si quem per Catechesin genuisli if thou hast a Child spirituall whom thou hast begotten by the word Catechise him also in the knowledge of this point And my absolute Apologie shall bee that phrase of Ezekiel 3. 21. I have given you warning Liber avi animam meam I have discharged my soule by shewing you this knowledge Now the Lord himselfe shew your soules that knowledge which may leade all your soules to eternall salvation Thus much briefly for the Point the profession it is on which my discourse must inlarge it selfe For if our knowledge doe not conclude that the Papists doe professe certaine damnable opinions then cannot our conscience collect that Poperie is Antichristian whose badge is here that it is branded with damnation I must therefore shew positions in Popery which like the sword in the last Verse of the third of Genesis doe keepe men from entring into Paradise positions not onely untrue and dangerous but also damnable to the professours of them First I instance in their Latine Scripture a damned and a damning inhibition A Tyranny both actively and passively damnable both to the perswaders and the perswaded The Scriptures are our Pilots unto Heaven Of theÌ„ I speak what S. Paul spake of the Saâ—lers Acts 27. 31. Except these abide ye caÌ„not be saved Ponder but two plain portions of the Testament Ioh. 5. 39 In them ye thinke to have eternall life Again the Scriptures make men wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. Cannot any ordinary capacitie collect the contradictory conclusions Therefore without the Scriptures ye may feare eternall death and therefore the want of the Scriptures make men fooles to their Damnation Surely these inhibitours I had almost said inquisitours are Caligula's who locke up the Barnes for Bread they are Holophernesses who stop up the fountaines of water Iud. 7. 7. Their locking vp of the word in the Latine language is the taking away the Bread of life and water of life from the Lords people a detestable and a Damnable cruelty That I may lead your attention a little further take notice The forbidding of the Scriptures is not onely absolutely damnable but also relatively damnable that is a damnable antichristian policie What is the seate of Antichrist All concurre Babel What was the most famous distinctiue note of Babel None disagree an unknowne language Descry wee not then the colours of Babel hanging over the walls of Rome This unknowne language amongst them may put us in mind of Gods knowne language against them Gen 11. 7. Confundamus yea confundemus nay confundimus God will nay God doth confound them who do confound his language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confusion and damnation must be the lamentable effect of the damnable forbidding of the holy scriptures My second instance is their latine prayers a second damnable practise Whosoever calleth oâ— the Lord shall be saved saith St. Paul Rom 10. 13. I thinke I may invert it whosoever calleth not on the Lord shall not be saved Therefore the Inhibition of Invocation is the high way to damnation But say they wee do pray though wee pray in latine Such oratours who pray in latine which they vnderstand not the best they can say of their prayers is the phrase of Iacob concerning Luz Gen 28. 16. Surely the Lord is here but I know it not But we may say their prayers are like the Iewes religion Rom 10. 2. They have a zeale unto God but not according unto knowledge Now whether such prayers will save them that is the question To omit their possibilities that a damned dissembling Mahometane in the shew of a Masse-priest should curse Christ and the Christian religion in Latine and that the ignorant people should cry Amen To omit their absurdities that the people give up their latine prayers by tale as a Servant doth his masters Bagges ignorant of what they containe and knowing nothing but the number of them Yea omitting their Blasphemies saying Pater Dunamus de Antichristo lib. 1 cap. 4. sect 9. Breviar Rom. pag 304. noster to a creature and hic nos salvet a peccatis that a man should save them which is their prayer of Gregory and O Crux ave spes unica calling to a piece of wood as to their onely hope Omitting all these This onely I urge for an English Italian or for any ignorant man to pray in Latine First they understand it not 1 Cor. 14. 15. secondly they are not edified 1 Cor. 14. 17. and finally they cannot so much as say Amen 1 Cor 14. 16. I thinke if St. Paul himselfe were alive he would apply his owne phrase in my text to the ignorant Papists they pray in Latine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a damnable delusion if the Lord reclaime them not To referre you to the Relative in this point also Latine prayers are not onely a damnable but withall an Antichristian abomination That Number of the Beast 666 Revel 13. 