is Trinity And Thomas Aquinas saith impossibile est per rationem naturalem ad cognitionem Trinitatis divinarum Personarum pervenire quia homo per rationem naturalem in cognitionem dei pervenire non potest nisi ex Creaturis Creature autem ducunt in Dei cognitionem sicut effectus in causam Hoc igitur solum ratione naturali de Deo cognosci potest quod competere ei necesse est secundum quod est omnium entium principium Virtus autem Creativa Dei communis est toti Trinitati unde pertinet ad unitatem essentiae non ad distinctionem Personarum per rationem igitur naturalem cognosci possunt de Deo ea quae pertinent ad unitatem essentiae non autem ea quae pertinent ad distinctionem personarum That is It is impossible by natural Reason to come to the knowledg of the Trinity of divine Persons because by natural Reason we cannot come to the knowledg of God but by Creatures which lead us to the knowledg of God as effects to the Cause Therefore by natural Reason that only may be known of God which by necessity belongs to him as he is the principle of all things But the Power of creating in God is common to the whole Trinity therefore it belongs to the unity of Essence and not to the distinction of Persons We may then by reason know the things belonging to the unity of the Essence of God but not the things belonging to the distinction of Persons Secondly I answer That though it be contrary to Reason that Peter Paul and John who are three distinct Persons have but one nature Numericè nevertheless it doth not imply that the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost who are three really distinct Persons have but one nature or substance Numericè For it is otherwise in divine than humane Persons And although Person in God be a real being and consequently being really taken a Substance yet it doth not follow because there are three really distinct Persons that there are three Substances really distinct one from another For God being an intellectual Being he knows himself to be infinitely Perfect and knowing himself to be so he loves himself The term of his Intellect is called the Son as we call the Holy Ghost the term of his love but it is not so with the term of the Intellectand Love of God as with the term of the Intellect and Love of men because this is an Accident that a Substance I say a Substance because no Accidents can be found in God as it is the consent of all Writers therefore since the term of the Intellect of God and the term of his Love is a Substance and since one is call'd the Son and the other the Holy Ghost it follows since three Substances cannot be in God because it would import three Gods which is contrary to the nature of God to Reason and to the Holy Scriptures that they have but one and the same Substance as it is taught both in the Symboles of Nice and Athanasius Thirdly I answer That though the Trinity be not found distinctly in the holy Scripture yet it may be inferred from thence by clear and necessary Consequences And though the two Texts of St. Matthew and John before mentioned be not sufficient to convince the Reader since they may be explained as they are in the Objection nevertheless the essential Attributes of God as his Eternity Immensity Omnipotency Creation Conservation of the World Sanctification of Souls Resurrection of the Bodies Prayer and Worship being equally attributed to the three Persons the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost as it may be seen in several places of the holy Scriptures and I will shew in the sequel of my Discourse it follows by an evident and necessary Consequence that they are God and therefore that they have but one substance or Nature Numericè which is called Trinity Obj. The Church of England believes that the Son is Consubstantial with the Father but the word Consubstantial is not found in the holy Scriptures therefore the Church of England believes an Article of Faith which is not in the word of God therefore she is not the holy Catholick Church Answer Though that word Consubstantial be not read in the holy Scriptures yet the thing signified and meant by that word is found therein For when we say and believe that the Son is Consubstantial with the Father we mean that he hath one and the same Substance with his Father which is inferred from the holy Scripture by clear and necessary Consequences for these words of St. Jahn I and my Father are one do signifie nothing less than the Son hath an unity of Substance with his Father for if had only an unity of Will of Mind and Agreement as the Arians and several other Persons in France England Holland c. do believe at this time he should not be called in the holy Scriptures the only begotten Son of God the true God eternal Life and God blessed over all for ever He should not be called the brightness of the glory of his Father and the express Image of his Person and we should not read of him that he being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God he should not be called Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending which is which was and which is to come the Almighty Or that In him are hid all the Treasures of wisdom and knowledg and that In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily We should not read that By him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth vistble and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers and that All things were created by him and for him and that he is before all things and by him all things consist and that He upholds all things by the word of his Power and as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickens them even so the Son quickens whom he will Neither should we read that He knows the hearts of all men and that All men honour the Son even as they honour the Father and that All the Angels of God worship him and that Four and twenty Elders fall down before him and worship him and cast their Crowns before the Throne saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receive Glory and Honour and Power for thou hast Created all things and for pleasure they are and were Created Now since by these Texts of the holy Scriptures ye see that the Name of the true God which cannot be proper to a Creature is not only ascribed to the Son but also all the essential properties of God are attributed unto him it follows by a clear and necessary Consequence that he is Consubstantial with the Father or that he hath with him one and the same Substance Numericè You may further urge
Church I answer That they are deceived for when the Fathers said that the Catholick Church did confist in such and such a thing as for Example in the belief of the Trinity they did not intend to exclude the belief of the other points of Faith nor the practise of the Commandments enjoyned us in the holy Scripture And Jesus Christ who saith to the young man that if he will enter into Life he must keep the Commandments here mentioned pronounces Wo unto the Authors of Heresies as unto all Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites will have us to eat his Body and to drink his Blood Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no Life in you bids us to be baptized Except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Besides practice he desires belief He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved Wherefore it is not enough to say I thought I was a Member of the Catholick Church because I thought it did consist in believing and practising such and such things only our ignorance is not sufficient to excuse us before God we are bound to inquire after Truth and the true Worship of God A wilful and affected ignorance is a double Crime and we must not believe because we think we do well and are Members of the Catholick Church that this is sufficient to excuse us this is a mistake otherwise the Jews should not have been guilty when they crucified Jesus Christ because they did it ignorantly and thought they acted according to their Law For had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory We could not say that Paul was guilty when breathing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord he went unto the High-Priest desiring Letters from him to Damascus to the Synagogues that if he found any Christians whether they were men or women he might bring them bound to Hierusalem Nor when he made havock of the Church entring into every House and haling men and women committing them to Prison Nor when he was consenting unto the death of Stephen and kept the Cloaths of the Witnesses who stoned him though Austin speaks thus of him Vt enim esset in omnium lapidantium manibus ipse omnium vestimenta servabat magis saeviens omnes adjuvando quà m suis manibus lapidando For he thought he did well transported by a Zeal which he had for his Law Neither could we now blame the Papists when they act so horrid and cruel Tragedies against those that they call Hereticks for as I suppose they think they do a Sacrifice well-pleasing unto God If any ignorance can excuse a man it is that which is called Invincible as that of young Children and mad People Therefore when we live in a Kingdom wherein Religion there practised is not contrary to the holy Scripture we are bound to conform unto it I know that We had rather obey God than men but it is when their Commandments are contrary to the Commandments of God otherwise we are obliged to obey the Princes and Magistrates which we are subject to put them in mind to obey Principalities and Powers to obey Magistrates Tit. 3. 1. Obey them that have the Rule over you and submit your selves Heb. 13. 17. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of men for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as Supreme or unto Governors as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well 1 Pet. 2. 13. Let every Soul be subject unto the higher Powers for there is no Power but of God The Powers that be are ordained of God whosoever therefore resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation Rom. 13. 1 2. Wherefore the holy Powers enjoyning usto conform to the Church of England which as I have made it appear teaches or practises nothing contrary to the holy Scripture we are obliged to obey them Neither do I see how those that are convinced of what I have here written and still refuse to obey can excuse themselves from being Schismaticks and from being out of hope of Salvation He shall not have God for his Father who will not have the Church for his Mother Whosoever resisteth the Power resisteth the Ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves Damnation O Ecclesia Romana aut quaecumque sis alia quid insultas quid exsufflas quid etiam ad tempus multa usurpas adversus Ecclesiam Anglicanam Licet haec doleat non te magna metuit sponsa Christi sancta Catholica Ecclesia cum enim respexerit ille sponsus ejicieris tu ut ancilla cum filiis tuis quoniam non erunt haeredes filii ancillae cum filiis liberae O Church of Rome or whatsoever other Church thou art Why dost thou boast Why art thou puffed up Why also dost thou usurp upon the Church of England Though she be sorrowful yet the great spouse of Christ the holy Catholick Church doth not fear thee for when the Bridegroom looks upon her then thou shalt be cast out as the Bond-woman with thy Children because the Children of the Bond-woman shall not be heirs with the Sons of the Free woman Although I have made appear that the Church of England is the holy Catholick Church and that all those who knowing her to be such and still refuse to conform are Schismaticks out of hope of Salvation and shall not be heirs with the Sons of the free-woman but cast out as the bond-woman with her Children yet I am not of that Opinion that they ought to be persecuted this Doctrine of Persecution being contrary to the Law of Nature and to the Doctrine of our Saviour Jesus Christ As ye would that all men should do unto you so do you unto them We would not be persecuted for our Religion therefore we must not persecute others But the Reader will object we have a Law and by our Law they ought to be persecuted I Answer if that were a sufficient Reason to warrant Persecution we could not blame the Jews when they killed the Prophets and stoned them and crucified Jesus Christ who is Heir and Lord over all and God blessed for ever For they said We have a Law and by our Law he ought to die And we could not blame Queen Mary who by a Law in her days caused so many to suffer Martyrdome nor now the Papists who formerly and at this very time in France Spain and Italy establish Cruelty and Oppression by Law If any men be Plotters or contrive any evil against the King or Government or breed Sedition and Disturbance in the Kingdom they must suffer according to the Law but if they be found without Plots or evil Contrivances but erring only concerning Religion
THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND Evidently proved the HOLY CATHOLICK CHURCH By Peter Berault the Author of the Church of Rome prov'd Heretick If he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican Mat. 18. 17. He shall not have God for his Father who will not have the Church for his Mother Aug. de symb ad Cathec lib. 4. c. 10. LONDON Printed by T. Hodgkin for the Author 1682 TO His HIGHNESS Prince RVPERT Count Palatine of the Rhyne Duke of Bavaria and Cumberland Earl of Holderness Constable of the Royal Castle of Windsor Knight of the Noble Order of the Garter One of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council c. May It please your Highness THe two small Books which I did presume to present unto your Highness were so kindly accepted that having no otherway in any measure to acknowledge this favour but the Dedication of this I thought I could do no less than to dedicate it unto so good so wise meek and generous a Person as your self being not only a true and sincere Protestant nor only a living Member but also an unmoveable Pillar of the holy Catholick Church and though Jesus Christ said that the Gates of Hell should not prevail against it yet the Devil having a root of Evil and enmity in himself night and day seeks its destruction To effect which he subtilly Proteus-like appears in different forms assaulting it several ways either by raising against it those of the Church of Rome insinuating that we being separated from them are excluded all hopes of Salvation and that they are bound with fire and sword to seek our utter ruine and destruction or insinuating to other Dissenters from the Church of England that to live up to the strict Rule and Principles of the Christian Religion they are obliged to separate themselves from it This Maxime is received in Philosophy Sublatâ causâ tollitur effectus the Cause being removed the Effect ceaseth therefore when I have made appear that those Insinuations of Satan are deceitful and that the belief and practice of the Church of England is conformable to the holy Scripture I hope I shall be able to bruise the head of that old Serpent and to procure the Church's peace especially having for my Patron so vertuous a Prince so great a lover of Peace so good a Member and so strong a Pillar of the holy Catholick Church I do not here intend any Panegyrick knowing your Highness takes much greater pleasure in doing good than in hearing the repeated Ecchoes of your Princely Merits looking on your Noble Virtues as a fitter Subject for the Records of Honour in which your Highness will be praised to all succeeding Ages There your brave and warlike Actions Wisdom Prudence Goodness piercing and solid Understanding in all Sciences and Affairs discreet Conduct and diligent Cares for the maintenance of the true Protestant Religion and Catholick Faith against all Superstitions Errors Idolatries and cruel Persecutions of the Church of Rome will be much better described than I could here have done with my Pen. There every one may read that at 13 years of Age your Highness march'd to the Siege of Rhynberg At the Age of 18 Commanded a Regiment of Horse in the German Wars in 1642 came into England fought and defeated Colonel Sands near Worcester routed the Rebels Horse at Edge-hill took Cirencester raised the Siege of Newark recovered Litchfield and Bristol fought the great Battle at Marston-moor and in 1666 being joyned Admiral with the Duke of Albemarle attackt the whole Dutch Fleet in such a bold resolute but prudent and discreet way that you soon put the Enemy to the flight And though we live in an Age wherein every one seems to be free to speak what he will and not to spare even those whom they have no reason to speak against yet nothing can be said but in your Praise and Commendation I conclude this Epistle humbly begging of your Highness to accept of this small Treatise I could have enlarged it had I not known that Princes who are commonly incumbred with several important Affairs have no time to read great Volumes When your spare-hours will allow to make a perusal of this which though little yet contains much I hope your Highness will receive some satisfaction and see that my whole intention is to wish the Peace of this Nation the Glory of God Almighty the good of his holy Catholick Church the Salvation of the Souls of men and the reducing of the wandring sheep whether Popish or other Dissenters into Uniformity which is heartily desired by Your Highnesses Most humble most obedient and affectionate Servant Peter Berault TO THE READER Unprejudiced Reader AS it is not enough to depart from evil but we are obliged to do good Even so it is not enough to have prov'd the Roman Church Heretick but also to make appear that the Church of England is the holy Catholick Church But if in reading what I have written thou sayest I have not done well because thou dost not understand it blame my Discourse not my Faith It may be another might speak more clearly upon this Subject nevertheless no man did ever speak so that in all things he could be understood by all Persons alike Therefore let him who is not pleased herewith see whether he understands others better when they speak or write concerning the same things And if he doth let him shut my Book yea let him throw it into the fire and employ his time in reading those that he understands better However let him not think I was bound to be silent because I have not written so clearly as those which he understands for all that is written doth not fall into the hands of every man and it may be also that those which read what I have written may not find any Books wherein such Questions are handled more clearly Wherefore it is good to have several Books of a different style though not of a different Faith concerning the same Questions because the same thing is oftentimes by some conceived one way by others another But if he that complains he doth not understand these things could not comprehend them when others have disputed about them with subtilty let him desire God that he would be pleased to enlighten his Spirit and cease to blame me and to say it had been better for me to be silent But should the Reader object I very well understand what is written but what is written is not true let him prove his Opinion and let him confute mine which if he doth with charity and truth and makes it appear unto me I shall confess my self very much obliged unto him and think my Endeavours in composing this small Treatise sufficiently rewarded I know Opinions concerning Religion being many in this Nation I cannot be without a great many Foes but if they consider that I have no other intention than to manifest the Truth and procure
Peace among our selves love towards one another and union to the holy Catholick Church out of which whosoever is is a Schismatick and excluded all hopes of Salvation as I will make appear hereafter then they will cease to hate and begin to love me But oftentimes it happens quite contrary to our good intention as when Jesus Christ manifested unto the Jews the Vices which they were given to his intention was that they should hate their sins and not the Physician who was willing to heal them But it hapned on the contrary they were ungrateful saith Augustine for being grown mad they assaulted the Physician who came to cure them I may say the same thing concerning those who are unwilling to hear Christian Doctrines their Interest is to know them since it concerns their eternal Salvation and therefore they ought to receive those who are so charitable as to instruct them with a greater kindness than a King doth the dearest of his Courtiers But too often we see the contrary They look upon those Physicians of their Souls as upon their greatest Enemies nevertheless since there are some who are glad to hear the truth and receive it in meekness to those especially I direct this Discourse my design is to convince them and so to draw them out of the Error in which they have walked many years wherein I hope with God's assistance to have good success because I shall say nothing but grounded upon sound Reason and the Authority of the holy Scripture and Fathers which I shall quote faithfully to the end that these Authorities may be as many Bucklers to defend me from all the stroaks which some would offend me with that I may not be wounded before I see them run through and overthrown Naked Truth and the publishers of it are commonly hated in this World And though it be written in Esdras that Truth is stronger than Wine than Women than Kings yet we daily see by experience that for all its strength it is oftentimes cruelly assaulted and miserably subdued upon Earth Every one knows what Persecutions Jesus Christ suffered because he would make it appear unto all men his Apostles Disciples and Martyrs were not only hated but after his Example endured several Torments even death it self because they would defend and make it manifest If I have written any thing not agreeable to the Word of God or sound Reason I shall be very glad and thankful in being informed of it therefore I submit this small Treatise to the censure of the Church and to the judgment of all learned and godly men whose delight is to draw Truth from the holy Scripture Farewel ADVERTISEMENT IF any Gentleman or Gentlewoman hath a mind to learn French or Latin the Author of this Treatise will wait upon them he liveth in Thames-street over against Baynard's Castle THE Church of England Prov'd the Holy Catholick Church THe Roman Church appropriates this glorious Title to her self only thunders Anathema's against all other Churches whatever calls them Hereticks and Schismaticks declares unless they unite themselves with her they are without any hope of Salvation uses a thousand subtilties to draw them to her Communion deceives and frightens the simple and ignorant making them believe that out of her there is no Salvation offers great rewards to the learned persecutes them that will not be either corrupted with fat Preferments or deceived and frightned with several Fables wherewith they are entertain'd deprives them of their Estates and Employments c. and forces them to forsake their Country as the poor Protestants of France are now necessitated to either causing them to be burnt alive or inflicting several other cruel torments upon them as it is at this time the Custom in Italy and Spain I confess that the Roman Church was not always cruel I grant that in the Apostle's time and first Ages I mean when they observed the holy Scripture both in its Practice and Doctrine they could justly boast of this glorious Title Holy Cacholick But since they were corrupted and have diminished from and added unto the holy Scripture several points of Faith which they impose upon us under pain of Damnation and since they are fallen into Heresie they have lost this fair and glorious Title These words Holy Catholick cannot be justly attributed unto them it is the Church of England which now most 〈◊〉 and gloriously possesses these honourable Qualities But as women that have lost their honour are grown debauch'd when they quarrel with them that are honest and vertuous are used to call them Whores first lest that villainous and odious name should be cast upon themselves so the Church of Rome having lost the fair qualities of Holy Catholick and being fallen into Heresie is wont to call the Church of England Heretical lest she should justly reflect upon her that which she falsly accuses her with I will not go abovt here to prove that the Church of Rome is Heretick I have done it already per argumentum adhominem that is by their own Principles in a small Treatise so intituled Those who have the Book and have read it over are fully convinced of it and those that have it not if they desire to have it may be satisfied as soon as they are pleased to acquaint me with their laudable intention Wherefore I shall here make it evident that the Church of England is the holy Catholick Church which being proved there being but one holy Catholick Church it will appear that the Church of Rome hath lost this glorious and noble Title But before I make it appear it will be necessary rightly to understand the words Church Holy Catholick The word Church is usually taken either for the place where people are gathered together to pray and worship God or else for a Congregation of humane Persons professing the Christian Faith whereof Jesus Christ is the foundation For other Foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ and though the Apostles and the Prophets be also termed the Foundation yet Jesus Christ himself is the chief corner Stone in whom all the Building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy Temple in the Lord. We accept the word Church in this latter sence wherefore by the Church we understand a Body or Collection of humane Persons professing the same Faith in Christ gathered together in several places of the World for the Worship of the same God The Church thus described may be called Holy in several respects and for several Reasons First In reference to the Vocation by which all the members thereof are called and separated from the rest of the World to God which Separation in the Language of the Scriptures is a Sanctification and so the calling being holy for God called us with an holy calling the Body which is thus separated and congregated may well be termed Holy Secondly In relation to the Offices appointed and the Powers exercised in the Church
