that is a departing from the foundation of that Faith Religion and diuine worship which was planted by the Apostles in the primitiue Church this is out of question and appeareth as before was shewed by the title giuen it vers 7. the Mysterie of iniquitie opposed to the Mysterie of the Gospell and the vse made of it ver 15. Therefore brethren stand fast c. 2. This Apostasie is Catholick and Universall ouer-spreading the whole face of the Christian world This is euident by the indefinite speech of the Apostle vers 1. by the Confession of all men euen our Aduersaries themselues by the euent 3. This Apostasie is a Mysterie of Iniquitie wherein men do not professedly fall from Christ but vnder the profession of Christ and in his name do fight against him in an hidden and artificiall manner vers 7. 4. This Apostasie shall be one bodie and haue a Catholicke head who shall in that manner rule ouer the members thereof as Christ doth ouer his Church vers 4. 5. This Apostasie was not to be such on the sodaine but to begin by litle and litle and so by degrees to increase and afterward againe to decrease by degrees vers 7 8. 6. This Apostasie began in the Apostles time for then it is said that the Mysterie of iniquitie began to worke vers 7. 7. It shall preuaile against those that loue not the truth and sinceritie of the Gospell but giue libertie and indulgence vnto themselues 'to liue in some sinne vers 10. 8. It shall be effected and vpheld with the efficacie of Satan with all power and signes lying wonders vers 9. 9. It shall be consumed by the Spirit of Gods mouth i. by the word of God vers 8. All these points are cleare enough out of this prophecie and if they were not yet might we well conclude that where all these may be verified of any Apostasie now in being that it is either the same with it or as bad as it But there is no cause to doubt of any of them and therefore we are to make no question but that these points being true this Apostasie must needs now be in the world and that it must needs greatly concerne all Christians to be warned thereof As also that for the finding thereof we are not to seeke the secret nookes and corners woods and wildernesses for it is to spread ouer the whole Christian world That this Apostasie then such as the Apostle here prophecied of is to be found in the present Church of Rome is most euident and notorious For 1. that this Romish Church hath made an Apostasie from the Faith and Religion planted by the Apostles and that for this 1000. yeares so that she is no more like to that Church that the Apostles planted at Rome then Hell is to Heau'n may appeare by these Reasons 1. From the difference of the Church 2. From the difference of the Church gouernment 3. From the difference of the Doctrine 4. From the difference of the worship 1. The present Church of Rome holdeth her selfe to be a Catholicke Church vniuersally spread ouer the face of the whole world vnto which all true Christians and Churches doe appertaine as members so that they are held no true Churches or members of Christ or Christians that are not professed members of the Church of Rome in what parts so euer of the world they abide But the Church of Rome which the Apostles planted was a particular Church onely comprehending vnder it onely those Christians which dwelt in and about Rome and not in any other places For Paul directing his Epistle to that Church describes it thus The Saints at Rome and concludes his Epistle with Salutations vnto such persons as inhabited in or about Rome yea and it was sent from Corinth vnto this Church which could not be if this Church were euery where and had not bin a particular Church Againe this Apostle writing to other Churches giues them as great glorious and respectfull titles and priuiledges as he doth vnto this Church Neither doth he any where in any colorable manner subiect them to this but writes vnto them as entire and distinct and free Churches of themselues neuer exhorting or mouing vnto subiection or obedience to this Church And if it had bin such a Church of which all Christians are members he would out of question haue described it writing vnto it as Iames and Peter do writing to the dispersed Iewes To the 12. Tribes scattred abroad To the strangers that dwell through Pontus Asia c. So To the Church of Rome and all the members thereof euen to all the Christians throughout the world So that this Church of Rome can no more be said to be such a kinde of Church as the Apostles planted then the whole world can be said to be the Citie of Couentrie or Lichfield or London And for any colour of ought in Gods word these or any of them yea this Parish of Stapen-hill might make as good claime to be the Catholicke Church as the Church of Rome may 2. The head-Officers and Gouernors of the old Church of Rome were the same for name office that were appointed in other Churches For had they bin Officers of an other kinde the Apostles would vndoubtedly haue giuen notice of it But the Head-Officers of this Church are such as whose names and peculiar Offices were neuer heard of in the Apostolicall Churches or times The Apostles in their Epistles do often mention the Church-Gouernors in their times and yet not a sillable concerning any Pope Cardinals Abbots Moncks Friers Iesuites c. nor any such kinde of Officers Take