one God thou doest well the devils also believe and tremble but wilt thou know O vain man that faith without works is dead was not our father Abraham justified by works c. and after the Apostle had upon the matter stated the whole question he concludes yee see then now that by works a man is justified and not by faith onely Can any thing be more cleer then this yet see how S. Matthew justifies this doctrine relating our Saviours last charge and Commission to his Apostles thus Mat. 28.19.20 Go ye therfore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost teaching them not onely to believe Johu 9.6.7 but to do and observe all things whatsoever I have commanded c. S. John relates how our Saviour would not cure the blinde man with that omnipotent salve the clay made of his spittle but he would enjoyn him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam something he would have done on his part Then S. Paul assures us that if he hath faith to a perfection nay so much as to remove mountains and hath not charity he is nothing what then are we without it Nay S. Paul teacheth Timothy how to press the matter 1 Tim. 4. that they do good that they be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life c. and concludes of himself I have fought the good fight I have perfected my course I have kept the faith from hence forward is laid up for me a crown of glory which the Lord the just judge shall render to me in that day here S. Paul cleerly expects from the justice of God a retribution to his merit Now over and above all this John 8. it is plain that faith it self is a work for to the question that was asked our Saviour What shall we do to do the works of God he answers presently this is the work of God to believe on him whom he hath sent and again saith he Gen. 15. if ye are the children of Abraham you would do the works of Abraham now the principal work of Abraham was his faith for Abraham believed and it was accounted to him for righteousness see faith is plainly to be reckoned up amongst works now if a man by faith be to be justified then he is so by works Last of all what you seem in all your discourses to infer that the best works are full of sin so by consequence cannot justifie observe I beseech you what S. John says to you 1 John 3 7 8 9. little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousness is righteous even as he is righteous he that committeth sin is of the devil c. whosoever is born of God does not commit sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God Note here if you please that he cannot sin that follows the inclinations of charity according to which a man is said to be born of God For S. Paul assures us too that charity does nothing amiss Thus if I have not darkned this truth with too thick a cloud of witnesses I presume it must be cleer as light it self that your doctrine of onely faith depressing of good works is not onely against the whole stream of Scripture and so unchristian but also against all the rules of humane reason so impertinent unpolitick to the destruction of all civil conversation and therefore I am bold to insist the longer upon it which I desire you to pardon and I will make a speedy amends in the contraction of my self upon the other heads To what you are pleased to alledge against our Auricular Cenfession I answer thus To the first It is true that in that Text of S. John there is no confession mentoned but sufficiently imply'd in the power of absolution It is enough to satisfy any reasonable Christian that our Saviour has so clearly declar'd that high power and prerogative which he conferred upon his Priests and to shew us our Physitions and remedy that we may have recourse to them for our health if we so please but if we will not confess we are sick we have no need of a Physition at least he cannot be at all usefull to us Now that use and practice of this high power and prerogative of remision of sins the Church has learnt and derived from the very times of the Apostles by the conduct of the holy Ghost as you shall see more hereafter To the Second I must likewise grant S. Iames not precisely to determine in that Text to whom we should confess nor was it at all needfull for it was to be presumed that no man would confess but where he thought to finde a pardon now that power of pardoning was apparently in the Apostles hands then and in their successors continues since It was enough therefore for the Apostles to express so much as was necessary to that great business of absolution that is confession without pointing out that particular person to whom to be made indeed it is as before sufficiently implyed To the Third and fourth I do acknowledge that our Saviour said no more to the woman taken in adultry but go and sine no more but there the power of absolution was not settled in the Church how then could the adultress and the Magdalen and Peter be obliged to confession before confession was instituted Besides these were miraculous pardons of sins not by any former prescription for we know that the indulgence of a spirituall priviledge to any one is not to be drawn into a consequence for others or made a generall rule of by us To the Last I do utterly deny that confession was ever abrogated in any one age something I remember in ecclesiasticall history that publick and open confession was solemly forbiden but never private and auricular on the contrary give me leave to prove the necessity of it by Scripture against you David confesseth his sins and is pardoned by the prophet Nathan 2 Sam. 11.13 S. Mathew tells how our Saviour enstated Peter in this power of the keys the other Evangelists speaks of his disposing of it amongst his Apostles by all which it is plain that to deny the power of the keys to be given to the Church is to deny that our Saviour never had them in his custody which I take for blasphemy The text you urge out of S. James 5.16 James is alledged for our doctrine against you by all our divines as I am cold I am sure it is cleer as to me This great duty of a Christian was absolutly taught and prefigured in the Baptisme of John for S. Mat. 3.6 Mathew tells us how all the people round about flockt to him And they were baptised of