which by their Institution and Operation are holy Thirdly In reference to the Saints departed from this life and admitted to the presence of God and of this Church speaks St. Paul when he saith Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by the washiâ—g of Water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrink'e or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Fourthly In respect of every Person who is a member of that Church because in professing Faith in Christ he is thereby engaged to holiness of life according to the words of the Apostle Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity The Church that we are speaking of and call holy is that that embraces all the Professors of the true Faith of the holy Scriptures when they are in this World which Church comprehends good and bad being both externally called and professing the same Faith for the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Field in which Wheat and Tares grow together into the Harvest Like unto a Net that was cast into the Sea and gathered of every kind Firmissime tene nullatenus dubites aream Dei esse Ecclesiam Catholicam intna eam usque in finem seculi frumento mixtas paleas contineri hoc est bonis malos Sacramentorum Communione misceri that is Hold this most sirmly and doubt not of it in any wise that the Catholick Church is a Floor and that therein as long as the World shall stand Wheat and Tares together shall be contain'd that is to say that the bad and wicked shall be mingled with the good and just in the Communion of the same Sacraments This is that Ark of Noah in which were preserved Beasts clean and unclean This is that great house in which there are not only vessels of Gold and Silver but also of Wood and Earth and some to honour and some to dishonour Therefore when we speak of the Holy Church we do not consider her in respect of the Vocation which is holy neither of the Offices and Powers which likewise are holy nor in reference to the Saints departed this Life and enjoying the presence of God nor in relation to the Persons who compose the Church in this Life since in that respect the Church comprehends both good and bad but in relation to the Doctrine taught therein which is pure and holy and without blemish The Church thus described is also called Catholick that is universal which word is used in our Creed to teach us to discern the true Church from the false The word Catholick may be taken either in reference to time or relation to places or in respect of Persons or else in reference to Doctrine It is here taken in respect of the Doctrine only so that by the Catholick or universal Church we mean that Church that teaches and believes the whole Christian Doctrine For as the Holy Ghost did lead the Apostles into all truth so did the Apostles leave all truth unto the Church which is called Catholick from the universality of necessary and saving Truths contain'd therein This being granted it follows that that Church which embraces the Faith once delivered to the Saints and keeps the holy Scriptures in Purity without adding to or diminishing from them is the holy Catholick Church for whatsoever Church pretendeth to be holy Catholick and keeps not the whole Faith once delivered to the Saints and imposes things to be believed which are not found neither can be deduced from the Scriptures by evident and necessary Consequences as the Church of Rome doth falsly attributes this name to her self Since then the Church of England keeps the Faith once delivered to the Saints preserves the holy Scripture in its Purity and imposes nothing to be believed but what is therein distinctly contained or can be deduced therefrom by evident and necessary Consequences it follows that she is the holy Catholick Read over the Old and New Testament and if you can make it appear that the Church of England believes or practises one point of Faith which is not contain'd in the holy Scripture or doth not believe or practise those Articles of Faith which are contained therein as too often the Roman Church doth then I will grant freely that she is not the holy Catholick bnt no body being able to make this appear I am in the right in asserting the Church of England to be the holy Catholick Church 'T is certain they do not make unto themselves any graven Images nor worship kiss and serve them neither bow pray and offer Incense unto them They do not make Images of God the Father in the shape of an old man holding the Globe of the World in his hands nor of the Holy Ghost in the form of a Dove nor of the Cross and do not worship them as the Church of Rome doth with a Worship of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is with a Worship due unto God only They do not believe in any other Saviour and Redeemer than Jesus Christ they hold him for their only Mediator and Advocate and they will not put their trust and confidence in any other They do not believe any other Purgatory than the Blood of Jesus Christ nor believe that the Pope with a little Indulgence laid unto a Bead or Cross or Medal or with a Mass said upon certain days of the week is sufficient to procure a release to the Souls of men detained in torments wherein to fill his Trunks with Money and to fatten his Kitchin he would make ignorant People to believe they are imprisoned They do not believe that he is Infallible that he hath any Power to depose Kings and Princes from their Throne to dispense their Subjects from their Allegiance or to kill those that he calls Hereticks Neither do they believe that Christ's Body is still upon Earth they believe and put it in practice that we are bound to sing pray and give thanks to God Almighty in a known tongue they believe they ought to give the common People the liberty of reading the holy Scriptures in their own Tongue They give the Sacraments of Christ's Body and Blood with Bread and Wine give leave to eat Flesh at all times do not forbid Bishops Priests and those which are in orders to marry knowing that such a Doctrine is the Doctrine of Devils they add nothing to nor diminish from the holy Scriptures as the Church of Rome often doth therefore it is clear that the Church of England believes the whole Christian Doctrine as it was once delivered to the Saints and consequently that she is the Holy Catholick Object The Church of England believes in the Trinity but the word Trinity is not found in the holy Scripture therefore the Church of England believes a point of Faith not contained in the Word of God
therefore she is not the holy Catholick for as you said before to give the denomination of holy Catholick to any Church it is requisite she should believe the whole Christian Faith as it was once delivered to the Saints without any addition to or diminution from the holy Scriptures Answ Though that word Trinity be not found in the holy Scriptures yet the thing signified thereby is found therein as it appears by the words of Matthew Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father ther and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost And more evidently by those of the first of St. John There are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one That Consequence therefore is not good which saith that the Church of England is not the holy Catholick because it believes in the Trinity that word not being express'd in the holy Scripture for provided the thing signified be found there in equivalent terms or may be deduced from thence by clear and necessary Consequences 't is sufficient and matters not if the word it self be not expressed But as I have just now made it appear by the Texts of Saints Matthew and John the Trinity is there very clearly expressed therefore c. But you may further urge that by the word Trinity we mean three eternal and infinite Persons really distinct one from another subsisting in one Nature numerically but this is contrary to Reason and is not found in the holy Scripture nor can be deduc'd from it by clear and necessary Consequences therefore it may be rightly inferr'd that the Church of England is not the holy Catholick Church it believing a point of Faith which is neither found distinctly nor in equivalent terms in the holy Scripture Probatur minor First That the Trinity is contrary to humane Reason which is proved thus For as it is contrary to humane Reason that Peter Paul and John who are three distinct Persons have but one Nature Numerically seeing that every Person hath its Nature different from th' other if not in Specie at least Numericè and it cannot be otherwise so it is centrary to Reason that the Father Son and Holy Ghost should be three really distinct Persons and notwithstanding have but one nature Numericè which can't be since from three Persons do naturally follow three substances or natures which is proved thus Person in God is either a being or nothing we can't say that it is nothing because the three divine Persons should then be nothing at all therefore it must be a Being If Being either it is real or mental we can't call it mental because sublato Intellectu the Persons should be no more therefore it remains that it is a real Being if real either it is a Substance or an Accident there being no Medium between Substance and Accident We can't say that it is an Accident because we do not admit any in the Godhead for the great Absurdities which follow from thence therefore it must be a Substance and if a Substance since there are three really distinct Persons it follows that there are also three really distinct Substances which is contrary to Reason Secondly That the Trinity is neither found distinctly nor in equivalent Terms in the holy Scripture is easily proved The former is without any contradiction for if ye read over the holy Scripture ye shall no where find the word Trinity And the latter is proved thus If the Trinity be there in equivalent terms it is either in this Text Go ye and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost or else in this There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one For though in the one and th' other mention be made of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and consequently of three Persons because the Father is a Person the Son a Person and the holy Ghost a Person yet we cannot infer that these three Persons have but one nature or substance Numericè for although some infer it from that word in the Name which is in the singular number yet that is not convincing since I may say such a thing is commanded in the Name of the King and his Chancelor and yet though that word be in the singular Number we can't infer that the King and his Chancelor have but one nature Numericè Neither can the Trinity be inferred from these words of St. John and these three are one because by that Unity we may very well understand a Unity of Will Agreement and Spirit and not of Nature or Substance so that when 't is said there are three that bear Record the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one It is the same thing as to say these three are one in Will do agree one with another what one Will 's the other willeth also And this is confirmed by the words of St. John wherein Jesus Christ prayeth his Father that we may be one as he is one with his Father that is that we may do what he will have us to do as he doth what his Father will have him to do Every body may see clearly that we are not nor can be one in nature Numericè with Jesus Christ it being contrary to Reason therefore we cannot infer by a clear and necessary Consequence that the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost have but one nature or substance Numerice therefore the Trinity is neither found in the holy Scriptures distinctly nor can be deduced from them by evident and necessary Consequences First I answer thus I must confess with all learned men that the Mystery of the Trinity is above humane Reason that it can't be comprehended in this World by any Creature whatsoever We may sooner reckon the Sands of the Sea the Leaves of Trees than understand that glorious Mystery for how can we apprehend one and the same thing to be one and yet many How can we apprehend that one and the same Essence may be begotten and yet unbegotten that one and the same thing was from all Eternity and yet was truly and properly begotten This is above humane Reason Therefore the Angel in a form of a little Boy that brought a Spoonful of Water from the Sea and poured it in a little hole did answer Austin who was meditating upon the Mystery of the Trinity he asking him what was his intention that his design was to put all the Water of the Sea in that little hole But Austin replying that that was impossible the Sea being so vast and the hole so little the Child answered that he should do that sooner than he could comprehend the Mystery of the most holy Trinity Deum esse Trinitatem credimus potius quà m videmus That is we rather believe than see that God
