excessive decking of Images and Idols with painting gilding adorning with pretious vestures pearles and stones what is it else but for the further provocation and inticement to spiritual fornication whieh the Idolatrous Church understandeth well enough For she being indeed not only an harlot as the Scripture calls her but also a foule filthy old harlot for she is indeed of ancient yeares and understanding her lack of nature and true beauty and great lothsomnesse which of her self she hath she doth after the custome of such harlots paint her self and deck and tire her self with gold pearle stone and all kind of pretious jewels that she shining with the outward beauty and glory of them may please the foolish fantasie of fond lovers and so entice them to spiritual fornication with her Who if they saw her I will not say naked but in simple apparel would abhorre her as the foulest and filthiest harlot that ever was seen According as appeareth by the description of the garnishing of the great strumpet of all strumpets the Mother of whoredomes set forth by Saint John in his Revelation Apoc. 17. who by her glory provoked the Princes of the earth to commit whoredome with her c. and it followeth pag. 77. And it is not enough to deck Idols but at the last come in the Priests themselves likewise decked with gold and pearle and with a solemn pace they pass forth before these golden puppets and fall down to the ground on their marrow-bones before these honourable Idols and then rising up again offer up odours and incense to them c. He that reads the whole cannot judge of it to be meant otherwise then of the Papacy And if the fifth and sixth part of the Sermon against wilful rebellion be viewed there will be found such a large narration of the pride and ambition of the Bishop of Rome that there will not need any further help to an application of that 2 Thes 2. to him which thus beginneth viz. After that ambition and desire of dominion entred once into Ecclesiastical Ministers whose greatnesse after the doctrine and the example of our Saviour should chiefly stand in humbling themselves And that the Bishop of Rome did by intolerable ambition challenge not only to be the head of all the Church dispersed throughout the world but also to be Lord of all kingdoms of the world as is expressely set forth in the book of his own Canon-Lawes He became at once the spoyler and destroyer both of the Church which is the kingdom of our Saviour Christ and of the Christian Empire and all Christian kingdomes as an universal Tyrant over all The particulars of whose actions to that end are there related viz. The Bishop of Rome stirring up subjects to rebell against their Soveraigne Lords even the Son against the Father pronouncing such Schismaticks and persecuting them who refused to acknowledge his above-said challenge of supreme authority over them discharging them from their oath of fidelity made not only to the Emperour but to other Kings and Princes throughout Christendome The most cruell and bloody wars raised amongst Christian Princes of all kingdoms the horrible murder of infinite thousands of Christian men being slain by Christians the losse of so many great Cities Countries Dominions and Kingdomes sometimes possessed by Christians in Asia Affrick and Europe The miserable fall of the Empire and Church of Greece sometime the most flourishing part of Christendom into the hands of the Turks The lamentable diminishing decay and ruine of Christian Religion and all by the practice and procurement of the Bishop of Rome chiefly which is in the Histories and Chronicles written by the Bishop of Rome 's own favourites and friends to be seen claiming also to have divers Princes and Kings to their vassals liege men and subjects c. behaving themselves more like Kings and Emperours in all things then remained like Priests Bishops and Ecclesiastical or as they would be called spiritual persons in any one thing at all c. and so concludes with an exhortation of all good subjects knowing those the speciall instruments of the Devill to the stirring up of all Rebellion to avoid and flee them Is not this a full description of the pride of that man of sinne 2 Thess 2. in exalting himselfe above all Kings and Princes and that son of perdition being understood actively who was the cause of the perdition or losse of so many thousands of Christian mens lives And in the sixth part of the same Sermon you have a more particular relation of the Bishop of Rome 's blood-shed according to the description of that Harlot Revel 17.6 in these words viz. And as these ambitious usurpers the Bishops of Rome have overflowed all Italy and Germany with streams of Christian blood shed by the rebellions of ignorant subjects against their naturall Lords and Emperours whom they have stirred thereunto by false pretences so is there no Countrey in Christendome which by the like means of false pretences hath not been over-sprinkled with the blood of subjects by rebellion against their naturall Soveraigns stirred up by the same Bishops of Rome c. And in conclusion as the Sermon often entitles the Bishops of Rome unsatiable wolfes and their Adherents Romish greedy wolfes so doth it in speciall call the See of Rome the Babylonicall beast in these words viz. The Bishop of Rome understanding the bruit blindnesse ignorance and superstition of the English in King Johns time and how much they were inclined to worship the Babilonical beast of Rome and to fear all his threatnings and causelesse curses he abused them thus c. I have transcribed these the more largely out of the Book of Homilies both that such as have rejected them as Popish may see their errour and those that now so much favour the See of Rome that they call such language railing may have their mouthes stopped being it is from the mouth of the Church of England in her Homilies which is a good warrant for her sons to say after her Let the Reader judge whether these passages do not confirme rather then contradict or be contrary as Doctor Heylene saith to the Articles of Ireland and the Primates judgement of the See of Rome I shall only alledge one passage more and that is in the conclusion of the second part of the Sermon for Whit-sunday viz. Wicked and nought were the Popes and Prelates of Rome for the most part as doth well appear by the story of their lives and therefore worthily accounted among the number of false Prophets and false Christs which deceived the world a long while the Lord defend us from their Tyranny and pride that they may never enter into this Vineyard again but that they may be utterly confounded and put to flight in all parts of the world And he of his great mercy so work that the Gospel of his Son may be truly preached to the beating down of sin death the Pope the Devill
works retracts that which might seem to Cross this title about the Popes dividing the new world to the Portugals and Spaniards And tempers that which he had said that Christ himselfe whose Vicar the Pope is had no temporal Kingdome and lastly asserts more roundly contrary to his former opinion viz. That the Church may deprive infidels of their Dominion which they have over the Faithfull yea albeit they do not endeavour to turn away the Faithful from the Faith Howsoever she doth not alwayes so because she wanteth strength or doth not judge it expedient but questionlesse if those same Princes do goe about to turn away their people from the faith they may and ought to be deprived of their Dominions I shall not need to call to rememberance here what Faith or infidelity is at this day in the Roman Language when Paul the Fift teacheth the Catholickes that they cannot take the Oath of Fidelity salva fide Catholica with safety of the Catholick Faith which shewes that if the Pope may deprive infidels of their Dominions how much more such as are Christians being thereby more under the verge of his Authority concerning the Popes ruling over the Kings of the Earth this may suffice The Angel which in the begining of this Chapter proclaimeth the fall of Babylon saith that all Nations have drunke of the wine of the wrath of her Fornication and the Kings of the earth have committed Fornication with her In the Greek the Text is so but might as well for the force of the Words and better for the circumstances be rendred of the wine of the heat of her Fornication And so Chapter 14.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This seems to be a Declaration of the liquor contained in the golden Cup which she hath in her hand full of Abominations and unclean Fornications And in this Chapter Verse 23. See also Chapter 14.10 by thy Sorceries were all Nations deceived by all which is meant that with hot intoxicating love drenches she had besotted the Kings of the Earth to be enamored of her How to declare this of Heathen Rome I cannot well tell unless it were that by benefits favours and shew of honor Kings and Provinces were alured to bear the Romane yoak and conform themselves to Rome but for Papal Rome the matter is more easie for under the pretence of religious Holiness and Spiritual profit the blessing of Almighty God and of the blessed Apostle Saint Peter and Saint Paul Christs Vicar and Saint Peters successor the Keyes of Heaven fulness of Power And the Apostolical Sees Exemptions Dispensaons Pardons Faculties Indulgences Jubilees inlarging of souls out of Purgatory she hath brought all sorts to her love and lure Princes and great men finding how needful her favour is for dispensing with some disadvantagious Oaths or incestuous marriages or a soldering some crackt title to some signory have been in Emulation and jealousie one with another about her love and contented their subjects should flatter her and be seduced by her so as at length she hath brought them to believe at least to make profession that they believe She cannot deceive them though she would never so fain Volens Nolens errare non potest If this cup of Inchantment were not were it likely were it possible that she should perswade Christians to be content not to hear Christs Voice speaking in his Word not to receive the Holy Sacrament of his body and blood whole and intire though he so gave it and the Church for many Ages so kept it Not to pray with understanding in a known tongue not to take the ten Commandements as God pronounced and wrote them twice with his owne finger but as she hath rased and deformed them Not to say Amen to the Lords Prayer in the company with other Christians because she would not allow it were it not for this cup of Errour could she have ever perswaded that she can dissolve the bonds of fealty betwixt Subject and Prince depose and denounce Kings and warrant their Subjects to kill them and had she not first with this cup of Sorcery transformed men into beasts could she have found any that would have adventured to execute these her ungodly and wicked designs Here by the way let me tell you of an old Babylonian trick by which especially the Westerne Babylon hath conveyed this cup of Errour into the hands of all Nations We read in the first of Daniel that Nebuchadnezzar commanded the Master of his Eunuches That he should bring certain of the Kings seed and of the Princes Children in whom was no blemish and of able witts to teach them the Learning and Tongue of the Chaldeans Thus were Daniel and his fellowes used and had other nameâ— and education given them that they might forget their own though Gods special Grace in them went beyond the pollicy of Babylon Such and worse hath been and is the practice of new Babylon in drawing younger Brothers of great houses and good wits to Rome and Romish Colledges and Seminaries some of their names changed makeing them their chiefe instruments of State to mould and frame their own Families and Countreyes to the Romane Doctrine and Obedience Those of the Council of the Samaritanes that resisted the building of the Temple render the reason of their careful advertising the King of his interest Ezra 4 viz. that because they were salted with the salt of the Palace it was not meet for them to see the Kings damage how should not they that have had their Education at the new Babylons Charges but in gratitude further her affaires and draw all they may to her Obedience and Devotion And thus much concerning Babylons Cup. It followeth after in process of our Lords speech upbraiding her that she glorifies her selfe and lives in wantonness and pride and saith I sit as a Queen and shall not be a widow nor see any sorrow c. It would require a long time to recite the Provâ—rbs and by words only which have been cast up and down concerning the wantonness and uncleanness of Rome since she came to be the seat of the Popes Court and how she hath drawn to her self and spent the wealth of all Nations in this matter I will spare rather your Ears and this place then my own pains for the Boast of sitting as a Queen consider her maximes viz. The Church of Rome is the Mistress and Teacher of all Churches without spot or wrinckle and it is necessarie to salvation to every humane Creature to be under the Bishop of Rome that no man may judge him nor say unto him Domine cur ita facias If any man have a desire to see the vaunts of Rome in this kind let him be pleased to view the image of the Man of sin exalting himself in the Temple of God as it is drawn by Master Fox in the end of the former Tome of his Acts and Monuments Ecclesiastical out of the Popes own Decrees and
