the foundation 〈◊〉 professe that God is man for then the society of Devils might claime to be a Church but directly to hold Iesus Christ so to be come in the flesh as therein to suffer and satisfie for our Salvation becoming our Christ our Iesus Redeeming vs from our sinnes by imputing his merits to vs that our sinnes might not be imputed to vs which were imputed to him by whose stripes we are healed by whose Righteousnes imputed we are perfectly iustified in the sight of God Doth the Church of Rome directly hold this foundation Nothing lesse Yea she directly not by consequence only directly I say she denyeth and destroyeth this foundation How or where In the Councell of Trent Sess. 6. Canon 10. Si quis dixâ—rit homines per ipsam Christi iustitiam formâ—liter iustâ—s esse anathema sit If any shall say that men are formerly iust by the righteousnes of Christ let him be accursed Is not this a direct and flatt expresse deniall of the foundation And in the 11 Canon If any shall say that men are iustified by the solâ— imputation of Christs Righteousnes or by sole â—emission of sinnes otherwise then by inhereâ—t righteousnesse in vs obtained thereby or also that the grace whereby we are iustified is only the favor of God let him be acoâ—rsed What more direct denyall of the foundation Is not this the foundation That Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners And how Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree that we being dead to sinnes should liue vnto righteousnes by whose stripes we are healed Nay saith the Councell of Trent directly We are iustified by our inherent righteousnes and so our stripes are healed and not by the righteousnes of Christ simply imputed Therefore come out of her my people least ye be partakers of her sinnes Fourthly Let not antiquity in the holding of an opinion prescribe against Truth Opinions ancient O that Saint Ambrose words alledged by our Reverend Author might here take place Nullus pudor est ad meliora transire then I hope he will be otherwise minded then to say He that demeth the Church of Rome to be a true Church or a true visible Church shall 〈…〉 to his cause then to his adversary Then he will no longer 〈…〉 the iudgement of particular person 〈…〉 wherin our Reverend Mother Church of England hath in her publicke doctrine resolved the contrary while she denyes to the Church of Rome the true markes of a visible Church those very markes which the Church of Rome her selfe disclaimeth So shall our Divine Seneca partake also of great S. Augustines prayse while by an humble and ingenuous Retractation he shall both purge away the stâ—ine and put a more glorious luster to his most sweet pious and for their kind vnparalleld workes And for me a poore vnworthy Minister I hope his meek and sweet spirit having well waighed my reasons and pitied my weaknesses will be pleased to excuse me of any transportation of zeale vnlesse herein I haue exceeded the bounds in presuming so farre vpon the patience of such a Reverend Antistes of our Church But I trust he will not impute this to any arrogancy of spirit when it shall appeare it is to vindicate Christs truth and glory against the Synagogue of the proud Antichrist Thus having shewed the Church of Rome or rather the Synagogue of Antichrist to be no true Church nor a true or truely visible Church nor a Church but a Sea whose doctrines as waters are turned all into the blood of a dead man so that every living creature therein dyeâ—h no Salvation no life to be found in Babylon proceed we to the next Viall The Third Vial powred out V. 4. And the third Angel poured out his vial vpon the Riuers and fountaines of waters and they became blood And I heard the Angel of the waters say Thou art righteous O Lord which art and wast and shalt be because thou hast iudged thus For they shed the blood of Saints and Prophets and thou hast giuen them blood to drinke for they are worthy And I heard another out of the Altar say even so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy iudgements All Riuers saith the Preacher come from the 〈◊〉 and thither returne Rivers then sent out from the Sea doe here signifie all Romes Emissaries as all Seminary Priests and Iesuites who as Rivers doe convey and diffuse the Sea-waters of Romes doctrines to all Countries and parts of the earth And this Viall holds the like proportion to the third Trumpet as the second Viall did to the second Trumpet For the third part of the sea blood here all and for the the third part of the Rivers imbittered here all are turned into blood for the same reason alledged in the former Viall Only here seemeth to be a little difference between the Seas blood and this of the Rivers for that is as the blood of a dead man this blood only without other addition Yet at the best blood it is Here then are meant not only all those that haue written large Commentaries vpon the Councell of Trent as Vega Soto Catharinus Andradius Bellarmine c. who with their Philosophycall and Aristotelian Divinity and Schoole-nicities and quaint distinctions haue laboured to giue a fairer luster to the blacke gore-blood thereof and to propine it to the simple and subtile both in Babylons golden cup as Doctors ministring poysoned pills guilded over but as I said all Priests and Iesuites whom King Iames calls the last brood of the Divell who by their actiue motion as Rivers the voluminous workes of their Rabbies being but as great vnwealdy ponds and standing lakes in comparison run more currâ—ntly through the world And in this one particular note how the Councell of Trent it selfe hath turned the Rivers of Romes doctrine I meane her writers which before the Councell were but as it were a third part blood now all into blood namely by their Index Expurgatorius cancelling and letting out what purer waters they find in their writings as might â—e shewed by many famous instances so that now all their Rivers must run nothing but blood And these may well be resembled to Rivers for sundry respectâ— For first as all Rivers haue their originall from and finall course to the Sea for all Romish Emissaries must divulge no other doctrine but such as they derive from the Sea of Trents doctrinesâ— and their course must tend to the inriching of the Sea of Rome Secondly as Rivers like Fame are small in the beginning but running along grow greater and greater till they powre their full channells into the Sea so all Iesuites though at first they arise like poore brookes yet by their long current they come to returne full streames of commodities to the Sea of Rome Thirdly as Rivers are of an incessant and indefatigable motion Labituret labetur in
