Calvin Beza or any of our own Authors if you do not meet some Comedies or Romances If you read our modern Writers you shall find their Books to be stuft with Arguments stolen from Strapleton Peron Bellarmin and other Popish Doctors whereas they ought to take their Doctrine from Luther Calvin and our other first Reformers Apostles raised by Gods Heavenly Spirit Oracles by whose Mouths and Pens he delivered the pure and Orthodox Doctrine of the Gospel Heavenly Fountains from which we ought to drink the Doctrine of the Reformation Therefore I have made a particular Study for the Comfort of my Reader not to profane this Treatise with any quotation of any Popish Writers none but our own Doctors Secondly my Reader will be pleased with this Treatise because I do not oblige him to believe the Contents of it if he mislikes any Doctrine couched in this Book let him not believe it what I pretend is to maintain his Liberty for to believe or not believe what he pleases and that none can say black is his Eye for believing whatever he judges to be the Sence of Scripture let all others think of it what they will for our Rule of Faith as I will prove being Scripture as each Person understands it who can be so bold as to check you for teaching and believing what you understand Scripture to say some Doctrines there are in this Book delivered by Luther Calvin Zuinglius Beza and others which our Church of England and some others do call Blasphemies and scandalous Tenets and their irreverence and arrogance it run so far as to condemn those Blessed Men for teaching such Tenets and say that they swerved from the Truth and had their frailties insomuch that many of us are ashamed to own those great Men to have been our Reformers and Leaders This is an impiety altogether insupportable it cannot be suffered with Patience that such Apostolical Men who were undeniably our first Masters of the Reformation should be so vilified and abused Therefore I do prove that there 's no Doctrine delivered by them but is to be esteemed and called the Doctrine of the Reformation And can be according to the Principles of the Reformed Church believed and taught by any Reformed Child For what is our Rule of Faith in the Reformation but Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment understands it Consequently what is the Doctrine of the Reformation but what any Person of sound Judgment understands to be of Scripture Whatever Doctrine therefore Luther Calvin or others judged to be of Scripture How can you deny it to be the Doctrine of the Reformation or blame them for teaching and believing it If you do not like The most you can in Justice do is not to believe it But you cannot justly say it 's not the Doctrine of the Reformation because it 's Scripture as understood by Persons of good Judgment Nor can you in Justice blame them or any other for believing it if they like it For must not we believe what we judge in our Consciences to be the Doctrine of Scripture Lastly my Reader will be pleased with the sincerity and plain dealing of this Treatise As much as we are all offended by the dissimulation and double dealing of our Modern Writers whose aim and scope in the Books they give out seem to be nothing else but to say somewhat whereby they may be thought to be no Papists and nothing is less found in their Writings than the pure and Orthodox Doctrine of the Reformation And what is to be bemoaned that you 'll hardly see in the Houses or Hands of the Flock the Works of Luther Calvin or our other first Reformers they are hid from us to keep us in ignorance of the true Reformed Doctrine and we see but Bramhall Tillotson Taylor Stillingfleet Thorndike and such others whose Doctrine is neither Popery nor of the Reformation but a new compound of both they do so mangle the Questions controverted with their Scholastical subtilities and distinctions as if they were ashamed to own openly our Tenets and did endeavour to get the Opinion of moderate sober Men with the Papists by drawing as near as their Interest can permit them to their Doctrine Ask them if we be obliged to believe the Doctrine and Sense of Scripture delivered by a general Council Our first Reformers resolved roundly that we are not Nay Luther says expresly we are bound to gainsay and work against the Decrees of any Council But our modern Doctors answer with a pretty Distinction There 's a a civil obligation quoth one but no Obligation in Conscience There 's an obligation in Conscience says another provided you do not believe they are infallible You may believe they are infallible objectively or terminatively says another but not subjectively They are infallible in Fundamental Points says another but not in inferior Truths Another will come yet and say they are absolutely infallible in all Articles and thus by little and little the Papists gain Ground against us and the lustre of our Reformation is clouded by the Cowardliness or Insincerity or Hypocrisie of our modern Teachers 1 Kings 18. How long halt ye between two Opinions If the Lord be God follow him But if Baal then follow him Luther Calvin Beza and our other first Reformers were raised by God to teach us the purity of the Gospel Let us not be ashamed to follow their Doctrine To speak Preach and Believe as they did Therefore I do propose the Doctrine in this Treatise in its native Colours that if you like it you may believe it and if any be so bold as to say you believe false or scandalous Doctrine you must answer It 's the Doctrine of the Reformation because it 's Scripture as understood by Persons of Judgment and the greatest Oracles we had And if you do not like it you may deny it but beware never to blame or check any other for believing it This is the Holy Liberty of the GOSPEL and of our Primitive REFORMATION First DIALOGUE ISMAEL I have read your Preface and Principles and methinks you drive to establish a new Religion for that unlimited Liberty which you assert for to believe or not believe whatever we please with a safe Conscience is not allowed by any of our Reformed Congregations and it were to be wish'd you should rather stick to some one of the Congregations now Established than to erect a new one for we have but too many already Isaac The Lord forbid I should think or speak otherwise than as becometh a true Child of the Reformation If you will oblige me to believe Scripture as interpreted by the Lutheran Church the like I say of any other Congregation and deny the Tenets of all others what difference betwixt me and a Papist in the Election of my Religion For the Papists Religion must be no other but Scripture as Interpreted by the Pope and Councils my Religion must be Scripture as interpreted by the
Lutheran Church and no other my Judgment and Conscience therefore is as much constrained as that of the Papist and our Separation from Popery will come to be but an Exchange of one Slavery for another in that our Judgments and Counsciences were Slaves to the Pope and Councils in this we are Slaves to the Lutheran Church We became a Reformation by shaking off the Yoke of Popery from our Judgments and leaving them free for to believe Scripture as with the assistance of Gods Spirit each one best understands it and if we will continue a Reformation we must not submit again our Judgments to any other but retain that blessed Liberty we recovered for to believe the Tenets of any Congregation I confess this Liberty is not allowed by any one particular Congregation as you observe out you must also grant me That it 's allowed and taken by the whole Body of the Reformation for in this whole Body as it comprehends Protestants Lutherans Presbyterians c. One Congregation believes what the other denies and in any of them a Man may live with a safe Conscience which you will not deny therefore any Man has full Liberty for to believe or deny with a safe Conscience the Tenets of any Congregation Hence it follows and to my Grief I speak it that no particular Congregation be it of England France or Germany has the true Spirit of the Reformation in doting so much upon their particular Tenets as to think they cannot be as well denied as believed and in looking upon them with so passionate Eyes as to censure check and force others to believe them You shall see by this