any receive his mark on the forehead and on the hand he shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God therefore some do keep their children unbaptized rather then have them marked with the mark of the beast ANSWER By that figne made on our foreheads is intented that we should be put in remembrance of that Christian warfare which every one baptized is to enter into and to continue in unto the end if he will be saved See Rom. 8.13 1 Tim. 6.1 Revel 2.10,11 chap. 21.7,8 So that we are not signed with the signe of the crosse in token of any superstitious matter but of a matter most necessary For though we walk in the flesh we do not warre after the flesh but are commanded to fight the good fight of Faith to endure hardnesse as a good souldier of Jesus Christ to be strong in the Lord and in power of his might to put on the whole armour of God whereby we may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devill and are taught not to glory save in the crosse of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto us and we unto the world nor is it but written that Michael and his Angels fight against the Dragon and his Angels Revel 12.7 And therefore we are to acquit our selves like men and must confesse the Faith of Christ crucified and must take unto us the whole armour of God whereby we may be able to withstand in the evill day and having done all to stand Eph. 6.13 Galat. 6.14 1 Tim. 6.12 2 Tim. 2.3 c. Now all these are main Christian duties and who so unfainedly endeavoureth to keep them needs not in any wise be offended at the signe used to put him in minde of them but will rather thank God that he is born in such a Church where not only the true Christian life is taught by tongue and pen but is also signified by some ceremony for ones more remembrance of the same The Israelites had their fringes on the borders of their garments with a ribban of blew that looking thereupon they might remember all the Commandements of the Lord Num. 15.38,39 Nor hath the Christian Church but power to appoint Ceremonies though the particulars be not as directly specified as was that to them of Israel for which we have a text in 1 Cor. 14.40 Shee therefore useth this godly Ceremony of signing with the signe of the Crosse for a good signification and transgresseth not no more then those in the daies of Joshua who built an Altar for which they had no command in the Law of Moses in regard they did it as do we for a good signification See Josh 22.22 And whereas you tell us of the mark of the Beast The mark of the Beast is surely one thing and the signe of the Crosse another They are threatned with damnation which receive the mark of the Beast But is an Infant therefore damned because he reciveth at anothers hand the sign of the Crosse upon his forehead and is no agent in it himself nor able to know either what 's done or threatned You shew your selfe a proper Divine I promise you and would broach such an inequality in the wayes of God as is utterly condemned in his holy word The soule saith the Lord that sinneth it shall dy the Sonne shall not bear the iniquity of the Father neither shall the Father bear the iniquity of the Sonne the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be upon him Ezek. 18.20 which if it make not against you let your self be judge Besides as we are free enough from receiving any mark on the hand at Confirmation so are we as able to shew that the signe of the Crosse was in use before the Beast that should impose it was born yea even whilest the Bishops of Rome were glorious Martyrs and the Church of God under the troubles of the persecuting Emperours witnesse those proofs which are brought out of Tertullian Origen and Cyprian by the learned to shew that they used it In immortali lavacro in the immortall laver See Tertull. lib. de resur Carnis Cypr. Epist 56. Jeu lib. 4. Epist 6. lib. de Lapsis sub init lib. ad Demetrianum In the first of which quotations out of Cyprian the said Father councelleth that the forehead be garded that thereby the signe of God may be kept in safety and in the second he speaks of the same signe upon the forehead and in the third he saith that by this Sacrament viz. Baptisme and signe we are enrolled Nor doth Bishop Jewell but grant that the signe of the Crosse among the Christians was had in great regard Neither when the Papists charge us with Novelties can you better know how to answer their objection then truly to tell them that their abuses are new but the things which they abused we retain in their primitive use and forsake only the novell corruption and for as much as this Ceremony was abused as is confessed in time of Popery it doth plainly imply that it was well used before Popery as King James of blessed memory hath very worthily affirmed in the conference holden at Hampton Court DIALOGUE Gent. What fault do they finde with the Prayers that are made at the administration of Baptisme Min. They finde fault with the Popish errors that are in them as in the first Prayer before Baptisme it is written that God hath sanctified the flood Jordan and all other waters to the my stycall washing away of sinne The truth is that there is no mysticall washing away of sin in water but a true and reall washing away of sin in the blood of Christ 1 Joh. 1.7 The water in Baptisme doth but signifie that as foul things are washed and made clean in water so the souls of the Elect defiled with sin are made clean in the blood of Christ 1 Joh. 1.7 ANSWER You come now to finde fault with the Prayers that are made at the adminstration of baptisme and to pick some holes in their popish coats for in your esteem they want not their popish errors But shall I tell you Saint Austin speaks in the same language that you mention to be in the first Prayer before baptisme else he had never said in his 29 Sermon Detempore That Christ in the waters of Jordan consecrated the waters for the reparation of humane kinde under baptisme And a little after Et quia saith he per universum mundum sacramentum Baptismi humano generi opus erat omnibus aquis benedictionem dedit quando in Jordanis alveum unica ac singulari piet ate descendit Tunc enim Christum Dominum non tam lavit undo quam lota est That is And because saith he the Sacrament of Baptisme was needfull for mankinde throughout the whole world he gave a blessing to all waters when in his only and fingular piety he descended into the river
