some ignorant silly soules whose humble peaceable obedience makes them safe among any part of men that professe the foundation Christ. Answ. You belieue you wot not what yet you hope that will not hinder your salvation But you belieue as the Church belieueth You meane as the Church of Rome believeth Well And the Church of Rome tells you in her Councell of Trent that she belieueth no otherwise she admitteth of no other faith then that which the Deuils and damned in Hell haue If any dare deny this he will but bewray his shamelesse ignorance in this point But being ignorant silly soules whose humble peaceable condition makes them safe among any part of men that professe the foundation Christ are they not in the state of salvation This indeed may seeme a good indulgent Doctrine to nuzzle silly Papists in their ignorance and blind religion while they cary themselues like humble and peaceable men But they professe the foundation Christ. What is it generally to professe Christ and particularly to haue no interest in him What is it to professe the foundation and not to be built vpon it And who can be built vpon Christ but he that hath a liuely faith in Christ To belieue as the Church of Rome belieueth is only to haue a generall historicall faith that Christ is the Redeemer of mankind the Saviour of the world Thus farre the very Devils belieue But that Church forbiddeth any man to believe in particular that Christ is his Redeemer his Saviour that hee is iustified from his sinnes by Christ alone and that his sins are forgiven onely for his name sake This no Devill can belieue no Papists may belieue vpon paine of Anathema and damnation Therefore though they professe the foundation Christ in the generall yet wanting a speciall faith in Christ to apply his merits for the remission of their owne sinnes in particular how are they safe in any part of men professing the foundation Christ May a man then bee saved nay is he safe to witt actually saved living in any part of men professing the foundation Christ No matter then what religion a man be off so in generall it professe the foundation Christ and a man be humble and peaceable though a silly ignorant Thus all Hereticks are in the state of salvation if humble and peaceable men for they hold commonly and generally the foundation Christ. But know O all ye silly ignorant Papists that living here where the Gospell the only meanes of saving knowledge and of saving faith is preached all your silly ignorance all your pretended humble peaceablenesse shâ—ll never saue your soules but shall aggravate your condemnation so much the more by how much you contemne the living fountaines of salvation and chuse to your selues to drinke in the bainfull Doctrines of that bloody Sea of Rome Indeed those silly ignorants that liue in Spayne Italy and so forth where the Inquision restraines them from the meanes of better knowledge may haue some plea for their ignorance and God may shew mercy vpon their silly soules but for you that are English Papists and pretend ignorance the more you goe about to excuse your ignorance the more you accuse and condemne your pride and arrogance that can so scorne and villifie the pretious word of God which while you doe it makes your damnation out of measure damnable And while you contemne the Gospell how can you be either humble or peaceable â— for it is the Gospell of grace and peace which who so reiecteth is a proud and factious heretick But another of you objecteth What doe you tell vs of the Councell of Trent What though it be like such a Sea as ye tell of all like the blood of a dead man in which every living soule dyeth But wee here in England do not come to drinke in that blood we haue our Ghostly Fathers who broach and bring to vs no such drinke as you talke of but such as carrieth good reason with it to be wholesome for the soule Answ. It is indeed an observation of Dr. Sheldon once a â—eminary Priest but now a worthy Convert and learâ—ed Minister of the Church of England that the subtle Priests and Iesuits in England having to deale with peoâ—le not so ignorant as in forraine parts where the Gosâ—ell is wanting but such as haue heard at least in some measure of the grosnesse of Popery as of their Image â—orship the robbing of the cup from the people in the â—ucharist and the like doe therefore tenderly and waâ—ly attemper their Doctrines to their Disciples among 〈◊〉 vntill such time as they be growne to have more â—rong stomackâ— to be able â—o take downe and digest 〈◊〉 grossest meate without any curious dressing As a â—entlewoman obiecting to a Iesuite their taking away 〈◊〉 the Cup in the Sacrament as a grievous Sacriledge 〈◊〉 told her plainely that their Church was belyed â—hey did it not for proofe at the Sacrament he ministers 〈◊〉 her the Cup. She tells her Minister of it who perâ—eiving the Iesuits iugling told her it was certainely 〈◊〉 Cup vnconsecrated that hee gaue her Whereupon â—ee pressing the Priest about it he was forced to conâ—â—sse the truth that indeed it was so