Run from Rome, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
That the faith of the Church of Rome is to refuſed vponupon paine of damnation.
VVHen I firſt deliuered the propoſition I intended to handle, (that there might be no ignorance by errour, nor ſhifting by willfull miſtaken) I began to declare the meaning of the termes, in which I propounded my queſtion; but becauſe I purpoſed to examine the matter in two ſeuerall diſputations, I forbare to expound the laſt words, till I ſhould come to the particular debating of the ſecond point. Now I am to enter vponupon it, and muſt therefore ſhew what I meane by thoſe words, VponUpon paine of damnation: and then proue, that the faith of the Church of Rome is to be refuſed vponupon ſo grieuous a penaltie.
Thoſe words VponUpon paine of damnation, are not ſo to bee vnderſtood, as if I tooke vponupon me to pronounce ſentence of condemnation againſt all that beleeue as the Church of Rome teacheth: but I would thereby giuegive all men to vnderſtand, that the beleeuing of that doctrine as matter duplicate page duplicate page of faith, is a thing in it ſelfe damnable, and ſuch as maketh a man liable to damnation. How it ſhall fall out with particular men in the euent, I neither know, nor meane to enquire. OnelyOnly I ſay againe, that their miſ-beliefe is a ſinne, which ſetteth them in the ſtate of damnation.
Now hauing proued alreadie that their faith is erroneous, I ſhall not neede to make many words about the point. For the Church of Rome againſt which I diſpute. holdeth it for a ruled caſe, that an erroneous faith is damnable. Wherefore elſe doe they thunder out ſo many I…ai. 8. 20.curſes in the Councell of Trent, againſt all that ſhall conceiue otherwiſe of the matters of faith determined by that Councell, then is therein decreed? Notwithſtanding that I may the better perſwade all men to keepe good watch, for feare they be ſuddenly ſurprized, or vnawares intrapt by the great army of locuſts, the Prieſts and Ieſuites, which hauehave almoſt couered the Land from ſea to ſea, I will beſtow a little paines to giuegive them warning of the danger.
There are two wayes by which ſinne leadeth a man into to the ſtate of damnation: the one is the deſert or fitneſſe it hath to procure damnation: the other is the actuall meriting or deſeruing of damnation. Into the former, ſinne caſteth a man off it ſelfe. Into the latter he falleth, as by ſinne, ſo by the ordinance or decree of God, who hath layd a penalty of damnation upon it. Out of this I raiſe this diſputation againſt receiuing the faith of the Romiſh Church.
That which maketh a man vncleane in Gods ſight, hath a fitneſſe to procure damnation. For vncleane things are vnmeete for the preſence of God: and conſequently are meete for damnation.
But the faith of the Church of Rome maketh a man vncleane in the ſight of God.
For it is erroneous in ſo high a nature, that it maketh a man guiltie of treaſon againſt God, by inſtalling the Pope in the Throane of God, giuing him power and authoritie to determine as a iudge what is matter of faith, what not, without commiſſion or warrant from God, as I hauehave ſhewed in the former part of this diſputation; Neither doe they onelyonly giuegive him authoritie to interprete the Scriptures: but alſo allow him to ſet vp a forge, where he hammers what he liſt, and venteth it to be receiued vponupon paine of damnation, for the word of the euer liuing 2. Theſ. 2. 4.God. What is it To ſit in the Temple of God, ſhewing himſelfe that he is God, if this be not? And are not they acceſſaries to this high treaſon that acknowledge this authoritie, and yeeld obedience to it? How can it then reaſonably be denied, that there is a worthineſſe and fitneſſe in the faith of the Church of Rome to procure damnation? hereupon it followeth, that eueryevery one that ioyneth in faith with the Church of Rome is lyable to damnation.
There remaineth nothing now but the ordinance or decree of God, to appoint damnation as a puniſhment of this ſinne, according to the deſert thereof: but that was paſſed long ſince by the Lord himſelfe, You ſhall put nothing to the word which I command you. The penaltie is expreſſed. Deut. 4. 2 & 12 30. Revel. 21. 18.If any man ſhall adde to thoſe things, God ſhall adde to him the plagues that are written in this Book…. But more plaine. The Lord ſhall ſend them strong deluſions, that they 2. Theſ. 2. 11. 12.ſhould beleeue lyes, that all they might be damned which beleeued not the truth. Behold the Lord wrappeth them vp in damnation, by his ſentence that beleeue lyes: (that is) falſe and erroneous doctrine not agreeable to the truth, which they ought to beleeue. What is wanting then to make the faith of the Church of Rome damnable, and the profeſſours thereof lyable to damnation: when both the thing it ſelfe deſerueth it, and the Lord hath decreed, that they which beleeue it, ſhould hauehave according to their deſert?
I might, as our writers commonly doe, adde to that which hath beene ſaid, diuers foule and groſſe errors, which ſeeme more ſpecially to touch the glory of God, and ſecretly to vndermine the very foundation of our ſaluation: namely the Mediatorſhip of our Lord and Saviour Ieſus Chriſt. But this (as I take it) will more plainly appeare, and be more throughly inforced againſt them, in the particular handling of the ſeuerall Articles; to which I reſerue it.
Neither will I enter into the common way of prouing popery to be damnable, becauſe it is Antichriſtianiſme; much hath beene diſputed by our men to this purpoſe: and it is like enough that much more may, and will be added to their diſputations. But the controuerſie is long, and requireth more time then I can now afford it: onelyonly this I will ſay for the preſent, that (as his Maieſtie hath prudently obſerued) there is no Church, State, nor man that hath beene ſince the penning of the Reuelation, to whom thoſe things foretold by the Apoſtle from the mouth of the Lord Ieſus, can in any reaſonable ſort agree, but the Church and Pope of Rome alone. And it is vtterly againſt reaſon to imagin, that the Lord Ieſus would direct Iohn to ſpend ſo many words in deliuering prophecies for ſome three yeares and a halfe in the end of the world, and leaue ſo many yeares betwixt vnſpoken of, wherein ſuch ſtrange matters hauehave befallen the Church.
It is manifeſt, that the Hiſtorie is prophetically continued for the firſt 300 yeares at the leaſt: and of that, becauſe it ſeemeth not much to concerne them, the Papiſts make no great doubt; he that will take the paines to reade the whole aduiſedly, may eaſily diſcerne that our Lord continueth his diſcourſe to his beloued Diſciple, of ſuch things as were to fall out to the very end of the world. I forbeare to ſhew how vnlikely, (that I may ſpeake moſt fauourably of the point, becauſe it hath ſome collourable allowance from antiquitie) I will not ſay how vnpoſſible it is, that any man ſhould imagine hee can deceiue Chriſtians, as Antichriſt (by their conceite) muſt doe: or force them generally to denie the Lord Ieſus, and take himſelfe to be either God, or any man ſent from God. This appeared plainely in that couſening compannion Mahomet: who yet was not ſo mad, as (in their opinion) Antichriſt will be, to require that all men ſhould acknowledge and adore him for God.