works which would deceive us If we have pleasure in drawing night to God if his word and ordinances be more to us than our appointed food our Heavenly Father will not instead of it give us a stone of Popish austerities and bodily service and unintelligible ordinances much less will he give us the Scorpions of their idolatrous worship If we earnestly pursue the lively hope of heaven and assurance of Gods favour we shall never receive the tormenting delusion of Purgatory And if they that bring the glad tidings of the Gospel are most welcome to us God will never suffer us to be deluded into a slavish subjection to and fears of the Popes Bulls and an idolatrous Mass-Priest Therefore the Apostle concludes this discourse v. 15. Therefore brethren stand fast and hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle And this would be a ground to expect what he prays for in their behalf v. 16 17. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God even our Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace Comfort your hearts and stablish you in every good word and work FINIS A SERMON Preached November 5. 1678. Rev. 18.4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues IN the former Chapter we have a description of Mystical Babylon and a prediction of her ruin in this Chapter her fall is more at large declared 1. from the certainty of it v. 1 2 3. a mighty Angel proclaiming that Babylon is fallen is fallen as if it were done already and another seconding him with the Type of a Milstone thrown into the Sea to shew that Babylon should never rise more v. 21 22 23. 2. From the reason of it because both the Kings of the Earth had committed fornication with her and where deluded by her v. 4. Thirdly from a command to Gods people to forsake her lest they should be consumed with her v. 4 5. Fourthly From a command to the executioners of Gods vengeance to be very severe in it v. 6 7 8. Fifthly from a description of the Lamentation of her friends for her fall v. 9 19. Sixthly From a call to the Saints in heaven and earth to rejoyce in Gods vengeance upon her v. 20. which is further exemplified ch 19. throughout The Text is a Command to Gods people to come out of Babylon lest they partake with her in her fins and so receive of her Plagues Three things shall be here considered 1. The person commanding 2. The matter of the command Come out c. 3. The place from whence Babylon 1. The person commanding is our Lord Jesus Christ it was another voice distinct from the Angels v. 2. this voice was from heaven the Angels was on earth and this person calls the godly his people Come out of her my people which no creature mioght do 2. The command is to come out of Babylon the same words which were spoken to the Jews Jer. 51. v. 6 45. withdraw and Weparate your selves from her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at all times as to communion to withdraw from their worship and service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 least you communicate in her sins which they must needs do that joyn in her worship and whenever there is opportunity separate your selves from the place and persons this the other part of the reason shows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ye receive not of her Plagues which are to be the sword fire and such like wasting judgement ch 17.16 of which they must have their share that dwell in Babylon when these things fall upon them and this was the meaning of the same command to the Jews viz. that whilst they lived in Babylon 70. years they should keep themselves from her ldolatries and that they should willingly depart from her and return home when God should open a door to them by Cyrus as he had promised 3. The place out of her viz. Babylon whose fall is foretold v. 2. What this place is the former chapter declares past doubt to them that are willing to receive the truth That it is a certain place and not the whole company of the wicked as the Rhemists would perswade us is manifest In locum It is described as a woman a great Whore v. 1 -4 under which figures Cities use to be signified as Jerusalem and Samaria Ezech. 23.1.4 and she hath a particular name written in her forehead v. 5. Mystery Babylon the great She is also called the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth which points out some place which should be principal and ringleader in corruptions and persecutions v. 5 6. That this place is the City of Rome and not Constantinople Jerusalem or any other City is also evident because she is said to be seated upon seven Mountains and to have had seven sorts of government five past one present and another to come v. 9 10 11. which agree to no City but Rome and v. 18. it is added that The woman is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the earth viz. in St. Johns time which was none but Rome Moreover that this was not Heathen Rome but Rome Christian declining both in Doctrine and worship appears in that she is taxed with Whoredome and drawing all the world to whoredome and fornication by her power and example by which the Scripture doth not express the Idolatry of Heathens but the Apostasie of the Church to Idols whereby she breaketh her Covenant with God her first husband She is also called Mystical Babylon Babylon for Tyranny and Idolatry both of which old Babylon was mother to in the declining world after the flood and Mystical because not the same place nor did she openly bring in Idols but under pretence of honouring Christ and his Saints The Idolatry of Heathen Rome was no Mystery This woman also allureth the world to drink of the wine of her fornications and those that were backward she compelled till she was drunk with the blood of Saints and Martyrs insomuch that the inhabitants of the earth generally wondred after the beast v. 4 8 but Heathen Rome was so far from imposing her religion on other Nations though she punisht the Christians for departing from her religion that she left all Nations to their own way of worship when she had conquered them even the Jews who were most different from all the rest yea it was her custom to receive the worship and Gods of the conquered Nations among her own solemnities that so they might not provoke any Gods against them and thus Tertullian saith Tiberius would have had our Saviour received into the number of the Roman gods the Senate refused it because they said he would be God alone and endure no companions with him which further confirmeth that it was Rome Christian and not