Thus can these â—hostly fathers play fast and loose with their credulous â—â—sciples that must take all their sayings vpon trust â—hus Romes Fishers show the silly fish at first nothing but the baite till they haue gotten her fast vpon the hooke But what kind of holy water all Papists may expect from their Ghostly Fathers the pouring out of thâ— Third and 4. Viall will plainely declare But before we proceed to the third Viall for the fuller confirmation of what hath beene said of the state of the Church of Rome whose Sea of doctrines is all turned into mortall blood in this second Viall it will be very requisite here to discusse one question Whether the Church of Rome be either a true Church or a true visible Church A Question of so much the greater moment by how much some by their no small authority and no lesse renowned opinion in the Church doe so sway the ballance on that side that many ill affected and of the adverse party taking the advantage are 〈◊〉 to catch the word out of their mouth and to say 〈◊〉 they Thy Brother Benâ—adâ—d Thy Mother Church of Româ— Which advantage how perilous it is in these luke warme indifferent neutralizing dayes is not hard to determine And Popery hath learned to get over the stile againe 〈◊〉 enough without our helpe And though it were true that the Church of Rome were a true Church yet the countenancing or pressing of it in these times might very well to be spared Buâ— why then say they do otheâ— cry down the Church of Rome for no true Church at all Surely this were a fault if it were an vntruth For giuâ— the Divell his due as wee say It is good therefore thâ—â— all men be well advised
THE SEVEN VIALS Or A briefe and plaine Exposition vpon the 15 and 16 Chapters of the Revelation very pertinent and profitable for the Church of God in these last times By H. B. Rector of Saint Matthews Friday-street Reve 19.19 20. And I saw the Beast and the Kings of the Earth â—nd their armies gathered 〈◊〉 to make warre against him that sate on the Horâ—◠〈◊〉 against his army And the Beast was takeâ— and with him the False Prophet that wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had the Marke of the Beast and them that worshipped his Image Thâ—se both 〈…〉 into a Lake of fire burning with 〈…〉 LONDON Printed by William Jones dwelling 〈◊〉 Red-crosse-street 1â—28 TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES KING OF GREAT Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. Dread Soveraine DIOGENES the more he was by Antisthenes the Philosopher threatned beaten from his schoole the more ardently he frequented it saying to his Master Do you but beat I will find you a head nor shall you find so hard a club as therewith to driue me away from your Philosophy What hee did suffered for Philosophy's sake the like or more am I ready to sustaine for the service and honour of Your Majesty No discouragements can beat me from this resolution no not death it selfe So prevalent iâ— my affection as my insufficiencies best knowne to my selfe cannot restraine it Yea though I was told Your Majesty was lately offended with me But I answered No J had no reason to belieue it For first J knew well the gentle disposition of your royall breast guided by such a dextrous iudgment is not easily incensed where there is no iust cawse And J am sure I daily inioy the influence of your favour though not the gratious aspect of your face for even the feet doe liue moue though remote by the Heads breathing You are the breath of our Nostrills And as J told my Lord of London at my first examination about Israels Fast All that I had done was for Gods glory the service of my King Country the Church of England whereof wee were members and for which I was ready if need were to lay downe my life And now gratious Soveraine J am bold to present Your Maiesty with such a peece as no Prince in Christendome but Your selfe can iustly challenge the dedication of it if the meannesse of the Presenter doe not extenuate the worth of the Present Jt containes a most divine Prophecy of the pouring out of the seven Vialls Revel 16 which according to that ability vouchsafed me of Christ the least and last of all his servants J haue indeavoured to open Jt pertaineth to Your Maiesty by a proper right The full accomplishment of this Prophecy is like to fall in Your gratious Raigne which God prolong to make it glorious to posterity And surely when J compare the fulfilling of this Prophecy with those many Princely indowments which Your God hath inriched Your Royall Person with J am so much the more confirmed in this my perswasion Such a zeale such loue of the truth such a peerelesse and Princely wisdome such a magnanimous spirit were not planted in Your noble breast for nothing So as I dare boldly conclude as was said to David Your Maiesty shal do great things and prosper Nor speake J by coniecture This Prophecy will clearly evidence the same Cleare it is though for the present it seeme cleane contrary that the destruction of Antichrist with his whole power and