selvetur iste non veniet c. Oecumenius upon the place as Theophilact who usually followes Saint Chrysostome unto which divers more might be added But by this ye see the consent of the Fathers to the first 400 yeares for the time and place of revealing him That though some lived 200 years others 400. before the Emperour was cast out of Rome yet they believed it should be and though it cannot be expected they should directly name the person before he was in being yet that Rome must be the place and that he that should succeed the Roman Emperour in it must be the person they agree in So much for clearing it from the aspersion of Novelty 2. Now secondly to take off the aspersion of singularity for which there are a multitude of votes this way of such writers who lived after the Emperour was put out of Rome and the Bishop of Rome had succeeded him viz. after the 600 years after Christ It would be endlesse to relate the Authours who have given their testimony both in the exposition and application of that of the 2 Thessalonians 2. to the See of Rome Baronius himself acknowledgeth in the generall that there was not an age but some learned man or other appeared in it accordingly and even some of their own Communion And about a thousand yeares after Christ when the man of sin was come to the height according to the description of him foretold by Saint Paul there were abundance * Avent Annal Boior l. 5. p. 455. Aventinus who was one of their own tells us in his Annals there were many of the German Bishops and Pastors in Gregory the seventh's time that preached it throughout Germany applying the whole prophesie of Saint Paul to the Bishop of Rome (k) Ibid. p. 470. Qui titulo Christi negotium Antichristi agitat who under the title of Christ doth the work of Antichrist Nay saith he PlerÃque omnes boni justi ingenui Imperium Antichristi coepisse eo tempore cernebant i. e. that all good men and ingenuous for the most part discerned it at that time A. 1100. a Bishop of Florence so publickly averred it Antichristum advenisse in Ecclesia dominari That the Bishop of Rome Paschalis the second an 1105. was fein to convocate a Councel at Florence to silence him Eberhardus Archiepiscopus Salisburiensis in Germany in a great meeting of Bishops applies to the then Bishop of Rome Gregory the seventh divers passages in 2 Thes 2. among which he hath this speech speaking of the Bishop of Rome Perditus ille homo quem Antichristum vocare solent in cujus fronte scriptum est Deus sum errare non possum in Templo Dei sedet i. e. That wicked one whom they use to call Antichrist it seems it was a common Title given in those dayes to him as now in whose fore-head is written I am God I cannot erre he sits in the Temple of God c. And applies divers of the passages of the Revelation 17. 18. accordingly Imperator vana appellatio sola umbra est Reges decem pariter existunt qui Romanum quondam imperium partiti sunt etc. Decem Cornua id quod D. Augustino incredibile visum est Romanas provincias possident c. i. e. See the Emperor is a vain title a meer shadow Ten Kings have parted the Roman Empire among them signified by the ten horns which seemed incredible to Saint Augustine Turks Greeks Egypt Affrick Spain France England Germany Sicely Italy c. Avent Annal. lib. 7. 547. Honorius Augustadunensis (m) Ad caâ—cem 2. Tom. Auctarii Bibliothec. Edit Paris 1620. in anno 1120. applies the prophesie of the Beast and Babylon in the Revelation to Rome and the Pope Bernardus Cluniacensis calls the Pope the King of Babylon Joachimus Abbas (n) Vide Rog. Hoveden in Richard the first 's time anno 1190. set forth his Theses and maintained publickly Antichristum jam natum esse in civitate Romana in Sede Apostolica sublimatum i. e. Antichrist to be now born in the City of Rome and promoted in the Apostolick See Johannis Sarisburiensis a Monk anno 1150. did the like (o) Matth. Paris Richard Grosthead that learned pious and eminent Bishop of Lincoln anno 1253. made an excellent Oration to that purpose a little before his death Papam esse Antichristum and the last words of men are the more memorable Gulielmus Ockam anno 1350. wrote to Clement the sixth and publickly charged that See with Heresie and Antichristianisme Franciscus Petrarcha An. 1347. in Epist 18. c. applies the prophesie of the Babilonish harlot to Rome not Heathen but Papal the then Court of Rome in these words Tu es famosa dicam an infamis meretrix fornicata cum Regibus Terrae illa equidem ipsa es quam in spiritu sacer vidit Evangelista illa eadem inquam es non alia sedens super aquas multas i. e. Thou art the famous should I say or infamous harlot which hast committed fornication with the Kings of the Earth thou art the very same which in the spirit the holy Evangelist saw i. e. John thou art I say the same and not another sitting upon many waters c. Besides throughout these ages from the year 1100. how many were there of those whom the See of Rome (p) Non defuerant etiam in omnibus terris numerosi piorum coetus qui toto soluti Satanae tempore bellum Antichristo indixerunt cujusmodi erant quos Papistae cum primum sectae authorem à quo denominarentur invenire non possent á quodam Petro Waldo Lugdunensi Waldenfium pauperum Lugdunensium nomina indiderunt Usserius Arch. Armach de Eccles Christ success stat p. 150. called Waldenses whom Reynerus confesseth to have filled France Spaine Italy and most of those Western parts they with one mouth declared accordingly thousands of them suffering death by that See upon that account whom we find then in most points consenting with us and declaring against most of the errours of the Church of Rome being guiltlesse of those scandals put upon them by Sanders Coccius and specially F. Parsons which are fully cleared by the late Arch-Bishop of Armagh in his book de Eccles Christi Success statu p. 159. even by the testimony of their own Authours their witness agreeing not together For John Wickleiffe our Countryman one of great learning and piety 't is known sufficiently to have bin his judgment and declaration as those succeeding him Johannes Purveius John Hus Savanorola and divers others long before Luthers time after which it was more generally received in the reformed Churches and the most learned men of each whom time would fail me so much as to name Only as we have given you the votes of our own country-man and others while they lived under the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome so let me adde the votes of the most
eminent of our English Bishops since the withdrawing our selves from him that it may the rather appear that the judgement of the Primate concurres with the rest of his brethren before him Bishop Jewell that learned Bishop of Sarishury in his Exposition of the second Epistle to the Thessalonians cap. 2. is very large in the application of the whole prophesie to the See of Rome as that of the vision of Saint John concerning Babylon p. 373. c. Concludes that Antichrist shall not be a Jew but a Christian not a King but a Bishop and a holy Father and should weare a Mitre For on whom saith he should an Army of Priests attend as Gregory the great a Bishop of Rome prophesied of Antichrist but upon a Bishop and an universal Bishop at least one so claiming that universality see his recollection of the whole pag. 319. wondring any man should doubt of it 't is so apparent And what he saith p. 279. viz. that he knew what he should speak would be ill taken of many such affection they bear to him whom the Apostle deciphers to be Antichrist though I shall say nothing but what the holy scriptures and learned writings of the Fathers have left unto us and which the Church of God hath at this time proved to be true will be found I fear also in many of this age whose inclinations are too much declared in the defence of that See in this particular Bishop Abbot one of his successours Bishop of Sarisbury in that book of his called Antichristi demonstratio which were his Lectures at Oxford is as full also Wherein at his entrance having spoken of the name of Antichrist and given some descriptiption of him he addes these words All which are most fitly to be applied to him Haec verò notatio nominis Antichristi si illam integram acciptamus quadrat in illum optimè quem esse verum illum Antichristum Deo juvante demonstrabimus Romanum dico Pontificem qui se esse caput Ecclesiae Christi Christi vicem implere gloriatur whom with Gods assistance we shall demonstrate to be the very Antichrist I say the Bishop of Rome who arrogates unto himself to be the head of the Church of Christ and his Vicegerent c. and p. 92. wonders at the blindness of men like Owls at noon day not to see it accordingly Arch-bishop Whitgift in his defence of the Answer to the Admonition often applies the Title of Antichrist to the Bishop of Rome as a thing taken for granted See Tract 8. p. 349. where having spoken much of him before he thus concludes I know that those Sects and Heresies gave strength unto Antichrist and at the length were one speciall meanes of placing him in his throne even as also I am perswaded that he worketh as effectually at this day by your stirres and contentions whereby he hath and will more prevail against this Church of England then by any other means whatsoever Therfore it behoveth you to take heed how you divide the Army of Christ which should unanimitèr fight against that Antichrist That he means the See of Rome none can doubt Whosoever shall read Bishop Andrews his Tortura Torti cannot but conceive his judgement to be the same Where he hath many of the observations which have been mentioned already from the situation on seven hills and the 7 head governments And p. 183. upon the grant on both sides that Babylon is Rome (p) De eo tantum nobis lis erit jam quanam illa ibi Roma Babylon aut Roma quo tempore Babylon esse coeperit Cui rei tot ibi circumstantias adhibet S. Johannes vix ut in ea errare cuiquam contingat Quae enim Babylon ibi eadem meretrix magna dicitur c. Edoctum autem ibi se dicit Johannes à spiritu de rebus quae ventura essent Quod si jam Romam ibi quo tu sensu vis designavit nihil venturum edocuit spiritus Ethnica enim tum Roma in Auge erat vel maximè Propheticus verò is liber totus haberi solet c. nimis autem illa misella tum prophetia foret si praediceret fore ut persequeretur Râ—ma Christianos vidit vero hoc priusquam in Pathmos relegatus esset c. p. 183 184. and p. 185. De ea Roma quae veneficiis seducit quae agnum specie refert scriptam tamen in fronte blasphemiam in Templo Dei sedet cujus merces hominum animae quam decem Reges igne concrematuri sunt ad perniciem sempiternam quae per pseudo prophetam suam vim habet signa faciendi Verè à Torto dicitur Romam Christianam perditam non iri Non certè sed illam Antichristianam scilicet c. he states the question for the time and resolves it cannot be Rome Ethnick for then it had been no prophesie it being at that time a persecutor of the Christians and a shedder of the blood of the Saints which Saint John then had the experience of himself with divers other arguments from her inchantments manner of destruction making merchandize of soules the persons which shall burn her which could not agree to Heathen Rome Adding to be the same beast which hath horns like the lamb sits in the Temple or Church of God exalts himself above all that is called God one that was not in being in Saint Johns time pretendeth to to the working of miracles and so concludes that though Rome Christian may not go into perdition yet Rome Antichristian shall which hath been drunk with the blood of the Saints and the Martyrs of Jesus c. Bishop Bilson in his book of the difference between Christian subjection and unchristian Rebellion delivers his judgement often accordingly as a matter out of controversie affirming the Tyranny of Rome to be the power of darknesse and kingdom of Antichrist applying the pride of the Papacie to that of the man of sin exalting himself in the Temple of God 2 Thessal 2. It was saith he the ancient device and drift of Antichrist to make himself mighty when it was first attempted by Hildebrand Greg. 7. and now coloured by the Papists with the name of Religion p. 527. 817. c. Bishop Hall that elegant and pious Bishop of Norwich hath much to this purpose dispersed through his works No peace with Rome Sect. 1. Look on the face of the Roman Church she is Gods and ours look on the back she is quite contrary Antichristian Sect. 22. shall we ever grow to that height of madnesse as to come from the Standard of God to the tents of the Roman Antichrist The heavens shall passe away by a change Rome by a destruction not a change The Honour of the married Clergy Were it not for this opinion i. e. the forbidding it the Church of Rome would want one evident brand of her Antichristianisme Sect. 15. Speaking of a Popish Priest Well doth it become the son of
that Babylonish strumpet the lips drenched in the cup of those fornications c. and abundance of the like might be produced Bishop Downham the learned Bishop of Derry in Ireland from whose mouth I have heard sufficiently that way in his book entituled Papa Antichristus is the most large of any we have yet named dividing his discourse into the description of the place and person and the designation of the time out of the 2 Thess 2. and Revelat. 17. and all directly applyed by him to the See of Rome Bishop Morton that famous and Reverend Bishop of Durham coetaneous with the former and yet living hath much of this in divers parts of his works Bishop Davenant the eminent Bishop of Sarisbury and professor of Divinity at Cambridge hath often declared his judgement accordingly in his Determinations pag. 24. Pontifex Maximus Antichristianam suam superbiam c. audacia plusquam Antichristianâ c. Vniversalem Papae jurisdictionem in totam Ecclesiam non esse jure divino sed usurpatione Antichristiana Bishop Prideaux in his Lectures saith the like often specially in that de Antichristo that he cannot be the Turk but the Pope c Unto which Bishops might be added the votes of many other learned orthodox and Episcopall men whose judgements have been declared accordingly As that learned Professor of Divinity Doctor Samuel Ward in his Lectures and Determinations at Cambridge lately printed specially in those three questions Romana Ecclesia est Idololatrica Apostasia à Paulo praedicta est adimpleta Romana Ecclesia est schismatica i. e. 1. The Roman Church is Idolatrous 2. The Apostasie foretold by Saint Paul is fulfilled 3. The Roman Church is schismaticall Thus concluding in relation to the See of Rome Haec scilicet est illa Babylon quae in corde suo dicit sedeo regina sola sum non est praeter me i. e. This is that Babylon which saith in her heart I sit as a Queen I am only there is none besides me And who knowes not till of later yeares how both the Vniversities in their publick disputations and determinations abounded in their conclusions accordingly I shall only adde the judgement of that meek and judicious man Mr. Hooker see his Treatise of Justification Sect. 10. God hath spoken by his Angel from heaven to his people concerning Babylon by Babylon we understand the Church of Rome Go out of her my people that ye be not partaker of her plagues he expounds the going out of her to be specially meant out of Popish superstitions and heresies calling the maintainers of them Popish Hereticks and by plagues not only temporal but eternal Sect. 20. compares the Pope to Jeroboam Rome to Samaria that played the Harlot c. Sect. 27. speaking of the Bishop of Rome and the Church of Rome addes this As Frenzy though it take away the use of reason doth notwithstanding prove them reasonable creatures which have it because none can be frantick but they so Antichristianity being the bane and plain overthrow of Christianity may nevertheless argue the Church wherein Antichrist sitteth to be christian Sect. 57. God did in all ages keep his elect from worshipping the Beast and from receiving his mark in their foreheads he hath and will preserve them from receiving any deadly wound at the hands of the man of sin whose deceit hath prevailed over none unto death but only such as never loved the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness 2 Thessal 2 Sect. 35. speaking of Christs mercy to the worst of men upon their repentance saith thus if a Pope stripped of usurped power Antichrist converted penitent and lying prostrate at the foot of Christ c. shall I think Christ will spurn at him In his Sermon on Saint Jude Sect. 14. He calls the Pope the man of sin and son of perdition who hath fawned upon the Kings and Princes of the earth and by spiritual consenage proclaiming sale of Pardons c. hath taken the children of the Noblest families and made them his Cardinals built Seminaries and hereby as at this day the man of sin warres against us c. with the cup of whose deadly abominations this Jeroboam of whom we speak hath made the earth so drunk that it hath reeled under us c. Now of whom the Prophet speaketh this whether of the Bishop of Rome or some other man needs no further resolution and so much for Mr. Hooker And whether or no those of the Remonstrants are of a contrary judgement which some call the Arminian party 't is apparent Arminius himself consented with the aforesaid Bishops and Authours (Å¿) Thes 31. De Pontifice Romano praecipuis qui ipsi attribuuntur titulis S. 12. Adversarii porro Dei Antichristi nomen ipsi competere evidentissima ratione monstratur Prius enim illi Apostolus tribuit quum appellat illum homi nem peccati filium perditionis adversarium efferentem se supra vel contra omne id quod dicitur Deus aut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita ut in templo Dei tanquam Deus sedeat prae se ferens se esse Deum qui ex collapso Imperio Romano exurget ejusque vacantem dignitatem occupabat haec enim de Pontifice Romano sola intelligenda esse intelligi posse asserimus Antichristi verò nomen illi competet excellentissimè sivè particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oppositionem sive unius rei pro altera substitutionem vel legitimè factam aut per vim fraudem c. significat S. 13. i. e. Omni instrumentorum Satanicorum genere usus est sophistica hypocrisi mendaciis aequivocationibus perâ—â—dia perjuriis violentia veneno armis adeò ut merito dici possitâ— bestiae illi formidabili quae Pardo Vrso Leoni similis est quâ Romanum Imperium significatum est successisse c. Faxit Deus ut Ecclesia ab Antichristi fraudibus Tyrannide liberetur Religiosae sapientiae est Curiam Romanam ab Ecclesia in quâ Pontifex sedeat interstinguere c. in his 31. Theol. disput intituled Of the Bishop of Rome and of the chief Titles which are attributed unto him Wherein after the rejection of the title given unto him by his favourites as blasphemous and asserting his deserts of others viz. the false Prophet Revel 19.20 cap. 16.23 cap. 12.14 Which did wonders before the beast out of whose mouth three impure spirits came forth The overthrower and destroyer of the Church in matters of faith and worship and raising of divisions between Princes and their subjects S. 12. he asserts the name of Antichrist most evidently to belong unto him for the Apostle gives it unto him 2 Thessal 2.3 4 5 6 7 8. where he there calls him the man of sin the son of perdition that opposeth and exalts himself above or against all that is called God or worship sitting in the Temple of God and saying he is God who upon the fall