themselues vtterly to demolish the Beasts throne hating the Whore and making her naked eating her flesh and burning it with fire Chapter 17.16 through very indignation that they had beene so long bewitched and besotted with her sorceries and made drunke with the Cup of her abominations For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will and to agree and giue their Kingdome vnto the Beast vntill the words of God shall bee fulfilled Chapter 17.17 In the meane time how mightily is the Beasts throne darkened vpon the pouring out of this Angels Vial How is the luster and splendor thereof waxed pale who reading this princely premonition together with other learned Divines writings in that raigne especially begins not at least to disrepute this glittering Throne Who doth not discerne it now to be a very Puffe or Mushrome growing from the fatt warme soyle of the earth the place whence the Beast cometh chapt 13. and that in the night time of darke ignoraÌ„ce and sleepy security and now like the Thistle in Lebanon to strout it selfe over the Cedars in Lebanon the Kings and Princes of the earth as the only Lord Paramont and God over all And is it a wonder then that all they who beare the Beasts marke and adore his Image who so much admire and dote vpon his glistering Throne are even madd at the pouring out of this Vial so as they gnaw their tongues for paine and with that dogg Becanus and that distorted Tortus do belch out blasphemies against the God of heaven and his sacred Lieutenants here on earth They gnaw their tongues for very spiâ—e that they cannot with any probable or colourable argumeÌ„ts vphold the dignity of the Beasts throne against so cleare evidence of his Antichristian vsurpation And this we may well deeme to be one reason that now of late dayes all Ieâ—uiticall penns haue ben so still quiet For they are so beaten from all those thickets wherein the Beast was wont to harbor and that of late especially by that Royall huntsman as that they haue no more left but their tongues to gnaw vpon now all the painting vpon the Whoores face and about the Beasts throne is so marred by the touch of this fiftâ— Vials fervour poured vpon them as that her old rivelled wrinkles and the rotten posts of the varnished Throne are displayed to all that haue but their eyes open or in their head And no doubt but the while they doe in their â—earts blaspheme the God of heauen And that for two reasons here annexed 1. because of their paynes 2. of their sores We heard of their sores vpon the pouring out of the first Vial sores in doctrine and sores in manners and now againe their sores are mentioned and that for two reasons 1. importing that their old sores still stick vpon them and are not all this while healed 2. That they come to be more and more discovered to the greater exasperation of their payne But yet for all this though they be mightily convinced of their desperatly diseased estate though they see and feele the glory of the Beasts Throne so darkened that uneath it is like to recover its former estimation with the world but is declining and drawing neere to the vtter downfall yet saith the spirit they repented not of their deedes O Iewish obstinacy vpon whom the wrath of God is come â—o the vttermost O Aegyptian and Pharaonicall obduration that having seene and felt the Divine hand so heavy vpon you in so many sore passed plagues and the evidence of Gods word and Angels darkning all your glory yet you will persist in your impudency and so fill up the measure of your rebellions vntilâ— the remnant of the Vials of the last and vtmost plagues of Gâ—ds wrath be poured and even emptied out vpon you The Sixt Vial powred out Ver. 12. And the sixt Angell powred out his Viall vpon the great River Euphrates and the water thereof was dried vp that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared Ver. 13. And I saw three vncleane Spirits like Froggs come out of the mouth of the Dragon and out of the mouth of the Beast and out of the mouth of the false Prophet Ver. 14. For they are the Spirits of Divels working miracles which goe forth vnto the Kings of the Earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battell of the great day of God Almighty Ver. 15. Behold I come as a Theefe in the night Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments least he walke naked and they see his shame Ver. 16. And hee gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon Having found the former Vialls so punctually fulfil Iâ—k in our forepassed times and that also in such an exquisite successiue order as hath beene shewed this present sixt Viall doth challenge the next turne to be poured out Not that the former Vialls are now ceassed and so call in and giue way to this For all these Vialls are so poured out as like to Ioshuaes speare stretâ—hed forth they are not called in againe nor ceasse their severall consequent effects till the very last of thâ—m be poured out which shall end in the vtter â—uine and confusion of Antichrist with all his Adherents and partakers For still the noysome and grievous sores the issue of the first Viall are vpon all those that haue the â—eastâ— Marke and worship his image as incurable still the maine Sea of Romes docttines continues altogether as the blood of a dead man still the Rivers issuing from the same of the like nature blood still the Sunne of the Gospell maugre all his malignant opposites shineth gloriously blessed be God who hath power over these plagues scortching the Adversaries with fire of spitefull envie though the light thereof will not lead them to repentance still the fift viall darkening the throne and Kingdome of the Beast is in force and shall never with all their Index Expurgatorius be expunged and now followes in order the pouring out of the sixt Vial ratifiyng the former fiue and preparing the way for the seventh when all the plagues in a full confluence shall be accomplished In the words of this Vial we may obserue foure generall branches 1. A preparation to Babylons ruine v. 1â— 2. An Agency for the mustering together of Babylons forces to fight the great battell ver 13.14 Thirdly Christs watchword to his souldiers ver 15. Fourthly the place where the maine battell is fought ver 16. First for the Preparatiue to Babylons destruction ver 12. And the sixth Angel poured out his Viall upon the great River Euphrates and the water thereof dried vp that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared In these words two things seeme very obscure and full of difficultie as 1. the great River Euphrates 2. the Kings of the East But for the first it is well knowne that the ancient heathen Citie Babylon situate betweene
