A Stay Against Straying, Part 2 · Section 15
SECT. 15.
THE 15. Objection we have thus framed: The places called Temples and Churches, having been built for idolatry, ſhould be aboliſhed; And therefore are not to bee frequented, ſpecially beeing accounted and made holy place, Deu. 12. 1.
Anſ. What is ſaid of ſome mens Sermons, I may ſay of the Treat: anſwer here, the matter had been much better, if he had named no Text; For he toucheth not the Objection at all; which is concerning Antichristian Temples, in the unlawful uſe of them, but of the Lawfull Worſhip of God, in thoſe places, from whence the idols and idolatries are removed. Now, howſoever J purpoſe not to ſpeake of thoſe materiall places, in regard our exception lies rather againſt their falſe Conſtitution, not of ſtones, but of people, yet this I doe affirme, that as the idol-Temple in the uſe of Antichriſts idolatrous worſhip, is a part of his falſe worſhip aPage…. Arrow. ag. ſeparat. pag. 173.: So they doe pollute in the uſe of ſuch worſhips, as are practiſed in them. And that they ſhould be deſtroyed, having been corrupted with idolatrie, there are many Examples for it.bGuagninus de Lituania Caſſtod. lib. 3. hist. Tripart. l. 9. Sozom. l. 5. Theodorit. l. 3. & l. 5 c. 20. 37. Euſeb. de vit. Conſt. lib. 5. c. 53 Socrat. l. 1 c. 14. August. de Civ. Dei, l. 18. c. 54. Cranz. Saxon. c. 9. & 12. Helmoldus in Sclaevorum Chron. 11. Cent. l. 2. c. 9. Cramer l. 15.
But to let theſe things paſſe, if we may have leave to put down our owne argument, it ſhalbe thus.
If the falſe Churches of whom we diſputecThey hold as we doe, that the Church, Ministerie, Worſhip, and Government of the Church of England, is Antichriſtian and falſe, ſo that our difference is not, whether theſe things are ſo, but beeing granted on both ſides, they are ſo: The question is, whether we may Lawfully heare there or no. be that ſpirituall Babilon, mentioned in Revel. 18. 4. Then it is not Lawfull for Gods people to goe unto them, to performe any spirituall or Religious action; and ſo conſequently not to heare there.
But the firſt is true; Ergo the later is true alſo.
The Propoſition needs no proofe, becauſe our Oppoſites and we herein are of opinion alike.
The Aſſumption is manifeſt by theſe reaſon. 1. The words in the Text prove it plainely: Come out of her my people; That is, remove your ſelves from all falſe Aſſemblies, covenant together to walke in all the wayes of God, ſerve the Lord among your ſelves in …pirit and truth, and returne not from whence you are come. But repent rather that ye have ſuffered your conſciences to be wrought upon by any unlawfull Offices. And thus doe they Learned interpret the place; namely, of ſuch a comming out, as that we may not be bodily preſent at any of their worſhipdArtopaeus in Rev. 18. p. 198. Place. Illyric. in Rev. 18 4.: Ne quidem ſpectatum, ſaith Pare…seComment. in Hoſ. 4. pag. 506. Tom. 1. no not ſo much as to behold it. Bullinger fIn Apocal. cap. 18. Concio 77. p. 241.in his Expoſition ſaith, we muſt flie from their Temples, and not enter afterwards into them to doe any ſpirituall worſhip. So Rupertus, Theophanes, Lambertus, Winckelmanus, Wirth, Camerarius Ribera, Leoninus, Conradus Brocardus, Capella, & others.
2. Seeing a deviſed Conſtitution, is an idol, all that comes from it, is taunted‡2 Cor 6. 1. Ioh. 5. 21 Zach. 11. 17. with the idolatrie of that Conſtitution; and therefore not to be touched, becauſe they are uncleane things: A falſe Church-ſtate, is rightly likenedgBotſac. Promp: Allegor. c. 21. de Miniſi., to the Leproſie ſpread in the wals of the houſes of the Lepers, becauſe of the pollution*It is like that filthy Bird, which carries this motto, contactu omnia …oedat., which it cauſeth to perſons and things. Take for inſtance a city or towne; If the civill ſtate or corporation, which they have, bee uſurped, deviſed, or derived from a falſe power, all their publick adminiſtrations are unlawfull, and every one partaking thereof, offendeth; So all adminiſtrations done in a falſe Church, (whether prayer, preaching Sacraments, Cenſures, &c.) are uncleane actions, and doe defile every receiver; I ſay, becauſe of the idol-ſtate, which is deviſed out of mans braine, and uſed as a meanes to ſerve God in it and by it.
As poyſon is caried from the fountaine to the Ceſterne, and from the root to the branches; So from a falſe Conſtitution, (as from a poyſened fountaine and roote,) a ſpirituall poyſon is carried and conveyed into every one of her adminiſtrations. Nature teacheth this, where generation is betwixt … of one kind, the like doth ever bring forth the like; Neither can a Sheepe bring ſorth a Wolfe, nor a Wolfe a Sheepe▪ but one nature is ever common to the breeders and to the brood.
