the Papists that worship them as Gods have not made them idols to themselves And under this shelter of falshood he shrowdeth himself when he hath nought else to answer repeting it I know not how often 7. That the Romish baptisme is a lye in the right hand of all that so receive it Where the Prophet speaketh of idols that by nature are no Gods c. Jf the Romish baptisme were in the nature of it no baptisme c then should it without question be renounced as a very idol in deed c. Answ. Belike then he would have us take it for no lye but for a truth that popish baptisme giveth grace and washeth away syn by the work doen. Neyther is it a lye but truth that bread in their Mass is very Christ really properly as he died on the cross To apply Esa. 44. 20. against these things is to hold an errour Wel let my errour continue with me for I trust I shall alwayes hold that they are lyes in the right hand of all that so receive them And as the prophet speaketh of thē that by nature were no Gods so doe I. For neyther is water in Baptisme not wine in the Masse Christs blood naturally neyther can they doe that which onely Christs blood effecteth And how ever there is difference between the idols of false Gods and the idols of the true God yet the scripture calleth them all Divils Deut. 32. 17. 2 Chron. 11. 15. 1 Cor. 10. 20. so I call them all lyes And where he sayth if it were in the nature of it no baptisme he might have knowen that Gods true ordinance of baptisme turned into a lye maketh it a lying baptisme and yet some baptisme it is though not the true Wherof the lye being put away and the truth restored of God unto us there need no other renunciation as before I have proved His other repetitions and questions of the same thing need no further answer Obj. How wil he shew that baptisme is so received as standing in the place of Christ c. seing they are infants usually that receive it there c. Answ. Even as he wil shew against the Anabaptists that baptisme is truly and rightly received in Christian churches where they are infants usually that receive it For as the covenant of Christ is to parents and their seed so the covenant of Antichrist is to parents and their seed even the covenant of destruction that their babes be dashed against the Rock Psal. 137. 9. Esa. 13. 16. The infants of Iewes are Iewes the infants of Turks are Turks the infants of Christians are Christians so the infants of Antichristians are Antichristians Obj. Considering also their profession of Christ and baptising with water in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost and that this alone is in deed the baptisme of that church the other things being but erroneous opinions and synfull additions c. Answ. We have before considered that the profession of that church is all one with the profession of the Pope who eyther is not Antichrist or else he denyeth both the Father and the Son as the Apostle sayth 1 Joh. 3. 22. how ever in word he confesseth both 2. As they baptise with water in the name of the Father c so they consecrate their Supper or Mass with bread and wine and the words of Christs institution Mat. 26. why doth he not also affirme that their Mass is no idol no lye in the hands and mouthes of them that receive it as their maker and eat their God more profanely then the heathens 3. It is untrue that that alone which he mentioneth is in deed the baptisme of that church in deed it ought to be but so it is not He might as well say their praiers to God are the onely prayers of that church for by divine institution so it should be but it is knowen they pray also to innumerable creatures 4. I grant the other things are but erroneous opinions and synfull additions and he also must grant that all the idolatrie of the heathens condemned in Rom. 1. were but erroneous opinions and synfull additions contrary to the covenant which God had made with them in Noes dayes Gen. 9. 9. 10. 11. c. Were it not for erroneous opinions and synfull additions all men now should be in that perfect estate wherin at first we were created Eccles. 7. 29. 8. That the Romish baptisme is such as the saying of the Apostle is verified in it an idol is nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8. 4. c. Jf so then the baptisme of that church hath no relation to God nor any divine institution representation or signification in it c. Then it ought of necessitie to be rejected c. Answ. If th'Apostles doctrine be true of idols that they are nothing 1 Cor. 8. 4. he ought not to kick against it or me for alleging it To his inference I answer it hath no true relation unto Gods covenant which is not with that Antichristian church but a false pretended relation it hath as their other sacrament of the Mass or supper where also there is a lying relation to Christs sacrifice which they blasphemously renew crucifying dayly the Lord of glorie To his conclusion he hath oft been answered we reject the idol wholly and reteyn onely the truth so farr as God by his word hath sanctified it unto us without eyther grosse Anabaptistry or notorious blasphemie which with open mouth he chargeth us would fray the simple with 9. That water the material thing in popish baptisme is as the gold and silver that is the matter of the idols spoken of Psal. 115. 4. wher as the use of water in baptisme is appointed by the Lord and stil to be reteyned Ioh. 1. 33. c. but the use of gold for idols is forbidden and utterly to be abandoned Exod. 20. 23. Deut. 7. 25. 26. c. Answ. He corrupteth my words I sayd An idol for the matter and workmanship is somthing Psal. 115. 4. but for the relation unto God it is nothing So Popish baptisme as touching the material thing is somwhat the salt water oile are Gods creatures the outward action is the work of the hands of an idolatrous preist and this work remayneth as did the work of the idolaters circumcising in Jsrael c. This he maketh an errour in me which all that have knowledge wil easily see to be trueth But the use of water in baptisme sayth he is appointed by the Lord. True unto the Christian church it is so but the use of water in popish idol baptisme or of bread and wine in the Popish mass was never appointed by the Lord this was the point he should have proved As God sayd to the Iewes bring no more vaine oblations incense is an abomination unto me Esa. 1. 13. so sayth he to the Antichristians make no more vaine baptisings the Masse is an abomination to me Mine opposite
to refresh the wearie soules Her doctrines sweet and amiable lyes spoken in hypocrisie Prov. 5. 3. 1 Tim. 4. 2. but yet confirmed with signes and miracles as if they came from heaven 2 Thes. 2. 9. Rev. 13. 13. 14. her power efficacie great prevailing over the many and the mightie the Kings and Princes of the world deceiving all nations with her inchantments Prov. 7. 21. 26. Rev. 17. 2 18. 23. and if it were possible Gods very elect Math. 24. 24. Her continuance and outward prosperitie is long Rev. 13. 5. 18. 7. 20. 2. 4. her end miserable Rev. 18. 19. 21. 19. 20. 21. consumed with the spirit of the Lords mouth and abolished with the brightnes of his coming 2 Thes. 2. 8. And for her destruction the heavens shall rejoyce and sing praises to God Rev. 18. 20. 19. 1. 2. The accomplishment of these prophesies I there shewed to be in the Church of Rome at this day confirmed by her own canons and doctors that set forth her profession and practise These grounds remayne yet unanswered by mine opposite being such as I assure my self neither could he neither can any soundly refute Now let us see how farr he yeildeth and how he opposeth First he prayeth all to take knowledge that his minde and desire in himselfe is to plead against the present estate of that church and not for it acknowledging it to be fallen into most synful and deep defection and apostasie and so to be a notorious harlot and idolatress which all the people of God ought to forsake and to witnes the trueth there against even vnto death How well this his acknowledgement agreeth with his plea in the residue of his book shall appeare in the discussing of the reasons after folowing But what sayth he to the description of Antichrists church which I before shewed from the scriptures He sayth I speak of the church and Synagogue of Antichrist of the Beast of the great Citie of the man of Syn of the great whore of Abaddon or Apollyon the son of perdition c. wheras I should treat of the Temple of God wherof Paul speaketh 2 Thes. 2. Hereupon he chargeth me to keep what I could from the point of the question in hand and therefore also to confound things that differ I answer that the the question was by this mine opposites former graunt about the church of Rome whether it were the church of God or no. Now when at first I shew from the scriptures what maner of Church that Romane church is in Gods account how could he charge me to keep from the point of the question 2ly the place of th'Apostle being alleaged by mine opposite for a proof that the church wherein Antichrist sitteth is the Church of God I come immediately after to scan that scripture and yet he challengeth me for keeping from the point wheras all men of judgement may see it was needful to know what God foretold of that church throughout the scriptures that so we might understand in what sense Antichrist is sayd to sit in the Temple of God 2 Thes. 2. For seing the Temple of God is a figurative phrase taken from the shadowes of the Law it is not wisedome in us to expound a parabolical speech contrary to the plaine scriptures grounds of Christian religion but we must understand it according to them Wherefore there being no other answer made to the description aforesayd it standeth in force to prove that the church of Rome is not the true Church of Christ. So for the accomplishment of the prophesies wheras I shewed from the Papists own writings of their church how fitly it agreeth with Antichrists synagogue foretold of by God mine opposite answereth I tell them of a Church such as Bellarmine and others describe one part wherof lives on earth an other under the earth and a third part in heaven c. Wheras our question is of the Temple of God wherof Paul speaketh 2. Thes. 2. 4. and of the court and holy citie wherof Iohn speaketh Rev. 11. 2. Thus neyther the Prophesies of God nor the complement of them shewed by the men themselves whom the prophesies concerne may be brought to clear the controversie but mine opposite will insist upon dark and figurative speeches that men may be the more easily deluded For how shall we prove against Papists that the Pope is Antichrist if we may not alleage the Popes owne doctrines and practises which are contrary to Christ Yea how shall we judge of any church but by their owne Confessions published and comparing them with the scripures Wherefore the profession of Papists concerning their church is a strong argument wherby they may be discovered to be none of Christs even the Cretian lyars testimonie against themselves is true as the Apostle noteth Tit. 1. 12. 13. An Answer to the arguments brought for the church of Rome MIne opposite pleadeth thus 1. First J take an argument from the baptisme had in the churches aforesayd the Apostate churches of Christians thus The Baptisme had in the church of Rome is the Lords baptisme the signe and seale of his covenant the ordinance of God had in that church from the Apostles times before Antichrist there arose Rom. 6. 2. 3. and so is true baptisme which is from heaven and not of men that one baptisme which perteyneth to the bodie of Christ Eph. 4. 4. 5. which the Lord hath given to his church and not man c. Therfore the church of Rome is the church of God and under his covenant c. Answ. Here let it first be observed whether mine opposite pleadeth against the present estate of that church as before he pretended For if they be under Gods covenant have it sealed unto them from heaven by that one true baptisme then are they in the state of grace and of salvation which is the very thing that all Papists at this day doe plead for Concerning his Argument I deny that the baptisme had in all Apostate churches of Christians and particularly in the church of Rome is the Lords true baptisme or the signe and seale of his covenant of grace unto them Here mine opposite referreth me to an other place of his book for proof of the trueth of their Baptisme wherto I will make answer anone in their place And now that my denyal may not be so bare as is his assertion here I will insist upon the two scriptures which he citeth and disprove their baptisme In Rom. 6. 2. 3. 4. the Apostle sayth How shall we that are dead to syn live any longer therin Know ye not that so many of us as are baptised into Christ Iesus were baptised into his death Therfore we are buried with him by baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glorie of the Father even so we also should walk â—n nâ—wnes of life Here first the
Apostle speaketh of such as are dead to syn that is mortified Christians which live not in syn neyther reigneth it in them but they are freed or justified from syn and are alive unto God But Antichristians such as are the professant members of the church of Rome are not dead unto or freed from syn for they are the subjects of the Man of syn the worshipers of the Beast for whom is prepared the wine of the wrath of God Revel 14. 9. 10. They are of that church which by my opposites confession a little before is fallen into most synfull and deep apostasie is a notorious â—arlot and idolatress which all the people of God ought to forsake Wherefore they are rather to be counted dead in synns as th'Apostle speaketh of the Gentiles Ephes. 2. 1. and that they are in deed dead and not partakers of the first resurrection is evident by Revel 20. 4. 5. 6. in that they are the worshipers of the Beast and murderers of the witnesses of Iesus Wherfore the doctrine of Baptisme in Rom. 6. is farr from proving the Antichristians or other heretical and apostate churches to have the true baptisme of Christ or seale of his covenant but his servants they are to whom they obey even of syn unto death Rom. 6. 16. The other scripture is Ephe. 4. 4. 5. There is one body and one spirit even as ye are called unto one hope of your calling one Lord one faith one baptisme By which words it appeareth that such as have the One baptisme have also one and the same faith Lord hope spirit and body which to affirme of the Antichristian church of Rome and of all other heretical and Apostate churches that professe Christ is very impious And most firme arguments there are from the Apostles words to the coÌ„trary of that which this man pleadeth for As The Romish and other heretical churches have not the one same faith with the true Churches of Christ witness their blasphemous doctrines published by the Council of Trent and in other books and the Apostles prophesie that they are departed from the faith 1 Tim. 4. 1. c. therfore they have not the one Baptisme They have not one and the same Lord Iesus Christ but have Antichrist the Man of syn for their Lord therefore they have not the one baptisme They have not that one hope nor that one Spirit neyther are they one bodie with the true Christian churches therfore they have not that one baptisme These things are partly prooved before in the description which I set downe of Antichrists church they are also acknowledged of all Christian churches which disclaim the unitie with the Antichristians in their faith spirit bodie And the scriptures most abundantly disclaime this feighned unitie as 2 Cor. 6. 12. what concord hath Christ with Belial meaning none at all And Belial is there put for Antichrist and his retinue as in 2 Sam. 23. 6. 22. 5. The Apostle sheweth that the Antichristians have from God strong delusions to beleeve lyes unto their damnation 2 Thes. 2. 11. 12. That they are departed from the faith doe give heed to â—educing spirits and doctrines of Divils speaking lyes in hypocrisie c. â— Tim. 4. 1. 2. That the false teachers among Christians privily bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2. 1. That the Beast which is the kingdome of Antichrist and the false prophet his ministers and all that worship him or take his mark shal be tormented in fyre and brimstone for ever and ever Rev. 20. 10. c. 14. 9. 10. And shall we now say that these miserable creatures have one Spirit hope Lord faith and baptisme with the saincts and true Churches of Christ My soule come not thou into their secret that so affirme The second argument for such churches is If they be not under the covenant of God but divorced from the Lord c then is there no salvation for any in those churches Answ. I deny the consequence For then after Israel was divorced from the Lord as is testified in in Ier. 3. 8. there was no salvation for any among them which I know mine opposite himself would not say Objection Why out of the covenant of God there is no salvation Answ. I grant it But though the church be not under the covenant of God but without it or divorced from him yet some parlicular persons in that church may through Gods grace be in his covenant For as every true church is in the covenant of God yet some hypocrites and reprobates are in the same which perish for ever so every false church is out of the covenant yet some truly faithful and elect may be therein which by the covenant of grace may be saved Example in Rahab the Canaanitess the church whereof shee was had not the covenant of grace in Christ yet she having heard of Gods works towards Israel beleeved in God and was saved and before she joyned her self to the church of Israel shee shewed the fruits of true and living faith wherby shee was justified is put in the catalogue of the Saincts Jos. 2. 1. 9. 10. c. Heb. 11. 31. 39. Jam. 2. 25. 26. The like is to be thought of the other nations farr off from God who by some meanes hearing of his name and trueth might imbrace the faith unto salvation though the churches wherof they stood members were false and idolatrous 1 King 8. 41. 42. 43. So where mine oppositeÌ„ bringeth scriptures to prove that they which are not in the covenant of God and Christ cannot be saved he proveth that which is not denyed but this he should have proved if he could that if a church be false and not under the covenant none in that church can by any meanes come unto the faith and covenant of Christ for this I deny And his argument if it had been sound should have been this If Antichristian churches be not under the covenant of God but divorced from the Lord then is there no salvation for any that are under the covenant of that church and in no other covenant and so I would have granted his argument as confirmed by the Holy ghost that all such are in the state of damnation 2 Thes. 2. 10. 11. 12. Rev. 14. 9. 10. Here to help the church of Antichrist into the covenant of Christ he bringeth in the profession of the Iesuites of Rhemes which as he sayth â—old Christ by nature to be truely both God and man to be the one eternal Priest and Redeemer which by his sacrifice and death upon the cross hath reconciled in to God and payd his blood as a fâ—ll and sufficient ransome for all our synns c. againe to be the singular advocate and patron of mankinde that by himself alone and by his owne meritâ— procureth all grace and mercie
