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
which was that to eat meat with unwasht bands made the meat unclean and the eater two tells them that not that which goeth into the mouth defileth c. This I say was onely to rebuke that foollish errour of theirs for he could not mean it absolutly otherwise they that in the Apostles time should have eaten meats offered to Idolls things strangled or blood or poyson willingly and knowingly should not have been defiled but so we know they were Over and above let it be granted that all meat whatsoever which enters the mouth passeth into the belly and is cast out into the draught does not defile a man Yet when a man shall against the commandment of God and his Church or the custome and Tradition of it or against his own vow or with the scandall of his neighbour take any meat whatsoever it does and must of necessity defile him for this proceeds out of an evil and malicious heart that is from a plain contempt of God and his Church in so slighting their precepts Thus if the Rechabites had drunk wine though in it self good they had defiled themselves because it was against the comand of their father And it is plain that God approves their abstinence for that very reason and pronounceth a blessing to the whole family for being obedient to the precepts of Jonadab their fatherâ— In the like manner the Angel Gabriel foretold of John the Baptist Luke 1. Mat. 3. Mark 1. Luke 3. that he should neither drink wine nor any strong drink and that his fool should be Locusts and wilde hony Now I would aske the question whether if the Baptist had transgrest that rule he had offended or not but enough of this To the second I say the Apostle in those words that you so much insist upon means onely that he would not have such a judiciall observance continued amongst Christians as to hold some meats absolutly unlawfull and perpetually forbiden as swines flesh excepting onely what was decreed against in the Councell of the Apostles Acts â— But the Church of Christ beleives every creature of God to bee good though for a while and to mortify the old mans he commands an abstinence from some Again the Apostle speaks not heer at all of fasting or mortification of the flesh but because certain heretickes there were that held some creature to proceed from an evil principle the Apostle goes about to beat down that opinion and tells them 1 Tim. 4. that every creature of God is good to be received with thanks giving and that is our religion though we hold not that every good thing is good at all times and seasons nor does the Apostle heer command it should be so To the Third You are to understand that by the old law some creatures were unclean but that Typically and by signification onely though the Jews were so sottish as to beleive that they were so in their one nature This errour the Apostle goes about to destroy saying to the faithfull all things are pure and so by consequence to be eaten in their seasons but that it is not lawfull to abstein from a sort of lawfull meat for a certain time is a wonder to me how you could draw into that Apostles sence who was himself as he says so often in fastings and some of the fathers as I have read in story never drank wine or eat flesh in all their lives To the Fourth I answer in the like manner that the holy Apostle would not have his Collosstans nor any other faithfull Christians judged about meat and drink and holy days after the old Jewish fashion and not a word of fasting there To the fifth I shall freely grant to you that it is by the spirit that we are to mortify the deeds of the flesh but I must tell you again that the spirit receives strength from the weakening of the flesh and crusifying of it with fasting as the Apostle himself whom you urge explains it to the Gallatians Gal. 5.23.24 when he first tells them that Temperance is the fruit of the spirit and after assures them that they who are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts c. but above all I pray you observe what he says to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 9.25 26 27. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things c. I therefore so run not as uncertainly so fight I not as one that beateth the aire but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection least that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast away Thus it is plain that S. Paul thought that he advanced the vigour of his spirit by his subjugation of his flesh To the sixth and Last As for your pretence of Christian liberty I have shewed you plainly before that it pertains not a jot to this purpose As for what you say that Jesus Christ himself never made any distinction of meats nor commanded any such thing I grant it for he employed himself whilst he was on earth in matters of greater moment to our Salvation and left those things which were to expedite and promote our way to heaven to the direction and government of his holy Spirit that was to animate his whole Church Besides though our Saviour says nothing of destinction of meats he does not withstanding much of fasting and to give us example did most miraculously practise it in his own person so now I presume you will give me leave to prove my part And first I prove that the Church does lawfully forbid certain meats for certain times by express Scriptures thus First the Apostles themselves being assembled in counsel laid an injunction upon all Christians Solemnly so to do in these words For it seemed good unto the holy Ghost and to us c. Acts 15.28 29. that ye abstein from meats offered unto Idolls and from blood and from things strangled c. S. Rom. 14.20 21. Paul declares freely to the Romanes that we ought not for matter of meat destroy the worke of God all things indeed are pure but it is evil for that man who cateth with offence it is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink wine nor any thing whereby thy Brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak c. heer is a perfect abstinence commanded for certain times and particular reasons Again he says to the Corinthians that meat commendeth us not to God for noither if we eat are we the better neither if we eat not are we the worse c. and then concludes wherefore if meat make my Brother to offend I will eat no flesh whilest the world standeth least I make my Brother to offend heer again is abstinence for certain time and certain reasons Then that such an abstinence is acceptable to God see the express words of the Prophet Daniel speaking of himself Dan. 10.2.3 I Daniel was mourning
back is fit for the Kingdome of God And again Remember Lots Wife Luk. 9.17 Gen. 19. Matth. 10. chap. 24. 2 Thes 2.7 Prov. 20.25 Matth. 22.31 who looking back was turn'd into a pillar of Salt Again he that perseveres to the end shall be saved that is till death The wise King Solomon assures us it is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy and after vows to make inquiry Our Translation reads it thus It is a ruine to man to devoure the Saints and after vows made to retract them Let all pious Votaries therefore according to our Saviours Words in St. Matthews Gospel Renden unto God the things which are Gods that is their Vows that through his mercy they may deserve to be saved To the second I freely grant that Vows of themselves and all the externall works of piety dictated from the severest Rules of Monastick life cannot renew the inward man yet doubtlesse they are very helpfull to the spirit and keep the body from too much oppressing the soul nay I 'le grant too that if those externall works as you call them be done that they make seen of men they are Hypocriticall if done clearly to the glory of God you must sure grant them at least to be laudable Besider the Apostle says not that bodily exercise profiteth nothing but grants that it profiteth a little if it be imployed to piety To the Third Whereas you say that externall works are enemies to Christianity and do extinguish faith and weaken hope c. They are so far from that that they are the very life and nourishment of faith for St. James tells us that faith without works is dead Jam. 2. and it must strengthen his hope for by works both his faith and he must be justified as was sufficiently proved to you in my last Paper Luk. 17. But indeed if he dare to presume in his works then he is not only guilty but condemned already For when we have done all that we can we must say that we are but profitable Servants To the Fourth Whereas you say it is grand presumption in our Votaries to oblige themselves beyond the Rule of Baptisme and the Evangelicall Rule c. It is plain that they make their Vows to no other intent or purpose then to dispose themselves to perfect the Evangelicall precepts and what they promis'd in Baptisme with more commodiousnesse and greater facility they undertake their Rules only to promote in their way to perfection and to enable themselves with more expedients in the service of God To what you alledge against our vows of chastity and restraining of Priests from Marriage I answer thus To the first I grant that it was indulg'd to the Priests and Levites in the Old Law to have Wives because they had a long time of vacancy from the exercise of their Ministry or Priesthood For there was a great multitude of them and they served by course The case is not the same now for our Priests are in dayly service of the Altar and commanded to be always ready and without delay to attend their Ministry so it would be very inconvenient for them to be clog'd with Wives besides the indecency of it Again they were to be only