Selected quad for the lemma: mercy_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
mercy_n	life_n	lord_n	sin_n	8,978	5	4.5107	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04540	A Christian plea conteyning three treatises. I. The first, touching the Anabaptists, & others mainteyning some like errours with them. II. The second, touching such Christians, as now are here, commonly called Remonstrants or Arminians. III. The third, touching the Reformed Churches, with vvhom my self agree in the faith of the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ. Made by Francis Iohnson, pastour of the auncient English Church, now sojourning at Amsterdam in the Low Countreyes.	Johnson, Francis, 1562-1618.	1617 (1617)	STC 14661; ESTC S107828	395,581	331

and by Iehues historie who ” 2 King 10 28 29. destroyed Baal out of Israell and yet from the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat that caused Israell to sinne he departed not from after thē to wit the golden calues that were in Dan and Bethel Will they now therefore graunt that Israell vvas aliue and not dead in sinne till Achabs time that they offended in Baal and that the circumcision in Israell was Gods seale no deceitfull signe all the time betvveen Ieroboams reigne and Achabs notwithstanding Ieroboams apostasie and setting up of the calues at Dan and Bethell If they graunt this then their assertion is overthrowne If they deny it vvhat then will they say to their ovvne allegation and exposition of this Scripture that when Israell offended in Baal they became dead in sinne seing Baals idolatrie vvas brought into Israell by Ahab a good many yeeres after Ieroboams setting up of the calues as I shevved here before Fourthly the Scripture sheweth that in Eliahs time there were “ ● King 19 18. seuen thousand in Israell who bowed not the knee unto Baal What now shall we say to these Were they not circumcised Or had they not the circumcision that was then in Israell Or was it not unto them the Lords seale of forgiuenes of sinne and eternall life but a false and deceitfull signe in their use and no better then the ordinances reteyned among the Heathen as here they speak of the circumcision then had in Israell Or vvas this Sacrament of the Lord being one and the same in it self a true signe seal unto these but a lying signe and deceitfull seale unto others Or doeth the trueth of Gods Sacraments depend on man not on the Lord himself Or shall the sinne of man make the trueth of God to be a lye Fiftly the Scripture also shevveth that * Ier. 7 2 9. Judah burnt incense unto Baal and walked after other Gods whom they knevv not and again that they ‡ Ire 19 3 4 5. forsook the Lord and built the high places of Baal to burne their sonnes with fire for burnt offrings unto Baal c. And moreover that vvhen all the tribes vvere together in the time of the judges then also “ Judg. 2 11 12 13. and 8 33. the children of Israell forsook the Lord and served Baal and Ashtaroth Will they now here againe inferre as they doe touching the tenne tribes that then circumcision and other ordinances of God novv had in Iudah and beforetime in the dayes of the Iudges could not be unto them the Lords signe and seale of forgiuenes of sinnes and of life eternall and therefore vvere in their use of them false and deceitfull as vvere also the ordinances reteyned among the Gentiles What shall we say to these things Where then vvas circumcision had that was the Lords signe and seale of forgiuenes of sinne unto his people if it was neyther in Israell nor in Iudah if it was a false and deceitfull signe in their use if the ordinances of God reteyned in Iudah Israell vvere no better then the ordinances reteyned among the Heathen Who is there fearing God that could indure such false and deceitful consequences vvhich doe but strengthen the Anabaptists in their errors and seduce others to like impietie If they vvould succour themselues by meanes of these clauses inserted unto them in their use of them c. I haue † Pag. 37 38. c. heretofore shevved how these will not help the matter being duely and rightly considered vvhich I shall not need here to repeat Onely remember still that though mans idolatrie or other sinnes may make Gods sacraments or other constitutions unprofitable unto himself yet they cannot make them to be lying deceitfull signes yea they cannot hinder but that in the Lords ordinance they are unto al therfore also unto them the Lords true signes and faithfull seales on his part of the forgiuenes of sinnes of eternall life If men by their owne unbelief and impietie make them unprofitable unto themselues shall therefore the infidelitie of man turne the trueth of God into a lye God forbid And