into this land in the Apostles times according to that in Rom. 10.18 Tertullian Tertull. aduers Iud. ca. 7. saith Britannorum inaccessa Romanis loca Christo vero subdita c. That the Britans euen in such places as Romaines had not accesse vnto they were subdued to Christ That S. Paul after his first captiuitie at Rome should come into these partes Theodoret writeth Theod. l. 9. de cur Graec. affect Niceph. l. 2. ca. 4. Nicephorus affirmeth that Simon Zelotes came into Britaine And Iohn Bale from auncient Gildas our writer and from others affirmeth that Ioseph of Arimathia was sent into Britain by Philip the Apostle after the dispersion from the Galles this to be about the yeere of our Lord 63. Yea that Iames with some others did repaire to and preach in Ireland Vincentius Vinc. 8. c. 7. writeth But more of this I haue written in my Antidoton Who came first hither with the Gospell it skilleth not sure we are it came here for we find it here and the Brownists against his owne soule must confesse it except they will tell vs that them selues haue receaued the Gospell vpon Sea or in some foraigne country Obiection But this proueth no way an orderly plantation of the Church to haue bin here Ans Yes forsooth except you wil haue a companie of beleeuers dwelling together in the Faith as the Church first did lodge in a myles compasse by Welles now tearmed Glascon-bury to liue without rule without forme of true gouernment If they liued at first like Libertines which no sober spirit can think then we must greatly lament that none of the Brownists were then with them for instructing them in discipline Obiection Let it be what soeuer it was yet we find not true discipline now Ans Some of you haue also said that neither we haue the Gospell but if some of you vpon better aduise do graunt we haue the Gospell for the substance I think ye had best graunt also discipline for the substance that is such externall gouernment as for the substance at least doth stand for the Gospell for Christ And that the Gospell shall so soundly be preached and gouernment so faithfully executed of any Churches in these last times as was at first none of wit can beleeue because our Sauior and the Apostles do fore-tell the contrarie Math. 24 37 38 39 Luk. 17 22 23. Math. My Antidoton openeth that point at large 13 24 c. 1. Tim. 4 1 c. 2. Tim. 3 1 c. Reuel 13 11 c. 2. Thess 2 3 c. and yet no reason nor warrant of running out of the Catholike wheat-field or Church vnder a pretext of Replantation but rather to keepe within and as we can and may to labour for Reformation But where they say You want Christs gouernment and in the roume thereof you haue Antichristes and therfore we seperate I more particularly answer First after Peters confession in Math. 16 our Sauior doth not promise that outward Church-gouernment shall preuaile for euer against Hell-gates and themselues graunt it hath not but only A true being of the Church by reason of the Rock wheron it should be builded Secondly let them marke that Peter maketh no confession of Church discipline for as yet he had not learned that but of Christ Iesus to be as verilie the Son of God vnseen of flesh and blood as he was man well seen of flesh blood Who beeing the Christ or Messiah did verily carry with it that there was no other by whom Saluation was wholie or in part to be effected And the knowledge beliefe and apprehension of this not exteriour discipline is the essential foundation of the Church Which who so holdeth in the vnitie of the Catholike Church they are to be held of this Catholike Citie and not because of imperfections to be seuered from because Iehouah is Shammah There Thirdly let them consider that as outward Church gouernment is not the mark or badge euer of true Christians for in the Brownists iudgement many of the Anabaptists haue that and we know that Iesabel with her spiritual children Balaams sectaries the faction of beastly Nicolaitans c. Reuel 2. 3. they were in the Asian Churches rightly established and possessed of right gouernment but yet bearing the badge of Antichrist so neither is humane regiment a marke euer of false Christians For if Christ his gouernment externall it can not cause all vnder it to be vnto vs true visible Christians much lesse can humane regiment or Antichrists outward gouernment cause all vnder it to be of vs reputed Antichristes Seeing Anti-christes gouernment can not haue more vice in it then there is vertue in Christes Fourthly they know not what Antichrists marke is for if euery good thing be not the marke of a true Christian for Arrius Nestorius yea euery Heretike holdeth some good thinges so neither can euery bad thing be the badge of Antichrist for then euery man should be Antichristian seing euery man at least somtimes hath some bad thing visible in him As Antichrist is opposed to Christ so in nothing so much as in the verie foundation of Religion â—â—r which the Apostle S. Paul tearmeth him Anti-keimenos 2. Thess 2.4 the Layer of an opposite foundation And in very troth as it is the verie essentiall truth of the Gospell which is the mark of a true Christian so it is the very fundamentall falshood of Antichrist for the which he is entitled Antichrist his members Antichrists The foundation false not hay stubble c. vpon a true foundation 1. Cor. 3.10 c. is the beastes marke differencing his people essentially from Christes Obiect But the Apostle saying Let euery man take heed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how he builds not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what he builds it argueth he there speaketh of the manner of teaching not of the matter taught I answer He intendeth both maner and matter And that may be seen First by comparing the 2. chap. the 1. verse with that which foloweth there in this chapter for he compareth not only his plaine manner of teaching with humane Eloquence but also the plaine matter of the Gospell with the worlds wisdom which elswhere he tearmeth Coloss 2.8 Philosophie Secondly gold siluer c. hay stubble c. they cannot in any proprietie so much resemble manner as matter specially compared with Fire which is not appointed so much to trie the manner as the matter or thing it self Thirdly seeing Eloquence may stand with Christ the foundation first for that it is the gift of God 2. is sanctified to his people Exod. 4.10.11 Eccles. 12.9.10 Act. 18.24 1. Cor. 1.5 Lastly an hundred schollers may be called together for defining fully what is the Primitiue forme of Church-regiment and 3. of them though otherwise goodmen not be found in one iudgment for all things How vnwise therfore are these people that about the forme of discipline do rend
