls, (when they were) no more then a vacancie for a Moneth or two, nay, a Yeere, and more sometimes taketh away the per­sonall successions of Popes, since still some were in place of Gouernment amongst them to exercise due [Page 56] authoritie till another succeeded, as the Festi Roma­norum set out by many Sigonius, O­nuphri, & Chro­nologi, Funccius, Bunting. Chytiae­us, &c. learned men doe plainely declare.

2 Our argument is sound now in the antecedent, and shall it not stand then, I pray you, in the conse­quent? Yes surely, notwithstanding these friuolous exceptions violently thrust out of a self-condem­ning conscience by this coozening-hungry Greeke.

1 For first, what if the Decemuiri raigned but two yeeres, and the Tribuni militum but fifteene and all the fiue, till Augustus, but seuen hundred yeeres? They yet had a succession like vnto this of Anti­christs, although not so long: for the fluxe of suc­cession is as true in minutes, as it is in yeeres, al­though not so great.

2 Secondly, what if the Persians and Graecians then flourished most, when these fiue first offices were of principall vse in Rome? This hindered not their succession in Rome, which (as the Prouerbe is) was not built in one day; but by little and little was to grow vnto that prodigious greatnesse, which af­terward weighed downe it selfe into the dust. For the Persians and Graecians were to grow vp in their order, and the Romanes to follow after them, as Dan. 2. & 7. & 8. cap. Da­niel hath deliuered in sundry of his visions: And therefore Iohn was not to speake any thing of Persi­ans or Graecians, since they were all before Christ, Daniel being the Prophet appointed for those af­faires: and since Iohn was onely to speake of things to fall out either for, or against the Church from Christs ascension, till his second comming: and there­fore [Page 57] he being to set forth the seate and kingdome of Antichrist, meddled only with that kingdom which Antichrist himselfe was to surprize, describing it by such tokens of things already past, as by which wee may now easily define of things present, and plaine­ly coniecture of things to come.

3 Thirdly therefore we graunt, that Rome heathe­nish was first but small and weake; but it was to grow vnto her ripenesse vnder these seuen heads one after another: vnder the last of all which if it stand in most continuance, there followeth no absurdity, since the old age in a strong man is commonly the longest lasting period of life, but it rather sheweth the point we proue, that Antichrist is not one man only, but many succeeding one after another, in a kingdome continuing from the yeere of Christ sixe hundred sixtie and sixth, vntill his last comming.Secondly, from the proportion of Faith. For so reason wil enforce vs to thinke from the pro­portion of faith, in that as God worketh good in his children through his most rich grace by certaine degrees, according to the Marke 4.26. parable of corne com­ming vp out of the earth, first the blade, then the eares, after, full corne in the eares: so heresie will aske some time for hatching, because it must be wrought into mens consciences, not by force and rigour, but by plausible perswasions, and colourable conceits, since it is hard to remoue a settled opinion in any thing, be it true or false. For Luke 5.39. no man hauing drunke olde wine, straight-way desireth new; for he saith, The old is better. And therefore since Antichrist must deale by delusions, and like a crafty and subtill harlot, Reuel. 17.2. vse [Page 58] blandiments, and allurements, by which he may se­duce, and draw from the true Church the greatest men on earth, it is needfull to haue more time then one mans age (though he should liue an hundred yeeres and more) wherein these his poysoned poti­ons may work throughout the world. For although men by nature will be quickly wonne to wicked­nesse, yet the world is very wide, and full of many sorts of men, to whom Antichrists doctrine cannot come in so short time, as our Aduersaries imagine: yea, and Antichrists doctrine is not so compendious, being burdened with so many thousands of subtill sophistications, and obseruations of beggerly rudi­ments, as to be learned in three or foure yeeres at the most, (the time allotted vnto him by them, as we shall see hereafter;) nay Antichrist himselfe, let the Deuill doe to him what he can to make him mighty in word and deede, yet is but a man, who can doe no more then a man can doe, as the prouerb is, Ʋnus homo, nullus homo. E­rasm sub tit. Ce­dend. multitu­dini. One man, no man: and therefore although all the Heretikes in the world did make way for him, yet must he haue more time to establish their blasphe­mies, then the age of one man, because Tertul. lib. de praescrip. cap. 2. there must be prescription, and precedents, vpon which he must build, if he will preuaile any thing with settled Chri­stians; and how, I pray you, can one man prescribe? Say Gregor. Ca­nonist. in notis ad Gratian. p. 2. causa 16. q. 15. § praescript [...]al [...]ae &c. they not, that in publique causes prescription must be of forty yeeres together at the least? yea an Grat. 16 q. 3. quas actiones. & can. Nemo. & Gl [...]ss. in c. ad au­die [...]. eod. tit. hundred in some cases against the Church? How then can Antichrist in so short time, as the age Breuis est hom. vita. reg. breuior Pontif. breuissi­ma. Petarch. of a Pope, goe through the world, and draw so many to [Page 59] him? Surely our Aduersaries are either wholy be­sotted, not weighing the sundry courses of conuey­ances in such designes as these are of Antichrists; or else if they finde them, (as it is not possible but they should, being men so expert in worldly policies, as most of them are) then they plainely bewray them­selues to be the men, who follow the beast, and the merchants who grow rich by this trade, which they conceale for their owne best aduantage, making An­tichrist a Chimaera, and not such, as besides the Scrip­tures, and these reasons, euen the Orthodoxe Fathers describe him to be. For besides those Fathers,Thirdly, from the Ancient Fathers. who from Saint Pauls words calleth Antichrist the apo­stasie, as Qui omnes in 2. Thess. 2. Chrysostome, Theodoret, Theophylact, and Oe­cumenius by Bellar. li. 3. de Pontif. cap. 2. Bellarmines owne confession, I wil pro­duce two of the chiefest, directly declaring the suc­cession of monsters in this throne of Antichrist, to wit, Irenaeus, and Augustine: For Irenaeus, howsoeuer he setteth downe many things concerning Anti­christ, which at the first blush to an vnaccustomed Reader may seeme to be spoken of one only person, yet so plainely deliuereth the succession in this king­dome, that I maruaile with what face either Sand. lib. 8. de Visib. Monarch. cap. 1. San­ders, or Feuard. in Annot. in Jrenae. lib. 5. cap. 25. Feuardentius can say, that he maketh for them, when although he setteth downe the tribe, the names, and yeeres of continuance, as if it were spoken of one onely man, (speaking Vid. Whitak. in resp. ad 1. De­monst. Sanderi. eyther after the manner of the Prophets in scripture, or according to the common opinion of men in his interpretati­on,) yet he saith thus plainely, Irenae. lib. 5. fol. 249. edit. Paris. A. Dom. 1567 Lateinos nomen sex­centorum sexaginta sex numerum, valde verisimile est: [Page 60] quoniam verissimum, (Feuardentius Feuard. in su [...] edit. Colo­niae. 1596. most filthily and falsly hath turned this word into nouissimum) reg­num hoc habet vocabulum: Latini enim sunt, qui nunc regnant, sed non in hoc nos gloriabimur: The name La­teinos is most likely to haue this number six hundred, six­tie and sixe, because the truest kingdome hath this name; for the Latines are they, who now doe raigne, but we will not boast in this. Now is not here a liuely proofe to shew the succession, since Antichrist is called Latei­nos, and Lateinos is called a kingdome? ‘If they say, that it is but the kingdome of one man onely, let them turnebackward, and a little before In edit. Pari­siensi. fol. 244. & Colon. li. 5. ca 25. this they shall find this historie of Antichrist, that he shall be the vnrighteous iudge, to whom Luke 18.2. the poore wid­dow, that is, the earthly Ierusalem shal come for iu­stice, to be reuenged of her enemie, which he shall doe in the time of his kingdom; for he shall tran­slate his kingdom thither, & sit in Gods Tēple, se­ducing those who worship him, as if he were Christ himself.’ For out of this history we may plainly ga­ther, that Irenaeus thought of Antichrist, as of a com­pany incorporated into a Kingdome first abroad in the world, then settled at Hierusalem; lastly, vsing tyrannie some three yeeres and an halfe, according as Daniel prophecied, concerning the halfe weeke. And yet if Irenaeus had not sayd thus much, wee want not other testimony, if we may beleeue S. Au­gustines report, who August. lib. 20. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 19. speaking of Antichrists sitting in the Temple of God, deliuereth first this common Exposition: Nonnulli non ipsum principem, sed vni­uersum quodam modo corpus eius, id est, ad eum pertinen­tem [Page 61] hominum multitudinem simul cum ipso suo principe hoc loco intelligi Antichristum volunt: Some will haue in this place to be vnderstood by Antichrist, not the Prince himselfe, but his whole body in a certaine manner, that is, the multitude of men belonging vnto him, together with the Prince himselfe. Secondly, his owne iudgement of this exposition; Rectius (que) putant etiam Latinè dici, sicut in Graeco est, non in templo Dei sed in templum Dei se­deat, tanquam sit ipse templum Dei, quod est Ecclesia, sicut dicimus, sedet in amicum, id est, velut amicus, vel si quid aliud isto locutionis genere dici solet: And also they think better, that it may be spoken in the Latine, as it is in the Greeke, he sitteth not in the Temple of God, but for the Temple of God, as if he were the Temple of God, which is the Church; as we say, he sitteth for our friend, that is, as our friend, or if any other thing else be accustomed to bee spoken in that kinde of speech. For out of these words of Augustine, so direct and plaine, wee may obserue, that the common sort of learned men in Augustines time, or before, did hold, concerning Antichrist, these two conclusions, which Augustine himselfe alloweth of: the first, that Antichrist is a multitude, consisting of head and members, Prince and subiects. The second, that Antichrist should take vpon him the authority of the Church, as if he onely were the Church. So that now, since Antichrist is a multitude, and not one man, and to bee esteemed by men for the Church, which pleadeth still for succession,The Popish o­pinion confu­ted, and their reasons an­swered. I maruaile vpon what ground our Aduersaries deliuer for authen­tique doctrine these three conclusions: The first, that Antichrist shall be one person onely: The second, [Page 62] that Antichrist shall bee a Iew by Nation: The third, that Antichrist shall be of the Tribe of DAN. For they haue no ground at all out of the Scriptures to make them good. For concerning the first,

Ob.Where they would haue Antichrist to be but one man, partly because our Sauiour saith, I Ioh. 5.43. am come in my Fathers Name, and yee receiue me not; if another shall come in his owne name, him yee will receiue; and partly, for that in the description of the great Anti­christ, the Greeke Text prefixeth the Article [ [...]] to make an indiuiduum.

Sol.There is a double fallacie: the first, [...] from the ignorance of Argument, since our Sauiour there speaketh, not of one onely opposite, but indefinitely of all who are against him, be they false Prophets or Antichrists, or whosoeuer other wicked Seducers, who agree neither with him, nor amongst themselues, to their owne conuiction and confusion, according to that old rule, Veritas v­na, error multiplex; Truth is but one, and error is mani­fold. For the vse of the word in the originall [ [...]] is to note an indefinite, [any] or [many] as (to giue instance in two places for a great many) where it is said, Iohn 4.37. one soweth, and another [ [...]] reapeth: and, 1. Cor. 12.8. to one is giuen by the Spirit the word of wisedome; to another [ [...]] the word of knowledge by the same Spirit: Euen as Nonnus in pa­raphrasi Ioh. E­uang. ex correct· Fr. Nansij. Nonnus doth well expresse the indefinite terme, in paraphrasing this foresaid place of S. Iohn after this manner most faithfully:

[...]
[...]
[Page 63] [...]
[...],
[...]:

which in English are thus much, word for word: if any other Bastard false named man, come opposite against God [seeking the praise not of the Great God, but of him­selfe,] then yee men amazed will againe make much of this deadly Deceiuer, that any man may say: they deny the lawfully born, & receiue the Bastard appearing to thē. For though ( [...]) be the singular nūber, yet it noteth in­definitely mo then one, if we may beleeue the report of olde Ammonius de simil. & diffe­rent. dictionibus Grammarians, [...]: the word [...] (which signifieth another al­so) is appointed to signifie the second of two, but [...], to intimate any of many. So that what our Sauiour here speaketh in the singular indefinitely, he is Reuerend. Pa­tre Episc. Sarisb. D. Abba. 1 bi sup. well ob­serued to deliuer the same expresly in the plurall number, when he saith: Mat. 24.5. Many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and shall deceiue many. For as many were before; so many should come after him, being most vile Impostors, who, whether they come in their owne name, that is, not by Gods will and plea­sure, but onely vpon their owne motion, and mad­nesse; or whether they come in the Name of Christ, that is, counterfeiting themselues to bee Christ: yet are still opposed vnto Christ, who is Iohn 14.6. the onely way, the truth, and the life, that Iohn. 5.43. came in his Fathers Name, as it is Mat. 21.9. & Psal. 118.24. said therefore of him, Blessed is hee that com­meth in the Name of the Lord.

‘Eudaemon Eudaem. p. 139 yeeldeth vnto the exposition of Io. Maldonat. in Ioh. 5.43. Mal­donatus, [Page 64] which maketh onely for vs, since first his Paraphrase is of [Si quis alius] by the indefinite [Quisquis alius:] secondly, hee taketh it to bee spo­ken not of Antichrist only, but of all false pro­phets; who Iere. 23.21. ranne, when they were not sent; third­ly, he iudgeth these Deceiuers to bee those, whom Act. 5.35.36 Gamaliel did mention, Theudas, Iudas of Galilee, and that Rebell Barchochebas, of whom Euseb. lib. 4. hist. Eccl. cap. 6. Eusebius maketh mention: and fourthly, he reconcileth the places afore-mentioned seeming to bee repugnant in the termes of comming in Christs Name, and in their own name, by the very same distinction, which wee vse of name, which signifieth either Christs ag­nomination, in which these false prophets are fore­told to come, or else Christs authoritie, which yet they want.’

Therefore, Cardinall Bellarmine must now find out some better proofe to shew, that Antichrist must be one man, since this his first reason bewrayeth his impudencie (I cannot say) ignorance in a man of such great learning.

Sol.For, what I pray you, may wee thinke of him for his second Argument drawne from the Article [ὁ] before [ [...],] but, as of a Iuggler giuen onely to trickes of colloguing and delusion, since it is ano­ther fallacie, which may bee more plainly discerned to be drawne à figurâ dictionis, from the figure, or fa­shion of the Word it selfe.

‘For the Article prefixed, as hee saith, doth note out some certaine one particular person, by the iudge­ment of Epiph. [...]aer. 9. Epiphanius.’

[Page 65] ‘But Epiphanius doth not helpe him, if hee looke well to the words of that learned Father, who saith, that [ [...] a King, and [...] a God, and [...] a Man, doe indefinitely signifie any King, any God, any Man, whereas if the Article be prefixed [ [...]] it determinately doth signifie one certaine King, one true God, & one particular Man.’ For all this wee grant, and confesse of Antichrist, that hee is one particular person, but not one onely particular per­son, as ( [...]) doth point at one particular King, God or Man, by the iudgement of Epiphanius; but not at one onely singular in any of these kinds, as Bellarmine must prooue, if he will say any thing vnto the purpose. But alas, what can they doe in causâ deploratâ, in a desperate Plea, where both Scripture, and their owne mouthes make most against them? Scripture, where the Article doth not intimate determinatum indiuiduum, one onely single singular person, but indiuiduum vagum, any singular person indefinitely, as in these places; Marke 2.27. the Sabbath was made for man, but [ [...]] not man for the Sabbath, and, Luke 4.4. man [ [...]] liueth not by bread onely, and, Heb. 9.7. into the second [tabernacle] went the High Priest [ [...]] once euery yeere, &, Ioh. Ep 2. verse 7. this is a Deceiuer, & an Antichrist [ [...]:] their own mouths:

‘For Eudaemon Eudaemon pag. 151. admitteth the Article to giue a double limitation, one to designe the nature onely; the other to limit the vniuersall nature to this or that parti­cular so, as it may agree to any other of the same kind: and what is this else, but to grant that the Article may as well expresse indiuiduum vagum, as determi­natum?’ ‘[Page 66] Nay, hee Jdem. p. 159. further admitteth, that the name of Antichrist may be giuen to any notorious He­retike, euen with the limiting Article metaphorically, as Champions may be called Lyons; Actors, Roscij, and Ty­rants, Nerones.’ So that we need not much trouble our selues to answere their oppositions, if we would, but marke diligently their owne contradictions in other points, as much as in this concerning Anti­christ, whom they can neuer prooue to be one onely person.

Objection. 2 How then will they shew the second of their Problemes, that hee shall bee a Iew by Nation? The Pellar. lib. 3. de Pontif. ca. 12. Cardinall bringeth no place of Scripture, but what hath beene answered before out of Saint Iohn; so basely begging the question. ‘Onely his reason is all, which any of them can say, to wit, that he must needs be a Iew, because that the Iewes will neuer receiue any one for their Messias, who is not a Iew, or vncircumcised, since they looke for a Messiah out of the Linage of DAVID, and Tribe of IVDAH.’

Sol.And yet it commeth short a great deale of their marke, since it is not prooued that the Iewes will re­ceiue Antichrist; or if they shall receiue Antichrist, whether they will take him for their Messiah onely; or how they can expect one of the Tribe of Dauid, and yet receiue a Counterfeit comming from the Tribe of Dan, and borne in the Citie Babylon, not Rome, but that place properly in Mesopotamia, as Henriq lib. vlt. ca. 23. §. 7. Henriquez, and Ʋiguer. Instit. cap 21. §. 3. v. 3. Viguerius doe falsely suppose? But if he be from the Tribe of Dan, he must needes be a Iew. Surely, it followeth not, since Dan for their Ido­latry [Page 67] was accounted by the Holy Ghost, rather Gen­tiles then Iewes.

And yet it is to bee prooued, that hee must bee Objection. 3 borne of the Tribe of DAN. ‘For Bellarmine Vid. Bellarm. lib. 3. cap. 12. him­selfe doth truely and ingenuously confesse, that this opinion (concerning Antichrists originall from the Tribe of DAN) is verie probable, becuase of the authority of so great Fathers (such as were IRENAEVS, HYPPOLITVS, &c) who doe affirme it. But yet it is not altogether certaine, both be­cause Solution. 1 most of those Fathers doe not say, that they know it, but onely intimate it to be probable, and because none of the Scriptures alleadged doe conuince it. For first Gene. 49.16 IAACOB seemeth litterally to speake of SAMSON, when he saith [DAN shall be a Serpent by the way, an Adder in the path, that biteth the Horse heeles, so that his Rider shall fall backward.] For SAMSON was of the Tribe of DAN, and was truely vnto the Phili­stims, as a Serpent by the way: for euery where hee withstood them, and vexed them; and so HIEROME expoundeth it in his Hebrew Questions: and it seemeth truely, that IAACOB did wish well vnto his Sonne, when he spake these words: and therefore that hee did not foreshew ill, but good: Yea, if it be allegorically ap­plyed vnto Antichrist, there can but a probable Argu­ment be thence deriued such as is drawne from mysticall meanings.’

‘Secondly, where some alleadge these words of Solution. 2 the Iere. 8.16. Prophet [the snorting of his Horses was heard from DAN,] the same Cardinall answereth, that IERE­MIE without doubt doth not speake of Antichrist nei­ther [Page 68] of the Tribe of DAN, but of NABVCHODO­NOSOR, who was to come to destroy Hierusalem, through that Countrie, which is called DAN, as HIE­ROME there doth rightly expound it.’

Solution. 3 ‘Lastly, where some Riber. & Vie­gas in 7. Apoca­lyps. 14. make it a great matter of mo­ment to draw Antichrist from DAN, that DAN is not reckoned amongst the elect Tribes, this great Cardinall doth thus lightly passe ouer this proofe: Why DAN is omitted, it is not yet known▪ especially, since EPHRAIM, which is one of the greatest Tribes, is not set downe.’ An answere sufficient to stop the mouthes of our ar­rogant Aduersaries, although for the satisfying of all good Christians, our most learned Diuines Apud Marla­orat, in 7. Apoc. deliuer this reason for the omission of DAN, because DAN so quickly reuolted vnto Gentilisme, that he was not thought worthy to bee accounted amongst the twelue Tribes of Israel. So that now to conclude this Discourse concerning the materiall cause of An­tichrist, let vs passe ouer all these vnwritten foppe­ries of blearing Phantastickes, touching the certaine Nation, and Tribe, whence Antichrist shall rise, and hold this truth for certaine, that Antichrist must be a man, of what Nation soeuer (as hee may bee of any,) succeeding a Predecessor in all his abominations, which he himselfe shall leaue vnto a Successour, in one onely place, as now the forme of Antichrist, to bee sought out shall plainly demonstrate.

The formall cause cōsisting in these three, 1. Qualities.2. Place.3 Time.§. XV. The forme shall appeare first by the qualities of his person, secondly, by the place of his residence; thirdly, by the time of his beginning and continuance. The qualities of his person are first [Page 69] inward habits, and secondly, outward actions:The Qualities of Antichrist are two, 1. Habits,2. Acts. The Habits of Antichrist are two, 1. Heresie.2. Iniquitie. Antichrist an Heretike. The habits are many, but all comprehensible vnder these two heads onely, first, of heresie in doctrine; second­ly of iniquitie in life. For because of heresie in do­ctrine, he is called 2. Thes. 2.4. [ [...]] or an Aduersarie, because like Beza in An­not. maior. his owne Father Satan, hee opposeth himselfe Aquinas in 2. Thes. 2. against all good Spirits teaching true Do­ctrine, by that his earnest imbracing of all manner of heresies, which violate the cōmon faith expressed in our Creed, as plainly appeareth by this one marke of Antichrist, which S. Iohn 1. Iohn 4.3. setteth downe, Euery spirit that confesseth not, that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God; and this is that spirit of Antichrist, of which yee haue heard, &c. For vnder Vid. Fern. & Piscat. in hunc locum. this deniall of Christs Incarnation, all the Articles of our faith in the Creed are renounced, whether they be concer­ning the person, or the office of Christ: Concerning his person, as he is both God, and man: God, Phil. 2.7. co­equall to his Father, and to the Holy Ghost; Man, like Heb. 4.15. vnto vs in all things, sinne onely excepted, concei­ued by the Holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Mary: Concerning his office, first of Prophecie, wherein he teacheth vs, being our onely Mat. 23.8. Doctor: secondly of his Priesthood, wherein he suffered vnder Pontius Pi­late, was crucified, dead, and buried, and descended into Hell: thirdly of his Regalitie or Kingly office, wherein he is not onely personally exalted by the Resurrection of his body the third day from the dead, his ascension into Heauen, his sitting at the right hand of God the Father Almightie, and his comming againe to iudgement of the quicke and [Page 70] dead; but also ruleth ouer his Church in the com­munion of Saints, both for the forgiuenesse of sinnes in this life onely (for as Cyprian Cyprian. lib. contra Deme­trianum. saith, after death, there is no place for repentance) and for the Resurre­ction of the bodie vnto life eternall. Antichrist Reuel. 16.13 the false prophet must denie all these points of Christian beliefe, not openly (for then he should be conuicted publiquely in the Councels by the Orthodox Fa­thers,) but by secret conueyances, and colourable pretences, for which he is Reuel. 13.11. said to haue two hornes like a Lambe, but to speake as a Dragon, because as Gre­gorie Gregor. lib. 33 Mor. cap. 36. the great, and after him many learned, euen Rich. de sancto Victore, lib. 4 in Apocal c. 5. Vie­gas & Ribera in 13. Apocal. Papists expound it, Vnder the shew of a Lambe he in­fuseth into his reprobate hearers the poyson of a serpent, hauing the two Testaments by knowledge of learning, not by holinesse of life, he agreeth with the Deuill by wicked perswasion.

2 2 Secondly for his Iniquitie, Antichrist by the holy Apostle is called,Antichrist in Iniquity most hainous. in respect both of his owne wicked person, and of other vile miscreants whom he seduceth, 2. Thes. 2.3. the man of sinne, the sonne of perdition, yea, Reuel. 9.11. Abaddon, Apollyon, both actiuely to others, and passiuely in himselfe, since there is not one com­maundement in the whole Decalogue, which witting­ly and willingly he doth not infringe; as (to giue in euery one of them a speciall instance) he breaketh the first by Atheisme and Magicke, by which as Antiochus Epiphanes, otherwise called Epimanes, a right tipe of Antichrist, Dan. 11.36. magnified and exalted him­selfe against euerie God, speaking marueilous things a­gainst the God of gods; so Antichrist shall 2. Thess. 2.4. exalt him­selfe [Page 71] against all that is called God, or that is worshipped: the second by Idolatrie and superstition, by which as Antiochus Dan. 11.38. shall honour his God Mauzzin, a God whom his fathers knew not: so must Antichrist Reuel 17.4. be full of all abominations, and filthinesse of fornications: the third by blasphemies, whereof Reuel. 17.3. he must be full: the fourth by prophanation of the Sabbath, and other festiuall dayes through Reuel. 9.1. smoke of the pit, which darke­ned sunne and aire, that is, through Ribera in hunc locum. the darknesse of errors, and lusts of ignorance, which blinded the minds of simple Christians: the fifth by pride ouer the Kings of the earth, Reuel. 13.12 causing them to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed: the sixth by Reuel. 17.6. murde­ring the Saints of God: the seuenth by Reuel. 17.2. fornications, and foule adulteries, yet Dan. 11.37. seeming not to care for women, by 1. Tim. 4.2. forbidding Marriages: the eight by thefts, Dan. 11.39. in de­uiding the land for gaine: the ninth by 2. Thess. 2.11 lies, and false wonders, as one possessed with a spirit of delusion: the tenth by the indulgence of raging concupis­cence, 2. Tim. 3.4. louing pleasures more then God, and 2. Pet. 2.14. exercising himselfe in couetous practices, as a cursed child. So is this vile Monster habituated on each side. Can we looke for better acts? Mat. 12.34. O generation of vipers, how can yee,2 being euill, speake good things? The acts of Antichrist are 3. Couetous­nesse.Coozen­age.Crueltie. His Couetous­nesse knowne by his Charac­ter imprinted. For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. The tree (saith Clem. Alex. li. 5. Strom. Cle­mens Alexandrinus) is known by his fruits, not by flowers, and blossomes. For lo now the Acts proceeding from these habits! The first is of Couetousnesse in his Character: The second of Coozenage in his mi­racles: The third & the last of crueltie in his warres. For the Character, which is nothing els but (as Di­onysius [Page 72] Dionys. Car­thus [...]n 13. Apoc. Carthusianus saith) a conformitie to the life and doctrine of Antichrist, or (as Aquin. par. 3. q. 63. art. 3. Aquinas defineth it) a profession of an vnlawfull worship ioyned with an ob­stinate malice (whether expressible by some outward signe and marke, or inuisible, or both, as it is eyther an inward conformitie, or an outward profession, all is one to Ʋid. Petrum Molins 3. parte Apolog. cap 4. vs, who take it for a marke of a repro­bate,) doth demonstrate his incroaching and coue­teous humour, since first he Reu. 13.16.17 causeth all, both small and great, rich and poore, free and bond to receiue the marke: secondly, it is to be imprinted in their right hand, and in their foreheads: thirdly, no man may buy or sell, saue he that hath the marke, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. ‘For first, when he causeth all of all sorts of men, both Laitie and Clergie (as Bellar. lib. 1. de membr. Eccle­siae, cap. 1. they wickedly distinguish Gods people, to debarre them from this lot, inheritance in Iesus Christ) that is, Aquin. part. 3. q. 63. art. 3. ad. 3. either men in an order vnto a cōmon life of ignorāt superstition, or in an order of a speciall calling for pro­pagating and defence of the same superstition; when, I say, he seeketh to put all into his own marke, doth he not well resemble that wretched worldling, who Psal. 10.10. croucheth, and boweth, that heapes of the poore may fall into his strong parts?’ Secondly, hee must haue the marke set on their foreheads Gloss. ordinar. & Lyra in 13. Apoc. 17. for shew of profession, and vpon their right hand also for strength of opera­tion, that both like a false Apostle, Gal. 6.12. he might glory in their flesh, and with the most tyrannous Ammonite Nahash, 1. Sam. 11.2. put out the right eyes of their vnderstanding, to lay it, if he can possibly, for a reproch vpon all the Israel of God. For thirdly he bewraieth his greedie [Page 73] desire of this generall subiection to be for his owne aduantage, onely by restrayning the power of buy­ing, and selling, vnto those alone which haue his marke. For what else is this buying, and selling, but a making of marchandize of the soules of men, through couetousnesse, with fained words, as 2. Pet. 2.3. Peter calleth it? And what is this restrayning of this mar­ket to some onely, but a speciall motiue to them, who thinke to grow rich by such a gainefull trade of seeking to procure this marke, as a letter of Mart to themselues alone, by which they may se­curely enioy the benefit of such a Monopolie? Baby­lon, as Nah. 3.4. Niniueh, is a Mistresse of Witchcrafts, that sel­leth Nations through her Whoredomes; and Families through her Witchcrafts, in which, as in the corrupted Mic. 3.11. Ierusalem, the Heads iudge for reward, the Priests teach for hyre, the Prophets for money, as Marchants Reuel. 18.3. waxing rich through the abundance of her delicacies. So proue­able is the Beasts marke; whereof yet, lest some wa­rie people should make a doubt, Antichrist, the bet­ter 2 to cloake his Couetousnesse, shall vse flat Coo­zenage in his false Miracles, and lying Wonders,His Cooznage knowne by his false Miracles as our Mat. 24.24. Sauiour, and his 2. Thes. 2.11. Reue. 13.13.14 Apostles foretold. For since 1. Cor. 12.22 Miracles are signes to them that beleeue not, as is the gift of tongues: therfore as Christ himselfe came, and sent his Disciples to preach the Gospell, Heb. 2.4. God bea­ring witnesse thereunto with signes and wonders: So An­tichrist, to gather the people vnto him, like an Ape, must imitate the Master, and Ministers of the true Church of God, in counterfeit signes, which by Bellar. lib. 3. de Pontif. ca. 15. Bellarmines owne confession, are euery way lying [Page 74] Miracles, in respect of all the causes: as first, of the end, because they are only done Mat 24.24. to deceiue, if it were possible, the very Elect, whiles thereby they would, if they could, shew, that Antichrist is God & Messiah: Secondly, of the efficient, which is onely the Deuill, Iohn 8 44. the Father of lyes, after 2. Thess. 2.9. whose working is the com­ming of Antichrist: Thirdly, of the matter, ficta non facta, coozening tricks, Bell. vbi supra. done in the sight of men, but deluding the same, saith Bellarmine, out of Arethas: Fourthly of the forme, because they exceede not the strength of nature, being onely performed by the secret, eyther sympathie, or antipathie, of naturall things mirandè, non miraculosè; maruailously, for that they are secret to the simple; but yet not mira­culously, since that they are knowne to the Angels, and may be perceiued by skilfull men in Philosophy 3 and other learning. And therefore what Antichrist cannot doe by his Fox-like fraud,His crueltie forcible and fraudulent. that same hee at­tempteth with Lyon-like force; Psal. 10.9. like a Lyon in his denne, vsing both force and fraud, saith Aug. in Ps. 10 S. AVGVS­TINE, Force in his Gouernment, and fraud in his Mira­cles, that so he may fulfill the measure of the Deuils hatred in persecuting the Church; first by the force of cruell Emperours: and secondly by the fraud of cunning Heretikes. For to say nothing of those phantasticall Warres of Antichrist, which the Bellar. cap. 16 Henriq. §. 5. Viegas in 13. A­poc. de Anti­christ. §. 10. Ie­suites would, out of the mis-interpreting of Daniel, E­zechiel, and Iohns Reuelation, put vpon him to wage, first against the three Kings, of Aegypt, Libia, and Aethiopia: secondly, with the seuen Kings remay­ning, and so to become the Monarch of the whole [Page 75] World. Wee neede goe no further for testimonie of his crueltie, then to the description of the Reuel. 17.7. Woman drunken with the bloud of the Saints, and the bloud of the Martyrs of Iesus. For to sucke vp this precious bloud of Gods redeemed, Antichrist warreth not onely Reuel. 11.7. with the two Witnesses sent to preach in the great Citie, (which are not, as the Bell. ca. 6. Ri­bera & Viegas in 11. Apoc. Papists all say, Enoch and Elias, since all the Apud Pere­riū in 5. Gen. 24. Fathers say, that Enoch is not to be seene of men in this world: and our Saui­our saith, Mat. 11.14. that Iohn Baptist was the Elias which was to come: but rather, as His Iacob. Rex in Praefat. in Apo­log. pa. 78.79. sacred Maiestie hath most certainely demonstrated, either the two Testa­ments, or the Witnesses preaching the Truth of those two Testaments) but also with all those, who will not worship the Image of the Beast. For Gal. 4.29. as he, that was the sonne of the bond-woman, persecuted him which was the sonne of the free-woman: Euen so is it now, seeing the faithfull must, Act. 14.22. through many temptati­ons and afflictions, enter into the Kingdome of God. For the wicked, thus raging, are but Esay 10.5. Gods Rod, and the staffe in their hands is his indignation. So that this may be our onely comfort in the middest, or heate, of all these troubles, that as when a Father hath beaten his childe, hee burneth the Rodde, to still his childe: so our most gracious God, and louing Father, hauing suffered, for some short space, the great Antichrist, both in and against his Church, for his Churches comfort and pleasure, will destroy that Monster Antichrist, as the Reuel. 16.17 lowd voyce out of the Temple of Heauen, from the Throne, at the powring out of the seuenth Violl, shall say, It is done. [Page 76] 2 And thus we see this vile Monster qualited, both in Habits and in Acts. Now to finde out his forme at the full view,The place of Antichrist is twofold, Com­mon and Pro­per. wee must in the second place seeke where he sitteth: and this by the guide of Scriptures may we finde out easily, since Scripture sheweth the place of residence for wicked Antichrist to bee com­mon and proper:His Common place. and both of them (God knoweth) too good for him. For his common place, wherein Gods Children may dwell as well as he, is 2. Thes. 2.4. the Tem­ple of God, which all the Popish Bella [...]. Vigne. Henriq. Viegas, Eudam. &c. Writers, that I haue seene, vnderstand to be the Temple at Hierusalem; but first, without any Scripture at all, since that great Citie, vpon which they frame this conceit, is not Hierusalem, eyther heauenly, or earthly; not hea­uenly, (for that is called Reuel. 11.8. The holy Citie:) not earth­ly, (for that was not the place of Execution, when A. Nerone ad Licini. Vide Euseb. lib. 3. hist. cap. 6. & lib. 4. cap. 6. & Orosi. lib. 7. cap. 9. Tyrants were to persecute the Saints, it being made desolate all the time of those tryalls:) but is taken by all Vid. August. hom. 8. in Apoco. & Marlaor. &c. the best Writers, weighing all circum­stances, for the middest of the Church, where Christ was crucifyed, both in his Members by persecution, and in Himselfe by the blasphemies of Antichrist. Se­condly, against both Scriptures prophecying, and the prooued euent; those plainely foretelling that God will make Hierusalem desolate, vntill Dan. 9.27. the con­summation; and that determined, shall bee powred vpon the desolate. This is manifest by the Iewish hope of building the Temple so oftentimes frustrate, espe­cially Russin. lib. 1. hist. cap. 38. & Theodor. lib. 3. histor. cap. 20. when Iulian the Apostata, the more to despite the Christians, did authorise them to build the Tem­ple in the place where it was set before, but then [Page 77] could not be founded, by reason of Fire, and Thun­der, and Earth-quake, happening in the same place, where they would haue layd the first stones. Where­fore the Temple, in which this Antichrist shall haue his abode, must be the Church, if we stand eyther to the interpretation of Hieron. q. 11. ad Algasi. & Chrysost. ac Oe­cumen in 2. Thess. 2. Fathers, or to the vse of the word [Temple] in the new Testament, as where it is said, 1. Cor. 3.17. that the Temple of God is holy, which yee are, whiles as 1. Pet. 2.5. liuely stones, yee be made a spirituall house, by Ephe. 2.22. growing vnto an holy Temple in the Lord. Yet there­by we conclude not, (as Bellarmine Bellar. lib. 3. cap. 13. would enforce) that the state of Antichrist shall bee the true Church of Christ. For as the Prophet speaketh, Esa. 1.21.22.23. The faithfull Citie is become an Harlot; it was full of iudgement; righ­teousnesse lodged in it; but now Murtherers: Thy siluer is become drosse: thy wine is mixt with water: Thy Prin­ces are rebellious, and companions of Theeues. Indeed, the place where Antichrist now sitteth, was once the true Church of Christ, both in inward truth, and out­ward profession: yea, and many bright lamps did A. Lino, seu Clement. ad Bo­nifac. 3. Ʋid. Fa­scic. Tempor. & Plati. shine therein, some dying in blessed Martyrdome, some as constant Confessors: but now Osee 6.8. Gilead is a Ci­tie of them that work iniquitie: & Mat. 21. [...]3. His proper Place. the House of Prayer is made a den of theeues. For now the proper place of An­tichrist is in Scripture noted by the name of Great Reue. 14.8. Babylon, not litteral in Caldae [...], which is Vid. Sam. Purch. l. 1 ca. 11 so far deso­late, that Trauailers cannot finde it, neyther yet in Aegypt neere to Grand Cayro, since Pet. Bellonius lib. 2. cap 38. & Io. Maginus in descript. Aegypti. some report that our Sauiour was hid in Aegypt there from Herod, it being now a beggerly Village: But mysticall, euen Rome, whose description is deliuered by S. Reue. 17.9.10.11.12. Iohn, [Page 78] in these words, [The seuen Heads are the seuen Moun­taines on which the woman sitteth: and there are seuen Kings; fiue are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come: and when hee commeth, hee must continue a short space: and the Beast that was, and is not, euen hee is the eighth; and is of the seuen: and the tenne hornes, which thou sawest, are the tenne Kings, which haue receiued no Kingdome as yet, but receive power as Kings one houre with the Beast.] For doe not all these Obseruations concerning Rome, most naturally arise according to their most certaine euents out of this Scripture? First, that Rome was built vpon Onu [...]hr. lib. 1 Antiq. Rom. pag. 140. these seuen Hils, which in Iohn his time were termed, first, Palatinus; secondly, Capitolinu [...]; thirdly, Quirinalis; fourthly, Caelius; fiftly, Esquilinus; sixthly, Viminalis; seuenth­ly, Auentinus, according to that Verse of PRO­PERTIVS Propert. lib. 3 Eleg. 10..

Septem Vrbs alta i [...]gis, toti quae praesidet orbi;
The Citie built on seuen Hils,
That with her power the World fils.

Secondly, that Rome was gouerned by Rhemenses in 17. Apoc. 9. seuen Kings, that is, by seuen kinds of Magistrates, hauing kingly authoritie, the first whereof were called Kings: the second, Consu [...]s; the third, Decemuiri; the fourth, Tribuni militum; the fifth, Dictatores, the sixth, Imperatores, the seuenth, Pontifices, or Bishops; fiue be­ing past as out of date in Saint Iohns time; the sixth, who was called Emperour then bearing sway, till the seuenth, which is now the Pope, should rise, in the growth of whose Supremacy, an eighth kind of Go­uernment [Page 79] springing from Charles the Great, and con­tinuing amongst the Germanes, successiuely Carion. Chron. lib 5 & A [...]nti. lib. 4 Annal. [...]o­ior & Abbas Ʋrspurg [...]ns. & Na [...]cler. tom. 2. & Henr. Mutius de reb. Germa­nicis. in the Families of the Frankes, Saxons, and Sueuians vnder the name of Emperour, which was one of the seuen former kinds of Gouernment, for a while swayed the scepter, which the Pontifex now holdeth ouer the Citie of Rome. Thirdly, that this Rome was sup­ported by ten hornes, that is, by ten Prouinces sub­iect to the Romane Empire, but vpon the very first rising of Antichrist, reuolting from that Gouernment, and reuerencing the Beast with all Titles of Honor, all Homage, and helpe, till afterward vpon plaine information of the truth, they all by one consent shall make war against the Beast: and these are their names (if wee stand to the most probable coniecture of the Apud Marlor. in locum. best learned) viz.

  • 1. Naples;
  • 2. Portugall;
  • 3. Spaine;
  • 4. France;
  • 5. Brittaine;
  • 6. Denmarke;
  • 7. Sweden;
  • 8. Poland;
  • 9. Hungarie.
  • 10. Bohemia.

For these in Saint Iohn Onuphr. lib. 3. Rom. Antiquit. his time were the Pro­uinces supporting the State of the Romane Empire in the West, and these all became Kingdomes, distinct in Gouernment and State, from the Empire, much Vid. Carion. lib. 5. & Chron. Maria. Scoti & Vrspurgens. ab anno 500. ad anno 800. post Christ. natum. about the time, when the Empire was deuided, neere the dayes of Charles the Great, some eight hundred yeeres, or more from Christ. The strength of these Collections is such, that the Riber. & Vi­egas in 17. Ap [...]c. 9. & Bellar. li. 3. cap. 13. Iesuites them­selues, as conuicted in conscience, grant Rome to bee [Page 80] the seate of Antichrist, yet absurdly distinguishing Rome to bee either Heathenish, or Christian: and Rome Heathenish to bee the proper seate of Anti­christ ▪ as it was subiect vnto the Heathen Emperours; but not Rome Christian now vnder the Pope. For this Glosse is flatly repugnant, first, to the Scripture, which assigneth Reue. 13.11. the same place of being, though not of beginning, to both the Beasts: secondly, to reason, since we know that Rome Heathenish could not bee Sic Glossa in Gratian. dist. 50 can. Placuit, vt poenit. definit A­postat. [...]sse retrò abeuntes à side, Religione, vel Clericat. ex caus. 26. q. 2. can. Non obseruetis. an Apostate from Christian Religion, which it neuer professed: thirdly, to the certaine euent of things happening; seeing Heathenish Rome did ne­uer Reuel. 17.2. make the Nations drunke with her Idolatries, as doth the Ps [...]udo-Christian-Popish-Rome at this day; but rather was made drunken by the abominable Superstitions of all other people, which they Rosinus lib. 2. Antiq. Rom. ca. 5 wil­lingly admitted into their Pantheon, the common Temple of all their gods. Wherefore, concerning the place, I conclude without further treating of a matter so plaine, that Antichrist must sit in the mid­dest of the Church at Rome.

3 Lastly, now for the time we must enquire of two things;The time of Antichrists, 1. Beginning.2. Continuing first, when Antichrist should beginne; se­condly, how long hee shall continue; In the former point it is hard to prescribe a definite time of begin­ning 1 to diseases in the body, or to Heresies in the Church;Antichrists be­ginning. since both of them grow from senselesse beginnings, to very fearefull issues. So that if wee search the first instant of his beginning, wee shall hardly find it, seeing in the 2. Thes. 2.7. Apostles time it begun to worke vnder a mysterie: but if we craue the time, [Page 81] when he should be reuealed, wee find it in Scripture to be at the ruine of the Romane Empire, which be­ing the onely obstacle to Antichrist, The three sure meanes of An­tichrists rising. was first of all to be taken out of the way, that Antichrist might after­wards be displayed in his colours by these three de­grees: First, of a voluntary succession, and remoouall 1 of the Imperiall Throne from that very place where Antichrist should place his Chaire: The second of a 2 violent oppression of Christendome by a forraine people, which Antichrist by glosing and flatterie must winne by little and little vnto the imbracing of his abominations, for the more speedie and su­rer planting of his tenne seuerall Hornes. The third, of a fraudulent vsurpation of a double Sword,3 the one Spirituall in the Church, the other Tempo­rall in the Common Weale, by Antichrist himselfe then peeping abroad. For the first was to fall out at 1 or about the three hundreth yeere after Christ: the second, about the foure hundreth; the third, about 2. & 3. the time of his mysticall name, as may appeare plain­ly by these seuerall points of Prophesie in the New Testament: The first whereof, is that generall inti­mation,1 that 2. Thes. 2 7. hee which letted in the Apostles time, was to bee taken out of the way, first, by voluntary changing of his seat, deuiding his Empire, as Chry­sostome Chrysost hom. 4. in 2 Thes. 2. expoundeth it; then by an v [...]ter euersion, and rooting of the same out of the World, as all Ambr. Sedul. Primas [...]heod. Theophylact. Oe­cumen. [...]yr [...] cum g [...]ssis [...]. cert. & Ordinar. Aquin. &c. o­ther Fathers take it: the second, that particular de­nunciation of the third Reu. 8.12.13 part of the Sunne, and the third part of the Mo [...]ne, and the third part of the S [...]arres to be smitten and darkened, that the d [...]y sh [...]ne 2 [Page 82] not for a third part of it, nor likewise the night. For Hayn o, Mar­laora. & Bright­man in loc. the smiting of the Sun, Moone, and Stars in the third part, signifieth Gods iudgment inflicted vpon a great part of Christendome, by the bloudy hands of Heathen people, whose fury should so stop the course of Chri­stian Doctrine, that their day, and their night seeme shortned in the third part. And yet Antichrist in all this Garboyle is not troubled, but Psal. 10.10. croucheth in his Denne, till he may rauish the poore, fawning on and flattering these rude Mates, and Tyrants, till out of their Off-spring such Kingdomes may bee settled, as by which (they Reuel. 17.2. now poysoned through his ve­nomous Potions,) he may daily be more strengthe­ned, and hoysed vp to that huge height of vniust v­surpation, which he openly should beginne to mani­fest in the World, about that yeere after CHRIST, which Reue. 13.18. the number, of his name doth intimate vnto vs. [...] Erasin. in Chiliad. sub tit. Auaritie, & Rapa [...]itatis. A Serpent, vnlesse he eate another Serpent, can­not become a Dragon, say the Greekes in their Pro­uerbe, which wee may very fitly apply to our pur­pose, since Antichrist could neuer haue attained to such a fulnesse of filthinesse, and an abundance of abominations, vnlesse hee had swallowed vp all the former plagues of God, cast out vpon the Church, before by Heathenish Tyrants, and home-bred He­retikes; to spue them out againe, in a greater mea­sure, by crueltie and subtiltie, amongst Gods Cho­sen, as the Reuel. 8.13. Angell flying in the middest of Heauen did import by crying out of woe, woe, woe, before the soun­ding of the fift Trumpet, when there should fall Reuel. 9.1.2. a Starre from Heauen to Earth, (euen Antichrist himselfe,) [Page 83] to whom was giuen the Key of the bottomlesse pit, which he should open to let out smoke (signifying darke igno­rance,) and send out such Locusts, as were to sting men to death, like Scorpions. Vnto such an vgly shape doth this Serpent, or this Beare grow by his degrees; so small was his beginning, and so dreadfull is his full growth, that hee is fitly resem­bled by a B. Iewel in 2. Thes. 2. pag. 115. fol. blessed Bishop vnto an Earthquake, which caused by a little wind, for a time hidden in the hollowes of the earth, Stobaeus lib. 1 Eglo. 9. cap. 32. at last breaketh out to the shaking of the Mountaines, the cleauing of the Rockes, the throwing downe of houses, and the killing of men. The Thorne [...]. Eras. Chil. sub tit. Initij laudati. when it is little, see­meth good. Antichrist in his Infancie gaue great hope of integritie: but the elder hee grew, the worse hee prooued, Homer. apud Strabonem. lib. 3. à Tartesso ad Tartarum, falling (as wee say) from the deepe Sea to the Deuill. Now know­ing his beginning, if you aske me, how long he shall 2 continue, I may answere well, that I know not.His continu­ing & ending. For his end is not yet come, and Aristot. de In­terpretat. ca. 11. De futuris contingenti­bus, nulla est scientia: there is no certaine knowledge to be had of things future. Yet, surely as Certius est quàm mors, quàm mors in­ce [...]tius est nil▪ Marcell. Palin­genius in Scorpio nothing is more certaine then death, although then the houre of death nothing more vncertaine: so nothing is more certaine, then the ruine of Antichrist; although the instant of his ruine be not yet knowne; because his vtter abolishing must bee 2. Thes. 2.11. at Christs comming, the time of which is knowne to God onely.Ob.

And therefore where our Sanders dem. 40. & Bella. li. 3. de Pontif. cap. 8. Papists will haue An­tichrist to continue, but onely three yeeres, and an halfe; partly, by these words of Dan. 7.25. Daniel [they (that [Page 84] is, the Saints) shall bee giuen into his hands, vntill a time, and times, an [...] the [...]ding of time] and partly by these of Reue. 12.14 Iohn concerning the woman, [Where (that is, in her place in the Wildernesse) shee is nou­rished for a time, and times, and halfe a time from the face of the Serpent,] Loe, a double either sottishnesse, Solution. 1 or knauerie: First, in putting places together of con­trary importment, seeing in the former, the Saints are said to bee subiect vnder persecution for a time, times and halfe a time: but in the latter, rescued from Solution. 2 trouble into a place of safe retyring for a time, times, and halfe a time: the second, in mis-applying both these places, as sitting vnto the Great Antichrist in their opinion, when the former doth properly be­long vnto Antiochus Epiphanes onely; the latter vnto Satan, and Satans seruants, the Heathen Romane Emperours, by whom the Deuill August. homil. 10 H. [...]mo, & R [...]b [...]ra in 12. Apoc. cast out the flouds of ten seuerall persecutions after the Woman rety­red into the Wildernesse, that is, the Primitiue Church of Christ flying from their furie into secret places for their best safetie, for a time, times, and halfe a time, that is, Vid. Ioh. Fox. lib. 1. Marty [...]olo. pag. 90.91.92. & Reueren. Pa­trum D. R. Abba­de Antichristo, cap. 8. §. 6. for the space of two hundred, ninetie, and foure yeeres after Christ, when the last great Persecution raised by Licinius was quieted, and so ceased by the onely helpe, and authoritie of Constantine the Great, then the first Christian Empe­rour, which openly fought vnder the Banner of CHRIST.

For (to giue you a short and yet a full suruey of these latter times, layd out by St. Iohn vnder seue­ral numbers thus truly reckoned by [...]idem vbi sup. most religious [Page 85] and learned Diuines,) this first number of time, times, & halfe a time, is in plaine signification, three yeeres and an halfe, which number of yeeres consist of one thousand, two hundred and threescore dayes, all which dayes together make vp in iust account two and fortie moneths: now if euery moneth be taken for a Sabbath of yeeres, then all these num­bers make vp the iust summe of two hundred, ninety and foure yeeres, which yeeres beginning to be reckoned at the thirtieth yeere of Christs age (when Luke 3.23. Matth. 4.23. he after his Baptisme began by his Preaching to gather a Church, that Iohn 16.32. was to be troubled in this wicked world) will end in that very yeere, An. Dom. 324 vid Euseb. Chro­nic. & Theatr. histor. Christoph. Helwici. when Constantine the Great began to raigne alone, Licinius being vanquished, and persequutions ceased for the space of a thousand yeeres together, in which time Satan is Reuel. 20.2. & 7.8. &c. said to be bound in the bottomlesse pit; because for all that time he is not permitted to mo­lest the Church by open persequution, howsoeuer he must trouble it by home-bred heresies, and secret schismes. For the Vid. Meditat. doctiss. Sereniss. Regis Iacobi in 20. Apoc. Church vniuersall was to be quiet and free from forraine persequutions for the cause of religion for that space of a thousand yeeres, that in that long calme of outward prosperity An­tichrist might ripen vnto a fulnesse of Abomina­tion, which for a time was couered vnder the cloake of outward Orthodoxie, and ceremoniall indifferen­cie; but at last appeared in the true state of vglinesse towards the Anno Dom. 1314. sub Ioh. 22 Lodouico Baua­ro Imper. Edwar­do 3. Angliae, sub quo Ioh. Wicliff. Vid. Chronic. Anglic. Holinsh. Stow, & Io. Fox. pag. 365. Edit. vltimae. latter end of the thousand yeeres, when Satan was to be loosed, that he might most furiously rage against Gods chosen, both outwardly [Page 86] by the forraine power of Gog and Magog, and in­wardly in the Church it selfe by the great Antichrist, whose kingdome then began a little to be dimini­shed by 2. Thess. 2.8. the preaching of the Gospell, vntill at last it shall vtterly be demolished by the glorious com­ming of Iesus Christ, as at the trumpet sounded by the Reuel. 10.7. seuenth Angel it shal be finished. I speake thus indefinitely of the last period of Antichrists king­dome, because since it must last in some outward, although weake forme of gouernment (Rome being destroyed) till the comming of Christ, we haue Part. 1. §. 7. be­fore defined, that the time of Christs comming is the Fathers secret onely.Ob. And yet I am not ignorant of a very probable coniecture, made by a Master Peter du Moulin in 3. part. Apolog. in Coessetan. cap. 4. pag. 250. most famous Preacher, and reuerend Diuine, concerning the last period of Antichrist his kingdome, that it must fall out (as he thinketh) in the two thousand, and fif­tenth yeere after Christ; because after it is settled, as it was in the seuen hundred, fiftieth and fifth yeere of our Lord, it was to continue one thousand, two hundred, and threescore dayes, that is, by tearmes of Scripture,Sol. so many whole yeeres. But howsoeuer I cannot but iustly admire his sharp and sound iudge­ment in collecting out of the propheticall numbers of Scripture, the truth of things past: yet I cannot fully assent vnto this his construction of future e­uents, by that number of daies; since as yet it ap­peareth not vnto me vpon what ground, eyther he setteth the beginning of the thousand, two hundred and threescore dayes at the end of the seuen hun­dredth, fiftieth, and fifth yeere after Christ (for An­tichrist [Page 87] his kingdom was begun and settled An. Dom. 666. a good while before,) or stretcheth the number of those many daies so farre, seeing Mat. 24.24. for the Elects sake those dayes shall be shortned, and Christ may come soo­ner, for any thing we know (as Now Reuel. 22.21. come Lord Iesu!) Let vs leaue then these coniectures vnto them, who in the libertie of prophecie might first set them a­broad, to make them good; and as by faith we are to be assured that the kingdome of Antichrist shall come to an end, so let vs in sobriety cease from the curious search thereof, dayly in hope expecting the complement from Him, who will doe it in his owne time. ‘And so by this discourse of the qualities, place,The conclusi­on of the for­mall cause. and time of Antichrist, wee see in what forme hee must come abroad, to wit, in the habit of heresie and iniquitie, doing all things by couetousnesse, coozening, and crueltie; in the middest of the Church, at Rome, secretly, and (as it were) by a mystery in the Primitiue time, but openly & plain­ly from the sixe hundredth yeere after Christ, till he should grow, and ripen vnto his full greatnesse, which by little & little was to be lessened through the preaching of Gods word, and vtterly destroy­ed at the comming of Christ.’

§ 16 Now fourthly, and lastly, the finall cause,The final cause of Antichrist. or end, why this Great Antichrist should thus reigne and ruffle in this wicked world, and against the Faithfull, is (to speake in Logicall tearmes) vltimus & vltimatus, the last and furthest, to wit, Gods glo­rie, which in iustice shalbe manifested, when God Esay 1.24. ea­seth him of his enemies, and auengeth him of his aduer­saries, [Page 88] as the Prou. 16.5. wicked are ordained for the day of euill: the neere and subordinate, which is first, that the Re­probate 2. Thes. 2.11 might be deluded vnto their destruction, by the vile deceits of Antichrist: secondly, that the Godly elect might be tried in this great fire, both for their present purging, as Prou. 17.3. Siluer in the fining pot, or Gold in the furnace, & for their future glory promised to the perseuerant, vnder this good precept, Reue. 2.10. Be thou faithfull vnto death, and I will giue thee a Crowne of life.

The Reall and full definition of Antichrist.§. XVII. ‘The efficient, the matter, the forme, & the end, now all put together, will openly discouer, what is this Great Antichrist, to wit, a man by or­dinarie substitution succeeding another in a kingdome raised vp by Satan, vpon the ruine of the Romane Em­pire, and the liberalitie of Christian Princes, through the pleasures of the world, who being in opinion an He­reticke, and a most wicked man in life, couetously seeketh to imprint his Character vpon all men whomsoeuer, coozeningly endeuoureth to doe signes and wonders, and cruelly persequuteth in bloodie massacres the Saints of God, in the middest of the Church, sitting at Rome, growing mysteriously in the Primitiue time, but from the sixth hundreth, sixtieth and sixth yeere after Christ openly manifest, till his vtter destruction, at the end of the world, both for the blinding of the reprobate, and the triall of the elect, to the glory of God.’ Eculmo spi­cam: By the halfe you may know what the whole tale meaneth. For by this definition thus prooued in all points, we may easily perceiue, what now in the second place we are to make search for; Who is this Great Antichrist.

[Page 89]§. XVIII. Some,The second Question, Who is this Great Anti­christ? The first opinion. (as Iodocus Clicthoueus Clicthou. Com­mentar. in Da­mascen. l. 4. ca. 27 re­porteth) thought, that this Great Antichrist was that Seducer Mahomet, and his succeeding bloud-suc­kers, Saracens and Turks. But Cardinall Bellar. lib. 3. de Pontif. cap. 3. Sanders Henriq. Viguer. &c. Bellarmine, together with all our other Papists, which I could as yet euer read concerning this matter, vtterly reiect this opinion, as most false, being indeede conuicted by the strength of Truth. For first, Mahomet and the Turkes had neuer any place of residence in the middest of the Church, at Rome: secondly, hee ne­uer was a Prince Ecclesiasticall: thirdly, he could not by any reason bee accounted for an Heretike, or an Apostate from that faith, which hee neuer professed: fourthly, although hee began to raigne in Arabia, An. Dom. 623. vt Genebrard. lib. 3. Chronolog. much about the time when Antichrist did manifest his rising at Rome; yet he neuer made himselfe an v­niuersall Bishop, and the Vicar of Christ, as Anti­christ did. And therefore some other must be found out to be Antichrist. The second o­pinion and the Truth: The Pope is that Great Anti­christ. Proofes are two, 1. From the Names.2. From the Nature or causes of Antichrist. From the name are two, 1. Literall.2. Mysticall. The Literall Name.

§. XIX. Who, I pray you, then can this Anti­christ be, but Pontifex Romanus, the Bishop, or (as they commonly now call him) the Pope of Rome? For both his name and his nature agree so fitly vnto that, which we haue noted of the Great Antichrist, that we may well conclude them to be both one, so truly, and fully, as that now the Pope of Rome is the onely Great Antichrist, and the Great Antichrist is only the Pope. The name of both is litterall and mysticall: The litterall name is Antichrist, by which, although the Pope bee not called totidem sillabis, in those same sillables; yet in the same sense he beareth that name, [Page 90] if we marke the true Etymologie of the word [Anti­christ:] since first hee is so opposite vnto Christ Ie­sus, both in doctrine and life, as we shall finde here­after in the application of the formall cause: And secondly, since he is commonly called by his chiefest Bell. in praefat. Tom. 2. ad Sixtii 5. & Azor. in de­dicat. Tom. 1. ad Clem. 8. Flatterers, Christi in terris Vicarius; Christ his Vicar on earth ouer the Church, of which being but Extrauag. Cö­mun. lib. 1. tit. 8. cap. 1. vbi sic: Ecclesiae vnius & vnicae, vnum corpus, vnum caput, non duo capita, quasi monstrum, Chri­s [...]us viz. & Chri­sti Vicarius, Pe­trus Petri (que) suc­cessor, &c. one onely, there is but one body, one Head, not two heads, as if he were a Monster, to wit, Christ, and Christs Vicar PE­TER, and PETERS successour, &c. But howsoeuer they may cauill against this application of the litte­rall name, the mysticall [ [...]] included in the number [666] more plainely agreeth vnto the Pope. 2 For who raigneth in Latio, but only Ex fict [...] Con­stantini donatio­ne, vide Laur. Vallam. the Pope? who maketh the Scriptures translated into the Latine tongue,The mysticall name. to be onely the Authentique Word of God, but Con. Trident. sess. 4. decret. 2. the Romish Pope onely? who forbiddeth the vse of the Liturgie in any other language, saue the Latine tongue onely, but only the Con. Trident. sess. 22. can. 9. Pope? Yea, marke how this mysterie of this name is made plaine! For at that very time, when the yeeres after Christ came vp to the number of sixe hundred, sixtie, and sixe, Vitalianus, a Musicall Pope, notwithstanding, through Jn bello Lon­gobardico inter Imperator. & barbaros: vid. Ottonem Frisin­gens. lib. 5. cap. 11 the misery of the time when hee liued, there was more neede of praying, then singing: yet Fascicul. Tem­por. compilata hi­storia, Platina, Balaeus, Valero in Vitalian. Magdeburgens. C [...]nt. 7. c. 6. & O­siander. C [...]nt. 7. lib. 3. cap 10. brought into the Church singing of the Seruice, & the vse of Organes, commanding that the Canonicall houres, the Hymnes, and other Ceremonies, should onely bee celebrated in the Latine tongue. A matter of mayne consequence, since thereupon ignorance a­rose amongst all people, now lulled (as it were a­sleepe) [Page 91] by the confused noyse of many voyces in an vnknowne tongue; and vpon that ignorance an ea­sie admittance of many grosse opinions, if it carried the colour of aduancing deuotion; although it was no better, as their case then stood, then Act. 17.23. the Altar erected to an vnknowne God.

And therefore where some Bell. in Apolog. pro Resp. ad Reg. cap. 12. of our Aduersaries mocke at this our applying of this number to Vita­lian, Ob. since hee was in their opinion a zealous good man, in whose time there was no such innouation, or change in the Church, as we pretend.

We answere for Vitalian, Sol. that his goodnesse shall bee iudged of at the great Day of the Lord: In the meane time we know, that 2. Cor. 11.13, 14. Sathan himselfe is trans­formed into an Angell of light, and his ministers as the Ministers of righteousnesse. For secondly, concerning 2 the innouation and change which fell out to bee in the dayes of Vitalian; Vitalian himselfe was the one­ly cause thereof, by those his Ordinances, for play­ing and singing Latine Hymnes in the Church, since thereby Luke 11.52. the Key of Knowledge was hidde, when common people Ʋide Polydor. Virgil. lib. 6. de Inuentor. [...]er. c. 2. could not vnderstand what was said or sung in an vnknowne tongue; and the heat of zeale quenched in men of vnderstanding, whose eares were tickled, but hearts not touched, whiles, as S. Augustine Aug lib. 10. Confess. cap. 23. complayned of himselfe; so most were more mooued by the sweetnesse of the song, then by the sense of the matter, which was sung vn­to them. And yet here was the mischiefe, that men knew not their hurt, which most did pinch them: For it wrought, as the Aelian. de histor. animal. lib. 9 cap. 11. deadly touch of the Aspis, [Page 92] in a tickling dilight, till it had vndone them; not so manifest at the first, because the manner of working was in a Mysterie, like Episc. Eliensis in resp. ad Apo­log. Bellar. ca. 12 pag. 249. growing Impostumes, and sowring leuen, not felt in fieri, but well knowne in facto.

2 §. XX. And yet the names do not so plainly shew the Pope to bee Antichrist, From the Na­ture, or causes of Antichrist. as doth the nature of the thing, if we will but mark the true applying of all the 1 causes before deliuered. For first, touching the efficiēt cause,In the Effici­ent cause. 1. Principall. the principal efficient of Antichrist is the Deuil; and so of the Pope, since if we respect the grand cor­ruptions, either of the Chaire, or of the Persons successiuely placed in the Chaire, wee shall find the Deuill to haue a chiefe hand therein. For the cor­ruption in the Chaire is Matt. 13.28. a Tare in the Field, sowne onely by the Deuill, of whose maine seducements the See of Rome, the Chaire of Peter (as they sur­name it) is called Reuel. 11.8. Sodome, & Aegypt, this, for her He­resies, and that, for bad life, vsed by the persons placed in that eminencie, both for their owne and o­thers destruction, being instruments of the Deuil; Reuel. 9.11 Angels of the bottomlesse pit, called Abaddon, Apol­lyon. For after their discouery, which of them ascen­ded into that Throne, but by the Deuill? Some by Ambition, as those who rose to the place by Schismes, whereof there were A. Damas ad Eugeni. 4. Vid. Onuphr. de schis­matib. some thirtie at the least; some Ioh. 189. apud Platinam. by bribing of the Cardinals in the Con­claue; some by Ioh. 11. per Theodorä. & Io. 13. per Maroziä apud Lu [...]pran­dum, lib. 2. ca. 13 the fauour of Bawdes and Whores, yea, and some came to the Papacie by a direct com­pact made with the Deuill, to whom they couenan­ted the possession of their soules, and bodies, after [Page 93] their death, if they might attaine to their wished for honour of the Papacie, as wee read in Chronicles, of Fascicul. Tem­por. & Platina. Siluester the second, & Hieronym. Marius in Euse­bio. Alexander the sixth. So that wee may very well conclude with these olde ruines made vpon these occasions:

Apud Catalog. testium Veritatis tom. 2. pag. 832.
Ima tenet IVPITER, coelum habet PLVTO;
Et accidit dignitas animali bruto;
Tanquam gemma stercori, & picturaluto.

that is,

IOVE holds the lowest parts,
PLVTO hath Heauen got:
Dignitie to Beasts, as Gemmes
To dunghill sals in lot.

