some ignorant silly soules whose humble peaceable obedience makes them safe among any part of men that professe the foundation Christ. Answ. You belieue you wot not what yet you hope that will not hinder your salvation But you belieue as the Church belieueth You meane as the Church of Rome believeth Well And the Church of Rome tells you in her Councell of Trent that she belieueth no otherwise she admitteth of no other faith then that which the Deuils and damned in Hell haue If any dare deny this he will but bewray his shamelesse ignorance in this point But being ignorant silly soules whose humble peaceable condition makes them safe among any part of men that professe the foundation Christ are they not in the state of salvation This indeed may seeme a good indulgent Doctrine to nuzzle silly Papists in their ignorance and blind religion while they cary themselues like humble and peaceable men But they professe the foundation Christ. What is it generally to professe Christ and particularly to haue no interest in him What is it to professe the foundation and not to be built vpon it And who can be built vpon Christ but he that hath a liuely faith in Christ To belieue as the Church of Rome belieueth is only to haue a generall historicall faith that Christ is the Redeemer of mankind the Saviour of the world Thus farre the very Devils belieue But that Church forbiddeth any man to believe in particular that Christ is his Redeemer his Saviour that hee is iustified from his sinnes by Christ alone and that his sins are forgiven onely for his name sake This no Devill can belieue no Papists may belieue vpon paine of Anathema and damnation Therefore though they professe the foundation Christ in the generall yet wanting a speciall faith in Christ to apply his merits for the remission of their owne sinnes in particular how are they safe in any part of men professing the foundation Christ May a man then bee saved nay is he safe to witt actually saved living in any part of men professing the foundation Christ No matter then what religion a man be off so in generall it professe the foundation Christ and a man be humble and peaceable though a silly ignorant Thus all Hereticks are in the state of salvation if humble and peaceable men for they hold commonly and generally the foundation Christ. But know O all ye silly ignorant Papists that living here where the Gospell the only meanes of saving knowledge and of saving faith is preached all your silly ignorance all your pretended humble peaceablenesse shâ—ll never saue your soules but shall aggravate your condemnation so much the more by how much you contemne the living fountaines of salvation and chuse to your selues to drinke in the bainfull Doctrines of that bloody Sea of Rome Indeed those silly ignorants that liue in Spayne Italy and so forth where the Inquision restraines them from the meanes of better knowledge may haue some plea for their ignorance and God may shew mercy vpon their silly soules but for you that are English Papists and pretend ignorance the more you goe about to excuse your ignorance the more you accuse and condemne your pride and arrogance that can so scorne and villifie the pretious word of God which while you doe it makes your damnation out of measure damnable And while you contemne the Gospell how can you be either humble or peaceable â— for it is the Gospell of grace and peace which who so reiecteth is a proud and factious heretick But another of you objecteth What doe you tell vs of the Councell of Trent What though it be like such a Sea as ye tell of all like the blood of a dead man in which every living soule dyeth But wee here in England do not come to drinke in that blood we haue our Ghostly Fathers who broach and bring to vs no such drinke as you talke of but such as carrieth good reason with it to be wholesome for the soule Answ. It is indeed an observation of Dr. Sheldon once a â—eminary Priest but now a worthy Convert and learâ—ed Minister of the Church of England that the subtle Priests and Iesuits in England having to deale with peoâ—le not so ignorant as in forraine parts where the Gosâ—ell is wanting but such as haue heard at least in some measure of the grosnesse of Popery as of their Image â—orship the robbing of the cup from the people in the â—ucharist and the like doe therefore tenderly and waâ—ly attemper their Doctrines to their Disciples among 〈◊〉 vntill such time as they be growne to have more â—rong stomackâ— to be able â—o take downe and digest 〈◊〉 grossest meate without any curious dressing As a â—entlewoman obiecting to a Iesuite their taking away 〈◊〉 the Cup in the Sacrament as a grievous Sacriledge 〈◊〉 told her plainely that their Church was belyed â—hey did it not for proofe at the Sacrament he ministers 〈◊〉 her the Cup. She tells her Minister of it who perâ—eiving the Iesuits iugling told her it was certainely 〈◊〉 Cup vnconsecrated that hee gaue her Whereupon â—ee pressing the Priest about it he was forced to conâ—â—sse the truth that indeed it was so Thus can these â—hostly fathers play fast and loose with their credulous â—â—sciples that must take all their sayings vpon trust â—hus Romes Fishers show the silly fish at first nothing but the baite till they haue gotten her fast vpon the hooke But what kind of holy water all Papists may expect from their Ghostly Fathers the pouring out of thâ— Third and 4. Viall will plainely declare But before we proceed to the third Viall for the fuller confirmation of what hath beene said of the state of the Church of Rome whose Sea of doctrines is all turned into mortall blood in this second Viall it will be very requisite here to discusse one question Whether the Church of Rome be either a true Church or a true visible Church A Question of so much the greater moment by how much some by their no small authority and no lesse renowned opinion in the Church doe so sway the ballance on that side that many ill affected and of the adverse party taking the advantage are 〈◊〉 to catch the word out of their mouth and to say 〈◊〉 they Thy Brother Benâ—adâ—d Thy Mother Church of Româ— Which advantage how perilous it is in these luke warme indifferent neutralizing dayes is not hard to determine And Popery hath learned to get over the stile againe 〈◊〉 enough without our helpe And though it were true that the Church of Rome were a true Church yet the countenancing or pressing of it in these times might very well to be spared Buâ— why then say they do otheâ— cry down the Church of Rome for no true Church at all Surely this were a fault if it were an vntruth For giuâ— the Divell his due as wee say It is good therefore thâ—â— all men be well advised
the imitation of their inveterate hatred to the truth of the Gospell and to those that preach and professe it they become thereby guilty of all the blood of those Martyrs who were slaine for the selfe same faith and truth which we of the Church of England at this day professe and avow and consequeâ—tly ye are found to be worthy to drinke the most bainfull blood of Romes deadly doctrines the fearfullest plague that ever could befall you to your eternall perdition without speedy repentance and conversion to the truth Nay which my pen trembleth to set downe Papists are found to be copartners with the Iewes in crucifying even of Christ himselfe whom they so persecute in his truth and in his members for which cause saith the royall Paraphrast they are partners with Iudas in the death of Christ. Read for this purpose the 11. chapter of this booke together with King Iames his Paraphrase vpon it Nor can any Papist though never so full of subtile shifts shift this Scripture off from himselfe and all those of the Church of Rome There is nothing more cleare no not the Sun when it shineth brightest in the Summer Meridian then that the Pope of Rome is that Beast Rev. 13. and the Church of Rome that Babylon drunke with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Iesus Chapter 17 all Iesuiticall sophistry cannot avoid it And if Papists durst but looke vpon this Scripture it would make their haire stand on end to see in what a deplored state they are 〈◊〉 vpon them mainly the Beast-marked his Image-worshippers all these seaven Vialls one in the necke of another poure forth their plaguâ—s never ceassing till they haue fulfilled the wrath of God in the finall and fatall ruine and desolation of that whole Synagogue of Rome which now approacheth and hastneth on apace It is added And I heard another out of the Altar say Euen so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy iudgementâ— These wordâ— are a confirmation of the former This voice is but inculcated and ingeminated to rowse vp the Infidell and Atheisticall world to take notice of Gods truth and righteousnesse of his truth concerning all those Prophecies in his word denouncing destruction to the enemies of his Church which we haue in a good part seene and for the rest shall be no lesse certainly in their due time accomplished also of his divine exact vnpartiall justice by recompensing legâ— Talionis like for like like punishments and judgements for like sinnes like spirituall thirst after the blood of the Saints who follow the truth to their salvation with like spirituall drinke of the bainfull blood of pestilentiall doctrines and lies which all Papists drinke in to their damnation But why Another from the Altar Surely I cannot conceiue the reason hereof vnlesse it be this We all know what infinite havock the Church of Rome hath of a long time and dayly doth make of the blood of Christ vpon their Popish Altar Haue they not even stopped and dryed vp that fountaine of his blood set open for Israel and Iuda for sinne and for vncleanesse haue they not robbed the poore people of the Sacramentall Cup which should bee a fresh memoriall and effectuall application of that sinne purging blood to every faithfull receiver Haue they not hereby evacuated that covenant of the New Testament which was ratified and sealed with the blood of Christ without which is no remission Haue they not thus torne away the seale from the Testament of grace Haue they not in stead thereof erected a new vnbloody sacrifice of a fantasticall inchanted body which they notwithstanding moâ—â— blasphemously and senselesly call their Propitiatory sacrifice for the quick 〈…〉 and a 〈…〉 all soreâ— Doe they not thus account the bloud of the covenant which should sanctifie them an vnholy thing Doe they not thus trample vnder foote the Sonne of God And â—hat even then when they would seeme most of all to elevate him in their fained Host vpon their Altar Their very Alltar as holy as they would make it 〈◊〉 be â—o deeply stained with the guilt of Christs bloud spilâ— vpon it Therefore here is one sent from the Altar of God even from Iesus Christ our only Alâ—ar on whom we offer vp the Calues of our lips who mightily magnifieth the truth and iustice of Godâ— in giving spirituall deadly blood to them to drinke who haue â—pon their Idoll-Altar taken away and disanulled that only Propitiatory blood of Christ. which he hath left to his Church for every faithfull man to drinke spiritually by faith to the consolation of his conscience the confirmation of his faith and the salvation of his soule Thus iust and true is God every way at every turne to meet with his enemyes and to pay them home with their owne coyne The Fourth Vial powred out Our Country-man M. Brightman in his Commentary comming to this fourth vial saith Hactenus â—â—c ipsa tempâ—ra in quibus praesâ—â—tes vâ—â—mus Ad â—anâ— enim â—â—que 〈◊〉 nostra sâ—cula processâ—runt reliquâ— quatuor sunt nobis expectand◠〈◊〉 diffâ—ciâ—â—â—r est indagatio Hitherto saith he come these tâ—mes wherein we nâ—w liue For even vnto this Vial haue our ages reached the other foure behind 〈◊〉 to expect whereof 〈◊〉 disquisition will be more difficult So he Yet himselfe not only attempts the opeâ—ing of the subsequent vials but â—â—imates and excites 〈◊〉 faithfull Ministers to imploy their best paines and studies therin as in a work most behoâ—â—full for the Church of God in these lâ—st times But that he should say he lived not to see this fourth Viall powred out 〈…〉 somewhat strange Was it because living 〈…〉 the Cataracts of Nâ—bis â—â— could not heare the noyse of it Or because his eye was so neare the object as he could the worse discerne it Or as Paules eyes at his conversion were so 〈◊〉 with the glorious light that for a time his sight was wholly suspended So haply Mr. Brightmans eyes overcome with the Sunnes bright beames shining so full vpon him whereon this fourth Viall is powred could noâ— discerne what it meant or transported with the beauty and glory thereof as Peter was with that excellent glory in the Mount in saying Thus farre are our times come wist not what he said And as it is vsuall we can better and more safely behold the Sun wiâ—h ouâ— backes towards it in a vessell of cleare settled water then by daring to looke or staâ—e vpon that goodly glorious body with opposite and open â—ace And many times for want of due consideration in making a right vse of the resplendent prosperity of things present either by too much doting vpon it or by vnkindly envying of it or by some discontented humour in a fickle affectation of change â—e come to loose the due estimate and so the true fruitâ—on of them But to our fourth Viall Indeed I must acknowledge that for a few dayes I was not a little puzzeled and
