of God as much as in him lyeth The Oath The things that I have here promis'd I shall perform and keep so help me God and the Contents of this Book This Oath is published in King Charles the Martyr's Answer to a Remonstrance c. of the 26th of May 1642. The same Oath for matter you may find in an old Manuscript containing the Form of Coronation c. in the publick Library at Oxon. Is not this as firm and as great a Covenant as blessed King Josiah made who stood by a Pillar and made a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandments and his Testimonies and his Statutes with all their hearts c. and all the People stood to the Covenant 2 King 23. 3. So all the People of England and all his Majesty's Subjects bind themselves strictly by two Oaths called the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy to obey the King's Laws in all true Faith and Allegiance renouncing all Forreign Powers and declaring the King's Majesty Supreme Head and Governour in all matters as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal next under Christ in all these His Majesty's Dominions Thus do both Prince and People most unanimously and faithfully protest to stick to the Profession of the Protestant Religion as it is by Law establish'd being no other than the same as christ and his Apostles taught and the pure Times of the Primitive Church maintained in the first Centuries after Christ 2. For the purity justness and reasonableness of His Majesty's Laws whereby we are Govern'd the Common Civil and Ecclesiastical all the malice of our Adversaries cannot impeach them of the least savour of Idolatry or Impiety Prophaneness or Blasphemies as those of rebellious Israel under the Old did and of the Roman Papists under the New Testament do The Common-Law being certain reasonable Customs refined by succeeding Ages and gathered out of Divine Natural and Moral Principles our Civil and Canon-Laws being all grounded upon the Word of God and the Decrees of General Councils and the Sence of the Fathers in the first six-hundred years after Christ and in this it is as clear as the Sun at Noon-day that neither His Majesty nor his People can be charg'd for wickedness nor prophaneness in their Profession nor Laws 3. For the Doctrine which we reach it is briefly contain'd in the Creed call'd the Apostles Creed the Lords-Prayer and Ten Commandments and explain'd throughout the whole Bible we believe nothing we pray for nothing and we practice nothing as necessary to Salvation but what is plainly prov'd by evident Scriptures And as for the Government Discipline and Worship of our Church it is acknowledg'd by all Judicious Protestants to be the best constituted Church this day in the whole World and that in the main the Doctrine Discipline and Worship being so decently and excellently fram'd for edification that it makes all Men that duly observe it truly and soberly religious securing them as a Reverend Divine saith on the one side from the wild Freaks of Enthusiasm and on the other from the gross Follies of Superstition 4. As for any violence and cruelty we thank God the World is our Witness we can wash our Hands in Innocence none condemn'd to death for bare perswasions in point of Conscience or different Opinions in matters of Religion It is Fellons and Traytors because they have not the fear of God before their Eyes by the King's Law do dye His most Sacred Majesty being of that gracious and Lamb-like Disposition that he laboureth rather through tenderness to regain than through severity to compell Dissenters to Unity of Spirit and Uniformity in Religion 5. And lastly weigh our Practices I mean the Lives and Conversations of those that are true Sons and Observers of the Church we ingenuously confess that through our carelesness and want of more strictness in many things we do offend all but withall at our daily and publick as well as private Devotion we pray for true repentance and forgiveness and there 's not a Christian Man that hath a little Grain of Charity in him that will deny but that we through a certain though not so Universal as wish'd Obedience receive and submit to the Truth Will Law and Gospel of Jesus Christ To these things if I had time to amplifie I would nor do desire no more Credit than shall be due to the fair Evidence of clear Scripture and sound Reason the two Master Pillars of a good Cause Now upon these and other like grounds is founded the unmovable settled ends of our fixed hopes through Faith in our dear Saviour that we are not Sentenc'd with Idolatrous Israel under the Law are not nor shall be condemn'd with Antichristian Popery under the Gospel And I conclude this Point with that of our Saviour in Joh. 14. 