Exposition of Jude, Publishers postscript
THE PVBLISHERS POST-SCRIPT.
MAny excellēt points might I, as gemmes and pearles in this Commētarie, commend vntounto thy cō sideratiō (Christian Reader:) but that one shall suffice to giuegive notice of, and direct thee vntounto, as worthiest of my penning and thy perusing; which, as it is most ioyned with the scope of this whole Epistle; so most seasonably is it fitted to our present cōdition, and most diligently trauased by this our Author, namely, that The seducers of the last age, especially here aimed at by the spirit of God; de…iers of the maine grounds of Religion in doctrine, and practise, are the Papists and the present Romish Church. The necessarie consequent whereof is directly prooued, namely, That we may neuer ioyne with them in their religion: but for euer contend against them for the faith once giuen to the Saints: Vers. 3.which wee can neuer doe if wee auoide not their doctrines, as the rockes on which wee shall necessarily suffer shipwracke, or death it selfe, vntounto which they cannot but carrie the professors. The antecedent or former part seemeth (by the way) to be a direct and naturall answere vntounto a Popish pamphlet, alreadie by three learned men sufficientlie confuted; wherein H.T. by twelue triuiall articles (in comparison) goeth about the bush to prooue, that Protestants hauehave neither faith nor pietie, religion nor good life. To whom our Author in the exposition of the third verse reioyndeth, and (doubling the number of those articles with aduantage) in the same order prooueth the Romish faith to be aduersary in sixe and twentie seuerall, solid and maine grounds vntounto Christian faith and practise. I will no longer stand on this part than I hauehave shewed who these Papists be, meant by the Author from whom wee must depart; and that for this end, that the sequell of our separation from them may bee acknowledged most iust and necessarie. By such a Papist wee vnderstand not eueryevery one who in some things may bee Popishly affected, for true faith may stand with some errors, and the end of that faith be the saluation of mens soules: so bee the partie aberring be framed to these two rules: First, he must of necessitie h…ld the foundation, namely, that in Iesus Christ alone, and in no other name, either Angell or man, himselfe or others, saluation is to be sought for. If a man vponupon this foundation build some wood, nay, stubble,1. Cor. 3. or chaffe, though these shall be burned, yet himselfe shal be saued, notwithstanding as it were through fire. Secondly, those errors must not be ioyned with either a willing, … wilfull ignorance, for such errors are desperate and bring swift damnation.2. Pet. 2.1. And thus where God reueiles no more but naked Christ, and where there is a subiection of the heart to the word, causing it to depend on the Ministrie for further and more full instruction, the acknowledgement of eueryevery diuine truth is not of such absolute necessitie to saluation, but that true faith may stand with some (euen Popish) errors. The Ruler is said to beleeue (and that was by a iustifying faith) when as yet he was onelyonly ouercome by the Maiestie of Christ;Ioh. 4.53. appearing in the miracle of raising his sonne, to assent vntounto and acknowledge ye maine truth that Christ was the Messiah: but so, as himselfe and his household depended on his mouth for further instruction, and became his disciples. Yea euen the Disciples themselues were long after their calling and conuersion very ignorant in no small points of Christianitie. Philip, of the first person in Trinitie: Lord shew vsus the Father. Ioh. 14.….Others of them cōceiued of Christ as a worldly King: whence two of them desire to sit the one at his right hand, Matth. 20.and the other at his left, when he came to his kingdome. Others of them (euen after his resurrectiō) harping on the same string, and hearkening after temporalities expect it. Luk. 24.21. Act. 1.6.Others aske him when he would restore it to Israel. Peter himselfe held not as hee ought the doctrine of the passion,Mat. 16.22. seeing hee disswaded Christ frō it. Wherein marueilous ignorance descrieth it selfe in them being true beleeuers: but so much the more tolerable, in that first Christ reueiled no more vntounto them, either not opening the things, or their vnderstandings to apprehend them, till afterwards that hee sent the spirit of truth. And secondly this ignorance (the mother of their errors) was accompanied with a desire of knowledge: for they were euer questioning with him, desiring him to open vntounto them his parables, and resolue their doubts, instantly listning vntounto the gratious words of his mouth, and in a word were blessed euen in hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse. The persons then here aimed at are absolute & perfect Papists,Note well. Perk. Probl. pag. 1. operum vlt. edit. p. 367. & pag. 741. against whom alone this graue Author dealeth in all such places of this or other his Workes, where in he may seeme seuere against them: as himselfe here and there thorough his writings hath described them, to be such as acknowledge the Pope their head: hold and maintaine the doctrines and deuices of the Councell of Trent, and therein are become ouerturners and rasers of the foundation of Christian religion; members of Babylon, Idolaters, not onelyonly outwardly towards Saints and Images: but inwardly sacrificing to their own nets;Perk. operum p. 431. col. 2. these zealous Papists, especially the Teachers among them, are the deceiuers so liuely described throughout the Epistle.