see the Lord Mark 16. 16. Heb. 12. 14. Rom. 11. 20. 21. 22. 23. Though these conditions even in men are the worke of God in them Heb. 8. 10. 12. Whosoever is born of God overcommeth the world synneth not but keepeth himselfe and the wicked one toucheth him not 1. Ioh. 5. 4. 18. And they that teach otherweise destroy the Gospel and open a gap to all profanenesse and licentiousnesse Jf God sayth he break the covenant on his part when men break it on theirs then should there stil be a new entring into the covenant again between God and man and a new baptisme dayly received againe as the signe and seale thereof Answ. God alwayes breaketh not the covenant on his part when men break it on theirs but calleth them often back unto repentance Psa. 89. 31 34. Exo. 32. 33. chapters But to some that are hardned and wil not repent he breaketh his covenant visibly casting them out of his church cutting them off Rom. 11. 20. 22. giving them a bil of divorce Jer. 3. 8. removeth the candlestick Rev. 2. 5. Otherweise if a man comming from Iudaisme or paganisme to the Christian faith and Church doe againe revolt from Christ to Iudaisme or paganisme and for obstinacie in his sin is cut off by the power of Christ from his Church he must still be reputed in the covenant of God visibly on Gods part which is most untrue seeing God on his part hath cut them off and given them a bill of divorce If any such returne the covenant must be renewed Hos. 2. 7. 19. 20. 2. Cor. 6. 17. 18. yet the seale of the covenant once given is not to be repeated as a Christian revolted to paganisme and cut off from the Church is not when hee returneth baptised againe Because though he was visibly cut off even of God for his syn yet by his returne it appeareth that hee still belonged to his election of grace which was to man invisible whiles he continued cut off Yea though he received the seale after a false manner when it was not due unto him yet when hee turneth to the Lord it is not repeated As the Israelites which were circumcised after they were divorced from God Ier. 3. 8. had no new circumcision in the flesh when they turned unto God Ezr. 6. 21. 6. If such were the baptisme of the Church in Rome c. then should it be likewise in the East Churches and in all Churches of the world when they fall into sin breaking the covenant c. Answ. I deny the comparison For Rome is revolted from Christ to Antichrist and fallen from grace by the Apostles rule Gal. 5. 4. and is become dead in syn Rev. 20. and is not the true Church of Christ but a Man of syn and whore of Babylon 2. Thes. 2. Rev. 17. which things are before proved Such is not the state of all Churches that syn and break the convenant till for their hardnes and contempt of God they be also cut off as Rome is which when they bee then have they no true sacraments any longer among them 7. If there baptisme were indeed a lying signe and fiction then would it follow that there should be no salvation for any members of those Churches reteining the baptisme there received For the signe hath reference to the covenant and thing signified and so a lying signe must have respect to a lying covenant And by a lying covenant there is no salvation to any c. Answ. The covenant which the Church of Rome hath made with Antichrist is a lying covenant and hath lying signes to confirme it and God hath sent them strong delusion to beleeve a lye that they all might be damned who beleeve not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnes 2. Thes. 2. 11. 12. Therefore by the covenant and seales of that Antichristian synagogue wee cannot say that any one by the promise of God shall be saved But by the covenant of grace which God communicateth with his elect in that and other false churches many are saved but that is not the covenant of the church Of which poynt I have spoken before in answer to his 2. Argument for the church of Rome His reasons are the same againe and againe repeated Here further note how by his argument the popish Masse may bee justified thus If the Lords Supper or Masse in Rome be an idol a lying signe and fiction then is there no salvation for the members of that Church reteyning the Masse For a lying signe must have respect to a lying covenant and by a lying covenant there is no salvation to any But the church of Rome by mine opposites plea is in the covenant of salvation which is the true covenant therefore it also hath the true signe and seale of that covenant in their Masse or Babylonish Supper For our Lords Supper is the true signe and seale of the forgivenesse of synns and covenant of grace Mat. 26. 26. 28. Luk. 22. 19. 20. If hee yeeld not this then hee must say that they have two covenants the one of life and salvation sealed to them by baptisme the other of death and damnation sealed unto them by the Masse or Supper So they shall goe both to heaven and hell by their double covenant 8. Finally sayth he the baptisme of those Churches is from heaven and not of men and is derived unto us from the Apostles of Christ through the loynes of the church of Rome c. Therefore is no idollor lying signe but the true sacrament and ordinance of the Lord Math. 21. 21. 28. 18. 19. with Rom. 6. 3. 4. Heb. 7. 9. 10. 2. Chron. 30. ch Answ. I deny this his conclusion it being but a begging of the question which he shoud have proved It is not their baptisme which is from heaven they are fallen from heaven and become a Beast or kingdom Ecclesiasticall arisen out of the earth Rev. 13. 11. they are gone out from the Apostolike Church and become Antichrists 1. Joh. 2. 18. 19. Mine opposite himself hath granted that the Pope and his Hierarchie are Antichrist the Man of syn the Beast never maried to Christ. Again he sayth in this his Chr. plea p. 3. Jn baptisme the action is wholly enjoyned layd upon the baptiser and not upon the baptised The baptizers in Rome are the Priests which be a part of the beast and Man of syn on them the whole action lyeth as he sayth Now is this baptisme from heaven Did God ever bid Antichrist baptise The whole action then of popish baptisme lyeth upon them that are confessed by him to be Antichrist yet this baptisme he wil have to be from heaven 2. They were not in the loyns of the primitive Christian Church either by nature or by grace otherweise then all nations in Moses time were in the loynes of the primitive Church in Noes time 3. We have not our baptisme frō them but from God who hath delivered us from
But this were to build a new Babylon and to make a confused mixture of the members of Christ and of Antichrist contrary to all the scriptures 2 Cor. 6. 14. 15. 16. 17 Rev. 21. 27. The other scripture which he citeth Deut 7. 1 11. helpeth him no more then the former for there in the 11. verse the Commandements Statutes and Judgments which imply all Moses law are expressed if other nations were freed from all these then were they freed from all law and so from all syn for where there is no Law there is no transgression seing Syn is the transgression of the Law 1. Ioh. 3. 4. And where he instanceth mariage with Pagans which is there forbidden Deut. 7. 3. and applieth it to Papists now that they should syn to mary with such I grant it But his inference therupon that therfore they are the true church and in the covenant of grace I deny For the Iewes at this day which professe after their false manner the God of Israel and all things written in the Law and Prophets should syn if now they maried with such doing contrary to their express Law Mal. 2. 11 Yet are not the Iewes now in the covenant of grace or the church of God Againe in Deut. 7. 5. there is commandment to destroy images and like monuments of idolatrie if this was peculiar to Israel then other nations synned not in suffering idols among them undestroyed wheras the Apostle plainly sheweth their greivous syn in making and using such idols Rom. 1. 23. and consequently it must needs also be their syn that they did not forsake destroy and abolish them If any now aske whether the other nations were then bound to all the ordinances of Israel I answer no for some things were never before commanded nor unto other then the church of Israel as the strangers might eat some meates which the Israelites might not Deut. 14. 21. Such things having never been forbidden them of God they might eat without syn as we may at this day But this I say of the nations that all the Lawes Statutes and judgments which were once commanded them of God they were bound for ever to keep til God againe repealed them As for example all the ten commandements and such Statutes or cerimonies as were taught them of God as sacrificing Gen 4. 3. 4. 8. 20. not to eat flesh with the blood Gen. 9. 4. and all other the like And for judgments to kill murderers Gen. 9. 6. and so to punish other malefactors And no Apostasie could ever free them from syn in neglecting any of Gods lawes once given them So no Apostasie could free the Israelites from any law of Moses or the world now from the Law of Christ. The Iewes that under Antiochus turned to Paganisme 1 Maccab. 1. 43. were guiltie they and their seed for neglecting circumcision the Passover and all other ordinances of Moses and their apostasie wherby they went out from the covenant of God and his church freed them not from syn at all So the Christians in like manner that have Apostate to Mahometisme are nevertheless in their synns for neglect of Christs trueth ordinances though they be no Christian church as all of us graunt Onely there is this difference to be put that such as know the will of God as did the Iewes and many Papists now may by the scriptures and doe it not shal be beaten with many stripes wheras the ignorant peoples and Popish multitude shal be beaten with few Luke 12. 47. 48. But to excuse them from syn wholly is to plead for iniquitie And for this cause both David in Ps. 147. and Moses in Deut. 7. urgeth Israel to thankfullnes and obedience above other peoples in that the Lord had now written his lawes and ordinances unto them and made them an holy people when he left other peoples onely to that doctrine which by word of mouth was delivered them from Noe and his sonns which if they did forsake as they had in a great mesure they should perish for ever 7. His seventh last reason for the church of Rome is taken from 2. Thes. 2. 3. 4. Where it is prophesied that Antichrist should sit in the Temple of God This argument he handleth at large But first let it be observed how all his reasons hetherto are shewed to be insufficient and built upon weak grounds the first being taken from their baptisme which is adulterate as the church it self The second frō an inconvenience falsly presupposed that none in that church can else be saved The third from a question whether Christians Iewes Turks or Pagans be the church The 4. is againe from their baptisme The 5. is from the types of Iudah and Israel in apostasie The 6. is from a supposed freedome that such as are apostate from the covenant of God should have from syn if they neglect the ordinances of the gospel None of these arguments are taken from the essential things wherof the true church consisteth none from the matter to prove them saincts or forme to prove them united unto Christ and one to an other according to the order of his testament none from the faith to shew it to be true or from the worship and service of God or from the ministerie to manifest eyther of these to be according to Christ. And now the last of his reasons is from a figurative phrase the Temple of God which may be diversly understood and applied as himself cannot deny Let the prudent reader judge whether these his seven arguments be any thing like those seven pillars which Wisdome hewed out when she builded her house Prov. 9. 1. Now let us weigh his seventh reason The Apostle sayth he speaking of Antichrist in 2 Thes 2. 3. 4. describeth him thus There shall come an Apostasie defection or falling away and the man of syn shal be revealed the son of perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped so that he as God suteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God c. Here the Apostle describing Antichrist speaketh of the Temple of God where he suteth c. Now that by the Temple of God in Jsrael was figured the church of God among Christians appeareth by these scriptures 1 Cor. 3. 16. 17. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Ephe. ◠21. Rev. 11. 1. 2. 19. 14. 15. 17. 15. 5. 6. 8. 16. 1. 17. compared with Zach. 6. 12. 13 and is acknowledged by the best writers of all ages c. So then from this scripture J reason as followeth Jf the Pope of Rome with his hierarchie be the man of syn here spoken of and the son of perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped then is the church of Rome the Temple of God here spoken of wherein he suteth as God shewing himselfe that hee is God But the Pope of Rome with his hierarchie
is by their owne grant the man of syn of whom the Apostle here speaketh c. Therfore the church of Rome is the Temple of God also that here is spoken of I answer This argument I might wholly grant and not hurt the cause I plead for For though the church of Rome be the Temple of God which Paul speaketh of yet followeth it not that it is Gods true Temple or true Church which is the point that should be concluded seing the scriptures often speak of things as once they were though so they continue not still as also they speak of things according to the outward pretense and shew that is made of them though in deed and trueth they be nothing less The first is manifest by these and other like instances Abigail is called the wife of Nabal 1 Sam. 30. 5. though Nabal was then dead and his wife maried to David Simon is still called the Leper Mat. 26. 6. though he was then clensed of his leprosie The king of Tyrus an heathen man that lived in Ezekiels dayes is sayd to have been in Eden the garden of God to have been upon the holy mountaine of God and to have walked in the middest of the stones of fyre Ezek. 28. 13. 14. meaning that he had been in Gods church on mount Sion among the people of God although not he himself but Huram his predecessor many yeres before in the dayes of David and Solomon was the man that became a proselyte in Israel and helped to build the Temple 2 Chron. 2. 3. 16. even as if a man should speak to the Bishop of Rome at this day and tell him what he was for a Bishop in th'Apostles dayes and how now he is degenerate and become the man of syn The mountaines of Horeb and Tabor where God once gave his Law and Christ was transfigured are after still called the mount of God and the Holy mount 1 King 19. â— 2 Pet. 1. 18. because they had been for the time sanctified by the presence of God And so the Temple in Ierusalem after the Iewes had crucified Christ refused the gospel were broken off because of unbeleef and the sacrificing and worshiping in that place was ended yet is it until the utter ruine of it by the Romans called the holy place Mat. 24. 15. Thus also the Citie become an harlot is called the faithfull Citie Esai 1. 21. the wicked that hath forsaken his righteousnes is named arighteous man Ezek. 18. 26. according to their former and not their present estate And when these titles are given them it is not to justifie them at all but to aggravate their syn So for the second that things are called according to the outward appearance and pretext set upon them though they be in deed false is evident by these and the like examples false Gods which are but idols are called gods usually so one Prophet calleth those the Philistians gods 1 Chron. 14. 12. which an other calleth their images 2 Sam. 5. 21. False prophets are called Prophets 1 King 22. 6. 22 and Balaam a Soothsayer among the heathens Jos. 13. 22. is called a Prophet 2 Pet. 2. 16. The evil spirit whom the witch of End or raised up for Saul is called in the scripture Samuel 1 Sam. 28. 11. 12 15. 16. 20. by reason wherof the Papists contend that it was Samuel in deed and not the Divil urging the letter as mine opposite doth urge against me this phrase of the Temple of God The idolatrous Temple which Ieroboam made in Israel in honour of the God which had brought them out of Egypt is called the house of their God Amâ—s 2. 8. yet that it was his true house or temple I never heard of any that would affirme though it was the true God whom they worshiped therin for Baal with his house was then destroyed out of Israel 2 King 1â— 27. 28. Now mine opposite hath given us a good rule in this his last book when answering the Anabaptists he sayth The word of God is not the bare letter or outward syllables but the intendement and meaning of the holy Ghost by whom it was given Which should carefully be observed by the due consideration of the scriptures with the circumstances therof and by the conference of other places of scripture and the proportion of fayth layd togither Which whiles the Anabaptists neglict they look on the scripture partially and press the letter extreamly without consideration of the true and right meaning therof These words of his are true the more it is to be lamented that he himself would so press the letter against me and not weigh the meaning of the same by it self and other scriptures and the proportion of fayth layd togither In alleaging this text he layeth downe the words thus There shal come an apostasie or falling away wheras the Apostle sayth except there come an apostasie or falling-away first which word first may intimate that the church should fall away from the love of the trueth before the man of syn should be revealed and this is apparant by the 10. verse where the people whom Antichrist seduceth are sayd to be them that perish because they received not the love of the trueth that they might be saved Or if the word first which mine opposite leaveth out be understood before Christs coming then is it meant of the apostasie or the falling away so called by an excellencie as exceeding all other And is not to be referred to Antichrist the head onely but to Antichristians the bodie also who after other synns should fall away with Antichrist and be damned with him as in the 11. verse it is sayd God shall send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a lye shat they all might be damned who beleeve not the trueth but had pleasure in unrighteousnes So that by the whole scope of this scripture it is evident the Apostle divideth not the people of the church of Rome from the Bishop and ministers of the same as if the people should be Gods true Temple Christs true Church under his covenant and so in the state of grace when the Bishops and ministers are the Divils Temple Antichrist the man of syn and so in the state of damnation but maketh both bishops and people deceivers and deceived all of them under wrath and condemnation otherweise then my opposite would perswade For he pleading thus The Apostle speaking of Antichrist describeth him thus There shal come an apostasie c would have men think that the Bishop and ministers of the church of Rome are the apostasie and the people not contrarie to all the scope of this scripture contrarie also to Paul in 1 Tim. 4 1. where he foretelleth of some that should apostate or depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Divils meaning it of the people deceived by false teachers yea it is contrary also to mine opposites own graunt who
sayd a litle before that the church of Rome is fallen into most sinfull and deep defection and apostasie and so is a notorious harlot and idolatrâ—ss Wherefore his distinction here between the apostasie the church of Rome making the one Antichrist the other Gods temple under his covenant of grace neyther accordeth with the scriptures nor with his own assertion Next this where he sayth that by the Temple of God in Israel was figured the church of God among Christians it is graunted But withall let it be noted that himself can not deney but the Temple and tabernacle in Israel was not the church and congregation of Gods people properly but a sacramental signe of Gods dwelling with them which I before confirmed by these scriptures Exod 25. 8. 2. Chron. 6. 2. Ezek. 37. 26. 27. Rev. 21. 3. Secondly he himself affirmeth that the temple at Ierusalem did primarily figure out Christ and secondarily the church both the catholik or universal and particular churches likeweise particular Christians and in several respects both their bodies and their soules and consciences Vpon which graunts of his it foloweth that there is no necessarie consequence of this his proposition Jf the Pope of Rome with his hierarchie be the man of syn spoken of in 2. Thes. 2. then is the church of Rome the Temple of God there spoken of for he understanding by the church the people as in 1. Cor. 3. 16. 17. 2. Cor. 6. 16. Eph. 2 21. and yet granting that the Temple in Israel was not the people all may see the weaknes and insufficiencie of this inference that because the Pope of Rome sitteth as God in the Temple of God therfore the people of the church of Rome are that Temple of God there spoken of consequently Gods true church For why now may we not as well if not much better say that by the Temple of God is understood the doctrine and profession of Christ the true Temple or as in my former †book I shewed thus As the Temple was an outward signe of Gods presence with his people and of his inward dwelling in their harts * by saith and by his spirit unto their salvation so Antichrists temple is an outward shew of his presence with that seduced people in whose harts †he dwelleth by Popish faith and by his spirit of errour carying them to damnation But as Antichrist shal not professedly deny the true God or Christ though in deed he falsly * sheweth himself that he is God so shal hâ— not professedly deny the Temple or church of God but falsly vaunt his adulterous synagogue to be the same Vnto this exposition mine opposite hath given no answer and it being according to the scriptures trueth of the thing in controversie I leave it to the prudent reader whether the outward shew and profession of Christ and Christian religion be not the first thing here intended of th'Apostle by the Temple of God And this is further confirmed by Rev. 11. 1. Where the Temple Altar and Worshipers are three distinct things and the people are the worshipers there spoken of neyther the Temple nor the Altar of which place we shal treat anone Then wheras he granteth that the Temple in Ierusalem did primarily figure out Christ how is it that he wholly neglecteth the primarie thing figured and insisteth upon the secondary the church or people of Rome Seing it is knowen how the Pope pretendeth him self to be Christs vicar and deputie on earth and to be the servant and worshiper of Christ in heaven and may we think that th'Apostle in warning them of the mysterie of iniquitie would not imply the chief point of the mysterie that Antichrist should in pretence sit for Christ and in his sted as his vicar generall on earth Thus to sit in the Temple or for the Temple of God may well be understood that Antichrist should sit for Christ a pretended friend but in deed an adverse foe Now for that which the Temple secondarily figured namely the church catholik and also particular and so mens consciences he wavereth in his application He sayth this terme the church of Rome is taken eyther particularly which he applieth to the Laterane church in Rome the Popes parish church or more generally for all other such Christian churches as are come under the Popes jurisdiction c. This later I hold to be most proper here for what needed there such warning to the Thessalonians other christian churches through the world if a Bishop of the Lateran parish a corner in Rome had exalted himself above God therin onely and had not usurped also a pretended Christian power over all And the complement of the prophesie is an evident exposition of it for who knoweth not that the Pope scorneth to be Bishop of the Lateran parish onely it is a jurisdiction over the catholik church throughout the earth which he chalengeth And now what proof bringeth mine opposite that the church of Rome as God constituted it is taken generally for other Christian churches under the Popes jurisdiction None at all neyther can he bring any jote of Gods word for the same Againe what proof maketh he that the catholik Romane church wherin the Pope sitteth is the true church of God None but this J suppose these men themselves being better advised wil not deny them to be the churches and Temple of God But he should have shewed if it had been possible for him that the Romane church is by divine institution the catholik or universal church which because I assure my self it can never be doen I conclude that this Romane catholik church is a fiction of the Popes braine and a meere idol like himself and is no otherweise the Temple of God then the Pope is Christs universal vicar namely in lying words and vaine ostentation And so the maine ground for the Temple of God wherin Antichrist sitteth to be the true church of Christ is overthrowne As for the Popes Laterane parish I both deny it to be Christs true church and that it onely is the Temple of God wherin Antichrist should sit His proof of the former is this Jf we understand it of a particular church as the Apostle wrote his epistle to the church of the Romans how shall we soundly deny it eyther to be the Temple of God or Antichrist to be set therin Thus have we suppositions and questions in sted of proofes To his demand I answer it is the Temple of God in pretence not in trueth even as the Pope is a bishop of Christ in pretence but in deed is Antichrist the man of syn as mine opposite granteth The church that was in Rome in Pauls time wil no more justifie the Popes synagogue there now then the Christian ministers which were then in that church Rom. 12. wil justifie the Antichristian prelates that there reigne at this day Secondly the Laterane parish at Rome is of the
