Ministerie though with corruptions how wil they be able to bear out such as are excoÌ„municated for so great contempt and errour 3. Thirdly as Antichristians doo excoÌ„municate such as they should not so doo they baptise such as they ought not even open impenitent Idolaters and their seed the generation of Vipers which Iohn Baptist would refuse Yea Mr Iohnson himself hath sayd of a better estate then Romes that Gods covenant is sacrilegiously violated whiles it is sayd to the open wicked in delivering them the seals of Gods covenant Thou art righteous Therfore if the Popes excoÌ„municatorie bulls are but bubbles because they are unjustly executed his baptisme also will be found but a fiction no true seal of salvation to such as receive it of him Finally touching circumcision I think it cannot be manifested that any people 's fallen from God and his Church using it colourablie for a religious action as al Antichristians and heretiks doo baptism at this day did or were bound to cutt their foreskin the second time if they came unto the truth of God as for example the Colchians Aegyptians and Aethiopians whom histories mentioÌ„ to be circumcised or the Samaritans whom Mr Iohnson acknowledgeth to have stil vsed circumcision Hereunto we may add out of the Iewish records how they hold that Al have leav to circumcise yea though it be an uncircumcised person or a servant or a woman or a child circumcising in the place where ther is no man But an hethen may not circumcise at al yet if he doo circumcise ther is no need to return circumcise the second time If this rule stand we shal not need to repeat our outward washing in baptism though given us by Antichrist or any other aliants from the church covenant of promise Of the Church of Rome The Church of Rome being acknowledged by al that fear God to be the throne of Antichrist Mr Iohnson himself having professed that the hierachie and Church-constitution of Antichrist is the most detestable anarchie of Satan that ever was yet imitating now M. Gifford M. Bernard and other professed enemies of the truth he pleads for that Church after this manner The Apostle expressly teacheth that Antichrist should sit in the Temple of God 2. Thes. 2 4. And by the Temple understanding the Church of God it wil folow that Antichrist should sit in the Church of God and is there to be sought and found and not among Jewes Turks Pagans c. neyther that Antichrist takes away wholly the church of God and every truth and ordinance of the Lord c. I answer truth errour are closely couched togither in this their plea for the discerning wherof we are to consider first how Antichrists church is described in Gods word secondly what the state of the church of Rome is at this day The Antichristian synagogue is by the holy Ghost caled a Beast which signifyeth a kingdom it is named also a great citie which noteth the largenes of that politie and kingdom It cometh up out of the earth as being of this world which Christs kingdom that coÌ„meth down from heaven is not and therfore is caled a man of syn and a great whore whose head is Abaddon or Apollyon the destroyer of others and himself the son of perdition and they that follow him are the children of damnation This wicked generation warreth against the Lamb Christ and against the saincts blasphemeth Gods name tabernacle and them that dwel in heaven â—hat is the true Church whose conversation is heavenly Yet doo they all this mischeif under shew of Christian religion therfore this beast hath horns like the Lamb Christ this whore is arayed with purple skarlet guilded with gold precious stones and pearles as if she were the Queen and spowse of Christ she hath peace offrings Vovves as if she were devowt in Gods service bread and waters as ready to refresh the weary sowls Her doctrines sweet amiable lyeâ— spoken in hypocrisie but yet confirmed with signes and miracles as if they came from heaven her power and efficacie great prevayling over the many and the mighty the Kings Princes of world deceiving al nations with her inchantments and if it were possible Gods very elect her continuance and outward prosperitie long her end miserable consumed with the spirit of the Lords mouth and abolished with the brightnes of his coÌ„ming and for her destruction the heavens shall rejoyce and sing praises to God Now for to find the accomplishment of these things we are directed by the now Romish religion to a Catholik or Vniversal church one part wherof lives on earth an other under the earth and a third part in heaven 1. On earth is the whole multitude of such as are named Christians through the world united as a catholik body under one visible head the Pope who with his 2 horns like the Lamb pretendeth to be Christs Vicar in the Kingdom Preisthood and is professed of his vassals to be that triâ—d precious corner stone that sure foundation in Sion Jsa 28.16 and it is declared defined and pronounced that it is of necessity to salvation for al men to be subject unto him Vnder this Captain are three bands of souldiers the first clergie men as Bishops Preists Deacons Subdeacons and the rest of those shavelings the second Lay men as Kings Pinces Nobles Citizens and Commons of al sorts and vocations the third sort is both of the Clergie and Laitie caled Monks or Regulars 2. Vnder the earth or in Purgatorie fyre are the sowles they say of al such as dye with venial synns whose payns are to be holpen by prayers and masses sayd for them by such as are alive on earth 3. In heaven are the sowls of men departed in the popish fayth and delivered from purgatorie some of which the Pope canonizeth for Saincts whom the people on earth are religiously to honour and pray unto as their mediators with God This church on earth cannot err in things which it commandeth men to beleev oâ— doo whither they be expressed in scripture or not therfore men must beleev in her and trust her in al things for the truth of the faith as touching us relyeth upon her authoritie and she hath power to make lawes which doo bind and constreyn mens consciences These things premissed I come to our Opposites arguments Their first reason from 2. Thes. 2.4 is unperfectly alledged for the text there sayth of the man of syn that he dooth sit as God in the TeÌ„ple of God wherupon their conclusion must be that Antichrist sitteth as God in the church of God And if they can prove that he is the true God I wil yeild that his temple is the true temple his Church the true
