Priests and people threatning ruine not onely vnto them but also to the Temple Citie and Kingdome Lastly it was generally beleeued and spoken that he was at least a Prophet r Luke 9. 19. or one of the olde Prophets The ground of this errour is that paradoxe held also by the Pythagoreans of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or transmigration of the soule out of one body into another either reasonable or bruitish which it first happeneth to meet withall after it is departed as Poets fained the soule of Philip father to Alexander the Great entred into Bucephalus Alexanders horse whereby hee became so victorious in battell but how it crept into the Iewish Church is more doubtfull for it seemeth the Priests and Leuites held such opinions when they sent to require of Iohn Baptist to know what he was If hee Å¿ Acts 3. 22. 7. 37. were not Elias or the singular Prophet spoken of by t Deut. 18. 15 16. Moses and other Prophets or the Christ Iohn 1. 19 20 21 c. Which grosse Paradox is contrary to the Canon of the sacred Scriptures or orthodoxall Writers and common reason For euery soule u 1 Cor. 13. 38 as euery seed hath his proper body and being once departed from that body w 2 Sam. 12. 23 returneth no more except it bee by myracle into his owne much lesse into another body Elijah indeed prayed vnto God x 1 Kin. 17. 21 that the soule of the dead sonne of the widdow of Sarepta might returne into his body againe which was miraculously performed as were also the seuerall soules of y Acts 9. 40. Dorcas raised by Peter and z Act. 209 10. Eutychus by Paul the a Luke 7. 15. Iohn 11. 44. Math. 27. 52 53. Widdowes sonne at Naim and Lazarus and others raysed by Christ whose soules returned into their owne bodies by diuine miracle and no other transmigration for the soules of the righteous are in the handes of God and no torment shall touch them and it is noted in the Reuelation that the Soules of the Martyrs slaine for the testimonie of Iesus b Apoc. 6. 9. were in heauen vnder that Altar c Luke 16. 22. Angels caried the soule of Lazarus into heauen and cast the Gluttons into hell d Eccles 12. 7. The body shall returne vnto the earth whence it was taken and the Spirit to God that gaue it So beleeued the Protomartyr Saint Stephen when dying e Act. 7. 59. hee commended his soule into the hands of God yea f Luke 23. 46 Christ himselfe confirmed this Doctrine by his owne example as g Psal 31. 5. Dauid his true type and figure had also done else what a misery were it if good soules should enter into euill bodies as that phantasie dreameth they may doe and bee againe subiect to new torments in their bodies in this world and to damnation in the world to come and the same soule should bee holy and prophane reasonable and bruitish blessed and miserable which were an absurditie that can haue no coherence with Reason Scripture or any sort of learning But to passe ouer these dotages as vnworthy to be insisted vpon thus long let vs consider the purpose of our Sauiour in propounding this Question to his Apostles and Disciples for it could not bee that hee doubted or was ignorant of any thing concerning himselfe but well knowing the erronious conceits of the ignorant and variable multitude he draweth his owne followers into examination as well to drawe from them a true confession of that truth wherein he had instructed them as to correct the misconceiuings of the multitude which talked so vainely and variously of him and so descends from Quem dicunt to quem dicitis But whom doe yee say that I Verse 15. am As if he had said You that haue been taught of God and both seene and heard the word and works of God expresse your faith Whom doe yee say that I am To this question Peter one of the first and forwardest Disciples of Christ in the name of all the rest maketh a full and direct answere Verse 16. Then Simon answered and sayd Thou art the Christ the sonne of the liuing God Christ the annoynted of God which implieth all his Offices of King Priest and Prophet the Sonne not adopted by grace as all the faithfull are but begotten in vnspeakable manner by nature the Son of God the expresse character and image of God the Heire of God equall with the Father of eternitie the Sonne of the liuing God vnlike the heathen progeny which were the children of the dead Gods and off-spring