Popes faith religion and worship there are like priests like people Now if the Bishop of that parish be Antichrist the son of perdition as th'Apostle telleth us 2 Thes. 2. 3. then his parishoners which have no other faith or religion then he are also the children of damnation 2 Thes. 2. 12. and so can not be judged to be Christs true church and in the state of grace sealed of God with his covenant unto salvation In the Lateran Church of Rome where Antichrist is parish priest the people are grosse idolaters hereticks worshipers of Divils and of him that sitteth as God in the Temple of God ascribing unto him that Holyness divine power and jurisdiction which he doeth blasphemously challenge and mine opposite could not shew one man of that parish that differeth at all from the religion of their priest how is it then possible that he should be Antichrist and they true Christians he under wrath they under the covenant of grace he the very Temple of the Divil and they the true Temple of God For shal not the same religion and faith which justifieth them justifieth him also when it is found in him as well as in them Wherfore eyther the man of syn himself must be a sainct among those saincts or they togither with him must be as the holy Ghost calleth them an habitation of Divils Revel 18. 2. To conclude then seing there is no true visible church of Gods institution but a particular congregation any other general or catholik visible church of Rome being but the Popes own wicked fiction and seing Antichrists parish church can no more be Christs then Antichrist himself it can not without injury to the Apostle and to the proportion of faith and to other scriptures and to reason it self be gathered that the church of Rome is at this day Gods true Temple or Christs true Church Albeit for that there was once a true Chrrstian church in Rome and these Antichristians now profess to be the successors of the same and pretend one faith religion worship and reteine some doctrines and ordinances of Christ still which they synfully profane they are therfore sayd to be the Temple of God as before I have shewed Moreover there can no church be called the true Temple of God but in respect of Christ the chief corner stone and foundation of the building for he is called the living Stone and his people are living stones built up a spiritual house in him and so grow up to an holy Temple in the Lord 1 Pet. 2. 4. 5 Eph. 2. 20. 21. If therfore Antichrist sitteth in the true Temple of God he sitteth first in Christ the head and secondarily in his body and people but Antichrist is no otherweise in Christ then in a feighned profession of him whom in deed he denyeth 1 Joh. 2. 22. therfore he is not in the Temple of God but in respect of his profession of Christianitie and of the Christian societie in his people both which are false and deceitfull after the working of Satan in all deceivablenes of unrighteousnes 2 Thes. 2. 9. 10. Now it followeth that I defend my former writings against which he excepteth as for the reproches which he layeth upon my self and his trifling exceptions against words and phrases I will omitt as fruitless Wheras in scanning the Apostles words I noted mine opposites omission of Antichrists sitting as God in the Temple of God which words as God doe give light to the true meaning he excepteth how he could alleage that one Greek copie wanteth those words so doth the Syriakas Mr. Beza observeth also the Latine I answer if one copie want them and many or all other have them it is no wisdom to leave the many follow one without apparant reason For the Syriak he was deceived for it hath those words plainly though the copie which Tremellius used wanted them through the copiers default as Mr. Iunius sheweth in his notes upon the Syriak version on 2. Thes. 2. 4. As for the Latine it omitteth sundry other good things in other places and is no warrant for us to follow Obj. The question was not about the manner of Antichrists sitting in the Temple of God whether he should sit as God therin or no. Therfore I needed not alleadge these words Answ. But the question was about th'Apostles meaning in that place and therfore his words which help to manifest his meaning should have been alleaged Obj. Jt is knowen to be usual in all writers sometimes not to mention somtimes not to insist at all upon such words as perteâ—ne not to the matter in hand c. Answ. Yet I though I first used the whole phrase of the Temple of God am taxed for that I doe not after alwayes repeat all the words But to let pass such things this speech sitteth as God perteyneth much to the matter in hand for if the people which he wil have to be the Temple of God doe so acknowledge and honour the Man of syn for God as he there sitteth shewing himself that he is God then may we as well doubt whether they be the people of the true God as whether the man of syn be the true God But whatsoever honour divine power the man of syn challengeth to himself the â—ame doe the people of Rome the Temple of God give unto him in word and deed So the words are needfull and perteine to the matter in hand For by the worshiping of that Beast the false church is distinguished from the true church which refuseth to worship him Rev. 13. 8. 16. 17. 14. 1. 4. 9. 10. 11. 12. 20. 4. 2 Thes. 2. 10. 11. 12. Obj. Of Antichrists sitting th' Apostle saith that he sitteth as God but of the seat where he sitteth he sayth expresly in the Temple of God and sayth not as in the Temple of God as the answer here would import which therfore is merely shifting and full of deceyt Answ. So the Prophet sayth expresly in the house of their God Amos. 2. 8. and sayth not as in the house of their God though he speaketh of an idolatrous temple which Ieroboam pretended to be Gods and the Apostle sayth expressly there be gods many and lords many 1. Cor. 8. 5. and sayth not as gods or as lords when yet he meaneth the false gods and idols of the heathen And the scripture expressly sayth the woman saw Samuel and Saul perceived that it was Samuel and then sayd Samuel because of the words of Samuel 1. Sam. 28. 12. 14. 16. 20. and sayth not one as or like to Samuel though it was but the divil in the likenes of Samuel Paul sayth expressly that Satan is transfigured into an Angel of light 2. Cor. 11. 14. and sayth not aâ— into an Angel though in the very next words he sayth that his ministers are transfigured as the ministers of righteousnes v. 15. Which terme of transfiguring is sometime used for a
example more fitly if a Iew had been forced by Antiochus violently to kyss or bow the knee to Iupiters image when he resisted and testified against it none could justly call him an idolater or one of Iupiters people But if an other Iew had revolted to Antiochus religion and beleeved in his Iupiter and honoured him with hart profession and action he now might justly be called the servant of Iupiter or one of his people as the Moabites are called the people of Chemosh Numb 21. 29. So the church of Rome now fallen from true Christianity and beleeving worshiping obeying Antichrist the Popes holynes are and may justly be called his church or else Antichrist hath no temple church or people in the world Object Observe here and throughout his treatise how still he calleth that the Temple church and bodie of Antichrist which Paul expressly and purposely calleth the Temple of God And so therin note stil his shâ—fâ—s and his errours c. Answ. Loe still an urging of the bare letter as doe the Papists This is my body to prove their transubstantiation that there is no bread left but Christs very body really and properly I have I trust without shifting or errour proved the present church of Rome to be Antichrists temple church and bodie if the Pope be Antichrist And seing his mysterie of iniquitie is contrary to Christs mysterie of godlynes and Christ hath a mystical temple which is his church and bodie Eph. 2. 21. 5. 23. I would gladly know what temple church and body Antichrist hath if the church of Rome be not the same Againe he speaketh too largely that J stil so call it throughout my treatise for I have other weise written though it liked him not thus Gods true temple and tabernacle is in mount Sion in heaven Rev. 14. 1. 17. where God sitteth on a throne Rev. 16. 17. 7. 15. and dwelleth among his people where is the Ark of his covenant Rev. 11. 19. and from thence lightnings voices thondrings earthquake and hâ—yle come forth against thâ— Antichristians his enemies and vials of his wrath powred out upon the throne of the beast Rev. 16. 1. 2. 10. and on men that have his mark On the contrary the Beast which is the kingdome of Antichrist ascendeth from beneath out of the bottomless pit Rev. 17. 8. and blasphemeth this heavenly tabernacle Rev. 13. 6. and sitteth in Babylon Rev. 16. 19. upon the Dragons throne Rev. 13. 2. and fighteth against the Lamb and against the saincts Rev. 19. 19. treading under foot the holy citie Rev. 11. 2. and casting downe the place of Christs sanctuarie Dan. 8. 11. When th' Apostle therfore telleth us that Antichrist sitteth as God in the Temple of God it is to be understood of their invading and destroying of Gods church and people as the heathens of old dealâ— with Jerusalem and dwellers therin Psal. 79. Dan. 8 11. 13. 11. 36. Ier. 22. 12. 13. Law 2. 7. 9. Secondly of their own vaine ostentation whiles they wil have it called the Christian catholik church and the Pope the head of the same Ezek. 28. 2. 6. Esa. 14. 13. 14. 2 Thes. 2. 9 10 Rev. 13. 11. 14. 17. 4. 2 Cor. 11. 13. 14. 15. Thus I grant that the Temple which Antichrist invadeth destroyeth is Gods true Temple but that wherin the Beast sitteth as God which he trimmeth upholdeth and boasteth of as he doeth the church of Rome at this day is the synagogue of Satan But he procedeth Object As for the ancient Doctor whom here he citeth let us hear himself speak His words are these That which is the Temple of any idolor Divil the Apostle would not call the Temple of God Wherupon some will have in this place not the Prince himself but after a manner his whole bodie thâ—â— is the multitude of men perteyning unto him togither with himself under the Prince understood to be Antichrist And more rightly also they think it to be sayd in Latine 〈◊〉 in the Greek that he sitteth not in the Temple of God but for the Temple of God which is the church As we say he sitteth for a friend that is as a friend Augustine de Civic Dâ—â— l. 20. c. 19. Where note how farr differing Augustine is from this man that citeth him c. Answ. There is not so great difference as mine opposite would pretend First I cited not Augustine for his own judgment but for others whom he speaketh of touching the translation of the Text in the Temple of God or for the Temple Secondly he setteth down Augustines words maymed both at head and foot For Augustine beginneth thus But in what temple of God he shal sit as God is uncertaine whether in that ruine of the Temple which was built by King Solomon or in the church For that which is the temple of any idol or divil the Apostle would not call the temple of God c. Now the ruine of Solomons temple cannot at this day be called Gods temple otherweise then because it was the Temple of God of old hath now no more holynes in deed trueth theÌ„ any other place in the world And thus I have granted that the church of Rome may be called the church of God in respect that there was a church there in Pauls time wheras now it hath no more true holynes then the synagogue of Satan So we see how for advantage mine opposite baulked Augustines first words In the end he breaketh off in the midst of a period for Augustine sayth sitteth for a friend that is as a friend or if any other thing is wont to be understood by this kind of speech So he defineth not certainly of this place but leaves it doubtfull and presently after confesseth his ignorance For what is this sayth Augustine For the mysterie of iniquitie doth already work onely he who now holdeth let him hold till he be taken out of the way J confess my self to be utterly ignorant what he meaneth Thus we need not strive about Augustines words here and I grant that the Apostle would not have called it the Temple of God unless eyther it were so in deed and trueth or had been so in times past or did pretend to be so still And I think all wil likewise grant that the holy Ghost would not have called the witches spirit at endor Samuel unless eyther it had been Samuel in deed as the Papists doe contend or some thing in pretence and shew like Samuel Neyther would the prophet have sayd to the King of Tyrus Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God a proselyte in the church of Israel unless eyther himself or some of his predecessors had been there in times past Neyther would Amos have called the Israelites idol temple the house of their God unless eyther it were so in deed or in pretense which phrase when the Greek translateth according to the letter the house of
their God and the Chaldee paraphrast as ancient as the Apostles age expoundeth the house of their idols they contradict not one another seing the same thing may be Gods in shew and the divils in deed and trueth for even Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 14. Obj. When the Apostle describeth the mysterie of Antichrists iniquitie would he teach the church that the place of his sitting is the Temple of God if he meant that it were in deed the synagogue of Satan and the temple of Antichrist For that Antichrist should sit in the temple of Antichrist and synagogue of Satan what mysterie is there in it All the world would easily perceive that these agreed very well and most fitly togither But for Antichrist to sit in Gods temple and Christs church this is in deed a mysterie Answ. The mysterie of iniquitie began in the true church but continued not therein alwayes for when it was discerned the church eyther cast it out or soon degenerated into a synagogue of Satan if it accepted Antichrist for God as the Church of Rome doth at this day Which I further manifest thus 1. The Apostle sayth As ye have heard that Antichrist shal come even now are there many Antichrists c. They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us Who is a lyer but he that denyeth that Jesus is the Christ he is Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Son Whosoever denyeth the Son the same hath not the Father 1. Joh. 2. 18. 19. 22. 23. This scripture teacheth us first that all hereticks departing from the faith of Christ are generally Antichrists though they reteyn the name of Christians still as did the hereticks in th'Apostles time 2. That such are gone out from the church and are in deed none of it though they pretend to be the true church as all hereticks have doen. 3. That both teachers and people departed from the faith and church of Christ are comprehended under the name of Antichrists and not the Bishops onely 4. That whosoever is Antichrist especially the great Antichrist he denyeth the Son Christ and consequently God the Father Now let us apply these things to the Bishop and hierarchie of Rome whome mine opposite granteth to be the great Antichrist If the Pope and his hierarchie be Antichrist then are they none of the Apostolik church but gone out of the same but they are Antichrist by my opposites owne confession Therfore they are none of th'Apostolik church The Pope and his hierarchie are both in and of the church of Rome the heads teachers and principall members of it of the same faith religion and worship but they are not in or of the Apostolik christian church as before is proved therfore the church of Rome is not an apostolik Christian church If the church of Rome denyeth both the Father and the Son then is it Antichrist as the Apostle sayth and so no true Christian church But the church of Rome denyeth both the Father and the Son therfore it is no true Christian church If the Pope his hierarchie deny both the Father and the Son then the church of Rome also denyeth them for they beleeve as the Pope and hierarchie beleeveth have one and the same religion with their preists But the Pope and his hierarchie deny both the Father and the Son otherweise they are not the Antichrist as mine opposite sayth they are therefore the Church of Rome also denyeth both the Father and the Son Now seing it is thus how is it possible that it should cōtinue the true Church of Christ otherweise then by lying pretext and ostentation And this is the mysterie of inquitie if men could comprehend it that the Bishops and people of Rome being at first Christs true church departed by degrees from the faith worship of God til they came joyntly to beleeve lyes and to worship creatures idols and divils Rev. ◠30. and became a Beast or Antichristian kingdome yet with two hornes like the Lamb Christ Rev. 13. blaspheming Gods Tabernacle them that dwel in heaven that is the true church they pretend themselves to be the onely true church of Christ and that all other are hereticks they pretend succession even from th Apostles dayes without change of religion and so they sit in the temple of God or for the Temple as if they none but they were the Temple and church of God the Pope being the head of this sinfull corporation of this Beast or kingdome and exalting himself above God Christ whiles yet he calleth himself Christs vicar and the Servant of the servants of God and by strong delusion keepeth his people in beleef of lyes that togither with him they all might be damned who beleeve not the trueth but have pleasure in unrighteousnes as the Apostle sayth 2. Thes. 2. 12. Now where he objecteth what mysterie is there in it that Antichrist should sit in the temple of Antichrist I answer it is a great mysterie in that it is doen by him and his under the name and shew of Christianitie and as the Apostle sayth after the working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders and with all deceivablenes of unrighteousnes 2. Thes. 9. 10. And where he further sayth but for Antichrist to sit in Christs church this is in deed a mysterie I answer it is in deed a contrarietie and impossibilitie not a mysterie for no man can serve two masters Mat. 6. 24. of whom a man is overcome of the same is he brought in bondage 2. Pet. 2. 19. to whom men yeild themselves servants to obey his servants they are to whom they obey Rom. 6. 16. Now the church of Rome yeilding unto and obeying Antichrist cannot be the servants of Christ if th' Apostles doctrine be true And after mine opposites manner of reasoning an other man might say seing Christianitie is the mystirie of godlines 1. Tim. 3. 16. as Antichristianitie is the mysterie of iniquitie 2. Thes. 2. 7. Christ must sit in the Temple of Satan as Antichrist sitteth in the temple of God for for Christ to sit in the Temple church of Christ what mysterie is there in it but for Christ to sit in Satans temple and Antichrists church this is in deed a mysterie Were not this think we good reasoning to put darknes for light and light for darknes Christ into Antichrists place and Antichrist into Christs for to finde out a mysterie But they that have their eyes opened to read the mysterie that is not onely in the Pope but on the forehead of the whore of Babylon his church will soon espie this fraud though others are bewitched with her painted face For as Satan can transforme himself into an Angel of light and his ministers
