light and those vaine shadowes which seeme to mooue hither and thither and to speake and those resemblances of thinges which those men which are thus bound in yron chaines falsely iudge to be things indeed He could not more fitly by any other meanes haue set before our eyes the liues of wicked men For they beeing here groueling on the earth and in loue with their bodies and chained with the innumerable chaines of vices cannot turne their minde that way that they may beholde the light and the true shapes of things For there is no trueth indeed in these bodily and earthly but in diuine and eternall things Therefore all the commodities of this life haue no firme or sound thing in them but onely beare a face or shew of good things And men being now acquainted with these shadowes and being deluded with these Images of things do with tooth and naile pursue after false good things and being effeminated with the false sweetnes of pleasure are so kept in bondage that they are now enemies to all those which woulde ridde them out of those bonds would endeuour to bring them to heauen that they might behold the true sunne indeed and the true light and true men and true good things that is that they might behold heauenly and diuine thinges and that they might haue the vvhole force of their minds fixed in euerlasting things Thus farre Osorius This is mans estate before regeneration to delight in sinne not to be able to be hold the true light naie to be euen an open enemie to those that shall go about to draw him from this bondage or shall endeuour to make him see his owne miserie and vnhappinesse so farre off is he from embracing the true light if it be offered vnto him This is Osorius his iudgement in this place And a little after hee writes thus Is it not most certaine that this is graunted to Christians to behold God as often as they stirre vp their weake faith and doe deuoutly pray for Gods grace that being loosed from these bonds and turned away from these shadowes of things and turned to the true good things indeed that they may mount vp with their minds into heauen and that they may beholde those most excellent and eternall riches and may enioy that sweete and most pleasant familiaritie and talke with God with vnspeakeable ioifulnes Here plainely appeares what effects the grace of God works in mens soules It not onelie looseth them from the stronge and iron chaines of their sinnes but also it withdrawes them from the loue of vanities and turnes them to the loue of vertue and true godlinesse These effectes here Osorius attributes to the grace of God man of his owne nature hath them not Ambrose of mans duetie to God writes thus De Abraham pat lib. 2. ca. 8. That soule which is full of wisedome and righteousnesse is more deuout in the worship of God and paies her tenthes of all the fruits of the earth according to a more heauenly wisedome herein in that she referres the perfection of all her senses and workes to God shee challengeth nothing to hir selfe which is not able to gouerne her selfe vnlesse she were vnderpropped with Gods fauour c. All Abrahams children of their father must learne to paie these tenthes to God But for the maintenance of frée will Rom. 7.18 that place of Saint Paul maie be obiected To will is at hand but to doe good I cannot tell how to do it Saint Austen expounds this place thus De praed gra ca. 13. Although that same will is not of vs it is the gift of God because of him wee haue both to will and to do according to his good pleasure And concerning this place Austen first expounded it of a man vnregenerate but after he changed his mind and expounded it of the regenerate as appeares in his Booke Contra Iu◠cap. 11. Ambrose also is of the same mind with Austen herein and expounds this place of the regenerate speaking of the strife that was betwéene Abraham and Lot which he allegoricallie applies to the soule of man Lib. 2. de Abra. cap. 6. Hereof comes saieth he the discord of our cogitations when as the flesh rebels against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Then there is no small combate when as the Apostle himselfe the Lords chosen vessell saith I see the lawe of my flesh resisting the law of my mind and bringing me in bondage vnder the law of sinne which is in my members He himselfe coulde not pacifie this combate and therefore he fled to Christ saying O vnhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death that is that I cleaue not to the pleasures of the flesh Who is it that shall loose me from these bonds and shall set me free and shall writh rather the senses to the sobriety of the mind then to the drunkennes of the body but because amongst men he could not find such a guide turning to God he saith The grace of God by our Lord Iesus Christ If he that was so strong trusted not in his owne strength that he might escape the body of death but sought for helpe of Christ what shall we do who are weaker c. Phil. de Dies sum prae dic Tit. amor hominis erga Deum I will conclude this point of free will with a saying of Philippus de Dies When as onely God is the author of the reasonable soule and that the will is a power of such a soule it followeth manifestly that onely God can moue it not onely in bestowing the nature and essence vnto it but also the willing of that which is good and also the end which is the conclusion of all our willings Therefore wee must desire of him with most earnest prayers with that kingly Prophet Incline my heart O God vnto thy Testimonies 2. Of Justification De indulg POligranes a Papist of Christs merites writes thus We must know that Christ the son of God by his works and passions did deserue many things of God his father To himselfe glorie and exaltation as Saint Paul saith for which cause God hath exalted him c. He hath deserued also to men a generall satisfaction for their sinnes For by his bloud hee hath washed away the faults and by his death hath restored the grace of iustification You are iustified freely saith the Apostle by his grace Rom. 3. by the redemption which is in Christ Iesus But by this his merit he hath so freely washed away the faults that according to the faith of the Church and of the holy scripture he hath left some part of the punishment vnredeemed which is either here to be redeemed with the workes of mercie or els to be paied hereafter And therefore thirdly he deserued that he which of himselfe hath deserued it through speciall faith and deuotion might forgiue this punishment himselfe which we
what doe we answere to this We thinke it not meete that that manner of speech which hath obtained the name of a custome among them should be accounted for a rule and canon of true doctrine Let vs both stand to the iudgement of the holy scriptures inspired by God and amongst whome are found opinions agreeing to the diuine Oracles let the sentence of truth bee pronounced on their side What can be plainer then this Custome must not be the canon and rule of truth in doctrine but Gods worde and they which haue that on their side let them haue the victorie The like offer now we make to the Paâ—â—â—ts But that booke of S. Basill is of Erasmus suspected to be forged and that not without iust cause as the most Reuerend Father in God the L. Byshop of Winchester in his booke called The difference betweene Christian subiection and vnchristian rebellion hath verie learnedly prooued Of Christes doctrine Ferus writes thus Fer. de pass part 2. and he quite ouerthrowes the verie ground of Traditions Christ proueth saieth he the truth of his doctrine by two arguments First that he neuer taught secretly but openly For he that doth euill hateth the light but he that doth the truth comes to the light Secondly he giues his hearers leaue to iudge I saith he spake openly in the world in secret I spake nothing that I would haue kept secret or not come to light yea he plainly coÌ„manded his Apostles That which I tell you in darknes preach you in the light He told his Disciples many things alone but for no other cause then that others were not able to comprehende them For whatsoeuer Christ hath taught he will haue it published and made knowne to all least any should excuse himselfe And hereof Saint Paul saith If our Gospell be hidde it is hidde in those that perish For in truth Christ speakes openly in the world euen now wisedome cries in the streets Therefore no man can iustly excuse himselfe of ignorance And this also is most true that he taught in the Synagogues and Temple of the Iewes where all were wont to assemble themselues yea not onely in the Temple and in their Synagogues but in ships and hilles Luke 6. and plaine fields That is publikely where men most commonly mette together therfore they can haue no excuse Therefore at another time he said vnto them If I had not comed and spoken vnto them they had had no sinne c. This quite ouerthrowes the Popes Religion Christ will haue his doctrine knowne to all and the refore he frequented common places They goe about to kéepe it in secret and thinke it not conuenient that all shoulde know it Againe he deliuered all things openly and nothing by tradition secretly Lib. 5. Eccles Hist ca. 2.4 Eusebius also of Traditions writes thus Not onely saith hee of the day of Easter is the controuersie but also of the manner of fasting for some thinke that the fast ought to be kept but one day some other but two daies other moe daies some fortie daies so that counting the howres of the day and night together they make a day which varietie of obseruations began not in our times but long before vs of them as I suppose who holding not surely that which was by tradition deliuered in the beginning haue eyther by their negligence or vnskilfulnesse afterward falne into another custome Héere we may learne that traditions are no safe and sure kéepers of trueth as the papists would make vs beleeue How soone had they lost the true tradition of fasting which the Apostles practised euen in Eusebius daies And shall wee nowe in the ende of the worlde grounde our faithes vpon traditions Ier. de ord Eccle part 3. c. 9. Saint Ierome also concerning the authoritie of Bishoppes and Elders in the Church writes thus If any of vs could know the custome of the time past I would proue that which I say to haue beene obserued euer and to haue beene obserued when as the Apostles preached in the Church And after by the spite of certaine some things were corrupted and some things were presumed Héere Ierome affirmes that what was done in the Apostles times he could not then certainly learne much lesse we nowe Such an vncertaine rule in matters of faith tradition is And Austen also of Antichrist writes thus But what is the cause of the delaie that he may be reuealed in his time you do know De ciu del lib. 20. ca. 19. that which he said that they knew he would not vtter And therefore we which know not which they knew desire to come to the knowledge of that which the Apostle ment with great labour neither can we attaine vnto it because that those things which he added haue made the sense also more obscure for what meanes this nowe the mysterie of iniquitie worketh let him onely that now holdeth holde till he be taken out of the waie and then that wicked one shall be reuealed I plainely heere confesse my selfe to be ignorant what he hath said yet I will not keepe close the suspitions and surmises of men which I haue read or heard concerning this matter In Austens daies that tradition which was deliuered by saint Paul to the Thessalonians concerning Antichrist a most great and weightie matter was forgotten and doe we thinke that till our daies the Church hath kept traditions of lighter matters inuiolably Irenaeus to Florinus an heretike writes thus I saw thee Euseb lib. 5. Eccle. hi. ca. 19. when as yet being but a childe I was with Policarpe in Asia who then didst verie well whilest as yet thou remainedst within the Emperours palace and didst studie to please Policarpe For I remember farre better the things which were done then then they which are done now because those things we learne wheÌ„ we are children grow vp in vs with our minde and doe cleaue fast vnto it Wherefore also I can tell thee the place wherein Policarpe did sit when as he did dispute and also his manner of going his countenance the maner of all his life and also his apparell and also his sermons and discourses he made to the people and also howe he liued with Iohn and how he was wont also to tell of others which had seen the Lord and also how he remembred all the words which the Lord spake which he had heard of them and of his miracles and doctrine and yet notwithstanding he reported all these agreeing to the scriptures the which things I then of the mercie of God which he vouchsafed to bestow vpon me hearing attentiuely and diligently did write not in papers but in my heart and which thinges by the grace of God I yet keepe faithfully and doe as it were chew them ouer againe with my selfe without ceasing I take God to witnesse and in his sight I affirme vnto thee that if that blessed Apostolical man Policarpe had heard any such matter as thou