27. Confiding that it is appertaining to us as much as to any other particular Church in the World for some have called the English Church the Primogenita of the Catholick and for certain it is a Member of the true Catholick and therefore may expect her Share in the Legacy of Christ Peace I leave with you Peace I give unto you not as the World gives give I unto you therefore let not your Heart be troubled neither let it be afraid And this leads me to the next Inference Sixthly The sixth Inference is from Christ's coming The Lord's goodness is so far extended to his beloved Spouse the true Church Catholick and to every Member thereof that in the greatest distress and confusions in the World Christ and his comforts will attend the faithful Job 5. 19 20 21 c. He will deliver thee in six troubles and in seven there shall no evil touch thee in Famine he shall redeem thee from Death and in War from the power of the Sword thou shalt be hid from the Scourge of the Tongue neither shalt thou be afraid of Destruction when it cometh What unspeakable comforts satisfaction and rejoycing all the holy Martyrs of Jesus have ever had in their sufferings will be too long to relate here He comes whose right it is and I will give it him I think you do evidently perceive and are fully satisfied by these things already said concerning this Text that there needs no further discourse to make all Men apprehend how free and plainly unspotted with the Charge and Curse here denounced against Jerusalem the present State of England stands The City of Jerusalem and Israel were curs'd mark as you have heard for breach of their Oath and Allegiance and further Rebellion to the King of Babylon though a Pagan King together with their Contempt of God's Word Idolatrous and Prophane Practises but the English Protestants are hated censured accus'd and persecuted by the Popish Faction for no other cause more than for bearing true Allegiance to the rightful and lawful King of their Realm and maintaining as by Oath they are bound that the Pope hath no power to
depose the King or to dispose of his Kingdoms his present Majesty Charles the II. being the 26th that successively in the right Line from the Conquerour have reign'd absolute Kings of England c. Now I will shew you by way of Application who have fallen off from the Faith under the New Testament and that plainly and particularly in what points and then you may judge whether the like Curse as was so dreadfully denounced against Israel may not be also hanging over their heads and pointing at their doors being palpably guilty of the lille Charge The Church of Rome Canonizing as de fide a new Doctrine contrary to the Catholick Faith for the first five or six hundred years after Christ is become a false Church or the Church of Antichrist which is no part of the true Church of Christ but an Imposthume or a bad humour in the body and no part of the body I mean the true Spiritual and Mystical Body of Christ And as the ten Tribes of Israel fell off from the Worship of God and ador'd the Golden Calfs made by Jeroboam and turn'd Bethel the House of God into Bethaven a House of Iniquity so have Papists turn'd the Roman Church which was once a pure flourishing Church to a corrupt Den of Thieves And yet it is granted by judicious Protestants that some may possibly be saved though with great hazard that are in Communion with her and groan under the lewd and Antichristian Doctrines and Practices impos'd by her as necessary to Salvation which overthrow the Fundamental Articles of the Christian Faith although held by themselves and are contrary point-blank to the Catholick Faith once delivered to the Saints particularly these following 1. The Church of Rome hold and affirm the Pope to be Universal and Supreme Head of the Catholick Church Caput totius Ecclesiae Militantis Universal Father of the Church the only Dispenser of Apostolick Benedictions thus dignified he Lords it over all the Clergy upon Earth Our Creed composed by the Apostles teacheth us to believe first in God the Father c. and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord and the Nicene Creed explains it I believe in one God c. and in one Lord Jesus Christ The Scripture explains this plainly in the 4th of Eph. 15. Speaking the truth in love grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ By which it appears we have no Universal Head for the Church Militant but our Lord Jesus Christ 2. The Church of Rome is held by them to be the Catholick Church contrary to our Belief in our Creed which saith I believe in the holy Catholick Church and explain'd in the Nicene Creed I believe in one Catholick and Apostolick Church All the Elect of God that ever have been now are or ever shall be in the world comprehending all particular Churches which were before the Roman Church and were in the same time that she flourished in other Provinces in Asia and Europe and now are separated from her making up one Catholick Church the Mystical Body of Christ 3. The Doctrine of the Popes Infallibility that he cannot Err and that his Authority confirm'd by Councils is greater and more certain than the Scriptures doth fly in the face of all the Foundation of our Faith for we take as the holy Catholick Church hath ever done the holy Scriptures for the only certain Rule of