beat the path for al licenciousnes For although the scripture sayth he that committeth syn is of the Divil and we know that whosoever is borne of God synneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth him self and that wicked one toucheth him not notwithstaÌ„ding men may be as prophane as Esau as filthy in life as Sodom as idolatrous and synful as the Aegyptians and Babylonians and yet if they wil but cal theÌ„selves Christians and be outwardly baptised they may be blamed in words and separated from by men but yet justified as Gods true Church they and their seed in his covenant of grace sealed with baptisme which is to remission of synns and what need they care for more Who wil feare his estate or amend his life for the doctrine of such men as pul down with the left hand build up with the right Is not this rather to strengthen the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wickednes by promising him life Moreover this acknowledging al that profess Christ and are baptised to be true Churches having the true baptisme of God wil necessarily draw unto a general communion with al such societies wher men think actually no evil is committed as may fal out ofteÌ„ in the sermons of Friers Iesuits and other false Prophets for with true visible Churches and members of Christ who may not communicate so it be not in euil And thus Christians may come to that vanity coÌ„fusioÌ„ vvhich was among the Hethens of whom an ancient Doctor noteth that though they had infinite and contrary opinions about the Gods and their religion yet al of them kept communion togither in their Temples and sacrifices Wheras Mr. Ioh. referreth us to his first writings in answer to M. Iacob pag. 7. 13. and 47. as having then written somwhat tending this way which now he pleads for the Reader may see by comparing them how farr they differ There touching England he distinguisheth between their Church estate in respect wherof he is perswaded they cannot be judged true Christians and the personal estate of some considered apart from their Church constitution that they may wel be thought in regard of Gods election to be heyrs of salvation and in that respect true Christians so in pag. 13. 47. touching the Church of Rome and some Gods elect in it Although in pag. 146 he is perswaded whosoever lives dyes a Papist and member of that Church of Antichrist in the knowledge profession and maintenance of that religion in the parts therof can not of us be esteemed to live and dye in the estate of salvation Now what is that to his preseÌ„t plea for the Church baptisme of Rome but rather the contrary And for us we never disputed with any touching Gods elect which we leave unto himself who onely knovveth those that are his We deny not but ther may be of the elect in al false Churches even as Satan hath his reprobates in the true Churches I hold it presumption for any to limit God by how smal means or mesure of faith and knovvledge he vvil save a man Who dares deny but God had many elect among the Hethens after he had separated Israel from them Yea God expresly sayd vven he made Israel his peculiar people that yet al the earth was his vvhich are the vvords of the covenant generally Wherfore vve leave Gods secret counsels to himself as he vvilleth us and doe consider onely the visible state of Churches by the rules of Gods Lavv and promises Finally in that very book vvhich he mentioneth hovv sharply doth M. Iohns inveigh against his opposers and against M. Hooker that pleaded for the Church of Rome because of some truthes there reteyned saith that what by the Prelats and their Proctours on the one hand and the Pharisâ—ical dawbing reformists on the other all may justly fear least the end of that Church wil be to look back not onely in part but even wholly to the Romish Egipt and Sodom and to wollow agayn in the same myre from which they would seem al this time to have been washed When the Prelats and Reformists shal see what the same man now writeth himself for that Romish Egypt what wil they say but that even he also is come to dawb with them for company and fear a further fall Of their judgment of the Church of Rome translated out of M. Iunius To countenance their cause the more they set it out with the name and judgment of a learned man now deceassed Against whoÌ„ themselves wrote heretofore when they would have been loath to stand to his judgment But what wil not men doo for help in time of need The thing borrowed from him is in deed his own judgment rather then proof of argument I shal therfore the more breifly touch it yet not medling with the author who I hope is at rest in the Lord but with these his translators The Church of Rome wherof they treat is properly they say the company which is at Rome as Paul wrote Rom. 1. abusively it is al the Churches on earth cleaving to it and the doctrine constitution therof They treat of the first but would have men by proportion understand the same of the later I answer A Church ther was at Rome in Pauls time beloved of God caled Saints whose faith was published through the whole world A Church or peece rather of a Church ther is at Rome now loathed of God caled Divils whose whordoms abominations are famous through al the earth In deed and truth ther is a great Citie spiritually caled Sodom Aegypt and Babylon Rev. 11.8 16.19 dispersed over the world under the name of a Christian Catholik Church whose cheif place throne is Rome As for the congregation of Saints that was there in Pauls time it is gone long since and the Man of syn with his worshipers come in the place Between these two ther is no just proportion for what concord hath Christ with Belial 2 Cor. 6.15 The Church of Rome considered as a subiect they say hath 2. parts Pastours and the flock of Christ for which Church th'Apostle of old gave thanks to God Rom. 1 8. Neyther doo we deny this subiect to be at Rome eveÌ„ at this day because we trust ther is God caling persons caled the caling it self yet in her which togither in one giveth being to a Church I answer First I deny that God is there caling as in his Church but the man of syn sitts there as God calling all to worship him and his calling is by the working of Satan and in al deceivablenes of unrighteousnes among them that perish and the persons caled are deluded to beleev lyes 2 Thes. 2.9 10 11. Al these togither give being to Antichrists church but not to Christs And we are sure God caleth out of her such
church the church what should be answered before the magistrate We with signification as before that we would rather suffer wrong then sue at law yet could not hinder them of seeking for their particular right if in so doing the churches right were called in question that then some certayn appointed should answer for the same 3. Those our brethren before they went to the Iudges intreated the help of the Burgemasters the cheif of the City who laboured by perswasion with our Opposites to put the matter to the arbitrement of good men chosen by both sides but they stil peremptorily refused 4. When it was brought before the Iudges they also at first both perswaded unto and nominated two indifferent men to hear the case but when our opposers came before them they refused to stand to their arbitrement The Iudges the second time appointed them with a mulct or forfeit upō those that refused their arbitrement but our adverse partie persisted in their refusal as before and urged sentence of the Magistrates and pleaded that they which build on another mans ground are by law to loose their building which plea they made because the assurance of the ground was made in the name of one man onely now among them whose name was used but in trust for any other might have had the same as wel as hee as was proved before the Magistrate by sufficient witness Now unto these Arbiters appointed did our brethren willingly referr the cause and to them inquiring of the differences were those Articles exhibited which it seemeth those Libellers or their Scribe by some means that wee know not of