Popery the Grand Apostasy, Sermon 2
A SERMON Preached November 5. 1678.
Rev. 18.4.
And I heard another voice from heaven, ſaying Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her ſins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
IN the former Chapter we have a deſcription of Myſtical Babylon, and a prediction of her ruin, in this Chapter; her fall is more at large declared, 1. from the certainty of it, v. 1, 2, 3. a mighty Angel proclaiming that Babylon is fallen, is fallen, as if it were done already, and another ſeconding him with the Type of a Milſtone thrown into the Sea, to ſhew that Babylon ſhould never riſe more, v. 21, 22, 23. 2. From the reaſon of it, becauſe both the Kings of the Earth had committed fornication with her and where deluded by her, v. 4. Thirdly, from a command to Gods people to forſake her, leſt they ſhould be conſumed with her, v. 4, 5. Fourthly, From a command to the executioners of Gods vengeance to be very ſevere in it, v. 6, 7, 8. Fifthly, from a deſcription of the Lamentation of her friends for her fall, v. 9,—19. Sixthly, From a call to the Saints in heaven and earth to rejoyce in Gods vengeance upon her, v. 20. which is further exemplified ch. 19. throughout.
The Text is a Command to Gods people to come out of Babylon, leſt they partake with her in her fins, and ſo receive of her Plagues.
Three things ſhall be here conſidered.
1. The perſon commanding,
2. The matter of the command, Come out &c.
3. The place from whence, Babylon.
1. The perſon commanding, is our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.: it was another voice diſtinct from the Angels, v. 2. this voice was from heaven, the Angels was on earth: and this perſon calls the godly his people, Come out of her my people, which no creature mioght do.
2. The command is to come out of Babylon; the ſame words which were ſpoken to the Jews, Jer. 51. v. 6, 45. withdraw and Weparate your ſelves from her, foreign, at all times as to communion to withdraw from their worſhip and ſervice, foreign, leaſt you communicate in her ſins, which they muſt needs do that joyn in her worſhip, and whenever there is opportunity ſeparate your ſelves from the place and perſons; this the other part of the reaſon ſhows, foreign, that ye receive not of her Plagues, which are to be the ſword, fire, and ſuch like waſting judgement, ch. 17.16. of which they muſt have their ſhare, that dwell in Babylon when theſe things fall upon them: and this was the meaning of the ſame command to the Jews, viz. that whilſt they lived in Babylon 70. years, they ſhould keep themſelves from her ldolatries, and that they ſhould willingly depart from her, and return home when God ſhould open a door to them by Cyrus as he had promiſed.
3. The place, out of her, viz. Babylon whoſe fall is foretold, v. 2. What this place is the former chapter declares paſt doubt to them that are willing to receive the truth.
That it is a certain place and not the whole company of the wicked, as the Rhemiſts would perſwade us, is manifeſt.In locum. It is deſcribed as a woman, a great Whore, v. 1.-4. under which figures Cities uſe to be ſignified, as Jeruſalem and Samaria, Ezech. 23.1.4. and ſhe hath a particular name written in her forehead, v. 5. Myſtery, Babylon the great—She is alſo called the Mother of Harlots, and abominations of the earth, which points out ſome place which ſhould be principal and ringleader in corruptions and perſecutions, v. 5, 6.
That this place is the City of Rome, and not Conſtantinople, Jeruſalem, or any other City is alſo evident, becauſe ſhe is ſaid to be ſeated upon ſeven Mountains, and to have had ſeven ſorts of government, five paſt, one preſent and another to come, v. 9, 10, 11. which agree to no City but Rome, and v. 18. it is added, that The woman is that great City which reigneth over the Kings of the earth, viz. in St. Johns time, which was none but Rome. Moreover that this was not Heathen Rome, but Rome Chriſtian declining both in Doctrine and worſhip, appears, in that ſhe is taxed with Whoredome and drawing all the world to whoredome and fornication by her power and example; by which the Scripture doth not expreſs the Idolatry of Heathens, but the Apoſtaſie of the Church to Idols, whereby ſhe breaketh her Covenant with God her firſt husband.
