Prayer specially he being a Priest vnto God and deuoted to Prayer By this little taste iudge of our Aduersaries learning and discretion though I of many be most vnfitted to propound it 4. Touching their exception at Capitall letters an exception now very vulgare the case standes thus There be in the Common-seruice Booke certaine great Letters within whose Circumference the Grauer of these Letters hath sometimes put certaine Pictures resembling Triton Hercules c. For which diuers doe charge the Booke for an vpholder of Idolatrie I answere it is nothing to the Matter because not of the Bookes matter Nor is the Matter a pinne the worse though the Manner of conuaying it be not so sutable as may be If there be a fault in the Fashion blame the Taylor not the Wearer These Spirites by like proportion may rayle vpon euery Bible as an vpholder of Corruption Why for that euery Printer wil be found to haue fayled in something as in mistaking a Letter displacing a Poynt c. Secondly if they so stumble at the Pictures of persons that haue been idolatrized why not also at the Picture of a Rose which some Mahumetistes venerate as sproung of the blood of the most lasciuious Goddesse that the Gentles ouer had namely Venus others of them for that it had as they say the originall from the sweat sweete sweat of their Prophet Mahomet a sweete sweatie Prophet vpon which superstitious conceites the Rose may not forsooth fall to the ground And why with as good reason doe they not reiect the two Capitall letters T and X the first hauing been idolatrized as the Crosse of Christ the other as the Crosse of S. Andrew Or why contend they not about the Capitall I which being the fashion of a Piller vnder which forme it is sayd of Clemens Alexandrine the Gentiles did worship God they might also entitle it a Monument of Idolatrie The Apostle forbids men to contend about Wordes and these hold it a vertue to make warre about Letters yea about the very Ornament of Letters I perceiue that they will play small play ere they sit out for wranglers Though it be not alwayes of Absolute necessitie that there be a Leitourgie yet respectiuely times may bring with them a deepe necessitie thereof And if any times then these times for if no forme be concluded of but euery one left to his owne discretion herein as the Apostles iustly were they being filled with spirit of Discretion not one Congregation wil be like another But as among the Romanistes the multiplicitie of Monckerie begot multiplicitie of Differences euery one affecting so his owne Order as therewithall grew a contempt of the other so this Church would so affect this Forme and that Church that Forme and a third a third forme c. as therewithall would arise such praysinges dispray singes likinges dislikinges as no one Parioch would be at quiet with another nor any possible vnitie among the Teachers Let it remaine then for Orthodoxall not onely that such a Leitourgie is lawfull but also for begetting and continuing vnitie that such an vniforme Leitourgie is very expedient and needfull With the Apostle to the Corinths he there handling also matters of Order in the Church I thus conclude If any man lust to be contentious we haue no such custome nor the Churches of God CHAP. xij Touching the Beginning of the Christian Chruch c. VVHen the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Sonne made of a Woman who being aged about 30. yeares the age whereat the Koâ—athite began to waite at the Altar did then publiquely fall a preaching and of gathering Disciples vnto him About three yeares a halfe after he suffered and was buried The third day after he arose and for fourtie dayes after he appeared to his Disciples specially to eleuen of them who are called Apostles Then he ascended vp into Heauen and ten dayes after the Apostles then being conuened in an house in Ierushalem he raines downe Guiftes vpon his Disciples by the which they were not onely fitted to Teach and Gouerne the Church but also furnished with all Language and power of Myracles They so furnished doe take to themselues Assistants called Euangelistes or Prophets and the Church of Ierushalem being shaken asunder they to Samaria and so to the vttermost partes of the earth as they were of Christ foretold and commaunded immediatly before his Ascension And as they were before commaunded to cry that as vpon the house-top which he had told them as in the eare so they repaire vnto the most publique and populous Cities which were Head-townes to the Countrie adiacent So they preached in Ephesus Corinth Colossus Philippi Thessalâ—nia Rome c. that so the Christian fayth might not onely beat the Diuel at first hand out of his principall fortes but also from these Head-townes the Law might goe out to their Pagies or Villagies which Pagies receiued the Gospell at second hand and so subiected themselues to the Church in their Citie And because many Pagies were long ere they came to the Fayth being much remote from the holy meanes in the Citie they came to be called Paganes in an ill sense as Infidels whereas before it was but the tearme that belonged to the inhabitants of these Pagies or Country places Heere I could note and it is worthy the noting that the Countrie Christians howsoeuer meeting in some Countrie house might be tearmed a Church as before yet they made not an established Church The Church for plenarie power of doctrine and gouernement was stablished in the Citie that city-City-church exercising her iurisdiction ouer Country assemblies came to be called the Metropolitane Church and the like Ecclesiastique Histories make this poynt plaine and easily from the Apostles Actes and Epistles the thing may be collected The Bishop of Brownisâ—â— must needes in this ioyne with mee seeing his Established Church at Amsterdam in Netherland exerciseth authoritie ouer some assemblies