the Tench is commonly called the Phisitian of other fishes And although I want leisure to search further yet on the suddaine this I find That the fat of fresh river fishes molten and mingled with oyle and hony are of great excellency for the clearenesse of the eyes and if the fat of some fishes why not of some their gall I conclude therefore that more happy is hee who by his paines and industry can find out the causes of things than he who is so singular as to account all fables but his owne fancies DIALOGUE Minist On the thirtieth of September another lying fable is appointed to be read of an Angell that was sent to scale the whitenesse from his eyes and to give Sara the daughter of Raguel to his son Tobias in marriage and to bind Asmodeus an evill spirit that was in love with her and had killed seven men that had bin married unto her ANSWER You care little for method I see September else had beene before October But to let that passe and come to the matter in hand Though I thinke no man bound to beleeve any further of this which you tearme another lying fable than himselfe pleaseth yet this is certaine that the Scriptures themselves declare how the Angels are sent on Gods arrants and have sometimes appeared not onely to punish the wicked but also to do good offices for the godly as when Lot was led out of Sodom two Angels came unto him and left him not untill they had set him in safety Nor was the Poole of Bethesda but moved by an Angell after which motion hee that first stepped in was healed of whatsoever infirmitie he had The Scriptures also mention that the Angels are all ministring spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heires of salvation Hebr. 1.14 and that the good Angels sometimes fight against the bad Revel 12.7 and that they pitch their tents round about those that feare God Psalm 34.7 The Scriptures saith Saint Austin Aug de civit Dei â—…b 15. c. 23 plainely averre that the Angels have appeared both in visible and palpable figures Which saying of his is verified even by that already mentioned concerning the Angels which came to Lot at Sodom for Lot saw them in the likenesse of men talked with them and had tryall of the palpablenesse of their bodies even when they put forth their hands and pulled him into the house if not also when they led him out of the Citie An Angell of the Lord appeared likewise unto Gideon in the likenesse of a man with a staffe in his hand Judges 6.21 And how Manoah and his wife were instructed by an Angell concerning the birth and education of their sonne Sampson is recorded in the thirteenth chap. of the same booke of Scripture By all which it appeareth that there is no absolute necessitie that this which you mention should be therefore fabulous because an Angell was sent among them For the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Nuncius in Latine as you know and that in English is a Messenger It comes from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Mitto To send and therefore the word Angell is no name of Nature but of Ministery or Office as is observed by the Fathers And as for that which is next of the evill spirit being in love with the daughter of Raguel I finde in the writings of some Authours that which I am sure is nothing against it And first of all I shall mention that which is certaine namely that some both places and persons have beene haunted by evill spirits and therefore it is not altogether improbable to think some such thing of Saras bed and Chamber The more unlikely is that the evill spirit should have liberty to kill her seven Husbands and yet wee know that the Devill hath had leave sometimes to doe the like as in that * See also Psal 78.49 example of Iobs servants and his children recorded in the first Chapter of the booke of Iob is plainely manifest But the most unlike is that this evill spirit should bee in love a thing which comes something neere to that interpretation which Lactantius gives Lact. lib. 2. cap. 15. of the Sonnes of God and the daughters of Men in Genesis the sixt the second namely that they should take them Wives have carnall action with them and by that meanes bee kept out of Heaven and cast to the Earth who thereupon became agents and officers for the devill and his angels who were fallen long before Now against this Saint Austin comes with a firme beliefe for though he seemes to yeeld rather than deny some such thing concerning Devils as I shall afterwards mention yet he firmely beleeves the contrary concerning Gods Angels And as for devills Michael Psellus affirmeth out of one Marke a great Daemonist that the watery and earthly Devils have such bodies as are nourished like spunges with attraction of humour affirming also that they have certaine genitours cast forth sperme and produce by which I think he meanes the Fairies diverse little creatures The Aegyptians say that the devils can only accompany carnally with Women and not with Men. Plutarch goeth further and saith That the Fables of the Gods signified some things that the Devils had done in the old time And there are saith Ludovicus Vives Com. in Aug. De civit Dei lib. 15. c. 23. a people at this day which glory that their discents are from the Devills who accompanied with Women in Mens shapes and with Men in Womens Whereto agreeth that which is reported of Merlin that hee was begotten of a spirit Nor is it but a generall report and averred by many either from their owne tryall or from others that are of indubitable honestie and credit as saith Saint Austin that the Sylvanes and Faunes commonly called Incubi have often injured Women desiring and acting carnally with them And that certaine Devills whom the Frenchmen call Dusies do continually practise this uncleannesse and tempt others to it is affirmed by such persons and with such confidence that it were impudence as saith the same Father to deny it See August De Civitate Dei lib. 15. cap. 23. Much more concerning this may be read in Burtons Melancholy which relations whether they be true or false is not much materiall or suppose them false yet can they make nothing against us it due regard be had to that allowance which Our Church gives to these Bookes Apocrypha DIALOGUE Minist On the first of October another lying fable is appointed to bee read how Tobie being about to send his Sonne Tobias to Rages in Media for a Wife did bid him goe and looke for a man to goe with him and that he went and found an Angell and brought him to his Father who promised to give the Angell wages and agreed with him what he should have by the day and sent him with his sonne and his dog ANSWER Had old Tobie knowne