Assyria and Chaldâ—a so famous in Scripture for Captiving of Gods people was strongly fortified by that great and goodly River Euphrates by meanes whereof it was impregnable For neither had Darius won it but by the horrid and vnnaturall stratagem of 〈◊〉 one of his Nobles Nor Cyrus the first vanquishâ—â— of it but by a rare devise of draining the River aboue by sundry artificiall sluces giving his men in charge whom he left before the Citty that when they should 〈…〉 to be decreased and four 〈◊〉 they should 〈◊〉 take the opportunitie wade ouer and suddenly 〈◊〉 Babylon in her deepe security which fell out accordingly But here is not an artificiall draining but some miraculous drying vp of the great Riuer Euphrates by diuine hand as Ier. 50.38 Or as it was in the 〈…〉 and Iordan whose waters miraculously driven backe yeelded a dry passage to Gods people on foot The meaning here is that the maine defence and fortification of the Mysticall Babylon vpon the pouring out of this sixt Viall shall be so miraculously exhausted as that a free and easie way is made for her fatall and finall destruction Euphrates being also a word that signifieth a strong fortification And what hath bâ—ne this spirituall Babylons supporter all this while What but profound ignorance But now this deepe River is in a maner dried vp The light of the Gospell hath so vnmasked the whole Mystery of iniquity that a man may see the bottome of it All their arguments which formerly were very currant and plausible with the credulous world are now at a Nâ—nplus They are now forced to put vp their pipes to silence their penâ—s as wee see of late all husht on a sodaine as it were miraculously all amute betaking themselues to their pikes and swordâ— as we shall see by and by in the next branch of this Viall If we should goe about to branch Euphrates here into the severall derivations as either from the Hebrew signifying to fructifie or from the Grâ—â—ke either from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to exhilarate or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speake or argue well all would meet againe in the channell of ignorance which being dryed vp now all their Profite and pleasure all their subtiltâ—e of Arguments fall away But we need not seeke after artificiall derivations of Euphrates here as Cyrus once did for the taking of Babylon If the Reader will haue but a little patience he shall perhaps see Euphrates quite dryed 〈◊〉 when once he hath 〈…〉 and concocted the other concurring circumstances of this â—ial For this great mysticall River being miraculously dryed vp makâ— way for the Kings of the East Who are those Some vnderstand that Rome shall be ruined by Easterne Kings some that hereby 〈…〉 the conversion of â—he Iewes and Maâ—umetans inhabiting most in the East And to make the easter way to it they dispatch Rome it selfe out of the way in the fifth Vial as we touched before So that they vnderstand here the very litteralâ— River Euphrates of the old Babylon which say they shall be miraculously dried vp to giue the Iewes paâ—â—age to return to their Ierusalem and there professe Christ and Christian Religion But first this sorts not with the fift Viall the Beasts throne and Kingdome still standing though darkened Secondly neither doth this exposition being too litterall beare Analogy to the vniforme tenour of these Vialls all of them having especially a mysticall interpretation Nor is the Citty of Rome only but the whole Pontifician hierarchy here comprized within the compasse of Euphrates So that the sense is the whole Kingdome of the Beast vpon this sixt Viall is drawing on apace to the vtter ruine and that by the Kings of the East who are mystically to be vnderstood The old Babylon was destroyed sometimes by the Kings of the East as the Persians and Assyrians sometimes by the Kings of the West as the Chaldeans in 〈◊〉 by the Kings of the North as Alexander of Macedon But here the Kings of the East who shall conquer Mysticall Babylon are all those whâ—â— Chapter 17.14 being on the Lambes side are described to be the called and chosen and faithfull These are Kings so stiled in Scripture as Chapter 1.6 and elsewhere And they are called Kings of the East mystically in 〈…〉 Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse arising vnto thâ—m with healing vnder his wings Mal. 4. As Esay also speaks of Christ and his Church Arise shine for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen vpon thee For behold the darknesse shall couer the â—arth and grosse darknesse the people 〈◊〉 the Lord shall rise vpon thee and his glory shal be seene vpon thee and the Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to â—he brightnesse of thy rising Esay 60.1 2 3. This Prophecy no doubt did point to the birth of Christ that Sunne of righteousnesse arising and very likely also to those sages oâ— wise-men of the East the first fruites and type of the Gentile-Church who came to worship him and who by their Prince-like deportment and the rich gifts which they presented to Christ did easily shew themselues to be no lesse then great men yea Princes or Kings which is very agreeable to Esays Prophecy The Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightnesse of thy rising But howsoever sure I am that by faith in Christ they are spiritually Kings of the East as being sonnes of the resurrection who are compared to the Morning light that shineth more and more vntill the perfect day Thus as there were Kings of the East to entertaine Christ at his first comming in humility so 〈◊〉 a way is prepared for the Kings of the East the elect oâ— God to meet Christ at his comming in Majesty as in the pouring out of the seventh Viall wherein the Lord shall abolish that wicked one with the brightnesse of his comming And it was an Angell ascending from the East who had the seale of the living God wherewith he sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads Chap. 7. â— 3. Indeed the Beast-marked and those that worship his Image are not a little superstitions in observing of the East they cannot pray but with 〈…〉 the East as if they were Iewes 〈…〉 of the Messias 〈…〉 worshipping the Sin towards the â—â—st But what haue the children of light to doe with superstitious rites of the children of darknesse Againe in the second place by the Kings of the East we may vnderstand all those earthly Kings who formerly being made drunke with the Whores Cup and having their eyes dazeled yea blinded with the golden lustre of it had given their power strength and Kingdome vnto the Beast but now Gods word and will being to be fulfilled and the time of their Babylonian confederacy and captivity expired they having their eyes inlightened with the Sunne-beams of the Gospell are now admitted into the number of the Kings of the