confederacy is now neere at hand And for proofe and perswasion thereof J wish it stood with Your Maiesties good pleasure and leisure to read over this Prophecy It is but the expense of a few howers but may exercise Your best meditations and noblest thoughts for many dayes many yeares after This whole booke of the Revelation is a Propheticall Chronologie tâ— the end of the world Of it Christ pronounceth Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this Prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand How much more is this verified of this last and most famous Prophecy in this booke towards the full consummation whereof these our present and last times draw on â—amaine Your Royall Father of blessed memory even in his youth wrote a most exquisite Paraphrase of this whole booke from whose bright torch all along I haue beene bold to borrow light for my dimme candle But me thinks I heare some suggest O Sir this booke is not licensed But whose fault is that The Authors Or the Licensers I could wish that such suggesters would confesse the true cawse why Orthodox bookes are so borne downe as they may not be licensed For Popish Arminian bookes are licensed but the contrary such as are writen in confutation of them are according to Gods word the doctrine of the Church of England may not be allowed So that I humbly submit it to your Maiesties vnpartiall iudgement to determine whether the Printer for printing such a booke as this without license or he that should license such Orthodox bookes will not according to authority in that behalf be more worthy of censure And certainly they that suppresse Orthodox bookes would they not also stop Preachers mouthes that they should not speake the truth Yes certainlyâ— For may it please your Majesty to vnderstand how even your Majesties honour suffers in this case For whereas vpon a Proclamation published in your Highnesse name Iune 14. in the second of your Raigne expressely forbidding any preaching or printing of such Doctrines as were repugnant to the Doctrine of the Church of England established we all hoped that all Arminian Popish Doctrines would be husht silenced wee by experience find it quite contrary for the Arminians shamelesly alledging that all their doctrines are according to the Church of England vnder this pretence they wold suppresse all truth as forbidden by your Royall Proclamation Which if it were true it should not be lawfull any more to preach the Gospell then to print books in defence of it So that some are neither affraid nor ashamed to say in plaine termes that they must license no bookes against Arminius Good God what pittifull times doe we liue in how different from former as I was bold to tell my Lord of London But I trust your Maiesty will vindicate your honour herein Gods truth exprest in Scripture is no changeling This is that which wee call the Doctrine of the Church of England and no other This hath beene sealed by the blood of so many Martyrs witnessed by so many Worthies of our Church for almost this fourescore yeares without intermission whose writings no time shall blot out ratified by so many Acts of Parliament as not all the Devills in hell nor all the Arminians on earth shall be able to disanull it The Gospell shall flourish maugre all
of singing sate them downe and wept Nor haue we lesse cause to expresse all thankfulnâ—sse to God for our deliverance from Babylons captivity then Moses and Israel had for theirs from Aegypt ourâ—-being no lesse miraculous if we consider the weake meanes whereby it was wrought then that was For what was one poore Luther and â—hose few that seconded him to the whole world of Pontiâ—icians 〈◊〉 Papall power where with he was to incounter Others vnderstand by this glassy Sea mingled with fire the pure Christalline word of God which in the ministry therof is mingled with the fire and efficacie of the Holy Ghost by the means whereof the spirituall Babylonians are overthrown as the Aegyptians werâ— in the red Sea which was a type of Baptisme Let the Reader â—ake his choyce or rather both sith 〈◊〉 are agreeable to the analogy of the Prophecy And if we vnderstand it of the world we may note all so how though Gods servants be compassed about with flames of fire as it were standing vpon this glassy sea yet they do with all their chearfulnesse sound forth the praise of God in the Gospell the Lambes song while Popish fire and faggotts haue prevailed no more vpon Gods servants but to inflame them with greater zealâ— to sing the song of the Lambâ— It followeth ver 5. And after that I looked and behold the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in heauen was opened And ver 6. the seuen Angels came out of the Temple hauing the seauen plagues cloathed in pure and white Linnen and hauing their breasts girt with golden girdles And ver 7. one of the foure Beasts gaue vnto the seaven Angels seven golden Vialls full of the wrath of God who liveth for ever and ever and ver 8. the Temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power