obserue moreover that if the Sacraments were not stil the Lords signes and seales of remission of sinnes and life eternal vvofull would be the case of the most godly on the earth who sinne and transgresse dayly and vvo vvould it be in particular with such as are borne or liue in an idolatrous estate when they repent and turne again unto the Lord. For vvhat should they now doe to haue assurance by the Lords seale of the forgiuenes of their sinnes Should they be circumcised or baptized a new So in deed vvould the Anabaptists whom vve haue confuted before Or can a false and deceitfull signe be the Lords true seale of mercy unto them Or shal the same circumcision and baptisme which is to day a lying signe and a deceitfull seale unto men when they are in Idolatrie or other iniquitie become unto them to morrovv the Lords true signe and seale of grace and eternall life And if the same men sinne likevvise againe then it againe become false and execrable And if they repent againe then the same againe be the true and holy signe and seale of forgiuenes of sinnes and life eternall unto them And so change and alter from time to time to be the Lords signe to day and a lye to morrow to be the Lords seale the next day and execrable againe the day following and thus dayly to be turned from a lye to a trueth and from a trueth to a lye againe as fraile and sinfull man shall demeane and cary himself Which vvhat is it els but also to make mans repentance faith and obedience and not the Lords free grace promise fidelitie to be grounds and foundation of the Sacraments c. And so to bring people to Anabaptistry and Arminianisme in the end Sixtly it is not unknowne that the terme dying is diversly used in the Scriptures And many both Ievves and Christian writers doe otherwise understand it here then of being dead in sinne as by their writings upon this place may appeare Some vvhereof it will not be amisse to mention considering vvhat manner of conclusions are builded upon this Scripture as on the other aforesaid Jonathae f. Vzz. Chal. paraphr in Hos 13 1. David Kimhi Aben Ezra Sal. Jarchi And first of the Ievv Writers The Chaldee Paraphrase expounds it thus When heretofore some of Ephraim spake fear took hold on the people they had the dominion in Israell but after they turned to the worship of idols they are slaine Rabbi David Kimhi thus Ephraim lift up his head in Israell but after he sinned in Baal he dyed As if he should say He was wounded before his enemies as if he were dead because his hand his strength went away Aben Ezra thus He was accounted as dead and moreover because Abiah slew all his ormy Referring it

139 14 16. c. with Jam. 1 18. Joh. 1 11 13. and 3 3 8. and 10 28 29. 17 6. Tit. 3 3 7. 3. The case and dealing of our first parents Adam and Eue vvill make the point more cleare They before they fell had freedome of vvill and abilitie unto good But vvhen once they had transgressed al pronenes to evill vvas found in them but free will and povver unto good novv they had not Read and mark the historie vvel as it is described by Moses Gen. 3 7. c. They knew novv they vvere naked not onely in body but in soule also which vvas deprived of the righteousnes and holynes which formerly they had according to the image of God And vvhat doe they They sevve figge leaues together and make themselues aprons But this concerneth but the body What care vvas there now of the soules nakednes They neyther seek to God no nor when God of his mercy commeth dealeth vvith them doe they sincerely acknovvledge their sinne and aske mercie of the Lord but they put it off from themselues and colour and cloak it what they can c. The Lord thus shewing in them unto all that all vvhich we doe or can doe novv of our selues since the fall is but to cloak and cover our sinnes as vvith figge leaues So farre are we from having freedome of vvil povver of our selues to take or haue them taken avvay unlesse God renew our hearts and vouchsafe his grace and mercie unto us in Christ And note vvithall that if any sinners had free-will or povver unto good since the fall it should haue ben our first parents vvho as all acknovvledge had it in their integritie vvhereas their posteritie † See here before pag 24. are borne in sinne according to their image Gen. 5 3. Psa 51 5. not according to the image of God vvherein they at first were created Gen. 1 26 27. 