without the true and â—â—ving faith in Christ no vnion with him and so no â—ommunion No salvation then henceforth I still â—eane and note it well from the Councel of Trent and â—ownward hitherto no salvation in the Church of â—ome every living soule therein dieth The Sea of hir â—â—ctrines is become like the Asphaltite or Mare mâ—rtuâ—â— or dead Sea wherein every living creature dieth â—his is then another of the spirituall Aegypts plagues So that this second Viall was not powred ouâ— â—â—ill the Councell of Trent not before The Councell of Trent putting a maine bounder and odde betweene the state of the Church of Rome before and after it Before the Councell of Trent there was some fresh-water for our fore-fathers to refresh their leane and languishing soules and to waft them to heaven while as yet the rule of faith remained intire and the faith of Christ was not vtterly destroyed and cashered but after that Councell all is turned into blood yea as the blood of a dead man not a drop of fresh-water to be looked for but a dead lake of most abominable corruption and stinking putrifaction Let them therefore no more obiect to vs our forefathers what became of them before the Reformation Surely if any thing but good befell them they might thanke the Church of Rome for it if they perished it was through the blood they sucked from that Strumpetts breasts Nor are we answerable or accountable for the salvation of our fore-fathers If they were led by dumb idolls If they perished in the Religion of Popery therefore must we Doth not the iealous God visit the iniquities of the idolatrous fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him But blessed be God who hath long agoe pulled vs out of that bloody Sea wherein they were plunged Yea blessed be God who before the Councell of Trent before that Sea was altogether turned into bainfull blood God provided a remedy for them and vs one Vial was powred out by the preaching of the Gospell to giue men warning to fly from Romes plagueâ— sores And fifteene yeares before the conclusion of that wicked Councell was the pure fountaine of the Gospell restored in England in King Edward the sixt his dayes and foure or fiue yeares before the end of it the Gospell was reestablished in the blessed reigne of the 〈◊〉 renowned Queene Elizabeth Never 〈◊〉 vs then with our fore-fathers we hope that before the Councell of Trent God provided for them some freshwater as he did for the Israelites in Aegypt while the cursed Aegyptians had nothing but bloody waters to drinke But in the meane time O all yee Papists weepe not take not care so much for our forefathers as for your owne soules You are as poore fishes inclosed in the dead Sea in the Sea of Romes doctrines where you drinke in nothing but as the blood of a dead man whereof every living soule that drinketh thâ—â—eof dyeth Your case now is desperate infinitely worse then that of our fore-fathers before the Councell of Trent Oh that you had so much life left yea some dropp of humane sense and reason as to perceiue your ruefull condition That you perceiue it not is it not a cleare proofe of this Prophecy that every living soule in that Sea dieth Are not those dead fishes that discerne not betweene stinking blood and fresh water yea betweene the brackish Sea and the sweet Rivers But I wonder most how you living in this Church of England where the fresh Rivers of life doe flow that ever you would preferre the bloody Sea of Rome before them But I reade of the Mare mortuum or dead Sea of Sodom that if a Lanterne without a light in it be cast vpon it it by and by sinketh downe and is seene no more but a Lanterne with a light in it fleeteth aboue and sinketh not How true this is I dispute not But I am sure it is the liuely Embleme of a Papist who hath put out the light of his reason and vnderstanding or of the foolish Virgin who hath a Lampe without Oyle much more without light You reiecting the Gospell there is no light in you and so it is no marvaile if cast vpon the Asphaltite of Romes corrupt and bloody doctrines which Citty is called spiritually Sodome Chapter 11.8 you sinke ever head and eares and drinke your bane Whereas if you did but nourish the light of reason and of Gods word in your soules you should never sinke into the dead lake being sustained by the heavenly light This is that light which preserveth Gods elect fishes from the mortall and mortiferous Sea of Rome whereon though perforce they be cast yet are they not swallowed vp of it But you will object or some for you Is there no salvation no spirituall life to be found in the Sea of Romes doctrines No salvation within the verge and bosome of that Church For answere ye may beeliue the Scripture here It plainly saith that that Sea is become as the blood of a dead man so that every living soule therein dieth And what is more plaine then that the Church of Rome according to the conclusions and Canons of Trent is this bloody corrupt seaâ— They haue expressely denied the faith they haue excluded the word of God as the onely rule of faith as we haue shewed and what salvation then is left in that Church God forbid you will sayâ— God forbid But that will not serue the turne You must come out of Babylon as the Scripture exhorts you that ye be not partakers of hir sinnes and punishments The Iesuites indeed are clamarous in your eares No salvation out of the Church And herewith they dazle your eyes while you want iudgment to put a difference betweene the Church of Christ and the now Church of Rome Out of the Church of Christ there is no salvation That is most true But the Church of Rome is now no true Church of Christ. Why so She denieth the faith of Christ she denieth salvation and iustification by the faith of Christ. Now that Church which denieth the only meanes of salvation by Christ is no true Church of Christ but such as wherein salvation is not to be expected But the Church of Rome denieth the only meanes of salvation by Christ yea accurseâ—h it to wit the iustifying and saving faith of Christ. Therefore the Church of Rome is no true Church of Christ but such as wherein no salvation is to bee expected But you obiect againe As for vs we doe not know or are acquainted with the particular doctrines of the Councell of Trent we are not learned to define or disstinguish betweene Faith Faith it suffiseth vs to beleeue as the Church beleiveth and if we erre through ignorance we hope that will not altogether preiudice or hinder our salvation And some of the Church of England and those no small ones haue said that they doe not deny salvation at least to
in this point â—n speaking 〈◊〉 the Church of Rome Pro or Contra as a true Church oâ— no it being a matter not to be maintained by 〈…〉 wit or quaint rhetoricall discourse but vpon sound ground and substantiall demonstration Now for the more cleare and full yet briefe discussioâ— of the point it shall suffice onely to answer such Arguâ—ments as are vsed for it whereupon the positiue trutâ— will easily be concluded wherein I must crave pardoâ— having to deale in so waighty a cause and with 〈◊〉 mighty Authors as haue already tanquam â— Cathedra defined it But God forbid that the Triall of Truth should depend vpon the opinion of any mans person though never so great or esteemed in the opinion of the learned My brethren saith Saint Iames haue not the faith of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons And as Saint Augustine against Maximinus an Arrian Bishop said Nec tu mihi Ariminense nec ego tibi Nicenum Concilium obijcâ—am â—um ego illi tuque isti non detinearis sed Scripturis testibus communibus agamus res cum re causa cum causa ratio cum ratione concertet Neither doe thou obiect to me the Councell of Ariminum nor will I obiect the Nicene vnto thee seeing neither I am bound to the one nor thou to the other but let the Scriptures be common witnesses or vmpires to vs both let thing with thing cause with cause reason with reason plead Nor let any man here impute presumption to the weaknesse or vnworthinesse of my person as though I tooke a pride to bee meddling with such high matters and wherein great ones are interessed Alas God knowes I take so little pride herein that my heart is even torne in sunder to â—ee the ruefull rents of the Church of God and the Truth so opposed so oppressed And when Gods glory suffers pardon me if I professe my selfe a poore Defendant Yea my Profession not onely as a Christian but much more as a Minister of the Gospell binds mee to it And I know that God regardeth no mans person And as the Proverbe is Cucullus non facit Monachum And were it not a matter so nearely concerning the Glory of God and the salvation of mens soules I had farre rather sit me downe in safe and sweet silence wherein I should haue the more opportunity to pray for the peace of Ierusalem then any way stand vp to contend But it is Gods quarrell and that against Babylon Peace is beautifull indeede but there is a What peace In which regard Christ the Prince of Peace said I came not to send peace into the earth but a sword As faire as Peace is wee must not make an Idoll of it Wee must keepe Christs Peace And in these perillous dayes it being almost as dangerous to bee ignorant of the Mystery of Iniquity sith it is the next way to be led into it as of the Mystery of Godlinesse and hee that is ignorant in the former may well suspect his knowledge in the latter let no man thinke it labour superfluous or presumptuous to search out the true Mystery of Popery But I say in this place a kind of Necessity hath imposed this taske vpon me Now the first maine Argument which would conclude the Church of Rome to be a true Church is because say they A man in that Church may bee saved For Out of the Church no salvation Therefore the Church of Rome must bee a true Church But who are they that may be saved in the Church of Rome My Author expresseth An honest ignorant Papist or some ignorant silly soules c. Yea and this is delivered in the name of our Church or at least of all those that being affected to the Church of Rome in some good measure would seeme to be the Church of England Take we the Authors words We acknowledge an honest ignorant Papist may be saved And we haue not so learned Christ as to deny salvation to some ignorant silly soules whose humble peaceable obedience makes them safe among any part of men that professe the foundation Christ. Answere This makes well for Popish Ignorance when all failes This also giues liberty to any religion so it professe the foundation Christ that therein a man may be saved And surely if a silly ignorant idolatrous Papist may in this his religion bee saved in what religion may not any silly ignorant soule find salvation But here two Questions would be resolved 1. Whether any Papist by his religion may be saved For resolution the Author rankes all Papists into two sorts either Learned or silly Ignorants for the Learned he confesseth it is very hard for them to bee saved but if ignorant more easâ—e So then if a Papist be saved he may thanke his ignorance And indeede the Doctrine of Popery conferring nothing to a mans salvation but altogether against it it is safest to be ignorant of that religion But Christ the Foundation is there professed Well But how will Popish ignorance teach a man to bee saved by Christ Faith comes by hearing And without faith no salvation by Christ. But all Papists though never so silly yet are taught this lesson at their fingers ends even to hate and abhorre the Preaching of the word of God whereby they should belieue in Christ. They call it Heresie How then is it possible for such to bee saved bee they never so humble and peaceable men Or as if a Papist though never so simple could be humble There can be no greater pride then that which hee takes in his ignorance as his Ghostly Fathers teach him preferring it before all the knowledge of Christ. And can he be peaceable whose chiefe Article of his Creed is to belieue and hold the Pope to bee supreme over all Kings and Princes whom he must rather obey then them This is the Beasts marke which who so receiveth saith the Holy Ghost shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God No Papist then as a Papist can be saved And of Babylon saith God Come out of her my people least yee be partakers of her sinnes Babylon is the Dominion and Religion of the Beast of Antichrist Nothing then therein to bee expected but the punishment of Babells sinnes The second Question May not a simple Papist misled by education or long custome or over-valuing the soverainty of the Roman Church and so in the simplicity of his heart imbracing them finde mercy at Gods hand by a generall repentance and faith in the merit of Christ attended with charity and other vertues Answ. Here the state of the former question is quite altered By faith and repentance no doubt not onely an ignorant silly idolatrous Papist professing the foundation Christ but even an Infidell Turke or Iew opposing Christ though no such Idolaters as Papists be may find mercy at Gods hand and so be saved But withall this ignorant silly Papist believing and repenting must necessarily