The second point is our consequent dutie, standing in our standing out with these aduersaries of Gods grace and Gospell: neuer offering to communicate with them in their cup of fornications; nor once bethink vsus of leaguing such abhorring natures as are light and darknes: and truth (which is of an vnstained nature) with most foule and deformed falsehood. For we cannot drinke of the cup of the Lord & of Diuels. 1. Cor. 10.21.Which point let me with good leaue a little further declare: not that I louelove to kindle or keepe in any coales of contention, (the Lord put farre from me such vnpleasant thoughts) but calmely to shew the ouersight of diuers mediatours, attempting to reconcile ours with the present religion of the Romish Synagogue: esteeming it to bee too much peremptorines so farre as wee doe to depart from them: yea censuring it, either as wilfulnes on the one hand, o… scrupulositie on the other, to bee so opposite vntounto them as we are: reputing it a matter of no difficultie to frame both sides to a meane, either side (as they say) yeelding a little: nay it is buzzed out, into the eares, by the tongues of common men, that there is no such discrepance and difference betweene vsus in matters of moment as is made; but that the substance of both our Religions is not farre from the same: so as many are in a mammering whether way may be better: whereunto (after the Hebrew foreign,foreign: Cicero. imitated also by the Greeks and Latins, that I may begin with the last for the helping of memorie) first wee may bewaile, in beholding into what a fearfull (if not desperate) degree of declining many are alreadie come: that after so many yeeres profession of the truth, powerfully both published, and protected, they should not only admit a dangerous deliberation;Cyprian. but euen call the very maine grounds thereof into question: whereas if it bee in a motion to Idolatrie, they ought instantly to say with Sidrach; Dan. 3.We are not carefull what to answere in this matter. But this iudgement of God is iust vponupon them, that whereas they neuer receiued the truth in louelove of it, they should lose of their ground, and bee left vntounto further delusion. Good cause hauehave we all to lament the remembrance of our ruine, through this Satanical stratagem: If the woman will needes bee so vnwise as (not needing) to enter parley with Satan, whom she ought to hauehave resisted: and that in matter of such moment, as wherein Gods truth, his glorie, and her owne glorious estate must bee questionable: most iustly must she bee left of God, snared by Satan, foyled through her owne follie, throwne from her estate, (though of innocēcie) and dispossessed (not alone wee all know) euen of Paradise it selfe. Besides, how farre shor… come these men in …ale to the truth, not onelyonly of our aduersaries the Papists themselues, among whome no doubts … questions in their grou… and … tolerable▪ but euen of the law who will admit of no dispute against his Religion▪ yea of the barbarous Turke himselfe, who inflicteth d…ath on whomsoeuer they conuin…e to hauehave called a word of their Alca…on into question▪
Secondly, concerning those who cannot discerne such essentiall differences betweene our Religions, both of v… (as they say) professing saluation by the same Christ▪ and all the articles of the same faith; I wish them no worse then that their eyes were cleered with the eye salue,See Perkins practise of a reformed Catholike, operū p. 743 that they might see, that he that seeth not such a Papist as i… mē tioned to professe a false Christ, and a false faith, seeth in Religion sc…rse any thing at all: neither doubt I liue (to whom malice, … igno…nt superstition shutteth not their eyes) to shew plainl… in few words, that whatsoeuer in words they confesse with vsus, yet in doctrine and deed they altogether reuerse it and dissent from vsus, in cases wherein wee may neuer consent vntounto thē. And first, seemeth it a small matter of difference, that in generall they charge our whole doctrine of noueltie, whence ordinarily they tearme the Teachers thereof Non…rs ▪ and in speciall, first, that our doctrine of iustification by faith alone (for this striketh at the head, and vnbowelleth all their shifting deuices) is but a new deuice of ours? as appeareth in their Champians challenge.Campian. But confounded herein was he, his cause and abetters▪ our learned men at the conference with him in the Tower not only mightely by the Scriptures conuincing; but out of Greeke and Latin Fathers also, who liued aboue a thousand yeeres ago,See the first and fourth daies conference extant. oppressing him with those very formall words, that faith onelyonly iustifieth; so driuing him to ridiculous shift…, and newly coyned distinctiōs (so neere the Min… was he) before vnheard of: euen as in this controuersie being much straitned, they were forced to cast about for that as false as new distinctiō of iustification into the first and second, neuer heard of for ye space of a thousand and fiue hundred ye…res after Christ.