papist cites out of Eusebius Clemens that that Cephas which Paul reprehended in the 2. of the Galathians was not Peter the Apostle but another one of the 72. Disciples who was also called Cephas as he proueth out of Dorotheus and Hippolytus And he séemes to be himselfe of the same opinion for sayth he After the comming of the holy ghost vpon the Apostles it is not likely that the pillar of the Church shold haue fallen into so great a fault and haue erred in so great a matter of faith that is concerning the abrogation of the legall ceremonies To whom Christ committed his Church and appointed him generall pastour and teacher and maister of the faithfull and left him his Vicar vpon earth c. And againe It was not meete that the high Bishop and Prince of the Apostles should bee reproued of Paul so publiquely and sharply But this his smoake manifestly obscureth the truth for what is the drift of Paul in that place by the iudgement of other learned papists themselues but that he conferred the gospell with the Apostles not that he should learne any thinge of them whom he witnesseth to haue added nothing vnto him but lest they should not haue allowed it of whom onely he receiued the ministerie of gathering of almes And he shewes himselfe in somuch not inferiour to the Apostles that he feared not to reproue Peter their prince as it were compelling the gentiles to Iudaisme And after he shewes that we are Iustified by saith and not by the Lawe Gal. 2.16 This is Gagneus opinion in his argument of the second chap. to the Gal. So that if Paul conferred not his gospell with Peter the rest if he rebuked not Peter euen to the face as he there writes neither his owne authoritie nor the authoritie of his gospell which he preached amongst the GalathiaÌ„s had béene of such great authoritie Gal. 2.1 as hee there goeth about to proue vnto them And againe he writes that he went to Ierusalem where the Apostles abode and he reckons vp by name those that were chiefe amongst the Apostles Iames Cephas and Iohn and if Iames and Iohn were the Apostles he conferred with so also was Peter no doubt the Apostle he after reproued nay hee calleth Peter also Cephas by both his names lest hee should seeme to forget the priuiledge giuen him of our sauiour Nay hee called them pillars and is it likely that any of the 72 disciples should be called by that honorable name Nay he addeth that they gaue him right hands of fellowshippe now what great matter had it béen if any of the 72 disciples had made Paul equall with them And hee addeth after no doubt of the same Peter and not of any other that when as hee was come to Antioch hee withstood him to his face We may note here that the Papists are so blinded with the loue of their Pope that they will not sticke to discredite S. Paul and to diminish as much as in them lieth his authoritie and the authoritie of the gospell which hee preached to maintaine their Popes authoritie But this their exposition is not onely against the scripture but also against the Fathers Ierome and Augustine hadde soone béen agréede if they had credited any such matter who so earnestly wrote one against the other Aug. epist 9. concerning this reprehension when as Austin sayd Peter erred in deede and Ierome that he dissembled only and that Paul did not iustly reproue him But Ierome in his commentaries vpon the Galathians makes mention of this opinion and reiects it Hanmer in trans Dorothei de 70. discip Nay also in Dorotheus latin copie there is no such Cephas numbred amongst the 72 disciples although in the gréeke such an one is named This diuersitie of copies argues some of Sathans subtilties And here may bee a true and forcible argument drawne against the Popes supremacie If Peter had béen head of the Church hee ought not so publiquely sharply to haue béen reproued of Paul saith Pintus but as Gagneus and Austen and almost all the auncient fathers and truth it selfe doth witnesse Paul did so openly and sharply reproue him therefore he was not head of the Church Ferus how resolute he is in this his opinion concerning the Popes authoritie it is worth the marking howe plainly in other his workes as occasion offers hee shewes his iudgment herein If therefore saith hee wee will haue the Church safe let vs especially pray for the holy ghost for it is he wherein the Church is vnited gouerned spread abroad and preserued He alone is the only tutor gouernour teacher and comforter of all the faithfull To the vnitie of the church as other papists doe hee requires not the vnitie of a ministeriall head to gouerne the church but the vnitie of the holy spirit And after speaking of Peter he writes thus He stood in the midst of his brethren In which word the humilitie of Peter is commended For he did not alone by himselfe puft vp with vaine arrogaÌ„cie dispose the ecclesiasticall affaires according to his owne pleasure but in the midst of his brethren he dispatched all thinges which were to be done For it is not lawfull that the ecclesiasticall affaires and what thinges belong to the whole Church should bee ordered by the pleasures of a fewe but rather that those thinges should be disposed to the glorie of God according to the rules and appointment of the scriptures by the mutuall consent of good men Neither is that fit that any one shall take vpon him any office whatsoeuer For the Apostle sayth Let all things be done decently and according to order Therefore it was necessarie that one of the Apostles should orderly doe those necessarie affaires and therefore Peter stepps forth who had béen euer hitherto both more zelous and more apt and luckie in dispatching businesses Peter alone like the Pope presumptuously dealt not in ecclesiasticall affaires And after speaking of Peter Hee calles them brethren though he were the first in order amongst the Apostles For others are not to be disdained because of our higher estate aboue theÌ„ lastly he begins his oration of the holy scrip uâ—es Neither doth Peter this by mans fancie but by the mouing of the holy scriptures And if the chiefe of the Apostles did this what thinke we that we ought to doe Therefore let ciuill matters be discussed by ciuill iust and equall lawes And those things which are diuine let them be weighed in the ballance of the scriptures For there ought nothing to bee established or decreede in the Church but first of all wee should aske couÌ„sell of the holy scriptures The which thing I would to God had been obserued till now but now that is coÌ„monly put in practise of many So I wil haue it This I command to be done my pleasure is a sufficient warrant Surely Ferus in these words toucheth the Popes peremptorie authoritie And after vpon these wordes Let
heresie now discourage anie of Gods children So did they reuile and hate the verie names of the true prophets of God Luk. 6.22 as our Sauiour witnesseth So at this day the Papists goe about by all means possible to defame and discredite the persons of the professours of the Gospell But as Saint Paul passed not for the name of Heretike no more let vs. Beleeuing all that is written in the Law and the Prophets Here is another marke of the true Church here is a ground of a true Christians conscience concerning his faith and religion To beleeue all that is written in the lawe and the Prophets This was Saint Paules ground he beléeued no more and according to that he worshippeth God and he cares not let them cal him what they wil. Whosoeuer lacks this ground shall be caried about with euery blast of vaine doctrine Ephe. 4.14 like children To confirme and strengthen vs in our faith God hath put in his Church Apostles and Euangelists Ephes 2.20 and Wee are built vpon the foundations of the Prophets and Apostles Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone The like marks of the true Church Saint Paule setteth downe in the Epistle to the Romans as arrowes out of the same quiuer of our Sauiour to confound the enemies that would craftily créepe into Gods house Rom. 1.9 2. Pet. 2.1 God is my witnesse saith he whom I serue in my spirit in the Gospell of his Sonne Here also is the platforme of the true Church and a patterne of a true Christian God is only my witnesse saith Saint Paul not anie Saint or Angell The true Church must here with Saint Paul attribute this knowledge and searching of hearts to God alone and not to anie Saint or Angell else whatsoeuer Act. 1.24 15.8 Secondly she must serue this God onely and none els for to whom this knowledge belongeth to him also diuine seruice and Latria as they call it belongs Thirdly Whom I serue in my spirit saith Saint Paule not with anie outward or externall things or ceremonies like a Iew but with my heart as Iesus Christ now hath taught all men to worship the Father Fourthly in the Gospell of his Sonne here he describes the maner how the true Church of God must worship him Our seruice of God must be according to the Gospell of his Son And hereunto Dauid also agréeth in the Psalme There is no speech nor language Psal 19.3 where their voices are not heard speaking of the preaching of Gods word And he addeth Kauam as it is in the Hebrew that is their line their leuell their square is gone through all the earth and their words vnto the ends of the world To teach vs that Gods word is a line leuell square to rule limit and square the faiths of all nations by But to conclude Let vs marke what Saint Paule also writes concerning this matter to the Thessalonians and how he describes the Church and Gods house there From you the word of God was spread 1. Thes 1.10 not only in Macedonia and Achaia but your faith towards God came into euerie place So that we neede say nothing thereof for they shew and declare what an entrance we had vnto you how you turned vnto the Lord from idols to serue the liuing and true God and to looke for his sonne from heauen whom he raised from the dead euen Iesus who deliuereth vs from the anger to come Here are most manifestly set downe the markes of the true Church and the Catholike faith which was in Saint Paules dayes preached through the whole world To turne from Idols and to serue the true and liuing God And here first that blind distinction of Dulia and Latria which the Papists make to cloak the worshipping of creatures is quite ouerthrowne not onely Latria but as by this place appeareth Dulia is due vnto God Secondly we must serue the true and liuing God These two Adiuncts take away all worshipping of false gods and also of Images We must worship no false nor dead thing whatsoeuer we worship it must be liuing and true And therefore we must worship no Images which are dead stockes nay wee must worship nothing but God alone Those Images which the Prophet Dauid describeth Psal 115. what are they els but Papists Images That Psalme followeth the 114. Psal which containeth Israels going out of Egypt it may séeme to describe the spirituall Egypt Thirdly we must now euery day waite and looke for the comming of his Sonne Iesus Christ from heauen We must not thinke that he will not come yet as the Papists teach by their doctrine of Antichrist Fourthly wee must constantly beléeue that Iesus hath not onely deliuered vs by his passion from the guilt of sinne but from the punishment also thereof and anger to come And lastly if the Papists will thereof conclude that the Church of Rome is the mother Church of all the worlde Rom. 1.8 because Saint Paule saith that their faith was published throughout all the world Then the Church of Thessalonica must be her elder sister 1. Thess 1.8 because her faith also was spread through all the worlde and that before hers as should seeme For Saint Paul mentions in his Epistle to the Romans when hee giues this testimony to the Roman Church Rom. 15.26 1. Thess 1.8 the fruits of Macedonia and Achaia which was planted by the Church of Thessalonica And in a word to make an end of this matter let all men marke that plaine lesson which Dauid teacheth them in the Psalme Kings of the earth and all people Psal 148.11 Princes and all Iudges of the world young men and maides old men and children let them praise the name of the Lord. For his name onely is to bee exalted and his praise is aboue the heauens and the earth All Gods seruants must praise his name and they must praise it alone and they which praise anie thing else do not rightlie vnderstand as yet the maiestie of God his praise is aboue heauen earth that is all heauen and earth is not able to expresse the greatnesse of his praise And here is the reason Because he exalts the horne of his people he aduanceth to honor and makes mightie and strong which is a praise for all his saints euen for the children of Israel Gnam kerovo a people that drawes néere vnto him as it is in the Hebrew Would you haue God exalt your horne would you be his people then you must praise him alone then you must draw neere to him and not fly from him to any other The which God giue all grace to do for Iesus Christs sake to whom be praise for euer Amen Certaine Prayers fit for euerie true Catholique dayly to vse both for himselfe and his family taken out of the scriptures Granatensis and others Matt. 7 7. Aske and it shal be giuen you seeke and ye shall find knocke and