Alexander Farnesius his nephew of his base sonne Petrus Aloisius Guido Asâ—anius Fran. Fâ—rza another Nephew of his base daughter Constantia the one sixtene yeares of age the other 14 two tall striplings I wis his fatherhood creates for Cardinals answering those that obiected their tender yeares that himselfe now in his decrepite agâ— would easily recompense in his olde yeares what was therein wanting to them And so to this goodly issue came all this solemne Reformation But perforce at length all is devolved vpon the Councell of Trent an Assembly of many learned Doctors sufficient if any to invent some salue for Babylons sores And they say pretily to it for in that Councell you shall find no lesse then eleven or twelue very solemne and formall Decrees de Reformatione And when all is done nothing is Reformed Thus is verified that of the Prophet Ieremy Wâ— would haue cured Babylon but shee would not be cured Nay to shew her case is desperate that Councell comes with her Index expurgatorius wherewith to expunge and purge out all such bookes as either descry the nature of her diseases or prescribe remedies for the same Thus to this day from the time of Luther we see grievous sores stick close to that whole Pontifician body Although the corruptions of the Church of Rome were not altogether vndiscovered before Luthers time God still raising vp some from time to time to cry out against Babylon as Iohn Wickliffe in his workes writt against her manifold errors and abuses for which they merited the fire at the Councell of Constance but they never came so to be ransacked and ript up as by Luther and since his time He began to search their sores to the quick and laide them open with a witnes that it is impossible so much as ever to drawe the least skin over them to hide or cover them much lesse to cure them As for the bodily sores which fell vpon those of the Church of Rome vpon the pouring forth of this first Viall I list not to touch them Erasmus complaineth of Luther for two things that he touched too much the Bishops Myters and the Monks bellyes And surely a â—rievous sore fell vpon many of them in this kind maâ—y a Bishop lost his Miter and many a Monks fatt belly â—egan now to pinch for it Nor are we willing to touch â—hose Cardinals sore backs being beaten and pitifully 〈◊〉 vp and downe the streets of Rome by the Caesareanâ—ouldiers â—ouldiers who then had surprised it while their head â—as beating his braines how to get out of prison where 〈◊〉 was now pent and all this done within the time â—f the powring out of this Vial. I list not I say bee a â—aile in such sores Enough is said to cleare the powring â—ut the first Viall both when and how by whom and â—pon whom it began to be poured The second Viall powred out out And the second Angell poured out his Viall vpon â—he Sea and it became as the blood of a dead man and â—uery living soule died in the Sea As in the former Viall we haue seene Romes spirituall â—ores so here we are to search for spirituall seas It is vâ—all in Scripture to which for interpretation this Proâ—hecy all along sends vs to shadow out the doctrins of 〈◊〉 word of God by waters As Eze 47.3 4 5. The waters 〈◊〉 the Sanctuary by degrees became a huge OceaÌ„ Esay applies and expounds it Chapter 11.9 speaking of the light of the Gospell in Christs time he sayth The earth shall beâ— full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters couer the Sea So Abac 2.14 And Esay 55.1 In Exod. 15. Yee haue 12. fountaines typing the doctrine of the 12. Patriarchs and 12. Apostles Now as seas are in the good part taken for the doctrines of Christ in the forecited places so here in the evill part for the corrupt doctrines of Antichrist At the blast of the second Trumpet the third part of the sea is turned into blood here the whole Sea Which notes the difference betweene the state of Romes doctrines before the Councell of Trent while as yet they were in their growing and as now they became in and after the Councell of Trent Before the Councell of Trent there was some fresh water to be found in the doctrines of that Church some truth some meanes of â—alvation left for those that could search and find it out and follow it seperating the fresh and cleare water of truth from the blood of her abominable idolatries and other impious doctrines while as yet the rule of faith to wit the Scriptures remained intire but in and after the Councell of Trent wherein the Rule of faith is altered humane Traditions and inventions comming in for an equall share with the Scriptures and shouldering them for the wall and driving them into the very Kennell now the Sea is turned altogether into blood In this Councell the whole doctrine of the Gospell is turned vpside downe The iustifying and saving faith is vtterly excluded abandoned and accursed Iustification by workes takes place The Masse a new propitiatory vnbloody sacrifice for all sinnes for quicke and dead foysted in for Christs onely sacrifice once made yea humane satisfactions in stead thereof All Idolatries are ratified The Sacramentall Cup the liuely resemblance of Christs blood shed for our sinnes without which is no redemption no lifâ— in vs is for ever most sacrilegiously cut off from Christs sacred institution No man must read the Scriptures but the sworne vassalls and that according to the sense of the Church of Rome whose Oracle is the Popes brest and that variable as may best sute to the present occasion and commodity of that Church The vulgar Latine Translation though in comparison but a blundered streame is preferred before the pure originall fountains the Hebrew and Greeke though it containe many absurdities and falsities which may not be corrected The Index Expurgatorius established in that Councell is to quench all truth Therein mans free will is established and Gods free grace abolished Predestination and Election vndermined and overthrowne And the â—ike Thus is that Sea altogether blood yea as the blood of a dead man corrupt filthy gore whereof every living soule in that Sea dieth So that vpon the powring out of the second Viall vpon the Sea of Romes doctrines â—oncluded vpon in the Councell of Trent they are beâ—ome altogether mortall and deadly bainefull to the â—oule yea whereof every living soule in that Church diâ—th This began euidently to appeare by the Learned Chemnitius his Examen and other learned Ministers of â—he Gospell since that time by whose preaching and writings and opening of the word of God that Church 〈◊〉 convinced to be now altogether Apostaticall as King â—ames calls her For in that Councell she hath altogeâ—her denied the faith and that with Anathema so as she 〈◊〉 become worse then an Infidell vtterly excluded from â—ll communion with Christ for