She is alſo called Myſtical Babylon, Babylon for Tyranny and Idolatry, both of which old Babylon was mother to, in the declining world after the flood, and Myſtical becauſe not the ſame place; nor did ſhe openly bring in Idols, but under pretence of honouring Chriſt and his Saints: The Idolatry of Heathen Rome was no Myſtery.
This woman alſo allureth the world to drink of the wine of her fornications, and thoſe that were backward ſhe compelled, till ſhe was drunk with the blood of Saints and Martyrs, inſomuch that the inhabitants of the earth generally wondred after the beaſt, v. 4, 8, but Heathen Rome was ſo far from impoſing her religion on other Nations (though ſhe puniſht the Chriſtians for departing from her religion) that ſhe left all Nations to their own way of worſhip, when ſhe had conquered them, even the Jews who were moſt different from all the reſt; yea it was her cuſtom to receive the worſhip and Gods of the conquered Nations among her own ſolemnities, that ſo they might not provoke any Gods againſt them, and thus Tertullian ſaith, Tiberius would have had our Saviour received into the number of the Roman gods; the Senate refuſed it becauſe they ſaid he would be God alone, and endure no companions with him: which further confirmeth that it was Rome Chriſtian and not Pagan which did impoſe her Idolatrous wrſhip upon the world.
Laſtly, that it is Rome Papal, as it now is and hath been for many ages paſt, which is this Babylon, and not Rome when ſhe ſhall utterly renounce the Chriſtian faith in the end of the world as ſome Papiſts without ſhadow of reaſon fancy, is proved, in that ſhe is arrayed in purple and Scarlet, decked with gold and precious ſtones and pearls, which is the garb of the Pope and his Cardinals: In that ſhe is the Mother of fornications, Idolatries, through the earth, and that ſhe is drunk with the blood of Saints and Martyrs, Rome Papal having deſtroyed far more Chriſtians, than ever Heathen Rome did.
And that the beaſt that carries this whore, the Roman State, is full of names of blaſphemy, v. 3. the blaſphemous titles and power which the Pope uſurpeth to himſelf and his Roman Church above any heathen that ever was.
And eſpecially in that the ten horns upon the head of the beaſt that carries this Whore, which are ten Kingsariſing out of the diſſolution of the Roman Empire are ſaid to have received no Kingdom in Johns time, but to receive it one hour with the beaſt, v. 12. yea to give their power to the beaſt, to ſet him up, and maintain his Empire, and to be deluded by him, till God ſhall turn their hearts againſt him to deſtroy him, v. 13.-17. The beaſt himſelf alſo was to be the eighth head of the former great beaſt, and yet one of the ſeven, i. c. a new government in Rome, for the manner of it not much different from the preceding Emperours; all which are apparently fulfilled in the Pope and his adherents; For when Auguſtulus laid down the Empire, Ann. Chr. 476. there immediately appeared ten ſmall Kingdomes, ſometimes more, ſometimes fewer, in this Weſtern part of the world, and then the Pope began to uſurp the dominion of Rome, and both he and they grew up together, and ſtrengthened each other till they were all inſlaved by him, and had inabled him to trample Emperours under his feet: likewiſe the declining or wane of Popedome in theſe too laſt ages hath been cauſed by the withdrawing of theſe very Princes from his ſubjection, whoſe Kingdomes were once provinces of Rome, and whoſe predeceſſors had given their power to the Pope; and when a few more ſhall follow their example, the Pope will lofe his triple Crown.
Theſe things thus explained the Obſervation is clear.
Obſ. It is the command of Chriſt to all his people to withdraw from the communion of Papal Rome, as they would avoid joyning in her ſins, and to thoſe that have opportunity, to forſake the dwellings of Rome as they would eſcape her plagues.