these Offices and Officers out of the present Romish Church and you raze the very foundation of their Church and yet that Church of Rome which the Apostle wrote vnto was perfect and compleat without them 3. The maine and fundamentall doctrine of this Church whereby it differs from those reformed Churches that haue made separation from it cannot be iustified by the doctrine of the olde Church of Rome and of other Churches in those times comprehended in the Canonicall Epistles of the Apostles as Iustification by works Transubstantiation Mans Free-will Abilitie to keep the whole Law Merit of works Satisfaction for Sin c. It shall not be needfull vpon this occasion to enter into proofe of particulars This in generall may serue for a proofe of all Her enmitie to the Scriptures diminishing the authoritie of them as much as she may preferring hir owne authoritie aboue them her tying the Scriptures to what translation she pleaseth to what sense she listeth and her keeping them locked from the people shewes that her fundamentall doctrines are not agreable to the Scriptures and by consequent differing from the Doctrine of the old Church of Rome 4. Her principall Worship and Seruice so far forth as it differeth from our Churches is as different as may be from that worship seruice which is prescribed by the
virtues they most of all require in their people they ought themselues to put on and so to put them on that they may shine in the peoples eyes with them The like may be said of the eschewing of vices Would we haue our people to be iust pious courteous liberall peaceable c Let vs be our selues examples vnto them of such virtues Would we not haue them to be profane malitious couetous vniust c Let vs eschew such vices our selues and be examples also therein vnto them Vers. 10. For euen when we were with you this we warned you of that if there were any that would not worke he should not eat HItherto of the first Argument of his reprehension taken from the contrary example of the Apostle himselfe Now followeth an other reason to wit that this their indulgence was directly contrary to the Apostles doctrine For on this wise he argueth We when we were with you warned you that if there were any that would not work he should not eat Therefore yee ought to withdraw your selues from such as in that point walke inordinately Here is a manifest sentence set downe by the Apostle that idle persons are not to be borne with nor to be fed and maintained among Christians but if they haue strength and abilitie of bodie to labour labour they must Where the Apostle yet speaketh not of impotent persons or of such as are willing to worke if they were able but of such as will not though they be able such as albeit for strength and actiuenes yeares they might profitably apply themselues vnto honest labour yet choose rather to liue an idle wandring life without any Christian calling at all It is no Christian charity therfore to bestow our bread vpon idle lazie persons that will not lay hand to any worke The Apostle was full of Charity mercy when as rather then he would burden this Church he chose to labor with his own hands himselfe And yet amiddest this his charity he both taught and inioyned this pious crueltie as some might account it that they should not eate that would not worke so farre forth as they were able For so should we iudge of such persons as refuse to liue by their honest labors as of those that are well worthy to perish So that we are no more bound to feed such then to feede Wolues or Foxes or Mice Rats And those that bestow their almes vpon such can expect no fruite thereof at Gods hands againe but wrath and iudgement rather because they bestow euill dispose amisse those things that God hath committed to their trust Let vs therefore take heed how we condemne those as voide of charity that refuse to giue bread to idle and sturdy beggers for it is to condemne the doctrine of the Apostle himselfe in this place And againe let vs take heede least vnder pretence hereof we deny them almes who by their worke are not able to supply their owne wants Vers. 11. For we haue heard that there are some that walke inordinately with you and worke not at all HEre followeth a speciall reprehension or a reason rather of the former generall reproofe wherein he reprehendeth them more particularly for that they suffred some to liue idle among them not working at all He meaneth some professors of religion that vnder colour thereof led an idle and a lazie life liuing on the sweat of other mens brows and abusing the almes and charitie of the Church to maintaine them in their idlenesse A sore plague to the Church and such an one as it hath neuer beene free from For there are and euer haue beene some who after they haue taken vpon them the profession of the Gospell and perceiue that they are for the same in some reckoning with the godly doe thereupon begin to conceiue so highly of themselues as if it were too base a thing and not befitting their profession to labour any more for their liuing and as if the Church in regard of their profession stood bound to maintaine them Hence it commeth to passe that many that are in the condition of seruants grow slacke oftentimes in their dutie toward their masters as if there ought not so much to be expected at their hands as of others