in England and elswhere which is a Bishoppricke of more length by many hundred myles then any Bishop in England hath besides that betweene him and some of his Sheepes dwelling plots there is a large Sea if not Seas by the which he is not like to ride somuch as once in a yeare through the Suburbes of his Church for keeping Visitations But what doe I following that squeaking Lapwinge As the Apostles were appoynted to take possession for Christ from one corner of the earth to another and to the Romaines he testifieth that their sound then was gone through the earth as Dauid also foretold in the 19 Psalme though in amâ—sterie so that blessed gladâ—tidinges was brought into Britaine and our predecessors then barbarous rude naked and painted with Woad were amongst others of Iaphets seede allured by the sweetnesse of the Gospell to come into Shems Tent and to worship one and the same true God the Father of Christ Iesus That some of the Apostles or
ocio juxta Babylonem Bethlehemetica forsuan Rura suspas Nor can he in this speach be thought to take Rome for Babylon in respect of time passed alone but that it was such for the time present else why should Fabiola sigh after Bethleems fieldes againe Andreas Archbishop of Cesarea in Cappadoce sayth the same thus Vetus Roma in Canonica B. Petri Babylonis vocabuso designatur And Ansbertus hath this S. Iohn vocat Romam Babylonem illam secundam And so minded be diuers others Some take the mysticall Babylon opposite to Ierushalem onely for such an vniuersall corporation of Christians as liue not according to the Ghospell or more plainely for the Multitude of Reprobates So doth Haymo and others And indeed I vnderstand a trueth to be in both For as S. Iohn in Reuelation 17. doth depaint out Rome â— first by the 7 Hilles according to no other Citie and secondly by this that it then raigned ouer the Kinges of the Earth which then Rome did it being the Monarchicall Citie so likewise that City-fornicatrix he sayth sitteth vpon the Waters which he expoundeth to be people multitudes and nations and tongues that is Nations not of one language but of many So that howsoeuer that Citie be the principall Seate or Sea yet true it is also that Multitudes of people abroad euen of sundry languages are of the the same body and corporation And seeing that body is called an Harlot which tearme properly is giuen to such a one as hath defiled the Mariage bed by ioyning her selfe to a Strange flesh and such a one no Christian can be that shakes not of Fayth in Christ for betrothing it selfe to some humaine inuention it necessarily followeth that all such people doe make vp that fornicating Body as seeke their iustification with God by any other meanes then by Fayth in Christ onely Nor can it intende the spirituall fornication which Heathen haue with their Idols seeing that is no Mystery or Secret but this is as S. Paul and S. Iohn call it And a Mystery must this needes be to hold Christ Iesus the Sauiour and yet vnderhand to seeke saluation by their owne worke much like to some Harlot that will fight and contende for her Husband and yet sometimes steale aside and say with her in the Prouerbes Stole Bread is sweete Such is my iudgment of this mysticall Babylon called also an Harlot ¶ For the Beginning and continuance of this Babel the cause standeth thus Satan that taught Adam to neglect the Tree of life and so consequently the Sonne of God in whom our life is hid taught him also to seeke a life God-like in his owne worke opposite to Gods appoyntment Heere was the beginning of Babel that is in English of Corfusiâ— for herewith not onely all thinges in Man but also Earth and all things in it became Confused and out of Order Cain his eldest Sonne continued this worke opposite to our great Shem by seeking happinesse in the outward worke of Sacrifice without Fayth in Christ Iesus howsoeuer he would be thought to haue Fayth in the blessed Seed promised to his Father in Paradise To Cain succeded others in the same euill going an whoring after their owne inuentions till the Flood tooke them away After the Flood Cham and Câ—naan reare vp this mysticall Babel againe whom Shems people after subdued as Noah fore-prophecied But the Duell hauing broched this Wine once he leaues not off till he made many in the Iewish Church euen the strict Pharises that ages Puritanes to seeke iustification with God by the workes of the Law Our Sauiour comming in our Nature taught the people to seeke life in himselfe and the Apostles afterwards inculcate the same Ghospell but the Diuell still raysed some vp in the Christian Church that reuiued the Pharises doctrine as specially may appeare by the Apostles Epistle to the Gaâ—athians In fine the Church of Rome deuiseth a number of workes as Oblations Pilgrimages Censinges Deuotions to Images with a thousand the like in doing whereof the doers should be iustified euen ex opere â—â—orato by vertue of the outward worke wrought And to merit at Gods hands by such sleighty workes doing it was so toothsome to flesh and blood as the Kinges of the Nations did readily receiue it and they drinking of that cup their people followed till the Harlots cup of Abhominations made them generally drunken So this opposite Ghospell begun so it encreased and so Babylon was erected ¶ Now for the fall of it S. Iohn in Reuel 17. foretelleth that the former Kinges shall in time arise against the Harlot or Malignant Church wherevpon in chap. 18. he seeth Babeis fall How this is effected he telles in the 19 chapter when he attributes it there to him that rideth on the White horse whose names or titles be these The Word of God the King of Kinges and the Lord of Lordes And S. Paul to the Thessalonians calling the former Corporation a Man of Sinne a Sonne of Perdition a wicked Man because they be all one in an opposition to Christ and his