and no man was able to enter into the Temple till the seaven plagues of the seaven Angells were fulfilled In these words the Holy Ghost descends more particularly to set forth the full equipage and addressemenâ— of the insuing Prophecy and that in a manner full of maiesty First the Place whence the seaven Angels come namely the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in heaven which vpon their going forth is opened This ought to be well marked as pointing vs to the very particular time wherein these seaven Vials began to be powred out which is a matter of speciall moment Now for the meaningâ— we know that the Temple of Solomon and Tabernacle of Moses were both types of Christ and of his Church but the Tabernacle more properly of the Church Militant the Temple of the Triumphant here â—oyned together the Temple of the Tabernacle of Testimony to note the Church of Christ Militant whose part is triumphant in the eternall Temple in heaven or else to note the heavenly and triumphant-like estate of Christs Church on earth now vindicated from and made victorious over the Beast The opening of this Temple sheweth a more cleare manifestation of the Testimony of God now revealed in the powring out of these Vials in the Ministry of the Gospel as we shall see anon Well out of this Temple come the seuen Angels hauing the seven plagues being adorned and furnished with all requisite graces indowments fitting for so sacred a ministration They receiue their seven golden Vials at the hands of one of the foure Beasts This referres vs to the Fourth Chapter of this booke which place alludes to the first chapter of Ezechiels Prophecie to the foure Beasts there And it is commonly received of the Auncients that these foure Beasts were a type of the foure Evangelists According to this sense we are to vnderstand that these 7. Angels the Ministers of the Gospell powering out their Vials received their Vials to wit their authoritie and power from the Gospell of Christ whereon all our Ministry is grounded Some vnderstand by these foure liuing creatures or Beasts the ministers of the Gospell who in all ages deliver and propagate the word of their ministry from hand to hand to the succeeding ages Nor wanted there even before Luther euer appeared against the Pope sufficient witnesses in all ages that opposed the man of sin and stood vp for the truth And among many other famous was that Prophecy of Iohn Huss when he was burned at the Counsell of Constance for witnessing the truth against the Church of Rome enough by the way to stopp the clamorous mouthes of Papists who obiect where was your Religion before Luther who at the stake vttered these words That of the ashes of this Goose saith he shall rise a Swan which they should not burne as they wasted the poore Goose adding moreover Post 〈…〉 after a hundreth yeares you shall answer God and 〈◊〉 Now in the Bohemian tongue Huss signifieth a Goose and Luther a Swan And iust a hundred yeares after the end of that Counsell of Constance began Luther publikly to preach against the Popes Indulgences So that here we may note how Luther received his Viall as it were from the hand of Iohn Huss a witnes of the Gospell of Christâ— and that by a remarkable Prophecy And were not Iohn Wicklifes works also burned at the same Councell â— and two other worthy Bohemian Martyrs And did not Iohn Wicklife our Country man by whose meanes the Bohemians received the Gospell instruct his schollar Iohn Huss therein and Huss others as Zizca and so downewards And was not Luther himselfe made Doctor by Andreas Carolostadius at Wittenberge Thus we could goe vp by every Century and age all a long even from Luther to the Apostles times to proue the lineall and vninterrupted descent of that Gospell and truth which we professe The obstrepeâ—ous Iesuits knowe it well enough and might well spare vs that labour but only least they should be drawne so dry as to seeme to be able to say nothing for themselues or against vs. But we build not our doctrines vpon genealogies but vpon expresse and authenticall Records of Scriptures aboue all exception So that from this booke of Scriptures do these 7 Angels take their seaven Vials But what is ment by Vials They are vessells bigger then ordinary drinking cupps such as we call Goblets some take them to be as bigg as Kettles But I take it the Holy Ghost here alludeth to those incense-cups Exod. 23.29 translated Phialae in the vulgar latine which were made of pure gold as here And in chapter 5.8 is mention of Vials full of the odours of the Saints To which comparing the Vials full of plagues here we may note their two fold use one for the benefite of the Church another for the punishment of her enemies as we read of the Censers Chap. 8.3 4 5 out of which went first the odours of the Saints prayers and after that thence were powred forth of the hot coales of the Altar vpon the earth whereupon insued sundry plagues vpon the wicked In