When the whole world after the flood apoſtatized from God and his worſhip, God ſingled out the family of Abraham, and in time increaſt them to a nation, to put his name, and to keep up his worſhip, among them: for this the reſt eſpecially their neighbours in the Eaſt, hated, and oppoſed them, and the heads of this oppoſition were Egypt, Niniveh, and at laſt Babylon in Chaldea, which ſwallowed up all her neighbours; Thus there was a long conteſt betwixt the Church of the Jews who adhered to God and pure religion, and Babylon which was become the head of the Pagan Apoſtaſie in the Eaſt: In like manner, the Goſpel was no ſooner planted and ſpread throughout the Weſtern world, but there began a defection to Idolatry in the worſhip of Saints and Angels, and after ſome while Rome became the head of this Apoſtaſie, and for above 1 thouſand years paſt, there hath been a continual conteſt betwixt a purer part of Chriſts Church ſcattered through divers Countries, and this Myſtical Babylon; a certain number ſpecified by one hundred forty four thouſand, Rev 14.1. have kept themſelves pure from the whoredomes of Rome, they were Virgins and followed the Lamb whitherſoever he went, and with them the Roman beaſt hath continually made war, and ſtill ſeeks to deſtroy them out of the earth: now all that would be the faithful ſervants of Chriſt muſt joyn with this ſmall perſecuted company, and neither comply with, nor ſubmit to Rome, nor connive at her power and impoſitions, as they would not be found guilty of her Apoſtaſie, and be ſwept away in her deſtruction.
To prove this, becauſe we ſpeak to them who are already ſeparated from Rome, it will be ſufficient to clear theſe 2 Queſtions, which being cleared will alſo prove the duty of others to ſeparate from her, who yet either adhere to, or lean towards her.
1. Queſtion, whether there was a juſt ground for the Poteſtants to ſeparate from the Church of Rome?
2. Whether there can be any reconciliation of Proteſtants to Rome.
In which I ſhall be brief, becauſe a foundation is in a ſort laid for it in the foregoing diſcourſe.
1. Qu. Whether Proteſtants did upon juſt and neceſſary grounds ſeparate from the communion of the Church of Rome, in her worſhip and diſcipline?
Anſw. They did, which I thus prove.
1. Becauſe the Church of Rome hath altered the rule of the Chriſtian faith. The Church is a holy Common-wealth under the government of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and he governs it by his laws contained in the holy Scriptures; theſe are the rule of their worſhip and obedience to him, Math. 28.18, 19, 20. He that alters this rule, altereth the fundamental conſtitution of the Church; But the Church of Rome hath altered this rule; they teach the Scriptures to be a defective, inſufficient rule, and therefore they joyn to them the Apocryphal books of the Old Teſtament and the Traditions of the Church (which alſo they receive and reject at their pleaſure,) Decrees of Councils, and decretals and deciſions of Popes; all theſe together are the perfect rule that the Papiſts acknowledge and pretend to; I ſay, pretend, becauſe the Scripture hath little ſhare in it, when it comes to Tryal; hereby they have made a new foundation of the Church, both of faith and practice; For it is not ſufficient that we believe and practiſe all that is in the Canonical Scriptures, but we muſt believe and obey the Apocryphal writings and unwritten Traditions, as of the ſame authority with the Bible; thus the Council of Trent hath determined, as was ſhewed before: This altereth the very conſtitution of the Church, and ſubjecteth it to men inſtead of Chriſt; and this is the root of all apoſtaſie.
2. Becauſe the Papiſts pretend their Pope or Church to be above the Scriptures, and to put an authentick authority on them and their ſenſe; Thus all our faith and obedience is reſolved into the determination of men. That the Papiſts pretend the Pope, their Council, or Church, to be above the Scriptures, cannot be denied, they give the authority and authentickneſs to the Scriptures, 'tis from their command that the Bible is received, and if they pleaſed they might cauſe it to be laid aſide; it cannot be known (they ſay) that the Scriptures are Gods word, but that their Church declares it; nor is any ſenſe or meaning to be fixt upon, as the certain ſenſe of any Scripture, but what they determine to be the meaning of the place. Accordingly the Trent. Council out of their great power have determined the vulgar Latin Tranſlation of the Bible to be authentick, and equal to the Greek and Hebrew originals,Council of Trent, Seſ. 4 though their own authors acknowledge it to be moſt falſe, defective, and in many things ridiculous: Now then our faith is not ultimately reſolved into the Scriptures, we do not believe and obey, becauſe we know and are ſure from Scripture that this is the mind of God, but becauſe the Pope or Church declare it to be the mind of God; yea though the words of Scripture plainly condemn what they teach, or though the Tranſlation of a Scripture be contrary to the original which was indited by the ſpirit of God immediately; yet if they ſay this is the meaning of the place and the true tranſlation of it, we muſt believe it; The foundation then of all our faith and obedience is the determination of the Church or Pope.