THE TRVE CATHOLIQVE FORMED ACCORDING TO THE TRVTH OF THE SCRIPTVRES and the shape of the ancient Fathers and best sort of the latter Catholiques which seeme to fauour the Church of Rome The Contents vvhereof are to be seene in the Page following Exod. 12.35.36 And the children of Israel did according to the saying of Moses and they asked of the Egyptians iewels of siluer and iewels of gold and rayment And the Lord gaue the people fauour in the sight of the Egyptians and they graunted their requests so they spoyled the Egyptians Cyprian lib. 2. Epist 3. And because now his second comming drawes neere his bountifulnesse and the great account that he makes of vs doth lighten our hearts vvith the light of truth euery day more and more Ambros de Abrah pat lib 2. cap. 9. We reade of a fire kindled at the sunne-setting which should lighten the euening of the world and should shine in the darknes and should reueale things which were hidden AT LONDON Printed by PETER SHORT dwelling at the signe of the Starre on Bredstreet hill 1602. THE CONTENTS OF this Booke 1 A Preface to the Reader 2 The true Catholikes Alphabet or A B C. 3 His Pater-noster or Lords prayer 4 His Catechisme or briefe summe of Religion wherein the Papists opinion concerning Antichrist is refuted and the true meanes of the calling of the Iewes is declared 5 His house or the notes and marks of the true Church drawne out of the Scriptures 6 Certaine godly Prayers which dayly he may vse 7 The liues maners of the ancient Christians drawne out of the Scriptures and Fathers To the Christian Reader I Offer vnto thee good Christian Reader in this Treatise the summe of our Religion And if forraine things delight thee as now adayes they do all men most commonly I do offer vnto thee I say our Religion proceeding out of the mouthes of the verie enemies thereof For as the people cried and said in Darius his dayes 1. Esd 4.41 Truth is the greatest and strongest thing of all others Euen so this sentence shall stand true for euer And here thou shalt see that performed in deed which Dauid did but prefigurate that Goliah his head is stricken off with his owne sword 1. Sam. 17.51 And surely if the bodie and the shadow bee relatiues as the Philosophers teach and that euerie shadow hath a bodie then truly Dan in the law may be also a figure of Antichrist in the Gospel Gen. 49.17 2. The. 2.2 and the Madianites of the Papists Dan as his name imports in Hebrew is a Iudge He will vsurpe the office of a Iudge amongst his brethren And euen so doth the Pope this spirituall Dan Leuit. 13.3 Matt. 8.4 He will be a Iudge also by vsurpation he will not iudge only betweene leprosie and leprosie that is betwixt notorious sinnes as the law commanded but he will iudge euerie light disease which the law commands not Hee will not bee iudge onely of those knowne sins which goe before to iudgement 1. Tim. 5.22.24 which Saint Paul bids Timothie that he should take heede of but also of those which follow after He will know the secrets of mens hearts of which Saint Paul saith Iudge nothing before the time 1. Cor. 4.5 vntill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hid in darkenesse and make the counsels of the hearts manifest and then shall euerie one haue praise of God And is not this to be Dan Is not this to be a Iudge Madian signifies iudging And as hee is Dan so also his armie and souldiers are Madianites they come of Dan that is their name For they take their name of him as the Papists do of the Pope and they shal perish also as did the Madianites Of whose ouerthrow thus we reade Iudg. 7.22 When the three hundreth blewe with trumpets the Lord set euery mans sword vpon his neighbour and vpon all the host which fled to Beth-hashittah Tsererah to the borders of Abel-Meholah vnto Tabbah Here first is the small number of the Lords armie the small number of the professours of the Gospell in comparison of the Madianites of Papists Friers Here are also the Lords weapons the trumpets of the Gospell against Madian and their destruction by one of them drawing swords against another Here is to make perfect this victorie and to conquer also Sathan the father of Dan the breaking of pitchers that is the mortification of the flesh Rom. 6.19 Col. 3.5 Matth. 16.24 and of the lusts thereof which Saint Paul so often teacheth and the denying of our selues and the following of him with our crosse on our backes which our Sauiour also commands And they fled to Beth-hashittah Tsererah and to the border of Abel Meholah vnto Tabbah Here is that verified which our Sauiour saith of the eternitie of the Scriptures That heauen and earth shall perish Mat. 5.18 2. Tim. 3.16 Rom. 15.4 but not one ioâ—te or tittle of the word of God shall perish And that Saint Paul writes of the excellencie of them That all the whole Scriptures are giuen by inspiration from God And againe That whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning And againe Nowe all these things came vnto them for examples 1. Cor. 10.11 and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Euerie verse and word in them doe edifie and are of force nay they edifie and teach vs And in this one point they surpasse almost all other writings The lawes of Iustinian manie of them are not conuenient for our age nor Galens prescriptions of medicines for our bodies 1. Pet. 1.25 but the word of the Lord is the same for euer The Madianites fled to Beth-hashittah Tsererah as to their castle of refuge and that is in our language to the afflicted house now readie to fall on their heads And do not euen now the Papists so Ierem. 7.4 Do they not crie as the Iewes did The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord So now they The Church of Rome the Church of Rome Is not the continuance thereof so manie yeares and the great glorie of it their Refuge Is not this one of their chiefest arguments But what is Rome Is it not Beth-hashittah Tserarah that is 2. Thes 2.8 that afflicted house now readie to fall on their heads It consumes daily by the Spirit of God as Saint Paul prophesieth that it should do and euerie day is it in declining And ere it belong in one day Reu. 18.8 that is sodainly as Saint Iohn prophesieth shall her plagues come vpon her death and sorrow and famine and she shall be burnt with fire For it is the mightie Lord euen God himself that iudgeth her And she shall fall into that miserable sorow and destruction which here also followeth euen to the very border or lippe as it is in the Hebrew of Abel Meholah
of her fornication She is contrarie to the true Church which teacheth to worship God alone the Creator but this Synagogue hath causâ—d men to drinke of the wine of her fornication that is to worship others besides God and to worship the creatures and this is spirituall fornication And hath not the Church of Rome done so Who seeth it not Hee is onely to bee worshipped according to the truth of the Gospell that made heauen and earth but what Saint or Angell had any fellowship with God in that worke And therefore the Church of Rome in teaching the worship of these is Babylon and therefore she dissenteth most manifestly from the truth of the Gospell And therefore she is that whoore whose fornication is rather in doctrine then in maners Now she being thus manifestly descried the third Angell followed them saying with a loud voyce If any man worship the Beast and his image and receiue his marke in his forhead or on his hand the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine that is poured out of the cup of his wrath and he shal be tormented in fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe c. O terrible sentence for all obstinate Papists which as yet the Gospell being so long and so manifestly preached will worship the image of the beast that is which will acknowledge the Popes supremacie or put their trust in his characters and consecrated creatures For as S. Iohn hath taught before He shall make an image of the Beast Reu. 13.14 that is as the Roman Emperor was Monarch ouer the world so he shall challenge a Monarchy ouer the Church And hath not the Pope done thâ—s God giue all men eyes to see this And here gentle Reader if peraduenture in this Treatise I do dissent in some points from the godly brethren I must desire thee to beare with me patientlie I dissent not with a contentious mind but with a mind longing and searching for the truth and according to my simple Talent deliuering it to thee and to thy iudgement Our dissensions are as diuers boughes proceeding from the same roote of the tree and as diuers arrowes shot out of the same quiuer aiming at the same marke shot against Babel Thou which art endued with Gods Spirit Ierem. 50.14 Rom. 8.9 1. Cor. 2.15 and art Iesus Christs iudge charitably who comes neerer the marke condemne not any Gods souldiers are commanded to shoote not on one side against Babel but round about her I vrge the fasts of Wednesdayes Fridayes and of Lent which the Fathers and the Primitiue Church solemnly obserued Who as they were not superstitious in these their fasts as the Papists were so they were not so curious in the numbring of the dayes of Lent as wee are They fasted about fortie dayes which was called of them Quadragesima and euerie weeke the fourth and sixt day not superstitiously but religiously to studie the Scriptures and to came the flesh The which fasts I vrge now againe in our dayes to rouse out of the sleepe of security the men of our age which eate and drinke as the men did in the dayes of Noe Luke 17.27 of whom our Sauiour giueth vs warning to beware least we perish with them I wish that all men would watch in their priuate prayers and that publike prayers also might be early in the morning which times of praying are both agreeing with the Scripture and to the Primitiue Church I commend the signe of the Crosse as an holy signe which diuers godly learned men haue thought to be that signe of the Sonne of man which shall appeare before the day of iudgement whereof mention is made in the 24. of Saint Matthewes Gospell If that sword of Goliah that killed him were kept reuerently lapt vp in a cloath and that in no obscure place but behind the Ephod in the Tabernacle Why should not that sword which killed the true Goliah indeed which vaunted himselfe against all Israel I meane the Crosse with which sword the diuell had thought to haue killed our Sauiour Iesus Christ 1. Sam. 21.9 1. Sam. 17.10 and wherof that other Goliah was but a shadowe bee had in reuerence in Christs Church amongst vs Christians And here we may note also that the Ephod may signifie Christ as the signification of the name it selfe may seeme to import which signifies to put on aboue or to couer ouer all And all Christians must put on this Ephod aboue all their other garments of their good works be they neuer so perfect And in this respect also they may bee called Kings and Priests Then Goliah his sword must not be placed before the Ephod or lapt vp with the Ephod but lapt vp in a cloath behind the Ephod So the Crosse is not to be made equall with Christ as the Papists haue made it but to be placed behind the Ephod lapt in a cloath that is as a reuerend and sacred thing to be accounted of So that this estimation of the signe of the Crosse for there is a mutuall relation betweene the signe and the thing signified makes nothing for Popery As concerning the testimonies of the Scriptures which concerne these points of doctrine which are handled in this Treatise in some places I alleage them not because I haue handled them else where in the exposition of the Epistle of Saint Iude. And I haue here alleaged the sayings of manie of the Romish Writers whom they call Catholikes In translating of whose sayings I protest I haue vsed as great faithfulnesse as can be and that I haue many times stucke so vnto the letter that I haue lost the grace of the sense Thus fare thou well good Christian Reader and the Lord Iesus giue thee a right iudgement and vnderstanding in all things Thine in the Lord FRANCIS TRIGGE Faults escaped amend thus Pag. 25. line 36. for sonne read sum of all Hammashe p. 94. l. 8. merit r. mercie p. 96 l. 37. put out onely pag. 103 in margin Dom. 18. post c. r. Dom. 8. pag. ibid. l. 33. works r. worlds p. 133. adde in margin De orat med die Lunae p. 148. l. 31. r. that they may c. p. 160. l. 25. now r. not p. 161. l. 11. adde saith p. 163. l. 20. after declared r. often deceiued p. 174. l. 4. meanes r. names p. 187. l. 30. the r. this p. 227. in margin cap. 40. r. cap. 4. p. 242. lin 5. It is not r. Is it not p. 247. l. 26. count r. cannot p. 255. in margin adde Ferus in Acta Apost cap. 1. p. 293. lin 33. caried r. cured p. 307 l. 8. dele foure p. 326. l. 4 dele the first in p. 342. l. 13. â—o r. to p. 370. l. 36. as r. is p. 441. l. 29. r. Lash vak 462. l. 21. r. Banah p. 577. l. 8 r. Stater p. 585. l. 3. r. out of their c. p. 586.