18. is a famous mystery concerning Antichrist Which some conceive to be the number of a man and others the number of a time that either the letters of some name or the yeare of the Lord should answere this number Where I apprehend it not unworthy of our observation that the Latine service is the knot where both those interpretations meet in a probable accomplishment Lateinus is the old prophecie of old Irenaeus that it might be the name of Antichrist as it doth conteine the number of Antichrist And in 666 Rolloc in 2 Thes 2. Vitaliane the Pope first inioyned the Latine service Wee may say therefore that at that time and since that time the Latine Bishop imposing the Latine Liturgie thereby declared himselfe to be that Antichrist the great adversary who captivated Gods people according to Ier 5. 15. by a language which they knew not and through Gods just judgement mentioned by Isaiah 28. 13. that they might fall backward and be broken and be snared and taken or as my text speaketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they might be damned by this strong delusion A third instance and in the phrase of my text a third damnable point is that popish opinion of merits For a man to say that he shal be saved by his workes is an evident signe that he shal be damned for his workes Woe be that man who shall approach Gods justice in confidence of his own works how good soever To professe this point of popery plainly To say either with our english Rhemists that Rhemists in 1 Cor. 38 good works are the value price or worth of heaven or with Bellarmine that God wil give Coronam justitiae pro qualitate factorum disquisitione Bellarmine apol cap. 7. factorum that is a Crowne of Iustice according to the quality of his works and with with a disquisition of his Deeds Expectamus justum judicem non misericordem Patrem and that a man must expect a just judge not a mercifull Father I say to a through Papist
destroyed spiritually also Consider the connexion of the phrases in my Text The Man of sinne and sonne of perdâ—tion Never did Chime follow the stroke of a Clocke so certainly nor suddenly as perdition â—oth sinne He who is the Man of sinne shall be the sonne of perdition Those that doe destroy the soules of other men shall undoubtedly be rewarded with their owne Soules destruction But they inferre that I inferre that the Pope and all grand Papists are perditi are desperatâ—ly in the state of damnation I answer with Saint Paul Rom. 9. 18. Deus â—â—sâ—râ—tur cujus vult misereri God hath mâ—rcy on whom he will have mercy With Cyprian Eodem temporis Cyprian de Câ—â—a Domini articulo God can infuse repentance and give grace at the very last gaspe With Moulins It Moulins Accâ—â— of Pâ—oâ—h pag. 82. is not our parts to give judgement upon any bodie nor positively to define What men are damned but we pray to God to shew mercy to those Popes and Papists who doe breathe out their threatnings against us and would bathe their hands in our blood And we say with Whitakâ—rs Ex quo Papismus caepit esse Antichristianismus Whitaker in Sandâ—r p 74â— ne Papas quidem universos damnatos esse dixerâ—m nec Papam hunc si ad sanam mentem râ—diâ—rit excluserâ—m Wee are so farre from saying that all Popes are damned that we will nor exclude even this Pope â—rom his salvation if he repent and revoke his wicked errour I do not subscribe to the sentence of Pope Sergius Oecum lib. 1. part 2. cap. 25. the fourth as to an infallible truth Papam non posse damâ—ari sed quod quicquid saâ—â—râ—t salvarâ—tur that is Howsoever he lâ—vâ— yet it is impossible for the Pope to â—ee 〈◊〉 Rather I incline to the opinion of another Pope It was Oâ—â—phriâ—â— in Marcello 2. the sayâ—â—g of Pope Marcellâ—s the â—econd Non vidâ—o qâ—modo qu◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I conceive not said hee how that men which attaine the high Majestie of the Papacy can ever be saved And this I say setting Gods secret Determination apart The Pope and Papacy and popish agents and instruments if they proceed in these Heresies Cruelties Treacheries and Tyrannies which they now professe and practise dâ—spereunt bis pereunt they fall under a double destruction of body and of soule They are this Filius Perditionis They will be damned Some Papists will thinke it strange that I terme the Pope the sonne of perdition And I thinke it more strange that the Pope and papists use this very property of Antichrist Perdition as a meanes to propagate their Religion Antichrâ—st is here called a destroyer and they urge destruction as an argument to draw fearefull people to Popery Doth not Bellarmine and others preach peremptorily that the Pope can depose Kings and dâ—spose of Kingdomes what is this but to terrâ—fie popâ—sh Princes from forsaking Popery for feare of dâ—stroying their Inheritance Doth not Suarez and others conclude wretchedly that the Pope may authorize a forraine Prince to invade his neighbor or the subjects to kill their Soveraigne what is this but to terrifie the reformed Princes from opposing Popery for feare of murther and destroying their persons Did not our Powder plotters confesse that they intendâ—d to make our Parliament House their slaughter housâ— because said they there the Lawes were inacted against them What is this but to terrisie this State other States and all States from making Statutes against the