of one Tribe the Tribe of Levi that were to bee taken into their Priesthood it was therefore necessary for the conservation of the Tribe and propagation of the Priesthood it self which otherwise in one age would have fayled that their Priests should marry Besides we find that those that were to sacrifice in the Old Law did abstain somtime from their Wives likewise so that St. Luke testifies of Zacharias And then it came to pass that so soon as the days of his Ministration were accomplished Luke 1.23.24 he departed to his own house and after those days his Wife Elizabeth conceiv'd c. Over and above all this the Priests of the Old Testament did handle but their proposition bread with the flesh of Goats Oxen Lambs and the like but ours do dayly handle the precious body and blood of Christ As to the other part of your Argument that the Greeks and other Christians have a liberty for their Priests to marry I say you are mistaken for no Priest amongst them is permitted to marry after he is a Priest but one that has taken a Virgin to Wife may be afterwards made a Priest and if his Wife dye he must remain single So a married man may be made a Priest but no Priest can be made a married man To the Second That command of the Almighty which you insist upon to increase and multiply was given when the earth was to be replenish'd heaven too for then then there were but few to procreate now they are innumerable Therefore that command is not to be taken amongst those permanent Laws which were to oblige all Mankind and every particular person for then St. John the Baptist had been a sinner who liv'd and dy'd a Virgin Our blessed Lady had sinned who is the grand Example of Virginity Paul himself had sinned who was the great Counsellour of Virginity and out Saviour Christ had never commended Eunuchs for the Kingdome of Heaven In like manner that precept and repeated by our Saviour Whom God hath joyned let no man separate concerns not sure every one in the World though it be given to every one multitude of the World So the command concerning Tillage and Husbandry does not make it necessary that all the World should bee Husbandmen though some must bee Neither is it necessary for every individuall of mankind to imploy himself in procreation though it is necessary that some must make it their businesse to propagate And so it is in an infinity of other things that are necessary for a whole community and yet not at all for every single person but it sufficeth that it be done by some To the third I deny perfectly that the Church forbids marriages at all but when any man is ty'd by his own voluntary Vow to the contrary the Church prohibits the violation of that Vow for before his vow it was as free for him to marry as for a married man it is impossible to contract again The Church takes a care in this point onely that hee whosoever hee is that vowes shall not deliver up the power of his body to another which was before delivered up to Christ And the Hereticks which you speak of Mark 15. 1 Cor. 10. which Saint Paul mentions were those that succeeded presently after as I am inform'd that did absolutely condemn Matriages for unlawfull To the Fourth That Saint Paul commands Titus to choose a Bishop that was the Husband of one Wife we do not deny but sure you do not believe that hee commanded that a Bishop should of necessity be a married man for then neither he himself nor Titus neither had been Bishops nor many of your own whom you would take it ill if we
of Indulgence that the residue of his satisfaction and sufferings should be added to the sufferings of Christ and applyed to the body of Christ that is his Church out of the treasury of Indulgencies And sure this satisfaction of the saints does turn to their greatest glory As for example if the satisfaction and suffering of Laâ—erence does pay the punishment due to John being a penitent will not Laurence have a kinde of additionall joy in heaven for that his satisfaction has paid for his brother John and so the works of the saints as they are sattisfactory and penall are perfectly remunerated to the Saints in that others enjoy the benefit of them being aplyed by the Churches indulgencies And this you may please to accept not onely for a sufficient answer but also a reply as to this particular To what you are pleased to alledge against our doctrine of Purgatory I answer thus To the first I grant that which those texts you urge requir which is that after the day of judgement there shall be but too places for those which are grown in years and that is all which can be enforced out of those Texts But as yet there are as also ther were in the old Testament more places or receptacles for souls And truly granting that there were but too I would fain have you or any man to tell me where the fouls of those were who died and were afterwards raised again to life I would fain know I say how the son of the widow of Sarepta was raised by Elias how the Shunamites son was raised by Elisha how the Son of the widdow in Naim and the daughter of Jarus the Ruler of the synagoge and Lazarus in Bethâ—ny were raised by Jesus Christ how Tabitha was raised by S. Peter and Euâ—yous by S. Paul I would fain know I say where the souls of these persons were between the time of their death and there raising to life They could not be in Hell for from thence there is no redemption Nor in heaven for then it had been so far from being a benefit as it would have proved a loss if from the joys beatitudes there they should return to miserable mortal life It must then follow of necessity that they were in some third place distinct from heaven and from Hell so call it what you will your argument is answered To the second I answer and grant what you collect out of those Scriptures which you quote that the righteous after this life ended are presently admitted into heavenly glory but I must tell you not all the righteous neither who leave nothing to be purged out of them after this life they questionless are admitted presently into heaven But they that have any thing to be expiated left in them shall be admitted in Gods good time but so as by fire as the Apostle tells us Nor are your testimonies out of Scripture any thing importing to the contrary Fâ—r that to day shalt thou be with 〈◊〉 in Paradice was a singular thing and particular priviledge indulged to the good Theife to whom Christ did most liberally forgive all his sins without any further obligation of temporall punishment after death â—ut this is not granted to all no more than the priviledge of one is to be drawn into a president for another Then out of that Text I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ nothing else can be collected then that the Apostle had a great desire to live with Christ which desire you and I may likewise have especially if we can truly say with the same Apostle I do chastise my body and bring it into subjection Such a mortification as that on earth may give us indeed a present life in heaven which God of his mercy grant us both and all the world besides if so be it may confist with his blessed will To what you say against our doctrine of praying for the dead which is a consequence of Purgatory I answer thus To the first To what you alledge out of the Prophet Jeremy I answer that the Prophet Jeremy does not speake it absolutly of all the dead but of one onely that was the King Joachas who died in captivity in Egypt so saith the Prophet Weep not for the dead neither bemoane him but weep for your following Kings undâ—er whom you are to suffer greater Tribullation To the Second I grant that Christ did forbid the widdow to weep for her Son but it was because he was immediately to raise him from the dead so she was not to weep for him as dead but to be comforted for the miraculous life which he was to receive I must profess that I see not a word against Purgatory or prayer for the dead in all this To the Third and Last I say that which you bring so confidently out of S. Paul as a most invinsible and unanswerable argument give me leave to tell you comes off but very lamely for you for the words of the Text do sufficiently cleer themselves that ye sorrow not for those that sleep as others which have no hope so we agree that to weep for the dead out of any dispaire of a future resurrection is so far from being the practice of our Church that we hold it to be a sin or to weep for a dead friend out of diffidence that we shall never see him again or a fear that we have for ever lost him is very injunious to God and Christianity but when we weep adâ—prayers to our tears in the behalf of our dead friends we are so far from weeping as those without hope that we testify our Christian Confidence and assurance in the Security of his condition for being in Purgatory he is sure of salvation though he may stay some time for it to pay the temporall punishment there due for his sins heer That there is a third place which we call Purgatory and that the prayers of the faithfull upon earth are very helpfull to them I prove thus First we finde it delivered at large by S. 1 Cor. 3.12 13 14 15. Paul in these words Now if any man build upon this foundation gold silver precious stones wood hay stubble every mans work shall be made manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every mans work of which sort it is if any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by fire Here it is most plain that though a man do works to be burnt as shall appear in the day of every mans particular judgement that is his death yet he shall be saved by fire that cannot be meant of infernal fire for from thence there is no redemption it must be then understood of Purgatory Our Saviour in the Gospels implys Purgatory plainly though under a Parable in these words Matth. 5.25.26 Luke 12.38 Agree with thine adversary quickly whilest thou art