2. Let … ad…oyne hereunto the challenge of our England… Iewell, B. Iewell against Harding.who vndertoo… ▪ and performed the proofe, that in seuen and twentie points (none of them …) the Papists are different, not …nely from ours, but from the doctrine of the Primitiue Church▪ and that neue… … of th…se their new deuices … once heard of … receiued i… … Church of God for the space of sixe hundred yeeres after Christ. If then they chall…nge our doctri… of Noueltie… and … proued (they not improouing) that … of no ancient▪ and not neere Apostolicall authoritical hope this cannot seeme a circumstance… betweene … ▪ for there can be but one truth, and that is most mole….Antiquissimum verissim…, …hilterinq… quod posterius.
3. Againe, can it seeme so small … moa…e in the eye of any man of sight, that the sacrilegious Synod of … teacheth, (cursing the contrarie minded) that on their Romish Altars, sacrifices propitiatorie are d…ly properly and truly offered for the sinnes of the quick and dead… seeing that this doctrine vtterly derogateth from, yea and abrogateth that most perfect and only … for all offered,Heb. 9.25.26. whereby their sinnes are … p…ated that shall see the Lord in the holie of holies.
4. Further, let any indifferent and single eye behold, and consider whether those bee but trifling differences which our reuerend Reignolds hath worthily disputed,De eccles. Rom. Idol… latria. both against Bellarmine in his bookes intituled, The Idolatrie of the Roman Church: as also against Hart, both in the two principall questions concerning Peters and the Popes supremacie: (by which their doctrine they would make Kings and Princes but vassals and …eodataries vntounto the Pope;Concil. Trident sess. 14 cap. 7. Bellarm. de pontis. Rom. lib. 5. cap. 8. Stapleton saith that the Popes supremacie must bee held in paine of damnation. See 5. and 6. conclusions. to whom they ascribe absolute power to excomm…icate Kings; to discharge their subiects from their obedience, and allegeance; to dispense with their oathes of loyaltie, and faithfull subiection; and dispose of their Crownes at his pleasure: which no good subiect (much lesse Christian) can say is a triuiall point, or a little to bee yeelded vntounto) as also in those sixe conclusions annexed, wherein hee hath substantially and learnedly determined, that the saith professed by the present Church of Rome is not the Catholike faith. That their Church is so far from being the Catholike Church, that it is no sound member of the Catholike Church, and consequently that the reformed Churches of Great Brittaine, France, Germany, &c. hauehave lawfully: that is, by warrant of Gods word seuered themselues therefrom.
5. Neither may wee yeeld that to be a circumstantiall question discussed betweene our learned Whi…taker and Stapleton concerning the Authoritie of the holy Scriptures, which they so farre debase & subordinate to their Church: seeing through that great booke of his (neuer like to bee answered by them) he grauely prooueth that the foundation of Papisticall faith is laid vponupon man, 1. Booke, 2. chapt. pag. 51.and not vponupon God; and so it is an humane faith, and not diuine; vntounto which their whole seruice is sutable, according to Durandus his description in his Rationale. And lastly, none but inconsiderate men would auerre either that the most learned Protestāts of Europe hauehave spent their strength, and beaten their braines only for the beating of the …yre in matters immateriall: or that those who hauehave a… yet vncontroleably published, that the Popish Teachers hauehave reuersed the whole Decalogue, with the most of the Articles of the Creede, and Petitions of the Lords Prayer, hauehave differed and squared in points not essentiall: or that so many zealous Martyrs, many of them of very profound knowledge should giuegive their liues, and most innocent blood, for matters of shadow (as is pretended) rather than of substance: for thus to impeach the labours of the former, or staine the sufferings of the latter, would scarse beseeme any but either a Papist, or some speciall fauourite of theirs.
Thirdly, to such as are of minde that a harmelesse mediation may be made; me thinkes it no other but the feeding of a fancie: besides that, it is not harder to make them preserue, and yet neither without preiudice. In which point, as I would not seeme too rigorous or austere,Non omnis concordia bona; est daemonū legio concors, nec non latronū conspiratio. Muscul. in Matth. 8.2. well knowing how sweete is the name, and yet more pleasant is peace it selfe; so would I chuse an honorable warre, before a dishonorable peace; a free and iust dissention, before a base and slauish agreement, such as theirs would be: For Nahash the Ammonite will make no concord with Iab…sh Gilead, vnlesse eueryevery m…n suffer his right eye to be pulled …, that so he may bring some sha… vponupon Israel. And first it seemeth to me a matter b…rder to bee b…ught about, than LoueLove of my shallow … can expect e…er to see effected▪ both in regard of our selues, as also of them▪ for if the truth bee with vsus (as wee are bound to confesse, both in respect of i… selfe, and the aArticles of religion set out Anno 1562. and in Parliament approued Eliz. 13. c. 12law whereby it is established) bIer. 2.19. & 6. c. 16.th…n our turnings back… must not reprooue vsus; but hauing found the old way, we are to walke in it, (without turning aside) that wee may in it finde rest for our soules. The Lords counsell to his Prophet must bee our direction in this case: Sonne of man, goe … th…n to them, but let them c…me to thee▪ for to lose our hold of the truth, much lesse to le…se any part of it, …s in exchange with falsehood, were not onelyonly a wrongfull betraying of it self, but a wilful wronging of our selues and posterities; whom Gods blessings for the present hath made able to …old it entire, not onelyonly without danger, but with encouragement, power, & protection. But more hopelesse or impossible rather in respect of them shall out meeting in the midway seeme to be, to whomsoeuer with iudgement shall perpend these foure subsequent considerations.