Romish Religion for feare of being destroyed by some such suddaine sulphurious Popish Romish villanie Know wee not their common threatnings what they whisper amongst the common people What they will doe when their day doth come but Christ grant that their day may never come When their day shall come doe they not whisper amongst the common people that they will no more hew downe the branches but teare up the very rootes of Reformation rooting out every professour thereof What is this but to terrifie us from preaching and you from hearing for feare of destroying our poore persons and innocent children Is not then destroying the Pillar of poperie Are not papists destroyers May not therefore their father be called â—ilius perditionis the sonne of perdition To answer their argument Doe they feare you that you may savour them Doe they tell you of death and destruction tell them that Antichrist is a destroyer and that cruelty was never the Character of Christianity Doe wee thinke they will doe what they threaten and destroy us if wee come into their power Oh let us not feare them that may destroy the body but cannot hurt the soule rather let us feare him who can destroy both body and soule in Hell Matth. 10. 28. A thousand times better is it for us to be like Saint Steven to pray for them that kill us than for them to be like the Iewes to vow to kill us who pray for them and doe them no Hurt but onely hinder their Errours and indeavour their salvation Well then let them goe on the man of sin will bee the sonne of perdition and those who are sworne servants to Rome may sweare our imprisonment our exile our tortures our death our destruction But the Lord destroy the destroyer and grant that popery may never get the dominion over us Amen Amen SERMON VI. 2 THESS 2. 3 4. The Adversarie Antichrist not an open Adversary The Pope doth oppose Christ The Pope the worst Adversarie the Church ever had THe Adversary This is the third Title of Antichrist Some call it his Propertie both properly enough for the Title doth imply the propertie Yet more properly it may be termed his title because it doth allude to his proper Name The Adversary with St. Paul and Antichrist with St. Iohn are synonima's of the same signification To consider this title is a matter of some consequence for Sanders Bellarmine and all the papists urge this as an insoluble Demonstration The Pope is Vicarius Christi not Adversarius Christo The Pope is the Vicar not the Adversary of Christ Therefore The Pope iâ— not Antichrist Let us examine this point and judge the truth according to the plainnesse of the Evidence The Adversarie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Title Beza in 2 Thes 2. of Antichrist doth allude to that name of the Devill Satan that the Sonne may resemble his Father and to shew that Antichrist will be a devillish Adversary Now an Adversary is so two wayes either openly or secretly As Porus Iust Hist lib. 12. aâ—â—ailed Alexander with his sword but Antipater his servant yea as some suspect his wife did slay him with poison Possible therefore it is for the servant of Christ yea servus servorum for him that pretendeth himselfe to be Christs principall servant to be a traitour and for them who have the name of the spouse to be the Adversary of Christ Againe Herod sought Christ with the
Antichrist destroyed Where wee have his double destruction or rather two degrees of destroying him First the diminishing of Antichristianisme in the first words whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and secondly the finishing thereof in the remnant of my text and shall destroy with the brightnesse of his comming In each observe the Instrument and the Agent the instrument of the first is the spirit of his mouth the instrument of the last is the brightnesse of his comming and the Agent in both is the Lord whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and destroy with the brightnesse of his comming The first degree of the destruction of Antichrist is his diminishing in the first words whom the Lord shall consume 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This one word hath two significations and answerably it occasioneth two translations it signifieth both consumere consicere both to consume and to kill The latine popish translation hath the latter but Beza hath the former In English the Rhemists read the Lord shall kill that wicked one by the spirit of his mouth our translation hath it the Lord shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth I follow our new translation as the most true translation for soure causes First the killing of Antichrist is in the next part of this same verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall destroy and so sudden a tautologie cannot be very convenient nor probable Secondly the manner of Antichrists rising it was not simul semel on the sudden but sensim sine sensu by little and little so his fall must bee by little and little indeed a very Consumption Thirdly the hinderer of Antichrist the Emperour did not fall at once but by little and little in the tract of