for him First an indefectibility of his faith and then a power to confirm the rest of the Apostles and all the faithfall Again we find in St. Matthews Gospell how Christ before all his Apostles saith to Peter Go thou to the red Sea Math. 17.27 and cast an book and take up the Fish that first cometh up and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt find a piece of money that take and give unto them for me and thee here it is plain that though the rest of his Disciples were present he paid only for him and made him equall to himself in the payment We find in all the Gospells where there is any description of the constitution of the Apostles or any mention made of them Math. 10. Peter is still nominated first Mark 3. as the head of all the rest which would not have been done but in regard of his Primacy Luke 6 and so it has been ever understood by the Church Then we find that though all the Apostles were present at our Saviours apparition by the Sea Coast Joh. 21.7 onely Peter did come upon the water of the Sea to him Luke 5.4 which was no doubt a sign of his singular power and prerogative above the rest In like manner though all the Disciples were commanded to loose their Nets onely Peter was commanded to Launch into the deep But above all we find the performance of that long promis'd Primacy made to St. Peter most expresly in St. Johns Gospell Jesus saith to Simon Peter John 21 Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me more then these he saith unto him yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee he saith unto him feed my Lambs He saith unto him again the second Simon Simon sonne of Jonas lovest thou mee He saith unto him 15 16 17. yea Lord thou knowest that I love thâ—e He saith unto him feed my sheep He saith unto him again the third time Simon Simon Sonne of Jonas lovest thou me and he said unto him Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee Jesus saith unto him feed my sheep Here it was that Peter receiv'd his pastorall charge which was but promised him before and in the presence of all the Apostles the care of Christs sheep was committed to him as to the Prince of the Apostles Now to Feed Ezek. 34. Isai 44.56 Jerem 26.22 Psalm 32. in Scripture is very frequently taken in Scripture for to govern Rule Pastors likewise for Kings as may be seen throughout the Prophets But that I may contract my self in this Copious Theam I shall endeavour to summe up all the Prerogatives of St. Peter that are given him in Scripture and then leav your self to judge whether he was not intended by our Saviour to be Primate and Superiour First it is manifest that he alone of all the Apostles had the honour to have his Proper-name changed and a new one given him by Christ Secondly in the Repetition of all their Names Peter is always put first Thirdly the Scripture always speaks of Peter as a Prince and of the others as Subjects Fourthly Peter speaks in the Name of all the rest as the chief amongst them Fifthly onely to Peter was the first Revellation made of the Divinity of Christ Sixthly onely to Peter was made a promise of the infallability of his faith and stability of his chair Seventhly Christ paid Tribute only for himself and Peter and for none of the rest and as much for Peter as himself Eightly Jesus Christ after his Resurrection made his first Apparition to Peter alone of all the Apostles and all this you cannot deny to be perfect Gospell Now you may please to take notice of these Eight Priviledges or Prerogatives spoken of in the Gospell were before he was actually instated in his Primacy for that was not till after our Saviours Resurrection so these that I have already mentioned were but as signes or previous dispositions to his future Primacy and power which how he afterwards executed you shall see in these particular prerogatives more First to Peter alone it was absolutely said Feed my sheep there was his power confer'd and confirm'd upon him Secondly Peter by his own Authority call'd all the rest of the Apostles to the election of a new Apostle in the place of the Traytor Judas and directed the Ordination of Matthias into that Apostleship Act. 1.15 16. as we find in the Acts. And Peter stood up in the midst of the Disciples and said men and buethren c. Thirdly Peter only in the day of Penticost defended all the rest of the Apostles when they were said to be full of Wine for the Text tells us that Peter standing up with the Eleven did lift up his voyce and said unto them c. Which was the first miracle wrought in Christs Name conformable to the gospel 4ly Peter when Jobn was present cur'd he lame man so the Gospell justifi'd and defended that action and Christianity together against the Jews in a set Sermon Act. 3.4 13 c. Act. 4.8 5ly St. Peter argues the case in the Counsell and defends himself and John Sixthly Peter does the first act of justice and first first instance of a coercive power in the Church Act. 5.3.4 5. Act. 8 20. Acts 2. when he pronouncedsentence of death upon Ananias and Saphira Seventhly Peter was the only person that proceeded to justice against Simon Magus for his wicked marketting of the Holy-Ghost 8ly he was the first that did publickly did preach the Gospel to the Jews after thedescent of the Holy ghost 9ly He was the first that did likewise preach the Gospel to the Gentiles to whom only the heavenly Visions offered for the calling of the Gentiles Act. 10.12 13. and by which he was commanded to take a particular care of them as his own cure and as their proper Prelate When he saw the great Sheet let down to the Earth wherein were allmanner of fore-footed beasts and creeping things of the Earth c. And there came down a Voyce from Heaven to him Acts 15.7 Rise Peter kill and eat by which he as head was commanded to incorporate the Gentils into the Church of Christ c. Tenthly and lastly he was the first that gave his Vote and spoke in that great Councell at Jerusalem and was chief Authour of that decree against the Legal Rites and Ceremonies Here are plainly Ten parts or pieces of his pastorall prerogative that he exercised after the Resurrection of our Saviour when he was establisht in his pastorall charge by those Words Feed my Sheep And if all the maâ—ks and promises of this prerogative given in the Gospell nor all these confirmations and matters of fact since will not prevail to satisfie you in St. Peters Primacy I shal despair ever to bee able to satisfie you in any thing And yet truly if that Scripture had not been so punctually
civil conversation which heavenly content if your Ladyship would once please to give us we should all think our selves arrived at a blessedness beyond any people in the earth Lady M. O Mrs. N. I do very much acknowledge my self indebted to you and all my good neighbours here for your great respects towards me and I 'le assure you I shall be always willing to impart my estate amongst them for their worldly advantages but much more for their souls good aod that we may be all again reduced into one I mean that old blessed communion which was not full two ages since apparently perfect amongst us all here but since our breaches now are grown so great and that happiness without an extraordinary miracle is not to be restored to us you must give me leave to keep my own soul to God and his Church for my Faith which you are pleased to call so odious and Idolatrous words that I must confess I little expected to hear fall from you is built upon such a foundation as can never fail no not though heaven and earth should or an Angel from heaven should preach another doctrine as the Apostle forewarns us Mrs. N. Deer madame in consideration of the integrity of my heart towards you I hope your Ladiships goodness will pardon that rudeness of any words that may fall from me But sure sweet madame there can be no such foundation as you speak of unless in the undoubted word of God which you have most cleerly and intirely against you in all particulars and therefore your Church does all it can to blind you by keeping that from you so leading you on still in errours by an implicite faith in its doctrines which are meer humane inventions Lady M. Indeed Mrs. N. you are very much mistaken in the whole drift of your discourse and that I conceive occasioned by the continual slanders thrown upon us both from your Prints and Pulpits For our Church hinders none from reading the Scripture that can satisfie their Pastors that they have a temper fit for it and humility enough to resign up their faith to mysteries that wil not make such use of it as most of you do by giving of your own shallow interpretations to it and opposing your single sence against the current of the Church As for my part I have a liberty asmuch as I would desire to read the holy Scripture and am I thank God conversant in it both day night I do likewise finde unexpressible comfort by it and a confirmation of my faith every day more and more Mrs. N. Why then it seems your Ladiship reads it with strange prejudice and partiality for other wise it were impossible but you should find the grossness of those errours that are delivered to you for matters of faith if you shall please good madame to give me leave I will be bold to offer some collections of my own out of Scripture to save your Ladiship a further trouble in the search as I shall from time to time have