First, that their faith being not cSadeel refut. assert. Pos…a…. c. 9.Apostolicall, their Religion a dHis Maiesties late Proclamation and speech at the Parliament.false Religion, their Church a eD. … on Iude: by 25. notes. Perk. in Matth. 4. vers. 5. & operū p. 741false Church, and their worship a false worship: it will prooue not a matter of repairing (as requiring lesse cost and labour) but of founding their faith, before they can bee raised vntounto vsus: which how hard it is for them to bee brought vntounto, who are so setled in their lees and dregges for so many hundred yeeres, they cannot be ignorant, who know how difficult it is for a Bl…kem…re to ch…ge his skin, or a Leopard his spots: for so hard is it for those who are accustomed to euill, to be drawne to good.
Secondly, that so long as the Pope holdeth his headship ouer the Church, with that erroneous position, that he cannot erre; (which hee is likely to lay downe with his Crowne and Crosier, (for sooner to part with them were a foule error) if by much sweate some indifferent parley were cōpassed (himselfe still remaining both partie and iudge, as hee was in the Councell of Trent) improbable, yea impossible it were that any conclusions could on their part bee passed,Noli quaestu…sum vlcus tangere Erasm. (if on any at all propounded) which any way might be derogatorie to his vsurped power and pre…ended supremacie.
Thirdly, their cautelous circumspection, lest by any meanes the knowledge of our doctrine might perhaps bee scattered among them, argueth an vtter auersation in them for euer acknowledging it, which appeareth in sundry their practises: 1. In that they bind the consciences of all Catholikes, to a perpetuall separation from all our Ecclesiasticall assemblies in religious publike duties; which is the ground of all Recusancie: to which purpose they teach it to bee a sinne to heare our sermons, for that were a fBristol.participation with blasphemies: and for prayer with vsus so straite laced are they, as they may not say Amen in publike or priuate, (suppose at their tables) if any Protestant bee present. 2. In that they censure most seuerely al their subiects that trauell or traffike into Protestant countries, blasting them with excommunication. 3. In that they hauehave erected in their Cities an Inquisition to examine vponupon oath any forreiner or stranger, whereby they ransake not onelyonly all his carriages, but euen his conscience also, lest he should bring any opinion within him; or instrument without him▪ that standeth not with their minds and liking: wherein not onelyonly some little escape, but euen suspition it selfe prooueth often capitall. 4. In their warines, lest any of our books, especially of our translations of the Bible should be had, or read among them: whence it is that no bookes, which passe not the Inquisition, may bee sold in Italy: to which purpose also studiously they teach it to be a sinne against the first Commandement to reade any of their prohibited bookes, of which they hauehave a large Index very common, and consequently being such a mortall sinne, it must necessarily be confessed at time of shrift: yea as men eueryevery way foreseeing what way our doctrines might bee induced among them, to shut vp surely eueryevery crany and entrance, they scarsely suffer to see, or bee seene in the light their owne greatest Writers, such as Bellarmine, Gr…gory de Valencia, &c. that our positions, allegations, and answeres (though answered by themselues) in those books may not be made known; lest perhaps it should befall others of them as it did Pighius, who reading ouer Caluins Institutions, with purpose of refuting it, was (ere he was aware) won to the defence of the doctrine of iustification by free imputation according to the Apostle. So as Spaine maketh not a more diligent annuall search that the Iewes among them hauehave no armes in their houses, than both Spaine and Italy vigilantly secure themselues in this behalfe: and no marueile if our books be so auoided, seeing that they inhibite men from reading the Scriptures themselues, lest they should become heretikes: condemning it, and gFox, Acts and Monuments.bringing men in daunger of their liues for reading them, as for an hereticall practise. In a word, at this day such a night doe these Owles delight to liue in, that among themselues euen their Regulars (much lesse their Laicks) may not without licence from the Pope, or their Prelates, reade the Bible, no not in the Catholike translation.