Father and as the Council of Nice saith he be God of God nevertheless he is not dependent because he is begotten from the Father necessarily To the Fifth I answer that Christ who is the Son of God and God of God according to the Council of Nice is Mediator between God the Father and men and so he being a Person really distinct from the Father we cannot say that he is Mediator between men and himself To the Sixth I say it is true that which was in tempore was not always but the Son is begotten ab aeterno because he is begotten necessarily and therefore he was always Therefore I say that though by the aforementioned Texts of the holy Scriptures and Arguments deduced from them it seems that the Father only is really and properly true God yet since we read in the holy Writings that the Son is called God the true God the eternal Life God blessed over all the Almighty equal to the Father and that all the essential Attributes of the Godhead are ascribed unto him we infer that he is really and properly true God and consequently Consubstantial with his Father You may further urge against this that the Son may be called God true God Almighty the Eternal Life the Creator and have all the other essential properties of the Godhead and yet not be really and properly true God because all these divine Attributes are ascribed unto him dependently and as a second and instrumental Cause as it appears by several Texts of the holy Scripture as for Example By whom he spoke unto us in these last days by whom also he made the Worlds Heb. 1. 2. And he was a man approved by God by Miracles Wonders and Signs which God did by him Act. 2. 22. God created all things by Jesus Christ Eph. 3. 9. And as it is related by several Fathers Deus cum mundi creationem meditaretur verbum suum protulit quo administro in rerum molitione uteretur But the essential Attributes of the Godhead are in God independently and as in the first Cause therefore since they are found in the Son dependently and as in an instrumental Cause it follows that he is not really and properly true God and consequently that he is not Consubstantial with his Father I answer That though this instance appear to be good and convincing yet it is of no value since the Council of Nice which is read upon every Sabbath and written by so many learned and godly Persons hath declared in that very time when such Questions had almost infected all the World that the Son was God of God very God of very God being of one substance with the Father and that by him all things were made You may urge again if because the Council of Nice hath declared that the Son is God of God very God of very God and of one substance with the Father it is a powerful motive to be convinced of it why do ye not believe in the Invocation of Saints Purgatory Transubstantiation c. seeing the Council of Trent which was also composed of several learned and pious Persons did declare it so I answer That though we should suppose that the Council of Trent was composed of several learned and godly Persons which is in Question since some amongst them have declared that it was a Popes Cabal it doth not follow that we are bound to believe in the Invocation of Saints Purgatory and Transubstantiation c. because it is ordained so by that Council for they command points of Faith which can neither be found distinctly in nor deduced from the holy Scriptures by clear and necessary Consequences as I have made it appear in a little Treatise intituled the Church of Rome evidently proved Heretick But it is not so in the Council of Nice because they would have us to believe an Article of Faith which though it be not in the holy Scripture in distinct and express words yet it is deduced from it by evident and necessary Consequences as ye have already seen and shall be made more evident in the following Arguments But for the better understanding of it we must suppose one thing which is true viz. That Jesus Christ or the Son of God had a real Being before he was born of the blessed Virgin Mary as it appears by his own words when speaking to his Disciples he saith What and if you shall see the Son of man ascending up where he was before The bread of God is he which cometh down from Heaven I came down from Heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me I came forth from the Father and am come into the World again I leave the World and go to the Father The real existence of the Son of God before he was born of the blessed Virgin Mary is again proved clearly by this Argument Whosoever was before John the Baptist and before Abraham was some space of time before Christ was man or begotten of the Virgin Mary But Jesus Christ or the Son of God was really existent before John the Baptist and before Abraham as it appeareth by these Testimonies of the Scripture This is he of whom I speak he that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me Verily verily I say unto you before Abraham was I am And by these words of St. Paul By whom also he made the Worlds This being supposed and true I argue thus The Being which Christ had before he was conceived by the Virgin Mary was not any created but the divine Essence by which he was always truly and properly God For he who was subsisting in the form of God and thought himself to be equal with God in which thought he could not be deceived nor injurious to God must of necessity be truly and essentially God because there can be no equality between the divine Essence which is infinite and any other whatsoever which is finite but so was Christ as we may see by these words Being in the form of God he thought it not robbery to be equal with God but emptied himself and took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of man Out of which words naturally result three Propositions fully demonstrating my Assertion First That Christ was in the form of a Servant as soon as he was made man Secondly That he was in the form of God before he was in the form of a Servant Thirdly That he was in the form of God that is did as truly and really subsist in the divine Nature as he was in the form of a Servant or in the nature of a man For he was so in the form of God as thereby to be equal with God But no other form beside the essential which is the divine Nature it self could infer an equality with God There can be but one Infinite Eternal and Independent Being and there can be no
personal Action and this Action is attributed to the Spirit of God as it appears by these words of St. Paul Because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God But to make Intercession is an Act which cannot be attributed to God the Father for it would follow that the Father should make Intercession to himself which is absurd because he that maketh Intercession is supposed to be distinct from him to whom he maketh Intercession Moreover To come unto men as being sent unto them is a personal Action but the Comforter or the Holy Ghost did come being sent as it is seen by these words of St. John When the Comforter is come whom I will send you from the Father and if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you ergo the Holy Ghost cannot be ascribed in this place to God the Father since God the Father sendeth but is never sent And to speak and hear are personal Actions and both together attributed to the Holy Ghost in such a manner as they cannot be attributed to God the Father as it appears by those words of John When the spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he shall hear that he shall speak Now to speak and not of himself cannot be attributed to God the Father since he doth all things of himself And to speak what he heareth cannot be also attributed to God the Father who can receive no Instruction from another Seeing then the Holy Ghost speaketh and not of himself and speaketh what he heareth it followeth evidently that he is not God the Father neither a divine Quality which cannot be said properly to speak and hear but that he is a Person distinct from the Father Now that the Holy Ghost as a Person really distinct from the Father is truly and properly God appears by these words of St. Peter for when Peter said Ananias Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost He repeateth the same Question in reference to the same Offence Why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God He means there the true God as it appears by these words Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God For when he saith Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God it is as if he should say thou hast not lied unto Creatures since men are Creatures but thou hast lied unto him who is no Creature and consequently unto him who is true God And if the Holy Ghost could be taken sometimes for a Creature this Proposition of St. Peter To lie to the Holy Ghost is to lie unto God would not always be true therefore St. Peter speaking without distinction and without a limited sence 't is to prove that this word Holy Ghost is never taken in the holy Scripture but for the true God Moreover to whom the divine Attributes do belong as certainly as they belong unto God the Father he is truly and properly God because these are divine Attributes which are properties of the Divine Nature and none can be indued with to whom the Nature of God doth not belong But the divine Attributes as Omniscience the Sanctification of Souls and the like do belong as certainly unto the Holy Ghost as they do unto God the Father therefore it followeth that the Holy Ghost is truly and properly God and consequently that he proceedeth from the Father and the Son as it is declared in the Symbole of Nice Obj. The Church of England doth neither believe nor practice all that is contained in these words viz. Abstain from meats offered to Idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication therefore she is not the holy Catholick Church since the holy Catholick Church is that that believes and practises the whole Christian Doctrine as I have made it appear already Answ This Commandment was in the time of the Primitive Church but was abolished by the Apostles Because the Jews would not eat things strangled nor Blood the Apostles enjoyned that the Gentiles embracing the Christian Religion ought in Charity to Conform herein to the Jews and not give Offence where the thing was it self indifferent Wherefore St. Paul saith If meat make my brother to offend I will eat no flesh while the World standeth lest I make my brother to offend But now this Commandment is past and abolish'd by the Apostles and therefore it is not true that the Church of England doth believe and practise any thing contrary to the holy Scripture For the-better understanding of this Truth we must know that in these words enjoyned to the Gentiles embracing the Christian Religion to wit Abstain from pollution of Idols and from Fornication and from things strangled and from blood there is something bad in it self and something bad by Accident something bad for a time only something belonging to the Moral Law and something belonging to the Ceremonial The thing bad in it self for ever and belonging to the Moral Law is to abstain from Idolatry and from Fornication and the thing bad by accident for a time only and belonging to the Ceremonial Law is to abstain from things strangled and from Blood Now it is certain that to abstain from Idolatry and Fornication is a part of the Moral Law seeing it is written Thou shalt have no other Gods but me and thou shalt not commit Adultery It is also true that these things are bad of themselves and for ever because they were forbidden in time past are now unlawful and shall be for time to come which appears by these words of St. Paul to the Corinthians Neither Fornicators nor Adulterers shall inherit the Kingdom of God 'T is likewise certain that to Abstain from things strangled and from Blood belongs to the Ceremonial Law it is also without doubt that it was abolished as it is seen in these words of St. Paul Whatsoever is sold in the Shambles that eat asking no question for Conscience sake for the Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof if any of them that believe not bid you to a Feast and ye be disposed to go whatsoever is set before you eat asking no question for Conscience sake And by these to Timothy where it is said that Every Creature of God is good and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving and forbidding to abstain from meats is a doctrine of Devils And by these to the Romans I know and am perswaded by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of it self but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean to him it is unclean And that ye may not say that these words of St. Paul were written before those of the Council held at Hierusalem or of the 15th of the Acts the