of Idoles and imaginary fictions The summe is Our Sauiour Christ hauing first drawne from his Disciples a confession of the peoples fantasticall and erronious misconceits presseth them to lay downe what he had truely taught and they had learned of him what hee was which proceeded neither of ignorance to learne of them what opinions were held nor of ambitious humour as vaine men commonly doe to make enquiry after vulgar rumours either to glory in the peoples praises or to reuenge their calumniations but that hearing their opinions hee might instruct them aright or otherwise to draw from them a confession of the truth this for the context let vs now come to the obseruations Verse 13. He asked his Disciples saying Whom doe men say that I the Sonne of man am In that Christ doth inquire what the world thought and spake of him we may conclude that Doct. In some respects it is very lawfull and commendable to inquire what opinion the world hath of vs. There is I say a lawfull and lawdable vse to bee made of inquiring after mens reports of vs. Reas 1 That if they speake well and truly wee may bee thankfull to God that hath graced vs with a good name h Eccles 7. 3. which is more precious then the Apothecaries perfume sweet oyntment though we ought rather to striue i to deserue 1 Prou. 22. 1. well of others then to heare well of our selues Reas 2 or secondly if wee find our selues iustly taxed for our miscariages wee may endeuour rather to amend our selues then reuenge it vpon others that haue spoken truely of vs. Vse Indeed scandalous and vniust reports may be despised and it is good when wee are pursued with false clamours to take vp our harbour as Sea-men doe in a tempest resting in the calme hauen of integritie and a good conscience at least that Iudge will tell thee that there is cause of iust reproofe knowne vnto God and thy selfe that thou shouldest vndergoe such a chastisement as the raylings of the multitude and say as Dauid did of Shimei k 2 Sam. 16. 10 It may be the Lord hath stirred him vp to rayle and reproach thee Verse 14. And they said Some say John Baptist some Elias c. It is heere very obseruable â—hat the wrong opinions which
nobis indeed but Iack-an-apes to a man what should we multiply profes in so plaine a matter to proue them k Math 7. 15. wolues in sheepes cloathing making hauocke of the flocke hauing l Gal. 1. 8. another Gospel than Paul or Peter taught and therefore accursed other Mediators besides Christ and aboue to command him and so much derogating and abasing the dignitie and authority of Christ m 1. Tim. 2. 5. Heb. 12. 24. 7 25. Iohn 10. 7 8 our sole Mediator Intercessor and Sauiour that plainely pointeth and painteth them out to be Antichrists Note All this while we dispute of the works of the vssible Church wherein notwithstanding may be Wheate and Chaffe Sheepe and Goates true Professours and Hypocrites but the inuisible Church hath her inuisible markes as Gods prescience and election n 2. Tim 2. 19. the Lord knoweth who are his faith in the heart o Acts 16. 14. all such shall be saued whose hearts the Lord opened to beleeue the Gospel regeneration and renewing by the holy Ghost vnto sanctimony righteousnes loue sobrietie and all vertues p Rom. 6. 5 6 8. 2. to 15. fashioned to the image of Christ and God which was defaced by Adams transgression and our owne actuall rebellion making vs dead in trespasses and sinnes but q Colloss 2. 22. 2. 13. â— 9. 10. Gal. â— 24 Ephes 2. 1. 2. 5. 12 by Christ through faith are renewed made new men new creatures aliue vnto God adopted Children of God receiuing the Spirit of God as the pledge of our adoption and inheritance of these we cannot iudge truely because Hypocrites haue a maruailous resemblance to the children of God r Math. 7. 21 Luke 13. 25 26 they prophesie worke Miracles heare Gods word fast pray professe build Synagogues and performe many outward resplendent good workes so as Salomon could not by any outward thinge discerne the Reprobate from the Elect f Eccles 9. 2. 3. it apeareth saith hee that it commeth alike to all to him that sacrificeth as to him that sacrificeth not t Mich. 6 7. Hypocrites sacrificed thousands of Rams and streames of Oyle yea they offered the fruite of their bodies for the sinne of their soules and the Pharises u Luk 18. 11. c. can boast of many good workes when yet w Math 21. 