can be transformed as the ministers of righteousnes 2 Cor. 11. 14. 15. is it such a marvel that he should transforme his temple and church into the Temple of God and church of Christ and yet as he is a Divil stil notwithstanding his transformation so his Temple coÌ„tinueth stil the Temple of the Divil and church of Antichrist how ever they are disguised with other names and habits And to help a litle to the discerning of both these opposite mysteries of pietie and impietie wee are to know that Christs Kingdome beginneth in the kingdome of Satan and is perfected in the Kingdome of God and Antichrists kingdome beginneth in the kingdome of God and is perfected in the kingdome of Satan For the god of this world having blinded the eyes of infidels who are dead in synns and walk according to the prince of the power of the aier Christ by his Ministers sent into the world and by his word of trueth the gospel causeth light to arise unto them openeth their eyes and turneth them from darknes to light and from the power of Satan vnto God that they may receive forgivenes of synns and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in him and thus God delivereth them from the power of darknes and translateth them into the kingdome of his beloved son Then cometh Satan by Antichrists which are his ministers privily crept into the church and by the word of lying which is Antichrists gospel he darkneth the mindes of them that have not received the love of the trueth and turneth them back againe from God and by damnable heresies privily brought in draweth them even to deny the Lord that bought them and so bring upon themselves swift destruction Then doe they goe out from the church blaspheme the way of trueth and togither with the Beast doe warr against Christ whom yet in name and pretense they would seem to honour and serve so accomplishing the mysterie of their iniquitie unto assured damnation if they turne not againe unto God This thing not being observed how Christ beginneth in the world and draweth men out of it into his church and Antichrist beginneth in the church draweth men out of it into the world againe as the Dragons taile draweth the starrs of heaven â—â—fteth them to the earth Rev. 12. 4. mine opposite thought it absurditie and contradiction in me for writing thus When th Apostle therfore telleth us that Antichrist sitteth as God in the Temple of God it is to be vnderstood first of their invading and destroying of Gods church and people as the heathens of old dealt with Jerusalem and dwellers therin secondly of their owne vayne ostentation whiles they will have it called the Christian catholik church and th Pope the head of the same Vpon this he thus inveigheth What have we here Doth himself now by the Temple of God vnderstand Gods church and people yea such as was answerable to Ierusalem and the dwellers therin of old why then hath he so eagerly oppugned us hereabout c. Answ. I oppugne the present church of Rome which Antichrist destroyeth not but buildeth and adorneth as an alluring harlot the Christian church which was in Rome of old that hath he invaded and destroyed long since for they then were Saints such as he hateth these now are worshipers of him and of idols Divils and are an habitation of Divils So there is as much difference between the church of Rome now and the church then as between the Bishop of Rome now the Bishops then they were Christs ministers this now is Antichrist as mine opposite himself confesseth And what cause hath he to insult as if he had got the victorie Let wise men judge But he proceedeth Obj. Where can he shew in the scriptures that sitting is put for invading or destroying c. Otherwhere stil he teatheth that by sitting is meant abiding continuing dwelling c. What if I cannot prove that sitting is put for invading or destroying if I prove my assertion by other words of the text shall it not suffice The words Eiston Naon into the Temple may imply by a figure his invading and the person that invadeth being an enemy a theef a wolf implyeth his destroying for our Saviour sayth The theef cometh not but for to steale and to kill and to destroy 1 Joh. 10. 10. The scripture often wanteth words easy to be understood so here Paul sayth of Antichrist that he having entred into the Temple of God sitteth as God And if they regard not my exposition they shall have his on whom they so much rely Mr. Iunius I mean who so explaineth it saying The testimonie of signe is this that Invading the temple of God he shal sit as God Jun. Animad vers in Bellarm. Controv. 3. l. 3. c. 14. not 18. But what if I confirme it by the word sitting which he thought so unlikely In Esai 14. 13. the Prophet upbraideth the king of Babylon thus Thou hast sayd in thine hart J wil ascend into heaven c. J wil sit also in the mount of the congregation in the sides of the North meaning mount Sion where Gods temple was But this is meant of Nebuchadnezars invading of Ierusalem to spoile the same as the historie sheweth 2 King 25. and in him Antichrists tyrannie against the church was lively figured As for sitting to mean continuing though it doth so often times yet not alwayes Christ sate upon the mount of Olives Mat. 24. 3. the disciples sate in the house Act. 2. 2. yet dwelt they not or continued long there And when the Babylonian invaded mount Sion to sit there he continued not there but having spoiled the citie burned the Temple and captived the people he returned into Babylon 2 King 25. so Antichrist spoiling Christian churches returneth to his whore of Babylon his proper habitation which he wickedly boasteth to be the Sion Temple and church of God Wheras mine opposite expounded the Temple of God to be the church and shewed not whether he meant a church particular or general and catholik I sayd for a particular church it wil not agree with the prophesies of Antichrist whose citie or church is so great as peoples kinreds tongues nations doe dwell in the streets therof Rev. 11. 8. 9. He gainsayeth me thus First Still he calls that Antichrists church which th' Apostle calleth the Temple of God Answ. It is his own interpretation that the Temple meaneth the church and that he that sitteth in it is Antichrist and sitting he wil have to be continuing and why may not I call that church wherin Antichrist sitteth continually as God Antichrists church yea though it were indeed Gods church as he supposeth Seing the citie wherin Christ did but dwell was called his owne citie Mat. 9. 1. And that which God sayth in my house and in my kingdom 1 Chron.
thereupon It was not Gods people in Babylon that killed those witnesses Rev. 11. but it was Babylon that killed those witnesses Gods people therin Because Gods people killed not those witnesses but the Beast in his catholik citie or church therfore thinks he that citie of the beast is not his church a fayre conclusion Obj. Note here that by the great citie is meant not onely the citie it self but the whole jurisdiction authority and dominion therof how farr soever extended Answ. It is a good note and worth the marking for the great citie being the church of Rome as before is proved it followeth that the extents of that church reach further then the materiall walls of Rome even to all nations that are of the Popes religion and therfore to bound it within the Lateran parish of Rome is to restreyn that which God sheweth to be more large It were a happy day if the Popes unruly power were limited within the Lateran parish and his jurisdiction reached no further But he must have a larger scope to range in yet a while and weak warriers are they against him that plead for his whorish church of Rome that it is the true church of Christ and under his covenant of grace It is the thing that the Pope would most gladly have proved and I am well assured Babylon wil not fall til it be otherweise battered Obj. Where yet observe further that the church of Rome being fallen into deep apostasie and having the man of syn sitting ther in as God who hath that citie for his throne the things that are spoken of this citie are also applied to the apostate estate of that church of Rome and the other churches that are under the jurisdiction of the prelacie of that Sea whersoever and of whatsoever people kinred tongue or nation they be c. But shall wee therfore conclude that by the Temple of God 2 Thes. 2. 4. may not be understood the church of God Answ. How glorious is the trueth that forceth those to yeild that fight against it His former reasons that by the Citie in Rev. â—1 8. the church was not meant he now frustrateth himself But still he cleaveth to his first plea The temple of God 1 Thes. 2. is the church of God I may answer hereto as God by Ieremy did to the Iewes Trust not in lying words saying The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord are these Ier. 7. 4. Our dispute is in what sense Paul calleth it the Temple of God whether as the true temple builded by Solomon or as the false temple builded in Samaria by the Apostate Israelites which the Prophet calleth the house of their God Amos 2. 8. as the Apostle calleth this the Temple of God Now faine he would have this Romish temple of apostate Papists to be the true temple of God and that they notwithstanding their deep apostasie are Gods true church under his covenant which I deny and have before disproved and Paul in the very same place counteth them among those that perish for beleeving lyes which shal be damned for not beleeving the trueth 2 Thes. 2. 10. 11. 12. and Christ teacheth that being worshipers of the beast their names are not written in the book of lâ—fe Rev. 13. 8. 17. 8. but they shal be tormented in fyre and brimstone for ever Revel 14. 9. 10. 11. and that the whorish church Babylon the great the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth which is drunken with the blood of the Saincts and of the martyrs of Jesus shal be destroyed for ever Rev. 17. 5. 6. 18. 21. And who now that have not their right eye blinded wil not rather say it is the Samaritans Temple then Solomons though in pretence and colour the Temple of God And seing every true church now is a particular congregation in one place but the church of Rome is a new found catholik church spred over many nations under one head Bishop the Pope it can not possibly be Christs true church having neyther the constitution faith worship ministerie order or ordinances of Christ but of his enemie Antichrist Wheras I formerly wrote Neyther is that if they meane a particular church answerable to the Temple in Israel which was not for one synagogue but for the whole nation of the Iewes and for the Gentiles that came to the faith through the world To this he sayth How greatly forgets he himself and how presently seing but a line before he sayd the Temple figured not onely the catholik or universal church Ephe 2. 21. but also every particular church by proportion 1 Corint 3. 16. 17. And may we not then apply it to that wherof it was a figure c. Answ. No for mine opposite granteth that the Temple was primarily a figure Christ but so to apply it in this place 2 Thes. 2. himself thinketh not fit I deny not but some where it may and ought to be so applyed but considering that the Temple of God wherin Antichrist now sitteth is a catholik church spred over many nations as was prophesied Rev. 11. 8. 9. I think the applying of Pauls words in 2 Thes. 2. to a particular church is neyther fitting to the type nor to the prophesie nor to the accomplishment of it which we see at this day The priests in Israel figured Christ chiefly secondarily Christians Rev. 1. 6. But to apply those things which Paul speaketh of the Priests in Heb. 10. 11. 12. to us Christians were not onely unfitting but heretical Obj. The Candlesticks and Lamps were set in the Temple of God and the church of Rome was a golden Candlestick as well as the rest of the primitive churches and this man himself sayth definitely the true churches were many of them apostate when John wrote whom yet notwithstanding Christ acknowledgeth to be golden candlesticks In any of which of Antichrist had sit as in the church of Rome I suppose this man would not deny but his sitting then should have been in the Temple of God whether it were considered as a particular candlestick it self or a branch of the great general candlestick c. Answ. 1. If the Candlesticks were churches in the Temple the church then the Temple in such respect is the catholick church for one particular church is not in an other 2. I grant that the church of Rome was a golden candlestick in th'Apostles time and I think mine opposite would not deny but then also the Bishop of Rome was a starr in Christs right hand But now the Bishop is a starr fallen from heaven and acknowledged to be Antichrist why then may not the church be fallen with him as Paul forewarned Rom. 11. 22. and the candlestick removed from it as wel as from Ephesus Rev. 2. 5. except Rome have a privilege above all other cities because it crucified Christ. 3. I grant also that
syn there also spoken of mine opposer in the second proposition of his argument fore-set downe sayth But the Pope of Rome with his hierarchie is by their own graunt the man of syn of whom the Apostle here speaketh Other proof of this position he giveth none but sayth I grant it which in his understanding I have not granted For he so divideth the Pope and hierarchie which are Bishops Priests and Deacons from the church of Rome as he maketh the one Antichrist and Man of syn the other Christians and men of grace which how it can be when both parties are of one and the same faith worship religion it passeth my slender capacitie For if the Bishops priests and deacons have one faith religion with the people as it is knowen they have and the people have the true Christian faith and religion though corrupted yet so as they are still under the covenant of grace and sealed of God therin by baptisme how should not the same faith give life to the priests or hierarchie as it doeth to the people And then though the hierarchie be Antichrist the Man of syn the son of perdition who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped 2 Thes. 2. 3. yet they shall also be true Christians men of God and children of salvation Now to prove it to be my graunt he sendeth his reader to 30. pages of my book at once that if he myss it in one he may suppose it is in an other for not one man of many wil read over so many leaves for such a purpose onely Well howsoever I wil not make nice to call the Pope and his hierarchie the Man of syn yea or the Pope alone the man of syn because he is the head of that sinfull corporation and the highest exalted for almightynes holynes yet doe I not exclude the people from this body and give it to the Pope and hierarchie onely as mine opposite would intimate Nay the reader shall finde there the contrary most expressly for in pag. 76. I wrote thus The Antichristian synagogue is by the holy Ghost called a Beast Rev. 13. 11. which signifieth a kingdome Dan. 7. 23. it is named also a great citie Rev. 11. 8. which noteth the largenes of that politie and kingdom Jt cometh up out of the earth Rev. 13. 11. as being of this world which Christs kingdom that cometh down from heaven Rev. 21. 2. is not and therfore it is called a Man of syn 2 Thes. 2. 3. and a great whore Rev. 17. 1. whose head is Abaddon or a Apollyon Rev. 9. 11. the destroyer of others and himself the son of perdition 2 Thes. 2. 3. and they that folow him are the children of damnation 2 Thes. 2. 12. Againe in pag. 83. I doe not onely shew mine but mine opposers owne judgment heretofore saying She speaking of the church of Rome being in this forlorne estate she is but a lump of syn a man of syn 2 Thes 2. 3. a child of perdition The Beast is not one person but a kingdom Rev. 13. 11. Dan. 7. 23. and Mr. Iohnson himself hath acknowledged more then once that the man of syn is the false church and religion of Antichrist compared to the body of a man and consisting of all the partes togither Treat of the Minist against Mr. Hilders p. 7. Apolog. p. 109. How faithfully now myne opposite hath dealt with me to make it seem my graunt that the Pope and hierarchie apart from the church of Rome is the Man of syn all may see As for his own former confession he passeth it over without approving or disproving what himself hath written This point is of weight to give light to our controversie for if the whole church Pope priests and people be altogither a man of syn son of perdition then can not any of sound judgment think they are a true Christian church or under the covenant of Gods grace To shew this therfore first the scriptures sundry times speaketh of a whole state or company both governours and people as of one person man woman or child as in Hos 1. 4. 6. 9. the three children Iezreel Lo-ruhamah and Lo-ammi signified the three estates of the congregation of Israel then shortly to follow So in Rev. 12. 1. a woman signifieth the church of Christ in Rev. 17. an other woman signifieth the church of Antichrist even as in Prov. 9. 1. 13. the same churches are set forth like two women Wisdom and the Foolish woman In Rev. 12. 5. the Man child which the woman brought forth meaneth a company of valiant Christians as further appeareth by comparing Esai 66. 7. 8. where the Woman that travelleth is called Sion and the man child in vers 7. are called Sions children in vers 8. Secondly as Christ and Antichrist have their several churches so these ech of them are called a man as in Ephes. 2. 15. Christ is there sayd to make in himself of twaine that is of two peoples Iewes and Gentiles one new man where the whole church togither with Christ their head is called a new man Accordingly Antichrist the Pope togither with his whole church is called the man of syn And as in the new man the true Christian church Christ the head hath in all things the preheminence so in the man of syn the Antichristian church the Pope Christs pretended vicar hath in all things the preeminence exalted for power pretended holynes As the new man the Christian church is to be esteemed in the state of salvation though some secret hypocrites and reprobates closely creep in among them here on earth so the man of syn the Antichristian church is to be estemed in the state of damnation though some of Gods elect and hidden ones are in the same Rev. 18. 4. And this man of syn the Pope and his church sitteth in the Temple of God the profession of Christ whom the Temple chiefly figured and of Christian religion and worship even as this beast or kingdome hath two hornes like the Lamb Christ Rev. 13. 11. that so under the shew of Christianitie after the effectual working of Satan with all power and signes and lying wonders 2 Thes. 2. 9. Rev. 13. 13. 14. he may deceive them that dwell on the earth and draw them into the lake of fyre Thus much of the Man of syn sitting in the Temple of God 2 Thes. 2. Other scriptures he alleageth to confirme his cause as Manasses defiling Gods house 2 King 21. the Chaldeans defiling the Temple Psalm 79. the king of Babylons sitting on the mount of the congregation Esai 14. The prophets visions of the Temple polluted Ezek 8. And the prophesie of Antiochus Dan. 11. In all which places I acknowledge the true Temple of God to be understood But his error in applying this to his purpose I have before manifested For that Temple was not the people but an outward ordinance of God