are those words of our Saviour Christ to be understood in Luk. 14.26 where he saith that If any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother c. he cannot be my Disciple Thus our Saviour Now we know that a man is bound to honour his Father and Mother to love them and not to hate them and yet he that shall love either Father or Mother more then Christ is not worthy of Christ Matth. 10.37 And thus doth one place explain another But howsoever the meaning be that what you mention is not to be referred precisely to the particular persons of Jacob and Esau whereupon you loose that you strive for is plain enough First because Gods Oracle to Rebecca was concerning two Nations Gen. 25.23 where the words be these And the Lord said unto her two Nations are in thy womb and two manner of peâ—ple shall be separated from thy bowels and the one people shall be stronger then the other people and the elder shall serve the younger Duae gentes nen in seipsis sed in suis patribus secundum Prophetiam quoque ipsius Isaac quando Minorom pro Majore benedixit And secondly because the Prophet Malachy declares the same nay he shews the accomplishment thereof in the Israelites and Edomites the one whereof were discended of Jacob the other of Esau Malach. chap. 1. The Paraphrase whereof is as followeth Ecce populus Israeliticus ex Jacobo oriundus populus iste est quem singulariter dilexit Deus quippe cui ex merâ—… dilectiâ—…e gratia terram promâ—ssam melle lacte fluentem Abrahamo Isaaco olim promissam velut haereditatem possidendam dedit Populus verò Edomeus ex Esau progenitus populus iste est quem Deus amore isto singulari complecti favore tam prolixo adficere noluit quippe cui horrida inculta loea montes Seir vastos saxosis desertosque cum fertili ista terra promissa miniâ—… conserendos habitandos dedit ut servilis borum filialis istorum conditio juxta praegressum de illorum capitibus or aculum clare elucesceret And was it not that out of both these Saint Paul cited that which you have aymed at and in Saint Pauls Epistles are some things hard to be understood as Saint Peter tels us 2 Pet. 3.16 Wherefore let me advise you not to be rash in citing from thence things hard to be understood nor come with things obscure against what is elsewhere plain and manifest for then you will neither benefit your self nor truly instruct others The elder shall serve the younger understand that not of the persons of Esau and Jacob for Esau never served Jacob but of the two * Major populus serviet Minori id est Primogenitus populus haeres non trit terrae Canaan sed secundogenitus Propositum enim Dei erat vocare semen quos quales vult Nations which were to come of them as the words of God declare which said not to Rebecca Two men but two Nations are in thy womb And then whereas the Apostle presently subjoyneth Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated it is not to be taken as if it were spoken before the children were born as was the former Oracle for this was said many ages after by the Prophet Malachy and spoken likewise not of two men but of two people as in the said Prophet is apparent Besides the very phrase of speech declareth that this was not as the other spoken before the Children were born for then it had not been in the Preterperfect but in the Future tense So that all the reference which this can have unto the former is but to shew how Gods purpose took effect in preferring the Nations which came of Jacob before the people which came of Esau which he terms love and hatred and is found to be so in the sence already mentioned But whereto serve those examples if they be not to shew that God irrespectively decreed to save the persons of some of them in particular and absolutely in particular according to the Councell of his will to damn the others Verily he that shall read the Scriptures and find it * Ezek. 18 32. ch 33.11 1 Tim 2.4 2 Pet 3.9 written that God would not the death of him that dyech would have all to be saved and is not willing that any one should perish will scarce be perswaded that God hath absolutely decreed any mans damnation I answer therefore Gods love to mankinde is such that not only is the promise of Grace Universall but also free and taken by Faith alone insomuch that the Apostle to the Romans plainly excludes all prerogative of the flesh and merit of workes and concludes that every one who believes shall not be ashamed For there is no difference between the Jew and the Gentile For he that is Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him And hereto serve those famous Types and Heads of Nations which he propoundeth when he brings in the sonnes of Abraham and of Isaac already mentioned which types as Hemmingius speaketh Hemming Syntagm capit De Praedestinat sect 32. are to be fitted after this manner viz. that in certain commodities belonging to this life all which are born of the seed of Abraham and Isaac are not reckoned for their sonnes Much lesse in things spirituall are they accounted as sons who draw their originall from those holy Fathers Wherefore even as in profits and priviledges belonging to this life they only are reputed the sonnes of whom the holy Patriarchs had the promises So in things Spirituall they only are to be reckoned as sons of Abraham whose faith is in the free promise and not those who exult and swell by reason of the Prerogative of the flesh as did the carnall Jews whose rejection he sheweth to be just notwithstanding they could say we have Abraham to our Father * Similiter nunc propositum hoc Dei manet quo Judaeos legem praefracte sectari volentes licet illi praeferri debere videantur Gentilibus semen vocare non vult sed omnes solos eos sive Judaei sunt qui Evangelio filii ejus credunt et si hi illis deteriores indigniores esse videantur DIALOGUE Gent. This errour you say is in the Rubrick what is in the Chatechisme Min. In the Catechism it is affirmed that Christ hath redeemed all Mankind The truth is that Christ came into the world not to redeem all Mankind but the Elect only therefore the Evangelist Saint Luke setting forth the Genealogy of Christ beginneth from Joseph and ascendeth to Adam and from Adam doth descend to Sheth who was the first of Elect that was born after the death of Abel and maketh no mention of Cain nor of any of his posterity And Saint Matthew beginning from Abraham and from Abraham descendeth to Isaac and from Isaac to Jacob and maketh no mention of Ishmael nor of Esau nor of any that
