three full weeks I eat no pleasent bread neither came flesh nor wine into my mouth neither did I anoint my filf at all c. Then said the Lord unto Daniel fear not ver 12. for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand and to chasten thy self before thy God thy words were heard c. heer you see how the Prophet Daniel did abstain from meat and wine and God reproved and loved him for it In the like maner I shall prove fasting to be a holy institution for the maceration of the body the explusion of the evil Spirit the imploring of divine grace and the imitation of Jesus Christ by express scripture in S. Math. Gospell thus First our Saviour saith Mat. 9.15 can the Children of the Bride-chamber mourn so long as the Bridegroom is with them but the days will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them Luke 5.35 36. and then they shall fast and in S. Lukes Gospell he says can ye make the Children of the Bride-chamber fast whilst the Bridegroome is with them but the days shall come c. and then shall they fast in those days And these words of our Saviours were abundantly fullfiled by the Apostles as you may see in the Acts. Acts 13.2.3 first as they ministred unto the Lord and fasted the holy Ghost said c. And again when they had fasted and prayed c. Acts. 14.23 And in the next chapter it is said and when they had Ordained them olders in every Church and had prayed with fasting they commended them to the Lord c. S. Paul declareth to the Corinthians how he and others that were ingaged in the service of the Church should behave themselves thus 2 Coâ— 6.4.5 In all things approving our selves as the ministers of God c. in watchings and in fastings And that this duty of fasting was acceptable to God even before Christianity Jonah 3.5 6 7 8 9 10. we may see in the example of Ninniveh So the people of Ninniveh beleived God that is the word which was preacht to them by the Prophet Jonah and proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest of them even to the least of them and it followes it was decreed by the King and all his Nobles saying let neither man beast heard nor flock tast any thing let them not feed nor drink water but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth c. And God saw their works and that they turned from their evil way and God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them and be did it not Thus you may see how acceptable to God this solemne fast of the Ninnivits was and yet you will question that duty But to summe up all this in a few words Mat. 6.16 17 18. I pray you observe what our Saviour says in S. Mathews Gospell Moreover when ye fast be not as the Hypoerites of a sad countenance for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast verily I say unto you they have their reward but thou when thou fastest annoint thy bead and wash thy face that thou appear not unto men to fast but unto thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Heer our Saviour does not onely implicitely commend this duty of fasting to us but prescribes us the manner of it and assures us it is meritorious for he saith that God shall reward it openly I think this should be enough to satisfy any reasonable Christians Why then should our lenten fast so much offend you when it is so ancient in the Church as I have been informed ever since the Apostles times and ordained in humble imitation of our Saviour who as the scripture tells us when he had fasted forty days and forty nights Mat. 4.2 he was afterwards an bungred can we performe think you a more Christian duty Deut. 9. than to follow so great an example so far as we can Again we finde that Moses fasted fourty days and fourty nights And that the Prophet Elijah did the same 1 Kings 16. Nay how much this duty of fasting is pleasing to the Lord we may finde in the Prophet Joel who crys out Joel 2.15 16 18. blow the Trumpit in Sion fanctify a fast call a solemn assembly gather the people sanctify the congregation assemble the elders gather the Children and those that suck the breast let the Bridegroom goe forth of his chamber and the Bride out of her closet c. Then will the Lord pitty his people c. The Prophet David frequently acknowledgeth that he did humble his soul with fasting Psalms and the Scripture throughout is full of nothing more then that God did accept of that humiliation still when it was hearty 1 Kings 21. Tob. 12. Luke 2. as Abab Hezekiah Tobiah Judith Hester Daniel the Niunivites Ann the widdow and agreat many more that would be infinite to recount So for a close of all I shall onely put you in minde that there were a sort of Devills of whom our Saviour himself says Mark 9.29 that that kinde is not to be east out but by prayer and fasting who then shall cast out Devils from them that are enemies Profest against that great and holy duty of fasting To what you alledge against our Vows especially those of Chastity and single-life though in one Priests themselve To the First I answer that I grant indeed that Vows do reduce us into Bondage but it is only to Christ and such a slavery is the nighest libercy It is such a servitude as the Apostle speaks of being freed from sin ye are made the servants of Righteousnesse and to God and to serve God is to Raign with him from whence it is plain that our obligation to pay our Vows does in nothing repugne or Streighten our Christian liberty no more then our obligation to keep the Commandements does and just so as the Transgression of the Commandements throws us into the servitude of sin so does the breach or not observance of our Vows It is true the Evangelicall Counfells are at first free but after a promise is once made they become Obligatory shall we make a conscience to observe our Contracts with men and violate our Covenants with God God forbid The Lord commands us not to make Vows but to pay and render them when they are made as Matrimony before a Contract is free but when the Contract is once made it is then firm and indissolveable and therefore impossible unlesse in our Saviours case to procure a Divorce At first every man hath in his Free-Will to vow or not to vow but to pay the vow being once made is so necessary that a man cannot recede from it without hazard of his salvation Our Saviour says That no man setting his hand to the Plow and looking
of those Legalities We find again in the last of St. Matthew Christ saying to his Disciples Go ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you Here Christ laid down an express form of Baptism in the name of the holy Trinity and yet the primitive Church did think fit to change that form into a Baptism in the name of Jesus Christ only for so St. Peter enjoyned them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins c. And again we finde that the Samaritars were baptized by St. Philip in the name of Jesus Act. 2.38 Acts 8. Act. 19.5 Act. 15.28 29. So again upon St. Pauls preaching at Ephesus when they heard this they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Above all this we find the Scripture telling us that it was defined in the Apostles Councel thus It hath seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us c. that ye abstam from meats offered unto Idols and from blood and frous things strangled c. This we see is most plainly and expresly defined by the Apostles and as clearly attested by Scripture and yet the Church in after Ages hath thought fit to change that decree and permit Christians to eat strangled things and blood nay you that dispute against the Authority of the Church in matters of Faith are contented to submit to it in point of eating you could not otherwise deny the eating of a black pudding or strangled Hen to be a most notorions transgression nor could any thing excuse us from sin in so doing if the Church hâ—d not a power over the Scriptures And to conclude if the authority of the Church were not over the Scriptore then all Jews that should be converted now to the Faith of Christ and come to Baptism should be tyed still to the observation of Mases his Law for so we finde in Scripture