and all the kingdome of Antichrist c. This latter passage is only produced by Doctor Heylene as an evidence that the Pope is not declared to be Antichrist either here or any where else in the book of Articles or Homilies which how the force of it can be extended so farre beyond its own sphere doth not appeare For his principal argument that he finds here the Pope and Antichrist distinguished as much as the Devil and the Pope 'T is answered The destinction here is not between the Pope and Antichrist but between him and his Antichristian kingdom for the words are not the Pope the Divell and Antichrist but and all the kingdome of Antichrist That Universality all comprehending both head and members And if we should allow a Duumvirate in the Pope and Devill for the government of that kingdom one as the visible head the other as the invisible or the one him that reigneth the other by whom he receiveth power so to do Rev. 13.4 both might be thus owned without infringing the title of either Howsoever 't is not the arguings from such niceties in the placing of words which the book of Homilies are not strict in as might be shewed in several instances but the observation of the scope and drift of the place the comparing it with others the concurrance of the judgement of severall eminent Bishops afore-cited who cannot be imagined to declare against the doctrine of it will carry the sense of it accordingly with the judicious and unbiassed Reader and so much for the book of Homilies Unto which I might also adde the opinion of some learned men liveing and dying within the outward communion of the Church of Rome To instance onely in Padrio Paulo who wrote the History of the Councill of Trent After whose stabbing by an Emissarie from Rome many of the Clergy of Venice brake out into that application calling that See Impura insana superba meretrix pestis ac lues mortalium and her ruine to be expected according to Rvelat 18. Some of the verses are printed at the end of the Interdict writ by Padrio Paulo and translated out of Italian into Latin by Bishop Bedell who was often an ear-witnsse when he lived in those parts of divers learned men producing that of 2 Thes 2. the man of sin who exalts himself above all c. and shall sit in the Temple of God c. both as an argument that the Bishop of Rome is the person sitting and that those who are oppressed and tyrannised over by him are (u) Calvin Epist 104. Under the Papacy some Church remaineth a Church crazed forlorne mistaken yet some Church his reason is Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God which is cited by Mr. Hooker Instit Sect. 27. Gehazi a man though over-run with a Leprosy and to be shunned as unclean Antichristianismus est morbus in Christianismo the Church of God and from thence rejecting any application to Mahumet and fixing it upon the Bishop of Rome some questioning Is it he or shall we look for another others saying as the Jewes of the blind man This is one very like him but many This is he Which puts me in mind of the confident assertion of Cardinal Perron who affirms that whosoever maintaineth this wicked doctrine that Popes have no power to put Kings by their supreme thrones they teach men to beleeve that there hath not been any Church for many ages past and that indeed the Church is the very Synagogue of Antichrist and the Pope in good consequence to be the Antichrist which Oration the Cardinal himselfe addressed to King James upon a supposition it might have converted him See King James Preface to the defence of the right of Kings * The words of the Cardinal are these viz. by this Article i. e. that Kings are not deposable by the Pope we are cast headlong into a manifest heresie as binding us to confesse that for many ages past the Catholick Church hath been banished out of the whole world for if the Champions of the doctrine contrary to this Article do hold an impious detestable opinion contrary to Gods word then doubtless the Pope for so many hundred years expired hath not been the head of the Church but an heretick and the Antichrist p. 453. Now whereas both sides as you have heard are agreed upon the place to be Rome which checks the phansie of such as would apply it to Constantinople or to persons that never were at either I shall only confirm it out of one of the Popish Writers who hath quoted most of the rest to save the Reader any farther labour if he hath a mind to satisfie himself in it 't is Tyrinus the Jesuit in his Commentary upon the 17. Revelat. Where comparing the vision of the beast with 7 heads and 10 hornes cap. 13. with that of the 17. and granting it to be meant of the same like Pharaoh's dreames the seven eares of corne and the seven kine were both one then for the vision there he saith by the great harlot whose Mystical name is Babylon cannot possibly be meant of any other then Rome 't is plain saith he she sits upon (x) The usual stile of the Sybils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Roma septicollis in Plutarch Varro a Festival among the Romans called dies septem montium Tertul. in his time calls the people of Rome the people of the seven hills Ipsam vernaculam septem collium plebem convenio Apol. l. 35. seven Mountains and raigns over the Kings of the earth which can agree to no other city besides And urgeth that place of Saint Peter 2 Peter 5.13 the Church which is at Babylon salutes you to be meant of Rome for as Bishop Andrewes observes (x) Ita avidè avent homines hii Petrum Romae alicubi in Scripturâ reperire potius ut Babylonem velint esse Romam ubi Petrus fuit quam ut Petrus Romae non fuerit Valde enim illorum interest ad caput fidei ut Petrus Romae credatur fuisse c. Tort. Torti p 183. rather then Peter should not be at Rome which they have slender or no proofes for out of Scripture but yet is of great consequence to the Papacy they will confesse it to be Babylon And though 2 Thes 2. he saith the Temple of God where the man of sinne sits is Jerusalem yet here his seat of Babylon must be Rome Produceth the expresse Testimonies of the Fathers for it Lactantius Tertullian Jerome Ambrose Augustine c. and saith he even our hereticks meaning the Protestant Writers for after the same way he calls heresie so worship we the God of our Fathers and in conclusion produceth most of his own associates the Writers of the Church of Rome Sixtus Senensis Bellarmine Bozius Zuarez Salmeran Alcazar unto which I may adde Baronius (y) Certissimum esse nomine Babylonis Romam urbem significari Anno 45. n. 18. 'T
Saint Paul for it is accordingly 2 Tim. 5.22 Lay hands suddenly on no man i. e. ordain And it is the more observable that all are from one and the same Apostle it being one argument to prove Saint Paul was the Authour of this Epistle to the Hebrews by the use of this expression here which is not in the Epistles of any other Apostle 'T is true we read of extraordinary gifts of tongues c. given by laying on of hands in the Acts but they cannot be understood here for they were but temporary and ceased like Scaffolds which after the building of an house are taken down but what is meant here must be as the foundation which remains to the last and all falls with it that agrees to an Ordained Ministery which must continue for the preaching of faith and repentance and administration of Sacraments to the end of the world In which sence is that last speech of our Saviour Matth. 28. Lo I am with you unto the end of the world it cannot be limited to the persons of the Apostles with whose deaths those Administrations did not expire but must be understood collectively of the whole body of the Ministery then as it were in their loines who should succeed in preaching and Baptisme and through whom a successive powerful assistance of the spirit is to be transferred in and through those unto the worlds end This power of officiating was powred on the head of the Apostles and descendeth to the skirts of their garments in these dayes And how like a fundamental Ordination is may easily appear it began at the foundation of the Church and was one of the first stones laid in this Edifice and it must continue to the last for as the Lords Supper is to continue till the second coming of Christ so the Ministers of it have the same term also Ephes 4.13 He gave some Pastors Teachers c. Till we all come unto a perfect man unto the measure of the Stature of the fullnesse of Christ c. Rom. 10.15 Ye have a building of four or five stories high of severall Acts and Ministrations but Ordination of a Ministery is the Foundation Salvation is at the top of this Jacobs Ladder but Ordination at the bottome Whosoever will call on the name of the Lord shall be saved but how shall they call on him on whom they have not believed how shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they be sent c. See praying believing hearing preaching and then as the foundation of all a Mission of Preachers for that end what is said of the Commandements of the Law James 2. he that offends in one is guilty of all such is the concatenation of the principles of the Gospel break one link and all are endangered He that renounceth his Baptisme renounceth his Faith into which he was baptized even the death and resurrection of our Saviour signified by it Colos 2. Consider what ye do in renouncing the Ministery by whom ye were baptized and have believed 1 Cor. 3.5 if any efficacy be in the Sacrament according to the qualification authoritative faculty of the person officiating see what hazard you run in rejecting of such so ordained Ye know the speech of our Saviour Matth. 23.17 He that swears by the Altar sweareth by it and all things thereon and is not the contrary true he that despiseth the Altar despiseth not only that but all that depend on it If the Ordination or Mission of the person through Gods institution be of any efficacy to what is officiated I may leave the application to your selves Consider what ye do in a totall renouncing of an ordained Ministery as to Baptisme and believing through whom as instrumentals ye did partake of them If the foundation fall how can the building stand As ye see here Saint Paul makes an ordained Ministery a fundamental principle of Christian Religion So much for the sence of the Text what is meant by laying on of hands Now if Ordination be a fundamental principle hence then these 2 things may be inferred 1. A necessity of continuing an ordained Ministery in the Church and the neglect of it to be the underming of the foundation of it 2. That Ordination is not only an internal call from God but an externall from Man for 't is denominated here from laying on of hands First a necessity of continuing such a distinct Order and profession for preaching and other sacred Administrations This subject would heretofore have been accounted needlesse to be handled but it is necessary and seasonable now there being many set against the very function as if any man might of himself assume it To such I shall represent these considerations following viz. 1. That in all ages there have been some persons set apart for such divine Offices even before the Law or constitution of Aaron and the Levites as since see some appointed Exod. 19.22 Let the Priests which come near to the Lord sanctify themselves Chap. 24.5 called young men of the Children of Israel sent of Moses who offered the burnt offerings and sacrifice unto the Lord and this is usually interpreted to be the First-borne and that of the principall of the families instead of which the Levites were afterward taken see Numb 3.12 And what a setled Priesthood there was in Moses and Solomons time to the Captivity and after it upon their return who knows not see Mal. 2. A speech to the Priests and for that five hundred-yeer gap betwixt the Old Testament and the New when the Prophets ceased yet a Priesthood continued that the service of God then was not to put to the charity of Passengers as beggars are by the high way but some were appropriated to it Jeroboam that forsook the Temple yet retained a Priesthood though of his own corrupt appointment Object That of the Law was a Priesthood but we speak of a Ministery Resp 1. We stand not upon words or Titles neither doth the Apostle for as 2 Cor. 3.7 8 9. he calls the Priests of the Law Ministers and their office a Ministration so he implies that the Ministers of the Gospel might have that Title of Priests 1 Cor. 9.13 by taking his Argument for their maintenance from the Priests Altar and Temple as they that serve at the Altar partake of the Altar even so hath God ordained that those that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel and the name hath only grown ignominious by the Church of Rome's retaining it whom if by way of distinction they had been called by us sacrificers as Bishop Downham observes there had been no offence in it All that read the Fathers know it is the term used by them whose Tractates of the Ministery are intituled De Sacerdotio And the Apostle makes it only a change of the Priesthood Hebr. 7.12 not a nulling of it upon which change of a