occasion to wait upon you so I shall communicate them to your Ladiship and make that the whole business of our future discourse till we shall be otherwise satisfied and I 'le promise you my husband shal not be knowing to it Lady M. Mrs. N. I do most willingly accept your offer but care not much whether your husband be assistant to you or not in the mater for I am sure it s not in the power of men or devils to change the word of God however they may pervert the sence of it for a time and so possess the souls of their unhappy disciples Mrs. N. Well then madame I shall be bold to wait on you again within these few days and shew you some Scriptures that shall quite overthrow your so much fancied foundation and I hope by consequence bring your Ladyship into our Religion Lady M. I pray you do sweet Mrs. N. and I shall promise onely this that you shall finde my reason not at all refractory to any thing and we will manage this controversie as you say by our selves and as women in labour use to do never cry out for the help of man till we shall be highly enforced Mrs. N. Indeed Madame I doubt not but you will finde the business so clear that we shall never need to come to that So the combate being mutually imbraced on both sides with very great kindness they at that time parted some days after Mrs. N. came again to visit my Lady and brought her weapons with her and so began again to accost her Madame the greatest things indifference as I humbly conceive between us is about that which is indeed the greatest concernment of our salvation the most holy Sacrament of our Lords Supper wherein your Church hath brought so many visible and palpable abuses and against known Scripture that when your Ladyship shall be once satisfied in those I hope we shall not need to proceed much further I have here reduced those abuses into four heads as first your doctrine of Transubstantiation and affirming your Eucharist to be the very body of Christ Secondly your giving half the Sacrament to the people and depriving them of the Cup. Thirdly making your Mass a sacrifice and Lastly for saying your Mass in Latine and not in English or other mother tongues and to all these particulars I have brought you as I conceive such apposite Texts and here in order set down in this paper that I doubt not will give your Ladyship just reason to suspect the frauds and gross collusions of your Church in all things else Lady M. Well deer Mrs. N. I thank you heartily for this favour and I promise you faithfully that I will very carefully and impartially examine this paper which if upon a just consideration I shall not be able to answer I will then very fairly and honestly declare my submission to it within three or four days I will by Gods help repay your kinde visit and bring you the best satisfaction I shall be able to do and so I pray God to enlighten us both to see his faith and truth so for the present they parted and the Lady fell to the perusual of the paper that Mrs. N. had left with her which was to this effect as followeth That the very body of Christ is neither in or under the Eucharist or Sacrament of the Lords Supper is apparant by these few texts taken out of and reasons deduced from Scripture Our Saviour Christ himself saith Matth. 29. For ye have the poor always with you Mat. 26.11 but me ye have not always Now if he were as you believe you have him in the Eucharist we should have him always He saith again John 6. It is the Spirit that quickneth John 6.63 the flesh profiteth nothing if therefore the flesh profiteth nothing what need is there of that great contention you make to have it in the Eucharist We have it frequently
are yet more clearly explicated by St. Paul who tels us thus 1 Cor. 11.23 24 25. For I have received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread And when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my body which is broken for you you this do in remembrance of me and after the same manner also he took the cup when he had supped saying This cup is the New-Testament in my blood c. And then to set the business out of all doubt concludes He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body Can any thing be more plain Then further St. Paul begins with a Preface I speak as to wise men 1 Cor. 10.15 16 17. judge ye what I say The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the body of Christ The Bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread Does not the Apostle here most clearly and expresly shew that in every particle of the consecrated bread the whole body of Christ is communicated and as he thought them only wise that could understand that mysterie so we must think them stupid that will not and worse then Jews that go about to pervert and torment this and other Texts to any other sense Over and ahove all this consider a little more upon that Text before cited 1 Cor. 11.28 29. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that Cup for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords body Here it is clear that by reason of the presence of the body of Christ the unworthy Receiver is damned because he sins against that body There is no man can deny but the unworthy eater be it what it will that is eaten must be guilty of that which is eaten Here St. Paul most clearly instructs the Corinthians that it is no simple bread or ordinary nourishment that is set upon the Altar but the very body of Christ that who ever eats thereof should be guilty of it therefore the Apostle adds not discerning the Lords body that is not distinguishing it from other food This I am likewise informed by the Learned to be the sence of the Church in all Ages no Primitive Christian ever daring to oppose the clearness of so much express Scripture till one Berengarius as they call him had the impudence to do it but afterwards recanted and abjured it before the Pope thirteen Arch-bishops and an hundred Bishops which God grant all those that have followed his footsteps to do likewise Now that this Transubstantiation Gen. 2. or transelementation is no way impossible to be done no nor for you to conceive as you alledge see what God hath done in the like kinde first in the beginning of the world God form'd man of the dust of the earth here God changed dust into flesh in the same chapter we finde how God turn'd the rib of man into woman a bone into flesh Gen. 19. Exod. 4. Then Lots wife looking back is turn'd into a pillar of salts then Moses threw down his Rod and it was turn'd into a Serpent Then I will strike the water of the River with my Rod and it shall be turn'd into blood Exod. 7. and divers more such mutations there are in the Old Testament As for the New we find that our Saviours first publick miracle was to turn water into wine and this great omnipotency of his the Devil full well knew when he to tempt him said If thou beest the son of God turn these stones into bread Thus you dispute that power in him which the Devils themselves acknowledge Now as Christ with five little Breads did feed five thousand men by making of bread by his Almighty multiplication so now he feeds his whole Church of the faithful with one Bread that is his body Sacramentally Then that Jesus Christ did do some things miraculously with his body whilest he was upon the earth which we cannot do with our bodies nor can any humane reason comprehend you will not dare to deny as that he pierced the grave and Tombstone afterwards when he rose from the dead that he pierced a house the doors and windows being shut and that he pierced the Highest Heavens with his body when he ascended all these things I say you will not dare to deny yet this which is enjoyned you by the same Authority to believe you are pleas'd to dispute What is this but to pick and choose what you please your selves to believe and from being such a chooser in matter of Faith shall be ever a part of my Letany Good Lord deliver me for that I am told is to be a true Heretick To what you alledge of Impiety against the Church of Rome for depriving the people of the Cup I answer thus To the first Argument I shall clearly grant what you say that Christ being then to Consecrate did Institute the Sacrament under both kinds and gave it to his Apostles in both kinds who now were Priests Therefore the Priest to this day that celebrates takes it likewise in both kinds but what is this to the Laity For those words Drink ye all of this was said only to his Apostles and Priests who do it still that is Consecrate in the Commemoration of Christ for no other were present at his most holy Supper but the Apostles no not his own blessed Mother as it is clear out of all the Gospels Nay St. Mark tells us Mar. 1â— 23 that they all drank of it which shews clearly that that all was only meant of the Apostles for it was impossible to be true of the Laity To the second I shall likewise grant that he that drinketh not his blood as well as he that eateth not his flesh hath no life in him but to a Sacramental eating and drinking there is required still a Spiritual intelligence according to what our Saviour himself said the words that he spake they were spirit and they were life From whence we may conclude that since the whole Christ both body and blood is comprehended under one Species a Lay man may be said to drink the blood of Christ though not under its proper species yet under the species of Bread Again our Saviour in that Chapter of St. Johns Gospel treats principally of our incorporation into him which is sufficiently effected by our Communion in one kind the whole Christ being there and the other Species is not at all to be said necessary to that incorporation with Christ To the third I shall grant likewise that it hath been permitted to the Laity to participate of the blessed Sacrament under both kinds