4. Christ also teacheth that no man can come unto him except the father dravv him and giue us unto him Ioh. 6 44 65. and 10 29. and 17 6. It is the Father vvho maketh us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light who hath delivered us from the power of darknes See also Act. 26.15 18. Esa 42 7. Zach. 9 11 Mat. 6 23 and Ioh. 1 5. translated us into the kingdome of his deare sonne Col. 1 12 13. Where vve may obserue further to this purpose that the word CLEROS used by the Apostle signifieth a lot or inheritance that commeth by lot Which also may teach us that this renevved estate is the Lords free gift and his gracious vvork and disposition and not ours as the very nature and use of a lot doth plainly manifest Lev. 16 8 9 10. Num. 34 13. vvith Ezec. 47 13 22. Josh 14 2. and 15 1. and 19 1. Prov. 16 33. Ionah 1 7. Act. 1.26 and 13 19. and 26.18 Psa 16.5.6 Ephes 1 11. vvith Col. 1 12. 5. Moreover saving faith is vvrought in us by the Lord euen by the working of his mightie power which he vvrought in Christ when he raised him up from the dead Ephes 1.17 19.20 Col. 2 12 13. Therefore it neither dependeth on the povver of our vvill nor vvhere God vvil work it can be overcome by the untovvardnes and corruption thereof but is the free gift and vvork of God effectually vvrought in vvhom it pleaseth him Ephes 2.8.9 Phil. 1.29 and 2.13 Joh. 1.11 13. 2 Thes 1.11.12 Ier. 31 18. 2 Cor. 4.6 2 Tim. 2.25.26 Heb. 12.2 compared with the Scriptures aforesaid 6. They also vvhich haue saving faith in Iesus Christ are made members of that mysticall body vvhereof Christ is the head Ephes 1.3 22.23 and 4.15.16 Col. 1.18.19 and 2.19 1 Cor. 12. c. Therefore as in the naturall body the disposition of the members in this or that place to this or that use is not of themselues but vvholly according to the vvill of God as it pleaseth him to dispose them 1 Cor. 12.18 so also in the mysticall body of Christ the placing of the members therein is not of our selues or at the vvill of men but vvholly according to the vvill good pleasure of God For which see the Scriptures before alledged and the treatise of Gods decree of election here spoken of before pag. 221. 7. We are by nature dead not half dead or partly dead in sinnes and trespasses Ephes 2.1.2.3.5.12.13 22. Col. 2.13 Ioh. 5.25 Therefore it is not of us or in the povver of our vvill to quicken or convert our selues spiritually as it is not in the vvill or povver of a dead man to quicken himself naturally or to raise up himself unto life againe The vvaters of the sea vvhereof Ezechiel speaketh called the dead sea vvhere Sodome and Gomorrha stood are healed not by any thing in or of themselues but onely by vertue of the living vvaters vvhich come into them out of the house of God Ezech. 47 1 8. c. Zach. 14.8.9 vvith Rev. 22.1.2 And vvhen Lazarus vvas dead he vvas raised up againe not at his ovvne vvill or by any povver in himself but onely of the grace and by the povver of our Lord Iesus Christ Ioh. 11.14 44. So likevvise it is not of our selues or in the povver of our ovvn vvill but of the grace and by the povver of God to quicken and raise us up unto life vvhen vve are dead in sinnes trespasses As vve are taught in the Scriptures aforesaid and other the like When I passed by thee saith the Lord to Israel and savv thee polluted or giving thy self to be troden under foot in thine owne blood I said unto thee when th●● wast in thy blood Liue yea I said unto thee when thou vvast in thy blood Liue. Ezec. 16 6. Where marke that he speaketh and repeateth it againe and again I said unto thee when thou vvast in thy blood Liue. The like againe may be observed in the dead bones vvhich were quickned by the Lord as Ezechiell likewise sheweth Ezech. 37.1 14. 8. The Scripture also and experience teacheth that vve are flesh and the verie thoughts and imaginations of the heart of man are onely evill continually euen from his youth Gen. 6 3 5. and 8 21. Psal 14 2. with Rom. ● 9 10 11 12 19 23. 1 Cor. 2 14. 2 Cor. 3 5. Mat. 6 23. John 3 6. Galat. 5 17 19 20 21. Iude v. 18 19. Our vvill is become the servant of sinne seeing we our selues are the servants of sinne and free from righteousnes the children of wrath and disobedience fulfilling the will of the flesh and of the mynd yea being in the snare of the Divell taken aliue captiue by him at his vvill Rom. 8 20 23. 3 10 11 12. Ioh. 1 13. and 8 34. Ephes 2 1 2 3. 2 Tim. 2 26. Tit. 3 3. Col. 1 21. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit Mat. 7 18. Iob. 14 4. Man is