in margin word r. world THE TRVE CATHOLIQVES Alphabet or A. B. C. taken out of Saint Ierom. OOR Sauiour Christ in the gospel Mat. 10.1.11.1 Luke 6.13 often cals all those which followed him Disciples that is Schollers now the first thing that a scholler must learne is his Alphabet And that Christians might haue as it were an Alphabet to learne the holy ghost hath put downe that also in manie places of the scriptures First in the 119. Psalme Of which Psalme euerie part begins in the Hebrew with a letter as they are placed in order in the Alphabet Gra. lib. 1. Deuot. cap. 5. nay that Psalme containes in it as some haue noted the word Lawe or Testimonie almost in euery verse To the ende no doubt that euerie Christian should be a scholler and learne that Psalme It is verie easie it is euen milke for children The Prouerbs of Salomon also end with an Alphabet they are also short and fit lessons for yoong beginners in the Lords schoole to learne The Lamentations of Ieremy haue foure Alphabets in them as Ierom notes in the preface of the Lamentations And he expounds euerie letter of the Hebrew Alphabet verie excellently in that place to euerie Christians comfort and edification teaching therein which is the true Church and which teacheth her children the true Alphabet which I haue set downe here as thy Alphabet good Christian Reader if thou wilt be Christs and S. Ieroms scholler Euen as saith he in our writings we cannot come to reade and spell the words vnlesse wee begin at the elements or letters Ieron in praef Lam. 1. so in the Scriptures we cannot know the greater matters vnlesse we beginne at the morall precepts contained in them According as the Prophet saith By thy commandements I get vnderstanding that is after his good workes he got the vnderstanding of secrets But now I must fulfill your request saith he to Eusebius that I may expound euery letter and the meaning thereof Aleph signifies learning Beth a house Gimel fulnesse or plentie Daleth a Gallerie or boards * Ista or â—aec He those Vau and Zain these Ceth life Teth goodnesse Iod a beginning Caph a hand Lamed of learning or of the heart Mem of them Nun euerlasting Samech helpe Gnain a fountaine or eie Pe a mouth and not a bone Tsadi of righteousnesse Koph a vocation Resh of the head Shin of the teeth Tau signes And here marke well least thou be deceiued with the ambiguity of the letters for there are many of them one very like another After the exposition of the letters now the order of the vnderstanding and meaning of them is to be shewed The first connexion of them is Aleph Beth Gimel Daleth that is doctrine a house fulnesse of boards Because the doctrine of the Church which is the house of God is fully and plentifully found in the fulnesse and plentie of the holie scriptures The second connexion is of He Vau Zain Ceth that is those and these be life for what life can there be else without the knowledge of the scriptures by which Christ himselfe is knowen who is the life of the faithfull The third connexion hath Teth and Iod that is a good beginning because that although now we know all things which are written yet we know but in part 〈◊〉 now we sée as it were thorough a glasse darkely but when as â—â—e shall be accompted worthy to be with Christ shal be like the Angels then we shall néede bookes no more The fourth connexion hath Caph Lamed that is the hand of the heart or of discipline The hand is meant in working the heart and discipline is meant in vnderstanding because we can doe nothing vnlesse we first know what we must doe The fift connexion hath Mem Nun Samech that is of these we haue an euerlasting helpe This néedes no exposition but is clearer then the sunne that by the scriptures euerlasting helps are ministred to the faithfull The sixt connexion hath Gnain Pe Tsadi that is the fountaine or the eye of the mouth of righteousnesse agreeing with that we haue expounded in the third number The seuenth connexion which is the last that there maie be also a secret meaning or mysterie in the number of seuen hath Koph Resh Shin Tau that is the calling of the head the signes and the téeth By the teeth a distinct voice is formed and by these signes we go to the head of all which is Christ by whom we come to the kingdome of heauen Now haue we added these things saith Ierom that we might instruct the Reader that these things were not in vaine set downe of the Prophet according to the lawes and order of the letters but all things which are written doe belong to the mysteries of Christ and his Church If this be the true meaning of the Hebrew Alphabet by Saint Ieroms iudgement and as it were also an Alphabet of Christian Religion which belongs to Christ his church and that she is the true church which teacheth her children the same then surely the church of Rome is not the true church which doth not teach her children this Alphabet nay which teacheth doctrine quite contrarie to this that the fulnesse of Christian doctrine is not contained in the scriptures that lay men maie haue life without the knowledge of the scriptures and that they maie doe such good workes as please God without the knowledge of them that they are not helpers but hinderers of their saluation and the verie fountaines of heresies But the scriptures are by Saint Ieroms iudgement the very beginning and first steppe to Christianitie and that in heauen we shall not néede them but here we doe and that no man can doe anie thing well vnlesse he know first what he must doe And no doubt his meaning is that he ought to haue this knowledge out of the scriptures and that they are not authors of heresies but euerlasting helpers to our saluation and containe in them plentifully all the doctrine which is necessarie for the Church Surely it appeares by this that the Church of Rome teacheth not her children the verie first steppe to heauen and this good beginning and therefore shee is Antichrists Synagogue and the mother of perdition by Ieroms iudgement and that without Gods great mercie shée endangereth the saluation of her children Maister Bellarmine in his Hebrew Grammar yéeldes the meaning of euerie Hebrew letter and also makes mention of Saint Ieroms exposition here declared but belike it pleased him not he puts downe another of his owne The true Catholiques Pater noster or Lords prayer expounded briefly by Saint Augustine Ench. ad Laur. cap. 114. CVrsed is euery one as the holy scriptures witnesse that puts his trust in man And by this also whosoeuer shall trust in himselfe is within the compasse of this curse And therefore we are to desire of none other but of God whatsoeuer we hope either to doe
the Hebrewe article Lamed which is the signe of the Datiue case as though they were giuen to Dauid from aboue and not Dauids Psalmes with the signe of the Genitiue case as though they were of his owne making or inuention So saint Paul saith 2. Tim. 3.16 The whole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God And saint Peter saith Pet. 2. ep 3.15 Iames 1.5 As our beloued brother Paul according to the wisedome giuen to him wrote to you And saint Iames saith If any man lacke wisedome let him aske of God c. Hereof is the maiestie of the holy scriptures and worde of God it descendes from aboue all mens hearts must climbe vp to it no man nor Church is aboue it so that we maie iustly saie thereof as Dauid said Psal 138.2 Thou hast magnified thy name and thy word aboue all things Osor lib. 3. de Sapientia Of the authoritie of the scriptures Osorius writes thus If thou be afraide to walke in darkenesse and desirest to be filled with the light of saluation doe not search for those causes and reasons of things thou canst neuer attaine vnto but onely giue credit to the heauenly testimonies and be content that thou maiest be sure that those thinges which thou beleeuest are confirmed by Gods â—â—ne word and sentence This is the rocke of all Christians â—â—at they knowe that those things which they doe beleeue are ratified by Gods owne word The words of all the Angels in heauen nor of all the men and Churches in the world without this word could not quiet and assure our consciences Therefore we beleeue and are assured because we know God hath spoken it and whatsoeuer hee hath spoken we doubt not of though he haue but once spoken it as Balam did Num. 22.11.20 after Gods answere he went to aske him the second time Againe of the excellent commoditie which is reaped by studying the scriptures he writes thus And that we may begin Lib. 5. de Sap. from hence it is euident by Gods owne mouth that true wisedome consists in true obedience and kéeping of the law of God For thus it is written This shall be your wisedome and vnderstanding before all people that they hearing these commandements may say Behold a wise and an vnderstanding people As though hee should say let others loue the studies of the Mathematiques let them search out with all their endeuours the hidden secretes of nature and if they thinke good let them measure out the heauens and let them endeuour to bring to light that which is shut vp in the bowels of the earth let them bragge of their wisedome and vaunt of their wits let them walke with the titles of great learned men and let them intrude themselues euerie where as correctors and amenders of common wealths But you keepe firmely with you one kinde of wisedome onely that is to say study you in the Lawe of God day and night let that neuer slippe out of your mindes Other studies can neither saue you nor aduance you nor deliuer you out of perils nor to conclude can bring you any fruit or commoditie in aduersities Nay it may so fall out that that same false opinion of wisedome may oftentimes bring you into the danger of your life and maye throw you headlong into euerlasting destruction For he is not called blessed which is skilfull in the artes which mans braine hath deuised but he that studies earnestly in the law of God day and night And after he concludes thus This Oration plainely declares that all wisedome is contained in the studying of the law of God If this be true why then are not all men in the Popes kingdome exhorted and pricked forward to this blessednesse why are some kept backe from it and forbidden it If all wisedome bee contained therein what state haue they béene in which neuer knew it And Ferus herin also agrées with Osorius Fer in c 9. act As vnreasonable beasts are guided and holden in with a bridle so to man is giuen reason and to Christians the word of God by which they may be gouerned He accounts Christians lacking the knowledge of the word of God like bruit bâ—astes without a bridle or like men without reason And againe The word of God is that sharpe and piercing sword wherewith the Diuell is repelled and put to flight He therefore that will liue without care danger let him take into his hands this sword Thus saith Ferus but the Pope saith not so he will not haue euerie one meddle with this sword In cap. 20. act And againe These are the weapons wherewith the enemies haue hurt the Church that is to say peruerse doctrine and all doctrine is peruerse wicked that agrees not with the rule and square of Gods worde Ibidem And a little after vpon these words And to the word of his grace He addes this as though he should say If any thing as yet bee wanting let it be taken out of the word of God For Gods word is a Lanterne vnto our feete Aboue all other things chiefly in all aduersities the power and authoritie of God and the word of truth doe comfort vs and doe defend vs against all inuasions of heretiques the Diuell and the world He doth not say as some Papists doe nowe saie that the wants of the Church must be supplied by traditions but by the Scriptures It is able to supplie all wants And againe vpon these words Saying none other things then those Fer. in act 24. which Moses and the Prophets did saie should come The doctrine of Christians must bee agreeable to the Scriptures And if Paul were not ashamed to preach the Scriptures how much lesse we And after speaking of Pauls Nauigation Let vs vse all fit meanes saith he but especially let vs trust in God In Act. 27. If we cannot escape the danger of our body yet let vs haue a care that our soule may be safe And marke here that the longer we are on this sea meaning the world wee doe saile the more dangerously Againe There is neuer more dangerous fayling then where there is famine of the word of God If we would then not suffer shipwrack Col. 3.16 let vs haue the anchor in our houses as Saint Paul counsels vs. And a little after As these men in so great dangers had nothing els to comfort them but the words of Paul so also now the word of God only comforts vs which God giues vs abundantly But wo be to our vnthankfulnesse which despise it The houre shall come when we shall desire to heare the word of God and it shall not be granted vs. Wo to him that despiseth it for he shall be despised Let all Recusants marke this Marke diligently also saith he that Paul spake but thrise in the shippe first he warned them that they should not saile secondly he comforted them And here thirdly he forewarneth against imminent