themselues from the Catholike Citie of god Our Sauiour foretold that ther should be such schismatical spirites who in these confused times would crie Come into the desert come into the secret places Christ is here but therewith he saith to his sheepe Go not thither nor follow them Luk. 17.23 Thus much briefly touching the foundation of this new Citie Iehouah-Shammah This that followeth was not vttered as being preuented by the time THe foundation considered it now remayneth I speak of the Citizens that so brieflie as I can The Citizens are as the Citie is considered This Citie being the Church extended from the East to the West it must be considered either as existing of all Christians good and bad and so Heretikes Scismatikes Pharisaicall professors c. are all Citizens though bad Citizens Or else as it existeth only of such as are sanctified according to the end of their Election Ephes 1.4 who are verie deed the liuely members of Christ Iesus In the first consideration all are Citizens by reason they haue receaued the outward badge or cognizaunce of Christ and so by Baptisme haue giuen vp their names to Christ Who before they appeare euill are of vs to be deemed true Christians but appearing euill and not obaying the Churches voice for repentance they are to be denied all familiar communion specially in ecclesiasticall ordinances but not without some hope that God wil in time recouer them seeing the first excommunication is but for humbling the proud flesh that so the spirit may in the Lord his good day be saued 1. Cor. 5.4.5 As for the second excommunication tearmed Maran-atha 1. Cor. 16.22 it is seldom inflicted on any by the Church because such is their Apostacie from Christ as for the which the Church denieth afterwards to sacrifice or pray for them Heb. 6.1 2 3 4 5 6 compared with Heb. 10.26 1. Ioh. 5.6 and easily the Church dare not so iudge and leaue any soule vnto the Lord his comming to iudgement as the Syriake phrase Maran-atha importeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Máréa Dominus Dan. 2.47 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atha Venit vt in Ezra 5.3 And that the Church is considered in such sence namely to consist of good and bad it is to be heeded first in her types as in Noahs Arke and Israels congregation as also in such of the New testaments scriptures Math. 3.12 and 13.24 c. and there in vers 47. c. and 24.40 41. 2. Tim. 2.20 with many of like nature And so are ordinarilie vnderstood of our Auncients That the church is also vnderstood of such as be really sanctified and borne anew through the immortall seede of God his word and the inward operation of his spirit it may appeare first from the end of Election and vocation which is vnto sanctification of the Spirit wherevppon they are called Saints or Holy-ones Rom. 1.7 and 16.2.15 1. Cor. 1.2 6.1 16.1.15 alibi saepe compared with Ephes 1.4 Iohn 15.3 17.17 Secondly by such expresse testimonie Ephes 5.25 26 27 Heb. 12.14 1. Cor. 6.19 1. Pet. 1.9 And of this sort of Citizens is that Ierushalem from heauen and that Tabernacle of God with men which S. Iohn seeth in Reuel 21.2.3 vnderstood so Rabanus ca. 8. de modo poenitentiae Bale hereon Beza in ser 20. of Chr. passion Tho. Aquin. on Galat. 4.26 of Auncient and moderne writers though somtime of the triumphant Church also Obiection Here is a citty wherein no vnclean thing enters but the best of God his people here haue vncleane things in them therefore here they cannot be the Citizens of this new Ierushalem Answer The Antecedent is true but the illation or consequent is false For they are sayd to be Cleane not simply but respectiuely that is in respect that they are alredy in the Lauer of regeneration cleansed so in part as in Christ their head it is considered Absolute and perfect And that in S. Iohn cittizeas there be imperfections it may appeare in 22. chap. verse 2. where hee sayth that the leaues of this citties wood the Tree of life Christ Iesus in his word and spirit they were to heale the Nations with Whereas the healing of vs in regarde of our spirituall sores it appertaineth in proprietie to this life besides that the Lord tearmeth things that are not as if they were because his Velle is Esse his present Wil is present Worke but vnto vs reuealed in time This holy people for if the first fruites be holy so is the whole lump and if the roote be holy so are the branches Ro. 11.16 for theyr sakes the wicked tares are spared Math. 13.29 yea the Sodomiticall worlde were it not for this righteous Lot should soon be consumed with fire brimston Wicked within wicked without they al fare the better for this little Citties sake and yet they can intreate it no better than Laban intreated Iaakob Sodom intreated Lot his good angels no better than Saul vnto Dauid While Iudahs Ierushalem stoode with her Temple and ceremonies then these Citizens for one gentle swallow makes not a summer were the seede of Iaakob or Israel pent vp within the typicall Canaan but now this new citties people are stretched from Sea to Sea from one ende of the world to an other consisting of all nations and kinreds and people and tongues Reuel 7.9 Sayd I of all tongues Yea not onely all sorts of people but all sortes of tongues are to stand before the Throne of Christ and prayse him Not onely the Hebrew the Greeke and Latin tongues wherein our Sauiours Inscription was written but all the tongues that were giuen vnto the apostles in Actes 2. ch whereby they were enabled to preach the doctrine of faith vnto all sortes of people Which were a sufficient confutation of the Romanists seruice in sole Latine compared with 1. Corin. 