discourse that the true Spirit of the Reformation is not in any one particular Congregation separately taken from the rest for each particular Congregation constrains as much as it can all People to believe its own Tenets Protestancy would have us all to be Protestants and would root Lutherans out of the World as well as Popery Lutherans would if they could draw all to their own Net Presbytery esteems it self to be the best of all and would crush Protestancy if it could This then is the Spirit of each particular Congregation a limiting confining Spirit to some particular Tenets with an exclusion of all others but look on the whole Body of our Reformation as it includes all Reformed Congregations distinct from Popery there is a Holy extension of Spirit and Liberty for to be either Lutherans Presbyterians Protestants and any thing but Popery and whatever any Congregation may say of another but all unanimously agree that the Spirit of the Lord is in the whole Body of the Reformation since therefore that in this whole Body there is a Latitude and Liberty for to Profess divers and opposite Tenets and that each Tenet is believed by one and denied by others we must grant that this Holy Liberty for to believe or deny any Tenets we please is the true Spirit of our Holy Reformation It 's not therefore to be wish'd as you do that I should stick to any one particular Congregation or Tenet for such a restriction is meer Popery and your bemoaning the multiplicity of our Congregation is profane and Popish No it 's a blessing of the Lord upon our Reformation for which we shall never sufficiently thank him that we see it divided into so many Godly branches In the House of my Father said Christ there are many mansions John 14.2 Ismael By your discourse you seem to allow that we may with a safe Conscience change Religions as often as we please and be to day a Protestant to morrow a Lutheran next day a Presbyterian and so run over all Isaac I know you will be startl'd at my answer For I am not Ignorant that all men apprehended it to be absurd to change and run over so many Religions but truth must be declared though it may seem a scandal to the Jews and a folly to the Gentiles It s therefore the Doctrine of the Reformation that we may with a safe Conscience be to day Protestants to morrow Lutherans in France Hugonots in Hungary Antitrinitarians in Poland Socinians and in London of any Religion but Popery Ismael For shame you foully impose upon the Reformation there 's not any Congregation that teaches such a scandalous and absurd Doctrine Isaac By your favour I love the Reformation as the Apple of my Eye and will never yield to any in my Zeal for its Honour and Doctrine I am so far from imposing upon it that I will evidence your error in denying this to be its Doctrine and it will appear that whoever will deny it to be very lawful to change Religions as time and occasion requires must renounce the best and Fundamental Principles of our Reformation and must impiously condemn the practice of our first Reformers Ismael How will you make it out that this Doctrine is grounded upon the the Fundamental Principles of our Reformation whereas there is not one Congregation of ours but abhors it Isaac Sir you may well perceive by the tenor of my discourse that I am Piously and Charitably jealous with each particular Congregation and that my drift is to shew that each of them none excepted swerves from and transgresses against the true Spirit and solid Principles of the Reformation as will further appear in this discourse It 's uncontestedly true that the Rule of Faith of the Reformation is Scripture as the humble of Heart assisted with the Spirit of the Lord understand it for Lutherans will never admit their Rule of Faith to be Scripture as Interpreted by the Church of England but as Interpreted by themselves nor will England admit Scripture to be the Rule of Faith as it is Interpreted by the Presbyterians but as Interpreted by the Church of England so that the Doctrine of each Congregation is but Scripture as interpreted by them and whereas all these Congregations joyntly compose the whole Body of the Reformation and each Congregation is truly a member of the Reformation the Doctrine of the Reformation comes to be Scripture as each Congregation and Person of sound Judgment in the Reformation says the Church of England in her 39 Articles Interprets it This being an uncontrouled truth what Man of ever so sound Judgment but may Read to day Scripture as Interpreted by the Lutheran Church and Judge in his Conscience that Interpretation and Doctrine to be true consequently he may with a safe Conscience Profess that Religion Soon after he may meet Calvin's Books and charm'd with the admirable strength of his reasons and glosses upon Scripture he may Judge in his Conscience he is to be preferr'd before Luther and so may lawfully forsake Lutheranism for Calvinism then again he hits upon Scripture as Interpreted by the Church of England whose Doctrine ravishes him with that decency of Ceremonies that Majesty of her Liturgy that Harmony of her Hierarchy he is convinc'd it's better than Calvinism and embraces it Then again
he reads the Works of Arius and convinc'd by the energy of his Arguments and Texts of Scripture produced by him may alter his Judgment and become an Arian Wherein can you say does this Man transgresâ—…against the Doctrine or Principles of the Reformation Does he forsake the Reformation because he forsakes Lutherism for Calvinism No sure for Calvinism is as much of the Reformation as the other Is not Protestancy as much the Doctrine of the Reformation as Presbytery tho' he changes therefore one for the other he still holds the Doctrine of the Reformation Is not the Doctrine of the Reformation Scripture not as Protestants only or Presbyterians only interpret it but as any Congregation or Man of sound Judgment holds it It is therefore evident that according to the Doctrine and Principles of the Reformation he may with a safe Conscience change Religions and be to day of one to morrow of another until he runs all over Point me out any Congregation the obstinate Papists excepted who will dare say I cannot live with a safe Conscience in any other Congregation but in it self all other Congregations will laught at it Why then may not I lawfully forsake any Congregation and pass to another And be in England a Protestant in Germany a Lutheran in Hungary an Antitrinitarian or Socinian Ismael It 's against the grain of Mans reason to believe that we can with a safe Conscience change Religions as you say If you be a Protestant and you Judge it to be the true Religion you are bound to stick to it and never to change it Isaac If I did discourse with a Papist I would not wonder he should say it 's against the grain of Mans reason to believe it lawful but I admire that a Child of the Reformation be he of what Congregation he will should be so Ignorant of his Principles as to say a Man cannot change Religions when he pleases Nor do I undertake to prove against the Papist that this is lawful but I undertake to prove it lawful against any Reformed Child or force him to deny the Principles of the Reformation Is it against reason that a Man may read to day Scripture and the Lutherans Interpretation upon it and like it very well and that he should in this case embrace that Religion Is it against the grain of Mans reason that this same Man should next Year afterwards hit upon Calvin's Works upon Scripture and after better consideration think his Doctrine to surpass that of Luther and could not he then being obliged to chuse the best forsake Lutheranism and stick to Calvinism And is it against Mans reason that he in following Years may meet other Books of Arians Socinians c. and do the like Have not we many examples of this in our best and most renowned Reformers Did not Ochinus that great light says B. Bale in whose presence England was happy reading Scripture Judge the Reforformation to be better than Popery and of a Capuchin Fryar became a Reformed after some Years reading Scripture he Judged Judaism to be better than the Reformation and became a Jew Did not Martin Bucer one of our first Reformers of England and Composers of our Liturgy reading Scripture judge