iniquity and profanesse is accounted the best Christian. These vncleane spirits would perswade the world that he is the best Minister that preacheth least that hath most preferments and cures of soules but liues at ease himselfe and playes the good-fellow that the Lords day is best observed but with one Sermon aâ— most and with one Play at least These be the vncleane spirits that revell most in the time of this Viallâ— wherein whose will not ruâ—â—e with the streame of all impurity and impiety thâ—â— blast them with the name of heresie as Pope Paul â— did those thâ—â— studied Academicall learning or as Traian put men to death only because they were Christians So that these vncleane spirits like froggs pollute the waters where they liue with the filthy froth of their frye so causing an vniversall surface of all iniquity in the time of this Viall more then ever The Royall Paraphrast saith of them They are likened to Froggs for that they are bred of an old filthy and corrupt false doctrine which for a long space hath blinded the world before their comming as froggs breed of rotten and slimy coruption or for that they preferrâ— themselues before all other Ecclesiasticall orders preceeding them as vnperfect and vnprofitable hopping and leaping aboue them Againe the frogg hath no othâ—r song but one Koax Koax and therein is very importunate so these vncleane spirits what is all their Croaking but one song The Church The Church the Catholick Church the holy Mother Church of Rome the Apostolicke Sea one supreme Pastor and Iudge of controversies who cannot erre and the like This is their three mans song wherein they goe as in a circle Thus by counterfeiting the froggs they doe as the Aegyptian Magitianâ— seeke thereby even by their very clamarousnesse and obstreperousnes to disgrace Moses and Aaron Gods Ministers in their office who preach the truth Fourthly froggs bring forth their young as the Beare vnformed having only a black head and taile such is the spirituall offspring of these Froggs whose faith is informis or vnformed implicit and even blacke with ignorance Hence the Proverbe Nihilò rana gyriâ—a prudentior no wiser then the young frye of a frogg Which may be applied to all seduced and blind Papists who are not able to render a reason of their faith Fifthly Froggs liue in abundance of waters and of idlenesse Whence the Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou pourest out wine vnto the froggs as we say To poure water into the Sea And in what abundance of voluptuousnesse and ease these froggâ— liue all the world knows Againe the Frogg is a nimble creature and when yoâ— thinke to take her vp in your hand she skips away and hides her in the mudd such are these actiue spirits In a word K. Iames of happy memory in his Premonition to all Christian Monarchs free Princes and States about these froglike spirits hath these words calling them a new sect of Spirits raised vp for the defence of that tottering throne called three in number by reason of their threâ— fold direction being raysed and inspired by the Dragon Satan authorized and maintained by the Beast the Antichrist and instructed by the false Prophet the Apostaticke Church that hath the hâ—rnes like the Lambe but speaketh like the Dragon These spirits indeed thus sent forth by this threefold authority for the defence of their triple-crowned Monarch are well likened to Froggs for they are amphibious and can liue in either element Earth or water for though they be Church men by profession yet can they vse the trade of Politike Statesmen going to the Kings of the earth together them to the battell of that great day of God Almighty What Massacres haue by their perswasion been wrought through many parts of Christendome and how evilly Kings haue sped that haue ben councelled by them all the vnpartiall histories of our time doe beare record And whatsoeuer King or State will not receiue them and follow their advice 〈◊〉 out must that King or State be even with Gunpowder ere it fayle And these froggs had reason indeed to labour to become learned thereby to dissipate that grosse mist of ignorance wherwith the raigne of Antichrist was plagued before their coming forth So farre the judicious King Thus we need goe no farther for a cleare interpretation of these words Hence also we may note the vnaminous spirit of these three the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet out of whose mouth these three Froglike spirits proceeding may put vs in mind as of their tripple authoritie so of their triple malignity as the crafty cruelty of the Dragon the vsurped power of the Beast and the sophistry of the false Prophet They are called also the spirits of Divells to note their Politicke 〈…〉 going in the habit of illuminate 〈◊〉 Rabbies in the long robes of profound Craftsmasters and expert Statesmen who in the time of this Viall bring into the world new Maxims of state infused into them from those whence they come But they work◠〈◊〉 This may seeme to excuse Priests and Iesuites from being of the number of those spiritâ—â— for what miracles doe they Yes surely