whereby it commeth to passe that many to the scandall of the Gospel haue found care diligence industry and painefulnesse in the doing of their businesse and in the discharge of their duty in such seruants as make little shew of religion then in the most of them that are professors Who especially if they haue lighted vpon religious masters are wont to presume vpon much idlenesse and indulgence vnder them But such professors are not to be endured in the Church but are as inordinate liuers to be admonished and reprooued that we may make it knowne to those that are enemies to religion and willing to take any occasion hereby to reproach and twit it withall that our Religion approueth not but vtterly condemneth them and all such as they are Hence therefore seruants and such as haue not wherewith to liue in good fashion making profession of religion must be admonished that they take great heede how they presume and promise to themselues as if it were lawfull for them to leaue their callings and liue on other mens labours Nay rather the more that they professe Christian religion the more are they bound to earne their liuing by their labour And the more they labour that they may not be burdensome to others the better God accepteth of them Insomuch that the baser and meaner worke thou art imployed in for the getting of thy liuing and the maintainance of thy life the greater fauour shalt thou finde with God For it is not with Christs seruants in this world as it is with the seruants of Noble men They are not exempted from labour and seruitude It is not a thing vnbeseeming the best Christian that is to serue euen a Swineherd Yea he is tyed to that calling if therein or thereunto he be called Nor doth his calling to the Christian faith with-draw or exempt him from the vilest office that in this life may be so it be honest and lawfull be it neuer so base but are busie bodies The Apostle in these words describeth the very wonted nature and disposition of such the elegancie of his phrase can hardly be in any other language expressed and he seemeth to speake contradictories For how can those that do nothing be said to be busie-bodies Yet certainly such is the manner and disposition of these men the lesse they do that they should the more busie are they about those things that belong not vnto them they are wholy imployed about other mens affaires and about such things as litle or nothing at all concerne them Very seldome is the one vice seuered from the other For are these idle professors idle thinke yee Nothing lesse But the lesse they labour with their hands the more they worke
worthy Confessors who yet in the end haue fallen grieuously haue therein exceedingly blemished their profession It is not therefore sufficient for men to be Christians but they must endeuour to be worthy of that Calling that is to be worthy Christians The worthines of a Christian consists in these points 1. When he doth not satisfie himselfe with a verball profession of Christianitie as most Christians vse to do but is a Christian in practice and when he striues that his practice doth rather exceed his profession then come short of the same and that in the eyes of the very enemies and persecutors of the Gospell 2. When a man prizeth this Calling aboue all other Callings honors and dignities whatsoeuer making no reckoning or account of them when they any wayes crosse or disgrace this but with Paul counting all things losse for this gaine more respecting his dutie to Christ then to Father Mother Wife or Children This is to be a worthy Christian especially when he can manifest this affection in the midst of persecution 3. When men striue after perfection in Christianitie and are not content to be halfe Christians like Agrippa contenting themselues with a mediocritie and indifferencie in Religion but euery day striuing to grow and increase in this Calling and so much the more to striue to grow and increase by how much the more the enemies of the Gospell shall go about to diminish and decrease the power of godlinesse in them when in despite of all Gods enemies they labour euery day to be better Christians then other neuer thinking that they are come to a perfection in Christianitie 4. When Christians labour after all things that may grace and honour their Calling and aboue all things auoide those things which may blemish and staine the same when men so liue that their Religion doth not onely credit them but they credit it 5. To esteeme it their glory and honour to suffer for it and to reioyce therein as the Apostles did and in that regard the more they are molested and persecuted for it the more to cleaue vnto it to grow and increase in it to shine by it and by and in all the graces that accompanie it as Steuen did 6. The more worthy they haue shewed themselues the more to giue the glory vnto God and to acknowledge themselues the more indebted vnto him for their very worthines for it is that makes men worthy this Calling as appeares by this prayer and the more worthy hee makes vs the more in our selues we should be humbled that of our selues we should be so vnworthy For these and such like properties doth the Apostle pray in this petition which Grace whosoeuer in time of persecution shall obtaine from God he shall thereby more vex disquiet plague torment and confound the