Lutheranism to be better than Popery and of a Dominican Fryar became a Lutheran Soon after reading Scripture he judged Zuinglianism to be better than Lutheranism and became a Zuinglian not long after he became a Lutheran again as he Confesses and forsook Lutheranism the second time and returned again to Zuinglianism as Sklusser says b Did not Cranmer one of our first Reformers also of England and Composers of the 39. Articles a Wise and religious Man profess Popery in Henry the VIII's time and Compose a Book in defence of Real Presence then in Edward the VI's time upon better Consideration he professed Zuinglianism and writ a Book against Real Presence then again in Queen Mary's Reign being Sentenc'd to Death he declared for Popery but seeing his Recantation would not preserve his Life he renounced Popery and died a Zuinglian I could tire your Patience in reading and Mind in relating the number of our Prime and most renowned as well first Reformers as Learned Doctors who without any scruple changed several times their Religions nor in the Principles of our Reformation ought they to be blamed For whereas our Rule of Faith is Scripture as with the assistance of Gods Spirit we understand it who doubts but we may to day Judge sincerely Luther's sense of it to be true to morrow we may read with more attention and Judge Arius his sense to be true next day that of Calvin and so of the rest I do not think but that we have in England many Abettors of this Doctrine Alas how many Bishops Deans and rich Parsons do we know and have we known who were zealous Presbyterians and declared Enemies of Protestancy in our Gracious Soveraign's Exile and no sooner was he restored and had Bishopricks and Ecclesiastical Dignities to be given but they became stiff Protestants Observe the difference betwixt the Papists and us if of a Papist you become of any other Congregation the Popish Church Excommunicates you thou art lookt upon as an Heretick and Apostate a stray'd Sheep they will not admit you to their Communion or Liturgy nay could they well avoid you they would never admit you to their Company and why Because they are fondly perswaded their own is the only true Religion and all others to be Synagogues of Satan and if any of us will become a Papist he must first abjure his former Profession But if of a Protestant you should become a Presbyterian a Lutheran Quaker or of any other of our Societies you are never looked upon to be a jot the worse for it we are not a whit scandalized at such changes which we daily see and it is an unspeakable Blessing with what Accord Unity and Charity you may see at our Liturgy and Communion the Protestant Presbyterian Anabaptist Socinian and Hugonot all praising the Lord in one Congregation in our Church none bid out of the Church none Excommunicated no previous abjuration required of their former Tenets and there 's nothing more frequent among us than to go to the Protestant Liturgy in the Morning in the Evening to the Prebyterian especially if our Interest or Convenience requires it Can there be a more convincing Proof that we esteem it all alike what Religion and Tenets we profess Let a Lutheran go to France Alas He will never stick to go to the Hugonots meeting and Service let a Protestant go to Germany he will go as cheerfully to the Lutheran Church as in England to the Protestant Let a Hugonot or Presbyterian go to Hungary or Poland he is welcome to the Antitrinitarians and Socinians and when any of them returns home he will be as before Ismael But can you prove this Doctrine by the Testimony of any of our Synods Did any teach that
could not be Christ the Son of God because he wanted providence and upon this reflection he renounced Christ and became a Jew And no man can say but that he acted and behaved himself like a true Child of the Reformation in so doing for he followed Scripture as he understood it and as he was a true Reformed Child in forsaking Popery because he understood by Scripture that the Reformation was better so since he understood by reading Scripture more that Judaism was better than the Reformation he acted like a good Reformed in chusing that which he understood by Scripture to be the best this is the Reformations Rule of Faith do you if you please as he did and you 'll be as good a Reformed as he And if you chuse to believe that there is a Church establisht on earth by Christ you must beware never to believe or perswade your self that we are bound to believe her Doctrin or live in her if you do not judge by Scripture that she teaches the Doctrin of Christ This is the most essential point of Popery an obligation of submitting our judgments to the Church and believing her Doctrin without any more examining and in this the Church of England is much like the Popish Church which by Acts of Parliaments and other severities would oblige all men to believe her Doctrin Rites and Ceremonies No God has given us Scripture for our Rule of Faith as we forsook the Popish Church because we discovered by Scripture her many Errours in Doctrin so we are not bound to believe the Doctrin of any other Church but as we find by Scripture her Doctrin is true Do and speak as Luther to 1. Edit Jen. in Resolut I will be free and will not submit to the Authority of Councils Popes Church or Vniversity to the contrary I will confidently teach whatever I Judge to be true whether it be Catholick Doctrin or Heretical condemned or approved Ismael Must I not believe that the Doctrin of Jesus Christ delivered to his Apostles and the Church is true Doctrin Isaac The Reformation teaches it is and you may safely believe it You may as safely believe it is not in the Principles of the Reformation because it teaches that Christ err'd in Doctrin and Manners Vere Pharisaei erant viri valde boni says Luther and Christus minime debuit eos taxare and Calvin says it 's a folly to think he was not ignorant in many things lastly David Georgius a Man of God and of a holy life says Osiander writes If the Doctrin of Christ and his Apostles had been true and perfect the Church which they planted had continued but now it is manifest that Antichrist has subverted it as it 's manifest in Papacy therefore it was false and imperfect See these words quoted in the History of David George Printed by the Divines of Basil at Antwerp Anno. 1568 both Doctrines are Scripture as interpreted by Men of sound Judgment a Child of the Reformation may believe which he will. Ismael Is it not the Doctrin of the Reformation that the Apostles were infallible in their Doctrin much more must we believe that Jesus Christ was so Isaac Yes it is you may believe it and it 's also the Doctrin of the Reformation that they were not infallible neither in their written or unwritten Doctrin so many of our most renowned Doctors speak and whatever any Men of sound Judgment Judge to be true by Scripture is the Doctrin of the Reformation Zuinglius one of the greatest Oracles of our Church says It 's a great ignorance to believe any infallible Authority in the Gospels or Epistles of the Apostles Beza not inferiour to Zuinglius blotted out of St. John the History of the Woman Adulteress Judging it a fable Clebitius affirms that Luke's relation of Christ's passion is not true because it does not agree with that of Matthew and Mark and more credit is to be to two than to one Calvin says Peter consented to and added to the Schism of the Church to the overthrow of Christian liberty and Christ's Grace Whitaker says It 's evident that after the Descent of the Holy Gospel the whole Church even the Apostles erred and Peter erred in Doctrin and manners Luther says Peter lived and taught extra Verbum Dei and Brentius his Disciple say that Peter and Barnabas together with the Church of Jerusalem erred after receiving the Holy Ghost If our Rule of Faith be Scripture as each person of sound Judgment understands it undoubtedly this must be the Doctrin of the Reformation and may be believed by any Reformed since it's Scripture interpreted by such renowned men Ismael This is most wicked Doctrin I 'll never believe it Isaac If you think by Scripture it 's wicked do not follow your Rule of Faith Scripture as you understand it but if any other understands by Scripture as those Authors did that the Doctrin is good give him leave to believe it he 'll but follow his Rule of Faith Scripture as he understands it Ismael I would gladly know which are the true Canonical Books of Scripture Isaac The Reformation teaches and you may believe with the Church of England that St. Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews those of James and Jude the 2. of St. Peter the 2. and 3. of St. John are true Canonical Scripture the Reformation also teaches they are not Canonical because Lutherans deny them believe which you like best But if you 'll live in peace and out of all strife with Protestants Lutherans and others who dispute if this or that be Canonical Scripture your readiest and speediest way will be to say there 's no true Canonical Scripture Scripture is no more to be regarded than other pious Books if you say this is not the Doctrin of the Reformation read Hossias de expresse Verbo Dei lib. de Har. where he relates this to be the Doctrin of the Swinfeldians as good Reformers as the best of us they say that we are not to regard any Instruction from Man or Book but Gods immediate inspiration which speaks secretly to our hearts for which they alledge those comfortable words of the Prophet I will hear what my Lord my God speaks in me for say they the Book which we call Scripture is a Creature and we must not seek for light and instruction from any Creature but from God the Father of Lights This is Scripture as interpreted by Men of sound Judgment any Child of the Reformation may believe it Ismael I thought to settle my mind in my choice of some Religion and you go the way to beat me from all for if you renverse the Authority of Scripture what warrant shall we have for any Religion God forbid the Reformation should deny the true Canon or the infallible truth of Scripture and let all the world say the contrary I will constantly aver and believe it's Gods infallible word Isaac How
the Doctrin of the Reformation or consistent with its principles Isaac The Kings Supremacy is undoubtedly the Doctrin of the Reformation because it 's judged by the Church of England to be of Scripture yet not only the Quakers Presbyterians Anabaptists and other Congregations judge it 's not of Scripture but as erroneous a Tenet as that of the Popes Supremacy Calvin 6. Amos says They were unadvised people and Blasphemers who raised King Henry the VII so far as to call him the head of the Church but also that no Civil Magistrate can be the head of any particular Church is the Doctrin of the Centuriators cent sept pag. 11. of Cartwright Viretus Kemnitius and many others who doubts then but that in the principles and Doctrin of the Reformation you may deny the Kings Supremacy tho' the Church of England believes it The Popes Supremacy is the Doctrin of Popery who doubts it but it 's also the Doctrin of the Reformation for many of our Eminent Doctors have judged it to be the Doctrine of Scripture as Whitgift who cites Calvin and Musculus for this opinion but it 's needful we relate some of their express words I do not deny says Luther but the Bishop of Rome is has been and ought to be first of all I believe he is above all other Bishops it 's not lawful to deny his Supremacy Melancthon says no less that the Bishop of Rome is above all the Church that it is his office to govern to Judge in controversies to watch over the Priests to keep all Nations in conformity and unity of Doctrin Somaisius The Pope of Rome has been without controversie the first Metropolitan in Italy and not only in Italy nor only in the West but in all the World the other Metropolitans have been chief in their respective districts but the Pope of Rome has been Metropolitan and Primate not only of some particular Diocess but of all Grotius has expresly the same Doctrin and proves this Supremacy belongs to the Pope de Jure Divino I pray consider if these Doctors be not men of sound Judgment and of eminent learning and credit in our Reformation and if our Doctrin be Scripture as such men understand it consider I say with what Justice can this Doctrin be called Popery more than Reformed Doctrin As for Transubstantiation it contains two difficulties first if the Body of Christ be really in the Sacrament and this real presence the Lutherans defend to be the Doctrin of Scripture as well as the Papists why then should it be called Popish more than Reformed Doctrin The second is if the substance of Bread be in the Sacrament together with Christ's Body Lutherans say it is Papists say it is not but that there is a Transubstantiation or change of the whole substance of Bread into the Body of Christ but hear what Luther says of this that we call Popish Doctrin I give all Persons liberty to believe in this point what they please without hazard of their Salvation either that the Bread is in the Sacrament of the Altar or that it is not would Luther have given this liberty if Transubstantiation had not been the Doctrin of the Reformation as well as any other Calvin also and Beza affirm that Luthers Doctrin of the co-existence of Christ's Body and the Bread is more absurd than the Popish Doctrin of the existence of the Body alone if therefore we be true Reformed and safely believe the Doctrin of Luther which is the most absurd much more will we be of the Reformation by believing that of the Papists which is less Communion in one kind is the Doctrin of the Reformation no less than Communion in both for besides that Luther says They Sin not against Christ who use one kind only seeing Christ has not commanded to use both and again though it were an excellent thing to use both kinds in the Sacrament and Christ has commanded nothing in this as necessary yet it were better to follow peace and unity than to contest about the kinds but also Melancthon who in the opinion of Luther surpasses all the Fathers of the Church expresly teaches the same Doctrin and the Church of England Statute I. Edward VI. command That the Sacrament be commonly administr'd in both kinds if necessity does not require otherwise mark he says but commonly and that for some necessity it may be received in one lastly the sufficiency of one kind in the Sacrament is plainly set down by our Reformed Church of France in her Ecclesiastical Discipline printed at Saumur Chap. 12. Art. 7. The Minister must give the Bread in the Supper to them who cannot drink the Cup provided it be not for contempt And the reason is because there are many who cannot endure the taste of Wine wherefore it often happens among them that some persons do take the Bread alone and truly if some of our Ministers in England do not give better Wine than they are accustomed who very irreverently serve that Holy Table with naughty trash it 's much to be feared that our flock will also petition to be dispenc'd with in the Cup because there are some of so delicate Palats that they cannot endure the taste of bad Wine Now you may admire the injustice of the Papists in Condemning our Reformed Doctrin and Doctors as Hereticks whereas those Tenets are believed by many of us as well as by them and the groundless severity of our Congregations in exclaiming against that Doctrin it being the Doctrin of the Reformation whereas so many eminent men of our own judge it to be of Scripture Ismael Whereas I see people persecuted by the Church of England for these Tenets I can hardly be perswaded they are the Doctrin of the Reformation at our next meeting we will persue this discourse the Bell rings for Morning Prayers A Dieu Seventh DIALOGUE ISAAC You come from Church as I guess by the Common-Prayer Book I see in your hand I pray let me see the Kalender of it if it be a la mode nouvelle which was made by the Church of England since his Majesties Restauration Ismael Why have you met any thing in it which shocks you Isaac Shock me No Doctrin or practice of any Congregation or man of sound Judgment of our Church can shock me you know I plead for liberty to believe and practise as each one judges by Scripture to be true and good But I observe in your Kalender you have a day consecrated to St. Ann in the Month of July I would gladly know what Ann this is which the Church of England honours so much Ismael It 's Ann the Mother of the Virgin Mary Isaac It 's possible I thought it was Ann Bolein the Mother of our Virgin Elizabeth I am sure the Church of England is more obliged to Her than to the other but as you have put here the Mother of the Virgin