without the true and â—â—ving faith in Christ no vnion with him and so no â—ommunion No salvation then henceforth I still â—eane and note it well from the Councel of Trent and â—ownward hitherto no salvation in the Church of â—ome every living soule therein dieth The Sea of hir â—â—ctrines is become like the Asphaltite or Mare mâ—rtuâ—â— or dead Sea wherein every living creature dieth â—his is then another of the spirituall Aegypts plagues So that this second Viall was not powred ouâ— â—â—ill the Councell of Trent not before The Councell of Trent putting a maine bounder and odde betweene the state of the Church of Rome before and after it Before the Councell of Trent there was some fresh-water for our fore-fathers to refresh their leane and languishing soules and to waft them to heaven while as yet the rule of faith remained intire and the faith of Christ was not vtterly destroyed and cashered but after that Councell all is turned into blood yea as the blood of a dead man not a drop of fresh-water to be looked for but a dead lake of most abominable corruption and stinking putrifaction Let them therefore no more obiect to vs our forefathers what became of them before the Reformation Surely if any thing but good befell them they might thanke the Church of Rome for it if they perished it was through the blood they sucked from that Strumpetts breasts Nor are we answerable or accountable for the salvation of our fore-fathers If they were led by dumb idolls If they perished in the Religion of Popery therefore must we Doth not the iealous God visit the iniquities of the idolatrous fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate him But blessed be God who hath long agoe pulled vs out of that bloody Sea wherein they were plunged Yea blessed be God who before the Councell of Trent before that Sea was altogether turned into bainfull blood God provided a remedy for them and vs one Vial was powred out by the preaching of the Gospell to giue men warning to fly from Romes plagueâ— sores And fifteene yeares before the conclusion of that wicked Councell was the pure fountaine of the Gospell restored in England in King Edward the sixt his dayes and foure or fiue yeares before the end of it the Gospell was reestablished in the blessed reigne of the 〈◊〉 renowned Queene Elizabeth Never 〈◊〉 vs then with our fore-fathers we hope that before the Councell of Trent God provided for them some freshwater as he did for the Israelites in Aegypt while the cursed Aegyptians had nothing but bloody waters to drinke But in the meane time O all yee Papists weepe not take not care so much for our forefathers as for your owne soules You are as poore fishes inclosed in the dead Sea in the Sea of Romes doctrines where you drinke in nothing but as the blood of a dead man whereof every living soule that drinketh thâ—â—eof dyeth Your case now is desperate infinitely worse then that of our fore-fathers before the Councell of Trent Oh that you had so much life left yea some dropp of humane sense and reason as to perceiue your ruefull condition That you perceiue it not is it not a cleare proofe of this Prophecy that every living soule in that Sea dieth Are not those dead fishes that discerne not betweene stinking blood and fresh water yea betweene the brackish Sea and the sweet Rivers But I wonder most how you living in this Church of England where the fresh Rivers of life doe flow that ever you would preferre the bloody Sea of Rome before them But I reade of the Mare mortuum or dead Sea of Sodom that if a Lanterne without a light in it be cast vpon it it by and by sinketh downe and is seene no more but a Lanterne with a light in it fleeteth aboue and sinketh not How true this is I dispute not But I am sure it is the liuely Embleme of a Papist who hath put out the light of his reason and vnderstanding or of the foolish Virgin who hath a Lampe without Oyle much more without light You reiecting the Gospell there is no light in you and so it is no marvaile if cast vpon the Asphaltite of Romes corrupt and bloody doctrines which Citty is called spiritually Sodome Chapter 11.8 you sinke ever head and eares and drinke your bane Whereas if you did but nourish the light of reason and of Gods word in your soules you should never sinke into the dead lake being sustained by the heavenly light This is that light which preserveth Gods elect fishes from the mortall and mortiferous Sea of Rome whereon though perforce they be cast yet are they not swallowed vp of it But you will object or some for you Is there no salvation no spirituall life to be found in the Sea of Romes doctrines No salvation within the verge and bosome of that Church For answere ye may beeliue the Scripture here It plainly saith that that Sea is become as the blood of a dead man so that every living soule therein dieth And what is more plaine then that the Church of Rome according to the conclusions and Canons of Trent is this bloody corrupt seaâ— They haue expressely denied the faith they haue excluded the word of God as the onely rule of faith as we haue shewed and what salvation then is left in that Church God forbid you will sayâ— God forbid But that will not serue the turne You must come out of Babylon as the Scripture exhorts you that ye be not partakers of hir sinnes and punishments The Iesuites indeed are clamarous in your eares No salvation out of the Church And herewith they dazle your eyes while you want iudgment to put a difference betweene the Church of Christ and the now Church of Rome Out of the Church of Christ there is no salvation That is most true But the Church of Rome is now no true Church of Christ. Why so She denieth the faith of Christ she denieth salvation and iustification by the faith of Christ. Now that Church which denieth the only meanes of salvation by Christ is no true Church of Christ but such as wherein salvation is not to be expected But the Church of Rome denieth the only meanes of salvation by Christ yea accurseâ—h it to wit the iustifying and saving faith of Christ. Therefore the Church of Rome is no true Church of Christ but such as wherein no salvation is to bee expected But you obiect againe As for vs we doe not know or are acquainted with the particular doctrines of the Councell of Trent we are not learned to define or disstinguish betweene Faith Faith it suffiseth vs to beleeue as the Church beleiveth and if we erre through ignorance we hope that will not altogether preiudice or hinder our salvation And some of the Church of England and those no small ones haue said that they doe not deny salvation at least to