reaches The Host hath its Temples its Holydays and all divine honours given to it also the power of healing diseases casting out Devils and working all manner of miracles ascribed to it The Virgin Mary hath more temples offerings and prayers made to her than either the Father or the Son Her name is most sacred in oaths and a greater offence it is to speak any thing derogatory to her honour Vid. spec Europ Sands Jure matris impera redempotri than to blaspheme the name of God In her they put their trust and to her they ascribe authority over Jesus Christ himself It is true in words the Schoolmen distinguish the worship of the Virgin which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from fo the worship of God yet they confess a higher worship is due to her than to any creature and when we can make a medium betwixt the creator and creature then may we assign a worship which is not divine and yet superiour to the civil respect due to creatures But the same learned author observes that whosoever travelleth in Italy will see in their practice no such distinctions but that more honour and worship is given to the Virgin than to God himself It is known to all that Papists are more zealous for the worship of the Host and Virgin whom they call their Lady than for the honour of God and make the worship of them a greater cognizance of their religion than any part of the religion of Christ 2. The Churchof Christ acknowledgeth and trusteth in one only Mediator the Lord Jesus Christ None can reconcile sinners to God nor intercede with God for them but he that is equal with God God himself no creature can approach so near the infinite Majesty or have any much less such authority with him therefore the divine honour that is given to Christ the Mediator doth not derogate from the honour of God nor is any robbery of him because Christ is one with himself 1 Cor. 8.6 There is but one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him But the Papists do own trust in and pray to many Mediators besides Jesus Christ even all the Angels in heaven who are therefore to be honoured and worshipped as inferiour Magistrates under a King and Courtiers under their Lord Catech. Rom. in 1. praec Q 4. Nostras preces deo offerunt Lachrymas They present our prayers and tears to God Also the Saints in heaven who they say being prayed to will obtain for us the remission of our sins and the favour of God Si enim gaudium est in Coelo super uno peccatore poenitentiam agente Ibid. Q. 5. nonne etiam coelestes cives poenitentes adjuvabunt Nonne rogati peccatorum veniam impetrabunt conciliabunt dei gratiam The invocation and worship of Saints as both lawful and necessary is avouched and decreed by the Council of Trent Ses 25. Decr. 2. Nor will their evasion excuse them that they make Saints and Angels only mediators of intercession to pray to God for us but not of redemption to reconcile us to God intercession depends upon redemption and satisfaction and is as proper a part of the priesthood of Christ as the sacrificeof himself was even Christs intercession would not have been prevalent unless he did thereby present his blood and merits to the Fathers and as the Saints couldnot intercede for us unless they had merited for us so the Church of Rome doth ascribe such merits to them viz. to their works of supererogation whereby they have done more than God required which merits they say are kept in the treasury of the Church to be applied to sinners as the Pope feeth fit and especially to their Martyrdom though they die for rebellion to their lawful Princes according to that known prayer Per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit Vid. Tho. Becket of Cant. Grant that we may come to Heaven through the blood of Saint Thomas which he shed for thee It is the merits and prayers of Saints that must relieve the souls in Purgatory Concil Trid. ses 25. decr 1. ibid. dec 22 23. ch 1. yea every Mass-priest they say celebrating Mass doth offer up Christ to the Father as real and proper a sacrifice as he offered himself on the Cross and hereby makes reconciliation both for the living and dead viz. that are in Purgatory If then Christ was a compleat Priest merited and satisfied for us in sacrificing himself then every Popish Priest doth merit and satisfy for us when he offereth the same sacrifice as Christ did to the same intent and purpose 3. The Church of Christ is to worship him with spiritual rational worship Christians are to give themselves to God as a living and the only acceptable sacrifice which is their reasonable service Rom. 12.1 and to worship Godin spirit and truth in opposition both to the superstition of the Heathen and the ceremonies and bodily worship of the Jews in any place convenient for that purpose John 4.22 23 24. The outward worship of Christians consisteth in prayer and praises with understanding sometimes adjoyning fasting for the furtherance of repentance and mortification in hearing Gods word and the reverent use of his sacraments which Christ hath appointed which though they are outward and visible signs yet they are but few plain and familiar and the efficacy of them dependeth upon the rational and spiritual consideration of the things signified But the Papists have changed the whole worship of God into a pompous carnal dead service They have taken away the Scriptures from the people and give them dumb images in stead of them Con. Trid. Ses 25. Dec. 3. Cat. Rom. in 1. praecep Q. 14. to teach them and to excite their devotion Instead of preaching the word most of their preaching is to set out the praises and lying miracles of their Saints Their prayers both publick and private are in a tongue unknown to the people and very often to the Priest also who only reads by roat and hereby prayer is made but a bodily exercise When the Jesuites had published an English prayer book for our English Papists the Pope called it in and prohibited the use of it There Lords supper they have changed to a sacrifice which the Priest offereth with many mystical but ridiulous ceremonies and gestures which they say obtains the pardon of sin and the grace of God for the people for whom it is offered though they understand not what is saidor done yea though they be absent following their worldly business or their lust at the same time They darkne the nature meaning of baptism by conjuring the water putting milk and honey into the mouth spittle into the ears and on the tongues anointing the head using salt many such things which being all in Latin not understood by the people are more like magical