by Vrbans Regius Bucer Zuinglius Melancthon Luther the Common-Prayer Book in King Edward's time Printed 1549. and many others of our Learned Doctors and what can you call more properly the Doctrine of the Reformation than what such Men teach to be the Doctrine of Scripture And though our Brethren Quakers Anabaptists Presbyterians and Protestants Judge Prayers to Angels and Saints to be nothing else but Popery yet our Common-Prayer Book has the same Collect or Prayer to Angels in St. Michael's day that the Popish Mass Book has and desires that the Angels may succour and defend us on earth and Prayers to and Intercession of Saints is taught by Luther y Bilneus and Latimer quoted by Fox and consequently it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation Ismael If all these Popish Articles may be safely believed by the Reformation and be the Doctrine of our Reformed Church as well as of Popery what difference then betwixt us and Popery or why are we call'd a Reformation of Popery or why did we separate from them Isaac I have told you already that our difference from Popery is not because we must deny what they believe for we believe as well as they the Unity and Trinity of God the Incarnation of his Son c. but in this that the Papists believe because the Pope and Church says this is true revealed Doctrine but we believe not because any Church Pope or Doctor says so but because we our selves judge by Scripture it is so for if a Papist did say I do not believe this is a revealed Truth because the Pope and Church says it is but because I find by Scripture it is he would be no Papist believe then whatever Doctrine you will either Popery Judaism Protestancy Arianism or what else you please provided you judge by Scripture it is true and that you believe it not because this or that Church Congregations or Doctors believe it but because your self judges it to be true you 'l be a true Child of the Reformation And this is the reason why we are called a Reformation and why we separated from them because they would have us take for our Rule of Faith Scripture as interpreted by them and believe not what we judge to be the Doctrine of Scripture but what they judge and this is also the Reason why Presbyterians are jealous with the Church of England why Anabaptisâ—s forsake Presbyterians why these are forsaken by Quakers because each one would have the World judge as they do and persecute and trouble one another which is quite against the Spirit of the Reformation for whereas our Rule of Faith is no Church Congregation or Man but Scripture as each one understands it it follows that by our principles every one must he permitted to believe whatever he pleases and by so doing he will be a true Child of the Reformation Ismael The Church of England nor any of our Congregations will never believe any of those Popist Tenets Isaac The time may come that they may believe them all and be still as good Reformers as now they are For if the Pope and his Church should to morrow deny and excommunicate those Tenets which now they so steadfastly believe and I hope they will some day then it would be a pious and virtuous action in all Reformed Children to believe them all as much as now they deny them And let us pretend what other reasons we please but it 's very certain that the strongest reason we can have to deny those Articles is because the Pope and his Church believes them and consequently if the Popish Church would but deny them we might and ought to believe them you will think this a Paradox but listen to our Apostolical and Divine Luther If a general Council says he did permit Priests to Marry it would be a singular marke of Piety and sign of Godliness in that case to take Concubines rather than to Marry in conformity to the Decree of the Council I would in that case command Priests not to Marry under pain of damnation And again he says If the Council should Decree Communion in both kinds in contempt of the Council I would take one only or none See these words of Luther quoted by our learned Hospinian and Jewel and see it 's not only my Doctrine but of great Luther that in case the Pope and Council deny all the Tenets they now believe we may and it will be a pious godly action to believe them and make as many Acts of Parliament for them as now we have against them But what 's the matter Methinks you become pale something troubles you speak what is it Ismael It 's the horror I conceive against your discourse my countenance cannot be in a calm when my mind is in such a storm and confusion pursue no more you said enough that I should curse the day I have ever seen you or heard that which you call Holy Liberty which is but a prostitution of Consciences a prophanation of all that is sacred and an open gap to all impiety in Doctrine and Manners But I hope the Lord has given me that profound respect and attach to our Holy Reformation that I shall not be beaten from it by all your Engines able to inspire a contempt and hatred of it to any weak Brother for who would live a moment in it if such impious Tenets such scandalous and blasphemous Doctrines were of it or were unavoidable sequels out of its Principles No no the principles of the Reformed Church are sound and Orthodox and no Doctrine can follow from them but what 's pure and true Isaac Let me tell you I have as tender a love for the Reformation as you And I will maintain the Holy Liberty I assert cannot justly be called a prostitution of Consciences for you dare not deny but this is an Orthodox and sound principle that our Rule of Faith is Scripture as each person of sound Judgment understands it that it is lawful for each person of sound Judgment to read it to give his Judgment of the true sense of it and to believe and hold that sense of it which he thinks in his Conscience to be true is there any prostitution of Consciences in this Doctrin Or is it not the Doctrin of our Reformation Ismael All this is true the prostitution of Consciences lyes not there but in the scandalous and blasphemous Tenets which you pretend that follow out of the Rule of Faith. Isaac But you wrong the Reformation in calling such Tenets blasphemies and scandals For since our Rule of Faith is Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment understands it if this Rule of Faith be good and sound if it be Religious and Holy any Doctrin that is conformable to this Rule must be good sound religious and holy this being our Rule of Faith and Manners it 's clearer than day light that all and each other Tenet
we may with a safe Conscience change our Religion as you say Isaac Yes I can The Synod of Charenton in France held about the Year 1634 expresly says That for your Salvation it 's all alike whether you be a Calvinist Lutheran or of any other Congregation of the Reformed because says this venerable Synod they all agree in Fundamental Points and the Lutherans have nothing of Superstition or Idolatry in their manner of Divine Worship Change then as often as you list be a Lutheran be a Presbyterian be an Anabaptist by the mouth of this Synod you are assured you 'll never miss to hit right And I pray can any Synod of our times have more Authority in point of Doctrine then Luther our first Reformer a man extraordinarily raised by God says the Synod of Charenton and replenisht with his Spirit for to repair the ruins of his Church He teaches the Elevation of the Sacrament is Idolatry yet he did practise it and commanded it should be practised in the Church of Wittemberg to spite the Devil Carolstadius Giving you to understand that for just reasons you may teach now one Religion now another Zuinglius also whose vertue and learning is known to the World says That God inspired him to Preach what Doctrin was suitable to the times which as it often changes you may often change your Doctrin And consider you if it be not therefore that Christ our Lord says his Yoke is easie and his burden is light that is Religion because we can withdraw our Necks from it as time and just reasons requires Ismael Could you give me any Synod of the Church of England which delivers this Doctrin you