contrary is to be seen in the eighth Chapter wherein it appears that after these things Paul came to Corinth and continued there a year and six months teaching the Word of God amongst the People of that City to whom he did write two Epistles some years after From whence it is evident that this Commandment to abstain from Meats and things strangled and from Blood is now abolished I must confess that if any Person would keep himself wholsom and have a mild and benign Temper he ought to abstain from both for seeing that Axiome is received amongst Physitians ex his constamus ex quibus nutrimur and since experience teacheth that those who feed upon Blood are commonly cruel and bloody and those that feed upon Meats strangled are neither so healthful nor live so long as those that abstain from them it ought to be sufficient to perswade us to abstain from both However in eating Blood and Meats strangled there is no sin And to make it appear we must know the Ceremonial Law changeth as the shadow of our Body when the Sun shines upon it differently and so may be considered in three different times First when God did establish it by Moses unto the death of our Lord Jesus Christ Who blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross as it is written in the 2d to the Colossians Secondly From the death of our Lord Jesus Christ unto the destruction of the Synagogue and perfect manifestation of the Gospel Thirdly From the manifestation of the Gospel unto the end of the World In the first time that Commandment To abstain from things strangled and from Blood ought to be kept and the Transgressors were cast out of the Synagogue and separated from the People of Israel In the Second they were bound to keep it for Conscience sake and that they might not offend the Jews But in the Third after the Gospel was manifested that Commandment was abolished as I have made it appear already and therefore when the Church of England eat things strangled and Blood it is not true that they believe and practise any thing now forbidden in the holy Scripture Object The Church of England believes and puts it in practise that we ought to baptize young Children before they can use their own Reason and give account of their Faith but that Doctrine is not agreeable to the holy Scripture there being mention made only of the Baptism of adult Persons I mean of them that can be instructed and are able of Faith and Repentance as it appears by these Texts Teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins if ye believe ye may be baptized Therefore the Church of England is not the holy Catholick Church since she believeth and practiseth an Article of Faith which is not agreeable to the holy Scripture Answ First I grant that the Baptism of young Children is not Necessary necessitate medii as the Church of Rome believes teaching that they cannot possibly be saved unless they receive the Water of Baptism because the Grace of God doth not always depend upon Elements which are not in our power at every time And the Baptism that saves us saith St. Peter Is not that that puts away the filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ Therefore that which shuts the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven against us is not a meer and innocent privation of Baptism but the Contempt and Prophanation of it and a bad Conscience which will not forsake sin Secondly I say That the Baptism of young Children is necessary necessitate praecepti that is to say as much as it is possible to obey the Commandment of Jesus Christ and though this Precept be not found in the holy Scripture in distinct and express words yet it may be inferred from thence by clear and necessary Consequences My first Proof concerning the Baptism of young Children is from the Covenant of Grace wherein God makes appear the eternal Riches of his Mercies and Compassions in so great a measure that he receives no body in that holy Covenant without receiving their Children likewise as it is seen in these words which God spake to Abraham saying I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy Seed after thee in their Generations for an everlasting Covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy Seed after thee And by those of the Acts wherein St. Peter speaks thus unto the Jews Be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins for the promise is unto you and to your Children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call From which words I infer these two Arguments First All that are partakers of the Covenant of Grace ought to be Partakers of the Seal of that Covenant and of that Sacrament which is the Mystical sign of our entring into that Covenant now not only the Faithful are Partakers of the Covenant of Grace but 〈◊〉 Children also as 〈◊〉 by the aforementioâ—â—â— Texts both of Genesâ—s and Acts therefore not only the Faithful but their Children also ought to be partakers of the Seal of that Covenant and consequently of Baptism which is the Mystical Sign of our entring into that Covenant Secondly Unto whom the Promise is made they ought to be baptized as it appears by the words of St. Peter Act. 2. 39. But the Promise is made unto the Children as well as unto their Parents therefore Children ought to be baptized Which is confirmed by these words of St. Matthew Go teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost now young Children are of the number of Nations therefore unto them belongs Baptism therefore they ought to be baptized You may further urge Immediately before that Text in the Acts Be baptized every one of you c. it is read Repent And in that of St. Matthew we read Teach all Nations and so Repentance and Doctrine are presupposed before Baptism but young Children who cannot use their Reason neither are capable of one or the other therefore it follows they ought not to be baptized Answ We ought to teach them that are able to be taught and baptize them that are able to be baptized Repentance and Doctrine are necessary in adult Persons but not in young Children Otherwise it should follow that the new Law which is a Law of Grace should be less favourable than the old which is a Law of Rigor and that Jesus Christ were come to lessen the favours of God and not to increase them seeing in the old Law young
Children were circumcised now since Baptism is in the place of Circumcision weare to baptize young Children since they were circumcised and seeing Circumcision which was a Ceremony and divine Institution did neither require Doctrine nor Repentance in young Children though it were necessary in adult Persons as it appears in Abraham and in all others who turned Jews even so Baptism which is a Ceremony and a divine Institution doth neither require Faith nor Repentance in young Children although it doth in adult Persons Which is confirmed by the words of St. Matthew where it is said that They brought unto Jesus Christ little Children that he should put his hands on them and pray and that the Disciples rebuking them Jesus said suffer little Children and forbid them not to come unto me for of such is the Kingdom of God From whence I argue thus To whom do belong the things signified unto them belong the Signs also as the Crown which is the Sign and Mark of Royalty belongs to him to whom the Kingdom belongs but unto little Children belongs the Kingdom of God as it is written in St. Matthew 19. 13. Therefore unto them belongs Baptism which is the Sign of the entring into that Kingdom For except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Therefore young Children born with original sin as it appears in several places of the holy Scripture but especially by these words of St. Paul to the Romans By the Offencof one Ju dgment came upon all men to Condemnation are not to be deprived of Baptism lest they should not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven which is the Reason that St. Cyprian and Austin have so often declared the Baptism of little Children to be necessary Moreover if they brought unto Jesus Christ young Children and he put his hands on them and prayed for them why shall they not bring unto him little Children in the Church Why shall not the Minister pray for them And why shall he not confer unto them the Ceremony or the Institution of Baptism as Jesus Christ gave unto little Children the Ceremony or Institution of Imposition of hands I ask this Question whether the Ceremony of Imposition of hands was in vain or whether they received by it some particular Grace from Christ Ye will not say that it was in vain because then Jesus Christ in whom were hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledg would not have used it if they received by it some special Grace notwithstanding their want of Repentance and Faith which they were not then capable of why shall not young Children now receive the Ceremony of Baptism and thereby all Graces annexed unto it though they be not capable of Faith and Repentance When a Father or Mother were baptized all those of the Houshold were baptized also as it appears in the Acts where it is said that Lydia a seller of Purple of the City of Thyatira was baptized and her Houshold and that the Keeper of the Prison was baptized he and all his And in the first Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians St. Paul saith that he hath baptized the Houshold of Stephanus but it is probable though not convincing that in so many Families there were Children And since our Fathers and their Children were baptized in the Cloud and in the Sea and they being the Figures of our Baptism as is evident by St. Paul that that which is by them figured may be accomplished the Children now ought to be baptized in the Baptism of Jesus Christ Object It is forbidden in several places of the holy Scriptures to Swear or to take an Oath Ye have heard that it hath been said to them of old time thou shalt not forswear thy self but I say unto you Swear not at all neither by Heaven c. But let your Communication be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh o evil and in the Epistle of St. James Above all things my Brethren swear not lest ye fall into Condemnation But the Church of England is not against swearing or taking an Oath yea she uses and maintains it lawful therefore she believes and practises an Article forbidden in the holy Scripture therefore she is not the holy Catholick Church Before I give an Answer it is necessary to know that an Oath is an Invocation to God or an Appeal to him as a Witness of the Truth of what we say so that in case that that we swear be not true we if not expresly at least virtually invoke God as a Judge and Avenger There are two sorts of Oaths one Assertory and the other Promissory an assertory Oath is when we promise by Oath something that is Future and if our promise be made directly and immediately to God 't is called a Vow if to men an Oath That being supposed I Answer That an Oath is not only lawful but also is sometimes necessary as when mens Estates are concern'd and no Evidence can be had to decide and clear the matter but what is assured by Oath Then it is necessary to make an end of and decide the Controversie as it appears by these words of St. Paul An Oath for Confirmations is to them an end of strife And its lawfulness appears by several Texts of the holy Scripture wherein God who is truth it self and cannot lie and consequently might be believed of men upon his bare word and without necessity of making an Oath yet to confirm his promises is willing to take it For when God made the Promise to Abraham because he could not swear by a greater he sware by himself And verse 17. God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his Counsel confirmed it by an Oath Therefore if God himself swears and takes an Oath why shall it not be lawful to men to take an Oath in dubious matters and of great Concern and when no Evidence can be had to decide and clear them Was not Mephibosheth spared because of the Lord's Oath that was between them between David and Jonathan the Son of Saul Did not the Law of Moses in many cases require them Doth not St. Paul use them oftentimes as when he saith God is my witness I call God for a Record upon my Soul Before God I lie not Which Oaths St. Paul who was to teach the Precepts of Christ to others should not have used if they had been unlawful and forbidden in the holy Scriptures And Christ himself as ye may read Mat. 26. 63 64. did not refuse it when the High-Priest asked him to answer upon his Oath whether he was the Son of God I adjure thee saith the High-Priest by the living God that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ the Son of God and Jesus said unto him thou hast said Therefore seeing Jesus Christ himself doth answer when he is