but once in the year and that is Saturday in the holy week neither is there any consecration at all made that day of the Sacrament But the Eucharist that was consecrated the former day is then receiv'd lest the Church of Christ should remain depriv'd of the comfortable fruits of our Lords Passion The other way of Oblation is cleerly Sacramental and yet nevertheless real by which Christ is daily offer'd in the Church and receiv'd by Priests in the Sacrifice of the Mass under the Sacrament in commemoration of the Passion Dead and that former Oblation once made upon the Cross So that the Priest in the person of the whole Church doth present to God the Father the Oblation made by the Sonne upon the Altar of the Cross and him offered and that is the Offering according to the order of Melchisedech However this Oblation may be but rightly call'd commemorative not that Jesus Christ is not rightly and truly offered but because he is offered here under a Sacrament invisibly and recordatively in remembrance of his former Oblation by his own command Numb 28.3 and according to his own Institution And this is the oblation that was signified by the continual burnt-offering in the Old Law in which there was a Lamb without spot to be offered every morning and every evening This second Oblation I say the Priests of Christ doe make daily by the command of Christ himselfe Luke 22. grounded upon those words Do this in remembrance of me For this word do cannot referre onely to a bare sumption or taking of the Sacrament as you would have it but an Action and Oblation otherwise they should not have had the power of Consecration by those words Christ perfected at once the Oblation of himself upon the Altar of the Cross in one bloody Sacrifice and by the frequent repetition of this unbloody one the fruits and effects of the former are daily deriv'd to us So that the Mass is not only a representation of our Lords last Supper but of his Passion Death and Oblation of himselfe and therefore our Eucharist is not onely a Sacrament as you say but it is also a real Sacrifice a Sacrament truly it is as it does represent and is taken but a Sacrifice it is as it is offered and sacrificed to God and by this reason our Mass in which this great Sacrifice is celebrated is called a Sacrifice too To the second and third In the like manner I shall answer both your following arguments for those Texts doe clearly speake of the first Oblation that Christ made of himself our Sacrifices here are but examples of that and yeâ— we offer still the same thing not as in the Old Law to day one Lamb and to morrow another but alwayes the same so it is still one Sacrifice for as he that is offered is one body not many so is our Sacrifice still but one Behold how we offer daily one Sacrifice which once was offered though as is aforesaid there is great difference in the manner of offering the one by a real bloody oblation the other by recordation and representation To the fourth That our Saviour did say that his blood was the New Testament c. I grant but deny that therefore the Mass should be so for that which he spoke was onely to confirme our Faith in the New Testament Exod. 24.8 for as Moses being to confirm the Old Testament took the blood of Calves and Geats c. and sprinkled the people saying this is the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words So Christ with his own blood confirm'd his New Testament unto us and enter'd into the Holy of Holyes Besides there be many things of the New Testament that belong not at all to the Mass as Baptism the Power of the Keyes c. Nay over and above all this it does not follow Heb. 9. that if the Mass were a Testament it should be therefore no Sacrifice for a Testament according to that of the Apostle includes the death of the Testator and the Mass being a Testament does imply the death of its Testator Jesus Christ and so by consequence must involve the Oblation To the fifth and last I shall clearly grant you again that the Mass is a recordation or remembrance of the Passion of Christ but not so nakedly as when a Lay person does simply communicate but it is a remembrance after this manner as it is the representative action of the whole Passion And this Jesus Christ said do ye not onely take ye but do ye that is if we joyne the precedents and sebsequents together consecrate offer take therefore that part of the Mass is called Action So therefore as there was a continual Sacrifice in the Old Testament so in the Law of Grace is Christ our Saviour made our continual Offering and shall continue so for ever till Anti-Christ shall come as our Doctors do affirm and then it shall cease for a while Now give me leave again to return you some proofes out of the Scriptures of the congruity and necessity that the Mass should bee a Sacrifice First Lev. 5.6.9.14 it is manifest that in the Old Law there was to be an offering for the sins of the people and it was alwaies the duty of the Priests to offer for their ignorances and sins and for their cleansing And what Religion was there ever so stupid as to pretend to the service of a Deity without some Sacrifice except some novel Christians to the very scandal of Jews and Turks Secondly Malach. 1.10 11. The Prophet Malachy does most plainly Prophesie of our great Sacrifice when he brings the Lord speaking to Israel I have no pleasure in you saith the Lord of Hosts neither will I accept any offering at your hand for from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same my name shall be great amongst the Gentiles and in every place Incense shal be offered unto my name a pure offering for my name shall be great among the heathen saith the Lord of hosts Is not this a most plain Prediction of the Cessation of the Sacrifices of the old Law and the Institution of the Sacrifice of the new Law Nor can this be meant of that Sacrifice which Christ offered once upon the Cross because the Prophet speaks of a Sacrifice to be offered in every place and speaks but only of one oblation and that is nothing nor can be but the pure Sacrifice of the body of Christ so often repeared upon in our Masses and upon our Christian Altars Nay yet examine a little further in this great Prophet Malath 3.1 2 3. and you will finde yet a clearer evidence for our Christian sacrifice for being about his prophecies of the Messiah to come and having foretold the coming of the Baptist before him says plainly that the Lord shall suddenly come to his Temple even the Messenger of
just shall live by faith alone Now to believe truly in God according to the received use of Scripture is to adhere to him by love and this our Divines call a formed faith which can never be without charity as S. Paul most amply explains to his Galatians Gal. 5.6 For in Jesus Christ saith he neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love Here S. Paul assures us that it is not every faith that is sufficient to justifie us but onely that which worketh by love To the second You might be satisfied in this by the answer before but I shall adde that such a faith as that of the woman with the issue of blood and of the blinde men in the Gospel might obtain such a temporal benefit as the curing both of the one and the other I say temporal benefits may be procured by an unformed faith as the Romans and other Heathens have visibly found Gods blessings to follow them for their many virtues and this S. Paul intimates when he tells the Hebrews that by faith the Harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not when she received the spies with peace here was a good work too went along with her faith Heb. 11.31 Rom. 4. Heb. 11. And there is no doubt but an unformed faith accompanied with charity humility and devotion may obtain by grace a justification from sin and whosoever does believe in Jesus Christ that he can justifie a sinner it shall be imputed to him for righteousness for without faith it is impossible to please God To the third What