THE JUDGEMENT Of the late Arch-Bishop of ARMAGH and PRIMATE of IRELAND Of BABYLON Rev. 18.4 being the present See of Rome With a Sermon of Bishop BEDELS upon the same words Of laying on of hands â—eb 6.2 to be an ordained Ministery Of the old Form of words in Ordination Of a Set Form of PRAYER Published and enlarged by Nicholas Bernard D. D. and Preacher to the Honourable Society of Grayes-Inne London Unto which is added a Character of Bishop BEDEL And an Answer to Mr. Pierces Fifth Letter concerning the late PRIMATE LONDON Printed for John Crook at the Sign of the Ship in S. Pauls Church-yard 1659. TO THE Right Worshipfull Sir WILLIAM ELLIS BARONET His HIGHNES Sollicitor GENERALL The Readers and Benchers With the Ancients Barresters and Students Of the Honourable Society of Graies-Inne YEe are thus intituled to these Treatises The occasion of publishing the First was a Sermon preached by the late Arch-Bishop of ARMAGH in your Chappell of the same subject Nov. 5. 1654. who out of his old love to this society whereof he was a member intended it as his last the request then made to him for the permission of printing that he did satisfy in his consent to the publishing of this For the other some parts of them have been long agone preached before you by the Authour though now in another manner enlarged which as a testimony of his due observance and respect to this Honourable Society he desires may be accepted from him who is Grayes-Inne Octob. 27. 1658. Yours in the service of Christ N. BERNARD To the Reader HOw Popery and (a) Though of late it hath had that latitude as to comprehend Episcopacy yet in Ancient Records which I have seen it was limited to the Deans and Chapters For this was then the form of the Arch-Bishops Provinciall visitation declaring that he would visit Episcopum Praelatos clerum populum Prelacy came first to be contracted is not my enquiry but sure I am they are here very far asunder such as do apply that of Babylon Rev. 17. and the Man of sin 2 Thes 2. to the Pope can hardly be accounted Popish which you find affirmed by the late Archbishop of Armagh and Bishop Bedell in their discussing of the same words And who are supported in it by the most Eminent Bishops of England and Ireland since the Reformation Archbishop Whitgift Bishop Jewell Abbot Bilson Andrews Downham Morton Hall Davenant Prideaux with others who have unanimously given their votes the same way as is hereafter shewn And indeed it could not be otherwise expected from some of them who had been taught to put him into their (b) Common Prayer in Edw. 6. Letany From the Tyranny of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities Good Lord deliver us So that if any of later years professing themselves to be the sons of those old Prophets have so far favoured the See of Rome as to divert the stream of that application some other way it appears they have in it degenerated from their Ancestors The first Treatise being the Primates three positions concerning Babylon was wrot above 40 years agone which appears by the places of Scripture rendred according to the old Translation and sent to an Irish Jesuit in Dublin as I take it (c) The first that broached that figment of the Nagge 's head consecration in England after 45 yeares silence of any other Author which in Bishop Bedells Letters to Wadesworth p. 142. is confuted Christophorus à sacro bosco there called F. Halywood the summe of which having been delivered by the Primate in a Sermon which he preached at Grays-Inne Nov. 5. 1654. and being much desired by some of the Auditours to be published he did condescend to permit this with that other Letter following in their satisfaction The learned Sermon of Bishop Bedels being of the same subject I heard him preach it in Christ-Church Dublin 1634. before the Lord Deputy and Parliament The occasion of his giving a copy of it was at the request of a Papist to have shewen it to some learned men of his own Religion and my opportunity to have it was the near relation I had to him for divers years in that See which after these 22 yeares lying latent with me I have taken this fit occasion to publish it That which I have added is by way of confirmation from some grounds out of Ancient Fathers the successive votes both of the learned Writers in those ages who lived under the Tyranny of the See of Rome as of our eminent Bishops and Writers since that yoke was cast off in England with the concurrence of our book of Homilies severall Synods of our own and other reformed Churches the determination of the * Synops Theol. disp 4â— de Christo Antichristo conclus Ex quibus apparet Pontificem Papam Romanum revera Antichristum filium perditionis esse c. Dutch and French Divines It being very observable that whatsoever differences there are in the reformed Churches in other matters yet there is a marvellous unity in this To which is added the like judgement of Arminius and some of the Church of Rome continuing at least in that communion who professe it out-right others by way of consequence Their chief Writers who meet us halfe way granting the place only disputing the time contending as much as we that Babylon Rev. 17. must be meant Rome the difference between us whether Ethnick or Papall For that of the Primates judgement seconded by some eminent Writers what is meant Heb 6.2 by laying on of hands and of the sense of the old form of words in Ordination viz. Receive the holy Ghost whose sins thou forgivest c. and the use of them to be continued I had leave from himself for the manifesting and enlarging of it And I suppose the last subject concerning a Set Form of Prayer will passe with the lesse opposition by the concurring of divers eminent and worthy Persons whom the contrary-minded cannot but highly esteem of Having both in the former and this taken up Saint Pauls manner of arguing with the Athenians as certain also of your own have said c. or as elsewhere one of themselves even a Prophet of their own c. And surely the Primates appearing so much against the See of Rome in the first cannot but be a preparative to the hearkning unto him the rather in the two later For my self I have no other design in the whole but the peace and unity of the Church which we are all bound to seek and without which end and aim all gifts whatsoever coveted by us are of no value and I hope to have that interpretation from such as are so affected Two things which have been enlarged by way of Vindication of the Eminent Primate from the injuries of Doctor Heylene came so in my way that I could not passe them which else by his being in the esteem of
men so far above his reach there had been no need of He having in those and divers other aspersions which he hath cast upon him in his late book which may hereafter be fully cleared done himselfe the chiefest wrong I commend the whole to the Readers charitable and impartiall censure that no prejudicate opinion doe obstruct his right apprehension THE CONTENTS Of the Severall TREATISES The First consists of three POSITIONS 1. THat a great City called Babylon shall be a Seducer 2. That by this City is meant ROME 3. Not Heathen Rome but since it was freed from the Government both of Heathen and Christian Emperours and became the possession of the Pope The Second How the Papacy may be said to be the Beast that was and is not and yet is Rev. 17.18 The Third being Bishop Bedels Sermon on Rev. 18.4 Come out of her my people c. The Speaker our Saviour Christ His people those within the Covenant of Grace A paralleling the Speeches here with those of the Prophets Of Litterall Babell who meant by Mysticall Babylon The judgement of Bellarmine Salmeron Viegas to be the City of Rome How the title of Babylon the great and her reigning over the Kings of the earth rather agrees to Rome Papal then Heathen The Cup of inchantment whereby she hath deceived all Nations and one in speciall in imitation of literall Babell Dan. 1. applyed to that See Her Wantonnesse Pride sitting as a Queen glorifying her self the blood of Christians shed by the Papacy to be beyond that of Heathen Romes persecution his conclusion from the Premises That there are some of Gods people in Babylon That they are to goe out not only in affection but the place also Of Baptisme Grounds of the Catechisme Faith taught there of the doctrine of of merits What is to be thought of those that doe yet live there and cannot come out Whether the Church of Rome be a true Church rightly stated p. 83. Of the Ordination had there by the use of these words Whose sins ye remit c. That the Papall Monarchy is Babylon proved by arguments at the barre of Reason and from common principles of Christianity p. 89. Answer to that motive of staying in Babylon because they are told they may be saved in it An exhortation of such as are yet in that captivity to come out and of our selves to come further out Of Impropriations Dispensations c. with a conclusive prayer for the destruction of Babylon The Fourth A Confirmation of the abovesaid judgment From some grounds out of the Ancient Fathers consenting in an expectation that Rome must be the place and the successor of the Emperour there the Person A clear application of it to the See of Rome by the Fathers and Writers in successive ages before and after the tenth Century The Judgment of the eminent Bishops of England since the reformation the book of Homilies especially in 2 places calling the Pope Antichrist and the Babylonical beast of Rome A Synod in France as Ireland How far confessed by the prime writers of the Church of Rome The mistake of such as have diverted the application of it some other way an Answer of a passage of Doctor Heylenes concerning it in relation to the Primate and Articles of Ireland The Fifth Of laying on of Hands Heb. 6.2 Reasons why not confirmation but ordination Paraeus and Mr. Cartwrights concurrence in it with the Primate The necessity of an ordained Ministry The neglect of it as undermining the foundation Objections answered with a seasonable application to the present times The necessity of an external call The Authority not from the People That objection against our ordination being derived from Rome at large answered p. 218. That personal faults in the ordainers doth not null the ordination Some application The 6. Of the old form of words in Ordination Receive the Holy Ghost not meant of the sanctifying grace of the spirit nor extraordinary gifts of it but of ghostly or spirituall Ministeriall authority 1 Cor. 3. verse 3.6 and 1 John 2.20 The anointing teacheth you c. illustrated An objection out of S. Augustine answered Whose sins thou forgivest c. In what sense Ministers are said to forgive sins The Primates judgement in his answer to the Jesuits Challenge defended to be according to the doctrine of the Church of England which Doctor Heylene hath scandalized him in it The 7th Of a Set Form of Prayer The judgment of Calvine Dutch and French divines with their Practice Examples out of the Old Testament and New The pattern of our Saviour giving a form to his disciples taking one to himself and observing the set forms made by others That objection of Stinting the spirit answered An Vniformity in publique prayer a means of reducing unity in Church and State The full concurrence of Mr. Rogers Mr. Egerton Dr. Gouge Mr. Hildersham Dr. Sibbs Dr. Preston c. Of the length and gesture in prayer Mr. Hildersham of an outward reverence in the publick A Character of Bishop Bedell his industry at Venice and at home humility moderation government and sufferings An answer to Mr. Thomas Pierces fifth Letter wherein three Certificates have been published by him for the justification of a change of judgement in the late Primate of Ireland in some points ERRATA SOme omissions of Accents Pointing and number of pages the intelligent Reader may correct himself Page 39. l. 2. r. professed p. 40. l. 8. r. Lo-ammi p. 41. l. 18. r. ir p. 45. l. 9. for there t is related that p. 46. l. 15. d. and p. 48. l. 8. circun p. 49. l. 6. ly p. 63. l. 21. d. p. 59. l. 11. although p. 60. l. 4. her p. 63. l. 1. As gods l. 21. dis p. 64. l. 22. they they p. 70. l. 10. val p. 82. l. 20. d. p. 92. l. 6. may p. 160. l. 23. p. 161. l. 11. Padre p. 162. mar l. 8. justif p. 185. l. 2. baptizing p. 189. l. 2. mining p. 198. l. 6. of the p. 248. l. 22. mediatly p. 250. l. 22. 2. p. 278. l. 12 there p. 317. l. 8. Wethersfield p. 322. l. 18. prayer p. 329 l. 21. and Mr. p. 362. l. 12. d. following p. 378. l. ult d. which The judgement of the late Arch-bishop of Armagh and Primate of Ireland what is understood by Babylon in Apoc. 17. 18. Apoc. 18. v. 4. Go out from her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and receive not of her plagues IN these words we are straightly enjoyned upon our peril to make a separation from Babylon For the understanding of which charge these three Positions following are to be considered The first Position THat it is plainly foretold in the the Word of God that after the planting of the Faith by the Apostles the Kings and Inhabitants of the earth should be seduced and drawn into damnable errours and that the mother of all these Abominations of the Earth should
be a certain great City called Babylon in a Mysterie Proof THis we finde directly laid down in the Revelation that a a Apoc. 17. v. 18. 18 v. 2. 21. great Citie called b Apoc. 17.5 in a mystery Babylon should become the mother of the spiritual whoredome and abominations of the earth so that the c Apoc. 17 2. 18. v. 3. Kings of the earth should commit fornication with her and the Inhabitants of the earth should be made drunke with the wine of her fornication The second Position THat by this great City Babylon the Mother of all the abominations of the earth is understood Rome Proof 1. BY the clear Testimony of Scripture in the seventeen Chapter of the Revelation where this City is described unto us First by the situation that it is seated upon seven Hills v. 9.18 and then by the largeness of the Dominion thereof That it is that great Citie that ruleth over the Kings of the earth v. 18. Now that by these two marks Rome was most notoriously known in the Apostles dayes may appear even by the Romane Poets who describe Rome just after the same manner as d Horat. in Car. seculari Dii quibus septem placuere colles Ovid Sed quae de septem totum circumspicit orbem Montibus imperii Roma Deumque locus Trist lib. 1. Eleg. 4. Lib. 3. Eleg 10. Rome the place of the Empire and of the Gods which from seven hills doth take a view of the whole world And more shortly Propertius Septem urbs alta jugis toti quae prafidet Orbi The City mounted on seven hils which ruleth the whole world No man reading Propertius ever made question but that Rome was here described and therefore no reason why any doubt should be made what that great Citie may be which with the same colours is painted out unto us in the book of the Revelation 2. By the judgement of the anancient Fathers affirming expresly that Rome is meant by Babylon in the seventeenth Chapter of the Revelation as the Rhemists themselves doe voluntarily confess in their last note upon the first Epistle of Peter 3. By the Confession of those who are most Devoted to the See of Rome as to name one for many e De Rom. Pontif. lib. 2. cap. 2. Bellarmine the Cardinal Jesuite whose words are these John in the Revelation every where calleth Rome Babylon as Tertullian hath noted in his third Book against Marcion and in his Book against the Jewes and it is plainly gathered out of the seventeenth Chapter of the Revelation Where great Babylon is said to sit upon seven Mountains and to have Dominion over the Kings of the earth For there is no other City which in the time of John had Dominion over the Kings of the Earth but Rome and the building of Rome upon 7. hills is a matter most famous Hitherto Bellarmine The third Position THat old Rome onely under the Heathen persecutors from the time of the first Emperour till Constantines dayes was not Babylon as the Proctors of the Church of Rome would perswade us but Rome in her last dayes being free from the Government both of Heathen and Christian Emperours And that Rome was to be that Babylon which should draw the Kings and Nations of the world unto Superstition and Idolatrie from such time as it ceased to be subject to the civil Prince and became the Possession of the Pope until the last destruction thereof which is yet to come Proof 1. THe matter of Babylon is revealed unto Saint John as a mysterie Apoc 17.6 But the persecution of the Church by the Heathen Emperour was far from being a mysterie For it being openly committed Apoc. 1.9 Saint