14.16 But because no instrument shal be lacking for cutting off that euill themselues now at last haue turned the new testament into English for euery Lay man to looke into as also haue made English Manuels of prayer besides their turning of Iesus his Psalter blasphemously so called into our language So great is the Truth and preuaileth Secondly these are that Ierushalem which is here tearmed Iehouah Shammah The Lord is there Where in this Citty in this people for they are the Habitation and Temple of the mighty God of Iaakob God riseth vp in them and they grow vp in God and so oh depth of wisdom mercie God and Man becommeth One. The diuell at first saide to Euah that in eating the forbidden fruit they should become AS GODS He meant As Diuels Blacke gods and yet hee spake truer than hee was aware For as the creature cannot become the Creator so we are not become really Gods but we through his free fauour that called Light out of Darknesse are become really As Gods not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim but Gen. 3 5. 〈◊〉
his eldest sonne finishing this mans seed in Iehoiachin from the front of whose name Iehouah remoueth Compare 2. King 24.6 with Ier. 22.24.28 c. according to Greek for me Ieconias in Math. 1.11 Iah as a signet from his finger terming him Coniah pulling heerewith Nathan the other sonne of Dauid his family into the line by adoption beginning with Salathiel and so to Zerubbabel and then downe by his eldest sonne Abiud vnto Christ S. Luke beginning with Ioseph the supposed father of Iesus hee steppeth vpwarde to Zerubbabel by the line of his second sonne Rhesa and so from him directly vpward to Dauid not by Solomons house which ended with the captiuitie but by Nathans line the line of adoption This paines haue the two Euangelists taken for manifesting the church her visibilitie from the beginning of the worlde vnto Messiahs comming The Typicall church so ouerturneth our aduersaries doctrine for that was alwayes visible Secondly they alleadge certaine scriptures against the new churches visibilitie the seeming strongest whereof be these first Reuelat. 12. where by the woman they truely vnderstand the church whereof the virgin Mary was an arch-member and from her lodging in the wildernesse for a time two times and halfe a time they vnderstand some long time wherein the church should be hid from the sight of al be inuisible I answer scripture must be expounded from scripture not by vnreasonable fancies for where haue they any one scripture which By being in the wildernesse doth vnderstand Inuisibilitie Rather lette them vnderstand that the holy-ghost puttes vs hereby in mind of the anciēt church of Israel fed in the wildernesse and as Moses sayth Exod. 19.4 Deut. 32.11 carried as vpon the wings of an Eagle a figure of the worlds state through which the Church heere is to passe in her pilgrimage spirituall Now who will say that Israel was inuisible in the wildernesse Or that they could be considered but onely according to secret Election The flat contrary followeth Such ill happe haue these men in their allegation of scripture Another scripture is that before alleadged in Reu. 6. whence they would conclude an apostacie of the whole church I answer again scripture must expound scripture Compare this wyth Isaiahs prophecie chapt 24. last verse as also with 34. chap and 4. verse with other like places and it onely implyeth a darke desolation of all church beauty and orderly constitution whereby God testifieth his anger against rich and poore one an other The Moone therefore is seene coloured like blood whereby each meaneth a general persecution and blodshed in the church which cannot be if the church were inuisible And to this purpose marke howe in the twelfth chapter when the red dragon assayled the Church wyth all his might hee yet drewe downe but a third parte of the stars some were reserued to shine in the Church God euer in that reuelation shewing mercy to a remnant whē otherwise the viols of his wrath were powred out vpon the malignant multitude This theyr winde shaketh therfore no hauer Another scripture is Reu. 13. where say they all do take the beasts mark T is vntrue for the holy-ghost thus sayth All that dwell vppon the earth shall worshippe him marke the exception whose names are not written in the Booke of the life of the Lambe c. And because such there shall be he afterwardes concludeth Here is the patience of the Saynts So that Saints there shall be who wyth patience shall conquere And that is more plainely declared in the 11. chapter where all the tyrannous raigne of the beast choose whether that beast be the body of cruell Emperours or the sonne of perdition GOD also hath his Prophetes by whose ministerie the oyle of God his sauing grace is conueyed vnto his people Thus these men talke no men so much of the booke of Reuelation before any one of the Seales be vnclasped vnto them They should now at last learne to meddle lesse with this booke seeing the holy ghost leaueth so fearfull a curse vpon these that adde their owne idle fancies therto Reu. 22.19 An other scripture they alleage namely 2. Thess 2. whence they affirme the Churches whole departure from the Faith I answere First the auncient writers did ordinarily vnderstand Ierom ad Algasiam Tertull. de