Fourthly, consider their irreconciliable hatred against ours, farre aboue all other (although most hereticall and damnable) religions; for why else can they content themselues with so studious preuention of the Protestants profession onelyonly; whereas both Iewes and Grecians euen in Rome it selfe the Popes Sea, are suffered with their Ceremonies, Synagogues, Seruices, yea & Circumcision it self administred to the dead as well as to the liuing? which lowdly proclaimeth, that farre they are frō iudging, & deeming so indifferently of our differences, as some among our selues seeme to doe: and that they would sooner be wone to the Iewes or Turkes in profession then the Protestants: which hRenaldus.one of them saith is in nothing better then that of the Alcaron; and in many things far worse and more detestable. And good reason (me thinkes) they hauehave of suffering among them the forenamed Sectes and Heretikes, as from whom together with the heathen, the whole body of Poperie is peecemeale patched together, and yet the name of a Protestant bee as much detested of them, as the Iewish names were of the heathen Kings. For which cause Daniel & his fellowes must hauehave all their names changed before they may bee brought into the presence of Nebuchadnezzar, whēce their ordinary practise proceedeth, that in their writings, their bitternes and disdaine suffer them not to name, but in most reproachfull tearmes, the first reformers and restorers of our Religion: calling them vsually, Caluinists, Puritans, Innouators, and Heretikes; neither doth this inbredde malice of Papists against our Religion stay it self heere, but hath broken out into most barbarous butcheries, and most cruell bloodsheddings, which yet they could neuer account sufficiently sauage: not of their owne subiects only, and within their owne Territories: but within other dominions: not of priuate only, but of publike persons: not of meaner, but of most noble, yea Royall discent: and not of persons only, but of Cities, States, Kingdomes, and Countries. But where should I begin, or if I should, where should I make an end of instācing their most matchlesse, and endlesse tyranny? (euer a note of false Religion, and inseparable to the Romish) whose cursed rage (like that of Symeon and Leui) Gen. 34.39. and 47.7. euen fierce and cruell, causing them to stincke among the inhabitants of the earth, hath made the streetes of infinite Cities (which either their force, or fraud and false arts could cast open) to runne with the blood of Protestants, as did once Ierusalem with the blood of the Saints which Manasseh shed like water. What shall I neede to speak of that notorious bloodie inquisition in Spaine & Italy the chiefe seates of it? what of the many miserable massacres, Canniball like conspiracies, and tragicall murthers in France and the low Countries? In our owne country, who but strangers at home are ignorāt what fiercenesse, feares, and fires, were raised to consume the innocent bodies of the Saints liuing and dead:Furor etiam post …atae. in such sort as eueryevery corner of the Land seemed as hot as Nebuchadnezzars furnace, euen seuen times hotter then it vsed to be: wherein were to bee cast whosoeuer would not fall downe, and worship the Image which the Romish Nebuchadnezzar had erected? Neither yet were those fires thought furious inough for such; as might hauehave appeared, if the Lord had not taken the rodde out of those wicked hands in that season whē he did: & since that time;Stories deuice of an iron cage against Protestāts turned …nto an bu… dle and halter against himselfe. what a number of diuelish plots and conspiracies were attempted against the noble person of her late Maiestie of blessed memorie, by Ard…n, Someruile, Babington, P…rry, Lopez, Squire, and others? and those stratagems not performed by persons exorbitant, but with the priuitie of the Pope, and Principals of their religion, backing the same not only with their iAccording to his Maiesties most wise obseruation, his last speach at Parliamēt.doctrine, to which it is most sutable (as appeareth by sundrie their seditious positions; lately collected by Mr. Morton) but with pardons, promises, paies to particular kParry Lopez. Bull… P… Qui…a.persons: and cōmandemēts generally to all subiects whosoeuer, as appeareth by the Popes Bull against her late Maiestie: Volumu… & iub…mus vt aduersus Elizabetham &c. subditi arma capessant. And yet (as though all were well) they can couer al the ill hearing of such traiterous practises, vnderunder the name of Catholike pretenses: for the furthering of which intentions, what may not, and must not be attempted? Now to these purposes maintaine they innumerable Catholike intelligencers & instruments (I meane their Priestes and Iesuites) sent out by them, not only as eies to search out the secrets of states & countries, and watch their best aduantages: but as hands (full of blood) to execute whatsoeuer mischiefe vponupon any of the Lords annoynted ones, not only opposing thēselues to the Papal power; but which is more, if they be but suspected not so firme to the Pope as they wish; or (which is most of all to bee marked) though they bee their owne dead sure; yet if they shew not the…selues as ready to execute the Popes bloodie designes, as he to command: which was the case of the late King of France, slaine treacherously for no other cause by a Iacobin. What argument then can bee brought to perswade vsus of their euer according with vsus in whole or part in our Religion? of which they deeme no other, then as of a peccant humor necessarily to be purged out eueryevery fewe yeares, either by murther, if it preuaile in the head: or by massacre, if in the body of any countrie; and rather then it should not, they will not sticke with Blas…s at the commandement of their great Gracch… to set on fire or to blow vp euen the Capitol it selfe:Cicero. although nature and Gentilisme condemne such gracelesse deuotednes. The late most diabolicall and furious attēpt against his Maiesty & the whole state that euer was inuented; (the like wherof both in the contriuing and whole carriage could neuer be shewed, no I thinke if there were Annals and Chronicles kept in hell it selfe) cryeth out against them long ere this time in all the corners of Christendome. God Almighty still deliuer his Highnes and Royall race from them: and by his Maiesties meanes, vsus and our Land from them. For how much better had it bin, that his Maiesty had been moued to hauehave banished these vipers out of his Realmes, then those who professe the same Lord Iesus,Picturer in …. and labour (though with acknowledgement of too much weakenes & wants,) to be found faithfull before the Lord and their Soueraigne? But not to depart from our purpose: These bee the waies wherein the Popish Baalamits would mee…e vsus, and with vsus; if the Lord should not meete with thē, comming against them in eueryevery corner. While then they walke in these waies of Caine, Iud. 11.what booteth it vsus to speake of a peace with them? for while wee speake of peace, Psal. 130.7.they are bent to warre.