A CONFVTATION OF M. Lewes Hewes HIS DIALOGVE OR AN ANSWER to a DIALOGVE or Conference betweene a Country Gentleman and a Minister of Gods Word about the Booke of COMMON PRAYER Set forth for the Satisfying of those who clamour against the said Booke and maliciously revile them that are serious in the use thereof Whereunto is annexed a Satisfactory Discourse concerning EPISCOPACY and the SVRPLISSE Published by Authority LONDON Printed for I. M. at the George in Fleestreet neere Saint Dunstans Church 1641. M. LEWES HEWES His DIALOGVE ANSVVERED Or An Answer to a Dialogue or Conference betweene a Country Gentleman and a Minister of Gods Word about the Booke of COMMON PRAYER Set forth for the Satisfying of those who clamour against the said Booke and maliciously revile them that are serious in the use thereof Whereunto is annexed a Satisfactory Discourse concerning EPISCOPACY and the SVRPLISSE Published by Authority LONDON Printed for I. M. at the George in Fleestreet neere Saint Dunstans Church 1641. AN ANSWER TO A Dialogue or Conference BETWEENE A Countrey GENTLEMAN AND A MINISTER of GODS Word About the Book of Common PRAYER The DIALOGUE Gent. I Am very glad that I have met with you and did long to speake with you that you might satisfie mee in some things concerning the Booke of Common Prayer therefore I pray you tell mee truly as I hope you will is there any thing in it contrary to Gods Word Min. Yes verily it is full of Popish errours and doth appoint horrible blasphemies and lying fables to bee read to the people in stead of Gods holy Word and hath caused the Church of England to groane under the abominations of the Church of Rome even from the infancie of it in Queene Elizabeths time untill this houre and now there is great hope that a time of refreshing and deliverance is at hand through the blessing of God on this Parliament The ANSVVER If you were not as great a friend to the Brownists as you are an enemie to the Papists you would not thus cast dust in the face of the Church of England and blemish the pietie of those who notwithstanding they died in defence of the truth against Poperie did neverthelesse embrace the Booke of Common Prayer using it to their great comfort commending it to others and sometimes hugging it even in the very flames as in Master Foxes Acts and Monuments may be seene DIALOGUE Gent. I never heard any blasphemy or lying fable read in the Church Minist I thinke so because it may be that you were never in the Church on those dayes wherein they are appointed to bee read Gent. Upon what dayes are they appointed to be read Minist On the fourth of October in the forenoone it appointeth an horrible blasphemy to be read for the first Lesson out of the 12. of Tobie and the 9. verse where it is written that Almes doe save from Death and purge away all sinne which is a maine ground of Poperie and an horrible blasphemie against Christ and his blood that clenseth us from all sin 1 Ioh. 1.7 Also in the 15. verse of that Chapter it is written that there are seven Angels that doe present our prayers which is another horrible blasphemy against Christ who onely doth present our prayers Rev. 8.3,4 Gent. These are horrible blasphemies indeed ANSVVER I hope if you be a Minister as you say you are you cannot but know that those Bookes which are not in the number of the Canonicall Bookes of Scripture are not appointed to be read as the other are For our Church though it be otherwise in the Church of Rome doth not apply them to establish any doctrine as in her sixth Article of Religion she hath proclaimed They are not allowed to thwart any place of holy Scripture but at the best to informe manners and not to confirme faith For though they be in many things clear and correspondent to the holy Scriptures yet this makes them not to be of the same Canonicall authoritie All that S. Hierom saith is this viz. that they be Canonici ad informandos mores non ad confirmandam fidem And S. Austin thus Aug. De Civit. Dei lib. c. 23. Let us saith he omit the Scriptures that are called Apocripha because the old Fathers of whom we had the Scriptures knew not the authors of those workes wherein though there be some trâ—ths yet their multitude of falshoods makes them of no Canonicall Authoritie where by saying Let us omit the Scriptures that are called Apocripha he meanes that they should not bee used for the proving of any Doctrine which cannot bee proved out of the other Scriptures which are the undoubted Word of God Nor bee they but of use likewise for matter of Storie especilly the Bookes of the Machabees which neverthelesse are not to teach a man either to sacrifice for the dead or to kill himselfe The direction therefore which King Iames gave the Clergy in his Conference with them at Hampton Court is altogether a full answer namely that wherein there was any errour hee would not have them read at all wâ— h saying of his must needs be enough to stop this quarrellers mouth and tell him that he makes a stirre without a cause not caring to disturbe the peace of his holy mother which how he can be able to answer let him judge by that which Christ hath charged him with in Cantic 2.7 And thus both by the Articles of our Church the determination of Fathers and the direction of his late Majestie of blessed memorie all moderate and quiet spirits may bee satisfied concerning these bookes Apocrypha both for their gonerall and particular DIALOGUE Gent. I pray you let me heare some of the Fables that are in it Min. On the fourth of October in the afternoone it appointeth a lying fable to be read out of the 11 of Tobie where it is written that Tobie going to the doore to meet his sonne Tobias comming from Rages did stumble and that his sonne ran unto him and laid the gall of a fish to his eyes and that the whitenesse did scale off and hee restored to his sight ANSWER To thinke that this is therefore fabulous because the gall of a fish is said to be used as a medicine for the eyes is more than a wise man will be forward to affirme Vid Llod's Treasury of health Phisitians write that dimb sighted eyes are cured by the gall of a Partridg so also by the gall of a Turtle-dove I have likewise read that the gall of a Cocke mixt with the juyce of Selandine and hony being annointed on the eyes restoreth sight The gall of a Gripe or Ramme is also used in medicine for the same purpose And if the galls of these creatures be thus precious for the eyes why may not the like vertue be in the gall of some fish I have read it of the Tench that his slime is for some things as medicinable as a salve whereupon