Iohn himself at the same time being a companion with the rest of the Saints in this tribulation banished for the Word of God and for the witnessing of Iesus Christ into the Iland Pathmos this could not be shewed as a secret and mystical thing And therefore some further matter not then openly known to the world must here be intended 2. The state of Babylon after her fall is thus declared Apoc. 18.2 It is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great Citie is become the habitation of Devils the hold of all foul spirits and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird for all Nations have drunken of the wine of the wrath of her fornication and the Kings of the Earth have committed fornication with her c. If Heathen Rome onely were Babylon it would follow that upon the fall thereof in the dayes of Constantine the Emperour Rome professing the Faith of Christ should then become the habitation of Devils and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird Which being a most grosse and absurd imagination it must needs be granted that afte◠〈◊〉 â—ayes of the Christian Emperouâ— the faithful Citie should become a harlot even Rome whose Faith was once renowned throughout Romans 1.8 all the world should become Babylon the mother of whoredomes and abominations of the Earth Apoc. 17.5 3. Such a Desolation is foretold should come upon the great City Babylon which in the second position is proved to be Rome that it should utterly be destroyed and never built again nor reinhabited Apoc. 18. v. 21 22 23. Now at that very time when this judgement shall come it is said that the Kings of the Earth which have committed fornication with her shall bewail her and lament her Rev. 18. verse 9. whereby it is most evident that Rome is not to cease from being Babylon till her last destruction shall come upon her and that unto her last gaspe she is to continue her spiritual fornications alluring all Nations unto her superstition and idolatrie 4. Saint Paul 2 Thessalonians 2.7 Declareth that there was One in his time who did hinder the revealing of that wicked man who was to be the head of this Apostacie and falling away from the Faith And when that he should be taken out of the way then saith the Apostle Verse 8. Shall that wicked man be revealed He that with-held and made this hinderance in the Apostles time could be no other but the Emperour in whose hands as long as the possession and governement of Rome remained it was impossible that that wicked One of whom the Apostle speaketh should raigne there So that upon his removal that man of sinne must succeede in his roome whereupon that great Citie wherein he placeth his Throne falleth to be that Babylon Revel 18.23 which should deceive all Nations with her inchantments Now all the world can witnesse that the Emperour who sometime was the Soveraigne Lord of Rome is now quite turned out of the Possession thereof and the Pope entered thereupon in his stead Whereupon it followeth that the Pope for all his Holiness is that wicked one of whom the Apostle Prophesied 2 Thess 2.4 that he should sit in the temple of God exalting himself above
his Kingdome Rome shall be grown proud and secure so as to say I sit as a Queen and then by the ten Kings mentioned in the former Chapter who had given their Kingdomes unto her shall she be ruined and burnt c In this Exposition the revolt that he tells of from the Obedience of the See of Rome is a Fancy of his own and hath not the least ground in St. Iohns Vision That the revolt from the Faith whereof the Apostle Paul speaks 2 Thessalonians 2. is the very Apostacy of Antichrist the man of sinne and sonne of perdition 2 Thes 2.3 that Rome in Antichrists time shall be secure and account her self to sit as a Queen and then be destroyed by the ten Kings that formerly had served and obeyed her this is very true as being expresly so laid down in the 16. and 17. Vers of the former Chapter But that which befell the Iewes in the looking for the Kingdome of Christ when it was already among them happeneth to Viegas and those of his side They fondly look for Antichrist the last head of the beast whereupon the Babylonian Harlot sitteth above a thousand yeares after all the former and consider not that this beast is one Principality under divers forms of Government whereof five being fallen in Saint Johns time one then in being and the other to endure a short space To make this short space a thousand years or else to put in so many years of the Popes government over Rome before Antichrist come who shall forsooth revolt from his Obedience It seemes rather the dream of a waking man then to hold any likelyhood of Truth Howsoever it resteth even by Viegas consent notwithstanding his cunning combination of two states of Rome that under Paganisme and that under Antichrist with a thousand years between that Rome must have continued Christian for sundery Ages before her Desolation and for ought doth yet appear the present Monarchy which she claims to exercise over the Christian World is the Mystical Babylon out of which Gods People are called For the better clearing whereof let us consider the Description that is made of this Babylon by the Angels and our Saviour Christ himself more distinctly to see whether it doe agree to the present estate of Rome or no The Angel tells Iohn in the last Verse of the former Chapter The woman which thou sawest is the great City which reigneth over the Kings of the Earth and before Verse 5. upon her forehead is a name written Mysterie Babylon the great Touching this greatness I may spare my pains to speak much there is a learned Book of Iustus Lipsius which he intitles Admiranda marvells touching the greatness of Rome not long after in concurrence thereto there was another made by Thomas Stapleton our Countreyman Professour at Lovaine which he intitles Vere admiranda Marvels indeed touching the greatness of the Church of Rome wherein by comparison he indeavours to shew that for largeness of Extent strength and power over Princes themselves honour yielded unto it the greatness and magnificence of the Romane Church doth far surpass the Roman Empire These two books were both printed together and set forth at Rome against the year of Jubilee 1600. as if the Papacy laboured to carry in her forehead the name Great Babylon For the reigning over the Kings of the Earth by this great City which is another point of the Angels description It is true that heathen Rome had anciently in the borders and consines of the state sundry Kings that held their Kingdomes of her Such were the Herods Aretas and Agrippa mentioned in the New Testament but these were neither in number nor dignity nor in the absoluten ss of their subjection to be compared with those that the now Rome reigneth over And no great marvel if the Roman Emperour armed with thirty or fourty Legions had many Kings at command saith Stapleton but that the Pope being altogether unarmed should give Lawes to the Kings of the Earth and either advance them to their Kingdomes or depose them who would not account worthy of great marvel true but the Angel shewes us the true reason Verse 12. the ten hornes which thou sawest are ten Kings which have received no Kingdome as yet but receive power Verse 17. as Kings at once with the beast c. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his Will and to agree and to give their Kingdome unto the beast until the Word of God shall be fulfilled And consider I pray you here the manner how they have given their Kingdomes to the beast Vpon the Election of any new Pope they send a solemne Embassage to profess their Obedience to him And one of those which is extant in Print as great a Monarch as any the Christian World hath Offers himself and all his Kingdomes his Seas Firm lands Islands Armes Forces Treasures Ships Armies whatsoever he is whatsoever he hath whatsoever he is able to doe and falling down at the Popes feet as a most obsequious Sonne he acknowledgeth and confesseth him to be the true Vicar of Christ our Saviour on Earth the successour of Peter the Apostle in that See the head of the Vniversal Church the Provost Parent and Pastor of all Christians praying him and humbly beseeching him that he would receive all whatsoever he hath offered to the profit defence of the Church into his Protection and Patronage And these words c. are said with a gesture corespondent the Embassador falling down upon his knees let Lipsius if he can with all his reading in Story shew us such an Example of any King subject to old Pagan Rome It is true that Nero accounted it for his highest Glory to have set the Crown upon Tiridates the King of the Armenians head in the City of Rome with great state and pomp But let us see saith Stapleton If the Majesty of the Church of Rome hath not had an equal part of this glory yea and a greater and then he reckons how Pope Leo the third gave the Empire to Charles the great and how other Popes conferred to others a great many other Kingdomes One thing he forgets that neither Nero nor any other Emperour of old Rome ever Crowned any with his feet as Celestine the third did Henry the sixth nor caused him to hold their stirrops or kiss their feet much less set their feet upon their neckes as Pope Adrian the fourth and Alexander the third did to the Emperor Frederick And that we may not spend more time in proving that the present Papal Rome reigneth over the Kings of the Earth the Merchants of Babylon are now resolved That all the Kingdomes of the Earth are the Popes insomuch that the best Title that any Prince can have to his Crown is Dei Apostolicae sedis gratia by the grace of God and Apostolick See Lib. Rom. Ponâ— 5.1.2 6. Ab Alex 6. Cap. 7.8 And Cardinal Bellarmine recognizing his
Decretals And if any make scruple to look on that Book let him see Bellarmine undertaking that the Pope intâ—nding to teach the whole Church can in no case erre in things appertaining to Faith De Rob. Pont. Cap. 3. Ver. 5. no no yet the particular Church of Rome that it is probable and pious to believe the Pope cannot become an Hereticke even as a particular Person that he is the judge of Controversiâ—s in the Church and his judgement certain and infallible Add to these that the same Bellarmine makes Temporal Felicity one of the notes of the Church De Not. Eccl. l. 4. c. 8. One point more rests in the speech of the last Angel concerning Babylon in this Chapter Verse the last That in her was fâ—und the bloud of the Prophets and Saints of all that were slain upon the Earth And in the former Chapter Verse 6. John saw the woman drunken with the bloud of Saints and Martyrs of Jesus That Heathen Rome was such there is no doubt And although Bellarmine would draw the Text another way to Jerusalem that this is the great City Verse 11.8 where the bodies of two witnesses shall lie unburied where also the Lord was Crucified since in the Romane Empire and by a Romane Deputy and to a Romane Death our Lord was put But this doth no less stick by Christian Rome unto this day to be drunken with the bloud of Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Let Histories be turned and an exact account taken how many thousands otherwise good Christians have been slain and massacred merely for his pleasure sake And because they would not submit to her Obedience I think it will very evidently appeare that they are imcomparably more then all those that suffered Martyrdome for the Christian Religion under Heathen Romes persecution To omit those whom as an Imperious Harlot she hath caused to be killed for calling her name in question Thus you see the Description of Babylon doth no lesse agree to the present then the old Heathen Rome the great City her command over the Kings of the Earth Her inchanting Cup Her wantonness and delicacy Her arrogancy and pride Lastly that bloudy and bloud-thirsty Cruelty against the worshippers of Christ exercised by her and which I desire you to observe by her alone for in no other part of the Christian world you shall find it To conclude then since neither Heathen Rome onely as she was heathen as Bellarmine would have it can be Babylon nor partly Heathen and partly Antichristan as revolted from the Pope with a gap of a thousand years between as Viegas divineth And the Character that the Holy Ghost sets upon Babylon doth no lesse but rather more agree to the present Pontifical Rome then to the old Imperial It is the falsely termed Christian indeed the Antichristian Rome which is the Babylon out of which Gods People are called And how they are to go out of her it rests to be considered Bellarmine cites Saint Augustine to prove that it is Corde non Corpore not in place but affection But the Temple of Gods people departing from Babel would seem to imply both And the rather because this great City is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt Rev. 11.8 now such was the departure of Lott out of Sodome and Israel out of Egypt It is true that by Cyrus his Edict Gods people were permitted to return into their own Countrey to the place where the Lords worship was then fixed Now there is no such place specially appointed as our Lord Iesus Christ shews in his speech with the woman of Samaria John 4. But certainly if any of Gods people cannot by separation in judgement and affection so live as not to be partakers of the sins of Babylon they are to go out bodily also and in no wise to touch any unclean thing Gods people are warned to do even by the consideration of the Holy vessels of the Lord which they carried with them out of Babylon The reason which confirms this charge of going out of Babylon is drawn from the danger of participation in her sins and in her Plagues that is Isay 52.11 blowes stripes punishments which are not onely those mentioned in the 8 Verse Death Mourning Famine Fire but as in the 14. Chapter where the same Proclamation is made of her fall which is here the drinking of the hot and unalaid wine of Gods vengeance and to be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the Holy Angels and the Lamb and the smoak of their torments shall ascend for ever and ever We have thus descussed the meaning of this Scripture which being all laid together is this Saint Iohn hears our Lord Iesus Christ admonishing from Heaven his faithful people to come out of the obedience of Romish Popish Babylon least partaking with her in her sins they receive also of her stripes and punishments both Temporall and Eternal Here concerning the person of the speaker mentioned in this first place and that circumstance that he speaks from Heaven I will for the present say no more but desire onely that it may renew the religious attention of all that each would say with himselfe I will hearken what the Lord God will say for he will speak Peace unto his People and to his Saints that they turn not to folly That every one would remember the words of the Apostle see that ye despise not him that speaketh Heb. 12.25 for if you escaped not when ye refused him that speaketh one Earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven But these points shall be more profitably pressed when we shall have considered the speech it self Wherein observe first he call his people to come out of Babylon a plain Argument that there are many not onely good Moral and Civil honest men there but good Christians not redeemed onely but in the possession of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ which may be confirmed by these reasons First there is amongst these that are under the tyranny of the Romish Babylon the Sacrament of entrance into the Covenant of Grace Baptisme by which those that are partakers thereof are made Members of Christ the children of God and heirs of Eternal life of these that have but this Seal of Gods Covenant viz. infants are no small and contemptible part of Gods People though as yet they cannot hear this Voyce of Christ calling out of Babylon besides this there is publication of the tenure of the Covenant of Grace to such as are of years though not so openly and purely as it might and ought yet so as the grounds of the Catechisme are preached sin is shewed Christs redemption or the story of it is known Faith in him is called for John 3.18.36.5.24 and this Faith is by the Grace of God wrought in some For the Word of God and his Calling is not fruitless but like the rain
