seeth them not that there should bee miracles by the diuell wrought or forged to stand betweene the eyes of men and this reuealed Antichrist that there should be distinctions coined subtill enough for lesse subtill soules to distinguish to the manifest Antichrist from it selfe Yet all these things are prouided by the seruants of this sonne of perdition and so powerfull that it is Gods election onely which mainely preserues those that stand and withstands this Mysterie of Satan And indeede how can that ignorance which is inioyned to the disciples of Rome be brokē through by them which are bound thereunto by a solemne vow and vnder feareful penalties They must know but what deceiueth them vntill they be so throughly deceiued that it is almost impossible to bee vndeceiued againe But this let them take with it that the same ignorance will serue to breede vp a man in any religiō be it neuer so grosse and at this day it equally serues the diuels turne to nurse two of his goodliest children the erroneous doctrines of Mahomet and the Pope Yet lest ignorance should faile and perchance a glimse of light might shine in vpon the seeled eies there are miracles daily prouided to set before the sight of men These draw them to say that Simon Magus is the great power of God but wee are taught to goe from these signes to the Law to the Testimony to the Word and this Word telleth vs that miracles in the latter times shall be fixed and vnseparable companions of the man of sin So in stead of conuerting vs they are acknowledged by vs to be the badge of Satan fastned on Antichrists sleeue and they tell vs to whom he belongs Wee neede no miracles now but to reueale Antichrist for wee beleeue the doctrine of Christ once fully confirmed by his own miracles Lastly if yet some greater light dazle the eies which neither ignorance can keepe out nor miracles employ in drawing the eies wholly to themselues then are there prouided subtill nice and sublimated distinctions and reasons whose office is to confound and intangle the vnderstanding rather then to enlighten it Falshoods are purified and refined and made as like truths as possibly they may that the vndistinguishing mind may equally accept them and so led by a little mistaking vnto a grosse error And hereof at this time is there a stedy forge in the Church of Rome which doth but expect what the Pope and his Priuie Councell say and instantly they are ready with their excellent inuentions to prooue it the voice of God and not of man Surely the wit of man is a powerfull thing in regard of man but in regard of the Spirit which made it alas weake it is and the effect cannot striue with his cause which is mightier then he Therefore this Babel of mans wit built vp against the Lord must needs be destroied by the Spirit of his mouth In the meane time vntill this victory of Christ vpon Antichrist be fully performed let vs pray vnto God that he will adde easily vnto the Church those who belong vnto him and that they may plainely see that hee who seeketh earthly things more then heauenly is of the earth earthly and farre from being the Deputie of the Lord of heauen 60 The second resurrection needes not to seeme very strange if wee consider the first already done in vs for whereas there is naturally in vs but a carnall wisedom that seeth and alloweth only present visible things for happinesse wee haue in our regeneration a wisedome placed in vs which blotting out the former wisedome and the happinesse thereof beholdeth God which is inuisible as our onely true happinesse We haue also in stead of our fleshly will which onely sauoureth fleshly obiects a will directly contrary therunto planted in stead of it which hateth the former will and the sinful pleasures wherein that wil chiefly delighted and loueth euen the persecutions of Christ which the naturall will especially hated Thus by the new birth light being created in darknesse out of no former creature a rightnesse of will being framed where was nothing but crookednesse and such a light and will that they alter the affections actions whole course of mā why may not the same new birth haue also another power with it euen to change the mortalitie of the body into immortality as it hath to change the corruption of the soule and body into puritie incorruption it being alike easie to go to giue life vnto death as light vnto darknes and good to euill 61 Because wee see not God or at lest we do not see how he seeth vs wee rather thinke that he sees vs not or are careles of his seeing So our blindnesse toward God casteth the likenesse of it selfe on God towards vs and imagineth him to bee vnto vs as we are to him Herein men are to God as some birds are to men who hiding their heads from seeing men think that men the whilest doe not see them But since the knowledge of God is the cause of men the being of men can reach no farther then the knowledge of God So whosoeuer takes the knowledge of God from him takes from himselfe his owne being for where the