resurrect ca. 24. August de ciuitat l. 20. it of a generall Reuolt from Romes Empire which then had ruledome ouer the Nations of the earth And that indeed is verie plainly fore-told by S. Iohn in Reuel 17.16 Later writers in respect of some after circumstances do take it to be an Apostacie generall from Faith but none that stinke not of heresie do from thence conclude a flat Nullitie of the Church A generall desolation there should be as before in the Reuel but not a falling away in euery particular member For this is an absurd forme of argumentation Many or the most shall fall away therefore euery one shall fall away The man of sin with his army abhominable should enter into this new Citie and Temple of God yea rather rise vp in the midst thereof sowing his perfidious doctrine and planting his Idolatrous bottomles pit-inuentions but yet neuer essentially subdue those soules vnto him whose names were written in the Lambs booke Spot them he might with many superstitions but neuer subuert them in the Substance of their Faith and Obedience as In my Antid as also in my Visible Christian els where I haue in writing plainlie euinced If during Antichrists raigne there should be no visible people of God then Antichrist should be no more Antichrist seeing Christ had none in opposition against him Anti-christ must euer haue some to warre against and there must euer be some to wage battaile against Antichrist Otherwise fire would drop from Heauen and the world thereupon be presently consumed seeing there were none in the earth who had the word of Couenant in their mouths Such Nouices are ignorant of the promise sealed by the Father vnto Messiah the Churches Redeemer Isa 59.21 My spirit saith he that is vpon thee and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of thy seedes-seed saith Iehouah from henceforth euen for EVER And to this purpose when the sacred Reu. 7.1 c. winds of God breathed by the foure Euangelists were to be held back in an vnknowen tongue the Lord taketh order for many Iewes and moe Gentiles that they should notwithstanding carie not onely in their heart but also in their foreheads the visible marke of true Christianitie Bulling part 2. in annot tabulae 5. Bullinger in his Epitome of times hauing spoken of the most accursed times wherein Pharises Saduces Esseni crept into the Iewish Church he addeth Interim non dubium est c. Meane time it is not to be doubted that true doctrine continued vncorrupted amongst the litle remnant
Dan. 11 17. she is termed Bath-Nasim Cleopatra the glory of a countrey for the King of kings hath vnited her to himselfe for euer Heereof a certaine Auncient he thus writeth The citty of our Sauiour is builded And the Name of that Citty shall not be as was the first Ierushalem interpreted Vision of Peace * Ierom here on Vrbs Saluatoris extructa est c. but Adonaj-sama Ierom vseth Adonaj for Iehouah according to the maner of the Hebrues which in latine speach is turned Dominus ibidem who will neuer departe from it as from the first people he did saying to his disciples Iohn 14. vlt. Arise let vs go hence and vnto the Iewes Math. 23.38 your house shall be left desart But this shall haue an eternall possession and he himself wil be the possession vnto it promising so to the same disciples saying Beholde I am with you vnto the ende of the world Ludouic Lauater hereon And a later Writer speakes thus The Citty was foure-square whereby is signified the firmitude of the Church because it cannot be euerted Howsoeuer assailed it euer riseth vp against all assaults Iehouah there Out of this citie the Lord will not depart He will not leaue it as he did the synagogue but in all ages he will be There according to that in Math. 28. I will be with you vnto the end of the world Briefly then I inferre 1 First that Christians are not to retaine the whole or any part of Moses ceremoniall kingdom in the nature of that ceremonie 2 Secondly that the new testaments kingdom once established it neuer after can be totally remoued These two doctrines how they be receued of Romanists Anabaptists Brownists c. I shall briefly examine The Romanists commaunde in their Church the vse of sundry creatures as garments oyle water salte belles c. and as their Prouinciall Moguntine synode affirmeth Mogunt councel held Anno 1549 Ecclesiam exorcizandi potestatem accepisse c. that the Church hath power of coniuring salt and other creatures for auerting the diuelles traines and noysome pestilences so as they write their Pope Alexander of old vrgeth his holy water from Leuies ceremoniall water and they from the Aaronicall priesthoode do vrge garments and other ceremoniall creatures What must their arguments now be 1 The Church hath receued power no lesse than the Synagogue to exorcize creatures for driuing away Diuelles or 2 Moses commanded to the Synagogue holy water holy oyle holy garments c. therefore the church of Christ may or ought also so to consecrate and vse them First I passe by their misconstruing of the Leuiticall ceremonies who neither were by the Priests exorcised or coniured nor yet after their consecration set aparte for such ridiculous purposes as to feare away the diuel driue away pestilences preserue corne from thunder c. Secondly I answere it followeth not that what ceremonies God by Moses did prescribe vnto the synagogue that these must of God by Christ Iesus be continued in the new Testaments church for then it should followe that not onely some ceremonies but all should be translated into the Church But as the Apostle saith that Leuiticall or Ceremoniall meates drinkes Coloss 2.16 17. and holydaies they were but a shadow of things to come the body or substance whereof was Christ and therfore had their sacramentall end in Christ so the same Apostle termeth the obseruance of Iudaicall ceremonies A yoke from which Christ hath made vs free And in deed to retaine