we go to their Baptisme the only Relique esteemed of some sufficient to marke Rome for a true Church yet even that by Romes owne Doctrine and confession will not proue so For the efficacy of Baptisme as of all their Sacraments they hang vpon the Priests Intention at the words of Consecration Now because no man can be certain of the Priests Intention Vega who was a great stickler in the Councell of Trent therevpon inferreth that no man can be certain of his salvation because he is not certain whither he was rightly Baptised or no in regard of the vncertainty of the Priests IntentioÌ„ From whence I conclude thus That which no one Papist can demonstrate not all Papists together can demonstrate But not â—ny Papist can demonstrate himselfe to be a true member of â—he Church because he cannot demonstrate whether he be â—â—uely Baptised or no or whether the Sacrament of Baptisâ—e was a mere nullitiâ— vnto him for want of the Priests Intention therefore not all Papists together can demonstrate themselues to be of the true Church and consequently the Church of Rome consisting of so many particular members cannot demonstrate her selfe to bee a true Church Yea it may come to passe also that in one age the Church of Rome may quite loose the Essence of a Church for asmuch as her Sacrament of Ordination depends vpon the Ordainers Intention which if wanting the whole Ordination is frustrate and so his whole Ministry and so downward And that which may befall one may befall all So that to helpe all there is need of a great deale of charity to hope well of the Priests Intention and so the best yet of the Church of Rome But passe we to the rest It is alledged Neither for the chaffe doe we leaue the floore of God neither for the bad fishes doe we breake his Netts Answer But if the floore be not now Gods floore but Antichrists floore wherein nothing is to be found but chaffe and if the Netts be no other but such as catch onely the bad fishes which is not the propertie of Gods Netts then such a floore such netts are altogether to be abandoned And whither that floore or those netts be Antichrists only and not Gods shall appeare more fully anoneâ— Againe it is alledged All truth wheresoeuer it is found is Gods not ours as the Kings coine is currant though it be found in any impure chanell Answer All truth is Gods True But when the trutâ— of God is turned into a lye and this lye put for Gods truth the case is altered Againe if a man take the Kings coyne and beate it into a thinne leafe vsing it only to guild over brasse or some other base mettâ—l which he stamps with the Kings counterfetted Image or superscription oâ— the one side and with the Image and superscription on the Kings emulous enemy on the other side what good subiect of the King will take it for currâ—nt and not rather appeach him for a Traytor that shall wittingly tender or much more obtrude avouch it for the Kings coyne And only such coyne is currant in the Church of Rome We know that Gods coyne his pure silver and gold haue they taken and melted in the Popes Test and haue beaten it into thinne leaues for no other vse nor purpose but only to overlay their drosse or base metall to make it the more currant with the world one side being stampt with Christs Image and superscription and with Antichrists on the other yet so as the Pope is the only King by whose authority such coyne is made currant Who knows not that the Pope denyeth authority to the Scripture in all things saving in the matter of Christs Vicarship or Peters supremacy This vsurpation he can be content to father vpon the authority of Scripture though the Scripture vtterly disclaimes it And what is all this but to guild over all those his base metals of false Doctrines that so they may passe for the more currant catholicke coyne Thus Gods truth is vsed but as a bare pretence to colour over the Popes lyes They alledge againe another comparison Fundamentall truth is like that Maronaean wine which if it be mixed with twenty times so much water holds his strength Answ. The comparison is pretty if it did hold water But what if into the Maronaean wine twentie times so much poyson be put What strength then will be fouÌ„d in it but that the drinker shall find it a potion of strong poyson Again Take the Maronaean wine and extract the spirits out of it and what is it then but a dead vappa Such is that truth which is now in the Church of Romes keeping the nature force and strength of it is quite abolished by their mixing of twenty times so much of poysoned humaine or rather diabolicall Inventions with it yea they haue in their Romish Limbeck so extracted all the life-spirits out of the pure wine of Gods word as they haue left it a meere dead Vappa full of their dreggs and Lees. For haue they not guelt the Scriptures of their divine authority natiue sense of the spirit of God no other spirit breathing in them but such as blowes from Roman Eâ—lus his breast Another comparison The Sepulchre of Christ was overwhelmed by the Pagans with earth and râ—bbish and more then so over it they built a Temple to their impure Venus yet still in spight of malice there was the Sepulchre of Christ and it is a ruled case of Papinian that a sacred place looseth not the holinesse with the demolished walls no more doth the Roman loose the claime of a true visible Church by her mâ—nifold and deplorable corruptions Answere Indeed at Rome was once the true spirituall Temple of Christ as once the materiall in Ierusalem but how the Church of Rome may be proved to be a true visible Church because once it was so by this comparison I see not As for Papinians ruled case of a place once sacred but now ruined yet because once still sacred it may serue a simple Papist to feed his superstition withall to whom all sacred Reliques are so relishable but how a sound Christian may edifie his faith vpon such a comparison I cannot savour True it is Ierusalem and Iudaea is still called the Holy Land but is it therefore still sacred because so called or because so adored of superstitious Pilgrimes Bethel was once a Holy place when Iacob erected there his Altar for Gods worship was it therefore holy still when Ierobâ—ams golden Calfe was erected there Do not all sound Divines know that places are not further nor longer sacred then the vse remaineth whereupon at first they began to be sacred Put off thy shooes from thy feet said the Lord to Moses for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground Now what made it holy ground Was it not the Lords presence shadowed in the burning Bush But after that the Lord disappeared and Moses was sent away