time of their apostasie 2 King 9. 6. c. I answered the Question was not hereby prooved For 1. The Antichristian church is Babylon Rev. 16. 19 and 18. 2. and out of her that is Babylon are Gads people called Rev 18. 4. Now to prove her Gods church they flee to Jsrael wheras the Gentiles were her true types Rev. 11. 2. 9 18. though all the wickednes and hypocrisie of apostate Israel is also found in this Romish Babel His reply is Let the reader judge whether the point in hand touching that phrase of Gods people to imply the covenant of God be not proved by the example of Jsrael Ans. I leave it also to judgment whether the Question touching the church of Rome be proved hereby As for the phrase of Gods people in that church I never denyed it to imply the covenant of God to some visibly as the Martyrs of Christ killed in that church to other some according to the election of grace which shal appeare when they obey theyr calling and are come out of her as before I shewed Moreover he sayth the question was about the Temple of God 2. Thes. 2. wherabout he alleaged that terme and estate of the people of God Rev. 18. 4. but J flee to Babylon c. Answ. A plaine evasion The question was about the church of Rome as before I shewed from his own graunt To justifie her to be Gods church he alleaged 2 Thes. 2. for one proof Rev. 1◠for an other Rev. 18. 4. for a third and now the state of Israel for a fourth His other repetitions I have answered before I alwayes distinguished in Rev. 11. between the Gentiles the Antichristians and the holy citie and court which they have destroyed troden under foot and stil doe Neyther have I denyed but the idolaters in Iudah and Israel were types of Antichristians in part but this I sayd and still say that the more full and perfect type of them is by the holy Ghost shewed us to be in the Sodomites Egyptians and Babylonians Rev. 11. 17. 18. As the Priests of Aaron were types of Christ but Melchisedek was a more full and perfect type of him as the Apostle proveth in Heb. 7. Againe if that which he striveth for were granted him namely that Israel in apostasie typed out Antichristians and that Israel was notwithstanding a true church yet wil it not follow therefore the Antichristian church of Rome is a true church also For the apostasie and idolatrie of Rome is farr greater then Israels as I have elswhere shewed and can easily confirme against any that shall gainsay it 2. Mr. Io. himself maketh Antiochus and his captaines which were of the worst sort of heathens to be types and figures of the Pope and his hierarchie which are the Bishops priests and Deacons of the church of Rome as before we have seen Yet would he not admitt of this conclusion therfore the Bishops Priests and Deacons of the church of Rome are heathens as was Antiochus So his reasoning for Israel though it were true will be no sound proof for Rome Types figures and similitudes hold in some things not in all and it is a very easy thing to deceive men by figures similies allegories But the plaine doctrines in the scripture they are a sure ground and if any doe wrest a type or similitude against them it is to be rejected what colour soever it hath Now mine opposite reasoneth not from these doctrines which would soon end the strife For the scripture plainely sayth that Antichrist the man of syn is the son of perdition and all that beleeve his lyes and folow him are damned 2 Thes. 2. 3. 10. 11. 12. That Antichrist is a lyar denying both the Father and the Son 1 Ioh 2. 22. they that are of God doe overcome him they that are of the world hear him Hereby is knowen the spirit of trueth and the spirit of errour 1 Joh. 4. 3. 6. They that belong to the Lamb Christ on mount Sion have his Fathers name written on their foreheads Rev. 14. 1. and worship not the beast nor receive his mark Rev. 20. 4. but they that belong to Antichrist and have not their names written in the book of life doe worship the beast and receive his mark and shal be tormented for ever Rev. 13. 8. 16. 14. 9. 10. 11. But the church of Rome beleeveth Antichrists lyes worshipeth the Beast and his idols receiveth his mark and is partaker of all his abominations Who now without open injurie to the word of God can make this people the true church of Christ and in the visible covenant of grace On the other hand my Opposites reasons are drawen from that figurative phrase the Temple of God 2 Thes. 2. and the type of apostate Israel and an objection cast in the way to stumble at that else we must be baptised againe as if men that can not tell how to avoyd an inconvenience must run into a mischief to justifie those whom God cōdemneth And upon these and the like grounds are his reasons framed as may be seen throughout his work with some few props of humane authoritie to undershore them Though this brief answer might serve unto all his discourse about the state of Israel yet for to help the weak reader that might stumble at some things layd in his way I wil annex a few moe observations Vnder his wonted title of Errours evasions contradictions c wherwith he chargeth me this is 1. That the Temple of God 2 Thes. 2. 4. is no more Gods temple then Ieroboams idol temples in Jsrael and Bels temple in Babylon yet also J sayd it was to be understood of Gods church people invaded and destroyed by Antichrist c. Answ. This his tautologie I have before answered and cleared my self both of errour and contradiction For that Antichrist should destroy Gods temple and church I proved by the example of the Babylonians burning the Citie Temple of God and captiving his people and by the measuring of the new building Rev. 11. That this being doen Antichrist should have an other Temple and church of his own frame which he should call Gods and Christs I shewed by the Beast arising from the sea and from the earth with hornes like the Lamb Christ Rev. 13. which beast is a kingdom spiritual or ecclesiastical politie a great whore Rev. 17. by Antichrist adified adorned mainteyned which stil he pretendeth to be the ancient catholik church and temple of God Now further for Ieroboam that drew Israel into syn he confesseth that he was a type of Antichrist though he sheweth not wherin But Ieroboams syn was in making a new House or Temple and a new altar to sacrifice in unto God and new priests with new signes as Calves to worship God by 1 King 12. In these things then he must be a type of Antichrist who accordingly if he answereth to his figure must erect
a new Temple altar preisthood and signes differing from Christs as in deed he hath doen. And that idolatrous house erected for the worship of the true God not onely the Israelites but the Prophet Amos calleth the house that is the Temple of their god Am. 2. 8. as Paul calleth the house wherin Antichrist sitteth the temple of God 2 Thes. 2. yet this man blameth me for comparing that Temple with Ieroboams idol temples which Israel builded when he forgat his Maker Hos. 8. 14. how justly let men of judgment consider 2. His 2. exception is about Babylon and the Beast that I make them one with the Church of Rome and distinguish not Babylon from Sion This I have before cleared shewing that the church of Rome is the whore of Babylon Rev. 17. and I distinguish it from Sion which he confoundeth with Babylon being himself in that blame which he would impute unto me And to teach that God calleth us out of any civil state or goverment I have formerly proed to be erroneous and seditious contrary to the Apostles Rom. 13. 1 Pet. 2. 3. That Antichrists Apostasie and the church of Rome with him is much worse then Ieroboams and Israels with him I constantly affirme and let the synns of them both be compared and it wil soon appear Did Ieroboam pray unto creatures as the church of Rome doth to innumerable even all Saincts and Angels and some mere fictions Did Ieroboam hold any of those manifold blasphemous heresies now holden in the church of Rome Nay let the very Babylonians of old be taken and I wil undertake to prove that the church of Rome is not behinde them but in respect of the light of the Gospel revealed by Christ much worse 4. I grant that in Pauls time the church of Rome was set in the way of God and soon after fell into apostasie but where he chargeth me to say that the ordinances of God stil reteyned in that church are stollen he wrongeth me For I acknowledge not this church now to be that which was in Pauls time but a counterfeit arisen since a theif partner with Antichrist in robbing the church as the Babylonians robbed the Temple and abusing the ordinances therof to their perdition But then he objecteth Jf the church of Rome should repent c. they should not reteyn the baptisme and other ordinances of God which she hath but must part with them seing they are stollen goods And here he insulteth asking the Anabaptists how they can ever be thankfull ynough to me for thus pleading their cause c. Answ. If the Babylonians should have repented and joyned to the church of God at Ierusalem they there might have had an holy and lawful use of Gods vessels altars c which before they had stollen and abused so may these spirituall Babylonians have at this day if God give them grace to repent joyne unto Sion Here then the Anabaptists wil conne mine opposite but little thank for his gratulation 5. He calleth it my like errour and iniquitie to match baptisme and the other ordinances of God in the church of Rome with the feasts worship and sacrifices of the heathen who were without Christ and without God c. These assertions he sayth are miserable and Anabaptistical Answ. But why then doth he not refute them by the word of truth I could as easily call his assertions miserable and Papisticall but he would take that for no sound conviction And had he but related mine own words in that 85. page of my book the reader might have seen how little cause he had to exclaime â— I spake not generally of the heathens feasts worship and sacrifices as he would intimate to his reader but distinctly of those which had been ordeyned of God differing from other of their own devisings 2. I sayd the heathens kept Gods ordinance as well as Rome with their sacrifice of the Mass. He telleth his reader I match the baptisme c in Rome with the worship and sacrifices of the heathen Is this good dealing so to change my words But sundry such injuries I must beare And why may we think doth he in sted of the Lords supper now turned into a Romish mass put baptisme But because he thinketh that he hath colour to plead for one sacrament more then for an other In handling that point of their baptisme I instanced this other seale our Lords supper and an other ordinance of God Excommunication both which he passeth over yea every where when it cometh in his way he shunneth it throughout his book as in this place He knew well it was as a red hot yron that would burn his fingers But of it we shal speak more when we come to handle their baptisme 3. To his reason I answer the heathens were in deed without Christ and without God Eph. 2. and so are these Romish Antichristians or els the Apostle hath not given us a true rule to discerne Antichrist by that he denyeth both the Father and the Son 1 Joh. 2. 22. The hethens reteyned the knowledge of the true God in some mesure as their writings manifest and worshiped ignorantly the true God whom th'Apostles preached Act. 17. 23. so the Antichristians ignorantly worship the true God whom we preach and beleeve and as ignorantly by stocks and stones and prayers in an unknowen tongue like Parrats as did the heathens of old The hethens reteyned a knowledge of Christ the Redeemer figured in the sacrifices ordeyned of God so the Antichristians reteyn a knowledge of Christ in name and signified in the sacraments but as impiously doe they abuse them by holding they conferr grace ex opere operato by the work doen and other iniquities mixed with them as did the heathens and by beleeving and worshiping a Christ made of bread they surpass the heathens in ignorance and idolatrie Finally had mine opposite read Mr. Bezaes larger annotations on Eph. 2. as he read him on 2 Thes. 2. he might have seen the Antichristians very litle inferiour to the heathens without God even in Mr. Bezaes judgment which yet I suppose he would not have called miserable and Anabaptisticall as he doeth in me Touching the state of Israel in my discourse as he calleth it he confesseth I have many truthes which he also holdeth yet some sleightes errors c also mixed which he instanceth Seing he yeildeth the rest for truthes I referr the reader to the things there written which being observed he may the better judge of our controversie As first that we both agree The covenant between God man was alwayes conditional by the Law if they did his commandments they should live by them if they continued not in all things written in the Law to doe them they were cursed By the Gospel he that beleeveth in the Son of God hath everlasting life and he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life And all the figurative covenants that
sitteth as God in the Temple of God carrying them to destruction Whereas to prove the Temple of God 2. Thes. 2. which he expoundeth the Church of Rome to be the true Church he alleaged Zach. 6. 12. 13. Eph. 2. 11. c. 2. Cor. 6. 16. Rev. 11. 19. I shewed how he misapplied the Scriptures he repeateth his former answers which I have formerly resuted And now he addeth But to put him from his shifts let him tel us plainly when Paul sayth The Temple of God hath not agreement with Idols 2. Cor. 6. 16. if yet there be idols set in the Temple of God as was in the time of Manasseh and Antiochus whether now it ceased to be the Temple of God or not The Scripture sheweth it is the Temple of God notwithstanding 2. King 21. 7. Ier. 50. 28. Ezek 8. 5. 10. 16. Dan. 11. 31. 38. Answ. I tell them plainly that that Temple of God which the prophets speak of had no agreement with idols though the wicked set up idols in it by force But the Church of Rome which these call the Temple of God hath agreement with idols if images of silver and gold wood and stone a wheaten god in the Masse and the man of syn which sitteth as God be idols For these idols the Church of Rome worshipeth and serveth most synfully but the Temple of God which the Prophets speake of never worshiped the Idols set up in it nor had accord with them But this is a shift of shifts and a notorious sophisme in mine opposite to reason from the materiall Temple of God then which onely suffered that abuse to the spirituall Temple the Church or people now which are voluntary agents worshipers of Idols By which false argumentation he might even as well conclude that if the Papists should turn flat Pagans of Antiochus religion and serve his idols and be of his faith yet they should continue the true Church and people of God notwithstanding because the Temple then continued Gods true Temple notwithstanding all that Antiochus did thereto The next point touching their baptisme I will anone treat of in particular For his objection of salvation now had in the Church of Rome c. it was his second main argument for that Church which I have before answered he after his manner repeateth againe and againe the same things so lengthening his work I referr the reader to that answer I gave before Other things whereby I convinced his doctrine to beat the path for all licentiousnes contrary to the plaine Scriptures which shew that he that committeth sin is of the Divil and we know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not c. 1. Ioh. 3. 8. 5. 18. whereas if that he plead for be true men may be as prophane as Esau filthy in life as Sodom idolatrous and sinfull as the Aegyptians and Babylonians and yet if they wil call themselves Christians and be outwardly baptized c. they shal be justified as Gods true Church they and their seed in his covenant of grace c. which is to strengthen the hands of the wicked that he should not returne from his wickednes by promising him life Ezek 13. 22. These and other like things he passeth over without word of answer It is ynough for him to cry the Temple of God the Temple of God and to insist upon phrases which may diversly be understood Whereas the sound plea should be from the doctrines of faith and sanctification of life according by which the Apostles teach us to discern true Christians from false And who that seeketh after the truth would not rather insist upon these main grounds taught by our Saviour and his Apostles Verily I judge this pleading for Rome to be an exceeding great sin because it by consequence overthroweth both faith and holines seeing misbeleevers and most synfull idolaters as ever were on earth are justified to be Gods true Church notwithstanding and in his covenant of grace contrary to the whole Testament of Christ. It is to make a wide gate and broad way into heaven and will make men secure in all syn if they that serve the Man of syn himselfe worship his idols beleeve in his heresies and walk in his wicked works which hope to merit salvation by them in heaven may be sayd to be true Christians and in the state of grace Of the state of the Heathen WHereas I sayd J held it presumption for any to limit God by how smal meanes or measure of faith and knowledge he will save a man Who dares den but God had many elect among the heathens after he had separated Jsrael from them Yea God expresly sayd when he made Israel his peculiar people that yet all the earth was his Exod. 19 5. which are the words of the covenant generally Wherefore we leave Gods secret counsels to himself as he willeth us Deut. 29. 29. and doe consider onely the visible state of Churches by the rules of Gods law and promises To this mine opposite sayth What is it that he meaneth hereby Jf by the covenant he mean the covenant of grace for salvation whereof we treat and think that all people of the world in all ages and places of the earth are under it what differeth this from the opinion of the Anabaptists and Armintans touching general redemption Jf he speak not of the covenant of grace which is for salvation all may perceive he speakes not to the point in hand Answ. My meaning is plaine that God had his elect among the heathens as he bath in the Church of Rome and he could not but see what I intended By the covenant generally with all nations I mean the same that himself alleaged whileare from Keâ—kerman of the Church largely taken which he explaineth the company of all those which professe Christian religion or the name of Christ in what manner soever And thus sayth he are all heretikes schismatikes and Arians Papists Anabaptists and such like referred to the Christian Churches So if he understood himselfe he might understand me when I spake of the covenant generally For such large Churches as he describeth I hold all nations to be when God made his speciall covenant with Israel Noe was a Christian and had the covenant of grace in Christ to him and to his seed as absolutely as any Christian Church in the Apostles dayes though the mystery of the Gospel was not then so clearly revealed * as it was afterward by the Apostles But for the substance of the covenant namely Christ and faith in him with obedience it was given to Adam and his seed to Noe and his seed Heb. 13. 8. 11. 1. 2 3. 4. 7. c. And this covenant of grace in Christ confirmed by sacrifices as to us now by the sacraments Which sacrifices all nations kept the first thousand yeers after Noe which was till after Moses death as well as the large Christian