31 penitent Publicans Harlots and sinners goe into Heauen before them Saint Paul as touching the Law liued x Phil 3 5 6 vnblameably when as yet he was no member but a y 1. Tim 1. 13 Persecutor of the visible Church till hee was called and conuerted by the voice of Christ z Rom 2. 17. 25 c. 1. Cor 10. 1 â— 5. and hee reasoneth strongly against them which boast themselues to bee the Church and people of God because they haue the outward tokens and Testimonies of the Church a Gal. 4 22 23. 28 20 37. 9. Abrahams seede are the children of Promise but in Isaack not the carnall progeny which persecute the Children borne of the spirit b Rom. 2. 25 26 c. outwardly Iewes but in truth are not their circumcision for want of faith becommeth vncircumcition and the eating of the Pasouer with leauened hearts did polute it and brought the wrath of God vpon them as c Acts 8. 13. 18 to 23. Simon Magus was acursed after he had receiued the outward Sacrament of baptisme and was full of the gall of bitternesse hypocrisie and all iniquitie d 1. Iohn 2. 19. many are in the Church which are not of the Church as e Mat. 13. 27. Tares and Wheat f Cap. 25. 32 33. Goates and Sheepe g Cap. 13. 48. 49. Fish good and bad are drawne together into a visible Church out of the Sea of this world but the good shall be preserued and the reffuse cast away and reiected foolish Virgins h Matt. 25. 2. 3. 10 11 12 c. haue no entaince though they pretend to waite for the Bridegroomes comming but are not religiously prepared as the wise with oyle in their lampes i Mat. 13. 30. when the good wheate is gathered into the garner the chaffe shall be burned with vnquenchable fire so our blessed Sauiour as well in sundry pregnant parables as declaratiue and plaine propositions k Mat. 3. 9. 12. Iohn 8. 39. Gala. 3. 7 16. Cap. 4. 22. 28. Rom. 4. 13 14 would driue vs from this vaine confidence which the Iewes had in boasting they were Abrahams seede and rested vpon the carnall ceremonies of the Law and the materiall Temple and Tabernacle all which the blessed proto-Martyre Saint Steuen largely answereth and confuteth l Act. 7. 2. 44 48 by an history call relation shewing vnto the Iewes that the Temple Law and Ceremonies must giue place to Christ Vse 2 Hauing then so sure a word of Prophesie as the Gospell and holy Scriptures to guide vs let vs which professe Christ neither stagger with Thomas m Ioh. 20. 25. we see and feele such visible and sensible signes n Gal. 3 3 and hauing begun in the spirit seeke to end in the flesh for it is too apparant and palpable that the Romish Religion and markes of their Church are altogether outward and carnall and wholy tende to delight and delude the senses and leaue the soule without any spirituall edification let vs therefore o Ioh. 1. 45. with Nathaniel seeke the Messiah and come to finde him by the guiding of Philip and the Apostles which inuite vs to come and see whom euen him of whom Moses and the Prophets did write Iesus of Nazareth and if hee make a question if any good come out of Nazareth or as the Pharises affirmed that p Ioh. 7. 41 42 out of Galile ariseth no Prophet yet the Scriptures expresse the contrary in both for q Mat. 2 23 Isay 9. 1 2 Luke 1. 26. he shall be called a Nazarite and not onely r Luke 4. 34. the Deuils acknowledge him a Nazarite but Pilate wrote the inscription of his crosse Å¿ Iohn 19. 19. Iesus of Nazareth the King of the Jewes to this Touchstone Christ himselfe directeth vs t Iohn 5. 35. search the Scriptures u Luk. 16. 29. Moses and the Prophets are left to keepe men out of Hell the place of torment and Peter sendeth vs w 2. Pet. 1. 19. to this sure word of prophesie and the beloued Apostle commendeth this assurance of saluation to the elect Lady x 2. Ioh. 9 10. to continue in the Doctrine of Christ without which they are without God that is are no Church at all nor members of Christ Vse 3 To draw then to a conclusion of these words I will build my Church these markes either of a Church or building wee require our aduersaries to shew in their Church which boast of faith and yet debarr the preaching and reading of the word of God