Church and all Bishops Priests c. receive their power from him So that all are but his Deputies his servants the disposal of all Bishopricks and benefices if he please throughout the world belongs to him The power of Excommunication and absolution of making and altering all Ecclesiastical laws and injunctions resides in him and to him all appeals must be made 3. The Pope challengeth power over the Devils They have their book of exorcismes the office of exorcists their many mysteries certain prayers forms of words Holy water consecrated circles c. by which they pretend to cast out to raise to lay and bind the Devil as they please 4. They pretend also that the Holy Angels and glorified Saints are at their Command Pope Clement 6. the first author of their Jubilees in his Bull wherein he promised great priviledges to all that would come to Rome adds this viz. that if any of these holy Pilgrims should chance to die by the way in their journey he commandeth the holy Angels immediately to transport their souls to heaven The Keys of heaven are one of the Ensigns of the Popes dignity he can unsaint those that are gone to heaven he can release out of Purgatory as soon or detain there as long as he pleaseth Yea Pope Gregory the 1. they say by his prayers brought the soul of Trajanus the Emperour out of Hell 500. Years after he was dead They interpret the 8. Psalm v. 4. c. of the Pope viz. he is that son of man that is crowned with glory and dignity that hath dominion over all the works of God that hath all things put under his feet all Sheep and Oxen i. e. all Christians all the Beasts of the field i. e. all the Infidels the Fowls of heaven i e. the Angels and Saints above and the fish of the Sea i. e. the souls in Purgatory 5. The Pope exalteth himself above Christ he challengeth the sole government of the Church on earth to belong to him to make and abrogate Laws and to guide it infallibly so that Christ now hath nothing to do with the Church militant he can and daily doth interpret and dispense with the Laws of Christ and hath authority above his word When the Pope goes out of Town the host his breaden God is carried on Horse-back amongst his Sumpters and other furnitures a day before-hand as one of his utensils and in the Church the Pope sitteth above the Altar and above the Host and giveth it but a small nod as he passeth by when the people give ten times more reverence to him than they do to the Host even according to their own ceremonies 6. He exalteth himself above God He taketh more care to have his own Laws observed than Gods commands and punisheth the violation of them more severely than sins against God To speak against the Pope the virgin Mary or any of their Saints to work on their Holy-days to eat flesh on a fast-day especially in Lent are greater offences and harder to be forgiven than any sins against God Yea it is the design of the Papacy to exalt themselves whatever comes of the honour of God A man may be of any religion or no religion may live as he please so he own the Popes power and hold the Communion of that Church and this is all their unity they so much brag of Papa potest omnia quae Deus potest say their Canonists The Pope can do all that God can do yea and more as they add potest facere justum ex injusto he can make evil good vice to be vertue yea every Popish Priest they say can make his God and maker out of a piece of bread A Frier in a Sermon before the Spanish Governour at Milan magnifying the Priests power said a Priest could do more than God For God could only make creatures but every Priest could make the infinite God the maker of all which God could not do and yet saith the Authour this passed without controul The Apostle amplifieth this pride in the next words he exalteth himself so as he sitteth as God in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God i. e. he ruleth in the Church of God and challengeth honour from the Church as if he were God The Papists would hence infer that Antichrist or this man of sin shall be a Leader of the Jews sitting and being worshipped in their Temple at Jerusalem to be rebuilt by him but that Temple shall never be rebuilt when the Jews attempted it in Julians time they were hindred by fire breaking out of the earth and descending from heaven and the Jews themselves shall all be converted to Christ The Temple of God here is his Church in which the Man of sin must sit who must therefore be an apostate Christian only not the Turk neither alone as some Papists would have it nor in conjunction with the Poipe as some Protestants think Piscator in Loc. he never was a Christian nor sitteth in the Church nor endeavoureth to alter or corrupt the worship of it nor assumeth divine prerogatives to himself nor was known to the world for many ages after this was written neither his religion name or Nation whereas this mystery of iniquity was working in the Apostles days and by him discovered and pointed at to the Church But that the Pope doth sit in the Church as if he were God is manifest It is not amiss to observe the word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he sitteth in the Temple of God is the term the Popes use Kings are said to reign Popes to sit so many years and Rome it self is Sedes Apostolica the Apostolical See or Seat 1. The Pope challengeth an absolute universal power over the whole world When John the Bishop of Constantinople usurped the title of universal Bishop Pope Gregory the 1. called him the King of pride the forerunner of Antichrist yet he challenged that title only over the Church and meant it only of a primacy of order to be the first and chief Bishop but Boniface the 3. ten years after obtained to be head and universal Bishop and his successours have ever since used it exercising an absolute jurisdiction both in Civil and Ecclesiastical matters The Pope challengeth the disposal of all Kingdoms if there be any question about succession or any controversie among Princes he interposeth and pretendeth to decide all as having the absolute power of disposing and ordering all things and in the Church the sole authority belongs to him of binding and loosing of appointing Bishops and Ministers and degrading them of conferring all imployments receiving all appeals not only in reserved cases but in all ordinary cases when he pleases or the parties please to remove the case to Rome This is a power beyond a mortal man a charge that no creature can perform to inspect and order the affairs of the whole world both of this life and that which is to come 2. He