Now for the lesse principall efficient cause,2. Lesse princi­pall. Occasion, as the liberalitie of Christian Princes. which we noted in Antichrist to be, either outwardly occa­sioning, or inwardly inducing, we find them the ve­ry same altogether in the Pope. For the occasion of Papall rising was twofold, first, the ruine and decay of the Romane Empire; and secondly, the liberalitie of Christian Princes to the See of Rome, when the Sozomen. lib. 2. cap. 2. Em­perour hauing translated his Imperiall Throne from Rome to Constantinople, and leauing Carion. lib. 3. Chron. pag. 404. only his Exarch, or Lieutenant in Italie, who was ouerthrowne, and thrust out by the Lombards; the Pope Platina in Za­charia 1. & Ste­phano. 2. called the Frankes into Italie, for the vtter ouerthrow of the Kingdome of Lombardie, which with other great Seigniories in Italie, hee obtained by the first Dona­tion of Pipin the Father, and the second Confirma­tion of Charles the Sonne, and the finall Acknow­ledgement of Lewis the Grand-childe, registred [Page 94] in Gratian. dist. 63. can. 30. Gratian, and being, as Albertus Albert. Crant. zius lib. 2 Sax. cap. 1. Crantzius sup­poseth, that which they call the Donation of Constan­tine. For let August. Steu­chus Eugubinus lib. 3. de donat. Constant. contra Laur. Vallam. Eugubinus and others Baronius & Bisciola ad ann. 324. &c. of the Popes Flatterers sweat out their hearts, whiles they seeke to make good this false Donation of the Great Con­stantine; the truth is, that the Pope had not any Temporalities, by any grant of the Emperour, till the Albert. Crant­zius vbi supra. Inducements, as the Abun­dance of worldly pleasures. Gothes first gaue somewhat, the Lombards ad­ded more▪ and lastly, the Franke-Emperours made vp these Dominions vnto his desire. But yet these oc­casions of his aduancement were not so lamentable; as the inducements for the lifting vp of the Papall State are abominable, and most truely Antichristian; For it was the abundance of worldly pleasures, which mooued them so much vnto the amplifying of their authoritie by the trampling downe of the Romane Emperours, and the Princes of Italie, that when others wept, they might laugh; when others stood penitent without, in the cold, three dayes to­gether, barefoot, and bareheaded; as Ʋid. Platinam in Gregor. 7. did Henrie the fo [...]rth; they with proud Hildebrand might glut themselues with all pleasures in their Palaces, ac­cording as Mantuan Baptist. Man­tuan. lib. 3. Cala­mitat. hath in these words bewailed:

— Petri (que) domus polluta fluente
Marcescit luxu: — mores extirpat honestos:
Sanctus ager scurris; venerabilis ara cinaedis
S [...]ruit, honorandae diuûm GANYMEDIBVS aedes.

that is,

NOW PETERS house polluted pines with flowing lust,
Casts out good manners: holy field to Scoffers must
[Page 95]Now serue: for Bawdes is Altar set,
To GANYMEDES are Saints housen let.

§. XXI. Secondly, for the materiall cause, or 2 subiect of the Papacie, it is a man,In the materi­all cause. 1. A Man. and not the De­uill; although such men bee little better then Incar­nate Deuils. For the hollow Chaire vsed in the Popes Consecration euer since Iohn the eight, other­wise called Ioan English, demōstrateth him plainly to be a man, since then when hee sitteth downe in that Chaire, his Priuities are groped by the lowest Deacon (as Platina Platina in Ioh. 8. saith plainely) although Onuphrius in Annotat. ibidem. Onuphrius doth impudently denie that which Bellarmine inge­niously Bellar. lib. 3. de Pontif. cap. 24 granteth to be done, not for tryall of hu­manitie, but for demonstration of humilitie and remem­brance of death. Therefore the Pope must needs bee a man; and as wee demonstrated before at large of Antichrist, One succee­ding another. one by ordinary substitution succeeding 2 another, as the Papists Bellar. lib. 4. de Eccles. Militante cap. 8. themselues most gladly con­fesse, when they vrge so often against vs the perso­nall succession of their Popes in the same Chaire from Peter, vnto this now liuing Paul the fifth. And yet I cannot but by the way touch that, which if I had leisure, I could easily demonstrate, as I haue done In Clauiger [...] Ecclesiae. §. 7. in another Worke; first, that their per­sonall succession hath beene oftentimes inter­rupted either by an Vid. Onuphrij Chroni. ad finem Platinae. interregnum, and vacan­cie many moneths together, or by their seuerall Schismes in their proud Antipopes: secondly, by that, this personall succession, if it could be prooued soundly, yet is of no moment, vnlesse they can shew [Page 96] succession in Doctrine, as well as in person, since by the plaine confession of their owne deare Doctor Staplet lib. 4. demonst. princip. doctrinal. cap. 20. Stapleton, grounded vpon Tom. 2. Concil. a [...]ud mani. pag. 149. [...]n Epist. E­pist. A [...]gypti ad Anatolium in­t [...] [...]pistolas il­lustrium virorl [...]. very good Antiquities, No Bishops name was set downe in their Dypticks (that is, as hee expoundeth it, they were not mentioned in their Commemorations) vntill they had receiued [Sy­nodycam] the Epistle testimoniall of their Orthodoxe faith; because he was not to bee accounted a Succes­sour, who held not the true faith of his Predecessor. But yeeld wee vnto them this personall succession, since it serueth well our purpose to prooue the Pope to bee that Antichrist, if now to this materiall cause wee fit the forme of Antichrist before deliuered. A Worke wor [...]hy our labour, and yet very easily to be accomplished.

3 §. XXII. For the qualities, the seate, and the time of the Papacie are the same with those of Anti­christ. In the formall cause, by three 1. Qualities.2. Seate.3. Time. His Qualities, are two, 1. Habites.2. Actes. Habites are two, 1. Heresie.2. Iniquitie. The qualities, be they either Habits or Acts. The Habits both of Heresie and of Iniquitie. For the Pope is an Heretike, seeing there is not one Ar­ticle in the Creede, which the Pope doth not denie (not Ʋid. Canum lib. 6. l [...]cor. com­mun. cap. 8. & Bellar. lib. 4. de Pontif. cap. 2. priuately as some priuate person, but publike­ly in his Chaire as Bishop,) when either by his pro­per assertion, or by his giuing priuiledge, and ap­proofe to the Blasphemies of his Minions and Disciples, hee crosseth the truth, in olden in these Arti­cles, as (now to runne thorow them all in particu­lar, like as many other most Reuerend Diuines Heming. in Antichristima [...]. Beza cap. 7. Confess. M. Perkins in his Aduertisement, and M. D. Abbots, now the Right Reuerend Bishop of Sarum, in his third part against D. B [...]shop. of the Reformed Churches haue done before mee) hee [Page 97] denieth this first Article [I beleeue in God, The first Arti­cle of the Creede, in­fringed by the Pope. the Father Almightie, maker of Heauen and Earth] by two speci­all Doctrines, the former impugning our beliefe in God only; when hee gaue his allowance to that De­cree Concil. Trid. sess. 25. cap. 2. of the Councell of Trent, wherein it is com­manded, that men should teach it, to be good, and pro­fitable, suppliantly to inuocate Saints. For if wee call vpon them, we must beleeue in them, as the Apostle Rom. 10.14. saith, How shall they call on him, in whom they haue not beleeued? And if wee beleeue in them, we make them as God, seeing thereby (as Euseb. Emis­sen. homil. 2. in orat. dominicam Emissenus saith) wee giue the honour of the Lord, to the seruant; both wickedly, because hee Esay 42.8. will not giue his glory to ano­ther, and idlely, in that the Saints departed haue not the knowledge of our wants in particular, by the iudgement of Saint August. lib. de Cura pro mortu­is, cap. 15. Augustine, alleaged in the Gratian. caus. 13. q. 2. can. 29. Ca­non Law vnder these words: Wee must needes confesse, that the dead doe not know what is done here, while it is in doing here. And therefore we may say in Psal. 11.1.2. Dauids true Zeale against these wicked Teachers; In the Lord put I my trust; how say ye vnto my soule; Flye as a Bird to the Mountaine, answering our selues by a true faith as he did in another place, saying, Psal. 121.1.2 I lift mine eyes to the Hils, from whence commeth my helpe? My helpe commeth from the Lord, which made Heauen and Earth. Let not them presume then vpon the Mountaines, saith August. in Psal. 120. Saint AVGVSTINE, because the Mountaines themselues doe not shine of themselues▪ but from him, of whom it is said; Iohn 1.9. This was the true Light, that lighte­neth euery man which commeth into the World. The lat­ter intending an impeachment of Gods Almighti­nesse [Page 98] in Creation, whiles he maintaines his Gab. Biel lect. 4. in Canon [...]m Missae. Fauou­rites plainly to auerre that the Priests doe make [confi­cium] [...]he bodie of Christ. A two-forked Blasphemy, like the Serpents sting; For first, if they make Christs body, Christs body, was not before, since to Pererius in 1. c. Genes. in verbo [Creauit.] make a thing, is to giue it a being which it had not before. But Christs body was before, euen Aquia. p. 3. q. 6. art. 5. a perfit body in the very first instance of his Incarnation, vnlesse they wil haue that body to bee a phantasticall body, as said the Vid E [...]i [...]han. August. [...]lastr. de his haeresib. & Steph. Zeged. tab. De Chr [...]sti humanitate as­sertion. Phantasmaticks, Marcionites, Cerdonians, and Manichees. Therefore the Priests cannot bee said to make Christs body. For secondly, then the Priest must haue a power infinite, to giue a passage infinite vnto this his new creature, seeing (as the Bonauent. in 2. sent. dist. 1. & Scotell. [...]n 2. sent. distinct. 1. q. 5. Schooles teach) betweene non ens, & ens, the space is infinite, passi­ble only to the Infinite God, to whom the power and worke of Creation is so truely proper, that (as Aquin. p. 1. q. 45. art. 5. Aquinas out of the very depth of true Diuinitie said well) it is impossible, that (to create) can agree to any creature, neither by it owne proper vertue, nor by way of instrument or Ministerie, as his Master P Lombard. l. 4. dist. 5. § 3. Peter Lom­bard seemeth to affirme, what he vpon better reason doth iustly deny.The second Article is de­nied in respect The second Article [and in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord] is denied by the Pope two wayes, first, in respect of the person of Christ, secondly,1. Of Christs Person. 1. As Christ is God. of his office: of his person, as hee is both God and Man. For his God-head was denied by those Arian Popes, Foelix the second, and Liberius, he being vpon Liberius his banishment made Bishop of Rome by Constantius the Emperour at the instance of Acacius, and so continuing till his dying day, if we [Page 99] beleeue either Hieronym. in Catalog. sub no­mine Acac. Hierome before Platina in Foe­lice. Platina or Onuphrius Onuphr. in Annot. in Platin. his old Monument recording him a Schismatike, and an Opposite to Liberius then as yet truely Or­thodoxe; before Bellarmines Bellar. lib. 4. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 9. false Epitaph found, or rather counterfeited by some cunning Knaue, at that very time, when they made him a Saint: this, to wit, Liberius being drawne vpon Foelix his death for the re-obtayning of his place, to subscribe to Arianisme, to communicate with Arians in the Councell of Sirmium, and after his re-instalment, all his life after­ward, to bee a professed Arian, if wee may relye vpon the constant report of Athanas. in Epist. ad solitar. vit. agentes. Athanasius, Hieronym. Catal. in Fortu­natiano. Hierome, Sozomen. lib. 4 cap. 15. Sozomene, and all the Regino lib. 1. Hermannus Gi­gas, &c. tom. 1. illustr. scriptorū apud Ioh. Pistor. 2. As Christ is Man. latter Histories. And for his Man-hood, how it was vndermined by Vigilius the Manophysite, and Honorius the Monothelite, I need not insist, since Bellarmine and Baronius are here beaten downe with their owne best weapons, by the D. Rainolds in Apolog thesium, pag. 39.40. &c. & D. Whitaker, contr. 4. q. 6. c. 3. 2. Of Christs Office. 1. As Christ is a Prophet. two great Worthies of our Israel, not yet an­swered. For the Popes coozening close-play, against Christ his Office, is at this day more detestable, in that he impugneth, first, the Propheticall Office of Christ, by his wicked allowance of vnwritten Veri­ties, and humane Traditions, which hee Catechism. Trident. Coloniae 8.1581. pag. 11. maketh one part of the Word of God, like the blasphemous Iewes, Apud Petrum Galatin. lib. 1. de Ar [...]an. Cathol. fi­dei, cap. 1. now deuiding the Law into two parts, the one in writing, the other in speaking; whereas wee are not bound to acknowledge any other word of God, but what is written in the Canonicall Bookes of Scriptures, by Damascen Io. Damascen. lib. 1. Orthodox. sid. cap. 1. his iudgement, vnlesse wee will incurre Pauls Gla [...]. 1.8.9. Anathema for receiuing another [Page 100] Gospell:2. As Christ is a Priest. secondly, Christ his Priesthood, not onely by appointing Concil. Tri­dent. sess. 22. c. 3. the Masse to be a Sacrifice propitia­torie for quicke, and dead, against the Apostles Do­ctrine, by which we are taught, that Heb. 10.14. by one offe­ring Christ hath perfected for euer them that are sancti­fied; but also by ordayning a Shaueling Priest to be Mediator betweene God the Father, and Christ his Sonne, as when vpon the Popes prescription Jn Missali edit. iussu Pij Quinti. the Priest must offer the body of Christ for a Sacrifice to God, vsing this In Canone Missae. Prayer after the words of Con­secration [Placeat tibi, Sancta Trinitas, obsequium serui­tutis meae, & pr [...]s [...]a, vt sacrifi­cium, quod oculis Maiestatis tuae indignus obtulit, &c. Let the obedience of my seruice please thee, O holy Trinitie, and grant that the Sacrifice, which one vnworthy hath offered in the eyes of thy Maiestie, may be acceptable vnto thee, and thou shewing mercie, helpfull to me and to those for whom I did offer it by Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.] which all his chiefe Liturgists cannot free from the blot of Blasphemie, since the Sacrifice being (as their Of Transub­stantiation, Concil. Trident. sess. 13. cap 4▪ Doctrine enforceth it) Christ him­selfe, whom the Priest doth offer; the Priest must needs be a Mediator, vpon whose worth the Sacri­fice is acceptable; so that they cannot excuse it from a plaine intrusion into the Office of Mediatorship, and a lifting vp of the Priest aboue Christ his Saui­our; and therefore Titleman. Du­rand. Durantus in exposit. Missae some of their Ceremonists passe it ouer in silence, as a Mysterie; and others Iodoc. Clict­houeus lib. 3. E­lucidator. Eccle­siastici. ad finem. glosse it, as if the Priest did desire it to bee accepted, as well for the giuer, as for the worth of the gift; whereas we are not to acknowledge any other Mediator then 1. Tim. 2.5. one which Christ, in Ephes. 1.6. 3. As Christ is a King. whom alone wee are accep­ted: thirdly, Christs Kingly Office, by that wicked vsurpation of a Supremacie ouer the Church, whose [Page 101] Head, and whose Husband the Pope Extrauagant. Commun. lib. 1. tit. 8. plainely cal­leth himselfe, when if he bee an Head not mysticall, which is Ephes 5.29. Christ, nor Ciuill as the 1. Sam. 15.18 lawfull Magi­strate is, but (as Rhemist. in 1. Eph. 2 [...]. & Bellar. lib. 2 de Ponti. Rom. c. 17 they call him) an Head Ministeri­all, then both the Church shall bee like Cerberus, a Triple-headed Monster, & the Pope but like a Wen, or an Head for no vse, but for an odious, and tedious burden; since Christ for matter spirituall, and the Magistrate vnder Christ for Ciuill Causes doth who­ly, and only gouerne the Church, which cannot haue the Pope to be her Head Ministeriall without some contradiction, since Ioh. Patri­arch. Antiochen. in appendi. Con­cilij Basiliensis. if hee bee an Head to the Church, he is her Master, or if hee be but a Minister (as they call themselues In suis bullis à Gregor. 1. seruos seruorum) then shee is his Mistresse; and therefore not his Spouse, vnlesse Vid. D. Abbat. in Antilogiâ ad Apologiam Eu­daen. cap. 3. he be an Adulterer, and shee an Adulteresse; since Christ her 2. Cor. 11.2. only Husband Heb. 13.8. is yet aliue, and euer Matth. 28.20. The third Arti­cle is impug­ned in respect 1. Of the Vir­gin Marie her selfe. with her to the end of the World. The third Arti­cle [Which was conceiued by the Holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin MARIE] is by him impugned two seuerall wayes; first, by that proper assertion of the Francis­cans allowed by Extrauag. Comm. lib. 3. tit. 12. cap. 2. Sixtus quartus, and the Concil. Tri­dent. sess. 5. can. 5 Councell of Trent, that the Virgin MARIE was conceiued without originall sinne. For, thereby they conclude, that Christ is not a lonely so holy, as Luke 1.35. the Angell pro­nounced him, and that hee was not a 1. Tim. 4.10. Sauiour for all men, as the Apostle auoucheth, since Marie had no need of him, if She were without sinne, whereas of the contrary Shee her-selfe Luke 1.48. confessed Him for her Sauiour; the Fathers vniformely holding this for an Axiome against the Pelagians, what August. lib. 2. contra Pelagium & Caelestium. cap. 29. Saint Augustine [Page 102] auoucheth, and the Glossa in dist. 23. can. 1. Canonists repeat, that as the Floud Gene. 7.23. ouerwhelmed all men, saue Noe, and his fa­mily: so originall corruption seazed vpon Rom. 5.12. euery one, none excepted, but the very Heb. 4.15. 2. Of Christ his birth. person of Christ. Secondly, by that grosse opinion concerning Christs Birth, that Aquin. 3. p. q. 28. art. 2. & q. 35. art. 6. & Coc­cius tom. 1. Ca­tholicismi, lib. 2. cap. 5. & D. Bi­shop in his an­swere to M. Perkins Aduer­tisement. Vbi vide D. Abbots Replie. Christ was borne of the Virgin, clauso v­tero, the wombe being shut: Directly contrary to the cause of his presentation to the Lord in the Temple, recorded by Luke 2.23. the Euangelist out of Exod 13.2. the Law; Euery male, that openeth the wombe, shall bee called Holy to the Lord: by which yet there hapned no breach of vir­ginitie, since she Luke 1.31. knew no man, being, as Tertullian Tertull. lib. de Carne Christi, cap. 23. The fourth Article vnder­mined by de­uillish do­ctrines. saith, A Virgin, and not a Virgin; a Virgin as tou­ching man, and not a Virgin, as touching childe-bearing. The fourth Article, [Suffered vnder PONTIVS PI­LATE, was crucified, dead, and buried, hee descended in­to hell] although he dare not deny in the thing done, for feare of being found; yet hee subtilly vndermi­neth the efficacie of these actions wrought for our saluation, by sundry deuillish doctrines deliuered by his Schoolemen for the easier Vid. Concil. Trid. sess. 14. cap. 8 & sess. 25. ca. 1 1. Of Christs sufferings. bringing in of hu­mane satisfactions, and the setting open wider the gates of picke-purse Purgatorie. For first, they say, that Christ did not properly suffer any punishment or death, but Bellar. lib. 2. de Christo, cap. 8 & Feuardent. li. 5. Th [...]omac. Cal­uinisticae, cap. 11 of the body onely: whereas if hearty griefe be a proper passion of the soule, by which it is trou­bled, and suffereth paine, not by sympathie with the body only, but properly in it selfe, as all true Aquin. 1.2. q. 35. art. 1. & 7. &c. in eundem ibidem B. Medina. Diui­nitie and Lodon. Viues lib. 3. de Anima. Philosophy doth teach vs, we may rather beleeue, that Christ did properly suffer in soule the [Page 103] Damascen. lib. 3. Orthod. fid. cap. 26. & Aqui­na [...] 3. part. q. 46. art. 5 6.7. & Caluin. Institut. lib. 2. cap. 16. §. 10, &c. paines of hell, although not in regard of losse [dam­n [...],] but of feeling [sensus;] and that, not for euer, as Esay 66.24. Reprobates finde, whose worme neuer dyeth; but only for some time; and this, not long, as M. Luther. Iohn Glouer, &c. apud. Io. Fox some faithfull men haue endured a tryall, but for a very moment, and as it were, at an instant, euen then, when he Luke 12.49. grieued, Heb. 5.7. when he feared, and when Mat. 26.38. hee found his soule heauy vnto the death, as vpon these symptomes it was concluded by Concil. Hispal. 2. can. 13. the Fathers of the second Coun­cell of Seuill, amongst whom were these great men, Isidore and Fulgentius, out of a place Ambros. in 23. Luc. of Ambrose, that the soule was subiect [passionibus] to suffe­rings, but the Godhead was free. For as Hierome Hieronym. in Esay 53. 2. Of Christ offered. said, it is very plaine, that as his body being beaten and torne, did beare the signes of iniurie in the prints of strokes, and in the blewnesse: so his soule [verè doluisse] truly grieued, lest partly the truth, partly a lye, should bee beleeued in Christ. Secondly, they auerre, Aquin. Opus­cul. de sacra. al­taris cap. 1. that as the body of the Lord was once offered vpon the Crosse for originall sinne; so it is offered continually vpon the altar for our daily transgressions: whereas we are onely bound to beleeue, that by one Heb. 10.14. Offering he hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified, then vpon the Crosse so Iohn 19.29. finishing the worke of our Redemption, as his bloud then shed, clenseth 1. Iohn 1.7. vs from all sinne, Originall and Actuall, without exception, as Eus [...]b. lib. 1. Demonstr Euan­gel. cap. 10. Eusebius therefore calleth him, the atonement for the whole world, the sacrifice for all soules, the pure hoste for euery blot, and sinne; who (as Athanas. orat. 3. contr. Arianos Athanasius saith) offered a faithfull sacrifice continu­ally induring, and not falling downe: For (as Chrysostome Chrysost. hom. 17. in Ioh. gathered vpon the word in the present tense vsed [Page 104] by Iohn 1.29. S. Iohn Baptist, Behold the Lambe of God, that ta­keth away the sinnes of the world,) when he suffered, he did not then onely take away our sinnes; but from thence hi­thereto he taketh them away: hee is not alwayes crucified: for he hath offered one sacrifice for our sinnes, but alwayes by that he now purgeth vs; from all sinne (saith Aquinas in 1. Ioh. 1.7. 3. Of Christ not meriting alone. Aqui­nas himselfe) originall, actuall, mortall, veniall. Third­ly they Biel in lib. 3. sentent. dist. 19. q. 1. conclus. 3. & Nicholas de Or­bellis in eundem ibidem. hold, that although the passion of Christ did merit saluation for all the sonnes of ADAM; yet the wor­king of those that are to be saued, must helpe together with it as a merite of congruity, or of condignity, because, al­though it be the principall, yet it neuer was the whole cause, nor the sole cause meritorious of opening the Kingdome of Heauen; wheras we are not in any sort to acknow­ledge either any other way to heauen, but onely Christ, who is Iohn 14.6. the Way, the Truth, and the Life, or a­ny meritorious worke of man to bee ioyned with Christs merit, seeing first Vid. Caluin. lib. 3. Inst cap. 15 §. 2. & D. Fulke in 13. Heb. § 15 & in Answere to Greg. Martin touching haeret. translat. cap. 9. no Scripture at all, no not in any translation, euer made mention of the word [Merit:] secondly, no man can plead for any such perfection, as thereby to merit, being Gal. 5.17. troubled with his rebellious flesh: Thirdly, Christs merit is not so weake, as to bee supplied by the helpe of our merit; his merit being able to redeeme a thousand worlds, & so effectuall for vs▪ that thereby now Rom. 8.35. not any thing can be layd to our charge: so that against this blasphemie, besides these grounds of faith in Scrip­ture, we may oppose the iudgement both of ancient Fathers, & of some moderat & learned Papists, those both iointly agreeing in the second Coūcel of Orenge against the Pelagians to these Canons, Concil. Arau­sicanum 2. can. 12. & 18 apud Binnium Tom. 2. Concil. that God loueth [Page 105] vs such, as we shall bee by his gift, not such as wee are by our owne merit: and reward is due for good works, if they be done; but grace, which is not due, doth goe before, that they may bee done: and seuerally auouching the sole mercy of God in Iesus Christ against our merit: as S. Augustine thus; August. tract. 3. in Ioh. Christ Iesus is plainely, and the whole Physician of our wounds. And S. Ambrose thus; Ambros. lib. 1. de Jaa [...]ob, & vit. beat. cap. 6. I will not boast, because I was profitable, nor for that any other was profitable vnto me; but because Christ Ie­sus is with the Father, an Aduocate for mee; but because the bloud of Christ was shed for mee. And S. Bernard thus; Bernard. Serm. 61. in Cantic. Meritum meum miseratio domini: My merit is Gods mercy. These, euen by conuiction of consci­ence, either foolishly, in forgetting, or craftily, sup­pressing their owne tenent, but thus cleerely affir­ming, that Colonienses in Enchirid. cap. de Poenitent. fol. 93. if merit bee applyed vnto vs, as in whom there must be some cause of our owne saluation, the word [merit,] as say the Diuines of Colen, is taken abusiue­ly, being in proper signification peculiar vnto Christ, be­cause, as saith Aquin. 1.2. q. 114. art. 1. in corpore. AQVINAS, in whom there is a simple righteousnesse, in those the merit is proper, and in whom righteousnes is but in proportion, there is merit onely but in some respect: Whereupon (as Adrian Adrian. in lib. 4. sentent. apud Cassand. in Con­sultat. loco [...]e bonis operibus. de Toledo, afterward Pope Adrian the sixth, and Iodocus Clichthou. lib. 3▪ Elucidat. Eccl. Clich­thou [...]us said well,) Our merit is as a staffe of reede, and a menstruous cloth, deceiuing those who trust therein, and being continually polluted by some new sinnes: so that (as Sella Stella, Com­men. in 2. Lu. 11. concludeth) Christ is our absolute Sauiour, and deliuerer from all danger and euill; meriting for vs, (as Scotellus Petrus de A­quila, aliâs, Sco­tellus in lib 3. sentent▪ dist. 19. well obserued) these fiue seuerall things, 1. Remission of sinne: 2. Infusion of grace: 3. Freedome [Page 106] from paines eternal & temporal: 4. The trampling vnder soote of Deuillish power: 5. The opening of the heauenly gate. Surely these men last alledged, and such other of their ranke, may vpon better reason say, then Ne­stor did in Homer:

Hom. Illiad. 10 [...]: that is, Shall I lye? or shall I speake the truth? my conscience com­pelleth me to speake what I thinke. For as the beames of the Sunne pearce thorow the thickest and dar­kest cloudes, so truth here breaketh thorow the dee­pest mists of errour, by the power of the spirit of truth; which compelleth these men like Ioh. 11.51. Caiaphas, to tell that truth, which themselues deny. And yet they further seeke to ouerthrow the truth of this article by a fourth way,4. Of Christ his descending into Hell. to wit, by a singular and strange interpretation of Christs descension into hell, both wringing themselues, and wronging vs: Prou. 30.33. wringing their owne noses, for a diuision of Catechismus Trident. p. 69. Hell into three roomes, Limbus Patrum, Purgatorie, and the lowest Pit or place of the damned; to straine out this blood of an hellish conclusion, Aquin. opus­cul. in symbol. & p. 3. q. 52. art. 2. & 5. Petrus à Soto in Method. confess. L. Vaux his Catechisme Canisius in Cate­chismo. Rhemist. in 2. Act §. 12. Feuardent. lib. 6. Caluinist. The­omach. cap. 1. & Bellar. lib. 4. de Christ. cap. 11.12.13, &c. that Christ des­cended onely in Limbum Patrum, euen Abrahams bo­some, to bring forth the soules of the Patriarkes, and o­ther godly res [...]ant there before his ascension into hea­uen, then opened to them, and not before; whereas first by their Vid. Bell. l. 1. de Purgat. c. 15. owne confession the Scriptures haue no such diuision of Hell, since not so much, as the words [Limbus Patrum] and (Purgatorie) are to be found in all the Bible: and therefore their conclusion must needs be both idle, and false; idle, by crossing, and contradicting it selfe in taking hell from Abrahams [Page 107] bosome; when they might well know, both from St. Augustine, Aug. Ep. 99. ad Euodium, & lib. 12. de G [...]. ad liter. that the name of hell in Scripture is ne­uer vsed in the better part; and from their owne friend Andradius, Andrad. lib. 2. defens. fidei Tridentinae. that in the places of note where [...] or In [...]ernus is mentioned, it is taken onely for Death and the Graue, which Christ did loose by his resur­rection: false; by denying, first the euidence of the holy Ghost, who sheweth, that Heauen was open to some of the Patriarkes and Prophets, as Gen. 5.24. Enoch, Heb. 11.26.27. Mo­ses, and 2. Reg. 2.11 Elias before Christs ascension; secondly, the true efficacie of Christs sacrifice, who was Reuel. 13.8. the Lambeslaine from the beginning of the world, euen Iesus Heb. 13.8. Christ, yesterday, to day, and the same for euer; thirdly, the true happinesse of those Ancient, and holy Fa­thers, whose Soules were then as they are now, Reuel. 14.13 in rest from their labours, since they died in the Lord; and were gathered to their Fathers into Abrahams bosome, a place of light, and not of darknesse; a­boue, and not below; neere to Christ in glory, and not to hellish torments, if we may stand to the au­thority and warrant of Orig. l. 1. Com­mentar. in Iob. Origen, (or of him, who wrote those Commentaries vpon the booke of Iob) thus copiously paraphrasing Iobs patient speech [naked shall I returne thither againe] thither shall I goe, where is the disposing of tribulations, where is the rewar­ding of labours, where is Abrahams bosome, Isaac his pro­pertie, Israel his familiaritie, where are the Soules of Saints, the chores of Angels, the voyces of Archangels, where is the illumination of the holy Ghost, the kingdome of Christ, the purest glorie, and the blessed sight of the eternall God. Now their wronging of our Churches [Page 108] is perspicuous to the world by their accustomed coyning of a double lye; one, Feuard. lib. 6. Theomach. cap. 1 & D. Bishop in his answere to M. Perkins Ad­uertisement. that we expunge, or wipe this article out of the Creede; the other, that we corrupt it by an infinit varietie of false expositions; whereas against the former falshood, we need no better witnesse then Harmonia Confess. sect. 6. per omnes Eccle. Reformat. our harmonie of Confessions, in all which this article is vniformely auouched, al­though if we should haue omitted it, we could not haue wanted a lawfull warrant therefore, out of good antiquities by Bellar. lib. 4. de Christo, cap. 6. Bellarmines owne graunt; but (to make answere vnto their second forgerie,) we admit it into the summe of our faith, all agreeing in the matter (that Christ descended into hell,) howsoeuer there is amongst our learned men in priuate, such di­uersitie of iudgement onely in deliuering the man­ner of Christs descension into hell, as may by distin­ction of time, wherein all those actions were fully complete, in my poore opinion be easily couched into one sound corps of necessary truth. For some, as Caluin. Instit. lib. 2. ca. 16. §. 10 Master Caluin, and the Catechism. Ecclesiae Gene­uensis inter opus­cula Caluini. Church of Geneua, say, that then did our Sauiour descend into hell, when he suffered in his Soule those hellish torments, that were due for our sinnes, expressing his humiliation vnder so great a burden by his griefe, by his heaui­nesse, and by his crying on the Crosse [my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?] Others, as Oleuian. in Symbol. & De substant. foederis, art. de descens. Oleuian, and the Palatin. & Belgiae in Cate­chismis Vrsmi, & Bastingij. Churches of Germany, holding against the reall bodily presence of Christs body in the Sacra­ment, say, that then did Christ descend into hell, when vpon the dissolution of his soule from his body by death, he entred into the state or condition of the dead, which is [Page 109] nothing else, but that the body lyeth in the graue, and the Soule is with God, separated from the bodie, as Christ was till the third day vnder the lowest degree of his humilia­tion. Lastly, the ancient Fathers followed by the best and most learned Ʋid. nostros, vt D. Hill. B. Bil­son, M. Sparke, & D. Abbots in his Answere to D. Bishop a­gainst M. Per­kins Aduertis­ment. Diuines of the Church of Eng­land, with whom the L. Hutter. in explic. lib. de Concord. art. 9. & Eckardus in Enchirid. Con­trou. cap. 3. q. 30 31. Lutheranes also accord, hold, that then did Christ descend into hell, when his soule be­ing separate from his bodie then buried, went really, and locally downe into hell, as a King into the prison, to declare his power in it, and therein to triumph ouer Satan, and all the gates of hell, which from thenceforth should not any way Mat. 16.18. preuaile against his Church. Opinions all true, though it may be, all of them cannot so fitly be ap­plied to this article, as the onely proper meaning thereof. Wherefore with that most blessed and re­nowned seruant of Christ Bucanus loco 25. Institut. q. 6. & Vrsinus Ca­techism p. 2 q. 45 pag. 315. Bucanus, we thus recon­cile them all into one, by the true and necessarie di­stinction of times, wherein our Sauiour first suffered in his soule those griefes, and paines, which were due to our soules, both in all his life time; but espe­cially a little before, and at his death; in the state and condition of which death secondly he continued from the time that he gaue vp the ghost, vntill his resurrection, in which space of time thirdly his bo­die was buried, and his soule now being separated from the body, returned vnto God that gaue it, so as that it first went into Paradise, where it was with the theefes soule, and after by the power of his God­head really and locally descended into the place of the damned, (it may be about the time of the earth­quake, which hapned a little before his resurrectiō,) [Page 110] there to make a defiance against Satan in his owne kingdome. For all these assertions are seuerally true by the assent of diuers Aquin. Opus­culan Symbolii; Colonienses in Instit. super hūc artic. & Ferus in Mat. 27. learned Papists themselues: what reason then is there, why they may not be as orthodox, being ioyned together by way of recon­cilement, to make peace amongst brethren, in whose diuisions, as in Iudges 5.15. those of Reuben, there are great thoughts of heart? For holding fast the matter, we haue more freedome of saith concerning the manner; in the opening of which if there be any difference, it onely sheweth 1. Cor. 12.7. the abundance of Gods Spirit in the Ser­uants of God, who swim towards heauen, their last and euerlasting Hauen, through the waters of the Scriptures, Ezech. 47.1, 2, 3. that issue out of the Temple, by diuers channels, and seuerall depths. So that against these wrongs of our Aduersaries thus clearely wiped a­way from our faces by the euidence of truth it selfe, and their owne assent also, we conclude with those words of S. Augustine, Aug. Ep. 174. ad Pascentium. If men sometimes were not one according to diuersities of their wills and pleasures, and according to the vnlikenesse of their opinions and man­ners, yet shall they be one when they come to that end, that God may be all in all.

The fift Article vndermined. 1. By their practice.Now to proceed from this fourth Article, where­on wee haue insisted the longer, that wee might the more fully discouer the very bottome of the filthy sinke of Popery: the fifth, concerning Christs Re­surrection on the third day, is secretly vndermined, first, by that Popish practice of going in Pilgrimage to visite the Sepulchre of Christ at Hierusalem, both authorized by their Synod. Mo­guntina sub Se­bastiano, c. 44 & Mediolanensi 4. An. Dom. 1573. c de Peregrinat. apud [...]inium. tom. 4. Concil. Councels, and confirmed [Page 111] by those Letters testimoniall, which the Vti vidi da­ [...]as cuidam Ed­uardo Long Ge­neroso, Anno Dom. 1609. Prior of the Couent, now being at Hierusalem, giues to the su­perstitious Pilgrimes, & our English Phātasticks, who vpon money let out to receiue some fiue for one, vn­dertake that idle Iourney: for if we beleeue it, what need wee see it? 2. Cor. 5.7. Wee walke by faith, and not by sight. Gregorie Nyssen Gregor. Nys­sen. in Epist. ad Cappadoc. Grae­colat. apud Cata­log. testium verit. tom. 1. li. 4. p. 163 saith of this abuse, that since locall motion doth not bring God neerer to vs, to whom hee will come, wheresoeuer we be; we must labour to trauaile from the body to the Lord, and not from Cappadocia (or from any other Countrey else) vnto Palestina, which is not to be called aboue others, Innocent. 3. apud Platinam. an Holy Land, being Mat. 27.25. 2. By their Doctrine. sub­iect yet to the curse for the death of Christ, as they wished His bloud vpon themselues, and their children. Second­ly, by that most strange assertion, that Iodic. Coccius tom. 1. Catholic. lib. 2. art. 5. Christ should rise, clauso Monumento; The Sepulchre being shut; whereas the Mat. 28.3. Angell came downe to roll away the stone, not, (as some Maldonatus in Matth. 28. of them say) after his Resurrection, one­ly that the woman might see it; but before his rising, as LEO, Leo 1. Ep. 83. cap. 6. & Hilar. in Matt. can. 33. their owne man, auoucheth plainely, since (let Bellar. lib. 3. de Eucharist. cap. 3.4 5. &c. them presume neuer so much vpon Gods om­nipotencie, heere working miraculously) Vid. Sadee­lem tract. de sa­cramentali mandu [...]. cap. 3. there was not, neither could be penetratio dimensionū, a piercing of dimension, if it was a true Body, (as our Luke 24.39. Sauiour proued it by shewing his Flesh, and Bone,) that arose againe; because, as August. Epist. 57. ad Dardan. S. Augustine saith, Take away from bodies space of place, and then they shall be no where; and because they are no where, they shall not be at all. The sixth Ar­ticle ouer­throwne. So that for the sixth Article, concerning Christ his Ascension into Heauen, and his sitting at the right hand of God, we cannot but find it ouerthrowne vtterly by that vbi­quitie [Page 112] of the Manhood of Christ, which most necessari­ly followeth vpon the Popish tenent of the bo­dily reall presence of Christ in the Eucharist. For if his Flesh be here or there, (as it must be of necessity in many places at once, when the Sacrament is in di­uers places ministred at one and the selfe-same time) then Act. 3.21. how can hee be contained in the heauen, till the restoring of all things, as Peter said? As he is God, he is euery where; but, as he is man, he is onely in heauen: so August. Ep. 57. ad Dardan. & Gloss. ordina. in Math. 28. the Fathers distinguish: and vpon it we argue, as the Angell did, Marke 16.6. he is risen, he is not here: he is ascended: therefore he is not heere vpon earth according to his Manhood; as said Fulgent. lib. 2. ad Thrasymund. FVLGENTIVS, One and the selfe-same Christ, according to his humane nature, was absent from heauen, when he was vpon the earth; and leauing the earth, The seuenth Article impea­ched. when hee went vp into heauen. Now for the se­uenth, concerning the Comming of CHRIST vnto Iudgement, howsoeuer hee pretendeth a beliefe in the thing,1. By making Saints Iudges yet hee warranteth his Minions to set out many crosse points, and close blowes, against the true manner of the same: As first, that the Rhemists in 1. Cor. 6.2. Saints shall iudge, and giue sentence with God at the latter Day: whereas the truth is, that although the Saints shall iudge the World Ambros. & Theodorit in 1. Cor. 6.2. by way of witnesse-bearing against the world; as Mat. 12.41. the Niniuites against the Iewes: Yet the giuing of sentence, Mat. 25.34. noted by Christ himselfe, be­longeth Iohn 5.22. 1. By think­ing the East to be the place of Iudgement. to Christ onely, as to the onely chiefe Iu­stice of this great Court of generall Assise, since the Father hath committed all Iudgement to the Sonne. Se­condly, that the place of this Iudgement is Bellar. lib. 3. de Eccle. triump. cap. 3. rat. 4. the East part of the world, whereas the Kingdome of God [Page 113] Luk. 17.10.24▪ commeth not by obseruation of either place or time; but as Christ shall come suddenly, like Lightening shining from the East to the West, or as 1. Thes. 5.2. a Thiefe in the night; so shall hee come from Heauen to no cer­taine set place here vpon Earth; because hee is God, who must appeare euery-where, as Iudge of the World in the sight and view of all men; as wit­nesse besides these Scriptures, both Origen. tract. 35. in Matt [...]. Origen, and August. in Psal 74. 3. By a wrong signe of his comming. Augustine: thirdly, that Christ shall come with Bellar. lib. 2. de Eccles. tri­umph. cap. [...]8. in quem Vid. Iu­nij Animaduers. ibidem. the signe of the Crosse carryed before him by Angels, whereas neither Scripture at all, nor Father before Constan­tines time, did euer so interpret the signe Mat. 24.30. of the Sonne of Man, but onely tooke it, by comparing Saint Matthew with the Mark. 13.26. Luke 21.27. other Euangelists, for the most conspicuous Origen. tract. 30 in Math. & Autor oper im­perfecti in Mat. hom. 49. 4. By setting downe the time of his comming. appearing of CHRIST, made knowne to the World by many great signes there, by our Sauiour himselfe related: fourthly, that the time of Christs Comming to Iudgement shall be but Bellar. lib 3. de Pontis. ca [...]7. & Henriq. lib. 4. Moral. theolog. cap. 2 [...]. §. 10. fortie fiue dayes after the death and destruction of An­tichrist, whereas wee haue sufficiently declared be­fore, that no man knoweth that time. A Fable then it is, which cannot bee grounded vpon Daniels num­bers giuen of Antiochus only, and no way proper to Antichrist, whose Kingdome by 2. Thes 2.7. Saint Pauls words, must last till the very Comming of Christ, as before we haue prooued. And therefore I cannot but ac­count these Papists no better then the wicked, who Amos 6.4. put off farre from them the euill day, which shall yet come sooner then they imagine, seeing Antichrist is reuealed, and his Kingdome in part by the Word of God diminished, yea and all the signes of Christs [Page 114] Comming almost so fully complete, as that we haue all of vs more neede to dresse Math. 25.5. our Lampes against his arriuall, then any way imagine with the idle ser­uant, Math. 24.45 that our Master doth deferre his Comming. Let vs haue our hearts prepared by holy liuing, and wee shall not feare; but loue that Day to come, which increaseth paine on Infidels, but endeth them vnto faithfull men, saith the blessed Saint August. in 37. Psal. Conc. 1. Augustine. But let vs passe from the second vnto the third person in Trinitie,The eight Ar­ticle resisted. of whom the eight Article of our Faith is deliuered [I beleeue in the Holy Ghost:] albeit Aquin. Opusc. contra Error. Graecorum, cap. 32. & Bellar. lib. 2. de Chron. cap. 20.21. &c▪ they will hold with vs against the Greekes the proceeding of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne as well as from the Father: yet they lewdly resist the Holy Ghost in these two points, as first in appropriating Ruard. Tap­per. tom. 2. Or. theolog. orat. 3. him onely to the See of Rome, when the Iohn 3.8. wind bloweth where it listeth: secondly in denying the assurance of the Spirit by Staplet. l. 9. de Iustific. c. 1. Bell. l. 3. de Iust. c. 4.5 &c. & Feuard. l. 7. theomach. Caluinistic. c. 19. their doctrine of doubting, and vncertainetie of perseuerance; when the Witnesse 1. Ioh. 5.6. of this Spirit is Truth, bearing witnesse Ro. 8.16.17. vnto our spirits, that we are the Sonnes of God; and the seale thereof most cer­taine, Ephes. 1.13. vntill the Redemption of the purchased Possessi­on. It is a plaine token, that they feele no comfort by the Spirit, when they fight so much against the true working thereof, by denying those Truthes, which the Spirit doth testifie in the Word, and de­luding those Workes, which the Holy Ghost effe­cteth in the conscience, for comfort, by strengthe­ning the assurance of life eternall. But why doe I vrge Grace to those who either refuse it, or receiue it in vaine, their hearts, and consciences being hardened [Page 115] and feared? They doe not onely grieue the Spirit,The ninth Ar­ticle infringed 1. By false members of the Church. but abuse the Bride, that is, the holy Catholike Church, and the Communion of Saints (the subiect of the ninth Article,) first, by accounting both Bell. lib. 3. de Eccles. Militan­te, cap. 4. He­retikes and Reprobates to bee members thereof, when my Text saith plainely, 1. Iohn 2.19. They were not of vs, and our Sauiour himselfe saith: Iohn 15.6. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned: For as Saints are the members of Christ: so are the wicked the members of the Deuill, saith Am. in Psal. 37 Am­brose: secondly,2. By holding the Church to bee onely vi­sible. by Bell. lib. 3. de Eccle. Milit. c. 11 making the Catholike Church to bee visible onely, when Dauid saith, that Psal. 45.16. the Kings Daughter is all glorious within, and our Luke 17.24. Sauiour, that the Kingdome of God is within you: For because one part of this Catholike Congregation is Triumphant now in the Heauen of the Blessed, secluded from our eyes, and the other part scattered into a warfare here vp­on Earth, some secretly, amongst Iewes, Turkes and Heathen, others openly, in a visible particular Church, wherein yet the best part are the fewest, and knowne to God onely; therefore the good men Interrelig. Cae­sariana, c. 9. apud L. Osiand. in Epi­tome hist. Eccles. Centur. 16. tom. 1. lib. 2. cap. 68. of that Deuillishly-deuised Interim, or hotch-potch re­ligion penned, and published by the sole Comman­dement of Charles the fifth, ingeniously confesse, that the Church, as it consisteth of those members, which liue according to Charitie, is onely belonging vnto the Saints, 3. In affirming that the Church can­not erre. and in that respect spirituall and inuisible: thirdly, in holding that a particular visible Church (such as Bell. vbi supra. they call the Church of Rome) can neither erre in faith, nor faile in state; when yet experience sheweth, [Page 116] what the Prophet Esay 1.20.21 said of Ierusalem and the Church of the Iewes [the holy Citie is become an Harlot: it was full of iudgement, righteousnesse lodged in it, but now Murtherers: thy siluer is become drosse; thy wine mixt with water,] to bee fulfilled, not onely in most of the Greeke Churches, Vid. Brierw. Enquiries, and Knoll [...] his Tur­kish Historie. both corrupted with the Here­sies of Nestorius and Eutyches, and now subuerted vt­terly almost by the furie of the Turkes; but also in the Church of Rome, it selfe by the iudgement Apud Gow­la [...]tium in Cata­log. t [...]st. Veritat. of Petrarch, who alluding to the Prouerbe [in Samnio nihil Samnij] said, Et Româ Romae nil reperi mediâ: I found nothing of Rome in Rome: For the Mat. 13.38. Deuill is alwaies ready to sow his Tares of Heresie, and Ini­quitie; and the Church, through the allurements of the flesh and the World, very apt to retaine them: whereupon GOD in iudgement many times re­mooues the Reuel. 2 4. Candlesticke out of his place; that as the Moone which receiueth her Light from the Sunne, sometimes shineth cleerely, when the Sunne­beames are not hindred, and sometimes is eclipsed and darkened in the shadow of the Earth interposed betweene the two bright bodies of the Sunne and Moone (it is a similitude vsed by good Sadeel lib. de legitima Mini­storum vocatio­ne, & D. Whit­aker. de Eccles. q 3. cap. 3. arg. vltimo. learned men borrowing it of Ambros. lib. 4 Hexan. cap. 7. & August. Ep. 80. ad Hesych. some Ancient Fathers:) so the Church, which receiueth all her light of Truth from the Sunne of Righteousnesse Iesus Christ, some­times flourisheth in the bright Profession of the Truth, not hindered, or crossed by the Cloudes of Errour; and sometimes lyeth desolate vnder the darke shaddow of Hereticall Opinions, interposed by the Deuill, betweene Christ and his Chosen Con­gregation [Page 117] visible; which when it once came vnto Christian Princes, became greater in Power and Ri­ches (saith Hieronym. in vita Malchi. 4. By wrong marking the Church with vnproper Notes. Hierome) but lesse in Vertue: fourthly, by assigning such notes, and markes to the Church, as marre her, but marke her not; some being false markes, as the Bellar. lib. 4. de Eccles. mil. cap. 14. power of Miracles (for Tharasius in Concil. Nic. 2. Actione 4. ex 1. Cor. 14.22. Signes are done for Vnbeleeuers, Math. 7.21. & Autor oper. Impers. hom. 19. & many times by such) some true, but not fitly agreeing to the particular, but to the generall onely, as Antiquitie, and Vniuersalitie (for this is the right Catholicisme Ex regula [...] apud Aristot. lib. 1. Poster. cap. 4. of the whole Church from the beginning of the World;) lastly, others being both true, and fit to a particular visible Con­gregation, but not well vnderstood, as Succession, which Bellar. lib. 4. de Eccles. mil. cap. 8. they take to bee personall, whereas it is the succession of Doctrine, that Tertullian. lib. de praescript. ad­uers. haer. cap. 21. prooueth a Church to be Apostolicall. But what need I so strictly examine their markes? They Vid. D. Whi­taker. q 5. de Ec­cles. cap. 1. & B. Keck rm. system. theolog. lib. 3. cap. 6. make indeed so many, that a reasonable man may well thinke, that they haue not one true marke amongst them; some reckoning foure, as Costerus; some sixe, as San­ders; some twelue, as Cunerus; some fifteene, as Bellarmine; and some full twentie, as Socolouius, whereas if this bee a true rule, which all the Hieronym. in Psa. 133. & Au­gust. lib. 11. de Ciuit. Dei cap. 1. & Albert. Mag­nus Comment. in Luc. 13. best Diuines allow for a maxime in Theologie, [that no­thing marketh out a Church, but that which maketh vp a Church,] the Church shall haue but one onely proper, and essentiall marke, to wit, the Word of God, effectually preached; vnto which if we adde the true administration of the two Sacraments, Bap­tisme, and the Eucharist, as Seales to an Indenture, we haue the full marke of a particular visible Con­gregation [Page 118] of Christ, if besides diuers Ancients, wee stand to the iudgement of Apud T.M. celeber. Doctor. p 1. Apol [...]g. lib. 2. cap. 28.39. &c. learned Papists, who conuicted in conscience, subscribe to this truth de­liuered in the Interrelig. Caesarian. cap. 11 Interim, that the signes of a true Church are sound doctrine, and the right vse of the Sacraments. I am weary of wading thorow these puddles of pol­lution, wherewith Pope and Papists doe pester the Church of Christ;The tenth Ar­ticle denied. and therefore I will not speake of their denying the absolute and free remission of sinnes mentioned in the tenth article by their Bellar. lib. 1. de Amiss. grat. & lib. Arbitr. cap. 1. & 2. di­stinction of sinne into veniall and mortall, and their tenent grounded thereupon, Idem. lib. 1. de Purgator. cap. 11. rat 2. that the punishment eternall of both is fully remitted in Christ, but the temporall punishment for the veniall sinne is to be satisfied for by our selues, either here, or in Purga­torie; whereas Scripture telleth vs that Rom. 6.23. the wages of sinne is death, and Ephes. 1.7. Hebr. 9.22. 1. Iohn 1.7. that there is no remission of sinne, but by Christ, in his blood, and that Psal. 49.7. Ephes. [...].8. no man of vs can redeeme his owne soule, and that Eccles. 9.4. Reuel. 14 13. after this life, there is no place either for repentance, or remission, and that Luke 17.10. The eleuenth Article denied when we haue done all that we can doe, we are but vn­profitable seruants: neither will I trouble you with recounting the Atheisme of Iohn the 23. condemned and deposed by the Councell of Constance, Concil. Con­stant. sess. 11. art. penultimo, & sess. 12. tom. 3. Concil. apud Binnium. for de­nying the immortalitie of the soule, and the resur­rection of the dead, specified in the eleuenth article, because peraduenture Canus lib. 6. loc. Comm. cap. 8. ad 11. arg. they will say, that it was not è cathedra, although Bellar. lib. 4. de Pontifice Rom. cap. 5. he then was Pope certaine, not vncertaine: for else he needed not to haue been so solemnely depriued, and another ordayned to be his true successor.

[Page 119]Lastly,The twelfth Article misun­derstood. I wil not now touch at large that most pre­sumptuous and sawcie doctrine deliuered in their Aquinat ap­pendix. q. 96. art. 1. & 4. Schooles, without all text of Scripture, or witnesse of ancient Fathers, de aureolis, that is, of a further crowne and reward then perfect and essentiall hap­pinesse, such as they assigne to Virgins, Martyrs, and the more learned. For although Danaeus Isa­gog. Christ. p. 4. lib. 6. cap. 8. & Bucanus loc. 36. quaest. 14. we deny not the degrees of glory there proportioned by God accor­ding to the seuerall measures of grace, as Gregor. in Psal. 7 poenitent. ss. 142. Gregory well obserued God to giue rewards in heauen, not per, but secundum, according to our workes done here vpon earth: Yet can not we here know, eyther to whom in particular the greatest degree of glory shall be giuen there, or whether this litle crowne, which they will haue to be added to the great one, differ from essentiall happinesse, since 1. Cor. 2.9. eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, neither haue entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him. Where 2. Cor. 12.3. S. Paul professeth ignorance, I will not search to know, since secrets Deut. 29.29. are Gods, who concealeth the measure of future glory, to fur­ther our endeuours vnto the highest degree there­of by faith, hope, and loue. Many are their errors, and mightie their bad opinions conceiued against the right vnderstanding of the Sacraments, and the Lords Prayer, & all the grounds of the Catechisme, which because other Fr. Gomarus inresp. ad F. Co­ster. p. 1 &. M. Perkins Aduer­tisement, & M. D. Abbots in Bi­shop, & G. Powel godly and learned men haue fully discouered, I will not relate, hauing (I hope) layd open so plainely to the view of the world the Popes deniall of the Christian faith, that no man can otherwise iudge of him, then of an Tit. 3.10. Heretike, iustly [Page 120] to be cast off, after so many admonitions; seeing that as the Grat. caus. 24 q. 3. can 28. Canon law out of S. August lib. de vti i [...]ate cre­dendi, cap. 1. Augustine defineth an Heretike, so the Pope and Papists haue proued themselues to be: An Heretique is he, who for tempo­rall profit, and especially for glory and principalitie, either forgeth first, or followeth after false and new opinions: and he who beleeueth such men, is a man illuded by a cer­taine imagination of truth and godlinesse. Yet is he not so hereticall,Of the Popes Iniquitie a­gainst the ten Commande­ments. as most villanously wicked, and wic­kedly repugnant to all Gods Commaundements, deliuered in the Decalogue, as shall be demonstrated by many notorious, and crying sinnes of seuerall Popes, whereof some one way, and some another way, haue (to make vp the monstrous body of sin­full Antichrist,) broken Gods Commaundements in word, or in deede, by doctrine, or by life. For now to make instance in euery particular, against the first Commaundement,Against the first Comman­dement. as Antichrist was an Atheist, and a coniurer; so finde we in good histories, that such were diuers Popes, Atheists, as he, euen Stella, Balaeus, Valera in vita Leonis 10. Leo decimus, who said to Cardinall Petrus Bembus, the great Scholler of his time, citing a place out of the Gospell; What profit this fable of Christ hath brought to vs, and our company, all the world knoweth: Coniu­rers, as Benno Cardi­nalis de vit. & gestis Hildebran. apud G [...]w [...]art. in Catal [...]go. test. Veritat. tom. [...] ▪ lib. 13. pag. 383. Gregory the seuenth commonly called Hil­debrand, following the steps of eighteene together of his sweete predecessors, euen to Syluester the se­cond, who Platina in Syluestro z. gaue himselfe to the Deuill, that hee might attaine to the greatest honours, like as Hieronym. Marius in Euse­bio, & C. Valera in Alexand. 6. A­lexander the sixth did, that hee might bee Pope. I maruaile how these Beasts, ouer whom the Mat. 16.18. gates [Page 121] of Hell haue so farre preuailed, could be Peters suc­cessours, eyther in person, or in doctrine, since not onely Gods Deut. 18.12. Law casteth out such hel-hounds from amongst Gods people, but also their owne corrup­ted Gratian. c. 26 q. 5. ca. 11.12.13 Canon law, together with the rascall rabble of all their Nauarrus, Enchir. cap. 11. num. 28. Tolet. lib. 4. Instruct. cap. 14. & Iacob. à Graphijs. p. 1. lib. 2 cap. 6. A­zor. tom. 1. lib. 9. Instit. cap. 13.14. &c. Against the second Com­mandement. 1. By Idolatry coozening Casuists denounce against such Monsters of the true blacke gard, the great Excom­munication, as a sure seale of the second death, reser­ued for such vile Non-repentants. But see how he sin­neth against the second Commandement by Idola­try, and Superstition, to shew himselfe truely Anti­christ. For if Idolatry bee, as Aquin. 2.2. q. 94. art. 1. & To­let. lib. 4. Instit. cap. 14. themselues define it, the giuing of diuine worship to a false god; then the Pope committeth a double Idolatry, by authorising Concil. Tri­dent. sess. 25. cap. [...]. Images to bee set vp in Churches, and to bee wor­shipped, seeing, either they are Images of things which are not, nor euer were, as Vide D. Rai­nold. lib. 1. de Rom. Eccles. Ido­lolatr. cap. 5. §. 25.26. &c. of Christopher, Ka­therine, George, and other fayned Saints; and so by their owne generall confession, the worshipping of these is palpable Idolatry, or else they are Images and re­semblances of the true God, & so not the true God: (for, nul [...]um simile est idem) and so indeed a false god; (for, inter verum & falsum nō est medium,) and there­by, according to their owne definition, they com­mit grosse Idolatry, by giuing the worship of the true God, to that which indeede is no god, but a meere creature, as Tertullian. de Idololatr. cap. 4. Tertullian defineth, that the con­secration of an Image is Idolatry. And Augustine August. lib. 5. locution. ss. in Deuter. from the nature of the word doth shew, that since [...] doth note the seruice due to God, Idolatry is the giuing of that seruice to an Idoll, which is not God. Yet this is [Page 122] not all their wickednesse against this Law,2. By supersti­tion. which they wilfully transgresse by vile superstitions, in burdening the Church with an infinite number of idle Ceremonies, false Reliques, idolatrous Temples, polluted Altars, garish Vestures, s [...]range Gestures, idle Pilgrimages, May-game-like Processions subtill Suffrages, deuillish Dirges, and an huge masse of such like beggerly and impotent Rudiments of the World, mentioned in their Ex correctione Pij Quinti. Missall, Breuiarie, and Editum sub Leone 10. Romish Ceremoniall, but maintained by Bellar. lib. 2. & 3. de Eccles. triumph. Bellarmine, Suarez tom. 1 de Relig. lib. 3. &c. Suarez, Vasquez. li. 4. de Adorat. Vasques, Feuard. lib. 6 th [...]omach. Cal. Feuardentius, and the Tomi tres An­tiquit. Liturgi· carum editi in 8 Duaci, 1605. Dowists, Marchants made Reuel. 18.3. rich by the filthynesse of the Whore, that if August. Epist. 118. ad Ianuar. Augustine in his time had cause to complaine against the abundance of Ceremonies, crept into the Church, to the hinderance of more necessary exer­cises of true Religion; such as are the hearing of Gods Word truely preached, and the duely and dai­ly receiuing of the blessed Sacraments, rightly ad­ministred, we haue now faire more iust occasion to cry out with the good olde Father Hierome, against this trifling in the vse of Religion, that, Hieronym. in Math. 23. contrary to Gods Commandement, we deuoure, and neglect matters of great moment, and shew our opinion of Religion, and dili­gence in small things that bring gaine; yea, and to wish with the Cardinall of Cameracum, that Petrus de Al­liaco lib. de Re­format. Eccles. cap. de ref. Prae­latorum. in Gods seruice not so much burdensome prolixitie, as deuout and sound breuitie might be obserued. Well, yet the Iere. 13.23. Against the third Com­mandement. Black-a-Moore cannot change his skinne, nor the Leopard his spots: This Triple-mitered Cerberus will not bee reformed; but as Antichrist against the third Com­mandement was found to bee full of blasphemies: [Page 123] so, to our great astonishment, hath the Christian World heard the Pope of Rome open his mouth a­gainst God by tattling & titling: by tattling in Ta­ble-talke things horrible, and hideous; as did Balaeus, & Valera in Iul. 3. Iuli­us the third, that greasie, gowtie, and porke-noddle Pope, who louing Porke exceedingly, although his Physician forbad it vnto him, because of his disease; when one day hee missed it from his Table, and vp­on his demand thereof, his faithfull Seruants told him the Physicians minde, in a great rage said, I will haue my Porke in despite of God. Yea, another time the same Monster, being in a fury for a cold Peacocke, not serued vp, when a Cardinall desired his Holinesse not to bee angry for so small a matter, sayd, If God for an Apple cast our first Parents out of Paradise, why should not I, his Vicar, be angry for my Peacocke, a thing of farre more worth then an Apple? By titling, first, in his Lawes, when hee taketh himselfe, as did Act. 12.20. He­rod Antipas, the name of God, as wee read in their Canon law, Gratian. 96. dist. can. 7. that the Pope can neyther bee bound, nor loosed by the secular power, seeing that he was called God, by the godly Prince CONSTANTINE; & it is manifest that God cannot be iudged of by men. Secondly, in his Li­bels, as in these Verses, set out in a Pageant of Tri­umph for Iulius tertius:

In monumen­to quodam [...]o­noniae.
Oraclo vocis mundi moderaris habenas,
Et meri [...]ò in terris crederis esse Deus.

Thirdly, in his Glosses Gloss. in can. 2. q. 6. causae. 15. vpon the Canon Law, where the Pope is said to haue power of Dispensation, con­tra ius naturale, & contra Apostolum, against the Law [Page 124] of Nature, and against the Apostle: Fourthly, in the vse of his owne proper person; as Innocent. 3. lib. 1. de mysterijs Missae, cap. 5. where the Cardi­nall Deacons are said to carrie the Pope on their shoulders, as the Leuits vsed to carrie in the Wilder­nesse the Arke of the Couenant; and Lib. 1. Cere­moniar. Rom. Ec­cles. sect. 7. cap. De Ense dando in Vigil. Natiui. where the Pope in blessing the Sword vpon Christmasse Eue, doth shew, that the Sword doth signifie the chiefest Temporall Authoritie to be giuen by Christ to the Pope his Vicar on Earth, according to that, Mat. 28.18. All power is giuen to mee in Heauen, and in Earth; and in another place, Psal. 72.8. he shall rule from Sea to Sea, and from the Floud vnto the Worlds end.

How this abuse of Scripture can bee excused, I craue to know of their curious Casuists, especially of Molanus Ioh. Molanus tr. 2. theolog. practicae, cap. 5. conclus. 3. the Popes maine Friend, thus determi­ning of Sacriledge; dishonour is off [...]red vnto God, when­soeuer an holy thing is handled vn [...]eueren [...]ly, as for Exam­ple, when holy Scripture is abused to Iests: and of old Azo­rius, Azor. tom. 1. Instit. Moral. lib. 9. cap. 28. q. 3. Against the fourth Com­mandement. 1. By doctrine who defineth this to be one kind of Blasphe­mie, when in speaking thou giuest to a thing created, what is proper to God. For I cannot see how they can shift off the Pope from being a sacrilegious person, and a Blasphemer in the foresaid bad practices accu­stomably vsed. Yet hee proceedeth further in the breach of dutie towards God, by prophaning the ho­ly Sabbath, the Day of our great Dutie against the fourth Commandement, both by doctrine, and life; by doctrine when hee warranteth his Aquin. 2.2 q. 122. art. 3. ad 4. & Dominic. a So [...]o lib. 2. de In­stit. & iure, q. 4. art. [...]. & Sua­rez tom 1. de Relig. lib. 2. cap. 4. & Rhemists in 15. Mat. §. 3. Schoolemen to teach, that the Lords Day is not the lawfull Sabbath by the Law of God, but onely by Tradition, whereas e­uen by the confession of some of Bellar. lib. 3. de Eccles. tri­umph. cap. 11. & Azorius tom. 2. Instit. lib. 1. ca. 2. his best Learned, [Page 125] the Lords Day is in Scripture both commended to be the Psal. 118.24. Day which God hath made, that is, separated from other dayes by many of his actions, especially, Mat. 28.1. of his Resurrection, and Act. 2.1. sending of the Holy Ghost, and therefore commanded to bee the Day of Gods Seruice, wherein we may be glad and reioyce:2. By life and practice. by life; when they vsually on that Day, either allow openly, or winke at idle sports of Playes, May-games, and youthfull Reuels, as appeareth by the Relikes of this Rudenesse yet standing in some Pari­shes of England, where, since the Reformation there hath not beene resident a Preaching Minister, and as it is Raphael Ʋo­lateran, lib. 22. Anthropolog. ca. de Alex. 6. recorded of Alexander the sixth, that vpon all Festiuall Dayes without difference, hee vsed to haue acted before him Plautus his Comedies, and other Interludes, and many times hee was woont to retyre himselfe to the toppe of Mount Hadrian, thence to behold the Courtezans minsing and iet­ting by him, as they went into the Fields. Is this your Deuotion, holy Popes, on the LORDS Day, which should be kept so Esay. 58.12. gloriously holy, that you should not doe your owne pleasures? Surely, no maruell, if your people now Iere. 8.6. rush into all propha­nesse, since you their Shepheards Iere. 50.6. cause them to erre from Mountaine to Hill, and so to forget their resting place.