returneth not in vain and where true Faith is Men are translated from death to life he that believeth in the Son hath everlasting life John 3. last vers Some men perhaps may object the Faith which they describe and call by this name of Catholick Faith Is none other but such as the Divels may have I answer Religion is not Logick He that cannot give a true definition of the soul is not for that without a soul so he that defines not Faith truely yet may have true Faith learned Divines are not all of accord touching the definition of it But if as by the whole stream of the Scripture it should seem to be a trust and cleaving unto God this Faith many there have the Love of our Lord Jesus Christ is wrought in many there John 14.21.23 now he that loveth Christ is loved of him and of the Father also and because the proof of true love to Christ is the keeping of his sayings their are good works and according to the measure of knowledge great conscience of obedience Yea will some man say But that which marreth all is the Opinion of merit and satisfaction Indeed that is the School Doctrine but the Conscience enlightned to know it self will easily act that part of the Publican who smote his breast and said God be merciful to me a sinner I remember a good advice of one of that side let others saith he that have commiâ—ted few sinnes and done many good workes satisfie for their sins But whatsoever thou dost refer it to the Honour of God so as whatsoever good come from thee thou resolve to doe it to please God accounting thy works too little to satisfie for thy sins For as for thy sins thou must offer Christs works his pains and wounds and his death it self to him together with that love of his out of which he endured these things for thee These are available for the satisfaction for thy sins But thou whatsoever thou dost or sufferest offer it not for thy sins to God but for his love and good pleasure wishing to find the more grace with him whereby thou mayest doe more greater and more acceptable works to him let the love of God then be to thee the cause of well-living and the hope of well-working thus he and I doubt not but many there be on that side that follow this Councel here with I shall relate the speach of a wise and discreet Gentleman my neighbour in England who lived and died a Recusant he demanded one time What was the worst Opinion that we could impute to the Church of Rome It was said there was none more then this of our merits And that Cardinal Bellarmine not onely doth uphold them but saith De justifica lib. 5. cap. 7. we may trust in them so it be done soberly And saith they deserve Eternal life not onely in respect of Gods promises and Covenant but also in regard of the work it self whereupon he answered Bellarmine was a learned man and could perhaps defend what he wrote by learning But for his part he trusted to be savâ—d onely by the merits of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and as for good works he would do all that he could Et valeant quantum volere possint To proceed In or under the Obedience of Rome there is Persecution and that is a better mark of Christs people then Bellarmines Temporal felicity all that will live godly in Christ Iesus saith the Apostle shall suffer persecution ye shall be hated of all men for my Names sake saith our Saviour and so are all they on that side that are less superstitious then others or dare speak of redress of abuses yea there is Martyrdome for a free opposing mens traditions Image-worshipers Purgatory and the like Add that inobedience to this call of Christ there do some come dayly from thence and in truth how could our Saviour call his people from thence if he had none there How could the Apostles say that Antichrist from whose captivity they are called shall sit in the Temple of God since that Ierusalem is finally and utterly desolated unless the same Apostle otherwhere declaring himself had shewed us his meaning that the Church is the house of God and again 1 Tim. 3.15 ye are the Temple of the living God and the Temple of God is Holy which are ye It will be said that there are on that side many gross errors many open Idolatries and superstitions so as those which live there must needs be either partakers of them and like minded or else very Hypocrites But many errors and much ignorance so it be not affected may stand with true Faith in Christ and when there is true Contrition for our sins that is because it displeaseth God there is a general and implicite repentance for all unknown sins Gods Providence in the general revolt of the ten Tribes when Elias thought himselfe left alone had reserved seven thousand 1 Kings 19 18. that had not bowed to the Image of Baal and the like may be conceived here since especially the Idolatry practised under the obedience of Mystical Babylon is rather in false and will-worship of the true God and rather commended as profitable then as absolutely necessary enjoyned and the corruptions there maintained rather in superfluous addition then retraction in any thing necessary to salvation Neither let that hard term of hypocrisie be used of the infirmity and sometime humble and peaceable carriage of some that oppose not common errors nor wrestle with the greater part of men but do follow the multitude reserving a right knowledge to themselves and sometimes by the favour which God gives them to find where they live obtain better conditions then others can We call not Iohn the beloved Disciple an hypocrite because he was known to the High Priest John 18.15 16. and could procure Peter to be let to see the arraignment of our Saviour nor Peter himself that for fear denied him much less Daniel and his companions that by suit obtained of Melzar their keeper that they might feed upon pulse and not be defiled with the King of Babels meat Daniel 1. v. 16.2 and these knew themselves to be captives and in Babel But in the new Babel how many thousands do we think there are that think otherwise that they are in the true Catholike Church of God the name whereof this harlot hath usurped And although they acknowledge that where they live are many abuses and that the Church hath need of reformation yet there they were born and they may not abandon their Mother in her sickness Those that converse more inwardly with men of Conscience on that side doe know that these are speeches in secret which how they will be justified against the commands of Christ come out of her my people belongs to another place to consider For the purpose we have now in hand I dare not but account these the people of
God though they live very dangerously under the captivity of Babylon as did Daniel Mordecay Hester Nehemiah and Ezra and many Jewes more notwithstanding both Cyrus Commission and the Prophets Command to depart This point may give some light in a Question that is on foot among learned and good men at this day Whether the Church of Rome be a true Church or no where I thinke surely if the matter be rightly declared for the tearms there will remain no question As thus whether Babylon pretending to be the Church of Rome yea the Catholick Church be so or not or this Whether the people of Christ that are under the captivity be a true Church or no either of both waies declare in these tearms and the matter will be soon resolved Object Except some man will perhaps still Object Though there be a people of God yet they can be no true Church for they have no Priesthood which is necessary to the Constitution of a Church As Saint Cyprian describes it Plebs sacerdoti adunata Epistola 6 9. people joyned to their priest They have no Priesthood being by the very form of their Ordidination Sacrificers for the quick and the dead Answ I answer under correction of better judgements they have the Ministery of Reconciliation by the Commission which is given at their Ordination being the same which our Saviour left in his Church John 20.23 Whose sins ye remit they are remitted whose sinnes ye retain they are retained As for the other power to sacrifice if it be any otherwise then celebrating the Commemoration of Christs sacrifice once offered upon the Cross It is no part of the Priesthood or Ministery of the New Testament But as superfluous additions thereunto which yet worketh not to the destruction of that which is lawfully conferred otherwise This Doctrine I know not how it can offend any unless it be in being too Charitable that I am sure is a good fault and serves well for a sure mark of Christs sheep And hath very good opportunity to help Christs people out of Babel John 13.35 by this saith he shall men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have Charitie one to another But they call us Hereticks miscreants Doggs c. and persecute us with more deadly hatred then Jewes and Turks yea this is Babylon and perhaps some of Gods People in it that are misinformed of us Thus did Saul for a while yet a chosen vessel to bear Christs Name over the world But let us maintain our Charitie to them as we are wont to bear with the weakness of our friends or children when in hot Fevers or Plurisies they miscal us Let us remember if they be Christs people how little loving soever they be to us they must be our beloved Brethren and this of the Persons Now let us see their dutie It is the Duetie of those people of Christ to come out of Babylon that is as we have already shewed the Obedience of the present Roman Monarchy And for this the very authority of Christs Voyce from Heaven should suffice For his sheep hear his voice But if that be yet doubted whether the Papal Monarchy be Babylon let us for the present set aside the mystical Arguments from this place and all other Prophetical Circumstances And let the matter be tried by plainer Arguments at the Bar of Reason out of the common Principles of Christian Doctrine as thus John 5.39 Luke 11.52 1 Cor. 14. Matthew 28.20 Jer. 17.5 Rom. 6.9 Where the use of Christs Word is forbidden to his people where they lay away the Key of Knowledge and Gods Worship is without understanding in an unknown tongue where Christs Sacraments are corrupted and maimed where Divine worship is communicated to Creatures where Christs Glorious Body is defended to be torn not onely with the teeth of the faithful but also of faithlesse men yea of Rats and Mice where besides a number of other superstitions the effects of Christs blood are communicated to Purgatory fire to Saint Francis frock and the Carmilites scapular where the sole infallible interpretation of Scripture decission of Crntroversies last resolution of our Faith is placed in the brest of one man who may be without true Faith and sound Knowledge of Religion or morall honesty it self where the Doctrine is maintained as Catholike that the Pope is Vice God Monarch of the Christian World Almightie that he can Depose Princes and Expose them to their subjects to be killed Command the Angels with many more like blasphemies From this place and society Christs people are to depart and separate themselves But the present Romane Monarchy is such The conclusion follows undenyable Goe out of her my People Object Here will I crave leave to answer on Objection that may be made by flesh and blood to be retentive to keep Gods people from hearkning to this voyce of Christ and is used for a motive to draw more also to the Obedience of Rome Gods people of which number I hope I am one may be saved nay which is more cannot perish why should I then be so solicitous if salvation may be had there on the contrary they deny that you have either Church or salvation Therefore it is the safest course by the Opinion of both sides to continue there still Answ I answer This is not the discourse of Christs sheep who make the hearing of his Voice and doing of his Will a higher end then their own salvation but well may become the mouth of those deceivers that would seduce them It is the very language of the old Serpent ye shall not surely die The reason and rule of Obedience is not the avoyding of hell fire or the attaining of bliss of Heaven but the doing of the Will of God And yet supposing this to be true that salvation mae be had in Babylon yet it is attained with great difficulty and as it were through the fire As the Apostle speaketh of those builders which foolishly lay upon the precious foundation of Christ the hay straw and stubble of mens Traditions And there is again a large entrance to be afforded into the everlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 2. 2 Peter 1.11 If the graces of Gods Spirit abound in us and make us not barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ Again ignorance so that it be not wilful and affected may have some pardon but to hold the Truth of God in unrighteousness as all do that receive not the love of the Truth and knowing how they which commit such things are worthy of death yet doe the same and favour those that doe them The wrath of God from heaven is revealed against such Romans 1.18.31 Even the danger of temporal punishment threatned to the sinnes of Rome is not to be neglected Suppose a man were sure to goe to Heaven but although to humane infirmity it may perhaps seem otherwise even the Eternal punishments