you urge out of Genesis S. Paul and S. James is sufficiently explained and answered by the foregoing words of the said S. James 5.21.22 James was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered up Isaac his son upon the Altar seest thou how faith worketh with his works and by works was faith made perfect and in the verse immediately following that which you urge against us he concludes ye see there how that by works a man is justified Ver. 24. and not by faith onely for as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also To the fourth What you urge out of S. Lukes Gospel is to be understood as the context shews of servants that do what they are commanded onely to do and that is but their duty and no thanks are due to them in like manner those that keep the commandments of God do but their duties our Saviour says nothing by your favour of those that observe the Evangelicall counsells as the building of religious houses giving our goods among the poor or mortifying of our bodies which you seem to draw into the same conclusion Besides as to the keeping of the commandements do you think the meaning of that text is that there is no merit at all due to that it cannot possibly be so understood must the case be the same between him that does his duty well and him that does it not at all for so it must be as you seem to understand it for at the worst they can be but unprofitable and at the best you would have them be so too and this would not onely throw confusion into all divinity but would be the destruction of all civil government and humane conversation It is true what our Saviour says when we have done all that is required of us we are unprofitable servants that is to him whom we serve we are unprofitable what does the Almighty and infinite creator get by the salvation of his creature nothing can be added to him But the text tells us not that in so doing we are unprofitable to our selves God forbid for that would be to discourage all virtue piety and Christianity it self To the fifth I answer perfectly as to your first for that text of S. John cannot be understood of a bare beliefe but such a one as is accompanied with charity for it is impossible that a good faith should be without it To the sixth I say you are most cleerly mistaken for charity is not a fruit of faith but a fruit of the spirit as indeed faith it self is no less as S. Paul instructs the Galatians Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the spirit is love joy peace longsuffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance c. And that our Saviour taxeth Pharisaicall works for Hypocritical is granted who planted all their Religion in Ceremonies and neglected the weightier matters of the law which were the true good works and always commanded not censured by him Besides our Saviour chargeth us expresly in these words Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heaven To the seventh and last To what you alledge first out of the Prophet Isaiah I answer that the Prophet there speaks comparatively between the righteousness of the Law and that of the Gospel for the legall purity compared to the Evangelicall is impurity it self as our righteousness compared to Gods is no righteousness so our Saviour tells us Luke 18. Mat. 19.17 that none is good but one that is God because our goodness compared to Gods goodness is no goodness is no goodness To your next text I answer that it onely infers that there is none so righteous but at sometimes sinnes not that a man when he does well sins Then to what you alledge out of the Psalms it is very plain that the prophet David begs of God that he would not judge him according to his own divine righteousness that is so absolutely pure and without sin for so saith he Psal 25.21 no flesh living can be justified for he saith in another Psalm let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee Last of all to what you urge so hard out of S. Paul to the Romans S. Paul himself answers in the beginning of the next Chapter There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death that is both from sin and the punishment of it Rom. 8. and so proceeds to shew that though there be a repugnancy in the Law of the flesh to the Law of the spirit yet they that mind the things of the spirit shall be judged accordingly and no sin imputed to them which I conceive clean contrary to the sence that you would impose upon the Apostle Now Mrs. N. I must desire you to give me leave to follow my former method and to return to you some Texts that as I conceive do expresly conclude our Churches doctrine which is that faith does not nor can suffice without works and that works are something in the sight of God that is meritorious of eternal life by the grace
would make little to the matter for wheresoever he was he was still a supream Bishop and though by the Revellations of the spirit he chose out Rome for his Seat yet he was chief Bishop of the World long before he was Bishop of Rome To the Third I answer thus that it was no wonder that our Saviour rebuk'd Peter for resisting the sence that he propos'd to him concerning his being put to death because he had not yet receiv'd the Keys he was not yet confirm'd nor was yet the fulnesse of the spirit yet come upon him Therefore he was not yet the Rock but Christ after his Resurrection fullfill'd that promise to him and founded his Church upon him Then very learn'd men are of opinion are of opinion that Jesus Christ said to those words to Peter but to the Divell himself who was the Suggestor of that mistake to him Again the fall of a person in point of opinion does not necessity take away his power Then again Peter not being yet fully confirm'd it is possible that he might have a Revellation from God the Father by which he might profess Christ to be the Son of the living God and yet that great mystery might be conceal'd from him as yet that Christ would be crucifi'd for the salvation of mankind and rise again the third day and because you are pleas'd to put the Divell upon us for our Head I would ask you what was the Rock our Saviour meant if faith as you pretend then I say Faith is so soon lost in a man as grace and the faith of one man must be as considerable to that foundation as the faith of any other man and so upon the faith of all the faithfull the Church is to bee built and if all the faithfull are to be the foundation what kind of Church will you leave to Christianity To the Ninth I answer that your argument is not good at all Peter was sent by the Apostles into Samaria therefore he was less then the other Apostles Joh. 6.20 Gallat 4. just so the Arrians as I have heard formed their Argument because the Father sent the Son as is plain in Scripture therefore he is greater then the Son for the Sender say they and you is greater than he that is sent Because Herod did did not send the three Wise men to worship the Child He was therefore not greater then they When it is frequent that the most principall persons are likely sent especially if it be from the body of an Assembly and that for their honour out of love and good councell not out of any Right of Authority in their Inferiours So we find in Josuah Jos 22.12.13.14 that when the Children of Israell heard what the two Tribes and the half had done the Children of Israel gathered themselves together c. and sent unto the children of Reuben and to the children of Gad 91. and to the half Tribe of Manasseth into the Land of Gillead Phineas the Sonne of Eleazer the Priest and with him ten Princes 1 Chron. 