procured a copy of and so printed them What cause now have these our opposers to find such fault with our giving out those articles which we were constreyned by them selves to doo unless we should have suffred the truth to have bene troden down They rather have cause to acknowledge their own stiff refractary cariage who would not yeild to any good counsel given them by our brethren by Arbiters or by Magistrates til law forced them therunto and so have occasioned many wayes our cōmon adversaries to rejoyce 3. But we have not sayth the Advertisement as we ought handled and justified the causes for which we separated which were annexed at the end of the Treatise on Mat. 18.17 but have gone about also to possess the world with other matters So after they urge agayn this point that we leav the Treatise unanswered which was purposely written upon that occasion and argument I answer 1. We handled and justified the causes for which we separated by word of mouth in much disputing before we left them and this for them was as we ought and sufficient according to the Apostles practise Act. 1◠8.9 And now we are by their importunacie caled to handle and justifie them before the world in writing which whither we doo as we ought the sequel shal shew to the judicious reader 2. It is not we but they which have gone about to possess the world with other matters for the things we charge them with themselves in effect acknowledge and as wel as they can doo defend them But their declaration against us in the Treat on Mat. 18. is defective and the 7. points they article now against us are superfluous and injuriously wrested against us as our answers to them shal manifest The controversie in deed began upon the exposition of Mat. 18.17 but so as we have heard in times past Anabaptists begin controversie upon Mat. 28.19 who have reasoned both from that and al other scriptures against the baptising of infants so these opposites from Mat 18.17 and al other scriptures that we could bring reasoned against the power of the people in judging syn synners We formerly professing the Church there to be Elders and people joyntly they now striving that it is not so but the Elders onely we knew it must be eyther the name or the power of the church that they would have And we never thought them so vayn as to make such a styrr for a name or title we held therfore to the power which Christ hath given to his church for judging of them that are within 1. Cor. 5.4.12.13 Of this when we pressed them they first gave this answer that the Elders had the rightful power to excommunicate though without and against the consent of all the people but not the able power even as David had rightful power to put Ioab to death but was not able because others were too hard for him 2. Sam. 3.39 To which we answered in matters of this life which are external men may be hindred by outward force but in the spiritual administration of the Church not so Gods word by which they administer is not in bonds 2 Tim. 2.9 But if one man onely have the power from Christ he may use it against all the world So upon better consideration a week after they affirmed the Elders to have both rightful power and able power to excommunicate though without and against the consent of all the people And thus was ful power put in the Elders hands of the people they sayd their power and right was as in Israel and in the primitive churches But being asked what that was answer was made it was to be inquired So the poor people are left to seek their right wher they can find it the Elders have ynough they have found that they sought for As Paul to disswade the Corinthians from their errour in denying the resurrection shewed them the dangerous consequences of the same as that if ther be no resurrection of the dead then Christ is not risen then the Apostles preaching was vayn then the Churches fayth was also vayn c. so I held it my duty to shew the people the consequences of the former error which though at first it may seem smal yet is it as a strong fort in the mouth of a country which if the enemy win the whole land is soon lost For if all the power of receiving in and casting out were given to the Elders then our Church which was first gathered and constituted did receiv in and cast out members without Elders was not planted by the power of Christ neyther had they authoritie to set up Elders if they could not agayn vpon desert depose them and if they had not power to judge their brethren much less could they judge their Elders And here came in the gathering of the church by vertue of popish baptisme and of receiving the ministery from Rome as wel as the baptisme and the like which our opposites were and must necessarily be driven unto for defense of their errour And as for the first gathering of this church they sayd an error in the doing overthroweth not the action for Isaak erred in blessing Iaakob in sted of Esau yet the action did stand To which we answered that it was doon by a person
ought neyther can a proportion or comparison be rightly made 4. It is an argument that is yet hid and by our opposites themselves unmanifested how the proportion they speak of shal be shaped For in Israel ther were Magistrates in the cities Preists and Levits in the Tabernacle and Ministers in the Synagogues Let them shew us who now are proportionable to the Magistrates who to the Preists and who to the Ministers in the synagogues The Magistrates also were of sundry sorts as Elders Heads Judges Officers The Judges agayn differing both in number and power In all the cities throughout the tribes were Judges which the Iewâ—doctors call the lesser Sanhedrin or Session and say it consisted of 23. Iudges and Officers which they say were weaponed and executed the Iudges sentences In the cheif City Ierusalem were also Iudges and Preists for the weightiest and hard causes this they caled the great Sanhedrin or Session and it had 71. Iudges of whom first Moses was cheif and sucsessively one caled Nasi the Prince next whom they place Aâ—beth diâ—â— the Father of the judgment hall besides other officers as two Scribes to write the causes of the condemned the absolved Shâ—lcâ—â—h â—â—th din the Messenger or Angel of the Court even as ther was also in other cases Sheliaâ—h â—sibbur the Messenger or Angel of the Church or Congregation in the synagogues wherunto it may be thought that in Rev. 2.1 c. hath allusion Agayn they make an other court of three for lesser strifes and mony matters caled dâ—ies mâ—â—monoth the lower Synedrion of 23. judged matters of life and death diâ—â—i nephashoth the high Senate of 71. judged weightiest matters of state of warrs of a Tribe of a False prophet of appeals brought c. Also among the Preists and Levits ther were divers orders and functions some chief some inferior some ministring in the sanctuary by course some overseers and judges some Musicians some Tresurers some Porters c. In the synagogues ther were alwayes lecturers and preachers of the law and prophets in every citie and in Ierusalem it self were many synagogues besides the Temple there Now they that would proportion their power with Israel showld shew whither they mean al these fore-spokeÌ„ or but some They should tel us to whoÌ„ the Pastor