Obj. But they are infallible they ſay.
Anſw. This they can never prove; but if they were, if I muſt believe meerly upon their Teſtimony, and ſaying they are infallible, my faith is ſtill reſolved into the witneſs of men: their teſtimony concerning themſelves is but a humane Teſtimony, they do not, cannot prove it by any divine, infallible proof; therefore my faith and obedience muſt ultimately peſolve into humane authority. The Apoſtles were infallible, yet had not they dominion over the faith of the Church, 2 Cor. 12.24. to command what ſhould be believed and practiſed; but they proved by infallible and divine. Teſtimony of miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, that what they taught came from God, and ſo the belief of the people was built upon the Teſtimony of God to the Apoſtles doctrine, 1. Cor. 2.4, 5. the Apoſtle ſaith, his preaching was in demonſtration of the ſpirit and of power. That their faith might not ſtand in the wiſdom of men, but in the power of God: If their faith had been grounded upon the Apoſtles own Teſtimony of his ſelf that he was infallible, and upon his determination concerning any Scripture or doctrine out of his own wiſdom, though he had ſeemed to prove it ſtrangely, their faith had ſtood upon the authoty & wiſdom of man; but therefore their faith was built on God, becauſe his ſpirit did powerfully demonſtrate what the Apoſtle preacht to be from God; therefore unleſs the Papiſts can prove their infallibility by miracles, and demonſtration of the ſpirit, theirs is but a humane Teſtimony, and ſo we know it is, and a falſe one too: and therefore it is an intolerable abuſe to take the Church off from faith and obedience to Chriſt as the head commanding and ruling her, and from the holy Spirit, as inditing and confirming the holy Scriptures, and to ſubject her to the authority and determinations of fallible and ſometimes moſt wicked men: To let paſs that the Papiſts themſelves not being agreed who is the infallible ſupreme judge, whether the Pope, Council, or the whole Church, no man of them hath any ſure foundation, for his Faith: If they ſay the Scripture declares who is the ſupreme infallible Judge; I anſwer that Judge muſt again tell us what is the meaning of that Scripture; The Pope ſaith it means him, the Council and Church ſay it means them; here are three pretenders to ſupreme and infallible authority, and to interpret the Scripture; which ſoever a man adheres to, it is two to one but he is miſtaken; however here is no way to determine who is the infallible Judge, unleſs there be infallible marks and Teſtimonies of it given by God, and then they are of the ſupreme authority, and neither Pope, Council, nor Church themſelves; but ſuch they can never produce. Thus the whole matter is but an inconſiſtent juggle to bring the Church into ſubjection to the Pope.
3. Becauſe the Church of Rome takes away the Scriptures from the people, yea and alloweth the Clergy themſelves the uſe of the corrupt, vulgar Tranſlation of the Bible only. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, Rom. 10.14. How then ſhall the people get Faith or grow in it, when they muſt not have the Scriptures to read themſelves, nor have them read to them by their teachers, but in an unknown tongue, and that Tranſlation ſo corrupt alſo, that if any of them ſhould underſtand Latin, they would yet have much difficulty to find the truth. The Scriptures are Chriſts Law whereby he governs his Church, and the peoples Magna Charta, the Charter of all their priviledges, and of all Gods promiſes ſpiritual and temporal; to take this from them is to deprive them, both of the rule of their obedience, and of the foundation of all their faith and hope in God: This is not to be endured upon any pretence whatſoever.