free-grace he declares that the Lord shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth that is by the power of his Ghospell For as the rising was by propounding humaine Fables and leaden Legendes the Ghospell meane time wrapped vp in an vnknowen Tongue so the fall of it wil be by preaching Christes Ghospell in euery Tongue as vnto such purpose to the Apostles were giuen all sortes of Tongues And that the walles of Babel haue been a falling in these partes of the World euer since the time of our Wickliff vntill this hower and that by no sword of man but by the two edged Sword of Gods Word experience and the worke already wrought to Gods prayse will witnesse Tut say the Romanistes the Opposers haue been till now of very late yeares very few weake and simple I answere al the liker to be of God the work wrought to proceed from the power of God for so Christ did conquer the World the Foolish confounding the Wise and the Weake ouerturning the Strong Had our Churches been Reformed by the number and might of man we should not so easily haue seene the power of the Ghospell That therefore which they call our Shame we hold our Glory Decus non dedecus And that the walles of this Babylon will quickly fall flatte on the ground whereby the very Tower of their strength may be easily surprised these Reasons perswade mee 1. First diuers of the Kinges which were as their Bulwarkes are fallen vnto our side and S. Iohn sayth that the rest will follow 2. Secondly as their Tongues at the literall Babel were slit wherevpon that worke declyned so it is well knowne to them that haue conuersed inwardly with them they grow more more deuided in the language of Diuinitie So that Ferus Granatensis Pinâ—us and many able amongst them haue much vnuayled the
that one place was the other Commaundement enforced Nay the Apostle vnto Timothy as opposing to that sayth that now It is lawfull in all places to hold vp pure hands without wrath and doubting The Commaundement therefore in respect of the execution was plainely Temporall and as such an Idolatrous House stood opposite to that one-place so Ceremoniall And indeed it well and aptly taught that we should dissolue all conuentions of Schismatikes and Heretiques for bringing them to vnitie with the one Catholique body of Christ Iesus Wherewith let be remembred first that Euery creature since the remouall of the partition Wall which stood betweene the sew and Gentile it is made holy by the word and prayer Secondly for Vse it is lawfull to them that be sanctified and so hold it lawfull To deny this is to Iudaize and in effect not onely to say that the CHRIST is not come but also to blaspheme the libertie whereto Christ hath made vs free Thus the Diuell vnder the colour of Synceritie labours to annull Christianitie But if a man should let the former trueth of doctrine passe and then should put them to prooue that all our materiall Churches were from the very roote Idolatrized should he not put them to an endlesse businesse If they say that from the first Stone they were dedicated to some Idol-saint it is more then they can proue howsoeuer since for distinction sake or otherwise they haue had some Names put vpon them But admit it from the begining of their very Forme what reason can there be of vnlawfulnes to pray in them more then of praying in Amsterdams Churches librarie except they there study without Prayer and then it is like to be but a prophane study Or their praying in S. Annes S. Giles or S. Mâ—udlins parioche be it at bed or at board seing these Parioches were dedicated to such Saints as Anne Giles yea some of them to the Paternoster Creede Aue Kyriâ— whereof comes the word Kyrk If they answer that no doubt they may do this so well as Iudahs Prophet Preached before Bethels Alter or S. Pauls vsage of any deuotion in the Ship dedicated to Castâ—r and Pâ—llux I replie euen as lawfull it is for vs to pray in our Churches howsoeuer froÌ„ the foundation deuoted But the ground of such lawfull and well doing rests neither in their or our action But in this that so we do according to the former Doctrine it being a Doctrine according to godlynes directing vs to the true vse of euery creature But as To the Cleane all tâ—ings are cleane so To the vncleane and vnbeleeuing is nothing cleane For euen their â—â—indes and conseiences are vncleane So much of the Materiall Church considered from the Greeke * word Kyriake CHAP. iij. Touching the wordes Synagôgé and Ecclesia c. THe Septuagint that is the Seauentie learned Iewes or as Aristeas writes to his brother Philocratos 72. that is of euery Tribe sixe they at the request of Ptolemy Philadelph one of the Kinges of the South in Daniel did translate the Law into Greeke These in Moses vse the word Sinagoge for Congregation speaking of Israel not of the Tabernacle for if they speake of the Tabernacle then they write Tou martyrÃou of Witnesse not as we of Congregation It may be from the martyring of Beastes in that place whereby their fayth was witnessed to God-ward But in Leâ—iticus 8. 3. they ioyne both Synagogé Ecclesia togeather thus And assemble Pasan ten Synagogén ecclesias The whole Synagogue of the Church The writer of the Mà chabees-storie stiles the same Ecclesián pistôn The Church of Beleeuers In a word these two wordes Synagogé and Ecclesia be vsed each for other in diuine writing whether we intend thereby the place of sacred meetings or the people that so meete in these places 1. Synagogue for the place as Ioh. 16. 2. Act. 13. 14. with other places And Ecclesia for the place as 1. Cor. 11. 18. where the Apostle opposeth that place to their priuate Houses Compare it with vers 22. The like in 1. Cor. 14. 34. 2. Synagogue taken for a Conuention of people as before and also in Reuel 3. 9. And Ecclesia taken for a Conuention of people as afore and in many places of the New Testament yea for an vnciuill hurlie-burly as in Act. 19. 