is proportionable to whome the Teacher to whom the ruling Elders And seing they wil have that rule in Mat. 18. to be as it was in Israel they should tel us to which of those Synedrions or Preists or Rulers Christ sendeth Whiles these things are not cleared but we are told generally of a pâ—oportion with Israel we are led as in the clowds and know not into what errours we may fall 5. They referr us in the beginning of their Treatise on Mat. 18.17 to a place in Mat. 5.22.23 c where Christ they say teacheth the offending brother how to cary himself as in Mat. 18.15 c. he dooth the brother offended that in both places Christ sheweth to whom the offender may be brought viz to the Church or Congregation Mat. 18.17 to the Synedrion or sitting of Elders Mat. 5.22 which must be eyther all one with the other or ells how should his hearers then understand him or these things then be observed or these two places be reconciled I answer Christ might farr better be understood then then our opposites may now his words are cleare but not to the purpose that they cite them Christ there speaketh not of men judging on earth but of Gods judging in heaven For men had not power to condemn to hel fyre there spoken of neyther could they by Moses law condemn a man to death for unadvised anger as Christ there God would doo neyther was every maÌ„ that caled his brother Raka to be brought to the Synedrion at Ierusalem the lesser courts in the cities could hear and end such matters The Iew Doctors say that such as bring an evil same on their neighbours were to be judged by the Court of 3. or by that of the 23. but for the high Synedrion both they and Moses law shew it was for the more weighty and difficult cases Our saviour in Mat. 5. interprets the law otherweise then did the scribes They sayd whosoever killeth shal be culpable of judgment that is he should dye by Gods law and further then outvvard actual murder they went not But Christ sheweth 3. kinds of kylling otherweise then with the hand the least wherof even unadvised anger should be punished with death by God and as it did increase and shevv it self in evil speeches so should their punishment be increased in hel which he setteth down by allusion to the sundry civil judgments in Israel And so he procedeth to teach men the true keeping of the law by love and reconciliation without which they should be cast into the prison of hel how ever such synns were not punishable by men But in Mat. 18. Christ speakketh of judgments on earth in this life and that not of the civil punishments by the Magistrates sword but of binding and loosing by the word of God to be performed by the Church that is as Paul sheweth the ecclesiastical assembly gathered in Christs name Wherfore the church in Mat. 18 17. is not the Synedrion in Mat. 5.22 as these would have it Or if it be then is it meant of the Magistrates and not of the church ministers unto whom these would now draw it For were the Ministers and preachers of the law in the synagogues judges in the synedrion Sheliach Isibbur Angelus ecclesiae the messenger of the Congregation was he the cheif of the synedrion as the Pastor vvho they say is Angelus ecclesiae is now cheif in the Eldership If Christ must needs speak to the understanding of the Ievves and order his Church like their coÌ„mon vvealth ther must be more then one court or Synedrion and he could not give that to 2. or 3. gathered any vvhere in his name vvhich belonged to the Senate of the Realm 6. So vvheras they say we would perswade them Christs doctrine in Mat. 18.17 is a new rule which Jsrael had not I think it wil be good for them to yeild unto this persvvasion For the Elders in Israel to vvhom they referr us by Psal. 82. Josh. â—0 4.5.6 Num. 35 12.24.25 29. Deut. 19.11.12.16.17 and other like places being Magistrates that had povver of life and death if Christ sendeth unto such the Ministers of the Church I hope vvil not intrude into their places Wherfore eyther let them acknovvledge the nevv Testament to have nevv rules and ordinances and that the kingdome being changed aswel as the Preisthood there must needs be a change of the law therof also or els let them leave it to the Magistrate vnto vvhom it belongeth Next this they
Secondly in that place of their Treatise on Mat. 18. they quote Mat. 2◠20 as alleged for a ground yet they give not any answer to that scripture but stil call upon us to answer their questions write more Wheras Christ there encōmendeth to his disciples of all nations to the worlds end the observing of all things whatsoever he cōmanded th'Apostles And excommunication was one of those things commanded Mat. 18. 1. Cor. 5. Therfore to be observed by a Christian people though they want officers unless these men can shew some prohibition Christ requireth to observ al things these men say nay not excommunication it lyeth now on them to shew wher Christ or his Apostles have excepted excommunication But from that place and by the very same reasons doo the Anabaptists deny baptisme of Children caling for scripture example precept ground to warrant it as these doo now in this case 3. Thirdly besides al things heretofore written they have a ground in the article it self which they neyther doo nor can take away which is the power that the church alwayes hath to receiv in members and therfore consequently to cast them out agayn if they deserv it Which ground if they deny they in effect deny that ther can be any church without Elders contrary to the express scripture Act. 14.23 1. Cor. 12.28 Tit. 1.5 Yea or that ther can be any visible Christians without Elders for how can they be Christians without union with Christ And if men cannot be united with his members and body because ther wanteth Elders how should they be united with him the head 4. They have it proved a point of false doctrine by Mr Iohnson himsef to teach that the Church of Christ hath not alwayes power to receive in and to cast out by the keyes of the kingdom Answer to M. Iakob pag. 159.160 2. They secondly allege sundry examples grounds that it hath been doon by the Lord himself and by his officers c. This we never doubted of but a Church having officers may excōmunicate Though yet the proof for the Elders wil be excepted against by the Prelates and such like For th'examples of Abraham of Paul of Titus of Timothee and of the Preist judging a leper make rather in show for one Bishop then for a Church of Elders and so are alleged by Papists for the Prelacie The other scriptures doo none of them shew the Elders power to excōmunicate but to watch take heed reprove admonish c al which the Prelates grant to their inferiour Preists whom yet they wil not suffer to excommunicate with out the Bishop or his Official as these wil not the Church without an Eldership The examples of excommunicating by the Rulers of Israel I wil turn against them thus If the Magistrates and people of Israel might not onely punish civilly with death but also execute a spiritual censure of excommunication upon the consciences of evil doers though they had wanted ministers of the Temple and synagogues then a Christian magistrate and people may doo so now though they want ministers ecclesiastical And if the Church may excommunicate having a magistrate it