knowledge of God ceaseth to know him there he ceaseth to bee otherwise should man who is but the effect of Gods knowledge go farder then his cause which cannot be But surely God that made mā by his knowledge knoweth the man that he hath made he hath not placed him out of his owne reach but as at first after he made his creatures he saw euen through them that they were throughly good so for euer he veweth and pierceth them searching all things by that very wisedom which made thē Since then we are manifest and naked before our glorious God who both seeth and hateth all vncleannes but beholdeth with pleasure holinesse and purenes let vs take heede to our hearts yea our whole selues that no filthinesse appeare to him lest we bee shut out from the City into which no vncleane thing may enter But that God seeing vs to be pure in hart euen in soule body may at length be called vp to see God who is the fulnesse and perfection of all felicitie 62 The very being as well as the discoursing of our naturall reason may well prooue that man was not made onely for this world For if first it be granted that a great and excellent wisedome created this Vniuerse which the curious subtiltie of the parts and frame therof will inforce vpon vs it must also be belieued that wisedome doth all things wisely both in regard of order and end euery thing bringing forth his like now the beasts hauing a more easie and vninterrupted enioying of the world as not tilling or reaping neither building Barnes nor filling thē not foreapprehending griefes nor long retaining them what doth this reasonable soule in man I speake of the generall if his bound be this world
action had not come to passe whereas we should reason this If this action had not beene appointed to come to passe these effectual meanes had not falne out Then run we to see the true cause of things euen to Gods prouidence and purpose which to the godly is a sure rest and refuge since therby al euents must turne to the best to Gods children though effected by the malice and wickednesse of men For this purpose of God is rooted in Loue and loue purposeth all for the good of that which it loueth so through whatsoeuer kinde of actions it passeth it still remaineth one vnchangeable bringing forth stedfastly fruit proportionable to the roote of loue Gods purpose cannot be hindered or altered by men but passeth along conquering and preuailing vnchanged it selfe and changing all things to it selfe and it owne goodnesse So Shimei his cursing might produce a blessing to Dauid and Iudas treason did procure the saluation of mankinde 59 Consisting of Parts 1. Part. It is a strange thing that in this broad day light any man should stumble at the Popes supremacy in spirituall much lesse in temporall matters If with the Apostles wee will but testifie what we see we on whom the truth clearely shineth cannot chuse but see that this supremacy is a thing much yonger then the Christian Religion which prospered before it was and that much better then since Religion was put out to nurse vnto it If we will begin with Christ Christ equally endoweth his Apostles with power of binding and loosing and equally appoints al nations vnto them If Christ should haue said That on Peter he would build his Church which he speaketh of him only who only is the Rock 1. Cor. 10. yet Peter answering for all should receiue this in the behalfe of all for whom hee answered For since it was forbidden to all of thē to tell who Christ was it seemes all ioyned with Peter in the knowledg and confession of Christ and so all had interest in the benefit of that knowledge and confession Againe if at that time it should only haue beene spoken only to Peter wee haue another Scripture which equalleth the other Apostles with him euen in the building of the Church while it sayeth the Church is built vpon the foundation of the Apostles so that the Apostles are ioyned together promiscuously not differently towards the making vp of the foundation Besides Paul plainely answereth that he is not a whit inferiour to the chiefest of the Apostles that he had of Peter the right hand of fellowship not of inferiority which most cuts off the Pope from claiming vs who are Gentiles by Peter and turnes him ouer to fetch his especiall claime by Paul Paul saith that the Apostleship of the circumcision or Iewes was committed to Peter and of the Gentiles especially to him To this Eusebius giues his testimony saying that Peter though cōming among the Gentiles yet preached only to the Iewes withall brings forth his first Epistle as that which was directed particularly to his own charge the Iewes And this indeede best fitteth with the History which reporteth that Peter and Paul exercised their Apostleships together at Rome which might most orderly be performed if the one taught there the Circumcisiō the other the Gentiles Therefore let the Pope take heed how he robs Paul to giue vnto Peter for hee robbes his best title to giue to his worse but hereafter let him find