that the Apostles themselves and others of thâ— Nation which became Converts did always do St. James and all the Elders said to St. Paul upon his return from the Gentiles Thou seest brother how many thousands of Jews there are which believe and they are all zealous for the Law and they are informed of thee that thou teachest all the Jews which are among the Gentiles to forsake Moses Saying Act. 21.18 20 21 22 23 24 25. that they ought not to circumcise their children neither to walk after the custums What is it therefore the multitude must needs come together for they will hear that thou art come Do therefore this that we say unto thee we have four men which have a vow on them Them take and purifie thy self with them and be at chrrges with them that they may shave their heads and all may know that those things whereof they were informed concerning thee are nothing but that thy self also walkest orderly and keepest the Law As touching the Geutiles which believe we have written and concluded that they observe no such thing save only that they keep themselves from things offered unto Idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornicaâ—on Here it is plain that St. Paul with many thousands more did observe the Law of Moses and that by the immediate order of St. James the Prelate of the place and the Councel of all the Elders This we know clearly altered since by the authority of the Church and what a fine confusion it would produce if otherwise practised now I will leave your self to judge To the second I say that what you urge out of Deuteronomy makes no more against us then it does against the Apostles themselves from whence we received our Traditions but most especially St. Paul who expresly bids us to hold fast the Traditions which we have received Nay and all the holy Fathers of the Primitive Church who have always imbraced and held them Nay yet further you do most manifestly oppose and oppugne your own selves who receive the Tradition of Scripture the Lords day and many holy days with divers other things which you hold in great reverence by no other Authority If therefore we Catholicks offend in so doing then the Apostles themselves and all the Primitive Fathers and Christians and you your selves are as guilty of a fault if they be innocent and you too why should we be condemned Again give me leave to tell you that you have wholly mistaken the sense of that Text and that I will demonstrate to you out of the context which runs thus Deu 4.1.2 Now therefore hearken O Israel un-the Statutes and unto the Judgements which I teach you for to do them that ye may live and go in and possess the Land which the Lord God of your Fathers giveth you Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you neither shall you diminish ought from it that ye may keep the Commandments of the Lord your God which I command you As if he should say I give unto you precepts both Ceremonial and Judicial which ye ought perfectly and entirely to keep for so much is signified in those words ye shall not add nor diminish and this precept to that people is delivered though in other words yet to the very same sense in divers other places that they should be punctual in the observation of what was commanded them and not to swerve or turn to the right hand or the left So that these three things are upon the matter all one that is perfectly and intirely to keep Moses his precepts Deut. 17.20 Deut. 28.14 Deut. 31.29 Josu 1.7 not to turn from them neither to the right hand nor to the lest and last of all neither to add to nor diminish from their observation Which now is plain cannot be so understood as if it were unlawfull to add any new precept for then it had been utterly unlawful to add those new Evangelical precepts as Faith in the blessed Trinity the whole business of Holy Baptism and the Eucharist which you receive as well as we but the sense of those Texts must be plainly this that they ought to be very exact in the observation of Moses his Laws not to corrupt them with any addition or dimunition but to keep them intirely as for example this was a Mosaical precept Levit. 12.2 3. If a woman have conceived seed ann born a man child then she shal be unclean seven days c. And in the eighth day the flesh of his soreskin shall be circumcised c. To this precept now it was not lawful to add or diminish from that it was not lawful neither before nor after the eigth day to circumcise the child nor was the uncleanness of the mother to last more or less than seven days Now the same reason holds throughout all other precepts as I shall
but once in the year and that is Saturday in the holy week neither is there any consecration at all made that day of the Sacrament But the Eucharist that was consecrated the former day is then receiv'd lest the Church of Christ should remain depriv'd of the comfortable fruits of our Lords Passion The other way of Oblation is cleerly Sacramental and yet nevertheless real by which Christ is daily offer'd in the Church and receiv'd by Priests in the Sacrifice of the Mass under the Sacrament in commemoration of the Passion Dead and that former Oblation once made upon the Cross So that the Priest in the person of the whole Church doth present to God the Father the Oblation made by the Sonne upon the Altar of the Cross and him offered and that is the Offering according to the order of Melchisedech However this Oblation may be but rightly call'd commemorative not that Jesus Christ is not rightly and truly offered but because he is offered here under a Sacrament invisibly and recordatively in remembrance of his former Oblation by his own command Numb 28.3 and according to his own Institution And this is the oblation that was signified by the continual burnt-offering in the Old Law in which there was a Lamb without spot to be offered every morning and every evening This second Oblation I say the Priests of Christ doe make daily by the command of Christ himselfe Luke 22. grounded upon those words Do this in remembrance of me For this word do cannot referre onely to a bare sumption or taking of the Sacrament as you would have it but an Action and Oblation otherwise they should not have had the power of Consecration by those words Christ perfected at once the Oblation of himself upon the Altar of the Cross in one bloody Sacrifice and by the frequent repetition of this unbloody one the fruits and effects of the former are daily deriv'd to us So that the Mass is not only a representation of our Lords last Supper but of his Passion Death and Oblation of himselfe and therefore our Eucharist is not onely a Sacrament as you say but it is also a real Sacrifice a Sacrament truly it is as it does represent and is taken but a Sacrifice it is as it is offered and sacrificed to God and by this reason our Mass in which this great Sacrifice is celebrated is called a Sacrifice too To the second and third In the like manner I shall answer both your following arguments for those Texts doe clearly speake of the first Oblation that Christ made of himself our Sacrifices here are but examples of that and yeâ— we offer still the same thing not as in the Old Law to day one Lamb and to morrow another but alwayes the same so it is still one Sacrifice for as he that is offered is one body not many so is our Sacrifice still but one Behold how we offer daily one Sacrifice which once was offered though as is aforesaid there is great difference in the manner of offering the one by a real bloody oblation the other by recordation and representation To the fourth That our Saviour did say that his blood was the New Testament c. I grant but deny that therefore the Mass should be so for that which he spoke was onely to confirme our Faith in the New Testament Exod. 24.8 for as Moses being to confirm the Old Testament took the blood of Calves and Geats c. and sprinkled the people saying this is the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words So Christ with his own blood confirm'd his New Testament unto us and enter'd into the Holy of Holyes Besides there be many