But I hope that howsoeuer you neglect your du­tie towards God; yet for shame you will haue some respect of your Neighbours, who esteeme so well of your high stile of holinesse. Surely, no such matter: he that feareth not God, doth not regard man: and [Page 126] therefore against the fifth Commandement,Against the fift Comman­dement. as An­tichrist was to lift vp himselfe aboue Kings and Princes: so the Pope exalteth himselfe aboue all Christendome,1. By proud practices. First, by practice of Pride against the Emperour, as Vid. Plat. in horum omnium vitis. Gregory the Third excommunicated LEO ICONOMACHVS; ZACHARIE the First depo­sed the lawfull King, to set vp Pipin to be the king of Fraunce. LEO the Third created for Emperour CHARLES the Great: GREGORIE the seuenth first attempted to depose the lawfull Emperour HENRY the fourth: ALEXANDER Volaterran. l. 22. Anthropolog. in Alex. 3. the third trode vpon the necke of the Emperour FREDERICK BARBAROS­SA, as ADRIAN the Idem ibidem. fourth had made him hold his stirrop, yea and Roger. Houe­denus pag. 2. An­nal. sub. Rich. 1. CAELESTINE the third was not ashamed to put the Crowne vpon the heads of HENRY the sixth, and of the Empresse, with his feet, pushing it off againe with his foot, and say­ing,2. By seditious doctrines. I haue power to make and vnmake Emperours at my pleasure: secondly, by positions of doctrine, wher­in the Pope teacheth, that Decret. Greg. li. 1. tit. 33. ca. 6. there is as great difference betweene Popes, and Kings, as is betweene the Sunne and Moone; and that Extrauag. Commun. lib. 1. tit. 8. cap. 1. the materiall sword is subiect to the spirituall, this being put into the hands of Priests, that of Kings and Princes, and both of them in the power of the Church; Whereupon besides the spirituall power of binding and loosing there is ascribed vnto the Pope a temporall power of setting vp, or deposing Kings either directly as the Hostieusis in Can. Quod super his, &c. Syluester Angelus, & Sil­mistae alij in verb. Papa. Canonists, & the Popes parasite Tho. Bozius l. 4. de Regno Ita­liae, cap 5. & 6. Tho. Bozius say; or indirectly by force of the spiri­tuall sword, as the subtill and wicked Bell. lib. 5. de Pont. Rō c. 5. &c. Iesuits haue craftily imagined; both these in truth like Iudg. 15.4. Samsons [Page 127] foxes, tied together by the tailes, to carrie the fire­brands of furious rebellion against Kings, and Prin­ces, into the middest of Christendome, Vid. G. Barck­laium lib. de Po­testate Papae. auouching these positions against all Scripture, which requi­reth Rom. 13.1. euery soule to be subiect to the higher power, euen the soule (saith Chrysost. in Epist. ad Rom. hom. 23. Chrysostome) of Apostle, Prophet, Prelate, and all, as therefore many Popes (look Tom. 1. & 2. Concil. apud Bin­nium. into the Epi­stles of Leo, Gregorie, Agatho, & others) haue willing­ly acknowledged the Emperor for their Liege Lord. But those were men of a moderate spirit, and Anti­christ was then but in the hatching. For afterward that which was crushed, Esay 59.4. Against the sixth Com­mandement. brake out into a Viper, or Serpent, which did not onely sting great Kings, but poysoned all poore people. For as against the sixth Cōmandement, Antichrist was to be a Murderer; so is the Pope proued to bee, by his practices, both ac­complished in sundry Princes: as, in Historia de vita Henrici 4. apud Christoph. Vistitium. tom. 1 Illustr. German. Scriptorum. HENRY the fourth Emperour, Abbas Vr­spurgens in Fre­derico 1. FREDERICK BARBAROSSA, Math. Paris. & Roger Houe­den in Ioh. King IOHN of England, the Vid. French Inuentarie, & Process. in Fr. Raualliac. two HENRIES of France, all slaine by the Popes and Papists procurement, or hap­pily preuented by God, eyther disclosing them in­tended, as against Vid. English Iustice. blessed Queene ELIZABETH, by PARRY and other Villaines, iustly executed for Traitors: or turning them backe into his owne bowels, as to ALEXANDER Guicciardin. lib. 5. histor. the sixth, who thin­king to haue poysoned his Friend, a Cardinall, was, by the mistaking of his Seruant, mistaking the bottle full of Poyson, dispatched himselfe.

Erasm. Chili. sub tit. Malum retortum. Turdus malum sibi cacat: The Pope here prouided a rod for his owne taile: as Prou. 26.26. whoso diggeth a pit, shall fall therein; and hee that rolleth a stone, it shall returne vpon [Page 128] him. For whosoeuer Gene. 9.6 sheddeth mans bloud, by man shall his bloud be shed. It is a point of Gods Iustice, which a priuate man must not vndertake without a publike calling, set downe in the Law, Deut. 19.21. life for life, eye for eye, Against the seuenth Com­mandement. &c. Now to goe forward, as Antichrist, against the seuenth Commandement, pretended an hatred against Women, with whom hee yet most filthily polluted himselfe: so doth the Pope exclaime against lawfull Wedlocke, Syricius Ep. 1. decretal tom. 1. Concil apud Binniu [...]m. first, applying that of the Apo­stle thereunto; They, that are in the flesh, cannot please God: and secondly, Concil. Tri­dent. sess. 24. can. 9. forbidding Marriages to Priests,Rom. 8.7. to whom yet, as also vnto any other man, Gratian. dist. 34· Can. 4. & 5. he gently permitteth the vse of Concubine in stead of a Wife; when the Apostle, on the contrary, said, Heb. 13.4. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed vndefiled: but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge; as he did some Popes taken in the very act with other mens Wiues: to wit, Platina in Ioh. 13. IOHN the Thirteenth slayne in the act of Adultery: And PAVL, Stella & Ba­laeus in Paulo 3. the Third, wounded by Nicholas Quercoeus, in the very act committing with his Wife. But why doe I mention onely these two? There was but one Pope IOANE. For all, or most of the Popes, since that time haue prooued themselues to be men, by their Bastards begotten in Fornicati­on, Adulterie, yea, and sometimes in abominable incest, as Apud Balaeum & Gowlartium in Catalog. testi. Veritatit. Pontanus declareth in the Epitaph made vpon Lucretia, that kindly sweet Daughter of Alex­ander the sixth:

Hoc iacet in tumulo LVCRETIA nomine, sedre
THAIS, Pontificis, silia, sponsa, nurus.

[Page 129]So that Pius the g Second, before called Aeneas Syluius, in conscience execrating these monstrous Villanies, and Sodomitries committed and permit­ted by Popes, said that Marriages were taken away from Priests vpon great reason, but vpon better reason he thought they might be restored.

I will not trouble you further with an odious Ca­talogue of priuie Thefts, violent Robberies,Against the eight Com­mandement. and wicked Sacriledges, committed by the Pope against the eighth Commandement, especially, in spoyling the Church of her dues, by the Vide quae dixi in Clauigero Ec­clesiae. §. 19. & 20. Impropriation of Tithes from the Clergie, or lawfull Ministerie, to Concil. Late­ranense sub A­lex. 3. beastly and idle Monkes and Nunnes; Albert. Crant­zius. li. 6. Saxon. cap. 52. giuing thereby occasion vnto the Emperour, and other Chri­stian Princes to sequester the Churches goods vnto their owne proper vses, vnder the colourable pre­tence of maintaining Souldiers for the Churches de­fence, and Schooles for her furnishing with a lasting succession of able men; but surely in my opinion, no way allowable in the sight of God, who Prou. 20.25. pro­nounceth the deuouring of things sanctified to bee a destruction, as the Maledicta domus, cui lapis sacer infertur. a­pud Rom. in Pro­uerb. Salom. ibid. Against the ninth Com­mandement. olde saying is, Cursed is that house, that is built of holy stones.

I will not register, either his many vaine lies coy­ned of fained Saints, and set downe in the holy Le­gend, to the wonder of wisemen and amazement of fooles, (hee that made that Booke being no bet­ter then he who authorizeth it, A man (as saith VI­VES Lod Viues lib. 2. de Causis Corruptarum art. ad finem.) of an Iron mouth, and a leaden heart; or his malicious slanders given out against the true Saints of Christ, such as were the Wilderses, Luther, Calum, [Page 130] Cranmer, and others, whom they repute for Here­tikes, Coozeners, and the most vile men that euer li­ued, when yet neither Th. Walden in Wickle [...]. lib. 5. de Sacrament. Walden, Cochlaeus de vita Lutheri. Cochlaeus, Fed [...]r. Sta­phylus in Epitom. Theolog. Luther. Staphy­lus, Hi [...]ron. Bol­sec in vita Calu. Bolsec, nor any of all these Popish Parrats shall euer be able to fasten one such a fault, as they report, vpon the liuely memory of these happy men, Reue. 14.13. who rest from their labours, and their workes follow them. Mat. 11.18. Against the tenth Com­mandement. Wisdome will be iustified of her Children; Truth may be pressed, but neuer be ouer-pressed.

Lastly, I will not diue into the gulfe of his inward Concupiscence, since it so boyleth inwardly by the diuersitie of his most corrupt, and violent passions, as that like Aristot. lib. 2. Meteor. Bosphorus Thracius, it cannot bee soun­ded by the heauiest plummet of humane wit. It is sufficient for vs, who must leaue him to his Iudge, to descry it by the steame, and fume thereof, ascending out of the fierie Ouen of his filthy heart, by the Baptist. Man­tuan. lib. 3. Cala­mitatum. inticement of Women, louing of Boyes, incroching vp­on Temporalities, watching for Aduantages, plotting of bad Practices for his owne Aduancement. For this is all the Popes studie, ‘Qui Virgil. 3, Egl. si non aliquâ nocuisset, mortuus esset:’ who if he were not euery way most sinfull, he could not be properly (as wee haue now prooued him by his habit of Iniquitie) that Man of sinne.

The Popes actaLet vs yet, I pray you, enter into scrutinie of his seuerall Acts proceeding from those habits of Here­sie and Iniquitie; and see, if all tend not, first, vnto Couetousnesse,1. Of Coue­tousnesse in his Character. secondly, to Coozenage, and third­ly▪ vnto Crueltie. To Couetousnesse, in that hee [Page 131] will haue the Character of his name imprinted, I say, euen the very Character of Antichrist himselfe,1. Inwardly. im­printed both inwardly vpon all mens hearts by that Implicite or infolden faith, which they Bellar. lib. 1. de Iustific. cap. 7. & Coster. En­chirid. cap. 4. § 3 hold to bee sufficient vnto Saluation; so that hee that hath this faith, only beleeueth, as the Church beleeueth; al­though hee knoweth not, what the Church belee­ueth; when yet our Sauiour telleth vs, that Iohn 17.3. This is life eternall to know thee to bee the very God, and him, whom thou hast sent, Iesus Christ: for Rom. 10.14. how shall they be­leeue in him, on whom they haue not heard? Faith, said Bernard Bernard. Epist. 190. out of AVGVSTINE, is not got or had by gessing and opinionating in the heart, in which it is, by him whose it is; but by certaine knowledge, the conscience consenting: as also their owne Catechisme saith, Catechism. Rom. p. 1. cap. 1. resp. ad q. 1. 2. Outwardly. the knowledge of true happinesse is nothing else but Faith: and outwardly, both vpon the fore-head for profes­sion of Romish Doctrine [for so the Extrauag. Commun. lib. 1. til. 8. cap. 1. ad sin. Pope declareth, saith, defineth, and pronounceth, that for euery humane creature to be subiect to the Romish Pope, is altogether of the necessitie of saluation; thereby indeed preiudicing the Greeke and Aethiopian Churches Ʋid. Catho. Traditio. & Ed. Bri [...]rw. Enquir. which neuer were, nor as yet are subiect to this ambitious Anti­christ:] and on their hands for working, since nei­ther Prince nor Priest must now adaies practise the se­uerall duties of Magistracy, or Ministery, without an Oath of Fealtie, first, made vnto the Pope; not Prince, since he Clement. lib. 2. ti [...]. 9. cap. 1. in princip. is so cōmanded to secure his Kingdome from the Pope vnto him by the bond of an Oath, the former whereof is diuersly set down, but all to this purpose, That the Emperour must bee subiect to the Bishop of [Page 132] Rome, as it was taken Gratian [...]ist. 63. can. 30. by Lewis the Sonne of Char­les the Great vnto Paschalis the First, by Grat. dist. 63 can. 33. Otho the First to Iohn the twelfth, by Platina in Gregor. 7. Henry the Fourth to Gregorie the Seuenth, by Lib. 1. Cere­mon. Rom. Eccle. sect. 5. cap. 2. Fredericke the Third to Nicholas the Fifth, by Charles the Fifth to Clement the Seuenth, yea, and by King Iohn Math. Pari­siens. in Ioh. pag. 217. of England to In­nocent the Fourth, [all this truly verifying the words of SALOMON, Co [...]n [...]l. Agrip­pa in historia de Coronat. Caroli 5. [...]ononiae, tom. [...]. O [...]er. Eccles. 10.6. I haue seene seruants vpon Horses, and Princes walking, as seruants vpon the earth. For this seruant of seruants is by this Oath promoted aboue his elder Brethren in Christendome, Kings and Princes:] not Priest, since his tonsure, or shauing, his Chrisme, or anoynting giuen by the Pope, and Popelings onely,Henriquez lib. 10. Moral. theolog. cap. 34. §. 2. in textu. are ratified by an Oath of subie­ction vnto the Pope, to bee taken in the Chapter-House before he enter the Possession of the Tempo­ralities, belonging to his Bishopricke, or other like Benefice, as Idem ibidem in margine. Gregory the Thirteenth of late set out the forme, and whereof we find a Copie registred in the I. Fox. Mar­tyrolog. lib. 4 pa. 208. & lib. 7. pag. 961. Acts and Monuments. [...]: Prayse iust dealing, but yet bee thou set wholly vpon gaining, Sophocles in Aiac. said one in the Poet; whom the Pope fitly followeth in requiring these Oathes of Magistrates and Ministers vnder the colourable pretence of maintaining true Vnitie, and Vniformity in Church, and Common Weale; but in truth, as the euent sheweth, for a readie occasion, and sound cause, vp­on which hee may gather money; both of Princes, who before they were admitted vnto their places, by this Oath, as by a posterne gate, or a window, did solemnely promise some one speciall Temporalitie [Page 133] of Earldome, &c. for a thankefull Beneuolence to holy Church, as Caelestine Roger Houe­den in Ioh. the Third peremptorily vrged it to Henry the sixth Emperour; and of Priests; who, if they were Archbishops, were to Vid. lib. 1. Ce­remon. Rom. Ec­cles. sect. 10. cap. vlt. pay a great masse of monie for their Pall; if Bishops, according to the rate of their Liuing; Abbots, Priors, Deanes, or any way Beneficed men, Fox. Martyr. lib. 4. pag. 322. were to send their first Fruits of all their Liuings vnto the Pope; who was not ashamed by his Legate Otho, Math. Paris. in Henr. 3. p. 316 to require out of England, besides this bridle of bondage in the mouthes of the Clergie, from euery Cathedrall Church two Prebends, one from the Bishop, and another from the Chapter; from euery Abbey, and Couent two Portions, yea, Idem, pag. 677 and many times reser­uing Benefices for Strangers, amongst many other grieuances, and heauie burdens by the Pope in times before layd vpon this flourishing Kingdome of England, which the Pope in respect of the Peter-Pence, Annales, Pensions, Prouisions, and other gainefull Iniunctions brought from hence to Rome, might well terme truely Idem. pag. 683 his Garden of Delights, his Bottomlesse Poole; out of which, since many things abound there, many things from many may well be extorted, euen thereby verifying of his Court at Rome, both what the Fox in the Poet said of the Lions Denne,

—
Horat. Ep. 1. lib. 1.
quia me vestigia terrent
Omniate aduersum spectantia nulla retrorsum:

I feare to goe thither, being affrighted by the foo­tings of all other Beasts looking towardes, but not returning backe from this Denne of Men, worse [Page 134] then Lions; yea, euen of Deuils, whose Court is Scaliger de [...]t [...]litate, ex­ercitat. 52. like the Sea at Paria, and the Iles of Maidegascar e­uer flowing in, but neuer ebbing out: and that of old, when Rome was in her Ruffe, as one well rimed with reason, from a strange, yet true Deriuation of the word [Roma] thus;

Ioh. Monachi apud Gowlart. in Catalog. test. Ʋe­ritat. [...]om. [...]. lib. 14 pag. 494. 2. Of cooze­n [...]ge in his miracles.
Roma manus rodit; quod rodere non valet, odit;
Dantes exaudit; non dantibus ostia claudit.

Now to couer this Couetousnesse, hee flyeth to the Coozening course of Quacksaluers in the fraudu­lent vse of lying Miracles, the glory Bellar. lib. 4. de Eccles. Mili­tant. cap. 14. whereof is made a marke of their Church, in which euen now adayes Vid. Binderi Sc [...]olasticam theolog. cap. 10. they must haue a Miracle done, to make a good do­ctrine, warrantable no other wayes, as may appeare in that Bellar. in locis de Purgatorio, & Sanct. & Eu­charist. Iesuicall custome of proouing their Conclusi­ons by the vncertaine report of lying Wonders. For what truth can be authentike by Miracles, without Scripture? Miracles may bee done Mat. 7.20 & 24.24. & 2. Thess. 2.7. by the Deuill and his Ministers, being true in the act, through Gods permission, though false in the end, which is to de­ceiue. And yet wee doubt of the truth of their Mi­racles, seeing Lyra reporteth Lyra in cap. 14. Dan. great deceiuing of the people to be wrought in the Church by lying Miracles done by Priests and their Adherent [...], for temporall gaine; and Canus lib. 11. loc. Com. cap. 6. Canus their owne Champion censureth Beda his English Historie, Gregories Dialogues, Vincentius his Speculum, Antoninus his Historicall, and the Lea­den, not the Golden Legend for vncertain Records of many idle reports, concerning Miracles, done by [Page 135] some Saints, which not onely wise men, but euen common people dare not beleeue.

—
Horat. de Ar­te poetic.
Pictoribus at (que) Poetis
Quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas:

Painters, and Poets, and Popish pardoners haue all the like priuiledge, to lye for an aduantage.

But loe, what a blocke is here layd in our way:Ob. Antichrist (saith the Bellar. lib. de Pontif. ca. 15. & Sanders demons. 25. & Eudaemon lib. 3. contra. D. Abbat. pag. 244. Cardinall) must doe these three miracles, first, cause fire come downe from heauen; se­condly, make the Image of the beast to speake; thirdly, faine himselfe to dye, and to rise againe: But the Pope doth none of these three wonders: therefore the Pope can­not be Antichrist. And yet he may be Antichrist, Sol. al­though he doe none of these; since he may doe o­ther tricks of a maine deceiuer.

But to answere their argument, first, we denie 2 the Proposition,1. Propositi­on false. not allowing any of these three to be Antichrists miracles. For (to begin at the last,3. Miracle. till we come to the first,) Where doe they finde that Antichrist shall fayne himselfe to dye, and to rise a­gaine? For Reuel. 13.3. the head wounded to death, and the deadly wound healed, can no way proue, either, this Vid. Riberam in locum. to be a dying, and rising againe, since he was but wounded vnto death, and yet did not dye, being healed of this wound to the wonder of the world, which magni­fied the Dragon, for giuing such power vnto this beast, whom afterward they worshipped; or, to be an act of Antichrist, who is not signified by the for­mer beast, but by the latter, as we haue before pro­ued, the former Ʋid. Marla­orat. in locum. being the Romane Emperour, one [Page 136] of whose heads is said to be deadly wounded, when the Monarchie beginning in Iulius Caesar, Appi [...]n. lib. 3 de bell. Ciuilibus & Dio Cass. l. 52. was al­most cleane defaced againe by his death, till Augu­stus did afterward reuiue it to its former estate, and leaue it in a flourishing firmenesse to his succes­sours; in whom Iunium in Apoc. 13.3. being bad men, as in those mon­sters, Caligula, Nero, Domitian, Commo [...]us, and Helio­gabalus, the maiestie of the Empire seemed to be dead, where againe in those, who made a shew of morall vertue, as Tiberius, Claudius, Vespasian, Titus, Traian, Aurelius, Alexander Seuerus, Probus, and o­thers, it flourished to the wonder of all the world; which both magnified the Deuill in those heathen gods, to whom they, with Symanchus, Symmach. Epist. ad Ʋalen­tin. apud Pru­dentium, & Am­bros. tom. 3. lib. 5 Ep. 31. ascribed the continuall prosperity of the Empire, and worship­ped the Emperours for Gods, as Ioh. Rosinus lib. 3. Antiq. Rom. cap. 18. appeareth by their solemne consecrations after their death. Againe, where the second beast which is Antichrist, is said to make the Image of the beast to speake, we cannot vnder­stand it literally to be spoken of a miracle done by Antichrist, who, as Henriq. li. 14. cap. 23. § 3. & Blas. Vi [...]gas in 13. Apoc. com­mentar. 2. q. 6. Papists do describe him, must, in setting vp of the Iewish superstitions, pull downe all images, (and therefore will not erect his owne, as Eudaemon lib. 3. in Rob. Ab­bat. pag. 253. Eudaemon speaketh without booke) but mystical­ly, according to the tenour of the whole Chapter, wherein (as Hieronym. Epist. ad Paulin. Hierome saith) there are as many myste­ries as words, we must take it for an allegoricall de­scription of one of the proudest actions of Antichrist, who then made the Image of the beast to speake, when eyther he tooke vpon himselfe the like maiestie, and authority, as the heathen Emperour had before, or [Page 137] else seemed to assigne it ouer to the Germane Empire. For what had the first beast Onuphr. lib. 3 Antiquit. Rom. in substance of gouer­ment truly? to wit, an head, who was the Emperour, a bodie politike consisting of the Senate at home, with his deputies in the Prouinces abroad, and a soule, or life of soueraigne authoritie, set downe in his lawes, eyther heathenish in the Digests, or Chri­stian in the Code, and Authentiques; the second beast, to wit, Antichrist, euen the Pope hath apishly coun­terfeited, as he proudly mainteineth, in Ʋid. lib. 1. Ce­remon. Rom. Ec­cles. sect. 1. & 2. a like re­semblance of Soueraignetie, and State, both in his owne Court at Rome, and in his creature, the Germane Empire, posted ouer from one noble Familie to ano­ther, at the pleasure of the Pope. For first in his own Court at Rome, there is an head with three crownes, euen the Pope himselfe, not ashamed to tearme him­selfe Bonifacius 8. apud Vrspurg. anno 1200. Caesar and Pontifex; a monstrous body of a scarlet coloured Senate Vid. lib. 1. Ce­rem. Rom. Eccles. sect. 8. cap. 4. in the Red-hatted Cardi­nalls, together with his Deputies his Legates abroad, and a filthie soule of vsurped authoritie, by which this Image speaketh aloud to all the world, Corpus Iuris Canonici in De­cretis Grati. De­cretalibus Ray­mundi, Sexto Bonifac. 8. Cle­mentinis, & ex­trauagantibus, correctis à Gre­gor. 12. euen the Canon law set downe in the text of Gratians De­crees, Raymunds Decretalls, the Sext of Bonifacius, Cle­mentine, Extrauagants and their latter Constitutions, all adorned with glosses, plainely painting out the primacie of the Pope, both ouer the Spirituall, and Temporall state. So speaketh this Image by these Parasites one way. But secondly, Bull [...]ng. Ser. 6 in Apocalyps. if we take this Image for the Germane Empire, which in truth is but a shadow of the former Romane Empire, as we shall shew hereafter; then the language, which the Pope [Page 138] putteth into his mouth, is but as an idle Eccho, re­sounding abroad, what is the Popes pleasure, as ap­peareth by that mutuall accord Apud Auent. lib. 4 Annal. Boi­orum. pag. 259. &c. between the Pope and Franks, Pipin, Charles the great, and others, who as they were placed in their Empire by the Pope; so set the Pope for Soueraigne in the best, and the greatest Segniories of Italie, verifying the old pro­uerbe, Racemus iux­ta racemum ma­turescit. Erasm. Chiliad. tit. [...]en­ [...]at. benefic. [...], since one state by the help of the other came to ripenesse. Lastly, that fire, which they will haue their Antichrist to fetch downe from heauen, Bulling. Mar­laorat, Iun. &c. in 13. Apoc. is no materiall, or ele­mentarie fire, but that brutum fulmen, that furious fire of Excommunications, thundred out vsually a­gainst Miracle. 1 such Christian Princes as would not be sub­iect vnto his desire, as by Plat. in Greg. 2 Gregorie the second a­gainst Leo Iconomachus, by Gregorie the Jd [...] in Greg 7 seuenth a­gainst Henrie the fourth, by Innocent the Mat. Paris in Johan. fourth a­gainst King Iohn, & by Pius the Vide Iewels view of a sedi­tious Bull. fifth against Queene Elizabeth, to the Confessio Sta­nihu [...]s. ad M. Io­han. Pellingum, Bruxellis, & Guiliel. Barck­ley de Potest Pa­p [...], cap. 31. setting of the Christian world on [...]ire, and the trouble of Religion within those King­domes whither such Bulls were sent, euen by the sound iudgement of moderate Papists.

But honest Eudaemon li. 3 in D. Abbat. pag. 252. Eudaemon will haue this fire of Anti­christ to be, as true, and proper fire, as was that of 2. Reg. 1.9, 10 Elias his calling fire, which consumed the Cap­taines with their fifties.Ob. Wicked wretch as he is, in equalizing, and matching the true miracles of Gods Prophet, with the false delusions of wicked Anti­christ. Sol. For Elijah called to God, who sent a true fire to consume those his enemies, for the certaine con­firmation of his doctrine,Vid. Pe. Ma [...]t. in l. 2 Reg. c. 1.9. and office; whereas Anti­christ [Page 139] solliciting his Master the Deuill for the like fa­uour of sending downe fire, cannot obtaine it; be­cause the Deuill can no better helpe Antichrist in this strait, then he did the 1. Reg. 18.28 Priests of Baal striuing with E­lijah. Therefore in this disputable question amongst learned Diuines, whether the diuel haue any such pow­er to bring fire from heauen, I had rather hold the nega­tiue vpon the foresaid example of the Baalites, and so deny this power vnto Antichrist; then rashly to af­firme, what I cannot make good, especially, since it is the true iudgement of the ancient Fathers, thus de­ciding the controuersie in Concil. Bra­carens. 1. Can. 8. apud Binnium, tom. 2. Concilior. an Orthodox Councell, that if any man beleeue, that the Deuill hath made any creatures in the world, or that the Deuill himselfe, of his owne authoritie, now can make both Thunder, and Light­ning, & Tempest, & Drythes, let him be an anathema. For although the Deuill be that Prince Ephes. 2.2. which ruleth in the Ayre, in which hee may presumptuously vndertake such actions, as seeme miraculous, being onely done by the course of nature: yet, as Gregory Greg. lib. 2. Moral. cap. 10. said well, formidari non debet, quia nihil nisi permissus valet; He ought not to be feared, because hee can doe nothing but by Gods permission: and now whether God will permit Antichrist to fetch fire from heauen by the power of the Deuill, is not determined. But admit their Pro­position, that Antichrist shall performe these three seueral miracles, how proue they their Assumption,2. The Assump­tion not true. that the Pope doth none of these things? Shal records of good Histories be Iudges in this case? Then is he cast out for that very Antichrist, seeing, first, for fire Miracle. 1 to bee fetched from heauen, we read of two prettie [Page 140] Miracle. 1 pranks; one done by Pope HILDEBRAND, who Benno Cardi­nalis in vitâ Gregor. septimi. could when hee would, cast fire out of his sleeue; the other, committed vpon the Father of their beau­tifull Saint Barbara, whom they Epitome Martyrologij per Haraeum in 4. Decemb. report to be con­sumed from heauen by fire and thunder. Secondly, for making of the Image of the Beast to speake, wee Miracle. 2 may easily prooue, that Images set vp by beastly Popes, or by their authority, haue beene made to speake, but how wee know not; yet surely not by God; since by God they are so esteemed, as Psal. 115.5. to haue mouthes, and not to speake; and therefore when they speake, it is either by the Deuil himselfe, or by some coozening conueyance of their Idoll Priests, that they vtter some language, as did the Image of the Crucifix in Naples, to Vid. Breuiar. Rom. ex editione Pauli 5. & Epi­tom Martyrolog. in festo S. Tom. Aquinat. 7. Martij. Thomas Aquinas praying vnto it, Benè de me scripsisti, THOMA; quam ergo mercedem accipies? Thou hast written well of me, THOMAS; what reward shalt thou haue therefore? And so another in England, to Jornalensis apud I. Fox. lib. 2 Martyrolog. Dunstane and the Bishops, in an assem­bly gathered for deciding of a controuersie between Monks and Priests, expelled out of their places at Dunstanes pleasure, Absit vt hoc fiat, absit hoc vt fiat; iudicâstis bene, mutaretis non bene: God forbid that this should be, God forbid that this should be; yee haue iudged Miracle. 3 well; yee should not well change it. Thirdly, and lastly, for Antichrists sayning of himselfe to dye, and to rise againe, although we doe not finde, that the Pope did euer such a thing in his owne person; because, I thinke, hee durst not, lest, whiles hee should seeme dead, another might step vp into his Chaire (so am­bitious haue they all beene in seeking and keeping [Page 141] their place in that hollow seate,) yet a Vid. Regulam Brigittae cap. 17. & Pontificale Castell [...]ni apud Hospinianum lib. 6. de Orig. Monachor. c. 73. shew thereof is vsually made by his hellish Locusts, at their ad­mittance into Monasteries, and Nunneries; when the foolish Nouices, who are to be receiued into that societie, first prostrate themselues before the Altar in their old Clothes, as dead, and then rise againe to put on the new Weede of their superstitious Or­der, as folkes reuiued. Looke into the Legend of Epitom. Mar­tyrolog. Rom. ad 29. April. Catherina Senensis, and tell me, yee Pope-lings, vp­on your consciences, if you can thinke it true, what is there reported, to wit, That her heart was ta­ken out of her body, and another put in place there­of, she liuing yet for all that; or that her soule went out of her body, returning after a few dayes into it againe. Surely, I cannot thinke it to be any other mi­racle, but such us the Deuill did counterfeit amongst the ancient Heathen, for the disgracing of true Mi­racles, in that kind done by Christ and his Apostles, as in Plin. lib 7. Natur. histor. cap. 52. Hermotinus Clazomenius, Aristoeus, and others, of whom, as of this their hellish Saint, wee can con­ceiue no better opinion, then as of a Vid. Wi [...]rum lib. 3. de praestig. daemonum, cap. 11.12. &c. Witch deluded by the Deuill, in thinking her soule to be forth of her body, when it was the Deuill onely possessing the soule: Your owne great Clerke, Augustinus Steu­chus August. Steu­chus lib. 8. de pe­renni Philosoph. cap. 27. prouing out of Antiquities, that animae per aëra volitantes, sunt daemones: soules slying through the ayre, as these folkes soules be reported of, are Deuils: Hesiod. lib. 1. [...]. [...]: being clothed with ayre, they goe about euery where throughout the earth, as Satan Iob. 1.6. said of himselfe, that he compassed the earth about to and fro, indeede like 1. Pet. 5.8. a roaring Lion, seeking whom hee [Page 142] may deuoure. But leaue we this point of discouering the false miracles of Pope and Papists, to those who are dayly eye-witnesses of such delusions, in their time to bee disclosed, as plainely as were these lewd pranks of their Vid. Hospin. lib. 6. de Orig. Monach. cap. 13. Mendicants, committed in Berna, and Orleans. For, non diu fallet falsum: a lye will not last long; the Pope knoweth well enough. And there­fore, as Iulius Vid. Balae. Va­ler. &c. in Iul. 2. the second said, If PETERS Keyes can­not doe it, PAVLS Sword shall; meaning thereby, not the Ephe. 6.18. 3. Of crueltie by persecuti­ons. Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God: but the Sword of Persecution, which to maintaine his former acts of Couetousnesse and Coozenage, he draw­eth out in Crueltie against the Saints of God, thereby both deuouring and massacring whole Townes, as Fox. Marty­r [...]log tom. 2. pag. 859. & August. Thuames lib. 52. Cabriers, and Merindoll in Piemont, many thousands of people in all parts of Europe, yea, and diuers Christian Princes, as Collyu [...]ts Hi­storie of the Ciuill Warres in France. IONE, Queene of Nauarre, poy­soned Henry the Third, and Henry the Fourth, Kings of France, most treacherously murdered, and anima­ting vile Traitors vnto wicked designes against the liues and states of good Princes (as how many waies hee made against Queene Elizabeth, and in them all was wonderously defeated) all the world hath beene astonished, assenting in heart to those censures, which diuers well learned men haue giuen foorth against the Pope for his raging crueltie, both in generall, of them all, and in speciall, of some most remarkeable Panthers, Aelian. lib. 5. de histor. animal. cap. 40. drawing vnto them, by the sweet smell of their outward faire skinne, and shew of fleshly fashions in outward Ceremonies, a multitude of silly soules, and simple-hearted peo­ple, [Page 143] whom they without mercy consume, and bring to nothing. For of the Pope in generall, his owne chiefe Secretary Theodoric. à Neim. lib. 1. de Schismate, & apud Gowlart. in Catalogo test. verit. lib. 19. & p. 850. Theodoricus a Neime, said, I truely assent (as the Canonists dispute) that Popes are neyther gods, nor men, but Deuils incarnate: and of some in particular, wee haue these witnesses; first Machiauell, Machiauell. cap. 18. de Princ. against his Patron Alexander the sixth, whom he termeth an Impostor, or Deceiuer of all mor­tall men, exercising his mind in nothing, but vnto fraud and malice: secondly, Bellarmine against his Master Sixtus Quintus, whom although in flatterie hee Bellar. Epist. praefixa tom. 2. Oper. ac­knowledgeth to bee both a learned, a godly and a bountifull Prince; yet in priuate hee thus iudged of him after his death, if we may beleeue Watson. Quodlib. q. 3. art. 2. pag. 57. one Locust now stinging another, Qui sine poenitentiâ viuit, & sine poenitentiâ moritur, proculdubiò ad infernum dis­cendit; and Conceptis verbis, quantum capio, quantum sapio, quantum intelligo, discendit ad infernum.

Quidam Po­eta in Alex. 6. a­pud Gowlart. in Catalog. test. ve­rit. lib. 20. c. 93 [...]
De vitio in vitium, de flammâ transit in ignem;
Roma sub Hispano deperit Imperio.
Sextus TARQVINIVS, Sextus NERO, Sextus & isle,
Semper sub Sextis perdita Roma fuit.

that is,

From sinne to sinne; from flame to fire,
Rome still fals vnder Spaines Empire:
Sixt TARQVINE, Sixt NERO, this Sixt they call:
For vnder Sixtus rule, Rome still doth fall.

And thus now by comparing the Qualities of An­tichrist expressed in Scripture, with these lewd tricks of Popes, made knowne by time, through wofull ex­perience, [Page 144] wee see what the Pope is,2. His seate or place of resi­dence. euen that Great Antichrist, as now his seate, or place of Residencie shall euidently demonstrate. For it is agreed amongst the best both of Lod. Viues in lib. 18. August. de Ciuitate Dei, cap. 22. Rhemen­ses in 17. Apoc. §. 5. Learned Papists and of Zealous Iun. Danaeus, Whitaker. Abbot. vbi supra. Protestants, that the place of Antichrists Kingdome is that Rome, where the Pope now sitteth (as hee thinketh) in Peters Chaire, but in truth, vpon the stoole of Wickednesse in the middest of Babylon, if wee may beleeue Petrarch thus iustly exclayming a­gainst the bloudie Francis. Pe­trarcha, Ep. 16. Citie, Olim Roma, nunc Babylon, falsa & nequam, Once Rome, now Babylon, false and wic­ked. 3. His time. And therefore we may quickly passe from the 1 place to the time, concerning which also wee need not adde much to that,Of beginning. which hath beene spoken before, seeing both the beginning and continuance of Antichrist and the Papacie is altogether one. For first the Pope began to worke, like Antichrist, in the Primitiue times, by infinite superstitions, such as are Epist. Teles­phori. the forbidding of Meales, and Ep. 2. Clement. Marriages; Ep. 1. Euaristi. the ex­emption of the Clergie; Ep. 3. Anacleti the Supremacie of the Romane Bishop; Ep. 1. Alexan. the necessary vse of holy Bread, and holy Water; and many such like recorded in those Epistles, which they vsually call Decretall, and which well may con­uince the Popes of Antichristianisme, seeing they are allowed by them, howsoeuer wee haue iust cause vt­terly to reiect them for a Bastard-brood, both by their rude stile not any way correspondent Qibus vixe­runt Liuius, Ta­citus, Seneca, Lucan, Silius I­talic. Plinij, Quintilian. Martialis & alij classici linguae Latinae autores. to those pure times of Latine speech, and by the bad matter, not any way well agreeable to the proportion of faith, albeit Turrian. lib. 1 in Magdeburg. Turrian, Baron. tem. 1. Annal. & Biscio­la in Epitome. Baronius, Binnius tom. 1. Conciliorum. Binnius and Genebrard. lib. 3. Chronolog. o­thers labour neuer so much to proue them Authen­tike. [Page 145] Sophocl. apud Erasm. in Chili. ad. sub titulo Inanis Opera. Labor by La­bour bringeth Labour. [...]. Secondly, the Pope was hindred from vsurping this Temporall power by the Emperour for a time, as we may see plainly by the Epistles of Leo Ep. 53. ad Leon. August. Leo, Agath. act. 4. Agatho, and Synodi in su­perscript. Gregor. lib 4. Regifiri, Ep. 32.33. &c. Gregory the Great vn­to the Emperours, whom according to their due Al­leageance they intitled Soueraigne Lords. Thirdly, then the Pope was manifested to be the Great An­tichrist, when the Roman Empire fel into ruine, and vt­ter decay, first, Naucler. ge­nerat. 11. tom. 2. by the fatall translation of the Im­periall Seate from Rome vnto Constantinople: second­ly, by the Eutrop. Pro­copius Paulus Diacon. &c. miserable deuastation of Italie, and the Westerne Empire by the Gothes, Vandalls, Hunnes, Lon­gobardes, and other like barbarous people issuing out of the North, as swelling flouds: thirdly, by the Platina in Zachar. 1. & Steph. 2. cal­ling of Frankes into Italie, to whom craftie Popes ad­hered for aduantage, like the Iuy to the Oke, till they had suckt out from them all the sap of their power, both Spirituall and Temporall. For first they got the Spirituall Iurisdiction, partly, by that purchase, which Platina in Bo­nifacio 3. Boniface the Third made with Phocas the Par­ricide, for the title of Vniuersall Bishop, then in con­trouersie betweene the Bishops of Rome and Con­stantinople, about the yeere of our Lord, six hundred and sixth, and partly by that plot of policie, which Bisciola ad Annum 684. Benedict the First contriued secretly against the Emperour, when he subtilly obtained of Constantinus Pogonatus, in the yeere of our Lord, sixe hundred, eighty, and fourth, the free Consecration of the Bi­shop of Rome, without the expectation of the Em­perours, either confirmation, or consent. Secondly▪ they wrested the Temporall Sword or Power out of [Page 146] the sacred hands of the Emperour, when Auentinus lib. 5. Annal. Boi­orum, pag. 458. Hildebrand, called by them Gregory the Seuenth, tooke vpon him to depose Henry the Fourth, substituting Rodolph by a Crowne sent vnto him, with this Verse written a­bout it;

Petra dedit PETRO, PETRVS diadema RODOLPHO.
The Rocke a Crowne to PETER gaue,
Which RODOLPH must from PETER haue.

2 But now how long hee shall continue, I cannot, neither dare I determine,Of continu­ance. since hee must stay in some sort till the Comming of Christ. Onely concerning Rome, the proper seate of Antichrist, me thinkes, the Scripture giueth vs to vnderstand two things for certaine: the first, that Rome shall bee destroyed be­fore Christs Comming, since there shall be a time be­fore the Haruest come, wherein the Angell shall cry of Babylon, Reuel. 14.8. It is fallen, it is fallen: the second, that it cannot bee but that very shortly it shall come to passe. For although we may not be so bold, as Napier in lo­cum illum. some are, who precisely define the yeere of the vtter de­struction of Rome, to be the one thousand, sixe hun­dreth, thirtieth, and ninth: Yet may wee well assent to the sober iudgement of that most Religious Prea­cher of Repentance in England, Master Arthur Dent, in those his most excellent Commentaries vpon the Reuelation worthy all your diligent perusings, who Arthur Dent in 14 Reue. 8.9thinketh that this Fall may fal out within the com­passe of the age of a man, that is, according Psal. 90.12. to Mo­ses his account of Mans longaeuitie, within the space of threescore yeeres, and tenne. For marke, how [Page 147] things grow, and ripen to their period, euen Reuel. 10.7. before the seuenth Trumpet blow. We are now Reuel. 8.3. vnder the seuenth Seale, wherein the Saints Prayers are presented vpon the Altar: and wee liue now in the time of the Reuel. 9.15. sixth Trumpet, wherein the foure Angels, that is, Turkes, and Saracens, olde, and new, are loosed, be­ing prepared at an houre, at a day, at a moneth, at a yeere to slay the third part of men: and the Gospell, which is Reuel. 10.2. the little Boooke in the mightie Angels hand is opened: yea, now the sixth Viall is Reue. 16.12. powred out, where­by first, Euphrates beginneth to be dry, that is, the glo­rie of Popery waxeth small; secondly,13. the Frogs are sent out to heale it, that is, the Priests and Iesuites are thrust out abroad into all the World, to helpe the halting Papacie: thirdly,16. the Kings of the Earth must bee gathered together in Arma-geddon, that is, as the word signifieth, into a place of subtill desolation. For is not all this done? First, the Saracens Saracen. hist. by Th. Newton. out of Ara­bia, and the Turkes Rob. Knolls his Turkish histo. out of Tartaria haue ouerspred the three greater parts of the Christian World, as all Afrike almost, and all the lesser Asia with the Easterne Countries of Syria, Armenia, Assyria, Media, Babylo­nia, &c. and a third part of Europe; being now ready vpon the least oportunitie, or occasion that can bee, to enter the Lists of Christendome at their pleasure: Secondly, the Vid. Preface to M. Edward Brierwood his booke o [...] En­quiries. Gospell hath now a free passage in most of the Christian Kingdomes, none being igno­rant of the preaching thereof, although some re­ceiue it, and some will not admit the publike profes­sion thereof, as Italie, France, and Spaine. Thirdly, the glory of Popery, to wit, the Ʋid. Harm. Confess sect. 20. Popes Supremacie [Page 148] is quite ouerthrowne in England, Scotland, most parts of Germanie, and Polonia, Hungarie, in Sueden, and Denmarke, and much impayred in France. Fourthly, the Iesuites Allen in Apo­logiá Seminar. Romae, & Rhe­mis. are daily sent abroad, either openly to oppose themselues against the Truth, where they may haue admittance, as in Spaine, France, and Poland, or secretly to worke mischiefe a­gainst the State of Kings, and Kingdomes, which haue cast off, and will no more admit the yoke of Popish bondage, putting in practice that pestilent positi­on of proud Mariana, Io. Marianae lib 1. de Reg. & Regno. ca. 6. & 7. holding it lawfull for any man to kill a King, whom Pope & Popelings conceiue to be a Tyrant, that is, a Vid. Petr. Mo­lin [...]. li. de potest. Papae temporal. cap. 7. Resister, or Opposite to the Popes proceedings; contrarie both to the Councell Concil. Con­stant. less. 15. of Con­stance that condemned this Position of D. PETIT; and the moderne sound iudgement of the Vniuersitie Inter op [...]ra Fr. Iunij tom. 2. of Paris, admitting the Orations of Antoninus Ar­naldus, and others lately made against the Iesuites, and condemning the Bookes both of Mariana, and Car­dinall Bellarmine now set out against Barkley. One­ly now the fifth part of this Pageant remaines, not yet acted by the Kings, to be gathered in Arma-ged­don. But, God bee praysed for his prouidence in all things▪ the Iesuites now make haste to bring them on the Stage (wee trust in Christ Iesus) to their owne confusion, while they daily incense those Princes, who will admit them into audience against Christs Flocke, which yet shall preuaile aboue all their Ene­mies, in spite of all the power of Hell. God there­fore enlighten the hearts of the Princes of Italie, France, and Spaine, that they seeing the abominati­ons [Page 149] of this wicked Antichrist, may with one consent ioyne themselues in league with all other Christian Potentates, for the seasonable demolishing of all this whorish offspring, together with that false prophet, as it is Reuel. 17.17 foretold, and shall be accomplished in the fulnesse of time.

§. XXIII. For God for a time doth suffer the 4 Pope to ruffle,The final cause and raigne in the Church as Anti­christ, for these three ends, all one with those before deliuered. First, for his glories sake, that he might triumph ouer this beast by his Saints vpon this vi­ctory, sweetly Reuel. 19.3. singing, Alleluia: Secondly, for the further damnation of the wicked, who are not sea­led Reuel. 7.14. with Gods marke in their foreheads: Thirdly, for the bettering of the Godly by these persequuti­ons, vnder which they are purged from euill, and perseuere in goodnes, vnto their most certaine glo­rie in blessednes, as Reuel. 19.9 Blessed are they which are called to the mariage supper of the Lambe: and he saith vnto me; These words are the true saying of the Lambe.

§. XXIIII. Now therefore hauing as fully,The Demon­stration gathe­red from the two former Questions. 1. What is Antichrist. 2. Who is he? and as plainely, as I could, giuen resolution of the two proposed Questions concerning Antichrist, What is Antichrist, and, Who is Antichrist, I may boldly frame this most proper Demonstration vn­der this plaine, and direct forme, after this manner:

Whosoeuer is▪ to be a man by ordinarie substitution 1 succeeding another, in a kingdome reared by Satan, The Propositi­on. vpon the ruines of the Romane Empire, through the liberalitie of Christian Princes, and the pleasures of the world, in which kingdome he, both as an Heretique denying all the [Page 150] articles of the Christian faith, and as a most wicked Impe, violating all the Commaundements of the Decalogue or Morall law, first couetously imprinteth his character, both inward of implicit faith, and outward of an oath, and priestly vnction, vpon all men whomsoeuer he can delude; then fraudulently endeuoreth to doe many miracles, and lastly, most cruelly persequuteth the Saints of God; sitting in the middest of the Church at Rome, mysteriously in the Primitiue times, but plainly reuealed about and after the sixe hundreth, sixtieth and sixth yeere of our Lord, and so to continue for a time in his ruffle, vntill he be destroy­ed by little and little through the Preaching of the Gospell, but fully, and wholy by the comming of Christ, he till then tyrannizing thus for the blinding of the Reprobates, and for the triall of Gods children to the glory of God, is that Great Antichrist described in Scripture:

The Assump­tion. But the Pope is a man by ordinarie substitution succee­ding another in a kingdome reared by Satan, vpon the ruines of the Romane Empire, through the liberality of Christian Princes, and the pleasures of the world, in which kingdome be, both as an Heretique, denying all the Ar­ticles of the Christian faith, and as a most wicked Impe, violating all the Commaundements of the Decalogue or Morall law, first couetously imprinteth his character both inward of implicit faith, and outward of an oath, and Priestly vnction, vpon all men whomsoeuer he can de­lude; then fraudulently endeuoureth to doe many mi­racles, and lastly, most cruelly persequuteth the Saints of God; sitting in the middest of the Church of God at Rome, mysteriously in the Primitiue times, but plainely reuealed about, and after the sixe hundredth, sixtieth, and sixth [Page 151] yeere of our Lord, and so to continue for a time in his ruffle, vntill he be destroyed by little and little through the Preaching of the Word, but fully, and wholly by the com­ming of Christ, he till then tyrannizing thus, for the blin­ding of the Reprobates, and for the tryall of Gods children, to the glory of God:

Therefore the Pope is that Great Antichrist descri­bed in Scripture.

A Demonstration Aristotel. lib. 2 Post. cap. 10. & Keckerman lib. 3. system. Logici, cap. 14. [...], in which according to the direct rules of Logicke, medium est definitio matoris extremi, & Minoris proponuntur, tùm [...], tùm [...]; that now if we would know, what is that Great Antichrist, we may answere, It is the Pope; and if we inquire further, What the Pope should be; Wee may affirme plainely, that the Pope is that Great Antichrist, described so plainely, and so fully in the Scriptures. For the Maior proposition is ta­ken out of the plaine text of Scripture; and the As­sumption from the acts, and deeds of Popes them­selues, as they are Popes in cathedra: What then I pray you can hinder the Inference of our conclu­sion? Surely in reading our Aduersaries before ci­ted, I haue not found any thing as yet, vnto which we haue not giuen a direct, and iust answere, if we now make satisfaction vnto two speciall doubts.The former Popish excep­tion against our demon­stration.

§. XXV. The former of which, is Bellar. lib. 3. de Pontific. Ro­mano cap. 4. & 5 Bellarmines first, and second Demonstration, stolne, or borro­wed out of the fourth, & fifth of those rabblements, which Sanders Sanders lib. 8 de visibil [...]. Mo­narch [...]. had raked out of the stinking sinke of hellish inuention, vnder this forme of a negatiue sillogisme: The Gospell must be preached throughout the [Page 152] world, [...]. Their Pro­position in two parts. and the Romane Empire must be taken away, be­fore Antichrist come: But the Gospell is not yet preached 1 throughout the world (for as yet there remain many great 2 Countries and Regions in India Easterne, and America Westerne, 2. Their As­sumption cor­respondent. and (to adde more to their instance) the South continent, and Northerne Samoedds, with other 1 places about the riuer of Ob, and in Tartaria, [in which 2 the sound thereof was yet neuer heard:] and the Romane Empire doth flourish yet, and stand in the house of Au­stria. Our answere. Therefore Antichrist is not yet come. But all this is easily taken away, if we will weigh the weakenesse 1 of euery Proposition in euery part. For first, in the Maior there plainely appeareth a double collusion;To the Propo­sition. 1. Collusion discouered. the former by wresting of our Sauiour his words quite away from their true meaning. For our Sauiour doth not say, that the Gospel must be preached through­out the world before the comming of Antichrist, but that it Mat. 24.14. must be preached in all the world, for a witnesse vnto all nations, and then shall the end come; the end, to wit, eyther of the world, as Aquinas in Catena & Mar­l [...]orat. in locum. most take it, or of Hierusalem, as Chrysost. hem. 76. in Math. 2. Collusion discouered. Chrysostome expoundeth it: the later, by mis-interpreting the words of the Apostle, saying, that 2. Thes. 2.7. he who now letteth, will let, vntill he be taken out of the way: For the Ʋide in hunc locum Ambros. Theophyloct. Theodorit. & Aquinatem. Romane Empire, or Romane Empe­rour, or the seate of Maiestie in that Empire, then in the Apostles time settled at Rome, and hindering then the pompous appearance of the great Antichrist, was to be taken out of the way; not simply, and wholly, but onely in respect of Italy; out of which the seate Imperiall was to be translated into Greece, or into Germanie, or into any other Countrie else, that the [Page 141] Citie of Rome, and the Territories thereunto be­longing, might the more easily be vsurped by Anti­christ, as it is now possessed onely by the Pope, who thrust out the Emperour into some corner of the Ro­mane world, as Hadrian the Fourth wrote in an Apud Auen­tinum lib. 6. An­nal. Boiorum, pag. 506. edit. Basilens. Epistle to the Bishops, Princes Electors of Germanie, Romae nostra sedes est; Imperatoris est Aquis, in Ar­duenna, quae est silua Galliae: Our Seate is at Rome; but the Emperours is at Aquae, in Arduenna, which is a Wood in France.

And therefore, secondly, wee make this our an­swere 2 vnto the Minor: first,To the As­sumption. that the Gospell must be preached throughout the World by the Apostles, Part. 1 and their Successors, taking the Maldonatus in 24. Math. word (world) either by Synechdoche, for all the knowne World by its habitation; since euen through all the habitable World, then knowne to Geographers, the sound of the Gospell hath passed by Rom. 10.18. the Apostles, after their dispersion abroad from Hierusalem, if we may relye vpon the report of Euseb. lib. 3. Eccles. hist. cap. 1 & Nicephor. lib. 2. per totum. ancient and Genebrard. lib. 3 Chronolog. & Bisciola ad Ana [...] Christ. 44. late Historians: or truely, and plainely for the whole World indeed, which although it now doth not professe the faith of Christ, scarce in M. Edw. Bri­erwood in his Enquiries tou­ching Langua­ges, and Reli­gions, cap. 14. the sixth part, (for it is neere the ending, when faith will bee growne very scant vpon the earth:) yet might haue had, and holden this word of faith long before this time,Luke [...]8.8. since it is not ouer-clouded in Hieronym in Math. 24. any part thereof with inuin­cible ignorance, God being so kinde and mercifull to all men, as to send them some light of Truth, ei­ther by the works of Nature, ordinary, and extraor­dinary, or by the word of grace preached Vid. Witaker. in resp. ad 5. de­monsh at Sande­ri. & qu. 5. de Pontif. Rom. ca. 2 euen in [Page 154] China, and in the Indians, by those three, who were called Thomas, so much praysed and celebrated for their generall preaching of the Word throughout the World, by that great learned man, Mr. Doctor Stapleton, in his Booke De tribus THOMAS. Second­ly, Part. 2 wee answere vnto their latter part of the Minor, that the name of the Romane Empire is yet remay­ning, but the Kingdome is abolished, and quite de­faced; since first there is not scarce one Acre of ground, which properly, and absolutely belongeth to the Emperour, as hee is called Emperour of the Ro­manes; because what he now hath in possession in Hungarie, Bohemia, Carinthia, Silesia, &c. Vid. Sleidan. lib. 5. & 6. Com­mentar. is by right of inheritance from his most illustrious Proge­nitors of Austria, and Hungaria, yee and the free Ci­ties in Germanie are not subiect to the Emperours ab­solutely, but according to certaine conditions, and couenants, expressed and contayned in their seuerall Charters, Vid. Onuphr. lib. 3. Rom. Anti­quitat. qui est de Jmper. Romano. most of them being situated without the Ancient Pale of the Romane Empire, vnder which they continued but a small time, being the last con­quered, and the first recouered. Secondly, there is not now a Romane Emperour, by our Aduersaries owne report: for till the Pope Aurea bulla Caroli Quarti, cap. 2. crowne him, who is by the seuen Princes Electors chosen, and called, King of the Romanes, (they might more truely say, of the Germanes) they Clementin. li. 2. tit. 9. de Iu­ram. & lib. 1. C [...]rem. Rom. Ec­cles. §. 5. cap. 1. & [...]ellar. lib. 3. de translat. I [...] ­ [...]er [...], ca. [...].3. &c. account him no Emperour. Now since CHARLES the Fifth, the Pope hath not set the Crowne Imperiall vpon any mans head, nei­ther is it likely, that either hee will or shall, since there is a barre betweene Germanie and Rome, which [Page 155] is not passable by the Emperours Forces, euen the power of the Venetians, and the King of Spayne in Italie, who with the great Duke of Tuscia, and other petty Potentates, haue vsurped vpon the Rights of the Empire so long a time, that they Iuxta leges Imperiales ss. de diuers. t [...]m [...]or. possess. l. 3. longae & Cod. lib. 7. tit. 31. l. 1. may now pre­scribe against the right owner. Wherefore the wise Bononians Apud Cornel. Agripp. in histo­r [...]ā de duptici Caesaris Coronat. cap. 5. might very well ominate by the breach of that Bridge, vpon which Charles the Fifth entred into the great Church there, vnto his coronation, that not any man euer after should be crowned for Emperour: yea, and Lypsius J. Lipsius in praefat. lib. de magnitudine Rom. Imperij. might very truely hold, that all what remaines of the Romane Empire, standeth onely vnder the Pope, whose Imperiall, both Seate, and Senate is at Rome. So that their former doubt, opposed against our Demonstration, is so throughly cleered, that we may, notwithstanding their wrang­ling allegations of the Gospell, not published throughout the World, and the present state of the Germane Empire, well conclude the Pope to bee that great Antichrist.

§. XXVI.The latter ex­ception a­gainst our de­monstration. But now the later scruple is of greater difficultie, and indeede very much preiudi­ciall to our assertion, since it is (as some thinke) contrarie to the iudgement of some of our best, and deepest Protestant Diuines, such as Zanchius lib. 2. Miscellan. Zanchius and others, who deny the Pope to bee that great Anti­christ, described in Scripture:Our answere. yet I must needs say againe, that since these great and good men be wor­thy of all true and most reuerent respect, for their profound learning and sincere life; they are not to be brought forth, as opposites to that truth, which [Page 144] Luther. l [...]b. de Captiuit Baby­lon. Caluin. lib 4. Iustit. cap. 7.15. & H [...]sh [...] ­sius lib. de s [...]x­centis Papisto­rum error. ca. 23 others, of as great learning and sound iudgement, haue deliuered out of the most sacred Scriptures, especially, for that they deliuer nothing against vs demonstratiuely, but vpon meere probabilities, as Zanch. vbi supra & in Con­fessione. themselues confesse, while they professe plainely, that this is their opinion concerning Antichrist, to wit, 1. That the Pope is Antichrist, and his King­dome Antichristian. 2. That this hindreth not, but 1 that there may come in the end of the world some one notorious 2 Antichrist, who may doe Miracles, and other such great things, as are probably collected from the Scrip­tures, and firmely asserted by the ancient Fathers. A graue and good sentence, agreeable to the Truth▪ if we respect the matter, howsoeuer in the manner of the reuealing of this Antichrist, they seeme to runne into Popish Tents, onely vpon a peaceable minde, and zealous affection towards some of the Ancient Fa­thers, especially for the Greekes, Damascen. li. 4. Orthodox. sid. cap. 27. DAMASCENE, and for the Latines, August. lib. 20 de Ciuitate Dei per totum. AVGVSTINE, who liuing before the sixe hundredth yeere after Christ, defined this matter onely vpon coniectures, according to that tradition, which is recorded in Hyppolyt. O­rat. de consum­mat. saec. & An­tichristo, tom. 2. Biblioth. sanct. Patrum. Hyppolitus his Ora­tion concerning Antichrist; an Author most iustly Sixtus Se­nens. lib. 4. Bibli. suspected to be counterfeited: and yet if hee were true, he is no sound warrant for vs to build our faith vpon concerning Antichrist: For although the au­thoritie of ancient Fathers bee of great force in the litterall exposition of the Scriptures, out of which wee haue most fully declared the former question, What is that great Antichrist: yet haue they no place at all in determining of the second point, Who is [Page 157] this great Antichrist, because they liued before the time, wherein that great Antichrist, who lurked in those Fathers dayes vnder a mysterie, was to be de­tected, disclosed, and found to sit at Rome, and by his deeds to fulfill all those Prophecies, which the holy Ghost had deliuered concerning him in the Scriptures. So that our holy Brethren, who yet ex­pect a more full expressement of Antichrist in some one particular vile Monster, that should, if it were possible, surpasse the Pope in villany, are not so much against vs, as they seeme to bee in show, seeing it is not any good liking they haue of the Pope, whom they confesse to be Antichrist; but onely the iust de­testation of so wicked a Monster, as is Antichrist, that draweth them to imagine the further deferring of his most dangerous and accursed approach. They are in hope: Wee are in faith: and both in loue. They expect a farre off: Wee behold euen at hand the end of all these miseries by the fore-past reuea­ling, the present rage and raigning, the future happy ruine of Antichrist and his Kingdome now settled in Rome: Wee agree both in the maine, not much differing in the Bye: As wee yeeld to them in the iust execration of the odious nature of this abomi­nable Antichrist, so farre as they prooue what they speake from the Scriptures: euen so in like manner are they (bee they neuer so learned and wise) with patience, and loue, to heare, and to iudge vs their deare Brethren, speaking with some knowledge, in true zeale, concerning the maner of the reuealing of Antichrist, which they hold yet to be in futuro. We [Page 158] finde to be fully finished, & in praeterito, & in praesen­ti, both in times before and now. If any 1. Cor. 14.30 31. thing bee reuealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For yee may all prophesie one by one, that all may learne, and all may be comforted. Homer. 2. Odyss. [...]; weake men combined may worke much good, since Ouid. quae non prosunt singula, multa iu­uant: what one cannot, many may.