y Rom. 10. 14. 17. which is the foundation of faith when they bragge of their loue and good workes which are meerely Pharisaicall Hypocriticall and Heathenish yet they only z Mat. 5. 46 47. loue their louers and persecute the louers of Christ and his Gospell a Mat. 5 1 2 5. 7. and doe all their good workes and multiplie prayers to be seene of men and doe not Pharises Heathens and Publicans the same let Faith bee the Anchor and loue the Cable with which the Shipe and Arke of the Church is stayed in stormes and tempests that being tossed it cannot sinke b Mat. 7. 25. though the windes blow it cannot fall the charity of the Romish Church is contrarie to that charity which the Apostle requireth and hath taught c Acts 20 35. that it is more blessed to giue then to receiue but they haue all their blessednesse and happy estate in the rich donations of Constantine Charlemaine and other liberall Donors and builders of their Monistaries Cloysters Hermitages and dennes of Droanes where the bread of labourers is bestowed vpon loiterers which to feede their owne bellies starue the soules of Gods people and will keepe Peters Keyes so charily as none shall come to heauen without gifts no poore puling soules can come out of Purgatory nor penitent sinners obtaine pardons without pence Peters pence powling pence the dead must pay them tribute for their Dirges no Masse without money no penney no pater-noster thus they robbe the widdowes and fatherlesse vnder pretence of their many and long prayers and perhaps it may be that out of these robberies their charity ariseth to giue some what to the poore which is to sacrifice the sonne before the fathers face nay such is their charity they draw Children from their Parents to bee nouices in their Nunneries and Cloysters and there to liue idlely if not wantonly and wickedly as late experience hath brought to light their deedes of darknesse and their best deuotions are but supersticions in numbering their prayers to God to demerite his mercy and fauor thereby whereas hee reiecteth them and accounteth them ignorant seruices of the tongue and labour of the lippes but no prayers to him d 1 Cor 14. 9 14 15 where neither the affections are powred out nor the vnderstanding edified which he specially requireth and preferreth before e Mat 6 7 their vaine bablings in a strange Language and Lyturgie and dasheth them all out of his liking and acceptance with that of the Prophet Isaiah f Isa 1. 11 12 15. quis requisiuit haec who hath required these thinges at your hands no Prince or reasonable man will haue orders introduced or practised in his house which himselfe hath not prescribed or alowed much lesse will the wisedome of God permit in his house such foolish seruices as the brainsicke inuention of men hatcheth and bringeth forth In a word Christ here calleth it his Church not Peters but the Romish Antichrist will haue it Peters Shippe Peters Church built to Peter not by Peter by Apostolicall Docttrine but Apostaticall doting and House of Merchandise to sell Pardons not as Peter did g Acts 2. 37 38 proclaime pardons to them that were first penitent and pricked in their hearts with the consideration of their horrible sinnes and exhorted by him to returne vnto God in amendment of their liues when they enquired of him how they might bee saued h Acts 20. 28. it is Christs Church i Matt. 21. 12. 13. Gods house k Acts 2 18 Gods people l Iohn 10. 4. 5. 14. 17. Christes flocke to heare his voice and not strangers nor strange Languages nor strange Doctrines which neither Christ m 1 Pet 5 3. nor Peter euer taught or alowed of how vnlike is Peters Church at Ierusalem and Antioch to Peters Church at Rome there hee shewed his loue to his Master in edifying his Church n Ioh. 21 15. 16 17. feeding his Lambs feeding his Sheepe as he was required but in Peters Church at Rome there is fleecing of the Sheepe feeding on the Lambes and slaughtering the true Sheepheards to vphold an Idoll Sheepheard o 1. Cor 6. 20. 1 Cor. 7 23 Christ bought his flocke with a price p 1. Pet. 1. 19. Acts 20. 28. euen with the precious price of his owne blood heere the Lambes Sheepe and Sheepheards are all sold for a price Omnia vaenalia Romae all sins at offer and proffer no questioning of their repentance but of their reputations not a word of the greatnesse and multitude of their sinnes but of the heauinesse of their purses and price of their absolutions no promises of euerlasting life nor threatnings of eternall death but Indulgences for years of pardons Leases but no releases of sinnes some paultery penances perhaps are inioyned in carnall ordinances and ceremonies abstayning from some meates obseruing some Feastiuals seruing some Saints or pattering of sencelesse and stinted prayers and though the Apostles teach that q 1 Tim 4. 