4. Becauſe they impoſe the celebration of Gods worſhip in an unknown tongue the Papiſts celebrate their prayers, Sacraments, and ſinging of Pſalms, all in Latin, which as they know the people underſtand not, ſo they would not have them underſtand it; by this means the people are deprived of all true worſhip; For worſhip is the reverence and affection of the ſoul to God, either in aſcribing honour to him, or deſiring of him and truſting in him for whatever we need. This it is impoſſible man ſhould give to God in and by thoſe words and expreſſions which he underſtandeth not, which for what he knows may blaſpheme God, or beg a curſe inſtead of a bleſſing, which as managed by illiterate Prieſts oftentimes are nonſenſe and ſignifie nothing, and ſometimes contrary to ſound Doctrine, yea may at all times for what the people know be directed to an Idol or a Devil inſtead of God. For preaching of the word the Papiſts pretend but little to it: And thus the Roman Church is a Church of Chriſt, which acknowledgeth not him for her head and Governour, nor his word for her rule and Law, nor his worſhip for her practice; but ſabjecteth her ſelf to a wicked man under the name of Chriſts Vicar, taketh his will for her Law, and his inſtitutions for her worſhip, without Queſtion and without underſtanding; This is an abuſe Jot to be tolerated.
5. The Idolary that the Papiſts impoſe on the Church; the Apoſtle is expreſs, You cannot partake of the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devils, the Cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils, 1 Cor. wor-10.20, 21. and theſe Devils, he ſaith, are ſhipped in Idols by Idolaters, with whom therefore we muſt have no communion; now the greateſt part of the Papiſts worſhip conſiſts in the worſhip and invocation of Saints, Angels, and the Virgin Mary, and their waſer-God, which they practiſe upon the very ſame grounds on which the Heathens worſhipt their Idols, and therefore are Idolaters as well as the Heathens: they ſay they do not worſhip them as God; the Heathens ſaid the ſame and as truly; but they do aſcribe to them the praiſe, truſt, homage and ſubjection, fear and reverence, which is due only to God which is above the condition and deſert of our fellow Creatures, who depend upon God, and the merits of Chriſt as much as we; and this doth take off the Heart from God, and makes men believe that the Saints and Angels are nearer to us, more merciful, more ready to help us than God is, and more concerned for our good than our bleſſed Lord whoſe whole work it is to redeem and interceed for us.
6. Their impoſing the belief of Tranſubſtantiation and worſhip of the bread in the Sacrament: Moſt of our Marian Martyrs were put to death upon this point only, their not believing the real preſence (as they Papiſts call it) of Chriſt in the Sacrament, i. e. that the bread was ſubſtantially turned into the body of Chriſt. If men would impoſe upon us the belief of the leaſt untruth, though in natural or civil things, we muſt not ſubmit to them, much leſs when they impoſe ſuch an untruth as this Tianſubſtantiation, which is againſt the plain letter of Scripture, which ſaith, that Chriſt did not only take, which was before Conſecration, but alſo that he gave bread and wine (to be eaten and drunk by his diſciples) which was after they were conſecrated, 1 Cor. 11.22, 23. which is alſo againſt our ſenſes; the eye, the ſmell, the touch and taſte, all witneſſing the Elements to be ſtill bread and wine; againſt Philoſophie, which teacheth ſuch a change of one body into another, eſpecially ſo ſmall a one as that of a Wafer into ſo large as the body of Chriſt, to be abſolutely impoſſible; yea and againſt common reaſon, which knows whence the bread and wine came, how they were made, how they go into the ſtomach, are digeſted, refreſh, and are carried off like other food: ſhould ſuch a Paradox be admitted, there can be no certainty in any thing; For by the pretence of ſuch a change or miracle, all evidence may be evaded; and ſo the Apoſtles that ſaw Chriſt in the body, heard him, handled him, both before and after his Reſurrection, might (for what we know) be all miſtaken; and all the witneſſes of the miracles that confirm both Teſtaments, might all failin their ſenſe and judgement of things, and ſo nothing be certain in Religion, ſeeing there is continually in innumerable places ſuch a prodigie as the Hoſt, which is as they ſay the glorified body of Chriſt now in Heaven, and yet ſenſe and reaſon take it to be a bit of bread; what may they not perſwade and impoſe on people, that can prevail with them to believe this? The worſhipping of the bread doth alſo deſtroy the nature and uſe of the Sacrament, where inſtead of a comfortable remembrance of Chriſt and his death, to increaſe faith in him, and love to him, men are taught only ignorantly to worſhip a bit of bread, and that with more ſolemnity, than Chriſt himſelf was honoured with on earth.