or false-Christian churches kept the sacraments Yea let any shew that any of the heathens I except not the very Canaanites turned the sacrifices into such abominable idolatry as the Church of Rome hath turned the sacraments And for other synns Antichristians are not behinde them How freely did Abraham Isaac and Jakob live and publickly worship God by altars and sacrifices in the midst of the Caananites Hittites c. Gen. 12. 7. 26. 25. 35. 6. â— whereas if they had so doen according to the true worship of the Gospel in the Church of Rome now these many hundred yeares they had been burned for heretickes as innumerable of Abrahams faith have been How religiously did the King of Gerar carry himselfe towards Abrahams wife Gen. 20. in comparison of the outragious adulteries and fornications by the chiefe of the Church of Rome as all histories testifie Yea God himself appeared unto that King and appointed Abraham to pray for him Gen. 20. 3. 7. How honourably did the Hittites intreat Abraham acknowledging him a Prince of God and offred him all kindnes Gen. 23. 5. 6. c. yet other nations were better then they Gen. 24. 3. 4. 27. 46. Look upon Balaam the soothsayer of Mesopotamia even in Moses time and see how he consulted with Jehovah his God by altars and sacrifices of Burnt-offrings such as were used in Israel Num. 22. 8. 9. 18. 23. 1. 2. 3. c. and it will plainly appeare the heathens had not more degenerated from the religion worship learned from Noe then the Church of Rome hath from that which Paul taught there Yea there was a better Church in the land of Vz in all likelihood then the Church of Israel was in Aegypt when they polluted themselves with the idols thereof Ezek. 20. 6. 7. 8. For in Vz land Iob was governour a most godly man as was upon the earth and a Priest unto the most high God Iob. 1. 1. 5. 8. 42. 8. 9. holding firme the faith of Christ his redeemer and of the resurrection to life Iob. 19. 25. 26. 27. and free from idolatry Iob. 31. 26. 27. 28. And what knowledge and religion was then among the Temanites Shuhites Naamathites and Buzites the friends of Iob that came to visit him doe shew Iob. 2. 11. c. and 32. 2. c. and notwithstanding their errour in their disputation they obtained pardon of God in Christ Iob. 42. 7. 9. And who can tell when the golden Candlestickes of Christian churches were removed from those other peoples Though soon even too soon there was a generall apostasie among the nations after Noe as among the nations after the Apostles times But among which of them was there a such a Man of Syn reigning at any time as hath now reigned in the Church of Rome these many hundred yeares Wherefore they measure not things by the golden reed which cast off those Churches of the nations as wholly prophane and fallen from grace and yet justifie this notorious harlot the church of Rome to be still in the covenant of grace whose impieties are not inferiour to any of those nations in Moses time but rather aboue them for her sins have reached up to heaven Rev. 18. 5. And wheras those nations had not the word of God written but as they learned it by voyce of men which might more easily be corrupted and forgotten the church of Rome having the written word hath despised it not suffered their children to read or heare it lest forsooth it should make them heretickes that for a man to have Gods booke it was as much as his life was worth so the miserable people for contempt of Gods holy Law have been justly given over into Aegyptian darknes and into most abominable idolatries and heresies which have drowned men in perdition Now that which mine opposite objecteth of the opinion of the Anabaptists c. as I reject it for a great errour so his supposition whereby he would feoff it upon me is injurious If I think that all people of the world in all ages and places of the earth are under the covenant of grace c. whereas I spake but of the nations in Moses time which were not so farr fallen from God as they were afterward and now much more Againe himselfe pleadeth for the church of Rome at this day to bee in the covenant of grace yet I hope he would not say that all in that church are redeemed otherwise then many reprobates are redeemed except he should think there are no reprobates And if the Man of Syn which himselfe expoundeth the Pope and his Hierarchie be redeemed which are the chief members of that Church we must needs acknowledge a very generall redemption So where he chargeth me with abuse of Ezek. 16. 8. thou beâ—amest mine and asketh me Is this now the case and estate of all the earth with the Lord I answer no it was not then much lesse is it now For I sayd that then God made Israel his peculiar people Exod. 19. 5. though generally he sayd all the earth was his But because the earth corrupted their wayes before him as they did before the â—loud Gen. 6. 11. 12. therefore God separated to himselfe a peculiar people to be his inheritance And so I think mine opposite himselfe would confesse though all that professe Christianitie be Gods Churches in his account yet the Christian reformed churches are Christs peculiar Churches though all Christendom bee his in a large sense Yet he ceaseth not to object that the heavens are the Lords Deut. 10. 14. and every beast of the forrest is his c. Psa. 50. 10. 11. 12. shal we therefore think sayth he that the beasts are the wife and Church of God â—s Ezekiel speaketh of the Jewes c. Answ. None but beasts would so think The comparison in Exod. 19. 5. is not between men and beasts but between men and men And such men as had all within lesse then a thousand years been Gods wife and church and in his covenant of grace But most of them on their parts fallen from it to idolatry as Israel also had Ezek. 20. 7. 8. and as the church of Rome and other churches within a thousand yeares after the Apostles have doen. The heathens then were not more fallen from God then the church of Rome is mine opposite pleadeth for Rome because they were a church 15 hundred yeeres before and Antichrist still sitteth in the Temple of God I answer him the heathens in Moses time were all the church nine or ten hundred yeares before and are still called Gods people Exod. 19. 5. He replieth with the instance of Wild-beasts c. If I should so have turnd my back upon an argument what out-cries would he have made after me When David exhorteth all the earth to sing unto the Lord Psal. 66. 1. 100. 1. speaketh he to the beasts When Moses sayth All the earth was of one language Gen
baptisme had in Rome we shall speak of it in due place Onely let it here be observed that this baptisme is there administred by such as are not of the body or Church by their own graunt but by ulcers gangrenes c. And Mr. Iunius himselfe answering Bellarmine so urgeth it saying of the Man of Syn the popish Hierarchie he is not properly of the Temple for the ulcer sayth he is not of the body though it be in the body So I straine not the similitude beyond the due proportion if Mr. Iunius his owne reasoning be good Object Of Himenaeus and Philetus it is sayd their word did eat as a gangrene 2. Tim. 2. 17. 18. would he then conclude that the baptisme ministred by them was not true baptisme c. Answ. First it is not sayd of the men but of their doctrine that their word fretted as a gangrene but Mr. Iunius maketh the very men ulcers and gangrenes in the body but not of it If the officers or members of a church teach heresie that doctrine is as a gangrene but the persons teaching them are truly officers or members of that church though synfull But in Rome the officers are ulcers not of the body in his account so his example is not fit Secondly if they were by the Apostle delivered to Satan as is probable by 1 Tim. 1. 20. then they and their folowers were no true Christian church but a synagogue of Satan to be reckned among the Antichrists 1 Joh. 2. 18. 19. and so could not administer true Christian baptisme to their disciples Obj. Where he againe denyeth any calling to be in the church of Rome and asketh How God doth call in that church let him ask it of such of his followers as have heretofore been of the Priests and members of that church c. Answ. He againe wrongeth me as too often saying that I deny any calling to be in that church it never entred into my hart I hold there is some calling in the churches of Turks and Iewes much more in false Christian churches I denyed that God is there calling as in his church which they plead for that is God hath not there his ordinary true ministers but Antichrists hierarchie doth call the people from God How be it by some whom God raiseth up of ministers or people his witnesses whom that church murdereth Rev. 11. 3. 7. and by reading the scriptures and other writings God calleth his people out of that Babylon Witness the late Archbishop Marcus Antonius de Dominis who testifieth that without persuasion counsel or advise of any man of what sort so ever he was by reading the scriptures and Fathers drawen to mislike and forsake that Roman church And thus among Turks Iewes heathens I doubt not but God calleth some from them by the light of his word and spirit Yea not onely in the church of Rome but by it and the ministerie of it God calleth his elect for as the Apostles doctrine in the true church was to the reprobates the savour of death unto death which yet is no condemnation of the true church or ministerie therof so some groundes of Christianitie doctrines in the false church by the false ministery erected to destroy mens soules with heresies and idolatrie God of his wisdom and goodnes causeth them to turne unto the conversion and salvation of his chosen which yet is no justification eyther of that church or ministerie Let this answer once suffice to all his repetitions And to Mr. Iunius on whom he so relyeth I could oppose Mr. Calvin man for man who sayth We see the horrible confusion that is in Poperie but yet there is not any doctrine to pluck men back to God nay rather the doctrine which is there doth draw them quite and clean from him And we see that the Divil hath gotten such sooting there that all is full of trumperie and illusions and the loving God is quite forsaken Sermon 31. on Deut 5. 7. Obj. What difference Mr. Junius observed between the ministerie simply considered and the hierarchie growen in that church upon it himself could best have shewed This here is evident that in one respect he acknowledgeth the hierarchie to be an order or estate of apostasie in the church an accident c. in an other respect he esteemeth the ministery of Gods holy things to be there though exceedingly corrupted Ans. By such differences and distinctions mine opposite would cary us from the trueth that I say not from common reason For he granteth the church it self the people to be exceedingly corrupted with most synfull and deep defection and apostasie yet in another respect to be the temple the people of God Now we have the like for the Bishops and Priests in one respect an order of apostasie in an other Gods ministerie Wherfore then have we been led about with distinctions of the ministerie or hierarchie from the church the one to be the Man of syn the son of perdition the other to be the Temple of God The plaine way should have been thus The Ministers and people of Rome are in one respect an apostatical church in an other a faithfull church in one respect the synagogue of Satan in an other the Temple of God But eyther my judgment faileth me or Mr. Iunius driveth at an other matter let men of understanding minde his writing Further I answer by like distinction we are to put difference between the Angels that synned or synfull men simply considered as Gods creatures and the poyson of syn which as an accident is growen upon them and this is true But shall that their being Gods creatures free them from damnation which that poyson that accident syn hath brought upon them No man of knowledge wil so say Even so the Man of syn the Pope hierarchie people of the church of Rome which are all in apostasie from the faith of Christ and service of God can not in that estate be judged heyres of salvation except God turne them againe to Christ for the scripture hath given sentence of their damnation 2 Thes. 2. 3. 10. 11. 12. Against their bare affirmations to prove Rome on Gods behalf altogether a church a company called of God with his calling by the spirit and the holy Scripture c. And that God calleth her with his calling by his spirit and word c. I objected the Apostles testimony God shal send them strong delusion that they should beleeve lies 2. Thess. 2. 11. and this is verified by the manifold heresies idolatries wherewith the whole body of that Church is poysoned And strong is the Lord God which wil condemne her Rev. 18. 8. and with the spirit of his mouth he wil consume that lawless one 2. Thess. 2. 8. Mine opposite replieth Might he not also thus conclude against Iudah in Apostasie that God did not cal that Church nor any in it or by any of them in that estate alleaging Ier. 5. 30. 31.
and people so doth the Antichristian of Antichrist his ministers and people This Beast hath seven heads and ten hornes Rev. 17. 3. the ten hornes are sayd to be ten Kings v. â—2 as in Dan. 7. 24. the ten hornes out of that kingdom are ten kings these kings are none of the hierarchy wherefore the whole body of this beast conteineth more then the Pope and his hierarchy The Lamb against whom the Beast with his hornes fighteth Rev. 17. 14. Mr. Iunius expoundeth to be Christ and his Church why may not we by like reason expound the Beast to bee Antichrist and his Church Finally the Beast sayth Mr. Iunius * himselfe is the Romane Empire made long agoe of civill Ecclesiastical the chief head whereof hee maketh the Pope to beâ— And the Beast of Rome sayth he of a civil Empire is made an ecclesiastical Hierarchie The Whore he expoundeth to be the spiritual Babylon which is Rome so then by mine opposites plea neither did Mr. Iunius say neither ever entred into his thought that the ecclesiastical Roman Empire since the Pope was head of it or the hierarchy was ever married unto Christ. As for the Whore the Church which rideth this Beast he calleth it the False-Christian Church over which Antichrist ruleth and Antichrists Church which title mine opposite will not beare at my hand and that Antichristian Church which the Angel biddeth cast out and measure it not in Rev. 11. 12. Mr. Iunius explaineth thus As if he should say it belongeth nothing to thee to judge those which are without 1. Cor. 5. 12. which be innumerable look unto those of the houshold onely or unto the house of the living God Notwithstanding all this Mr. Iohnson would needs measure it for the true Church House and Temple of God so well doe Mr. Iunius and he accord together To a testimony which I alleaged out of D. Fulk concerning the miserable blindnesse of people in Popery of which mine opposite sayth he might have been better aduised hee to requiâ—e me as he thinketh alleageth a speech of Mr. Broughtons who sayth Millions of millions of Romes clients are saved Brought on Rev. 13. 18. p. 203. Answ. Would he be content that Mr. Broughton should decide our controversie touching the Church of Rome Thus then sayth that author in the same book The Popes clients are the taile of the great Dragon Thence from Rome was the Rebellion to arise Man of syn Apollyon c. to set up or depose states and to have a people of his own frame and to burne the true Temple of God The Popes power driveth the Church not to be seen for certaine hundreds of yeares The Pope wresteth al that is spoken of the true Church into protection for his synagogue of Satan Rome passeth al the enemies of the Church in cruelty and idolatry Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezar were never so hardened The prophane Caesars did not so strictly hinder all use of Religion Rome hath farr passed the old Babel in idolatry The Pope followeth al heathen superstition in name staffe apparel of Caesars and Temples setting but a face of Christianity upon them All their doctrine is such that their Temples Masse and dayly profession in al things is from the unclean spirit and their whole policie is a lye The Beast which is ascended out of Abyssos that is al his eorporations millions of millions alpapists goe from their Abyssos of black ignorance unto Abyssos Luk. 8. whither the Divils shal come in their time to be tormented for ever ever These sundry the like coÌ„mendations doth the author alleaged give of the church of Rome which mine opposite pleadeth for and taking hold of a phrase wresteth it for his purpose from the mans meaning who seemeth not to speak of the popish church but of the ancient Christian for these are there Mr. Broughtons words And for Julius the captaine who was so careful for S. Paul that for his sake the liâ—e of the prisoners were spared Act. 27. God would not record this but to save millions of millions of Romes clients for S. Paul but for the unthankeful to S. Paul and forgers that Peter was at Rome who never came neere it he stil reserved Pilats holiness that Popes selfe-murder should be the reward Was not here a testimony well alleaged So in other places of his book he quoteth Mr. Brightman and others whose writings directly cross that which he pleadeth for in many things as they that read the authors may see and anone I will set downe their sayings No marvell then if hee wrest my words as where next he sayth that that which the Apostle speaketh of the Man of sin and of them that perish because they receive not the love of the truth c. 2. Thess. 2. 9. J apply for exclusion from pardon and certain condemnation to the whole Church of Rome and so to all the members thereof and that for all ages that either have been are or shal be ever since the Man of syn was seated there Answ. I sayd no more but thus God if it were granted that he is the husband of this whore hath promised her no pardon but delivered her to Satan to be seduced deluded damned 2. Thes. 2. 9. 11. 12. I speak not here of those in Rome that have withstood her whoordoms which have been many nor of those to whom at last God hath given repentance unto life which I hope are moe nor of other his elect but of the whore in generall whose damnation is shewed in Rev. 17. and 18. yea th'Apostle speaketh more particularly That they all might be damned who beleeve not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Behold how hee sayth they all which some evill minded man might urge against the Apostle as mine opposite doth against me But wise men know that the promises of life to the true Church pertain not to the reprobates that are in it so the threatnings of death to the false Church take not hold on Gods elect which are therein Object Jf this harlot the Church of Rome was never Christs spouse otherwise then all the world was by our first parents Adam and Noe how then hath she broken the covenant of wedlock if she never were in it how can she be called a whore in respect of Christ any more then the heathens that never knew God in Christ How can she be sayd to be in Apostasie c. Answ. Of the state of the Gentiles I have spoken before and proved them to have been all in the covenant of grace in Christ from Gen. 9. 9. c. But they generally fell from God to idolatry which is whoredom and apostasie and were in time rejected of God who renewed his covenant with one small nation of the Iewes and yet saved his elect among the Gentiles also So the Christian Churches planted by the Apostles soon fell from
God and in time were rejected of God some given over to Mohometisme some to poperie Yet God hath preserved his litle Church fled into the wildernesse Rev. 12. and saved his elect also in false Churches I compare these not with the Gentiles at this day but with the Gentiles before Christs comming whiles sacrificing was lawfull as I am taught of God Rev. 11. and 17. and 18. with the old Babylonians Aegyptians In those times Tyrus was an harlot Esa. 23. 16. Niniveh was an harlot Nahum 3. 4. and so other nations then by like equitie were harlots and Rome likewise at this day Who knoweth not that a woman which is divorced from her husband as Israel was from God for whordome and followeth that trade still may still be called a harlot I deny not but in a large kind of speech Rome at this day may be sayd to have been once maried to Christ in respect of the Christian church that once was there but so all the Gentiles were in respect of the covenant with Noe. Neither doubt I to say that the Iewes even now do goe a whoring from their God for Moses and the prophets so speake of them yet actually there is now no covenant between God and them The out-cries which he maketh unto the Anabaptists to hearken and to the Reformed Churches to hang downe their heads c. I omit as the gall of bitternes which ran too fast out of his pen. To prove them the same Church which was in Pauls time hee citeth Moses prophesies of Israel Deut. 32. which were the same people their seed wheras he should rather have looked on 2. King 17. 24. 34. and compared these with the men of Babylon Cuthah c. that came and possessed the Lords land and received some part of Israels religion with their owne old idolatrie for so I shewed the present estate of this Popish church And the example of other churches that were in Corinth Ephesus looked upon at this day will confirme it About my answer for the godly fathers of the Iewes and wicked fathers of these Antichristians which the holy Ghost maketh to be Gentiles Sodomites Egyptians c. Rev. 11. 2. 8. 18. he sayth If J mean this of the citie of Rome J speak not to the point if of the church of Rome then he objecteth Ezek. 16. 3. thy father was an Amorite c. Answ. His distinction between the citie and church of Rome serveth him in no sted It was true in Pauls time when the citie was heathen and a Christian church in it But now the city is Christian Rome the Empire is an ecclesiastical empire as I shewed before from Mr. Iunius own grant The Amorites were not those fathers for whose sake the Iewes are loved but Abraham Isaak and lakob out of whose loynes the Iewes naturally came But this church of Rome now is not the child of that primitive church eyther in nature or in grace In place she succedeth them and so the Mahometists in place succeed other Christian churches planted by th Apostles And in pretence she is the same Christian church but as Satan in pretence is an Angel of light But the strangers sayth he that came to Jsrael in times of sinceritie or of apostasie were of the church of Jsrael as well as the Iewes though not of the same natural posteritie 2 Chron. 15. 9. 30. 25. 5. 6. 7. Lev. 16. 29. Num. 9. 14. Answ. But the strangers that wasted Israel and dwelt by force in their land though they were taught how they should fear the Lord by a Priest yet were not that church of whom Moses wrote 2 King 17. 24. 27. 28. So the Gothes Vandals Saracens c which overcame Italie Spaine c and dwelt there though the priest of Rome taught them his religion are not the ancient church of whom Paul wrote Besides he hath streyned things too farr for diverse Christians are at this day apostate and become Iewes can we say of them as Paul doth of the natural Iewes As touching the election they are beloved for the Fathers Rom. 11. 28. I understand that speech of the Iewish nation in generall not of particulars which perish through unbeleef as also of the natural Iewes who refused the gospel for the time and stil doe and not to concerne their proselytes which they beget to their apostasie For there is a special regard to the Iewes because they were natural branches though now broken off as th'Apostle sheweth Rom. 11. 21 24. Obj. The many changes of the Romane state and troubles by the Gothes Uandals c these specially concerne the Romane state touching the citie Empire c wheras our question is onely of the church of Rome Answ. As the state of the Empire is changed yet in some respect is the same for the Beast was and is not and yet is Rev. 17. 18. so is the church and ministerie therof it was and is not and yet is A man may speak to the Bishop of Rome now as Ezekiel did to the heathen king of Tyre Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God c. Ezek. 28. 13. to weet in his predecessor Huram which had been a proselyte in the church of Israel 2 Chron. 2. as the Hebrewes R. D. Kimchi Sol. Iarchi upon Ezek. 28. and some Christian writers doe expound it So I may say to the Pope Thou hast been a Christian Bishop a starr in Christs right hand because such was the Bishop of Rome in Paules time But mine opposite himself holdeth the Pope and his hierarchie now to be the Man of syn the son of perdition and thought it most strange in me that I should ask when ever Christ was maried to that Beast Now it is as strange that hee pleadeth for the whore of Babylon the Antichristian church He would exclude the hierarchie or ministerie because of their apostasie I also for the same doe exclude the church for the preists and people of Rome are of one faith and religion if the one be cut off from Christ so is the other It can not be denyed but they all have the mark of the Beast upon them for to take Mr. Iunius own exposition The marke of the beast sayth he is their Chrisme by which in their sacrament of Confirmation they â—oke servile unto themselves the persons and doings of men c. and as for the signe left by Christ of which Chap. 7. 3. and the holy sacrament of Baptisme they make void c. Obj. He cannot shew that ever the church of Rome ceased to be since it was first planted but it hath continued stil eyther in sinceritie or apostasie even to this day Nor can he shew that the Lord hath yet put them out of his covenant or given thm a bill of divorse or that they have lest off to baptise in his name Answ. Neyther can he shew that the Ministerie ever ceased in that church but hath