39. 41. called else-where the Beastes of Ephesus â— A certaine Auncient putteth this difference betweene them Ecclesia sayth he is a Conuocation and spokâ—n of reasonable creatures Capable of a calling But Synagôge is properly Congregation and spoken of Beastes of the flocke for such the Latines câ—ll Greges who come togeather rather by câ—action or driuing for so the Greeke word signifieth then by calling vnto as the â—â—rmer word importeth It must needes be graunted for pretty that he hath said but how fitting in Diuinitie it may be guessed by the vse of the wordes in the former allegations I conclude then that the Ecclesiasticall word Kyriake and the two Canonicall namely Synagoge and Ecclesia they all be of vs translated Church intending thereby as in the former Chapter An house of meeting specially for sacred vse or as in this Chapter more plainely they import a People so meeting For in this Discourse we are not to speake as Ciuilians in their Law but as Diuines in our Law CHAP. iiij Touching Church-people THe word Ecclesia or Church doth somtimes intend the whole mysticall Body of Christ Iesus contayning not onely such Christians as be here Militaâ—â— that is fighting against the Diâ—el world and flesh but also that part of the holy Armie which hauing in the last act of life trod Satan vnder foote are now in Heauen Triumphant In some good sense the good Angels Our Fellow-seruants and of our Brethren the Prophets may be put into the Churches Albe But seeing by Church we properly vnderstand Mankind with whose nature he hath Communicated not with that of Angels I therefore in this Discourse must so be vnderstood And passing by the triumphant Church as they haue passed from the Sanctum here to the Sanctum sanctorum aboue we are to consider this Militant Church as it is Knowen to God or as it is Knowen to Vs. As it is knowen to God so The Lord not we doth know who are his And in that sense the Church is to vs inuisible or vnseeable As it is knowen to vs so it is like vnto Noahs Arke containing not onely a reuerend Shem but an hollow-hearted Cham not onely Beastes cleane but also vncleane Or it is like to the Tabernacles Sanctum where were not only holy oblations but also some ashes and light-snufs which were to be cast out of the Sanctam Againe this Militant Church is to be considered not onely in the Whole for which it is called in our Creede The Catholique Church but also in the parts whereof euery Society is termed a Communion of Saâ—â—tes By which
phrase the Brownist vnderstandeth ordinarily a Society of People Really Sanctified for the whole testified in obedience to the whole of Gods will reuealed Such a Communion can they finde me one In Adams few it was not so In Noahs Eight it was not so With Rebeccaâ—s Twins it was not so With Israels Conuention it was not so With Iudahs assemblies it was not so With Christs Twelue it was not so With Corinths Church it was not so Fiue of Asiaes seauen Churches were not so And as for 〈◊〉 Philadelphia they be praised for the Generall of their obedience not for euery particular for In many things as the Holy Ghost witnesseth we sinne all That the Catholike Wheate-field or Church euen Christs possession through the World For by World there is intended the Earths Largenes as in Psa. 2. 8. that in it should be Weedes yea inseperable Weedes our Sauiour teacheth in Math. 13. from which parable may be obserued 1 That it is the Kingdome of Heauen neuer taken in the ill part as some times the word World is which is there compared 2 That the seed of the Kingdome is sowen through the World 3 That in the midst of that good seed the Tares be sowen and not without the Church as some Schismatikes would 4 That such euill is sowne when Christs seruants are a sleepe into the midst of Gods temple the aduersary so got 5 The Seruants awaking see these personall Euils keeping-vnder the personall Good And therefore the euill ones visible euen as visible as the Wheate and not onely Hypocrites as some badly haue taught 6 A purgation of all such Visible euill cannot with the Churches good be made till the Lord in the worlds end do come vnto iudgment And therefore meane time to be permitted which without rending the church cannot be seuered That for the estate of the Church Catholique That a Particular Church is no more priuiledged then the Totall or vniuersall must necessarily follow for that Sathan as an enuious man sowes his Tares Ana méson tou sitou euen through the middest of that Wheate his malice being no lesse against the partes then the whole as may appeare in Reuel 12. where not preuailing against that Woman hee goes and warres with the remnant of her seed And no maruaile it be so seeing euery particular person still sinneth whereupon still that petition is in force Forgiue vs our trespasses In which respect also it is that in Leuiticus is appoynted sacrifice both for the whole Congregation erring and for the partes of that whole as Priest Prince People So Gregories Decretall concludes Iudicium Dâ—â—veritatâ— quae non fallit nec fallituâ— sâ—â—peâ— iâ—nititur Iudicium autem Ecclesiae 〈◊〉 Opinionem sequitur quam fallere saepe contingit fallj â— propter quod contingit interdum vt qui ligatus est apud Deum apud Ecclesiam siâ— soâ—utus qui liber est apud Deum ecclesiastica sit sententia innodatus Particular Congregations are therefore called Communions of Saints or Holy-ones not because they all Really and indeed be such but for that they be called to be such as also haue vndergone the outward Signes and Meanes of sanctitie or holines Heereupon Israel became an Holy-nation though not al of them indeed holy So Israel after the Schisme from Iudah is called Gods sonne and Gods people and yet the most of them turners aside to grosse Idolatry which of all sinnes diuorceth