9.20 of each chief house a Prince c. Here you see how the children of Israel the inferiour sort of the people sent Phineas that was their Captain and Ruler over them as we finde in the Chronicles and divers other of their Princes it is plain therefore by your consequencies out of Scripture that your Argument has none He is sent therefore he is inferiour to him or them that send him To the tenth It is plain that Christ did only prohibit ambition and Tyrannie amongst his Apostles not power and order because they are of God as the Apostle Paul tels us Rom. 15. and he that resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God Our Saviour therefore intended only to teach humility to him that was the chiefest or presided over the rest not to take away his power You would take it I presume for a very ill Argument if any one should say Jesus Christ himself was a Minister or did serve upon earth and taught others to serve or minister likewise therefore Christ had no power when he was here Besides when Christ said He that is greatest amongst you Is it not plain that he does imply that there should be one greater in power than another though he does injoyn that greater to be as the lesser by way of humility and ministration or service To the eleventh and last I answer in like manner that all which can be collected out of those Scriptures is to shew that he could have all those that were his to rise to greatness not by power and ambition but by humility and innocency that when they were in power they should be as if they were not so and as little ones in humility and innocency that when they were in power they should be as if they were not so and as little ones in humility and innocency not as so in age and understanding Now you must give me leave according to my usual method to reply something upon you out of the clear and unforced Letter of Scripture and that the Pope or Bishop if Rome is and ought to be the heâ—â— of the Church of Christ as St. Peters Successor and has just power and superiority ever all other Bishops I prove thus First out of the Letter of St. Matthews Gospel after Peter had made his consession Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Barjona Matth. 16.16 17 18.19 for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven and I say also unto thee that thou art Peter and upon this Rock I wil build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it And I will give unto thee the keys of the â—â—osed in Heaven c. It is worth your observation how signally our Saviour insists upon St. Peters person for that he might be sure that none but those that were wilfully disposed should be able to mistake he calls him by his old name Simon then by his Fathers name Barjona then by his new name Peter which he gave him then and signifies a Rock and presently says that upon that Rock will he build his Church c. And that must plainly be said and meant of himself in his own person for presently after follows And I will give unto thee the Keys of Heaven c. And whatsoever thou shalt bind c. And whatsoever thou shalt loose c. Again we find how clearly the Primacy of St. Peter may be proved out of St. Lukes Gospell When our Saviour twice repeats his name Luk. 22.31 32. And the Lord said Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not and when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Observe I pray you how our Saviour prays for him most particularly and above the rest and he askt two things
plain in this particular as we see it is for St. Peter and his Successors the very Analogy of reason would induce that Jesus Christ should appoint somebody for that great charge to govern his whole Church First let us look upon the Anology of the Christian Church and that of the Jews The Mosaicall synagogue was but a Type or shadow of the Church of Christ but the Synagogue was always govern'd by one visible head Namely the High Priest to whom all others were subject as is apparent out of the Books of Exod. Levit. Deut. Therefore the Church of Christ ought to be so governed For it is not fit that the more perfect government which by all is acknowledg'd to be Monarchy should be over the shadow that we know is more imperfect then the substance and and not over the substance it self which is the Church of Christ And as the Jewish Synagogue was the Type of our Church so undoubtedly their High Priests were the Types of our Popes and as they presided over the whole Jewish Nation as to the externall government so our Popes in like manner do over all Christian people Now I ask you how it can stâ—â— with reason That Moyses Peut 17.8 9. who was a Type of Christ too should provide for the Synagogue that if there should arise a matter of difficulty that they should come unto the Priests and Levites and to the Judge that shall be in those dayes and enquire and they shall shew thee the sentence of Judgement which are his own words and that Jesus Christ should neglect to provide in the same manner for his own beloved Spouse his Church Since then Monarchical Government both in Church and state is the best of Governments and was the practis'd government of the Synaogue and amongst the jews and is the only government in the triumphant Church in heaven why should not the same provision be made by Iesus Christ for his poor Militant Church upon Earth Or why should you or any body else oppose that happiness of ours which Christ has appointed for us unless it be out of a design to bring your selves and the whole Church to confusion and to do as was done in those days when there was no King in Israel when every one did what seem'd good in his own eyes which unhappy licence that you call liberty shall be ever part of my Litany Judg. 17.6 Judg. 21.25 that God would please to deliver me and all his faithfull servants from To what you alledge against the power of the Pope that he can neither by himself nor with all his Cardinalls and councills about him he able to determine any matter of Fath. I answer thus To the First I say that you are clearly in a great errour to think thiâ— the Law and the Testimony or any written thing was or could be judge of any controversie or difficulty whatsoever but the High Priest as appears by the Text aforecited out of Deuteronomy Then those words to the Law and to the Testimony are to be understood far otherwise than you imagine as is plain by the precedent words which are these and when they shall say unto you seek unto them that have familiar spirits and to wizards that peep and that mutter should not a people seek unto their God for the living to the dead then immediatly follows