dayes ver And after those dayes fulfilled vvhether it vvere a sonne or a daughte● she vvas to bring to the Priest a lambe a pigeon or tvvo turtle doue● for a burnt offring and a sinne offring ver 6 7 8. Which shadovves sign●fied both the corruption of nature from the vvombe our redemptio● by grace through the mercy of God in Christ If any object that Christ himself vvas circumcised vvho yet vvas vvithout sinne and that Mary the Mother of Christ conceiving by the ove● shadovving of the holy Ghost and so not defiled by his birth yet kept also the lavv of purification after childbirth vve are to obserue that the● vvere divers reasons of using these ceremonies of the lavv besides the ●●●nifications aforesaid and other the like As namely this also for one 〈◊〉 for obedience of the lavv of God vvho gaue them to his people And 〈◊〉 this respect both Christ himself * Gal. 4 4. being borne of a vvoman under the ●avv and his mother being her self an Israelite they vvere both of them ●ound to keep these lavves of God vvhich vvere giuen unto Israell and ●●uen also generally so as in the one there was no exception of any male child that vvas eight dayes old nor in the other of any vvoman that ●rought forth children Gen. 17 12. and Lev. 12 chap. And this very reason of the observation of the law of God therein is in some particulars expressed by the Euangelist himself Luk. 2 21 24. Besides that othervvise the like objection might be made touching Christs baptisme vvhich he also received not for that he vvas himself defiled vvith sinne and needed to be clensed therefrom but because he would thus fulfill all righteousnes as he did himself shevve to Iohn the Baptist vvhenas Iohn made exception thereabout considering his person and estate Matt. 3 13 14 15. 3. But to proceed vvith the point in hand David a Prophet and man of God expressely professeth of himself that he vvas brought forth in iniquity and that in sinne his mother conceived him Psal 51 5. Which is also the more to ●e mynded because in another Psalme he styleth himself the sonne of Gods handmaid being an Israelite borne of beleeving parents under the covenant of grace Psal 86 16. and yet so acknovvledgeth his naturall corruption as is aforesaid And the argument of the Psame doeth yet the more confirme it in that speaking there of actual sinnes and particularly of his adulterie vvith Bathsheba he noteth the fountaine thereof to haue ben the originall corruption that was in him defiling the vvhole man Psal 51 4. compared with the title of the Psalme and ver 1 2 c. Thus teaching us by his example alvvay to look not at our actuall sinnes alone but at our naturall corruption also as being the bitter fountaine originall thereof that so we may aright discerne and acknowledge how corrupt and sinful we are and be truly humbled in our selues and giue glorie to God in al his judging of us ver 3 4 5. Which els we doe not attaine unto aright as vve should Whereupon in the next verse after he calleth it wisdome to know this corruption of our nature and to acknovvledge it be truly humbled thereby and cast downe in our selues before God Psal 51 6. 4. And the Apostle Paul teacheth the same when he saith that al euen the Iewes as vvell as the Gentiles are by nature the children of wrath Eph. ● 3. He saith not by imitation as some would colour it for more confirmation of their error but by nature saith he are we al the children of wrath that we may know this is naturall and from the birth Whereupon again otherwhere he calleth our naturall corruption the old man and the law of sinne that is in our members and the sinne that dwelleth in us and so easily and rea●●ly besettes us about hanging fast upon us also the body of sinne the body of ●●ath c. Rom. 6 6. and 7 17 23 24. Hebr. 12 1. 5. And Christ himself also teacheth that that which is borne of the flesh is ●●sh Ioh. 3 6. And Iob saith Who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane Not one Iob 14 4. Eyther therefore they must say that children are not borne of the flesh nor that their parents by nature are uncleane or els they must grant children also to be flesh and uncleane by natural generation 6. Neyther els should Christ onely be exempt from sinne being conceived of the Virgin by the overshadowing of the holy Ghost Luk. 1 31.35 with Hebr. 4 15. and 7.26 For by their opinion all children should be borne without sinne as well as Christ And what priviledge then had Christ by his birth after that sort What then needed it in this behalf that Christ should be borne of a virgin conceived by the holy Ghost comming upon her the power of the most high overshadowing her And why are these things so specially noted and were so done concerning Christ to free him from sinne and to exempt him from all others if their opinion were true that children are not corrupted with originall sinne 7. How also then is it true which the Scripture so often teacheth that all haue sinned and come short of the glorie of God Rom. 3 23. that the Imagination of mans heart is evill from his youth Gen. 8 21. that vve are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues 2 Cor. 3 5. that we are dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephes 2 1. that we are insnared and taken captiue by the Divel at his vvil 2 Tim. 2 26. by nature vvalk in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mynd Ephes 2 3. whereupon moreover our corrupt inclinations affections and actions being fruits of our originall corruption are called the works of the flesh Gal. 5 17 19 20 21 24 26. our mouth lips tongues throat eyes hands feet and all our members are polluted vvith sinne and iniquity Psal 5 9. and 10 7. and 14 2 3. Esa 59 3 8. Rom. 3 10 18. And this taught by the Apostle to be the case both of Iewes and Gentiles that every mouth may be stopped all the world become guilty before God Rom. 3 9 19. 