Proofes of our Assertion from the ancient Fathers.§. XXVII. And yet I speake not this in diffi­dence of our cause. For wee want not the authoritie of ancient Fathers, either prophesying beforehand, or zealously publishing vpon his appearance, that the Great Antichrist is alreadie come, and the Pope of Rome is hee. I will produce no Babes, but onely such, as without exception are, either produced by Canis. Cate­chis. cap. de no­uiss. quaest. 3. Canisius, and Coccius tom. 2. Catholicism. lib. 10. art. 30. 1. Prophesying before. Coccius, as if they were on their side, or else registred for eye-witnesses by good Histo­rians. For those who beforehand prophesied of Antichrist, and of his seat or kingdome, agree vpon these two points: The first, that Antichrist shall sit at Article. 1 Rome, rearing vp his Kingdome vpon the ruines of the Romane Empire. For to this Article speaketh, First, Tertullian, when Tertullian. in Ap [...]loget cap. 32. hee saith, that Christians pray for the safetie of the Romane Empire, because by the course thereof the great Persecutions which must come by An­tichrist, are put off and hindred. Secondly, Cyrill of Hierusalem, when Cyrill. Hiero­solymitan. Cate­chesi 15. hee saith, that Antichrist shall vio­lently take vnto himselfe the power of the Romane Em­pire. Thirdly, Ambrose, when Ambros. in 2. Thes. 2. hee saith that Christ shall not come till the Romane Empire faile, and Antichrist appeare, who must kill the Saints, giuing libertie to the [Page 159] Romanes, yet vnder his owne name. Fourthly, Chrysost. hom. 4. in 2▪ Thes. 2. Chry­sostome followed by Theophylact. in 2. Thes 2. Theophylact, Oecumenius in 2. Thes. 2. Oecumenius, and Radulphus Fluuiac. lib. 18. in Leuit cap. 1. Rudolphus Fluuiacensis, when both he and they after him ioyntly affirme that Antichrist by trecherie must destroy the Romane Empire. The second, that Rome is Babylon, the proper seate of Antichrist, which shall be destroyed before the end of the World. For to this Arti­cle Article. 2 speaketh, First, Tertullian, who in full assurance of what he speaketh, oftentimes Tertullian. lib. in Iudaeos, cap. 9. & lib. 3. in Mar­cion. cap. 13. vseth these words, Babylon, in our Apostle Saint IOHN, beareth the fi­gure of the Citie of Rome; therefore great, and proud by her Kingdome, and a destroyer of the Saints. Secondly, Hierome, who liuing at that time, when Rome was wholly Christian vnder Constantius, Iulian, and Va­lentinianus the First, yet in foresight of future Aposta­sie therein there beginning vnder a Mysterie, but af­terward openly to be complemented, very Hierony. tom. 1. Ep. 17. ad Marcellum, & Ep. 151. ad Al­gosiam, qu. 11. & in Praefat. ad translat. Dydimi. de spirit. Sanct. Omnia secund. Editionem Pa­risiens. 1609. often termeth that Citie Babylon, and the purple Whoore spo­ken of in the Reuelation, wherein sometimes hee was an inhabitant. (Now this cannot bee spoken of Babylon in Mesopotamia, which then was desolate, and where Hierome neuer liued.) Thirdly, Lactantius, who Lactant. li. 7. Instit. cap. 25. al­luding to the Sybilline Oracle, saith, that when that head of the World shall fall, and beginne to be [...], that is, but a street (or Impetus, for it is deriued either of [...] sluo, or [...] traho,) who can doubt, but that an end is at hand vpon all humane affaires, and vpon all the World? The words of the Sybill, to which he alludeth, are these (as learned Xistus Betu­leius in Annot. in Lactantium. Betuleius doth cite them) [...] ▪ &c. Rome shall bee a street, and Delus vn­knowne, &c.) But let vs leaue these Prophesies, and [Page 160] come to performances: For Antichrist did no sooner 2 appeare in his likenesse, but God in his mercie to wards his Elect, sent forth his faithfull Witnesses of euery sort,Publishing his present ap­proach by o­pen Verdit. to publish abroad vnto the World, that the Mystery was reuealed, and Antichrist was then come, and seated in Rome. It is odious to say it, and idle, if wee prooue it not. Therefore that Papists, especially in England, may at length see, and marke, how their Pope was reputed off in former times, euen before Iohn Wickliffe spake against him in Oxford, the Pope shall haue faire play: his Cause shall bee tryed by a Grand Inquest of twelue good men and true, (according to the Sir Thom. Smith de rep. Anglor. l. 2. c. 18. onely most laudable custome of the Common-wealth of England,) whereof, foure shall be Kings, and Princes: foure shall be Arch-bi­shops,A Iurie Im­panneled. and Bishops; and foure shall bee Abbots or Monkes. Behold, now the Prisoner standing at the Barre, who because hee is become a Peere in the World, shall haue an open Verdict, seuerally deli­uered by euery Iuror; where, according to our Idem ibidem, cap. 28. cu­stome also; we will demand sentence, first of those, who are of least account with the Pope, beginning first with Princes; then proceeding to the Bishops; but lastly striking all downe flat with the Monkes of the Westerne Orders, who Reuel. 9.11. are the Popes owne creatures, and greatest Dearelings, being sworne Slaues to their King,The first Man. the Angell of the bottomlesse pit. And now to the businesse: The first Man of the Princes is Fredericke the Second, Emperour of Rome, who in iust execration of Popish Tyrannie plainely auouched, that In Epist. ad Ordin. Germa­niae, apud Auen­tin. lib. 7. Annal. Bo [...]or. pag. 542. edit. Basil. there were many Antichrists amongst [Page 161] those Romane Bishops, neither were there any other hurt to Christian Religion, but onely they, as their Workes doe shew: For saith he In Epist. ad Wenceslaum Regem Bohemiae, apud Auen. ibid. The second man. in another place, they who sit ouer the Temple of God at Babylon, that is, at Rome, affectate Diuinitie. The second is Otto, at that time Duke of Bauaria, who confesseth In Orat. ad E­pis [...]. Germaniae, apud Auentin [...], pag. 550. The third man his assent vnto the Bi­shops, who affirmed, that the Pope was Antichrist, and ratifieth his settled iudgement by his iust reproofe of their inconstancie. The third is Menardus, that thrice Noble Earle of Tyrolis, who in his Apud Auen­tinum ibid. p 577 Apologie against the vniust dealing of Pope NICHOLAS the Fourth, saith plainely, that the Popes are nothing else but Antichrist. The fourth man. The fourth and the last Prince is Lo­douicus Quartus Bauarus, Emperour of the Romanes, who in the Decree Apud Auenti­num. pag. 616. made, and divulged by a Coun­cell gathered of all the States in the Empire at Rome, plainely auoweth of the Pope, then being Iohn the two and twentieth, that as hee was a counterfeite Shep­heard: so he was the Mysticall Antichrist. So haue the Princes giuen their Verdict. Now call in the Bishops:The fifth man. and the first that speaketh here, is a certaine Arch-Bishop of Florence, who vsed Platina in Pas [...]hali 2. to affirme in his Ser­mons, and other his speeches, that Antichrist was borne. I need not, for I cannot tell his name. Pope Paschal the Second proceeded against him by vniust prosecution, euen vnto Deposall.The sixth man The second Bishop dealeth more plainely and boldly, being President of a Synode, called by the King of France, then Hugo Capet, and holden at Rhemes by all the Bishops of that Kingdome, in the yeere of our Lord, nine hun­dred, ninetie and second (howsoeuer Baronius Baron. tom. 10 Annal. ad annū 992. & Bisciola ib [...]d. and [Page 162] Binnius tom. 3. part. 2. sub. Ioh. 15. Binnius would haue the truth thereof suppressed by a short relation of partiall Eginaldus, against the true report, and large narration of all things there passing, made by Magdibur­gensis Centur. 10 cap 9. & Gow­lart. tom. 2. Ca­talog. [...]est. veri­tat. lib. 15. cap. de Synodi [...]. Gerbertus, after that called Pope Syluester the Second, Platina in Syluestro 2. thought to bee a Magician, but defended by Onuphrius in Ann [...]tat. in Pla­tinam, vbi supra Onuphrius for an honest man:) and this Bishops name is Arnulphus of Orleance, who thus speaketh of the Pope, then Iohn the Fifteenth: Jn oratione apud praedict. & D. Mornaeum in Mysterio Iniquit. ad ann. 992. The seuenth Man. O Reuerend Fathers, what thinke yee him to bee, who sitteth in the high Seate, shining in a Purple, and Golden Garment? Surely, because hee is void of Charitie, and puffed vp, and extolled onely by knowledge, hee is Anti­christ sitting in the Temple of God, and shewing him­selfe as if he were God. &c. The third of the Bishops is Eberardus Bishop of Salzburge, who in Apud Auenti­num l. 7. Annaliū Boior. pag. 547. an Ora­tion deliuered to the Bishops of Germanie, then as­sembled in a Councell at Ratissone, mightily inueigh­eth against the Pope, applying vnto him all the fore­said Prophecies of Daniel, Saint Paul, and Saint Iohn in the Reuelation; plainly auouching, that Hildebrand first layd the foundation of Antichrist his King­dome, vnder a colour of Religion; and that the Pope is vsually called Antichrist, of whom the SYBILS, olde HYDASPES and others did prophecie. The eight man The fourth, and the last Bishop, but not of the least learning, is Robert Grosthead, the good Bishop of Lincolne, who a little before his death, in the yeere of our LORD, one thousand, two hundred and fiftieth, euen when this Realme of England was most of all oppressed with Popish Tyrannie, did demonstrate Apud Math. Parificusem in Henrico 3. pag. 847.848. the Pope to be the Great Antichrist, by that heauie destruction, [Page 163] which the Pope brought vpon many Christian soules, concluding all with these words, against that Monster:

Eius auaritiae totus non sufficit orbis:
Eius luxuriae Meretrix non sufficit omnis:

that is,

Not all the World can well suffice
His greedy hearts desire:
Nor all the Worlds Harlots quench
His lustfull burning fire.

Well: the Bishops haue dealt plainely, and truely to the discharge of a good Conscience. Let the Monkes be produced: The first is, Ioachim Abbas, The ninth man that most famous Clerke, who Roger. Houe­den in Richardo primo. in conference with Richard the First, then King of England, going in his iournie towards Hierusalem, said plainely, that Antichrist was then borne in the Citie of Rome, and should bee set vp in the Apostolike See. The second is Nodbertus, The tenth man or Nore­bertus the Hospinian lib. 6. de Orig. Mo­nach. cap. 11. superstitious Founder of the Praemonstra­tenses, who about the yeere of our Lord, one thou­sand, one hundreth, and nineteenth, affirmed euen to Trithem. in Chron. Hirsa [...]gi­ensi, anno 1125. the face of Pope Honorius the Second, and vnto Bernardus Epi. 56. ad Gau­fridum Carno­tentem. The eleuenth man. Saint Bernard, that Antichrist was neere, and in that very Generation to be reuealed, and that he should liue to see the generall persecution of the Church; which in­deed he being aduanced to the Dignitie of the Arch-Bishopricke of Magdeburge afterward, saw inflicted by the Pope vpon the good Waldenses and Albigenses. The third is one Hay-abalus a Monke, who taught Henricus de Erphordia ad annum 1345. & Gowlart. in Ca­talog test. Verit. lib. 18. publikely at Auimon, that he was bound to preach [Page 164] this Doctrine to the World, that Rome was Babylon, and the Pope with his Cardinals were the Great Anti­christ; for which his Doctrine, howsoeuer most true, he was put into Prison by the commandement of Pope Clement the Sixth, and there most cruelly murdered.The twelfth man. The fourth, and the last, and yet of grea­test authoritie, and renowne amongst all Popelings, is Saint Bernard, the worthy Abbot of Clarae-vallis, who feared not to write Ber. Epi. 125. thus vnto one GERAR­DVS DE LORITORIO: The Beast in the Re­uelation, to which is giuen a mouth speaking Blasphe­mies, and making Warre with the Saints, possesseth PETERS Chaire, as a Lyon readie to the prey.

And thus hath the Iurie giuen their verdict: against which,The supply a­gainst excepti­on by a Decem tales. if the Prisoner at the barre make exception, by disliking of any of them, as too too partiall, and so worthily to be challenged, we haue a Decem tales, others void of exception, readie vpon the call to ap­peare,The first. as amongst the Princes, Fredericke Barbarossa Emperour, who writing to the Cardinalls, said, Albert. Crāt­zius in Metropo­li, lib. 7. cap. 53. that the authority of the Romane See had loosed the reines of boldnesse; and replying vnto Hadrian the fourth, pro­testeth, Hen. Mutius l. 18. rerum Ger­manic. ex Chro­n [...]co Hirsaugiēs. The second. that hee would prouide for the peace of the Church, since he seeth, that the detestable beast of pride hath crept vp into Peters chaire: and Lewes the Twelfth king of Fraunce, who in the heroicall spirit of his most illustrious Progenitor, Philip the faire; Naucler. tom. 2. Generat. 44. & Platina in Bonisac. 8. (the famous suppressour of that Raging Tyrant Boniface the eight,) caused E Chron. Gal. apud Pet. Molin. de Monarchiâ temporali Pon­tific. Rom. ca. 15. his coyne of Gold to be stamped on the inside with these words, Perdam nomen Baby­lonis, I will destroy the name of Babylon, meaning Rome, [Page 165] the seate of Pope Iulius the second, his deadly enemie; and lastly, our most Puissant Princes, and Kings of England, Vide in hor­vitis Chron. An­glicana, praecipuè Mat. Paris. & Roger. Houeden. & Holinshed, & Stow, & l. Fox, in Martyrologio. King Iohn, King Edward the third, King Henrie the eight, King Edward the sixth, blessed Queene Elizabeth, all of them to their power re­nouncing the Pope, as the very Antichrist; but espe­cially our most Gracious Soueraigne, King Iames, concerning whose most Apolog. cum praef. & Medita. in Apocalyps. 20 Diuine Discourses of this argument, well knowne to all the world, yea, and carped at by Bell. Parsons, Suarez Coquaeus Schioppius, &c. Popelings, but not corrected, admired at, but not answered; we may most truely take vp that prouerbe, Prou. 31.29 The fourth, &c Many haue done vertuously, but thou surmountest them all. Secondly, amongst the Bishops, Nilus Thessa­lonic. li. 2. de pri­matu Papae. Nilus of Thessalonica pulling downe the Popish Pri­macie, and Apud Auent. lib. 7 p. 573. Probus Tullenses, shewing the Popes Le­gats to be Antichrists seruants: and Honorius Hono. Angu­stod. dial. de prae­dest. et l. arbitrio. Au­gustodunensis, auouching the seate of the beast to be in the Pope, and Cardinalls, yea and all Cōcil. Turonensi sub Lodouico 12. the Bishops of Fraunce in the dayes of Lewes the twelfth, and of England in the Raigne of Henrie Vid. Fox. Mart. sub Hen. 8 & Edwar. 6. The eight, &c. the eight, and Ed­ward the sixth renouncing the Pope. Lastly, amongst the Monks, Henrie Petrus Clunia­cēs. l. 1. Ep. 1. & 2 the Scholler of Petrus de Bruis, calling Rome, Sodome and Babylon; and Rob. Gallus l. de vaticinijs a­pud Posseuinum to. 2. Apparatus. Robertus Gal­lus, a Dominican describing the Pope for Antichrist, vnder the figure of a Serpent, and Guido. Carme­l [...]t. & Bern. de Luzenburg. in Catalog. haeres. & Bell. in Chrō, ad annum 1191. Petrus Iohannis Bitterensis a Franciscan, in his Postills vpon the Re­uelation, prouing the Pope to be that Antichrist: to conclude, if all this thicke cloud of witnesses will not cast him; we can produce whole Churches, as Catalog. test. verit. lib. 3. at Leodium, whole Synods, as those Ap. Auē l. 7. &c of Rome vnder Otho, Fredericke, and Lewes Bauarus, and a great many [Page 166] such Councels holdē in Sub Philippo Pulchro & Lo­douico 12. France; yea whole peoples in Countreys, who euer reiected the bondage of this Antichrist, as in England those faithfull ones, whome Fox. Marty­rolog. [...]ub Rich. 2. & Henrie. 5. they wickedly nickenamed for Lollords; in France, Reinerius de Waldensi [...]us. the Waldenses, in Italie, the Naueler. tom. 2. Gen. 44. Fratricellians, in Bohemia, Iacob Mis­nensis de aduent. Antichr apud Catalogum test. Ver. lib. 1 [...]. the Melitzians, (all before Iohn Wickleffs time,) yea, and in the Mountaines of Rhetia aboue Sauoy, the Ioh. Nicho's his Recantati­on, & Mornaeus de Mysterio Ini­quitatis, pa. 730. An exception against these truely answe­red. faithfull Inhabitants of Vallis and Telina, who had, from their first conuersion to Christ, alwayes their owne true Pastors, neuer subiect to the bondage of Babylon, and Antichrist, Rome, and the Pope. But me thinks I heare some Papists except against all these voyces, as giuen by their enemies, and by Heretikes condemned by the Catholique Church. But to these men I cannot make a better reply, then such as that of Reg. 18.13. Elijah vnto wicked Ahab, proudly de­maunding, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? when he said, I haue not troubled Israel, but thou, and thy Fathers house, in that yee haue forsaken the Commandements of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. For none of these were otherwaies their enemies, but as true men are to theeues; neither did the Catholike Church their Mother at any time condemne them for Here­tikes, who mainteined no doctrine contrary to Scripture; neither followed other discipline, then at that time was vsed. Indeed the Pope and his ad­herents, in hatred of that truth which God reuea­led by them to the world, did enterprise to con­demne them, and persecute them with Fire, and Faggot, sword and desolation; onely to fulfill the Prophecies giuen out concerning the crueltie of [Page 167] the wicked Antichrist. But yet their cause is neuer the worse, since the great side doth many times o­uersway the better; neither is the credit of their ver­dict thereby any whit impaired in the iudgement of the wisest, and most godly, since time hath brought that truth to light, which in that Darke world yet these faithfull saw clearely;Three special­ties enforcing good Men vn­to this sharpe censure of the Pope to bee that Antichrist and the Pope hath pro­ued their words to be true by three sundry special­ties of most liuely proofe, which enforced not onely the forenamed witnesses, but euen the Popes owne deare dearlings, and best friends to confesse, that Antichrist was euen then come, and amongst them.The first. The first specialtie was his pride, in vsurping vpon the secular power, by the deposing of Princes, first Vid. Bellar. cap. 1. in Barklae. & Reuerend. D. Roffensem Episc. in Bellar. lib. 1. cap. 2. attempted by Pope Hildebrand, Gregorie the se­uenth, with such trouble to all Christendome, that euen at that time Apud Auen­tinum, lib. 5. pag 470. The second. all honest and good men for the most part said, that HILDEBRAND was Antichrist, and that the kingdome of Antichrist did then begin. The second specialtie is, their schismes, which, as they were ma­ny (for Onuphrius in Chronologiâ Pontificum ad Platinam. Onuphrius in his Chronologie of Popes recko­neth thirtie:) so were they pursued by Antipopes with such hatred, that good men euen thereupon adiudged the Pope to be the Antichrist, as Apud Auen­tinum, lib. 6. pag. 508. Gero­chus Bishop of Richemberge thought of those two firebrands of hell, Octauianus called Victor, and his potent competitor Alexander the third. The third and last specialtie is, their most vile, filthie,The third. and abominable liues, abounding in all Pride, Couetousnesse, Sacriledge, Symonie, Lecherie, Trecherie, and all manner of Blasphemie, so odious [Page 168] in the open sight of all the world, that their owne dearest Dearling, and most faithfull Friends, and Seruants could not but inueigh against Rome, which they name Babylon, and the Pope, whom they call Antichrist, as it is plainely to be seene in the Apud Catalog. test. verit. lib. 4. Satyres of Bernardus Cluniacensis, Dantes pa. 9. & 31. Dantes his Sonnets, Pe­trarches Petrarch. E­pistolis 9.12.13. &c. Epistles, and in the learned Works Sarisburi [...]n [...]. 6. Polycratici▪ cap. 22. of Ioan­nes Sarisburiensis, to whom, as to his very great Fa­miliar, Pope ADRIAN the Fourth In Catalog. test. verit. lib. 14. vsed often to say, that many of the Romane Bishops did rather succeede ROMVLVS in killing, then PETER in feeding. For in­deede wee need no further euidence for this point, then the words of Bellarmine and Baronius them­selues; he Bell. in Chro­nolo. ad an. 1026 confessing, that about the yeere of Christ, one thousand, sixe and twentie, the Popes did degene­rate from the pietie of their Predecessors: this exclai­ming Baronius An­nal. tom. 10. ad an. 912. artic. 3. against the See of Rome, possessed by Landus, Iohn the Tenth, and such others; Quae tum facies Ecclesiae Romanae, &c. What was then the face of the Church of Rome? how filthy, when most potent, and most filthy Whores ruled all in Rome? At whose appointment Sees were changed; Bishops translated; and that which is horrible, and not to be spoken, (yet lo! he will borrow a point in Law to speake it!) their Louers, false Popes were thrust vp into PETERS Chayre, who were not to be written in the Catalogue of the Romane Bishops, but onely for signing out of times. Well. It is a bad Bird that defileth his owne nest; but in truth they could ney­ther hold it in any longer, nor carry it out any fur­ther,The conclusi­on of the ge­nerall Do­ctrine. their consciences constrayning them against their wills to tell the truth. ‘So that now, I hope, all [Page 169] doubts being cleered, which any way were made a­gainst our Demonstration, wee may conclude fully, that the Pope of Rome is that great Antichrist, whose Kingdome is by little and little to be dimi­nished by the preaching of Gods Word, and at length to be wholly and fully demolished by the comming of Christ.’

§. XXVIII.The vse of the Doctrine vnto our selues. Whereupon now for vse of all before deliuered, concerning the great Antichrist, we (my deare Brethren) may iustly take vp both lamen­tation,1 and exultation, weeping, and reioycing;A sorrow for our Brethren in the flesh, who are Pa­pists in profes­sion. weeping for many of our deare Brethren, according to the flesh; but reioycing for our owne selues. For concerning many Brethren now liuing in England, we may with S. Paul Rom. 9.2. conceiue great heauinesse and continuall sorrow in our hearts, because that they see not in what a great captiuitie vnder this great Anti­christ, they (poore soules!) lye enthralled. For as the Plutarch. in Cryllo. foolish companions of Vlysses, besotted with the inchanted and poysonous cups of the lewd Ha [...] ­lot Circe, thought themselues to bee the best men, when they were worse then beasts, as Eurylochus in the Hom. Odyss. lib. 10. Poet foretold them plainely, that [...]. shee would make them all eyther Swine, or Wolues, or Lions: euen so, many silly foules, like blinde Moles, or Dormise, lurking in the by-waies, and secret corners of Ci­ties and Countrey, throughout almost all the Coun­ties of England, being made fully drunken with the Deuillish potions of the whorish Babylon, thinke themselues onely to bee the best Catholikes, and Or­thodox Christians, when (God knoweth) they are [Page 170] wholly become, through their full draught of the inuenomed Challice, worse then Dogs or Swine in prophane filthinesse; worse then Woules or Lions in rauenous deuouring. And this great conceit of themselues is fully settled in their darkned thoughts, and their hardned hearts, onely, because they hold of the Pope, the damned Author of this their bon­dage; being in truth at this time as farre blinded touching Antichrist, as the Iewes were in the time of Christ concerning the Messiah, whom they then daily looked for, as appeareth by their Vid. Ioseph. li. 17. [...] cap. 11. & lib. 18 c. 10. & Rabbi­nos in sine Seder Olam apud Ge­nebrardum. manyfold repinings and rebellions against their present go­uernment then vnder Herod, and the Romanes; al­though when Christ came into the world at Gal. 4.4. the fulnesse of time, they neither Iohn 1.9. would know him, nor yet acknowledge him, onely because hee came in a manner cleane contrary to their carnall and worldly expectations, as Esay. 53.2. the Prophet fore-told, that he should grow vp before him as a tender Plant, and as a roote out of a dry ground, who should haue no forme, nor comelinesse; and when they should see him, there should be no beautie, that they should desire him. For so it is with these doting Pontificians, that although they Viguerius. In­stit. cap. 21. §. 3. Ʋiegas in 13. A­pocalyps. Perer. in Dan. 11. & alij fere omnes. daily make speech of Antichrist with much detestation of his mostlewd & abominable waies; & albeit that Henriquez. lib. 14. ca. 23. §. 3 they giue out, that his time is at hand, when hee must peruert all holy worship: yet doe they not see him now domineering ouer them, nei­ther yet will beleeue, that this Pope of Rome either is he, or may be him; onely because he now manife­steth himselfe in a contrary forme to their conceit of [Page 171] Antichrist, howbeit, if they would with a single and an vnpartiall eye behold, and compare the daily de­signes, and accustomarie actions of the Romane Pa­pacie, with the fore-told villanies of the great Anti­christ; I am perswaded, they could not but acknow­ledge, how farre they haue beene deceiued before, and how they are now (silly soules!) all deluded with the sheepes Mat. 7.16. clothing, couering a rauening Wolfe; with a Lions skinne put vpon an Asse, only as a Bug-beare to affright poore people. But, as hee Phaedrus l. b. 1. cap. 11. said well,

Virtutis expers verbis iactans gloriam,
Ignotos fallis, notis est derisui:

That is,

He who doth want true prowesse,
And in words boasts of fame,
Deceiueth strangers much:
Of men knowne getteth shame.

For see (yee peeuish Papists) the dangerous estate of your captiuitie, many wayes most detestable;The miserable estate of our English Pa­pists, in foure respects. as in these foure respects; First, of your Prison, darke and deepe. Secondly, of your Chaines, hard and 1 heauy. Thirdly, of your Diet, grosse and small.2 Fourthly, of your Iaylors, craftie and cruell. Your 3 Prison is that Romish Synagogue, darke through ig­norance,4 and deepe through obstinacie.1. Of their Prison. For igno­rance, it is Iohn 4.22. to worship what you know not, euen in 1 Cor. 14.11 an vnknowne tongue, (as M Brierwoods Enquir. c. 3. & 6 Latine is to most men) an vnknowne god, Can. Miss. & Biel. in Can. lect. [...]9. made of bread by your Priests. And for obstinacie, you declare it by your stiffe [Page 172] maintayning of so many idle Ceremonies, and your open recusancie, of communicating with vs, who gladly would say vnto you all, as vnto our Osee 2.1. Brethren, Ammi; and to our Sisters, Ruhamah. But (alas) I finde you holden downe within this Dungeon, by 2 the hard and heauy chaynes of Oathes and Vowes, which you haue rashly vndertaken for that hellish Beasts sake,Of their Chaines. vnder a pretence of great perfection; when, in truth, they are no better then the snarled cords of redoubled iniquitie, entangling your consciences with a meere will-worship, ten­ding onely to your destruction. For is not this a bondage, to sweare a fealtie of obedience vnto him, who, like Iudges 1.7. Adonibesek, cutteth off your right thumbs, and your right toes of alleageance, due only to your Naturall Soueraigne, casting from aboue to you, now vnder boord, a few crummes or scraps of fey­ned fauours, folden vp, and that very rudely, in Vide breuia Pauli Quinti, 1 & 2. a Breue or two? And is not this a yoke which Ʋide Theses nostras de Votis Monasticis. nei­ther you nor your Fathers were able to beare, to be tyed vnto that most vile, idle, and abominable Monkish life, vnder a colour of perfection; when their chastitie proueth worse then Sodomitrie; their pouertie proceedeth only to pompe; and their regu­lar obedience is but a Cloke for Libertines to liue as they list?

Laurent. A­gricola apud Hospin. lib. 6. de Origin. Monach. cap. 17.
Qui volet immundum in mundo cognoscere Mundū,
Exploret rasos, vestales, at (que) cucullos:

That is,

Who would in this world behold filthy trunks;
Search out Popes-shauelings, vestals, and Monks.

[Page 173] And yet I see you wholly addicted vnto them: I 3 think,Of their dyet. because you look for some good Viands from them: and what doe they giue you? Surely, your meat here in this gaole of ieopardy, is but som grosse stuffe, like Card. l. 6. de variet. rerū c. 10 the fruits of Peru, that make men pur-blinde; and yet affoorded vnto you (God wot,) in so small a pittance, that in taking thereof, your bel­lies may thinke your throtes to be cut; since God in his Iustice for your peruerse Recusancy, now sendeth you a Famine, not Amos 8.11. of Bread and Water (for indeed you fare too wel, & your fathers are careful to haunt where best cheere is, if wilfull Wats. Quod. lib. 3. art. 1. William Watson may be beleeued) but of the Word of God, as the Prophet hardly threatned to obstinate Israel. For (now a little while to enter Commons with you) what meate doe they giue you else, but either the Antike shew of a priuate Masse, at which you stand gaping like Tanta­lus, for his Apples in Hell, the Priest offering vp an vncharitable Sacrifice, whiles that (as Sleidan. Com­mentar. lib. 5. the Turke beholding a Masse gaue his censure) hee churlishly eateth vp all himselfe, and giueth no part thereof to his fellowes; who stand by, looking for some? or if it happen to bee a Sermon: it is but some slubbered vp idle Discourse concerning someone wil-worship or other, for Processions, Pilgrimages, retayning of Reliques, worshipping of Images, shrining false Saints, as Saint Campian, Saint Garnet, Saint Oldcorne, &c. or some powerfull Exorcismes, such as Father Harsnet. of Popish Impo­stures. Edmunds vsed at Denham, and the great Fryer of France, Historie of the dispossessed written by the Fryer Sebastian Michaelis. Sebastian Michaelis exercised in Prouance, vpon two Deuils, who possessing two poore Wen­ches [Page 174] conspired against the Huguenots, to maintaine by Discourse the Doctrines of Poperie, now drawne to a low ebbe, for the lacke of such Patrones as may defend it, since they are now compelled to fee such Hellish Aduocates for opening their cause: or if they propose better matters vnto you, as Faith, Hope, Loue, Patience, and other Christian Vertues: yet cannot Rogers his Preface of san­ctification. they minister true comfort to the Consci­ence, by their manner of handling such necessarie 1 Doctrines of Christian resolution; seeing first their foundation of true resolution is weake, and wicked, euen Mans free-will, able (say Coster. En­chirid. Controu. cap. 5. pag. 208. edit. Colon. they) by the helpe of God, not yet dwelling in him, but moouing and helping, to prepare it selfe vnto Iustification, not only by suffering, but also by doing, when the Holy Ghost telleth vs, that Ephes. 2.5. when wee were dead in our sinnes, God quickned vs to­gether 2 with Christ: Secondly, their building is vpon the Law too hardly Petrus à Soto in Methodo Con­fessionis, simul cum Nauarro in Manua [...]i Toleto lib. 4. cap. 1. &c. & omnibus Ca­suistis alijs. vrged for the rule of perfor­mance to a man vnregenerate, since to such not yet refined by Grace, the Law is rather Colos. 2.15. a Decree of Condemnation, because they Rom. 7.10. cannot doe it, then a rule of Saluation, which must first be wrought in vs by the Grace of God through Christ, before we can bee able to settle our obedience according to the strict rule of the Morall Law; for Rom. 13.8. loue fulfilleth the Law; and wee 1. Iohn 4.9. cannot loue him till hee loue vs first, and his 2. Cor. 5.19. loue to vs is purchased only by faith in Iesus Christ, in whom Math 3.17. he is well pleased, and in whom Ephes. 1.6. wee are freely 3 accepted: thirdly, their end, and chiefest purpose in such Discourses, is the whole subuersion of a simple Soule, wrought first by terrifying with Hell, as ap­peareth [Page 175] by Watsons Quod­libets, pag. 86.87.88. &c. their exercise inioyned to their Nouices; then by puffing them vp with a vaine conceit of me­ritorious actions, as if they could climbe vp to Hea­uen alone of themselues; when the Apostle doth teach vs, that it Ephes. 2.8.9. is the gift of God, not of Workes, lest a­ny man should boast himselfe. Miserable Fathers, which giue vnto your hunger-starued Children for Bread, Mat. 7.9.10. Stones; for Fish, Scorpions! But who are 4 they? Surely your Iaylors, sent by the Man of sinne, Of their Iay­lors. eyther from Rome, or Rhemes, Salamanca, Vallidolid, Conimbricum, or some such other strong Towre of Iebus, where stand 2. Sam. 5.6. the Blind and Lame, in as high respect, as was the Pompon. Lae­tus in Constanti­no Magno. Palladium, in the Castle of Troy: Men, I say, of monstrous shape, furnished by their Teachers, (such as Quodlib. Wat­son, pag. 108.109. & 236. &c good Robin Cowbucke, aliâs, Par­sons,) with all Craft, and Crueltie: Craft, to deceiue, both vs and you: vs, by word and deed, only to escape vs, like the Saepia and the Polypus: For Ouid. in Ha­lientico, & Plin. lib. 9. cap. 29. as the Saepia, lest hee should be caught, casteth out a blacke Inke, to darken the water: so these men, to escape the hands of Iustice, vnder words of a double meaning, collude with their Examiners, as Epistola Cam­piani ad Mercu­rialem, Genera­lem Iesuitarum. Campian did with the Maior of Douer, and Garnet in the Vid Acts of H. Garnets Ar­raignment. whole course of his Examination, when Gods Word wisheth vs Ephes. 4.24. not to lye, lest they Wisd. 1.11. destroy their Soules: for Iohn 8.44. lying is the Deuils Art.

But what care they for that? For who else is their Master, but the dissembling Deuill, that teacheth them to counterfeit euery shape of mē in the world, contrary to the Apostle his rule, who Rom. 12.2. will not haue vs to be conformed to this world? For as the Ouid. & Plin. vbi supra. Poly­pus, [Page 176] to auoyd the hands of fishers, will turne him­selfe into the colour of euery thing he lyeth next: so these dissembling wretches, to shun the danger of apprehension, take vpon them any whatsoe­uer habit of men in the world; as now they will goe Boast, Bishop, Gerard, Dudley, and other such Renegado dis­guised doe proue this true like swaggering Gentlemen, now like Pedanticall Schoole-masters, now like officious Seruing-men, now like a rich Farmer, now like a poore begger, Rat-catcher, Glasse-man, Pedlar, or in other such disguisement, both contrarie to their zeale of their falsly so called Catholique faith, which at Allens Apo­logie of the English Semi­naries at Rome, and Rhemes. their ad­mission into their Seminaries, and dismission backe againe into England, they sweare to preach with­out feare, publiquely in all places wheresoeuer they come, and repugnant to their vow Bell. lib. 2. de Monach. ca. 4. of Regular obe­dience, wherein they are bound by solemne oath to keepe, and not to change the habit of their order. I know Tortus, p. 366. Ob. their Great Cardinall would here excuse thē, by the example of Eusebius Samosatenus, who Tripart. hist. lib. 7. cap. 16. in the Arian-persecution went about through Phaenicia, Sy­ria, Sol. and other places in a souldiers habit, to teach Gods people the Catholique truth. But one example is no generall warrant, especially to them who are bound by vow, where he was free; who Tortura Tor­ti ibid. teach false­hood, where he spake truth, who vnder a colour of Catholique doctrine, infuse the poyson of treason­able Designes, into the heads & hearts of their hea­rers; where hee was in all things carefull to obey su­periour Powers so farre as they commanded things not repugnant to the Word of God. Yet all this their secret packing is onely (say Tortus vbi supra. they) to deceiue [Page 177] such, as with whom they are not to keepe any faith or promise. Indeed so was it taught in the Councell Concil, Con­stant. sess. 15. of Constance, against all truth, both of Religion and of ciuill honestie. But alas, whom doe they hood-winke? Not vs, who know them too well, but you, (poore soules!) whom they entangle by auricular Confession, and sensuall Absolution (their prettie ginne for Gentlewomen,) that they may be enriched by your possessions, either kept, or sold, as you well find by the cunning dealing of one Man onely, Iohn Gerrard by name, whose knauerie discouered by the Author of those venemous Wats. Quod. lib. p. 89.90. &c. Quodlibets, doth suffi­ciently assure vs of the like way taken, not onely by the Iesuites, but also euen by the Secular Priests, who are as iealous Gal. 4.18. ouer you, as the false apostles were o­uer the Galatians, that you might onely loue them, excluding all others. Their Craft can no longer bee concealed, for their Crueltie practised vpon you, and intended against vs. For doe not you find by their haunt vnto your Houses, a bondage in your soules to vnnecessary obseruations of Fasting, and other Abstinences; a butchering of your bodies by Flagellations, and other Exercises; an emptinesse in your Purses by ordinarie Pensions, and extraordi­nary Contributions, for the pretended furtherance of the Catholike Cause? How many Nobles, how many Gentlemen, and others of Note, haue beene brought (as we say) to a Staffe, and a Wallet, euen to begge of others what they had of their owne, I need not recount; the Countrie is ful of such Dilapi­datiōs, occasion'd only by their own too simple gen­tlenesse, [Page 178] and these Cormorants too vnsatiable greedi­nesse, whereby they make as great a prey of their poore, seduced, simple and besotted Followers, as Kites doe of Carkasses torne piece-meale amongst them. And yet they will not be accounted cruell, al­though to saue themselues, they thrust you out in­to desperate designes of deepest danger, as to mur­der your Soueraigne, to ransacke your Countrie, to neglect your kinred, not Catesbies con­ceite for the Catholike cause. to care for your friends, so your enemies perish with them. Surely I cannot but feare and quake to thinke of the mischiefe, intended against this flourishing Kingdome of England, by Pope and Papists, set on fire by Hellish Iesuites, and Seminarie Priests; How eager were they against bles­sed Quodlibet. p. 260.261. &c. Queene Elizabeth? first, to procure an Excom­munication of Pius Quintus, renewed by Sixtus Quintus; then to conspire against her Sacred Person, by open Rebellions in the North, and priuie Trea­sons of Parrie, and others; thirdly, to poyson her best Nobles and Friends by Lopez; fourthly, to pro­cure an Inuasion by Spaniards in the yeere 1588. fifthly, to intitle the Infanta to this Crowne; sixth­ly, to procure Breeues from Rome to hinder His Maiestie when time should serue; seuenthly, to en­ter into Conspiracie by Secular Priests, as Watson, &c. at the very first Inte of his Maiesties happie Raigne; eightly, to plot the Powder Treason; a Designe be­yond all example for hainousnesse, since which how they haue laboured to excuse some, to defend o­thers, to patronize those who fled away, yea to re­gister for Saints the chiefest Authors of this deuillish intendment, I need goe no further then to Eudaemons [Page 179] Apologie, soundly and most religiously confuted by the most Learned and Reuerend Authour of the An­tilogie. So that all the premisses put together, haue enforced mee to this settled iudgement concerning a Papist, which without any feare, or scruple of con­science,Two certaine Correllaries grounded vpō the Premises. The former. The latter. The former demonstrated. I boldly thus propose in these two conclu­sions: the first: A Papist as a Papist is no true Christi­an: the second: A Papist as a Papist is no good subiect. What I speake, I will prooue, or else take all for no­thing: In the former point thus: No sworne Slaue of Antichrist, is a true Christian: For no Mat. 6.24. man can serue two Masters; for either he shall hate the one, and loue the other; or else he shall leane to the one, and despise the other: no, Yee cannot, saith the 1. Cor. 10.22 Apostle, drinke the Cup of the Lord, and the cup of Deuils: yee cannot bee partaker of the Lords Table, and of the table of Deuils: He, saith Ambr. s [...]r. 17. AMBROSE, that will bee partaker of hea­uenly things, must not bee a fellow or companion of Idols. But euery Papist, as a Papist, is a sworne Slaue of Anti­christ, because, as a Papist, hee holdeth onely of the Pope, whom wee haue sufficiently prooued before to be that Great Antichrist. Therefore no Papist as a Pa­pist is a true Christian. Hee may haue the outward Name, but he wanteth the true Nature, and forme of a Christian, as indeed Rom. 9.6. All are not Israel, which are of Israel. Hee may bee baptized in the name of the Fa­ther, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost, according to the outward forme, (not to be iterated vpon his Conuersion by a new Baptisme;) but not according to the inuisible Grace, which through his Apostasie, hee either receiued not at all, or if hee made some [Page 180] small shew of it only, he wilfully thrust it from him, by the Witchcraft of his wicked Stepdame, the Ro­mish Synagogue, which as Hierusalem in the Ezech. 16.20 Prophet bare children vnto God, but offered them vnto Mo­lech. The latter de­monstrated. In the latter thus: None who giue any Primacie to the Pope in another mans Dominion, wherein he liueth as a member of that Common-wealth, can bee a true sub­iect to that his owne Liege King, and naturall Soueraigne. Because he depriueth the King of his due; contrary­ing therein the precept of the Apostle, who willeth vs to render to Rom. 13.7. all their dues, tribute, to whom tribute is due; custome, to whom custome; feare, to whom feare; honour, to whom honour.

‘For it is the 26. Hen. 8. & apud Rastal in [...]a. Rom. Kings due, that he should be acknow­ledged by euery person borne, bred, and liuing as a Subiect within the Kingdomes and Dominions of the same King, for Supreme head and gouernour next vnder Christ in all causes, and ouer all persons, as well Ecclesiasticall, as Temporall; as it was prooued in the dayes of King Henry the eight, largely and learned­ly by two great Clarkes of that time, Stephen Gard. l. de ve­râ obedientiâ. Gardi­ner Bishop of Winchester, and Cuthbert Tonst. in his Sermon be­fore K. Henry 8. in Act. & Mo­nument, p 986. Tonstall Bi­shop of Duresme.’ For the very title of (Supreme head next vnder Christ, &c.) is assigned vnto Kings and Princes, first, by the Holy Ghost in Scripture, as where Peter saith, 1. Pet. 2.13. Submit your selues to euery ordi­nance of man, for the Lords sake, whether it be vnto the King, [...], that is, (saith Bishop Ʋbi supra. Tonstall,) as to the chiefe head; as indeed vnto him, who hath a chiefedome or superioritie ouer vs, like as Psal. 18.43. Dauid was called the head of the Nations, and Saul tearmed [Page 181] the 1. Sam. 15.17 head of the Tribes: secondly, by the ancient Fa­thers both assembled in Councell, as in the Apud [...]in­nium tom. 2. Concil. & in prae­fatione Toleta. Concilij, 8. eight Toletan, where they all accord to the wordes of K. Reccesiunthus, saying, the cause of gouerning the mem­bers, is the saluation of the head: and the happinesse of the people, the Princes cl [...]mencie: and seuerally whenso­euer they had iust occasion to manifest, or demon­strate their most respectfull and bounden obedience to Regall Soueraignety, as witnesse for the Latine Fa­thers, Tertullian, when he saith; Tertull. l. con. Scapulum, cap. 2. we reuerence the Em­perour, as is lawfull for vs, and expedient for him, euen as a man second to God, and obtayning from God, whatsoeuer he is, and inferiour to God only: for so is he superiour vn­to all others, as he is inferiour to the true God only: and for the Greeke Church, Chrysost. tom. 4. bom. 2. ad po­pulum Antioch. Chrysostome, when beway­ling the miserie of the Antiochians likely to ensue for their despitefull outrage done vpon the statue of Theodosius the Great, he said: he (to wit, the Empe­rour) is abused, who hath not an equall vpon the earth; being the top, and head of all men vpon the earth: But euery Papist as a Papist, giueth a supremacie vnto the Pope in these kingdomes and dominions of our most gra­cious Soueraigne. For first, the Gratian. dist. 22. can. 1. & ibi Gloss. Extrauag. [...]om. l. 1. tit. 8. can. vnam san­ctam. Canonists, with Tho. Bosius, l. 3. de regno Ital. c. 4 & lib. 4. cap. 5. Bosius, Carer. li. 2. de Rom. Pontif. po­testate, cap. 9. Carerius, and other Apud Azor. part. 2. Instit. l. 4. cap. 19. & M. Blackwels large Examination, pag. 22. [...]3. &c. palpable flatterers of Popes, hold him to be the Supreme head absolutely, fully, and directly, both in Spirituall, and Temporall things: secondly, the Bellar. l. 5. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 4.5. &c. Iesuits fraudulently maintai­ning as much as the other, hold him to haue a Pri­macie directly in spiritualibus, and in Temporall things indirectly; only in ordine ad spiritualia: thirdly, the Conc. Parisi [...]. an. Dom. 829. li. 1. c. 3. & Conuēt. Paris. 1561. & 1595. apud Bo­chellum, decret. Gall▪ li. 5 tit. 4. Parisians and secular Priests, our English Dor­mise▪ [Page 182] such Iohn Ha [...]t in Ep. ante Coll [...]t. cum D. Rainoldo. as Hart, Watson Quod­libet. q. 8. art. 4. & Warmington. Watson, together with Doctor Galiel. Barc. de pote. Papae, c. 2. Barkeley, howsoeuer they collogue with Christian Princes in granting vnto them a chiefedome, or Pri­macie within their Dominions in temporall affaires, yet will they not in any case derogate any one iot from the Popes supremacie in spiritualibus, making the Pope to be head of the Church, and the King to be chiefe, or as El [...]utherius called Epist. Elouthe­rij ad Lucium, a­pud Iob Fox. in Martyr. pag. 96. king Lucius, the vicar of Christ, only So doth Par­sons interpret in his first part of the three Conuersions of England, lib. 1. cap. 5. Ob. Sol. in the Common-wealth, and ouer things temporall. Therefore no Papist, as a Papist, is a good subiect. For say, that he hath taken the oath of alleageance: yet is he but a subiect in secundo ad [...]a­cente, more by the Kings Maiesties most gracious acceptance, then vpon his owne good will, since he hath not, neither will take the Ʋid. Stat. 1. Eliz. c. 1. & Pul­ton de Iure Reg­ni, tit. Treason. §. 15. oath of Supremacie, when it shall by vertue either of ordinarie vocation, or of an extraordinarie Commission, be vnto him offered. Indeed the taking of the oath of alleage­ance by Popish Recusants, may yeeld some satisfaction of their outward obedience to charitable men. But surely for my part (and I thinke I may speake for all my Christian Brethren that heare me this day) I can hardly trust their inward loyaltie because both their positiue doctrine touching obedience, and their v­suall practice of the same amongst vs, doe demon­strate their dissembling, and Gyptian-tricks of fast and loose. For their Doctrine is this, as War. of the Oath of allea­geance, p 72. Warmington saith, first broached by Aquinas and as Watson Wats. Quod­libet. 9. q. 4. doth proue, maintained by Iesuits, that So soone as Aquin. 2.2. q. 12. artic. 2. any Prince is denounced excommunicated for Apostasie from the faith, his subiects are then absolued from his gouern­ment, [Page 183] and from the oath of their alleageance; that they Parsons or Creswel in Phi­lopater. are to obey him but till they be able to resist, and make head against him, nay, that any Ioh. Marianae de Regno. lib. 1. cap. 6. & 7. may kill him by poyson, or by some other way. Now can any Prince be secured of the loyaltie of such men, as hold this Paul. Quintus in Breui suo ad Angl. priori. for an Ar­ticle of their Christian beliefe? If they shame to maintaine such absurd positions as these are, most abhorring both from Nature and Grace: Yet their seuerall dayly practices against Christian Princes, and especially against the Soueraigne Maiestie of the Kings & Queenes of England, may giue vs good occasion iustly to suspect them for treacherous trai­tors vnto our State. For first, doe they esteeme any better of his Maiestie, then they did of Queene Eli­zabeth? That blessed Princesse An. Do. 1569. Ʋide B. Iewels view of a sedi­tious Bull. was expressely ex­communicated by Pius Quintus: and is not his most sacred Maiestie included vnder the first clause of that Babylonish bead-rowle, commonly called Apud Mart. Nauarrum in Enchirid. c. 28. num. 52. &c. Bul­la caenae, wherein the Pope himselfe euery yeere, since Martin the fifth, or as Grego. Sayrus in Thesauro lib. 3. cap. 4. some say, Clement the fifth, vpon the Thursday in Holy weeke, doth denounce excommunicate all Heretikes, as they Ioh. Molanus Theolog. practic. tract. 1. cap. 20. Conclus. 3. call vs, Hus­sites, Wicklenists, Lutherans, Zwinglians, Caluinists, &c? I know not, how more basely they could demeane themselues towards so Renowmed, and Potent a King, then to compare his true Godli­nesse with Iulians Apostasie, as In Terto. Bellarmine did. Secondly, can wee conceiue better hope of these men, swearing Alleageance vnto His Maiestie, then our Fathers had of Stephen Gardiner, Boner, Tonstall, and others, who sware to the Supremacie, in the [Page 184] dayes of Henry the Eight, which afterward in Queene Maries they vtterly abiured? Certainely, the small number of Papists swearing fealtie; their backe­wardnesse in comming to take the Oath; their cold maintayning of the temporall Supremacie of His Maiestie against Bellarmine Reg. Widdring­ton in Praesat. ad lectorem praefix [...] Respons. Apolo­geticae, & in E­pist. ad Paulum Quintum. with probable argu­ments onely, as if it were a Schoole point onely, ray­sed for disputation without resolution; enforce me to doubt of them, especially, since they Vid. Casuistas, vt Tolet. lib. 4. Instr. c. 21. Na­ua [...]rus Enchir. c. 12. num. 8. & Azorius p. 3. Iu­stit. moral. l. 13. c. 3. & Garnet of Equiuocation, and Par [...]ons in his Mitigation. are not a­shamed to maintaine the vse of Equiuocation a­mongst vs, whom they account Heretikes, practi­sing the knauery of the old Euseb. lib. 6. hist. c. 31. Helcesaitae, who made this the ground of their wicked dissimulation; lin­gua [...]uripid. in Hyppol & Cic. lib. 3. Offic. iurani, mentem iniuratam gero; I sweare with my tongue, my minde was free: and since Aquin. 22. q. [...]9. artic. 9. ad 3. & Dom. [...] Soto lib. 8. de Iure & Instit. quaest. 1. art 9. & Azo­ri [...] p 1 [...]. 11 c. 9 they allow of the Popes Dispensation, by which at his pleasure, or vpon their owne motion, they hold themselues absolued from the bond of their Oath. For as that sheweth their lewdnesse, so this maintaines their loosenesse, easily yeelding to treasonable acts, and treacherous designes, vpon the least occasion mini­stred vnto them by their Masters of all this misrule, the Deuill and the Pope; Non diu fallit falsum; A lie will not last long, their knauery must bee knowne, that it may lesse hurt vs: Pro. 26.24. hatred is couered by deceit; but his wickednesse shall hee shewed before the whole Con­gregation. And therefore all these things duly weigh­ed and considered; my second probleme, touching the false-hood of Popish fealtie, is plaine enough to demonstrate the miserable captiuitie, wherein they, the bond-slaues of Antichrist, lye enthralled, being [Page 185] blinded in minde, the right eye of their iudgement put out, as if they now carried the intended 1. Sam. 11.2. plague of Iabish Gilead by N [...]ash the Ammonite; being in will, and affections, wholly peruerted, as if they were the Iudges 1.7. crum-fed captiues of Adonibesek, hauing their right thumbs and toes cut off; yea, so vilely prostrate at the feete of this Mezentian Antichrist, who (as the Virgil. lib. 11 A [...]neid. Poet saith) Corpora corporibus coniungit mortua vi­ [...]is; iumbleth vp all together, both quicke & dead, by his idle Indulgences, which are prized at an high rate, and his wild Buls, & thunderbolts of Excōmu­nication against godly people, and Christian Prin­ces; that wee cannot but much pitty them, if they would bee pittied, and beseech God in his mercy once to open their eyes, that they may behold the cleere light of true knowledge, and to touch their hearts with the sensible pricking of sauing Grace, that they may beleeue, and repent, and be saued.

§. XXIX. But it may be, that we in charitie 2 wish them better then they doe themselues;Of reioycing for our selues so deliuered from them and their bondage. and therefore it is best now at length to let them alone, and leaue them in the hand of Gods great Councell. For now to change our note or tune of lamentation into exultation; of weeping for them, into reioyce­ing for our selues, we may all say with DAVID, Ps. 124.6, 7. Bles­sed be the Lord, who hath not giuen vs euer for a prey vnto their teeth: our soule is escaped as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowlers; the snare is broken, and we are escaped. Surely many Prophets and righteous men liuing in times before, vnder Popish darknesse, and Anti­christian slauerie, haue much desired to see Mat. 13.17. those things [Page 186] which we see, and haue not seene them; and to heare those things which wee heare, and haue not heard them. Wee heare with our eares the Word plentifully preached, which is the onely best and free vse of the Spirituall Sword; and wee see with our eyes, to the comfort of our hearts, an absolute libertie from all forrayne power, repurchased by our Soueraigne Princes, en­forced for their more secure and safe raigning, to draw out of the Scabbard of the Common Right set downe in our Lawes, the Temporall Sword, that, as a most learned obseruer of true witnesses hath ga­thered out of the proceedings of our Princes, Gowl. p. 2. Ca­talog. test. verit. pag. 775. Eng­land is the fatall foe to the Papall See, and Popish tyrannie. For as Brittaine Platina in E­leutherio. was the first Kingdome, which a­mongst the Gentiles publikely professed the faith of Christ, in the dayes of good King Lucius, about some hundred and fourescore yeeres after Christ, vnder the very same forme of Discipline, which by Gods especiall Grace, it hath constantly retayned euer since the first planting, and now in despite of the deluding Deuill, and doting Disciplinarians, it happily exerciseth by the orderly hands of Arch-Bishops in Prouinces, Bishops in Diocesses, and Priests, (Presbyter [...]) not lay Elders, (such as some, Vid. Bilson, c. 1. perpetuall Gouernment, & Sara [...]iam in Bezam. according to their owne onely phantasies, haue of late times, to the great trouble of the Churches Or­der▪ newly deuised) but preaching Ministers of the blessed Word, sent by the Bishops out of Cathe­drall Churches into Parishes abroad: euen so is Bri­taine the first of the Reuel. 17.16. tenne hornes, which hated the Whore, and made her desolate; ‘I say, Ribera in 14. Apoc [...]um. 52. the first of the [Page 187] ten Kingdomes, which once holding with the Pope, now breaketh his yoke, resisteth his tyrannie, and deliuereth it selfe from his burdensome bondage, by exalting in it selfe the most free vse of a double Sword, both Spirituall and Temporall, restored to her Gouernours by the three Great Estates assem­bled in Parliaments; wherein they ioyntly▪ with the Royall assent of their Gracious Gouernours, ena­cted such Statutes, as were not introductory of any new law, but declaratorie, and restoratiue of the ancient iurisdiction, both in Spirituall and in Temporall things to the Crowne of England, as against all the filthy barking of foule-mouthed Dogs, I meane, Parsons, and his prating Companions, it is both learnedly and largely deliuered out of the depth of our Eng­lish Antiquities, by the liuely now liuing Oracle of the Common Lawes, Sir Ed. Cooke then L. Chiefe Iustice of Eng­land, part. 5. of Reports. in Cawdries Case de iure Regis ecclesiastico.’ For so farre as I can finde by diligent search of the Acts and Monuments, touching the issues of Church affayres, I see that God tooke the very same course for our deliuerance out of Popish tyrannie, which he vsed Exod. 4.16. for the bringing of Israel out of Aegypt by Moses and Aaron; MOSES for the Sword, and Aaron for the Word; Aaron to bee Moses his mouth, and Moses to bee Aarons God. Because it was Gods pleasure, for the pulling downe of the Popes Suprem [...]cie, and the rooting out of Po­pish tyrannie, from out of this most ancient Christi­an Kingdome, to put in vre a double knowledge; the first, of Gods Word, publikely and powerfully preached by his Ministers for the Rom. 1.16. saluation of them [Page 188] that beleeue: the second, of the ancient Lawes of this Land, explayned both priuately by our learned Iudges, in particular Cases, reported by foure of the most ancient Benches, appointed before-times to select, and write downe the iudgements of the Sa­ges, as in the course of yeeres they might fall out: and publikely, in Statutes enacted vpon grieuances for reformation, which being a worke of rare at­chieuement, (especially in Religion so vilely cor­rupted, that those, who were infected, could in no sort endure the sight, much lesse the touch of the Launce) was first to bee prepared▪ and afterwards to bee perfected; God vsing for his instruments in this important businesse, two of the most puissant and peerelesse Princes that euer did sway the Scep­ter of these Kingdomes, to wit, Edward the Third, and Henry the Eight, both of most famous memorie. For in his dayes began the preparation of this great worke: first by Fox. Marty­rolog pag. 390. the preaching of Iohn Wickliffe, and his Schollers, all Ministers of Christ: secondly, by that Rastals A­bridgm. tit. Pro­uis. et Praemunir. Statute, enacted in the twenty fifth yeere of his most Victorious Raigne against Popish prouisi­ons, and admission of Strangers into Benefices, and other Spirituall Promotions within this Kingdome. And Fox Martyro­log. p. 963. &c. in the foure and twentieth of this most Potent and famous King Henry, was it brought to some perfection, first, by the preaching of these blessed Martyrs of Iesus Christ, Bilney, Tyndall, Barnes, La­timer, and such like: secondly, by the Statute made touching the Kings Supremacie, next vnder Christ within these Kingdomes, both spirituall and tempo­rall, [Page 189] restored to the Crowne by all the Estates, Lords Spirituall then swearing it, the Lords Temporall then maintaining it, and Commons so approouing it, that from that time to this, the Popes power in England hath beene in a consumption, still lesse and lesse, till it was 1. Elizab. c. 1. abolished wholly by the blessed Queene, Elizabeth, since whose first inthronizing, till this very day, for the space of fiftie three yeeres and more, we most happily haue enioyed that perfect li­bertie from the Popish yoke, which Israel had from the bondage of the Philistines 1. Reg. 4.25. in the dayes of Da­uids and Solomons raigne, when euery man from Dan to Beersheba, sate without feare vnder his Vine, and vnder his Oliue Tree. For lo, a double freedome! the first inward of the conscience, by the preaching of Gods Word, the Luke 11.52. true Key of all knowledge, then lost, now found, then hidde, now ready for euery mans hand to Reuel. 3.20. open vnto him, that knocketh at his eare for the comfort of his heart, the Reuel. 3.14. Amen, Christ Iesus: the se­cond, outward, of the Purse then open to the Pope, now shut from his Prouisions, Pensions, Annates, Tenths, Peter-pence, and other meanes of subtill emunctions, by which he cleanely scoured the dee­pest bottome of the greatest bagge, that any euer of Zach. 11.17. his Idoll and idle Shepheards could fill by the Ezech. 34 10 fleecing and flaying of the Flocke of Christ. For by the happy restraint and absolute Vid. Rastal, sub tit. Rom. prohibiting of seeking the Pall, crauing Inuestiture making of Ap­peales to the Court at Rome, and of such other like Popish vsurpations, we the people of Great Brittaine now serue God onely, and truely obey our Naturall [Page 190] Liege Lord, and Soueraigne King, as most loyall Subiects, (now Gods great Name be praysed there­fore!) 1 free wholly from a Triple feare. The first, of Forraine inuasion, which Wat. Quodli­bet. q 8. art. 6. incensed by Iesuiticall Renegadoes, and attempted by the doting deluded Spaniards, hath by Gods onely helpe beene happi­ly preuented, to the wonder of the world; they all in the meane time perishing Psal. 83.10. at Endor, and becom­ming 2 like the dung of the earth: The second, of Domesticke Rebellions, whose Authours, and Abettors are quickly espied by the watchfull eye of the most wise and religious Counsellors of E­state, and seasonably caught by the faithfull, and strong hand of Gods Great Captaines sighting 2. Sa. 22.8. &c for Israel against these Philistims the sonnes of HARE­PHAH, who digging Pro. 26.27. a pit, fall into it themselues, and rowling a stone, finde it returned vpon them, only be­cause in Gods iust iudgement for the safetie of his Seruants, Pro. 5.21. his owne iniquities shall take the wicked him­selfe, and hee shall bee holden with the cords of his sinnes: 3 The third of those great and common calamities, which amongst the Leuit. 26.1. Esay 9.12. Ezech. 5.17. Amos 5.1, 2. &c Prophets are threatned, as true consequences, and rewards of Idolatrie, as Desolation, Famine, sudden Earthquakes, and vniuersall Plagues, which iustly before-times befell vnto the Idolaters within this Iland both Heathenish, and Popish, but since the Reformation, neuer came, either altoge­ther, or vpon the whole Land at once, God in his mercie proportioning them seuerally vnto our abili­tie, that we may beare them, now one, then another, as a light scourge for a time to our true amendment.

[Page 191]So that where our Bell. lib. 4. de Eccles. Milit. ca. 18. & Anglo-Papistae ferè omnes. Aduersaries haue it oftentimes in their mouthes,Ob. that since they left off the vse of the Romish Religion, which is meerly Superstition, within this Kingdome, all things haue growne dea­rer, things are not so plentiful, and the Land is much disquieted with the Garboyles of Warre.

I cannot but condemne their carnall conceit,Sol. in this their madde measuring of the Heauen by the Earth; of the Spirit by the flesh; of Religion by prosperitie, iust like Ier. 44.7. those Idolaters, who complai­ned, that since they left off to offer burnt incense vnto the Queene of Heauen, and to powre out drinke-offerings vnto her, they haue wanted all things, and haue beene con­sumed by the Sword, and by the Famine. For albeit this libertie of the Gospell, which wee now doe enioy, doth counteruaile all these earthly good things in the true estimation of the Saints of God, who should with Saint PAVL, Phil. 3.8. account all things of worth, but losse and dung for the excellent knowledge sake of CHRIST, because life eternall (as our Iohn 17.3. Sauiour saith) is to know thee (that is, the Father) to bee the very God, and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ: yet 1. Tim. 6.6. godlinesse is great gaine, if a man be content with that which he hath; since 1. Tim. 4.8. godlinesse is profitable vnto all things, hauing promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. For Mat. 6.33. seeke ye first the Kingdome of God, and the righteousnesse thereof, and all these things shall bee ad­ded vnto you: added, saith Saint Apud Aqui­natem in Cate­nâ super Eum­gelia. & in lo­cum. AVGVSTINE, conue­niently without your hinderance, and [...] and [...], both for possession and for vse: for possession: for England neuer had more wealth in the ruffle of Pope­rie, [Page 192] then it hath now possessed, since the Reformati­on of Religion amongst vs, for the space of these last three and fiftie yeeres, wherein all manner of Commodities haue more abounded then euer be­fore, partly through the Vid M. Rich. Hackluits Dis­coueries. great vse of Nauigation into all other parts of the World abroad, and part­ly, by the exercise of Husbandry at home, accor­ding to the nature of euery soyle; no place now left vnmanured at all, but imployed to his proper, and greatest profit, for Cattell, or Corne; that euen now the most desolate Regions of this Iland in times past lying waste, in the Northerne parts, or in the Mar­ches of Wales, may verifie what Dauid spake of Gods mercie, Psal. 107.35.36. who turneth the Wildernesse into standing wa­ter, and dry ground into water springs, and there maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a Citie for ha­bitation; and sow the fields, and plant Vineyards, which 2 may yeeld fruits of increase for vse. For these King­domes neuer had more people in them, since their first habitation, then now in these last fiftie yeeres, when Cities are like Bee-hiues, sending swarmes of men abroad into Suburbs inlarged, or into the Country, now so full of Townes Corporate, and scattered Villages, that Englands Common-wealth may well take vp the words of the Church in the Prophet, Esay 49.20. The place is too straite for me; giue place to me, that I may dwell: and yet they are not any way pestred with throng, since Peace hath brought Plentie, both to the comfort of the people, whose wants are sup­plyed by store of Coyne more currant now then e­uer before, and to the honour of the Prince, who [Page 193] may ioy in such an abundance of people, as faith­fully now serue him in euery place; since as Salomon Prou. 11.28. saith, In the multitude of the people is the Kings ho­nour; but in the want of people is the destruction of the Prince. Surely as it happened to the good Kings of Iudah, Dauid, Salomon, Asa, Iehoshaphat, Vzziah, Io­than, Hezekiah, and the godly Iosiah, that the more zeale they had for the purging of Religion from Heathenish Idolatry, the better they prospered in outward things, according as Iere. 22.6. Ieremie said to the Sonne of IOSIAH; Did not thy Father eate, and drinke, and doe iudgement, and iustice, and then it was well with him? So we may plainely behold, and demonstrate the manifold blessings of God vpon K. Henry 8. K. Edward the 6. and blessed Q. Elizabeth. those Princes, who reformed Religion within these Kingdomes, whereas Q. Marie. shee, who looked backe to Sodome againe, re-enslauing her selfe, and her Kingdome to the Pope; liued alwayes in troubles abroad, like IS­MAEL, Gene. 16.12. Euery mans hand against her, and hers against euery man; and at home, in contempt like degenera­ting IEHORAM, 2. Chron. 21.20. not being desired. They were rich, she poore; they were famous, she forlorne; they were loued, she lothed; they were peaceable, she peeuish; they were bountifull, she bloudie; they wanne, and kept, what she spent and lost, God in truth 2. Chro. 15.2. forsaking her, who forsooke him. For as Nazianzen Nazianz. orat. 21. quae est de Athanasio. speaketh to the prayse of IOVINIAN; The Prince that giueth strength vnto Religion, receiueth from Religion strength againe.

Wherefore, now there is no reason, why Stapleton. lib. 4. cap. 10. doctri­nal. princip. & Bristow 10. Mo­tiue, & Kellison. lib. 2. cap. 4. &c. Ob. Papists should terme and call our Prince, and his people Schis­matikes, [Page 194] and Apostates, for departing from them, who depart from Christ;

Sol.Since if the Pope be Antichrist, as we before haue prooued at large, we the true members of the Catho­like Church of Christ in England, by this our depar­ture from the Romish Synagogue, doe nothing else at all, but what Scripture commandeth, Reason per­swadeth, Ancient Fathers preached, and some lear­ned Papists doe allow. The Scripture commandeth it both in the Olde, and New Testament: In the Olde both by the Law Exod. 23.32. [Thou shalt make no couenant with them (meaning the Canaanites) nor with their gods;] and by the Hos. 4.15. Prophet, saying, Though thou Israel play the Harlot; yet let not Iudah sinne: goe not vp to Gil­g [...]l, neither goe vp to Beth-auen: In the New, both by the 2. Cor. 6.14. Apostle forbidding vs to bee vnequally yoked to­gether with vnbeleeuers, and by the voyce from Hea­uen, crying, Reuel. 18 4. Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partaker of her sinnes, and that ye receiue not of her 2 plagues. For the Reason which perswadeth this de­parture 1 is twofold; first, the infection of sinne, which like a plague, spreadeth, as the Satyrist expressed it,

—
Iuuenal. Sa­tyr. 14.
dedit hanc contagio labem,
Et dabit in plures, sicut grex totus in agris
Vnius scabiem cadit, & porrigine porci,

that is,

Infection gaue this spot,
and will giue it to more,
Like one scabd sheepe corrupting all.
And one swine mesling sore,

agreeing herein with the 1. Cor. 5.6. blessed Apostle, who there­fore will haue vs to shunne bad companie, because a [Page 195] little leuen leueneth the whole lumpe. The second, the 2 infliction of like punishment vpon the like offen­ders, as the Rom. 6.23. wages of sinne is death, to bee inflicted according to this true rule of Iustice, which Bernard deliuered, Bernard. Me­ditat. cap. 4. Vna poena implicat, quos vnus amor in cri­mine ligat: the same punishment entangleth those together, whom the same loue doth binde in the same kind of sinne, as our English Prouerbe is, Like sinne, like smart. And therefore well might the An­cient Fathers, in their zeale for true puritie, both in 3 doctrine, and life, preach for this departure from he­reticall association, as (to name but two for all the rest) in the Greeke Church, Ignatius thus exhorteth the Philadelphians; Ignat. Epist. ad Philadelph. Abstaine from all those hurtfull herbes, which Christ Iesus hath not planted, but that wild beast, that reioyceth in mans bloud shed; and amongst the Latines, Hilarie Hilar. li. con­tra Auxentium. thus earnestly vrgeth against the Arrian AVXENTIVS: One thing I warne you; take heed of Antichrist: for the loue of those wals (meaning of the Church where Arrians taught) doe wickedly hold you: and yee doe wickedly yeeld reuerence to the Church of God in the houses and buildings; badly yee imbrace the name of Peace vnder the colour of these things. For euen the learned Papists themselues doe allow, yea, and vrge vnto their Pseudocatholikes a departure from Heresie, and Heretikes, as not to trouble you with the cautions of their Tolet. lib. 1. Instr. cap. 9. & Iacobus à Gra­ph [...]is. p. 1. lib. 4. cap. 18. & Azor. p. 1. lib. 8. cap. 11 cu­rious Casuists, concerning the auoyding of here­ticall companie, it is a point of purpose handled by diuers concerning the Fauourites, and Defen­ders of Heretikes, adiudged for Heretikes, as [Page 196] by Felisius in 8. p. cap. 18. Felisius, Henriq. lib. 9. n. or. theol. cap. 15. §. 4. Henriquez, Viguer. In­stit. cap. 10. §. 3. vers. 2. Viguerius, Henr. Graui­us in Annotat. super c. 20. Au­gust. lib. contra Donatistas post. Collat. Grauius, and our owne good Countrimen, Stapleton in Or. de officio Pij viri aduers. hae­reticos. Stapleton, and Bristons Mo­tiu. Antihaeretic. 23. Bri­s [...]ow, who set all those earnest, and heauie exhortati­ons, which they make for Recusancie vnto their Dis­ciples, vpon this only chiefest ground, that wee must not haue any communion with Heretikes. They grant the generall, concerning the flying from the compa­nie of Heretikes; they would lay that in particular to our charge, which we well proue vpon them, on­ly because they are in subiection vnder the Great Antichrist, from whose heauie yoke our happie de­parture is throughly iustified by those fore-alleaged places of Scripture, in the iudgement of Tertullian, Tertullian. lib. de Coron. Milit. cap. 13. Ob. who saith, that wee Christians are remooued from dwelling in that Babylon, mentioned in the Reuelation of Iohn, albeit, not as yet from the suggestion.