the imitation of their inveterate hatred to the truth of the Gospell and to those that preach and professe it they become thereby guilty of all the blood of those Martyrs who were slaine for the selfe same faith and truth which we of the Church of England at this day professe and avow and consequeâ—tly ye are found to be worthy to drinke the most bainfull blood of Romes deadly doctrines the fearfullest plague that ever could befall you to your eternall perdition without speedy repentance and conversion to the truth Nay which my pen trembleth to set downe Papists are found to be copartners with the Iewes in crucifying even of Christ himselfe whom they so persecute in his truth and in his members for which cause saith the royall Paraphrast they are partners with Iudas in the death of Christ. Read for this purpose the 11. chapter of this booke together with King Iames his Paraphrase vpon it Nor can any Papist though never so full of subtile shifts shift this Scripture off from himselfe and all those of the Church of Rome There is nothing more cleare no not the Sun when it shineth brightest in the Summer Meridian then that the Pope of Rome is that Beast Rev. 13. and the Church of Rome that Babylon drunke with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Iesus Chapter 17 all Iesuiticall sophistry cannot avoid it And if Papists durst but looke vpon this Scripture it would make their haire stand on end to see in what a deplored state they are 〈◊〉 vpon them mainly the Beast-marked his Image-worshippers all these seaven Vialls one in the necke of another poure forth their plaguâ—s never ceassing till they haue fulfilled the wrath of God in the finall and fatall ruine and desolation of that whole Synagogue of Rome which now approacheth and hastneth on apace It is added And I heard another out of the Altar say Euen so Lord God Almighty true and righteous are thy iudgementâ— These wordâ— are a confirmation of the former This voice is but inculcated and ingeminated to rowse vp the Infidell and Atheisticall world to take notice of Gods truth and righteousnesse of his truth concerning all those Prophecies in his word denouncing destruction to the enemies of his Church which we haue in a good part seene and for the rest shall be no lesse certainly in their due time accomplished also of his divine exact vnpartiall justice by recompensing legâ— Talionis like for like like punishments and judgements for like sinnes like spirituall thirst after the blood of the Saints who follow the truth to their salvation with like spirituall drinke of the bainfull blood of pestilentiall doctrines and lies which all Papists drinke in to their damnation But why Another from the Altar Surely I cannot conceiue the reason hereof vnlesse it be this We all know what infinite havock the Church of Rome hath of a long time and dayly doth make of the blood of Christ vpon their Popish Altar Haue they not even stopped and dryed vp that fountaine of his blood set open for Israel and Iuda for sinne and for vncleanesse haue they not robbed the poore people of the Sacramentall Cup which should bee a fresh memoriall and effectuall application of that sinne purging blood to every faithfull receiver Haue they not hereby evacuated that covenant of the New Testament which was ratified and sealed with the blood of Christ without which is no remission Haue they not thus torne away the seale from the Testament of grace Haue they not in stead thereof erected a new vnbloody sacrifice of a fantasticall inchanted body which they notwithstanding moâ—â— blasphemously and senselesly call their Propitiatory sacrifice for the quick 〈…〉 and a 〈…〉 all soreâ— Doe they not thus account the bloud of the covenant which should sanctifie them an vnholy thing Doe they not thus trample vnder foote the Sonne of God And â—hat even then when they would seeme most of all to elevate him in their fained Host vpon their Altar Their very Alltar as holy as they would make it 〈◊〉 be â—o deeply stained with the guilt of Christs bloud spilâ— vpon it Therefore here is one sent from the Altar of God even from Iesus Christ our only Alâ—ar on whom we offer vp the Calues of our lips who mightily magnifieth the truth and iustice of Godâ— in giving spirituall deadly blood to them to drinke who haue â—pon their Idoll-Altar taken away and disanulled that only Propitiatory blood of Christ. which he hath left to his Church for every faithfull man to drinke spiritually by faith to the consolation of his conscience the confirmation of his faith and the salvation of his soule Thus iust and true is God every way at every turne to meet with his enemyes and to pay them home with their owne coyne The Fourth Vial powred out Our Country-man M. Brightman in his Commentary comming to this fourth vial saith Hactenus â—â—c ipsa tempâ—ra in quibus praesâ—â—tes vâ—â—mus Ad â—anâ— enim â—â—que 〈◊〉 nostra sâ—cula processâ—runt reliquâ— quatuor sunt nobis expectand◠〈◊〉 diffâ—ciâ—â—â—r est indagatio Hitherto saith he come these tâ—mes wherein we nâ—w liue For even vnto this Vial haue our ages reached the other foure behind 〈◊〉 to expect whereof 〈◊〉 disquisition will be more difficult So he Yet himselfe not only attempts the opeâ—ing of the subsequent vials but â—â—imates and excites 〈◊〉 faithfull Ministers to imploy their best paines and studies therin as in a work most behoâ—â—full for the Church of God in these lâ—st times But that he should say he lived not to see this fourth Viall powred out 〈…〉 somewhat strange Was it because living 〈…〉 the Cataracts of Nâ—bis â—â— could not heare the noyse of it Or because his eye was so neare the object as he could the worse discerne it Or as Paules eyes at his conversion were so 〈◊〉 with the glorious light that for a time his sight was wholly suspended So haply Mr. Brightmans eyes overcome with the Sunnes bright beames shining so full vpon him whereon this fourth Viall is powred could noâ— discerne what it meant or transported with the beauty and glory thereof as Peter was with that excellent glory in the Mount in saying Thus farre are our times come wist not what he said And as it is vsuall we can better and more safely behold the Sun wiâ—h ouâ— backes towards it in a vessell of cleare settled water then by daring to looke or staâ—e vpon that goodly glorious body with opposite and open â—ace And many times for want of due consideration in making a right vse of the resplendent prosperity of things present either by too much doting vpon it or by vnkindly envying of it or by some discontented humour in a fickle affectation of change â—e come to loose the due estimate and so the true fruitâ—on of them But to our fourth Viall Indeed I must acknowledge that for a few dayes I was not a little puzzeled and