may also do it wanting one seing the power of spiritual censure dependeth not upon the civil magistracie as the state of the Churches in the Apostles dayes sheweth 3 Thirdly they wil have us to consider how a people can chalenge the ministration of excommunication more then of the sacraments c. This we have considered and find that if the reason be good the ruling Elders may not excommunicate any more then minister the sacraments which whither they hold or no let them tel us in their next For they know wel the Prelates object these things against the ruling Elders as themselves doo now against the people 4. Fourthly they say they cannot find in scripture but when the church is caled the body of Christ or compared to a body howse city or kingdom it is spoken eyther of particular Churches having officers or of the catholik church in respect of Christ the head c. I answer it appeareth then plainly they have lost that which they had found and let them take heed least for not keeping it God deprive them of finding it any more But I wil help them if it may be by their own writing where this same author sayth A company of faithful people though considered a part by themselves they be privat men yet being gathered togither in the name of Christ and joyned togither in fellowship of his gospel they are a publick body a church a citie a kingdom and that of Jesus Christ who is present among them to guide bless and confirm what they doo on earth in his name and by his power So that like as in a city the citizens considered a part are commonly privat members yet jointly togither are the corporation and publick body of that town so is it also in the church of Christ whither it consist of moe or of fewer yea though they be but 2. or 3. so as they be joyned togither in the communion of the gospel and gathered togither in the name of Jesus Christ as before is sayd These things they have acknowledged though now it seemeth they have forgot them or which is worse doo dissemble them Vnto these I wil add th'Apostles testimonie concerning a howse Christ is the chief corner stone and Christians that come unto him as lively stones are made a spiritual howse an holy Preisthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices Men come unto Christ by beleef and are joyned unto him and one to another by mutual covenant The ministers of Christ are as builders of this howse by preaching the gospel laying first the foundation Christ then upon him Christian people Gods building But if as often cometh to pass the builders doo refuse yet the Lord without them putteth Christ for head of the corner and causeth the faithful to come unto him and maketh them his spiritual howse to dwel in them whose howse they continew to be not by having officers alway among them but by holding fast their confidence and rejoycing of hope unto the end Wherfore these men that can find no howse of God without Elders must prove that men can not come unto no◠continew in Christ unless it be by ecclesiastical officers which they shal never be able to manifest or al may see how they are beguiled with errour that they can not find things so apparant and heretofore acknowledged by themselves Ther opinion is injurious not onely to Christians but to Christ himself whiles they wil not grant him being the corner stone the head the king and the faithful the living stones his mēbers and subjects to make a howse body or kingdom if the Elders want or refuse though he as is written walketh among his Churches and is with them al dayes to the worlds end 5. Fiftly they
church Otherweise if he be but an Idol and not God his Temple church and body wil prove but an Idol like himself and his blasphemie is worse then theirs which sayd they were Jewes and were not but did lye and were the synagogue of Satan Secondly they take it for granted that by the Temple is meant the church and so goe on in obscuritie Wheras the Temple did primarily figure out Christ Joh. 2.19.21 and in the heavenly Ierusalem the true church ther was no other temple seen but the Lord God almightie and the Lamb Christ which are the Temple of it Rev. 21.22 If in this sense we understand that speech of Paul touching Antichrist then must we translate the words as some ancient Doctors have doon eis ton Naon for the Temple or as if he himself were the Temple and so in deed Antichrist taketh upon him the person and office of Christ under pretence of his Vicarship shewing himself that he is God proclayming himself to be the brydegroom of the Church which is the office of Christ yea taking a title above him for wheras Christ is caled Pontifex magnus the Great high Preist the Pope is usually intituled Pontifex maximus the Greatest high-preist and reason ther is for it because in the Pope ther is power above all powers as well of heaven as of earth as in a publick Council it was spoken of this Beast Now that these things should be true of the man of syn otherwise then by lyes spoken in hypocrisie none of grace I know wil affirm Secondarily the Temple figured the Church but first the catholik or universal church Eph. 2 21. then every particular church by proportion 1 Cor. 3 16 17. Which of these two our opposites doo intend they shew not If they mean a particular church it wil not agree with the prophesies of Antichrist whose Citie or church is so great as peoples kinreds tongues nations doo dwel in the streets therof Neyther is that answerable to the Temple in Israel which was not for one synagogue but for the whole natiō of the Iewes and for the Gentiles that came to the faith through the world If they mean the catholik or vniversal church vvhich indeed Antichrist claymeth for his Temple then we are to be taught of them how that whoorish company that worship the Beast and Dragon can possibly be the true catholik church and spowse of Christ otherweise then by counterfeysance and lying ostentation even as the Divil himself is an Angel of light And the very word Temple leadeth vs to vnderstand Antichrists church to be but a counterfeyt For what was the Temple or Tabernacle in Israel Not the Church or congregation of Gods people properly for they were the worshipers of God in the Tēple but it was a sacramental sign of Gods dwelling with his people as it is written they shal make me a sanctuarie that J may dwell among them So Solomon built the Temple that God might dwel therin and for the times under the gospel God promised J wil set my sanctuary among them for ever my Tabernacle shal be with them J wil be their God they shal be my people and the fulfilling herof is set down Rev. 21 3. behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he wil dwel with them and they shal be his people So in Revelat. 