to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them c. Now it is plain that the Prophet speaks here only against those who were wont to consult witches wizards and Sorcerers about future events and therefore they were remitted partly to the Law Deut. 18.9 1 Kings 22 7. which did expresly prohibit all that and partly to the Testimony of the Prophets who were appointed by God to foretell futurities to them The sense therefore of those words to the Law and to the Testimony 1 Sam. 28.7 is this if you will be inform'd of future events you ought not to consult witches wizards or sorcerers as Saul did because God had forbidden that by his Law to which I therefore remitted you but consult ye the Prophets of God whose office it is to foretell all future things that ye ought to know What does this make to the derision of difficult controversies or determination of matters of Faith Nothing at all sure unless you can think this Argument to be good It is not Lawful to consult Witches Wizards and Sorecters therefore onely Scripture is to be the Judge of controversies This sure is a very pitifull Argument and yet such as that do your great Rabbins and principall Doctors make use of to abuse you and themselves To the second I grant that Jesus Christ disputing with the Jews who denyd him to be the Son of God does remit them to the Scriptures but not to them only neither for he proves himself to be so by other Testimonies First he appeals to the Testimony of John the Baptist saying you sent to John and he gave witnesse to the truth Joh. 1.34 now his Testimony was this Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the World and again I have given witnesse to the truth Joh. 5.36 because this is the Son of God Secondly he refers them to the Testimony of the miracles that he wrought amongst them But I saith he have greater witnesse then that of John for the Works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do Mat. 3.27 Luk. 9.35 Joh. 5.39.40 bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me Thirdly he refers them to the Testimony of God the Father saying And the Father that sent me he hath given Testimony of me that was when he said from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him Fourthly and Lastly hee refers them as you urge to the Testimony of the Scriptures saying Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternall life So much as to say if you will not accept of the three first Testimonies of me which sure are most efficatious ones otherwise I had never produced them yet at least ye cannot reject the Testimony of the Scriptures in which you glory so much they themselves if you search and examine them as you should do give Testimony of me that Jame the Messias promis'd by God Why therefore will ye not believe c. Thus in my Opinion your Argument retorts it self upon you more then oppugneth us For you contend that only Scripture is necessary for the decision of controversies and difficulties in faith and yet you see that Christ himself does not so but remits us to those other Testimonies as well as Scripture now the Catholick Church does in this as in all things else imitate our blessed Lord and Saviour for in those controversies which she hath with all Adversaries she does not use the testimony of Scriptures
of those Legalities We find again in the last of St. Matthew Christ saying to his Disciples Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Here Christ laid down an express form of Baptism in the name of the holy Trinity and yet the primitive Church did think fit to change that form into a Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ only for so St. Peter enjoyned them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins c. And again we finde that the Samaritars were baptized by St. Philip in the name of Jesus Act. 2.38 Acts 8. Act. 19.5 Act. 15.28 29. So again upon St. Pauls preaching at Ephesus when they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Above all this we find the Scripture telling us that it was defined in the Apostles Councel thus It hath seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us c. that ye abstam from meats offered unto Idols and from blood and frous things strangled c. This we see is most plainly and expresly defined by the Apostles and as clearly attested by Scripture and yet the Church in after Ages hath thought fit to change that decree and permit Christians to eat strangled things and blood nay you that dispute against the Authority of the Church in matters of Faith are contented to submit to it in point of eating you could not otherwise deny the eating of a black pudding or strangled Hen to be a most notorions transgression nor could any thing excuse us from sin in so doing if the Church hâ—d not a power over the Scriptures And to conclude if the authority of the Church were not over the Scriptore then all Jews that should be converted now to the Faith of Christ and come to Baptism should be tyed still to the observation of Mases his Law for so we finde in Scripture that the Apostles themselves and others of thâ— Nation which became Converts did always do St. James and all the Elders said to St. Paul upon his return from the Gentiles Thou seest brother how many thousands of Jews there are which believe and they are all zealous for the Law and they are informed of thee that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses Saying Act. 21.18 20 21 22 23 24 25. that they ought not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the custums What is it therefore the multitude must needs come together for they will hear that thou art come Do therefore this that we say unto thee we have four men which have a vow on them Them take and purifie thy self with them and be at chrrges with them that they may shave their heads and all may know that those things whereof they were informed concerning thee are nothing but that thy self also walkest orderly and keepest the Law As touching the Geutiles which believe we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing save only that they keep themselves from things offered unto Idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornicaâ—on Here it is plain that St. Paul with many thousands more did observe the Law of Moses and that by the immediate order of St. James the Prelate of the place and the Councel of all the Elders This we know clearly altered since by the authority of the Church and what a fine confusion it would produce if otherwise practised now I will leave your self to judge To the second I say that what you urge out of Deuteronomy makes no more against us then it does against the Apostles themselves from whence we received our Traditions but most especially St. Paul who expresly bids us to hold fast the Traditions which we have received Nay and all the holy Fathers of the Primitive Church who have always imbraced and held them Nay yet further you do most manifestly oppose and oppugne your own selves who receive the Tradition of Scripture the Lords day and many holy days with divers other things which you