8. Finally how is it that children dye if they haue no sinne seeing death entred into the world by sinne and is the wages thereof Rom. 5 12 21. and 6 23. And when God brought in the flood upon the world of the ungodly and none vvere saved but eight persons shall vve think there were no children in the world or that the death which came upon them by the flood was no punishment of sinne Gen. 6 and 7 chap. with 2 Pet. 2 5. Likewise at the destruction of Sodome and Gomorrah vvhen God rayned fire and brimstone from heauen upon all in those cities Gen. 19 chap. And at the conspiracy of Corah Dathan and Abiram when

‘ Hos 8 1 2. Amo. 3 1. the house and familie of the Lord together with Iudah is so called Amos 3 1 2. with 2 4 6. Hos 8 1. and 9 15. Which terme also is attributed to the churches of the Christians the churches of God novv in the time of the Gospell 1 Tim. 3 15. 2 Tim. 2 20. Luk. 12 42. 14. And when a vision of judgment † Amo. T● 1 5. upon Israel was shevved to Amos the Prophet he prayeth for them as being now stil * So Danaeus Calvine and others expound and understand it the people church of God and under the covenant of the Lord vvhen he saith O Lord God forgiue I beseech thee by whom shall Iacob arise for he is small Amos 7 2. And againe vvhen another like vision was shewed him O Lord God cease I beseech thee by whom shall Iacob arise for he is small ver 5. Where the Prophet in his prayer to God for Israel useth tvvo reasons of waight implying so much First when he calleth this people Iacob not Edom Moab Ammon Ashur Cush or the like that were straungers from the promise covenant of God but purposely termeth them Iacob as being the children of Iacob of his seed and familie and therefore the chosen and adopted people of God vvhom he loved and took into covenant and to vvhom he promised and shewed mercy c. 2 King 13 23. vvith Mal. 1 2. Amos 8 7. vvith Psal 47 4 9. and 14.7 and 83 3 8. Ier. 2 4. Hos 12 2 12. c. Secondly vvhen he alledgeth that Jacob this people vvas small having ben sore afflicted almost vvorne out by enemies and other calamities as appeareth in the books of the Kings 1 King 16 and 2 King 8 12. and 13 22. and 14 26. and othervvhere in the historie so that although their sinnes deserved Gods chastisement in respect of themselues yet novv the Prophet vvas earnest vvith the Lord that he vvould remember Iacob this people of his in mercie and not utterly consume them but novv the more to pitty them and shevv them mercy vvhen they vvere become small brought so low And thus much is acknovvledged by these men themselues othervvhere Annot. o● Psal 14 7. where David saying When the Lord returneth the captivitie of his people ●aacob shal be glad Israel shal rejoice the note is thus vvord for vvord Iaacob Israel that is Gods people the posteritie of Jaacob vvho also vvas called Israell So Aaron is put for his posteritie the Aaronites 1 Chron. 12 27. and 27 12. and David for his children 1 Chron. 14 31. Jaacob is a name that noteth infirmitie c. But to returne to the prayer of Amos the Prophet the very same reasons that ●e useth here touching Israel are also used in prayer unto God concerning Iudah Psal 79 6 7 8. c. and in more generall termes touching all Israell joyntly long before in Moses time Psal 90 13. So as these prayers of Amos for Israell in defection are the more to be noted both for that they agree vvith the like prayers made othervvhere for Iudah vvhom these men themselues vvil acknovvledge to be the people and church of God notvvithstanding they also forsook the Lord and fell often into idolatrie and other great iniquities and because the Prophet thus prayeth for Israel againe and againe tvvise using and as it vvere urging these reasons to the Lord vvho both the times heard yeelded to these his requests concerning them Amos 7 2 6. vvith 1 1. and 2 King 14 26 27. 