8. bodily exercise profiteth little and r 1 Cor. 8. 8 meates neither commend vs better nor make vs worse to God in their kind but in their moderation or excesse that godlinesse is great gaine hath the promises of this life and that which is to come yet it is farre otherwise taught and practised in Peters pretended Synagogue at Rome neither can the wilfull ignorant sheepe be excused nor exempted from Gods iust vengeance t Luke 19. 14. 27. which wil not haue Christ but Antichrist to raigne ouer them and therefore haue iustly u 1 Thes 2. 10 11. strong delusions to be led and kept in errour which will not receiue the loue of the Truth as the Apostle prophesied euidently of the daies of Antichrist and we haue in all partes seene the accomplishment thereof in our dayes but let vs now proceede to shew how to this prayse of Peters profession Christ addeth a promise of the stabillity of the Church that the gates of Hell shall not bee able to preuaile against it The gates of Hell shall not ouercome it This saying is vnderstood of the Spirituall and not the Temporall Kingdome of Christ for hee doth not make any promise that the worldly Potentates should not preuaile against the visible Church which both the Assyrians Caldeans and Romans often did and the barbarous Hunnes and French-men against Rome it selfe but the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against the true Church and beleeuers in Christ no doubt the gates of Hell haue mightily preuayled against that Synagogue of Satan whose Bishops haue gotten the Popedome and lost their faith by the Stratagems of the Diuel Nay w Luk 22. 31. 32. Satan had sifted Peter himselfe after this promise and if he had not stood firme by faith through Christs prayer he was in danger of a downefall and Ship-wracke of saluation This is also a metaphoricall phrase for Hell and Heauen haue no materiall gates
vnto Ieremie k Iâ—re 11. 21. 18. 1â— 44. 16 17. The word which thou hast spoken to vs in the name of the Lord we will not heare it of thee but wee will doe whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne Incense to the Queene of heauen c. And yet these desperate Rebells against God in maintaining their Idolatries were neuer so impudent as the Papists to blot out the second Commaundement of the morall Law of God for that it left them without all excuse and could not be auoided by any glossographical Interpretations Rome had some soundnesse of Religion in the dayes of the Christian Emperours till the Imperiall Popes confounded all things Constantine the Great caused the Bible to be written out and sent it to all Kingdomes Prouinces and Cities within his Dominions as the great Apostata Iulian from whom the Papistes haue drawen this ther paradox obiected it as a great fault that their women were so expert in holy Scriptures Vse 3 Euery man or woman that hath a Legacy bequeathed vnto them in Gods Will and Testament will and ought to be carefull to reade in that Booke and to inquire out what portion it is that the Lord hath bequeathed vnto them and it is our chiefe happinesse that wee haue a written Will of God and that therefore wee goe not about to suppresse it and introduce a nuncupatiue will of vnwritten Traditions as the false Catholickes endeuour to doe who by their owne Traditions striue to make the Commaundement of God of none effect It was a great blessing which the Lord promised by the Prophet l Isai 55. 1 2. 3. That they should drinke of these pure waters freely and plentifully as also it was the threatening of a grieuous curse m Amos 8. 11 12. That hee would send a famine not of bread but of his Word and how heauie hath the wrath of God appeared in powring these forewarned Iudgments vpon the famous Churches of Asia and Greece n Apoc. 2. 5. in remoouing the Candlesticke of his Word and suffering a barbarous Mahometan Tyrant to trample them vnder his filthy feet and so the Church of o Ierem. 7. 4. Rom. 11. 21. the Iewes as well as of the Gentiles hath lost her light p 1 Cor. 10. 