iniquity and profanesse is accounted the best Christian. These vncleane spirits would perswade the world that he is the best Minister that preacheth least that hath most preferments and cures of soules but liues at ease himselfe and playes the good-fellow that the Lords day is best observed but with one Sermon aâ— most and with one Play at least These be the vncleane spirits that revell most in the time of this Viallâ— wherein whose will not ruâ—â—e with the streame of all impurity and impiety thâ—â— blast them with the name of heresie as Pope Paul â— did those thâ—â— studied Academicall learning or as Traian put men to death only because they were Christians So that these vncleane spirits like froggs pollute the waters where they liue with the filthy froth of their frye so causing an vniversall surface of all iniquity in the time of this Viall more then ever The Royall Paraphrast saith of them They are likened to Froggs for that they are bred of an old filthy and corrupt false doctrine which for a long space hath blinded the world before their comming as froggs breed of rotten and slimy coruption or for that they preferrâ— themselues before all other Ecclesiasticall orders preceeding them as vnperfect and vnprofitable hopping and leaping aboue them Againe the frogg hath no othâ—r song but one Koax Koax and therein is very importunate so these vncleane spirits what is all their Croaking but one song The Church The Church the Catholick Church the holy Mother Church of Rome the Apostolicke Sea one supreme Pastor and Iudge of controversies who cannot erre and the like This is their three mans song wherein they goe as in a circle Thus by counterfeiting the froggs they doe as the Aegyptian Magitianâ— seeke thereby even by their very clamarousnesse and obstreperousnes to disgrace Moses and Aaron Gods Ministers in their office who preach the truth Fourthly froggs bring forth their young as the Beare vnformed having only a black head and taile such is the spirituall offspring of these Froggs whose faith is informis or vnformed implicit and even blacke with ignorance Hence the Proverbe Nihilò rana gyriâ—a prudentior no wiser then the young frye of a frogg Which may be applied to all seduced and blind Papists who are not able to render a reason of their faith Fifthly Froggs liue in abundance of waters and of idlenesse Whence the Proverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou pourest out wine vnto the froggs as we say To poure water into the Sea And in what abundance of voluptuousnesse and ease these froggâ— liue all the world knows Againe the Frogg is a nimble creature and when yoâ— thinke to take her vp in your hand she skips away and hides her in the mudd such are these actiue spirits In a word K. Iames of happy memory in his Premonition to all Christian Monarchs free Princes and States about these froglike spirits hath these words calling them a new sect of Spirits raised vp for the defence of that tottering throne called three in number by reason of their threâ— fold direction being raysed and inspired by the Dragon Satan authorized and maintained by the Beast the Antichrist and instructed by the false Prophet the Apostaticke Church that hath the hâ—rnes like the Lambe but speaketh like the Dragon These spirits indeed thus sent forth by this threefold authority for the defence of their triple-crowned Monarch are well likened to Froggs for they are amphibious and can liue in either element Earth or water for though they be Church men by profession yet can they vse the trade of Politike Statesmen going to the Kings of the earth together them to the battell of that great day of God Almighty What Massacres haue by their perswasion been wrought through many parts of Christendome and how evilly Kings haue sped that haue ben councelled by them all the vnpartiall histories of our time doe beare record And whatsoeuer King or State will not receiue them and follow their advice 〈◊〉 out must that King or State be even with Gunpowder ere it fayle And these froggs had reason indeed to labour to become learned thereby to dissipate that grosse mist of ignorance wherwith the raigne of Antichrist was plagued before their coming forth So farre the judicious King Thus we need goe no farther for a cleare interpretation of these words Hence also we may note the vnaminous spirit of these three the Dragon the Beast and the false Prophet out of whose mouth these three Froglike spirits proceeding may put vs in mind as of their tripple authoritie so of their triple malignity as the crafty cruelty of the Dragon the vsurped power of the Beast and the sophistry of the false Prophet They are called also the spirits of Divells to note their Politicke 〈…〉 going in the habit of illuminate 〈◊〉 Rabbies in the long robes of profound Craftsmasters and expert Statesmen who in the time of this Viall bring into the world new Maxims of state infused into them from those whence they come But they work◠〈◊〉 This may seeme to excuse Priests and Iesuites from being of the number of those spiritâ—â— for what miracles doe they Yes surely great miracles if ye may belâ—eue them Although what true miracles can false Propheâ—â— the spirits of Devils doe But it sufficeth that these Prophets be the only Miracle mongers And aâ— King Iames excellently They doe miracles of deceit for they doe wonderfully deceiue men And doe they not vndertake to do miracles every day while they would make the worshippers of the Beasts Image belieue that they doe a Miracle inâ—uâ—ning a thinne Wafer cake into the very body of Christ flesh blood and bone Only the Apostle tells vs that Antichrists miracles are lying wounders serving only to deceiue them that perish through strong delusion sent them from God that they should belieue a lye and so might be 〈◊〉 And is it not miraculous that they can by their inchanâ—ing spells make of wise men starke ideots offensible men senselesse of reasonable men brutish as to believe that to be a miracle which they see with their eyes to be nothing lesse It is the property of a miracle to put it selfe vpon the triall of a mans infallible sense specially of the eye But here is no such thing to be serue When Christ turned the water into wine it had now both the colour and savour and substance and true spirit of naturall wine Thus it was with a true Miracle the first that Christ wrought in Cana of Galilee It was not such still as the guests could not discerne from water either by their eye or tast or smell but were by the strength of their faith or conceit to imagine it to be wine But the miracle forsooth of Popish Transubstanâ—◠〈◊〉 cannot indure the couch of â—ensâ—â— triall the eye seeâ— nothing but a 〈…〉 Wafer the mouth tasts nothing but a thinne shiver of bâ—ead Where then is the Miracle That must be begged