thereupon repent him of all his Idolatries as well as of all his other sinnes Yes saith the Author by a generall repentance and faith VVhat a strange doctrine is this for a learned Doctor and more then so of the Church of England to teach Doth he not deserve to be the Popes white sonne for it Surely Bellarmine himselfe with the whole rabble of Pontificians could say no more but when they haue done all shuffle salvation iâ— the pack of a generall repentance and faith as Bellarmins Tutissimum est c. But doth this generall repentance include Idolatry with all Popish Trumpery as things to be repented of If nor such Repentance shall never bring him to salvation But if it do include them then by faith in Christs meritts he comes to bee saved not as a Papist but as a true believer renouncing Popery And then no Godamercy to his Popery or to his silly ignorance My conclusion is to be briefe No Papist as a Papist whether learned or ignorant can be saued My reason is because Popery denyeth the sauing Faith of Christ as in the Councell of Trent Againe they want the meanes of Faith as the Preaching of the Gospell Therefore Ordinarily they are not within the compasse or verge of salvation· If they bee saved then while they abide in the midst of Babilon it must be extraordinarliy by Gods speciall mercy and worke of his spirit which indeed is not tyed necessarily to the meanes though ordinarily it be· This Spirit then working saving Faith in the soule without which faith no salvation this 〈◊〉 such a Faith as the Church of Rome disclaimeth abandoneth accurseth Therefore such a one is saved not as a Papist but one so beleiving as he is accursed and by Anathama shut out of the Church of Rome and that by the solemne and definitiue sentence of the Councell of Trent If then by the peremptory doctrine of Trent or of the Church of Rome no Papist as a Papist can be saved If the Church of Rome cannot yeld salvation to any in it but altogether denyeth yea accurseth the very meanes it followeth as a conclusion vndeniable that the Church of Rome is no true visible Church of Christ. For only in the Church of Christ is salvation to bee found But sayes some this is a hard sentence Yea and our first Authour for one It is malicious and rash Is it malicious and rash or vncharitable to speake the truth Why should any learned man be so wedded to his charitie as to divorce himselfe from sound judgement and right reason in any thing Or as though that could be right charity which is not guided by true iudgement Yea such charitie as calleth evill good hath but a wofull reward But others would not haue it denyed that the Church of Rome is a true visible Church though not a true beleeuing Chruch What if we should deny this that the Church of Rome is a true visible Church Must we at the first dash be censured as men transported with zeale out of a dâ—testation of the Church of Rome as if it were all error no Church as affecting nothing more then an vtter opposition to their doctrine and Ceremony because theirs Because theirs That 's not it but because wholly Antichristian therefore wee detest the Whore And for my part I had rather some fire-sparkling zeale yet guided with right iudgement should even transport me with a detestation of the Church of Rome as a false Churchâ— then that I wot not what charity without zeale without sound judgâ—ment should so farre possesse me as to acknowledge the Church of Rome for a true Church yea or yet for a true or truely visible Church And yet vnder correction I see no such difference betweene these two but that if we yeeld the Church of Rome to be a true or truely visible Church we may as well call it a true Church For how can wee call that a true Church which is not truely visible And if a Church be truely visible what letts that it should not be a true Church of God at least in mans iudgement For that which demonstrates it a true or truely visible Church must also evince it to be a true Church As also the same author calls the Church of Rome a true Church as well as a true visible Church But let it be tryed whether zeale in denying or charitie in affirming the Church of Rome to bee a true Church or a true or truely visible Church haue more reason on their side First I proue the Church of Rome to bee no true or truely visible Church A true visible Church hath the true markes of a true visible Church But the Church of Rome hath not the true markes of a true visible Church Therefore the Church of Rome is no true visible Church The maior is vndeniable for a visible Church is not possibly knowne but by the proper markes of visibilitie The Minor I proue from Romes owne confession and the doctrine of the Church of England compared together For the doctrine of our Church if the Homilies containe any part of it in the second part of the Homily for Whit sâ—nday after the definition of the true Church of Christ these words are added The true Church of Christ hath alwayes three notes or markes whereby it is knowne Pure and sound Doctrine the Sacraments ministred according to Christs holy Institution and the right vse of Ecclesiasticall Discipline And it is inferred thereupon Now if you will compare this with the Church of Rome not as it was in the beginning but as it is presently and hath ben for the space of nine hundred yeares odd you shall well perceiue the state thereof to bâ— so farre wide from the nature of the true Church that nothing can be more c. But now these three markes or notes of â— true visible Church Bellarmine the mouth of the Church of Rome expressely disclaimeth as proper markes of the Church improper indeed for the Church of Rome and therefore he allowes them not so much as the place of a cypher among all his 15 Markes or Notes of the Church Therefore seeing the Church of Rome disclaimes those notes of a true visible Church which our Church acknowledgeth as necessary and proper to know the tru Church by why should any much lesse an Antistes of the Church of England affirme the Church of Rome to be a true visible Church But can Bellarmine shew it to be a true visible Church by all his 15 notes Surely when he hath done all hee is faine to confesse that all these markes cannot yet demonstrate or make it evidently true that it is the true Church of God but only evidently credible If the Church of Rome then cannot demonstrate it selfe to be a true Church and no maruell sith it wants the right demonstratiue markes why should we take the paines or be so â—fficious as to pin a true visible Church upon her sleeue Nay if
shell of faith and so the shell of the Creed They haue the Sacraments What say I The Sacraments No surely among all their seven Sacraments haue they any more but the bare broken shell of Baptisme onely For the sole efficacy and 〈◊〉 of it they â—ang vpon the Priests Intention and not vpon the spirit of God and his word and true faith in the baptized As for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper they haue vtterly abolished it and turned it into mâ—ere Accidents without substance joyned with an imaginary Idol wrought by vertue of the Priests Intention Thus we see that there is no more left of the Church of Rome but an empty crackt shell and therfore it is now no more either a true Church or a true or truly visible Church But to conclude this discourse to the aforesaid allegations a vouching the Church of Rome for a true or true visible Church is added an Apologeticall advertisement to the Reader beginning Nothing can be so said or done but may be ill taken Now God forbid But is it well said or done to affirme that the Church of Rome is yet a true or a true visible Church 〈…〉 the Reverend Author iudge indifferently having well weighed the former reasons whether we doe ill or no in taking this his saying ill or whether we had not reason to haue expected an ingenious Palinody 〈◊〉 Augustinâ— like Retractation rather then such an Apology which whether it be rather to be pittied then any vncharitablenes in the Reader in taking such a saying ill let judicious charity it selfe judge Nor need we stretch the saying to imply that the Church of Rome is a true believing Church Suffice it we except against any being yea or visibility of a true Church in the Synagogue of Rome But the Reverend Author referres Visible 〈◊〉 outward Profession to some essentiall Principles of Christianity neither of them to sound◠〈…〉 Grant the Romanists to be 〈…〉 and we cannot deny them the name of 〈◊〉 Church Answer Now vnder 〈…〉 Profession a sufficient marke of visibility for a Church This is none of those markes which the Church of England takes notice of a Church by 〈…〉 sheweâ— Againe the Scripture calleth 〈…〉 Synagogue of Satan who call themselves Iewes 〈…〉 The Samaritanâ—s sometimes professed themselues to be of the Iewes Religion having their Temple nâ—are the Mount Garisim They had their Priests also who 〈…〉 how they should feare the Lord◠〈…〉 Lord but withall 〈…〉 the manner of the Nations Did they not then 〈◊〉 the worship of the Lord Surely they did 〈◊〉 were they therefore a visible Church Nay saith the Scripture there They neither feare God c. So the Church of Rome professeth to feare the Lord but 〈…〉 like to the Nations so that it will follow she neither feareth God nor doth after his lawes c. Obiect But she holdeth some essentiall Principles of Christianity Answ. So do the 〈…〉 this day they hold the Old Testament Obiect But withall they deny Christ expressely Answ. So doe the Papists implicitly and by their owne expresse doctrines of Trent haue no more communion with Christ then the Iewes haue Nay Papists doe expresly abiure the doctrine of Christ as we shewed before in the Popes owne Bull how doe they then any more hold Christ then the Iewes But Grant the Romanists to be but Christians how corrupt soeuer and we cannot deny them the name of the Church But why should we grant them that which never a Papist is able to demonstrate to vs or yet vndoubtedly to perswade himselfe of He is not certaine of the Priests Intention in his Baptisme no nor yet of the Bishops Intention by whom that Priest was ordeined no nor of that other Bishops Intention by whom the Bishop was ordained Priest Therefore no Papist can be sure whether he be a Christian or no. And why then should we grant them to be Christians Although for the bare name of Christians and of a Church we will not much stand with them so they doe not hereupon nor any for them incroach and challenge the being and reality yea or the very visibility of a true Church No noâ— to say That we are all the same Church by vertue of our outward vocation whosoeuer all the world ouer worship Iesus Christ the only Son of God the Sauiour of the world and professe the same common Creed Nor That which Rome holds with vs makes it a Church Nor That Rome holds the foundation directly Nor That because those things were affirmed twenty yeares