This holds true in the cauſe of a spirituall Harlot, as ſhe is a viperous body, ſo ſhe begitts a brood of vipers: I ſay all the ordinances, done after the invention and will of Antichriſt, can no other wiſe be judged …hen a brood common to the nature of the breeders, that is the Devill and the Whore of Rome, the Father & Mother that begat them.
3. Becauſe the Lord hath not promiſed to them, his preſence and acceptance; what the Lord may accept, or will, we diſpute not: Only this I ſay, whoſeoever heares in a falſe Church, cannot by any promiſe that he hath in the Word of God, exſpect Gods bleſſing on that which he doth; The reaſon is, becauſe a true conſtitution of a Church, that is, where men are gathered together, according to the Goſpell of Chriſt, is that only Lawfull Religious ſocietie, or Communlon of Saints, wherein God wilbe honoured, whereby he wilbe ſerved, and whereto he hath promiſed his preſence and acceptance; So then, howſoever we are not bound unto hearing in a true Church, neceſſitate medij, as if Gods grace were tyed to the meanes this way; Yet as they ſay in Schooles, neceſſitate praecepti, if we conſider Gods Commaundement, ſo wee are bound to Church hearing, only in a true Church, and in no other Church can we exſpect Gods preſence, promiſe and acceptance.
4. Lots flying from Sodome, and Iſraels departure out of Egypt and Babilon, ſhadowed outhBulling. in Apocal. 18. Con. 78. Ciril in Eſa. c. 48. l. 5. Tom. Zwinplius Comment. in ler. c. 51. Chytraeus in Apoc. c. 18. our comming out from Antichriſtian Aſſemblies; Now they came off wholie and fullie; And were not one while out, and another while in againe. But made an intyre and conſtant ſeparation.
That this may accord with the thing tipified; we muſt come quite away from Sodome, Egypt, and Babilon ſpirituall. Not come neere the doore of the Harlots iPro. 5. 2. 8, and Chap. 7. 24. 25.houſe, nor eate of her Offerings; as the wiſe man ſpeaketh. We muſt not be one part of the day before the Lord in Sion, and the other part at Dan & Bethell, worſhipping before the Calves. As the Manner of ſome iskComponistae ergo, & temperatura vel ferruminatio eorum Deo ita diſciplent, ut fasti lium ei ingenerant, abominationi ſint, & abdicet eos. Bulling: Com: in Apocal. c. 3. Con. 20. pag. 57. I ſpeake it to their ſhame.
5 In hearing there, men doe countenance, that falſe-ſtate: As he that receives ſtolē goods of a theife juſtifies him: ſolPro. 17 15. &c. 6. It is a ſtrong preſumption they are not Gods people: mRev. 18. 4.ſpeciallie when they ſtay in Babilon after many warnings to come out. 7. Such as will not leave Babilons ſinnes, muſt looke for her plagues and judgements.nForbes in Rev. 14 p. 135
And ſo ſayth the Treat. *Mànumiſſ: to a Manu: pag. 4.The authority of Ministers in their Parochiall Pariſhes, may not be by Gods people partaken with, (no not in actions otherwiſe Lawfull) under the paines of Babilons plagues.
Before I end this Section, it will not be amiſſe, to examine what our Oppoſites doe ſay, beeing preſſed with the authoritie of this Scripture.
Their plea is that which the Treat.‡Pag. 3. & 64. hath taught them, viz: So they ſequester and withdraw themſelves from all Communion. with the Hierarchicall Order of Church Government and Miniſterie, there establiſhed, they may Lawfully heare, and are come out of Babilon ſo farre as the Lord requireth.
Anſvv. 1. They have no reaſon for all this they ſay, nor authoritie but their owne.
2. What they ſay, is a groſſe contradiction, and meere nonſence; For it is, for all the World, as if one ſhould ſay. Be thou joyned to an Harlot, and be not joyned; Be ye partakers of other mens ſinnes, and be not; Have no fellowſhip with the unfruitfull workes of darknes, and yet have. Magna inter molles concordia; This and theirs is all one: Withdraw your ſelves from the Hisrarchicall Order and Miniſterie, and yet heare: As if men in hearing are not ſo farre from withdrawing frō the Hierarchical Order & Miniſterie, that by the verſe action they joyn themſelvs to it, are partakers of it, and have fellowſhip with it; As I have before ſhewed and proved.pWhat deceiver ever taught men to commit ſinne in plaine expreſſion, that it was ſo; But rather under termes of the contrarie perſwaded them to it. Nicolaitas contagia, cultus idolorum, ſcortationes, adulteria & omnes libidines, pro adiophois habuiſſe. Euſeb. lib. 3. cap. 29 Irenaen. l … ▪ c. 27.