But bee it some peaceable consent and agreement were on their part promised; yet that one consideration of the treacherie in their compactes, would keepe any iudicious man from setling his conceite, and affection vponupon any ingenious conclusions with them: which treacherie is not only practised by the persons of faithlesse Papists: but is prescribed as a maine precept of that most infidell doctrine of theirs; nay which euen infidels themselues would blush at in this behalfe: for doth not their doctrine make it lawful for them to vse any Aequiuocatiōs, o… reseruatiōs (as they terme them) with their aduersaries, almost vponupon any aduantage? yea and that (lest they should not come to the height of impiety) in giuing answere not only on their words, but vponupon oath before the lawfull Magistrate, though not their liues but their least liberties only be touched? Which doctrine till it bee reuersed, how dare wee take their words or any assumpsit from them in any thing werein we would not be ouer-reached? But suppose again such peaceable conclusions were not promised only, but purchased: what yet were we better thē before? what billes, or bonds would or could they lay in sure inough for our security, so long as their doctrine standeth in force published in word & writing,Tollet. Instruct. Sacerd. that fides haereticis non est seruanda, & that Leagues with them are more honorable in breaking then in making? how long can we conceiue, would the continuance of our peace last longer, then by it they could with aduantage vndermine vsus?
But because I must shut vp many matters in few words, let vsus see the preiudice which would ensue vponupon such pretended mediation,Note, I speake not against the league of concord. Isay. 1.6. in matter of Religion: and first seeing they are a seed of the wicked, corrupt children, hauing forsaken the Lord, in whom from the sole of the foot, to the crowne of the head, there is nothing but wounds, and swellings and sores full of corruption: and seeing themselues are become open Idolaters, their Cities cages of Idolatrie, their seruices all Idolatrous, hauing thus forsakē the couenant of their youth; seeing filthines appeareth on their skirts; & finally seeing by seeking their iustification by the workes of the law, they are abolished from Christ, and fallen from grace: (the which particulars hauehave been clearely proued by many our vnanswered, and vnanswerable bookes) to communicate with them by accepting; yea not absteining from the least appearance of any of these euils; were no other but to expose and lay our selues open, and naked to all manner of danger, of infectiō of our soules, defection from our God, & in the end of destruction both of body and soule. It was a dangerous disease which Israel brought out of Aegypt, Elephas, or Elephan…iosis, the Leprosit.hauing through their long continuance there, by reason of those marishes, and the Riuer Nilus, (to which Lucretius in a distich appropriateth this disease) contracted the same vponupon them: for the prouing,Leuit. 13. and purging wherof, the Lord instituted so many ceremonies and separations: but farre more fearefull was that inward leprosie, euen that abhominable Idolatry which they brought forth with them, and which cost them so deare both in the wildernes and in the land of Canaan: yea so habituall and inbred was the infection, that although the Lord vsed most wise preuentions eueryevery way: yet presently vponupon their deliuery out of the sea, will it burst forth, and become in the end their vtter ouerthrow.Exod. 32. It cannot be but the strangers which come with Israel out of Aegypt, being accustomed to the Aegyptian fashion & diet, wil still be harping on their cucumbers, leekes, onyons, and garlicke: and draw the Israelites to the same lustings, though with the loathing of Manna it selfe; but such an exceeding plague shall proceed from the Lord, that in perpetuall memorie thereof, the place shall bee called the graues of lusting: Kibroth hataauah.and if the daughters of Moab may hauehave free accesse to Israel in Sitti…, Israel will easilie be ioyned to Baal Peor, Num. 25.9 cōferd with 1. Cor. 10.