ago therefore now they must be true nor that if any be otherwise minded he shall doe more wrong to his cause then to his Aduersary nor that sundry of our iâ—dicious Diuines were of this mind nor In that she holds the foundaâ—iâ—n directly she is a true Church For first doth the Church of Rome worshipp Iesus Christ who for Christ worship the Beast and his Image bearing his marke Secondly doe they hold the same Creed that deny the Faith without which they cannot say the first word of the Creed I beleeue in God Thirdly what foundation do they hold directly with vs For other foundation can no man lay then that which is layd Iesus Christ. Wee shewed before that they haue nothing of Christ but the shell the shadow the Pope is the kernel if any Nay doe they hold more of Christ directly then the very society of Devils doe Yea or so much as they The Devils hold that Iesus Christ is God and man they beleiue and tremble They Devils belieue not that Christs body can be made of a peece of bread hee knowes it well enough to be but one of his owne iuggling tricks which his Romish Disciples learned of him The Devils dare not deny that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh Yea he openly confesseth him to be the Son of God I know thee who thou art even the Holy one of God Doe the Romanists so much No they are of that Spirit of Antichrist that denyeth that Iesus Christ is come in the flâ—sh How He that maketh Christ of a Peece of bread denyeth him to be come of the Virgine Mary If Christ haue a body made of bread and yet this body the same that was borne of the Virgine Mary then it followeth directly that with the Manichees they allow Christ no other but a meere imaginary fantasticall body sliding downe from heaven as Dianaeâ— Image that came from Iupiter For is not that a meere phantasme which they worship in the bread A body naturall it is not which wants both substance quantity dimensions flesh blood and bone and all other properties which a mans naturall body ought to haue Therefore in directly saying This is Christs body they deny Christs true naturall body which he received from the blessed Virgine and so deny directly that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh How doe they then directly hold the foundation And yet this is not simply to hold
that all this should be a drinking of blood Yes So saith the spirit of God here That which they esteeme their only blisse is their only haue These Doctrines which Romes fishes drinke in like water yea as wine is no other then filthy corrupt gore-blood Oh fearefull condition I Well may such be reckoned among one of the seven last plagues poured out of the Vials of the wrath of God That being properly a plague which tends to the perdition of the soule different from other afflictions which may amend their patients For how can false and corrupt doctrines ever bring a man to reformation and repentance when they corrupt his very intellectualls where by his moralls should be guided But it is in vayne to inculcate this in the eares of dead fishes which living in the flesh are so spiritually dead as they can never be so perswaded that they are those to whom God hath gipen blood to drinke No will they not belieue it But here is a reason added forcible enough to perswade even common sense for they are worthy For they haue shedde the blood of Saints and Prophets They Who who but the Church of Rome Who but Popish persecuters who but Babylon drunke with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Iesuâ— But how is this appliable to the Papists here in England Did this generation at least wise ever shed the blood of Martyrs and Saints If no how is God righteous in giving them blood to drinke How are they worthy The last Martyrs of Iesus that suffered in England were they not in Queene Maryes dayes And is not that generation of persecutors quite extinct How then can the hands of Papists in these dayes be sayd to be imbrued in the blood of the Saintâ— But what if their hearts be imbrued in it at least by assent affection approbation allowance of the crueltie of their fore-fathers who had a hand in slaying of them But perhaps our Papists will say in this case as the Iewes in the like If we had 〈◊〉 in the dayes of our Fathers weâ— would not haue been partakers with them in the blood of the Prophets Yet even hereupon Christ tells them wherfore ye be witnesses vnto your selues thaâ— ye are the children of them which killed the Prophets fill ye up then the measurâ— of your Fathers But these Iewes built and garnishâ—d 〈◊〉 Sepulchres of those Prophets whom their forefathers had slaine a signe that they honoured the memory of the Prophets And who seeme more to honour the ancient holy Martyrs not only in erecting and adorning their Sepulchres and Shrines yea and adoring of them too then all Papists doe In this kind the Papists doe exceed the Iewes infinitely How then may it be said of them fill ye vp then the measure of your Fathers Or how may this Viall be poured on Papists as a vengeance that they should be found worthy to drinke such blood At least wise our present English Papists will say they are not the off-spring of those whose hands were imbrued in the blood of Martyrs Yea they will deny those to be Martyrs of Christ who were put to death in Queene Maries dayes Here are two things to be answered we will answer the last first It is shamelesse impudency to deny those to be Martyrs of Christ who were then put to death for religion And for what other religion then that same for which the Old Martyrs were persecuted and slaine We will challenge all Papists in the world that they are not able to shew any difference in all the maine grounds of religion betweene these latâ—er and those ancienter Martyrs Which till they shall doe let them not envy the honourable name of Martyrs of Christ to such as were slaine by the purple Whore To the former we answer that perhaps many Papists in England were not the very naturall off-spring of those Fathers who persecuted the Martyrs in Queene Maries dayes Yet I dare be bold to say that all the Papists now in England are the spirituall off-spring at least of those persecuters Doe they not imitate them in the same Romish faith yea and that Iesuiâ—ed too which was then but in the bud which those persecuters then imbraced And did not Christ call the Iewes sonnes of the Divell because they imitated his workes But yet haply our English Papists will say if we had lived in the dayes of our forefathers we would not haue put these men to death But let such take heed they speake it not in the hearing of their Ghostly â—ather least he impose vpon them some sharper penance and stricter discipline for their want of Romish zeale and Iesuiticall spirit No nor yet for so saying let them looke for more credit to be given them of vs then Christ gaue to the Iewes who told them plainly that for all their protestation and pretence to the contrary yet they were guilty of the blood of all those Prophets whom their forefathers had killed That vpon You saith he may come all the righteous blood shed vpon the earth from the blood of righteous Abel vnto the blood of Zacharias sonne of Barachiaâ— whom Ye slew betweene the Temple and the Altar Whom Ye slew Did these Iewes to whom Christ now spake slay Abel and Zacharias who were killed so many generations past Was not this Zacharias slaine in King Ioâ—â— his raigne how then did these Iewes slay him and the rest of the old Prophets even vnto Abel Surely because they repented not of the cruell actions and affections of their forefathers who slew those Prophets who retained and nourished the same spirit of cruelty and disaffection towards the true Prophets witnesse their carriage towards Christ himselfe the Prince of Prophets How did they intreat intertaine him Did they not in fine put him to death And if they did this to the greene tree was it likely they would haue spared the dry and those ancient Prophets who spake of Christ whom for witnessing the truth their forefathers killed as these did Christ for the same cause And did the Aâ—ostles and Disciples of Christ speed any better at their hands How say these Iewes then If we had liued in the dayes of our forefathers we would not haue beene partakers with them no in no sort in the blood of the Prophets A likely matter indeed that these murtherers would haue spared the old Prophets who were so beastly cruell to the innocent Lambe and Sonne of God Let this example of the Iewes who justly brought themselues vnder the guilt of all the innâ—â—ent bloâ—â—â—shed from the beginning of the world by their imitation of their forefathers cruelty by following them in their wicked faith and affections and hatred of the truth admonish all our English Papists and mind them whose sonnes they be that shed the blood of the Martyrs for being their sonnes at least and that in the worst kind by spirituall propagation of the false and Antichristian faith and by
Christ by depriving it of those essentiall properties certainty assurance affiance without which saving faith can be no more saving faith then fire can be fire without the essentiall quality of heat No marvaile then if hereupon having cut off their right hand to wit the only saving and iustifying faith by which only Christ our Righteousnesse as a most pure and perfect garment or vesture is put vpon vs they with the left hand of humanâ— invention and presumption learned from apostatized Adam are driven to weaue to themselues the Cobweb of selfe-iustification out of their owne poysonous bowells as the Prophet makes the comparison Esa. 59. No marvaile if having denied that only affiance-full saving faith which resteth assured of Gods promises building his salvation vpon the eternall and vnchangeable free loue of God in Christ electing and predestinating him to eternall life the evidence and earnest whereof is witnessed vnto him by the spirit of God by whom also he is sealed to the day of finall redemption no marvaile I say if men forsaking this only firme foundation of God whereon the faithfull are vnmoveably built they doe invent new-old sandy foundations building their salvation vpon their owne fickle arbitrary will to receiue or reject grace offered to retaine or relapse from grace as they call it once received so hanging their salvation by a small haire vpon a rotten pin No marvaile then if they deny faith 's natiue certainty and consequently abolish the very essence of it For what certainty can a man haue of salvation when he builds it not vpon God but man In this regard therefore so peremptory and importune are the false Prophets in the time of this sixt Viall Christ admonisheth all his to looke most diligently to the garment of their faith And because the spirit of Prophecy is noted here by the spirit of Christ to be a pregnant symptome of thiâ— Viall it will not be impertinent but rather very important and necessary to take a briefe view at least of such principall doctrines as in our dayes haue dared with open face not only to confront but altogether to suppresse and put to silence the fundamentall truthes of God Vpon consideration whereof we may take the better estimate and aime how farre forth the pouring out of this sixth Viall may seeme to fall vpon this present age· Nor meane I here simply and solely the false docttines of Rome and het Emissaries which haue their issue immediatly and directly from that bloody Sea of the Trent Councell mentioned before and such as come out of the mouth of the Dragon and of the Beast and of the false Prophet but a certaine collaterall offspring of false teachers who vnder the name even of the true Church doe confederate and side with the Iesuites like Sampsons Foxes tied taile to taile These are the only Rabbies of repute that venditate and vent their false doctrines every where both with their pen and tongue at least when their pleasure is and leisure serveth from their pragmaticall speculations to make some rare Sermon or Masterpeece wherein it is their glory to seeme most learned and the auditors happinesse least to vnderstand them that claim to themselues the sole title in a manner of the whole Church of England as being the only Oracles from whom all others must receiue the infallible Dictates of faith Whatsoever before this time hath beene the ancient constant vnanimous vniforme doctrine of the Church of England grounded vpon the Scriptures sealed with the blood of so many Martyrs witnessed by the writings of so many