euidently he writes thus If any man therefore haue tares which may be burnt which the enuious man did sowe whilest the housholder slept these shall the fire burne these shall be burnt and in the eies of all the Saints their punishments shall be made manifest which in steed of gold siluer and pretious stones haue built vpon the foundation of the Lord hay wood stubble food of that euerlasting fire And after As of the diuels and all them that denie God and wicked men which say in their hearts there is no God we beleeue their torments are euerlasting fire so also of sinners Alas euen of Christians whose works are to be prooued and tried with fire we thinke that there shall be a mercifull sentence of the iudge mixt with clemencie This fire and this purging and this sentence Ierome plainly affirmes to be at the last daie Also writing of that hard place of the Psalme Pardon me before I go hence he writes thus Lib. 18. in Es He truely which while he liues in this body and hath not obtained pardon for his sinnes and so shall depart out of this life perisheth to God and ceaseth to be any more although as concerning himselfe he remaine in punishments Of purgatorie also Ierom in another place writes thus Ier. Epist 135. ad Damas God wil not punish twise the same fault and he that hath once receiued euils in this life shall not suffer again the same torments at his death which he hath suffred in his life But if néed be al Gods children are chastened in this life saith S. Peter Againe 1. Pet. 1.6 4.27 now the time is that iudgement begins at the house of God Therefore none of Gods children shall be punished hereafter If need be they shall be punished now Ephes 4.5 Iam. 4.12 And S. Peter séemes to make but as there is one God and one law and one lawgiuer so also but one iudgement concerning all the transgressions of this law And he affirmes that it is begun alreadie in Gods house among Gods children but it shall bee perfited and consummated at that great day of iudgement of all the wicked and damned And in another place he writes thus Tract 1.2 par Epist 3. ad Dar. Doe we therefore seeke where this healthfull burning shal be No man doubts but in the holy Scriptures By the reading whereof all the sinnes of men are purged These thrée purgatories Ierome séemes to auouch vnto vs the purgatorie of Gods worde the purgatorie of afflictions and the purging fire of the daie of iudgement which according to the opinion then receiued of manie in the Church he thought should purge the Lords gold without impairing it or hurting it from his drosse that it might shine the brighter Although S. Peter doe referre this purging to the afflictions of this life 1. Pet. 1.7 Cyp. de mortalitate The common receiued opinion of the Church was in Cyprians daies that all Christians departed were with the Lord as at large he prooues first by a vision secondly by the scriptures He writes thus When as one of his fellowes ministers and priests being now wearie with sicknesse and affraid of death approching desired deliuerance from death there stood by him thus desiring and almost dying a young man of maiestie of honour to be worshipped of great dignitie and glorie whom no mortall eie could almost behold but that he was able to see him being now ready to die But he not without griefe of minde and voice groned out and said Are you affraid to suffer will you not depart hence what shall I do to you Our brother being at the point of death heard what he should say to others for he which heard it being nowe dying heard it to this end that he should shew it to others he heard it not for himselfe but for others c. And after he writes thus To vs our selues the least and basest of all others how often hath it bin reuolued how often and plainly by the grace of God commaunded that I should diligently and humbly preach and protest that our brethren are not to be lamented that by the Lords calling are deliuered out of this world when as I know that they are not lost but sent before and departing from vs that they go before vs. And that as going a iourney or sayling we should long for them we should not lament them neither that we should here weare mourning garments for them when as they there haue taken white garments And that we should not giue occasion to the Gentiles that they may iustly and rightly reprooue vs that we should lament those as extinct or perished whom we affirme to be aliue with the Lord and that we should reprooue with the testimonie of our heart and mindes the faith which wee professe with our tongues and voice We our selues sin against our owne hope and faith all the things we say seems but faigned forged counterfaited It auaileth nothing in wordes to tattle of vertue and with deeds to destroy the truth S. Paul also reprooues and chides and blames those that are sorie for the departure of their friends He affirmes that those are sory for their friends departure which haue no hope but we which liue thorow hope and beleeue in God and beleeue that Christ suffered for vs and rose againe we beleeue that those that remaine in Christ Iesus shall rise again by him and in him Why will not we our selues depart out of this world or why doe we deplore and lament our friends departing as though they were perished Our Lord Christ admonishing vs saying I am the resurrection he that beleeues in me though he were dead yet shall he liue And all that liues and beleeues in me shall not die for euer If we beleeue in Christ let vs beleeue his words and promises and we shall not die for euer that we may come to Christ ioyfully and without care with whom we shall liue and raigne That in the meane time we die by death we passe to immortalitie neither can immortalitie succeede vnlesse we depart hence first Death is not a going out of the doores but a passage from a worse place to a better And an earthly iourney being ended as an arriuall to things eternall who will not hasten to obtaine these things which are better Who will not wish the sooner to be changed and to be made like the forme and shape of Christ to come to the dignitie of eternal glorie as S. Paul preacheth our conuersation is in heauen 3. Philipp And that we shall be such as our Lorde Christ promiseth when as he prayeth to his father for vs that we might be with him And that we may liue with him in eternall dwellings and may reioice with him in the heauenly kingdome O father those that thou hast giuen me I will that where I am they be with me and that they may see my glorie which thou
did they then kéepe Gods people in awe how afraid were they then to breake anie of the Popes or his cleargies commandements whatsoeuer And as for God the most part of his commandements they knew not and those which they knew were so corrupted by them that they had as good almost not to haue knowne them at all They did as the Pharisées did teach the people Gods commandements but the kéeping of them after their expositions was a breaking of them Matt. 23.16.17.18 So they taught in those daies as may seeme not to sweare by God but by creatures by cocke apie and such like they made no account to sweare by which was horrible blasphemy against the maiestie of God to giue his glorie to a vaine thing to cocke apie or a mouse foote For to sweare by God Deut. 10.20 is a part of his honour and therefore euen as he that should set the crowne of a king vpon a swineheards head did more hainously offend against the maiestie of the king then he that should put it on the head of some of his nobles in anie rebellion so did they more grieuously offend in giuing gods honor to these base creatures Psal 63.11 Ier. 5 7. whereas it is a most hainous offence to giue it to anie creature So they taught to keepe holy the Sabaoth from bodilie labours but to doe the workes of the Sabaoth they regarded not as to heare Gods word and such like They gaue also Gods glorie to creatures by calling vpon Angels and Saints naie euen to stocks and stones by kneeling downe and putting off their cap◠vnto them Psal 76.11 nay by their offrings and making their vowes vnto them And in these consisted the chiefe part of Antichrists religion And this lesson concernes vs for it followes For the houre of his iudgement is come There be some that shall erre in these points euen immediately before the daie of iudgement But let such take héede for as I haue noted before God at the day of iudgement shall command all those his Saints to be gathered togither to him Psal 50.5 that haue made a league and couenant with him with their sacrifices And Dauid commandeth all Gods Saints to binde their sacrifices with cordes Psal 118.27 Heb. 13.10 Psal 82.1 to the hornes of the Altar now the Altar is Iesus Christ as who knowes not This is that which that Psalme teacheth also Sing we merily vnto God our strength make a cheerfull noise vnto the God of Iacob for this is a statute to Israel and a iudgement of the God of Iacob This he ordained in Ioseph for a testimonie when he came out of the land of Egypt This law of God must we obserue also comming out of the spirituall Egypt where also we heard a language that we vnderstood not To the hornes of that Altar Iesus Christ and to the mightie promises of this Altar must al Gods Saints binde all their sacrifices and all their praiers The houre of his iudgement is come nowe worship him that made heauen earth the sea and the fountaines of waters Here is an Antithesis or contrarietie betwéene God and his works As though the holy Ghost should say Worship now the creator and no creature whatsoeuer no not Saint or Angell Let al true catholiques obey this commandement and go no further Let them worship him that made heauen and earth let them worship the creator Thus farre the passage is sure If they shall go anie further they haue no warrant the passage is dangerous 1. Sam. 15.23 2. Sam. 6.7.8 1. King 13.24 22.28 they maie perchance be drowned in the sea of disobedience with king Saul and others which durst venture further then they had commission These are then the markes of the true Church reformed from the corruptions of Antichrist To preach the Gospell and the euerlasting Gospell to teach men to feare God and to feare to offend to breake his commaundements and to giue all glorie to God and to worship him that made heauen and earth Laye this rule to the Church of Rome and euerie one maie see howe farre out of square she is Reu. 14.8 And another Angel followed saying it is fallen it is fallen Babylō the great Citie for she made all nations to drinke of the wine of the wrath of her fornication Here now followes Babylon here followes the false church that hath doctrines contrarie to those which was alofte as should seeme before and in great glorie Oh let not this her great glorie beguile anie For it is fallen it is fallen shee shall come to the ground shee shall not alwaies be alofte howe sure and firmely soeuer in mans eies she séems to be vnderpropped and therefore her fall here is doubled And although her doctrine might sufficiently haue béene gathered by the contrarie of those which haue béene taught before yet here also are some principall parts thereof manifested and declared least that Gods people should be deceiued and that in two words Here doctrine is called wine because it was pleasant to flesh and bloud as their Church seruice their guildes their pilgrimages doe most plainlie prooue Secondly it was wine of fornication She withdrew mens hearts from the only loue of the seruice and worship of God by this her wine and so made man to commit fornication euen as Israel did by ioyning euer some Idoll or deuise of their owne with the true worship of God Dauid saith in the Psalmes Psal 73.25 Whom haue I in heauē but thee meaning to worship to trust in to call vpon For thou hast destroyed all them that commit fornication against thee That is that trust in worship or call vpon any other yea though they be in heauen besides thee Exod. 20.3 And this also is the meaning of the first commandemēt Thou shalt haue no other Gods but me And the third Angell followed them saying with a loude voice If any man worship the beast and his image and receiue his marke in his forehead or in his hand Vers 9. the same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God yea of the pure wine that is powred into the cup of his wrath and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone before the holy Angels and before the Lambe Now the gospell being preached it is a daungerous thing to follow Antichrist now light being come into the world still to embrace darkenes is death So that here followes a third Angell that threatens a most terrible sentence against all such And here also are put down markes of the false Church the first is to worship the beast and the image of the beast This beast is the Roman Emperour as appeareth in the chapter going before whose deadly wound the beast that came out of the earth healed Reu 13.12 and to him it was permitted to do wonders in the sight of the beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make