Jordan For then the water did not so much wash Christ the Lord as was washed by him The truth then is that this is no popish errour in the judgement of so holy a Father although now a dayes any thing be popery which a peevish precisian thinks good to stumble at As little or lesse cause have you to quarrell about the mysticall washing away of sinne for a thing may be really performed although the manner be mysticall and the means such as doth not discover in what maaner the reallity of the thing is done So that although it be true that the soules which are defiled with sinne are washed in the blood of Christ which Saint John affirmeth yet the virtue and efficacy of his blood shed is conveighed and sealed to us by such wayes and means as himselfe hath appointed otherwise he had never said that Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Joh. 3.5 But the water you say doth but signifie Signifie it doth but to say it doth but signifie is to assign unto it no end but only to teach the minde by other senses that which the word doth teach by hearing And unto Infants which are not capable of instruction who would not think it a meer superfluity that any Sacrament is administred if to administer the Sacraments be but to teach receivers what God doth for them But when our Saviour Christ saith as in the text already mentioned that except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God the truth is that as the Spirit is a necessary inward cause so Water is a necessary outward mean why else are we likewise taught in another text That Baptisme is a bath of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 And that with water Christ doth purifie and clense his Church Eph. 5.26 Let then the Sacraments have their due for though they do not conferre grace ex opere operato as the Papists teach yet they conferre grace ex opere operantis because the holy Ghost worketh both in and by those holy Rites and Institutions DIALOGUE Min. In another prayer the Minister prayeth that the Infant may receive remission of sinnes by spirituall regeneration The truth is that the Children of God have their sinnes forgiven and are sanctified by Faith Rom 5.1 and not by spirituall regeneration which is but an effect of Faith purifiing the heart Act. 15.9 Or to speak more plainly it is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33 by accepting of the sufferings and obedience of Christ as a sufficient recompence and satisfaction and doth by Faith assure the hearts of his Children that for the merits of the sufferings and obedience of Christ his wrath is pacified and his Justice satisfied ANSWER And is it possible that you should be offended with this Prayer because the Minister prayeth that the Infant may receive remission of sinnes by spirituall regeneration Why man Remission of sinnes is plainly promised to them that receive Baptisme aright as we read in Act. 2.38 It is therefore the Doctrine of the Catholick Church to beleeve one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes as I am sure you know and are bound unto it except you mean to be an Heretick Let it then good Sir be lawfull to pray for that which the Scripture promiseth and to demean our selves as we ought in the use of these holy mysteries Simon Magus indeed received no benefit by Baptisme because he was not disposed aright but yet neverthelesse where no obstacle comes between even the sinnes of the Baptized are remitted Your false tenet is also again confuted by that which the devout Ananias said to Paul at the time of his Conversion And now why tarriest thou Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes calling on the name of the Lord Act. 22.16 See then your error now at full not only remission spoken of but also Prayer mentioned If therefore your accusation be just let any man that will but come and see as he ought to doe be judge You have alledged Scripture but very impertinently and as for your first quotation out of Rom. 5.1 there is no such thing there as you speak of concerning sanctification by Faith Put on your Spectacles when you look again But I conclude this answer in the words of that worthy Hooker Eccles Polit. lib. 5. sect 60 pag. 132. 133. There were saith he of the old Valentinian Hereticks some which had Knowledge in such admiration that to it they ascribed all and so despised the Sacraments of Christ pretending that as Ignorance had made us subject to all misery so the full redemption of the inward man and the work of our restauration must needs belong unto Knowledge only They draw neer unto this error who fixing wholy their mindes on the known necessity of Faith imagin that nothing but Faith is necessary for the attainment of all grace Yet is it a branch of Beliefe that Sacraments are in their place no lesse required then beliefe it selfe DIALOGUE Min. In another Prayer thanks is given to God for regenerating the Infant with his holy Spirit The truth is that the Children of God do receive the Spirit of God to Regenerate them not by springling of water in Baptism but by hearing the Gospel Preached 2 Cor. 3.8 Act. 10.44 To make mention of all the Popish errors that are in other Prayers and Collects would be too tedious ANSWER To be regenerated is to receive new motions of the minde by the holy Ghost and to be made a new creature Whereto agreeth that which Melancthon writeth Melanct. in Loc. pag. 246. Cum spiritus sanctus novos motus novam vitam afferat dicitur haec conversio Regeneratio But this you say is done not by the sprinkling of water in Baptism but by hearing the Gospel Preached and hereupon you point us to two places of Scripture I shall shew you two other which are more plain and proving the one is Jam. 1.18 the other is in 1 Pet. 1.23 In that of S. Iames the words bethese of his own will begat he us with the Word of Truth And in S. Peter thus Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth abideth forever And yet notwithstanding the scripture saith elswhere That a man must be born again of Water and the Spirit Joh. 3.5 And in another text Baptisme is expresly termed the Laver of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 to both which places in a former answer I have already pointed you So that Regeneration is wrought you see by severall means not by the word alone but by Baptisme as well as by the word The one you mention the other is forgotten nay it is altogether denied by you But be better advised and crosse not the Scriptures good Sir I beseech you And for a full clearing let it be known that what the word doth in that which you mention is to