learned Bishops and Doctors who lived and died in that doctrine yea ratified by solemne Act of Parliament which I am sure was never yet repealed nor shall be I trust while England standeth must now fall vnder the checke and censure of a few at least in their owne conceit great Rabbies as reserved cases for the Pope and his Cardinalls in the Court of Rome by them to be new minted and not to passe currant but with the mixt base allay of the alchimy extracted from the brainsicke limbecks of some projecting Chimists So that not vnjustly may these also challenge a copartnership as coagents with these former frog-like spirits to the Kings of the earth and to animate and inciâ—e them to take vp armes against Christ and his Gospell For by them the doctrine of Arminius is both openly avowed and stiffely maintained which differ nothing at all from those gracelesse Conclusions which the Iesuites haue sucked from that bloody Sea of Trent running through all the veines of the Pontifician body To giue the Reader a tast hereof I will set downe one maine Iesuiticall Proposition among other of Molina the Iesuite In Praedestinatione nulla est alia Certitudo quam Praescientia et certitude tota quòd Praedestinatus sit in vitam â—ternam pervinturus a Praescientia sola pendet that is In Predestination there is none other certitude then of Prescience or foreknowledge and all the certainty that one predestinated shall come vnto life eternall dependeth vpon Prescience alone In which one Proposition is packed vp the whole mystery of Arminius which foundeth mans salvation not vpon Gods free grace in predestinating but in mans free will foreseene which foresight or prescience in God hath no other stability or certainty but the mutability or vnconstancy of mans free-will in receiving or rejecting grace offered and of mans power in retaining or relapsing from that grace once received Which Iesuiticall Proposition with the rest is thus censured by the Dominicans Propositio est contra sacras literas et Patres repugnat potissime authoritati Apostoli ad Rom. 4. Vt secundum gratiam firma sit prâ—missio quâ—ni locum expendit optime S. Aug. de Praedestin Sanctorum cap. 11. Vbi ex hoc loco probat c. This Proposition is against holy writ and the Fathers and chiefly it is repugnant to the authority of the Apostle Rom. the 4 that according to grace the promise might bee firme Which place Saint Augustine doth excellently discusse in his booke of the Predestination of the Saints where from this place he proueth that Predestination iâ— certain and infallible in regard of grace it selfe for that Prescience being but a naturall seeing 〈…〉 were through a Perspectiâ—e is not grace So they But to come to our Iesuited Arminians These are they who domineering now in the Church of God razing the very foundation of mans salvation to wit Gods eternall free grace and favour towards his elect may giue vs strongly to suspect if not rather constantly to belieue that this Vial is already begune to be poured out Well of what sort or ranke so ever they be the Lord here warneth his servants to beware of such as would strip vs of the robe of grace and glory Although it was well hoped that vpon a publicke Edict prohibiting and silencing all quarrels about the Arminian doctrine no Popish Arminian would haue ben
childe of this famous Church doth not reuerence and submit to the authoritie of this his Mother But who shall be the Church of Englands interpreter Any priuate spirit Or who dare say that the doctrine of the Church of England is any other then the doctrine of the Scriptures For once diuide the doctrine of our Church from the Scripture and then we shall quickly come to that passe to belieue as the Church belieueth or as the Church of Rome belieueth And how is that As the Scriptures teach No but as the Pope teacheth and interpreteth or as the Pope belieueth How belieuest thou as the Church of England How is that As such or such a learned great man or great learned man perhaps as great in conceit in the Church of England as the Pope in Rome belieueth or interpreteth But it was the custome of the ancients in case of controuersie in faith to call Ad fonâ—es they went not to the cesterne but to the fountaines the Scriptures If any therefore should presume to interpret the words of the Church of Englands doctrines to any other sense then the Scriptures teach is worthy at least of his Mothers rod if not of his fathers high displeasure But do not the Scriptures put an infinit difference betweene Gods loue to his owne elected ones and others who are none of Christs sheepe Read John 13.1 The father loued his owne And 2. Tim. 2.19 And Iohn 17.2.9.11.12 24. Yea and doth not our Mother Church of England reduce Gods loue to mankinde in redeeming of vs to his elect people in sanctifying of them by his spirit I would such great Rabbies were a little better versed in their Catechisme before they vented such nouell Aphorismes We haue to answere touching our Creed Thirdly I belieue in God the Holy Ghost who sanctifieth me and all the elect people of God This is our Mothers doctrine according to the voice of her Husband Iohn 17. Prou. the sixt verse vnto the end of the chapter Enough to put to silence all Arminian vniuersalists Read also the 17. Article of Predestination which fully cleared the Church of Englands minde in this point But thirdly he will proue that God loues all men alike because all men are alike redeemed by his Sonne And this he will also proue from the doctrine of the Church of England Which is answered as before The Scripture saith in matter of censure heare the Church but in matter of faith and doctrine heare him that is Christ. The Church must euer submit her doctrines to the touchstone of the Scripture And so the Church of England doth I am sure And what saith the Scripture of the redemption by Christ and for whom Read Ioh. 10.5 I lay downe my life for whom for the sheepe And Act. 20.28 The Lord hath with his owne blood purchased whom The Church of God But other Scriptures say that Christ died for all men Those all must be reduced to all Christs sheepe being scattered ouer all the world for these onely he laid downe his life these onely he purchased with his blood these onely he prayes for whom he laies downe his life for Joh. 17.9 read the place and marke it well and consider But in this point we need no other opposition but the Authors Tenet then his owne contradictory confession He saith Nothing can make the Creature hatefull or odious to the Creator besides its hatred or enmity of that loue by which it was created and by which he sought the restauration of it when it was lost Nor is it saith he euery degree of mans hatred or enmity vnto God but a full measure of it which vtterly exempts man from his loue Vpon whomsoeuer he would father this doctrine sure wee are the Apostle saith that by nature we are borne the children of wrath as well as other Doe we not then bring enough with vs into the world to pull Gods hatred vpon vs besides the height of malice against God contracted in the world Doth not the least sinne deserue Gods hatred and wrath vpon vs But this hee contradicteth againe saiyng That Christ onely receiued our infirmities and originall disease and not the contempt of him and his law Now if Christ did receiue our infirâ—â—ties onely and originall disease yet euen those then cost Christ his pretious blood yea and made him a curse for vs and to cry My God My God why hast thou forsaken me And was there euer any sorrow like to his sorrow But you say Christ receiued not the contempt of him and his law You meane then that Christ died not for contemptuous sinners And if Christ died not for the rebellious contemner what shal be become of a great many in these daies that not onely contemne but oppose and seeke to oppresse the knowne truth Surely the state of such is very exceeding dangerous yet I dare not say desperate which yet should be desperate if Christ died not for the greatest sinnes euen sinnes of rebellion and presumption as well as of infirmity Was there not in the law a Sacrifice as well for sinnes of presumption as of infirmity And was not that Sacrifice a type of Christ. And doth not God in the 50. Psalme preach repentance euen to the contemner of his knowne word But if he repented how should he be pardoned vnlesse Christ tooke vpon him the centempt of him and his law But I hope some of the Authors conâ—orts at least will discipline him well fauourdly for such a doctrine as no lesse vncomfortable then vnsound In vaine else doe Preachers beat the ayre in preaching repentance to habituated contemners if Christ bore not all kind of sinne vpon him We read of no sinne but it is pardonable sauing that against the holy Ghost and that also say the Fathers if a man could repent of it were pardonable and if pardonable vpon faith and repentance no doubt but Christ tooke even that vpon him also Indeed if a man runne on in sinne with a high hand hating to bee reformed contemning the Ministry of the word and so persist and dye in his impenitency it is euident that Christ the Lambe of God hath not taken away the sin of that man But in the fourth place he saith That God loues all men vnfainedly as they are men or as men which haue not made vp the full measure of iniquity But hauing made vp that or hauing their soules betrothed vnto wickednesse he hates them His hate of them as reprobates is no lesse necessary or vsuall then his loue of them as men But though he necessarily hates them being once become reprobates or hauing made vp the full measure of iniquitie yet was there no necessitie laid vpon them by his eternall Decree to make vp such a measure of iniquitie So he yet a little before where he saith God vnfainedly loueth all men God doth not loue but hate the Reprobate although they be men yea the greatest part of men I well hoped
THE SEVEN VIALS Or A briefe and plaine Exposition vpon the 15 and 16 Chapters of the Revelation very pertinent and profitable for the Church of God in these last times By H. B. Rector of Saint Matthews Friday-street Reve 19.19 20. And I saw the Beast and the Kings of the Earth â—nd their armies gathered 〈◊〉 to make warre against him that sate on the Horâ—◠〈◊〉 against his army And the Beast was takeâ— and with him the False Prophet that wrought miracles before him with which he deceived them that had the Marke of the Beast and them that worshipped his Image Thâ—se both 〈…〉 into a Lake of fire burning with 〈…〉 LONDON Printed by William Jones dwelling 〈◊〉 Red-crosse-street 1â—28 TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES KING OF GREAT Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. Dread Soveraine DIOGENES the more he was by Antisthenes the Philosopher threatned beaten from his schoole the more ardently he frequented it saying to his Master Do you but beat I will find you a head nor shall you find so hard a club as therewith to driue me away from your Philosophy What hee did suffered for Philosophy's sake the like or more am I ready to sustaine for the service and honour of Your Majesty No discouragements can beat me from this resolution no not death it selfe So prevalent iâ— my affection as my insufficiencies best knowne to my selfe cannot restraine it Yea though I was told Your Majesty was lately offended with me But I answered No J had no reason to belieue it For first J knew well the gentle disposition of your royall breast guided by such a dextrous iudgment is not easily incensed where there is no iust cawse And J am sure I daily inioy the influence of your favour though not the gratious aspect of your face for even the feet doe liue moue though remote by the Heads breathing You are the breath of our Nostrills And as J told my Lord of London at my first examination about Israels Fast All that I had done was for Gods glory the service of my King Country the Church of England whereof wee were members and for which I was ready if need were to lay downe my life And now gratious Soveraine J am bold to present Your Maiesty with such a peece as no Prince in Christendome but Your selfe can iustly challenge the dedication of it if the meannesse of the Presenter doe not extenuate the worth of the Present Jt containes a most divine Prophecy of the pouring out of the seven Vialls Revel 16 which according to that ability vouchsafed me of Christ the least and last of all his servants J haue indeavoured to open Jt pertaineth to Your Maiesty by a proper right The