many yeeres yea Ages so also shall Antichrist consume away Finally the nature of the word and use thereof is more proper to his signification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to consume away ones estate not to play it away at one game so also is time said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wither beauty and that is Chrysostoâ—â—â—s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 withered in time not in a moment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the similie is Saint Chrysostomes As fire being farre off doth cause slies to bee benummed and to wast away before it doth burne them with the flame thereof So doth CHRIST consume Antichrist and cause him to waste away before hee absolutely destroy him with the brightnesse of his comming Wee may not thinke that Christ hath smit or will smite Antichrist as Gedeon did Zeba and Zalmunna Iudg. 8. 21. to kill him at one blow but as in likelihood â—ether would have smote them to have given them many small wounds before hee cut them downe That phrase in the Psalme 58. 7. fitteth this action Antichrist is consumed like a snaile and wasted away like the untimely fruit of a woman The sense then of this first phrase is cleere Antichrist being at the height of Earthly Pompe and perverting the people hee shall bee destroyed and consumed by little and little in a long time This is the first kind or degree of his destruction Experience applyeth this to the Papacie the Trent Hist lib. 1. pag. 3. pompe and pitch whereof was about 1500 yeares after Christ When there were in all Christendome onely some remainder of the Albigenses about the Alpes and some reliques of the Hussites and Calistini in Bohemia So few and so ignorant poore people that they had neither learning nor ability to oppose the Potent Tyranny of the Antichristian Papacy Concerning the fall whereof there have Pless Myster Progres 65. beene observed many prodigious precursers Instantly before that time a Thunderbolt beat downe the Angell on the top of the Towre of Saint Angelo this was in the time of Alexander 6. But anno 1517 on the very day and in that very Church when pope Leo 10 at Rome did create one and thirty Cardinals a sudden tempest dashed the keyes out of the hands of the Image of Saint Peter About which time the necessity of the Papacy forced the Pope to permit the house of Austria to grow a little too great to the lessening of his Antichristian authority But in the selfe same yeare 1517 it Trent Hist lib. 1. pag. 4. pleased God to smite the greatness therof by a poore instrument Leo giving the Indulgences of Saxony and that side of Germany unto his sister Magdalene wife to Francischetto Cibo the bastard sonne of Pope Innocent 8. This money being exacted by Arembaldus then a Bishop before a Merchant of Genoa This opened the eyes and mouth of Martin Luther to discry and discover the Antichristian Church of Rome which brought such a Consumption thereof that Saxony fell from Rome Hassia followed Saxony the Palatinate Hassia and Helvetia the Palatinate in a few yeares How since their greatnesse hath decreased their Consumption increased I call to witnesse Bellarm de P. R. 3 21. one of their owne authors an uncontrolable testimony Thus Bellarmine relateth it The Lutheran Heresie possesseth saith hee almost all Germanie Denmarke Norway Suevia Gotthia Hungaria Pannonia France England Scotland Polonia Bohemia and Helvetia yea saith he it is climbed over the Alpes also and entered in Italie also Omitting their fabulous Indian Conversions true Perversions and subversions I thinke Rome hath received a blow and Lessius de Antichristo Demonst 16. doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is fallen into a deepe Consumption This point may wee use to expell security though Antichrist be consumed yet is not hee yet dead And as persons sicke of a Consumption a little before they dye recover fresh colour and new spirits So for Antichrist although his death cannot be farre off because wee suppose the day of the Lord to be nigh yet what strength he may recover in any particular Countrey before that day God knoweth Wofull experience doth teach us that Popery hath re-entred Bohemia and the Palatinate And what returne it may make into Holland France I beleeve the stoutest heart doth now rather relye on the mercy of God than on any power of Man to prevent Yea even in England there are those that hope that their Consumption is not desperate but that Poperie may have recoverie even amongst us also But I trust their Hope is groundlesse and shall be fruitlesse Blessed bee God we have such a King we may dormire in utramque aurem we may rest secure under the shadow of his wings He doth not onely professe the truth but know the truth The uncomparable sonne of an unmatchable Father The Father Never did Prince suffer more never did Prince write so much for the Reformed Religion And the Sonne hee hath the same affection to it though God be blessed not the like affliction for it He hath the same heart though not the same penne We had a Iames we have a Charles This is he was here is