hold in great reverence by no other Authority If therefore we Catholicks offend in so doing then the Apostles themselves and all the Primitive Fathers and Christians and you your selves are as guilty of a fault if they be innocent and you too why should we be condemned Again give me leave to tell you that you have wholly mistaken the sense of that Text and that I will demonstrate to you out of the context which runs thus Deu 4.1.2 Now therefore hearken O Israel un-the Statutes and unto the Judgements which I teach you for to do them that ye may live and go in and possess the Land which the Lord God of your Fathers giveth you Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it that ye may keep the Commandments of the Lord your God which I command you As if he should say I give unto you precepts both Ceremonial and Judicial which ye ought perfectly and entirely to keep for so much is signified in those words ye shall not add nor diminish and this precept to that people is delivered though in other words yet to the very same sense in divers other places that they should be punctual in the observation of what was commanded them and not to swerve or turn to the right hand or the left So that these three things are upon the matter all one that is perfectly and intirely to keep Moses his precepts Deut. 17.20 Deut. 28.14 Deut. 31.29 Josu 1.7 not to turn from them neither to the right hand nor to the lest and last of all neither to add to nor diminish from their observation Which now is plain cannot be so understood as if it were unlawfull to add any new precept for then it had been utterly unlawful to add those new Evangelical precepts as Faith in the blessed Trinity the whole business of Holy Baptism and the Eucharist which you receive as well as we but the sense of those Texts must be plainly this that they ought to be very exact in the observation of Moses his Laws not to corrupt them with any addition or dimunition but to keep them intirely as for example this was a Mosaical precept Levit. 12.2 3. If a woman have conceived seed ann born a man child then she shal be unclean seven days c. And in the eighth day the flesh of his soreskin shall be circumcised c. To this precept now it was not lawful to add or diminish from that it was not lawful neither before nor after the eigth day to circumcise the child nor was the uncleanness of the mother to last more or less than seven days Now the same reason holds throughout all other precepts as I shall
are something hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction Thus do you see what unhappy mistakes there were upon St. Pauls writings while St. Paul himself was yet alive how much more then must there needs be now upon those grounds that you receive them Niy St. Paul himself tells you that if his Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost Now it is plain it cannot be hidden to us who take the sense and interpretation of the whole Church you had best therefore look to your selves that you be not lost by hiding of it from your selves And if the blessed Fathers of the Church that were so conversant in Scripture yet understood it not in those times so near to the time of Christ himself as some of you say that they did not how can you presume upon your selves and some late Doctors that have dared to give you a contrary Doctrine to what they have delivered to us I have often meditared upon that place in St. Lukes Cospel where it is said of the good Samaritan that when he departed he took out two pence and gave them to the Host and said unto him take care of him and what ever thou spendest more when I come again I will repay thee Just so me thinks our Saviour hast left us two Testaments and whatsoever the Apostles Doctors and Fathers of the Church have added more and we shall humbly observe he when he comes again of his great goodness will repay us Now to summ up all it is plain by this that has been said that some Traditions of the Church must have equal authority with Scripture as the commands of a Prince have equal force and power upon Subjects whether by word of mouth delivered or by writing So the word of God written or delivered is still the word of God and of equal power And if you say that the Apostolical Tradition cannot be the word of God I ask you whether the other part of the Apostles that have left us nothing in writing were not as well inspired of the Holy Ghost as they that did you cannot sure deny it and they were too the greater part of the Twelve Now the Church of Christ still retains many things of their Doctrine thorgh we have none of their writing and sure we are to give as much credit to those that writ not as those that did I ask you again whether it be not a point of faith that the whole Scripture taken together of the Old and New Testament is the word of God and again whether all that Scripture especially in those things which concern Faith and Salvation be not most clear from corruption and again that we have the true genuine and legitimate sense of that Scripture is a point of faith too I believe you will not deny any one of these to be a point of your Faith I am sure they are all of mine so you must first acknowledge that I give as great an honour to Scripture as your self and then if we both admit those three positions as principles of Faith we must necessarily admit of Traditions for we have no Authority but that to justifie them and if we do not admit those for principles our Faith it self is wholly vain Then besides these three principles of Faith there are others also which we have only by Tradition as that the Symbol of our Faith is Canonical and Apostolical Then that Infants are to be baptized Then that those who are baptized by Hereticks are not to be re-baptized Then as is aforesaid that the blessed Mother of God alwayes remained a Virgin Then that in Baptism those words ought to be pronounced I baptize thee in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost and that without them there can be no valid Baptisme Then that there is a certain and determinate number of Sacraments and what that number is All these things I say are not clearely to be found in Scripture but we must be beholding to the Authority of Tradition But last of all for Ecclesiastical Rites and Ceremonies it is manifest that we can have no other authority but Tradition and not Apostolicall for all those neither but some of them only from the Primitive Fathers that succeeded the Apostles in the Government of Christs Church and that sure it security enough for the practice and perswasion of any Christian for I have heard that a very ancient and most learned Father said that it was a piece of most insolent madnesse to dispute the doing of that which the Church of Christ throughout the whole world has always frequented and practised so 〈◊〉 you to it There were other wicked and idolatrous Kings as Abaz Manasses Amon and some others wicked though not idolaters but yet the use of the Divine Sacrifice and worship according to the Mosaical Law does appear still to have remained in the Temple of Solomon