tribe of thine inheritance and mount Sion wherein thou hast dwelt Lift up thy feet that thou maist utterly destroy every enemy which hath done evill in thy Sanctuary Thine adversaries roare in the middest of thy Congregations and set up their Banners for tokens He that hewed timber afore out of the thick trees was known to bring it to an excellent worke But now they breake down all the carved worke thereof with axes and hammers All which being spoken by a man after Gods own heart is of current weight and without exception I may therefore turn againe now to follow what is next in the Dialogue And that which is next is about the order prescribed by the Church in the Visitation of the sick in which because you have some exceptions the same with what we have heard from you already in certain other passages shall not here be again repeated DIALOGUE Gent. What form of Prayer doth the Service-book prescribe for sicke persons Min. It prescribeth no form to be used in the Church Gent. What then Min. The Minister must go to their houses and salute them as the Masse-Priest doth saying Peace be to this house and to all that dwell in it and when he is come where the sick person is he must kneele kc. ANSWER And why I pray doe you quarrell with this Christ taught his Disciples so to salute the house into which they entred Math 10.12,13 and Luk. 10.5,6,7 And may not the Ministers since those times doe the like but be blamed for their labours You fight with your own shaddow and quarrell without a cause as is most apparent There be six duties of charity of which our Saviour will speak at the latter day and to come and visite the fick is one of them Math. 25.35,36 Nor is it in the Minister but even a work also of his office And therefore being sent for he commeth to pray with instruct comfort and strengthen the sick party For Is any man sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him Jam. 5.14 This order then is not without a scripture rule But you have a further quarrell and that 's against our absolving the sick person from all his sinnes in the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Why man if it be done in the name of the blessed Trinity it is not by any primary or originall power that is in our selves For the Bishops and Pastours of the Church doe not forgive sinne by any absolute power of their own for so only Christ their Master forgiveth sinnes but ministerially as the servants of Christ and stewards to whose fidelity their Lord and Master hath committed his Keyes If you aske me how Christ came by this power seeing none can forgive sinnes but God I answer first that he had it by Commission from God it was a power given him by his Father and so we reade in Joh. 20.21 Secondly he had it through the Union of the God-head and Manhood into one person For though it be true that as he was God he had it of himselfe yet not so as he was Man For as he was Man he had it by virtue of the Union from God Now this he transfers further Peter had a promise that the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven should be given but this promise was not accomplished untill afterwards not untill the day of Christs Resurrection whereupon we reade in as plain words as may be That the same day at night which was the first day of the weeke and when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Jews came Jesus and stood in the midst and said unto them Peace be unto you And when he had so said he shewed unto them his hands and his sides Then were the Disciples glad when they had seen the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again Peace be unto you As my Father sent me so send I you And when he had said that he breathed on them and said unto them receive the holy Ghost Whosoevers sinnes yee remit they are remetted unto them and whosoevers sâ—nnes ye retaine they are retained Joh. 20.19,20,21,22,23 When this promise was made to Peter although spoken to him in particular yet not with an intent to invest him solely in the thing promised as even the sequel and accomplishment thereof fully proveth Howbeit because he by his Confession gave answere for the rest and was the speaker for them when Christ said But whom say ye that I am therefore doth Christ direct his speech to him againe in particular who as he spake for them all so he is promised the Keyes in the behalfe of them all See Mat. 16.15,16,17.18,19 This then sheweth that S Peter was indued with no more power then the rest of the Apostles and therefore the Pope can claime no more then another Bishop and in that regard our Ordination is lawfull and right valid and firme although we goe not over to Rome to fetch it For so long as we have Bishops of our owne consecrated and installed into their Office as Bishops alwayes have been there is no doubt or scruple to be made Knowing therefore that when we take Ordination we also receive an holy and Ghostly authorioy not only in having the word of Reconciliation and dispensation of the Sacraments committed unto us but also of binding and loosing or of remitting and retaining sinnes we may not suffer our Church to be dâ—famed nor the Ministers thereof to be accounted Antichristian For hath our Saviour said Whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted and whose sinnes yee retain they are retained and shall any mortall man deny it His words are not Whose sinnes yee signifie to be remitted but Whose sinnes yee remit which the Author of the Practice of Piety no Papist sure hath well observed Nor is the same but granted by a distinction put between declare and pronounce For to declare is chiefly to shew Gods goodnesse towards penitent sinners which every good Christian may doe when he sees occasion for the comfort of his brother according to the truth of Gods gratious promises but to pronounce is to give sentence as a Judge in the name of him who hath the authority primarily in himselfe You speak of the key of Knowledge and explaine it well enough but that is not the sole key of binding and loosing and therefore not a thing which comes fully home to the purpose Whensoever therefore any sick person or burthened sinner shall unbosome himselfe to one of Gods ministers and shall heare him pronounce thus By the authority which Christ hath committed to me I doe absolve thee from all thy sinnes in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost then may the said Sinner rest assured that his sinnes are forgiven him and that God doth ratifie in Heaven what his Priest pronounceth on Earth The like may be said of one who for the present sees