things of the New Testament that belong not at all to the Mass as Baptism the Power of the Keyes c. Nay over and above all this it does not follow Heb. 9. that if the Mass were a Testament it should be therefore no Sacrifice for a Testament according to that of the Apostle includes the death of the Testator and the Mass being a Testament does imply the death of its Testator Jesus Christ and so by consequence must involve the Oblation To the fifth and last I shall clearly grant you again that the Mass is a recordation or remembrance of the Passion of Christ but not so nakedly as when a Lay person does simply communicate but it is a remembrance after this manner as it is the representative action of the whole Passion And this Jesus Christ said do ye not onely take ye but do ye that is if we joyne the precedents and sebsequents together consecrate offer take therefore that part of the Mass is called Action So therefore as there was a continual Sacrifice in the Old Testament so in the Law of Grace is Christ our Saviour made our continual Offering and shall continue so for ever till Anti-Christ shall come as our Doctors do affirm and then it shall cease for a while Now give me leave again to return you some proofes out of the Scriptures of the congruity and necessity that the Mass should bee a Sacrifice First Lev. 5.6.9.14 it is manifest that in the Old Law there was to be an offering for the sins of the people and it was alwaies the duty of the Priests to offer for their ignorances and sins and for their cleansing And what Religion was there ever so stupid as to pretend to the service of a Deity without some Sacrifice except some novel Christians to the very scandal of Jews and Turks Secondly Malach. 1.10 11. The Prophet Malachy does most plainly Prophesie of our great Sacrifice when he brings the Lord speaking to Israel I have no pleasure in you saith the Lord of Hosts neither will I accept any offering at your hand for from the rising of the Sun to the going down of the same my name shall be great amongst the Gentiles and in every place Incense shal be offered unto my name a pure offering for my name shall be great among the heathen saith the Lord of hosts Is not this a most plain Prediction of the Cessation of the Sacrifices of the old Law and the Institution of the Sacrifice of the new Law Nor can this be meant of that Sacrifice which Christ offered once upon the Cross because the Prophet speaks of a Sacrifice to be offered in every place and speaks but only of one oblation and that is nothing nor can be but the pure Sacrifice of the body of Christ so often repeared upon in our Masses and upon our Christian Altars Nay yet examine a little further in this great Prophet Malath 3.1 2 3. and you will finde yet a clearer evidence for our Christian sacrifice for being about his prophecies of the Messiah to come and having foretold the coming of the Baptist before him says plainly that the Lord shall suddenly come to his Temple even the Messenger of
of God accepting them as it had before pleased to assist in the doing of them All which I prove by these express Scriptures God commands Abraham to walk before him and be perfect Gen. 16. and he will be his exceeding great reward The Prophet Esay says of God Isay 40.10 Jer. 31.16 Prov. 11.28 that his reward is with him The Prophet Jeremy tells us thus for thy work shall be rewarded saith the Lord. The wise King Solomon assures us that the wicked worketh a deceitful work but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward The Lord recompence thy work Ruth 2.12 and a full reward begiven thee of the Lord God of Israel Out of these and infinite more places in the old Scriptures it is plain that God does promise and assure rewards to those that do well But the Evangelicall Scriptures are yet more full He that reapeth receiveth wages Iohn 4.36 and gathereth fruit unto life eternal that is man so that he that soweth that is God and he that reapeth may rejoyce together Our Saviour in his Sermon in the Mount Mat. 5.12 Luke 6.22.23 to encourage his disciples against persecution speaks plainly thus Rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven in like manner S. Luke relates it Blessed are ye when men shall hate you persecute you or reproch you for the son of mans sake Rejoyce ye in that day and leap for joy for behold your reward is great in heaven c. Heer reward is plainly promised now we know that reward and merit are such relatives that one cannot be understood without the other Not every one that saith unto me Lord Mat. 7.21 Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven but he that doth the will of my father which is in heaven Thus cleer it is that is not enough â—o believe in the Lord that we may enter into life but we must do his will Again Mat. 10.42 Whosoever shall give to drink to one of these little ones a cup of cold water onely in the name of a disciple verily I say unto you be shall in no wise loose his reward Yet again the same Gospel tells us that all the labourers in the Lords vineyard were to receive their reward Mat. 20.7 8 9. from the last unto the first and so they did every one their peny and adds whatsoever is right that shall ye receive observe how the Lord makes the reward of mans works a piece of his justice The same S. Matthew still tells us Mat. 19.17 how our Saviour chargeth the young man in the Gospel if he will enter into life to keep the commandments something therefore is to be done on our parts But above all the same Evangelist in another place quite states the question Come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Mat. 25.34 35 36. for I was a hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye grve me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye clothed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Here our Saviour was pleased to instance in all the works of charity to shew how they are all and every one of them meritoriously accepted by him Does not S. John likewise plainly tell us Iohn 5.28.29 our Saviours express words that those that are in their graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation and again you are my friends if ye keep my commandments can you yet think that there is nothing due to good works Will you hear what S. Paul tells you that God will render to every man according to his deeds Rom. 2.6 10. glory honour and peace to every one that worketh good c. and then concludes that not the hearers but the doers of the Law shall be justified Again 1 Cor. 3.8 to the Corinthians he says every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour and in his second Epistle to the same Corinthians he tells them thus 2 Cor. 5.10 1 Cor. 9.17 For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad again if I do this willingly I have a reward 1 Cor. 15 58. and at last concludes that great Chapter concerning the Resurrection Therefore my beloved brethren be ye stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. The same Apostle forewarns the Galatians not to be deceived Gal. 6.7 God is not mocked for what soever a man soweth that shall he also reap The same Apostle prays heartily for the Collosians Colos 1.10 Colos 3.23.24 that they might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good work and then afterwards tells them plainly that whatsoever they do they should do he artily as to the Lord and not unto men knowing that of the Lord they shall receive the reward of their inheritance c. To the Hebrews he says plainly Heb. 6.10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which you have shewed towards his name Heb. 13.16 in that ye have ministred to the Saints and do minister and in another place adviseth them that to do good and to communicate they forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased S. John in his second Epistle general adviseth all the world to look to themselves 2 John ver 8. that they loose not those things which they have wrought but that they receive a full reward S. Peter is no less cleer in this sense 2 Pet. 1 10 11. as you may see by the Counsell general that he gives wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if ye do thus ye shall never fall for so an entrance shall be ministred unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And then in his first Epistle he exhorteth to an honest conversation c. that the world may be convinced by the good works which they shall behold and glorifie God in the day of visitation Then that faith is utterly vain without works James 2 14. ver 17 18 19 20 21 24. see how throughly the blessed Apostle S. James delivers it What doth it profit my brethren though a man say he hath faith and hath not works can faith save him then a little after tells us that faith if it hath not works is dead being alone then says the Apostle I will shew my faith by my works thou believest there is