of the Arke is finished in a cubit as some thinke or else the eaues were round about the Arke a cubit in breadth to put awaie raine from the window and from the arke it selfe This maie teach vs mortification of the flesh If wee would iudge our selues 1. Cor. 11.31 we should not be iudged of the Lord. Fasting and prayer from a liuely faith are that narrowe roofe that repelles al stormes from Gods Church 1. King 21.27 Vnder this narrow roofe Ahab when God threatned him vengeance for his sinnes and Queene Hester Hest 4.16 when Haman like a mightie clowde and huge tempest did hang ouer her head and the heads of her people did shrowd themselues So did Niniueh at the preaching of Ionas Ionas 3.7 Wouldest thou escape the stormes then of Gods wrath let the Roofe of thy house then be narrowe Whosoeuer thou art iudge thy selfe and God will not iudge thee as S. Paul counselleth all christians And the doore of the Arke shalt thou set in the side thereof Verse 16. Here is also Iesus Christ described verie liuely vnto vs Ioh. 10.9 who is the verie doore into the church who suffered his verie side to be opened with a speare for our sakes Ioh. 19.34 that we might haue an entrance into heauen By this doore we enter boldlie into heauen and appeare before the maiestie of God In this wide wound as in the clift of a most safe rocke Cant. 2.14 we hide our selues from all the persecutions of the enemy And this doore is but one there are not manie doores into his house Ioh. 10.9 Acts 4.12 as our Sauiour himselfe tels vs I am the doore The same also Peter testifieth There is but one way to saluation and that is Iesus Christ there is but one séede Gal. 3.16 in whome all the nations of the world shall be blessed and that is Iesus Christ Ioh. 3.14 there is but one brazen Serpent lift vp in the wildernesse which cured al the Israelites from all the stingings of the Serpent whatsoeuer and that is Iesus Christ Acts 4.12 There is no other name vnder heauen giuen to men by which we must be saued but onely the name of Iesus Christ He is that one doore that was made in the side of the Arke And thou shalt make it with the low second and third Roume Verse 16. Ro. 12.6.13.1 1. Cor. 7.25 1. Pet. 4.1 There are degrées in Gods church of manie estates and conditions of Kings and other inferiour magistrates and subiects of Byshops Pastors and their flockes of virgins married folkes and widowes and therefore God commanded Noah to make hie roumes and middle and lowe roumes in the arke Euerie one of these haue their proper places in Gods Church There are also in the church children which stand need of milke 1. Cor. 3.1.2 there are also strong men which can digest stronger food which are doctors in christianitie Heb. 5.12 and some others to whom the rudiments and principles of christian religion appertaine and all these doe belong to Gods church Verse 17. And behold I will bring a floud of water vpon the earth to destroy all flesh wherein is the breath of life vnder heauen and all that is in the earth shall perish But with thee will I stablish my couenant and thou shalt go into the Arke thou and thy sonnes and thy wife and thy sonnes wiues with thee Here is the floud a signe and type of Gods wrath and iust iudgement for sinne Here is the onely means of saluation Gods frée mercie For it is said before That when as God saw that the wickednesse of man was great in the earth and al the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onely euill continually and it repented the Lord that he had made man in the earth Verse 5. and he was sorie in his heart c. That Noah yet found grace in the eies of the Lord. Noah his saluation was the frée mercie of God and his most gratious couenant They onely which doe obserue his couenant doe escape this his fierce wrath as here appeareth And this couenant Noah preached vnto those wicked men in his daies but they would not beléeue him but euerie one followed his owne wicked waies and so in the end for lacke of faith were drowned Mat. 5.7 Mar. 16.16 Luk. 6.37.38 Ioh. 16.27 The like couenants God hath made with vs let vs reade them and marke them and beléeue them if we minde to escape this deluge of the wrath of God least we perish with those men in the daies of Noah The obedience of Gods couenant is the only way of saluation no deuise of man can saue els whatsoeuer Verse 21. And take thou with thee of all meate that is eaten and thou shalt gather it to thee that it may be meate for thee and them God will not haue his pined he will haue meate in his house and therefore Iesus Christ was borne also in Bethlehem Mat. 2.1 which in the Hebrew signifies a house of bread And Noah is commanded to gather to him all manner of meates There are varietie of meates in Gods house Exod. 12.9 There is the head of the lamb the purtenance and the feete Gen. 30.14 Psal 51.7 Prou. 31 6. Psal 75.8 2. Tim. 2.15 Luk. 12.42 There are sower lettice there are mandrakes which make fruitfull there is purging Isope there is pretious balme There is wine and strong drinke for the afflicted there are dregs for the wicked And here is required the wisedome of all Gods ministers They must be stewards they must not giue all meate at once but euerie kinde of meate in his proper time Neither all kindes of meat to euerie Christian but euerie condition or state hath his proper food euen as in Noah his Arke euerie kind of liuing creatures had also The doctrine of Kings and Magistrates is not to be set before the people 2. Ti. 2.15 nor the doctrine of the people to be taught the Magistrates this were lacke of discretion This were not rightly to deuide the word of God Noah therefore did according to all that God commaunded him euen so did he Here is the conclusion and summe of all Vers 22. Noah did all according as God commaunded him Euen in this materiall worke of making the Arke of wood and timber he missed not an Inch of that length bredth or height or of anie other thing which God commaunded him much more then in the spirituall building of the Church the same is to be obserued The maister builders may not goe a haires bredth beyond the commaundement of God Mat. 28.20 1. Cor. 11.23 Gal. 1.6 2. Pet. 1.16 though that which they doe séeme in their owne eies neuer so conuenient or profitable or necessarie or stately They must learne this lesson of Noah their good predecessor and their Schoolemaster As God commannded so did Noah according to
all things he adbed nothing of his owne Again heereby it plainly appeareth that the word is the rule and square of the Church by which it is to be builded and gouerned and not the Church of the word as the Papists would haue it And that is Psal 138.2.87.1 Eph. 2.20 to beare rule in the Church and that the Church is not to rule it By this also that great pillar which the Papists doe obiect for the defence of the Church fals to the ground The Church say they is the pillar of truth and therefore whatsoeuer the Church teacheth must of necessitie be beléeued The Church cannot erre But they must marke here that as the Church is called a pillar 1. Ti 3.15 so the word of God is also called truth Thy law is the truth saith Dauid And therefore if she keepe not the word of God Psal 119.143 Gen. 19.26 she may erre she may be a pillar of salt without it as was Lots wife but a piller of truth without it she cannot be Now if this be the true Church which hitherto vnder the type of Noahs Arke I haue described let vs a little compare the Church of Rome to this and sée how they agrée togither Who brags that she is this Arke of Noah and that whithout her there is no saluation And first to beginne with the name she is not Tebah She is not a building she hath not taught her children one to build another in the common and holy faith as saint Iude counselleth Iud. ep vers 2. Ephes 4.12 Her Pastors haue not built the bodie of Christ as saint Paul teacheth they should do They haue accounted their chiefe office to be to sing masse and not to preach the gospell And in her building when she did build she hath not builded Tebah that is the Arke with the word of God Ezech 13.10 Mar. 7.7 but with the clay and morter of man Also she teacheth and thinketh that this worke of building is finished alreadie But saint Paul teacheth that the word of God is able to builde further Act. 20.32 Fer. in 1. c Act. and to giue an inheritance among all them that are sanctified And Ferus saith verie excellently That if all the things which our Sauiour Iesus did should be written all the world could not containe the bookes which should be written Containe saith he that is vnderstand For if saith he the world cannot nor all the men that euer shall be in the world containe that is vnderstand that which is written alreadie being so small in volume how were it able to vnderstand if all things that Iesus did were written Iesus our Sauiour his works were manie in number Psal 36.7 1. Pet 3.18 and profound in mysteries Gods word is a bottomlesse pit no man can euer come to the bottome of it We must grow and may grow in the knowledge thereof daily And therfore manie at this day are deceiued in this point They wil beleeue no more they say then the fathers beléeued and that which they saw not they will not sée But if God lift vp his cloud giue light true Israel must go forward in their pilgrimage They may not say Exod. 40.38 because we haue staied in this place thus long therefore we will stay here still Lastly the Church of Rome is not this Arke of God she kéepes not these Iewels of Gods word in her heart she as a ship rather 1. King 22.48 she sailes with Iehosaphat vnder pretence of religion for gold She is wealthie The Pope cannot now say as Peter said siluer and gold haue I none or as Ferus notes on that place I will haue none if I might haue it the custodie of greater Iewels and treasures is committed vnto me Act. 4.6 She deuoures with the Pharisees vnder pretence of long prayers Mat. 23.14 widowes houses causing the husband to giue his house vnkindly euen from his wife a poore desolate widow that they might pray for him And thus they are become great landlords here vpon earth whereas Christ saith plainely my kingdome is not of this world Iohn 1◠36 But they haue gotten Christ now by their praying and massing euen an earthlie kingdome here in this world The Arke was made of Pine trées that would neuer be rotten and is the Church of Rome built of such timber Looke but a little into the liues of her Popes and you shall sée most euidently the contrarie Their Popes haue béene notorious in all kind of wickednes Some of them sorcerers coniurers as a Fascic temporum Homagium fecit Diabolo An Do. 1004. Siluester secundus Some proud who haue made compelled Kings and Superiours to stoope vnto them b Baleus in vita Pontificum as Adrianus quartus Some enuious who haue not onely ouerthrowne the actes of al their predecessors but euen vnburied their bodies againe as c Fascic temp An. Do. 904. Pontac Bur. in Chron. An. Do. 1159. ex Platin◠Sergius tertius Some ambitious insomuch that there haue béene three Popes at once Fasciculus temporum Anno Domini 1034. The pride of Alexander the third Pontacus Burgedalensis a Papist in his Chronicle reports thus At his feete Fredericke the Emperour fel down desiring the absolution of his excommunication And they say that two d Pontac ibid. kings Lewes king of France Henrie 2. king of England did wait vpon him a foot as yeomen of his stirtope holding his horse by the bridle on his right hand and on his left and to haue conducted him thorow the citie Totiacum with great pomp Of Pope Ioan the woman Fasc temp An. Christi 954. Fasciculus Temporū writes thus This was called Ioan English by name but by countrey was borne at Moguntia and is reported to haue beene about this time And she was a woman that went in mans apparrell And she so greatly profited in the holy Scriptures that there was none like to be compared with her and she was chosen Pope But after being gotten with child as she went solemnlie in procession she trauelled and died And this seemes saith he to be the sixt Pope that hitherto had the name of holy father without the thing and was plagued of God as the rest were And she is not placed in the Catalogue of Bishops Some heere make a tale and say that for this cause no German is chosen Pope which is most certain that it is a lie So that if this woman were no Pope yet there were fiue Popes by his iudgement that had the title of Holinesse giuen them which were wicked Of Bonifacius the eight the same Author writes thus Anno Christi 1294 This Boniface in matters concerning the Popes courts was most expert And because he had none that might be compared to him in wisdome he became so arrogant that he called himselfe the Lord of the whole world as well in temporall as in spiritual causes And