some new exposition of building the Church so vpon Peter that Paul also may haue a great part in the foundation wheron the Church is built Now if we descend from the Apostles betweene whome if there be any oddes in right to vs it appeares to be on Paules side to examine whether any such supremacy descended from among them to the succeeding ages wee shall finde none in diuers hundred years The church of Rome indeede was a famous Church founded by the Apostles flourishing with godly Bishops and Martyrs and full of Saints and therefore by many holy men great and large titles were giuen to her and her Bishops in letters and writings So might shee for the eminencie thereof be called the first Church or the chiefest Church and the Bishops the Bishops of the chiefest Church but a meane vnderstāding knows there is great oddes betweene being first in order and a head in gouernment And this the practise of those times plainly declared for though they had giuen neuer so many good words to the Bishops and Church of Rome yet as soone as the Bishop of Rome intermedled with their gouernment they presētly rose vp against him so did Cyprian yea a councell of African Bishops and among them Saint Austin walled vp their countrey from the command of the Romane Bishops Euen in the very matter of excommunication wherein is the pretented eminēce of their power Irenaeus a Bishop of France the Popes neighbour reprooued Victor a Bishop of Rome for excōmunicating the Churches of Asia vpon the obseruation of Easter And when Constantinus vniustly checked Liberius the Bishop of Rome for maintaining the cause of Athanasius with these words How great a part of the world art thou that thou alone shouldest iustifie a wicked man and trouble the peace of the world neither Constantinus acknowledged any supremacy in Liberius neither did Liberius in his answer though hee had occasion giuen to tell how great and Catholike a head hee was thereby iustifie his doings To conclude for particulars are infinite and this matter is commonly handled at length by a councel Christendome was committed to fiue Patriarches of Rome Constantinople Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem of which Rome was the first but had no more authoritie ouer the rest then the second had ouer the third the authoritie of no one being subalterne or subiect to other And the proportionable practise of diuers of these Patriarches yet standing giueth hereunto confirmation But the same corruption of mans nature which in a clowne stirreth vp an ambitious desire to be a gentleman of a gentleman to become a nobleman and of a nobleman to become a king being in a Pope as much as in other men hath wrought the same effect in him that it hath in others And so from being a Patriarch he hath laboured to bee the head of the Patriarches that is an vniuersall Patriarch and from being and vniuersall Patriarch to be an vniuersall Emperour So Ambition still ascends making one degree of honor but a stayre whereon to mount it selfe vp to another and by this meanes at length hee is come to that all-comprehending toppe wherin he meetes iust with the title prepared for him by Saint Paul As God in the temple of God aboue al that is called God But he must remember that thereunto are annexed these two other titles the man of sin and the sonne of perdition 2. Part. These things beeing so euident most lamentable it is that there should bee plotted and deuised an ignorance so grosse that it
part of him is alreadie too great a friend to our greatest enemie let vs not adde to this fleshly part a whole body of flesh to increase the griefe and incombrance of the Spirit of God in vs and to increase the force of Satan and of his temptations against vs. But let them that do so know that they seek the ruine of their houses by the same meanes by which they seeke to raise them For though Satan bee a strong man able to keepe a house in peace yet there is a stronger then he who often bindeth this strong man and taketh his house from him or if hee leaue it to him still to bee maintained as indeed hee is allowed to be a kind of a Prince in this world yet miserable is that standing and worse then falling which stands by Satan for there comes a day wherein his principalitie it selfe shall fall and bee ouerthrowne and al that it doth sustaine And in the meane time what a bettering of an house is this to increase the liuing and to corrupt the liuers to grow outwardly in wealth and to decay inwardly in grace and vertue to lose in our selues our posterity y t we may adde to the estate of our selues and our posteritie The true paterne of marriages was the first made by God himselfe and therefore to be imitated by the children of God therin God gaue man a helper fit for him fit she was to help him in spiritual things euen the seruice of God fit to help him in temporal things euē those of this life Such is y e wife described by Salomon fit to do her husbād good al the daies of her life good to his soule good to his