adjured upon Oath St. Paul oftentimes called God to witness for the Confirmation of what he saith seeing David and several others have used it in the Old Testament and God himself who cannot give us a bad Example used it for the Confirmation of his Promises it is a clear and evident sign that it is lawful and that we are to explain these words of St. Matthew I say unto you swear not at all as also these others of St. James above all things my Brethren swear not they ought to be interpreted not generally but in a limited sence as only forbidding swearing in common Conversation and in our ordinary Commerce and Affairs as it appears by the words immediately following viz. Let your Communication be yea yea and nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil From whence it follows though Swearing or Oaths ought to be avoided in our Conversations because they are then so many sins yet there is a time and there are occasions as when the matter is doubtful and of concern and no Evidence can be had to clear and decide it when they are not only lawful but also very necessary And therefore when at certain times and upon certain occasions the Church of England commands to sware or take an Oath and believes it lawful she doth neitherbelieve nor practise any thing forbidden in the holy Scripture Object It is written in the 20th Chapter of Exod. Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy Son nor thy Daughter thy man-Servant nor thy maid-Servant nor thy Cattel nor thy Stranger that is within thy Gates for in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it The Church of England doth not keep this divine Commandment but observes the first day of the week instead of the seventh therefore she is not the holy Catholick Church Before I give an Answer to this Objection I will give leave to my Adversary to say all that he can to establish his Opinion When I read saith he these words in the 20th Chapter of Exodus or when I see them written in great Letters in our Churches or hear them pronounced aloud at the Communion Table the first day of the week which we call Sunday I think that the words of Isaiah Hear ye indeed but understand not and see ye indeed but perceive not may be well here adapted And may not this be justly attributed unto us since the Jews excepted with a small number of Christians scattered in the North we neither practise what we read nor what we hear And that this may appear clearly it is necessary to consider without any prejudice that the aforesaid words contain a day determined by God which we are bound to keep holy and whereon we ought to rest But it is the seventh day which God kept holy and whereon he rested therefore it is that and no other which we ought to keep holy and whereon we are bound to rest That it is the day upon which God rested which we are bound to keep holy appears evidently by these words In it thou shalt not do any work For what mean these words but thou shalt not do any work in the day whereon God rested This is the most natural Explication that a man can give to them But God foreseeing he should be forgot by his Creatures gives us warning saying Remember to keep holy the Sabbath day And that that day is the seventh which we call Saturday appears again evidently First by these words But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God Secondly by the next In six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that in them is and rested the seventh day Thirdly because we read in Genesis God rested on the seventh day from all his works which he had made and God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it Therefore it is that day which is to be kept holy for it is an Axiome received in Divinity viz. that men neither can nor ought to change what was established and determined by God as for Example Water in Baptism and Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper cannot be changed by men because they have been established and determined by Jesus Christ who is received as God among Christians Is it not written Cursed is he that addeth any thing to the Law or diminisheth from it doth not St. Paul forbid not to think of men above that which is written and doth not Christ himself say in St. Matthew In vain they do worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men That the seventh day is our Saturday is again manifested First because since Moses the Jews who did always and do still keep the seventh day do keep our Saturday for their Sabbath Secondly Because as Sabbath among the Hebrews is the seventh day Sabbato among the Italians Sabbado among the Spaniards Samedy among the French so is Saturday among the English men Thirdly Because the Evangelists saying in our Translation that Jesus Christ was risen the first day of the week which according to the Language of the Scriptures is the next day after the Sabbath it follows evidently our Saturday preceding the first day of the week and the Sabbath being the seventh day that the seventh day is our Sabbath But it is in vain to bring such Proofs unto them who acknowledg to have changed the Saturday or seventh to the first day of the week Therefore since our Saturday is the seventh day of the week and God rested on it blessed sanctified it and commanded us to keep it holy is it not just in Obedience to God to keep it so Some will answer saith my Adversary that that change was made First That we might have no Communication with the Jews Secondly Because Jesus Christ arose upon the first day of the week Thirdly Because we read that the Apostles met on that day To the first Objection my Adversary replyeth that we ought to have Communication with the Jews in all things which are good Otherwise the Jews believing in one God we should not believe so and they believing in the Old Testament it should not be the Object of our Faith To the Second he saith that a Question may be made whether he rose on the first day of the week none of the Evangelists in the Original saying in express words the first day of the week but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But though this be true is it a sufficient Reason to change the day which God himself hath prescribed unto us blessed sanctified and commanded We may remember the day of his Resurrection and keep it holy but we ought not because he rose
Adam and Eve when they were first created because in that state they saw no strangers in their Family These words were especially related to the ancient Israelites who had lived in Aegypt like strangers to the end they might learn when they should possess the Land of Promise to deal with all the World otherwise than the Aegyptians had dealt with them And therefore the aforementioned cannot be understood ex Jure naturali as belonging to the Moral Law it being alike and the same among all Nations Fourth Answer The next words For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth the Sea and allthat in them is and rested the seventh day do not infer in themselves an indispensable necessity for no body doubts but that God could create this great World with all its perfections in a less time yea in a moment if he had pleased and consequently that he could appoint another day than the seventh to be kept holy as for Example the third if on that day he had finished the Creation of the World But being finish'd in six days the Question is whether the seventh be of an indispensable necessity Wherefore I Answer Fifthly That the day assigned by God for his Worship was Symbolical Mystical and Ceremonial and consequently ought to be abolished and so was not of an indispensable Necessity and therefore did not belong to the Moral Law That the institution of the Sabbath day was such may be seen clearly because Adam the first of all men was able by the strength of his natural Reason in the state of Innocency to comprehend what belonged to the Natural and Moral Law but by the strength of his Reason he could never understand why the seventh day ought to be kept holy rather than another Therefore the Reason of it was the good Will of God which Adam could never understand of himself wanting a special Revelation or positive Commandment wherein the Reason of it might be manifested unto him And it signifies nothing to say that it is written we are bound to keep holy the seventh day for ever because by the word for ever is meant only a long space of time assigned by God as it appears in these Texts Exod. 21. 6. Exod. 32. 13. Levit. 24. 8 9. Numb 18. 19. Numb 25. 13. Wherein though the word for ever be used yet we say it belongs to the Ceremonial Law and consequently ought to be abolished under the Gospel where the body of these things whereof they were but a shadow is made manifest And that the Institution of the seventh day reduplicativé ut sic could be abolished appears by the words of the Prophet Ezekiel I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctifie them An by the other words of St. Paul to the Colossians Let no man judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new Moon or of the Sabbath days which are shadow of things to come but the body is of Christ. Now seeing the Plural Number contains all Singulars Sabbaths being taken in the Plural Number it followeth that that contained in the Decalogue and which is here in Dispute is also included therein Otherwise St. Paul would not have failed to make an exception The Sabbath saith Christ was made for man and not man for the Sabbath therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath Now he that is the Lord of any thing can dispose of it as it seems good unto him therefore the Son of man being Lord also of the Sabbath he may dispose of it as he pleaseth and therefore might abolish it and consequently it doth not belong to the Natural or Moral Law which cannot be changed even by God himself And it signifies nothing to say that Jesus Christ himself and his Apostles have kept and sanctified the seventh day for they did keep it as they did some other Commandments of the Ceremonial Law which were all abolished in their convenient time to the end that they might not offend the Jews among whom they were born and to whom especially they were to preach the holy Gospel but might convert them to Christian Religion and call them that were predestinated and might by all means save some and so propagate the more the Kingdom of God Which doth not consist in meat and drink or in distinction of sabbaths but in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost From whence it follows that the Sanctification of the seventh day reduplicativé ut sic did not belong to the Moral Law and consequently might be abolished I say the Sanctification of the seventh day ut sic for in reference of that which is Moral I mean the true Piety and Worship due unto God it could not be abolished and no man in the World in whatsoever dignity yea nor God himself can dispense with Now the Worship due unto God may be considered in two respects inwardly or out wardly Considered in the first sence it respects our Confidence in God our Obedience to his Commandments our Invocation Praises and Thanksgivings Considered in the latter it respects places where are publick Meetings wherein the Word of God is preached and his Sacraments are administred In reference to the outward Worship due unto God it is necessary to avoid Confusion from whence proceed great evils to establish some Order and to appoint certain days and hours to meet together that we might praise and worship our Lord call upon his holy Name and give thanks for all his unmeasurable mercies Now the Church to which Christ gave his Authority and Power and whose Ordinances he will have us to keep as it appears by these words If he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a Publican had good and sufficient Reasons to change the seventh into the first day of the week First Because being Typical and Mystical and not belonging to the Moral Law as I have made it appear it might be abolished as all the other Precepts of the Ceremonial Law were For Christ blotting out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us which was contrary to us and took it out of the way nailing it to his Cross Secondly The Sanctification of the seventh day being ordained unto us to the end we might remember the day and benefit of our Creation as it appears by the words of the 11th verse For in six days the Lord made Heaven and Earth c. The Church which we ought to obey in all things not contrary to the holy Scripture finding that the day of our Redemption was very considerable yea much more excellent than that of our Creation as it appears by the words of Jesus Christ concerning Judas Good were it for that man if he had never been born And finding that in the first day of the week Jesus Christ