til the Babylonish captivity as is evident by several places of Scripture Then for the failing of the Synagogue in the time of Christ which you alledge it is not to be supposed that they failed from the true faith which was before profest but she with her ceremonies and Sacrifices was turned out of dores as was before typified in Abrahams bondwoman it does not therefore follow that the Church the true wife should be so too Then the Synagogue was therefore turned away because it was neither perfect nor sufficient to salvation Heb. 7.19 for so St. Paul tells us that the Law brought nothing to perfection and in that sense the ceremonies and Sacraments of the Synagogue are called by the same Apostle Gal. 4.9 weak and beggarly elements but now the Church of Christ is perfect and sufficient to salvation because it's Sacraments which are instituted by Christ carry with them a vertue of justification and taking away of sinnes the Sacrrments of the old Law only promised a Saviour but the Sacraments of the new give salvation Again the Synagogue contained only the shadow of future things as St. Paul speaks Heb. 10.1 Ioh. 1.9 but the Church contains the light it self which is Christ as St. Iohn assures us now the shadow must necessarily fly before the light the Synagogue therefore with the Mosaical Sacrifices ought to cease when the Church comes with Christ Last of all the Synagogue was instituted for servants the Church for sonnes now servants take wages of their masters for a time and so are dismist by their masters but sonnes succeed in the perpetual inheritance which the Apostles thus insinstates to the Galatians Gast out the bondwoman and her sonne Gal. 4.30 for the sonne of the bondwoman shall not be heire with the sonne of the free woman and so enough of difference I conceive is shewed between the Synagogue and the Church to shew you that the reason is not the same To
Church I beseech you be pleased to make your own application Over and above all this I shall prove that the Church is not only incapable of errour because it is the Spouse of Christ his body and called the Kingdome of Heaven but because she is governed by the perpetual presence power and authority of the Holy Ghost who is never to forsake her Joh. 14. and first our Saviour promiseth that be will ask the Father and he shall send another comforter and so accordingly he did not long after in the same Gospell Holy Father Joh. 17.11 keep through thine own name those that thou hast given me c. and he explains himself in the same chaâ—ter that he prayes not for them onely meaning his Apostles but for them who were afterwards to believe in him through their preaching 1 Tim. 3.15 Does not S Paul tell his Disciple Timothy how he is to behave himself in the house of God which is the Church of God the pillar ground of truth how then can it possibly erre Then S. John tells us that our Saviour said that he had many things to say unto them but that they could not bear them then but when the spirit of truth should come he should teach them all truth Again the same S. John in his Epistle General tells us 1 John 2.20 that we have an unction from the holy one and that we know all things and that we shall be alwaies capable to distinguish a lye from truth it must be therefore the unction of the holy Ghost that alwaies teacheth the Church In fine Matth. 28.20 S. Matthew makes them the concluding words of his Gospel Go yet herefore teach all Nations c. teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and loe I am with you alwaies even to the end of the world Christ who is the way the truth and the life said this to his Disciples it is plain therefore that this Church which is the pillar and ground of truth that has him for its leader and the Holy Ghost for its teacher can never erre how probable is it then that it should be in an errour for above a thousand years together as you fondly imagine Then as the Church is but one so it is necessary that unity should be in the Church I prove out of the express words of S. 1 Cor. 1.10 Paul Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there he no divisions amongst you but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement and then in another place in the same Epistle sayes 1 Cor. 14.33 that God is not the author of confusion but of peace as in all Churches of the Saints What then will you say for your selves that have nothing but confusions amongst you nay is it not more probable that God will rather inspire his own body that is the concord and unity of his Church than any private Doctors whatsoever that teach a dissent from it Nay how much this unity of his Church is desired by God himself is evident by what the same S. Paul writes to the Romanes Rom. 15.4 5 6. for whatsoever things are written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ c. Again the same Apostle in the same Epistle laies an injunction upon the Romanes Rom. 12.16 whose faith he acknowledged before was celebrated over the whole world that they should be of the same mind one towards another not to mind high things but condescend to men of low estate and not to he wise in their own conceits which all they are and must be that are out of the Church Observe I pray you the most pathetical exhortation of S. Paul to this purpose Phil. 2.1 2. If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the spirit if any bowells of mercy fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one wind Nay the breach of this peace unity and unanimity in Gods Church is most passionately if it be lawfull to say so Jerem. 2.12 13. bewailed by God himself as the Prophet Jeremy expresseth it nay proposeth it as a matter of amazement to Heaven it self be astonished O ye Heavens at this and be horribly afraid be ye very desolate saith the Lord foy my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters and hewed them out cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water I pray you seriously examine with your self whether you do lesse by leaving off the Church the true and living fountain and digging to your selves broken cisterns out of Wicklif Huss Luther Calvin c. In vain sure hath God sent his Son in vain the Holy Ghost and yet more in vain hath he sent Apostles Martyrs Confessors Doctors in all ages to perpetuate the truth of his Church to us when a few of such precious persons as those of yours would have served the turn Here are only two things now as I conceive left to be cleared the one is that the Prelates and principal Persons of Christs Church assembled together do make the representative body of the whole Church the other is that the Romane Catholick Church is that universal Church disperst over the whole world As to the first it is sufficiently clear by many such Scriptures as thse And he stood and blessed all the congregation of Israel with a loud voice c. And the King and all Israel with him offered Sacrifice before the Lord now that this must be onely meant of the body representative of Israel is plain to sense and particularly exprest in the beginning of the Chapter Then Solomon assembled the Elders of Israel and all the heads of the Tribes the chief of the Fathers of the Children of Israel unto King Solomon in Jerusalem 1 Kings 8.58.62.1 Thus it is plain that the heads of the Church assembled represent the body of the whole Church Then as to the clearing of the next point I must tell you a great mistake amongst you for you commonly speaking of the Church of Rome take it only for the particular Church which formerly was and still is there and so it is no more indeed than particular But if you take it for the collection of all the faithfull who being disperst over all the world did in old daies alwaies adhere and still do to the Bishop of Rome so it is called Catholick or Universal because diffused over the whole world and it is called