one Argument against so foul a thing and that is this either Images are commanded or commended for good meanes of divine worship or they are not if they be then shew it by Scripture if they be not then it must follow that it is a piece of will-worship and that all Images are meer fond and vain things That your Doctrines of Indulgences Purgatory and Prayer for the dead are derogatory to Gods glory and abusive to the world Iprove by Scripture thus And First as to your business of Indulgencies I shall give but one blow and that I presume will be a mortall one out of Saint Paul to the Romanes where he saith for I reckon that the sufferrings of this present time Rom. 8.18 are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which shall be revealed in me If then the merits of the Saints upon earth are more then enough rewarded by the glory which the Lord is pleased to confer upon them in heaven how can there be a superabundance of their merits pick'd up by your Church and laid up in a storehouse or treasury for the Pope to take out at his pleasure and apply to the use and advantage of other men which is as I am inform'd the prophane and sottish opinion of your Church Then as to your Doctrine of Purgatory I shall disprove it thus The Prophet Daniell mentions but two ways for soules to go The one to everlasting life Dan. 11.2 Matth. 25.46 John 5.29 the other to everlasting contempt Our Saviour does mention no more And these shall go away into everlasting punishment but the Righteous into life eternall so St. Matthew And again in St. Johns Gospell They that have done good unto the Resurrection of life and they that have done evill unto the Resurrection of damnation How dare any man invent a third place upon his own head when God himself ha's appointed but two Again the Scriptures plainly tells us that those which are to be saved go immediately to Heaven without any stop or stay by the way therefore your Purgatory must needs be very much out of the way Luk. 23.43 As first we find in Saint Lukes gospell our Saviours own words to the Thief upon the Cross And Iesus said unto him Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise that is understood immediately after his death without any delay in Purgatory Phil. 1.23 or else where Then again St. Paul tells the Philipians that he had a desire to depart and to be with Christ therefore after departure the saved soul goes immediately to Christ without any rubbs stops or stays by the way what then is become of your pitifull purgatory So I presume I need not trouble your Ladyship with any more arguments to convince so foul an errour I shall only produce one or two more against your prayer for the dead which is a consequent of your Purgatory and so conclude this Paper That your Doctrine of Prayer for the dead is an impertinent piece of devotion and contrary to Scripture I prove thus 1. It were enough for the satisfaction of any resonable person in this point to have disproved purgatory as I have done already for if there be no Purgatory there can be no prayer for the dead usefull at all but I will proceed more particularly to prove against prayer for the dead thus The Prophet Jeremy not only forbids to pray but to weep for the dead saying Weep ye not for the dead Jer. 22.10 neither bemoan him but weep for him that goeth astray c. If the dead be not in a condition to be wept for they are mch lesse in a condition to be pray'd for and by consequence again there can be no Purgatory 2. Luk. 7.13 Our Saviour again in like manner forbids the Widdow to weep for her Son that was dead so still it follows if there ought to be no weeping then no Purgatory and if no Purgatory then no prayer for the dead 3ly and Lastly for the Explication of all that ha's been said 1 Thes 14.13 14 15.16 17 18 and the conviction of all gainsayers Observe what St. Paul says to the Thessalonians But I would not have you be ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sâ—rrow not even as others which have no hope for if we believ c. So to the end of the Chapter comforts them with an assurance of resurrection to life eternall without any the least mention of Purgatory or prayers for the dead This Paper my Lady had at sooner peras'd but she disposed her self immediately to her pen and writ as followeth To what you are pleased to alledge against our Doctrine for the invocation of the Saints in Heaven I answer thus To your first second third and fourth I shall answer together and with good reason for there runs the same fallacy along with them all and I do wonder you should be so deluded by the Sophismes of your Doctors for those very Arguments that they have furnished you withall against us in this point do as well take away the Intercession of Christ himself and the prayers of the Saints living upon earth as the intercession of the Saints in heaven For if this be a good consequence God is only to be worshipt therefore it is not lawfull to invoke the Saints in heaven then this must be a good consequence too God is only to be worshipped therefore it is not lawfull to invoke or desire the Saints on earth to pray for us For this word only exclude as well one as the other and must of necessity as well condemn the invocation of the Saints Militant which all of you use and the Apostle himself did too as the invocation of the Saints Triumphant Besides we do acknowledge it to be our duty to pray and ask of God and to pray and ask in Jesus his name and to pray and to ask with confidence as the Apostle would have us but nothing of all this can make an exclusion of the Saints For by the Saints as our fellow Members we pray in the name of Jesus our head wherfore our Church always doth conclude its Collects of the Saints with through Jesus Chirst our Lord and you are to understand that though God be most good most gracious and merciful yet he is a God of order and disposeth of all things so sweetly that all Inferiours may lead us to Superiours and so in this particular case our Church is likewise well pleased that we should come boldly to the Throne of Grace to the fountain of Grace Father of Mercy and God of all comforts but this she tels us that we may more commodiously do it by the Saints then only by our selves who are most miserable sinners and so must of necessity be abhorred by him And the Scripture tels us that our God is a consuming fire and we may justly fear lest we perish before his face as wax melteth
before the face of the fire Deut. 4. Heb. 13.19 and for this we beg the mediation and intercession of the blessed Saints in heaven To the fifth To what you urge out of the Apostle to Timothy that there is but one Mediator I do acknowledge that there is but one Mediator of Redemption that is Jesus Christ because he alone redeemed Mankinde nor is there any other name under heaven by which we can be saved but that hinders not but that there may be more Mediators of intercession so then there is but one Mediator by Redemption as but one Saviour for he is the only good Shepherd who gave his life for his flock but there are more Mediators by intercession as the Scripture names more Saviours Mediators and Redeemers too Moses says of himself that he was set apart or chosen for a Mediator between God and the children of Israel Again he raised up a Redeemer Deliverer or Saviour to them one Othoniel Deut. 3. Judg. 3.9 Nehem. 9 Gen. 4.1 and Nehemiah tels us how God did raise unto the children of Israel Saviours and Pharoah calls Joseph a Saviour To the sixth I say that as to the injury which you pretend done to God by the invoking of his Saints I have sufficiently answered already in my return to your first Arguments for the injury which you alledge done to Christ I answer in like manner if this be a good consequence Christ is our only Mediatour therefore we do an injury to him to invoke the Saints in heaven then this must be likewise a good Argument therefore it is injurious to Christ to invoke the Saints upon earth and that you all are guilty of praying one another to pray for you and doubtless you do not do amiss in it Again if we shew our diffidence and distrust in Christs Mediation by invoking the Saints in heaven then it will follow likewise that you diffide in Christs mediation by invoking one another or any Saints upon earth As for your supposition which indeed is the strength of your Argument that the Saints in heaven do not hear our prayers nor know what is done amongstâ—ns and therefore must be much less able to help us and as to the places of Scripture which you pretend to bring to that purpose I answer that they all signifie nothing for here we speak not of those who in the time of the Old Testament were either in Hell or in the Limbus that was appointed for them but of the Saints that since the time of the New Testament are in heaven we may safely grant that all those were ignorant of what was done here bua that proves nothing as to these last beattifi'd souls in heaven And yet I know you 'l be importunate to know how the Saints should be capable to hear our prayers and understand our inward affections and desires I would ask you again how the Saints in this life can know the secrets of other mens counsels and contrivances 1 Sam. 19. Samuel knew all things which were in the heart of Saul and told him all that was in his heart 2 Kings 5.26 2 Kin. 6.33 Did not Elishah know all things that were done by his servant that was at a great