God c. Now that the building of Churches is acceptable to God is evident because it was practised in the Apostles time Luke 7. and the Jews knew that it was acceptable to our Saviour when they told him of the Centurion that he loved their Nation and built them a Synagogue Exod. 23.26.29.30.31.35 c. Then how acceptable to God the adorning of Churches must be I pray you look upon the sumptuous offerings that were made by the people in the old law towards the building of their Tabernacle and the making of costly ornaments for their Priests and so for their Temple afterwards and I presume you will be satisfyed Nay not withstanding the Temple was so richly provided for by Solomon Num 27.28 29. Nehe 10.32 and in every thing most abounding yet Nehemiah tells us that the Jews made ordinances to oblige and charge themselves yeerly with the third part of a sheckel for the service of the house of their God besides their free-will offerings which were unvalvable And our Saviour discommends not the rich Temple then in his days Luke 21. for takeing the poor widdows mite Jos. 21. towards its encreas and ornament As for the possessions of the Priests there was as great a care taken by God Num. 25 as first we finde that Joshuah divided citys amongst the Priests and levites as the Lord commanded by Moses And again we finde that the Prists and Levits had the tithes The first borne the first fruites Lev. 27. and great parts of the offerings and sacrifices for their attendance on the Tabernacle Num. 18. where they served day ly and all this was by the express precept and ordinance of God 2 Kings 12.4 5. Then in the Kings we finde that Joash sayd to the Priests all the mony of the didicated things that is brought into the house of the Lord even the mony of every one that passeth the account is the mony that every one set at all the mony that cometh into any mans heart to bring into the house of the Lord let the Priests take to them c 2 Chron. 31.4 5.6 7 8 9 c. So Hezekiah commanded the people that dwelt in Jerusalem to give proportionably to the Priests and Levites that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord and we find in the Text that they of Judah and Jerusalem did bring in so abundantly that new chambers and granaries were erected to receive their offerings Luke 8.2.3 Jesus Christ himself we know carried always a treasurer or purse-bearer with him that was Judas who was to receive and dispose of what was sent to him And we finde that divers did minister unto him of their substance as Joan the wife of Chusa Herods Steward and divers others S. Paul is so express in this point that I wonder you or any man can doubt not onely that it is a good devotion but a necessary duty to contribute towards their Priests For he saith Who goeth to warfare any time at his own charges 1 Cor 9.7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14. Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof Or who feedeth a flock and eateth not of the milke of the flock say I these things as a man or saith not the Law the same also For it is writen in the law of Moses thou shalt not muzlle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth our the corne doth God take care for Oxen Or saith be altogether for our sakes for our sakes no doubt this is written that he that ploweth should plough in hope and he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope If we have sowen unto you spirituall things is it a great thing if we shall reape your carnall things Do you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the Temple and they which waite at the alter are partakers with the alter Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell 1 Tim 2. should live of the Gospell c. Then the same Apostletells Timothy that a Bishop must be blamless the husband of one wife vigialent sober of good behaviour given to hospitallity apt to teach c. Now I would fain know how a Bishop can be hospitable Acts. 4 24.25 if he have not wherewithall Then in the Acts we finde how so many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them and brought the prices of the things that were sould and layd them down at the Apostles feet c. By what is it most plain that in the primitive Church there were collections for the sustertation of the clergy in a plentyfull manner which fayling then benefices succeded in their roomes And to conclude all that we mean to say in this point Luke 10. our Saviour tells you that the labourer is worthy of his hyre Mat. 27.25 26. As to immunities due to their persons we shall adde onely one word or two our Saviour askes Peter of whom do the Kings of the earth take tribute of their own Children or of strangers Peter sayth unto him of straingers Psal 104 Jesus sayth unto him then are the Children free The Psalmist in the person of God comands thus not to touch his anointed nor do his Prophets any harm And again the same Kinge David says in another place Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed and be guiltless 1 Sam. 26.1 This was spoken truly of the unction of a King but the same must follow upon the unction of a Priest Mat. 19. Mar. 9. Mat. 21. Now that we are not all Priests equally is sufficiently proved in our paper concerning the Sacrament of holy orders so shall not he make repetition Then for our Canonicall hours and prayers we are justified by Scriptures Luke 11. Matt. 6. Mat. 14. Mark 6. Luk 5.16 Luke 9. Luke 22. Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Mat. 24. Mar. 13. Matt. 5. Luke 18. Mat. 26. innumerable First the Disciples sayd to Christ Lord teach us to pray and he sayd when ye pray say our Father c. and then sending away the multitude he went into a mountain alone for to pray again he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed again he went into a mountain to pray and he was all night in prayer to God again he went up into a mountain to pray and whilst he prayed his countenance was changed Then again kneeling down he prayed saying Father if it be thy will let this cup pass from me and being in his agony he prayed long So much for our Saviours practise as for his precept observe first Pray that your flight be not in the winter nor on the sabbath day again watch and pray for ye know not when the time will come again pray for those that persecute you c. again pray always and faint not again pray that ye enter not into temptation then this