But ourStapleton. o­rat. quam vocat Apolog. Recenti­or. Ecclesiae. Aduersaries here would presse vs with an hard obiection, as they iudge of it, drawne from our Ancestors, and naturall Parents, liuing in times before, vnder the darknesse, and slauerie of Anti­christ, as if either we must condemne those our fore­fathers vnto Hell with Infidels, and Heretikes; or approuing them, condemne our selues.

Sol.But our Mornaeus de Eccles. cap. 10. answere to this their poore Dilemma, is such, as Cyprian, vpon this like alleadged prescrip­tion, gaue against the Aquarians; Cyprian. Epist. 63. If any of our fore-Elders, eyther ignorantly, or simply, hath not obserued, and holden this, which God himselfe hath taught vs to doe, by his owne Example and Mastership, there may be pardon granted vnto his simplicitie by Gods indulgence: but wee cannot be pardoned, who are taught and instructed of God, [Page 197] seeing our Luke 12.49 Sauiour hath giuen sentence, that the ser­uant, who knoweth his Masters will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes. For this charitable Iudge­ment we conceiue of our fore-Elders, in that we doe not single out any vnto damnation; but onely con­clude vnder these, or the very like generall, and in­definite termes: First, that they might hold sure the .1 foundation of true Religion, albeit they erred much in matters of circumstance & ceremonie, or in some not so waightie or momentanie Doctrines of faith. Secondly, that they erred more vpon ignorance,2 then obstinacie; as their great zeale in embracing and maintayning wil-worship, did euidently demon­strate. Thirdly, that at the time of their death, they 3 of their owne meere good will, for the settling of their troubled consciences in the sweet repose of the peace of God, abiured, & renounced all those proud points of puffing vp Doctrine, concerning the strength of mans free-will, and the validitie of mans merit, and the corporall presence of Christ in the Sa­crament and the helpe of other mens Suffrages after death, with other such like, onely then resting, and relying themselues vpon the sole merite of Iesus Christ: as I could instance in very many of them; but that I am eased of this labour by Illyric. Catal. test. verit. tom. 1. soll. Illyricus, first ga­thering, S. Gowlart. tom. 3. art. 4. Gowlartius well marshalling into their seue­rall Ranks and Orders, the witnesses of truth liuing and dying before the dayes of Martin Luther. Yet can I not omit the most liuely obedience o [...] these two in their times reputed for great Men: the for­mer is S. Bernard, who while he liued in the middest [Page 198] of darknesse, about the yeere Bellar. Chro­nolog. of our Lord, one thousand, one hundred, and fortie, was a principall Patron of many Superstitions, imposed to the sim­ple, vpon the pretence of meriting heauen; which carnall conceit, hee at the very point of death thus plainely confuted, when hee humbly beseeched the hearty prayers of his Brother Arnaldus: Lib. 5. de vit. S. Bernard. cap. 2. in tom. 2. Oper. Be carefull to strengthen by your prayers, me, the very heele [calca­neum,] or lowest member of the body of Christ,] voyd of all merits, that hee, who lyeth in waite, may not finde where to fasten his tooth, and to inflict a wound: the lat­ter is Doctor Fox. Marty­rolog. pag. 1238. Redman, a good man in his time, and a great Scholler, who albeit in his former dayes hee politikely tooke part with the Popish side; yet vp­on his death-bed hee freely renounced his former te­nents, concerning the Reall bodily presence, and Purgatorie, and Iustification by Works, and such other like. ‘For so strong is Truth, that although some Politikes may smother it in their life time: yet at the houre of their death, it will breake forth, either vnto comfort, vpon their true repentance, as it well appeareth in the former good examples; or else vn­to condemnation, through the torment of consci­ence, arising vpon their retchlesse resistance, made a­gainst a known truth, whose strength is such, as com­pelleth them, in spite of their proud hearts, to yeeld an assent to that veritie, which before they wilfully oppugned against their conscience, euen as we read of that proud Beast Fox. Marty­rolog. pag. 1623. Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester, who vpon his death-bed hearing Doctor Day, Bishop of Chichester, speake of free Iustification [Page 199] in the bloud of Christ our Sauiour, sayd, What, my Lord? will you open that gappe now? then farewell altogether. To me, and such others in my case, you may speake it; but open this window vnto the people, then farewell altoge­ther. Prou. 19.21. There are many deuices in a mans heart; neuer­thelesse the Counsell of the Lord, it shall stand.’ For God neuer wanted a Witnesse of his Truth; but eyther a Friend, to his owne saluation, or an Enemie, against his will, confessed the same to his owne condemna­tion, the Gospell being then, as now, and euer to some, 2. Cor. 2.16. the sauour of life vnto life: to others, the sauour of death vnto death. How our fore-Fathers stood to­wards God in these darke dayes of Antichrist, we are not to iudge peremptorily, Rom. 14.5. they standing or falling vn­to their owne Masters. But yet, if they did as truely beleeue, as they pithily penned their true confession of their faith in God the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost: if they did as heartily pray, as they power­fully prepared themselues thereunto, especially vp­on their Death-bed, according to the rules of comfort In Manuali Catholicorum edit. [...] Guil. Crashaw in 16. Ann. Dom. 1611 ascribed to Anselmus and Iohn Gerson; then surely we cannot but deeme so well of them, as Mal. 2.15. of shining lights in the middest of a crooked and per­uerse Nation, wherein they liued, as Gene. 12.14 Abraham in Ae­gypt, Gene. 19.6. LOT in Sodome, Psal. 120.5. DAVID in Meshec, the 1. Reg. 19.13 se­uen thousand in Israel, and Reuel. 7.3. the sealed Saints in the middest of the earth, from whom the Papists can haue no more allowance, then the wicked Ioh. 4.12. Samari­tanes could finde from their pretended Father Iacob: since if our fore-Fathers had seene but halfe so much of the Popish tyrannie, superstition, and abominati­ons, [Page 200] they would haue abhorred them with faire greater detestation then euer we haue: yet done, al­beit we see them as openly manifested as the Esay. 3.7. The Conclusi­on applicato­rie. sinnes of Sodome. And therefore now, it is our onely duty to supply their defect in knowledge, by a better 1 zeale in practice, for the rooting out, and expulsion of Pope and Papists, Generall to all if not out of our Country, where­in they bee inuolued as Moths: yet out of our con­ceits, as men of a most massacring minde, declared by their Powder-plot, no way to bee pittied, or ap­proued of vs, whose vtter subuersion and ruine they seeke, as the Psal. 137.6. children of Edom cryed against Hieru­salem, Downe with it, downe with it, euen to the ground. For is it not a Law, made against the worshippers of any strange god, that Deut. 13.8.9. we must not consent to them, neyther let our eyes pitie them? Is it not a practice rati­fied by DAVID, Psal. 139.21. to hate them that hate God, as if they were our enemies? And is it not the Rule of Christs Gospell, Math. 12.30. that he who is not with vs, is against vs, and he that gathereth not with Christ, scattereth? Experience doth teach vs, that as Nettles doe not sting vs, but vpon a light touch onely: so euils increase not but vpon forbearance, according to that axiome giuen by S. AMBROSE, Ambros. Ser. 8. in Psal. 119. Facilitas veniae incentiuum tribuit delinquenti; Easinesse of pardoning giueth encourage­ment to Offenders. So that, seeing it is most certaine, that Prou. 20.8. a King, (and so any other Magistrate, that ru­leth vnder him) sitting vpon the Throne of Iustice, cha­seth away all euill with his eyes, because, as he Psal. 101.8. is care­full to cut off from the Citie of God the workers of iniquitie: so the wicked, in the Prou. 28.1. guiltinesse of their [Page 201] consciences, will slye from the face of good Iustice, which, as the Prou. 25.23. Northren winde the raine, so scattereth abroad the backbiting tongue; and since, vpon the bad behauiour of these wicked wights, many good and wholsome Lawes, to restraine their pride, and represse their furie, haue beene enacted, which with­out due execution, are of no better worth, then Cic. 1. orat. Catilinari [...]. a rustie Sword in the scabberd: I cannot (most Honoura­ble,2 and Rightly Renowned) but vrge vnto your Wisdomes those words of King Iehoshaphat, Particular to the Honoura­ble Iudges and Lords then hearing. spoken to all his Officers, set ouer the people, for deciding all causes of eyther conusance, Ecclesiasticall or Ciuill; 2. Chron. 19.6 7. Take heede what yee doe; for yee iudge not for man, but for the Lord, who is with you in the iudgement: where­fore now let the feare of the Lord be vpon you, take heede, and doe it: for there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts. For your Honours are to your Soueraigne, as these were to Iehoshaphat, Iudges of State, whom these words doe warne of a double beware; first to know what yee doe, then to doe what you know. To know what 1 yee doe, by your skill in the Lawes, lest doing things at random, ye be put to reproofe, since first the cause is not for mans profite, but for Gods glory, which 1. Cor. 10.31 must be sought onely, and aboue all things, (for 1. Sam 2.30. he that honoureth mee, I will honour:) and secondly, GOD Himselfe is present at the Iudgement, to strengthen your hands, for doing whatsoeuer yee shall iudge aright, or to turne that vpon your owne heads, what yee shall put to other men wrongfully, (for Gal. 6.7. as a man soweth, so shall he reape:) And to doe [Page 202] 2 what yee know to bee right and conuenient, by the strength of your authoritie, fearing God, with whom is none iniquitie, being Habac. 1.13 a God of pure eyes; and ha­ting Couetousnesse, that openeth a gappe for respe­cting of persons, and taking of gifts to Iob. 15.32. your owne destruction; because this case with you, is such as that was of the children of Leui, Deut. 33.9. who at Massah and Meribah, and the dayes of the golden Calfe, said to his Father, and to his Mother, I haue not seene him, nor did acknowledge his Brethren, nor knew his owne Chil­dren, he obseruing Gods Word, and keeping his Couenant. For it may bee, many of you haue Parents, or Bre­thren, or Kinsfolke, polluted and peruerted by Po­perie, for whom Nature pleadeth; but Grace must 1 preuaile, since first the cause is Gods, who hath said, Math. 10.37 he that loueth father or mother, sonne or daughter, more 2 then mee, is not worthy of mee: Secondly, the end of your care in this case, is the sole preseruation of our King, and the State, which aboue all particular re­spects to your selues, you are bound to maintayne with as great zeale, as Liuius lib. 2. Brutus had to hold vp the free State of the people of Rome, when he caused his owne sonnes to bee executed for conspiracie against the same; seeing, as yee are men publike; so your care must be publike, for publike securitie, Psal. 45.6. forgetting 3 your own kinred, & fathers house. Thirdly, the persons, against whom yee are placed as Esay. 49.16. walles of defence, will not be wonne with loue, being wholly enraged with spite against vs 2. Sam. 17.8. like Be [...]res robbe [...] of their whelps; but must be repressed by rigor of Law, being euery way as presumptuous as their Pope himselfe is proud, to [Page 203] take an ell, if you giue them an inch; to enter in at the least glat to spoyle our Vines; yea, vpon the least conniuence, attempting some course for atchieuing some mischiefe, hauing Prou. 4.17. eaten the bread of wicked­nesse, and drunke the wine of violence.

It may bee,Ob. they are fauoured in respect of their Gentrie, and generous Nature.

But touching their Gentrie;Sol. as I grant it to bee a worldly priuiledge: so it cannot bee included a­mongst 1 spirituall prerogatiues; since as one August. in sentent. Prospe­ri. 301. said well, Non nascendo, sed renascendo fit iustus: A good man is made not by first birth, but by new birth. And therefore Popish Gentlemen cannot much expect a­ny fauour at your hands in this regard, since Here­sie is as odious in a good mans eyes, as Genes. 49.4. was Reubens Incest to Iaacob, who plainely denounced this sen­tence against him; thou shalt not excell. Now for their 2 generous Nature, wherein doth it appeare? In that they seeme such, as will be ruled with reason? Yea, but I wish rather, that they would bee ruled by Grace. But how are they ruled by Reason? Because they submit themselues to the penaltie of the Law. Surely, thankes be to them for nothing, since it is not for conscience sake, Rom. 13.4. as they bee mooued only, but for feare of a greater mischiefe, that may accrew vn­to them vpon their disobedience. For as Saint Augu­stine August. Epist. 50. ad Bonifac. saith well, Sicut meliores sunt, quos dirigit amor; ita multò plures sunt, quos corrigit timor; The better sort are directed by loue, but the more, and the worse must be corrected by feare.

I admit them generous, and kinde,Ob. and bounti­full, [Page 204] and what other morall vertue else, you please, to be in them.

Sol.Yet to God they are no better for all this Rom. 14.23 with­out a true faith, then Ephes. 2.10. aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel: and of you (my good Lords) they cannot bee esteemed for intire members of our bodie Poli­tike, and Ecclesiasticall, without their true confor­mitie vnto Gods true Religion established in this State, since Menander a­pud Stob. Ser. 42 one Law maketh one people, and Iam. 4.12. one God giueth one Law, to which without exception wee must 1. Pet. 2.13. all be subiect, holding all of one Head, both Mysticall Ephes. 1.23. Christ Iesus, and 1. Pet. 2.14. Politicall, our good King, if we will bee liuely branches and not rotten boughes. Yee haue well razed vp the roote of Po­perie, by casting off the triple Crowne, and casting out of their Wafer-god Now rush downe the bran­ches, that remaine, as a burden to this Realme and State, by wholesome seueritie in the due execution of Statutes, and Lawes, made against Iesuites and Seminarie Priests▪ Heresie, Schisme and all manner of Recusancie; that Cantic. 2.14. our Vine may bee voide of Foxes and our branches hold their Grapes, till the Haruest of Happinesse, when your Honors, amongst other Saints, shall reape your reward by the fauour of God, who meane-while will blesse your labours of loue for the good of his Church, and this flouri­shing Common-wealth, wi [...]h all the comforts of Grace and Peace, in Psal. 122.6.7 the Peace and Prosperitie of Zion, and Hierusalem, well cleered from all those wi­thered branches and rotten members, that hang, or depend vpon this great head Ant [...]christ, as now [Page 205] we are briefly to deliuer in the second part of this description, wherein it is said:

The third part, of all other Heretikes.

§. XXX. [EVen now there are many Antichrists, The Expositi­on of the lat­ter part, con­cerning many Antichrists, which are He­retikes. whereby wee know that it is the last time.] As the name of Christ in Scripture is taken, either particularly for the Messiah himselfe, or gene­rally for those, who are either his Types forerun­ning, as were all the Prophets, Priests and Kings li­uing vnder the Law, of all whom it is Psal. 105.15. said, Touch not mine Anointed, or Deputies following, being con­secrated to his Seruice, by the vnction of his Spirit, the Church with all the faithfull therein contained, being therefore called by the Name 1. Cor. 12.12 of Christ: so the poysonous name of Antichrist is vsed by the Holy Ghost, either particularly for the great Fox himselfe, as the Article expresseth in this Text be­fore; or generally for all his cubs together, who ei­ther forerunne him, as Types or shaddowes in the first sixe hundred yeeres after Christ, or else succeed him, as his Deputies or Lieutenants, seeking to maintaine his standing in those particular visible Churches, out of which he was eiected by the force of Gods Word, as we find the word vsed in all those places, where the name of Antichrist is put, either in the plurall number, as in my Text, or in the singular [Page 206] number, collectiuely for any one Seducer whatsoe­uer he be, as where Saint Iohn saith, Ioh. Ep. 2.7. He that is such an one, is a Seducer, and an Antichrist. For as the Types and Deputies of Christ are so called, not onely be­cause of the outward anointing, but also for the in­ward, and true ministration of the Grace of Christ vnto them, Who Coloss. 2.19 hold of the head, whereof all the bo­die furnished and knit together by ioynts, and bands, in­creaseth with the increasing of God, because they Coloss. 2.9.10. are complete in him, who is the head of all principalitie, and power, receiuing Iohn 1.16. of his fulnesse grace for grace: euen so the forerunners and followers of this wicked Beast, which is the Great Antichrist, carrie the name, and marke of their Master, not onely because of that outward opposition, which they all make against Christ by seuerall wayes; but also for that inbred communion betweene them, by which the forerun­ners prepare the way for Antichrist, through the se­cret transfusion of their Poyson into the Papall Sea, which through the strength of stomake, doth per­fectly digest it, and deliuer it to such Sectaries, as de­pending wholly vpon that See, through the vigour of their venome, with the Pharises in the Gospell, Math. 23.15. compasse Sea and Land, to make one of their profession, whom being so made, they stuffe him vp with stub­bornenesse, and line him through with all manner of lewdnesse, to make him twofold more the childe of per­dition, then themselues. So that Saint Iohn from the multitude of these men thus opposed to Christ, doth most aptly demonstrate the approch of the last times, vnder this true forme of argument: When An­tichrist [Page 207] shall come, it is the last time: But Antichrist is come; Therefore it is the last time. For the name of An­tichrist hath the same signification in both the Pre­mises, noting thereby vnto vs a bodie of Heresie, in­tirely consisting of an vnhappy head, and many bad members, forerunning or following the approch of their head, by opposing themselues against Christ Iesus, and his holy Congregation, either in faith, or manners, euen as both Augustine and Aquinas, with all the approoued Writers both of Papists, and Pro­testants whom I could yet see, or peruse, expound this place: whence now concerning Heresie,The doctrines drawne from this Text, thus expounded. The former. the ve­rie soule of Antichrist, we may learne these two most certaine Problemes: the former, that from the first comming of Christ in the flesh, vntill his last comming to Iudgement, in this last Age of the World, there shall alwayes be Heresies crept into the Church of Christ Militant here vpon Earth: The latter,The latter. that all those Heresies whatso­euer they be, shall alwayes haue some necessarie dependance vpon the Great Antichrist. The former prooued. The former point appea­reth true, first, from the Scriptures in Math. 13.30 the Parable 1 of the tares, which must grow amongst the wheate, vntill the Haruest. For God, to Rom. 9.22. shew his wrath, and to make his power knowne, suffereth with long patience, the ves­sels of wrath, prepared to destruction: secondly, from 1 the strength of a double Reason, the first of necessi­tie,2 since Heresies are (if not essentiall,) yet very proper markes of these last times, wherein all things 2. Tim. 3.13. grow worse and worse, as well in faith as in manners, the wicked deceiuing and being deceiued. For, Luke 18.8. when the sonne of man shall come, shall he find faith on the Earth? [Page 208] The question implyeth this negatiue, 2. Thes. 3.2. All men haue not faith. And Luke 17.28. as in the dayes when LOT came out of Sodome: so shall it bee in the dayes of the Sonne of man: then there were Gene. 18.32. not tenne Righteous, for whose sake the Citie might haue beene saued, as now, and hereafter there shall be scarce any, that may be thought worthy, Mat. 24.12. Charitie cooling, and Iniquitie 2 abounding. The second of vtilitie which the Apostle deliuereth, when hee saith,1. Cor. 11.19 There must be Heresies also among you, that they which are approoued, may be made manifest among you. For it must Math. 18.7. needs be, that offen­ces come; but woe to that man, by whom the offence com­meth. Because as in a Fornace the Gold is purged, but the drosse consumed: so God permitteth Here­sies alwayes in the World, that the faithfull by their tryall, may bee truely purged, when the wicked by their wilfull Apostasies shall bee knowne, as Tertul­lian Tertullian. de praescript. aduer­sus haeres. cap. 1. therefore said very well; Haereses ad hoc sunt, vt fides habendo tentationem, habeat etiam probationem; that is, Therefore are heresies, that faith by them hauing a triall, might receiue an approofe. For turne yee tho­row all the Histories Ecclesiasticall, either written by the ancient Fathers, and Orthodox Scribes the Churches Pen-men, Euseb. lib. 10 histor. Eccles. Eusebius, Sozomen. lib. 9 Sozomene, Socrates lib. 7 Socrates, Theodor. lib. 5. Theodorite, Prosper in appendice ad Chronolog. Euse. Prosper, Victor. in historia. Van­dalica. Victor, Euagrius lib. 6 Euagrius, and Alij, vt Epi­p [...]an. Schol. lib. 1 part. hist. & Ni­cephor. lib. 18. other such; or digested into Centuries for distinction of times by the Magdeburg. tom. 10. Magdeburgenses, Baron. tom. 10 Baronius, Osiand. Epito­me pa. Centur. 16 Osiander, Bisciola Epi­tome Baron. tom. 3. Bisciola, and Alij, vt Illyri­cus & Gowlart. in Catal. test. veritatis. others: yet shall yee not find the pu­rest Age of the Church, free from some one Here­sie or other, either going before that Great Anti­christ, according to that Catalogue made of them, [Page 209] with a sound Confutation by I [...]en. aduers. haer. lib. 5. Irenie, Tertull. in praescrip. aduers. haer. cap. 46. Tertullian, Epiphan. in Pan [...]rio, & Ana­cephalaeos. 1. Epiphanius, August. lib. de haer. ad Quod vult Deum to. 6. Augustine, Philastr. lib. 1. Philastrius, Theodorit. lib. 4. haeret. fabular. Theodorite, Isidor. lib. 8. Etym. cap. 5. Isidore, Nicetas lib 5. thesaur. Orth. sid. Nicetas, Harmenopul. lib. 9. tom. primi Iuris Grae [...]o R [...] ­mani. Harmenopulus, and Danaeus in August. Zeged [...]n. in tabul. &c. other such: or following after, as his dregs, or relikes, retained in the Church of Christ, by some Reformers of Ido­latrous abuses, too much deuoted to pretended An­tiquities, through the subtiltie of Satan, who will haue the Prouerbe verified, Vbi vber, ibi tuber, Fat­nesse breedeth filthinesse, as Tertullian Tertull. lib. 4. contr. Marcion. cap. 5. The vse of this doctrine: Re­proofe of Brownists. well obserued; Faciunt fauos & vespae; faciunt Ecclesias & Marcionitae; Waspes make Hony-combes, and Marcionites make As­semblies. For as we say in England, Where God hath his Church, the Deuill will haue his Chappell.

§. XXXI. Wherefore, in mine opinion, our Schismaticall Brownists ground their stiffe Aposta­sie from our Church of England vpon a very shaken, and weake foundation, when Barrow and Greenewood, in their Exami­nations, and Fran. Iohnson in his Answere to H. J. and T. C. they pretend Here­ticall corruption growing in the Church, although it bee not of the substance of the Church,Apul [...]ius lib. 4. Florid. to bee the onely cause of their departure from vs; as if that a particular visible Militant Church could bee free from all corruption. For first, why is it said, to bee Militant, but onely, because wee in it, and it by vs, Ephes. 6.1 [...]. Wrestle not against flesh and bloud, but against principa­lities, against powers, against the rulers of the darknesse of this World, against spirituall wickednesse in high pla­ces? Secondly, where shall this spirituall Combat be fought, wherein Galat. 5.17. The flesh rebelleth against the spi­rit, and the spirit against the flesh, so that wee cannot doe the things, that wee would? Out of the Church it is not, where all is flesh; neither yet in Heauen, where [Page 210] all is Spirit. It must bee therefore in the Church, as yet Militant here vpon earth, wherein the Prou. 24.16. iust man falleth (into smart because of sinne, for so the Hebrew word [ [...] of [...] cadu] doth note a relapse into a double mischiefe, Vid. Mer [...]er. Remum, & Wil­cocks in locum. first, of sinne, because of infirmi­tie, and then of punishment inflicted by GODS iudgement, for their recouerie) seuen times a d [...]y, and riseth againe. For as a Garment newly washed, will gather by vsing more filth againe, which must bee wrung out by washing continually, till the Garment be worne: so iust men fully purged by the bloud Heb. 12.21. of sprinkling, that speaketh better things then that of A­BEL, euen 1. Iohn 1.7. clensing vs from all sinne, while they liue in this World, by the weaknesse of the flesh are spotted with sin against which the bloud of Christ is alwayes effectuall, and of comfortable force, whiles they daily, and duely dippe and bathe themselues▪ soule and bodie therein, by their liuely faith, and vnfained Repentance, as Hierome Hiero [...]ym. Epist. c▪ 6. ad Ru­sticum. expounding the fore-alleaged words of Salomon, saith, Si cadat, quo­modo iustus? si iustus, quomodo cadit? Sed iusti vocabu­lum non amittit, qui per poenitentiam semper resurgit: If he fall, how is he iust? If he be iust, how doth hee fall? But hee loseth not the name of a iust man, who alwayes riseth againe by Repentance.

I know, that (as the Apostle Ephes. 5.25. & 27. saith) Christ loueth his Church, Ob. and gaue himselfe for it, that hee might present 1 it a glorious Church, not hauing spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should bee holy, and without ble­mish.

Sol.But this is spoken, not of a particular visible Con­gregation, [Page 211] set to warrefare hero on earth; but of the vniuersall Church of Christ, whose glory in this world is inward and inuisible, as the Psal. 45.13. King is glorious within. For if it bee outward, and shining in the true perfe­ction thereof, then it cannot appeare in this scanda­lizing world, wherein the Reuel. [...]0.8. Deuill rageth by the raigning of Antichrist; but in the world to come, in which the Saints now militant shall rest from their Esay 40.2. warfare then accomplished; Rom. 8.23. they enioying the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God, being 1. Iohn 3.2. then made like vnto him, and seeing him as he is.

I cannot but grant,Ob. that it is our dayly dutie 1. Cor. 5.6.7. to purge out the old leauen, that we may be made a new lumpe,2 as we are vnleauened.

But are wee now therefore without any leauen?Sol. Why must wee then purge it out? Surely, wee are said to be vnleauened two wayes; first, by the free imputation of Christs righteousnes vnto vs through faith, as therefore it is said, Rom. 8.35. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Chosen? It is God that iustifieth: Se­condly, by the true working of the holy Ghost in vs, according to the seuerall measures, and degrees of our sanctification, by which Gods Image is dayly renued in vs more and more, till wee obtaine our measure in glorification, as the Apostle 2. Cor. 3.18. expresseth it most plainely in these words; We all, with open face, beholding, as in a Glasse, the glory of the Lord, are chan­ged into the same Image, from glory to glory, euen as by the Spirit of the Lord: from the glory of Creation, to the glory of Iustification; and by this, from the glo­rie of Faith, to the glory of sight; and in this, from [Page 212] the glory of Grace, by which wee are the sonnes of God, to the glory of Glory, by which we shall bee like him. Thus Anselmus Anselm. in 2. Cor. 3.18. glosseth this place, in­timating what some Aquin. 2. [...]. q. 184. art. 20. Schoolemen, and other Danaeus p 5. Isagog. lib. 2. c. 45 & Steph. Z [...]g [...] ­d [...]n tab. de Per­fectione, & Vr­sin. Catechism. part. 3. q 114. good Diuines of late well note vnto vs, that since there is a double perfection, the one inchoatiua, begun in this life, called, perfectio viae; the other, consummata, fini­shed in heauen, partly after our naturall death, in the soule alone; but fully in the whole man, at the last Resurrection, termed perfectio vitae; that being, as Naturalist [...] Aristot lib. 3. Physic. cap. 6. speake, Actus in potentiâ; A perfection in motion, to a further degree; this Actus in actu, or actus purus; A perfection absolute, wherein the motion endeth, by attayning to it proper forme, and settled rest; we, who are Christians militant heere on earth, against the Flesh, the World, and the Deuill, are onely perfect inchoatiuè, as men beginning to goe in the way, like Gene. 17.1. Abraham, commanded to walke before God, and bee perfect, that Math. 5.48. we may be perfect, as our Father which is in heauen is perfect, vntill our perfection of life bee consummate in blessednesse eternall. For as August. hom. 34. ex 50. ho [...]l. Au­gustine saith well, Omnes imperfecti sumus; ibi perfi­ciemur, vbi persecta sunt omnia: Wee are all here vnper­fect, there shall we be perfected, where all things are per­fect: because, when 1. Cor. 13.8. that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part, shall be done away. Wherefore by this their proud assertion, what else doe these phantasticall Brownists declare themselues to be, but the viperous brood of the ancient Perfectists? such as were the Epiphan. haer. 52. Adamians, August. contr. Calestrum. Caelestians, Cyprian Ep. 52 Nouatians, and other Hilar. in E­pist. ad August. Catharits, against whom the Orthodox Fa­thers [Page 113] of the Church, assembled by the Imperiall au­thoritie, in the Councell at Mileuis, Concil. Mile­ [...]itan. can. [...]. pronounced the Anathema, a deadly curse, because by this their o­pinion of perfection absolute, they plainely contra­dict, and oppose themselues to the Apostle Saint Iohn, auouching, that 1. Iohn 1.8. if we say we haue no sinne, we deceiue our selues, and there is no truth in vs. For marke they well, and be they ashamed, to heare what Great Con­stantine replied to Acesius a Nouatian Bishop, much glorying in his owne personall, together with his fellow-Schismatikes perfection, Erige tibi scalam, & solus in coelum ascende: Reare vp a Ladder for thy selfe, and climbe vp into heauen alone: for thereby heed did not commend him, saith Sozomen. lib. 4. cap. 21. Sozomene, but notifie to all men, that they, while they liue in this transitorie world, should not imagine themselues to be [ [...]] void of all sinne. But as Salomon Prou. 30.13. hath obserued the miserie of all times, There is a Generation that are pure in their owne eyes, and yet it is not washed from their fil­thinesse. These idle heads cry out against our Church, Corruptions, Corruptions, and yet they themselues Psal. 50.16. still hate to be reformed: hauing a 2. Tim. 3.5. shew of godlinesse but yet denying the power thereof, as may appeare; first,1 by their blasphemous Tho. White his discouerie of Brownists corruption. tenent concerning the good­nesse of God, and other attributes, which they doe not hold to bee the same with the Nature of God, quite against Damascen. lib. 1. Orthod. fidei, cap. 5. & Aquin. part. 1. summae, q. 3. art. 3. that axiome touching Gods Simplici­tie, Quicquid est in Deo, Deus est: Whatsoeuer is in God, is God: and secondly, by their vilely confused anar­chie, wherein they liue, euery man as a King in his owne conceit, superciliously iudging other men in 2 [Page 214] those things, wherein themselues most offend; as, in Malice, Pride, Adulteries, and Incests, besides many petty Crimes winked at by their seuere Cato­nian, Master Pastor, and his Mechanicke Elders, if we may beleeue the constant reports of their George Iohn­son and others returned from them. owne Sectaries, detecting both their weaknesse of iudge­ment, and wickednesse of life, to their owne true shame, but to our good instruction, who there-hence may perceiue, that all is not gold which glistereth; Amsterdam is not heauen, and their sanctified Par­lour no such sacred Cell, as Brownists pretend, being no better then Math. 23.27. whited tombes, and painted sepulchers: faire without, but within very filthy. And there­fore vpon the due and true consideration of all these mischiefes, it much concerneth vs all, to follow the aduice of the Preacher, saying, Eccles. 7.16. Be not righteous ouer-much, neither make thy selfe [...]uer-wise; why shouldest thou destroy thy selfe? It is good (saith Apud Laua­teran locum. PLINIE) to till the ground well, but to bestow vpon it more cost then needs, may prooue great losse. Extremities are dange­rous; Ouid. 2. Met. Medio tutissimus ibis; The meane is the safest: for therfore in the Law of God are we so oftentimes forbidden Deut. 5.32. to turne eyther to the right hand, or to the left: because the Deuill closely layeth for vs his net vpon both sides: at the right hand lyeth Heresie, at the left hand Iniquitie, to entangle vs, if wee wan­der at any times from faith or righteousnesse. But Prou. 15.25. the way of Life is aboue to the wise, that hee may de­part from hell beneath.

Prosper. Epi­gram. 17.
Hos inter laqueos currentem ad gaudia vitae,
Non capiet mundus, cui via Christus erit:

That is,

[Page 215]
The world shall not catch that man,
Who runnes amongst these wicked ginnes,
To ioyes of life, if that his way
In Christ, his life he well beginnes.

§. XXXII.The latter do­ctrine proued. Now concerning the latter pro­bleme of Heresie, that all these heresies whatsoeuer they be, shall alwayes haue necessarie dependance vpon the Great Antichrist, it is most certaine; since first, the en­trance 1 of Antichrist into the Church, is by a mysterie of iniquitie which (as the 2. Thes. 2.7. Apostle saith) began then to worke, euen then in his time, by tyrants, and sedu­cers (saith Aquinas lect. 2. in 2. Thes. 2. THOMAS AQVINAS:) these, by false doct­rine, making an highway thereunto in the iudgement of Sedul. Hiber­nicus in 2. Thes. 2. Sedulius; as those, by outward persecutions shew themselues to be the types and figures of Antichrist: Secondly, the efficacie of the Great Antichrist, is one­ly 2 in heresie, which Antichrist sucketh from the poy­soning Dugges of whoorish Impostures, as the Diogen. apud Erasm. in Chili­ad. pag. 165. As­pis is said to draw [...]: & applicat Tertullian. lib. 3. in Marcionem, cap. 8. poyson from the Viper, that in him may be fulfilled what was Ezech. 16.15 said of Hierusalem; Thou diddest trust in thine owne beautie, and playedst the harlot, because of thy renowne; and powredst out thy fornications on euery one that passed by: his it was. Thirdly, the first abolishing of Antichrist, howsoeuer it be begun 2. Thes. 2.8. by the Spirit of Gods mouth, through the Preaching of 3 Gods word: yet shall not bee fully and wholly per­fected, till Christ come to Iudgement; and therefore, as by the obseruation of their Thyraeus cap. 52. de demonia­cis. Exorcists, the deuill dispossessed, and cast out of their Penitents, leaueth alwayes behinde him a filthy stinke, to annoy the [Page 216] beholders of so worthy a worke, then knowne to be finished by that sweete signe: euen so this Great An­tichrist disturbed out of a Christian Kingdome, by the preaching of the Gospell (an act Heb. 4.12. & 1. Iohn 3.8. & Act. 19.15. more power­full for destroying the workes of the deuill, then all Popish exorcismes) leaueth alwayes behinde him some rotten smell of some filthy abomination, which either openly is published by his sworne slaues and seruants, or secretly preserued by some of his Opposites, onely in appearance, being indeede his speciall fauourites, as the Autor Oper. imperfect. in Mathaeum, ho­mil. 49. Author of the imper­fect worke vpon Matthew, inserted into Chrysostome, mystically interpreteth, The abomination of desolation standing in the Holy place; to be all such wicked heresies, as preuaile in the Church, and stand vp in the Holy place, as if it were the Word of truth, when yet it is not the Word of truth, but the abomination of desolation, that is, the armie of Antichrist, which hath made the Soules of many men desolate from God: part of which Armie furiously marcheth like Iehu 2. Reg. 9.20 the sonne of Nimshi before in the Vaunt-gard; part of it slowly following, like the gathering Numb. 2.31 hoste of the Tribe of Dan, behinde in the Rereward. For since heresie to a Christian, is as the Iosh. 23.13. Canaanites were to Israel, Scourges to their sides, and Thornes to their eyes; Thornes in wounding the eye of their vnderstanding, by 2. Thes. 2.11. beleeuing lies through strong delusion; and Scourges, in piercing their sides, that is, their wils and affections, by their peruerse choyce, and stiffe defence of false opinions, accor­ding as the Aretius prob. loco 46 & Zege­din. tab. 1. de hae­res. & Tolet. lib. 4. Instit. cap. 3. & Azorius, tom. 1. Instit. lib. 8. cap. 9 learned define of heresie out of Saint August. lib. contra Manich. vt & apud Grat. cau. 26. q. 3. can. 31. Augustine, that it is a voluntarie error of the vnder­standing, [Page 217] whereby as the wicked frowardly chuse; so they stiffely maintaine an opinion, which is contrarie to some substantiall point, or doctrine of the Christian faith; Wee cannot but include all heretikes whatsoeuer, within the Sphere of Antichrist, yea euen holding their one­ly proper motion vnder his truely Ecclipticke line, at all his great points of Distinction in motion; as first of his Rising; secondly, of his Height; third­ly, of his Setting or Fall from our Hemisphere. His 1 Rising was within the space of sixe hundred yeeres after Christ, in which time there did fore-run him, as harbingers, most necessary to prepare him a way in the world, Heresies of sundry sorts, to the number of an hundred, eight and twentie, by the strict ac­count which Philastr. de haer. Philastrius made of them, which seue­rally Zegedin. & Danaeus, vbi supra. infused some poysonous point or other, to patch vp the monstrous bulke of great Antichrist; as some haue taught him to tye the true Church of Christ to one place onely, as the August. Ep. 50 Donatists; some to buy the places of honour and charge in the Church with money, and to pester it with Traditions, as that Tertullian. ca. 46. de praescript. aduers. haeres. & Epiphan. haer. 21. wicked Simon Magus, and his associates: some to let it out to hire vnto single men onely, were they neuer so sensuall, as Epiph. haer. 42 Marcionites, Jdem haer. 47 Encratites, Jdem haer. 66 Manichees, and August. cap. 87. de haeres. Abelonians: some to ouer-burden the zealous followers of the true Church discipline, with many Heathenish, Iewish, and most vnprofita­ble and idle Ceremonies: as first, of Vnction, (the Irenaeus lib. 1. aduers. haer. c. 18. Valentinians:) secondly, of Images, (the idem ibid. cap. 24. Carpocra­tians:) thirdly, of Reliques, (the superstitious Epiph. haer. 53 Samp­saei:) fourthly, of Crosses, washings, yelping in singing, [Page 218] Anticke gestures in ministring, vsing diuers Gar­ments from other men, and hypocritically walking bare-foote, [the Iren. vbi supr. Valentinians, Epiph. haer. 17 Haemerobaptists, Eusebius lib. 7. histor. c. 24. Sa­mosatenus, Theodorit. lib. 4. haeretic. sabul. Meletians, August. lib. de haer. cap. 68. Nudipedales:] others, who seeme more reasonable, although they were onely naturall men, taught him a Doctrine of magnifying mans free-will, onely to puffe vp his fellowes with a vaine conceit of their proper worth, as the August. de haeres. cap. 88. Pelagi­ans; yea, some came so neere him, as they instructed him to open his mouth in blasphemie against Christ, either by a plaine deniall of Christs Person, as he is God, (for Ʋid. supra §. 12. &c. so the Arrians taught Liberius and Foelix) and as he is Man, (for so the Monothelites suggested to Honorius;) or by a secret supplantation of him out of his Office: first, as hee is a Prophet by the new Gospell which the Epiphan. haer. 26. Gnosticks first inuented, and Balaeus Cen­tur. 4. cap. 21. appendic. 2. the Minorites afterward thought to haue brought in, if the Vniuersitie of Paris had not stood in the gap: secondly, as hee is a Priest, by the inuocation of Saints, and the Deifying of the Virgin Mary, brought into the Church by Nicephor. lib. 15. cap. 28. Petrus Gnaphaeus, and the idle Epiph. nar. 79 Collyridians: thirdly, he is a King, ruling his Church with his Spirit and his Word, against which the Epiphan. haer. 48. & Pappus in Epitome de hae­res. saec. 2. Montanists pretended a spirit of comfort, that pro­ued to be but a collusion, raised vp by the Deuill, for the after-inspiring of this Antichrist, now conceited of himselfe, that Bellar. lib. 4. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 3. he cannot erre, especially in cathe­drâ, if he sit in his Chaire, like the Diodor. lib. 16 Bibliothec. old Witch at Del­phos on her three-footed Stoole.

To conclude this point of his first rising, as it was Ambros. Epi. 31. & Prudent. lib. 2. contra Sym­machum. obserued of the ancient Rome, that when after [Page 219] their Victories they settled the Prouinces, their course was to make this exchange, that the conque­red should admit of the Romane Lawes, and the Ro­manes embraced the Religion of the conquered: by which meanes Rome became the very Epitome or a­bridgment of all abomination, that raigned in the World: euen so wee may well finde in reading the Histories of the Church, that the suppressing of the former Heretikes by the authoritie, and learning, especially, of the Primitiue Bishops of Rome (most of them till Gregorie, for the space of sixe hundred yeeres after Christ, being Orthodoxe Fathers in re­gard of faith, howsoeuer too too ambitious in their manner of life,) was the only speciall helpe, and meanes for the speedier growth, and rising of Anti­christ, who put downe their names, but tooke to him their nature; extinguished the Heretike, but ad­uanced the Heresie so farre, as it made any way for his best aduantage. For marke him in his height 2 from Bonifacius the Third, for the space of nine hun­dred yeeres together, vntill Leo the Tenth, and see, if vpon any Legant Ponti­ficij aut Mornae­um de Myster. I­niquitatis, aut Osiandri Cen­turias. controuersie of faith arising in the Church, and discussed in a Councell, the Truth it selfe was not most commonly, either adiudged for Heresie, or filthily mingled with many idle matters belonging nothing thereunto. Their Councels were most commonly but Conuenticles of Coozeners; theirs Canons then enacted but as Lesbian rules, ap­pliable only to the Popes owne pleasure, who not content with the ouer-worne Blasphemies of the ancient Heretikes, hath stamped out a great deale of [Page 220] new matter falsly coyned, from his owne brest and braine, as if time would serue, I could easily demon­strate, by a bagfull of base Mettall, wherewith their Canon Law, their Missall, their Breuiarie, their Officium Mariae, their Iesus Psalter, their Manuell, their Coun­cell, and Catechismes of Trent and Rome, and other their Libels set out with Iussu Pij Quinti, & Gre­gor. 13. Popes priuiledge, to the shame of Christianitie are wholly stuffed. But why should we rake vp a stinking kennell? we haue ope­ned to the World enough before, concerning his Heresie, euen out of these Monuments.

Ouid. 1. Fasto.
Octo pedis frustra quaeruntur brachia Cancri;
Praeceps occiduas ille subibit aquas:

said the Poet of the setting of Cancer vpon the third of Ianuarie, being neere the beginning of the olde Romane yeere, as wee may in like sort speake of this crabbed Antichrist, who going backward through Apostasie, setteth forward by his fall into hellish 3 Damnation. For the arch of his eleuation hath not beene so large aboue our Hemisphere these last hun­dred yeeres almost (Gods Name therefore be pray­sed,) as it was in times before: now it is shortned by his Cosmicall setting, through the rising of the Sunne of Righteousnesse vpon this Westerne Reformed halfe-side of the Christian World, in which yet this Antichrist hath left behind him some thicke, and grosse mists of diuers deepe Errours, as yet to bee tossed vp, and tumbled out of our Skies, by the nee­rer ascent of our bright Sunne to our Verticall. I cannot denie what all the World knoweth, heartily [Page 221] Iudg. 5.16. grieuing at the Diuisions of Reuben. I would 1. Pet. 4.8. in charitie couer those spots, wherewith some haue be­smeared the face of their Assemblies, in all other points so farre as I can finde by their seuerall Vide & Har­mon. Confess. per Belgas & Cor­pus Confess. per Gasp. Laurentiū. Con­fessions, right truely Orthodoxall. But alas, they are too openly discouered by L. Osiander sil. in 2. part. En­chirid. Contro­uersiarum, & Eckardis in suo Compendio con­trouersicum Cal­umianis. some, who take paines to put Matth. 19.6. those asunder whom God would haue to ioyne Ephes. 4.2. together in vnitie against the Great Antichrist, that daily getteth ground vpon our dissentions. And therefore I must needs tell out, what I finde in my poore iudgement, to bee the base Relikes of Anti­christian and Popish Opinions, as yet maintained by some particular Teachers in some Reformed Chur­ches, onely to giue warning of a Snake in the grasse; of a Act. 28.3. Viper in the bundle of stickes, which commeth sorth of the heate, that is, flyeth the tryall of the inlightning Spirit, and fasteneth vpon PAVLS hand, that is, maketh seyzure vpon the doctrine (which Saint Paul taught;) euen to puffe vp and kill those vpon whom it settleth, if they doe not quickly shake it off into the fire, in which vpon 1. Cor. 3.13. tryall it will quickly burne.

The first Relike is, that Vid. Hatte­rum in explic. lib. de Concordiâ art. 7. & 8. Consubstantiation, together 1 with his necessarie adherent Vbiquitie, both wholly depending vpon that grosse Iohn 6.52. Capernaite, Concil. Late­ran. 4. sub inno­cent. 3. cap. 1. Lateran, Concil. Trid. sess. 13. can. 1. Popish conceit of the Reall presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

The second is, that Monster Vid. Hanni­um in cap. 6. Ioh. & Hemingium de Vniuersali gratia, Sueca. Arminium, &c. of vniuersall Ele­ction,2 Redemption, and Vocation, together with those their Consequents, the vncertaintie of Saluation, and de­niall of Perseuerance vnto the Saints, all flowing from that Stobaeus lib. 2 Eclogarum cap. 7 Heathenish, August de hae­res. cap. 88 Pelagian, Concil. Tri­dent. sess. 6. can. 5 Popish maintay­ning [Page 222] of Free-will to good in man corrupted.

3 The third, and last, but not the least to endanger the Church in regard of her Gouernment, is that Ʋid. Bezam de Presbyter. & Excomminat. & explicat. Ecclesi­ast. Discipl. per Trauers. High and transcendent Consistorian authoritie of Pastor with Lay Elders, aspiring to a Primacie aboue Kings and Princes, vnder the plausible pretence of perfect Reformation, but indeed with the proud mind of the Spartan Plutarch. in Agide, & Cleom. Ephori, who to keepe one King in compasse, reared vp aboue him fiue Thrones farre higher, and of greater Soueraigntie, as these Bullinger, & Gwa ther haec scribunt apud D. Bancrofts disco­uerie, cap. 35. delu­ded Disciplinarians, in purposing to pull one downe, set vp many Popes. So cunningly can the Deuill play the Serpent Plin. lib. 8. nat. histor. cap. 30. Amphisbena, in going forward at both ends at once: and so like Aelian. de hi­stor. animalium lib. 6. cap. 14. to the Hyena is wicked Heresie, that whom it catcheth by the counterfeite voyce of a reasonable man, it first doth infatuate, and lull them asleepe by the soft touch of a sopiferous hand, and smooth discourse, but afterward deuou­reth with a cruel tooth, as the wise King said, Prou. 16.29. A vio­lent man enticeth his Neighbour, and leadeth him into the way that is not good; and as the blessed Ephes. 4.14. Apostle noteth the trickes of Heretikes, that by slight, and cunning craftinesse, they lye in waite to deceiue the sim­ple.

Ob.But it may bee, some will aske, why such bad o­pinions, and so vilely erroneous doctrines, and pra­ctices are suffered or maintained amongst men liuing in Reformed Churches?

Sol.To whom I answere first, that Math. 18.7. offences must needs 1 come, howbeit woe to that man, by whom they come: se­condly, 2 that the true Church of Christ is exercised [Page 223] by these faults, which although some doe stiffely maintaine vpon their owne priuate motion, to their owne destruction: yet are cast out of the Church of Christ, by her faithfull Pastors teaching, and her god­ly Princes fighting for the Truth of Christ Iesus. So that such Heresies & Schismes as arise in our Chur­ches like Math. 13.32. Tares in the field, are defended by none, but by such, as 2. Tim. 3.13. waxe worse and worse, deceiuing, and being deceiued, as appeareth, either by their secret col­luding vnder colourable tearmes of a true meaning, craftily deuised for escaping of due punishment (so was it with Arminius in declarat. senten­tiae, & Apologia. Arminius Ʋorstius in Oratione, & Res­ponsione ad arti­culos Angliae. Vorstius, and others) or by their open and shamelesse reuolting to Papists, as Schioppius, Iustus Caluinus, Walsingham, and others, or to Anabaptists, as Smith, or to Brownists, as Iohnson, or to the Anti-Trinitarians, as Laelius Socinus, or to the most abominable Sect of Familists, as Dauid George, Henry Nichols, and some such Phantastikes in Eng­land, and the Low Countries, against all which Vipe­rous Generation, and Deuillish Brood of Hellish Heretikes, Our Churches pronounce 1. Cor. 16.20 a Maran-atha, and our Soueraigne Princes, according to their seue­rall Estates of Gouernment vnder God in Christ Iesus, are carefull to execute the sentence of death, thereby Deut. 13.5. to purge out all euill from Israel, and to root out the Relikes of the Great Antichrist out of their Kingdomes. For what should be done else to meete with these mischiefes?

§. XXXIII. Surely,The vse of the latter doctrine what meanes God Him­selfe vsed against the Head, the same must bee taken in hand, by good Men of God, to cut off the Taile; [Page 224] I meane, that against such Heretikes and Schisma­tikes, they must put in vse the double Sword, Spiri­tuall and Temporall; that, for the Ministerie, this, 1 for the Magistracie.To Ministers. For, that Ministers must fight with the Sword of the Spirit, Ephes. 6.16. which is the Word of God, against these enemies, the Apostle doth war­rantize, by this his prescription, directed to Titus, who Tit. 1.6.9. must ordaine in euery Citie of Creete, where he left him, such Elders, or Bishops, as hold fast the faith­full Word, as they haue beene taught, that they may be able by sound doctrine, both to exhort, and to conuince the Gayne-sayers. For, as when Math. 2.14. Christ, with Ioseph and Marie, flying from HEROD, went downe into Aegypt, Euseb. lib. 6. de Demonstr. E­uangelicâ, ca. 20. the Images there trembled; and when the Gospell began to bee preached by the Apostles, the Oracles there Vid. Z [...]hue­rum, Adag. sacr. Centur. 5. Adag. 63. ceased, according to that Prophecie of the burden of Aegypt, Esay 19.1. Behold the Lord rideth vpon a swist cloud, and shall come into Aegypt; and the Idols of Ae­gypt shall be moued at his presence, and the heart of Aegypt shall melt in the middest of it, &c. So when Christ shall speake by the preaching of the Gospell, for refor­mation of Religion, then Antichrist shall feare, and Heresies will flye away, (as Iohn 3.23. they, who doe euill, hate the light) to the great encouragement of all Gods seruants, who because the Euangelicall and Apostolike faith ouerthroweth all Heresies, therefore are alwayes to be most mindfull to keepe that rule, saith Leo primus, Epist. [...]6. cap. 1. Leo to Anatolius. For to the Esay 8.20. Law, and to the Testimonie, if they speake not according vnto this word, it is, because there is no light in them: since this Word is a 2. Pet. 1.18. light, that shineth in a darke place, vntill the day dawne, and the Day-starre arise [Page 225] in our hearts. But it may be, this Word, howsoeuer it be Rom. 1.16. the power of God vnto saluation in them that be­leeue; yet cannot, through the iudgement of harden­ing, winne the Heretike, although it most euidently conuinceth the Heresie: and therefore the Tempo­rall 2 Sword must bee drawne out by the Magistrate onely, Rom. 13.4. who beareth not the Sword for nought. To the Magi­strate. For Prou. 20.26. a wise King scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheele ouer them: because it is a Law, that Deut. 17.12. the man that will doe presumptuously, and will not harken vnto the Priest [that standeth to minister there before the Lord thy God,] or vnto the Iudge, euen that man shall dye, and thou shalt put away the euill from Israel. For lo, a dou­ble rule, fit for all Gouernours to obserue for their quietnesse against all such disturbances: the former 1 from Tertullian. lib. contra Gno­stices, cap. 21. TERTVLLIAN, Duritia vincenda est, non sua­denda; Stubbornenesse must by force bee ouercome, and not be perswaded by any fayre meanes. The latter from 2 Bernard. BERNARD, Melius est vt pereat vnus, quàm vnitas; It is better that one perish, then that the vnitie should bee dissolued. Princes are here to deale as Chyrurgions doe with ripened vlcers; launce the sinners, to let out sinne, if not from the Offendor, who it may be is in­corrigible, yet from the ouer-lookers, and standers by, who by that meanes may feare, as Cyprian Cyprian. Ser. de lapsis. said, Plectuntur quidam, quò caeteri corrigantur; Exempla sunt omnium, tormenta paucorum: that is, Some are punished, that others may bee restrained: for all may take example, although some onely smart. To the people of God. Therefore if Christian 3 Princes, by that true Authoritie which they receiue from God, shall seuerely punish either pernitious [Page 226] Heretikes, or obstinate Schismatikes, according to their due deserts, either with Death, or Exile, or Pro­scription, or Imprisonment, or depriuation from Benefice, or by any other course, which by Law is prescribed; wee (my deare Brethren) must not grudge or murmure thereat, as the Numb. 16.41 Israelites did vp­on the iust destruction of rebellious Corah, and his company, lest, as they were, so we may bee plagued with some Iudgement for our rash discontent­ment, which if it proceede of pitty, is folly; since they pitty not themselues: but if from a settled af­fection of good liking towards those wicked Imps, then it is a part-taking, which is as obnoxious to pu­nishment, as the sinne was of the principall Offen­dors, seeing, as the rule of 3. Henr. 7.10 Law runneth, in high Treason (such as Heresie is to God-ward) there is no Accessorie. When Prou. [...]9.16. the wicked are multiplied, transgres­sion increaseth; but the righteous shall see their fall. Sure­ly, wee true Subiects vnto His Soueraigne Maiestie, within these His seuerall Kingdomes and Domini­ons,Three dueties. are most entirely bound and obliged to a three­fold dutie; First, of Gratulation: Secondly, of Sup­plication: And thirdly, of Obedience.

1. Of gratulationOf Gratulation, or most heartie thanksgiuing vnto our great and best God, that hath so thorowly inflamed the good heart of our most Gracious So­ueraigne Lord, King IAMES, with so godly a zeale, for the iust defence of the True, Ancient, Catholike, and Apostolike faith, that we may as truely report of His most Sacred Maiestie, as Euseb. in orat. de laudibus Constantini. Eusebius did of Con­stantine the Great, that whereas he alone is impugned by [Page 227] all false gods, he alone of all Princes may most deseruedly be reputed the sonne of the true God, who said by his Prophet, 1. Sam. 2.30. Them that honour mee, I will honour; and them that despise me, shall be lightly esteemed.

Of Supplication,2. Of Supplica­tion. or most humble and dayly Prai­er, that God in his great mercy, towards vs his poore people, would most firmely corroborate and streng­then the Arme of His most puissant Maiestie against all enemies whatsoeuer, for the timely destruction of the wicked of the Land, that he may with Psal. 101.10. holy Dauid, cut off all wicked doers from the City of the Lord. For, saith Salomon, Prou. 25.5.6 Take away the drosse from the siluer, and there shall come foorth a vessell for the Finer: take away the wicked from before the King, and his Throne shall be established with righteousnesse: because, as Lampridius Aelius Lam­pridius in Alex­andro Seuero. deliuereth of the Common-wealth, it is safer if the Prince be euill, rather then that his friends be euill. For he is but one, and may bee reclaymed by good aduice, whereas they are but as so many Waspes or Vipers, that not onely may hurt the head, but infect the whole body. And therefore Apud Euripi­dem in Scirone. one said well, That it was a good duty to punish badde liuers; for that, as Apud Stobae­um Ser. 44. Isaeus thought, thereby is prohibited all iniurie from others.

Of Obedience, and due obseruance of that most wholsome counsell which S. Paul Rom. 16.17. gaue the Romanes, 3. Of Obedience saying, Marke them which cause diuisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned, and auoyd them. For that marking, [ [...]] sheweth sharpe­nesse of wit; this auoyding, [ [...]] prooueth vprightnesse of will: and both of them most be­hoofefull in dispatch of these duties, seeing Heresie [Page 228] lyeth secret like Snakes in greene grasse, very hardly to be discerned by bleared eyes, or dull pates: and Heretikes are craftie, like their Master the Deuill, able to seduce and withdraw the most constant from their settled true course, if they doe not beware. 1 First, therfore, as the Foxes Plutarch. de solertia animaliū of Thrace, by Plutarchs report, doe not runne or passe ouer any Ice, whereof that Countrey hath plenty in Winter, before they haue layd their eares thereunto, to finde either the water vnderneath running, or the bottome soundly frozen: so we in this wary wisedome of Foxes, as of Math. 10.16. Serpents, are not to imbrace any doctrine deli­uered vnto vs by any man whosoeuer, before wee haue well tryed the soundnesse thereof, both in mat­ter and forme, whether it be 1. Cor. 3.13. as Gold, Siluer, and precious Stone; or, as Timber, Hay, and Stubble. For the Ioh 32.3. eare tryeth words, as the mouth tasteth meate. Se­condly, 2 as by sensuall memory the Beast will shunne the pit, into which he hath either formerly [...]alne to his hurt, or is likely to fall in by the very like danger: so we, men by reason, and Christians by grace, must carefully eschew those whom we haue found Here­tikes, or any way resembling them, and that, euen both in conceit and company; as S. Iohn Ioh. Ep. 2.10 gaue counsell, saying, If there come any vnto you, and bring not this doctrine, receiue him not into your house, neither bid him God speede. First, bid him not God speede, by a­ny inward approbation, either of his learning, or of 1 his life: of his learning; for, Quid me melior, si non iu­stior? said Plutarch. in Apop [...]thegmatis Lacoricis. Agesilaus of the King of Persia? What is he better then I, if he be not more iust then I am? And so [Page 229] may wee enquire of any mans learning, let him bee neuer so great a Doctor, what is he better learned then another man, if hee be not more orthodox? He surely, in my iudgement, is the best Scholler, that is first Esay 54.13. & 6. Iohn 45. [...], taught of God, and then 1. Tim. 3.2. [...], apt to teach other, what himselfe had well learned, as there­fore the Apostles, although Act. 4.13. [...], vnlettered men; yet were better seene in all Luke 21.15. true learning, then any of the Iewish Rabbines: and so was Epiphan. haer. 64. Methodius before Origen, Malchion Euseb. lib. 7. histor. Eccle. c. 23 the Priest before the Bishoppe Paulus Samosatenus, onely for that they held and maintayned what God taught them out of the holy Scriptures.

For as there Origen. homil. 3. in Leuiticum. was no Gold either put in, or be­stowed vpon the Tabernacle, which was not weighed with the shekell of the Sanctuarie: so no kind of Learning is fit to build vp the Church of Christ, but that which being weighed in the ballance of Gods Word, is found to be Orthodoxe, by true agreement with the proportion of Faith, since 1. Cor. 8.2. Knowledge puffeth vp, and Act. 26.25. much Learning will make a man mad, if it be not found in the words of truth and sobernesse; as therefore Iustine Martyr Iustin. Mar­tyr in Exhortat. ad Gentes. accoun­ted those to be the Teachers of our Religion, who taught vs not according to their owne humane opinion, but only from the gift giuen vnto them from aboue by God: Of 2 his life; for Heretikes cannot bee honest men, be­cause they haue forsaken the ground of Honestie, which is Truth, as Gregory said Gregor. lib. 18. moral. cap. 2. well; Profectò ab aequitate discrepat, quicquid à veritate discordat: Truely that doth disagree from equitie, which differeth from ve­ritie. [Page 230] Beware, saith Math. 7.16. our Sauiour, of the rauening Wolues in the Sheepes clothing. And therefore, second­ly, [receiue him not into your house] for any priuate conuersement at all, lest, when hee is warmely set­led, he fill the house with Heresie, as Aesops Aesop de ru­stica & serpente. Snake is said to doe with hissing, and so prooue no better then the base Iudg. 17.8. & 18.6. Leuite did to rich Micah, first, a flat­tering Seducer, and then a false Traytour, as I feare me, many Noble, and Worshipfull Houses in Eng­land find by wofull experience in their too kind, and bountifull entertainment of Iesuites, or Seminarie Priests; of Schismatikes, or other Sectaries. For as the Greeke Poet Theognis. said well,

[...]
[...],

that is,

Thou shalt learne good things from the best;
With bad thy soule to death is prest.

Haue Ephes. 5.11. then no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse, but rather reprooue them. For your wits by the Scriptures are directed to discerne them; and your wils by Gods Spirit are preserued to auoide them; Reade Scriptures; aske Grace; know them; keepe this; and although the imminent dangers bee great by the approch of the last time, and raigning of most vile Men, Antichrist and Heretikes: yet shall it neuer equalize, or match the great benefit of most comfortable Deliuerances, procurable to you two wayes; first, in respect of Antichrist, and his fol­lowers, by their plaine discouerie vpon their Aposta­sie; [Page 231] secondly, in regard of our good estate, who shall know all things necessarie for our Saluation, by the most soueraigne Vnction, the working of the Holy Ghost, as it now remaineth to bee declared from the words following in the two next Verses of my Text.

But the handling of the Remnant as behoofefull to bee spoken of, as what hath beene said,The Conclusi­on of all, re­capitulating the chiefe head or points before deliue­red. because through present plentie I could not attempt, I leaue to be performed, either by some other more perfect Scribe, or else by my selfe, if by Gods prouidence at any time hereafter I shall bee called againe vnto this High, and fearefull Place: now in the meane time most humbly beseeching your Honours further pa­tience for the briefe recognizing in these few Propo­sitiōs, what now you haue heard spoken rudely, but yet truely, in trigono per tetragonum (as Geometrici­ans talke) in a triplicitie of Quaternions, first, concer­ning the end of the World; secondly, touching that Great Antichrist; thirdly, of the deduction and con­tinuall propagation of Heresie from that Antichrist. Concerning the end of the World, wee deliuered these foure things: First, that the World shall end,Partis primae Propositio 1. and that by fire, although we know not, how it shall 1 end so: Secondly, that it shall end quickly, since all 2 the signes are almost fully complete: Thirdly, that 3 therefore we must bee sober, both in opinion, espe­cially, concerning the time of the last Day; and in life, by well getting, and right vsing of these world­ly goods: Fourthly, that together with this sobrie­tie,4 we must be most watchfull in the settled course [Page 232] of an holy life.2. Partis Touching that Great Antichrist, you Propositio 1 haue heard; First, what is Antichrist, defined by his causes, efficient, materiall, formall, and finall, only as they are expressed in seuerall Texts of holy Scrip­ture: Propositio 2 Secondly, Who this Antichrist is, euen the Bishop, or Pope of Rome, as wee prooued, both largely, and 1 truely, First, by a true demonstration drawne from 2 the former causal definition of Antichrist, in all points sitted vnto the Pope, and then by a cloud of Witnes­ses, not only prophesying, as the Ancient Fathers did, but also pronouncing, that the Pope was that An­tichrist, as the Iury of the Kings, Bishops, and 3 Monkes gaue open Verdict: Thirdly, in what cap­tiuitie and slauery, all Papists especially in England, are implunged by their Prison, their Irons, their Dyet, their Iaylors, by all which they are become 4 neither true Christians, nor good subiects: Fourth­ly, that the libertie, which wee the faithfull of Eng­land enioy, by the free vse of the double Sword, Spi­rituall, and Temporall, is so great in all due respects both inward and outward, that none of vs should any way either pittie them in heart, or helpe them in action, whiles they continue so stubborne and peruerse,3. Partis as we dayly find them. Of the deduction, and continuall propagation of Heresie from that Propositio 1 Antichrist, it was declared, First, that Heresie must continue in the World, from the first, vntill the se­cond Propositio 2 Comming of Christ: Secondly, that therefore the Separatist Brownist hath no ground at all for his Propositio 3 wicked Schisme from vs: Thirdly, that all Heresies whatsoeuer, depend vpon that Great Antichrist, ei­ther [Page 233] in his rising, or at his height, or in his declining: Fourthly, that therefore they are all to be cut off by Propositio 4 the right vse, both of Spirituall, and Temporall Sword; vnder one Christ, by one King, commanding that, and handling this, for the onely true good, both of Church and Common-wealth, to the glory of God.