full accomplishment of this Prophecy is like to fall in Your gratious Raigne which God prolong to make it glorious to posterity And surely when J compare the fulfilling of this Prophecy with those many Princely indowments which Your God hath inriched Your Royall Person with J am so much the more confirmed in this my perswasion Such a zeale such loue of the truth such a peerelesse and Princely wisdome such a magnanimous spirit were not planted in Your noble breast for nothing So as I dare boldly conclude as was said to David Your Maiesty shal do great things and prosper Nor speake J by coniecture This Prophecy will clearly evidence the same Cleare it is though for the present it seeme cleane contrary that the destruction of Antichrist with his whole power and confederacy is now neere at hand And for proofe and perswasion thereof J wish it stood with Your Maiesties good pleasure and leisure to read over this Prophecy It is but the expense of a few howers but may exercise Your best meditations and noblest thoughts for many dayes many yeares after This whole booke of the Revelation is a Propheticall Chronologie tâ— the end of the world Of it Christ pronounceth Blessed is he that readeth and they that heare the words of this Prophecy and keep those things which are written therein for the time is at hand How much more is this verified of this last and most famous Prophecy in this booke towards the full consummation whereof these our present and last times draw on â—amaine Your Royall Father of blessed memory even in his youth wrote a most exquisite Paraphrase of this whole booke from whose bright torch all along I haue beene bold to borrow light for my dimme candle But me thinks I heare some suggest O Sir this booke is not licensed But whose fault is that The Authors Or the Licensers I could wish that such suggesters would confesse the true cawse why Orthodox bookes are so borne downe as they may not be licensed For Popish Arminian bookes are licensed but the contrary such as are writen in confutation of them are according to Gods word the doctrine of the Church of England may not be allowed So that I humbly submit it to your Maiesties vnpartiall iudgement to determine whether the Printer for printing such a booke as this without license or he that should license such Orthodox bookes will not according to authority in that behalf be more worthy of censure And certainly they that suppresse Orthodox bookes would they not also stop Preachers mouthes that they should not speake the truth Yes certainlyâ— For may it please your Majesty to vnderstand how even your Majesties honour suffers in this case For whereas vpon a Proclamation published in your Highnesse name Iune 14. in the second of your Raigne expressely forbidding any preaching or printing of such Doctrines as were repugnant to the Doctrine of the Church of England established we all hoped that all Arminian Popish Doctrines would be husht silenced wee by experience find it quite contrary for the Arminians shamelesly alledging that all their doctrines are according to the Church of England vnder this pretence they wold suppresse all truth as forbidden by your Royall Proclamation Which if it were true it should not be lawfull any more to preach the Gospell then to print books in defence of it So that some are neither affraid nor ashamed to say in plaine termes that they must license no bookes against Arminius Good God what pittifull times doe we liue in how different from former as I was bold to tell my Lord of London But I trust your Maiesty will vindicate your honour herein Gods truth exprest in Scripture is no changeling This is that which wee call the Doctrine of the Church of England and no other This hath beene sealed by the blood of so many Martyrs witnessed by so many Worthies of our Church for almost this fourescore yeares without intermission whose writings no time shall blot out ratified by so many Acts of Parliament as not all the Devills in hell nor all the Arminians on earth shall be able to disanull it The Gospell shall flourish maugre all
the foundation 〈◊〉 professe that God is man for then the society of Devils might claime to be a Church but directly to hold Iesus Christ so to be come in the flesh as therein to suffer and satisfie for our Salvation becoming our Christ our Iesus Redeeming vs from our sinnes by imputing his merits to vs that our sinnes might not be imputed to vs which were imputed to him by whose stripes we are healed by whose Righteousnes imputed we are perfectly iustified in the sight of God Doth the Church of Rome directly hold this foundation Nothing lesse Yea she directly not by consequence only directly I say she denyeth and destroyeth this foundation How or where In the Councell of Trent Sess. 6. Canon 10. Si quis dixâ—rit homines per ipsam Christi iustitiam formâ—liter iustâ—s esse anathema sit If any shall say that men are formerly iust by the righteousnes of Christ let him be accursed Is not this a direct and flatt expresse deniall of the foundation And in the 11 Canon If any shall say that men are iustified by the solâ— imputation of Christs Righteousnes or by sole â—emission of sinnes otherwise then by inhereâ—t righteousnesse in vs obtained thereby or also that the grace whereby we are iustified is only the favor of God let him be acoâ—rsed What more direct denyall of the foundation Is not this the foundation That Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners And how Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree that we being dead to sinnes should liue vnto righteousnes by whose stripes we are healed Nay saith the Councell of Trent directly We are iustified by our inherent righteousnes and so our stripes are healed and not by the righteousnes of Christ simply imputed Therefore come out of her my people least ye be partakers of her sinnes Fourthly Let not antiquity in the holding of an opinion prescribe against Truth Opinions ancient O that Saint Ambrose words alledged by our Reverend Author might here take place Nullus pudor est ad meliora transire then I hope he will be otherwise minded then to say He that demeth the Church of Rome to be a true Church or a true visible Church shall 〈…〉 to his cause then to his adversary Then he will no longer 〈…〉 the iudgement of particular person 〈…〉 wherin our Reverend Mother Church of England hath in her publicke doctrine resolved the contrary while she denyes to the Church of Rome the true markes of a visible Church those very markes which the Church of Rome her selfe disclaimeth So shall our Divine Seneca partake also of great S. Augustines prayse while by an humble and ingenuous Retractation he shall both purge away the stâ—ine and put a more glorious luster to his most sweet pious and for their kind vnparalleld workes And for me a poore vnworthy Minister I hope his meek and sweet spirit having well waighed my reasons and pitied my weaknesses will be pleased to excuse me of any transportation of zeale vnlesse herein I haue exceeded the bounds in presuming so farre vpon the patience of such a Reverend Antistes of our Church But I trust he will not impute this to any arrogancy of spirit when it shall appeare it is to vindicate Christs truth and glory against the Synagogue of the proud Antichrist Thus having shewed the Church of Rome or rather the Synagogue of Antichrist to be no true Church nor a true or truely visible Church nor a Church but a Sea whose doctrines as waters are turned all into the blood of a dead man so that every living creature therein dyeâ—h no Salvation no life to be found in Babylon proceed we to the next Viall The Third Vial powred out V. 4. And the third Angel poured out his vial vpon the Riuers and fountaines of waters and they became blood And I heard the Angel of the waters say Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast iudged thus For they shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast giuen them blood to drinke for they are worthy And I heard another out of the Altar say even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy iudgements All Riuers saith the Preacher come from the 〈◊〉 and thither returne Rivers then sent out from the Sea doe here signifie all Romes Emissaries as all Seminary Priests and Iesuites who as Rivers doe convey and diffuse the Sea-waters of Romes doctrines to all Countries and parts of the earth And this Viall holds the like proportion to the third Trumpet as the second Viall did to the second Trumpet For the third part of the sea blood here all and for the the third part of the Rivers imbittered here all are turned into blood for the same reason alledged in the former Viall Only here seemeth to be a little difference between the Seas blood and this of the Rivers for that is as the blood of a dead man this blood only without other addition Yet at the best blood it is Here then are meant not only all those that haue written large Commentaries vpon the Councell of Trent as Vega Soto Catharinus Andradius Bellarmine c. who with their Philosophycall and Aristotelian Divinity and Schoole-nicities and quaint distinctions haue laboured to giue a fairer luster to the blacke gore-blood thereof and to propine it to the simple and subtile both in Babylons golden cup as Doctors ministring poysoned pills guilded over but as I said all Priests and Iesuites whom King Iames calls the last brood of the Divell who by their actiue motion as Rivers the voluminous workes of their Rabbies being but as great vnwealdy ponds and standing lakes in comparison run more currâ—ntly through the world And in this one particular note how the Councell of Trent it selfe hath turned the Rivers of Romes doctrine I meane her writers which before the Councell were but as it were a third part blood now all into blood namely by their Index Expurgatorius cancelling and letting out what purer waters they find in their writings as might â—e shewed by many famous instances so that now all their Rivers must run nothing but blood And these may well be resembled to Rivers for sundry respectâ— For first as all Rivers haue their originall from and finall course to the Sea for all Romish Emissaries must divulge no other doctrine but such as they derive from the Sea of Trents doctrinesâ— and their course must tend to the inriching of the Sea of Rome Secondly as Rivers like Fame are small in the beginning but running along grow greater and greater till they powre their full channells into the Sea so all Iesuites though at first they arise like poore brookes yet by their long current they come to returne full streames of commodities to the Sea of Rome Thirdly as Rivers are of an incessant and indefatigable motion Labituret labetur in