hands suddenly upon any one Hee had power therefore of the imposition of hands and to ordain Presbyters For the charge is particularly directed to him and not to them even as wee shall see it afterwards in the Church of Crete where the power of ordination is as peculiar to Titus as here to Timothy and in neither places committed to the Presbyters This therefore made one say that Their hands without His will not serve His without Theirs might An Apostle did so to him meaning to Timothy and he a Bishop might doe it to others For the Apostle doth not say here Lend thy hand to be laid on with others but appropriates it as his owne act saying even to him in particular Lay hands suddenly upon no man neither partake of other mens sias Bee there then what Presbyters there will although the Bishop and so is the practice of our Church may joyne their hands to his owne yet that they alone without him can make a man a lawfull Minister is utterly denied for a meere Presbyter or many Presbyters of themselves did never ordain others into the holy Ministery And Epiphanius gives the reason of it For how can it be saith he that a Priest should create qui potestatem imponendi manus non habet who hath no power of the imposition of hands Hierome himselfe could say Excepta ordinatione who being no fast friend to Bishops may be the better heard without suspition Quid enim facit Episcopus excepta ordinatione quod Presbyter non facit For what doth a Bishop except ordination which a Presbyter also doth not they be his owne words in an Epistle written to Evagrius And in the dayes of Athanasius when that worthy Hosius was also famous there was one Colluthus a certain Priest of Alexandria who tooke upon him to ordaine Presbyters but the Church in a generall Councell convented him and pronounced against his ordination that it was no other then a meere Nullity Quo pacto igitur Presbyter Ischyras aut quo tandem authore constitutus nunquid scilicet a Collutho saith Athanasius in his second Apologie Ischyras was no Priest because ordained by Colluthus He is therefore not onely opposed whilst hee had the holy cup in his hand but even devested afterwards of his pretended orders and with all the rest which Colluthus undertooke to maâ—e put amongst the Laicks ranked in their order and under their name admitted to the holy Supper But some perhaps will say that Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13.3 received imposition of hands by the Presbyters of Antioch and therefore meere Presbyters may ordaine No sure never a jot the more for this Imposition of hands was for more causes then one both Paul and Barnabas were in the Ministery before this and therefore by that which was now done they received not their consecration into holy orders It may rather be said that Paul had his ordination from Ananias a certaine Disciple of Damascus because he before this came and laid his hands upon him as we read in Act. 9.17 But neither was this to ordaine him into holy orders in regard that his calling was immediate and therefore saith he to those of Galatia that he was an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Iesus Christ God the Father Gal. 1.1 And to the Corinthians That he was not inferior to the very chiefe Apostles as he hath likewise told us in the 2. Cor. 12.13 What then It is true that God gave extraordinary gifts in those dayes even to the healing of the sicke and curing of the diseased in which regard S. Paul being blinde through the bright lustre of the vision is cured when Ananias comes laies his hands upon him and is also filled with the holy Ghost which seems to be for the strengthening of him after his conversion and for his settlement in Religion and the saith of Christ for we see that it was done by the speciall appointment of God and not so much before hee went abroad to preach as before hee was received into the Church by holy Baptisme yea the whole businesse was extraordinary even in respect of the instrument who had an immediate direction and an extraorinary gift to doe in this all that he did be it for what it will And as for them at Antioch they were not onely teachers but Prophets by whom the Holy Ghost declared likewise that they must separate Barnabas and Saul from the rest of the Ministers or Disciples there and not now make them Ministers that they were before yet because they must bee gone from them and goe further abroad among the Gentiles they solemnly commend them to the grace of God for they fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them and let them goe the expresse words of the text so that this may be rather termed a Manumission then an Ordination And all this while the way is plaine But there is yet a place in the first Epistle to Timothy chap. 4. verse 14. which is also urged to prove that Presbyters may ordaine the words being taken by some as if Timothy received his consecration into holy Orders by the hands of Presbyters But if Saint Paul may be suffered to be his owne interpreter he afterward shewes us that this was otherwise for I put thee in remembrance saith he that thou stirre up the gift of God which is in thee by the laying on of my hands 2 Tim. 1.6 His then were the hands that ordained Timothy and according thereunto is the charge that hee also gave to the said Timothy when he bade him Lay hands suddenly upon no man there being no one word to invest every ordinary Presbyter with the like power What is it then The text objected saith not Neglect not the gift that is in thee c. by the imposition of the hands of the Presbyters nor by the imposition of the hands of a Presbytery but by the imposition of the hands of Presbytery that is by the laying upon thee the hands of Ordination termed the hands of Presbytery or Priesthood because that 's the office into which the party consecrated is then ordained more then which cannot bee fairely gathered thence especially seeing the Apostle doth so clearly put the matter out of doubt by saying that his were the hands that ordained Timothy as in that before I have already shewed And indeed if Timothy were ordained by a Presbytery then by more then one but Saint Paul in that other place hath said that his hands and no other were imposed on him Nor is this but granted even by Calvin himselfe to be the right sense of the place as in the fourth booke of his Institutions at the third Chapter is manifest But leaving Timothy looke next at Titus the large Island of Crete is expresly committed to his peculiar charge in which were many Cities and he expresly said to be set over them all no mention being made of any other For For this cause left I