Lord, we beseech thee, make haste to an end,Oratio conclu­siua. that thou mayst abolish Antichrist for thy Churches full deliuerance, and the perfect restoring of all thy crea­tures vnto the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God, through our onely Lord and blessed Sauiour, Iesus Christ, to whom one only wise, powerfull and mercifull God with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory now and for euermore. Amen.

AMEN, Lord Iesu; come quickly: AMEN.
FINIS.
THE TRIAL OF GVIDES, …

THE TRIAL OF GVIDES, By the touchstone of teachers, JESVS CHRIST: In a Sermon, Preached vpon the fourth SVNDAY after TRINITIE: By THOMAS THOMSON, Bachelor in Diuinitie.

ROM. 2.21.

Thou which teachest another, teachest thou not thy selfe?

AMBROS. lib. de dignit. Sacerd. cap. 6.

Ipsum magis credunt homines esse laudabile, quicquid Episcopus habuerit delectabile: Men beleeue that thing to bee more praise-worthie, what a Bishop reputeth delightfull.

LONDON Printed by William Stansby, for RICHARD MEIGHEN, and are to be sold at his Shop at Saint Clements Church, ouer-against Essex House, and at Westminster Hall. 1618.

TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER In God, RICHARD, by Gods most gracious prouidence, Lord Bishop of Saint Asaph, mine Honourable Patrone, and Diocessan, Grace, Mercie and Peace, from God our Father, and from our Lord and Sauiour, Iesus CHRIST.

HOw necessarie it is (my Honourable good Lord) for a true Christian Congregation, to haue set ouer them a fit man of God, who by his learned tongue may minister a word in due season to the wearie, and by his good example of life, guide the wandring and wilfull Sinners, vpon their true Repentance, into the way of Peace, I neede not demon­strate, since daily experience hath well approoued, that where no Prophesie is, the people perish: or (as some [Page] Pagnine & Arias Monta­nus in 29. Pr. 18 well learned men interpret the Originall) the people are idle, spending the Lords Day, and other good times, vain­ly, if not villanously in idle sports of fleshly lusts, which fight against the soule, like the olde Gentiles, carryed vn­to dumbe Idols, euen as they were led. For like people, like priests: they must needs bee lost sheepe, when their Shepheards, in the times before, caused them to erre, and goe astray, by turning them away vpon the Moun­taines, either to wander like Math. 12.44. the dispossessed restlesse spirit, from the Church, or if they come neere it, to wor­ship what they know not.

But albeit the murdering and the lying Deuill, in his oldworne hatred against mans soule, seeketh still to de­uoure, and darken all vision and knowledge of God, by the stoppage or hinderance of the seasonable settling of powerfull Preachers of Gods most holy Word amongst Gods people, euen Zach. 3.2. as Satan stood at Ioshuah his right hand, to resist him from building the Temple: yet God in his mercy so visiteth his holy Ones, that they at their need shall not want a Scribe well taught vnto the Kingdome of God, for perfecting the Saints, for the worke of the Ministerie, and for the edifying of the bodie of Christ: Because that some, either planting PAVL, or watering APOLLOS, shall be sent from God, into the World, as into the Vineyard, at euerie houre, till the end of the day.

For haue there not beforetimes for the space of these sixteene hundred yeeres together, many Prophets and Righteous men appeared in the World? May not wee find by the delightfull perusall of the Stories Ecclesiasticall, how good men were appointed from God, either by an ex­traordinarie [Page] calling to reforme things amisse, or in ordi­narie function to preserue things well settled? Surely if this present Generation wil harken, neither to the piping, nor to the mourning of their play-fellowes in the streets, that is, Hieron. Hi­lar. & Aquin. in Matth. 11. if so they will not attend either to the Gospell, or to the Law, that comforting, this correcting in the preaching thereof; then are they cleane without excuse; then must they expect from the mightie hand of God, most iust and seuere punishment for their so wilfull a Re­bellion, and resistance of Christs raigning ouer them.

Indeed the Haruest is great, but the Labourers are few, if we regard who are fit for these things. Yet, since one of a thousand may, by casting out the draw-net, gather very many of euery kinde, as PETER wanne two thousand at once; and since of those many, but a few may be chosen, as all the bidden guests had not on a wedding garment; the Church may haue choice enough of faithfull Pastors, if she seeke them [...]h [...]re they may bee found in Naioth or Mount Ephraim, in our blessed Vni­uersities, where the abundance of God [...] Spirit most com­fortably appeareth in the multitude of Prophets, and the profitable variety of refined conceits in Prophets Childrē; some excelling in doctrine, others in exhortation; this man in the gift of tongues, that man in discussing of doubts; one in sweetnesse, another in soundnesse, and euery one in some degree indued with such graces, as may iustly giue occasion to any carefull Christian, of doubt and distracti­on in making a good choice of such a fit man of God, as may faithfully dispose the secrets of God. Yea, and fur­ther, as some may presently, vpon the touch of the coale from the Altar, in the zeale of Gods glory, say with the [Page] Prophet, Here am I, send mee: so other may offer their seruice vnseasonably, being either young Schollers, rather puffed vp in pride, then furnished with fit learning, or an ouer-worne Seniour superanited from paines, and soaked so in ease, that he cannot well endure the watchfull labours of a faithfull Pastour, or lastly, a Wolfe in a Sheepes clo­thing, who in his Colledge, might be like a young Serpent, not hardened in s [...]ing and harmelesse, onely by the most wholsome restraint of Collegiate discipline: but com­ming abroad, may appeare in his likenesse, eyther of a po­litike-Popish Time-seruer, or of a peeuish-pepusian distur­ber of the Churches peace.

And therefore the holy Ghost had good cause and great reason to lay downe plainely in sundry places of sacred Scriptures, the readiest meanes, and truest marks of Tea­chers and Guides; those for finding, these for tryall; and both together for our direction, who are first to search, that we may finde; and then to try what we haue found, whether he be a seeing or a blinde Guide; a Shepheard, or a Wolfe. For we must try all things, and not beleeue, till we haue tryed the spirits that are come into the world; see­ing, as SALOMON Prou. 14.15. obserued, The simple beleeueth euery word; but the prudent man looketh well to his goings; as did good IEHOSHAPHAT, in hearing AHABS prophets, and the noble Beraeans, in trying by the Scriptures the words of Saint PAV [...].

A Christian dutie so absolutely necessary, that I, the least and meanest of all Christs seruants, being called by Gods prouidence, at the godly appointment of your good Lordship, signified vnto me by my most faithfull friend M. THOMAS KYFFIN, your Lordships Chapleine, to [Page] preach at Welch-poole before your Lordship, vpon the next Sabbath after your Lordships Visitation there holden before, could not thinke of any other better subiect, then of this spirituall tryall, which the Church thought fittest to bee taught to Gods people at that time, by this Text of Scripture, which I then expounded, being a part of the Gospell appointed to be read in the Church that day. For I thanke God for his mercy, those my poore labours were by his onely blessing so well accepted, first, by your good Lord­ship; secondly, by my learned and most religious brethren of the Ministerie; and lastly, by all Gods people then hea­ring mee, that vpon the earnest request of diuers godly Christians for the sight of my notes, I haue (I feare, too boldly) enterprised to publish them vnto the world, some­what enlarged in forme more then in matter, as the iudici­ous then hearing, but now reading, will beare me witnesse.

Treasure hidden, and sealed fountaines are vn­profitable, said Apud Epi­phanium lib. de ponder. & mensuris. PHILADELPHVS, exhorting the Iewes to turne the Scriptures into other Languages: and NERO Sueton. in Neron. could apologize his presumptuous piping, by the Greeke Prouerbe, There is no respect of secret Mu­sicke. For a candle must not be put vnder a bushell, neither should the talent be hid: Horat. lib. 4. Od. 9. Paulùm sepultae di­stat inertiae celata virtus.

Onely now my feare is in the disproportion of my poore gift, no manner of way worthy to be offered to your good Lordship, whose dignitie requireth the liueliode of a lear­ned tongue, for the true expressement of that due thanke­fulnesse, wherunto I stand for euer obliged, by the strength and sweetnesse of your Lordships great fauours, both gene­rally declared by your Lordships good proofe of my poore [Page] endeuours, and particularly demonstrated by your good Lordships late beneficence, collating most freely vpon mee, a further good meanes for my greater encouragement in liberall studies, and the better maintayning of my comfor­table charge. For vnthankfulnesse is a great sinne, and the least suspition thereof is a great griefe to a true honest man, who will not be like a Cullinder, letting all slip tho­row, reseruing nought for thankfulnesse, which is a bind­ing vertue vnto three good duties: Aquin. 22. q. 18. act. 2. in c. first, of acknowledge­ment for the receite; secondly, of readinesse in giuing of thanks; and thirdly, of recompence by an honest requitall according to his abilitie.

Yet since, as SENECA Lib. 5. de Be­neficijs cap. 5. well determined, it is no shame for inferiours to bee ouer-matched by their superiours in the entercourse of beneficence; here is my comfort, that your good Lordship, according to that great measure of Gods Image in you, will accept my willing minde, according to that I haue. For in the offering of Purification, the poore womans Pigeons were as well accepted, as the fat Lambs of the rich: in casting into the treasurie, the Widdowes mite was more commended, then the rich mens great and superfluous gifts: and in respect of good vse, or enioying of worldly riches, a little that a righteous man hath, is better then the riches of many wicked.

I yet lessen no mans gifts; in the conscience of mine owne weaknesse, much fearing the successe of this my bold enterprise, in offering this small token of my bounden duty vnto your good Lordship, to whom this my seruice most properly belongeth, in regard not onely of the first preach­ing thereof before your Lordship, in the time of your Lord­ships [Page] most godly Visitation of Priests and people in your Lordships Diocesse; but also of that true, right, and most liuely patterne of a good Guide and a faithfull Shepheard, which by Gods grace your Lordship most constantly exhi­biteth in the sight of all the world, formaliter & effecti­uè, as our Schoolemen say; formaliter, in your owne Person, by the full performance of all those Episcopall ver­tues, which S. PAVL prescribed vnto his sonne TIMO­THIE; and effectiuè, in ordayning and inducting other fit Guides, whose brests haue in them Vrim and Thum­mim, light and perfection, great learning and good life, vnto Pastorall places within the large precincts of your Lordships Diocesse.

Vox beatitudinis tuae in toto orbe pertonuit, & cunctis Christi Ecclesijs laetantibus, diaboli venena siluêre, saidTom. 1. Ep. 71. HIEROME to THEOPHILVS: a Pres­byter to a Bishop, in that hearty congratulation of his god­ly zeale for the building of the Church of Christ, where­in I am bold to present vnto your good Lordships Patro­nage This Triall of Guides, vsed by your Lordship for the example of others, to the good of the Church. Vouch­safe then, my good Lord, for Christ his sake, a fauourable acceptance of this my small endeuour, till God by his grace, through your good Lordships great encouragement, enable me vnto higher and better things; seeing in solemne de­uotion I professe before God in Christ, with GREGORIE NAZIANZEN, Orat. 8. [...], not onely to looke to mine owne Commoditie, but also to the Profit of others, ouer whom by your good Lordship I am appointed, through the mercy of God, a Watchman, and a Shepheard, to ouer-see and feede, not preaching my selfe, [Page] but Iesus Christ the Lord, and my selfe their seruant for Iesus sake. For as all other Ministers of Christ are, Nazian. ibid. so [...], I am onely an Instrument of God, an Instrument by his onely grace, indued with reason, yea, an Instrument fitted, and striken vpon by the most excel­lent Artist, the Spirit of God.

And therefore I conclude this my poore Dedication of this small Worke, with a double Commendam to the Guidance of this most gracious Gouernour, first, of you Lordships Person, Family, and most comfortable Posteri­tie, saying withall the Louers of your Righteousnesse, Psal. 35.27. Let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperitie of his Seruant; and secondly, of all vs your Lorships Clergie, and all our painefull labours, with the words of MOSES, Psal. 90.17. Let the beautie of the LORD our God be vpon vs, and establish thou the workes of our hands, vpon vs; yea, the works of our hands, establish thou it: for of him and through him, and to him are all things: to whom be glory for euer. AMEN.

Mountgomerie, March, 10.
Your good Lordships euer most
bounden to all duties in
Iesus Christ:
THO. THOMPSON.

THE TRYAL OF GVIDES.
THE TEXT.

LVKE 6.

39. And hee spake a Parable vnto them: Can the blinde leade the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch?

40. The Disciple is not aboue his Master: but euerie one that is perfect, shall be as his Master.

WHat Salomon said of a rightly, wise man, doth most truely be­fit our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ: Prou. 16.23. The heart of the wise teacheth his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips. For who is in heart wiser, then Wisdom Prou 8.12. dwel­ling with Prudence, and finding out Knowledge of wittie Inuentions? or who can adde more Learning to his lips, then Christ, who himselfe is the Math. 13.52 Scribe well instructed vnto the Kingdome of Hea­uen, [Page 2] like the good Housholder, bringing forth out of his Treasure things New, and olde: Olde in the Letter, New in the Spirit; Olde by the Law, New by the Gospell; Olde according to the plaine way of tea­ching; New by Parables in an vncouth manner, that thereby hee might fulfill what was foretold by the Prophet, saying, Psal. 78.2. I will open my mouth in a Parable: I will vtter darke sayings of olde. For after that hee had plainely taught them many things of the Morall Law after a plaine manner, hee turneth his stile vnto an higher pitch, or way of teaching, consisting in Pa­rables, as it was a very familiar vse by Saint Hieronym. in 18. Math. HIEROMES report, to all the Syrians, and especially to them of Pale­stina, to annexe Parables vnto their speech, that what could not bee holden by the Hearers vnder a simple phrase of speech, might bee kept by them in memorie through si­militude and examples. For what is a Parable, but (as it is defined by Clement. A­lexand. lib. 6. Strom. CLEMENT ALEXANDRINVS) [...]. a speech shewing effectually by other wordes things spoken properly, or to vse Saint Hiecronym. Com. in 4. Marci. Hieromes words, Rerum natu­râ dissimilium ad aliquam similitudinem facta compara­tio: A comparison of things dislike in nature made vnto some similitude? and that either in deeds or wordes; in deeds, which are Types, as the Heb. 9.9. Tabernacle was a [...]. Type of future things; and ABRAHAM Heb. 11.19. receiued ISAAC from the dead [...]. in a Figure, either of Christ ri­sing againe (so saith Master Caluin apud Marlaor. in Heb. 11. CALVIN) or of Christ dying in his Manhood, as the Ram was sacrificed; and li­uing in his Godhead, as ISAAC was deliuered (saith Aq [...]in. Lect. 4. cap. 11. Ep. ad Heb. Aquinas:) in words, which expresse vnto vs a Simi­litude, either openly and plainely, and so it is called [Page 3] [...] a Sentence, a Prouerbe, or a Parable, such as were those Prou. 25.1. Parables of SALOMON, which the men of HE­ZEKIAH, King of Iudah copied out; or obscurely and darkely, and so it is tearmed in that holy Tongue [...] (of the roote [...] hee spake obscurely) an Aenigma, a Riddle, or a darke Speech, such as Samson Iudg. 14.12. proposed to his Companions; such as the 1. Reg. 10.1. Queene of Sheba demanded of Salomon, and such as our blessed Saui­our most eloquently redoubleth, here in my Text, vnder most elegant Tropes and Schemes, That the people about him, and his Disciples might the bet­ter beleeue what before he had spoken. For I cannot thinke with Maldonat. in Luc. Maldonatus, Tossan. in Lu­can. Tossanus, and others, that Saint Luke doth [...], or confusedly heape vp to­gether this maine multitude of morall Precepts without connexion, or order vsed by Saint Matthew, in the fifth, sixth, and seuenth Chapters of his Go­spell: because GODS Spirit, by which Saint Luke wrote, is no authour 1. Cor. 14.33 of confusion, and this speech of our Sauiour registred by Saint Luke, is another from that which Saint Matthew recorded, this being spo­ken in the plaine, that on the Mount; this contay­ning many matters, which are there wanting, as some things are there which are not here. For whereas we find many of the same things written in both, yea and spoken to the same end; yet are they not the same speech, since a [...]. good tale may bee twice told, and for the hearers it is a Philip. 3.1. sure thing, our blessed Sa­uiour by repeating those Doctrines, intimating vnto vs the necessary vse of them all in an holy life. A­gaine, I cannot with Theophilact. in Luc. Theophilact, Iansen. har­moniae Euangel. cap. 43. Iansenius and o­thers, [Page 4] referre these words to that prohibition of rash iudgement set downe in the 37. Verse: for then the speech should bee interrupted and broken by the putting in, betweene that prohibition and the reason thereof, a precept concerning almes in the 38. Verse. And therefore rather then to make such raw cohe­rences and knittings of our Sauiours words, I pre­ferre the wittie iudgement of Aquin. in Ca­tená sup. Luc. 6. Aquinas, and Caietan. in Comment sup. Luc. Caie­tane, followed by Writers not only Popish, as Sella in 6 Luc. Stella, Tolet. ibid. Tolet, and Coster. postill. in Dominic. 1. post Pentecost. Costerus, but also some of the Reformed Churches, as Piscat. in 6. Luc. Piscator, and Zepper. postil­la in Dominic. 4. post. Trinit. Zepper; all who say ioyntly, that this my Text, and all the wordes fol­lowing haue no coherence with any one speciall point of the former words, in particular, but with all the whole speech together, wherof these words with others following to the 46. Vers. make vp the 3. part of this Oration, called by our curious Cic. lib. 2. de Inuent. & Io. Tho. Freigius in Analy in Cic. ora. Rhetoricians, Contentio, the troublesome part, wherein wee labour to answere and satisfie all obiections. For hee that can see but dimmely, as he who Marke 8.26. saw men walke like trees, may in reading of this Chapter, easily find out foure seuerall parts of this holy Sermon, as first, an Exordium or Preface consisting of blessings, to the good, and woes to the bad from 20. to 27. Verse. Se­condly, a Proposition of many morall precepts, toge­ther with their seuerall Confirmations interlaced, to this 39. Verse. Thirdly, a Confutation of sundry obiections, which the vnbeleeuing hearts might set out against the former truths, vnto the 46. Verse. Fourthly, a Conclusion, exhorting them to obedience, from the 46. Verse, to the end of this Chapter. So [Page 5] that you see how these words are to bee referred to all the precedent Discourse, for the better strengthe­ning thereof, by preuenting this secret obiection, which the Hearers in their hearts might imagine a­gainst the former instructions, vnder these or the like words: ‘[Thou teachest farre otherwise,Ob. then doe the Scribes and Pharises, who sit in MOSES his Chaire; how then can we, who haue left all to follow thee, beleeue thy sayings, and so be thy Disciples?]’

For our Sauiour answereth by two seuerall Para­bles or Prouerbs, the one concluding, that they must not follow the Scribes and Pharises, who are but blinde guides without true knowledge, vnlesse they will fall into the pit of errour, and destruction: the other inferring, that since he himselfe is the only true Master, aboue whom none liue, they must fashion themselues vnto his perfection, that therein they may, as neere as they can, bee like vnto him. And thus, (Right Reuerend, Right Worshipfull, and most dearely beloued Men, Fathers, and Brethren in our most blessed Sauiour) yee haue plainely pointed out to your quicke view, and godly considerations, the scope and summe of all the seuerall matters herein comprized, which being deliuered in two excellent Similitudes, the one from a Guide, the other from a Master, may for our better memorie and edificati­on, bee referred to those practicall vses of Canonicall Scriptures, which the blessed 2. Tim. 3.16. Apostle most proper­ly tearmeth, [...], a Correction, and [...], an Instruction. For first, here is deliuered a double Cor­rection: [Page 6] the former of presumptuous teachers [can the blinde lead the blinde?] the latter, of besotted hea­rers, [shall they not both fall into the ditch?] secondly, vnto it is adioyned an instruction, first to humilitie, [the Disciple is not aboue his master:] secondly, to con­formitie in Christian perfection, [Euery one that is perfect, shall be as his Master.] Or, take it more plain­ly thus in these foure points, two bad, two good: First, Proud teachers, blind leading the blinde. Secondly, Silly and simple hearers, falling with their Leaders into the ditch. Thirdly, humble seruants, acknowledg­ing their Master to bee aboue them. Fourthly, Profes­sors conformable by obedience to their Masters perfe­ction. And of all these in their order.

The first part.§. II. For the first point, touching the presumptu­ous Teacher, a question is propounded [can the blinde lead the blinde?] intimating the negatiue, that he can­not leade the blinde; and therefore his presumption here openly bewrayeth, first, his weaknes, secondly, his wickednesse. His weaknesse is his blindnesse; his wickednesse is his attempting to lead the blinde. His blindnesse is not bodily, for such a blinde man may see God well enough in his soule, by the eye of his faith, as blinde BARTIMAEVS Mark. 10.48 saw Christ passing by: but it is in his minde, so darkned by the 2. Cor. 4.4. god of this world, that the light of the Gospell cannot shine vnto them; and so much dulled by fleshly pleasures, that Ephes. 4.18. through ignorance they are senselesse, albeit selfeloue perswadeth them, that they see, to their owne confu­sion, as our Sauiour told them plainely, saying, Iohn 9.41. If yee were blinde, yee should not haue sinne; but now yee say, [Page 7] We see; therefore your sinne remayneth. For their igno­rance was not purae negationis, (as the Aquin. 1.2. q. 76. art. 2. & Azorius 1. lib. 1. cap. 11. Schoole­men speake) of such things, as they neyther could know, nor should know: (for such an ignorance, as it is hurtlesse; so it may bee holy, in S. Augustines iudgement, when he saith, August. in Psal. 6. Nos quod nescire nos vo­luit Dominus, libenter nesciamus; What God would not haue vs know, let vs willingly not know:) but it was an ignorance prauae dispositionis, of such things as by dutie they were bound to know, and might, if they had would, haue knowne to their owne good, being yet altogether ignorant, not onely [...], of sin­gular and particular things, whereof there are ma­ny, which all men need not know, but also [...], saith the Aristot. lib. 3. Ethic. Nicom. cap. 1. Philosopher, of generall things, or vniuersall truthes, which no man should be ignorant of; it be­ing ignorantia non facti solùm, sed etiam iuris, (as Vid. Scotum, Bonauenturum, Holcot, Biel, & Durandum in lib. 2. s. dist. 22. q. 2. & 3. Schooles, and Ʋid. Digest. lib. 22. tit. 6. l. 1. & 9. & Cod lib. 1. tit. 18. l. 2. & 7 Lawyers make the distinction) not ignorance onely of the deed, but also of the law, which (as the Apud Bonifac. 8. in 6. lib. 5. tit. de regul. iuris, reg. 13. Rule is) doth not excuse, especially since it is not in these Pharises, crassa ignorantia; grosse ignorance, through negligence: but, affectata ignorantia: affe­tated ignorance vpon proud insolencie, through the height of which, they disdaine to learne what they doe not know, as our Iohn 5.40. Sauiour said of them; Yee will not come to me, that ye might haue life. So ignorant are they, so blinde, and so weake: and yet as wicked, as weake, as appeareth by their proud vndertaking to lead the blind. For whither doe they lead them? To Math. 23.13. hell, as themselues are the children thereof. And by what way doe they lead them? By the by-paths of [Page 8] Heresie, and the high-waies of Hypocrisie, Math. 23.24. strai­ning at a Gnat, and swallowing a Camell. And how doe they leade them? Surely by delusions, and do­ctrines of doting, such as rather puffe vp, then pull downe pride, (for 1. Cor. 8.1. ibid. Sedul. Hi­bernic. Primas. & Aquin. knowledge puffeth vp, especially proceeding from their owne sense and braine) yea such as make them stumble the more, being to poore ig­norant people, as Leuit. 19.14. curses to the deafe, and stumbling blocks before the blinde, which they cast out without all feare of God, or remorse of conscience, notwith­standing God hath precisely forbidden it with this high sanction, or hallowing thereof [I am the Lord.] For (as that Autor Autor. Ser. ad fr [...]n cremo apud August. tom. 10. Ser. 38. of those Sermons ad fratres in eremo, (I wish he had bene correspondent in other points) doth well expound it) then ye curse the deafe, when ye know not through ignorance how to giue coun­sell; then ye lay a stumbling blocke before the blinde, when ye declare false things for true.

Wherefore now since our blessed Sauiour Iesus Christ condemneth the Pharises and Scribes in Israel, of weakenesse and wickednesse, in that being igno­rant themselues, they presumptuously vndertake to direct others more ignorant then they are in the way of truth:The doctrine of the first part We for our instruction may hence ga­ther, that no man must take on him the office of a Teacher and an instructer, who is not indued with some measure of learning, vnlesse he would be to his owne shame accoun­ted a bold intruder; like those false Prophets, in whose 1. Reg. 22.23 mouthes the Lord had put a lying spirit for AHABS de­struction; like Nehem. 6.12 SHEMAIAH the sonne of DELAIAH, who was hired by TOBIAH and SANBALLAT to pro­phecie [Page 9] a lye, only to put NEHEMIAH in feare; like the seuen sonnes of SCEVA, who Act. 19.15. proudly tooke vpon them, without all authoritie, to call ouer them which had euill spirits, in the name of the Lord Iesus: or lastly, like those presumptuous proud spirits, which 1. Tim. 1.7. desire to be teachers of the Law, vnderstanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirme. For no man (sayeth the Heb. 5.4. Apostle) taketh this honour vnto himselfe, but he that is called of God, as was AARON; called I say, not out­wardly only 1. Tim. 4.14. by the laying on of the hands of the Presby­terie, but inwardly also by the speciall indowment of spiri­tuall grace, Ephes. 4 7. giuen to euery one of vs according to the mea­sure of the gift of Christ; as indeed a Iohn 3.27. man can receiue nothing, except it be giuen him from heauen, vnlesse he will rashly incurre those reprehensions which the Holy Ghost most iustly made against the false pro­phets, first, by Esay, Esa. 42.19.20 Who is blinde, but my seruant? or deafe as my messenger, that I sent? who is blinde, as he that is perfit, and blinde as the Lords seruant? seeing many things, but thou obseruedst not; opening the eare, but he heareth not. Secondly, by Ieremy, Ierem. 14.14 The pro­phets prophecie lies in my Name: I sent them not, neither haue I commanded them, neither spake vnto them: they prophecie vnto you a false vision, and diuination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. Thirdly, by Zacharie, Zach. 11.17. Woe to the Idoll shepheard, that leaueth the flocke; the sword shalbe vpon his arme, and vpon his right eye: his arme shall be cleane dryed vp, and his right eye shal be vtterly darkened. For marke, what an excellent construction that Nazianzen. or. 1. quae Apolo­geti [...]. great Diuine Gregory Nazian­zene made to himselfe of these and such like commi­nations, [Page 10] when he said, (his words are weightie,) The Pharises reproched, and the Scribes reprooued doe very much feare me, whom since it behooueth vs farre to surpasse in vertue, as we are charged, if we desire the king­dome of heauen; it is a great shame, if so be that we be found worse then they; that thereupon we are iustly tear­med Serpents, and generation of Vipers, and blind guides, straining at a Gnat, and swallowing vp a Camell, Tombes inwardly filthie, although outwardly faire; Platters pure in shew, and all other such like which they both are, and are named. In these thoughts I am exercised dayes and nights. These things melt my marrow, and consume my flesh, and neither will they suffer me to be bold, or goe with my face looking vpward. These things humble my soule, contract my minde, and put a bond vpon my tongue, and make my thoughts not runne vpon preferment, nor vpon the cor­recting and gouerning of others, which is a matter of ve­ry great businesse, but how I may flee the wrath to come, and purge my selfe a little from the rust of sinne. For it be­commeth vs first to be purged our selues, and then to purge others; to be wise our selues, and then to instruct others: to be made light our selues, and then to enlighten others; to come neere to God, and then to draw on others: to be ho­lie our selues, and then to hallow others; to leade with our hands; to counsaile them with wisedome. Heare also how Barnard accordeth thereunto vpon the very same consideration, saying, Bernard. S [...]r. de conuers. ad Clericos. cap. 30. It is a very great and wonderfull thing to be a Minister of Christ, and a disposer of the secrets of God: the order of peace-makers is farre aboue you, vnlesse peraduenture the degrees before decla­red being altogether omitted, it is your pleasures to leape [Page 11] vp rather then to ascend. Yet I would to God, that whoso­euer so entreth, if it were possible, might minister so faith­fully, as confidently he thrusteth himselfe in. But hard, per­aduenture, and almost impossible it is, that from the bitter roote of Ambition, should proceed the sweet fruit of Charitie.

For vse then of this point two sorts of people may take this,The Vse. as a iust checke vnto them for their boldnesse of intruding themselues into Gods Har­uest: First, the Popish Masse-Priests, Secondly, the Pr [...]ting-Precise Vpstarts of our time; both which (I feare mee) fulfill that iudgement vpon this good Land, that Esay foretold, should come vpon Iudah by her neighbouring enemies, Aegypt and Assur, saying, that Esay 7.18.19 the Lord shall hisse for the Flye that is in the vttermost parts of the Riuers of Aegypt, and for the Bee, that is in the Land of Assyria; and they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate Vallies, and in the holes of the Rockes, and vpon all thornes, and vpon all bushes. For Pt [...]lom. Geo­gr. lib. 7. c. 16. tab. 4. Asiae. Aegypt and Assur, that vpon the South-West, and this vpon the North-East, did not so much molest poore Iudah, with corporall conflicts, as the Popish Priests, and peeuish Precisians disturbe the peace of our Hierusalem; those, as the Flyes of Ae­gypt issuing from Rome, and Spaine, vpon the South­side; these, as the humming and singing Bees of As­sur, swarming out of the East-parts vnto vs, resting themselues in the most secret retyring places of Ci­ties and Countrie amongst thornes and bushes, that is, poore seduced people, who if they repent not, Heb. 6.8. are neere vnto cursing, and whose end is to bee burned. [Page 12] For obserue the fit resemblance of those, with Flyes of Aegypt, and of these with the Bees of Ashur. 1 Those are like the Aegyptian Flyes, First, origine: in the of-spring. Against Popish Priests. For as the Flyes of Aegypt rise Herodot. lib. 2. & Diodor. Si­cul. lib. 3. cap. 3. out of the slime deeply settled in fennie places, by the ouer­flowing of Nilus: so come our Popish Masse-lings out of the slimie pit of the ouerflowing Antichrist, as Reuel. 9.2. the Locusts came out of the smoke, that arose from the pit. 2 Secondly, motu: in motion, and agilitie. For as Plin. lib. 7. cap. 2. the Flyes skip here and there, and seldome settle them­selues, but on raw sores: so these Theeues range e­uery where, yet seldome or neuer make any long a­bode, but only, in the houses 2. Tim. 3.6. of silly women laden with sinnes, and led away with diuers lusts, or of simple men, who are ruled by their Wiues, either to winke at such guests, or to giue them solemne entertainment, Reue. 13.16. hauing receiued from them the mark of the Beast. Third­ly, 3 leuitate: in lightnesse of substance. For as those Flyes are of no weight, or substance: so these hollow Fathers are altogether void of grace and good lear­ning, verifying that saying of olde BONIFACIVS, Hedio lib. 8. cap. 9. & Gow­la [...]t. tom. 1. Ca­talog. lib. 8. pag. 640. Before-times there were but woodden Cups, yet golden Priests; but now it is otherwise, golden Cups, and woodden Priests. For to examine what learning their Iesuites haue, we need goe no further then to the report Watsons Quodlibet. q. 3. art. 6. of their Secular Priests, and the Sorbonists Apud Anti­cott [...]n. of Paris, who vtterly condemne their dictate diuinitie, and their teaching of other learning only by Epitomes, to the vtter neglect of the Originall Authors: and for the skill of our Secular Priests, howsoeuer blundring Brislow mo­tiue 31. & ibid. D. Fulke. Bri­slow boasteth, and braggeth of their sufficiencie: yet [Page 13] cannot I see vpon what grounds such brags are built, since so many as I could yet see of their New-cut Shauelings, such as Bishop, Breereley, Walsingham, &c. are, but old Fooles in new Coates, flourishing anew those ouer-worne arguments, which Harding, Allen, Stapleton, Sanders and Dorman, with other such mon­strous 2. Sam. 21.22 sonnes of Harephah, deuillishly deuised a­gainst holy DAVID, I meane, Christ Iesus, whose strong men, by their Masters most gracious assistance, put all such vncircumcised Philistims to flight. So that now, albeit their great god Beelzebub send daily out these Flyes, as thicke as dust: yet, abige muscas puer, said Cic. lib. 2. de Orat. he in Tully, a small flap will cause them all verie quickly, eyther flye or dye, as appeareth by priuate Conferences, and publike Colloquies had by sun­dry of our Diuines with their Priests and Iesuites at Vid. Osiandr. p. 2. Centur. 16. lib. 4. ad Ann. 1600. Baden, Ratispone, and other places. For the words Eccles. 10.12 of a wise mans mouth are gracious: but the lips of a Foole will swallow vp himselfe. But leaue wee these awhile in their Winter-holes. The other sort of noysome 2 Vermine, are fitly resembled to the Assyrian Bee in two respects: First, of sound. Secondly, of sting.Against our pra [...]ing Preci­sians. Of sound: For as Bees, especially Droanes, fill all eares with humming, wheresoeuer they flye: so these men perceiuing, that 1. Cor. 9.15. a necessitie is laid vpon Christs Ministers to preach the Gospell, turne preaching into prating, loding their Hearers with an hideous sound of witlesse words, tending to no purpose. For first, following their owne humour, they flee their Text, shooting as farre off it, as Laert. in Dio­gene. Diogenes his Ar­chers did from their marke: Secondly, all their [Page 14] course of edifying is to pull downe by thundering threatnings of the Law, what they should seeke to reare vp by the comforts of the Gospell Thirdly the matter of their discourses, if any wiseman will spend time to displume them, will bee certainely found, but either the feathers of other Fowles like Aesop. fab. & Horat. lib. 1. Ep. 3. Aesops Iay, or else like Plutarch. in Apophtheg. La­conicis. the Laconians Nightinga [...] vn­feathered. Nil nisi vox; an huge heape o [...] words, but no matter at all; that wee may well vse against these Hornets those good words of the Preacher, Eccles. 10.11 Surely, the Serpent wi [...]l bite without inchantment, and a Babbler is no better. For, secondly, see their sting, which as the Bee carrieth in her tayle: so these alwayes put forth in the last act of their Interlude, wherein wee shall find vpon good search and right view, either Errour against true Doctrine, or Schisme against Church-Discipline, or Hypocrisie against Holinesse, to ma­nifest themselues for the naturall Progenie of the an­cient Catharites in Asia, Nouatians in Eur [...]pe, and Do­natists in Afrike described by Saint PETER, 2. Pet. 2.17. to bee wels without water, and cloudes that are carryed with a tem­pest, to whom the mist of darknesse is reserued for euer; being as Epiphan. hae­res. 59. Epiphanius saith, like the Basiliscus, stately in name, as if they were pure; but dangerou [...] in nature, kil­ling men, before men know them: and all through hy­pocrisie, for which they may rightly be tearmed, as our Sauiour called the Hereticall and Hypocriticall Pharises, Math. 12.34 a generation of Vipers, which being euill, can­not speake good things. For Pl [...]n. lib. 11. cap [...]7. as the Viper hath his teeth couered ouer with his gummes: so these men seeme Pis [...]at. in Scho [...]. sup. 3. Mat hurtlesse, their malice being couered, only [Page 15] with a shew of holinesse. But as the Viper being full of poyson, vpon the pressing of his gums, through the dints of his teeth, infuseth his venome: so these most poysonous and pestilent Polypragmons, vpon a pressing pinch, will powre out their malice and ven­geance vnder sugred tearmes and sweet words, as Psal. 10.10. he who croucheth, and humbleth himselfe, that the poore may fall by his strong ones: that wee may well exclaime a­gainst such Serpents in these true wordes of sweete Chrysologus, Chrysolog. Ser. 7. Hypocrisis subtile malum, secretum virus, venenum latens, virtutum sucus, tinea sanctitatis: Hy­pocrisie is a subtile mischiefe, a secret poyson, an hidden venome, a false dye of vertue, a moth of holinesse. But falshood will faile: neither Flye nor Bee shall trouble vs long, since a Day draweth neere, wherein all shall appeare in their owne proper like­nesse, that what God only now seeth in secret, then shall be manifest in the sight of all men, as Math. 10.27. there is nothing couered, that shall not bee reuealed, and hid, that shall not bee knowne; for the 1. Cor. 3.13. Day shall declare it, because it shall bee reuealed by fire. Yet in the meane-while, Cantic. 2.15 Take vs the Foxes, the little Foxes, that spoyle our Vines: for our Vines haue tender Grapes, saith the Spouse to the Pastors and Magistrates of Israel, who areAct. 20.28. to take heed vnto themselues, and to all the Flocke, ouer which the Holy Ghost hath made them Ouer­seers, seeing that Prou. 20.8. a King that sitteth in the Throne of Iudgement, scattereth away all euill with his eyes. For these noysome Vermines are not so hidden and se­cret, but that by diligent and warie search they may be found, and rid out of our Coasts by a most ready course.

[Page 16]For the Flyes will quickly bee voyded by the of­ten sweeping of our Houses so clensed from dust: the Masse Priest cannot stay where Ecclesiasticall Visi­tations are frequent, for wiping out the filth of Idola­trous Superstitions, that both Churches may bee cleered of Buyers and Sellers, as our Iohn 2.13. Matth. 21.11. Sauiour pur­ged the Temple of Hierusalem twice; and Church-men may be cleane from all such pollution, as may giue occasion for Flyes to swarme, as the Esay. 52.11. Prophet said, Be yee cleane, that beare the Vessels of the Lord. And as nothing can better keepe the humming Bees within their Hiue, then a sharpe colde winde; so nothing more restraineth Hypocriticall Schismatikes, then se­uerity of Discipline; For as Prou. 25.23. the Northerne winde driueth away raine: so doth an angry countenance, a back­byting tongue.

Reuerend Fathers, sat verbum sapienti. To pre­uent Flyes and Bees, no way in the World can be de­uised better, then besides your personall seueritie, the seasonable appointment of some good Sweepers, who by the force of CHRISTS Matth. 3.11. fanne may make cleane the floore, and gather the wheate, and burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire. For Matth. 9.39. the Haruest is great, but the Labourers are few: but if those few were fit men, lesse were your labour, and greater your gaine. Wherefore to helpe all, Saint Paul hath giuen a good rule to Timothie, for all you to follow, 1. Tim. 5.22. Vid. Danae. ibid. Lay hands sud­denly on no man: neither bee partaker of other mens sins: keep thy selfe pure. For you are those Iohn 10.3. Porters, which open the doore vnto the good Shepheards, who only are to ad­mit good Shepheards to a Flocke, by whom a verie [Page 17] great part or your care is eased, it they bee fit to sweepe out the dust of Superstition for preuention of Flyes, and carefull to hold by regular conformi­tie, the strength of true discipline, to keepe in the Bees.

Horat. lib. 1. Ep. 18.
Qualem commendes, etiam at (que) etiam aspice, ne mox
Incutiant aliena tibi peccata pudorem:

That is,

Looke well whom yee to Cures shall name,
Lest others sinnes bring you to shame:

And with shame, griefe: and with griefe, blame. For if the blinde lead the blinde, both shall fall into the ditch. And so I come

§. III. To the second maine part,The second Part. the simple hearer. [Shall they not both fall into the ditch?] Where the ditch is double; the former, of sinne and error, as, Prou. 22.14. The mouth of strange women is a deepe pit: hee that is abhorred of the Lord, shall fall therein: the latter, of punishment and destruction, as, God Psal. 55.23. will bring the wicked into the pit of destruction, and as Hell is called the Reuel. 9.3. bottomlesse pit. For both the blinde Leader, and the blinded people, shall fall into both these ditches by their degrees: into the former, heere in this life, while they 2. Tim. 3.13. waxe worse and worse, deceiuing, and being deceiued. For, Psal. 125.5. such as turne aside into their crooked wayes, the Lord shall lead them foorth with the workers of iniquitie: but into the latter, after their departure out of this world, as the rich Luke 16.23. Glutton was tormented in Hell: whither Psal. 9.17. the wicked shall be throwne, and all the people that forget God. For Esay 5.14. Hell hath enlarged her selfe, [Page 18] and hath opened her mouth, without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pompe, and hee that reioyceth, The Doct­rine. shall descend into it. So that hence wee may gather an infallible truth, that those, who without due tryall, or examination, will stiffely depend vpon false Tea­chers, shall most surely, with those false Teachers, fall into vncertaine errors, vnto most certaine dangers and destru­ction. For so the holy Ghost hath taught vs, first, by the Prophets, both Esay, Esay 9.16. saying, The Leaders of this people cause them to erre: and they that are ledde of them, are destroyed: and Ieremie in Gods Person ex­claiming thus bitterly, Ierem. 50.6. My people haue beene lost sheepe: their Shepheards haue caused them to goe astray: they haue turned them away on the Mountaines; they haue gone from Mountaine to Hill; they haue forgotten their resting place. Secondly, by our blessed Sauiour, thus denouncing, Matth. 23.15 Woe vnto you, Scribes and Pharises, Hy­pocrites: for ye compasse Sea and Land, to make one Pro­selite; and when he is made, yee make him two-fold more the childe of hell then your selues. Thirdly, by S. Paul, maruelling Galat. 1.5. that the Galatians were so soone remooued from him that called them into the grace of Christ, vnto another Gospell, which yet is not another; albeit there bee some that trouble them, and would peruert the Gospell of Christ. For as Prou. 25.19. Salomon saith, Confidence in an vn­faithfull man in time of trouble, is like a broken tooth, Vid. Ze [...]ner. lib. sacr. simili­tud. simili. 56.57 which is more cause of griefe then gaine, and a foote out of ioynt, that will paine vs, and hinder our way: because a faithlesse friend, such as all blinde Leaders are to the blinde, is iust like Esay 36.6. to the staffe of the broken reed of Aegypt, whereon if a man leaue, it will goe in­to [Page 19] his hand, and pierce it; yea, rent Ezech. 29.6. the shoulder, and make their loynes be at a stand. For such relying vpon lyers both benummeth the hands, to hinder the nimble practice of good things, and setteth both shoulders and loynes out of ioynt, to shake their constancie in the settled profession of spotles Truth; that the old Apud Erasm. Chiliad. tit. Jg­norantia. Graecians might wel aduise their young­lings, [...], Neyther to vse a blinde Guide, nor yet a witlesse Counsellour. For, as saith TERTVLLIAN, Tertull. lib. de praescript. aduers. haeres. cap. 14. Tu qui proinde quaeris, spe­ctans ad eos, qui & ipsi quaerunt, dubius ad dubios, certus ad incertos, caecus ad caecos, in foueam deducaris, necesse est: Thou who therefore searchest (to finde,) looking to them who also seeke, doubtfull to the doubtfull, certaine to the vncertaine, blinde to the blinde, it must needs be, that thou must be led into the ditch.

Wherefore for Vse of this truth;The Vse. We are to giue most diligent attendance to a double exhortation, which the holy Ghost much presseth: the former is for caution; the latter for tryall. The former is,1. For Caution. that wee should all beware what Guides wee follow, or what Teachers we learne by, as it is said, Matth. 7.15. Beware of false prophets; and take heed & beware Matth. 16.6. of the leuen of the Pharises and of the Sadduces: and I beseech you, Rom. 16.17. brethren, marke them which cause diuisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned, and auoyd them: and Philip. 3.2. beware of dogges, beware of euill workers, beware of the concision. And so in many other places.

For if we be Shepheards of the Flocke, and Mi­nisters 1 of the Gospell by the calling of Christ Iesus, wee are not to propose for our imitation vnto our [Page 20] selues, the lewd example of Idoll Zach. 11.17. shepheards, which feede themselues, and not the Flocke, lest thereby wee bee vtterly depriued, eyther of our places, as God Ierem. 23.4. will then prouide him other Shepheards, or of true comfort in those places, wherein, through idlenesse we doe no good, [...]laying, not feeding, killing, not lea­ding, not sauing the soule, but shewing the skinne of a wandring sheepe, to the dangerous aggrauation of that great account, which wee must make to him, who Ezech. 34.10 will require his sheepe at our hands, when those no­minall Rabbies, whom we placed before our eyes for patternes in the vse of our Pastorall charge, shal feele the same smart for this sinne, of bringing in a skinne without a carkasse. For, as S. August. lib. de Pastor. cap. 10. Augustine saith, What shall it profit him, that he bringeth the marked skinne? The good Man of the house enquireth for the life of the sheepe. But a bad shepheard bringeth the skinne.

2 Or if we be Sheepe, yet are wee to beware what Shepheard we follow, lest he proue, either a Thiefe, or an Hireling, either an intruder, or an idle loyterer, or, which is worst of all, a rauenous Wolfe. For Iohn 10.5. the good sheepe, because they know not the voyce of a stranger, will not follow, but flee a stranger; as the Theodorit. lib. 4. histor. Eccles. cap. 19. & 20. Or­thodox Christians of Alexandria in Aegypt forsooke the Church, wherin the vile Arian Lucius did preach, after the death of good Athanasius, and vpon the most iniurious disturbance of the Reuerend Bishop PETER. The Prou. 20.12. hearing eare, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made euen both of them, that the Iob 34.3. eare may try words, as the mouth tasteth meat. For the Prou. 14.15. simple be­leeueth euery word; but the prudent man looketh well to [Page 21] his going. And the latter exhortation of the Ho­ly Ghost is,2. For Tryall. that we should most diligently try out who are the good Guides whom we may follow rightly, (as Saint Paul sayth) 1. Thes. 5 23. Proue all things; hold fast that which is good: And S. Iohn secondeth him more particularly, 1. Iohn 4.1. Beleeue not euery spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world. For all is not Gold that glistereth, nor Siluer that shineth: and therefore Prou. 17.3. the Fining-pot is for Siluer, and the fornace for Gold: all doctrines are not Orthodox, al­beit they are set forth with the most entising words of mans wisedome, neither yet are all Doctors right disposers of the secrets of God: and therefore Gods Word is as the touch-stone, & our faith therein is as the file, by which wee may make good tryall and proofe both of Doctrine and Doctor. Plutarch. lib. de solert. animal. Plutarch re­porteth of the Fo [...]es in Thrace, a cold Countrey sub­iect to much frost, and so to be couered in Winter with much Ice, that when they are to passe ouer any frozen poole, they come to it very sizely, and lay downe their eare vnto the ground, to harken if any streame of water run bubbling vnderneath the Ice, which if they finde, then backe they goe, as from an vnsound and dangerous passage; otherwise if they heare nothing, they passe ouer boldy as vpon solid ground. This naturall subtiltie of warie Foxes is of vs to be followed, who in this cold world, wherein zeale is quenched, haue very many Icie, glassie, and slipperie wayes to passe, I meane, many dangerous conclusions, both for Doctrine, and manners to ad­mit [Page 22] of: for 1. Cor. 14.10 there are many kinds of voyces in the world, and none of them without signification. Our best course then is to lay downe our eares and vnderstandings vnto the ground and foundation of all positions, that if there be any vnder-water, that is, any subtill streames of erronious doctrine cunningly conueyed vnder smooth and fine speeches, we may auoyd the danger of falling; otherwise if it prooue sound vpon our due tryall, we may boldly march on with good lucke to our honour of so wise, prudent, and proui­dent discerners of spirits and doctrines, and that by the example of many good men, as 1. Reg. 22.8. Iehoshaphat, who suspecting the vnicent and agreement of Ahabs foure hundred false prophets, said, Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord besides, that we might enquire of him? and the Act. 17.11. Noblemen of Berea, who vpon Pauls preaching receiued the Word with all readinesse, and searched the Scriptures dayly, whether those things were so: and the Iewes Act. 25.25. at Rome, who desired to heare from Paul of Christianitie, and after they had heard him, reasoned much amongst themselues. For as Tertullian well Tertull. de praescript. cap. 9. ad­uiseth, Quaerendum est, donec inuenias, & credendum v­bi inueneris, & nihil ampliùs, nisi custodiendum quod cre­didisti: Thou must seeke, till thou findest; and beleeue when thou hast found: and then no more, but thou must keepe, what thou hast beleeued.

A great Que­stion. How, and by what meanes may we know true Teachers, and good Guid [...]s.But here peraduenture some one carefull Chri­stian, or other will demand, how, or by what meanes he shall try, or know good Spirits from bad, right Teachers from wrong. To whose iust demand, I ea­sily make this answere, that God in his goodnesse [Page 23] hath giuen vs his Children, both Meanes to try, and Markes to know good Spirits from bad, right Tea­chers from wrong. For the meanes, which GOD hath giuen vs, by which wee may try blinde,The first An­swere of the meanes to trie them. and yet blinding Guides, are in number fiue; first, the Spirit of God, secondly, the Word of God, thirdly, the summe of their calling, fourthly, the testimonie of ancient Fathers, fifthly, the conference with holy Brethren.

For first, Gods Spirit is Ʋid. Caluin. har. Euangel. in Math. 7.15. a meanes of this tryall,The first meanes. when he giueth to the faithfull that excellent gift of 1. Cor. 12.10 discerning spirits, which is no naturall perspicacie, or sharpnesse of iudgement, but Vid. Ambros. Aquin. & Mar­laor. in 1. Cor. 12 a supernaturall light and cleerenesse of vnderstanding, by which the god­ly both quickly and throughly perceiue a plaine dif­ference betweene men speaking by the Spirit of God, and by the deluding spirit of the Deuill, as 1. Reg. 22.8. Ie­hoshaphat found the false prophets of Ahab, and Nehem. 6.13 Nehe­miah perceiued that God had not sent SHEMAIAH the sonne of DELAIAH, but that TOBIAH and SANBALLAT had hyred him to pronounce that Pro­phecy against him.

This gift more abundantly appeareth in the full time of the New Testament, as wee may finde not only by Act. 5.1.2, &c PETERS discouery of ANANIAS and SAPHIRA their treacherie, orAct. 16.15. Pauls expulsion of the spirit of diuination out of the Mayd at Philippi, but by the continuall course against Heretikes, who no sooner appeared, but were discouered either by the Councels, or by other good Christians, as Saint Iohn said to all the faithfull in generall, 1. Iohn 2.27. The anointing that [Page 24] yee haue receiued of him, abideth in you; and yee need not, that any man teach you; but as the same Anointing tea­cheth you of all things, and is Truth, and is no lye, and euen as it hath taught you, yee shall abide in him.

Ob.For, albeit, that peeuish Papist STAPLETON Stapleton in Promptuar. Ca­thol. dominic. 7. post P [...]ntec. §. 1. would limit this gift only to the learned Teachers and Masters of Israel, because it seemeth by the A­postle, to be appropiated only to 1. Cor. 12.10 some, & that albeit all Christians haue a generall iudgement of any doctrine: yet the particular determination of truth or false­hood in any point belongeth to the Church, and the Masters therein assembled in Councels, as the A­postles and Elders Act. 15.6. were at Hierusalem:

Sol. 1 Yet wee finde it otherwise in all Gods Children, who being indued with the Rom. 8.14. Spirit of Adoption, are directed by the same Spirit, Heb. 5.14. through long vse and custome, to discerne both good and euill: as the Spirit 1. Cor. 2.10. searcheth all things, euen the deepe things of God, so farre as God thinketh it necessary for those his Chil­dren to know; who in this respect are called [...], Esay 54.13. Iohn 6.45. all of them taught of God, Ierem. 31.34. from the least of them to the greatest of them, to know the Lord. And therefore where the Apostle saith [to another discerning of spi­rits,] Sol. 2 it is no such appropriation to one or some, as can or doth hinder the gift from all, seeing the Apo­stle so speaketh not in regard of the substance of the gift, which goeth with Gods Spirit, but of the mea­sure, and vse thereof, which some may haue more then others, as To euery Ephes. 4.7. one of vs is giuen grace, accor­ding to the measure of the gift of Christ: and yet not gaue it for themselues alone, but for others also, who [Page 25] by their skill may bee directed to flee false prophets; as thereupon all Councels, wherein the Learned are Sol. 3 assembled to determine of Controuersies, are Ʋid. Whita­ker. contr. 3. q. 3. c. [...]. arg. 2. & D. Willet. Synops. Papis. pag. 110. Ec­clesia repraesentatiua: A Congregation of the Learned, re­presenting the whole bod [...] of the Church of Christ, wherein not onely Bishops, but also any other faith­full and learned men may be called to giue suffrage, as well, decisiuum: of deciding, as consultiuum: of coun­selling, concerning points of faith, which as their Pope Apud Grati­anum, dist. 96. can. 4. Nicholas the first said, is vniuersall and common to all, and pertaining not only to the Clergie, but also to Lay men, euen altogether vnto all Christians; as in the Councell of Hierusalem were gathered the Apostles and the Elders, with whom Act. 15.22. the whole Church there gaue their assent also. So that if this gift of discerning spirits be amongst the Learned, assembled in Coun­cell, it is a meanes sufficient enough, vnto any good Christian for tryall of spirits, since as they all assem­bled haue it together, any faithfull man may haue it to himselfe in particular, because both the Psal. 51.12. Spirit be­ing free as the wind to blow Iohn 3.8. where it listeth, 1. Cor. 3.17. giueth li­bertie to the Saints 1. Cor. 6.2. to iudge, and the Councell being assembled for the good of the Church, is a speciall direction to all the true members of that Church whose Councell it is, to approoue or disprooue ac­cording to their iudgement, as Constantine Apud Eusebi­um lib 3. de vit. Constant. cap. 18. called the consent of a generall Councell directed by Gods Spirit, the explanation of the will of God, to which all and euery Christian is to agree; and as good Saint Augustine August. lib. 1. de Baptis. contra Donatist. cap. 18. tearmed the sentence of a generall Councell, to be the consent of the whole Church.

[Page 26] 2. Meanes.But to passe forward, lest this good gift of discer­ning spirits might bee or seeme to bee a delusion, therefore a second meanes is added hereunto, which is the written Word of God, comprised in Canonicall Scriptures. For this is a most sanctified & soueraigne meanes thus ratified by the Prophet, Esay 8.20. To the law, & to the testimonie: if they speake not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them: thus reckoned of by the Apostle, 1. Tim. 3.15.16.17. the holy Scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto saluation through faith, which is in Christ Ie­sus: for all Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God, and is profitable (see the vses thereof) for doctrine (to wit, of truth,) for reproofe (of error,) for correction (of a bad life) for instruction in righteousnesse (vnto a good life,) that the man of God may be perfect, throughly fur­nished vnto all good workes. For the old and new Testa­ment is (as sayth Basil. de rec­tâ fide. Basill) the treasure of the Church; the holy books of diuine Scriptures are (as saith Isidor. Pelusi­ot. lib. 1. Ep. [...]69. Isidorus Pe­lusiota] [...], the very ladders, by which we climbe vp to God, because August. tom. 4 lib. de b [...]no vi­duitat. cap. 1. the holy Scripture hath fastned a rule vnto our doctrine, lest we should pre­sume to vnderstand more then it behooueth vs to vnder­stand, but that, as he saith, we may vnderstand according to sobrietie, as God hath giuen to euery man the measure of faith: therefore it is not my part to teach you any other thing, but to expound vnto you the words of the Teacher, and to dispute of those things as God hath giuen.

Ob.But here againe Doctor Stapleton is Stapleton vbi supra. carping a­gainst this meanes also, granting what we say to be 1 true, yet adding three things, first, that the Word of 2 God is not the Scripture only: secondly, that the common [Page 27] sort of the faithfull doth not vnderstand this Word of God so exact [...]y, as that they can iudge of euery new doctrine by the same Word of God, and in the causes and grounds thereof: thirdly, that the proportion of faith which ru­leth 3 against new doctrine, is the now approued and recei­ued faith of the Church. Sol. All which exceptions are but beggerly crauings of what will not be granted nei­ther to him, nor to any Papist now liuing in the world. For the first point is most false, and a flat de­rogation 1 to the sufficiencie of the Canonicall Scrip­tures, which only conteine the whole reuealed will and Word of God, as besides the Scripture it selfe, which Deut. 4.2. & Reuel. 2 [...].18 curseth those that adde thereunto, and Fathers alleadged by Morn. in prae­fat. de Eucharist. & Polan. cap. 1. symbo [...]. Theolog. &c. our side, and yet not answered by a­ny of their Wranglers, euen Aquin. 1. p. Aquinas and Catetane their owne great Rabbies haue plainely auouched, hee saying, that our faith relyeth vpon the reuelation made to the Apostles and Prophets, who writ the Canoni­call bookes, but not vpon the reuelation if any be made to any other Doctors: this Caietan. in 2. Tim. 3.16. expounding the word ( [...], by diuine inspiration) as the speciall difference be­tweene Gods written Word, and all humane inuentions. And the second point is no better, being an vnchari­table 2 debasement of Gods children, who may be as S. Paul was, 2. Cor. 11.6. rude in speech, but not in knowledge. For since Gods Spirit, Iohn 16.13. which is the Spirit of Truth, leading into all truth, may be in Amos, as wel as Esay, may be in vnlettered Idiots, as well as in a learned Rabbie, we cannot with any godly reason debar simple men from the knowledge of the Scriptures, which are not the Esay 13.12. sealed booke, but Habbac. 2.1. written so plaine, that a man [Page 28] may runne and read them. And therefore albeit they cannot, out of Scripture exactly decide, like a lear­ned Schooleman, a point of Controuersie, yet may they, by Gods enlightning grace, attaine to so much knowledge of godlinesse out of the reading and hea­ring of the holy Scriptures, as may, through Gods acceptance, suffice for their saluation, according to their measure, as the Apostle exhorteth, Col. 3.16. Let the Word of God dwell in you plenteously. For hereby, saith Hieronym. in 3. Coloss. Hierome, is declared, that Lay men must haue the Word of Christ, not onely sufficiently, but abundantly, and so teach and warne themselues mutually.

3 But thirdly, where he seemeth to tye the proporti­on of faith to the Church, & not to the tenor of the Scrip­tures, I maruell how hee dare so swarue from the Scriptures, which Clem. Alex. lib. 6. Strom. Au­gust. lib. 2. contra Cresconium Grammatic. all the Fathers call, The Ecclesiasti­call Rule both of faith and manners. For what is this analogie, or proportion of faith, but Vid. Hyperi­um lib. 2. de The­ol. cap. 35. the true agree­ment which one part of the Scriptures hath with a­nother, to make vp one faith? Fides, Tertull. lib. de praescript. aduer. h [...]r. cap. 14. saith TERTVL­LIAN, in regula posita est; Faith is placed vnder a rule, to wit, of Law and Gospell, that it should not de­pend vpon Man, but vpon God; and that it should be made knowne by it owne onely principles, which are the Bookes of Canonicall Scriptures, the onely best and Authentique Iohn 5.39. Witnesses of Iesus Christ, the Heb. 12.2. Authour and finisher of our faith. As then the Law­giuer is the best Interpreter of himselfe: so let God in the Scriptures haue the place both of Text and of glosse, Psal. 51.4. Rom. 3.4. that he may be iustified in his sayings, and cleere when he is iudged. For, Irenaeus lib. 3 aduers haer. c. 12. ostensiones quae sunt in Scriptu­ris, [Page 29] non possunt ostendi, nisi ex ipsis Scripturis, saith IRE­NIE: Doctrines in Scriptures cannot be declared but out of the Scriptures. Whereupon Tertull. lib. de veland▪ virginib. cap. 3. Tertullian thus cut­ting off all customes or prescriptions which seeme vpon pretence of antiquitie to derogate from truth, cryeth out, Exurge Veritas; Arise vp, Truth; & qua­si de patientiâ erumpe, and breake forth out of thy pa­tience: nullam volo consuetudinem defendas; I will not haue thee to maintaine any custome: Ipsa Scrip­turas tuas interpretare, quas consuetudo non nouit: Doe thou interpret thy Scriptures, which custome hath not knowne: si enim nosset, nunquā esset: for if it had knowne them, it would neuer haue beene.

Therefore, notwithstanding these cauils of an hellish Locust, wee haue now two tryed meanes, whereby we may finde out good and bad Ministers, Gods Spirit, and Gods Word, which of themselues were sufficient, if our strength were answerable: but seeing we are weake to weild such weapons without some helpe, therefore God hath giuen, and good men haue obserued three other good, yet secondary meanes, by which, together with the Spirit, and the Word, we may quickly discerne betweene good and bad Guides. And the first of these,3. Meanes. which is the third in order, is, as we noted, the summe of their calling de­scribed vnto vs in holy Scripture, first, in their In­gresse: secondly, in their Progresse: thirdly, in their Constancie and true perseuerance.

Their Ingresse is by a lawfull calling from God,1 as Iohn 3.27. a man can receiue nothing, except it bee giuen from a­boue, and that both inwardly and outwardly: In­wardly, [Page 30] by speciall endowment of abilitie, and wil­lingnes, wrought by Gods Spirit in their honest edu­cation, or trayning vp to learning, vpon the certaine conscience of which fitnes, they may as lawfully craue admittance, as Ahimaaz did of Ioab, 2. Sam. 18.22 to runne vnto DAVID; otherwise not, lest they proue but either bold intruders, or vnconscionable vnderta­kers of so honourable a Calling, which they cannot discharge, as there are too many now adayes blue coates turned to blacke, who make the Ministerie the last remedie or meanes of maintayning them­selues, to verifie our old English Prouerbe, When hee is good for nothing, then make a Priest of him. But who is sufficient, 2. Cor. 2.16. saith the Apostle, for these things?

Well. To his inward indowments hee must out­wardly [...]ee ordayned, and put apart vnto that great Worke, by the laying on of hands, as were Act. 13.3. Saul, and Barnabas, 1. Tim. 4 14. Timothie, and other Tit. 1.3. Presbyters in Creete, by Titus. For this good order is a necessary let and stop against all Iereboams 1. Reg. 13.33 Priests, who being of the basest people, commonly without both learning and honestie, would consecrate themselues for Priests of the high places: as at this day, Swen [...]kfel [...]ians, Libertines, Anabaptists, Brownists, Familists, and such other addle-brayned and idle Illuminates presume to doe, with­out any ordinary calling or appointment of their Superiours, like Ierem. 23.21. those prophets, which ranne when God sent them not. But forward.

2 The Progresse of a good Guide is, when to his vttermost hee seriously laboureth to performe all those duties of his Office requirable at his hands, as [Page 31] they are set downe in many places of holy Scrip­tures, especially in 1. Tim. 3. and Tit. 1. where, as Chrysostome well Chrysost. hom. 10. in 1. Tim. 3. obserueth, what hee speaketh of one, agreeth vnto all, that are good Guides.

But who shall examine this? Not the people, Ob. saith Stapleton vbi supra. STAPLETON, they being but sheepe; but other Shep­heards, or the whole Company and Communitie of Priests, and especially the head of the Shepheards, Christs Vicar on earth must iudge and know this.