7. Becauſe they take away the cup from the people in the Sacrament, hereby they take upon them to alter Chriſts inſtitution at their pleaſure; they deprive the people not only of one part of the Sacrament, but in ſo doing wholly obſcure the meaning of the Sacrament; for ſeeing they break not the bread but give it whole, nor pour out the wine, nor ſuffer the people to ſee and drink it; the people have no repreſentation of the death of Chriſt, neither of the breaking or bruiſing of his body, nor ſhedding his blood; and in this the Papiſts are moſt inſolent of any other their Corruptions; for that their Councils ofaSeſſ. 13. Conſtance andbSeſſ. 21. Trent do acknowledge, that Chriſt gave both Elements to his diſciples, and that the Primitive Church continued the like cuſtom for many ages, and yet they can preſume to alter it upon trivial reaſons.
8. The Papiſts greatly obſcure the Doctrine of Juſtification; the Goſpel is the glad tydings of peace, the word of reconciliation;2 Cor. 5. ch. 19, 20. v. that God is in Chriſt reconciling the world to himſelf is the chief thing committed to the Miniſters of the Goſpel; if therefore this be obſcured, the Goſpel is in a great meaſure rendred ineffectual, and the Miniſtry uſeleſs for the end it was appointed for. It is the chief enquiry of ſinful man, what he ſhould do to be ſaved, Act. 16.31. and on this depends all his worſhip of God; for till man be reconciled to God, he cannot worſhip him acceptably, nor can he truſt, love and fear God aright, unleſs he know upon what grounds, and in what way God will have this done. If we loſe the doctrine of Juſtification, we loſe the ſubſtance of the Goſpel and of all Religion: Now this the Papiſts do obſcure ſo much, that a man can ſcarce tell amidſt their Doctrines, what Chriſt hath done for him, and what he muſt expect from Chriſt. They ſay a natural man improving the gifts of nature, doth in ſome fort merit the grace and ſpirit of God, and when he hath that grace he doth ex condigno properly and of due debt merit the continuance of Gods favour, and heaven it ſelf; yea, over and above may merit for other men: and if a man do commit ſins after converſion, his voluntary penances, his patient bearing of Gods corrections in this world, and Purgatory in the next, together with alms-deeds, faſtings and ſuch good works, do make full ſatisfaction for all theſe ſins; and he that wants penance and ſatisfactions of his own, may be ſupplied out of the treaſury of the Church by Maſſes and the Popes indulgences. Now this is not only the doctrine of Schoolmen, but the chief part of Religion and worſhip among them, and the chief things the Prieſts teach and are imploy'd about.
9. The Popes claim of ſupremacy is blaſphemous, and not to be ſubmitted to by the Churches: Under the Goſpel Chriſt hath appointed no high Prieſt to whom all Miniſters ſhould be ſubject, no place of worſhip to which all Nations ſhould repair, no Mother Church on which they ſhould depend, none to be his Vicar on earth: but all this the Pope and Church of Rome claim and uſurp, which tendeth to bring all the Churches on earth into bondage to them, and to exclude the conduct of the ſpirit in the Miniſters and Churches, as if it were peculiar to them only; it is alſo a power which no Creature is capable of, and derogates from the honour of Chriſt, who doth by his Godhead, ſpirit and word, preſide in, govern and guide his whole Church.