…till the wrath of the Lord bee kindled, & there fall in one day, three & twentie thousand. The certeine perill and ineuitable danger wherof, the Lord wel perceiuing, did not only charge his people to hauehave nothing to doe at all with the Heathen, lest by any meanes they should bee snared: but also that they should be so opposite vntounto them, that they should in all appearances and circumstances (and yet none will say the Lord herein was too seuere and straite) be vnlike vntounto them both in Religious and Ciuill exercises: for if they looke towards the East in their Tēples in the honor of the Sun, his people shall in his Sanctuary and Temple contrarily look to the West: and in the West shall the Sanctum Sanctorum be set. If they offer sacrifices vntounto Oxen, Sheepe, Doues, Goates &c. as vntounto Gods: the Lord in detestation hereof, will hauehave his people to consume and burne these creatures before him in sacrifice: and hence was it,Gen. 46.34 & 43.32. that eueryevery shepherd was an abhomination to the Aegyptians: with whom they might not eate and conuerse, because they did kill, eate, and sacrifice those beasts, whom the other worshipped as Gods. If they vse to eate almost none but Swines flesh, and yet neither that, before they hauehave sacrificed of the kind to the Moone or Bacchus: the Lord especially prohibiteth this meate of all other to his people, they shal not meddle with it, it shall be abhominatiō vntounto them. If their Priests, make their Romish Balami…s make their pates bald, and shaue their beards.pates balde, shaue the lock… of their beards, & make cuttings in their flesh,Leu. …1.5. as Baals Priests did; the Priests of the Sonnes of Aaron may not do so. If they make glorious Altars, & plant Groues about them; the Israelites may not doe so, (especially in the Wildernesse) but either Altars of earth,Exod. 20. which presently vponupon the remouall might bee demolished and cast downe, left the remainds should be abused to superstition: or if of stones, they must be rough and rude, vnhewen, & vnpolished, lest any beautie of them should solicite their preseruation: as for groues see Deut. 16.21. If they shall in way of superstition,Romanists reserue of the bread in the Masse, and Reliques of men superstitiouslie. Exod. 1….10 Deut. 34.6 or worship, reserue any portion of their sacrifices: the Lord rather then he will hauehave any portiō of the Paschall Lambe preserued till the morrow, will hauehave it burnt with fire: neither shall Moses bodie bee knowne where it is buried, lest they should make an Idoll of it. Nay which is more, and as worthy the noting, we may obserue how the Lord euen in ciuill things draggeth his people from their society and fellowship: for first Israel is charged, that they should goe no more backe to Aegypt that way; so as the danger was (if any) by their neighbours, whose countries were adiacent vntounto them: the which the Lord vseth all meanes to preuent: both in that he willeth his people to nourish a perpetuall emnity with the Moabite, and Ammonite,Deut. …3.6. the peace and prosperity of whō they may neuer seeke all their daies: as also to debarre them from pressing into his people,Vers. 3. he chargeth that neither of them euer enter into the congregation of the Lord, to the tenth generation: intending hereby that they should not rise to preferment, authoritie, or Magistracie among them. And as for the other strangers, though Israel seemed in priuate respectes to bee, if not somewhat obliged & indebted to diuers of them, yet as it were bound to peace, and to hold their hands from open hostilitie;Vers. 7. yet might they not bee admitted into the congregatiō of God, vntounto the third generation. Besides this, foreseeing that the next and most direct way, whereby the heathē might league & linck in thē selues with his people, might bee by marriages and cōtracts: the Lord is very studious that all such meanes be cut off; and therefore would hauehave the distinctions of Tribes obserued; with straite prohibition, that no Iew (except the Leuite) should marry out of his owne Tribe, much lesse without his owne people: whereof although I acknowledge other more main causes (as the distinction of the Tribe of the M…ssiah from the rest; the cleare acknowledgement of his race; the execution of the Lords whole regiment Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill in that policie, fitted according to that distinction to their seuerall offices,Coniugia extera Deus & re…pub. causa, & conscientia vetuit. Jun. in Deut. 21. Exo. 34.16. Exo. 21.4. and possessions) yet I thinke this is one included reason not to be neglected, especially seeing they had straite charge against it. Againe, in case a seruant Iew would marry a stranger into his Masters house, he was not at his departure to carrie his wife and children, for they were to bee his Masters: but if hee would abide still with her, hee was then shamefully to come before the Magistrate, and for euer renounce his libertie, vntil the Iubily released him: by which straite lawes the Lord would restraine euen slaues and seruāts (who for the most part are neglected) from matching themselues with strangers. Such another law to this purpose is recorded, Deut. 21.10. that if an Israelite in warre, should see a bewtifull woman taken captiue, whom he did affect for his wife, it was ordered by God, that first all meanes should bee vsed for the alienating of his affection, as that hee must hauehave her home a monethmonth before, and not marrie vponupon any sudden