the Covenant whom you delight in saith the Lord of Hosts c. And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver and he shall purifie the sons of Levi and purge them as gold and silver that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness Then shall the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years What can be more plain then this Prophecy that the Saviour of the world should purifie his Priests that is our Evangelical ones to offer Sacrifices not in blood but in righteousness which can be nothing but our most holy Eucharist The Prophet Daniel comes yet if possible Malach. 3.1 2 3. closer to the purpose saying Many shall be purified and made white and tryed but the wicked shal do wickedly none of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away the abomination that maketh desolate set up there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days This is a clear Prophecy of the coming of Antichrist and how long he shall reign during which time the continual Matth. 24. or daily Sacrifice and this our Saviour himself affirms shall be sulfilled that upon the coming of Antichrist there shall be an universal Cessation of our great sacrifice for almost four years and nothing but desolation of Churches Let them look to it therefore that are hinderers of this glorious and continual Sacrifice from being offered in private Churches least they be convinced to be the forerunners of Antichrist But yet more plainly let us hear what St. Heb. 5.1 2 3. Paul says in the Epistle to the Hebrews For every High Priest taken from amongst men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins Who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity And by reason hereof he ought as for the people so also for himself to offer for sins Can any thing be more plain here the Apostle being to define the duty of a Priest declares it to be principally to offer for sins and whereas you say that no one man can offer for another St. Paul sure was of another Religion for he says the Priest ought to offer for the Peoples as well as for his own sins and to this purpose I have been told by those that are skil'd in Antiquity that it has been call'd the Sacrifice of the Mass ever since the beginning of Christianity So enough I conceive said as to this point To what you alledge of abuse in our Church by our Mass being said in Latine and not in English I answer thus To the first I shall for your satisfaction reserr you to the current of that whole Chapter of St. Paul to the Corinthians which you so urge against our Mass where it is plain that he speaks of Prophesying that is of preaching interpreting and expounding the Scriptures and sure it would be a very absurd thing that any man should undertake to preach to the people in an unknown tongue therefore the Apostle in the 19. verse explains himself thus Yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding 1 Cur. 14.19 that by my voice I might teach others also then ten thousand words in an unknown tongue I pray you mark those words that I might teach others which must be understood of Preaching not of celebration of the Mass or publick Liturgy of the Church To the second I answer as before that the understanding so required by the Apostle is principally meant of prophecying and preaching As for praying I shall not enter into the dispute for it is too nice a one for me whether prayers though not understood be not profitable and meritorious I am sure some of the most Learned Doctors have concluded that they are But to our present purpose I say that though the Laity do not all of them understand the words of the Mass yet they do perfectly all the Mysteries of it which they learn from their Cradles either by instruction of their Parents and Masters or by the preaching and catechising of their Pastors and Curats then having the words of the Mass in their own Mother Tongue delivered to them in their private Primars and other books they perfectly understand by those mysterious actions and Ceremonies that the Priest useth whereabouts in the Mass he is and what words he is about to say and this is manifest by the peoples actions there who sometimes kneel and sometimes stand up sometimes bow sometimes beat their brests and other times sign themselves with the sign of the Cross as the several passages in the Mass shall require By which external actions of theirs it is notorious that they understand more of the mysteries of the Mass then the most Learned Latinist in the world could not being instructed in the mysteries To the third and last As to this I might refer you for further answer to what has been said before for all your arguments upon this point touch but upon one string but I will yet shew you how much use and edification more the people doe receive by our Masse though in Latin First there is very much of the Holy Scripture in it and by that the Holy Ghost speakes and instils instruction into our hearts though delivered in any tongue Then the scope of the whose Masse is unknown to no body though never so ignorant for the end of the Masse and principal intention of the Church who ever hears must know whether he understand the words more or lesse to be the offering of the sacrifice for the living and the dead in the memory of the passion and death of our Saviour to the glory of God edification of his Church and the honour of our Blessed Lady and all his Saints And why should not so much understanding in a Lay person be enough to his edification Nay I I am confident that by their scantling of understanding their devotions are usually raised to a greater height than the most learned and intelligent Auditors who please themselves with a dry understanding of the words Nay it is evident that the devotion of a man may be very much hindered by too much attention to words So much I conceive enough to your Arguments to conclude a Latin Masse to be sufficient for the people but yet if this were all in difference between us I am perswaded the Church would easily permit you to have it in your own Mother tongue for in what language it is said is onely matter of Discipline But yet I have thought good to send you some Arguments likewise to convince you of the congruitie and conveniencie if not necessitie that the celebration of those Divine Mysteries should be still in Latin The Scripture tels
imployed upon better things so the Lord give a blessing to our endeavours and sweet Madam be pleas'd to continue me in the quality of Madam Your most humble Servant N. The Messenger Arriving speedily back at my Ladies House and delivering the Letter with the inclos'd papers her Ladyship finding the Contents fell to the work iw mediately which you shall hear as followeth Madam the Doctrine that your Church delivers concerning good works is a Mother most strange erroâ—s and abuses of Christianity as confession free will c. Which gives me the boldnesse to make my addresse to your Ladyship wholly to that purpose So I shall first endeavour to overthrow your foundation that is your Doctrine of good works That good Works signifie nothing to the Justification much less to the salvation of a Christian by any way of merit iâ— most manifest out of Scripture 1. The Prophet Habakkuk tells us plainly of him that seeks his Justification by his Works that his soul which is lifted up Hab. 2.4 is not upright in him but the just shall live by his faith The same is insisted on by our Saviour Joh. 3.36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him And St. Paul quoting the Prophet tells the Romans For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith as it is written Rom. 1.17 the just shall live by faith And again Gal. 3.11 to the Galatians â—ut that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident for the just shall live by faith And again to the Hebrews Now the just shall live by faith What then is become of your grand confidence in good works Our Saviour tells the woman diseased with an issue of blood Matth. â— that her Faith hath made her whole And in the same Chapter assures the blind men because they believed that he was able to restore their eyes to them that therefore they should see and saying according to your Faith be it unto you their eyes were opened by this you may see the value that Faith hath in the esteem of God 3. The Scripture expresly tells us that Abraham believed in the Lord Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4. â— and he counted it to him for righteousness the same thing St. Paul repeats to the Romans to the Galatians Gal. 3.6 Jam. 2.22 and so St. James by all which it is plain that Faith is the only thing that justifies and gives the reputation of righteousness before God 4. We finde in St. Lukes Gospel that our Saviour bids us to say when we shall have done all things that are commanded us that we are but unprofitable Servants Luk. 11.43 we have done that which was our duty to do What is become of your