froÌ„ God So the Corinths are Saints by calling yet amongst theÌ„ grieuous kinds of sinners both against Faith and good Manners This I speake not as the Schismatique raileth for iustifiing faults but for iustifying the Churches true-being notwithstanding such faults Let the Schismatique looke into himselfe let him search into the meanders and turninges of his heart and then let me see if he can say vnto God My heart is cleane there is no spot in mee If he be of the minde whereof one in Lyn-regis was that Dauid did lie of himselfe when he sayd to the Lord I was borne in iniquitie c. then I will say to sir Schismatique as I sayd to him I am too lowe to talk with one that is so hie Or as Constantine the great vnto the Nouatian Bishop Acesius Prouide thee a Ladde◠ô pure Puritane and thy selfe aione climbe vp into heauen CHAP. v. Touching the Churches Visibilitie in the earth OVR Sauiour saying that vpon that Rocke which Peter then preached and that was Christ himselfe hee would builde his Church against which Hel-gates should not preuaile cannot be vnderstood that hee speakes of this or that particular Church but of the Catholique body whereto himselfe is the Head For the Church of Rome it was chased away from that seat many yeares togeather by the Gothes and Vandales witnesse the Stories which cannot be gainesayd And no maruaile for from that place not onely proceeded the power whereby Christ was crucified but also whereby the great persecutions flowed for the extirpation of Christianitie Vpon which foresight no doubt S. Iohn hath left that Citie vnder the deepest curse in his Booke of Reuelation For the 7. Churches of Asia-minor which S. Iohn saw to be as Starres in Christes right hand a priuiledge neuer giuen to Rome they quickly vanished Which among other reasons doubtles was for keeping vs from tying faith to any particular place or person And if God spared not his owne peculiar people the Iewes but rooted them out for their sinnes sake what reason is there that he should spare any wilde branches inserted in the place of that naturall Oliue That promise therefore in Math. 16. must euen by euidence of Consequent be vnderstood of the Catholique Church which howsoeuer it might be beat downe in some part yet should continue in some other Euen as the Moone whereto she is compared might to some part of the Earth be eclipsed when to some other part she shyned brightly This I note against the Romanist which would not only tye the Church to some one place but also conclude that the Church hath beene to this part of the world alwayes visibly glorious Besides I conclude the Euer-visibilitie of the Church though in such defectiue manner for conuincing of some who haue not knowne how to answere the Romanist otherwise then by denying all visibilitie through some misunderstanding of some Scriptures in 2. Thess. 2. as also in the Reuelation Whereas indeed a great departure was to be made from the Fayth but yet meane time it should not cease to be Gods Temple though the Aduersarie vsurped a chiefe place in it for as S. Iohn foresaw some Trees should keepe greene in the Lordes court hauing the sauing Seale of Gods Grace printed vpon them And were it not so how should sauing Grace be conueyed vnto vs without new Apostles furnished extraordinarily from heauen And how should we come by Gods Booke contayning his written will if the Lord reserued not a Remnant
Lords Supper Sitting or Standing Preaching Leauened or Vnleauened bread in the Communion This or that houre for Meeting Formes of Garment at the Church or abroad c. touching all which the Apostle sheweth that Decency and Order must be obserued but for the particulars he hath no particular iniunction from the Lord. But when the Church hath concluded of the particulars then it shal be a mighty sinne to oppose as for the Child to oppose to the Mothers honest aduice or the Subiect to his Princes lawfull determination and this falles out rather in respect of the thinges Vse then Nature Dauid had no particular preceptes from Moses or the Lord for such and such Musicall Instruments or such such distributiue classes of Priestes Singers c. Nor had Salomon any expresse commaund for making the two Pillers Iachin Boaz so many Caldrons vnited with the molten Sea such Knops and Flowers as beautified the Pillers c. And yet hee that should haue been an opposer to these particulars should haue sinned mightily against the King and so consequently against God for the breach of the fift Commandement is a violation to the whole Decalogue Obiection If the King or Church should inioyne the Minister to weare such Garments as a Diuell weares in a Play can it lawfully be vndergone c I answere First it hath been sayd that it is no Play that hath not a Diuell and a Foole. The Schismatique found out the Diuel and knew we the Obiectors name we could as easily finde out the Foole. Secondly what proportion is there betweene Decencie and Vndecencie Or thinke they it to be a true Church yea thinke they that in the Churches Synode or in the body of the Parliament that there is a reasonable spirit that put a case of such absurditie as no reasonable spirit though vnchristian euer yet committed Had this fellow had no more witte to hide his name then to couer his shame ten to one they of S. Dunstanes would hire him to be the Foole to S. Dunstanes Diuel in the Pageant If I haue answered a Foole according to his foolishnesse I haue but followed the precept of Salomon in Prou. 26. For a Corallarie obserue these Writers August in l. 2. de serm in monte collected by Beda on Rom. 14. Sunt quaedam facta Media quae ignoramus quo animo fiant quia bono malo fieri possunt de quib temerarium est iudicare maxime vt condemnemus And in Ep. 118. c. 2. ad Ianuar. Quod neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's iniungitur Indifferenter est habendum pro eorum inter quos viuitur societate seruandum est Mart. Bucer l. 1. de regno Christi cap. 13. Ecclesijs Christì sua est permittenda libertas quò vnaquaeque cum prefiniat modum rationem sacrarum lectionùm interprelationem scripturarum Catechisini administrationis sacramentorum praecum psalmorum item publicè peccantium reprehensionis c. Quam posset quaelibet ecclesia confidere suis populis maximè conducturam c. Exhorting afterwardes Vt quantum possiâ— in his reb obserues Conformitâ—tem And in script Angl. pag. 454. Has etsi supple ceremonias etsi seruare omittere etiam extraâ— candalum licet tamen si ex proteruia aut petulantia quis ordinem publica authoritate Constitutum contemnat turbet non leuiter peccat Caluin in 1. Cor. 11. 