body for she feareth the Lord therfore is praised This paterne being followed wee may certainely beleeue that he which allowed and blessed the first will also allow and blesse all those which are like it He will behold such a marriage with pleasure while it is making he will be present at it for his good will was principally sought in it and he will prosper it that men shall haue cause to say Lo thus shall the man bee blessed that feareth the Lord. But because goodnesse in any sexe is ouer rare and it may seeme a hard matter to get one that may fully equall the patterne first remember whose gift a good wife is and seeke to him from whom commeth euery good gift Surely it is to be feared that many haue bestowed themselues ill because they sought not to him who onely could haue bestowed them well or because they sought him more for outward aduantages then for inward graces Secondly if thou hast done this and yet thou findest not that one among a thousand and need so requires that thou must proceed in thy purpose when thou canst not get a burning lamp get thee a smoking flax if not one that is expert and by long custom exercised and vsed to strong meate yet one that desires the sincere milke of the Word to grow thereby Take one that is likely to become a Temple for the holy Ghost and this likelihood find not in thine own presumption but in her disposition That this may be really performed let vs first discerne a mind teachable and willing to learne It is a first and chiefe step toward God to hearken after God Therefore wisedome euer begins her speech with this Heare yee children and incline your eares to wisdome and He that heareth is wise and wil increase in learning Next let her be humble and meek for such a spirit is a fit receptacle for God it is before God a thing much set by and to such God will reueale his secret mysteries Now because man is weake and his affections rob him of his iudgement making him to thinke that partie excellent to whom hee hath an excessiue affectiō Let God bee instantly sought to establish weake and deceiueable man let him be intreated that he wil not be wanting to that which much concerneth his glory and seruice and the good of his seruants And these things thus ordered strong hope may be conceiued that he who heard Abrahams seruant when hee intreated a wife for his Masters sonne will giue such a wife as shee was to the sonnes of Abraham and he who gaue vnto Ruth a mighty man of wealth and one blessed of the Lord because she resolued that the God of Israel should be her God will also giue the like blessing vnto the followers of Ruth But while I sing the Songs of Sion in a strange land the Chaldeās or wizards of this world vnderstand not the language the naturall man perceiueth not the things of God neither can Scripture by any meanes make him leaue a good bargaine Therefore will hee still in spight of heauen marry his land to his neighbors great portion I meane his Son that would perchance bee better then himselfe to his neighbors daughter which perchance will make him if she can worse then the father These exchangers of money by bargaines consummated in the Temple since the Word which forbiddeth the house of God to bee made a denne of theeues cannot driue them thence it may he a whip of cords will And surely in euerie daies experience such a one is laid soundly on many of their backes And therein a twofold cord that breaketh both bones and hearts is especially remarkable One is the often dislike betweene such vnhallowed or at least vnequall parties Religion is the truest and strongest bond of loue where that failes nature is next which is most corrupt Nature delightes in new lusts and so runnes after that which it hath not neglecting what it hath Hence hath that cursed speech issued from one of her followers That hee could loue his wife aboue any other if shee were not his wife making that a reason of hatred which a Christian makes chiefly a reason of loue And when this loathing of the partie possessed hath brought forth the desire of another and that desire obtaining what hart is then great inough to beare the vexing and tormenting thoughts that swell therein by this forsaking if it be the wiues part as most often it is shee still beholdeth with indignation the lothing of her selfe the losse of her right in him for whom she forsooke all others and his giuing of himself away to a stranger These meditations eate vp her heart and then she curseth the time of her marriage and all them that made it When this newes commeth home to the churle her father he doubts at last his daughter is cast away which he might probably haue doubted before and much more profitably for then he could haue holpen it And now when she sitteth as a Nun forsaken of the world breaking her owne heart and somewhat her fathers miserie beateth into them that instruction could not teach them that marriages made without God are wordes not actions since such a woman hath had much money bestowed on her to bee called a