so bold as to vent any more books in print tending to Popery and Arminianisme and much lesse that any publicke examiners of Books durst haue approved priviledged such bookes for the Presse yet see the mischiefe of it by this meanes all bookes that are written in defence of the truth either against Arminians or the Papists can find no favour to passe the Presse but such bookes as can cunningly and slyly vnder the vaile of the Church of England reconcile Popery and Arminianisme together may only passe for currant cum privilegio Then which what can be more dishonorable to his gracious Maiestyes proclamation what more derogatory to the Gospell what more pernicious to trouble the peace of the Church state let all indifferent men iudge A few shall suffice for instance onely I omitt for the present to mention the names of the bookes or authours if happily they may check themselues and retract their errours or call in their bookes by the same authority whereby they were published least persisting in them they proue heresyes and that not of the lowest kinde and so come to fill vp the measure of this Viall In a booke printed of late there are some things much favoring Popery and tending to the nuzzling at least of silly ignorant Papists in their blind Idolatrous and faithlesse religion if not also to animate simple minded Protestants to become simple silly Papists and so to loose that garment of salvation which the only religion and â—aith of Christ truely professed and maintained only by the true Protestants can invest vs with For the purpose there are these words We our adversaries consent that there is salvation to some in the Romaine Church And who are those some It is expressed wee acknowledge an honest ignorant Papist may be saved And againe we haue not so learned Christ as to deny salvation to some ignorant silly soules whose humble peaceable obedience maks them safe among any part of men that professe the foundation Christ. Suffice it to name this here as confuted in the second Vial Not many yeares after that book and fewer afore this present comes out another booke whose chiefe autors or fautors let time try out which comming in hood-winkt vnder a kind of some monastick vaile of canonicall Devotion framed also after an old worm eaten forme published in the dawning of the Gospell in England would prettily vnderhand draw in Popery again among vs tanquam postliminio restore it to some place grace againe in this state at leastwise reconcile the two jarring sisters as the former author calls them the Church of England the Younger and that of Rome the Elder together yea to reduce the Church of England to an vnion with that of Rome as being the holy Catholicke Mother Church But this booke we haue elsewhere answered Take one instance more But the other day comes forth a third booke the Author of it I dare say of no small correspondence with the former He on the other side pleads for Arminius and that not now obvoluto capite as the former but aperta fronte ex professâ— In his Epistle Dedicatory wherein he seekes to indere his service to a great Macanas of one of our famous Academies God grant he aime not at some of the learned Chaires wherein to vent his not popular nor Pulpâ—t speculations he giues a dangerous by-blow to the opposites of Arminius and his doctrines in these words If the man which most mislikes the Arminian or Lutheran doctrine in the points most controverted through reformed Churches will but agree with me in these two That the Almighty Creatour hath a true freedome in doing good and Adams offspring a a true freedome of doing evill I shall not dissent from him in any other points controuerted vnlesse it be in this one that there needs be no other controversie at all betweene the Arminians and their opposites in point of Gods Providence and Predestination In so saying he would seeme to imply that the opposites of Arminius in the point specially of Predestination doe hold a kind of stoicall fatality and servitude in Adams offspring necessitated by divine Decree vnto all their evill actions Which insinuation how true it is let all men that haue read the workes of the Oppugners of Arminius indifferently judge whether this be not a most notorious calumny As if the Divine Decree did impose necessity vpon mens wills to prosecute evill actions because it leaveth them to their wicked wills which of their owne nature corrupted are now free only vnto evill Indeed God in justice leaving man fallen to himselfe leaveth him to the swindge of his corruptions which of themselues necessarily and yet freely runne to all excesse of riot being altogether averse and adverse to that which is simply good As the Scripture saith God saw euery imaginâ—tion of the thoughts of mans heart to be only euill continually Gen. But touch we a little vpon some passages of the booâ— The Author in the former part having soared aloft as he would seeme as they say Simon Magus did at Rome and that having his wings imped with the feathers of Philosophy to search into the nature of the Divine Essence whereabout he hath spent much in transcendentall to vse his owne terme speculations and quintessentiall extractions farre beyond all Divines that went before him eiher moderne or ancient yea beyond Saint Augustine and Saint Gregory whom he mentioneth to haue come short of that knowledge of God which himselfe hath reached vnto he cometh in the latter part to make vse and application of the former whence he would draw sundry coÌ„clusion for the maintenance of the Arminian doctrine which that he may doe you must giue him leaue to show his singular opinions different from all ancient Divines and allow him a latitude to speake ad placitum what him listeth tanquam e Cathedra from Pythagoras his Chaire But the summe is though he promiseth much and professeth to know and teach more of the Divine nature then ever yet the world knew yet in the vp shott of all his discourse he mightely confineth and limitteth Gods infinite Attributes yea and his most liberall will it selfe to a very narrow roome causing all of them to hang and turne vpon the only hinge of his prescience As he saith There is a goodnes obiectiue in the creature precedent in order of nature to the Act or exâ—pcise of Gods will And vnlesse a thing had bin good God had not willed it And When it is sayd things are good because God wills them this illatiue inferres only the cause of our knowledge not of the goodnesse which we know Thus by these and suchlik transcendentall speculations whatsoever good is in the creature must primarily proceed from some selfe-cause or without God and not from any cause primary absolute and independent in God For if the act of Gods willing of good be prevented at least in order of nature by the obiectiue goodnesse in
or of the creature then the cause of the creatures goodnes is not from Gods will in order of nature and causes but from the creature or I wot not what externall cause out of God And if Gods eternall will be not the prime and absolute cause of all goodnesse in the Creature certainly his eâ—ernall Prescience much lesse And so God who is Causâ— Câ—â—sarum is stript of this honour and prerogatiue and so robd of the glory of all that goodnesse which is in the Creature Thus our Author and those of his minde to auoyd a supposed and misiudged inconuenience fall into a mischiefe yea into most impious blasphemy placing and preferring the Creature before and aboue the Creator and so making the Creature God as hauing a selfe-being least by granting Gods infinitely free wise just good and absolute independent will according to the counsell whereof hee worketh all things saith the Apostle to bee the prime and originall cause of all things in the world as his reuealed will is the rule of all things they should seeme to admit that Gods will were also the cause of Sinne therefore they choose rather to make the Act of Gods will the effect then the cause of the creatures goodnesse sith this they allow to be the obiect preceding Gods will in order of nature and not the consequent effect of it But it is a fundamentall Principle vndeniable Deus ordine naturae nihil praevidit creatum antequam voluit creandum God in order of nature foresaw nothing created before hee first willed it to bee created In the Creation God first gaue vnto the Creature its Beeing and then hee saw that it was good He did not first see them to be good and after gaue them their Beeing But as Reuel 4.11 For his wils sake they are and were created So that Gods will in order of Nature and of causes is before the Creatures beeing or goodnesse his will first makes them the subiect of goodnesse before they become the obiect of his Prescience For nothing can be foreseene before it first bee conceiued to haue a beeing and a beeing of it selfe it cannot haue but from the Will of the Creator the prime efficient cause thereof It is pittie that such as should be good Diuines and would bee esteemed great Scholasticks doe not bend their studies rather to finde out vpon what strong foundation of diuine reason the ancient catholicke and generally receiued Doctrines of God are built then to seeke after I wot not what sublimated speculations and so boldly without the guidance of Scripture as the cleerest Perspectiue aspire to pry into the diuine essence so farre as to make a man more blind It faring with such as with a man who with open eyes daring and outstaring the bright shining Sunne is so blinded that he hath lost the faculty of discerning the difference of obiects and colours of things below Why doe they not rather consider of the sundry distinct Acts of Gods one and the same will As eyther the generall Act of his will dispositiue by which he disposeth and ordereth all creatures in their motions or actions good or bad to hiâ— owne glory This dispositiue Act some call the diuine Prouidence which extendeth it selfe to the least creature as the Sparrow to the least haire of our head for in him saith the Apostle we liue and moue and haue our Being or else other Acts of his will being eyther a lesser or larger latitude as the Act of his will operatiue and productiue as the principall efficient cause of the goodnesse or good actions in the Creature this will of God giuing an habituall being of goodnesse to Adam in his Creation onely leauing him to the exercise thereof according to mans owne power and will whereof he had sufficient but Adam being fallen the gracious will of God not onely rayseth him vp and puts him in a better state then before by working grace and faith in his heart but still goeth on with him working in him preworking to him and coworking with him to bring his worke of grace to perfection In the third place there is an Act of Gods will permissiue and this is properly restrained to all euill morrall actions Aquinas hath an excellent saying Deus neque vult mala fieri neque vult mala non fieri sed vult permittere mala fierâ— hoc est bonuÌ„ God neither willeth euill to be done 〈◊〉 willeth euil not to be done but willeth to permit euill to be done And this is good For saith he though euill to be done euill not to be done be contradictoriously opposite yet to will euill to be done to will euill not to be done are not contradictoriously opposed sith both is affirmatiue But the Author hath quite forgot to bee a practicke president of that to others whereof like a great Master he would prescribe the only rule and way of the attaining to the true knowledge of God For he would haue them to fetch the knowledge of God from the fountaines and not from the trenches I would himselfe had done thus and not rather raked his doctrines out of some puddle eyther of Philosophie or Schoole-diuinitie to which he would reduce and refine Saint Augustine and Saint Gregorie But pardon my digression I proceed The author vpon his former premisses in placing the goodnesse of the Creature in order of nature before Gods absolute will and consequently making the creatures goodnesse onely the preceding obiect and not the consequent effect of Gods will as the supreame and prime cause of all goodnesse in the creature flowing from thence as the streame from the fountaine inferreth many insolent conclusions I will name but some of them and but name them onely with a touch and away For example That God hath an infinite loue to all mankind without difference without exception And surely wonderfull is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or loue of mankind in God But by your leaue there is great difference betweene mankind before the fall and after Before the fall God loued man as a good creature such as he had made him but after the fall man hauing defaced Gods image and receiued the stamp of Satans image is now become of himselfe and of his owne making or marring rather a corrupt creature hatefull to God Againe is there not great difference betweene Gods loue to man considered in the first Adam in the state of innocencie and betweene Gods loue to man after the fall as considered in Christ the second Adam yet our Author puts none at all Againe he bringeth the doctrine of the Church of England as he interpreteth and that in three Collectâ— to proue the infinite loue of God to mankind in that God will haue all men indifferently and without exception to be saued Surely the Author seemes to be very hard driuen and brought to a low ebbe that is faine to fetch his water out of a poore Collect or two What