doctrine of works Where is your merit in them by them or for them when after you have done all things fill'd the world with Hospitals Colledges Churches and Monasteries given all your goods to the poor mortified and macerated your bodies you are yet so far from meriting that you are but unprofitable Servants 5. Our Saviour tells us clearly and with a vertly verily I say unto you he that heareth my word Joh. 5.24 and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Can any thing be more plain then this that by Faith alone we are to gain everlasting life 6. Charity it self is but a fruit of Faith so that it is plain Faith alone may suffice to our justification and our Saviour taketh frequently works for Hypocritical and pronounceth a woe to such as depend upon them 7. Then it is plain there neither is or can be any such thing as good works and whosoever pretends to that righteousnesse is a hypocrite for the Prophet Isaiah tels us Isa 54.6 that we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags And again the Scripture tels us that there is not a righteous man upon the earth who does well Eccl. 5. and sins not And the Prophet David cryed out Psalm though a man after Gods own heart Enter not into Judgement with thy servant O Lord for in thy fight shall no man living be justified Where is then your Justification by works And St. Paul that great Vessel of Election complains Rom. 7.15.23 that he was sold under sin for that which he did he allowed not he did not what he would but what he hated that he did and that he saw another Law in his members warring against the Law of his mind and bringing him into captivity to the Law of sin which was in his Members what then must become of us poor creatures if we confide in our own works That Auricular Confession of Sins to a Priest is so farre from being a good work and acceptable in the sight of God that it is meerly to be esteemed Wil-worship and humane invention is proved thus It is plain out of the very Text which you so much urge for your opinion Joh. 20.23 which is in St. John Whosoevrr sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever sins ye retain they are retained That Christ commands nothing there concerning confession but only requires Priests to give their absolution 2. And St. James when he seems to command Confession speaks only of a brotherly Confession Confess your faults one to another Jam. 5.16 there is not a word of confession to Priests 3. Then our Saviour said not to the woman taken in adultery go and confess thy sins to a Priest but go and sin no more 4. Again we read of Peters tears and great repentance how he wept most bitterly but we read not a jot of his going to confession and yet his sin was most undoubtedly pardoned 5. Then I have read in Ecclesiastical History that Confession was in one Age wholly abrogated and forbidden in the Church That your Doctrine of satisfaction for sins is most dangerous if not desperate for Christian souls is proved thus 1. St. John the Baptist being sent to be a Preacher of Repentance to the people taught only the observation of the Commandments of God expresly forbidding them to do more then what was appointed for them to do nor makes he mention at all of any satisfaction for sins The Lord himself declares by his holy Prophet Ezekiel Luk. 3.13 that if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed and keep all his statutes and do that which is lawfull and right Ezek. 18.21 he shall surely live he shall not die Here is nothing imposed upon a penitent but to do Judgement and righteousness c. not the least word of satisfaction The Prophet Micah does most plainly deride all those that seek to make a satisfaction for their sins
him in Jordan confessing their sins The wise Solomon assures us that he that conceals his wickedness shall not be directed Prov. 8. but he that confesseth it shall finde mercy That this duty of confession was both preached and practised in the Apostles days is plain by that express place And the name of the Lord Jesus was maguified Acts 19.28 and many that belived came and confessed and shewed their deeds No less express is that text of S. John if we confess our sines he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins and will cleanse us from all wickedness To figure out this greatâ—duty of confession to us our Saviour chargeth the Leper whom he cleansed Mat. 8. to go and shew himself to the Preist and offer the gift that Moses comanded Luke 17. In the like manner he commanded the ten lepers and says to Lazarus when he had raysed him from the dead loose him and let him go These things I say are cleer prefigurations of this duty of confession which was afterwards to be establisht in the Christian Church and has been ever since the Apostles times most universally practised To what you alledge against our doctrine of Satisfaction for sins I answear thus To the first I do absolutly deny Luke 3.11 Mat. 3. that the Baptise taught no satisfaction for he taught almes and works of mercy for him that had two coats to impart to him that had none and him that had meat to do likewise They that came to him for batisme were to confess their sins as I said before that according to their qualities they might have several penitencies imposed upon them Luke 3.8 and therefore exhorts them to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance which fruits are the works of satisfaction understood by us by this it is plain that the holy Baptist enjoynes us more then our duty and besides those words which you quote were spoken to the Publicans whom he bids to exact no more than what was appointed them you have strained the text hard to bring it to us that we should do no more than we are commanded to do To the Second I answear that the Prophet speaks there of the life of grace only which to attain if satisfaction be not performed before it is required to be in purpose and intention and is necessary to the preservation of that life of grace when it is acquired Besides though there should be no mention at all of satisfaction in these words of the Prophet that you quote does it therefore follow that there is no such thing required or that the prophet has deceived us God forbid for we finde what is wanting in one place abundantly supplied in other Scriptures as heer the Prophet mentions nothing but justice says not a word of fortitude temperance chastity c. which we know are equally requisite and suâ—iffiently laid down and commanded in other Scriptures To the Third I answer that the Prophet Micah in those words you quote does not seclude but rather include works of satisfaction for by doing judgement and justice is to be under stood a severe censure and condemnation of our selves by loveing of mercy are understood those works of mercy almes and piety that are to be exercised upon the poor by charity and to walk humbly with God what is it but resignation of our selves to him and perfect submission to his will joyned with an exact care to keep his divine precepts in this point of penance we are reqâ—ired to shew all the severity in the world against our selves that we being judged of our selves be not judged of the Lord as the Apostle tells us Besides the Prophet Micah there rebukes not those that go about by good works to satiâ—fy for their sins but those that foolishly thought by their pittifull sacrifices and burnt-offerings with the bloud of Rams and Bulls and Goats c. to satisfy the divine wrath for sins Now that was impossible as S. Paul tells us Heb. 10. Isay 1. and the Prophet Isay assures us that those things were not in themselves acceptable to God To the Fourth and Last I do answer and grant that the passion of Christ is sufficient to take away all sin and the guilt of punishment as well temporall as eternall it followes not therefore that nothing is required on our parts to be done for in the Sacrament of penance we partake of the virtue of the passion of Christ by a method of some proper acts which are the mater of pennance wherefore the Apostle Paul exhorts his penitents thus not to yeild