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
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
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
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