our Faith and Practice from which we own no higher Authority to appeal unto no though an Angel did preach things contrary to the Scriptures they are to us an Anathema he the Pope can dispence they say against Paul and Peter that is controul and wrest the sense of the Scriptures written by Paul and Peter yea against the Old and New Testament he can plenitudine potestatis as much as God This Doctrine you will find often boasted of in their Canons and Decretals 4. The Church of Rome doth plainly and point-blank oppose and overthrow the Catholick Faith concerning the Remission of sins The Apostles in the Creed as all the New Testament most amply and largely explaineth teach us to believe the forgiveness of sins and the Roman Church doth set it up on quite other terms by proposing that gift I mean the forgiveness of sins to be sold by the Pope and his Priests if any will be so fondly blind as to buy in the vile Market of Indulgences so in a word the Catholick Faith is to believe the forgiveness of sins and the Doctrine of Popery is to sell and buy it 5. The Popish Faction overthrow and utterly confound by their new Doctrine and Practice the Faith and Practice of the Catholick Church in Prayer Our Saviour Christ himself taught us to pray after this manner c. directing our Petitions to God the Father by the help of the Holy Ghost in the Name and by the Mediation of God the Son so are all Prayers made in the Old and New Testament But the Papists call upon Saints and Angels and because they believe it for it is a prevailing Argument with them that the Kingdom of Heaven is divided into two parts the Kingdom of Mercy to the blessed Virgin c. but the Kingdom of Justice to Christ they pray more for mercy unto Mary than unto God through Christ 6. They contradict and oppose the Christian Faith in the first six hundred years by the most unreasonable Point to be impos'd for matter of belief as ever any man can hear of Transubstantiation come out of the Council of Lateran under Pope Innocentius the III. He who contended with John King of England They believe that the Bread and the Wine in the Lords Supper after Consecration is substantially and materially changed contrary to our Natural Sense Seeing Tasting and Feeling and we believe it that they are Signs and Symbols of a Spiritual Food and refection which our Souls receive from Christs Body and Blood which was given for us These things being considered every Christian man will say that it was piously done of all the Reformers Luther in Germany Jerome in Prague Valdus in France Wickliffe Bilney and Tindal in England to separate from this Apostate Church lest they should be partakers of her sins and afterwards receive of her Plagues Rev. 18. 4. Hos 4. 15. 1 Cor. 10. 14. whose judgment now of a long time lingreth not and her damnation slumbereth not Rev. 13. Let him that understandeth count the number of the Beast There 's a set time appointed for his Judgment mention'd in 2 Thes 2. 7. until he be taken out of the way as it is in the Text until he comes Let any serious unbyass'd spirited man weigh these Points and Scriptures before-recited and he will soon resolve himself how tottering the See of Rome is and how miserable the honour of the Ignatian Tribe is who brag if they had not been Rome had not been the Angel had long since said It is fallen it is fallen Use 1.
A VINDICATION OF THE True Christian RELIGION In Opposition to the Abominations of POPERY IN A SERMON Upon Ezek. 21. 24 25 26 27. Being the Text appointed by the Pope for Master Whitebread one of the Popish Conspirators to preach upon the accomplishing of their Wicked Design for taking away the Life of his Most Sacred Majesty Wherein the King the Church together with his Majesties Laws Constitutions and true Protestant Subjects of England are clearly Justified and the Pope the Church and Popish Faction of Rome are justly charged to be guilty of the like Dreadful Curse in the New as hath been denounc'd against Revolted Israel in the Old Testament By J. Thomas Rect. of S. Nicholas Preached at Cardiffe Before the Bayliffs and Aldermen there Feb. 2. 1678 9. London Printed for Isaac Cleave at the Star next to Serjeants-Inn in Chancery-Lane 1679. Imprimatur W. JANE EZEK XXI 24 25 26 27. 24. Therefore thus saith the Lord because you have made your iniquity to be remembred in that your transgressions be discovered so that in all your doings your sins do appear because I say that ye are come to remembrance ye shall be taken with the hand 25. And thou prophane wicked Prince of Israel whose day is come when iniquity shall have an end 26. Thus saith the Lord God remove the Diadem and take away the Crown this shall not be the same exalt him that is low and abase him that is high 27. I will overturn overturn overturn it and it shall be no more until he comes whose right it is and I will give it him I Thought it not unseasonable being desir'd to explain this Text which as it is credibly reported was intended by the Popish Faction to