man by a Law and by a Law Occumenicall This is the Tyranny of him that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lawlesse It is the Act of the Man of Sinne through the working of Sathan to spread abroad Doctrinam Daemoniorom the doctrine of Divels Furthermore that this mystery may appeare yet more mysticall they know that some teÌ„der feet would kick against these pricks that wise religion hath therefore transubstantiated these thornes into Roses To such as are altogether not so austere they frame their fasting to bee like Iacobs hands GeÌ„ 27. 22. rough indeed in the outside and appearance but smooth enough when you come to touch them in the inside by experience Great and rich persons who are dainty and have plenty to them though they forbid esum carnium cibi cujuslibet qui carne Royard Poâ—â—il in die Ciner Aug. de Mor. Man c. 14. originem sementinam trahit though they forbid them flesh and white-meates yet they provide for them fruges varietas as Saint Augustine saith the Manichies did Varietie of fruit And more then the Manichies did not onely mulsum a kinde of Bastard Wine made of Honie but merum ipsum the purest Wine and quintessence of the Grapes yea after the manner of the Montanists they allow them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and more also dryed Suckets Candied Conserves Preserves and sundrie such like curiosities yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they give them leave to feed on the exquisitest fish fish being the exquisitest of all food food being called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the daintinesse thereof and Apicius the grand Glutton was called Opsophagus the Fish-eater I conceive therefore that those which have liberty to satiate themselves with the daintiest drinke and delicatest diet that their appetite can long after Though they be inhibited from flesh for a season yet is there no fear they will fall into Davids consumption Psalme 109. 24. that their Knees should waxe weake with fasting or their flesh be dryed up for want of fatnesse But that any politicke religion should sit their most austere fasting to the most dainty disposition and yet cry downe their Adversaries with the shew of discipline and devotion I take this to bee a mysterie the deceiveablenesse of unrighteousnesse and indeed docâ—rinam Daemoniorum the cunning doctrine of devils To conclude conclude not notwithstanding that my discourse doth patronize Libertie and licentiousnesse or that I plead against Fashing and Chastitie Of fasting I use that phrase of Danaeus Danaeus in 1 Tim. 4. Eorum usus frequens fuit in Ecclesia atque utinam inter nos esset frequentior Fasting hath beene alwayes used in the Church of Christ and would Christ it were more usuall in the Church of England Concerning Chastity it commeth of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orno to adorne I confesse it to be an Ornament to all Excellent to the marryed superexcellent to the Single Withall I wish that their Clergie were adorned with it as truely in Virginitie as our Clergy is in Matrimony But this I must pronounce with Ignatius Whosoever doth call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignatius epist 6. ad Philadelph that is marriage impure or meates impious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such an one is wrought by the Devill to fall from the faith Or yet more plainly with Saint Paul Whosoever doth prohibere forbid that is by a Law restraine meates and marriage such doe teach the doctrine of Devils Now how I should free these Doctrines Devils Satan and Apostafie from the Church of Rome This is that which surpasseth my understanding Howbeit there are those that will plead for Baal Yea Legion even many will defend this doctrine of Devils And so eagerly that if God should expostulate with them from Heaven Doe you well to defend this Doctrine I feare that phrase should be returned of Ionah 4. 9. Wee doe well to defend it even to the death But I must oppose them as Abijah did Iehoram 2 Chron. 13. 11. We keepe the charge of the Lord our God but ye have forsaken him And behold God himselfe is with us for our Captaines and his Priests with sounding Trumpets cry Alarum against you O Children of Israel fight not against the Lord God of your fathers for you shall not prosper I hope I may end with this indifferent Invocation One side must Erre Therefore the Lord of trueth preserve the Church of England from the Doctrine of Devils SERMON XX. 2 THESS 2. 