of the Roman Empire should rise up in his stead and take his vacant dignity That these saith he are to be understood of the Bishop of Rome and are to be understood of him only we do affirm And for the name of Antichrist that most specially 't is appliable to him whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be understood by way of opposition to Christ a pretended substitution or a subordination in his stead c. Sect. 13. He hath made use of all sorts of instruments hypocrisies lies equivocations treacheries perjuries poison force and armes that he may well be said to have succeeded that beast like to a Leopard a Beare and a Lion Revel 13.2 by which the Roman Empire is signified whose Image he bare and brought it to passe whosoever would not worship the image of the beast should be put to death c. and concludes with a prayer that God would grant that the Church might be delivered from the fraud and tyranny of Antichrist And so much for the judgement of Arminius Now that the Divines of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas do generally accord also in it need not to be inserted being sufficiently known such as Daneus Franciscus-Junius Tilenus Morneus Viguierus Rivetus Chamerus etc. The Reformed Church of France have made it one of their Articles in their confession as ye may find in Chamier Paustrat Cathol Tom. 2. lib. 16. de Antichristo cap. 1. where he gives you the words of the 31. Article conceived in Synodo Papinsensi owned by him to be the confession of the reformed Churches in France in these words following (t) Cùm Episcopus Romanus erecta sibi in orbe Christiano Monarchia dominationem usurpet in omnes Ecelesias pastores in tantam erectus superbiam 1. ut Deum se dicat Can. satis dist 96. lib. 1. Sacrar Cerem cap. de Benedictiensis velitqâ—e 2. adorari Concil Lateran ult Sess 1.3.9 10 omnemque tribui sibi potestatem in coelo in terra res Ecclesiasticas omnes disponat articulos fidei definiat Scripturarum authoritatem atque interpretationem à se esse dicat animarum mercaturam exerceat vota juramentáque dispenset novo Dei cultus instituat Tum in civilibus legitimam magistratâ—um authoritatem pedibus suâ—igat datis ablatis translâ—tiâ— Imperiis Credimus atque asserimus esse verum illum Gâ—rmanum Antichristâ—m perditionis filium pronunciatum in verbo Dei Meretricem purpuratam insidentem septem montibus in magna civitate quae regnum obtinebat in Reges terrae Expectamúsque dum Dominus prout promisit ac jam coepit conficiens eum spiritu oris sui tandem illustri adventu suo aboleat Whereas the Bishop of Rome having erected to himself a Monarchy over the Christian world doth usurp a Dominion over all Churches and Pastors and hath rose to such a height of pride as to call himself 1. God will be 2. adored and all power to be given him in heaven and earth disposeth of all Ecclesiastical things defines Articles of Faith saith the authority of the Scripture and the interpretation of it to be from him maketh Merchandize of soules dispenseth with vowes and oathes institutes new worships of God As also in civil affaires treads upon the lawful authority of the Magistrate in giving taking away translating of Empires We do believe and assert him to be the very proper Antichrist son of perdition foretold in the word of God the scarlet harlot sitting on seven mountains in the great city which hath obtained a rule over the Kings of the earth and we do expect when the Lord according to his promise and as he hath begun will destroy him with the spirit of his mouth and at length abolish with the brightnesse of his coming And Maresius in his preface to the Answer of Hugo Grotius his Observations upon the 2 Thes 2. and other places gives us the like Article agreed upon in Synodo Nationali Gapensi Anno 1604. which hath very little or no difference from the former and so needlesse to be repeated Which do fully agree with the Synod of Ireland by the Arch-bishops and Bishops and the rest of the Clergy there in the Convocation holden at Dublin 1615. num 80. viz. The Bishop of Rome is so farre from being the supreme head of the Vniversal Church of Christ that his works and doctrine do plainly discovar him to be the man of sin foretold in holy Scripture whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and abolish with the brightnesse of his coming The former Synod may possibly be undervalued with some by bearing the name of Presbyterian but seeing it consents with the latter which was Episcopal why may it not be an introduction to a further moderation betweene them in other matters And it stands but with justice that if Presbytery have had a hand in the match of Episcopacy with Popery which seems to have been without consent of parties it should upon this evidence be the more forward in assisting in the divorce Now in regard that above-said Article of the Church of Ireland confirmed by the judgement of the late Primate hath been objected against by Doctor Heylene for that as he saith there is no such doctrine in the book of Articles nor in any publick monument or record of the Church of England but the contrary rather I shall cite some passages out of the book of Homilies which are approved by the book of Articles as a larger declaration of the Doctrine of the Church of England and leave it to the Readers judgment In the third part of the Sermon of good works speaking against the Popish singing of Trentals and the superstitious Orders in the Church of Rome introduced to serve the Papacy these words are as followeth viz. Honour be to God who did put light in the heart of King Henry the eighth to put away all such superstitions and Pharisaical Sects by Antichrist invented c. which can be meant of no other but the See of Rome by the words not long after viz. Let us rehearse some other kinds of Papistical superstitions c. In the second part of the Sermon of salvation speaking against the Popish opinion of justification by works these words are as followeth Justification is not the office of man but of God for man cannot make himself righteous by his own works neither in part nor in the whole for that were the greatest arrogancy and presumption of man that Antichrist could set up against God etc. and so accounts it not the doctrine of a Christian that sets forth Christs glory but of him that is an adversary to Christ and his Gospel and a setter forth of mans vain-glory c.. And that passage in the third part of the Sermon against the perill of Idolatry p. 69. I leave to the Readers judgement if the sense can be understood otherwise then of the See of Rome in these words following viz. Now concerning popish
two several times in the year in the Ancient Church set apart for it Easter and Pentecost called dies baptismatum which is Calvins and Bezaes or implying the double act in it the inward Baptisme of Christ and outward baptisme of John that is to say the Ministers which are Mr. (a) Answ tâ— Rhemist Comment on N. T upon this place Cartwrights words upon the place who also saith by a trope both Sacraments are here noted under one but I conceive that which we first gave is the best And 't is observable that the Apostle saith the doctrine of Baptismes 't is not the absolute want of it when it cannot be had but the rejecting of the doctrine of it that damnes 'T is possible that some of those three thousand converted by Saint Peters Sermon might have died before they could come to the water and yet be saved but if they had rejected the doctrine of it when they were bad to be baptized like the Pharisees rejecting the Counsel of God against themselves or like Naman who despised the river Jordan I question it A well ordered discipline is the ornament of the Church but upon the confession and doctrine of Saint Peter it was to be founded in which sence the Apostles and Prophets in their doctrines are called the foundation of it Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone and as some think is the sence of that Revel 21.14 that in the twelve foundations were the names of the twelve Apostles in relation to their doctrinals So much for that Now the next is the doctrine of laying on of hands Here is the great question What is meant by it That it is a Fundamentall cannot be denied if Baptisme be one this must be another see in the verse how like twins they are borne and bred under the same roof And 't is observable that in the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the plural number doctrines referring to both In the search of several Authours I find these two expositions most worthy of consideration The first is Confirmation of children after Baptisme which hath somewhat of Antiquity for it most of the Writers of the Church of Rome incline that way and even Calvin is of that mind also and in his Comment upon this place stands much for it and wisheth it had not been laid aside hodie retinenda pura institutio superstitio autem corrigenda and produceth this custome of confirming of children in the Primitive times to be an argument they were then baptized but I conceive it cannot be the sence for this reason because 't is not a Fundamentall and hard to prove it was then like Baptisme and the rest esteemed to be of a necessary use and belief in the Catholick Church according to that of Vincentius Lyrinensis Magnopere curandum est ut id teneamus quod ubique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est hoc est enim verè propriè Catholicum contr haeresin cap. 3. That is to be held for a Catholick verity which hath been believed every where alwayes and by all And our Church saith children baptized have all things necessary to their salvation The Papists that hold it to be a Sacrament do not say 't is a Fundamentall and when it was observed by us we took it to be only an ancient laudable custome of the Church and whether it was so in Saint Pauls time in the Church of the Hebrewes it doth not appear The second Exposition is that it should be meant an ordained Ministery which clearly in Saint Paul's time we find was wont to be by laying on of hands This is Pareus his sense upon this place It was saith he (a) Initialis doctrina de ministerio Ecclesiae quia tum ordinabantur per impositionem manuum an initial doctrine concerning the Ministery of the Church then ordained by imposition of hands * Totum munus Propheticum c. Gualterus in his Comment upon this place saith In this is contained the whole function of Preachers c. designed unto it by imposition of hands But none so full as Mr. Cartwright in his answer to the Rhemists upon this place his words are these viz. By the imposition of hands the Apostle meaneth no Sacrament much lesse confirmation after Baptisme but by a trope or borrowed speech the Ministers of the Church upon the which hands were laid which appeareth in that whosoever believeth not that there ought to be a Ministery by order or Ordination to teach and govern the Church overthroweth Christianity whereas if Confirmation of children were a Sacrament as it is not yet a man holding the rest and denying the use of it might notwithstanding be saved And some lines after gives us summarily the sense of this verse viz. to be the doctrine of the Sacraments and of the Ministery of the Church Ye see in his opinion what a dangerous thing it is no lesse then the hazard of their own salvation to lay aside an ordained Ministery or to deny the doctrine of it which men now frequently presume And 't is observable the argument which he useth he produceth as a Maxime then in his time taken for granted not to be proved but supposed no man then so much as questioning the necessity of it for though there were then divers disputes about discipline and ceremonies in which this learned Authour then appeared yet both parties esteemed alike of Ordination to be a sacred institution none presuming to take upon them the office of the Ministery without it Well this I conceive to be the sence here of laying on of hands viz. That it was a Principle of the Catechisme taught to Christians at their first reception that there was to be a successive ordination or setting apart of persons for the Ministery for an authorative preaching of faith and repentance and administration of Sacraments called laying on of hands from the outward rite as the Lords Supper by breaking of bread And this was the judgement of the most Reverend and learned Father of our Church the late Arch-Bishop of Armagh which hath the rather emboldned me to employ my thoughts in the confirmation of it and surely if it be a fundamentall the knowledge of the sense of it is of a greater consequence then to be slighted First it is considerable how well this doth sute with Saint Pauls expression elsewhere speaking of Ordination 2 Tim. 1.6 Stirre up the gift of God that is in thee by the putting on of my hands 1 Tim. 4.14 neglect not the gift that is in thee given thee with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery both thus sufficiently reconciled Saint Paul was the principal the Presbyters were his assistants according to the constitutions and custome of our Church in Ordination The Bishop is not to do it alone but with the assistance of at least three or four of the Ministers which was after the patteâ—n of the Primitive times The injunction of
doctrine in it that it should be a scandall to us either And yet we were not then to seek for an ordained Ministery there having been for many hundreds of years before that a flourishing Church among us which the Saxons whom he came to convert had been the persecutors and destroyers of as Gildas tells us so that in that or the former sense the objection is not worth the answering Answ 4 But fourthly I suppose they mean of later Centuries when that complaint of the Prophet concerning Jerusalem might be appliable to Rome How is that faithful City become a harlot it was full of judgement righteousnesse lodgeed in her but now murderers c. i. e. Since the Bishop of Rome became corrupt in doctrine and worship For this first we thus answer While we were under the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome it doth not appear that he ordinarily usurped more then a mandatory nomination of the Bishop to be consecrated which out of a blind fear of his excommunication was assented unto but the consecration was not by him but other Bishops here within our selves And I account the ordination or consecration to be derived from such as gave imposition of hands not from the mandate for them to do it Henry the eight and the Kings succeeding assumed the like power in the nomination of the person which accordingly might not be gainsaid but from thence it cannot be argued that our ordination or consecration was deduced from them for the Kings mandate served not to give power to ordain which those Bishops had before intrinsecally annexed to their office but only was a warrant to apply this power to the person named in that Mandate Now this being all which was usurped by the Bishop of Rome in relation to the consecrations of our Bishops in England when we were under the Tyranny of the Papacy there is as little force for our deriving our ordination from him also And if those Bishops of Sidon which as Arch-Deacon * De Minister Anglican Mason tells us assisted in the first consecration in Hen. 8. as in Edward the sixth's time were not meerly Titular but had their consecration from the Greek Church which is altogether a stranger to the See of Rome it would take off somewhat from the pretence of a totall derivation from thence Object But still it may be objected that we have at least received our Ordination from such as professed the Religion of Rome Answ First it could not be called properly the Religion of Rome till the Councell of Trent which determined many years after our falling off from the See of Rome The Papists ask us Where was our Religion before Luther we might reply Where was the Popish Religion before that time 'T is true most of those poysonous errours were sowen up and down the world before but not collected fully into a body and so owned and headed by the Papacy till then For till that time scarce any point we hold now against them but there were some of their own Authours who held it also So that to speak properly the now Romish Religion in their new Creed with other appurtenances was established since our form of ordination 2. Suppose we received our ordination from such who were corrupted with Popish errours yet if they retained the Fundamentalls of Christian Religion their ordination may be valid those like some part of the barke of the tree uncut may convey the Sappe from the root to the preserving of life in the branches What Saint Augustine saith of the Donatists in some things mecum sunt they concurre with me in other things they are defiled may be applicable to the Church of Rome and if so why may we not receive through them what was of Christs remaining in them without being defiled with that corrupt part which is their own why may not there be in this a separation of the precicious from the vile And in our reformation we withdrew our selves no further from her then she hath declined from her self in the Apostles time and from the ancient state and condition of it then as one saith well Nostra Ecclesia ab hodierna Romana Ecclesia contaminata recessit ut ad pristinam puram Apostolicam Romanam accedere posset We forsook the present corrupted Church of Rome that we might be nearer a kin