great miracles if ye may belâ—eue them Although what true miracles can false Propheâ—â— the spirits of Devils doe But it sufficeth that these Prophets be the only Miracle mongers And aâ— King Iames excellently They doe miracles of deceit for they doe wonderfully deceiue men And doe they not vndertake to do miracles every day while they would make the worshippers of the Beasts Image belieue that they doe a Miracle inâ—uâ—ning a thinne Wafer cake into the very body of Christ flesh blood and bone Only the Apostle tells vs that Antichrists miracles are lying wounders serving only to deceiue them that perish through strong delusion sent them from God that they should belieue a lye and so might be 〈◊〉 And is it not miraculous that they can by their inchanâ—ing spells make of wise men starke ideots offensible men senselesse of reasonable men brutish as to believe that to be a miracle which they see with their eyes to be nothing lesse It is the property of a miracle to put it selfe vpon the triall of a mans infallible sense specially of the eye But here is no such thing to be serue When Christ turned the water into wine it had now both the colour and savour and substance and true spirit of naturall wine Thus it was with a true Miracle the first that Christ wrought in Cana of Galilee It was not such still as the guests could not discerne from water either by their eye or tast or smell but were by the strength of their faith or conceit to imagine it to be wine But the miracle forsooth of Popish Transubstanâ—◠〈◊〉 cannot indure the couch of â—ensâ—â— triall the eye seeâ— nothing but a 〈…〉 Wafer the mouth tasts nothing but a thinne shiver of bâ—ead Where then is the Miracle That must be begged
so bold as to vent any more books in print tending to Popery and Arminianisme and much lesse that any publicke examiners of Books durst haue approved priviledged such bookes for the Presse yet see the mischiefe of it by this meanes all bookes that are written in defence of the truth either against Arminians or the Papists can find no favour to passe the Presse but such bookes as can cunningly and slyly vnder the vaile of the Church of England reconcile Popery and Arminianisme together may only passe for currant cum privilegio Then which what can be more dishonorable to his gracious Maiestyes proclamation what more derogatory to the Gospell what more pernicious to trouble the peace of the Church state let all indifferent men iudge A few shall suffice for instance onely I omitt for the present to mention the names of the bookes or authours if happily they may check themselues and retract their errours or call in their bookes by the same authority whereby they were published least persisting in them they proue heresyes and that not of the lowest kinde and so come to fill vp the measure of this Viall In a booke printed of late there are some things much favoring Popery and tending to the nuzzling at least of silly ignorant Papists in their blind Idolatrous and faithlesse religion if not also to animate simple minded Protestants to become simple silly Papists and so to loose that garment of salvation which the only religion and â—aith of Christ truely professed and maintained only by the true Protestants can invest vs with For the purpose there are these words We our adversaries consent that there is salvation to some in the Romaine Church And who are those some It is expressed wee acknowledge an honest ignorant Papist may be saved And againe we haue not so learned Christ as to deny salvation to some ignorant silly soules whose humble peaceable obedience maks them safe among any part of men that professe the foundation Christ. Suffice it to name this here as confuted in the second Vial Not many yeares after that book and fewer afore this present comes out another booke whose chiefe autors or fautors let time try out which comming in hood-winkt vnder a kind of some monastick vaile of canonicall Devotion framed also after an old worm eaten forme published in the dawning of the Gospell in England would prettily vnderhand draw in Popery again among vs tanquam postliminio restore it to some place grace againe in this state at leastwise reconcile the two jarring sisters as the former author calls them the Church of England the Younger and that of Rome the Elder together yea to reduce the Church of England to an vnion with that of Rome as being the holy Catholicke Mother Church But this booke we haue elsewhere answered Take one instance more But the other day comes forth a third booke the Author of it I dare say of no small correspondence with the former He on the other side pleads for Arminius and that not now obvoluto capite as the former but aperta fronte ex professâ— In his Epistle Dedicatory wherein he seekes to indere his service to a great Macanas of one of our famous Academies God grant he aime not at some of the learned Chaires wherein to vent his not popular nor Pulpâ—t speculations he giues a dangerous by-blow to the opposites of Arminius and his doctrines in