11.1 the Tēple is distinguished frō thē that worship therein which is the people The Temple then was an outward sign of Gods presence with his people and of his inward dwelling in their harts by faith 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 error carying them to damnation But as Antichrist shal not professedly deny the true God or Christ though in deed and truth he falsly sheweth himself that he is God so shal he not professedly deny the Temple or church of God but falsly vaunt his adulterous synagogue to be the same Gods true temple and tabernacle is in mount Sion in heaven wher God sitteth on a throne and dwelleth among his people wher is the ark of his covenant and from thence lightnings voices thundrings earthquake and hayl come forth against the Antichristians his enemies and vials of his wrath powred out upon the throne of the beast and on the men that have his mark On the contrary the Beast which is the kingdom of Antichrist ascendeth from beneath out of the bottomless pit and blasphemeth this heavenly tabernacle and sitteth in Babylon upon the Dragons throne and fighteth against the Lamb and against the Saincts treading under foot the holy Citie and casting down the place of Christs sanctuarie When th'Apostle therfore telleth us that Antichrist sitteth as God in the Temple of God it is to be understood first of their invading and destroying of Gods church and people as the hethens of old dealt with Ierusalē dwellers therin secōdly of their own vayn ostentatiō whiles they will have it caled the Christian catholik church and the Pope the head of the same The next point that Antichrist is to be sought there and not among the Jewes Turks Pagans is a fallacie from an insufficient division for al out of the true Church are not Jewes or Turks or Pagans ther is a fourth to make up the mease even popish Antichristians and among these is the Man of syn to be found though with a visar on his face and a sheepskin on his back In the true Church he hath somtimes been found raunging as a wolf but not reigning as a God which in his own Temple he dooth wher he is acknowledged Our Lord God the Pope and h Thou art an other God on earth and To beleev that our Lord God the Pope might not decree as he hath decreed it were a matter of heresie and O thou that takest away the synns of the world have mercy upon us with other like intollerable blasphemies Thirdly they say Antichrist takes not away wholly the church of God and every truth and ordinance of the Lord. I answer neyther did the Divil take away wholly every truth and ordinance of God from among the hethens but they reteyned many rites of Gods worship received from their fathers as before is noted Yet in very deed so much as in them lay and us stood with the safetie of their deceitful kingdom the Divil of old and Antichrist his son of late have sought wholly to take away the church truth of God and to put lyes in the place But God hath nourished the woman his church in the wildernes from the presence of the Serpent Rev. 12.14 And for further answer hereof let us hear what M. Iohnson
as shal be saved Rev. 18 4. Their starr or Bishop is long since fallen from heaven and in sted of Peters keyes he received the key of the bottomless pit which he opened and brought up a smoke of heresies and darkned all truth and means therof and sent abroad his clergie the Locusts to sting and poyson mens souls by calling them from God to worship Divils And these things Mr Iunius himself hath applied to the popish hierarchie Touching the papacie say they or papal hierarchie caled ecclesiastical we say not that it is the church properly so caled but an accident growing to the church and which covertly worketh against the life and health of the church For the papacie is an order humane and naught the church is an assembly divine c. And after they say The papacie is in the church as the order of apostasie in the howse of God 2 Thes. 2. the man of syn sitteth in the temple of God with his whole order or rank of Apostates and the Temple of God consisteth not in that order and number of Apostates which is a thing most strange and furthest off And again the papacie is a poyson in the Church which must needs be vomitted out if it wil be preserved or ells the Church wil be extinguished by it if it suffer that poyson to prevayl and possess all the veyns of the body I answer true it is and I agree with them that the rank of Apostates is farr from being Gods temple wherupon I assume the whole popish church preists and people are a rank of Apostats because they worship the Beast who sheweth himself there for God where the Pope is acknowledged to be the Lion of the tribe of Iudah the root of David the Saviour and deliverer they worship Divils and Idols of silver and gold Rev. 9.20 and their beleef is in lyes 2 Thes. 2.11 12. therfore the whole popish Church being a ranck of Apostates is a Temple of Antichrist but not of Christ. Secondly to take that which they grant the papal Hierarchie ecclesiastical if it be no part of the body of the Church but an accident a poyson a gangrene an vlcer eating the body what shal we think of al the actions of that ecclesiastical hierarchie their ministration of sacraments their making of ministers and the whole Church administration by that rank of Apostates they cannot possibly be the actions of the body of the Church neyther of Christ. Can a scab or gangrene perform any action of a natural body or member And now what is become of their true baptisme and ordination of Ministers before pleaded for these wil be but as the operation of the poison or fretting of the gangrene for they that did them being the popish ecclesiastical hierarchie were no parts of the Church but accidents as the gangrene or pocks upon the whores body which consume life and grace but give none at al. Thirdly seing the popish ecclesiastical hierarchie which consisteth of Bishops Preists Ministers are the poison and botches in the body of the Church and no parts of the same how dooth God cal in that Church as before they reasoned For his ministerie is not among them as for his word the people have it not so much as to read and the service of their Gods is in a tongue that they understand not what now is the meanes of their caling Fourthly compare this with their former plea for the Eldership and Ministerie wheÌ„ they could not find the Church to be caled the body of Christ howse city or Kingdom unless it had officers c. Now for Rome they wil have it the body of Christ howse Temple of God ministring true baptisme c. and yet the ecclesiastical hierarchie are no parts or members but scabs on the body But the truth is these Aegyptian boyles the hierarchie ar the chiefest parts of the body of that Antichrist which in some respect may be likened to the Image that Nebuchadnezar saw Dan. 2.31 c. The Pope with his triple crown who is proclaymed for a Vice-God the inuincible Monarch of the Christian common wealth and vehement conserver of the popish omnipotencie he is the â—ead of Gold The Cardinals and prelats are next him as breast arms of silver the other bellyâ—God Clergie is the strong brazen paunch and the Lay people are as the legs and feet of yron and clay which cary and bear up the bulk and the unclean Spirit of Satan giveth life and effectual operation to this Beast For to be a member of this their body and Church the papists themselves profess that ther is not any inward vertue required so then ther is no need of the spirit of God to joyn these limms of the Beast togither But they proceed and say that On Gods behalf it is altogither a Church whersoever ther is found a company caled of God with his caling by the spirit and the holy scripture and the ministery of persons ordeyned for holy things and divine actions And a little