pardon of sinnes for them euen like the prowd Pharisées She lacked a window in her she was like a dungeon without anie light Psal 1.2 She teacheth not her children to meditate in the law of God day and night Col. 3.16 and that the worde of Christ should dwell plenteously in their houses Her light is not midday like the light of the Arke but midnight Her Linsie Wolsie translation of the newe testament into English which shee giues some leaue to reade is but a light in a corner whereas S. Paul excepts none it lightens not the whole house it is but the light of a Rush it is not the light of a torch Psal 119.105 The doore in her was not in the side but on her toppe by the Pope all entred into heauen for the most part in her She had diuersities of mansions in her as the Arke had but shée did disorder them that should haue béen placed in them She placed her Prelates and Cleargie in the highest roumes Rom. 13. ◠and Princes and Magistrates in the inferiour roumes The onlie true meanes of saluation the couenants of God she hath not taught the people with Noah naie she hath apparantly broken the couenant in denying the cuppe to the laytie which Christ cals the new couenant and therefore belongs to all as though they had not béen in the couenant or if they were 1. Cor. 11.25 to exclude them That blessing our Sauiour pronounceth to all good Pastors Blessed is that seruant Luk. 12.42 whom his maister when he commeth shall finde giuing meate to his family in due season She hath quite taken awaie she hath not fedde Gods flocke as Noah did in the Arke but she hath pined them Matt. 4.4 For man liueth not by bread only saith our Sauiour but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God But her pastors haue not giuen meate to the Lords familie in due season nay they haue not giuen them anie meate at all They haue fedde their bodies with bread as though man had liued with bread onlie as Sathan then did séeme to instruct our Sauiour and would haue the world beléeue still and not their soules with Gods word which foode was the more necessarie Amos 8.11 And to conclude the Church of Rome is not built in all points according as God hath commanded How manie points of doctrine hath she in her which are not grounded vpon anie promise or commandement of God her inuocation of Angels and Saints departed her Latine prayers her worshipping of Images prooue this Therefore being so farre vnlike shee doth falsly bragge that shee is the Arke of Noah as hereby euerie one maie see Iericho also is a figure of the world and of Satans Citie as the name thereof in Hebrew deriued from the Moone which is called Iarak prooues which neuer continues in one state but is euer stil either increasing or decreasing Iosuah 6.34 The compassing also thereof 7. daies about with the Arke of God and the seuenth day 7. times plainly declares the same So after Christs ascension seuen Angels blew their trumpets Reu. 8.6 and in the daies of the seuenth Angell when he shall begin to blowe the mysterie shall be finished there shall be no more time the walles of Iericho shall fall downe And surely the daie we liue in now is the seuenth daie At this daie Iericho is compassed about with the Arke of God euen seuen times as much as in all the daies before The plentifull preaching of the Gospell by men speaking and writing more then euer before in anie age plainly prooue this The sunne now arising all the birds of heauen begin to sing whereas before the cockes onely did sing Surely this generall knowledge of God in the world and the profession of his gospell euen of some wicked Kites and couetous cormorants and Rauens declares that the rising of the true sunne Iesus Christ is not farre off And as Iericho resembles the worlde so no doubt the house of Rahab the harlot resembles the Church God will haue a house in Iericho Psal 87.4 Mat. 8.24 he will haue a shippe on the raging sea of this world And first her name Rahab which signifies a streete or enlarged agrées with the calling of the Gentiles The Church of God now is Rahab that is it is enlarged Esay 54.2 now is that prophesie of Esay fulfilled stretch foorth thy cordes and spare not c. Secondly her condition of life agrées with the Church She was Zonah Heb. 11.31 which signifies a vittailer or rather as the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expounds it and restraines it she was a harlot and so is the church before regeneration an Adultresse Iam. 4.4 Esay 50.1 Ezech. 16.15 Iosuah 2.2 separated from God the Spouse of Satan Assoone as the men were come into her house the king of Iericho had word and persecutes them by and by So the Gospell of Iesus Christ his true professors shall be sure to be persecuted in this world 2. Tim. 3.12 They cannot be so secret in anie place but the king of Iericho the prince of this world will heare of them will spie them out And the woman tooke the men and made them go vp to the toppe of her house and hid them in line of that tree which shee had laid in order vpon the roofe of her house Here is a liuely Image of the true Church She greatly honours reuerences and makes much of Gods seruants and ministers Rom. 10.15 Gal. 4.15 she exalts them she would euen pull out hir owne eies to giue them to do them good withall as the Galathians would haue done to Paul And she hides them in the line of that tree Bepishbe Hagnets This line of that tree no doubt is a figure of the holy Scripture which was to bee written in paper which is made of linnen cloth And in the line of that tree meaning some notable and especiall trée no doubt signifies Iesus Christ He is that tree of life Reuel 22.2 that whosoeuer tasteth of shall liue foreuer and he that shrowdes himselfe vnder it needes not to feare the persecutions of the king of Iericho In the line of this tree the true Church hides her Ministers with this they are couered They are mightie in the Scriptures with Apollo In these they are ouer the head and eares Acts. 18.24 as we say Againe here we may learne how the true Church esteemes of the Scriptures She placeth the line of that tree vpon the roofe of her house She hath them in high estimation according as Dauid saith in the Psalme Psal 138.2 O Lord thou hast magnified thy name and thy word is aboue all things And she had laid her line in order 2. Ti. 2.15 Psal 2.10.11 Ro. 13.1 Ephes 5.22.23.6.1 5 So the true Church doth rightly deuide the word of God She hath meat for kings subiects for men and
and sisters home vnto this house Euerie one must exhort his brother we must exhort one another as S. Paul commands Againe 1. Pet. 3.21 Ephes 4.4 Iosuah 6.25 Rom. 16.17 we must bring them all into one house There is but one Arke of Noah that saueth but one house in all Iericho that shall escape but one church of God wherein is saluation And therfore we must beware of schismes in the Church we must not be more cruell then the souldiers Ioh. 19.24 which would not rent in pieces Christs coate without seame but cast lots for it He that departs out of this house into the streete Verse 19. his bloud shall be on his owne head We must kéepe vs within the limits of the Church we must also follow her holie precepts that we go not foorth into the stréetes They which shall followe the world which shall doe as the most part doe Luk. 13.24 Rom. 12.2 shall be in danger of death But whosoeuer shall continue within the house Verse 19. shall be assuredly safe his bloud say they be on our heads if any touch him The ministers of the Gospell to all faithfull and obedient hearers ought and maie safely warrant them of their saluation they maie euen venture soule for soule they are so sure thereof they maie warrant their hearers And they ought not now to doubt thereof but to beleeue their preaching And lastly we must beware of Apostasie of Reuolting from the faith when persecution comes for the Gospell or when Sathan shall with faire promises go about to make vs forsake it we maie not be turnecoats we must be Peters that is stones not reeds 1. Pet. 2.5 Ephes 4.14 vnremoueable in the faith Though the king of Iericho terrifie vs or our friends flatter vs Gal. 1 16. or reason and flesh and bloud go about to perswade vs yet we must not be ledde by anie of them Wee must keepe the faith with Paul 2. Tim. 4 7. wee must finish our race we must not giue ouer as they saie in the plaine fielde And shee said according to your words so be it Verse 21. And shee let them downe and they departed And shee tied the red threed in her windowe Here is to conclude the last but not the least marke of the true Church according to your words so be it So Marie the blessed virgin answered the Angell Luk. 1.38 Behold the seruant of the Lord be it vnto me according to thy words And after when she was purified according to the lawe Luk. 2.22.23.24 and she presented him to the Lord as it is written in the lawe and she gaue an oblation as it was commaunded in the lawe So should the Church of Christ do all according to the scripture Gal. 1.8 But now let vs consider a little how vnlike Rahabs house the Church of Rome is Rahab placed the line of that trée that is the Scriptures of Iesus Christ in the roofe of her house She makes greatest account of them but the Church of Rome doth not so Concil Trid. Sess 3. she makes equall all her traditions and vnwritten verities with them She couers and hides the spies of Iosuah in them 2. Tim. 3.9 Acts 20.32 1. Pet. 5.2 Gen. 3.7 2. Tim. 4.4 the ministers of Iesus Christ should be cunning in the scriptures but the Church of Rome hath not couered her pastors with his holie line but hath rather with hurds of her own with Adams figge leaues with rags of mans deuises with the Master of the sentences and such like She doubts not of Gods word she knowes that Iericho shall be destroied and that Israel shall be Lords thereof The Church of Rome doth not teach her children this assurance grounded vpon Gods promises neither in their saluations neither in their prayers they make to God She mingles the drosse of mans frailtie Iam. 1.6 with the pure gold of faith and when as this colde water of doubtfulnesse is ready enough of it selfe to créepe in at the riftes of our weake shippe she bids vs not to stoppe it out but let it haue frée passage Rom. 10.11 Deut. 6.4 Mat. 28.18 Deut. 10.20 Ier. 5.7 Sophon 1.5 Her faith is grounded only vpon God that he is God alone that hath all power in heauen and earth and she requires an oath of them in his name as though this were a chiefe part of his honour But the Church of Rome hath vsually sworne by creatures in her thicke and palpable darknesse and her children as yet can hardly be drawne from it She dwels in the wal she reposeth all her trust in Iesus Christ 1. Pet. 1.21 The Church of Rome dwels farre from this wall reposing part of her trust and confidence in other things 1. Cor. 11.26 Rom. 10.9 She hangs the purple coard in her window she is able with her mouth to confesse Iesus Christ and him crucified the Church of Rome for lacke of the knowledge of the scriptures 1. Cor. 11.26 is not able to shew foorth the Lords death She brings her father and mother and brethren and sisters home to her house but the church of Rome doth not exhort one another Heb. 10.24 for the thicke darknes that raigned therein no man did sée his brother And lastly according to their words so she did shee added nothing of her owne when they were gone Mat. 28.20 but the Church of Rome hath added manie things of her owne to the commandements of Iesus Christ which he commanded his Apostles to go and preach to all nations and therfore in this point also as in the former she is vnlike to Rahab Exod. 25.3 The Tabernacle also which Moses builded for the children of Israel maie teach vs as a shadow which is the true bodie and as a type which is the true Church of Christ It was moueable and caried on the Priests backs from place to place Num. 4.15 Exod. 25.2 It was called the Tabernacle of the appointment because there God promised to answere them concerning all matters and in no place else Vers 9. 40. It was made of the voluntarie offerings of the people It was made according to the fashion and forme that God shewed Moses in the mount according to all that I shall shew thee saith God shall ye make the forme of the tabernacle and the fashion of all the instruments thereof And to the building of this his tabernacle God admitted as well haire of Goats as silke as well yron and brasse as gold And here first the consideration of this Tabernacle ouerthrowes the doctrine of the Roman Church Exod. 25.3.4 who teacheth that the Church in this world shall be alwaies visible and that at no time she shall loose her glorie And therefore they teach all men to beléeue the visible Church and then they shall be sure of their saluation But this Tabernacle which the people of Israel had here in the