3. Such diſtinctions as theſe are the wiles of Ieſuits, (q) D. Rayn. de idolat. p. 348.as ſome Learned Men have well obſerved. Yea the truth is, out of this quiver all Hereticks draw their arrowes. For let a Familiſt bee preſſed with ſuch Scriptures as theſe. Fly idolatrie, keepe your ſelves from idols, &c. How will he anſwer? By a diſtinctionrTo uphold the Hereſies of H. N. this is one ſpeciall & principall practice, that the hiſtorie & native ſence of the Word of God is altogether neglected of him, and in ſteed therof, is entertained an allegoricall and baſtar lie conſtruction, fooliſh & fond diſtinctions, which thing utterly defaceth the certainty of the ſacred Scripture, & maketh no other thing of it, thē a noſe wax. J. knew ſtub againſt the hereſies of H. N. p. 61, the bodie is not meant, but the mind only; When we alleadge to our Oppoſites, Rev. 18. 4. Come out of her my people, what is their anſwer? by the ſame diſtinction, to come out from hearing it is not meant, but this and that, and I know not what. Behold here how they reaſon alike, and reſemble thoſe two, of whom the Poet ſpeaketh:
Alter in alterius jactantes lumina vultus.
One looking asit were babies in anothers eyes.
4. This is to gratifie the errour of Montanus †Diſcipuli Montani dicunt paracletum plura in Montano dixiſſe, quam Chriſtum in Evangelio protuliſſe: Nec tantum plura, ſed etiam meliora atque majora. Epipha: lib. 1. Haere. 27. Tentull: de praeſcript., who profeſſed, that he knew more then the Apoſtles. Now, I am ſure John the Diſciple whom Ieſus loved, knew nothing of this diſtinction; to weet, how to come out of Babilon, in one reſpect, and yet in another to ſtay there ſtill; For, had he known it, ſurely he would have taught it; ſpecially it beeing ſuch a weaghtie point, as (ſaith the Treat:) is both Lawfull, and upon occaſion neceſſarie for all of all Sects and ſorts of Christians.
Were our Oppoſites of that Companie, who are called by the name of Apoſtles, I ſhould thinke that they thought themſelves to be ſome new Apoſtles indeed.
5. When the words of a Text are plaine, agree with the circumſtances of the place, with the Analogie of ſayth, and with other Scriptures; For men then, to leave the native ſence, and to force a ſence contrarie to that which the letter expreſſeth, It is (foreign, to wreſt the Scriptures, and not to expound them by the true rules and Canons of Divinitie.s2 Pet. 3. 6. So Auguſtine tLib. 2. de Doct. Chriſt. c. 31., Hieron. uComment. in Am. 4., Keckerman xRhet. Eccleſ. l. 1., Perkins yProphetia c, 2. de modis inter pretendi., & others.
But ſo doe theſe men, For whereas this Scripture ſpeakes of leaving all the adminiſtrations in falſe Churches. And this well agrees with the ſcope and drift of the place, with the rules of faith, and with other Scriptures; Notwithſtanding againſt the literall ſence, they peremptorie ſay, that mē muſt not leave all the adminiſtrations in falſe Churches; But heare there Antichriſtian Miniſters; how be it, this is no more expreſſed, then their Sacraments, or Service-Booke.‡Quaer. Why a Familiſt uſing the libertie & boldnes that theſe men doe, may not ſay, and prove it as well, that there is not comming out of the outward man here meāt at all
6. As their diſtinction is untrue, ſo it is alſo new; For we find no ſuch Doctrine in other mens writings; whether Calviniſts aPar. in Rev. 18. 4, Lutherans bBrent. in Exegeſ. Ioh. 4., Papiſts cDoway Tranſl. in Pſal. 26. p. 56.. Beſides the martyrsdPag. 93, firſt and laſt would not receive it, leaſt to ſave their lives, they ſhould loſe their ſoules. It was the anſwer of Fredrick the Duke of Saxonie. Who beeing priſoner to Charles 5. was promiſed releaſement & reſtitution of dignitie, if he would goe to the falſe Church; Summum in terris Dominum agnoſco Caeſarem: in Coelis Deum. I am ready to yeeld to the Emperour in civill accommodations; But in Heavenly things I acknowledge but one Maſter. Chriſt is more welcome to me in bonds, then Caeſars honour without Chriſt. The like did the Prince of Condee; yea the zeale of Q: Marie may condemn our Oppoſites; For ſhe would not heare B: Ridlies Sermon, becauſe ſhe thought he was no Lawfull Miniſter.
I remember what Diogenes fAt malo inquit ſal Athinis lingere, quam Craternm frui magnifice inſtructa menſa. Diog. Laret. invit. Diog. lib. 6 c. 2.ſaid to Craterus, one of Alexanders cheife Captaines, who beeing a man of great wealth, invited the Philoſopher, to abide with him, promiſing him great entertaynment;eSleid. But he replyed that he had rather lick ſalt in Athens, then fare delicately with Craterus. Preferring libertie, albeit accompanied with povertie, before the delicates of rich men, where freedome is diminiſhed. This we may apply to all upright men, they will more eſteeme of the meanes, which they finde in Gods way, and which they may enjoy with libertie of conſcience: (how little ſoever it be, and what afflictions ſoever accompanie it.) Then the the large entertainment, which falſe Miniſters promiſe them in the wayes of Antichriſt, unto the enſlaving of their conſciences, and loſing of that pretious libertie, which Chriſt hath purchaſed for them with his owne blood.