these words If the man which most mislikes the Arminian or Lutheran doctrine in the points most controverted through reformed Churches will but agree with me in these two That the Almighty Creatour hath a true freedome in doing good and Adams offspring a a true freedome of doing evill I shall not dissent from him in any other points controuerted vnlesse it be in this one that there needs be no other controversie at all betweene the Arminians and their opposites in point of Gods Providence and Predestination In so saying he would seeme to imply that the opposites of Arminius in the point specially of Predestination doe hold a kind of stoicall fatality and servitude in Adams offspring necessitated by divine Decree vnto all their evill actions Which insinuation how true it is let all men that haue read the workes of the Oppugners of Arminius indifferently judge whether this be not a most notorious calumny As if the Divine Decree did impose necessity vpon mens wills to prosecute evill actions because it leaveth them to their wicked wills which of their owne nature corrupted are now free only vnto evill Indeed God in justice leaving man fallen to himselfe leaveth him to the swindge of his corruptions which of themselues necessarily and yet freely runne to all excesse of riot being altogether averse and adverse to that which is simply good As the Scripture saith God saw euery imaginâ—tion of the thoughts of mans heart to be only euill continually Gen. But touch we a little vpon some passages of the booâ— The Author in the former part having soared aloft as he would seeme as they say Simon Magus did at Rome and that having his wings imped with the feathers of Philosophy to search into the nature of the Divine Essence whereabout he hath spent much in transcendentall to vse his owne terme speculations and quintessentiall extractions farre beyond all Divines that went before him eiher moderne or ancient yea beyond Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory whom he mentioneth to haue come short of that knowledge of God which himselfe hath reached vnto he cometh in the latter part to make vse and application of the former whence he would draw sundry coÌ„clusion for the maintenance of the Arminian doctrine which that he may doe you must giue him leaue to show his singular opinions different from all ancient Divines and allow him a latitude to speake ad placitum what him listeth tanquam e Cathedra from Pythagoras his Chaire But the summe is though he promiseth much and professeth to know and teach more of the Divine nature then ever yet the world knew yet in the vp shott of all his discourse he mightely confineth and limitteth Gods infinite Attributes yea and his most liberall will it selfe to a very narrow roome causing all of them to hang and turne vpon the only hinge of his prescience As he saith There is a goodnes obiectiue in the creature precedent in order of nature to the Act or exâ—pcise of Gods will And vnlesse a thing had bin good God had not willed it And When it is sayd things are good because God wills them this illatiue inferres only the cause of our knowledge not of the goodnesse which we know Thus by these and suchlik transcendentall speculations whatsoever good is in the creature must primarily proceed from some selfe-cause or without God and not from any cause primary absolute and independent in God For if the act of Gods willing of good be prevented at least in order of nature by the obiectiue goodnesse in
childe of this famous Church doth not reuerence and submit to the authoritie of this his Mother But who shall be the Church of Englands interpreter Any priuate spirit Or who dare say that the doctrine of the Church of England is any other then the doctrine of the Scriptures For once diuide the doctrine of our Church from the Scripture and then we shall quickly come to that passe to belieue as the Church belieueth or as the Church of Rome belieueth And how is that As the Scriptures teach No but as the Pope teacheth and interpreteth or as the Pope belieueth How belieuest thou as the Church of England How is that As such or such a learned great man or great learned man perhaps as great in conceit in the Church of England as the Pope in Rome belieueth or interpreteth But it was the custome of the ancients in case of controuersie in faith to call Ad fonâ—es they went not to the cesterne but to the fountaines the Scriptures If any therefore should presume to interpret the words of the Church of Englands doctrines to any other sense then the Scriptures teach is worthy at least of his Mothers rod if not of his fathers high displeasure But do not the Scriptures put an infinit difference betweene Gods loue to his owne elected ones and others who are none of Christs sheepe Read John 13.1 The father loued his owne And 2. Tim. 2.19 And Iohn 17.2.9.11.12 24. Yea and doth not our Mother Church of England reduce Gods loue to mankinde in redeeming of vs to his elect people in sanctifying of them by his spirit I would such great