10 11 12. In them that perish All who are deceived by Antichrist are damned Whether all Papists bee damned Of Apostates to Popery THus farre hath the grace of our GOD furnished my feeble meditations whereby I have finished foure of the five parts proposed to bee handled in this point of Antichrist Yee have heard him described in the 3 and 4 verses Revealed in the 5 6 7. Destroyed in the 8. Confirmed in the 9. part of the 10. The remnant is how and by whom he is received by a rout of Reprobates here displayed in my Text. Concerning whom we are to consider their Persons Them that perish in the tenth verse and their Properties which are twofold Active and Passive Their Active properties were either negative in the 10 verse They received not the love of the trueth that they might be saved or affirmative in the 12 They had pleasure in unrighteousnesse Their Passive properties are their Punishments to wit internall in the eleventh verse Strong delusions to beleeve a lie and Eternall in the last verse which they shall suffer at the last day that they might be damned I see land but I must wade yet more before I can arrive to a ful conclusion The Persons are here said to bee Them that perish where Saint Paul giveth consolation by way of anticipation Feareful Christians might indeed say Shall there be indeed such a damning and damned Caitive A man exalting himselfe above God A man of sinne who shall infect others a sonne of Perdition who shall destroy others and draw them to the Devill by the Devill by Mysteries Miracles Oracles and all deceiveablenesse through the working of Sathan Alas alas whither shall wee flye from Antichrist and the Devill from these dreadfull and powerfull adversaries Comfort your selves saith our Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antichrist shall prevaile but it is In them that Perish Those that are deceived by Antichrist shall be damned Saint Iohn speaketh plentifully and Saint Paul plainly to this purpose Take two testimonies from each Those who wonder at the Beast are men whose names are not written in the Booke of life Revel 17. 8. Hence is that heavenly proclamation Come out of her my people that yee receive not of her plagues Here it is said Antichrist shall prevaile in them that perish that they might be damned as it followeth in the twelfth verse Proofes are superfluous in this point both parts concurring in this proposition They that are deceived by Antichrist shall be damned From
one Professour of the Romish Religion was put to death for hearing their Masse or refusing our Church c. Mine eares and eyes have impartially inquired after these men but Gyges is revived this glorious Army of Romish Martyrs doth march invisibly not one precedent can be produced That parallell of Popish and Protestant Persecutions Ab. in Eud. c. 6. proposed by the Lord Coke is plaine and to the purpose In the five yeares of Queen Maries raigne three hundred Protestants were put to death onely for religion But under Queene Elizabeth and shee raigned forty and foure yeares not fully thirty were put to death and some five who concealed them and all for Treason not one onely for religion Where we distinguish of the Popish religion The plaine Popish religion which consisteth in those cases controverted betwixt the Romish and Reformed Churches as concerning Purgatory Pilgrimages Prayer for or to the dead c. besides there is a Gregorian Popery or the Papacy rather brought in by Hildebrand and borne up by the Iesuites concerning the Popes power over Princes Never did any die for the former For the latter these thirty did dye and meritoriously being therin ipso facto notorious Traitors And whereas Eudaemon maketh the objection in his Apology that wee make their meere points of Religion to be Treason as to bee made a Roman Priest to reconcile or to bee reconciled to the Romish Church to bring into our land Agnus Dei's Holie Beads c. The learned Bishop of Sarisbury doth Abb. in Eud. c. 6. render a full satisfaction in his Apologie who answereth that these also call not their lives into question dummodo per se sunt if they goe no further But when under the pretence of them the people were incited to rebellion the Crowne and Kingdomes hazarded then such persons were arrested and Suffered for Treason Which is most apparent both because many of Queene Maries Priests lived without any danger of death under Queene Elizabeth also because Hart Bosgrave Horton and Rishton learned and through Papists injoyed their lives in as much as they medled not with those publike affaires But the others who preached that the Pope had authority above the Queene in her own Dominions that the Pope had Authoritie to depose her that the Pope could give authority to her Subjects to take up Armes against her that those Priests did perswade the Papists not to take the Oath of the allegiance herein they became actuall Traytors and were put to death for palpable treason But for meere religion and plaine popery never did any one papist dye in all the raigne of Queene Elizabeth no nor of King Iames nor of King Charles neither Where then is extant that glorious army of Popish English Martyrs Thinke not now that these are single reports and that Baronius and Suarez are singular in charging our Church with persecutions You shall finde an Army of Writers who chronicle this Army of Martyrs The foresaid Suarez hath a large disputation in two Chapters An vexatio quam in Anglia patiuntur Catholici sit Suar. Apol. l. 6. c. 10 11. vera Christianae religionis persecutio that is Whether the vexation which the Catholikes do suffer in England be a true persecution of Christian Religion Malvenda saying that the persecutions Malv de