these Ceremonies what is it else but the rearing againe of the particion wall which stood between Iew and Gentile and so consequently to deny that Messiah is come in the flesh seeing his appearance in our nature it was for the abolishment of that particion wall of ceremonies Wherevpon a certaine Auncient could well conclude * August de doctr christ l. 3. c. 9. that after Christ by his resurrection manifested himselfe to be the freer of vs from the burden of legall ceremonies he himselfe and th'apostolicall discipline deliuered vnto vs quaedam pauca pro multis a certaine Few for Many sicuti est Baptismi sacramentum celebratio corporis sanguinis Domini as namely the sacrament of Baptisme and the celebration of our Lord his body and bloud As for Ordination by presbyterall imposition of hands mentioned by him elsewhere for a kinde of * Aug. contr Parmen li. 2 c. 12. alibi So Bucer expresly in l. de vi vsu ministerii Caluin in Instit l 4. c. 3. sect 16 ch 14. sect 20. ca. 19. sect 28 31 So hath Apologia Augustanae confess graunted by Chemnitius in exam Trident Concil So hath our doctor Bilson in his perpetuall gouernment ca. 9. and 10. sacrament and in the new church practised precisely and plentifully by the Apostles and Presbyters he in this place passeth by it because neither it was a ceremonie to the whole Church nor now instituted but an auncient sacred signe continued whose signification had no end in Christs manifestation For Christians to reuiue the legall shadowes it is but to cast againe a vaile vpon Moses and to hinder vs as the Iewes are yet hindred from seeing into the ende of things which by Messiah are abolished But in very troth the Romanists their coniuring of creatures for driuing away Diuelles it is so farre from being Mosaicall much lesse Christian as it rather is borrowed from Ethniks who so hoped to pacifie their Daemones or else from Tobits Apocryphall Angell who taught the fugation of a diuell by Archangeli expos in Conclus Mirandula Cabalistes termed Asmodeus the prowde diuell and that by vertue of a fume made vpon a fishes heart and liuer The Romanistes coniured creatures tending thus not to so reasonable a woorke as to reare vp the partition wall againe but to a reuiuing of Gentiles idolatrous worship or at best a putting of spirite into Rabbinicall blasphemous figments to the violation of Messiahs kingdome Nor doth this doctrine any iote help them which contende against certaine garments in our church And why because such garments are not with vs vrged for Ceremoniall or Sacramentall garments but onely as is open in our lawe for decencie and comlinesse Christs appearance did put an end not to the vsing of the creature but to the vsing of it So that is from vsing it sacramentally figuratiuely typically Touching which free vse of all his creatures I shall haue occasion to speake more hereafter Touching the Brownists and Anabaptists they would not be thought to bring vs backe againe to Iudaisme but iudge of them by this their argument The Israelites in Deut. 12.2 are commaunded to destroy all the places wherein the nations serued their Gods therfore all the Temples or churches wherein the Romanists haue serued their Images they are to be destroyed Or thus It was simplie vnlawfull for the Israelites to sacrifice in the high places therefore simply vnlawfull
Machomet both affirming they haue the kaies of Paradise and speaking well of Iesus in generall tearmes a foule beast was mounted that opened a bottomles pit of humane inuentions that darkened all Sozomen eccl hist l. 6. c. 5. Anthonie the Heremite about the beginning of Constantines raign he is said to see in a dream certaine Mules Altare insultantes calcibus c. leaping vpon the Altare with their feete and ouerturning the sacred table whereupon he should say that by mixt and adulterate doctrine and by rebellion of Schismatikes the Church should be harmed And indeed not long after Arriani potiti sunt Ecclesiarum gubernaculis the abhominable Arrians got the Churches reines in their hands Yea saith venerable Beda Bedae eccl hist de gent◠Angl. l. 1. c. 9. Peace was in the Church vntill the times of Arrius his frenzie which corrupto orbe toto the whole world being therewith corrupted did also with the venome of his errour infect this Iland of Britaine so far remoued out of the world And this as againe he after vrgeth notwithstanding it was condemned in the Synode of Nice If Arrianisme so quickely got such an vniuersall head what did also Pelagius Macedonius Nestorius Martian and all other heretikes their doctrine All of them marching in battell aray against the Church all of them termed by Chrysostoms Riuall on Mat. 24. Incertus anther on Mat. 84. the army abhominable in the midst of the Temple preparing a seate for Antichrist Ech of these wonne disciples did drawe apart and teare the vnseamed coat of Iesus in a thousand peeces Not long after wee finde a man of sinne mounted in the midst of Gods temple aduancing himselfe as a god exalting himselfe aboue the thinges of God treading christian kings vnder foote and subduing all to his lustes as the apostle S. Paul and S. Iohn euidently fore-prophecied Clem. Alexandr in stro lib. 1. fol. 2. If Clemens could say of the churches next succeeding the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Few children like the Fathers for few conuaied the doctrine vncorrupted what may we say of the doctrine and churches estate in times long after euen that which Ierome long since said Inter Nitentia culta Lappaeque et tribuli et steriles dominātur Auenae Ierome against the Luciserians Burres thistles and wilde-oates Domineere in midst of the wheate field To spare the repetition of odious particulars Experience hath taught vs how the wheate field after some sleepinesse of Ministers it became so pestred with visible and incurable tares that hardely anie wheate