of all our thoughts words and actions but also as the only ordinary meanes to bring all his people elect to an effectvall participation and fruition of grace and glory by Iesus Christ and seeing no man in particular though never so wicked and so farre gone in sin and sunke downe in rebellion is for ought he knoweth excluded from salvation if vpon the word of grace preached he belieue and repent which was the case of this people in Ezechiel and seeing faith repentance is requyred in every one that heares the word that he may be saved and not the elect themselues are exempted from this condition of believing therefore after what maner soever God doth accommodate and apply himselfe vnto vs in the dispensation of his word whither by ptomises or threatnings whither by word or oath he doth but as a fisherman that to diverse kinds of fish vseth divers hookes baites and lines some stronger some weaker as the Apostle saith I am become all things to all men that I might by all meanes saue some And who be those some Certainely in the end they proue to be no other but Gods elect Gods word being like to a dragneâ—â— which taketh all manner of fish at least by the externall calling many are called which drawne to shore in the Resurrection the good are gathered into vessells few are chosen and the bad are cast away Now forasmuch as Gods secret ones his elect before their effectuall calling to the state of grace are in all kindâ— and degrees naturally as wicked and corrupt as any of the serpents seed blind incredulous rebelious as those people of the Iewes were and seeing wheresoever the word comes to be preached there are ever some whom God will effectualâ—y saue by the ministry of it as might be proved if we had not exceeded the bounds of a digression or at least wise Gods word wherever preached returneth not in vaine but accomplisheth that which God will haue it and it shall prosper in the thing whereto he sends it Esa 55 11 cannot God then vse his owne meanes and wayes to call men to repentance and so fit his iâ—strâ—ments as whereby effectually to worke the grace of faith and repentance in their hearts but mâ—n must quarrell the wisdome of God herein and so pervert the externall dispensation of his will as either his written word must interfere vpon his secret 〈◊〉 or else downe must fall the whole eternall and immutable Counsell of God Which what is it else but to pull God out of heaven and as the heathen Oratour said More Gygantaâ— bellare cum Dijs Againe sith no man knowes who are of the elect who otherwise but that every one being alike by nature a sinner and so for ought we know may come to be saved by the word of faith preached cannot this word then be preached to all indifferently vnlesse all without exception be saved by it effectually Let vs hearken to this word and obey it The Elect who they be is one of Gods Secrets The Lord knowâ—th who are his and Let euery one that nameth the name of Christ depart frâ—m iniquity And as Moses saith The secret things belong vnto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong vnto vs and to our Children for ever that we may doe all the words of this Law Deut. 29.29 To conclude then it is not good to remoue the ancient baunds of Gods eternall truth least men pull the Curse vpon them it is a sound and safe rule first to let all positiue truthes in Scripture to stand vnmoveable in their full strength and if there be any other places either of â—xhortation or admonition or redargution or the like whereby God vsually worketh vpon mens affections these must not overthrow Gods fundamentall truthes laid downe positiuely and expresly in his word whereupon our judgements and faith must rest firme and fixed Neither let men too curiously pry into the Arke of Gods secrets as to know how many or who they are that shall be saved but as Christ answered to his inquisitiue Disciples moving a fruitlesse question Are there few that shall be saued Striue ye saith he â—o enter in at the strait gate Luk. 13.23 24. Meddle not we with others matters but labour we to be found in Christ and so to belieue and follow Gods word as we may come to find our selues in the number of Gods elect reioycing that our names are written in heaven as Christ checking Peter about Iohn said Follow thou me Ioh. 21.22 I haue beene the longer in noting the corrupt and rotten doctrines of these times now growne to such a height as they threaten to pull Christ out of his Chaire and to divest his true Disciples of the garment of faith and salvation to the end that the discovery of them though but briefe for the present may cause vs the more carefully to attend and put in practise Christs watch word and no lesse serious then seasonable admonition in this place And so much the more by how much the abounding of false doctrines in these our times even razing the foundation of Gods Grace may point vs as it were with the finger and induce vs to belieue that now already this sixth Viall is begun in a great measure to be poured out hastening on the next and so to stirre vp our dull sides to keepe the stricter watch And here also we are given to note by the way how the great battell is first begun to be fought after a spirituall manner by the armies and forces of false Prophets in this Viall never more plentifull powerfull and perillous then now and so much the more perillous by how much they cover their heresies with the guilefull pretences of the Reformed Religion as of the Church of England This spirituall warre of theirs is nothing els but a beating vp of the Drum and sounding the Alarme in the eares of the Kings of the earth to induce seduce them to a confederacy and part-taking with the Beast against the Lambe with Antichrist against Christ. But the Lambe shall certainly overcome them Magna est veritas et praevalet And againe because ever where false doctrines begin to venditate themselues specially such as strike at the very root of the Gospell Gods free grace and saving faith they draw after them a traine of all vices and daring sinnes at their heeleâ— as Simon Maguâ— did that huge troope of his Samaritan Disciples intoxicating the heart and affections with the Circean Cup of their selfe-seducings forgoing and forgetting all conscience and honesty to become great and high as if their ambition aimed at the very throne of the Beast himselfe therefore also Christ admonisheth his servants to keepe a diligent watch over their wayes and guird the garment of sobriety closse about them least it be torn from their back either with the malignant teeth and tongues of false Prophets and croking Froggs which with their Sardonian smiles would scoffe
vpon the Hill of Mageddon as here Har and Mageddon the Hill of Mageddon But now in such a variety of opinions where shall we pitch Surely we may safely take direction herein from the Royall Paraphrast who saith I condemne not others but rather allow them to interprete this booke diversly so being it agree with the analogy of faith with the method of the text et cum serie temporum for these three being observed it may fall out that diverse diversly expound one place and yet all be according to the truth and meaning of the spirit of God An excellent rule well beseeming that Pacifique Prince to reconcile diversity of opinions so they bound themselues to the analogy and confines of faith So that in all these differences of derivations of this word Harmageddon finding none of them to swerue from the Analogy of the text we may safely imbrace all Only two are most pregnant and may seeme to challenge the most certaine credit afore all the rest First that this great battell shall be vpon the Hill of Gods delight to wit his Church and especially there where the Gospell is most conspicuous and shineth most clearely against which the envy of the Antichristian army shall advance the Standard Paralell hereunto is that battell of Gog and Magog chapter 20 the secret and open enemies of Gods Church wherein they shall compasse the tents of the Saints about and the holy City even the Church of Christ. And we haue a notable type hereof in the Prophecy of Daniell where the great Antiochus a liuely type of Antichrist is said in that his fatall battaile to his owne confusion to pitch the Tents of his Pallace between the Seas in the glorious holy Mountaine This may prefigure Antichrists assaulting the people of God in Armageddon to wit the glorious holy Mountaine the Church And doth not the glorious Church in England stand betweene the Seas The second is that of the royall Paraphrast though no way second but rather may challenge precedency before all the rest for the singular allusion of it Destruction by deceit Which doth highly make for the honour of that Lord of Hosts who by his wisdome and power shall wind and turne all the wiles and stratagems of the old Dragon and false Prophet all the power and puissance of the Beast to their owne destruction And for this cause it is said here He to wit God shall gather them together into a place called Harmageddon But this may seeme strange that God should lead this potent and proud army even to his owne Mountaine of Delights his Church No not strange Did not the Holy spirit lead Christ into the wildernesse to be temped of the Devill And hath not God power over all these plagues And was it not he that brought that daring Assyrian Host against the holy Citty in Ezechia's raigne as even that blasphemous Rabsache seemed to vaunt and all to daâ—nt poore Iuda Aâ—d was it not He that said to Barak I will draw out vnto thee to the River Kishâ—n Sisera c. Iudg. 4.7 Read also Ioel 3 where the Lord being about to deliver his people from the Babylonian bondage he saith ver 2. I will gather all Nations and will bring them downe into the valley of Iehoshaphat and will plead with them there for my people c. And ver 11. Thither cause thy mighty ones to come downe O Lord that is Gods enemies as ver 12. Read the whole chapter It is a notable type of this in the seventh Viall But what was the event of all How sped the Devill How sped Rabshache with his mighty Host How Sisera How I pray you should they speed when a more potent a more politicke Adversary even the Lord of Hosts takeâ— their conduct into his owne hand and puts his bridle into their nostrills Can an enemy though never so powerfull looke to prosper in any great attempt when his adversary hath a secret disposing hand to direct and sway all his designes which way himselfe pleaseth The King of Syria's Counsells and his words spoken in his bed chamber against Israel could they take place when both there was a faithfull Elisha to warne the King of Israell of them and a prudent King willing to be directed by his good counsell What shall become of Pharaoh and his huge host when as God hardeneth his heart making him foolhardy to pursue Israell and that even through the red Sea on whose dry channell when he first set his proud foot he might easily haue read his owne fatall wrack from those watery mountains on each side like swelling walls ready to burst so soone as once Gods people were safely arrived Iust so is it here He the Lord assembleth Antichrists forces into the place called Harmageddon And can they then looke for any better successe then such as Pharaoh and his Aegyptians found Surely no. Be confounded then with feare ô ye Antichristian adversaries of Christ and his Church Against whom doe you confederate and band your forces together â— Of vpon what presumption Hath not the Virgin the Daughter of Sion despised thee O enemy Hath not the daughter of Ierusalem shaken her head at thee Whom hast thou reproched and blasphemed And against whom hast thou exalted thy voice Is it not against the holy one of Israell Esa. 57.22 Is it not He that puts his hooke in thy nose leading thee to the place of thy perdition where thou notwithstanding in the beastly-wide throat of thy false confidence hast already swallowed downe the destruction of Gods people as at a morsell Oh that this might sinke into the hard skull of thy senslesse Beastly-head to be better advised and without feare oâ— witt to enter the lists where the Almighty takes vp the quarrell against thee But now it is hid from thine eyes Thou wilt needs try thy Triarian forces in one maine battell wherein thy Pontifician Omnipotency dare cope with divine Omnipotency if haply the triple-crowned Godhead on earth may dethrone the God of heaven as often he hath done the petty Gods on earth Nor can the time of this Vialls full accomplishment for the bringing of this maine battell to a head be farre off from the first pouring out The iniquity raigning in this Viall and the mad malice of the enemy and Gods fatherly care for his Church least it should be swallowed vp doe all conspire and concurre to hasten this great Day of God Almighty The time of this Viall comprehending those dangerous last dayes whereof Christ saith For the Elects sake those dayes shall be shortened Mat 24.22 And this seemeth to be spoken not so much in regard of outward pressures and persecutions of the Church as of intestine false doctrines very potent and prevalent in this Viall By which the Church of God being so mightily oppugned and assaulted not without good reason may the battell of the great day be said in the spirituall part to be already begun Begun say I