who is the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World came out of the darkness of the Sepulchre on which day our Redemption appeared more especially and evidently and that on the first day of the week there appeared unto the Apostles cloven Tongues like as of fire and sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other Tongues and that on this day likewise Christ revealed to St. John the excellent and admirable Mysteries described in his Revelations and that the Apostles did chuse that day for their publick exercises of Piety and Charity for the administration of Sacraments and manifestation of the Gospel as it appears in the Acts and in the first to the Corinthians I say all this being true the Church thought they might and ought to imitate the Apostles and instead of the seventh ordain the first day of the week to be kept holy Object It is written in the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians Not to think of men above that which is written and in the 15th Chapter of St. Matthew In vain they do worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men But the Church of England thinks of men above that which is written and teaches for Doctrines the Commandments of men as it appears in the Common-prayer Books which are appointed to be read in all their Churches wherein they enjoyn The sign of the Cross and God-Fathers and God-mothers in Baptism it appears also in the Surplice Musick and Organs practised especially in Cathedral Churches Therefore she is not the holy Catholick Church because to be so she ought to believe and practise the whole Christian Faith without adding to or diminishing from it Answ The words of St. Paul and Matthew are to be understood of the Doctrine or points of Faith that is to say it is not lawful to any man in whatever Dignity or Power he is to establish any Article of Faith besides what is established in the holy Scripture Therefore St. Paul foreseeing that men would attribute to themselves a Priviledge belonging to God only I mean that they should establish Articles of Faith not found in the holy Scripture as oftentimes the Church of Rome doth curseth them and will have them to be Anathema Secondly I say when the Church of England commands and uses Common-Prayers she doth not think of men above that which is written nor teaches for Doctrines the Commandments of men because in several places of the holy Scripture we have a Command to pray yea to pray by a form For when you pray saith Christ himself pray after this manner Our Father which art in Heaven c. and seeing that Jesus Christ not only commands his Disciples to pray but also to pray after a Form which Example they ought to follow in all other Prayers 't is a sign that Common-Prayers which are made according to that form which by our Saviour is set as a Pattern I mean which conduce to the Glory of God and Salvation of Souls and wherein nothing is found contrary to the holy Scripture are not only lawful but ought to be used in Churches and preferred before extempore Prayers I say that they ought to be preferred before extempore Prayers First Because in this sort of Prayers we may let slip as it happens too often a bad Doctrine or some points contrary to Faith and either by inconsideration or ignorance we may ask that which is contrary to the Will of God and hurtful to our Salvation and what good effect can a man hope from such Prayers wherein are found so many Imperfections But none of these faults are found in Common-Prayers we are certain they are Orthodox and that therein we ask nothing hurtful unto us nor contrary to the Will of God they being composed by them who represent the Church I mean by a considerable number of learned and godly men who before they commanded them to be used in publick did seriously consider whether they were wholly conformable to the Word of God Secondly Because in the Prayer made extempore as Dr. Beveridge did very well observe in his admirable Sermon of the Excellency of the Common-Prayer We must first listen to what the Minister will say next then we are to consider whether what he saith be agreeable to sound Doctrine and whether it be proper and lawful for me to joyn with him in the Petitions he puts up to God Almighty And if we think it is so then we are to do it but before we can well do that he is got to another thing by which means it is very difficult if not morally impossible to joyn with him in every thing so regularly as we ought to do But by a set form of Prayer all this trouble is prevented for having the Form continually in our mind being thorowly acquainted with it fully approving of every thing in it we have nothing else to do whilst the words are sounding in our ears but to move our hearts and our affections suitably to them to raise up our desires of those good things which are prayed for to fix our minds wholly upon God whilst we are praising of him and so to employ quicken and lift up our whole Souls in performing our Devotions to him Thirdly I confess that there are unlawful Ceremonies They being either grosly Idolatrous or else directly conducing to Idolatry as some are found in the Church of Rome as to bow before Images pray and offer Incense unto them But I must also confess that there are some lawful they either conducing to have more respect towards God Almighty or serving to incite our cold hearts and inflame them with the love of God and heavenly things The Ceremonies which are practised in the Church of England are lawful because they are good and have no other end than the edification of Souls and to cause in us more and more respect and love towards holy and Celestial things and are not contrary to the holy Scripture That there be lawful Ceremonies it can't be denied unless we will condemn the holy Scripture and the Practice of the Apostles and of Jesus Christ who ordained and kept them Which is manife sted by these words Now I praise you brethren that ye remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them to you and verse 34. The rest will I set in order when I come When ye come together saith the same Apostle speaking concerning meeting in Churches Let all things be done to edifying And verse 40. Let all things be done decently and in order And what means all this but that there were Ceremonies used among the first Christians in the Apostles time proposed by them whereof no particular mention is made in the holy Scripture And to make it plain and remove all doubt mark the following Ceremonies Is not the Ceremony of the holy Kiss
ordained by St. Paul when he saith Salute one another with an holy kiss Is not the Ceremony of putting off the Hat commanded to every man when he prayeth unto God When a man prayeth saith Paul he ought not to cover his head Was not the Ceremony of the Imposition of hands on young Children used by Christ himself As in these words They brought unto him little Children that he should put his hands on them and pray and the Disciples rebuked them but Jesus said Suffer little Children and forbid them not to come unto me for such is the Kingdom of Heaven and he laid his hands on them Was not the Ceremony of washing the feet used by Jesus Christ He poured water into a Bason and began to wash the Disciples feet and to wipe them with the Towel wherewith he was girded and saith if then your Lord and Master have washed your feet ye also ought to wash one anothers feet for I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you Is not the Ceremony of anointing them that are sick ordained by St. James When he saith Is any sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with oyl in the name of the Lord. I will not here mention several other Ceremonies used among the first Christians as to mingle Water with Wine to signifie that the blood of Christ had a cleansing virtue in it which Mystery was represented by the Water which flowed with the Blood from our Saviours side As to give Milk with Honey to drink unto baptized Persons to signifie that they were like new born babes who ought to desire the sweet and sincere Milk of the Word And as to stand up in all their Devotions from Easter to Whitsuntide to signifie that Christ was risen from the dead because though the Instances here mentioned may be sufficient to perswade us to follow their Example in the use of Ceremonies those that I have brought out of the holy Scripture ought wholly to convince us It is then certain that there are lawful Ceremonies which have no other end than the Glory of God the Salvation of our Souls and are not contrary to the Word of God And that the Ceremonies commanded and practised in the Church of England are such I will make it appear But First We must be certain though the Church have no Power to establish points of Faith belonging to God only as it is the consent of all Divines yet she hath power to set up Ceremonies which are necessary either to the decent administration or reception of Sacraments or to make us remember the holiness and purity which we ought to have when we are gathered together to sing Psalms unto God to call upon his holy Name to beg his Mercies and give him thanks for all his Favours or to inflame our hearts and lift up our minds towards heavenly things I say that the Church hath now this Power since there is but one Catholick Church and that the same now as was in the Apostles time and since in the Apostles time there were Ceremonies as I have made it appear already and may clearly be inferred from these words of St. Paul let all things be done decently and in order For what is it meant thereby but that the Word of God should be preached his praises sung his holy Name worshipped and called upon thanksgivings returned unto him and his Sacraments administred and received with the Ceremonies established by the Church Which is evidently inferred from these words Decently and in order Therefore since there were Ceremonies in the Church then it is lawful now to have them but had there been none in the Apostles time it doth not follow that they are forbidden at this God left Authority enough to his Church to set any provided as I have said before they conduce to his Glory the Edification of Souls and are not contrary to the holy Scripture But the Ceremonies used in the Church of England are such therefore they are lawful To shew it in particular Doth not the Ceremony of the sign of the Cross used immediately after Infants Baptism conduce to the Edification of our Souls Being to put us in mind that we are not to be ashamed to confess the Faith of Christ crucified but manfully to fight under his Banner against sin the World and the Devil and to continue Christ's faithful Souldiers and Servants unto our lives end And doth not this conduce to the Glory of God Seeing we take from thence an occasion to praise and give him thanks for his great love manifested unto us in sending his only Son into the World to die upon the Cross for the redemption of Mankind And can an y body make appear that this is contrary to the Word of God No certainly he which endeavours it will undoubtedly fail in his undertaking Is the Custom of God-Fathers and God-Mothers in Baptism contrary to the Word of God In what Chapter or Verse is that to be found I have read the Scripture over and I do not remember to have read that it is forbidden But on the contrary I find this Custom very good yea very necessary because our spiritual Generation which is by Baptism is in some manner like unto our carnal wherefore it is said 1 Pet. 2. Laying aside all malice and all guile as new born babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word And as in carnal Generation a Child newly born wants a Nurse and a Master to breed him up so in the spiritual Generation of Baptism some body is required who taking the place of a Nurse and Master brings up the Child and instructs him in the Faith of Christian Religion wherefore because the Ministers cannot do it being imployed towards the common care of the Souls committed to their Charge and the Childs Parents may die before he be grown to Age and understand what belongs to the Christian Faith the Church requires God-Fathers and God-Mothers that they might receive in their Charge the Child baptized and promise to see him brought up to and understand as much as is in their Power the Christian Religion Is the Custom and Ceremony of standing up in reading Hymns Psalms the Gospel and the Creed and of kneeling down in making our Prayers unto God forbidden in the holy Scripture On the contrary have we not an Example of Jesus Christ who prayed upon his knees saying Father if thou be willing remove this Cup from me nevertheless not my will but thine be done And when we are standing up in the reading of Psalms and Hymns it is to shew that we ought to lift up our mind towards Heaven and by our standing at the Creed and Gospel we give to understand that we are ready to defend them to the utmost of our Power against all opposition whatsoever And doth not this conduce to the Edification of our Souls and to