stil continued eyther in synceritie or apostasie or that the Lord put the ministers out of his covenant or that they have left off to baptise in Christs name Yet he now excludeth the ministers from being Christs he makes them Antichrist the Beast the Man of sin the son of perdition c. and is offended that I should speak of their mariage with Christ. And Mr. Iunius maketh them accidents ulcers and no members of the body as we have seen 2. Neither can he shew that the churches of the Gentiles ceased to be after their first planting Gen. 9. but continued still either in sincerity or apostasie even till the Apostles time and sacrificed still unto God and in his name Let him shew when old Babylon was divorced from God and it wil as soon appeare that this new Babylon is divorced also Object The Papists plead that Rome standeth not where it did on the seven hills and the Pope sits on the other side the river on the hil Uaticâ—ne c. Jn like sort is the answer for the church of Rome and the changes in religion and state c. Answ. Is this a fit comparison the change of place and the change of religion If it be then as a man going from England to India is the same man still so if hee goe from the religion in England to the religion of the Indians which is Paganisme he is of the same religion that he was still Or to keep neerer the poynt in hand the Bishop of Rome at this day notwithstanding al changes of his faith and state since the Apostles time is a true Christian Bishop still then he is not Antichrist the Man of syn spoken of in 2. Thess. 2. as mine opposite sayth he is Object Many of those people that made the invasions became Christians themselves and so the Church was increased Not to speak how the very catalogue of the Bishops of the Church of Rome giveth evidence against him Or wil he say that though there were Bishops of that Church yet there was not a church whereof they were Bishops Answ. So many of the Babylonians Cuthims c. that invaded Israel were taught the manner of the God of Israel and feared the Lord and had Priests of Israel which sacrificed for them 2 King 17. â—4 25. 27. 32. 33. But what sayth the Scripture Every one that is joyned to Babylon shal fall by the sword their children also shal be dashed to peeces c. Esa. 13. 15. 16. And God will cut off from Babylon name and remnant son and nephew Esa. 14. 22. The catalogue of Bishops if it will doe him any pleasure serveth for the Pope the Man of syn the great Antichrist to prove him a true Christian Bishop successor of Peter whom they falsely put the first in their catalogue Now he will not have the Hierarchy to be the church noâ— of the Church but accidents ulcers gangrenes and I know not how vile but the people the church that turned from paganisme to the Pope or fell with him from Christianity to popery they are the Temple of God the Church of Christ in the covenant of grace How great partialitie is this in men to magnifie the people for their faith and religion and to despise the Bishops and ministers that are the chiefe teachers and maintainers of the same faith religion making them accidents hang-bies scabs ulcers gangrenes and all that bad is So his questions of the time when the Church ceased are answered with the like when the ministery ceased Let the yeare be named when the true Christian ministery was abolished out of the church of Rome and Antichrist the Man of syn come in the place I will answer in the same year the people that were fallen with him to the same idolatries heresies and to worship him as God in the Temple of God ceased to bee the true Christian Church and became a synagogue of Antichrist Object His esteeming of the state of the church of Rome in apostasie to be but as the state of the Isâ—â—â—elites Edomites and as Adonisedek with his Amorites and Jebusites in Jerusalem is disproved and contradicted by himselfe when he maketh them like Jsrael and Iudah in their apostasie Animadv p. 84. Answ. It is not contradicted by my selfe neither can it be disproved by any For my selfe my words in the place which hee quoteth are these She the Church of Rome fell into apostasie soon after Pauls time for then the mystery of iniquity did work many Antichrists were gone out whiles the Apostles lived For which their apostasie like Jsraels when they would not repent as Christ threatned some that were new fallen into such sins the candlestick the Church was removed the Church of Rome as Paul forewarned for unbelief was cut off among others and for a punishment of their apostasie God delivered the East Churches into the hands of Mahomet and the West Churches into the hands of that false horned Beast Antichrist even as Israel and Judah of old for their like syns were delivered into the hands of the Assyrians and Babylonians By which I shew that as the Christians that fell to Mahometisme ceased to be Gods true Churches so they likewise that fell to Antichristianisme He could not deny the first nor disprove the latter for Paul sayth of the Antichristians God shal send them strong delusion that they should beleeve a lie that they all might be damned c. â— Thess. 2. 11. 12. For the Ismaelites and Edomites they were Abrahams naturall seed so can no man prove the Church of Rome at this day or any one in it to be the naturall seed of the Christians of Rome in Pauls time The Ismaelites and Edomites were fallen from Abrahams faith the Church of Rome at this day is much more fallen from the Apostles faith taught to the church of Rome by him Whosoever will bring them both to the triall it will soon appeare but this triall mine opposite every where shunneth Melchisedek was king of Ierusalem in Abrahams time Gen. 14. and then none doubteth but there was a true church Adonisedek was king of Ierusalem in Iosuahs time Ios. 10. both kings both of the same citie by name the one King of justice the other Lord of justice as pretending to be the successor of Melchisedek and not more departed from his faith then the Pope is from Pauls Obj. Mr. Junius knew that there dwel Jewes in Rome who are not of the Church and that the natural posterity of the Saints may become Jewes Turkes Pagans and sayth the church may at length cease to be a church when God ceaseth to call it back and takes away the evidence of their holy mariage that is the holy Scripture out of the hand of the adulteresse Answ. So Mr. Iunius knew that there dwelt Gentiles in Israel who were not of the Church Deut. 14. 2â— But it is well that neither dwelling in the place nor being of
is Christs true Church because it is the Temple of God 2. Thess. 2. D. Whitakers giveth sundry answers the two first are these 1. Jt may be called the church wherein Antichrist sitteth because it was the true church of Christ before not because now it is c. So Esaias sayth the faithful citie was become an harlot Esa. 1. 21. where he calleth Jerusalem the faithful citie because it had been faithful before so we say the Temple of God is the seat of Antichrist that is that which of old was the Temple of God 2. The Church of Rome taketh to it selfe the name title of the true Church and in the opinion of our adversartes it is the true Church 〈◊〉 was a monstrous thing of old 〈◊〉 deny this neither was it denyed but of a very few who straight way when they were knowen were killed notwithstanding it was not the true Church but the whore of Babylon c. These answeres when I gave mine opposite could by no meanes endure at my hand The same author sayth a litle before Now let us see whether the Bishop of Rome hath departed from Christ and from the faith so that the church of Rome now reteyneth not the form of the Apostles doctrine Surely that is evident by all the heads of doctrine which are in controversie between us and them That Church succeedeth the Apostles in deed but so as a den of theeves doe the house of God and as an harlot doth the faithful citie c. And after But the Pope sayth Billarmine honoreth one true God the Father Son and holy Ghost J answer hee honoureth him not but blasphemeth him He doth I confess as Atheists are wont to do which wil not openly deny God but in hart and workes they deny him so the Pope figneth and preclaimeth that he honoureth the trinity but in deed he carâ—h not for him For he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father of the holy Ghost but the Pope honoureth not the Son for he corrupteth his doctrine c. Againe touching that particular before handled whether by Babylon in Rev. 17. be meant the Citie or the Church of Rome Mr. Whitakers sayth Whereas the adversary affirmeth that it is not the Church of Rome whloâ—â— is called Babylon but the citie such as it was under the Emperours it is false For it is certain that Rome is by Iohn in the Revelation called Babylon because of that Church which should be at Rome For mention is made there of the false Prophet as also of the Whore which by her allurements should bewitch the whole world These things cannot be understood but of the Church and are necessarily to be referred unto Antichrist Mr. Brightman in his book of the Revelation expoundeth the Gentiles in Rev. 11. 2. to be the christiaÌ„s that are so in name only On Rev. 13. 8. he saith The holy Ghost doth cry openly that all they do wholly â—eopard and cast away their salvation that are subject to the Pope of Rome if so bee that they depart out of this life without repentance And again This Beast is worshipped of all Reprobates with whom while thou conspirest in thy worship who shal separate thee froÌ„ the state of reprobates He doth not therfore break off unity who departeth from the synagogue of Rome but he purchaseth unavoydable destruction to himselfe who cleaveth unto it without repentance These and the like things sayth Mr. Brightman one whose name mine opposite useth to grace his erroneous cause by Mr. Brovghtons testimony we have heard before Mr. Dudly Fenner in his Theologie writeth thus Antichrist is the head of the universal apostasie that should come 1. Ioh. 2. 18. Ioh. 4. 2. 2. Thess. 2. 4. 5. 6. Wherupon his church is by a Synechdoche called Antichrist 1. Ioh. 4. 3. 2. 18. as the true Church is called Christ 1. Cor. 12. 12. The Antichristian church compared to a Beast is the apostatical church but counterfeyting the vizar of the true which representeth the lively image of the Roman monarchie formerly doen away and of the goverment power amplitude seat therof amongst all peoples 2 Thes. 2. 4. 5. 6. 8. Revel 11. 7. 8. 13. 3. 11. 12. 18. Antichrist or the False prophet is the head of the Antichristian church the mediatour between it and the Dragon Rev. 16. 13. 13. 4. 11. 12. This Antichrist is an Opposer for to defend the foresayd departing away froÌ„ the truth of Christ 2 Thes. 2. 4. compared as touching the phrase with Dan. 8. 11. and an Exalter of himself first that he may lift up himself against all that is called God or that is worshiped that is against all powers and majesties both earthly heavenly 2. Thes. 2. 9. Dan. 8. 11. 36. Secondly that placing his seat in the church in name called Gods he may shew himself as God that is arrogate to himself the divine power and absolute dominion of Christ Esai 31. 1. 2. 2 Thes. 2. 4. Dan. 8. 25. Napier the Noble of Scotland expounding the Revelation sayth But as for the outward and visible face of the pretended church it must be rejected from God and no care measure nor account had by him therof because it must be given over to Antichristian and idolatrous people who shal subdue his holy church and spiritual Jerusalem and tread it under foot 1260. yeres Gods true church and spouse was chased away and remayned invisible and soliturie among certaine private persons predestinate elect of God But the rest of the people that lay dead in Antichristian errors arose not therfrom to imbrace the word of life ill c. But the rest J mean the whole outward visible church lay wholly as dead and corrupt with papistocal errours Of the Baptisme in the Church of Rome ALthough the former things against the Church of Rome be ynough to disprove her baptisme which is ordained of God onely for his Church and those in his covenant out of which Rome is gone yet because mine opposite urgeth some speciall reasons against mee for the same I will also briefly answer them About this poynt he hath nine reasons in his Christian plea pag. 27 ... 30. 1. The first which is against the repeating of Baptisme againe I grant him neither doe I hold it needfull or lawfull to repeate again the baptisme received in false churches 2. The second being for the same purpose I likewise grant As also that there is one baptisme as there was one circumcision which plea of his I would have noted because of his contrary reasoning afterward Likewise his example from Israel whose circumcision was not repeated I hold very fit But let the Reader observe how the Scriptures by him brought to prove it are 2. Chron. 30. chap. Ezr. 6. 19. 20. 21. of which the first was before the captivity the other after 3. The third that the covenant of grace is everlasting
Antichrist given us to his son Christ and hath so sanctified to us that baptising with water in his name which they idolatrously and synfully abused as wee need no other outward washing but to be baptised by his spirit as his dealing with such as had been circumcised in Israel after they were become a false church and were divorced from him and returned againe unto him doth assure us 2. Chron. 30. ch Ezr. 6. 21. His reason may also as probably bee framed thus The Lords Supper or Masse in the Church of Rome is from heaven not of men Math. 26. Luk. 22. and is derived unto us from the Apostles of Christ through the loynes of that Church which have from that time reteyned and continued it to this day Therefore it is not an idoll or lying signe howsoever all protestants with one mouth call it justly an idoll an horrible idoll an abomination and the like The Mininistery of the church of Rome is from heaven and not of men Rom. 12. and is derived to us from the Apostles through the loynes of that church which have from that time continued it to this day Therefore it is not the Man of Syn the Beast the Antichrist as all protestants say and as Mr. Iohnson himselfe hath pleaded in his last book but the true ministery and ordinance of the Lord. The like may be sayd for their Excommunications and all other divine ordinances which that church hath synfully profaned Yea the very same plea might all the heathens have made for their sactifices and divine ordinances which from Noe and his sonns through the loynes of their parents were derived unto them as before I have manifested Whereas I described the abominable manner of baptising in the Church of Rome how heathen-like they profane Christs ordinance mine opposite not being able to justifie their impiety yet pleadeth his best thus But will it therefore follow that the baptisme there had is not Gods ordinance but an idoll a false and lying signe c. Answ. It followeth that they in their Antichristian estate and abuse have changed Gods ordinance into an idoll and lying signe as the Gentiles of old changed the truth of God into a lye Rom. 1. 25. And have added also many lyes and lying signes of their own devising as bad as did the heathens Or will it follow because of their errours and corruptions that the baptisme there had is to be renounced and an other new one to be received Answ. Their lyes and lying signes and changing of the truth into a lye are all to bee renounced but the ordinance of God which he hath restored to the former truth unto those that repent and beleeve in him is not to be renounced and a new received and such is the outward washing with water in his name 2 Chron. 30. Ezr. 6. 21. Is every thing abused or misapplyed by men straight way an idoll Answ. Every thing so abused as they doe baptisme and the Lords Supper is straight way an idoll for divine honour is given to the creature and work of a wicked mans hand Exod. 20. Yea let him be a witnes against himselfe for afterward in pag. 246. hee sayth touching book-prayer that it is an image and similitude of spirituall prayer which yet it is not And so these bookes and stinted prayers prescribed by man in the worship of God come in deed to bee idols supplying the place of the word and spirit of God which ought not to be Here the abuse of the book by his owne grant maketh it in deed an idoll for the book may lawfully be used and read of men for instruction as wel as written Sermons Homilies c. Doe they that are baptised bow downe to it and worship it Answ. Did the infants that were offred to Molech Levit. 20. â— bow down and worship it Or they that made their belly their God Phil. 3. 19. did they bow down to their belly and worship it Or doe they that make the book an idol as himselfe sayth bow down and worship the book How strangely doth hee plead as if idols cannot be set up in and worshipped with the heart But they bow down worship the bread in the Supper will he grant that to be an idoll Jf that were doen unto it sayth hee as was unto the Sun among the Jewes why might it not be stil notwithstanding Gods ordinance in it selfe as the Sun was the true Sun and Gods creature even unto them and in that their estate whiles they made it an idol to themselves Answ. O fraud and guile in pleading for idolaters Every creature of God is good every ordinance of God is holy in it selfe who doubteth of it If this distinction helpeth the popish sacraments it helpeth the heathens idols of silver and gold which are Gods good creatures in themselves But it is a mere fallacie to reason as he doth from the Sun to Baptisme from a creature which is an absolute substance to a sacrament which is a relation of the covenant between God and men No idolatry unbeleef or other wickednes can hinder the Sun from being Gods creature unto men in that their synfull estate If it bee likeweise in the sacrament then no idolatry unbeleef or other wickednes can hinder baptisme and the Lords supper from being true signes and seales of Gods covenant of grace and forgivenesse of synns unto Turks or Pagans in their synfull estate if they baptise with water in the name of the Lord and eat the bread and wine in the Supper of our Lord. But he should have knowen that common received rule of all truly religious that Nothing is in deed a sacrament without the use ordeyned of God as we are taught of the Apostle This is not to eat the Lords Supper 1. Cor. 11. 20. The water that flowed out of the rock was the same creature of God to men that drunk of it and to the beasts that drunk of it Numb 20. 11. but it was a sacrament to men onely using it for a confirmation of their faith by a divine institution 1. Cor. 10. 4. Further by his reason it is undenyable that the Pope himselfe whom he acknowledgeth to be Antichrist and all that partake with him in his Masse notwithstanding all their idolatry and heresie thereabout doe eat the true sacrament signe and seale of the forgivenesse of their synns And why then should hee deny the Pope to bee as good a Christian as himselfe seing all they are blessed whose synns are forgiven them Rom. 4. 6. 7. Let it be observed that they baptise onely in the name of the Lord and with acknowledgement of the Articles of the Christian saith as in their form of baptisme may be seen Answ. And let it also bee observed that they sacrifice their Masse or celebrate their idolatrous supper onely in the name of the Lord and with acknowledgement of the same Articles of Christian faith even by the Pope himselfe Why then hath