But I answere: First,Sol. that if by Christs Vicar hee meane the Pope, he beggeth a question that will not 1 bee granted, since the Pope is neyther the Vicar of Christ, but Vid. Sermon in 1. Ioh. 2.18.19.20. Antichrist himselfe, neither hath he more power or authoritie to make this scrutinie, then any other Prelate, since, as in Cyprian. de Vnitate Ecclesiae Cyprians iudgement, the o­ther Apostles were equall to PETER. So in August. lib. 2. de baptis. cap. 2. Augustines opinion, other Bishops in their Diocesses haue as great power and authoritie to iudge of their inferi­ours, as hath the Pope in his place, it being the Decree Concil. Car­thag. 1. apud Cy­prian. & August. of the Councell of Carthage, that none should call him­selfe a Bishop of Bishops, or by a tyrannicall manner force his fellowes to a necessitie of obeying, since euery Bishop, ac­cording to the licence of his libertie and power, hath his owne iudgement. Secondly, that the censure Ecclesia­sticall, 2 which either Priests in a Councell, or Bishops in their Consistorie, may lawfully giue of Ministers according to the Apostolike rules, and Canons Eccle­siasticall, is no let or hinderance to priuate men from their secret examination, and tryall of good or bad Ministers, by comparing their doctrine and liues with the Word of God, for their owne priuate [Page 32] quiet, and good satisfaction, they being bound Act. 20.32. to slee the Wolfe, and discouer the Iohn 10.3. Thiefe as much as they may. For as in the Law, euery Deut. 13.4. mans hand was to be stretched out against the Intiser vnto Idolatry; so are we all in the Gospell, bound by our faith and loue in Christ, 1. Cor. 16.20 to detest with execration all those, be they Ministers or people, who loue not the Lord Iesus: as e­uery one, who will but examine the state of the Po­pish Clergie by the Apostles rules, shall finde that they haue good cause to flee such, both Heretikes and Hypocrites, who swarue so farre, both in their do­ctrine and in their liues, from, not onely the rules of the blessed Apostle, but also from their owne Canons, which I neede not produce, being freed from that labour, by the diligent and most godly paines of diuers most worthy and reuerend Diuines of the Reformed Church, as yet not answered by any Pa­pist, referring all who heare me, to the reading of Beza. Confess. cap. 7. Beza, Heming. in Antichrist. ma­chi. Hemingius, Binder, cap. 13. Theolog. Scho [...]asticae. Binder, and our owne good Countreyman, the most painefull searcher of truth, D. Willet. in Synops. Pap. pa. [...]43. [...]44. &c. Doctor Willet.

3 Lastly, Constancie and perseuerance is a great marke of a good Guide, when we finde, that neither Honours nor age will, and doth withdraw him from his former paynes, as he is exhorted to bee Reuel. 2.10. faithfull to the death, and to Reuel. 3.11. hold that hee hath, that no man take his Crowne, since he Matth. 10.22 that endureth to the end, shall bee saued. For albeit hee cannot, being olde, endure so much labour, as he tooke when hee was young; yet must he pro virili imploy himselfe as much as he can, both for the full discharge of himselfe, and encou­ragement [Page 33] of others, who by his graue example will, if Grace be in them, be prouoked to paines. Luke 12.43. Happie is that man, whom his Master, when hee commeth, shall find so doing: and happie those people, who are blessed with such a Guide, that leadeth them to life. Dan. 12.3. They shall shine as the firmament, and bee as the starres for euer and euer.

Now the fourth meanes of searching and finding out a good Guide from a bad,4. Meanes. is the testimonie of the ancient Fathers, whom wee are to reade, that from them we may fully perceiue what was the tenour of the Faith in the Primitiue Church, and examine how these Teachers agree thereunto. For remooue not, Prou. 22.28. saith SALOMON, the ancient Land-marke, which thy Fathers haue set, that is, as Apud Hieron. in appendice. BEDA, Tomo. 2. Or­tho. dograph. SA­LONIVS, and Lauater. Mor­cer. Remus, Wil­cockes, &c. all our Interpreters doe expresse the Allegorie; transgresse not the limits of faith, which the Catholike Doctors haue set downe from the beginning: because no Luke 5.39. man hauing drunke olde Wine, straight-wayes desireth new: for he saith, The olde is better.

But this meanes is common, and challenged by the Papists, as making most for them,Ob. who seeme to hold most of the ancient Fathers, whom they vsual­ly alledge for maintenance of whatsoeuer they hold, yea, compiling whole Volumes, only stuffed with sayings of ancient Doctors, as In Aug. Con­fessione. Torrensis, Canis. in Cate­chismo M. Canisius, and Cocc. in Ca­tholicismo. Coccius haue gathered.

Therefore to cleere the points of this prescripti­on,Sol. it shall not bee amisse for any who will try the Truth by the testimonies of ancient Fathers, as did that most Reuerend Father, and strong Man of Is­rael, [Page 34] In his Sermon at Pauls Crosse, & in 26. Articl. Bishop Iewel, to take these three Rules for his direction, in iudgement of Fathers: The first is, that the Father alleaged, 1. Regula. bee no Bastard, that is, no coun­terfeite Worke foysted into amongst his other Bookes, by some coozening Babylonish▪ Marchant, that vnder the name of such a good [...]ather, it may bee more saleable, and of better admittance. For how many false Writs haue come forth o [...] this kind, and are alleaged by craking Coccius, I neede not goe farre to finde; their owne Sixt. Senens. lib. 2. Biblioth. Sixtus Senensis, Baronius pas­sin. in Annal. Baronius and Bellar. lib. de illustr▪ scriptorib. Bellarmine, discouering more false­hood in this tricke, falshood in counterfeiting of Authours, then I list to rippe vp, seeing two helpes wee haue to discerne true Fathers from bastardly Brats, viz. Hieronym. lib. descriptor illust. in Minulio Feli­ce, & August. Epist. 48. & Hy­per. lib. 4. Theo­log. cap. 9. obser­uat. 3. first, phrase or stile, secondly, matter or argument agreeing to their age and time. For euery Age of the Church had their seuerall Controuersies, which ministred occasion of writing to the Learned accordingly.

2. Regula.The second Rule is, that wee must looke to the Edition of the Fathers Workes, that they bee not corrupted and wrested to say more or lesse then they say: For how wickedly the Papists haue of late yeeres, and yet, doe abuse the Writings of the ancient Fa­thers their Index Expurgatorius, and their Copijsts, as Azorius calleth them, doe too too manifestly demon­strate: that Ʋid. Tho. Iames p. 4 cap. Mysteries of [...]n­dex Ex [...]urgator. being but a Table made by the Inquisi­tors, of what they will haue put in, or taken out of any Au­thour, (as appeareth by those fiue seuerall Editions in Rome, Naples, Lisbone, Madril, and Antwerpe, now of late to their vtter shame discouered:) these Vid. Az [...]rium tom. [...]. Instituti­on. lib. 1. cap. 2 [...]. be­ing [Page 35] certaine skilfull Writers of olde hands, set in the Vatican to copie out olde Manuscripts into any hand, as neere the olde hand as may bee, by the dire­ction of the Master of the Palace, or the Cardinals of the Congregation; in truth, thereby as it is iustly fea­red, to make the Vatican Librarie, which before-times was accounted a Treasurie of true Bookes, now a shop of shamelesse shifts, whiles for olde good Monu­ments, wee shall finde foysted into their seuerall Deskes, a masse of new base Miniments. But be the Fathers true, and truely printed, as the oldest print is best, and most voide of villanie:

Yet here wee haue a third Rule,3. Regula. to examine the wordes of any Father alleaged, by these three seuerall Touchstones, the first whereof is the Word of God: forGalat. 1.8. If any man preach any other Gospell vnto you, then that ye haue receiued, let him be accursed: the second is the Orthodoxie or right iudgement in faith of the for­mer Fathers. For that, saith Tertullian. de praescript. cap. 31 TERTVLLIAN, is the Lords and true, which is first deliuered: but that is strange and false, which is afterward intruded: the third is himselfe. For,

Ausonius in Catonis distichis.
Conueniet nulli, qui secum dissidet ipsi:
Hee will not agree with any, who varieth with himselfe.

A great assurance then it must needs bee of credit to that Father, who is constant in his tenent, being a­greeable to Scripture and his Predecessors, where Iames 1.8. a wauering minded man is vnstable in all his wayes. So that let them now boast as much as they please of the Fathers on their side; all their wordes are but [Page 36] winde; their Fathers being either Counterfeits, or corrupted, or not well agreeing to Scripture, to their Ancients, or vnto themselues, as if wee would examine all Coccius his Conclusions, wee could now prooue as much, as the most famous Thomas Vid. Doctiss. & pijss. D. Mor­ton his Encoun­ter. lib. 1. cap. 12. Mor­ton hath declared against Parsons in the question of Purgatorie.

5. Meanes.The fift and the last meanes of trying out good Ministers, is conference with good men concerning those things, which we either heare spoken, or see done by Mi­nisters. For it is no tricke of a Busie-body, or Whis­perer, but a godly care arising from zeale, lest wee should be through a light beliefe seduced into error, cunningly couched vnder soft and smooth tearmes: as 1. Cor. 14.35 Women are to aske their Husbands at home, if they will learne any thing: and the Spouse in the Canticles is thus admonished, Cantic. 1.7. If thou knowest not, O fayrest a­mong women, goe thy way forth by the footsteps of the flocke, and feede thy Kids besides the Shepheards Tents: For this generall good counsell giuen to the Church by Christ, is sit (as say Gregor. Nys­sen. orat. 2. in Cantic [...]. Nysseene and Psellus apud Theodoretum in Cantic. Psellus) for e­uery good soule in the Church, which being igno­rant of her owne estate (albeit by the 1. Iohn 1.7. Marke, bloud of Christ being clensed from all her sinnes, she is made of a black, a comely creature;) must follow the counsell of Gods faithfull Children, who are Psal. 100.3. his flock & sheep of his pa­sture, walking Psal. 84.7. from strength to strength in this vayle of miserie, till they meete with God in Zion: because (as saith Gregor. Mag­nus in 1. Cantic. GREGORIE,) Whiles shee neglecteth to imitate euery wise man, shee followeth reprobate acquaintance, whom foolishnesse hath made like vnto brute beasts. [Page 37] Wherefore to helpe out of this errour, shee must bring her Kids, that is, as Tres Patres, Theodorit, Psel­lus, Nysse. Grego. Barnard [...]s, Beza, M [...]rcer, Guiliel. Thomson, &c. all interpret, her vncleane thoughts and inordinate affections, besides the Shep­heards Tents, that is, to that order which the Church by her Ministers will prescribe.

For this is the fruit of spirituall communication, that as knowledge ascendeth: so loue descendeth, when Superiours most tenderly respect their Infe­riours, to guide them in the way; and Inferiours by obedience grow vp in true knowledge, as good ground by sweete dewes are cherished for growth. For Prou. 15.31. the eare that heareth the reproofe of life, shall abide amongst the wise. And thus we haue the fiue seuerall meanes for tryall of Guides, which notwithstand­ing, the carping Cauils of Stapleton and others, are as an hedge on euery side set double, to keepe vs within the ring and compasse of sauing Truth, against all Errours broched by men of a reprobate minde, whom as we may fully try by these meanes: so shall we plainely know by their proper markes.

For the markes by which we know them,The second Answere of the Markes. are the fruits which come from them, as our Sauiour fore­warned, Matth. 7.16. Yee shall know them by their fruites. These bring forth fruits, though bad and blasted, like the Esay 5.4. Vine, which brought wilde grapes; and the bad tree yeel­ding only corrupt fruite: for of Luke 6.45. thornes men doe not ga­ther figges, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes, saith our Sauiour, alluding to that common prouerbe thus expressed by Theognis.

Theognis in Epicis.
[...].
Non etenim è scilla Rosa nascitur aut hyacinthus.

[Page 38] Ad semen nata respondent, saith Senec. Ep. 87. Seneca; Euery seede hath his owne bodie, saith the 1. Cor. 15.38 Apostle; Wickednesse pro­ceedeth from the wicked, saith 1. Sam. 24.14 Dauid. So that from a blinde guide we cannot expect any curious conceit, or profitable performance of necessary duties; that which they bring forth as the best fruite they haue, by which they may be knowne from other men, be­ing bad and base, most vile and villanous, whether we respect their doctrine, or their life. For Vid. praecipuè Aquinat. in Ca­tena & Marla­oratum. Maldo­nat. Tossanum, Piscatorem & Stellam in Luc. all lear­ned men, whom I haue seene vpon the Gospells, thinke these two to be the fruits & marks by which good Ministers are knowne from the bad, and their thoughts are grounded vpon good reason, since both Doctrine is tearmed the Esay 57.17. fruite of lips, which God createth to good mens peace, as he said,Soc [...]ates apud Diog. Laertium Loquere vt videam, Speake, that I may know what is in thee: for Meander in Senarijs. [...] a mans fashions are known by his speech: and life or actions are, if they be good, called Philip. 1.11. fruits of righteousnesse, as sinnes are called Gal. 5.20. fruits of the fl [...]sh. Now then first for the doctrine of bad Ministers,1. Marke. it is knowne to be wicked by its both vnheard-of newnesse, & inbred naughtinesse. The new­nesse of their doctrine is found out by the late sow­ing thereof: for when Math. 13.25. the good Husbandman had sowne his good seed, then came the enuious man by night (as Iohn 3.20. he that doth euill, hateth the light) and sowed the tares. In omnibus veritas imaginem antecedit: po­stremò similitudo sequitur, saith Tertull. de praescript. aduers. haer. cap. 29. Tertullian; that is, In all things truth goeth before the image thereof, after­ward followeth the resemblance. For praecedunt Creatoris bon [...], sayeth Petrus Chryso­logus Ser. 96. Chrysologus, the Creatours good things [Page 39] goe before: mala Diaboli post sequuntur: the bad things of the Deuill follow after; vt malum, quod est ex Diaboli, sit accidens, non natura; that the euill, which is of the De­uill, may be an accident, and no substance. The naughti­nesse 2 of the same wil be euidently perceiued by these seuerall contents, since as Theodorite Theodorit. lib. 3. haer. fab. in praefat. well obserued out of his owne great experience, Impia & execranda dogmata per se sufficiunt ad suum patrem ostendendum: impious and cursed doctrines are sufficient of themselues to shew their father, who is the Deuill, whiles they breathe & belch out either blasphemies against God, as in Vid. Epiphan. lib. 1. Panarij. Atheisme, Graecisme, Iudaisme, and heresies a­bout the Trinitie, and Christs Incarnation, or iniuries against men, as Turkes by Vid. Alcoran. Azoar. 8. & Knoll. Turk. hist. Mahomets doctrine, main­taine murders and reuenge, or impuritie and vncleane­nesse in themselues, as Casa Sleidan. Com­ment. lib. 21. the Popes Legate in Ve­nice, and B. of Beneuentum, most wickedly commen­ded vile Sodomitrie, verifying hereby the words of the Tit. 1.15, 16. Apostle, Vnto the pure, all things are pure, but vnto them that are defiled, and vnbeleeuing, is nothing pure, but euen their mind & conscience is defiled: they professe that they know God, but in workes they denie him, being abominable, and disobedient, and vnto euery good worke reprobate. Therefore sayth St. Augustine, August. lib 12 de Gen. ad tit. cap. 14. It is no great matter then to discerne him (that is, a malignant spirit) when he shall come, or bring vs to those things which are against good manners, or the rule of faith, for then he is easily discerned of many. But to passe from this note of Doctrine, their life is to be looked to;2. Marke. which will be found quickly to be most wicked and altogether dissonant or disagreeing to the profes­sion [Page 40] of a good Christian, by their habit, and their acts. Their habit by our Sauiour Matth. 7.16. is noted to bee 1 two-fold, first, outward, secondly, inward. The out­ward habit is ( [...]) sheepes clothing, which is to be taken or vnderstood two waies: First, histori­cally, for the vsuall garment of the true Prophets, who were wont to weare Zach. 13.4. a garment of haire, such as 2 Reg 1.8. Elijah and other Prophets vsed, Pet. Martyr in 2. Reg. 1. to expresse their repentance and sorrow for sinne; whose fashion false prophets tooke vpon them, that thereby they might the more easily deceiue simple people; albeit some good men did well finde them out, as Herodes Gell. lib. 9. c. 2 of Athens discouered that counterfet Philosopher, when he said, Video barbam & pallium; Philosophum nondum video: I see a heard, and a cloake, but as yet I see not a Philosopher: For Phaedrus lib. 1 fab. Aesop. fab. 11 as the Asse in the Lyons skinne by braying monstrously feared all other beasts, but the Ly­on, who knowing him, mocked him therefore:

So,
Virtutis expers verbis jactans gloriam,
Ignotos fallit, notis est derisui;

That is, as we may turne to meeter,

A man that valour wants,
boasting in words of prowes,
Deceiues strangers, but those
him mocke, who him best knowes.

Secondly, morally, and so either for the outward profession of a Christian, as Tertullian Tertull. de praescript. cap. 9. calleth it, Christiani nominis extrinsecus superficiens, The outward [Page 41] face or shew of a Christian, such as those, who Esay 29.13. come neere to God with their mouthes, but are farre from him in their hearts, hauing 2. Tim. 3.5. a shew of godlinesse, but denying the power thereof: or for an outward shew of godlinesse in many good Works, as Praier, Fasting, & Almsdeeds, when yet they are corrupted with naughtinesse of life, as Chrysostome Chrysost. in Mat. homil. [...]4. & Opere Imper­fect. homil. 19. expoundeth it. For, saith our Sauiour, Many will say to me in that Day, Lord, Lord, haue wee not prophecied in thy name? and in thy name haue cast out De­uils? & in thy name done many wonderfull workes? And then will professe vnto them, I neuer knew you. For why?

Their inward habit is [ [...]] rauening Wolues, 2 as the Apostle Act. 20.29. calleth the Asiatike Heretikes, grieuous Wolues, not sparing the Flocke, yea, euen as Zephanie tearmeth wicked Iudges, [Zeph. 3.3. [...]] Wolues of the Euening, for their craft, and for their crueltie: their craft, both in calling the sheepe from their solds, by rents and schismes, as it Heb. 10.25. was the manner of some in the Apostles time, and in driuing them into Desarts, and Woods, by Heresies, as the Matth. 12.43 spirit wandring in dry places: their crueltie, in spoyling their Nouices by preiudice, both of sharpnesse of vnderstanding, and of freedome in will, since by Hereticall Tyran­nie they are both Coloss. 2.8. spoyled through philosophie and vaine deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudi­ments of the World, and not after Christ, and Galat. 4.18. excluded through their iealousie to affect them only. So that it is no maruaile, if Christ and his Apostles resemble these Seducers thus finely habituated Matth. 23.27 to whited Tombes, and peinted Sepulchres, 2. Pet. 2.10. to Wels without water, Iude 12. to Cloudes without raine, to Trees without fruit, twice [Page 42] 2 dead and plucked vp by the rootes. And yet their acts are farre worse then their habit, as we may find easily by taking a view either of the manner of their doings, 1 or of their end and scope. For the manner of their actions is not open, but secret; not plaine, but sub­till; nor direct, but wholly consisting vpon crooked and broken passages, as we reade of the Socrat. lib. 2. Eccles. hist. cap. 20.21.22. &c. cunning trickes of Eusebius Nicodomedensis, and other Arians, to bring themselues in fauour with Emperours, and to put downe Athanasius, who yet by Gods protecti­on, was Ierem. 2.16. a defenced Citie, an iron pillar, and brazen wals against the whole Land. Surely, Ephes. 1.12. it is ashame to speake of those things, which are done of them in secret. For 2 looke into the end, whither they ayme; and see, if what they doe, doe not wholly tend, either to pride, by 2. Pet. 2.10. speaking euill of those that are in authoritie, or to crueltie, that Galat. 6.12. they might glory in the flesh of their seduced Nouices, or to the maintaining of fleshly filthinesse, as they Rom. 8.5. that liue in the flesh, Philip. 3.20. whose god is their belly, whose glorie is in their shame, who mind earthly things. Surely Prou. 26.28. hatred may bee couered by deceit, but his wicked­nesse shall be shewed before the whole Congregation. He­retikes and Hypocrites must needs be like their Ma­ster the Deuill,2. Cor. 11.14 seeme Angels of light, and Ministers of righteousnesse: For as Leo the first did well note, Leo. 1. S [...]r. 5. de ieiun. x. men­sis. Non possent veras, & simplices oues fallere, nisi Christi nomine tegerent rabiem bestialem: They could not de­ceiue the true and simple sheepe, vnlesse they should couer their beastly rage with the Name of Christ. Yet Lib. [...]. Gra [...]. Epigr. & Hadri­an. Iunius in A­dag. titulo, Per­spicuitas. [...]: what is darke to the simple, the Learned find to be light and [Page 43] cleere. Those meanes and these markes doe not on­ly discouer the forepast Heresies in the time of the Primitiue Church, according as In Catalog. Philastrius, In Panario. Epi­phanius Tom. 6. lib. ad Quod vult. Augustine, Lib. 4. haer. fabular. Thodorite, Lib. 4. & 5. thesauri. Nicetas and Lib. 10. tom. 1. Iur. Graeco Romani. The Applicati­on of the An­swere. Har­menopulus haue compiled their Catalogue: but also doe reueale with open cry to men of iudgement and vnderstanding, who are, and where lye the false pro­phets, and false teachers, euen the Heretikes of our time.

For by these markes, to make some Application vnto those who are guiltie, tell me, I pray you, who are they that stiffely maintayne new and naughtie doctrine? are they not Reuel. 9.3. the Locusts of the bottomles pit, 1. Doctrine. issuing by swarmes out of the smoke which darken the ayre? I meane those Monks and Friers, the Popes graund Merchants, whose doctrine, howsoeuer it carry the title of true Diuinitie, is a 1. Tim. 4.3. doctrine of De­uils, new, and naughtie. New, as those points doe 1 demonstrate, of the Popes Supremacie ouer Chri­stian Princes, and of Transul [...]st [...]ntiation. For that, by Bellar. lib. contr. Barkleyum cap. 1. Ʋid. Re­uerend. Patrem Episc. Roffensem, lib. 1. de potestate Principis in temporalib. ca. 2. Bellarmines owne confession, was not ge­nerally receiued in the Church of Rome, till Hil­debrand brought it in, whom therefore hee maketh his first Authour of Italie to maintaine his tenent a­gainst Doctor B [...]r [...]kley: but the time sheweth it new, being in the yeere of Christ, 1076. and the Authour to be deuillish, Apud Sigeber­tum Gemblac. An Dom. 1085. & Florent. Wi­gor. Anno 1084. confessing vpon his death-bed, that hee stirred vp that wrath and hatred against mankind, by the Deuils perswasion. And this conceit, for mainte­nance of the reall bodily presence of Christ in the Sacrament, was but a priuate opinion of some misse­led [Page 44] Doctors, through the vanitie of Philosophie, such as Damascen. lib. 4. Orth. sid. cap. 4. Damascene, Theophilact in Mat. 26. Theophilact, and Lombard. lib. 4. dist. 8. tit. D. Peter Lombard, the most ancient of which liued 700. yeeres after Christ, till the Councell of Lateran, vnder Vid. Platin. in Innocent. 3. Innocen­tius the Third, in 1215. yeere after Christ, when Gregor. De­cretal. lib. 1. tit. 1. Can. 1. it was decreed to be generally holden as an Article of their faith; and so from that time hath beene defen­ded by their Schoole-Diuines, onely by Logicall tricks vpon the wrested grounds of Philosophie.

Naughtie, as appeareth, first, by their blasphemie 1 against Christs sole Priesthood, when they say, Concil. Tri­dent. Sess. 22. cap. 2. that the Priest in the Masse offereth a sacrifice propitiatorie for quicke and dead: for then did not Heb. 1 [...].14. Christ by one Offe­ring consecrate for euer them that are sanctified.

2 Secondly, by their injurie against Christian Prin­ces, whom they, not onely depriue of due Soue­raigntie, but also expose, to the open violence of butcherly Villaines, such as Vid. French. Inuentorie. Iames Clement, Iohn Castell, and Raualiac, when they dare to Marian. lib. 1. cap. 6. maintaine it to bee lawfull to kill a Prince, whom they thinke but in their minds, to oppose himselfe to the Romish Synagogue, when Dauid 1. Sam. 26.9. said, Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anoynted, and be guiltlesse?

3 Thirdly, by their vnchaste and filthy fashions, de­creed, and defended: as, their Syricius Ep. 1 Decretal. apud Binn. tom. 1. Concil. preferring of Virgini­tie to Marriage, which they sticke not to terme a life in the flesh: their forbidding of Wedlocke to Priests; and their allowance Apud Grati. dist. 34. Can. 5. of a Concubine vnto him in stead of a Wife; when the Apostle telleth them, that Heb. 13.4. Marriage is ho­nourable in all, and the bed vndefiled: but Whoremon­gers and Adulterers Godwill iudge. But what neede I [Page 45] rippe vp more of their Doctrines? As Leo vbi supra. Leo said of the Manichees: so cannot I but speake of them; What is prophane in the Pagans, what is blinde in carnall Iewes, what is vnlawfull in the secrets of Art Magicke; and to conclude, what is sacrilegious and blasphemous in all He­resies, this floweth into them, as into a certaine Sinke, with the growing together of all other filths.

For now to looke a little into their liues;2. Life. Are they not so habituated? and doe not they act what wee before obserued in all false prophets?

What is their habit, either outward, but sheepes 1 clothing; or inward, but the qualities of rauening Wolues?

The sheepes clothing shineth on them, whether wee 1 shall feele it Historically or Morally. For Historically, If wee take it for Prophets garments, taken vp by Counterfeits, we need goe no further to search, then into the rules and practice of the seuerall Orders of their Monkes, amongst whom some vse Cowle and coat, in colour, blacke, as Polydor. lib. 7 de Inuentor. re­rum, cap. 2. & 3. at (que) Rodolph. Hospinian. lib. 6. de [...]rig. Mo­nach. cap. 2.3.12 29. & 66. Benedictines and Augusti­nians; white, as Carmelites; blue, as Bon hommes; grey, as Franciscanes; or a white coat vnder, with a blacke Rochet vpper, as the Dominicanes; or, lastly, a Philosophers Cloke, as goe the Iesuites, who yet play the turne-coates into all kinde of fashions for their owne aduantage. For albeit, Basil. Regul. cap. 12. neither Basill, nor Benedict. Re­gul. cap. 55. Benedict, nor Francisc. Re­gul. cap. 2. & Hie­ronym. a Politio in exrosit. Reg. cap. 2. Francis, set downe any other pre­scription for their Monks apparrell, then to be fit to couer their nakednes, and keepe out cold, with as little cost as may be: yet their Schollers here offend, not onely in costlinesse of stuffe, but also in putting a necessity [Page 46] in their fashion, euen vnto saluation, expressely op­posing themselues, not onely to Scripture, which accounteth 1. Cor. 6.12. all things lawfull to them that are free in Christ, but also to the Fathers in the Councell al Gan­gra, Concil. Gan­grens. Can. 12. accursing those who put more holinesse in pa [...]lto quàm in birro, that is, as Iunius in Ter­tull de pall. cap. 1 & Binnius in 12 Canon. Concil. Gangrens. tom. 1 most learned men expound it, in a long Cloke, then in ashort. For Pope Calestine Caelestin. 1. in Ep. Decret. 2. ad Episc. Narbo. cap. 1. adiudged such as so thought, to attend rather to su­perstitious worship, then to puritie eyther of minde or faith: because we Priests are to bee discerned from the people, and from others, doctrinâ, non veste, by doctrine, not by garment: conuersatione, non habitu, by con­uersation, not by habit: mentis puritate, non cultu: by purenesse of minde, and not by outward ornament. Cucullus non facit Monachum; A Cowle makes no Monke. But if wee vnderstand this sheepes clothing morally, eyther for the outward Profession of a Christian with Tertullian ▪ or for the outward Works of Christianitie with Chrysostome, then Papists are portraied out vnto vs more fully, since, first, none make a fairer shew in Christian Profession then they, who yet most prophane it, crying still, Harding. in Apolog cap. 1. diuisi. 1. & Cos­te [...]. Apolog. part. 3. cap. 2. The Church, The Church, as the Priests of Ierusalem said, Iere. [...].4.11. The Temple of the Lord, The Temple of the Lord, when as the Priests made the House of the Lord Math. 21.13. a denne of Theeues, and an house of Marchandize: So these haue turned their Church into Reuel. 7.5. Babylon, Reuel. 11.8. Aegypt, and So­dome spiritually; in that, as the Prophet said, Esay 1.21. The ho­ly Citie is become an Harlot. Secondly, none boast more of good Works then they, who make them to be Concil. Trid. Sess. 6. Can. 32. meritorious, and precisely prescribe them accor­ding [Page 47] to their owne rules, and not to Christian liber­tie, as wee finde in their Bookes of these their three great good workes in particular, as first, almes, which Bellar. lib. 3. de oper. in parti­cul. cap. 9. they hold may be lawfully giuen of goods ill-gotten, by Theft, Simonie, Bawderie, &c. when Deut. 23.18. God forbiddeth the hire of an Whore, or the price of a Dogge to be brought into his House: Secondly, fasting, which they put, partly, in the Bellar. lib. 2. de oper. cap. 5. & 17. obseruation of dayes, according to the Gal. 4.10. rudiments of the World: and partly, in the abstinence of one meate more then other, when they Act. 10.15. should not pollute what God hath purified. Thirdly, prayer, which they tye vnto time, which they most supersti­tiously tye both to a certaine time in their Ʋide Breuia­rium in Rubr. de hor. Canoni­call houres, when yet the Scripture wisheth vs 1. Thes. 5.17. to pray continually, (they neither keeping their houres, as they seeme, but thinking it sufficient Grat. dist. 91. Can. 2. & Azor. p. 1. lib. 10 cap. 9. to iumble vp and mumble all their Prayers in the forenoone for the afternoone-tyde;) and to a set Vid. Molan. tr. 3. cap. 9. pract. theologiae & the Manuell & Ie­sus Psalter. number of Pater nosters, Aues, and Creedes, repeated by the di­rection of Beades in an Heathenish Matth. 6.7. Battologie, Pha­risaically Matth. 23.14 deuouring Widdowes houses vnder colour of long Prayers.

So cunningly can they collogue, and vnder 2 sheepes clothing, hide woluish rauenousnesse. For loe,1 both Craft and Crueltie in Papists! Craft, first, in compassing a Nouice, seduced to bee a Recusant from our Christian Communion, by setting him in the fore-front of some dangerous Schisme, such as the Ʋid Watsons Quodlibets. q. 2. art 6. Iesuits had of late against the Secular Priests, to their owne deserued ouerthrow, as Matth. 12.25 an House or Kingdome deuided against it selfe, cannot stand, (for Babels confu­sion [Page 48] Gene. 11.11. must bee by diuision:) secondly, in keeping him in the desperate course of Hereticall obstinacie, by the iniunction of that exercise, which Vid. Watsons Quodlibets. q 3. artic. 10. Iesuites haue inuented to the vtter vndoing of many silly soules, and simple Gentles, who thinking all sooth that such men say, set Houses, Lands, Goods, and all, yea, euen their Alleageance vnto their Soue­raigne, at sixe and seuen: ‘Catalog. test. Verit. p. 2. lib. 20 pag. 31. De vitio in vitium: de flammâ transit in ignem.’

Crueltie: first, in bereauing their Disciples of all 2 true vnderstanding, Matth. 23.15 by hiding the key of Knowledge, that is, Concil. Trid. Sess. & Clem. 8. in Append. ad 4. in Indice lib. prohibitorum. by keeping the Scripture in an vnknowne language, forbidding all whatsoeuer Translations into vulgar Tongues, (and so by necessary conse­quence the Rhemish Translation,) whereas Esay 45.23. & Rom. 14.11. Euerie tongue must confesse Christ: secondly, in captiuating their wils, by enforcing vpon their Consciences a consent to their doctrine whatsoeuer it be, Bellar. lib. 1. de Iustifi [...]. cap. 7. through implicit faith, that so they only may be the men of Learning and Truth; whereas CHRIST willeth vs Iohn 5.39. to search the Scriptures, in which we shall not only find Christ, but also the Church, August. Ep. 166. as Saint Augustine thinketh. And therefore seeing the outside seemeth so faire, and the inside is so filthie, we may conclude of a Popish Rabbie or Doctor, as of an vncased Hy­pocrite, Esay 32.5. The vile person shall be no more called liberall; nor the Churle said to bee bountifull. For their acts discouer their habit too plainely, as appeareth, first, by their cunning conueyances to compasse wicked­nesse, happily, still discouered to their owne confusi­on, [Page 49] as their Ʋid. vitam. R. Elizabethae. often defeated Conspiracies against Christian Princes, especially, the blessed Queene ELIZABETH, and our most gracious In Powder Treason. Lord King IAMES; and godly Ministers, as Vid. Act. & Monuments, & Bezam de vit. Caluin. Master Luther, Master Caluin, and diuers others doe verifie what Eliphaz said of Gods great working, he Iob 5.12. disappointeth the deuices of the craftie: so that their hands cannot per­forme their enterprize. Secondly, by their ends and 2 scope, well found out to their shame, in their eui­dent issues to bee, First, the maintenance of their 1 pompous pride. For why else did the Pope so mainely still resist the Emperour his Soueraigne; as sometime to depose him, as Hildebrand Platin. in Gregor. 7. did Hen­rie the Fourth; sometimes to treade him vnder his foote, as Alexander H. Mutius lib. 18. rerum Germani [...]. the Third, did Fredericke Barbarossa? Secondly, the embondaging and kee­ping vnder of all the World, as appeareth by their 2 crueltie exercised both against their enemies, the godly Vid. Act. & Monuments pas­s [...]m & lac. Ʋsse­rium de Eccles. Occidental. cap. 8.9. &c. Albigenses, Waldenses, and the faithfull of Re­formed Churches, which to their power they would vtterly subuert: and vpon their friends, whom they tye to as great obseruance, as Adonibesech Iudg 1.7. did the seuentie Kings first lamed, then fed vnder his table. For they cut short their power and iurisdiction Vid. Breuia Paul. 5. ad An­glo-Papistas. by their Popes Supremacie; and feede Vid. Missale &c. Catechism. Vaux, &c. them with the crummes of superstitious Rites, to their small com­fort either of soule so vnsettled by diuersitie of opi­nions, or of bodie so brought low by violent and strict vsage. Thirdly, the fulfilling of their filthy lusts and pleasures, too well knowne to the World, by their keeping of Platin. in A­lexand. 6. & Mantuan. lib. 3. Calamitatum & Ariost. in 7. satyr. Concubines, nourishing of Bastardie,3 [Page 50] vnder the name of Nephewes, keeping of Stewes in Rome and other places, yea, vsing of Ganymeds, and Catamits, and all such like Sodomitrie, whereof their owne Fauourites are the most liuely Witnesses, e­specially Ariosto in his excellent Satyres. Wherefore, deare Brethren, since by this direct application of the marks before giuen to all false teachers and blind guides, wee finde that Prouerbe prooued vpon Po­pish Prelates, and Preachers, which Athen. lib. 7. cap 33. Athenaeus hath, Perca sequi­tur saepiam. [...]. Like will to like, as the Deuill said to the Collyer; We here for our part haue good cause, 1 first, to reioyce and prayse our good God for Reuel. 19.2. thus iudging the great Whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornications. For Matth. 4.16. now the people which sate in dark­nesse, seeth great light: and to them which sate in the region and shaddow of death, Light is risen; euen such as many Math. 13.17. Prophets and righteous Men desired to see, and did not see; God Heb. 11.40. in Truth, prouiding better things for vs, that they without vs should not bee made perfect. 2 Secondly, to lament the miserable estate of our Bre­thren in the flesh, whose diuisions cannot but bee to e­uery good man, as Reubens was to other Tribes, Iudg. 5.15. great thoughts of heart; because this Schisme is not only a weakning of the whole bodie Ecclesiasticall and Politicall in this flourishing Empire, but also a most necessarie cause of certaine ruine and vtter vn­doing of the parts disioyned, be they neuer so strong; seeing they are vnperfect by themselues, and drawne by Deluders out Prou. 27.8. of their owne place, as a Bird from her nest, being in a snare, 2. Tim. 2.26. led captiue by the Deuill at his 3 will. Thirdly, to endeuour a reconciliation of them [Page 51] to their Mother-Church, from whom they are [...]ent like vnnaturall Bastards, to sucke the brests of the Babylonish Whore. For it is the Law of Charitie to pull out of the ditch Exod. 23.5. a loden Asse, such as all those are, who Psal. 32.9. haue no vnderstanding, being blinded in Poperie, and whose mouthes must be held with bit and bridle, lest they come neere vs, to hurt vs either by secret Treche­rie, or open Rebellion. Therefore as a good Physi­cian, first, gently prepareth by some moderate Po­tion, before he strongly purgeth by violent Physicke his sicke Patient; so our Magistrates and Ministers, Gods Superintendents vnto this charge, are, first, to labour by all gentle meanes to winne these stray and wandring Wights, in Gal. 6.1. the Spirit of meeknesse, since, Prou. 25.14. a soft tongue breaketh the bone; as Saint Paul 1. Cor. 4.21. wished to come to the Corinthians, not with a Rod, but in Loue. For it lighteneth, before it thundreth: God sent his Prophets before hee sent his Plagues: and all to see if they would Iere. 7.25. & 18.16. repent of their sinnes, that hee might repent of his punishments. But if they bee so stub­borne that warning will not serue, then draw out the Sword; You good Men of the Sanedrin, de­nounce by censure Ecclesiasticall; and Yee Great Men of Millo, strike home, and wound Psal. 68.21. the hairie scalpe of euerie one that goeth on still in his trespasses. For you must Luke 14.14. compell them by force of Law to enter, you being Gods Lieutenants on earth, Rom. 13.4. not to carrie the Sword for nought. And therefore as Saint Au­gustine August. Ser. 33. de verb. do. cap. 6. concludeth; For is inueniatur necessitas: nas­citur intus volunt is; Outwardly let them find a constraint; and inwardly a good will or liking may grow in time. [Page 52] For the Spirit Iohn [...].8. bloweth where it listeth, on Act. [...].5. Saul the persecuter, on Euseb lib. Eccles. hist. 6. cap. 4. Basilides the tormentor, on Sleidan Com­ment. lib. 21. Vergerius the confuter, and so it may worke in those who are brought to the Church by compulsion, that of Esay 65.25. Ly­ons, they may be Lambs, of Cormorants, be made Doues, and of peruerse Papists, by the preuenting and assi­sting grace of God become perfect Protestants, wil­lingly now renuing by true repētance, the couenant first made in their Baptisme to Christ, who is their only Teacher and Master, as it followeth to be de­clared now in the Instruction, first vnto humilitie in the lowly seruant.

The third part. 1 §. IIII. The Disciple is not aboue his Master.] Theophylact. in 10. Matth. 24 Theophilact expounding this place, vnderstandeth it prouerbially spoken of any Master, and any schol­ler, because so long as they are schollers, they are infe­riour to their Masters, for when once they become bet­ter, they are no more their schollars, as Apud Cic. lib. 9. Ep. sam. Ep. 14. [...]: many schollers are better then their 2 Masters: But this interpretation is somewhat too generall, because albeit it be true in euery Master and Scholler, as they are so correlata: yet the article here is [...], declaring with an empha­sis or vehemencie, who properly is that Master, to wit, as Beda in 6. Luc. Beda, Strab. in gl [...]ss. ordin. Strabus, Stella in Luc. Stella, and Aquin. in Ca­tena. & Mar­laorat. the whole streame of learned Interpreters haue deliuered, Christ Iesus himselfe noted by the article ( [...].) For so he applieth it to himselfe; when vpon this very speech he inferreth, Mat. 10.24.25 If they call the Master of the house Beelzebub, how much shall they call them of the household? Yea, and he plainely auoucheth, Matth. 23.8. one is your Master, [Page 53] euen Christ: [...], [...]lle Doctor, or ille Ductor, that Teacher, or that Leader of Israel, far surpassing those, who by a speciall commission from holy Iehoshaphat, 2. Chro. 17.6 taught the people, and had the booke of the Law of the Lord with them; and went about throughout all the Ci­ties of Iudah, and taught the people. They were sent out by an earthly Potentate, but he Iohn 16.28. came downe from the King of Heauen: They were directed by the booke of the Law: but he was that onely true Iames 4.12. Law­giuer himselfe; they went throughout all the Cities of Iudah only; but he preached the Gospell in all Matth. 4.25. Palestina, to wit, in Gallie, and Samaria, as well as in Iudaea, only to gather into one folde Matth. 15.24. the lost sheepe of the house of Israel, to whom he was sent. So that his Disciples, be they neuer so well furnished with grace and power, either extraordinarie, as were Ephes. 4.11. Apostles, Prophets, and Euangelists, or ordinarie, as Pastors, Doctors, and other good Christians had, and stil from him may haue, can neither be superiour, nor equall vnto him, who did but either send them as 2 Cor. 5.20. Ambas­sadours in his stead, or call them as lost Luke 15.4. sheepe into his solde. Wherefore hence wee learne a most certaine truth, that Christ Iesus was, is,The Doct­rine. and euer shall be the sole supreme Teacher, Leader, Head, and Master-builder of his holy Catholike Church, and of all and euery member therein conteined. For so Scripture, Reason, 1. Regula. and Fathers doe demonstrate. Scripture vnder these two heads of places, as first, where he is called the corner stone pro­phetically 1 by Dauid, saying, Psal. 118.22. The stone which the buil­ders refused, is become the head stone of the corner. For our Sauiour Matth. 21.42. applieth it vnto himselfe, to the iust [Page 54] conuiction of the contemning Iewes: and St. Peter Act. 4.11. feared not to vrge it be [...]ore the Elders in the Coun­cell, as the only pregnant place, to proue Iesus to be Christ; becau [...]e the Esa [...] 11.10. Rom. 15.12. Gentile [...] as the Iewes shall [...]rust in him, being as S. Paul saith, built vpon Eph. 2.21.22 the foundation of the Apostles and the Prophets, Iesus Christ himselfe bring the chiefe Corner s [...]one, in whom all the building fi [...]ly framed together, groweth vnto an holy Temple in 2 the Lord. Secondly, where he is intitul [...]d the Ephes. 1.22. Head ouer all things to the Church, & the Ephes. 5.23. Head of the Church, as the man is of the wi [...]e. For hereby is signified a full preeminence in regard, both of honour, since as the head is the chiefest part of the body naturall, so is Christ the Head Coloss. 1.18. of the body the Church, euen the begin­ning, the first borne from the dead, that in all things hee might haue the preeminence, and of helpe which hee comfortably affordeth vnto al the other members of this his mysticall body whatsoeuer they be, by due mi­nistration of spirituall grace, according to their seue­rall necessities, that in him they may be full, and want nothing, as all the Colos. 2.9.10 fulnesse of the Godhead dwel­leth in him bodily, and we are complete in him, who is the Head of all principalitie and power. For whatsoeuer, saith Ambros. in Col. 2. Ambrose, any thinketh great in any man, he shall finde more in Christ, because all haue from him, as members from the head, yet is he alwayes full: like the Sunne e­uer shining, like the Sea alwayes flowing▪ like the Fountaine euerlasting; Horat. ad Carn. sedul. be [...]t [...] pleno copia cornu: a blessed plentie from the Psal. 132.16. bud [...]ing horne of salu [...]tion, Luke 1.6 [...]. rai­sed vp by the mightie God of Israel for vs in the house of 2 his seruant Dauid. Reason drawne from the propor­tion [Page 55] of faith enforceth our consent vnto this truth, because in this Supremacie there cannot be either a fellow equall, or a deputie substituted to our Sauiour Christ: For he alone is first in respect of his person 1 the Iohn. 1.14. only begotten Sonne of God, both as God in the forme Phil. 2.6. of God, thinking it no robberie to be equall with God, with whom Iohn 17.5. before the world was, he had that glorie, Esay 42.8. which he will not giue vnto another, no creature being capeable of that glorie, since Exod. 33.20. no man can see God, and liue: and as Man, only cōceiued Luke 1.35. by the ouershaddowing of the Holy Ghost, onely Matth. 1.23. borne of the pure Virgin Mary, only receiuing Iohn 3 34. the Spirit without measure, only like to Heb. 4.15. man in all things sinne only excepted: secondly, in regard of his office, as he is the Heb. 9.15. Mediator of the 2 New Testament, both for Redemption, since Esay 63.2. hee hath trodden the Win [...]-presse alone, and for Intercessi­on, since he Rom. 8.35. alone sitteth at the right hand of God, ma­king continuall Intercession for vs. For this his Office of a Mediatour, he himselfe alone performeth, First, as he is the only Prophet, who Iohn 6.68. hath the words of eter­nall life, being the only 1. Pet. 5.4. [...], the chiefe of the Sheepe. Secondly, as hee is the only Priest of the New Testament, after the Psal. 110.4. order of MELCHISEDECH, Heb. 7.24. continuing for euer in an vnchangeable Priesthood, in that, first, Heb. 10.14. by one offering once offered, hee hath per­fected 1 for euer them that are sanctified, and then, Heb. 7.25. li­ueth for euer to make intercession for vs. Thirdly, as he is a King, who for Psal. 93.1. euer raigneth alone, Reuel. 17.14 King of Kings they Prou. 8.14. raigning by him, and Lord of Lords; who for him decree iudgement:

Lucan. lib. 1. Pharsal.
Nulla fides regni socijs, omnis (que) potestas
[Page 56]Impatiens consortis erit: —

Kings will haue no Copartners; The Heauen, Plutarch. in Apophthegmat. said ALEXANDER, hath but one Sunne to shine: and the Church, yea, and the World, hath but one 1. Cor. 8.6. God, who is Father of all, and one Christ, who is Lord of all.

So that well might the Ancient Fathers of the Primitiue Church,3. Regula. vpon these good grounds, assent 1 vnto this Truth: As first, for the Greek Church three; namely, Clement of Alexandria, Clement. A­lex. lib. 3. Paed. cap. 12. who plainely auou­cheth, that Christ is [...], The onely Ma­ster: [...], The good Counsell of the good Father: [...]: The proper true Wisedome, the sanctification of our knowledge. 2 Origen. lib. 6. contr. Celsum. tom. 2. p. 762. Origen, who from the same great Schoole, dispu­ting against Celsus, aptly resembleth the Church to a Body, Christ the Sonne of God, to the Soule, and all the faithfull, to the members of this vniuersall Body: because, as the soule quickneth and mooueth the body, which of it selfe hath no liuely motion: so That Word stirring vp the body by a wonderfull force vnto those things which it ought to doe, mooueth altogether euery member of the 3 Church, doing nothing without reason. And Gregorie Nyssen, who expounding that sentence in the Canti­cles, [His Cantic. 5.11 head is as the most fine gold] concludeth it Gregor. Nys­sen. in Cantic. or. 13. to be Christ, not as God only, but also as Man, the Branch of virginitie, without blot of sinne: since the Head of the body, the Church, and the first fruits of all our nature is 2 pure gold, and farre from all mixture of vitiousnesse.

Secondly, for the Latine Church three other, as good and great men as the former, to wit, Cyp [...]ian 1 Cyprian. in Concil. Cartha­ginensi. thus speaking in the Councell of Carthage of the [Page 57] paritie of Bishops, concludeth; Let vs all expect the Iudgement of our Lord Iesus Christ, who one & alone hath power, both to preferre vs in the gouernment of the Church, and to iudge of our actions. Ambrose, who 2 discoursing vpon that place in the Prouerbs, [The Prou. 8.28. Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old:] thus reasoneth; By this, Ambros. lib. 3. de sid. cap. 4. Christ proueth himselfe to be God eternall, because he is the beginning of all things, and the Authour of euery vertue; because hee is the Head of the Church. And lastly, Saint Augustine, 3 next vnder Ʋid. Kemnit. in orat. de Lecti. Patrum. Christ and his holy Apostles, amongst the Doctors of the Church, the greatest Pillar of Christianitie, who many times sweetly redoubleth vpon this point, saying, Quia August. con [...]. 3. in Psal. 37. caput nostrum Christus est, corpus capitis illius nos sumus: Because Christ is our Head, we are the Body of that Head. Omnes qui ab initio saeculi fuerunt iusti, caput Christum habent: All the righteous, who haue liued euer since the World began, haue Christ for their Head. And in another place thus, Idem in Psal. 139. If Christ be an Head, Christ is the Head of some Body: the Body of that Head is the holy Church, in whose members we are, if we loue our Head.

But against this truth some may oppose these words of S. Paul;Ob. 1. Cor. 3.9.10. Wee are labourers together with God: yee are Gods husbandry; yee are Gods building: according to the grace of God, which is giuen vnto mee, as a wise Master-builder, I haue layd the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. For here it seemeth that Christ hath the Apostles both for his fellow-labou­rers, and to be Master-builders as well as he.

But yet Christ is all in all; and the Apostles,Sol. with [Page 58] other his faithfull Seruants rightly called, first, [...], Fellow-labourers: secondly, [...], Ma­ster-builders.

1 For, first, they are Vid. Kecker­man. lib. 1. syst. Log. cap. 15. pag. 135. Fellow-labourers onely, as they are Instrumenta animata: Liuely Instruments; as Ser­uants to their Master; Souldiers to their Captaine, moouing onely of themselues as they are directed by their first moouer, according as all other second causes mooue not, vnlesse they be mooued by an higher cause; as the Aristotel. lib. 8 Physic. cap. 5. Philosophers axiome is; Non mouent nisi motae: second causes worke not, except they be wrought vpon by another higher cause: and as the Schooleman Aquin. 3. p. q. 63. ar. 5. in corp. giueth a Rule; Virtus instrumentalis magis attendi­tur secundum conditionem principalis agentis: The ver­tue of the Instrument is more to be respected according to the state of the principallagent. So that as the Centuri­on was Matth. 8.9. vnder authoritie, hauing Souldiers vnder him: and he said to this man, Goe, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he commeth: and to his seruant, Doe this, and he doth it: in like manner are Ministers of Gods Word vnder Christ appointed to be Stewards 1. Cor. 4.1.2. of the mysteries of God, hauing committed vnto their charge the soules of Gods people, who as Ministers 1. Cor. 4.2. must be faithfull, are to obey Heb. 13.17. them that haue rule ouer them, being bound to giue account of what they can in no wise discharge themselues, but by the great blessing, and good acceptance of God in Christ Iesus, as 1. Cor. 3 6.7. Paul may plant, and Apollos water, but God it is who must giue the increase: for without Iohn 15.6. him, we can doe nothing. Se­condly 2 therefore the blessed Apostle tearmeth him­selfe [...], a Master-builder, not simply & abso­lutely: [Page 59] for so Wisedome Prou. 9.1. only buildeth her house vpon the Matth. 16.16 rocke, which is her selfe: but, only in a certaine respect either of time, as he was the first who prea­ched the 1. Cor. 4.15. Gospell to them of Corinth, to whom he so became a Master, or first builder, as Thomas Euseb. lib. 3. histor. cap. 1. to the Indians, and so the other Apostles in other parts of the world; or of dignitie, wherein he was vnder Christ a chiefe man, an Apostle (the 1. Cor. 12.26. first degree of Mini­sters,) one that 1. Cor. 15.10 laboured more aboundantly then they all, yet not hee, but the grace of God with him. This place then notwithstanding being in it selfe (as you well see) so plaine, we conclude our proofes of the fore-proposed doctrine with these sweet words of Gre­gorie Nazianzen, Nazianz. orat. 26. [...] For we all are one bodie in Christ, [...]: euery one of vs members of Christ, and one of another: [...]: for this member ruleth, and sitteth before, [...]: but that member is led, and directed: [...]: and although both these members worke not the same, vnlesse we will say, that it is the same to rule, and to obey: [...]: yet are they both made one into one Christ; [...]: sitted toge­ther, and compacted by one Spirit. The Vses. Wherefore to make good vse of this doctrine, here we haue good occa­sion first, for correction, secondly, for caution,1. Of correction. third­ly, for consolation. The correction of Popish flatte­rie, wherewith Monks and Iesuits puffe vp that An­tichrist, their Pope of Rome, by assigning vnto him such high names, and great titles, as indeede agree to [Page 60] none but to Christ Iesus, whome they thereby blas­pheme, and most sacrilegiously rob of his due ho­nour. For to go no further then to their Grand Car­dinall, who is in stead of the rest a right Goliah: we finde his last Bellar. lib. 2. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 31. argument, whereby he would proue the Popes Supremacie ouer other Bishops, to be drawne from certain names, and titles of the Bishop of Rome, amongst which (being fifteene in number) some are vnlawfull, Vid. Whitaker contr. 4. q. 4. ca. 2 & Arg. vltimo. euen meerely blasphemous as these fiue especially, first, Pontifex maximus: the chiefe Bishop. Secondly, Vicarius Christi: the Vicar of Christ. Thirdly, Caput Ecclesiae: the head of the Church. Fourth­ly, Sponsus Ecclesiae: the Bridegrome of the Church. Fift­ly, Episcopus vniuersalis: the vniuersall Bishop, because they are the proper titles of Iesus Christ, betokening that Soueraignetie ouer his Church, which none 1 hath, but himselfe alone. For first, who is Pontifex maximus, the chiefe Bishop, but Christ alone? Aaron Heb. 5.4.5. in the Law, but Christ in the Gospell is the onely high Priest, who Heb. 7.26. both was here on earth without sinne, and now Heb. 8.1. is set on the right hand of the throne of Maiestie in the heauens. Well therefore did the Fa­thers assembled in the third Concil. Car­thag. 3. Can. 26. Councell at Carthage ordeine, vt primae sedis Episcopus non appelletur Princeps Sacerdotum, aut summus Sacerdos, aut aliquid huiusmodi; sed tantùm primae sedis Episcopus: that the Bishop of the first See be not called the Prince of Priests, or chiefe Priest, or such like, Ob. but only Bishop of the first See. For whereas Bellarmine would restraine this Canon vnto the Pro­uinces of Africk only, wherein there were many e­quall Primates, and not to the Bishop of Rome, who by [Page 61] Gregorie, Anselme, and Bernard, with the sixth Synod, Sol. is called chiefe Bishop: I answere, that then Gratian Gratian. dist. 99. Can. 3. would not haue registred it in his Decrees for a common rule, which if Gregorie, Anselme, Bernard, and those of the sixt Synode transgresse, we can but hold them for flattering merchants of the purple Whore; albeit they may be excused for this title, as giuing it only after a common manner of speech, be­cause of excellencie in learning and life, as Athana­sius was called by Ruffin. lib. 2. histor. cap. 28. Ruffinus, Pontifex maximus, and all other Bishops are tearmed by Anaclet. Ep. Decret. 2. Anacletus, summi Sacerdotes: chiefe Priests: indeed somewhat too high­ly for those that 2. Cor. 4.5. should not preach themselues, but Iesus Christ the Lord, and themselues your seruants for Iesus his sake, who is both the Iohn 10.11. good Shepheard, and the chiefe 1. Pet. 5.4. Shepheard of the sheepe.

Secondly, Why call they their Pope, Vicarium 2 Christi: the Vicar of Christ? Is it in regard of Christs Spirituall Kingdome? Hee there needs no Vicar, Matth. 28.20 being with vs alwayes to the end of the World: and as Tertullian saith, Tertullian. lib. de praescript. cap. sending vicariam vim Spiritus San­cti, qui credentes agat, that is, the vertue of the Holy Ghost, who draweth the Beleeuers in stead of himselfe. Or is it in respect of Office and Administration Temporall? So are Kings and Princes called Gods Vicars, as King In Epist. ad Lucium, apud Fox. lib. 1. Mar­tyr [...]iog. Lucius by Eleutherius, and Anastasius the Emperour by the Bishop Anastas. Ep. [...]ecret. ad Ana­stas. tit. 6. apud Binnium, tom. 2. Concil. Anastasius. Yea, and all other Bishops and Priests are called Christs Vicars, by Euseb. Papa Ep. 3. Decret. apud Binnium, tom. 1. Eusebius, because, Christi vice Legatione sungun­tur in Ecclesiâ: In stead of Christ, they execute an Am­bassage in the Church. For it is Augustine his double [Page 62] Rule, August in [...]. Omnis Antistes [...]s [...] [...]hristi Vi [...]ius: Euery Bishop is Christs Vicar: and Idem [...] q. 106. Homo Impertum Dei habens, quasi Vicarius Dei est: Man hauing Gods Dominion, is as Gods Vicar. How can the Pope then be Christs Vicar, when Christ hath not made him so, neither doth hee be­haue himselfe, as a Vicar or Vicegerent: but as a Lord-Royal; when yet his own Law is, That Io [...]. 22 Ex­trauag Con. lib. 3 tit. 2. cap. 5. ad init. the Vi­car of Christ should cōforme himselfe to the acts of Christ?

For, thirdly, is hee not entituled, Caput Ecclesiae: 3 The Head of the Church? Is not this Christs Free-hold, whereupon he so vsurpeth? And yet how can hee be a Vicar of Christ, and the Head of the Church? For as that Titular Patriarch of Antioch, spake in the Coun­cell of Basill, Joh. Patriar. Antioch. in ap­pend. Concil. apud Binnium, tom. 3. pa. 2. Caput esse denotat praeeminentiam, quam Minister non habet supra Dominam: To be Head, noteth a preeminence, which the Seruant hath not aboue his Mi­stresse.

Ob.Yes, say they, Rhemists in 1. Eph. §. 5. Hee may bee a Ministeriall Head, as the Pope is to the Militant Church here on earth. Well, be it so.

Sol.But I demand what Scripture teacheth this? For no place is yet to our knowledge brought by any of them for ground of this distinctiō. But to deale kind­ly with them, who so disgrace their Sauiour by mag­nifying their Pope, admit this: yet then the Pope hath not to doe with the Church Triumphant, be­ing only the Ministeriall Head of the Militant Church: neither yet can euery Pope bee a true Head thereof, since some Popes are damned creatures in Hell, euen, Watsons Quodlibets q. Sixtus Quintus, by Bellarmines iudge­ment, and Landus with others of that Ranke, whom [Page 63] Vid. Baron. Annal. ad Ann. 900. &c. Baronius, and Platina in Lando, &c. Platina haue censured either for Monsters, or obscure Villaines. But if they were ne­uer so good men, I maruell how the Church shall liue, when the Pope is dead: Shall it walke hop-head­lesse? Poore Church! either the Pope is not thine Head, vpon whom thy life dependeth, as the life of the members is from the Head, or else thou maist make a great many Resurrections vpon the enstal­ling of euery new Pope, yea, and must be sometimes like the triple-headed Cerberus, (Absit dicto blasphe­mia!) vpon any Schisme. Answere these doubts, yee Papists, or your Pope is no Head of the Militant Church.

But, fourthly, the Pope is Sponsus Ecclesiae, The 4 Bridegroome of the Church, if hee bee not the Head. Nay, then hee must bee the Head, as the Ephes. 5.23. Husband is the Head of the Wife. But who durst call the Pope, the Bridegroome to the Church, which by Saint 2. Cor. 11.2. PAVL is espoused and presented to one Husband, euen Christ, who (as the Baptist saith) Iohn 3.29. is the Bridegroome, because hee hath the Bride, whom hee Hos. 2.19. married vnto himselfe for e­uer? Surely, neither Scripture, nor Councell, nor Father, euer gaue this Title to the Pope, till a thou­sand, two hundred, and fortie yeeres after CHRIST, when the Dogge had his day in the very power and houre of darkenesse, I meane, when Antichrist ruf­fled in the Councell assembled at Bellar. repor­teth it out of the Sext. tit de Elect. ca [...]. Vbi periculum: Where yet I cannot finde any such word in their new Edition Grego­rian. Lyons, where this Title (Sponsus Ecclesiae) was giuen to the Pope, farre contrarie to Saint Bernards minde, who told Bernard. Ep. 237. Pope EVGENIVS, that since he was the Bridegroomes friend, hee should make no challenge vnto the Bride, vnlesse it be [Page 64] to dye for her sake. For that were to make the Church an Harlot, if She should be espoused to any other, since Christ euer liueth; because the Rom. 7.3. Woman, which hath an Husband, is bound by the Law vnto her Husband so long as he liueth.

Ob.But may not an Husband haue a Deputie in his absence?

Sol.To what purpose? To beget Children of her? Then Gene. 39.9. Ioseph might without sinne haue layne with his Mistresse. But shee was exempted from vnder his hand, as the Church is from vnder the power of any Pope, Priest or Potentate, in respect of her coniunction in Marriage, which is only with Christ, as she truly professeth, Can [...]. 7.10. I am my Beloueds, and his desire is towards mee.

Ob.Where then the Cardinall doth not thinke it absurd in spirituall matters, that one spouse should belong to ma­ny, howsoeuer it is grosse in Temporall causes;

Sol.Let him know, that as Man and Wife are by Marrriage Gene. 2.23. one flesh; so Christ and his Church are by spirituall coniunction 1. Cor. 12.12 one body, of which, if the Pope bee not a member, he is but a damned creature, (for Cybrian. lib. de Vuit. Ecclesiae. out of the Church is no Saluation:) and if hee be a member, then is he not Sponsus: the Bridegroome, or Head, but one ouer whom the Spouse hath a power euen to be his Mistresse, because hee is but her Hus­bands Vicar, or Deputie, or Steward, not to rule o­uer her, but for her benefit to dispence their seuerall portions vnto her seruants, as Thomas Apud Aen [...] ­um Syluium lib. 1. de gest. Concil. Basil. ens. de Corsellis did learnedly argue this Case before the Fathers in the Councell of Basill.

[Page 65]Yet, fifthly and lastly, hee is called and must car­rie 5 it cleerely to be so, Episcopus vniuersalis: The vni­uersall Bishop: albeit no Scripture euer gaue him, or any other Bishop such a name; nay, nor yet any Fa­ther of the Primitiue Church, saue Theodo. diac. Ischyrion, diac. Athanas. presb. in Actione 3. Concil. Chalcedo­nensis. three priuate men in the Councell of Chalcedon, who intituled Leo the first, vniuersall Archbishop, or vniuersall Patriarch; but if we may beleeue the report of Gregory; Gregor. ad Mauritium, lib. 4. Ep. 32. Al­though this name of vniuersall Bishop was in honour of Saint PETER, offered by that Councell to the Bishop of Rome: yet none of his Predecessours euer tooke it vnto him, or gaue consent to vse it. For indeede Gregorie himselfe did Gregor. Ep. 36.38.39. lib. 4. Registri. many times inueigh against Iohn the Patriarch of Constantinople, for vsurping this name of vniuersall Bishop, as a name too high for any man; and therfore a proud, blasphemous and sacrilegious Ti­tle for a Minister of Christ: Yea, and Gratian Gratian. dist. 99. Can 3.4. from the Councell of Afrike, and from the following Decree of Pelagius, maketh this plaine conclusion of (as the third Gloss. 10. Fan. ibid. principall point of that distinction,) Vniuersalis autem nec etiam Romanus Pontifex appelletur: The Bishop of Rome must not bee called vniuersall.

But (marke a distinction!Ob.) Bellar. vbi supra, & San­ders li. 7 de Vis. Monarch. num. 447. the name of vniuersall Bishop, is to be vnderstood two wayes, first, so as he that is vniuersall Bishop, be vnderstood to bee the onely Bishop of all Christian Cities; so that the rest are not Bishops, but onely his Vicars, who is called the vniuersall Bishop, and so this name is truely prophane and sacrilegious, as Gregorie thought: but, secondly, he may be called vniuersall Bi­shop, who hath a generall care of the whole Church: so as hee doth not exclude particular Bishops: as in GREGO­RIES [Page 66] opinion, the Bishop of Rome may bee called vniuer­sall Bishop.

Sol.But to answere him, and all their Crue, who euer vnderstood vniuersall for one only singular man, but they, who might well know, that IOHN sought not to be Bishop alone, but as Gregorie expoundeth the Title, Gregor. lib. 4. Ep. 38. to put all Christs members vnder him, by the name of v­niuersall Bishop, and so to bee the chiefe of Bishops, or to speake us IOHNS language, [...], that is, Bishop of all the habitable World: a proud Title for one man, there being by the order Concil. Nicaen. 1. Can. 6. & Con­stantinopolit. 1. Can. 5 vid. Iunij Animaduers. in Bellar. contr. 3. lib. 2. cap. 12. nota. 46. of the Church, foure Pa­triarchs, who had this name equally according, as their Iurisdictions were equall in their parts allotted to them, as the Romane Bishop had Italie and the West, the Bishop of Antioch had Syria, and the East; the Bi­shop of Alexandria had Afrike and the South; and the Bishop of Constantinople had Thrace, Greece, Asia-Minor, and the North; the Patriarch of Hierusalem being more for honour then neede, and yet some­what conuenient to decide doubts by an odde voice, if it were so required.