too when he says for there must be allso Heresies amongst you that they which are approved may be made manifest amongst you 6. Then that no civil magistracy is to be born amongst Christians Luke 22.25 is plain out of Lukes Gospell when the Lord said unto them the Kings of the earth exercise Lordship over them c. but ye shall not be so And this it plainly again confirmed by Paul to the Ephesians Ephes 4.5 where he tells us that there is but one Lord one Faith and one Baptisme if therefore there is to be but one Lord who who shall dare to make more so that Kings Princes and Magistrates are all unlawfull things 7. Last of all that it is absolutely unlawfull for Christians to give or take Oaths is most evident out of our Saviours own words recited at large in Matthews Gospell thus Matt. 5.33 34 35 36 37. Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt perform unto the Lord thy Oaths But I say unto you swear not at all neither by Heaven for it Gods Throne nor by the earth for it is his footstool neither by Jerusalem for it is the City of the great King neither shalt thou swear by thy head because thou canst not make one hair white or black but let your communication be ye ye nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil And is not all this as plainly repeated Jam. 5.12 and confirmed by James in his Epistle General where he sayes But above all things my Brethren swear not neither by Heaven neither by the earth neither by any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay least you fall into condemnation can any thing be made more plain by more expresse Scripture than that all manner of swearing is utterly unlawfull Let them look to it therefore that make it their common practise to swear vainly and they too that under pretence of Law dare to administer or receive any Oath how judicial soever for it is a thing injurious to God and Tyrannical over humane souls That to Baptise Infants is an injury to the Lord and a most high abuse of Christian Souls and that the doctrine of a Character imprest in the Soul by Baptisme is a mear Popish cheat and collusion I prove by Scripture thus First It is plain that our Saviour in the Gospell bids his Disciples Goe and teach all Nations Mat. 28.19 20. Baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you So Matthew renders his words Mar. 16.15 16. and Mark not much different Goe ye into all the world and preach the Gospell to every creature he that believeth and is baptised shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned by both which Gospells it is evident that they who would be baptised ought first to be taught and to believe but Infants for their want of age are neither capable of learning not of faith therefore they are not capable of Baptisme 2. We find it as plain likewise in the practise of the Apostles first we see that Philip preached the Gospell a long while to the Ethiopian Eunuch bofore he was baptised Acts 8.35 36 37. and when he was sufficiently instructed he said here is water what does hinder me to be baptised and Philip said if thou believest with all thy heart thou mayest and he answered and said I believe that Jesns Christ is the Son of God and so he was baptised thus you see how his express belief was to goe before his baptisme and so you may see how the Gospoll was preached to Cornelius by Peter Acts 10. before he would baptise him all which sufficiently argues the madnesse of your Pedo-baptisme wherein their is an utter incapacity of hearing learning or believing 3. Over and above these express Scriptures I 'le give you one argument or two out of reason First you will grant that Reprobates are not to be baptised but many Infants are Reprobates therefore they are not to be baptised 4. Then why did the Ancient Primitive Christians administer Baptisme but at certain times and that but thrice a year if that Children were to be baptised so soon as they were born 5. Lastly The Scripture speaks not one word of baptising of Children but one pittifull Pope Nicholas as we find in History begun that childish Baptisme and you have been all dotards twice Children and Pope-ridden ever since 6. As for the Character that you pretend to in Baptisme it is altogether as sottish and vain a thing A Character is a meer Popish fiction likewise of which there is no mention at all made in Scripture how can we then imagine it to be any thing more than a meer figment especially since if it could be true it would would prove to be of such importance 7. Then to conclude I pray you consider a little impartially with your self what a horrid rediculous doctrine it is that water should be capable to impresse such a seal upon a soul as to stamp an indeleble character upon an immaterial thing Spectatum admissi risum tene atis Amici To what you object against our building or using of of Churches which you call Steoplehouses in the service of God adorning or giving lands and possessions to them with priviledges extraordinary as also to our Church-men and against their Priesthood Canonical hours and prayers we answer thus To the first We grant what you urge from S. Stephen out of the Acts to be great truth that the most high dweleth not in Temples made with hands c. so as to be circumscribed by his essence that is a meer pagan opinion which it may be some foolish heathens held of their Gods for the wiser of them too did not think it but we are sure no Christian can or ever could imagin it but that he dwels not in his own houses dedicated to his service by his more abundant grace is as sottish again to deny and such a presence of God in his Church we do onely beleive and maintain This answer to your Argument we do assure you we have learnt from the wise King Solomon 2 Chron. 6.18 19 c. when he was dedicating his Temple when he sayd But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth behold Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee how much less the house that I have built Then follows the end and scope he had in the Building of that house set out at large by him but that his divine Majesty should please to have respect Unto the prayers of his Servants c. To the second We answer in like manner for both those texts are to the same tune perfectly onely you are pleased to name this last pittifully for had you produced the whole out the