motion. Secondly shee must shaue her head to make her as ill fauored in his eies as might be. Thirdly she must nourish her nailes, to make her yet more sordid. Fourthly she must put off the garment wherin she was taken, and put on base, and neglected garments fit for a pensiue captiue. Fifthly shee must bewaile her father and mother a whole monethmonth, to shew how hardly, and sorrowfully she was brought from her fathers house, into the power of strangers: and then if by al these meanes the man could not be drawn frō her louelove, it was permitted to him to marrie her for his wife: which law letteth vsus see how hardly the Lord endureth, & is drawne to admitte the least liberty in this behalfe. How many ciuill things might I instance in, wherein the Lord straitened his people, that they might bee vtterlie vnlike the Gentiles in habit, manner of liuing, behauiour, and other like circumstances, otherwise in themselues very indifferent? which I had heere inserted, but that I must consider that I write an addition, not a booke; an admonition, & not an exposition: & if yet these ordinances of God himself, seeme in some mens opinions too straite, and not to be imitated of vsus in regard of the Papists, towards whom wee are not to be so seuere, as so far to seuer our selues; that is but the seeking of a knot in a rush, and to be acute in distinguishing, where God hath not distinguished; and in effect to affirme, either that the Idolatry of the Romish Church is not so vile and grosse, as is that of other Idolaters: or else (seeing our people conuerse with them more then any Idolaters) that to communicate with their Idolatrie, is nothing so dangerous now, as it was for Gods people, to participate with the Idolatry of the heathē against Gods expresse Commandement. But if with any such the testimony of man, be greater then the testimony of God (as it is commonly with the Popish minded, who flie from the Scriptures vntounto men, because their doctrine is from below) let them looke vntounto those most auncient Councels, which were the purer, for sixe hundred yeares after Christ; and they shall finde that the Church would hauehave her children diametrally opposed euen on lawfull things, to the Iewes, and heathen of whom they were in danger to be corrupted. Those were more famous, of Nice, yAn. Dom. 315.which decreed that the feast of Easter should not bee kept of Christians, at that time, and in that manner that the Iewes did: that in nothing they might agree with them. That also of Brac…a zAn. Dom. …10. T…m. 2. Can. 73.decreed, that Christians should not decke their howses with bay-leaues and greene boughes, (than which what can be more indifferent?) neither rest the same day frō their callings wherin they did: nor keepe the first day of eueryevery monethmonth as they did. It would be too tedious, and argue forgetfulnes of my selfe, and no remembrance of my reader to recite the testimonies of other Councels, Fathers, and our owne principal Writers in this behalfe: which otherwise easily had I bin carried vntounto by the tenacity and stiffenes of many in this argument. But to end: as our Sauiour wished his hearers: Beware of the leauen of the Pharisies; so let eueryevery man beware of the leauen of the Papists: for what is Popish doctrine else, but a Pharisaicall leauen, alwaies to bee purged out of Churches, and states; as the Iewes vponupon some occasions were to purge al leauen out of their howses. Let no man say it is but a little, and such a difference which may be tolerated: for euen the Pharisies doctrine was much of it more true, thē this Pharisaicall doctrine of theirs; yet was their leauen hid in it, (as in this) the nature whereof is (though it be but little) yet to sowre the whole lumpe. In a word, as Caleb & Ioshua said of Canaan, Num. 14.8.the land is a very good land; If the Lord louelove vsus, hee will bring vsus vntounto it: euen so, if the Lord louelove vsus, hee will expell these Giants from vsus, and giuegive vsus security in our owne land from the Anakims: or if not, if any of these strangers abide with vsus, our faithfull prayer and hope is, that (as Salomon numb…ing all the strangers in the land,2. Chron. 2.17. set them to worke in his Temple, euen a hundred three & fiftie thousand and sixe hundred: so our wise and peaceable Salomon and Soueraigne will continue to set euen thousands of these to worship with vsus in the Temple: yea and in this one circumstance passe Salomons wisdome,Vers. 18. in not chusing ouerseers of themselues, to cause them to worship. The Lord Iesus strengthen his Highnes heart, vntounto this and many mo honorable workes, and make vsus happie in his long and prosperous Raigne, to his renowne and glorie in this life, and fruition of the blessed Crowne of righteousnes at the peaceable end of his through comfortable daies. Amen.
FINIS.