their members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but to yeeld themselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God Now to what you imply of argument in that Christ Jesus is the great Physition and so likely to make a perfect cure as well from guilt of the punishment as from the guilt of the sin it self I do acknowledge him to be the great Physition of our souls and to cure perfectly as you say yet very differently Luke 4. and sometimes suddainly and all at once as Peters wifes mother who was perfectly restored to perfect health sometimes again he is pleased to cure very leasurely as when he cured the blind man first he was pleased to restore him to an inperfect use of his sight Mar. 8. as to see men like trees walking then he was pleased afterwards to perfect his cure and make him to see cleerly all things just so he is pleased to pass his spiritual cures upon us sometimes he is pleased to turn the heart of man with such a power that it shall presently enjoy a perfect spiritual health as he did that of the blessed Magdalen sometimes again he remits the sin by his operating grace and afterwards works so with his cooperating grace that in process of time he takes away all the guilt of punishment and all the other relicts of sin it is not therefore to be proved by any of Christs corporal or spiritual cures that the sin being remitted all the punishment is remitted likewise but rather the contrary and I shall proceed further to prove it thus The Catholick doctrine that I am to prove now against you is this that sins being by contrition confession and absolution perfectly forgiven the penitent ought yet to satisfie for the temporal punishment due to them Adam without doubt repented himself of his sin Gen. 2.17 notwithstanding he was not presently absolved from the punishment that was threatned by God for it which was this for in theday that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye Nay after the transgression of the divine precept beyond the business of death which was before threatned God addes others saying to Adam Gen. 3.17 because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee saying thou shalt not eate of
conceive enough said on your part against it so I conceive I have said sufficiently for it in my reply to those two parts of it Confession and Satisfaction to which I refer you So I shall make it my business now to prove the other four to be Sacraments and of divine institution and I shall begin with the Sacrament of Confirmation Every Sacrament is a sensible sign having an infallible assistance of the grace of the Holy Spirit and such I prove Confirmation to be by most express Scriptures thus We find in the Acts That when the Apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had receiv'd the Word of God Act. 8.14.15 16 17. they sent unto them Peter and John Who when they were come down pray'd for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost Fâ—r as yet he was fallen upon none of them only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Then laid they their hands upon them and they received the Holy Ghost Here was manifestly a confirmation after Baptism and a sensible sign to wit Imposition of hands by which the grace of the holy spirit was confer'd and that is enough to make a Sacrament Again we find in another Chapter of the same Acts Act. 19.2.3 4 5 6. That Paul being at Ephesus and finding some Disciples there said unto them have ye received the Holy Ghost since â—e believed and they said unto him we have not so much as heard whether there be any holy Ghost and be said unto them unto what then were ye baptized and they said unto him Johns Baptism then said Paul John verily baptized with the Boptism of Repentance saying unto the people that they should believe on him which should come after him that is on Christ Jesus when they heard this they believed on Christ Jesus And when Paul bad laid his hands upon them the Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with Tongues and Prophesy'd Here is I say again after Beliefe and Baptism an Imposition of hands by which the grace of the Holy Spirit was ferr'd Now that this Sacrament waa instituted by Christ himself is plain by the Gospells John 16. where he promiseth his Apostles the Comforter his Holy Spirit with which they should be confirmed by virtue from above now the mission of the Holy Ghost in the time of Penticost either was the Sacrament of confirmation it self or instead of it Mark 11.13 14. Matth. 10. again we find in the Gospels That they brought young children to Christ that be should touch them and his Disciples rebuked them that brought them but when Jesus saw it be was displeased and said suffer the little Children to come to me for of such is the Kingdome of God c. Now it is very probable that he did either institute this Sacrament then or at least infinuate it So enough I coceive said to that Now that the Sacramnot of Orders was instituted likewise by Christ himself and with a sensible sign conferrs grace I prove this by expresse Scriptures First we find that when Jesus had called unto him his twelve Disciples Mat. 10.1 he gave them power against unclean spirets and to heal all manner of sicknesse and all manner of diseases Then again Jesus going up into the Mountain and called unto him whâ—m he would and they came unto him and he made that Twelve should be with him Mark 6.7 and he sent them to preach c. And after these things the Lord appointed other seventy also and sent them tweand two before his face into every City and place whither he himself would come Then again we find Luk 10.1 that taking bread he brake it giving thanks and saying this is my Body c. Do this in remembrance of me Then last of all look into St. Johns Gospel and you wil find yet a more express Ordination and mission As my Father hâ—th sens me so send I you Lâ—k 28. And when he had said this he breathed on them and saith unto them receive ye the holy Ghost John 10. â— 21 22 23 Whosoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them and whosoever sins ye retein they are reteyned Thus you have in the four Gospells the institution of this Sacrament Let us now look a little into the Apostolicall practise We find in the Acts Act. 13. â—â— As they ministred to the Lord and fasted the holy Ghost said separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them and when they had fasted and prayed and I did their hands on them they sent them away Here again is plain Ordination and Mission St. Paul gives direction to young Timothy how to behaave himself in his Ministry and then says 1 Tim. 4.14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given to thee by Prâ—phecy with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Then again he says Lay not thy hands on any man over haftily and again the Elders that govern well are worthy of double honour Then the same Apostle tells Titus 1 Tim. 6. For this Cause I left thee in Creet that thou shouldst make Elders in severall Cities 2 Tim. 1. Then to Philemon he says of those Elders those that are of this sort have a great regard to thus you see what respect St. Paul had to holy orders and yet to admonish us further of our duties to them he makes it his humble request to the Thessalonians thus Phil. 1. We beseech you brethren to know them that labour amongst you and over you on the Lord and admonish you in the Lord and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and be at peace amongst your selves See what charge St. 1 Thes 5.12.13 Peter gives the Elders The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder c. Feed the flock of God which is among you taking the eversighe thereof c. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall receive a Crown of glory that fadeth not away So St. Paul again in the Acts of the Apostles Exhorts the Elders of Ephâ—sus thus Take heed therefore unto your selves and to the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops or Overseers as you would have it for it is all one to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood Act. 20.28 Geâ— 1.37 Observe that the Holy Ghost made them Bishops and Overseers and yet you will deny Orders to be a Sacrament but it is plain it is for Imposition of hands is the visible sign which carries with it the invisible grace of the Holy Spirit as you have seen at large proved by Scripture That Matrimony is a Sacrament and instituted by Christ I likewise prove by expresse Scripture thus First it is very probable that the blessing which God Almighty gave to Adam and Eve in Paradice was not unaccompani'd with divine