enemies of the Gospell which persecute him then by any bodily reuenge whatsoeuer If the Lord should deliuer our wicked enemies into our hands to do with them what we list if we should make them our villaines and slaues and put them to the basest seruices and vses that might be though it might be a meanes the more to humble them yet nothing in this life can so much torment and torture them as when the Christians that are vnder their hands do in the manner aforesaid worthily behaue themselues and as becommeth them that are called to be Seruants of Iesus Christ. And on the contrary side if Christians should set themselues to do the enemies of God the greatest pleasure they can and to minister vnto them matter of greatest triumph and glory vnto them and that which may most flesh them in their wickednes and hearten them in all their lewd and wicked courses they cannot effect it by any meanes so soone as by shewing themselues whilest they are vnder their hands vnworthy Christians for this is the top and height of all their desires to make the Seruants of Christ as vile and vnworthy beasts as themselues That we may therefore obtaine this Grace at Gods hands for our selues and others we must pray for it yea continually pray for it as the Apostle doth especially in time of persecution And that he may fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnes The two other petitions following concerne the meanes whereby the Lord maketh them and all other Christians worthy of that Calling This then is the second petition that God would fulfill or accomplish in them the good pleasure of his goodnes 1. That to the end they might shew themselues worthy to be called Christians he prayeth That the Lord would neuer forsake them nor leaue them especially in these times of tryall but as hitherto in his infinite goodnes he had shewed himselfe a louing God vnto them so he would continue to manifest more and more his loue and good pleasure towards them not giuing ouer the worke of his sauing grace in them vntill he had fully accomplished the same and that they had attained through the midst of all temptations and discouragements vnto the fruit and perfection of their Hope and Faith But what need Paul pray and that incessantly that the good pleasure of Gods goodnes may be fulfilled Is there any question but that God being infinite and omnipotent will fulfill the good pleasure of his goodnes What man is there but he will be sure to haue his will if he be not hindred But we may as well aske what neede we haue to pray for any thing as well as this for we know before hand that there is no good that we can obtaine from God by prayer but it is the good pleasure of his goodnes and that before all eternitie that we should obtaine it and it is not our prayers that begetteth this good pleasure in him but his owne meere free will and disposition This then is the diuine ordinance of God that men should pray and that daily that the good pleasure of his goodnes may be fulfilled in them and by this meanes hath the Lord ordained to conuey vnto vs all those graces which flow from his goodnes So that though we were neuer so certaine that it is the will and good pleasure of God to bestow this or that grace vpon vs yet we are to know this withall that it is his will also that we should by our earnest prayers draw the same from him From this petition we may obserue 1. That all the strength and stay of a Christian in time of persecution and tryall especially depends vpon the good will and pleasure of God if he do not from it receiue grace and strength of perseuerance he is gone he can neuer be able to stand and hold vp his head in the day of trouble 2. That this good pleasure of God ariseth not from any goodnes in vs but the fountaine from which it streameth is his owne meere goodnesse and therefore it is here called the good pleasure of his goodnes Thence onely it is that he either decreeth purposeth
Apostles to the olde Church of Rome and other Churches Her Masses her Dirges her Trentalls her Prayers for the dead her Pilgrimages Processions Adoration of Images Angels and Saints departed her Vowes of Virginitie and Pouertie her Seruice in a strange tongue c. In these doth her principall worship of God consist And yet not one of these hath any colour or shadow from the doctrine and worship prescribed in the Epistle to the Romans or in any other Booke of Scriptures 2. That this Apostasie of the Church of Rome is a Catholicke Apostasie needs no proofe seeing themselues glory and boast of the Catholicknes of their Religion especially before Luther and how generally and vniuersally their Worship and Faith aforesaid haue bin receiued and professed neither hath there bin since the Apostles any profession so generall and vniuersall as the Papacie when it was at his height In this they glory But except they could iustifie the truth of their Faith and Religion this their glory is their shame For by this meanes they rather argue that they are not of the true Religion but of this Apostasie because there was to be an vniuersall departure from the true Faith in which case not the true Church but the Apostaticall must be vniuersall 3. The Church of Rome hath a Catholicke Head who in that manner rules ouer the members thereof as Christ doth ouer his Church For the Pope claimes to be the