12. And let vs that thinke wee stand take heed lest we fall There are two remarkeable sinnes mentioned in sacred Writ which are noted to bee euer the forerunners of the forementioned iudgement namely First the barrennesse and emptinesse of good workes Secondly contempt of Gods Word and Ministers Concerning the first it is notably expressed of old as well in the parable of Isaiah as of Christ himselfe q Isai 5. 2 to 6. serem 2. 21. Mark 12. 2. to 10. Math. 21 33. to 42. Luke 20 9. to 17. of the Vineyard let out to Husbandmen which not rendring the due rent and fruits to the Lord and Owner were threatned as in short time after it came to passe both in the old Church and Temple in Jerusalem destroyed by the Assyrians and Chaldeans as lastly by the Romanes for the Lord of the vineyard the God of Israel had planted fenced and dressed it with all diligence and sent Messengers to require the fruites but it brought foorth either no fruite or naughtie fruite no wine but wilde grapes and therefore was worthily r Math. 21. 19 20. cursed for both barrennesse and badnesse Secondly the wickednesse of the Iewes was yet worse and more resembled our Romish Vineyard in killing Gods Messengers which were sent vnto them and will not haue Christ but Antichrist to raigne ouer them And this we may obserue by the way that as Christ would honour the Ministery of the Apostles by committing these Keyes of knowledge and authoritie vnto them so the Antichristian rabble contrarily cast all contempt as well on the Gospel it selfe debarring Gods people of that Key of knowledge as also persecuting the Preachers of the Gospell with all contempt And this is the occasion that Almighty God often taketh away the other Key vse of the Word for the contempt thereof and as Å¿ 1 Sam. 3. 1. Visions and diuine Reuelations were rare and the Word of God precious because it was rare in the dayes of Eli so t Numb 11. 6 men loathed Manna when it was plentifull as wee doe the Gospell complaining that wee haue too much of our Fathers blessing as if the honour of the Ministery consisted in putting downe the exercise of it for which cause the Lord threatned by the Prophet Amos u Amos 8. 11 to send a famine of his Word and this is to vs a good and necessary caueat now in the time of our plentifull haruest when the Lord hath sent such store of Labourers into his Vineyard that we bee not like the Papists who keepe no mediocritie in the due estimation of their Ministers as the Apostle w 1 Cor. 4. 1 2 requireth but either they aduaunce them too high and make them Lords ouer their faith or else cast all contempt vpon them if they preuaricate neuer so little their Traditions x Math. 15. 6. which they extoll and preferre before the precepts of the Gospell and Commaundements of God And so much may suffice to bee declared concerning the Donation of the Keyes the Application of them followeth in the last part of the verse And whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shall bee bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen Doct. Obserue the admirable Sympathy and the Cooperation of God with the Ministers Office man preacheth and God blesseth and establisheth his Doctrine whether hee preach Iudgement or Mercie Now for the more euident demonstration of this truth wee affirme y Ezek. 33. 7 8 9 c. that if the Minister of God see and perceiue a peruerse and obstinate sinner to walke and goe on in his wicked waies and thereupon denounceth against him Gods iust Iudgements out of his holy Word if hee yet persist impenitent the Minister may lawfully pronounce condemnation against him and he thereby so bindeth him that God in heauen ratifieth the curse which is contained and pronounced out of his Word but if such a sinner shalâ— feare and tremble and hearken vnto the Word of God and repenting himselfe confesse his sinnes to God and make it also so appeare vnto Gods Minister he may then from God pronounce vnto him remission and absolution of his sinnes which are most surely forgiuen of God in heauen and the Minister is said z Iam. 5. 19 20 to haue saued his soule which went astray though his saluation be of God alone Thus the Prophet a 2 Sam. 12. 5 11. Nathan brought Dauid to confesse himselfe the childe of death hauing continued aboue two yeares in his sinne vnrepented of but as soone as hee had drawne him to the knowledge and acknowledgement of his offence