10. Becauſe the Papiſts have wholly changed the diſcipline of the Goſpel into a pompous, worldly Polity. Chriſt appointed Paſtors and teachers for the edifying of the Saints, till they all come to the perfect man in Chriſt, Eph. 4.12, 13. but the Papiſts have changed this into a viſible, worldly Monarchy, though under the pretence of Religion and the name of ſpiritual, of which the Pope is the head, his Cardinals Princes, all his Prieſts and Clergy officers and Factors for him to hold the Conſciences of men in ſubjection to him, and to keep Princes and their Kingdoms in homage, and tributary to his Coffers. By all theſe things it appears that the Papiſts have quite altered both the foundation and ſuperſtructure of the Church of God, and the government of his houſe, and retained little more than the name of Chriſt, his Church and Goſpel; and therefore it was neceſſary they ſhould withdraw from them who had any care of the honour of God, or their own ſalvation.
Obj. The Papiſts Object, that the Proteſtants acknowledge the Church of Rome to be a true Church, and therefore not to be ſeparated from.
Anſw. 1. Suppoſe it were a true Church, are not other true Churches alſo? What obligation lyeth upon all Churches to be members of & ſubject to the Church of Rome, more than on the Church of Rome it ſelf to be a member of any other true Church? ſurely none from the notion of a true Church, ſeeing all Churches of Chriſt that are true, are at leaſt equal with her in this attribute. If they ſay that the Church of Rome hath the Primacy of all Churches and dominion over them from Peter the head of the Church, this is but to beg what they can never prove; that Peter had the headſhip of the Church committed to him and his ſucceſſors, and which is denyed of their own Council of Conſtance, Seſſ. 15.
2. Becauſe the Church of Rome doth retain the profeſſion of Chriſtanity, the general creeed, and the holy Scriptures, however they deviate from them in their expoſitions and practice; therefore the Proteſtants dare not deny it abſolutely to be a Church of Chriſt; but that he may be ſtill ſtriving with it and may have many in it, who may keep themſelves from the great corruptions of it, even as the 7000. in Iſrael, who had not bowed the knee to Baal, and ſo ſhe may continue a Church in this ſenſe, and in this State till her finall rejection and deſtruction, nevertheleſs they unanimouſly agree that ſhe is an Idolatrous, Apoſtatical Church, under great and fatal corruptions, though ſhe hath not quite forſaken the name of Chriſt, or he utterly forſaken her, as the ten Tribes under Jeroboam became idolatrous and Apoſtatical, and are ſaid to have worſhipped Devils in worſhipping the Calves, though they pretended them to repreſent Jehovah, 2 Chron. 11.15. and when they were in this ſtate of backſliding all the people as well as the Prieſts and Levites, that did ſet their hearts to ſeek the Lord God of their fathers, forſook them and went to Jeruſalem to ſacrifice, and joyned themſelves to Judah, 2 Chron. 11.13.17.16. and in the time of his ſucceſſours thoſe that were upright and had opportunity did ſtill reſort to Jeruſalem to worſhip; whence the Idolatrous Prieſts are complained of for laying wait and Nets for them in Miſpah and Tabor: and this they did notwithſtanding that God did ſtill contend with Iſrael by his Prophets, and ſent many eminent ones to them; as Elijah, Eliſha, Hoſea, Jonah, with many others, to call them back again to himſelf, to continue to warn and invite them to repentance even untill their diſperſion and captivity.
2. A 2. Queſtion is whether there may be any reconciliation of Poteſtants to or with the Church of Rome. And here I muſt diſtinguiſh betwixt particular perſons, members of that Church, and the body of the Church it ſelf. There are many particular perſons in the Popiſh Communion, that be wail their corruption, that complain of their bondage, and are moderate toward Proteſtants; for theſe we may have charity, reſpect and compaſſion; but to the Church of Rome, the general communion and ſociety of Papiſts under the Pope the ir head, there may be nocommunion or reconciliation.