barren desolate woman had for her widowhood the contrary comforts that she should receive from her maker her husband the Lord of hosts Here are two women intimated one that hath an husband and children an other barren desolate and in widowhood whose estates God would change as Anna prophesied The barren hath borne seven and she that had many children is wexed feebl◠1 Sam. 2. 5. This barren woman Paul interpreteth to be Jerusalem which is above the mother of all us Christians For it is written sayth he Rejoyce thou barren c. Gal. 4. 26. 27. the fruitful woman was the earthly Jerusalem the church under the Law answerable to Agar the bondwoman in bondage with her children vers 25. For the Iewes church was in their legal policie under the Law as an husband til being made dead to the Law by the body of Christ they were maried to an other that they might bring forth fruit unto God as the same Apostle teacheth Rom. 7. 1. 4. Now this heavenly Ierusalem consisteth as well of Gentiles as of Iewes and this woman bringeth forth children conceived by the immortal seed of the word the gospel wheras before the church under the Law brought forth many Ismaels children of Agar servants not free borne to be cast out with their mother Gal. 4. 30. Whether now is it safer to take this mans exposition of the earthly Ierusalem the mother of the Iewes or to folow the Apostle expounding it of the high Ierusalem the mother of us all But it would require a volume to goe through his many allegations out of the Prophets where he worketh upon advantage of words and phrases neglecting yea contrarying the mayn doctrines of the gospel whiles he pleadeth for open obstinate and unrepentant idolaters yea and such as were divorced from the Lord that they continued notwithstanding in the covenant of grace in that estate Touching Hos. 2. 2. WHeras the Lord testifieth of Israel that she was not his wife nor he her husband and willeth her therfore to put away her whordomes left he stript her naked c. Hos. 2. 2. 3. Mine opposite laboureth by comparing the prophesies before in ch 1. and after in ch 3. c to prove that this was not meant til Israel was put out of the land And yet that putting out of the land he maketh to be the stripping of her naked which was an effect and reward of her former estate And mixing the several prophesies togither wheras in the 23. verse of the 2. chapter the Lord speaketh of the dayes under the Gospel he giveth this conclusiō Thus now she is a wife and not a wife she is a wife but a wife of whordoms Hos. 1. 2. she is not a wife that doth demeane her self loyally as she should but hath her adulteries between her brests Hos. 2. 2. And after a longer discourse he inferreth But what is this to the point of the question in hand which is not touching the condition afterward but concerning their circumcision and estate from the time of Ieroboams apostasie whiles they were yet in the land c. Answ. He keepeth his wont to pretend the question otherweise then it is The point was indefinite about the circumcision of Israel in their Apostasie These were his own words The baptisme of the church of Rome is true baptisme as the circumcision in Israels apostasie was true circumcision and not to be repeated againe And if it be not a true baptisme it is a false baptisme c. He referred us not by any scripture to their apostasie before or after they were put out of the land I answered him in a few lines and shewed him from 2 Chron. 30. Ezr. 6. 21. that there was no repeating of circumcision therfore not of baptisme Those two scriptures he himself also now urgeth against the Anabaptists the latter wherof speaketh of a time long after their captivitie Then I briefly referred him to 2 Chron. 15. 3. Ier. 3. 8. Hos. 2. 2. 13. 1. to shew their synfull estate to be such as that the ordinances of God which they in shew reteyned could not be unto them the signes and seales of forgivenes and of life eternal and therfore wire in their use of them false and deceytfull Thus neyther he nor I put any difference of their estate though now he pleads it for advantage But it is sufficient for to end our controversie if the things I speak of be after their captivity for then returning with repentance they were not recircumcised so we if we be baptised in false churches need not be rebaptised So he hath written many leaves to plead for the whore Israel but where shall we find this soundly concluded which I denyed that when they were not the Lords wife nor he their husband then in that estate were it before or after their captivitie let him take his choise their circumcision sealed unto them forgivenes of synns and life eternal This not being proved he hath led his reader into a wood where it would weary any man to folow him in his windings and yet in the end he shall not find that which his soule thirsteth after touching their circūcision when they were no longer the Lorde wife Now to his distinction she is a wife and she is not a wife take it at the best she is a wife of whordoms a wife threatned to be stripped naked c. Where is the promise of forgivenes of her synns unless she repented And where is the testimony of her repentance No where til Christ made the remnants of their posterity his wife and his people after they had been no people 1 Pet. 2. 9. 10. but whiles they were in the land they grew more hard unbeleeving and unrepentant 2 King 17. 13. 14. 15. c. But when she had the bil of divorce Ier. 3. and was indeed not his wife nor he her husband but he had stript her naked and sent her among the heathens her companiōs where now was the seale of the forgivenes of her synns she abiding unrepentant This is the thing that should be shewed which is not to be seen in all his large discourse And what help findeth he at the hands of the Chaldee paraphrase which he citeth thus Rebuke the congregation of Israel and say unto her that she submitteth not her self to my worship therfore neyther doth my Word accept of her prayers until she shall remove her evil works c. Wil this prove true circumcision among them First it appeareth that the Paraphrast understood this of them whiles they were in the land otherweise then he which referreth it to their after state Secondly in that synfull estate whiles they worshiped or served not the Lord but Idols as after the Chaldee speaketh the Word of God that is Christ as himself expoundeth it accepted not their prayers And could they then offer any true sacrifice or administer true sacrament when
faithfull Christians and more inward church of God invisible to men but seen and preserved of God c. And by the Altar and worshipers be figuratively noted the spirituall worship and mediation of Christ with faithfull Christians and worshipers made Priests unto God who wholly and onely rely vpon Christ c. Answ. Seing here are three distinct things the Temple the Altar and the worshipers it seemeth unfit to confound the first with the last the worshipers here are the faithful Christians which serve God in his Temple as Rev 7. 15. and upon his Altar To make the Temple to signify faithful Christians here when the worshipers are the faithful Christians here themselves it â—itteth not the vision Rather as the Temple figured Christ in his humanitie Joh. 2. 19. 21. God manifested in the flesh in whom God dwelt in whom all doe serve the Lord and as the golden altar of incense figured his mediation the brazen altar for sacrifice figured his oblation of himself for his Church so here the measuring of the Temple Altar and worshipers signifieth the restauration of Christian religion from the Apostasie of Antichrist the Temple of God signifieth Christ truely professed for his person or doctrine of true Christianitie constitution of the Church therein the Altar is the true doctrine of his oblation and mediation for us and the worshipers are the faithfull Christians that worship God in the true profession of Christ and of his mediation and sacrifice as in the true Temple and altar of God contrary to the heresies and abominations of Antichrist His third and fourth considerations are by the Court without the Temple to be noted in figure the visible church Christians By the holy citie Jerusalem to be noted in figure oyther the visible church and outward state of Christians more generally or such as are truly godly and Gods holy church more particularly By the Gentiles to understand hethens and rebellious Jewes that is profane and wicked Christians the Antichristian hierarchiâ— and Locusts Rev 9. c. Answ. This is faultie three wayes first in confounding persons and other things as one secondly in shuffling true Christians and Antichristians as one bodie thirdly in restreyning the gentiles or heathens spoken of in Revel 11. 2. to the Pope and his hierarchie onely 1. The thing here shewed in vision was after the manner of Ierusalem and the Temple of old there the Temple was not the people neyther were the courts the people neyther the citie when it was distinct from the citizens but they were holy places and signes appointed of God for the people to worship him in by them 2. True visible Christians which he sayth are the court and citie and Antichristians or as he would have it the Pope and his hierarchie whom the Lord calleth Gentiles or heathen he would have mixed togither as one body and church the Antichristian heathens to be the Bishops and pastors and the visible Christians to be the flock and this for the space of 1260. yeres as himself numbreth the 42. moneths a day for a yere Which is contrary to the whole scope of this book of the Revelation which sheweth the true Christians to be such as are marked and sealed of God Revel 7. 3. c. having his name in their foreheads virgines and folowers of the Lamb Rev. 14. 1. 4. such as worship not the Beast or his image neyther receive his mark on forehead or hand Rev. 20 4. whereas by his exposition the true visible Christians are those that worship the beast as the church of Rome doeth and have doen these many yeres 3. That the gentiles should be onely the Pope and hierarchie agreeth neyther with trueth nor type for whether he respect the rebellious Iewes or faithless Gentiles it can never be shewed at any time that they were onely Priests and Levices or Kings captaines and officers that trode down Ierusalem or dwelt in the court without the Temple but people with priests and soldjers with captaines that strange it is from whence he should gather this interpretation And though many of all sorts have expounded this book yet never read I of any one neyther doeth he cite any one man that ever was of his minde so to interpret these things but it was his owne singular conceyt As for the key which should open the dore to the understanding of this vision namely the commandement to measure the Temple c. with the reed vers 1. this he omitteth But with that wil I begin After that God for the idolatries and other synns of the Iewes had delivered the holy citie Ierusalem and the Temple therin into the hands of the Gentiles the Babylonians who first robbed the temple and caried away all the chief men into captivitie from Jerusalem to Babylon and afterward for further synns broke up the Citie burnt the Lords house and the Kings house and all the houses of Jerusalem and brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about and caried away the rest of the people that were left in the citie the Lord pitâ—ying the desolation of his church began to restore and reedisie the same calling his people to repentance and unto Zacharie his Prophet by visions signified that he would returne to Jerusalem with mercies and his house should be built in it and shewed him a man with a measuring line in his hand to measure the breadth and length of Ierusalem signifying the reedifying of the same and therupon called his people out of Babylon He foretold him also of the Branch Christ that should build the Temple of the Lord. And unto Ezekiel then in captivity he likeweise shewed in a vision a man like brass with a line and a measuring reed wherwith he measured the breadth and heighth of the building which Christ should erect and this in all the parts therof as gates chambers windowes posts courts tables and also the temple posts dores walles likewise the utter court with all things concerning the same The end of which vision was to signifie that in that place he would dwell in the midst of the sonns of Israel as before he had by the signe of Solomons Temple and he willed the Prophet that if the house of Israel were ashamed of all the evils that they had doen he should shew them the forme of the house and the fashion therof c. and all the ordinances therof and all the formes therof and all the lawes therof and let them measure the patterne Accordingly when God had set his Temple or Tabernacle among Christians as is described in Rev. 4. by the similitude of Moses Tabernacle and for the synns of the people who began to revolt from the faith and to imbrace Antichrist even whiles the Apostles lived and after their decease fell more and more from Christ as by the opening of the seales Rev 6. and by the sounding of the Trompets Rev
8. is clearly signified so that the Sun wherwith the church had been clothed was become black the Moon bloody the starrs the ministers fallen from heaven to earth and the heaven it self departed as a scroll tolled togither and God for the synns of Christians as of the Iewes of old had delivered this rebellious people into the hands of the spiritual Babylon â—â—e synagogue of Antichrist a Beast or kingdom blasphemous idolatrous filthy in life and hating the Saincts as Sodom Egypt and Rome when it was heathenish then God in wrath remembring mercie to a remnant the election of his grace began againe to reedify his church And to signify this Iohn had in vision a measuring reed given him to measure the Temple Altar and worshipers but not the Court or Citie as yet because he would renew his church by degrees Afterward he saw the Citie gates wall therof measured also when the church should fully be restored This reed which was of gold signifieth the word of God or scriptures wherby all doctrines ordinances churches and peoples are to be measured tried and discerned whether they be the building of God or no. For God by his word directed Moses to make the Tabernacle and all the appurtenances according to the patterne shewed him in the mount Exod. 25. 40. Heb. 8. 5. and so they were made Exod 39. 42. 43. Solomon likeweise had the patterne of the Temple and of the Courts chambers treasures c the weight of gold for the Candlesticks tables bowles cups c as the Lord had made David understand in writing by his hand upon him even all the works of that patterne 1 Chron. 28. 11. 19. So then the commandment to measure with the reed the Temple Altar and worshipers Rev. 11. 1. signified such a renewing of Christianitie and professors of it as should be according to Gods word when they are measured and tried therby of such as have the Apostle Iohns spirit But the Court Citie and Gentiles treading down the same were to be cast out and not measured to signify that the holy doctrines and ordinances of the gospel abused and troden down by the Antichristian gentiles can endure no measure or trial of Gods word but are to be rejected as profane in their synfull abuse of them Because as the Gentiles of old changed the trueth of God into a lye Rev. 1. 〈◊〉 and when they knew God they glorified him not as God but became vaine in their imaginations and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into images Rom. 1. 21. 23. therfore though they reteyned after their profane manner many of Gods divine ordinances taught them from Noe yet no Prophet or man of God ever measured their Temples altars sacrifices Preists or people but cast them out as wicked so the Gentiles the Antichristians now having likeweise changed the trueth of God into a lye and whiles they profess Christ in word doe in deed deny him albeit they tread down and sacrilegiously profane the holy things of God his doctrines and ordinances of faith worship church c yet are they to be cast out and left unmeasured being such as will indure no trial by the word of God How then doeth mine opposite seek in vaine to measure the church of Rome and to prove her Gods true church though corrupted and to be under his covenant of grace when God here expressly biddeth them to be left unmeasured How is it that he pleadeth for a reformation onely and will have no new building or plantation when Sodom and Babylon must be reformed with fyre that is utterly destroyed as in the types of old so in the thing typed at this day as it is written she shal be utterly burnt with syre for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her Rev. 18. 8. We finde in the type how after the Babylonians had burned the Temple when the Iewes returned out of captivitie they layd againe the foundation of the Temple of the Lord and then builded it Ezr. 3. 6. 10. 11. We find also in the Gospel that Antichrist should destroy the Temple even to the foundation which is Christ 1 Ioh. 2. 22. 1 Cor. 3. 11. And in Rev. 11. there is measuring as for a new building yet now we shall have by these pleaders Babylon reformed and no new Temple built or Ierusalem reedified If any like to apply this foresayd measuring of the Temple Revel 11. to the defection of the church rather then to the reedifying of it I wil not strive here about neyther wil it if so it be understood any thing help the present state of the church of Rome about which our controversie here is By this which hath been sayd I leave it to the judgment of men of understanding whether it be more fit to apply these Gentiles to the wicked Iewes which whiles the true Temple courts and citie stood did in hypocrisie abuse Gods holy ordinances Esa. 1. as mine opposite doth apply them or to the Gentiles of whom the Psalmist complaineth that they had come into Gods inheritance defiled the Temple layd Ierusalem on heapes that is ruinous as Mica 3. 12. killed Gods servants and left them unburied as here in Rev. 11. 8. 9. the dead bodies of Gods witnesses are not suffred to be put in graves that had devoured Iakob and layd wast his dwelling place for the former iniquities of Israel Seing that in Esaias dayes there was no measuring for the new building of the Temple as was after the captivitie of Babylon then and in this place nor casting out of the court and giving of the citie to be troden down of the Gentiles for many yeres as Iudah was given into the hand of the King of Babylon when God forsook his house and left his heritage to be destroyed and troden under foot seventie yeres But as of the destruction of the earthly Ierusalem by the heathen Romans Christ sayd Ierusalem shal be troden down of the Gentiles that is ruined not suffred to be built againe until the times of the Gentiles be fulfylled Luke 21. 24. so of the ruine wast of this spirituall Ierusalem by the Antichristian Romans he sayth it is given to the Gentiles and the holy Citie shall they tread down 42. monethes after which time Iohn seeth the heavenly Ierusalem measured that is builded againe Rev. 21. 15. 17. But whether we understand it to have reference to former wicked Iewes called hethens for their hethenish manners or to the Babylonian Gentiles yet hath mine opposite no reason or colour of reason to restreyn it to the governours onely as he doth to the Pope and his hierarchie For they that trode in the Lords courts Esai 1. were the people as well as the Preists and princes the people of Gomorrha as well as the princes of Sodom Esai 1. 10. and they that ruined Ierusalem were the Babylonian soldjers as wel as the