distance from him and so the same Prophet knew all the secret Counsels of the King of Syria Dan. 2.26 Did not Daniel know the dream of Nebuchadnezzar and the interpretation of it before he sent to him and did not the Apostle Saint Peter know the hidden fraud and close collusions of Ananias and Saphira And to conclude I would fain know what things were they which were hidden from the Prophets though never so close from the eyes of men And can these things be done on earth and not possibly be done in heaven Now that this veneration or invocation of Saints is expresly commanded in Scripture I cannot say nor see any reason that it should be first it could not be well in the old Testament where the people were so prone to idolatry and the Patriarchs besides were but in a Limbus Esay 63. reposed till our Saviours triumphant entry into heaven so they could not be beatified or made capable of hearing of prayers of men and therefore it was said Abraham knows us not and Israel does not acknowledge us Again under the Gospel it was not absolutely commanded least the Gentiles that were newly turned from Paganisme should believe that they were brought again to the worship of earthly gods for that was their use to worship their deified persons not as Patrons but as very Gods indeed as at Lyraania they would have sacrificed to Paul and Barnabas Besides if the Apostles and Evangelist had taught expresly that the Saints are to be prayed to it might have been thought as a piece of arrogance in them as if they had been after death ambitious of that honour to be done to them The holy Spirit therefore would not by express Scripture teach this doctrine of veneration and invocation of Saints but the Church being once establisht quickly found by the Miracles and succours that those Saints performed to men that they were to be worshipt and invoked with prayers that they would please to pray for us and this is a worship far different from that which we pay to God therefore no way prejudicial to the divine Majesty no though express Scripture as I said we have none for this yet very much inclining to and favouring of our purpose That the saints the freinds of God are to be implored that they will please to intercede for us I prove by express Scripture thus Our Saviour in S. Johns Gospell saies thus if any man serve me John 12.26 him will my Father honor if therefore God does honor his saints why should not we mortalls give honour to them Our Saviour saies again in S. Mat. 25.40 Mathews Gospell verily I say unto you insomuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my bretheren ye have done it unto me the honour therefore that is given to the saints of God he takes as done unto himself We finde in Job how Eliphaz saies to him Call now if there be any that will answer thee Job 5.1 and to which of the saints wilt thou turn which words though Eliphaz spoke yet Job reprehends them not but takes it as wholsome councell from his freind Again in another place Job 42.1 9 10. the Lord himself saies go to my servant Job and my servant Job shall pray for you for him will I accept least I deal with you after your folly c. so they did as the Lord commanded them the Lord also accepted Job and the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his freinds c. Then we finde how Absalon after he was reconciled to his father 2 Sam. 14.28 staid two years in Jerusalem before he saw his fathers face so a sinner though reconsiled to God will not
dare presently to thrust himself before his divine Majesty that he has offended but by mediators and intercessors The wisest of Kings Solomon rose up to meet his mother and bowed himself unto her 1 Kings 2.19 and caused a throne to be set for his mother and she sate on his right hand and shall not Jesus Christ a greater and a wiser than Solomon honour his mother in the like kinde It is most manyfest that the Angells are assisting to us and pray for us Mat. 2.8 Mark 12 Psalm 33 then why should not we pray to them and there is the same reason for the saints as for the Angells who are their equalls in heaven as we finde in the holy Gospells Psalm 90. how freequently in the Psalmes does the Royal prophet speak of Gods sending his Angells to snatch us out of dangers to gard us and to keep us in all our ways c. Then we finde in the Prophet Zachcariah Zach. 1.12.13 how the Angel of the Lord interceded for the people in these words O Lord of Hoste how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem Heb. 1.7 and on the Cities of Judah against which thon hast bad indignation these threescore and ten years and the Lord answered the Angell with good words and comfortable words Then S. Acts 12.12.7 8. Paul calls the Angels minnistring spirits and we finde how freequently they have delivered Gods servants as S. Peter out of prison c. now I say if it be in the power of the Angells in heaven to help us by their prayers the same reason will hold for the saints who are as the Evangelists aforesaid tell us their equalls both in their favour and power with God And that they do too is as manifest for the Lord has sometimes sought for a saint to stand in the gap as he saies himself in Ezeckiel Ezek. 22.30.31 and I sought for a man amongst them that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it but I found none therefore have I powred out mine indignation upon them I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath c. therefore did the Lord do it for want of an acceptable intercesor But it is most cleer in the Apocalyps Revel 4. 5. how the four beasts and four and twenty elders are continually falling down before the Lamb and interceding for the faithfull on earth with their Violls full of precious oyntments which are the prayers of the saints And then again it is expressly said that another Angell came and stood at the Altar haveing a golden censer Revel 8.3.4 and there was given unto him much incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden Alter which was before the Throne and the smoke of the incense which came with the prayers of the faints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand c. If yet there be any doubt remaining me thinks meer reason raised from a most undoubted Scripture should cleer this point as first we finde and I thinke no body questions it that Jesus Christ as he is man does continually interde for all mankinde especially his faithfull ones if any man does doubt let him look into S. Paul to the Romans Rom. 8. Heb. 7. and Hebrews where it is positively said in divers places that Jesus Christ does constantly interecde for us And S. John tells us if any man have sinned 1 John 2. we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins nor for our sins onely but for the sins of the whole world If therefore Christ our head according to his humanity pray for us why should not his members the saints that rain with him and are conformable to him intercede likewise in their proportion for their fellow members uppon earth for we are all members of the same mysticall body Again the liveing pray for one another and frequently obtain Exod. 17 31. Mat. 15. Luke 7. Acts 17. Collos 4.2 2 Thes 3.1 as Moses pray'd and obtained for the people the woman of Canan for her daughter the Centurion for his servant Paul for those that sailed with him Nay S. Paul desired the Colossians to be instant in prayer and particularly for himself and so to the Thessalonians he says finally hretheren pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course c. If therefore the living may pray for one another why may not the glorifyed saints in heaven do the same for us who are more perfect in charity more powerfull with God and more pure in understanding for if they may not pray for us as the living do it would appear unworthy of Christs grace and favour to them which we cannot apprehend or it must be because it is a purpose of the excellency that it is fiting onely for Christ himself to do it and no person else and then it will not be lawfull for us mortals to pray for one another But that we know the contrary by what has been before set down and as S. Paul does earnestly beseech the Romans Rom. 15.30.31 James 5.16 for the Lord Jesus Christ sake and for the love of the Spirit that they pray to God for him So I do humbly beseech the blessed mother of God and all the saints of heaven to pray for me and all the world besides And so as S. Iames adviseth us let us pray one for another that we may be saved I pray you heer take notice that I have made use of no Scripture out of Baruch the Machabees or any parts of Scripture which you question for Apocrypha though by all the Canons of the Church they are received so I proceed To what you alledge against our use of images which you call an abominable and idolatorrious doctrine I answer thus To the first I say that God Allmighty in that commandment has sufficiently explained his own minde both in the precedent and subsequent words for as he did forbid the worship of strange Gods so he forbide the Images of them to be erected But we worship not the saint for Gods therefore we are not at all prohibited by that commandment to set up their Images For in the first place he saies thou shalt have no strange Gods before me then follows thou shalt not make to thee any graven Image c. then last of all thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them see then the whole drift of that commandment is evident that Images should not be made to that end and purpose and so we concur with you For if to make and erect Images were absolutly and in it self unlawfull then it would follow that Moses himself had sinnd immediately after the giving of that commandment nay that God Almighty had shewed the first way to breake his own commandment for God commanded