2. Scimus vnâ—cuique ecclesiae liberum esse politiae formaÌ„ instituere sibi aptam vtilem quia Dominus Nihil Certj prescripserit Melan. in Commun locis Cum Ministerium diuinitus ordinatum debeat esse publicum externum opus est aliquib humanis ordinationibuâ— Bezae Ep. 24. c. Res alioqui per se Mediâ— mutant quodaÌ„modo naturam cum aliquo legitimo mandato vel precipiantur vel prohibentur quia neque contra iustum preceptum omitti possunt si precipiantur neque contra interdictum fieri si prehibeantur Nam etsi conscientias propriè solus Deus ligat tamen quatenus Ecclesia Ordinis Decori adeoque aedificationis rationem habens leges aliquas de rebus Medijs rite condit eiusmodi leges pijs omnibus sunt obseruandae eatenus Conscientias ligant vt nemo sciens â—rudens rebeâ—landi animo possit absque peccato vel facere quae ita prohibentur vel omittere quae sic praecipiuntur And Vpon this ground M. Iohn Burgesse went in his answere to our King when as he sayth I doe thinke and beleeue touching the gouernment by Byshops as with vs in England or by ruling Elders as in other Churches of God that neither of them was prescribed by the Apostles of Christ neither of them is repugnaunt to the word of God but may well and profitably be vsed if more fault be not in the persons then in the callinges themselues Secondly I doe hold and am perswaded of the Crosse and Surplice that as our Church vseth them they be not vnlawfull c. And this man standing as he doth his testimonie not medling with the application is auaileable against the factions Of Fundamentall poyntes the league runneth thus Hee that is not vvith vs it against vs But of poyntes not fundamentall thus Hee that is not against vs is vvith vs. And so that Rite Fashion and Forme that is not fundamentall in Fayth is not against the Church but with it CHAP. x. Touching the Churches Keyes THE Churches Keyes is a certaine power of shutting the dore of mercie to the impenitent and of opening the dore of mercie to the soule that is penitent This power our Sauiour promiseth to S. Peter in Math. 16. 19. And is giuen to that Apostle and the whole Church in S. Iohn 20. 21. when as the Lord breatheth vpon them saying Receiue the Holy Ghost whose sinnes soeuer you remit they are remitted vnto them and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retayned Whereby appeareth that this power is stinted that is is not giuen to the Church to be exercised otherwise then she shall therein be led by the Holy Ghost The Phrase seemeth to allude vnto Eliakim and Shebnah Stewards to Iudahs king vpon whose shoulders the Key of Dauid was layd for opening and shutting the treasurie at and for the Kinges pleasure All which is expounded in Reuel 3. 7. to appertaine in the first place to Christ our Lord who is the true Eliakim which soundeth in English My God standing vp or My strong God of Resurrection The Rule of proceeding in this businesse is layde downe in Mat. 18. where for finding vp the lost Sheepe or sinner the Lord enioyneth first priuate brotherly admonishment specially in a case priuate And not so preuayling then by communicating the case to one or two moe which neither preuayling then to bring it to the Church And if the Church cannot preuaile for bringing the sinner to repentance he is thencefoorth while he so
continues impenitent to be held as an heathen person and as a Puplicane As a meere heathen man might not enter into the Temple there to communicate with Israel so neither must this impenitent soule be admitted to the Churches communion in prayer and Sacraments But as an heathen might for his coÌ„uersion heare the Prophets preach so these may pertake in a Sermon seuered from the ordinarie Communion As a Publicane likewise he is to be held that is not easily to be admitted to our fellowship for eating and drinking as the Iewish Church walked towardes the Publicane who in all probabilitie was a Iew ready for pleasuring the vncircumcised Romaines to make a diuorce from his breathren and their lawfull discipline By all which it is euident that vpon an humble confession of his fault with promise to forsake it mercy and forgiuenesse was preached vnto him But contemning finally the Churches motherly admonishment he was to haue the dore of Mercie shut against him Which latter censure the Apostle in 1. Cor. 5. calleth A giuing vp to Satan and we commonly tearme it Excommunication If the sinner should not onely not repent but proceed to a Not louing Christ Iesus which I take to be the sinne of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost consisting first of a willing desertion from the Groundes of Christian Fayth Secondly from fellowship with the Church in that Fayth there then remayneth to him the Maranatha 1. Cor. 16. 