after After this maner doo we esteem of the Church in which the papacy is God caleth her with his caling by his spirit and word and publik record of that holy mariage the scripture the ministerie and things holy actions which before we have breifly reckned up I answer if mens eyes did not dazel with looking on the bewtie of the harlot I marvel how they could so esteem of that Church which hath for her hierarchie as even now they confessed a rank of Apostates no members but ulcers of the body And are they now with another breath become an holy ministerie of God Most strange it is that men should publish their own esteemings without any word of God to warrant them But let us bring them to the trial They say God caleth her by his spirit and word but Paul sayth God shal send them strong delusion that they should beleev lyes 2 Thes. 2.11 and this we see verifyed by the manifold heresies idolatries blasphemies wherewith the whole body of that Church is poysoned They say God caleth her with his spirit the Apostle sayth strong is the Lord God which will condemn her Rev. 18 8. and with the spirit of his mouth he wil consume that lawless one 2. Thes. 2 8. And wheras they cal the scripture the publik record of that holy mariage between God her the scripture shewes no such mariage but dooth defye her as an harlot where is the record that Christ was ever maried to the Beast that came up from the bottomless pit If her having the book of holy scripture in an unknown tongue wickedly abused to mainteyn her whordoms and abominations subjected to the interpretation of her Lord God the Pope be a record of that holy mariage the Iewes which have Moses and the Prophets red and expounded in their mother tongue have
children that dwel with their adulterous mother that is to abhorr her syn with speech and signe to cal her back from evil absteyn themselves from it and in al things cleav to their father betake theÌ„selves into his closet c. I answer thus it appeareth that these our opposites are returned to acknowledge the whore of Rome to be their mother whom they feign to be as woman which lyeth in a deadly sort swollen with waters of the dropsie or with poison which had long agoe given up the ghost if God by the imposition of his grace c. had not nourished and kept her warm Now to leav their mother thus on her sick bed as they have doon disclayming al Christian dutie unto her which is due to a true Church in corruption is but the part of unnatural children Whiles God dooth nourish keep her warm wil they quite abandon her let them return and cherish her also and al her members and see if ther be any baulm to heal her wounds and to comfort her As for us we have been taught of God that in respect of him she is dead long agoe in her syns Rev. 20.5 with Ephes. 2.1 having been the marked whore worshiper of the Beast from which death she is not risen to live reign with Christ. Although to this world she liveth and reigneth in pleasure til at one day death otherwise also come upon her she be burnt with fire Rev. 18.7.8 And then shal we be so far from mourning at her funeral as we shal rejoyce with the heavenly multitude and sing Hallelujah when God hath given Sodoms judgment on her and we see her smoke rise up for evermore Rev. 19 1.2.3 Finally to back M. Iunius judgment they cite Amandus Polanus Bart. Keckerman who sayd that Antichrist shal sit in the temple of God not Jewish but Christian c. and as a rotten apple is an apple but corrupt so that Church is corrupt c. I answer they may I confess cite diverse men that were mistaken in judging of that rotten church which wil help these our opposites nothing who have seen and acknowledged better now goe back Bernard was a learned man in his time and is counted a Sainct and he playnly reproved many Romish abominations and sayd the beast in the Revelation which hath a mouth speaking blasphemies occupieth Peters chaire yet himself doted overmuch upoÌ„ the bewty of that harlot when he wrote thus at an other time to her Leman the Pope Thou art the great sacrificer the cheif Preist thou art Prince of Bishops heyr of th'Apostles thou art in primacie Abel in government Noah in patriarchship Abraham in order Melchisedek in dignity Aaron in authoritie Moses in judgship Samuel in power Peter in anoynting Christ. It is not therfore to be marveiled at though wise godly men be mistaken for in many things we syn all Jam. 3 2. But I have shewed how the scriptures doo judge of this sorceress and could also allege many learned mens judgements but I wil goe no further then our own country Mr Cartwright speaking of the baptising of children sayth Jf both parents be Papists or condemned heretiks c. their children cannot be received to baptisme because they are not in the covenant c. And agayn Jf the corruption be such as destroyeth the foundations as in the Arians which overthrow the person of Christ as in the Papists which overthrow the office of Christ they being no Church ought to have no priviledge of the church Mr Perkins writeth thus As for th'Assemblies of Papists understanding companies of men holding the Pope for their head and beleeving the doctrine of the council of Trent in name they ar caled Churches but in deed they are no true or sound members of the catholik church for both in their doctrine in their worship of God they rase the very fouÌ„datioÌ„ of religioÌ„ And agayn Jt is no more a church in deed then the carkesâ— of a dead man that weareth a living mans garment is a living man though he look never so like him And agayn he hath a treatise and Assertion that A reprobate may in truth be made partaker of all that is conteyned in the religion of the church of Rome and a Papist by his religion cannot goe beyond a reprobate and bringeth 4. arguments for proof hereof and endeth with this Corolarie that A man being indued with no more grace then that which he may obteyn by the religion of the Church of Rome is stil in the state of damnation D. Fulk answering the counterfeit Catholik saith Jt is evident that the true Church decayed immediatly after the Apostles times and telleth the Papist yow cry the Catholik Church the Catholik Church when yow have nothing in deed but the Synagogue of Sathan Agayn The Church of Antichrist is founded upon 7 hills Rev. 17. upon the traditions dreames fantasies and devises of men c. Therfore sayth he in no wise may she be called the city of God but Babylon the mother of fornication Sodom Aegypt where our Lord is dayly crucified in his members D. Willet answering Bellarmin sayth We deny utterly that they are a true visible Church of Christ but an Antichristian Church and an assembly of Heretiks enemies to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Agayn he sayth 2. Thes. 2. he shal sit in the temple of God that is the visible Church that which sometime was the true visible Church as the Church of Rome and after should be so takâ—n reputed and chalenged as it is at this day by the Papists c. He shal sit in the Temple of God that is take upon him the name title of the Church and yet an adversary unto it And agayn The Turk is out of the Church and so in truth is the Pope but yet he challengeth to him and his the name of the Church M. Bale compareth the Pope and Turk togither thus So glorious are the pretenses of Romish Pope Mahomet that they seem unto them which regard not these warnings the very Angels of light and their Churches most holy congregations being very divels with the very dregs of darknes The Pope in his Church hath ceremonies without number none end is there of their babling prayers their portases bedes temples altars songs howrs bells images organs ornaments Iewels lights oilings shavings c. that a man would think they were proctours of paradise On the other side Mahomet in his Church is plenteous also in holy observations they wash themselves oft frequent their temples pray 5. tymes in the day they reverently incline they lye prostrate on the ground they fervently cal to God they absteyn from wine they abhor idols c. But unto what end this holynes leadeth the sequel declareth Daniel maketh these two but one because they are both of one