thee in Crete that thou shouldest put in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Presbyters in every City as I appointed thee Tit. 1.5 Titus was therefore a Bishop at the least and hath the power of Ordination as in this first testimony is more then manifest Besides it is to Titus that the authority is given to stop the mouths of false teachers and to convince them sharply that they may be sound in the faith verse 11.13 And again upon him is the charge laid to reject an heretick after he had beene once or twice admonished as in the third Chapter at the tenth verse So then though the Diocesse was large and the Clergy numerous yet he is in power above them all Idem Ministerium sed diversa potestas But come we next to the Seven Churches of Asia which are ruled by their Seven Angels although at the same time they had in them their other Pastors All as one speaketh were Angels in respect of their Ministery one was the Angell in respect of his fixed superiority For the Apostles that planted Churches in Cities left them to one Bishop and the rule is according to Gods word that there be one Angell to watch over the City and Country belonging to it and so we see it here in these Seven Churches where each Angell answers for the whole City as one Temple committed to him And therefore as is worthily avouched the Pope that will be over all Cities and Diotrephes that will be under none that is he who rejects equals and he that receives no superiours are equally proud of an unjust preheminence The evasion which some have sought is very poore to one that is say they to more To one Angel that is collectively to more Angels then one But to what purpose is it to insist any where upon propriety of speech if a man may as he pleaseth take such a lawlesse liberty of construction for without doubt no more are the Seven Angels to be taken collectively then are the seven Churches of both which Christ himselfe hath said The seven Starres are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven Candlestickes that thou sawest are the seven Churches Rev. 1.20 And then afterwards these seven Churches are likewise named both at the 11. verse of that first Chapter as also in the two next Chapters that follow and shewed to be these viz. Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicea In a word the approvements charges and chalenges here made are personall and easie to be distinguished from the speeches directed to others of the same Church as in example may be seen in that which is said both to the Angel and to them of Smyrna where first the graces of that Angel are acknowledged and then to those of his Church is said that the Divell should cast some of them into prison and that they should bee tried and endure tribulation ten dayes wherein they are in generall premonished of the persecution that should befall them And then addressing to the Angel of the Church in particular the speech is to him in the singular saying Bee thou faithfull unto the death And so indeed he was for Polycarpus was then the Angel of Smyrna and died Bishop there being crowned with the royall wreath of Martyrdome about the yeare of our Lord 170. which was 86. yeares after he began to be Bishop and to serve God in that charge the head of this beginning reaching up to the yeare of Christ 84. which was ten yeares before S. Iohn received his Revelation hee is poore in reading that shall deny it and rich in wrangling that will not grant it making thereby Ireneus and Eusebius of no better credit then the histories of Tom Thumb and Garagantua Nor is it but greatly worth the marking with what an admirable constancie that blessed Martyr continued faithfull as Eusebius largely tels the story by which without doubt he set a cleare Comment upon the Text in sticking so closely to his heavenly admonition I will instance in no more although the like may be seen in some of the rest especially in that which was said to the Angel of the Church of Thyatyra who notwithstanding those good parts services and graces which were commended in him is not a little taxed in this viz. that he suffered the woman Iezabel For mark how the words run Thou sufferest the woman Iezabel who calleth herselfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce my servants c. Now as one worthily were he but an ordinary Presbyter unarmed with power how could hee help it Or why should hee bee charged with what hee could not redresse A A little Brasse or Copper well rub'd and furbished may glitter like gold but here are more then shewes and probabilities of imparity amongst Christs Ministers cleare testimonies of supereminent and jurisdictive power as from first to last in these few lines hath been truly made apparant Episcopacie is therefore of no other then Divine Institution and was first begun by our blessed Saviour in his twelve Apostles it hath been continued ever since by the governing of the Church with Bishops who are in this the Apostles successors and to bee continued till the end of the world He that shall deny it had need to looke better about him for setting aside some prerogatives and priviledges peculiar onely to them who were the first Apostles their calling could not bee extraordinary for if it were then how could Christ be with them untill the end of the world But lo saith he I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the world Matth. 28.26 And now after all this I could further back the whole with testimonies of the Ancient but the Scriptures are cleare enough without them And yet to give truth the greater luster I shall collect some few besides what of this nature hath been already and briefly set them downe S. Hierom shall be first who expounding these words in the 44. Psalm namely that In the stead of Fathers thou shalt have Children breakes forth into these words Fuerint O Ecclesia Apostoli patres tui quia ipsi te genuerunt Nunc autem quia illi recesserunt à mundo habes pro his Episcopos silios that is O Church the Apostles were thy Fathers because they begate thee But now because they have left the world thou hast in their stead Bishops and they are sonnes The same doth also S. Austin note upon the foresaid Psalme Quidest saith he pro patribus tuis nati sunt tibi filii Patres missisunt Apostoli pro Apostolis filii nati sunt tibi constituti sunt Episcopi S. Hierom againe Catol Script Eccles Epist ad Evagr. Com. in Matth. in Proem in Praefat. in Marc. though no fast friend hath left recorded that Bishops in Alexandria began whilst many of the Apostles were aliye as S. Peter and S. Paul S. James and S. Marke which last I mean S. Marke is by the confession of the said