22. which is an absolute declaration of the Lord comming to quit him with vengeaunce as a soule despayred of But as this is a sinner happily extraordinary and the rule in Math. 18. is giuen for ordinarie vse so I will adde the iudgements of some Aunâ—ients for the Ordinarie Origen in Math. 16. Petra est omnis qui imitatâ—r est Christi Si autem sâ—per vnum illum Petrum arbitraris vniuersam Ecclesiam edificari a Deo quid dicas de Iacobo Iohanne filijs tonitrui vel de singulis Apostolis Apud Iohanneâ— enim dans SS Iesus discipulis suis per insufflationem sic dicit Accipite SS c. quasi omnibus talibus constitutis qualis erat et Petrus Ambrose in 1. Cor. 5. Perfides Episcopus non potést iudicare Cum fratre autem in quo vitia haec reperiuntur non solum sacramenta non edenda sed ne communem escam docet vt erubescat Cum vitatur se corrigat Theodoret. in 1 Cor. 5. Si non oportet eos communis esse cibi partâ—cipes nec mystici quidem Diuini Chrysostome in English may helpe to stay some in their precipitate zeale against their infirme Brother His speach runneth thus It behooueth not a man priuily to calumniate his Brother but as Christ commaunded to take him apart and correct him The reprehensions that are giuen publiquely doe oftentimes make men impudent And very many sinners while they perceiue that their sinne may be concealed haue their mindes easily resolued to returne into the way But if once they perceiue their credite to be lost with many not a few such doe thence-foorth fall into desperation and tumble downe into shamelesnesse So farre hee And indeed Origen calleth such preposterous dealing with a Brother the action of an Infamer not of a Corrector Aquinas vpon 1. Cor. 5. giues this Verse for a rule towardes him that is excommunicate Os orare vale communio mensa negatur For Mother Zion shee for certaine pollutions did suspend the partie a while till they were cleansed and for Leaprosie did put them out of the hoste for euer except they were cured The first signified smaller euils for which the Pastor in holy discretion is to barre them some thinges for a season The other signified deeper sinne as Contumacie for which the sinner was further to be secluded Hereupon it is that Nyssâ—nus hath this Vetus est haec Ecclâ—siae regula quae cepit a lege fuit confirmata in Gratia And so the Auncient and new Church still are at vnitie in the substaunce of their Ordinaunces If inferiour Presbyters doe not of themselues exercise this power for Casting out but haue ioyned with them the chiefest Super-intendentes this is a good way to preuent such in playing Popes ouer Gods heritage and the likelyer course also of bringing the sinner to repentaunce Maliciously foolish therefore must they bee that call such ioynt exercise of that heauie censure by the name of Antichristian Virtus vnita fortior sed quis Schismatico stolidior CHAP. xj Touching Church-leitourgie THE Greeke word Leîtourgia signifying generally any publique ministerie or seruice and so the Angels are called Leitourgizing spirits it in Ecclesiastique vse is taken for some Forme of diuine Seruice prescribed for the Churches publique vse And this forme contayneth Prayers Lections of Scripture and Psalme-singing framed vnto seuerall occasions The Auncient mother Zion ouer and besides the Priestes preaching and the Prophets prophecying had a set forme for all their Seruice as appeareth through Leuiticus a peculiar forme of blessing the people Nomb. 6. 23. â— Euen as Moses had his prescribed forme of Prayer when the sacramentall Arke remooued or rested Nomb. 10. 3â— 36. And in after times their Leitourgie was much enlarged by King Daâ—id framing thereto right many Psalmes some Psalmes of Prayer some of Dedication some of Instruction some of Remembrance some of Degrees some of Hallelujaâ— c. And all that was done in the time of their non-age To the Church of Christ there is giuen a larger Body of Scripture out of the which and sutable to which the Church is to draw her forme of Leitourgie collecting such Scriptures for common Lections as may be held most fitting such a purpose And for the sanctification of all intermixing such kinds of Prayers as also may be fitted to ordinarie and extraordinarie occasions If any one man thinke he can doe this well of him selfe I thinke it can be better done of many conuening and concluding vpon such a forme of Prayer And as for our publique Forme of Seruice reiected of some in part for that some part of it hath before been in vse among Papistes as if God or the Ghospell or good wordes were therefore to be reiected it was of the holy Martyr Martin Bucer of loue he bore vnto it after due ouersight turned into Latine for vse of all that should vnderstand Latine Against this Leitourgie two sortes of Aduersaries insurge One of them as the Brownist and the like doth condemne all set forme of Prayer saying that nothing is to be brought into the Church sauing the Canonicall Scriptures and the Liuely voyce of Gods graces Now by Liuely voyce they meane Conceiued preaching and present Conceiued prayer And herevpon it is that they hold the Lordes Prayer in Math. 6. Not to be Prayer but Doctrine of Prayer I answere it is both Prayer and Doctrine of Prayer Doctrine it is for that thereby we are Taught
as the Ramanistes were glad to gather in Councell at Constance for damming vp the passage of the Ghospell But all in vaine for that the date of their Babel was out foure-score yeares before that wicked Councell and both the blessed times the lesser and the greater mentioned by Daniel were passed and all the said 80. yeares a parcell of the 1000. yeares alotted for chayning vp Satans mysticall iniquity And it would not be forgotten that presently vpon Wicliffes death God stirred vp one Waâ—ter Brute here in England who not only held that the 1260. dayes of S. Iohn were prophetically so many yeares and that from his tyme back to the first comming of the faith into this Desart-land it was so many yeares But also that the Prophet Daniels nomber aforesaide was to beginne the account for so many yeares euen with Ierusalems destruction as aboue saide And because the words DVX CLERI in English Captaine of the Cleargie had in them according to our and the