himself wrote heretofore against M. Iakob J would know of yow sayth he who are so deep a clerk how Antichrists church and religion should justly be accounted a mysterie of iniquitie and truly be sayd to speak lyes in hypocrisie also privily to bring in damnable heresies and to have a shew of Godlynes if they did so absolutely and wholly depart from the faith and not onely from some points therof c. Fourthly they allege Rev. 18.4 Goe out of her my people c. which words they say imply the covenant of God continued among them I answer these very words are taken from Jer. 51.45 My people goe out of the midds of her where by my people the Church of Babylon is not meant but the Israelites Gods lost sheep scattred there upon the mountains and hills whom first the King of Ashur had devoured lastly Nebuchadnezar King of Babel had broken their bones having burned Ierusalem and the Temple with fyre broken down the citie walls imprisoned their King in Babylon captived the Princes people and caried the vessels of the Lords house into Babylon so that now Israel was without Temple without kingdom without politie or cōmon wealth of their own onely the Lord himself was a Sanctuarie or Temple to the faithful there dispersed and their holy vessels were caried into the Temple and treasurie of Nebuchadnezars God And these Israelites figuring Gods elect are caled out of Babylon which God would utterly destroy make desolate for ever And thus from Antichrists church which is Babylon Aegypt Sodom are Gods elect caled out a most evident proof that she is none of Gods church what soever she pretendeth any more than the idolatrous hethens whom she matcheth in filthines of whordoms and multitude of abominations Gods covenant of grace is not therfore with her at al for she is appointed to damnation but the elect that obey Gods voice caling them out of her them he wil receiv into covenant he wil be a Father unto them and they shal be his sonns and daughters as he hath promised Fiftly they add And so Jsrael is often caled the Lords people in the time of their Apostasie 2. King 9.6 13.23 2. Chron. 30.6 9. c· I answer they prove not the Question for first the Antichristian church is Babylon and out of her that is Babylon are Gods people caled Now to prove her Gods church they flee to Israel wheras the Gentiles were her true types as elswhere I have manifested though al the wickednes hypocrisie of Apostate Israel is also found in this Romish Babel 2. Neyther yet is their argument for Israel good to say they are caled the Lords people therfore they are his true church I deny the consequent For things are named in scripture sometime as they have been before though they be not so stil as Abigail is caled the wife of Nabal though he were then dead and she maried to David Solomon was begotten of Vriahs wife wheras she was then Davids so Iesus was in the howse of Simon the Leper so named because he had been a leper Thus Israel were caled Gods people for that he had been their first husband though in their apostasie they were not his people nor his wife Secondly they were so caled in respect of their profession that they would be so esteemed and named though in deed they were without the true God As ô thou that art named the howse of Jaakob c. but he that was yesterday my people is risen up for an enemye Thirdly they were caled Gods people in respect of their calling again unto him and his covenant afterward though for the present they were none of his as In that day J wil marrie thee Israel unto me for ever J wil even marry thee unto mee in faith and thou shalt know the Lord and J wil have pitty on her that was not pittied and wil say to them which were not my people thou art my people and they shal say thou art my God And thus the Gentiles were caled Christs sheep because they should after be brought into his fold Joh. 10 16. God had much people in Corinth a heathenish citie Act. 18.10 1. Cor. 12 2. and the Iewes to this day are Gods people beloved not for their present state which is cursed but for the promise that they shal hereafter be graffed agayn into Christ. Rom. 11 11 20.23 25 26. 9.4 with Jsa 59 20 21. Ezek. 34 23. 30. Hos. 3 5. As for this false church and state of Israel which compassed the Lord with lyes and with deceyt it also may shew vs how to vnderstand that Temple of God forespoken of wherin Antichrist should sitt as God For was there any true Temple any where but in Ierusalem yet when Israel forgat his maker he builded Temples These howsoever they pretended the God that brought them out of Aegypt yet were in deed built for the worship of Divils to whom they sacrificed and not to God Therfore the Lord by names distinguisheth these two churches caling Samaria Aholah that is Her own Tabernacle Ierusalem Aholibah that is My-tabernacle in her but if Gods tabernacle had been also in Samaria the difference had not been such The Idol temples then which Ieroboam and his successors builded were none of Gods temples otherweise then by lying pretenses much less then was Bels temple in Babylon Gods temple and if the figure were not his neyther can the figured thing be his I mean this spiritual Babylon the mother of whores the habitation of Divils For as Christ surmounteth in grace and holynes al types figures that went before of him so Antichrist surpasseth in wickednes al the types and figures of him Therfore the holy Ghost contenteth not himself with one name but caleth Antichrists church Babylon and Sodom Aegypt and where our Lord was crucified meaning hethenish Rome by whose policie Christ was kylled when he was delivered to Pilat the Roman deputie and to the Gentiles the Roman souldjers to be mocked scourged crucified So that look what idolatrie fornication persecution and wickednes hath been read of among those hethen peoples the same may be proved upon the synagogue of Antichrist though mixed with profession of the name of Christ the more easily to deceive as whensoever any wil bring them to be compared shal soon be manifested 6. But they proceed and plead that this clause partake not in her synns Rev. 18 4. sheweth what we are to leav and renounce namely their synns and not whatsoever is had or reteyned by them I answer first the text sayth Goe out of her meaning this whore this Babylon that is this Church and so from the golden cup in her hand as wel as frō the