would go near hand to convince me for that some particular Doctors should have taught or practised it does not prove it to be the Doctrine of the Reformation Isaac And what a greater Authority has a Synod of England for to prove a Doctrin to be of the Reformation than a Synod of France which I have produced Or than Luther and Zuinglius our first Reformers inspired by God to teach us the purity of the Gospel Was it not from Luther and Zuinglius that England received the Doctrin of the Reformation And if England be so bold as to say they erred in this what assurance can we have but that they erred in the rest But since nothing will please you but a Synod of England you shall have not one but many Can there be any Synod in England of so great Authority as our wise and prudent Parliaments Read our Chronicles and you 'll find that in a few Years time they changed and established different Religions by publick Acts of Parliament In Henry the VIII 's Reign they voted for Popery and made Acts and Statutes against the Reformation In Edward the VI 's time they banisht Popery and voted for Zuinglianism In Queen Mary's they pull'd down this and set up Popery again In Queen Elizabeth's they decryed this and set up not Zuinglianism but Protestancy in the midst of her Reign they polisht this and added some new perfections to it In King James and succeeding Kings times Protestancy is of a different stamp from that of Queen Elizabeth's Hear Dove in his Exhort to the English Recusants An. 1603. Pag. 31. Henry the 8. had his Liturgy which was very good Edward the 6. condemned it and brought in another composed by Peter Martyr and Bucer In Elizabeth 's time that was condemned and another approved and in the middle of her Reign her Liturgy was also misliked and a new one introduced we are so wanton that nothing will content us but Novelties Ismael Dove does not commend this Doctrin for he calls that frequent exchange of Religion Wantonness and Love of Novelty Isaac It 's no great matter what he says of it my drift is but to convince you that this is the Doctrine and practice of the best Member of our Reformation even of England and if you be convinc'd it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation You cannot deny but that it is good Doctrine If Dove calls it Wantonness S. Paul Ephes 4.22 Coloss 3.9 and Rom. 6.6 Commends it and exhorts us to put off the old Man with its deeds that 's Popery with its Ceremonies and put on the new Man that 's the Reformation where there 's neither Greek nor Jew Circumcision nor Vncircumcision Barbarian or Scythian Bound or Free but Christ is all and in all That 's to say where there 's no distinction of Protestants or Presbyterians Socinians or Arians it 's all one which Religion you profess Ismael But is there no Tenet of Religion which we are all indispensably obliged to hold Isaac Yes there is and no more but one We are bound to have Faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God and the Saviour of the World. This is the substance of Christian Religion be an Arian be a Presbyterian a Socinian or what you please be also plung'd to your ears in Wickedness of Life and Manners so you have Faith in Jesus Christ Son of God and Redeemer of the World and live in Charity you will be a Member of the true Church and be saved Do not imagine this is any new Doctrine invented by me search the vulgar sort of our Reformed Brethren you shall get thousands of this Opinion in our Realm search the Books of our Learned Doctors you shall find it in them also Doctor Morton in his much applauded Book dedicated to Queen Elizabeth for which he deserved a Bishoprick says The Arian Church is to be esteemed a true Church because they hold the true substance of Christian Religion which is Faith in Jesus Christ Son of God and Redeemer of the World And again in the same place Sect. 4. whose Title is Hereticks are Members of the Church he says Whosoever believes in Jesus Christ though by Wickedness of Life or Heresie in Doctrine they should err in Doctrine they are still true Members of the Church Therefore our learned Fox Doctor Field and Illiricus say the Greek Church notwithstanding their error in denying the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Son are holy Members of the true Church because they have Faith in Jesus Christ Ismael Sure you will not say this Doctrine is of the Reformation or can be safely believed Isaac I do admire how you can doubt of it and that it may be believed For what is the Doctrine of the Reformation but as we have said in our Principles Scripture as Interpreted by any Man of sound Judgment in the Church And were not Doctor Morton Fox Field and Illiricus Men of sound Judgment eminent Learning and Godliness If therefore this be Scripture as Interpreted by them how can you deny it to be the Doctrine of the Reformation Ismael And what Jesus Christ are we obliged to believe in For Jesus Christ as believed by the Arians Socinians Luther and Calvin is far different from Jesus Christ as commonly
Church of England borrows it to despise the Ministery of Women Tradesmen and Illiterate people in Preaching Teaching and Interpreting Scripture but St. Paul tells us The Word of God is not bound That 's to say is not entail'd on the learned rich or great ones the Wind bloweth where it listeth Our Bishops and Ministers would make a Monopoly of the Word of God and have themselves to be the only Retailers of it for to have some plausible Title for to enjoy great Rents and shear the Flock But we have seen as well among the Quakers as in other Congregations silly Women and Tradesmen replenish'd with Gods Spirit Preach and Expound the great Mysteries of our Religion with as much of good success and edification of the Auditory aâ—… any penny-Penny-Book Man in England Ismael It seems you approve the Ministry oâ— Women and silly Tradesmen for Preaching and Teaching the Flock and if so you 'll overthrow our Hierarchy of Bishops and Ministers Isaac It matters not so much for you to know what I approve or condemn but to know what the Doctrine of the Reformation is it 's this That none can Teach Preach Administer Sacraments or Exercise Ecclesiastical Function if he be not in Holy Orders Bishop Minister or Deacon for the Church of England Teacheâ— it and you may believe it if you please You may also deny it and say any Woman or Tradesman has as much Power for to preach and administer the Sacraments as the richest Bishop in England This also is the Doctrine of the Reformation as well as the former because Quakers Presbyterians Brownists Anabaptists c. Believe and Teach it and they are Men of as sound Judgments and as good Reformers as Protestants nay the most learned of our Reformers teach and commend the Power of Women for to exercise Spiritual functions and Administer the Sacraments Saumaise Peter Martyr and Zuinglius expresly defend the Priesthood as well of Women as of Men And Luther proves it efficaciously The first office of a Priest says he is to Preach this is common to all even Women the the second is to Baptize which is also common to Women the third is to Consecrate their Bread and Wine and this also is common to all as well as to Men and in the absence of a Priest a Woman may absolve from Sins as well as the Pope because the Words of Christ Whatever ye shall untye on Earth shall be untyed in Heaven were said to all Christians And when so eminent Men had not said it reason and Scripture convinces it Reason because that our Rule of Faith being Scripture as each Person of sound Judgment understands it many Women undoubtedly are of sound Judgment and why should not their interpretation of Scripture pass for the Doctrine of the Reformation as well as that of our Bishops and Ministers Scripture because we read the Samaritan Woman was the first who preached the Messias to the City of Samaria and Christ commanded Mary Magdalen to go to Preach his Resurrection to his Disciples and we know by our Cronicles that our glorious Queen Elizabeth of blessed Memory did not only govern the state but was a great Apostoless in Church affairs Ismael To what purpose then have we Bishops and Ministers who enjoy so vast revenues if any Man or Woman can Preach and Administer the Sacraments as well as they Isaac You