For wee find not only this name of vniuersall Bi­shop giuen by Iustinian. Cod. lib. 1. tit. 5. l. 7. Emperours to the other Patriarchs, as well as to the Bishop of Rome, but also by the Bishop of Rome himselfe thus writing, Concil. Nicae­no 2. act. 2. THARASIO Gene­rali Patriarchae ADRIANVS seruus seruorum Dei: To THARASIVS Generall (so hee readeth [...]) Pa­triarch ADRIAN seruant of the seruants of God. Wher­fore, as Iohn transgressed the bounds of modestie and order by his affection: so doth the Pope swarue farre from all humanitie, by his vsurpation [Page 67] of this title, which neither could Platina in Bo­nifac. 3. Phocas giue, nor Boniface take, nor other Popes after assume as their right, without preiudice to the other three Patri­archs, as Apud Gratia. vbi supia. Pelagius reasoned, yea, and as it is proued afterward, when vpon this Chiefedome, the Pope did not onely ouersway the other three Patriarchs, but all Bishops besides, not fearing to bee called by his August. Anco­nitanit. q. 19. art. 3. Flatterers, Immediatum Episcopum cuius (que) Ecclesiae: The immediate Bishop of euery Church. Is this to preach Christ Iesus the Lord? Is this to follow Peter, who did not Act. 10.26. suffer Cornelius to fall downe before him because he was a man? No, no, it is with proude Act. 12.20. Herod to take to him the name of GOD. But what saith their Gratian. dist. 40. c. 12. Canon Law out of Chryso­stome? In oper. Im­perfect. in Mat. homil. 43. Whosoeuer desireth Primacie in earth, shall finde confusion in heauen; neither shall he be reckoned amongst the seruants of Christ, that dealeth for supremacie. For Prou. 16.5. all the proud in heart are an abomination vnto the Lord: and amongst men they shall finde, that Prou. 25.27. to seeke their glory, is no glory; since glory is Beza emble­mat. 32. like the Crocodile, it will follow them that flee it, and flee them that fol­low it; that Bernard might well exclaime thus against this vanitie in the Prelates of his time; Bernard. lib. 3 de Consid. ad Eugen. O ambitio am­bitientium crux, quomodo omnes torquens, omnibus pla­ces! O ambition, the Crosse of proud men, how dost thou please all, and yet torment all! Wherefore I conclude this iust correction of Popish pride, too cleerely made knowne to the World by these titles, with the words of Saint CYPRIAN, Cyprian, lib. de Vnitate Ecclesiae Nemo fraternitatem mendicio fallat: Let no man deceiue the brother­hood by a lye. Nemo sidei veritatem perfidâ praeua­ricatione [Page 68] corrumpat: Let no man corrupt the truth of faith, by faithlesse deceiuing. Episcopatus vnus est, cuius a singulis in solidum pars tenetur: There is one Bishopricke, of which, part is holden by euery one wholly.

Yet, secondly, hence, that Christ Iesus is the one­ly supreme Head of the Catholike Church,2. Of Caution. wee are not onely to correct Popish errour, but also to giue good Caution to our selues for the right vnderstand­ing of the Kings most Royall Maiestie his Title, which we most lawfully and iustly ascribe vnto his most Excellent Person, and vnto all and euery his lawfull Heyres and Successors in the Oath of Su­premacie, when we acknowledge Ʋid. Oath of Supremacie in 1. Eliz. cap. 1. a­pud Rastall, tit. Crowne. his Maiestie to be Supreme Gouernour of this Realme, and of all other his Highnesse Dominions and Countreyes, as well in all Spiri­tuall or Ecclesiasticall things and causes, as Temporall. For hereby wee giue but Matth. 22.21 Caesar his due, euen vnder Christ such a power and authoritie, as not onely Scripture assigneth him, when it willeth vs 1. Pet. 2.13. to sub­mit our selues to the King, [...], B. Tonstal in his Sermon before K. Hen­rie the eight.as vnto him, who hath aboue all others a Chiefedome, or Head­ship; such as Dauid Psal. 18.43. had ouer the Nations; yea, and 1. Sam. 15.17 Saul ouer the Tribes: but also reason enforceth vs to yeeld, in regard, both of his Name, & of his Na­ture, as hee is a King. For what is his name? In He­brew it is [...], as some Auenar. in Lexic. thinke, of [...], for that it is the Kings Office Pet. Mart [...]. in 1. Reg. 3.7. to goe in and out before his people in all good gouernment, as Salomon desired 2. Chro. 1.10 Wise­dome therefore. In Greeke it is [...] Etymolog. con. [...], as the foundation of the people, because on him is [Page 69] settled their safetie, being 2 Sam. 18.3. worth ten thousand of them. In Latine Princeps, Gregor. Tho­losanus lib. 6. de rep. cap. 4. quasi primum caput, As their first and chiefe Head, vpon whom, next vnder God wee are to depend, that 1. Tim. 2.4. vnder them wee may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie. So that Agapet. [...]. ad Iustinia. apud Orthodox­ograph. tom. 1. Agapetus might well say vnto Iustinian, [...]: The King is Lord ouer all, yet Gods seruant withall. For what is his Nature as he is a King? None better expresseth it then the Apostle Rom. 13.4. Saint Paul, saying, He is the Mini­ster of God to thee for good. For here is, first, his Ma­ker, GOD, By Prou. 8.14. me Kings raigne: secondly, his matter or obiect of gouernment, Thou, whosoeuer thou art, Rom. 13.1. euery soule must bee subiect vnto the higher Powers: thirdly, his forme, Gods seruice, according vnto his will, Psal. 2.11. Serue the Lord in feare: fourthly, his end, 1. Tim. 2.2. Thy good, in an honest and a quiet life. So that, looke how farre God hath giuen him authoritie and power; so farre must inferiours bee subiect vnto it without ex­emption, vnlesse, against all conscience, by rebellion Rom. 13.2. they resist the Ordinance of God. Now certaine it is, that God hath giuen to Kings an absolute power and Soueraigntie vnder him, ouer all Persons, Goods, or Causes within their Dominions.

For, first, Persons are subiect vnto obedience 1 without exception, as the Apostle saith, Let Rom. 13.1. euery soule be subiect to the higher Powers. Yea, saith Chrysost. hom. 23. in Ep. ad Rom. Chry­sostome, If thou beest an Apostle, if an Euangelist, if a Prophet, or whosoeuer thou art: for this subiection hin­dreth not godlinesse; but ratifieth Gods Order for re­ward of thy well-doing, as Salomon 1. Reg. 2.26. preferred Za­doc: [Page 70] or for thy iust punishment, if thou rebellest a­gainst thy Soueraigne, as did Abiathar deposed, Vid. Benno­nem Cardinal. & Act. & Mo­num. Io. Fox. de his omnibus. Hildebrand, Lanfranke, Anselme, Becket, Beuford, Poole, Allen, and the rest of our Romish Renegadoes.

Secondly, Goods are at Princes disposing for the good of Church and Common-wealth, bee they 2 what they may bee, prophane or sacred, which the King may eyther for necessary vse establish, as good Nehemiah Nehe. 13.12. did the Tithes, or vpon abuse translate to other occasions, thereby to punish the grosse offen­dours; as Ioas 1. Reg. 12.7. did disgrace the Priests, by forbidding them to take any further Offerings of their acquaintance, since with what they had before receiued, they did not re­payre the breaches of the Temples: so may Kings take Tribute of Church-lands, as Christ Matth. 17.25 himselfe payed to Caesar: so are Clergie-men to yeeld subsidie, as members of the body politike, euen out of their Lands, and other reuenewes, which they hold of the King in capite, as we Englishmen say in chiefe, ac­cording as the Gratian. dist. 8. Can. 10. Canon Law iudged out of S. Augu­stine August. tr. 6. in Ioh. prope fi­nem. thus disputing: Nolite dicere, quid mihi & Regi? Quid tibi ergo & possessioni? Per iura Regum possidentur possessiones: Say not yee, What haue I to doe with the King? Then, what hast thou to doe with Pos­sessions? By the Lawes or right of Kings are Pos­sessions kept.

3 Thirdly, Causes Ecclesiasticall, as well as Ciuill, are within the compasse of the Kings Iurisdiction, since otherwise there can hardly, eyther Kings be Esay 49.23. nursing Fathers, or Queenes be nursing Mothers vnto the Church. Was not the Iudge to Deut. 17.8. ioyne with the Priest in the sentence [Page 71] of Iudgement? Did not Asa, I [...]hoshaphat, Hezekiah, Iosiah, Nehemiah, and such other good Rulers of Iu­dah, meddle with causes of Ecclesiasticall conusance, when they commanded the 2. King. 18.4 Priests to purge the Tem­ple, the 2. Chro. 19 4 Leuites to teach the people, 2 Reg. 23.6. put downe all Ido­latry, and restrained Nehe. 13.15. abuses done vpon the Sabbath day? Did not the Fathers of the Primitiue Church craue helpe Euseb. lib. 7. histor. cap. 24. of Aurelianus the Emperour for deposing of Paulus Samosatenus? Had not Constantine the Great in his power what he determined betweene Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 4. Alex­ander and Arius, in Alexandria, betweene Optatus Mi­leuitan. lib. 1. contr. Parmeni­anum. Caecilianus and Donatus in Carthage? Who called Councels? Who placed Bishops? Who established Churches? Who receiued the Appeales of Bishops from their Metropolitanes? The Emperour, while hee stood, and since his deminishing, those Kings of the Pro­uinces, as wee may plainely see by the Tomis 1. & 2. Concil. apud Bin­nium, & apud Caranzum. Councels of Spaine at Toledo; of France, at Orleance, and other places. For this point is plaine by those words of Leo the Leo 1. Epist. 75. cap. 3. Romane Bishop, to Leo the Emperour; Seeing God hath enriched your Gentlenesse with so great enlight­ning of his Sacrament, you are presently to marke, that this Kingly power is conferred vpon you, not onely for the gouernment of the World, but especially for the safegard of the Church; that by the repressing of bold attempts, you may both defend things well ordayned, and restore true peace to things in trouble, and that by driuing out the v­surpers of anothers right. Therefore, in a word, we find that the King is called the Head of the Church, not mysticall and spirituall (for so is Christ Vt supra. the onely Head:) but politicall and corporall, as the Esay 9.15. ancient and [Page 72] Honourable is the Head: and yet so not an Head which doth by it selfe execute what is to be done for mans soules health in the Church of God, I meane, he is not caput administrans: a ministring head, in his owne person, (for Kings in Gods law were not to sacrifice, as appeareth by Vzziah, 2. Chron. 26.16. therefore smitten with a Leprosie:) but (as our most Now [...]l against Dorman, & D. Rainolds Confe­rence with Hart cap. 10. diuis. 1. learned Diuines haue expressed it) the King is caput imperans, an head, who howsoeuer he may himselfe execute any Soueraigne dutie cōcerning the affaires of the Common-wealth, as to sit in iudgement with 1. Reg. 3.15. Salomon, and to Vid. Q. Curti­um, lib. 3. &c. make warre with Alexander: yet in offices Ecclesiasticall, only is to commaund and see those duties perfor­med by such as are therunto allotted by Gods speci­all calling, as Dauid 1. Chro. 24.8. set the Priests in their orders & courses; Hezekiah 2. Chro. 29.4. called them to purge the Tēple. For this is the settled iudgement of the Primitiue Church, as is manifest by these words first of Augu­stine; August. Ep. 50 ad Bonifac. The King serueth God otherwise, as he is a man, and otherwise as he is a King: As a man, he serueth God by liuing faithfully: but as a King, he serueth him, by or­daining with force, conuenient Lawes commanding iust things, and forbidding things contrarie; and againe, August. lib. 3. contr. Cres [...]oni­um Grammati­cum, cap. 51. In this, Kings, as it is giuen them in charge from God, serue God; in this respect they are Kings, if in their King­dome they commaund good, forbid euill, not onely pertai­ning to humane societie, but also belonging to diuine Re­ligion. Secondly, of Isidore Isidor. Hispal. lib. 3. de summo bono, cap. 53. Hispalensis, Princes of this world many times exercise the heights of godlinesse ob­tained within the Church, that thereby they may streng­then Ecclesiasticall discipline, and that what a Priest will [Page 73] not doe by speech of doctrine, Autoritie may accomplish by terror of discipline. And this I hold for caution suf­ficient in the right vnderstanding of the Regall title, which is not giuen in flatterie, but acknowledged in his right as next vnder Christ, whose seruant he is; that so notwithstanding this subordinate power of earthly Princes vnder Christ in the Church, as it is visibly militant in this or that Kingdome & Coun­trey of this world, yet Christ may be all in all, euen Eccles. 5.8. Of Consola­tion. higher then those who are the highest. So that thirdly from the fore-spoken-of doctrine we finde to our particular benefit, vnspeakeable cōsolation, because we depending vpon this Foundation, this Teacher, this Head, this Master Christ Iesus, shall neuer perish by a finall fall. For we shall not fall finally, being 1 taught by him in his holy Word, our Psal. 119.105 light, and Iohn 5.39. our life, being ruled by him through his holy Spirit, 1. Iohn 3.9. his seed, and our Rom. 1.4. sanctifier: his teaching, his ruling, stayeth vs in his Truth from damnable Errours; Iohn 17.17. his Word is that Truth, Iohn 16.13. his Spirit leadeth to it. So that al­though we liue in this world as in a Labyrinth, go­ing euer on, but neuer getting out, by the blinding and winding wayes of wickednesse, yet need we not feare the want of an issue, since his Word as a threed will shew vs the way; his Spirit our Comforter will strengthen our hearts to encounter the Minotaurus; that killing his companion, our trecherous flesh, and discouering his path-way, this wide and wild world, we may put him to flight, and say with the People returned out of captiuitie vnto his holy Church, Esay 26.1.2.3.4.5. We haue a strong Citie, (for Psal. 48.3. God is knowne in it,) [Page 74] saluation will God appoint for walles and bulwarks (to cast out our enemies, and to keepe vs in compasse.) Open yee the gates (yee Iohn 10.5. Porters of the Lords house, who haue the key Luke 11.52. of knowledge, and whom he hath ap­pointed to carry the Esay 22.22. Reuel 3.7. key of Dauid for opening & shut­ting, for Iohn 20.23. remitting and retaining sinne,) that the righ­teous nation which keepeth the truth, may enter in (through the Reuel. 22.14 gate into the Citie, by grace to glory.) For thou, Lord, wilt keepe him in perfect peace, whose minde is stayed on thee (as on the rocke, against which albeit Matth. 7.25. all waues doe dash, yet are they done away) because he trusted in thee (for the Lord neuer Psal. 37.40. faileth them that trust in him.) Therefore trust yee in the Lord for euer: for in the Lord Iehouah (who performes what he promiseth to be Exod. 6.3. knowne by this Name) is euerlasting strength. As therefore we cannot finally fall, so shall we not pe­rish, being set on that Foundation, being holden of that Head. For 2. Tim. 2.19. the foundation of the Lord remaineth sure, and hath this seale, The Lord knoweth who are his. Can we then be moued out of place by any storme, being so well grounded? Our vpper parts are safe too; for our Head is Phil. 3.20. aboue, that we cannot be drow­ned in the middest of many waters, being Colos. 2.19. knit vn­to him by so many ioynts and bands. If we be weake in our selues, as we are all but flesh, yet are we strong in him, who first can so saue vs, that Iohn 10.27. none shall be able to take vs out of his hand: who, secondly, will saue vs Luk. 1.71.74. from the hand of all that hate vs, that in peace we may serue him without feare: who, thirdly, as he Reuel. 1.8. is Alpha by preuenting grace, will also be Omega by his gift of perseuerance, Phil. 1.6. performing the good worke he hath [Page 75] begun in vs, and bringing Z [...]ch 4.7. Vid. Caluin. ibid forth the head stone of his spirituall building in vs, with shoutings (of his glad­some Luke 15.8. Angels for our conuersion) crying, Grace, Grace vnto it. For by Ephes. 1.8. grace we are saued, and not of our selues: his 1. Cor. 15.10 grace is not in vaine in vs; wee Ephes. 4 15. growing both so fast, and so fully thereby into our head, that we cannot be moued, Psal. 30.7. God by his fauour hauing made our mountaine to stand so strong. For first are our foes many? Feare 2. Reg. 6.16. not: for they that be with vs, are more then they that be with them. Rom. 8.31. God is on our side, who can be against vs? For, secondly, are our foes 2 mightie? Be of good comfort: the Lyon Gene. 49.9. couchant of the Tribe of Iuda, who is our shield, will Matth. 4.11. put to flight the 1. Pet. 5.8. rampant roaring Lyon of hell: yea, Rom. 16.20. the God of peace shall bruise Satan vnder your feete shortly. For,3 thirdly, haue our foes fought long against vs? Be not discouraged, their time is the shorter; our glory is the neerer, and therefore Reuel. 12.12 they rage. He that saueth vs, seeth them, Psal. 59.9. and laugheth them to scorne, for Act. 9.5. kicking so foolishly against the pricks. Our teares are put into his bottles; our troubles are registred in his booke of remembrance, that they may be in fresh suite against our enemies for our comfort and en­couragement, who shall finde in the end Rom. 8.23.24 a glorious libertie, by the full redemption of our bodies, from trouble by death, and from death, by the comming of Christ vnto Iudgement. For here we Heb. 13.14. haue no continuing Ci­tie, but looke for one to come; whereinto since in Reuel. 21. [...]7 no wise shall enter any thing that defileth; he 1. Iohn 3. [...]. that hath this hope in him, to enter therein, and be like him, shall puri­fie himselfe, euen as he is pure. For this is that confor­mitie [Page 76] vnto our Master in Christian perfection, of which we are now briefely to speake of in the last place.

1 Euery one that is perfect, shall be as his Master.] The originall is [ [...]:The fourth Part.] which Theophylact. in 6. Luc. Theophylact and Erasmus Erasm. in An­notat. in 6. Luc. seeme to vnder­stand as spoken Imperatiuely (Let euery one bee ( [...]) perfect, as his Master;) in truth, all to one and the selfe-same sense, that others, as the Vid. Bezam. in Annotat ma­ioribus in 6. Luc. Syriack, and the Vulgar doth reade, viz. that the Disciple must con­forme himselfe to be like his Master, howsoeuer hee 2 swarued farre from him before. For the word ( [...]) signifieth him who is restored to the place, whence hee was before, as it were disioynted: the word ( [...]) being borrowed from Chirurgians, who [...], put broken members into their owne places, saith Apud Henr. Stephan. in [...]. Aegineta, as Eph. 4 11.12 12. Ʋbi vid. Zan­chium in Eph. he gaue some, Apostles; and some, Prophets; and some, E­uangelists; and some, Pastors and Teachers, ( [...]) for the repayring and perfecting of the Saints, who before by nature were out of the place of happinesse, but by the Word of Grace are restored, and made perfect. For the word ( [...]) 1 signifieth, first, to restore and set things falne, into their proper place againe, as where the Apostle saith, Gal. 6.1. If a man be ouertaken in a fault, ye which are Spirituall, restore ( [...]) such a one with the Spirit of Meeke­nesse. 2 Secondly, to be more and more perfected and established in the same estate, vnto which they were restored, as the same Apostle beseecheth the Corin­thians, 1. Cor. 1. [...]0. that there be no diuision amongst them, but that [Page 77] they may be perfectly ioyned together [...]) in the same minde and in the same iudgement.

The point then of Doctrine,The Doct­rine. which hence wee learne, is this, that if we be the true Disciples of Christ, we must alwayes goe forward towards that full perfection, which is in Christ Iesus. 1. Regula. For so it is commanded not only to Gene. 17.1. ABRAHAM: I am the Almightie God▪ walke before mee, and bee thou perfect; but also to all faith­full Professors, both by our Sauiour; Matth. 5.48. Be ye therefore perfect, as your Father, which is in Heauen, is perfect:2. Regula. and by Saint PAVL, Be 2. Cor. 13.11. perfect: as IOB was, a Iob. 1.1. man perfect and vpright, as 1. Sam. 13.4. DAVID was a man after GODS owne heart, as Matth. 1.19. IOSEPH was a iust man, and ZA­CHARIE Luke 1.6. and ELIZABETH were both righteous before God, walking in all the Commandements and Or­dinances of the Lord, blamelesse. For if they will haue Heauen, they must doe thus,3. Regula. since 1. Cor. 15.50 flesh and bloud cannot enter into the Kingdome of God; neither corrupti­on inherit incorruption: And therefore let vs goe Heb. 13.13. to him without the Campe, hearing his reproch; that is, as Primasius Primas. Com­mentar. in 13. Hebr. hath fully expounded, Because he hath suf­fered without the Campe, that he might sanctifie vs; let vs go forth vnto him too, without the conuersation of carnall men, mortifying our members together with our sinnes, and concupiscences: let vs also imitate his Passion, by endu­ring Martyrdome for his sake. For this is to beare his reproch, to suffer the same things, which hee sustained. For his Crosse seemeth vnto the Pagans to bee his shame; but vnto vs it is Sanctification and Redemption: there­fore let vs goe forth to him out of the Tents, despising things present, louing things to come; contemning [Page 78] things visible, desiring to follow things eternall.

Ob.But it may be, some will say, that no man liuing in this World can bee perfect, since in Iames 3.2. many things we sinne all, and if we say, 1. Iohn 1.8. we haue no sinne, wee deceiue our selues, and there is no truth in vs; and we 1. Cor. 13.9. know but in part, and prophecie but in part: why then doth Christ command vs to be perfect? In Sext. lib. 5. tit. de Reg. iuris 6 Nemo tenetur ad impossibi­le: No man is bound vnto what is impossible for him to doe.

Sol.Indeede men say so; but Psal. 51.6. God, who requireth truth in the inward parts, commanded the obseruation of the Morall Law, to all men vnder paine of the eter­nall Deut. 27.26. Curse; and yet it is not possible for Rom. 3.19 20 any man liuing to keepe the Law, being so subiect to all im­perfections, that the whole Esay 1.6.7. head is sicke, and the whole heart faint: from the sole of the foote, euen vnto the head, there is no soundnesse in it, but wounds, and brui­ses, and putrifying sores.

And therefore to know what perfection Christ here speaketh of,2. Two Questi­ons of Perfec­tion. let vs make search into two points: First, What is the perfection here required? Secondly, How farre can any man here liuing proceede therein? To find out the former,1. What it is? know we that this perfecti­on is the perfection of Christ, as Christ is our Tea­cher or Master. For as the Master by teaching la­boureth to bring his Schollers to that perfection, which he himselfe hath in any knowledge: so Christ our Master teacheth vs daily to bring vs to as much perfection of knowledge and Grace, as wee can re­ceiue, being in truth not capeable of any more then it is his pleasure we shall receiue, Phil. 2.13. he working in vs the [Page 79] will and the deed, of his owne good pleasure. So that this perfection of our Master Christ Iesus, is to be distingui­shed into formall and effectiue, or into inherent and communicated perfection. Formall or Inherent perfe­ction, is the perfection of the person of Christ, as hee is both perfect God, and perfect Man, and perfect both God and man. For, first wee finde him perfect God, [...], by an all-sufficiencie, Rom. 11.35 of whom, and through whom, and to whom are all things, and [...], by a sole-sufficiency, since though 1. Cor. 8.6. there bee that are called Gods, whether in Heauen or in Earth (as there be gods manie, and lords many,) yet to vs there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and wee in him; and one Lord Ie­sus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Second­ly, perfect man, of a reasonable soule, and humane flesh subsisting, in both being euery way like vnto vs, Heb. 4.15. sinne only excepted. Thirdly, perfect both God and Man ( [...]) the Godhead, and Manhood being Vid. Symbol. Concil. Cha [...]cedo­nensis & Dama­scen. lib. 3. cap. 3. vnchangeably, indiuisibly, inconfusedly, and sub­stantially vnited in the person of Christ, the only Media­tour betweene God and Man; perfectly obedient, both in action and in passion; in action Matth. 3.15. fulfilling all righ­teousnesse, to Iohn 4 34. doe the will of him that sent him, and to fi­nish his worke: in passion; both of soule, Matth. 26.38. heauy through sorrow (for Gods wrath due for mans sinnes) vnto the death, and of bodie sustayning many torments both in his life time, by Matth. 8.20. Luke 8.1. pouertie and Luke 13. [...]1. Iohn 7.32. &c. persecutions, and at Vid. Math. 27 & Ioh. 18. & 19 his death, by mocking, buffeting, whipping, stretching, nayling, and piercing his sweet side with a sharp Speare, vpon the Gal 3.13. cursed Tree or Crosse, then turned to be a blessed Engine of mans true happines, [Page 80] in that Colos. 1.21.22. we that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in our minde by wicked workes, now hath hee reconciled, in the bodie of his flesh, through death, to present vs holy and vnblameable, and vnreprooueable in his sight. Now this his formall inherent perfection is in himselfe, as hee is alone God and Man, the only Mediatour betweene God and Man; and not that which here wee seeke, it be­ing only proper to himselfe, who only Esay 63.3. trod the Wine­presse, 2 and none of the people with him. Wherefore we must briefly consider of that perfection of Christ, which we call effectiue and communicable, to wit, that which is communicated vnto vs, by his working in vs▪ through his holy Spirit, that wee Rom. 8.29. may bee confor­med to his Image, in which after Ephes. 4.23. God we are new men created in righteousnesse, and true holinesse. A perfecti­on distinguished according to those degrees, which we make in it. For as after our fall wee cannot rise of our selues, but Christ Ephes. 2.5. must quicken vs: so when we are reuiued by a new Birth, we cannot attaine to the height of perfection at one leape; but as Gene. 28.18 IAACOBS Ladder had certaine degrees and steppes, by which the Angels of God did ascend and descend: so this course of perfection, wherein we are to ascend vnto GOD, hath certaine degrees of holinesse and righteousnesse, through which we must passe, before we can attaine to the height of our happinesse, as the Apostle saith, In Rom. 1.17. the Gospell is the righteousnesse of God reuealed from faith to faith; by which 2. Cor. 3.18. we all with open face beholding, as in a Glasse, the glorie of the Lord, are changed into the same Image, from glory to glorie, euen as by the Spirit of the Lord. Learned Diuines Hemingius Syntagm. Gloss. 4. cap. 4. Aret. Probl. 163. & Polanus sy [...]tag. then out of their good [Page 81] experience obseruing the graduall proceedings of Christians vnto perfection, out of the holy Scrip­ture set downe this perfection to bee two-fold: First, Perfectio viae: The perfection of the way: Secondly, Perfectio vitae: The perfection of life: that is, the course wherein wee must runne, this is the Crowne, which we shall obtaine, 1. Cor. 9.25. So runne, that ye may obtaine. The perfection of the way, is a blamelesse course of vp­right walking only in this life, of which the Psalmist thus pronounceth, Psal. 119.1. Blessed are the vndefiled in the way, who walke in the Law of the Lord: and it is found to be two-fold, Legall, or Euangelicall: Legall perfection is that, when a man according to the tenour of the Law fufilleth all the Commandements of God, as it is re­quired by Moses, saying, Deut. 10.12.13. And now Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to feare the Lord thy God, to walke in all his wayes, and to loue him, and to serue the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soule: to keepe the Commandements of the Lord, and his Statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? E­uangelicall perfection is a carefull endeuour of a faith­full man vnto the true obedience of Gods holy will reuealed in his Word, fully setled for all his life time, that hee may still grow in grace vnto glorie, as Saint PAVL Philip. 3.13 14. forgetting those things which are behinde, and reaching forth to those things, which are before, pressed towards the marke, for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus: and this perfection is wrought by the Holy Ghost, First, in the nature and substance of a regenerate man. Secondly, in his actions. In his nature and substance this perfection is wrought, [Page 82] when after the remission of our sinnes, and the impu­tation of Christs Righteousnesse for our free and full [...]ustification by a liuely faith, that inbred corruption arising from the blot of originall sinne is lessened in vs, and Gods grace so restored, as that by it we grow still better and better; for 2. Tim. 3.13. as sinne maketh the wicked waxe worse and worse: so Grace draweth the godly on in perfection to Psal 84.7. walke from strength to strength, till they appeare before God in Zion. So that looke how farre sinne hath defiled the natural man by the issues of corruption throughout all the parts and powers of soule and bodie: euen so farre doth and shall the Grace of Gods Spirit worke a restitution in the man regenerate, that 1. Thes. 5.23. his whole Spirit, Soule, and Bodie may be preserued blamelesse vnto the Comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. For shall not Iaacob supplant ESAV? Shall not the Spirit subdue the flesh? Shall mans sinne eneruate, or hinder Gods Grace? No, in no wise, if God send his holy Spirit, which Iohn 3.8. bloweth where hee listeth. And therefore this perfection of mans na­ture reformed, spreadeth it selfe into many faire branches, First, in the minde, by a quicke perceiuing and a sound iudgement of heauenly things, not on­ly for the knowledge of the principles, and grounds of GODS Religion; but also for the gathering of such good conclusions, as may both strengthen and increase faith, since 1. Iohn 2.20. hee hath the anoyn­ting from the Holy One, and knoweth all things. Secondly, in the will, by most ready inclinations, and settled resolutions for the right performance of all holy Duties, prescribed by God for holinesse, [Page 83] righteousnesse, and sobrietie; since thereto are wee Tit. 2.12.14. taught, & therefore are we purged to be a peculiar peo­ple vnto himselfe, zealous of good works. Thirdly, in the conscience, both 1. Iohn 3.18. by boldnesse towards God, vpon the full assurance of the remission of our sinnes, and by an honest care of liuing vprightly in the feare of God, without scarre of scandall giuen or taken to his owne true quietnesse, and the profitable edifying of other men, since the high way Prou. 16.17. of the vpright is to depart from euill; he that keepeth his way, preserueth his soule, and the Prou. 19.23. feare of the Lord tendeth to life; hee that hath it, shall abide satisfied. Fourthly, in the outward behauiour of body, by diligent watching ouer all the whole body, and euery part thereof, Rom. 6.13. to giue it vnto God as a weapon of righteousnesse, and not as a wea­pon of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne, since the 1. Cor. 6.19. body is the Temple of the holy Ghost, which is in vs. And so is this New-man Iames 1.4. perfect and intire, lacking nothing, if his actions bee answerable to these in-wrought good habits of body and soule.

Now all the actions of true perfection Euangeli­call, are reduceable, or to be drawne vnto one gene­rall head, which is Repentance, consisting of Vid. Rollocum de Vocat. efficaci cap. 36. two speciall parts; the one called, properly, [...], a sorrow after sinne: the other, [...], a true reforma­tion after that sorrow. The former is esteemed an acti­on of Euangelicall perfection, not as it is a sorrow ari­sing from feare of punishment denounced in the Law against impenitent sinners (for that Rom. 8.15. sorrow is wrought by the spirit of bondage, and may bee in Re­probates, as in Gene. 4.7. Cain, and Act. 24 25. Foelix:) but as it is god­ly [Page 84] sorrow, wrought in our hearts by the Rom. 8.15. Spirit of a­doption, onely because God is so dishonoured by our sinnes, and so displeased at vs sinners, as Dauid Psal. 51.4. la­mented, saying, Against thee, thee onely, haue I sinned, and done this euill in thy sight. For, Act. 2.37. this pricking of the heart, this Esa. 35.14. chattering, this Matth. 5.5. mourning, tendeth to perfection two manner of waies: first, as it teareth asunder our hardned hearts for our sore-past sinnes, that so they may become the Psal. 5.18. Sacrifices of God, Heb. 9.14. pur­ged from dead works, to serue the liuing God; because God onely looketh Esay 66.2. on him that is poore, and of a contrite heart, and trembleth at his Word. Secondly, as it ma­keth a man alwaies suspect himselfe vpon the consci­ence of his owne infirmities, which minister seede vnto his sinnes, as Iob. 1.5. Iob did his sonnes, and Dauid him­selfe, saying, Haue Psal. 6.2. mercy vpon me, O Lord, for I am weake: for thus hee casteth off the confidence of the Ierem. 17.5. fleshly arme, and trusteth in the Lord, his helper: and so he seeing his owne spots and staines by the cleere Glasse of Gods Law, daily endeuoureth by a liuely faith to wash all white in Reuel. 7.14. the bloud of the Lambe.

But all this cannot perfect vs without a further proceeding, euen vnto the latter part of repentance, (viz.) [...], which is an action of perfection, onely as it is a change, first, in the minde, from 2. Thes. 2.11. the belee­uing of errors, to the knowledge of the Truth: secondly, in the will from euill to good, Iude 23. hating that, inclining to this: thirdly, in the whole man, who before be­ing Tit. 1.16. disobedient, and to euery good worke reprobate, now yeeldeth himselfe vnto all due obedience, and ser­uice of God, [...]: wholly, both in body and in [Page 85] Spirit glorifying 1. Cor. 6.20. God: for they are Gods in all points, whiles Psal. 119.8. that hee hath respect vnto all Gods Commande­ments; for euer, in that hee desireth but one Psal. 27.4. thing of the Lord, which he will seeke after, that he may dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of his life, to behold the faire beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his Temple. For although the flesh allure him with subtill baits: yet, Gal. 5.24. by crucifying the flesh, with the affections and the lusts, hee auoydeth the danger of those inticements: al­though the world set blocks in his way: yet God maketh Psal. 143.8. his way plaine by induing him Luke 21.19. with pati­ence to possesse his owne soule, and to Psal. 18.29. leap ouer such lets: yea, albeit the raging Deuill, spiting at this perfect man, mustereth all his forces of hard temptations, either to oppresse him, or incumber his way: yet Prou. 15.24. his way is on high, to auoid from hell beneath; he easily defeateth them all, Ephes. 6.14. by the putting on of the Armour of light, and the discreete vsing of the same against the brunt of euery temptation; according to their seue­rall kinds. For, Prou. 18.10. the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower, the righteous runne into it, and is safe: hee is called a Act. 11.25. Christian, and in Christ at the end hee Rom. 8.37. shall bee more then Conquerour, when the Rom. 16.20. God of peace shall tread downe Sathan vnder his feete shortly. It may bee, that he is stayed awhile from following his course by the heate and height of violent temptations, as were Iudg. 16.21. Samson, 2. Sam. 11.2 Dauid, Math. 26.76 Peter, and others of the blessed Martyrs and Confessors, as Niceph. lib. 5. cap. 33. Origen, Platina in Marcellin. Marcellinus, and that true seruant of Christ, Fox. Act. & Monum. p. 1710 Thomas Cranmer, by weaknesse of the flesh, yeelding somewhat to sinne: but yet he falleth not finally from the faith, 1. Iohn 3.9. the seed [Page 86] of God remayning in him, to hold him vp, that in the act he should not runne too farre, and in the issue he should not be slacke to get himselfe out; recompen­cing his stay by a swifter course afterward, with a greater detestation and loathing of sinne, and a zeale more inflamed to follow after righteousnesse, as we find it true in the foresaid Saints, what was promised by Esay 40.27.the Prophet, They that wait vpon the Lord, shall renue their strength; they shall mount vp with wings as Eagles; they shall runne, and not be weary; they shall walke, and not be faint. For, saith the Psal. 6 [...].13. Vid. ibid. Mol­lerum, &c. Ly­ram, &c. Psalmist to all the Church militant, Though yee haue layne amongst the pots, (subiect to much danger in darke obscuritie) yet, for issue out of trouble, yee shall bee as the wings of a Doue, couered ouer with siluer, and her feathers with gold: For their wings are their prayers, by which they escape, especially, being both qualified with the meekenesse of a Doue, and sinceritie shining like pu­rest siluer, and grounded vpon a liuely faith, which, as feathers, flye into the golden estate of glory. And thus we see fully, what is that which they call [perfe­ctionem viae,] the perfection of the way.

2 Now for the second, which is perfectio vitae: the perfection of life, it is that estate of perfect happinesse which the faithfull shall enioy in the life to come, with Christ in heauen: of which I cannot make a­ny explanation further then vnder such metaphori­call termes as the Scripture vseth, onely to let vs see a glimpse of that glory which we shall enioy fully; as when it is called, a Luke 12.32. Kingdome, for our raigning there; a Act. 3.21. refreshing, for our comfort there; a Reuel. 14.13 rest, [Page 87] for our quiet there, a Luke 23.43. Paradise, for our pleasure there, Iohn 14.2. the house of our Father, Psal. 16.11. the fulnesse of ioy, the Matth. 25.21 ioy of the Lord, Reuel. 21.10 the holy Citie, Heb. 12.21. the heauenly Ierusa­lem, Rom. 3.23. the glorie of God, Abrahams Luke 16.21. bosome, 1. Cor. 2.7. our glorie, Luke 1.9. our peace, Dan. 12.2. our eternall happinesse, such as 1. Cor. 2.9. neither eye hath seene, nor eare hath heard, nor euer entred into the heart of man. For if S. Paul 2. Cor. 12.3. being rauished in spirit, could not vtter what he saw there, how can we ex­presse, what God hath reserued for present faith, and future sight, as we 2. Cor. 5.7. walke by faith, and not by sight? Colos. 3.1. Let vs seeke it, and set our affections vpon it, as vpon the Matth. 6.21. onely treasure of our hearts, since Mic. 2.10. this is not our rest, who Heb. 12.13. hauing here no continuing Citie, must looke for one to come, that 1. Cor. 13.10 when that which is perfect, is come, then that which is in part, may be done away.

But in the meane time, since we finde now what this perfection is which our Sauiour speaketh of, to wit, a true conformitie vnto himselfe in that which is perfect, not personall, but communicable, both in the way of grace, not only as it is prescribed by the Law, but perfor­med by the Gospell, in the nature and actions of the rege­nerate, and in the life of glory; let vs diligently search the depth of this latter question, how farre can any man here liuing proceede in this perfection? The latter Question, how farre here? A maine point of perfect knowledge easily found by the due consideration of the three-fold estate of man in this world, as first, in his nature, secondly, in his fall, thirdly, in his new birth. For first in his nature he 1 was created Eccles. 7.31. good, Gene. 1.26. Ephes. 4.24. according to Gods Image of holinesse and righteousnesse; yet is he not therefore any way with God to be compared in perfection. For Esay 45.9. woe [Page 88] vnto him that striueth with his Maker. Iob 4 17.18.19. Shall mortall man be more iust then God? Shall a man be more pure then his Maker? Behold, he put no trust in his seruants; and his Angels he charged with folly: How much lesse in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, 1. Conclusion. which are crushed before the moth? Therefore our first conclusion is this, we can neuer attaine to the inherent perfection of Christ, as he is either God or man, not as he is God, because so he is infinite, and Beda in axi­omat. there is no proportion betweene the infinite Creator, and finite creatures; not as he is man, because though he be like vs so, yet here we come farre short of him, who is vnchangeable in his innocencie, where we in Adam re­ceiued only grace, by which we might not haue sin­ned if we had would, but not that grace by which we would not or could not haue sinned, being made with a free will either to good or ill, that he might shew thereby (saith August. lib. de Corrept. & grat. cap. 11. &c. S. Augustine) first, what mans free will can doe, and then what the benefit of his grace, and 2 iudgement of his iustice can. Secondly, in his fall he is wholy corrupted, and become so Psal. 14.3. abominable, that his very best parts, yea and all his Esay 64.10. righteousnesse is but as filthy rags. 2. Conclusion. So that if Christ prescribe perfecti­on from the Law, our second conclusion is, that wee can neuer attaine to that legall perfection, since it requi­reth so much, and we can performe so little or no­thing, that the Apostle maketh it an axiome, Rom. 3.19. By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be iustified in his sight. 3 Thirdly, in his new birth, he is but as in store aut ger­mine: in the bud, or flowre Heb. 5.13., a milke-sop babe, altogether vnskilfull in the Word of righteousnesse, foreslowed by [Page 89] the flesh in spiritual proceedings, Rom. 7.23. the law of his mem­bers rebelling against the law of his minde, and leading him captiue vnto the law of sinne, which is in his mem­bers. And therefore hence we determine in a third conclusion two things, first,3. Conclusion. 1. Part. that we are not yet come to the perfection of life, being [...], framed or fitted towards it, but not [...], fastened in it. For now 1. Iohn 3.2. wee are the sonnes of God, and yet it doth not appeare what we shall be. For being yet in growing, we are not at our last period of perfection; the end is the last and best thing, saith the Great Aristotel. lib. 2. Physic. cap. 3. Philosopher; for as the good FatherIustin. Mar­tyr. q. 113. Iustine Martyr giueth the reason, The perfection of God is in God, and no other beeing can in­crease it; because when we are come so farre, then shall we rest. Secondly, that therefore,2. Part. since we are yet in continuall motion our perfection present is only of the way Euangelicall, wherein we are alwayes bound to walke Heb. 6.1. forward from the beginning of the doctrines of Christ. For we are but [...] not [...], in the dis­position, not in the habit, perfect quoad M. Perkins vpon Mat. 5.48. partes, accor­ding to the seuerall parts of perfection, but not quoad gradus, according to the seuerall degrees thereof, as a suc­king childe is a perfect man in regard of his substan­tiall parts, although he is not yet at his full growth. So Psal. 101.2. DAVID walked within his House with a perfect heart, and yet hee 2. Sam. 11.2. sinned therein with Bath-shebah: so 2. Chron. 17.15. AS A his heart was perfect all his dayes; yet the high places were not taken away: so Saint PAVL Philip. 3.12. was conformable, but not alreadie perfect. Omnes imperfecti sumus; ibi perficiemur, vbi omnia perfecta sunt, saith S. August. hom. 34. ex 50. hom. cap. 9. AVGVSTINE: We are all vnperfect: there shall wee [Page 90] be perfected, where all things are perfect. For, Modò ae­dificatur Ecclesia, sed in fine saeculi dedicatur, saith the same Aug. in Ser. 21 de verb. Apost. cap. 1. Father: Now is the Church builded, but in the end of World it is dedicated.

Ob.Yea, but why then doth the Holy Ghost abso­lutely command vs to be perfect, if wee cannot bee perfected here?

Sol.Surely the reason of such precepts is two-sold, first, in respect of Gods Elect, who by those exhor­tations vnto perfection are the more encouraged to follow good courses, knowing hereby, how GOD doth approoue them, and finding withall by GODS assisting grace an abilitie, and a willingnesse in them­selues to performe them: because as in the Creation, Psal. 34.9. dictum, factum, by his Word were all things made: so in Regeneration, he spake, and he doth of his owne meere mercy enable vs with means to perform what he en­ioyneth vs; since Esay 55.11. his Word shall not returne to him void: 2 Secondly, in regard of the Reprobates and wicked Worldlings, who hereby are not only Rom. 1.20. without ex­cuse, being so plainley warned against their wicked­nesse; but also much restrained of their licentious and madde outragiousnesse, as Herod was by Mark. 6.14. Iohn Baptist.

Wherefore, since the precepts for perfection prooue that wee are not yet made perfect;Vses of the Doctrine. the vse of this Doctrine thus plainely declared, is two-fold: First,1. For cor­rection. for correction: Secondly, for direction: The correction is of three sorts of Perfectists: First, Pela­gians and Celestians, who affirming, that a man in this life may be so perfect, as to be without sinne, were lear­nedly, [Page 91] and largely confuted by Saint Augustine, Aug. tom 7. lib. in Caelest. in his booke against Caelestius, demonstrating mans present imperfection in this life by his manifold o­missions of necessarie duties, and his infinite com­mittings of hainous transgressions, both in his na­ture vnregenerate, which is wholly sinfull, and in his reformed course of life, so full of great slips, as that he hath need daily to pray; Mat. 6.12. Forgiue vs our tres­passes, as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs; and with the Psalmist, Psal. 143.2. Enter not into iudgement with thy Seruants, O Lord: for no flesh is righteous in thy sight.

Secondly, Papists, who stand so much vpon the perfection of mans righteousnesse in this life, as that they sticke not to affirme, both Bell. l. 4. de Iu­stific. c 11. &c. that a man in this life may perfectly fulfill the Law of God, yea, & that Cassand. in confut. art. 21. & Rhemens. in 1. Cor. 9. § 6. he may doe more, greater, and more holy workes, then the Law requireth, so that those workes of supererogation may bee sold for money, or in courtesie communicated to others for their help, as Petrus de Asoto said,In assert. Ca­thol. de leg [...] apud Tilem. H [...]shsiū de s [...]x [...]. Papist. er. art. 16. & Colon. Anti­d [...]d. de bonis ope­ribus & Inter. c. de banis operibus Supererogamus non-nihi [...] de his ad quae ex necessitate tenemur: we do superero­gate somewhat of those workes, vnto which wee are bound of necessitie. For Pelagius went not thus farre, as they, who make men of themselues, to bee in a manner equall with Christ, both for fulfilling the Law, as he fulfilled all righteousnesse, and for meriting for others as well as for themselues. But what will not proud flesh attempt to say or doe, if it be not restrained? I cannot for lacke of time, lest I bee tedious; neither will I further trouble you with any long or labo­rious Disputation, in this double Controuersie, which we haue with these Antichristian▪ Aduersa­ries, [Page 92] since you may reade them fully answered in these points, by diuers of our Caluin. in An­tidot. Concil. Trid. Sess▪ 6. cap. 11. & ibid. Kem­nit. par. 1. Exam. & D. Abbots a­gainst Bish. p. 2. pag. 550. &c. & D. Willet Synops. pag. 914. &c. Luc. Osiand. fil. cap. 12. Ench. in Pontific. 4.3. most Reuerend and Learned Diuines.

Only for a taste, wee may thus farre remember you, First, in the former point, that indeed God gaue his Law not altogether vnpossible for man to per­forme, since hee could in his integritie, Christ did it for vs, and we shall hereafter, when wee are restored vnto perfection fully in the life to come. But, in the meane-time, albeit wee are in Christ reclaimed and 1 called to Grace;Sol. yet is the Law, as Peter said, Act. 15.10. a yoke, which neither our Fathers, nor we were able to beare; by reason of the Gal. 5.17. flesh still rebelling against the Spirit, and our manifold imperfections arising from that 2. Reg. 4.39.40. wilde Gourd, our inbred concupiscence, which is death in the pot, such an hurt to the heart, that albeit Christs Matth. 11.29 yoke is easie, and his burden light; his 1. Iohn 5.4. Commandements are not grieuous, in respect of our Charitie, or Rom. 5.1. loue of God shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost: yet are none liuing so able to beare them, to carrie them, to doe them, but he shall sometime fall as the iust Prou. 24.16 man falleth seuen times in a day, and riseth againe; hee shall sometimes transgresse, as in Iames 3.2. many things we sinne all; because as Saint Augustine August. lib. 4. in Iulian. Pelag. cap. 2. said excellently, So farre as concupiscence is in vs, it hurteth, although not to the destroying vs out of the lot of Saints, if it bee not consented thereunto, yet to the lessening of spirituall de­light of holy minds. So that the fault of not fulfil­ling the Law of God is not, either in God comman­ding, or in the Law commanded, hee commanding what we should doe, and this contayning the duties [Page 93] thereof; but in our selues, who should rather here­vpon confesse our infirmities, then arrogate to our selues any such great perfection, seeing as S. Paul said, Rom. 7.14. The Law is spirituall, but I am carnall, sold vnder sinne. And as Saint Augustine concludeth, August. in lib. de sp. & tit. c. 19. Lex data est, vt gratia quaereretur: The Law is giuen, that Grace may bee sought: Gratia data est, vt lex impleretur: Grace is giuen, that the Law might be fulfilled: Ne (que) enim suo vitio non implebatur lex, sed vitio prudentiae carnis: For it is not by any default of the Law, that wee fulfill it not; but by de­fault of the wisdome of the flesh, which Rom. 8.6. is enmitie a­gainst God: for it is not subiect to the Law of God, nei­ther indeed can be.

Secondly, in the latter point, where they hold 2 workes of supererogation, that is, that a man may doe more then is commanded, and that out of their abundance they may allot such Workes to the benefit of others, they sow vp two Pillowes Ezech. 13.14 on all arme-holes, the one of Pride, the other of Securitie: of Pride, when they thinke to doe Workes Interim Au­gust. vbi supra. aboue commandement, whereas the Law Psal. 19 8. of God is so perfect, that if it Esay 8.20. be not answerable to the Law, what wee doe, there is no light in vs, yea, Matth. 15.9. we worship God in vaine, teaching for Doctrines mens Precepts: of Securitie, when they would haue one so to depend vpon another, as vpon his Media­tour, when Scripture telleth them plainely, That Psal. 49.7. no man can by any meanes redeeme his Brother, or giue to God a ransome for him: and that, when we haue Luke 17.10. done all that is commanded vs, we must say, Wee are vnprofita­ble seruants: wee haue done that which was our dutie to doe.

[Page 94] Ob.For where Cassander Consultat. vbi supra. some would cloke this blasphemie vnder the colour of the communion of Saints, in which the weaker members are sustained by the stronger as A­BRAHAMS Gene. 20.7. Prayer healed ABIMELECHS Household, and Hierusalem 1. Reg. 15.4. was often saued for DAVIDS sake:

Sol.They vtterly mistake the question, or wilfully a­buse the simple & ignorāt, by casting this mist before their eyes, which being cleered by the light of the Gospell, may well perceiue their false colloguing, if it be but in this, since the communion of Saints be­tweene our selues, consisteth not in ministring to o­thers necessities, out of our superfluities, or Workes (as they call them) of supererogation, but in the vse of graces giuen vs for the benefit of others; those gra­ces being only such, as whereby one of vs may edifie another alreadie planted in the House of God, and not meritorious to procure eternall life, for others as they thinke, instancing therefore most idly both in ABRAHAMS Prayers which profited ABIMELECHS House in bodie, not in soule; not by ABRAHAMS com­munication, but vpon Gods only fauour; and in DA­VID, whose merits were not the cause of sauing Hie­rusalem out of the hands of their bodily enemies, but only Gods mercie, remembring the Couenant made with DAVID before.

As therefore the wise Matth. 25.5. Virgins could not spare any of their Oyle to the Foolish, lest they should haue wanted for themselues: so the best of GODS Saints cannot spare any whit of grace to others, which themselues may haue neede of; seeing that, as Saint Augustine giueth theAugust. lib. 83. quaest. q. 59. reason, Euery man shall [Page 95] giue an account for himselfe: neither is any man holpen by anothers testimonie with God, to whom the secrets of the heart are manifest: and scarsly is any man sufficient to himselfe, that his owne conscience may beare witnesse with himselfe: Howsoeuer it bee, it is an Axiome in PETER Lombard. lib. 1. dist. 48. cap. 6. LOMBARD; Nullius passione redempti su­mus nisi Christi: Wee are redeemed by no mans suffering but by Christs.

But let these second sorts of proud Perfectists, now passe for this present. Thirdly, Swenckfeldi­ans,3 Anabaptists, and our English Separatists now so­iourning at Amsterdam, who Ʋid. Osiand. f. in Enchir. 3. par. cap. 6. q. 1. & M. Barnards second Booke, pag. 93. presume so very much of their owne perfection, that they hold two grosse points concerning the visible parts of the Church Militant, as first in generall, That the true Church must be without Sinners or Hypocrites remayning therein: the second in particular, that their Churches or Assemblies 2 are such.

But the falshood of the former is many wayes ap­parant in holy Scripture: first, by parable, Sol. Matth. 13.32.38. &c. in the field 1 sowne with tares: the Draw-net bringing fish vp, great and small; good and bad: in the Math. 20.10 Kings guests at supper, whereof one wanted a wedding garment: and in a 2. Tim. 2.20. great house contayning vessells, not onely of gold and of siluer; but of wood and of earth; some to honour, and some to dishonour. For all these demonstrate, that in a visible Church militant are not onely faithfull children, but hypocriticall professors also. Secondly, by plaine termes, as where the Prophet Esay 29.14. said, what our Matth. 15.8. Saui­our seconded; This people draweth nigh vnto me with their mouth, and honoureth mee with their lips, but their [Page 96] heart is farre from me: (these are Hypocrites) and where the Apostle Gal. 2.5. signified what we shall still find true, that false brethren, brought in vnawares, came in priuily, to spye out our libertie, which wee haue in Christ Iesus, that they might bring vs into bondage: (and these were glosing Heretikes) for 1. Cor. 11.19 there must be Heretikes amongst you, that they which are approoued, may be made manifest among you. Thirdly, by necessary conse­quence in reason: for if the parts be not sound, the body is not whole and intire: the Church is the bo­die, whereof all true Professors are members. But the best of these members are crazed by corruption, as was Dauid 2. Sam. 11.2. by Adulterie, Peter by dissembling, Gal. 2.15. euen after the great descent of Gods Spirit, and so the best men, that haue in them flesh. How then can the Church bee so intire as they would make it? As the Cantic. 2.2. Lillie amongst the Thornes; so is my loue a­mongst the daughters; pricked and pained by mani­fold Matth. 18.7. offences, which must needs come, while shee is in this world, where the Reuel. 12.12. & Ephes. 2.2. Deuill so rageth and raigneth by open persecutions or secret seductions. Fourthly, by Histories of all times. For in Adams House, which was the first Church, there was a Gene. 4.1. Cain; in Noahs, a Gene. 9.24. cursed Canaan; in Abrahams, a Gene. 21.6. mocking Ismael; in Isaacks, a Heb. 12.17. prophane Esau; in Iacobs, a Gene 49.3.4.5. rude Reuben, and Simeon, and Leui, brethren in euill: but what should I instance further? The Church of Israel, in the best dayes thereof, neuer wanted corruptions, or corrupt caitifes; as false prophets, filthy priests, wicked rulers, and worse people, if we may beleeue the good Prophets, bitterly inueighing so many [Page 97] times against them. Nay, in the Church of Christ, what Age wanted Heretikes? or what faithfull com­pany was euer void of Hypocrites? The Apostles had a Iohn 6.70. Iudas; the seuen Deacons, had a Act. 6.2. Nicholas; the Samaritanes, a Act. 8.21. Simon Magus: but I neede goe no further, since the continuall reformation which is to be sought for in all true Churches, doth intimate corruptions therein to be hatched.

I know, the Church is Cantic. 1.4. faire, Ob. and Ephes. 5.26. made glorious with­out spot.

But first, it is so by Christ, not of it selfe. Second­ly, this beautie is perfected in glory, not in grace.Sol.

I know,Ob. we are commanded to separate our selues 2. Cor. 6.14. Ephes. 5.11. from sinners.

But such then are openly knowne; for secret tares must Math. 13.30. stand till haruest. If some aske, Why so?Sol. I answere, Because man may in partialitie plucke vp wheate for tares, and let tares grow for wheate. Therefore God, who is neuer deceiued, neither can be corrupted, reserueth that iudgement vnto him­selfe, to be reuealed sometimes in this world by some notorious iudgement: but certainely hereafter in the world to come, as Gregorie Nyssen Gregor. Nyss. lib. de Resurrect. & anima ad sor. pag. 193. hath worthi­ly expounded that point of the Parable, [Let them grow till the haruest,] saying, The Husbandman letteth alone amongst vs some adulterous seedes, not that they should alwayes preuaile against the more precious Corne; but that the ground by its inward strength, may wither and dry vp some of the branches, and make others of them flourishing and fruitfull; which if it be not done here, then doth he reserue the discerning of the fruit of the field vnto the fire.

[Page 98] 2 But be it so, that the Church is here spotlesse; the se­cond point is most false, that their Churches and Con­gregations, or Conuenticles rather and Satanicall Syna­gogues are pure and perfect. For to rake vp this Sinke a little, and make knowne their filthynesse and abo­minations, marke their doctrine; They Vid. L. Osian. & M. Barnard. vbi supra. denie the old Testament: they hold it vnlawfull for any man to take an Oath before a Magistrate: they forbidding the Baptisme of children, allow rebaptizing, and sebaptizing; as SMITH baptized himselfe: they hold Iustification by the works of Regeneration: they hold all things to be com­mon, euen Wiues, whom they diuorce without iust cause: they deny Magistracie, pretending libertie, but practi­sing licenciousnesse. For looke into their liues a lit­tle: Are they not phantasticall, depending vpon Enthusiasmes? Are they not schismaticall, making rents without reason? Are they not Coozeners, deluding the simple? Are they not proud, deriding the godly? Are they not debauched in all filthy Ve­nerie? Are they not disobedient to all good Order, by confused Anarchie?

I neede not send you further to seeke how these men liue, then to Amsterdam and the Low Countries, where they Esay 59.4. hatch Cockatrice egs, and weaue Spiders webs. Ʋid. Sleidan lib. 5. & 10. Com­mentar. Swenckfeldians were manifest in the rebellious rusticks of Germanie: Anabaptists, by those who were suppressed at Mounster; and our English Brownists discouer themselues too farre by their manifold ex­orbitancies against God, King, Church, Common-wealth, and their owne fellowes, if we may beleeue Tho. White his discouerie of Brownists. Master White and others who haue seene them, and [Page 99] conuersed with them. Therefore pleade they for perfection as much as they please, we know that all is not Gold which glistereth: we find that they are Prou. 30.12. not cleane from their wickednesse; but that they are the very broode of the auncient Montanists, Mani­chees, Nouatians, Donatists, and Priscillianists, making shew without substance, and as they began idlely, so ending odiously by the iudgement of God, who will not suffer them to raigne any long time, that Truth may preuaile. So that now, deare brethren, leauing these three kind of Perfectists vnto Gods iust correction, let vs in the feare of God take direction (the second vse of our doctrine) hereby vnto spiri­tuall growth, and proceeding in pietie,2. For direction. as wee are very often mooued thereunto, first, by S. Paul, Ephes. 4.15. fol­lowing the truth in loue, grow vp vnto him in all things, which is the head, euen Christ. Secondly, by S. Peter, 2. Pet. 3.18. grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sa­uiour Iesus Christ. For as Leo well Leo Ser. 8. de Pass. dom. cap. 8. obserued, Qui non proficit, deficit; & qui nihil acquirit, nonnihil perdit: He that goeth not forward, runneth backward; and he that getteth nothing, loseth some-what, because his loue chilleth, his hope halteth, and faith faileth, who run­neth not forward to gaine the Crowne. For no Luke 9.62. man hauing put his hand to the plow, and looking backe, is fit for the kingdome of God, since as Tertullian Tertull. lib. de Idololatr. cap. 12 iudged well, sepelire patrem tardum fuit fidei: to pretend for excuse a­gainst spirituall proceeding the buriall of our father, is a slowing of faith, that should be alwayes liuely. And there­fore as the old Romanes Apud Plin. lib. 18. cap. 19. vsed to say, Arator nisi in­curuus praeuaricatur: The plow-man, vnlesse he lye hard [Page 100] vpon the Plow-stilt, may make balks in goodland. So may we say of a Christian, that vnlesse he presse very hard towards the marke, he 1. Cor. 9.26. beareth but the aire, he cannot attaine to what he seeketh, since we Luke 13.21 must striue against flesh and bloud to enter in at the strait gate. It may be, that many blocks are laid in our way, some by aduersitie, some by prosperitie. But what saith holy Dauid? The Psal. 92.12. righteous shall flourish like a Palme tree, he shall grow like a Cedar in Libanon, like a Palme tree in aduersitie, and like a Cedar in prosperi­tie. For as the Gellius lib. 3. cap. 6. Palme groweth higher, and spreadeth it selfe broader, the greater the waight is which is laid vpon it: so the truly godly, the more they are pres­sed with afflictions for the Gospels sake, the more they grow in the goodnesse thereof, as Hilarie Hilar. lib. 7. de Triuit. said very well of the Church: Hoc Ecclesiae proprium est, vt tum vincat, cum laeditur, tum intelligatur, cum arguitur; tum obtineat, cum descritur: This is the propertie of the Church, then to ouercome when it is hurt; then to be vn­derstood, when it is reprooued; then to obtaine, when it is forsaken: And as the Cedar, Plin. lib. 16. cap. 40. wheresoeuer it grow, neuer feeleth the worme, but alwayes is found, so a good man, wheresoeuer he liue, yet carrieth a sound conscience without a gnawing worme, no pleasure either pussing, or pampering him vp, who Phil. 4.12. can want and abound, taking euery thing for an help to set him forward vnto all perfection. Are we men in na­ture? Be not Dwarfes in Grace. God, my brethren, hath, in his goodnesse towards vs his children in Great BRITAINE, giuen many many Motiues, and meanes to this perfection, but especially foure, [Page 101] as first, the Word preached, neuer before so plentifully or so purely, as it hath been of late yeers to our won­derfull comfort, while we profit thereby; as to their vtter ouerthrow and condemnation, who bring not foorth fruites worthy of it. For it is as desperate Phy­sicke as euer Par [...]celsus gaue: 2. Cor. 2.16. either the sauour of life vnto life, or else the sauour of death vnto death. Secondly, good examples of many great and good Worthies of Israel, who going before, prouoke vs to follow them; as Matth. 5.14.15. Philip. 2.15 Candles in a candlesticke, and Cities on a hill, and lights now shining in the middest of a crooked and froward gene­ration. Few they are to the fulnesse of impietie; but I feare me, too many to be witnesses against vs for our turning backe in the day of battell. Be yee followers of me, Philip. 3.17. saith the blessed Apostle, and marke them which walke so, as yee haue vs for an ensample. Thirdly, the quiet time, wherein we sit securely, euery man vnder 1. Reg. 4.25. his Vine, and vnder his Oliue tree from DAN to BEER­SHEBA. Ciuill warres beforetime much hindred Re­formation: Now let Peace breede pietie, as well as Plentie, that in our fulnesse we may bee more faith­full; as Reuel. 3.11. hold that thou hast, that no man take thy Crowne. Fourthly, the last day, which is Rom. 13.12. now neerer, then when we first beleeued. It will make all perfect in their owne periods; let vs be fit to take it in affection, Philip. 1.23. desiring to be dissolued & to be with Christ; and in action stil, hauing Philip. 4.20.21. our conuersation in heauen, whence we looke for the Saui­our the LORD IESVS Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body, according to the working, whereby hee is able to subdue all things vnto himselfe.

[Page 102]
Semper enim sanctis superest quo crescere possint:
Et perfectorum gloria, principium est.

saith Prosper

Prosp. Epig. 27 Aquitanicus, whom thus I translate:

Alwayes to Saints something remaines,
By which they may increase:
And th' glory of the perfect is
Th' beginning of their peace.

The conclusi­on repeating all in a short summe.And thus, Right Reuerend, Right Worshipfull, most dearely beloued in our Lord Christ Iesus, you haue heard this Scripture opened at large in these foure points:The first part. First, of proud Teachers being blind guides, shewing, that no man must take vpon him the Office of a Teacher, vnlesse hee bee indued with some measure of Learning, lest hee bee reputed but a bold Intruder, such as wee manifested our Popish Priests,The second part. and prating Precisians. Secondly, of simple Hearers, who teach vs, that those who without due Tryall or Examination, will stiffly depend vpon false teachers shall with those teachers fall into vn­certaine Errours, vnto most certaine and damnable dangers: and therefore wee are both to take heed of and to try our Teachers, notified by their markes of inward habits and outward acts. Thirdly, of the humble Seruant,The third part. who alwayes acknowledgeth the Soueraigntie of his Master, whom wee prooued to be Christ only, to the correction of the proud Pope, caution to vs for the right vnderstanding of the Kings Title, and consolation to all Christians depen­ding vpon so good an Head. Fourthly, of a confor­mable Professor,The fourth part. such as we ought to be, not like Pe­lagians, Papists, or Anabaptists, dreaming of an abso­lute [Page 103] perfection on earth, but as obedient Christians endeuouring our selues by grace to bee perfect here in the way, that in the life to come wee may bee ful­ly made perfect in endlesse Glorie through Iesus Christ: in whom, Lord, as wee render vnto thy Ma­iestie all glory and thankes for thine inestimable bles­sings, both spirituall and corporall: so most humbly we beseech thee send vs good Teachers, and make vs right Hearers of thy most sacred Will and Word, that acknowledging Christ Iesus to be our only Ma­ster and Head, wee may bee conformed vnto his I­mage, lost by sinne, recouered by Grace, and fully to bee restored vnto vs in blessed Glory, to which the Lord of Glory, by his Spirit conduct vs, through Iesus Christ, to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one Perfect, Euer-liuing, most Gracious God, bee all Honour and Glory, now and for euer­more. Amen.

‘ [...].’
FINIS.

A Prayer to be said at all times.

O Heauenly LORD and omnipo­tent Father, the patterne of all goodnesse, and Flowre of all vertues, most stout ouer-throw­er of all wickednesse, and shar­pest Rooter vp of vices, mercifully behold our frailtie and pronenesse to euill: helpe vs with thy supernall Power, that wee may learne to despise all earthly pleasures, and the vanities thereof, and loue all Cele­stiall and heauenly things. Make vs resist all sinne, which stands betweene thy Ma­iestie and our weake spirits, ready to ouer­throw vs, if thy mercies were not assistant to our poore soules. Make vs to withstand all temptations, firmely to imbrace vertue, to eschew all worldly honours, and carnall delights, and to bewaile our offences com­mitted in thy sight. We beseech thee refrain [Page] our vnbridled desires with thy louing hand, whereby wee may abstaine from a lewde and loose life, and accustome our selues with goodnesse to the end: That by thy benefit and gift of Grace, by the true worshipping and seruing of thy omnipotent Maiesty, we may possesse the Crowne of euerla­sting life in thy Kingdome, prepa­red for thine Elect, world with­out end, AMEN.

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