wildernes which was a figure of the militant Church of Christ neuer rested in one place it was caried to and fro and therefore it quite ouerthrowes that firme and vniforme state of the Church which the Church of Rome now teacheth The Tabernacle was not only assaulted of enemies but also the Arke of God was taken of the Philistines 1. Sa. 4.11 No doubt an euident argument how Antichrist should possesse the visible Church of God in our daies The Church is a Tabernacle it is a Shippe it neuer continues in one place nor in one state and therefore they are vnwise Mat 8.24 1. Pet. 1.25 that will build their faith on the outward shew or name or place thereof But we know Gods word endureth the same for euer And therefore the more surer way is to builde our faith on it The Leuites and Priests caried onely the Tabernacle of the appointment of the Lord Num. 1.51 Ios 3.3 but the Church of Rome hath admitted allowed her Friers to carie it and hath dispensed with their Priestes Their Friers preached the couenants of God and his appointments made with man Their Priests were bound to say their seruice onely Granat prolog memor Thus much Granatensis confesseth This duty saith he especially belongs to the Priests and Ministers of the Church whom God hath commaunded that they should instruct and teach men in his law And therefore among other ornaments of the high Priest was his breastplate of iudgement which he bare on his breast wherein was engrauen learning and truth which two things God would haue in Aaronâ— heart that from him as from a fountaine all other men might draw learning and truth And after writing of the ignorance of the cleargie he writes thus But now wo is me the parish Priests and other Curates thinke that they are bound to nothing else but to minister the Sacraments and to say their seruice in due time and doing this in Hamlets and villages or in some townes they thinke that they haue verie well discharged their dutie and office Thus much Granatensis saw and condemned Exod. 25.2 The Tabernacle was made of the voluntarie offerings of the people The Church of Rome had vowes no man might be a priest vnlesse he would vow chastitie Here was a yoke of necessitie laid vpon their necks Vers 2. This voluntarie offering was quite taken away In the Tabernacle they offered onely to God but they in those daies offred to creatures And euerie one contributed somthing towards this building none was excluded but the cleargie in the Popes kingdome tooke vpon themselues only the name of the Church and excluded the people Lastly this Tabernacle was builded in all points Exod. 26.30 according to that patterne which Moses saw in the Mount Therefore euen as in Noah his Arke so in Moses Tabernacle and so in Christs Church also all mans deuises and inuentions must surcease But the Church of Rome admits the inuentions and deuises of man in her buildings And therefore as she is vnlike to Noah his Arke so she is also disagreeing to Moses Tabernacle And God commanded also Moses besides this tabernacle Exod. 25. ve 10 to make an Ark of Shittim wood two cubits an halfe long a cubit an halfe broad And thou shalt ouerlaie it with pure gold within and without shalt thou ouerlaie it And shalt make vpon it a crowne of gold round about it This Arke as the Tabernacle did represent the Iewish Synagogue so may it represent the Church of Christ Esay 60.17 Vers 11. of which as the Prophet Esay prophecieth I will giue thee for siluer gold and for yron siluer So heere it was all couered with Gold both within and without no doubt with the gold of God 1. Io. 4.8 1 Cor. 16.14 Phil. 3.12 that is with charitie For God is charitie saith saint Iohn and let all things be done with charitie saith S. Paul The length of it two cubits and an halfe declares that our perfection in this life is but imperfect The crowne of gold round about it signifies that as saint Iohn and saint Peter teach 1. Pet 2.9 Reuel 1.6 all Christians now are Kings and Priests And thou shalt cast foure rings of Gold for it Vers 12. and put them in the foure corners thereof that is two rings shal be on the one side of it and two rings on the other side thereof And thou shalt make barres of Shittim wood and couer them with gold And thou shalt put the barres in the rings by the sides of the Arke to beare the Arke with them the barres shall be in the rings of the Arke they shal not be taken away from it These foure rings doe liuely paint out vnto vs Io. 20.31 1. Ti 3 15. Ephe. 4.11 the foure gospels of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which are rings which are perfect and absolute which are fastened to the Arke which should neuer be parted from the Church And the two barres put thorow them couered also with gold to carie the Ark signifie Pastors and Doctors which preach these gospels and carie and spread the Church being guilded with this gold of charity thorow the whole world And these all must studie the gospell they must not be taken from it So thou shalt put in the Arke the testimonie that I shall giue thee The testimonie is the law of God Vers 16. Psal 19.7 Psal 119.129 Io. 14.6 Heb. 8.1 Act. 20.31 Nehem. 8.2 Heb. 8.11 which is not onely a rule of our life but also a couenant and contract betweene God and his people And this testimonie must be in the Church of God continually this she must witnes to great and small This contract or bagaine euerie one must know that will be saued And thou shalt make a mercie seat of pure golde Vers 17. two cubites and an halfe long and a cubit and an halfe broad And thou shalt make two Cherubims of gold of worke beaten out with the hammer Vers 19. Thou shalt make them at the two ends of the mercie seat And the one Cherub shalt thou make at the one end and the other Cherub at the other end of the matter of the mercie seat shal ye make the Cherubims on the two ends thereof This propitiatory or couering Luke 22 1â— Io. 13.1 this mercy seate signifies Iesus Christ He was pure gold His onely loue towards man caused him to be incarnate nay to die for vs. This mercie seat is in length and breadth as much as the Arke to declare that all the Arke stands need of this propitiation and couering So that now as Dauid witnesseth Psal 32. ver 1. the blessednes of euerie man liuing consisteth herein that his sinnes are couered And saint Iohn teacheth all Christians the vse of this propitiatorie or seat of mercie If anie man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous 1. Io. 2.2 and
that is they must haue fulnesse of knowledge And they must haue engrauen in them palme trees that is victorie perseuerance And flowers also engraued in them that is the beautie of all vertues And they must be couered all ouer with spirituall gold through holinesse of their liues Although now alas saith he they are rather guilded with materiall gold to their great shame and reproch And they must bee doores easie to be turned about that is diligent in their office and ministerie And as saith he the outward house signifies the laytie so the doores thereof may signifie secular Princes and Iudges who also must be two by the common care they ought to haue of themselues and of others For they must not be one that â—s wholy their owne through couetousnesse and illiberalitie â—nely respecting their owne gaine but they must haue a care of â—he common wealth of their sebiects They must also bee two iâ— respect of the loue of God and of Christ and they must also â—ne maintaine another by peace loue concord and ioyne togâ—ther by mutuall helping one of another Whereof it is said in Eâ—ech 41. that there were two doores on either side that they iâ—yned together And these must be of fir trees which are straight â—hich also must haue posts of Oliues which signifies the sweetnes of mercie pitie which also must haue foure corners that is the â—ablitie and strength of constancie and fortitude For a thing that is foure square will not easily rowle so truly a wise man will not easily bee moued from his word or purpose nor will bee changed from his straightnesse no neither by intreatie nor briberie neither by prosperity nor aduersitie neither by slaunders or flatteries And therefore such a doore that is such a superiour is said to be made foure square according to a rule or square to declare that he must bee foure square through constancie and ruled by temperancie Therefore it is said in the 20. of the Reuelation that the citie was foure square They are also couered with gold that is with brightnesse of holy conuersation and they haue the image of Cherubims ingrauen in them that is a fulnesse of knowledge they are decked with the pictures of Palme trees because they must be conquerours of vices Thus Berchorius applies these doores to the ciuill Magistrates And surelie these things creellie teach them their duties They must be doores of the Church they must be good Churchmen by deuotion and protection They must serue the Lord in feare Psal 2.12 they must be afraid to offend him yea euen a little lest they perish in their way They must also defend the Church 2. Chron. 19.6 they must not be one wholie their owne but now the common wealthes also They must be straight whom neither flatterie nor friendship nor bribes nor threates nor feare may anie thing moue Their postes must bee of Oliues they must be mercifull and they must be foure square So that they do their duties they must not passe what become of them they maie not feare the losing of their offices with Pilate Ioh. 19.12 and so do vniustice And in the fourth yeare was the foundation of the house of the Lord layd in the moneth of Zif 1. King 6.37 And in the eleuenth yeare in the moneth of Bul which is the eight moneth hee finished the house with al other furniture thereof and in euerie point So was he seuen yeeres in building it The house of the Lord was begun to bee builded in the moneth Zif which answereth to our Aprill when trées flourish but it was finished in the moneth Bul which signifieth ouerflowing to declare the glorie of the Primitiue Church and then the manie flourishing trees in all vertues but now our barrennesse and coldnesse Matt. 24.12 and the ouerflowing of sinne and wickednesse which should be in the end of the world according to our Sauiours prophesie when the Church should be finished Then Christians so despised the world that as manie as had lands although it were when as it was as dangerous a time as it is now yet trusting vpon Gods prouidence Act. 4.34 to helpe to reléeue their brethren sold them and laid the price thereof at the Apostles feete Now the world is come to that passe that manie will not relieue their brethren that they know stand in néed by letting them their lands at reasonable rents and keeping the possessions of their lands still So greatlie now is the loue of our lands increased and the loue of our brethren decreased Manie then were giuen to abstinence Rom 14.2 Act. 10.30 that they liued with hearbes and such like Cornelius fasted till the ninth houre of the day a Captaine and a souldier And Annah a widow Luk. 2.37 a Iew serued God with fastings and prayers day and night being verie old Few such Citizens now a daies few such Christians and young women whose bodies maie better endure it Philip the Euangelist had foure daughters Act. 21.9 and they were all virgins Few now striue for that goale The Macedonians aboue their abilitie as Saint Paul witnesseth of them were rich in liberalitie towards the poore euen in great triall of afflictions Origen a child was so desirous of martyrdom 2. Cor. 8.1 Euseb eccl hist lib. 5. cap. 2. that his mother was coÌ„trained to hide his clothes that she might keep him back froÌ„ running with his father to martyrdome Such flourishing trées there were in all maner of vertues 2. Tim. 3.1 when Christs Church was planted but now are they withered Couetousnesse and selfe loue hath ouerrunned all Thus we maie sée the plaine and euident marks of the true Church both by the expresse word of God as also by the shadowes and types thereof But the marks which the Church of Rome giueth to the Church and by the which she would prooue her selfe to be the true Church are not sure marks She makes Vniuersalitie Antiquitie Succession to be infallible marks of the true Church but they are not For first concerning Vniuersalitie Gen. 6.12 Luk. 17.26.28 do we not reade in Genesis that all flesh had corrupted his wayes And in the Gospell that as it was in the dayes of Noah and of Lot so shall it be in the dayes of the Son of man And doth not Saint Paul teach vs plainlie 2. Thes 2.2 that there shall bee a departing away or an apostasie and that it shall be an apostasie from the true faith and religion and not a secular or ciuill apostasie Doth not that which followes euidentlie prooue that that wicked one the sonne of perdition shall fit in the Church as God And that to imbrace him shall be to depart from the faith Reu. 13.15 And doth not Saint Iohn in the Reuelation speaking of the same Antichrist false Prophet teach that he shal cause al both smal great Reu. 14.8 to worship the Image of