Ant. l. 8. c. 1. which the Papists do sustain under the Protestants but under the English especially exceed all that ever Christians did suffer in the world before breakes out O Christe stupeo patientiam tuam O Christ I am amazed at thy patience Baronius in his Martyrology hath this Prosopopoeia Baron Mart. 29. Dec. Festo sancti Thomae Cantuariensis to Papists in England persecuted and martyred amongst us O moriatur anima meamorte Iustorum siant novissima mea horum similia O let my soule dye the death of the righteous and let my end be like to theirs Hath not all Europe talked of our English persecutions quoth Watson In the yeare 1621. The Papists put up a Petition to the Parl. 1621. Petition unto the Parliament pleading against their persecution But above all their Propheticall Psalmist who surely lived about the Gunpowder Treason In the first Psalme of the seven sparkes of the soule thus devoutly doe they pray to God and slander man Persecution followeth us like thuÌ„dring lightning The seven Sparkes of the soule p. 16. Fire Haile and Brimstone More cruell are our foes than Vnicornes More outragious then swift Tygers As David sought to death by Saul as the Israelites in the bondage of Aegypt As innocent Susanna in the hands of her Accusers As Daniel in the Lyons Den Such is our case O Lord. Can any English man understand this English Psalme when did England seize on the Papists like Tigers and Vnicornes What this obscure Psalmist speaketh to our God ChristophersoÌ„ Christ in Down ep Dedic speaketh somewhat more plainly to our King in his treatise against Dr Dounam What insolences and vexations are they constrained to endure And to omit the generality and severity of this persecution from which neither frailty of Sexe nor Lawes of Matrimony nor Nobility of birth can exempt any How many things lye hid and unkowne which would astonish and amaze the world if they were open to the view thereof Againe in the page following How many have beene beaten and tormented even to death in private houses without publike triall some Prentises in London can give good testimonies thereof And in the Treatise it selfe hee shameth not Christopheron part 1. c. 7. The Picture of which is in Oxens Library to avouch that shamefull shamelesse lye That some Catholikes have beene baited by Dogs in Beares skins That wee may therefore heare them utter their persecutions in plaine English let us passe froÌ„ these generall accusations to their particular instances Heare their complaint in two languages from two Authors these two alone doe I quote in this cause and Sermon which are not their owne yet their witnesse will be sufficient the one being the most learned King and the other the most learned Bishop of the world thus writeth that Bishop In Tortura Torti p. 152. Oxens Librarie Legenda illa c. In your Legend of our English persecution which is so frequent among you you may read and see the Pictures of English Papists some in the skins of beasts and torne in pieces by Bandogs others having Basins closed to their Breasts within which are mice inforced to eate into their intrals and others tyed to Mangers to eate hay or to starve The King hath the like in his conclusion to Christian Kings The Wals saith hee of their Monasteries and Iesuâ—te Colledges are filled and their bookes farced with the painted lying histories of the innumerable torments which their Martyrs are put to in England viz. some torne with foure horses some sowne in Beares skinnes and then killed with Dogs nay women have not
Quitiliane colorem You are all forgers of lyes but of all Eudaemon Edaemon his Iob 13 4. tongue like Tarquins Rasor will cut a Whet stone Val. Max. l. 1. c. 4 in pieces such a strong delusion is sent on that man to beleeve a lye To conclude Some it may be will extenuate their crime terme these Pias fraudes popish policies to terrifie the papists from turning protestants and though they urge them yet doe they not beleeve these imputations And therefore we cannot conclude them to be Antichristians because the members of that Monster goe one degree further They beleeve lyes I say these impudent slanderers goe on deceiving and being deceived So long have their learned Priests taught the ignorant people these horrible lyes that they beleeve them themselves also To shew this to bee true let their owne protestations testifie it if lying be not to them become naturall and that these also bee false and untrue that they have them printed in their bookes this is some probability that they are printed in their hearts that they doe in good earnest beleeve them I will produce Malvenda our first witnesse Haec nos omnia Malv 2. 