15. Yea vvhen aftervvard the Lord gaue Israell into the hands of the Assyrians for their sinnes yet he so regarded them as † Ier. 50.17.18 he punished the King of Assyria that devoured Israell like as he punished the king of Babylon that brake the bones of Judah vvhom likevvise for their sinnes the Lord gaue into the hands of the Babylonians And both to Israel Iudah he promised mercy forgiuenes of sinne to the remnant of both of them not of Iudah onely but of Israell also whom he vvould reserue Ier. 50 17 20. Eyther therefore let them deny Iudah then to haue ben the church people of God or let them also yeild it unto Israell seeing both fell into defection from the Lord and both vvere chastised by him and both their enemies punished and mercy promised to the reserved remnant of them both As the Prophets many times teach For vvhich together vvith the Scripture aforesaid see also 1 Chron. 9 1 2 3. Esa 17 3 6. Ier. 50 1 4. Hos 1 and 2 and 3 ch c. Micah 1 1. and 2 12. and 4 10. and 5 6 7 8. and 7 18 19 20. Nahum 1 1 9 11 12 13 15. and 2 1 2 3. and 3 18 19. Zach. 1 18 19. vvith 8 13. 16. Finally so long as Israell dvvelt in the land of Canaan vvhich vvas the Land of Promise and there enjoyed their ovvne policie civill ecclesiasticall among themselues though extreemely corrupted and adulterate so long also as the Lord was pleading with them by his Prophets calling them to repentance denouncing against them his judgments for their sinnes c. so long Ephraim the tenne tribes figuratiuely so called ceased not to be a people Esa 7 8. vvith Deu. 32 21.21 Rom. 20.19 and the children of Israell vvere novv beloved of the Lord though as touching themselues they were in apostasie and idolatrie Euen like as a womā vvho is beloved of her friend or husband though shee her self be an adulteresse As the Scripture plainely teacheth Esa 7.8 and Hos 3 1 4. with 1 2 9. and 2 1 2. c. and 9 3.12.15.17 Amos 3.1.2 with 1.1 2.4.6 11. and 7.2.5.15.17 and 8.1 5. Mic. 6.1.2 c. vvith 2 Kin. 9.6 and 13 23. and the other Scriptures here before alledged concerning their estate Many other testimonies and arguments might be alledged to this purpose out of the Prophets and historie of the Scriptures to shevv the errour and falsehood of the aforesaid assertions touching Israell c. But these for the present may suffice Novv to come to the Scriptures vvhich are here alledged by themselues more particularly although their abuse thereof may sufficiently appeare by that vvhich hath ben said yet for more clearing of the matter let us novv also insist upon those places vvhich to beare out the former assertions they haue here thus purpose●y and particularly joyned together themselues Touching 2 Chron. 15 3. The first place is 2 Chron. 15 3. vvhere † 2 Chron. 15 1.2 Azariah the Prophet meeting Asa King of Iudah and all Iudah and Benjamin with him as ” 2 Chr. 14 15. and 15.2 they returned to Ierusalem from the vvarre had vvith the Ethiopians said unto thē ” 2 Chro. 15 2 7. The Lord is vvith you vvhile ye be vvith him and if ye seek him he wil be found of you but if ye forsake him he will

grace mercy to the other so doe we also humbly beseech the Lord with mercy to behold and care for his church and whatsoever belongeth thereunto dayly to call and deliver out of Babylon his people al increasing his mercies and graces upon them to the edification of his church the salvation of all his people and the praise of the glorie of his grace for evermore Amen And thus much concerning M. Iunius his treatise of the church of Rome Where about I haue vvritten much more then at first I purposed considering on one hand how godly and learned he vvas and being now deceased can not ansvver for himself and on another hand hovv unworthily this Opposite hath dealt vvith him vvho if he could haue ansvvered him should haue done it soundly remembring stil with whom he did encounter if not he should haue layd his hand on his mouth kept himself silent and that vvould haue ben accounted unto him for wisedome 61. Together with M. Junius ‘ Advert pag. 113. was alledged also the testimonie of Amandus Polanus another godly and learned man vvho said that Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God 2 Thes 2 4. not Jewish or at Ierusalem but Christian that is in the Christian church Polan on Ezech. 39. pag. 733. M. Ains answereth He vvas mistaken Animadv p. 104. 