the Glory of God Is the Custom of wearing the Surplice of singing and playing upon Organs forbidden in any Chapter of the holy Scripture If they were pray inform me where it is What evil consequence follows therefrom Instead of this doth it not serve to distinguish Lay-man from Clerk and to cause a greater respect to be given to the things belonging to the Worship of God and to put him that wears it in mind that when he cometh to Church to administer divine Service he ought to be pure in his heart which is signified unto him by the whiteness of his Surplice which is the Symbole of Purity And doth not Musick and Organs used especially in Cathedral Churches serve to raise up our minds to inflame our hearts with the love of God to lift them up towards Heaven and to cause them to desire to be for ever in that holy and blessed Company wherein with an Harmony that infinitely surpasses our Musick here upon Earth they sing Holy holy holy is the Lord of Hosts the whole Earth is full of his Glory And is it not conformable to several Texts of the holy Scripture wherein it is said Sing aloud unto God our strength make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. Take a Psalm and bring hither the Timbrel the pleasant Harp with the Psaltery blow up the Trumpet Therefore it is clear and certain that the Ceremonies of the Church of England are lawful they being not contrary to the holy Scripture but conducing to the Glory of God and Edification of our Souls Now because these words Not to think of men above that which is written and these In vain they do worship me teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men are not to be understood concerning Ceremonies but concerning points of Faith and finding several Ceremonies used among the first Christians even in Christs and his Apostles time whereof some were specified as I have made it appear already and some not specified whereof no particular mention is made in the holy Scripture as it may be inferred from these words of St. Paul Let all things be done decently and in order it follows that the Church of England is the holy Catholick Church since she believes and practises nothing but what is agreeable to the Christian Doctrine It is then without good Reason that a great many separate themselves from that Church it being the holy Catholick For those who knowing her to be such separate themselves from her are Schismaticks and out of hope of Salvation First I say that they are Schismaticks because they have not sufficient Reason to warrant their Separation For as saith Irenaeus Schismata operantur qui sunt immanes non habentes Dei dilectionem fuamque utilitatem potius considerantes quà m unitatem Ecclesiae propter Modicas quaslibet causas magnum gloriosum corpus Christi dividant quantum in ipsis est interficiunt pacem loquentes bellum operantes verè liquantes culicem Camelum transglutientes Those are Schismaticks who are cruel having not the love of God before their eyes but rather embracing their own In̄terest than the Vnity of the Church and for small and light causes divide the great and glorious Body of Christ and murder it as much as is in their power speaking Peace and making War straining at a Gnat and swallowing a Camel Ceremonies are no points of Faith therefore he that separates himself because of Ceremonies separates himself for small and light Causes and therefore he is a Schismatick and if he only be Schismatick who separates himself from the Church for small and light Causes as saith Irenaeus and is granted by Divines then on the other hand he is no Schismatick who separates himself for great and weighty Causes as for Idolatry and other Articles of Faith which they will have us to believe under pain of eternal Damnation and which are not found in the holy Scripture or are directly contrary to it Therefore we separating our selves from those of the Roman Church for great and weighty Causes it is manifest we are not Schismaticks and as no man should separate himself from a Church for small and light Reasons so he is bound to separate himself when he finds evidently that that Church believes and practises Articles of Faith which are not in the holy Scripture or are directly contrary to it which is enjoyned unto us by St. Paul and Isaiah saying Come out frone among them and be ye separate For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness And what Communion hath light with darkness And what Concord hath Christ with Belial Or what part hath he that believes with an Infidel And what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols This is the only lawful Cause of Separation and for this Cause we separate our selves from those of the Roman Church or rather they separte themselves from us for Schism is not to be Imputed unto us because we believe and practise nothing in the Church but what is agreeable to the holy Scripture Wherefore it may be justly imputed to them because they do not only believe and practise but also will have us to believe and practise several Articles of Faith which are neither distinctly contained in the holy Scripture nor can be deduced from it by clear and necessary Consequences They then that separate themselves from the Church of England because of Ceremonies do separate themselves for small and light Causes and consequently are Schismaticks Secondly I say they are out of hope of Salvation for as man is composed of a body and spirit and as his body liveth by his spirit whilst it is united to the body So if we will live by the Spirit of Christ we must be united to Christ's Body but the Mystical Body of Christ is the Church therefore they that are separated from the Mystical Body of Christ cannot be vivified by the spirit of Christ and consequently cannot be saved for those only are saved that are vivified by the spirit of Christ Which is very well represented by the Deluge and Ark of Noah for as all perished temporally by the Deluge that were not in the Ark so all shall perish eternally who are out of the Catholick Church And as no body could escape drowning being out of the Ark so neither shall any escape Damnation out of the Church And as none of the first born of Aegypt lived but such as were within these Habitations whose Door posts were sprinkled with blood by the appointment of God for their preservation And as none of the Inhabitants of Jericho could escape the Fire and Sword but such as were within the House of Rahab for whose Protection a Covenant was made So none shall ever escape the eternal wrath of God which is not a Member of the holy Catholick Church For as There is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby we can be saved but the Name of Jesus So
there is no other Church wherein we can be saved but the holy Catholick Which is confirmed by the Fathers Whosoever saith Chrysostome divides the unity of the Church the mystical Body of our Lord he shall not incur a less punishment than those have done who pierced mangled and tore his Body Sola Catholica Ecclesia est quae verum cultum retinet Hic est Eons veritatis hoc est domicilium fidei quo si quis non intraverit vel à quo si quis exierit à spe vitae ac salutis aeternae alienus est He shall not have God for his Father saith Austin That would not have the Church for his Mother So the fourth Council of Carthage declares that out of the Catholick Church there is no Salvation And Fulgentius speaks thus Sicut in Hiericho quisquis extra illam domum fuit nullum potuit adipisci vitae subsidium sic extra Ecclesiam Catholicam nullus accipiet indulgentiam peccatorum Extra hanc Ecclesiam nec Christianum nomen aliquem juvat nec baptismus salvat nec mundum Deo sacrificium offertur nec peccatorum remissi accipitur nec aeternae vitae foelicitas invenitur As in Hierieho whosoever was out of that House could not obtain the benefit of Life so out of the Catholick Church none shall receive the pardon of sins Out of this Church neither the Title of Christian secures any one neither doth Baptism confer Salvation neither doth any man offer a Sacrifice agreeable unto God nor receives the Remission of his sins nor finds the happiness of Eternal Life And in another place he saith Firmissimè tene nullatenus dubites quemlibet Haereticum sive Schismaticum in nomine Patris filii Spiritus sancti baptizatum st Ecclesiae Catholicae nonfuerit aggregatus quantasque eleemosinas fecerit etsi pro Christi nomine etiam sanguinem fuderit nullatenus posse salvari Omni enim homini qui Ecclesiae Catholicae non tenet unitatem neque baptismus neque Eleemosina quaelibet copiosa neque mors pro nomine Christi suscepta proficere poterit ad salutem quandiu in eo Haeretica vel Schismatica pravitas perseverat quae ducit ad mortem Hold this most firmly and doubt not of it in any wise that every Heretick and Schismatick whatsoever baptized in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost if he be not reunited to the Catholick Church let him bestow never so many Alms yea though he should shed his blood for the Name of Christ he cannot obtain Salvation For neither Baptism nor Alms how great soever nor death suffered for the Name of Christ shall profit unto Salvation to any man that holds not the Vnity of the Catholick Church If he neglect to hear the Church let him be unto thee as an Heathen man and a Publican Therefore since those who separate themselves from the holy Catholick Church are Schismaticks and out of hope of Salvation as I have made it appear evidently the Church of England being the holy Catholick let now the Reader draw the Conclusion I know what I said just now concerning those who are out of the Catholick Church will be granted to be true but the Reader will object again the Question is to know which is the holy Catholick Church for if we will believe some Fathers it seems that the most part yea none of those that you blame in this Treatise are out of it For Fulgentius in the place aforementioned saith that There is one only Church which is this wherein the Trinity is believed one God of one Nature and Substance wherein nothing is attributed to the Son more than to the Holy Ghost wherein one and the same honour and worship is rendred to the Trinity who is true God This is the only true Church which believing and publishing one Essence in Trinity dares not esteem one Person above th' other Vna est Ecclesia in qua Trinitas unus Deus unius naturae atque substantiae creditur in qua nec Filio nec Spiritui sancto contumelia minorationis ingeritur in qua unus atque idem Cultus honor unus uni Trinitati quae Deus verus est exhibetur Haec est una vera Ecclesia quae sic credit praedicat unam Trinitatis Essentiam ut in tribus unam quamlibet non audeat praeferre alteri personam Athanasius is of that Opinion Whosoever saith he will be saved before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholick Faith and the Catholick Faith is this that we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity And Lactantius saith Sola Catholica Ecclesia est quae verum cultum retinet This is the only Catholick Church which keeps the true Worship And three or four times after he speaks thus Quia singuli quique Coetus Haereticorum se potissimum Christianos suam esse Ecclesiam Catholicam putant sciendum est illam esse veram in qua est Confessio poenitentia quae peccata vulnera quibus subjecta est imbecillitas carnis salubriter curat That is Because every Congregation of Hereticks think to be especially Christians and their Church the Catholick they must know that that Church is the true wherein is Confession and Repentance that cures the sins and wounds which the weakness of the Flesh is subject to Therefore according to Fulgentius and Athanasius the Arians only are out of the Catholick Church and according to Lactantius we are not able to determine any Person out of it Every one pretending to keep the true Worship and granting Confession and Repentance to be necessary Christ himself in his answer to the young man who asked him What good thing shall I do that I may have Eternal Life Did not bid him to believe in the Trinity nor in the Consubstantiality of the Son with the Father nor in the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and the Son nor in the Incarnation of the Son of God nor in his Resurrection nor did tell him that he was to be baptized or to keep the Sabbath c. but If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments and the young man having asked him which were they Jesus specified them unto him saying Thou shalt do no Murther thou shalt not commit Adultery thou shalt not Steal thou shalt not bear false Witness honour thy Father and thy Mother and thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self If then according to Christs words he that keeps these Commandments here described is saved we must conceive him to be in the Catholick Church or what some Father 's said that out of the Catholick Church there is no Salvation is false And as in what Sect soever every one pretends to keep the true Worship and by God's Assistance to perform his Commandments even so every one pretends to be saved and consequently to be in the holy Catholick