Rabbies were a little better versed in their Catechisme before they vented such nouell Aphorismes We haue to answere touching our Creed Thirdly I belieue in God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the elect people of God This is our Mothers doctrine according to the voice of her Husband Iohn 17. Prou. the sixt verse vnto the end of the chapter Enough to put to silence all Arminian vniuersalists Read also the 17. Article of Predestination which fully cleared the Church of Englands minde in this point But thirdly he will proue that God loues all men alike because all men are alike redeemed by his Sonne And this he will also proue from the doctrine of the Church of England Which is answered as before The Scripture saith in matter of censure heare the Church but in matter of faith and doctrine heare him that is Christ. The Church must euer submit her doctrines to the touchstone of the Scripture And so the Church of England doth I am sure And what saith the Scripture of the redemption by Christ and for whom Read Ioh. 10.5 I lay downe my life for whom for the sheepe And Act. 20.28 The Lord hath with his owne blood purchased whom The Church of God But other Scriptures say that Christ died for all men Those all must be reduced to all Christs sheepe being scattered ouer all the world for these onely he laid downe his life these onely he purchased with his blood these onely he prayes for whom he laies downe his life for Joh. 17.9 read the place and marke it well and consider But in this point we need no other opposition but the Authors Tenet then his owne contradictory confession He saith Nothing can make the Creature hatefull or odious to the Creator besides its hatred or enmity of that loue by which it was created and by which he sought the restauration of it when it was lost Nor is it saith he euery degree of mans hatred or enmity vnto God but a full measure of it which vtterly exempts man from his loue Vpon whomsoeuer he would father this doctrine sure wee are the Apostle saith that by nature we are borne the children of wrath as well as other Doe we not then bring enough with vs into the world to pull Gods hatred vpon vs besides the height of malice against God contracted in the world Doth not the least sinne deserue Gods hatred and wrath vpon vs But this hee contradicteth againe saiyng That Christ onely receiued our infirmities and originall disease and not the contempt of him and his law Now if Christ did receiue our infirâ—â—ties onely and originall disease yet euen those then cost Christ his pretious blood yea and made him a curse for vs and to cry My God My God why hast thou forsaken me And was there euer any sorrow like to his sorrow But you say Christ receiued not the contempt of him and his law You meane then that Christ died not for contemptuous sinners And if Christ died not for the rebellious contemner what shal be become of a great many in these daies that not onely contemne but oppose and seeke to oppresse the knowne truth Surely the state of such is very exceeding dangerous yet I dare not say desperate which yet should be desperate if Christ died not for the greatest sinnes euen sinnes of rebellion and presumption as well as of infirmity Was there not in the law a Sacrifice as well for sinnes of presumption as of infirmity And was not that Sacrifice a type of Christ. And doth not God in the 50. Psalme preach repentance euen to the contemner of his knowne word But if he repented how should he be pardoned vnlesse Christ tooke vpon him the centempt of him and his law But I hope some of the Authors conâ—orts at least will discipline him well fauourdly for such a doctrine as no lesse vncomfortable then vnsound In vaine else doe Preachers beat the ayre in preaching repentance to habituated contemners if Christ bore not all kind of sinne vpon him We read of no sinne but it is pardonable sauing that against the holy Ghost and that also say the Fathers if a man could repent of it were pardonable and if pardonable vpon faith and repentance no doubt but Christ tooke even that vpon him also Indeed if a man runne on in sinne with a high hand hating to bee reformed contemning the Ministry of the word and so persist and dye in his impenitency it is euident that Christ the Lambe of God hath not taken away the sin of that man But in the fourth place he saith That God loues all men vnfainedly as they are men or as men which haue not made vp the full measure of iniquity But hauing made vp that or hauing their soules betrothed vnto wickednesse he hates them His hate of them as reprobates is no lesse necessary or vsuall then his loue of them as men But though he necessarily hates them being once become reprobates or hauing made vp the full measure of iniquitie yet was there no necessitie laid vpon them by his eternall Decree to make vp such a measure of iniquitie So he yet a little before where he saith God vnfainedly loueth all men God doth not loue but hate the Reprobate although they be men yea the greatest part of men I well hoped