Latines accompt the number of 666. he concluded the Pope to be the Antichrist And as God stirred vp many worthy spirits at home so abroad were Marsilius Patauinus Gulielmus Ockam Iohannes de Gunduno Luitpoldus Vlricus Hangenor Dante 's Aligerius Gregorius Ariminensis Andreas de castro Burdianus Euda Taulerus Franciscus Petrarcha Iohannes de Rupe scissa Conradus Hagar Penitentiarius Asiai Michael Cesenas Petrus de Corbaria Iohannes de Poliaco Iohannes de Castilione Franciscus de Arcatara Ioan. Richetaylada Nicholas Orem Mathias Parisiensis with troopes many Euery one had his testimonie and sundry hauing giuen in that testimonie the Beast that came out of the bottomlesse Pit did put them to death Diuerse againe were miraculously preserued to the fulnesse of age notwithstanding the plainenesse of their testimony as Wicliffe Chaucer and many others The walles of Babel are so taken and the Tower is on fire howsoeuer many at it doe murmure and labour by watery Arguments to quench it But all in vaine for Babel must be razed and no more be CHAP. xvij Touching Satans Binding vp SAint Iohn in Apocalips 20. presently vpon Babels fall doth see Satan chayned of an Angell and so put vnder locke and key for a thousand yeares that so he may not deceiue the people any more That this should be for 1000. yeares next after Christ or his Apostles is against experience it selfe for in that thousand yeares the contrary hath falne out He is shut vp not from euery euill but from deceiuing the people as afore Before he aduaunced a false Ghospell in midst of the Church which brought with it 1000. other euils but Babel once falling the Angell goes to chayning and as the Essentiall euill decreaseth the linkes of the Angels Chaine encrease and Babel downe the Ghospell riseth vp And if we marke it we shall finde that Satan was fast gyued in Wicliffes time For as heere he set much trueth at libertie so his sound by writing went all ouer and many abroad by his writinges came out of darknesse into Christes marueylous light At the brightnesse whereof the Romish Cleargie fretted and to salue the matter they conuened at Constance and there as men Constant in Euill they condemne Wicliffe a long time before that dead and send order into England for taking vp his bones and burning them Vpon which Councell Iohn Hus and lerom of Prage were burnt for Wiclifians for so they nicknamed the Christians And which would not be forgotten that howsoeuer this Councell of Constance was begun vnder one Pope namely Iohn 24. it was quickly graced with two Popes more Benedict 13. and Gregorie 12. What an head had the Romish Church then Three Popes at a clap make a plaine Cerberus Such a monstrous deuided head presaged a fall and in the next Councell which was held at Basill the Pope lost his Headship being made Subiect to the body of his Councell I troe that the Angels Chaine then came ouer Satans head and sure I am that all Stories make cleare that from Wicliffes time hiterto he hath been so farre from seducing Generally as he hath generally been of the loosing hand people and kingdomes still falling away from him Nor need we to feare the restauration of his mysticall Idolatrie for the generall It was but an ordinarie Stone which Serajah tying his Scrolle too did cast into Euphrates but the Stone whereto this Babels curse is tyed is as a Milstone in S. Iohns eyes and this throwne downe into the Sea with these wordes It shal be found no more Amen CHAP. xviij Touching the loosing of Satan and Gog and Magog AS Saint Iohn seeth Satan first Apprehended secondly Chayned thirdly cast into Prison and fourthly shut vp from power of seducing vniuersally that for a thousand yeares all which no doubt befall through the Mediation of Christ the Churches Head so he foreseeth that Satan vpon the expirement of the thousand yeares is loosed for a litle season Which season how litle soeuer he taketh vp in vsing all meanes of seduction for heere is the same word Planáô vsed as before of which word commeth Planéâ—a which we tearme a Planet and in S. Iude haue turned it a Wandring Starre Whereby may be collected the instabilitie of such spirites as Satan seduceth soone caryed about hither and thither as Cain was the auncient Arch-runnagate The vniuersall seduction that forewent the 1000. yeares Iubile was close and mysticall growing vp with the Body of the Church and somuch the more dangerous But after the expirement of the sayd 1000. yeares Satan hauing but a litle time cannot hope by that kinde of cousenage quickly to ouertake the Church That litle time therefore he vseth in another kind of seducement and that is by bearing certaine without the Church in hand that they may easily conquer the Christians and subdue the whole earth vnto them The Cheifetaines of that aduerse power are stiled Gog Magog whose armie for number is as the sand of the Sea Some haue sayd that Gog and Magog signifie in English Couered and Vncouered as if the Couered one should be Antichrist of Rome that couers himselfe with Christianitie and the other an Vncouered or plaine open-foe as the Turke Gog indeed signifieth a Couering such as were the flat battlements on the tops of the Israelites houses but not Couered and Magog must either be but the very same howsoeuer M be prefixed or at most can but stand for Man-gog that is one that is Of Gog and not opposite to Gog. Passing by the wordes signification we find Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38. to intend Vncircumcised Aduersaries dwelling North from Iudea it may be sproung of Magog Iaphets second Sonne of whom it is held of many the Scithians and Tartars had their originall Gyg is famous in Historie for giuing name to Mountaines to a Lake neare Saâ—dj to men and particularly to a brother of Briareus who was called Gyges a Gyantlike person at enmity with God The Rabbines of