may believe Bishops and Ministers are very needful for the Service of the Church for they being commonly learned witty Men and having Wives they come to instruct their Wives so well that the good Women come in a short time to be as learned as their Husbands and as nimble and quick in the Ecclesiastical Ministeries as they if they were permitted to exercise them as some Authors of Credit relate unto us that a Gentleman of Constance writ to his Friend in a Village about three Leagues Distant from that City whose Inhabitants were for the most part of our Lutheran Reformation the good Pastor exhorted his Flock to prepare for Easter Communion that none should presume to come to the Holy Table but should first confess and receive absolution of his sins Easter Holy days being come such a multitude flock'd to confession that the Pastor could not satisfie the Devotion of so great a croud he called his Wife to help him for to hear Confessions and give Absolutions in which Ministery the good Lady did Labour with great satisfaction of the Penitents but neither the Pastor nor his vertuous Consort being able to dispatch so great a multitude he called his Maid Servant who did work in the Holy Ministery with as much expedition as her Master But for all this the Church of Scotland France and all England Protestants excepted will tell you that Bishops and Ministers are not needful nay that they are very prejudicious to the Reformation and State To the Reformation because this Hierarchy with the Bishops Court Surplices Corner Caps and other Trumperies puts the Flock in mind of Popery whereof it 's a perfect Resemblance and whilst the Papists see our change from them comes to be almost no more but to substitute new Priests and Bishops in their own place for to manage more conscienciously the Rents and Revenues which they profanely abused and that those Rents and Revenues are still in the Hands of an Ecclesiastical Hierarchy they live in Hopes of recovering them some day when our Bishops and Ministers will come to be as bad Stewards of them as they were and that the Flock will be weary of them and call back the Antient Possessors It 's therefore perhaps the Emissaries of the Pope do incessantly blow in our Ears how ill our Ecclesiastical Revenues are bestowed for to maintain Wives and Children Pomp and Vanity of Bishops and Ministers no less than in Popery To the State they seem to be prejudicious whereas any but a Bishop or Minister would think it would be more advantagious to the Common-wealth that the King should have those Revenues for to maintain his Fleet and Army and ease thereby the Subjects of Subsidies and Taxes than that a handful of Bishops and Ministers should have them Specially when others can Preach and Teach as well as they for nothing but the pleasure of being heard Ismael But do not you see it would be a Sacrilege that the King should deprive the Clergy of their Church Revenues Isaac And do not you know that almost all our Congregations do hold our Clergy to be no true Clergy but as meer Laymen as you or I they admit no Clergy or Episcopal Character but Elders chosen by the Congregation And if they be no true Clergy they have no right to the Church Revenues and it 's no Sacrilege to deprive them of them The Popish Clergy in Henry the VIII's time had visibly a greater right to them than ours now have For neither the King himself nor any other did doubt of their Right and now
can you say I beat you from all Religion when I directly perswade you to follow the Rule of Faith of our Reformation Scripture as each person of sound judgment understands it let this be your Religion if you will be a true Reformed whatever you judge in your conscience to be true let the Church of England or France or any other say and believe what they will you are to believe but what you judge by Scripture to be true and this is the Religion of the Reformation Ismael I would gladly know if it be lawful to chop or change the Text Isaac It 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that you cannot because God has forbid to add to or take away from his word and therefore we condemn the Papists for their Tradition obtruded upon the Flock as the Word of God It 's also the Doctrine of the Reformation and the practice of our best Reformers when the Text does not speak clear enough that for to refute Popery and establish our own Doctrine we may add or diminish a word or two which is not to change the Word of God but to make it speak more expresly as when Luther had a mind to prach Justification by Faith alone finding the Text said but Man is justified by Faith he added the word Alone and made the Text very clear against Popery which formerly was somewhat obscure Zuinglius being to teach the Figurative presence of Christ in the Sacrament found the Text This is my Body to be too pat against his Doctrine and instead of Is put in This signifieth The Church of England being to preach the Kings Spiritual Supremacy could not convince the obstinate Papist by the Original Text which said 1 Pet. 2. submit your selves unto every humane creature for the Lord's sake whether it be the King as excelling or to c. But in King Edwards time they altered one word and made the Text thus submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man whether it be to the King as being the chief head and the following impressions of the Bible in the year 1557. and 79. say To the King as supreame And so the true Doctrine is clearly convinc'd out of Scripture as also the lawfulness of Priests Marriage for the Text before the Reformation said 1 Cor. 9. have we not power to lead about a woman sister and now our Bibles say have we not power to lead about a Wife being our Sister hence it 's evident according to the Doctrine and practice of our Reformation that when you have a mind to establish a Doctrine which you judge to be true you may change the Text and make it speak to your sense and meaning provided you judge your sense to be true Ismael What do you think of Justifying Faith Does Faith alone justify us Isaac It 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that without charity it cannot because St. Paul says 1 Cor. 13. If I have Faith so as to move mountains and no Charity I am nothing It 's also the Doctrine of the Reformation that it is impious and wicked to say Faith alone without Charity does not justify this is Scipture as interpreted by Luther a man of sound judgment Who say quoth Luther that Faith alone though perfect it be cannot Justify without Charity say impiously and wicked because Faith alone without any good works doth justifie Believe which Doctrine you please both are of the Reformation Ismael Luther was insolent in checking the Doctrine of St. Paul. Isaac Probably he did not reflect that it was the Doctrine of the Apostle and if you will have it to be a Check of St. Paul Luther will answer for himself Be it says he that the Church Augustine or other Doctors also Peter and Paul nay and an Angel from Heaven should teach otherwise than as I teach yet my Doctrine is such that it seteth forth Gods Glory I know I teach no Humane but Divine Doctrine It 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that Faith alone without any good Works and notwithstanding all Sins you are Guilty of doth justifie you This is Scripture as Interpreted by Luther who says nothing can damn you but Incredulity as nothing but Faith can save you of Whitaker Wotton Fulk and Beza whose words I related in our precedent Dialogue which I believe you remember and I need not repeat It 's also the Doctrine of the Reformation that good Works are meritorious of Grace and Glory Hooker and Harmonia confess say it 's the Doctrine of Scripture and what any person of sound Judgment judges to be the Doctrine of Scripture he may believe it for this is our Rule of Faith. It 's likewise the Doctrine generally of all our Church that good Works are not at all meritorious Tindall called by Fox a Man of God and a constant Martyr judges this to be so true that in his Treatise de Mammona iniquitatis he says Christ himself did not by all his good Works merit the Glory And tho' the Scripture says expresly he did Calvin affirms that it 's a foolish curiosity to examine and a rash proposition to say Christ did Merit It 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that tho' good Works be not meritorious nor have not the least Influence in our Justification or Salvation yet they are absolutely needful for both in as much as that true Faith cannot be without good Works because they are the Marks and Signs of a living Faith by whch alone we are Saved this is the Judgment of the Church of England expressed in the 11 and 12 Articles of the 39 and of Melancthon in locis Commun de Bonis operibus and you may believe it You may also believe and it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation that good Works are so far from being needful that they are prejudicious and hurtful to our Salvation and the best way to be Saved is to do no good Work at all this is Scripture as Interpreted by Illiricus Flacius Amsdorsius quoted in Act. Colloq Aldeburg pag. 205. and 299. and Luther was so deeply perswaded of this truth tho that Christ said If thou wilt enter into the Kingdom of Heaven keep the Commandment Luther says it 's an obstacle to our Salvation to keep them Where it is said quoth he that Faith in Christ doth indeed justify us but that it is necessary also to keep the Commandments there Christ is denyed and Faith abolish'd because that which is proper to Faith alone is attributed if the Commandments And again says he if Faith be accompanied with good Works it 's no true Faith that it may justify it must be alone without any good Works This is Scripture as interpreted by such eminent and sound Men and consequently the Doctrine of the Reformation and who doubts but that any Doctrine of the Reformation may be believed Hence forward when you hear the Preacher exhort you to good Works you may believe him if you please
Mary why did not you put in also Elizabeth Mother of the great Baptist and the Angel Gabriel as well as Michael Ismael I know not indeed Isaac Nor do I know if it be not because that Elizabeth and Gabriel made the Popish Ave Maria as Scripture relates but can you tell as the Church of England put in your Kalender St. George St. Andrew and St. David Patrons of England Scotland and Wales why did not she put in St. Patrick Patron of Ireland Ismael I can't tell What may be the reason think you Isaac I know not if it be not that he forfeited his place for his Purgatory for tho the others were as deep in Popery as he if we believe the Papists but the Parliament pass'd an Act of Indemnity for England Scotland and Wales after the Kings return to his Kingdoms and thereby the sin of Popery was forgiven to their Patrons and no Act of Indemnity was past for Ireland whereby Patrick is still guilty if it be not that the Seven Champions of Christendom tell us St. Patrick was St. George his Footman and it was not thought good manners to put him in the same rank with his Master Ismael For shame if not for pitty forbear I cannot endure to fully Sacred things with profane Ralleries the Kalender is a holy institution of the Church and ought to be reverenc'd Isaac And so is Episcopacy Surplices Bells Organs and Corner Caps yet I hope you will give Presbyterians Anabaptists Quakers c. leave to laugh at them and be still as good Children of the Reformation as you if you esteem them to be Sacred and Holy reverence and honour them I commend you for it if others Judge otherwise let them follow their humour each one as he fancies says the Fellow kissing his Com this is the holy Liberty of the Reformation Scripture as each one understands it Ismael Let us return to our last discourse how is it possible that those Tenets of Popery â—…ould be the Doctrin of the Reformation whereâ—â— we see the Church of England so severely perâ—â—ecute the Professors of them Isaac Do you think a Doctrin is not of the Reformation because it 's denyed by the Church of England or because she persecutes the Proâ—essors of it do not they persecute all Non-conforâ—ists as well as Popery persecution is no proof of a Doctrin to be bad it 's but the effect of a blind zeal armed with power for to know cerâ—ainly if a Doctrin be of the Reformation you must try it by our Test or Rule of Faith which is the written Word of God and whatever any man of sound Judgment of a sincere and humble heart judges to be contained in Scripture or â—n indubitable consequence out of it that man may believe that Doctrin let all others Judge of it as they list and by so believing will be a true Child of the Reformation wherefore since that the Church of France that of England in Edward the VI 's time Luther Melancthon Grotius and the other Authors I quoted do Judge Transubstantiation Popes Supremacy and Communion in one kind to be the Doctrin of Scripture we must call it the Doctrin of the Reformation and if you judge as they did you may believe the Doctrin and be still of the Reformation as well as they Ismael Can you shew me any other Tenet of Popery which you can call the Doctrin of the Reformation Isaac Alas you can hardly shew me any Tenet of Popery but what is it's Doctrin what Doctrin more Popish than that of Confession and Absolution from sins yet it 's as truly the Doctrin of the Reformation as figurative Presence for not only Lobechius Altamerus Sacerius and Melancthon says it 's a Sacrament but the Church of England in our Common-Prayer Book declares that Priests have not only the power of declaring their sins to be forgiven to the Penitents but also the power of forgiving them and sets down the form of Absolution which the Minister is to use Our Lord Jesus Christ who left power to the Church to absolve all sinners which truly repent of his mercy forgive thee and thine offences and I by his Authority committed unto me do absolve thee from all thy sins The Minister of the Diocess of of Lincoln in their Survey of the Book of Common Prayers checkt this Doctrine as Popery and petitioned to have it blotted out but could not prevail whereby we are given to understand it 's the Doctrine of the Reformation It 's Popery we say to call extream Uuction Confirmation and Holy Order of Priest-hood Sacraments and who can justly deny all this to be the Doctrine of the Re-formation for Calvin says I confess the Disciples of Christ did use Exâ—ream Vnction as a Sacrament I am not says he of the opinion of those who judge it was only a Meâ—â—cine for corporal diseases Calvin also and with him our Common Prayer Book and all our Divines say a Sacrament is nothing else but a Visible sign of the invisible Grace we receive by â—t and they say with Pouel Hooker and others that this definition fits exactly Confirmation wherefore the Ministers of the Diocess of Lincoln checkt the Common Prayer Book for giving the Definition of a Sacrament to Confirmation Melancthon Bilsom Hooker and Calvin expresly teach that the Order of Priesthood is a Sacrament And when men of so eminent Judgment of our Reformation teach this to be the Doctrine of Scripture who doubts but that it is of the Reformation Ismael By this you destroy the Doctrine of the Reformation of two Sacraments only Is Destroy it God forbid Because the Church of England says there are but two Sacraments I say it 's the Doctrin of the Reformation there are but two and because so many eminent Men judge by Scripture there are more I say it 's the Doctrin of the Reformation there are more that 's to say six Baptism Confirmation Eucharist Pennance Extream Unction and Holy Order and very likely our Bishops and Ministers for their Wives sake will not stick to grant that Matrimony also is a Sacrament Ismael But can you say that Prayers to Saints and Images Prayer for the dead and Purgatory are not meer Popery and in no wise the the Doctrine of Reformation Isaac Without doubt those Tenets are Popery but all the World knows the Lutherans use Images in their Churches and pray before them and the Holy Synod of Charenton has declared as was said in our first Dialogue that the Lutherans have nothing of Superstition or Idolatry in their manner of Divine Worship this is also the Doctrine of Jacobus Andreas Brachmanus Kemnitius Luther and Brentius quoted by Beza and why should not a Doctrine Judged by such eminent Men to be of Scripture be called the Doctrin of the Reformation Prayers for the dead and Purgatory is Popery confessedly but alas it is taught expresly