not onely a power over all Bishops but Princes That it is not in the power of the Pope neither by himself nor with all his Cardinalls and councells to determine any matter of faith I prove thus by Scripture 1 We finde in Isay that we are commanded to the law and to the Testimony Isay 8.20 if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them as the Jews were commanded to their law and to their Testemony Luke 16.29 so are we Christians to our Scripture for our judge of all things in difference so our Savior brings Abraham in the Gospell saying that they have Moses the Prophets let them hear them woe are not therefore to have recourse for any matter of faith to Pope or any power else whatsoever 2 Again our Saviour commands us thus Starch the Scriptures for in them ye thinke ye have eternall life and they are they which testify of me John 5.39 Christ therefore remits us to Scripture onely for a judge of controversie 3 Again we finde in the Acts of the Apostles how those of Berea were commended acknowledgeed to be more noble than those of Thessalonie Acts 17.11 in that they received the word with all redyness of minde and Searthed the Scriptures daily whether those things were so Heer we finde I say that those of Berea did not overhastyly beleive what the Apostles themselves delivered to them but did examine all things by the Rule of Scripture is it not therefore fit that we should follow their example and acknowledge nothing but Scripture for our Rule and judge 4 It is manifest by reason that the judge of all controversie in matter of faith ought to be infallible for if the judge should erre all that follow his judgement must erre likewise now it is plain on tone side that Scripture is infallible being the word of God which cannot erre and on the other side that all men are lyars and subject to errours as we finde in the Romans Rom. 3.4 Psal 111 God is true but every man is a lyar Now the pope is but a man all the Cardinalls are but men nay councells themselves are but collections of men no man therefore that builds himself upon their judgement in point of faith can have any security at all but onely by depending upon the infallible and true Pâ—â—le of Scripture 5 Counsels we know have erred in matters of faith and made decrees one against another at least altered one anothers constitutions and if that any such things as councells are to be why should not lay men be made a part of them since they are a part of the Church as well as any preists or Bishops and their salvation as much concerned in those decrees as any Clergy men whatsoever it should be therefore as necessary for them to be present there That the Scripture it self is and ought to be the entire Rule of faith and that neither your whole Church nor all the Traditions of it have any power to prescribe to to us in matter of Faith I prove thus The authority of Scripture is greater then the Authority of the Church for the Church ought to be govern'd by Scripture the Word of God we know is to yield to no man nor is it lawfull for any man or power of men whatsoever to oppose or diminish it 2. We find expresly in Deuteronomy Ye shall not adde unto the Word which I command you neither shall you diminish out from it Deut. 4.8 that ye keep thn Comandements of the Lord your God which I command you all your tradition therefore are to cast away for they adde to the written Word of God 3. Again We read in another place of the same Book thus Deut. 1â— 32 Whatsoever thing I command you observe to do it thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it That therefore is to be done onely which God commands what men require or adde of their own is unlawfull and not to be obey'd 4. St. Paul declares his mind in this particular very freely to the Galatians thus but though we or an Angell from Heaven preach any other Gospell unto you then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed and presently repents As we said before so say I now again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you Gallat 1. thaâ— that ye have received let him be accursed I say therefore that we are to admit of no Traditions nor any thing else besides the Gospell Again We have most solemnly said in the Revelation of St. John Revel 22.18.19 That if any man shal take away from the Words of the Book of that Prophesie God shal take away his part out of the Book of Life And so if any man shall add unto these things God shall adde unto him the plague that are written in that Book Therefore it is not lawfull to adde your Traditions 6. 2 Tim. 3.16 17. St. Paul assures Timothy that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works Therefore we have no need of Traditions Our Saviour tells such Observers of Traditions as you are Mat. 15.6 Thus have you made the Commandements of God of none effect by your traditions and the Apostle gives the like caution to the Colossians Col. 2.8 beware least any man spoil you through Phlosophy and vain deceit 1 Pet. 1.18 after the tradition of men after the rudiaments of the World and not after Christ And St. Peter puts the whole World in mind how they were redeem'd from their vain conversation receiv'd by Tradition from their Fathers Thus you see how much Jusus Christ and his Apostles were carefull to forewarn and forbid us and yet you will restore to us the vanity of those very Traditions 8. Again Rom. 1.17 how can that be said to be determined by the whole Church which the Pope with his Cardinals Gal. 7.11 and it may be his Bishops assembled in Councell does determine Heb. 10.38 when the Church is a Congregation of all the faithfull and a connexon of them in the true saith by which the just man lives as the Apostle tells us It is not therefore what all the Popes Cardinalls Bishops or Councills tell us though backt with all the strength of your Traditions which is to be believed for they can be at most but a part of the Church not the whole Church 9. Then Lastly when you speak of the whole Church you speak of what you no ways understand for it is a spirituall thing and hidden from the eyes of men it cannot be visible for if it were then it could not be an Article of faith as wee know it is so I would fain know what obligation can possibly come from such an
Old Scripture to shew what a stamp of Majesty and Authority God Almighty fixt upon such assemblies and what respect the people always rendred them So it shall suffice to give you our Saviours own words and so conclude this point We find in St. Matthew thus Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask it shall be done for them of my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 18. v. 18 20. for where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Now I would fain know who can be convinced more evidently not to hear the Church then he that will not hear a Councell there can be no where a greater and more conspicuous consent than in a Council nor can there be any Congregations assembled more in the name of God then generall Councells are and yet you are pleased to cast contempt upon them But give me leave to tell you let the Authority of Councells be once taken away and all things in the Church will bee ambiguous and uncertain First all the antient Heresies that have been condemned by the authority of Councells and cast out of the Church may be reviv'd and reinforced upon Christians with as much reason as any primitive and Catholick Doctrine Then set up the Authority of Scripture alone against that of the Church and Councills and then Scripture it self will be uncertain for thrusting out that authority wich ha's commended sacred Scripture to us and commanded us to recive it what Scripture is it that opinionated men wil not reject and condemn for Apocrypha which will not save their own turns as some of your Doctros have notoriously done and so in fine we can never agree upon the point what is Scripture and what is not Thus must the Church of Christ fall into a most miserable condition for upon the arising of any doubt in matter of faith there can be no way found out to decide it but every particular person according to the proportion of wit in his own pate shall frame to himselfe faith of what form or fashion he pleaseth How then hath Christ provided for his Church a sufficientrule to go by and why should his Evangelioall Law be called the most perfect if he has not otherwise order'd a determination of all emergent coutroversies But thanks be to our most gracious God and Saviour he has abundantly done it for us as I shal more amply shew in my answers and replyes to the following heads of this your Paper which God give you grace with prudence and impartiality to petuse To what you alledge for Scripture to be the only Rule of our faith and against the Authority of the universall Church and it's Traditions I answer thus To the first I say that you are very much mistaken in matter of Scripture so I shall be bold to inlarge a little upon it for your better understanding And first it is to be observed that our Saviour himself writ no book at all neither commanded his disciples or Apostles to write any inso much as being to send them to plant his Church Matth. 28. he said not to them go and write but go and preach to the whole World Therefore we find the Old Law written in Tables of Stone but the Gospell had no other writing then but in the hearts of Christians So St. Paul plainly expresseth it Ye are our Epistle c. again 2 Cor. 3.2 3. Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declard to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us not with ink but with the spirit of the living God not in Tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart c. This was before prophesyed by the Prophet Jerem. Behold the days come Jer. 31.31.302 3 saith the Lord that I will make a new Cavenant with the House Israell and with the House of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers But this shall be the Covenant that I will make with the House of Israel after those days saith the Lord I wil put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I wil be their God and they shall be my people c. Again we find that the Church is much ancienter then Scripture for when the Apostles began to preach there was no Evangelical Scripture no Epistle of St. Paul extant and yet the Church was then purchased and sprinkled with the blood of Christ Acts 1. and governed by his unerring Spirit So the Apostles without any authority of the Scripture of the New-Testament proceeded to the election of Matthias and to the ordination or seven Deacons Acts 5.6 c. So Peter proceeded to the sentence against Ananias and Saphira which struck the breath out of their bodies c. Now we know that the Apostles were very diligent in preaching and sowing the word of God and yet we finde but very little that they left us in writing so it must follow that they taught a great deal more then they wrote which must have equal authority with their writings Yet further it is plain that the Scripture it self cannot be authentical without the authority of the Church for the Canonical Writers themselves were but members of the Church and how shall any private man know what Scripture is Canonical and what not but by the Church John 3. Why should any man believe the Gospel of St. Mark to be Canonical who never saw Christ and the Gospel of Nicodemus not to be so who both saw and heard Christ as St. John testifies of him and why should the Gospel of St. Luke the Disciple be receiv'd and the Gospel of St. Bartholomew the Apostle be rejected unless we humbly comply with the power and authority of the Church which hath so ordered it and clearly confess that the Church can judge of Scriptures Thus since it is plain that the Church is ancienter then Scripture and that no Scripture can be thought authentical without the authority of the Church Exod. 20. can any Christian be blamed for saying that he would never believe the Scripture but that the Authority of the Church commanded it over over and above all this the Authority of the Church over Scripture is hugely evident in many particulars of Scripture As first Matth. 28. Act. 15. the Scripture commands thus Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day six days shalt thou labour and do all that thou hast to do but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God c. And yet the Church changed the Sabbath into the Lords day by its own authority Matth. 28.19 20. and not only without but against known Scripture Again Christ said to his Disciples in the Mount that he came not to dissolve the Law but fulfill it and yet the Church in the Apostles Councel decreed and pronounced boldly for the Cessation
that we are all the foot when we know that there is and must be a difference between the members themselves wherefore the unity of the body may consist with the difference of members Then as to that other Text out of the Romanes we do acknowledge that all Christians though meerly Lay-mem may offer spiritual oblations and so may be mistical Priests erecting in their hearts an Altar of their affections to God but it does not at follow from thence that therefore there are not nor ought to be external and Hierarchical Priests To the Eleventh We say that our Saviour in that Gospel you urge sinds not fault with praying but praying as the Hepocrites doe who with his words prayes to God not with his deeds which kind of praying shuts the gates of the Kingdome of Heaven against them Then as to a necessity which you say our prayers must impose upon God we do absolutely deny any such thing but yet we know that God is pleased to express himself as if he were necessitated by the importunity of faithfull prayers as he said to Moses let me alone that my fury may wax hot as if he were hindred from his purpose by Moses his prayers he requests him to let him aloue And as to your inference that if prayrs be prevalent with God than good works an necessary we do absolutely deny it for we are to do the one and not toleave the other undone for by fasting and alms giving c. Prayers are carried up to Heaven as with Angels wings To the twelfth To what you urge out of S. Mathew and the Prophet Malachy we acknowled that God foreknowes our wants before we aske him but yet we confess his power in praying to him and beseech him as he is all powerfull to help us we ask therfore onely that which God has ordered us to ask for and has promised to give to our prayers and God will be askt before he gives least we should do that which most in the world do vilify his profered graces Neither is God to be thought to be changed by our prayers that is in his essence but the effects of things are many times changed by holy prayers as that before by Moses You mistake therefore if you think that our prayers are ordained to change the divine disposition but that we may obtein by our prayers what his divine goodness had disposed for us before the world was To the thirteenth and last We say that our Saviour forbids not much speaking in prayers simply but as the heathen doe vain repetitions and babling in prayers is forbiden not prolixity to continue long in prayer it is the superfluity of words that is offensive to God therefore the old Fathers prayers were very short Luke 22.1 Sam. 1. but frequent Christ himself prayed long and Amn prayed long and multiplied prayers Luke 2.6 Nay our Saviour was a whole night in prayer as the Scriptures testify Then that Canonicall hours are not commanded in holy writ I grant but they are sufficiently insinuated and the Church has allways learnt them from its holy Masters the Apostles and we ought to obey those that are set over us in the Lord Then last of all Heb. 11. what can be more edifying to Christians than those collects of holy prayers and homilies made by the holy Fathers of the Church the legands of the Saints and agonies of those invincible martyrs who have seald our Chrsstion faith with their blood if they be well and faythfully writen So now give us leave to reply a little upon you That it is lawfull to build use and adorn Churches and to give lands and possessions to them and to the persons that Officiate in them and that we are not all equally Priests and that our Canonicall hours and prayersure lawfull we prove by Scripture thus First we finde in Exodus that Jacob sayd surely the Lord was in this place Exod. 28 16 17. and I knew it not and again how dreadfull is this place this is no other but the houset of God and the gate of heaven Agayn in Deuteronomy we finde thus Deut. 46.2 Thou shalt therefore Sacrifice the passover unto the Lord thy God of thy flock and of thy heards in the place which the Lord thy God shall chuse to place his name there Therefore God appoints some places for his worship and delights in them more then in others We finde in the Chronicles that it was not permitted to David because he was a man of blood 1 Chron. 17. and had made many wars to build a house to the name of God Heer it is to be observed that the Lord had a great care of the Reverence due to his house when he would not suffer it to be built by a warriour or a man of blood ibid but by a king of peace as Solomon was Then in the same chapter and els where God expresseth himself to have walkt about in Tents 2 Kin. 7. and Tabernacle from place to place observe he that was every where says he was in the Tabernacle 1 Kings 6 7 8. c. How often does the Almighty call Solomons Temple his house to dwell in what infinite care and vast expence was in the building and not so much as the noise of a hammer to be heard about it all the while it was building and you will pull down Temples with noise of Drumes and Trumpets 1. Chron. 17. Then that God is more propitiated and hears our prayers sooner in a place hollowed to his name than in an other place is as plain for it is sayd That King David came and stood before the Lord that is the Arke by which it is plain that God is more present in one place than in another Daniel when he could not pray in the Temple Dan. 6. being a captive in Babylon yet prayed thrice a day with his face towards the Temple in Jerusalem Then the Prophet Isay tells us that God sayes Isay 36. my house shall be called by all people the house of prayer which our Saviour himself repeats confirms and adds upon the Jews but ye have made it a denne of Thieves Mat. 21. so many of your faction have made our Churches lately worse than dennes of Thieves It is said in the Acts Acts 3. how Peter and John went up into the Temple to pray at the ninth hour of prayer observe how the Apostles would pray in the old Temple when there was no Christian Church built 1 Cor. 11. St. Paul rebukes the Corinthians for prophaning of their Churches with eating and drinking and may not we say to you as the Apostles does to them despise you not the Church of God ibid. does not the same St. Paul require that women should hold their peaces in the Church out of reverence 1 Cor. 14.25 and that an unlearned man coming into the Church should falldown upon his face should worship