Consummate and Cloak the horrible malice of their Bloody Conspiracy against the Life of his most Sacred Majesty but conceiv'd it useful and necessary to apply it to whom most properly it appertains as well for the justifying of his Royal Person and Satisfaction of all honest Protestants as also for the Reproof and Conviction of our Adversaries I shall proceed to handle this Text with all humility of mind faithful love to Truth and due regard to the Testimonies of the Holy Scriptures with the sense of the first General Councils and the Doctrine of the Fathers in the first five or six hundred years after Christ whereby you may evidently perceive and be fully satisfied that the King and Church of England who hold the true Apostolick Faith and bind themselves by Mutual Oaths to uphold and maintain the same are not sentenced with the dreadful Curse of God as was denounced against Judah and Jerusalem but that the Antichristian Pope of Rome that Man of Sin now of a long time reveal'd with all his bloody and Idolatrous Train the Ignatian Tribe have their Judgment denounc'd in the New Testament which lingreth not and their Damnation slumbereth not I observe with S. Augustine not the Monk that all Holy Writ is so tempered by the Holy Ghost that quod alibi obscurius alibi clarius explicitur one portion of Scripture explains another and that is acknowledged by all the Orthodox to be the most certain and undoubted Exposition Wherefore that this Text may be rightly understood the Matter therein contained must for it requires it be consulted of in our Bibles in the following particulars I. The Time when this Prophecy was declar'd II. The Causes wherefore this Prophecy was declar'd III. The Event being a dreadful Curse denounced Wherein observe 1. The Authority Thus saith the Lord. 2. The Charge Thou wicked and prophane 3. The Parties Prince and People 4. The Confusion I 'll overturn c. 5. The Duration Until he comes IV. The Promise annex'd Wherein observe 1. The Kingdom of Christ promised He comes 2. His Claim Whose right it is 3. Divine Institution I will give it him Of all these in order by Gods assistance with Inferences from and Application to the whole matter I shall conclude with the uses proper for our selves to make of it And first of the Time when 1. The Time when this Prophecy was made is easily known when we look upon Ezek. 1. 1 2 3. where the Prophet gives the World to understand expresly the Year the Month and the Day the Word of the Lord came unto him Now saith he it came to pass c. in the fourth month in the fifth day of the month which was the fifth year of King Jehoiakin's Captivity the Word of the Lord came unto Ezekiel the Priest in the Land of the Caldeans c. Compare this with 2 Kin. 24. 15 16 17. verses and there you shall find that this King Jehoiakin the King of Judah was carried away to Babylon in the eighth year of his Reign and the King of Babylon made Mattaniah his Fathers Brother King in his stead and changed his name to Zedekiah insomuch that by these places of Scripture it evidently appears that Ezekiel began to prophecy much upon the midst of King Zedekiah's Reign for he reigned eleven years For by that you see that the fifth of Jehoiakin's Captivity must be the fifth of Zedekiah's Reign The Text calls this time Iniquitas Termini by an Enallage for Terminus Iniquitatis when Iniquity shall have an end that is now is the time come that all the revolt and back-slidings of Judah and Jerusalem by Idolatry Blood-shed and Prophaneness is come to remembrance and it shall now end in Zedekiah's days who shall with the people be carried Captive unto Babylon 2. The Causes wherefore this Sentence was denounc'd are twofold the first is the provocations of the people moving and incensing Gods wrath against them and to this relates the first verse of the Text which saith you have made your iniquity to be remembred and in the 23. verse next before the Text it is said But he will call to remembrance the iniquity which according to the Original may be well translated Hereby you call to remembrance that is by this contempt and disdain which you cast upon my Word in the mouth of my Prophet which seemeth to you as a false divination ver 23. you do provoke me to call to remembrance all your wickedness and the iniquity of your forefathers for this obduration of heart against my Messenger and breach of Allegiance to the King of Babylon shews what you are ver 24. So that in all your doings your sins do appear because I say that you are come to remembrance that is by this your hardness of heart and contempt of the Prophets Doctrine you force me saith the Lord to remember your Idolatry Bloodshed Prophaneness and Apostasies in all kinds all which the Prophet sets down in the next Chapter Ezek. 22. 2. The second Cause here mentioned is God provoked and expressed in these words Ye shall be taken with the hand which seems as if it were the Instrumental Cause but indeed the King of Babylon was the Instrumental Cause of their Captivity to