to the first pure Apostolical Roman Church in the primitive times 3. In a word we do affirme that neither their corruption in opinion or vitiosity of life do or did void it to the party ordained none doubts of the Baptisme of our fore-fathers administred by those of the like in the Church of Rome as if there needed any reiteration by them who survived our reformation neither do we renew the orders received in that Church when any Priest is converted and betakes himself to our communion and why should it be questioned here Let the Seal be of Silver or brasse the impression is alike valid if affixed by order to the deed Parents in generation convey to the child what is essentiall to humane nature not that which is accidentall A maimed Father begets a Son like himself as he was before he lost his arme as the circumcised did and doth an uncircumcised child the like application may be made to the transferring of ordination in such a wounded diseased Apostatized Church as the Roman now is and by such corrupted persons in life and doctrine continuing in it so they do observe the * See Bishop Bedels letter to Wadsworth p. 157. My defence for your Ministry is that the forme Receive the Hâ—ly Ghost whose sins ye remit are remitted doth suciffiently comprehend the authority c. essentials in ordination other superstructures or corruption in the ordainers doth not null it either to the persons themselves or successors which might be further manifested by the pâ—actice of the Church in all ages 1. That Ministration under the Law the Priests of which the Jewish Writers say were consecrated by laying on of hands had as much cause to stand upon succession as any yet ye find often that the Priests the sons of Aaron and the Levites had corrupted their wayes were defiled with Idolatry in Ahaz and Manasses time and others as bad or worse then the See of Rome yet after a reformation the succession which was by their hands was not questioned Though the Priesthood ran through much filth yet retaining the essentialls of the Jewish Religion as circumcision c. they were owned of God again in a successive ministration See in the height of their Idolatry when they were offering their children by fire unto their Idols yet by retaining the Sacrament covenant of circumcision their children are called the Lords children Ezek. 16.20 Thou hast taken thy sons which thou hast borne unto me c. thou hast slayn my children in causing them to pass through the fire etc. 2. In our Saviour Christs time there was as bad a succession as
43.3 is said to have destroyed the City by being said to pronounce destruction to it The Primate observes that we often meet with these speeches concerning the Leprosie which was a Type of the pollution of sin the Priest shall cleanse him the Priest shall pollute him Lev. 13. according to the Hebrew and the Greek version and out of (a) Contaminatione contaminabit eum haud dubium quin Sacerdos non quo contaminationis Author sit sed quo ostendat eum contaminatum Hieron lib. 7. Esa cap. 23. Saint Jerom that 't is said verse 44. the Priest with pollution shall pollute him not that he is the Authour of his pollution but that he declares him to be polluted and uncleane whereupon the Master of the sentences and others do observe (b) In remittendis vel retinendis peccatis id Juris Officii habent Evangelici sacerdotes quod olim habebant sub lege legales in curandis leprosis Hi ergo peccata dimittunt vel retinent dum dimissa adeo vel retenta indicant ostendant Ponunt enim sacerdotes nomen Domini super filios Israel sed ipse benedixit sicut legitur in Num. Petr. Lomb. l. 4. sent dist 14. that in remitting and retaining of sins the Priests of the Gospel have the like power and office which the Priests of old had under the Law in curing the Lepers who therefore accordingly may be said to forgive and retaine sins whilst they shew and declare they are forgiven or retained of God (a) Num. 6. So the Priests put the name of the Lord upon the children of Israel and were commanded to blesse the people in saying The Lord blesse thee but it was the Lord himself that blessed them according to the next words and I will blesse them And thus in these four things I leave it to be calmly considered of if the Ministers have not power left them by Christ in relation to forgivenesse of sins and with these limitations whether that part of the old form of the words of Ordination might not be continued also which seems to me to be explained in the next following them viz. And be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word and Sacraments c. through both which the graces of the Holy Ghost and remission of sins are conveyed and sealed in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost According as in the words at the Communion used to the recipient the former clause was added in Q. Elizabeths dayes to give the more full sense of the latter And let not any by this Moderate expression extenuate the office of the Ministery as Bellarmine would by this inferre that any Lay-man Woman or Child may absolve as well as the Minister as we have among our selves too many of that judgement For it consisteth not in speech but in power or Authority he being as the officer of a King Authorized to make Proclamation of his pleasure Every man may speak one to another to the use of edifying but to them is given 1 Cor. 10.16 power to edification God hath made them able Ministers not of the letter but of the Spirit That from them it comes 1 Thess 1.5 not only in word but in power also and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance which accordingly hath been experimentally found that howsoever another may from the Scripture shew as truly unto the penitent what glad tidings are there intended to him yet to drooping and doubting soules it hath not been so efficacious in quieting them and giving satisfaction to their consciences either in sicknesse death-bed or otherwise as by the Ministery ordained and commissionated for that end That as 't is their office to pray and exhort you in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God so having listened to that Motion and submitted your selves accordingly 't is their office to declare and assure unto you in Christs stead that God is reconciled with you All which appeares to be the ancient doctrine of the Church of England by what is publickly declared in the exhortation before the Communion to be read sometimes at the discretion of the Minister which is the recitd and approved by the Primate as followeth And because it is requisite that no man should come to the holy Communion but with a full trust in Gods mercy and with a quiet conscience therefore if there be any of you which by meanes aforesaid i. e. Private examination and confession of sinnes to God cannot quiet his own conscience but requireth further Councell and Comfort then let him come to me or some other discreet and learned Minister of Gods word and open his grief that he may receive such Ghostly Councel Advice and Comfort as his Conscience may be relieved and that by the Ministery of Gods word he may receive comfort and the benefit of absolution to the quieting of his conscience and avoyding of all scruple and doubtfulnesse And now let the Reader judge if Dr. Heylene hath not cause to repent of his rash censure of the Primate in his late book p. 108. as if in this part of his Answer to the Jesuite he had as he saith in this particular utterly subverted as well the doctrine of this Church as her purpose in it c. when those two arguments which himself urgeth from the words of Ordination and the exhortation at the communion are produced and defended by the Primate also What would he have he saith the doctrine of the Church of England is that The Priest doth forgive sins authoritativè by a delegated and commissionated power committed to him from our Lord and Saviour doth not the Primate say the same that 't is not only declarativè but designativè not only by way of information out of the word of God as another understanding Christian may do to the penitent that his sins are pardoned but he doth it authoritative as having a power and commission from God to pronounce it to the party and by the seale of the Sacrament to assure the soule of the penitent that he is pardoned of God which no other man or Angel can do ex officio but the Minister of Christ according to that of the Apostle To us is committed the word of reconciliation this is the summe of the Primates judgement He that would have more must step over into the Church of Rome for it I shall only make a trial whether Doctor Heylene will so conclude against Mr. Hooker as he hath against the Primate who in his sixth book of Ecclesiasticall Policy consents fully with him where after his declaring that for any thing he could ever observe those Formalities which the Church of Rome do so esteem of were not of such estimation nor thought to be of absolute necessity with the Ancient Fathers and that the form with them was with invocation or praying for the penitent that God would be reconciled unto him for which he produceth Leo Ambrose (a) Sacerdos
imponit manum subjecto reditum Spiritus sancti invocat indicta in populum oratione altari reconciliat c. advers Lucifer Jerome c. p. 96. He thus declares his judgement viz. As for the Ministerial sentence of private absolution it can be no more then a declaration what God hath done it hath but the force of the Prophet Nathan 's absolution God hath taken away thy sins then which construction especially of words judiciall there is nothing more vulgar For example the Publicans are said in the Gospel to have justified God the Jewes in Malachy to have blessed the proud man which sin and prosper not that the one did make God righteous or the other the wicked happy but to blesse to justifie and to absolve are as commonly used for words of judgement or declaration as of true and reall efficacy yea even by the opinion of the Master of sentences c. Priests are authorized to loose and bind that is to say declare who are bound and who are loosed c. Saint Jerome also whom the Master of the Sentences alledgeth directly affirmeth That as the Priests of the Law could only discern and neither cause nor remove Leprosies so the Ministers of the Gospel when they retain or remit sinnes do but in the one judge how long we continue guilty and in the other declare when we are clear or free Tom. 6. Comment in 16. Mat. So saith Mr. Hooker when conversion by manifest tokens did seem effected Absolution ensuing which could not make served onely to declare men innocent p. 108. When any of ours ascribeth the work of remission to God and interprets the Priests sentence to be but a solemn declaration of that which God himselfe hath already performed they i. e. the Church of Rome scorne it And so after much to this purpose he thus concludes p. 113. Let it suffice to have shewen how God alone doth truly give and private Ministerial absolution but declare remission of sinnes And thus I leave Mr. Hooker under Doctor Heylen's Censure who hath already concluded that forgivenesse of sins by the Priest onely declarativè doth not come up to the doctrine of the Church of England Though the reason he gives because it holds the Priest doth forgive sins authoritativè I do not see the force of The former supposing the latter for the Officer whose place it is solemnly to make Proclamation of the Kings pardon doth it authoritativè nay dares not do it unlesse he were authorized accordingly And so much for the Primates judgement of those words of Ordination Receive the Holy Ghost whose sins thou forgivest are forgiven whose sins thou retainest are retained The PRIMATES judgment of the Vse of a set Form of Prayer heretofore declared and now more fully enlarged and confirmed with the concurrence of the Votes of such eminent persons who are so esteemed by the contrary-minded THis Subject hath been so sufficiently discussed and determined by others that no new thing can be expected from me onely you have here the Judgement and Approbation of this eminent Primate which being of so great esteem with all good men 't is possible now upon near an even scale of mens opinions in it his may be of that weight as to give satisfaction First that the Vse of a set Form of Prayer is not a setting up of any new doctrine as the Athenians judged of Saint Paul appeares in that 't is the practise of the Belgick Churches for which ye have the determination of the Divines of Leyden Polyander Rivetus Walaeus Thysius in their (a) Disput 36. de cultu invocat Sect. 33. non tantum licitas sed valde utiler esse contendimus c. in magnis conventibus atientio auditorum per usitatas formulas non parum juvatur Synopsis Theologiae And the resolution of Mr. Aimes our countryman who lived and died a Professor of Divinity among them in his cases of conscience who saith 't is (b) Licitum hoc esse manifestum est ex approbata sanctorum praxi quam in praescriptis Psalmis benedicendi formulis scriptura nobis commendat Vtile etiam necessarium est quibusdam istiusmodi formam sequi quamvis ex libelloisit denotanda l. 4. cap. 17. de oratione mentali vocali lawfull from the approved practice of the Saints in the Psalmes and other Formes of blessing in the Scripture nay profitable and necessary for some though it be read out of a book Then for the judgement and practice accordingly of the Reformed Church of France Ludovicus Capellus gives us a sufficient account of who is Professor of Divinity in the University of Somer in one of his Theses lately published de Liturgiae formulis conceptis or a set form of a Liturgie where after hee hath answered all the pretended arguments against it which it seemes he had gleaned up out of some of our English Writers of late he concludes (a) Vbi sunt eâ—uditi Pastores S. Liturgiae publica formula est apprimè utilis necessaria ad communem Ecclesiae aedificationem c. earum usus jure damnari â—on potest nec debet cum semper ubique in universa Ecclesia Christiana toto terrarum orbe jam à plusquam 1300 annis perpetuo obtinuerit etiamque hodie ubique obtineat nisi apud novâ—tios c. Donec tandem nuperimè exorti sunt in Anglia c. de Liturg. concept form paâ—s 3. that 't is very necessary both for the most learned Pastors and congregations as unlearned and the edification of both being used throughout the Christian world in all ages at least for these 1300 years and is still at this day in all places excepting only as he saith some of late with us in England whose censure of them is so severe that it would be offensive in me to repeat it And surely the general custome and practice of the reformed Churches which Saint Paul urgeth 1 Cor. 11.16 cap. 14.33 cannot be contemned by any sober Christian unto which may be added the judgement of diverse pious and eminent men of onr own nation and so esteemed by such as have asserted the contrary whose judgements being too large to be inserted here I shall deferre them till the last who do very fully concurre with the Primate in it Calvin was a wise and learned man now as Beza tells us it was his constant practice to use a set form of Praier before Sermon without alteration So was it his advice in his Epistle to the Protector of England in Edward the sixth's time which hath bin mentioned elsewhere for the establishing of a set form of a Liturgy here from which it might not be lawfull for pastors to depart both for the good of the more ignorant preventing of an affected novelty in others and the declaring of an unanimous consent in all the Churches For which practice and advice he had sufficient warrant from the President of the Ancient