could be seene The Lord his vineyard became so clogged with thornes and briars that hardly any Vine coulde bee discerned The Barne floore was so full of chaffe that the Grayne was almost inuisible The holie man Iob was scabs from the crowne of the head vnto the soule of the foote he sate vpon ashes scraping himself with a potshard his breath was corrupt his friends could hardly know him but yet not destitute of motion of spirit of a good conscience The Church indeed was in Babylon subiected vnto Babels externall gouernment but with Daniel and the three yong gentlemen of Iudah it preserued a good conscience The yeeres of captiuitie expyred it coms forth of Babel in a great measure but without expectation of the former Apostolicall glory Yong-men wil think the last Temple superexcellent but Aged spirited-ones will weep at the inferioritie thereof in comparison of the first Diuers yet with Daniel bide behind in Babel which somtimes come to their graue in peace somtimes do buckle with Lyons and depart to heauen in a firie chariot with Elijah So far are we whatsoeuer the Romanistes barke from condemning all our predecessors or yet adiudging to Hell all such as liue and dye amongst them For as there be in our Church who are not verily of it so we beleeue there be many in their idolatrous Israell who notwithstanding are not verily of it Thus briefly I haue cleered that notwithstanding the Church hath been euer visible yet she hath somtimes as also her Figure been spoiled of her glory darkned in her members captiued of her aduersarie destitute of her constitution Now remaineth it I examine the reasons of such aduersaries as deny the Church alwayes to haue been visible The Arrians Anabaptists and Brownists gone out of the Catholike communion they oppose to the Church her euer visibilitie thus First the typicall Church was not euer visible Secondly direct scriptures testifie that the new-Church should not be euer visible For probation of the first they say that the Church was not visible in Elias his time and to that purpose they alleage the Prophets complaint against Israell Rom. 9.2 1. Kings 19. Whereto I answere First it is an ill shaped forme of reasoning to say Elias saw no Church therfore no church was any where visible Elias saw no church in Israel therefore there was no church visible there nor yet in Iudah It is a sophistication of this nature Thomas seeth not therefore Peter seeth not There is no light here therefore no where Secondly I answer Elias did not so reason for his complaint was not against Iudah wherin he knew that the Church then florished vnder good Iehosophat but against Israel the ten schismaticall Trybes where then he feared that bloody Ahab and Iesabell had slaughtred all from whose furie he then fled But the Prophets assertiō is corrected of the Lord saying that he had reserued 7000 soules which bowed no knee that is did not outward substantial homage to Baal And indeed if we consider besides these Prophets which Obadiah hid in caues the sundry schools of Prophets at Elias his time of being rapt vp we may easily beleeue that God had a notable people in that schismaticall Israell seeing he sendeth not forth many prophets but when he is minded to gather in some large Haruest Thirdly we can by plaine demonstration poynt foorth the Churches visibility from the verie first Adam vnto Christ the second Adam In the houses of 1 Adam 2 Sheth 3 Enosh 4 Kainan 5 Mahalaleel 6 Iered 7 Henoch These 10. see in Gen. 1.3 c. 8 Methushelah 9 Lamech 10 Noach The Church was visible in them till the floud After the floud the Church stretched it selfe thorough the houses of Noach 1 Shem 2 Arphaxad These ten see in Gen. 11.10 c. 3 Selah 4 Heber 5 Peleg 6 Reu 7 Serug 8 Nachor 9 Thara 10 Abram From Abram to the captiuitie of Babel and from thence vnto Iesus Saint Mathew draweth a direct line in three times foureteene Generations that is two and fortie according to the number of Israels stations or pitching places mentioned in the booke of Numbers chapt 33. As for Saint Luke hee in his third chapt doth point out the first fruits of God from the first Adam vnto the second Saint Mathew from Dauid dooth vnto the captiuitie passe through the house of Solomon
* August in Ioh. ttact 124. The Church is founded vppon the Rocke whereon Peter tooke his name * Non enim a Petro Petra sed Petrus a Petra c. For the Rocke was not deriued of Peter but Peter of the Rocke euen as Christ is not so termed of Christian but Christian of Christ. Vppon this Rocke therefore saieth hee whome thou hast confessed I will build my Church for the Rocke was CHRIST vpon which foundation also Peter himselfe is builded Whereunto ioyne that of Isidore * Isid hisp lib. 7. etymologiarum c. 9 Peter tooke his name of the Rocke that is of Christ vppon whome the church is founded For Christ was the Rocke vpon which foundation Peter himselfe was also builded If they will that Peter shoulde be in some sense a foundation then they must admitte all the residue of the Apostles in the same respect to be foundations And that is it which Saint Iohn in his Apocal. 