105 The same that Bellarmine and other Papists ansvver the Protestants hereabout Bellarm. de Pontif. Rom. lib. 3 cap. 13. Rhem. Annot. on 2 Thes 2. sect 11. Behold vvhither M. Ains now is caried Polanus moreover for further confirmation of his assertion alledged Chrysostome Theophylact Ambrose Hilarie Jerome Theodoret Oecumenius Augustine and Thomas Aquinas also referring the Reader for their testimonies to his Catholick Symphonie chap. 24. Thes 3. And therevvithall vve adjoyned the testimonie of Keckerman a good writer also of this age who speaking of the popish church saith It is not a pure church but very corrupt like as a rotten apple is in deed an apple but corrupt and as a man infected with the plague is a man but not a sound man Keckerm Praepar ad sacram synaxin pag 83. Ibid. Now M. Ainsvv ansvvers all alike that they are mistaken in judging of that rotten church So in his judgment all are mistaken hereabout but himself and his follovvers vvho are mistaken most of all and yet will not see and acknovvledge it though it be shevved unto them 62. Last of all to countenance his cause the more that I may use his owne vvords he sets it out vvith the name and judgment of † Animad p. 105 c many learned men specially of our ovvn countrey M. Cartwright M. Perkins D. Fulk D. Willet and M. Bale vvho are novv deceased all of them saue one to vvhose judgment in other things he would be loath to stand So novv himself doth that vvhich here before he carped at or blamed in us Animad p 98. For the men themselues they vvere in deed learned and godly and to their writings in many things vve condescend but vvish that in some things they had spoken more advisedly and vvritten more soundly then they haue done To rip up particulars vvherein they erred I am loath having both reverend estimation of the men and knowing that none liveth vvho is not subject to erre in some things seeing we al know but in part 1 Cor. 13 9. Yet that the trueth may better be searched out and no vvay praejudiced by the names and judgment of these learned men I haue thought it not amisse briefly to note thus much touching the points in hand and their sayings here produced being compared vvith other speaches of theirs othervvhere that if the Reader doe vvell mynd them he shall find some of their assertions to be erroneous very grounds of Anabaptistrie some to be doubtfully spoken by them and some vvith crossing of themselues and one another besides that sundry things which properly and directly concern the man of sinne they apply to the church and Temple of God it self not distinguishing things aright as they might and should haue done Which M. Iunius ‡ See here before p. 184. noteth particularly to be a speciall meanes whereby many are deceived hereabout M. Cartwright he saith vvrote that the children of Papists are not in the covenant of God T. C. Reply 1 p. 173. How came himself then and the reformed churches under Gods covenant being descended of Papists Or vvere they baptized before they vvere under Gods covenant Or shall we think that apostate christians are not answerable to the apostate Israelites of Iudah and the ten tribes among vvhom in the time of their apostasie God continued his covenant and circumcision the signe thereof Finally how then is it true that D. Raynolds saith though * D. Rayn fift Conclusion joyned with Harts conference pag. 657. the Romanists haue greatly grievously hurt baptisme with their annoyances yet the substance thereof and as it were the life hath ben preserved whole and sound through Gods mercy If their children be not in the covenant of God how hath the substance and life of baptisme ben preserved sound among them by the mercy of God But of this I haue spoken sufficiently here before p. 28 35 58 c. 121 c. M. Cartwright also saith he writes that the church of Rome is no church T.C. Reply 2. p. 146. How then is it the Temple of God where Antichrist sitteth 2 Thes 2 4. or the Court of the Temple and holy city trode downe by the Gentiles two and fourty moneths Rev. 11 2. And vvhy doth M. Perkins say as here he alledgeth that † In his expos of the Creed tit church Animadv p. 106. it is no true or sound member of the catholick church According to M. Cartwrights speach he should haue said it is no member of the Catholick church at al. Or when D. Raynolds disputeth that the church of Rome is not a sound member of the catholick church doth he meane that it is no member at all thereof Hovv then saith he that the substance and life of baptisme hath ben preserved whole and sound therein through the mercy of God as is aforesaid But of this also ynough is spoken here before pag. 120 c. D. Fulk he saith * In his answer to the Counterf Catholick Art 11. tels the Papists that they haue nothing in deed but the Synagogue of Sathan Yet D. Fulk otherwhere answering the Rhemes Annotations on 2 Thes 2 4. first tels the Papists that † Sect. 11. the church of Christ is by the Apostle called the Temple of God 1 Cor. 3 16 17. 2 Cor. 6. Rev. 3 12. wherefore saith he speaking novv doubtfully the Apostle meaneth that Antichrist shal sit in the visible church of God or that which is so called and commonly reputed And afterward vvhen he hath shevved the judgment of divers auncient writers thereabout tels the Papists plainly ” Ibid. sect 12.