Rome not called a church:

ROME NOT CALLED A CHURCH. ROMANS 1. 7.

YOu who reade Paul to the Romanes now with us, Know, Pauls Epistle is inscribed thus. To th' Saints that are at Rome: Why how now Paul? What was that famous Rome no Church at all? To th' Saints, why not To th' Church? why didst not thou Write To the Church at Rome? didst not allow That Rome was then a Church? why other places Thy Spirit-guided pen thus sweetly graces; To th' Church; To th' Church: yea further, even there Where grosser errours and corruptions were; As, Corinth, and Galatia, yet dost thou Write Church and Churches: what's the matter now Why Rome's not so saluted? sure it is, The blessed Spirit had some ayme in this. Rome was a Church most pure and excellent, Rome was a Church most highly eminent;

Yet neither in that Salutation there, Nor (I beleeve it) any other where Is Rome once call'd a Church, or in Gods book, (He that expects to find it, let him look,) Doth that all-seeing, knowing spirit of thine, Those two so thwarcing syllables conjoyne Of Rome and Church, or Church and Rome: no, no; The Church of Rome the Scriptures do not know. And sure if I be asked, whether I Hold Rome a Church of Christ; thus Ile reply: Where is it said, that Rome or new or old, Or old or new? where have the Scriptures told That Rome, or is, or ever was a Church? Where is't precisely called Church? I search Th' Apostles writings, yet I cannot finde, That ever Christ hath so reveal'd his mind. Unlesse it be the Church which blessed Peter Calls Church of Babylon; and no man meeter (Save Iohn himself) to cry aloud to all, Come out of Babylon before it fall. Come out of Rome, for now by strong delusion, There nought remains but horrible confusion. In Rome's no room for me, and such as I, All you who love your souls and bodies fly. But O all you, who do the Scriptures search, Shew me where else Rome's ever called a Church. And O ye Popish Priests, take this not ill, That I stand stiffely to the Letter still. You, you your selves, even you have taught me this, For when we say, we may be sure of blisse;

You aske, and think thereby to Non-plus us, Where our admired Scripture speaketh thus; Thou Iohn, thou Thomas shalt attaine Salvation: Thou Iames, thou Philip shalt escape damnation. And though we say and shew it, that the Word Doth what's equivolent thereto afford; Yet will not this suffice, for still you crave, Where any of us such a Scrtpture have. And why may we not then with you so deale, And say this unfound text to us reveale, Where Rome is call'd a Church: and chiefly too, Because we are commanded so to doe To you, who seek to shake our comfort thus, Accordingly as you have done to us. Say then, and shew us where the Lord affirmes Pure Rome a Church in strict and even tearms. No, no, I know there's no such place at all, In Peter, Mathew, Mark, Luke, Iohn, Iames, Paul; Or in that little book of faithfull Iude, No Letters left our spirits to delude.

But Lord what was thy very mind therein? Surely thou sawest, that the man of sinne, Would there not onely (in the time to come) Rule, reign. and rage, roar rather, even at Rome; But also (to be thought to hold the truth) Would have the Church, the Church, still in his mouth You must beleeve the Mother-Church of Rome, The Cath'like Church, or else receive your doome Among the Devils and the damned souls: The Church, the Church of Rome keeps Christ his rowles.

Thou Lord foreseeing that those croaking frogs Would count all other, (even thy children) dogs, Who cannot grant belief unto their lye; Which under name of Church they magnifie. Wouldst not so much as give a Churches name, To such as turn their glory into shame. Thou didst foresee, sweet Lord, that all their noise, Would be the Church, the Church, the Church thus saies; And therefore would'st not give a Churches name, Though what was fully equall to the same. Thou saw'st, sweet Lord, that they who should sue∣ceed; Would not thy dear-bought flock with Scriptures feed: But with their own Traditions and decrees, Not with pure milk, but poison, dregs and lees. And yet all this for wholsom'st food must go, Because the Church, the Church will have it so. And therefore wouldst not say to th' Church of Rome, Though then thy Gospel there did kindly bloome. Yea, though thou gav'st that very name to such, Whose blots were more, whose fame not halfe so much.

FINIS.