22.14 speaketh of when hee seeth this Ierushalem to haue twelue foundations and in them the names of the twelue Apostles Obiection But Peter only had the keyes giuen to him Answer First that is nothing to this Secondly it is false for the keys namely the power of binding and loosing is afterwardes giuen to many others euen to the whole Church so well as vnto him Iohn 20.22 23. And this Origen precisely from the same place of Iohn doth prooue in his Homily on Mathew 16. not to speake of other Ancients as Cyprian de simplicit praelat Aug. super Ioh. 124. Tertull. scorp aduers Gnostio c. 10. Rabanus c. 8. de poenit Ansbert li. 3. c. 5 in Apoc. c. who grant that in Peter was considered the church to whom the power is giuen of binding and loosing spiritually If we consider Faith that is the Gospel to bee the foundation of the Church then that is it which diuers haue well vnderstood seeing Faith is the hand which coupleth Christ and his church together Hence it is that Chrys Chrys serm de Pentecoste Super hanc petram non dixit super Petrum c. thus writeth Vpon this Rocke not vpon Peter for not vpon man but vpon the Faith Christ buildes his church And what was that Faith namely Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Nyssenu in testim delect ex vet testa vtters the same So do Theophil in Mat. 16. Smarag on the same place and Vict. Antiochenus saith that frō this faith sound doctrine Peter receiued his name on Mar. 3. not to mention any others Thus respect we scripture or heare we the Antients their testimony the Romanists still are found loosers For the Brownists what foundation doe they by their necessarie consecution propound to vs This forsooth The outward Constitution of the Church that is The forme of plantation and church-gouernement and this is their Puppis and Prora the load-star of their Course Insomuch as they deny to haue communion in prayer in preaching in sacrament with any such Church whatsoeuer which hath not bin so planted is not so gouerned as they conceiue of the Primitiue churches their plantation and gouernement And as they deny spirituall cōmunion with England Scotland as failing in both so let it be such of the Dutch French churches as haue planted their chur rightly in their own iudgement yet bicause of som few things in gouernment ecclesiasticall which they dislike they not onely deny communion with them yea for very hearing the worde but also excommunicate such of their people * So Maister Pe. Al. Maister M. Sl. c came to be excommunicate as shall but ioyne with them in prayer or in preaching Whereby it commeth to passe that this people maintaining that that their father Browne dare not they conceiue of themselues for the onely true visible church of God which can be throwly communicated with Briefly to returne answere first they take it for granted that the faith of Christ was amongst vs first planted by force of the sword not by preaching of the worde whereby came to passe that all wicked were receiued c. Let it be so Augustine August in ep 48. indeede was once of opinion that no compulsion herin was to be vsed but by his felow ministers being put in mind how his owne citie was wholy Donatists til feare of imperiall lawes brought them from that schisme to catholike vnity the good man changeth his minde alleadging such Scripture Prouerb 9 9. and 29.19 c. And I woulde gladly know of these men to what end a Christian hath the sword put into his hand if not with Nehemiah Iosiah Hezekiah Iosaphat Asa c. to driue the subiectes vnto outward conformity of holinesse righteousnesse Take away this vse of the sworde and then so wel with Anabaptistes remooue Magistrate and his sword out of the church Obiection But it was prophecied that the Church should be a voluntary people Psal 110.3 and Christ gathered and planted his Church by the word onely Answer The Anabaptists do apply these thinges aswell to their purpose adding further The Primitiue churches had no Kings in them c. therefore Kings as Kings not of a true established Church And thus Brownisme leadeth to Anabaptisme But least the crie of these Lapwings draw me from my purpose I leaue the Brownist to answere the Anabaptist and this shall be my answere to the scripture and our Sauiours practise It is true people were and did voluntarilie giue vp their names to Christ vpon the Gospels preaching Christ herein would not vse the sword not because it had been vnlawfull for he in himselfe vsed a whip in the Temple and forcibly ouerthrew their chaunging tables but because for the first plantation of the Gospell he saw it not to be expedient The weakest and foolishest meanes in mans iudgement 1. Cor. 1 27 28 29 he now did vse that so no flesh should reioice in his presence As he vsed onely his woord so he chose vnlearned men for the publication thereof And because none should say that it was no maruell though simple subiects became Christians seeing some of their Kings were first Christians the Apostle therefore before said Not many Mighty not many Noble are called To conclude now That the Sword hath not his vse in churches plantation c. they may aswell conclude That Noble men wise and learned men they haue nothing to doe in Church plantation Indeed when there commeth a New-Christ and new Apostles we will either graunt they conclude well or else we wil hold them and the new Christ accursed Secondly they assume That the sword planted first the Faith here which we deny First it cannot be but the first plantation of the Faith wheresoeuer it must bee by the Gospell preached The sword may make a noyse together with the Words voice but none can by the sword alone take any knowledge of the Gospell Besides it appeareth by auncient record that the Gospell came
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kelohim Vnto this City and people appertaine the priuileges of grace in this life the exhibition of glory in the other life In a word al the things of God are for these people called to be As gods for in his presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand are pleasures for euermore Psal 16.11 Much contention about our Lordes yeere 666 was betweene Rome and Constantinople for supremacie vniuersall Rome woulde bee chiefe because it had beene the antient seate of the Emperours Constantinoples Bishop woulde haue it because Constantine the first christian Emperour hadde of Bizantium made it Constantino-polis and so inuested it with his owne name making it also an emperors seate Marke that neither of them could alleadge then any Donation from Constantine If there had beene then such a Donation as now they tell vs of howe greatly would it haue helped