6. quia vera narramus c. All these things because we know them to be true we doe not whisper them in darke and obscure corners but publikely and in the middest of the world and if we were able we would proclame them with Trumpets and Stentorean voyces to the teeth of the Lutherans Calvinists with a wonderfull constancy doe we object them parati pro veritate millies mortem oppetere being prepared to dye a thousand deaths in testimony of the truth And what is the cause wherein the good Fryer is so confident and couragious that he will live dye in it Nothing but this That we have annihilated omnes Articulos fidei omnia capita Christianae religionis quicquid sacrum est aut politicum That wee have disturbed all things Ecclesiasticall or Civill in the Common-wealth and destroyed all the Articles of the Creed and all the grounds of Christian Religion In witnesse wherof he doth set to his hand and will seale it with his blood To testifie this he protesteth that he will dye a thousand deaths As sure as death he doth beleeve them Lest that a Fryer should bee more fervent then a Iesuite let Lessius speake his saith Thus Less de Ant. part 2. he beginneth the last part of his Treatise Let none suspect me that I write these things covitiandi causa to disgrace the Protestants Deum testor qui me judicaturus est I call God to record who must judge me And thus he endeth Farre be it Less ib. pag. 278. from me that I should falsty charge any man etiam Haeretico although he were a Heretike either concerning their lives or Doctrine ita mihi Christus sit propitius so Christ helpe me who doth know my thoughts and shall judge my actions and I know that the mouth which belyeth slayeth the soule Wisd 1. 11. Well! what hath he inserted betwixt these fearfull protestations attestations imprecations besides a Catalogue of calumnies in generall nothing but the premised persecutions of England in particular To wit that all Anabaptists Libertines Familists and Atheists live amongst us with leave and liberty Onely all Papists dye for their Religion that judgements are forged false proclamations publshed false witnesses suborned to take away their lives and before they die their Children are violently taken away from their parents All these he avoucheth by the judgements of God and mercies of Christ Verily wee may beleeve that hee doth beleeve these lyes and persecutions Right sorry should I bee if our English should lagge in this race of confidence Dare any tell God what he beleeveth not Remember then the forecited Psalmist they deplore their persecutions in the presence of God And what is their complaint A toy a credible trifle that we persecute them like Tigers and Vnicornes like Sauls and Lyons and that like Iewes Aegyptians and Pagans our persecutions fall on them as thunder Lightning Notwithstanding we may beleeve that they beleeve all this unlesse their new Art of Equivocation have a trick that they can equivocate even with God himselfe Notwithstanding all this there is one behind who goeth before all these in a confident dreadfull imprecation It is the Author of the dutifull considerations dedicated to his Majestie If that man be either here or alive if hee either heare this sermon or heare of this sermō let him take it into his second Considerations what he hath delivered in his second Considerations His syllables are these If this be not so in their owne conscience let me never see the face of God And what is the cause that this man also is so resolute to renounce God if hee lye Alas I can hardly beleeve mine eyes that any heart dare pen such desperate depositions and selfe-damning execrations I will not tie him to the Concometants of his protestation that wee are willingly guilty that our whole religion is nothing but absolute heresies blasphemies loosnesse liberty rejecting the Fathers Councils and the Church But I will urge him with the same words in the same lines thus execrably hee protesteth The Protestants use the Scripture for a Visard if this be not so in their owne Consciences let me never see the face of God I thinke there is no moderate Papist so uncharitable to suppose that we doe it and I know there is no true Protestant so damnable as to doe it to make the Scripture a Visard and to fight against a knowne truth Where then is the face of that man who doth renounce the face of God and our owne Consciences must be the Iudges that we know our selves to abuse the Scripture and live in heresie I want words to expresse my wonderment Loe thus shall it be to the man whom Antichrist hath seduced and God delivered into strong delusion to beleeve a lye Of him and them and all these shamelesse lyers I will conclude with Luthers words concerning that Popish Pamphlet which published him to bee dead and caryed away by the Devill when he lived to subscribe to it I cannot but laugh at the Devils malice wherewith he and his lying rout pursue us and God convert them from this devillish malice and lying But if this my prayer be for the sinne unto death that it cannot be heard then God grant they may fill up the measure of their sinne and with such lying Libels let them delight themselves one with another to the full For us since lyes are the Badge of Antichrist the Lord preserve our soules from that lying Religion SERMON XXV 2 THESS 2. 11. That they should beleeve a lye The Pope may erre Hath erred In his Trāslations Canon Lawes Papa credens docens that distinction examined Of implicite faith YOu have already heard it inforced to the ful how the Romanists doe beleeve a lye