1. Becauſe they have redreſſed none of their errors and corruptions, for which the Proteſtants at firſt forſook them. If our firſt ſeparation from Rome was juſt and neceſſary, ſo it is ſtill, for they have not mended, or redreſſed any of the grounds of our ſeparation: but on the contrary when they were intreated and in a ſort compelled to call the Council of Trent to compoſe matters, beſides the many unworthy arts they uſed to have men choſen to their mind and of their own party, they did ſeverally confirm every error in doctrine, and corruption in worſhip, which the Proteſtants accuſed them of, and Anathematized all that held the doctrine of the Proteſtants, and as if this were not enough, their Prieſts are all to be ſworn to maintain this Council, and a Catechiſm was ordered to be compoſed out of it to be the ſtandard of the Doctrine of that Church, which was done accordingly.
2. As they have not, ſo they cannot mend, or alter any thing conſiderable. The conſtitution of the Roman Papal Church depends on the corruptions they maintain and practiſe. Should their Clergy marry, they would not be at the Popes command: ſhould they lay aſide private Maſſes, image worſhip, and Purgatory, their Prieſts would loſe a great part of their maintenance; and the Pope a great jewel in his Crown, viz. the power of canonizing Saints and freeing ſouls from Purgatory: and if the people ſhould have the Scriptures, and publick ſervice in their own tongue, they would quickly diſcern the corruptions of their Church, and impoſtures of their Pope; above all, ſhould they alter any thing of moment decreed by the Council of Trent, which was alſo confirmed by Pope Pius the 4th. it would ſhake the foundation of the Church the Popes infallibility: for either the Council and Pope Pius erred in their decrees, or that Pope muſt err who alters any thing of thoſe decrees: hence it was, that the Pope and Council of Trent would not yield ſo much as the cup in the Lords ſupper to the Laity at any time or in any caſe though greatly importuned to do it by the Emperor Ferdinand the 1. and his ſon Maximilian.
3. The Church of Rome is the body of Antichriſt or man of ſin, ſhe hath made him her head and hath eſpouſed her ſelf to him as her Lord, the whole religion of Popery is fitted only to exalt the Pope and his Clegy; and cheat the people both of the knowledge of God, and of their money. To unite with Rome is to joyn our ſelves with a company of Rebels and fugitives from Chriſt, that have conſpired againſt him, and ſet them up another King and Lord.
4. Rome haht of long time and doth maintain an oppoſition againſt the Churches of Chriſt. She contends for the univerſal headſhip of the Pope, ſhe decreeth and compaſſeth (as far as ſhe can) the deſtruction of all Hereticks, i. e. of all that will not ſubmit to her corruptions, for about 900 years together, and ſtill attempts the ſame. To joyn with Rome is to condemn all the Confeſſors and Martyrs, that have ſuffered by them, and to bring the guilt of their blood upon our ſelves, as our Saviour ſaith, Math. 23.35. all the righteous blood that was ſhed upon the earth from Abel to Zacharias ſhould be required of that generation, becauſe they perſiſted in the footſteps of their fathers, and were of the ſame body and ſucceſſion with them that ſhed that blood.
5. Rome is appointed for deſtruction. That State or Polity, that City and people are appointed by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt to be utterly deſtroyed, as in the 17, 18, 19. of the Rev. at large: and their deſtruction is not threatned conditionally in caſe they repent not, as it is to other Nations; but it is abſolutely foretold, as of a people abhorred of the Lord, forſaken and given over by him, becauſe they forſook him firſt. Chriſt hath declared war againſt Rome, which he will purſue till he hath conquered her, and triumphed over her: therefore there may not be that deſire or attempt of union with her as with other backſliding Churches. Gods people are called to come out of Babylon upon pain of their deſtruction, therefore are not to make peace with her. Who would joyn with a periſhing Church, with a Party devoted to deſtruction, and with a periſhing religion? whereas Chriſt will have a Church pure and triumphant, which ſhall ſurvive and triumph over Babylon, Rev. 19.1. &c.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Troughton, Popery the Grand Apostasy (1680)