Romes plea But as neuer of these Auntients it is once mentioned viz. Eusebius Entropius Ruffinus Socrates Theodoret Euagrius Paulus Diaconus Beda Orosius Zonaras Nicephorus Nor of Ierome Damasus Athanasius Basil Ambrose Optatus Mileuitanus Gregorius Nissenus Gregorius Nazianzenus Augustine Chrysostome nor of the Romaine Bishoppes in the Councells which then had beene of much moment so * See Auentinus lib 2 de rebus Boiorum Pius secundus Pope a man very expert in Antiquities he laughed this toy to scorne accounting it fabulam inanem a vayne fable * Naucl. in generat 11 suae cronograph Nauclerus fathers it on Isidore but in his antient Books no such thing found And no sooner start vp this Fict-donation but the lerned opposed This did Marsilius Patauinus in his Defender of Peace So dooth Laurentius Valla in his Declamation So didde Antoninus Archiepiscopus Florentinus 1. Part. tit 8. c. 2. §. 8. in his historie So doth cardinall Cusanus in his Catholike Concordance l. 3. c. 2. sent vnto Basils Councell So doth Aeneas Siluius afterwards Pope in his dialog So doth Raphael Volateran in the life of Constantine Hierony Paulus Cattalanus doctor of both laws and chamberlaine to Pope Alexander the sixt in his booke entituled Practica cancellariae Apostolicae Vltrich Hutten writing to Pope Leo the tenth vppon Valla his booke hee saieth plainly that the Donation was forged per pseudopontifices Orientis by the Easterne false-popes not to speake of Luther and others But to finish that point what time Bizantiums Bishop begunne to labour for such vniuersall headship Gregorius Magnus bishop of Rome he that in humiliation first tooke the title Seruus seruorum he is bolde hereupon to * Li. 4 c. 34. write thus Ego fidenter dico c. I constantly affirm whosoeuer calles himselfe vniuersall priest or desires so to be called in that his puft vp estate hee fore-runneth Antichrist and in his 39. Epistle hee tearmeth it Nomen blasphemiae a title of blasphemie which title soone after Gregories time was by bloudy Phocas giuen to the Pope of the seauen hilled citty And thus where on Rome before was written Roma aeterna censured by Hieron in epist ad Algasiam Ierome for a name of blasphemy nowe by their owne Popes censure that Citties Arch-priest hath to himselfe assumed no better Thus their clay yron will not be ioyned together no baulme will cure this Babel But wil the faythfull know what Citty is Eterne That is this new Ierusalem the City of the Saints Hellish power may oppresse it but neuer suppresse it Wilt thou knowe what City is supreame That is this Ierushalem from Heauen heauenly Wilt thou know to what Bishop al supremacie vniuersall is due That is to Christ Iesus who himselfe is Iehouah and hath obtayned a name aboue all Names and he is the head of the Churches bodie Coloss 1.18 he is the beginning and first borne of the dead that in ALL THINGS he might haue the preeminence And this vniuersall supremacie was figured darkly vnder the Hie-priest of Ierushalems Temple who had such dignitie ouer that shadowing Church as none but he might enter the most holy place only to him in the last place were difficult matters brought for decision and by his death were such set free as before for vnawares bloodshed had taken sanctuarie All which beeing shadowes of good things to come the bodie whereof was Christ Heb. 10.1 and 9.11.12 Coloss 2.17 now we are to consider al anew as beseemeth that which is substantiall not ceremoniall Thus the Citie and the Citizens are the same and Iehouah is There one with the same though not the same In this Citie he dwels gouerning the Citizens subduing all their senses all their affections the whole man to himselfe And round about this Citie he causeth his Angels to pitch their tentes of defence Nay which more is Ps 125.2 Zech. 2.5 as the mountaines were round about the typicall Ierushalem so is Iehouah himselfe as a consuming fire round about his people henceforth and for euer To the Citizens a comfort but to their aduersaries a terrour For the Aduersaries they must know that they band not themselues only against Man but against armies of Angels yea against the God of hostes himselfe for Iehouah is There He that toucheth these Citizens he toucheth the apple of his eye he dasheth himselfe against a wall of consuming fire Reuel â—0 â— 7 8.9 Against this Citie doth Gog the cloked aduersarie and Magog the Open enemie together with their innumerable army convene in One but after they haue compassed the tents of the Saints and the beloued Citie round about behold fire shall come downe from heauen and deuoure them It is no bourding with Saints Against God his Citie in her Maiesties dominions how haue couered and vn-couered enemies risen vp at home abroad by land and by Sea but what was their end The Egyptian Pharaoh of Spaine his Chariot-armadoes slunke into the Seas channels the windes of God fought against them and dashed their huge rigged fleete asunder I allude to Iudg. 5.28 c. Rome the mother of Spaines Sisera she looked out at a window and cried thorough the lattise why is the Chariot so long a comming why tarrie the wheeles of his chariots Romes wise Ladies answered her yea she answered her selfe with her owne wordes thus haue they not gotten and they deuide the spoil the Crowne Earledomes and Church reuenewes of England Euery man hath a mayde or two Sisera hath a pray of diuers colours a pray of sundry colors made of needle worke of diuers colors of needle work on both sides for the chiefe of the spoile But sorrie fooles through God his goodnes a woman a Virgin Queene she triumphed ouer Sisera For domestick aduersaries who haue banded together I allude to 1. King 1. for annointing Adonijah but poore soules they haue consumed themselues as wax before the Sunne Deborahs prayer in Iudg. 5.31 So let all thine enemies perish ô Lord but they that loue him shall be as the