Uniuersall Head of the Church making Lawes according to his owne pleasure euen to binde the Consciences of all them that are vnder him of no lesse authoritie then the Lawes of God 4. The Religion of Popery came not in all at one time but by degrees beginning in the Apostles times and increasing more and more after the decease of the Apostles as the sinceritie of the true Religion decreased It is euidently to be seene in Historie when and by what meanes the grosse and maine points of the Popish Religion came in 5. It preuaileth against whom most Surely such as euidently shew that they beare no loue to the word but are despisers of it and the ministerie thereof Such in our experience are they that vse to be seduced men that are glad to haue any colour to be of any Religion saue that which is the true and which crosseth their corruptions 6. The whole world knoweth with what efficacie and power of Satan it hath bin vpheld how busie Satan was how oft he appeared in Goblins Fayries walking Spirts c. for the strengthning and supporting of it 7. It cannot endure the brightnes of Gods word but melteth before it as Snow before the Sunne Hitherto we haue shewed that the Religion of the Church of Rome is that Antichristian Apostasie that here is prophecied of because all the notes and marks thereof doe most liuely agree thereunto more then to any Religion and Profession in the world besides In the next place we are to shew that the Bishop of Rome is the Head of that Apostasie and that great Antichrist here prophecied of Which appeareth partly by that which hath bin said before concerning the Apostasie of that Church shall more fully appeare by those Notes whereby in this Prophecie he is described The first is this The Antichrist is a Man of Sinne. i. not onely a notorious sinner in his owne person but as Satan is a notable instrument of Satan to draw men from the obedience of Christ to sinne and rebellion against God This agrees to all the Bishops of that Sea in a manner since they became Uniuersall Bishops It is almost incredible what monstrous villaines most of them haue bin and that by the report of their owne Historians You shall not read of any Sect or Order of men whatsoeuer amongst whom so many such monsters haue bin found as amongst them Murtherers Poysoners of their Predecessors Simoniacks Negromancers Sodomites Adulterers Atheists Church-robbers c. Yea such lewd persons ordinarily their Popes haue bin that the time was in those parts where the Pope most abode that when they would note a man for a notorious extraordinarie Villaine or Knaue they would say He is a Knaue or Villaine enough to be Pope Non est opus instare Againe they are not onely such Men of sinne in their owne persons but the grand Patrons of sinne in others and fruitfull parents of lewdnesse So that it is as it were their trade to deuise how they may either by lawes force men to sinne or protect such as are wicked He is the great Patron of Ignorance vsing all the power and authoritie he hath to keep the people from the knowledge of God so that they might not know the right way to serue him He forbiddeth Mariage to all his Clergie which are innumerable the hundreth part whereof are idle bellies not forced to any paines but liuing like Epicures and Swine put vp to feeding By meanes whereof innumerable Adulteries Fornications Rapes Sodomitries Murthers of Infants and other abominable acts are committed He vpholdeth and maintaineth Stewes as it were Colledges and Societies of whores wherevnto men may freely without punishment repaire And counteth it better for some sort of persons to keepe a whore or to defile an other mans wife then to haue a wife of their owne He counteth some sinnes small and veniall not deseruing Hell fire and no sinne so grosse but that for money he can pardon it and he can dispence with Incest diuorce at his pleasure discharg men of their oaths and absolue subiects from their Oath of Allegiance c. By meanes whereof he hath bin the procurer and author of infinite treasons rebellions assassinates poysonings bloudshed of many thousands murther of Princes and Potentates and other the like villanies in all parts of Christendome The second Note followeth He is the Childe of perdition Wherein is signified that the Man of sinne shall be such an other as Iudas was And surely Iudas may well be an Emblem to represent the nature disposition and condition of the Popes of Rome for the most part Iudas was a couetous wretch and grudged that any thing should go beside his bag so is the Pope Iudas sought all meanes to betray Christ so doth the Pope in his members Iudas though Christ convinced his Conscience of the vilenes of the fact and denounced such a wo against him as might iustly haue terrified him yet for all that held on his wicked purpose so doth the Pope Iudas in words and ceremoniall complement most honoured Christ when he betrayed him so doth the Pope Iudas came to an euill end so haue the most if not all of them Iudas was the instrument of Christs death and of his owne perdition so is the Pope None liue more like men ordained to destruction then they 3. The Antichrist here spoken of is one that opposeth himselfe against and lifteth himselfe vp aboue all that is called God The Scriptures giue this Title not to God himselfe onely but to Angels also Psal