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
Heathen and a Publican Matth. 18. Now he that would tell the Church any thing in your sence must ramble all the World over to do it But it is plain that our Saviour by the Church there meant the Prelates and Presidents of it for presently after he speaks to his Apostles as to Prelates and give them the power of binding c. That you may the better understand this take along with you the whole context of that place of Denteronemy which I have before quoted to you and that you shell find to be this Deut. 17. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment between blood and blood between Plea and Plea between stroak and stooak being matters of controversie within thy Gaces then shalt thou arise and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God shalt chuse and thou shalt come unto the Priests and Leviteâ— 8 10 11 and unto the Judge that shall be in those days and enquire and they shall shew thee the sentence of judgement And thou shalt do according to the sentence which they of that place which the Lord shall chuse shall shew thee 12 13 14. and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee Accorto the Sentence of the Law which they shall teach thee according to the judgment which they shal tel thee thou shalt do thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall shew thee to the right hand nor to the left And the man that will do presumptuosly and will not heark in unto the Priest that standeth to Minister there before the Lord thy God or unto the Judge even that man shall dye and thou shalt put away the evill from Israel I pray you observe there the power and great authority of the old Legal Priests and consider then the just power that the Evangelicall ones ought to have and do not forget to observe the dismall punishment of presumption and disobedience Then I pray you be pleas'd to observe how the Primitive Christians did follow the orders that were given by Moses in Denteronemy for we find in the Acts that when a great dissention arose about the businesse of circumcision the Apostles and Elders came together for to consider the matter and upon the issue of the dissention and disputation they determined to send Paul and Barnabas up to Jerusalem unto the Apostles and Elders there about this question and they did so and it follows it so pleased the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church now what was the whole Church there not the whole Congregation of Christians but they went up to the Apostles and Elders about this question here it is plain that the Apostles and Elders were the representative body of the Church To the Ninth and last I utterly deny the whole Church to be such an invisible thing as you world have much less not to be understood for first if it were so hidden from the eyes and understanding of men why or how should our Saviour command us to tel the Church and if he hears not the Church Math. 18. Rom. 12. 1 Cor. 1.12 Ephes 1.5 Col. 1. c. Now if the Church were hidden how could any man tell it any thing and if it were not to be understood how could any men hear it Do we not find that the Church is the body of Christ and all Christians the members and this is plain in severall places of Scripture Now how can you say that body and those members are hidden and the Church to be only in clouds when St. Paul tells us plainly you are the body of Christ and members one of another c. Luke 11. It has been of Hereticks always to run into Dens and Caves and hiding holes the Church hâ—'s always put the Candle in the candlestick as the Gospel teacheth us The Church ha's been always visible to us in Councils in the Apostolicall Seat in Bishops Presidents and Pastor of severall Churches 2 Cor. 8.18 For if the Church were in the clouds and a meer Mathematical Phancasme as you would have it how could the Brother that St. Paul speaks of have his praise throughout all the Churches And the Prophet David repeats so often with thee is my praise and glory in the Congregation of thy people and in the Chair of the Elders Psalâ— 21. Psal 106. let thy name be praised and desires that he may see the good of his chosen that he may rejoyce in the gladnesse of his people and that he may glory with his inheritance c. Now I have been inform'd indeed that it ha's ever been the fashion of all old Hereticks to strengthen the Church with a narrow compass and draw it within the compasse of one of their convanticles I hope you will not be guilty of that fault and whereas you urge it for a matter of faith therefore not to be seen I ask you whether God the Creator be not to be seen in every thing that moves and has a being and yet the Creation is an Article of faith I ask whether Jesus Christ God the son was not seen in the flesh and to ascend visibly into heaven and yet matters of faith I ask again whether God the holy Ghost was not seen visibly to discend upon the Apostles and yet an Article of faith propoâ—'d by the same Apostles and so the same I say of the Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church Now because I have been so large in my answers I shall not need to be otherwise then short in my replies but something I shall urge to you out of Scripture according to my former method and that Scripture alone cannot be the Rule of our faith I prove thus I shal begin with the Articles of your faith and ours contein'd in the Apostles Creed and aâ—k you whether alll those are to be proved out of expresse Scripture As first that Article of Christs discent into Hell the Church ha's ever believed it â—ecles 24. as it is propos'd locally but how shall we prone it I say out of Scripture if out of Ecclesiasticus where it is said I will pierce into the lower moâ—â— parts of the Earth you will say it is Apocripha If out of St. Paul to the Ephesians Eph. s 4.9 10. where is it said now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth he that descended is the same also that ascended up farre above all things c. Some of your Doctors have found a shift for that too First they will say that he descended by his power not by his person Then they will tell you of his descen into the wombs of the Virgin c. Now as you are pleased to distinguish upon it what are we the better in that point for the Scripture Then in the Athanasian Creed how will you prove the one substance of the blessed Trinity if from
steple houses Nay did not Jesus Christ live a poor life upon earth and counsell poverty to all the followers of him what need have we then of all those splendid sumptuous buildings and statly ornaments and rich revenues of your Churches which are but golden snares for to entrap Christian souls and our Saviour himself declared as aforesaid how much he abhorred and did afterwards destroy the riches of Solomons Temple and a heathen Poet himself could say at vos dicite Pontifices in sacro quid facit aurum nempe quod veneri donatae a virginie puppe Yet you will persist in that foolish idolatry 8 Then that your Churches nor your Churhmen are to be priviledged or exempted from the jurisdiction of the secular power more than others I prove by the express precept and president of our Saviour who not onely suffered himself to be judged by Pontius Pilat a meer lay man John 19.11 and a heathen but aproved his power granting expressly to him that his power was given him from above what reason then have any of your Churchmen to refugiate themselves under any pretended priviledge or be exempted from the secular power more than we 9 Nay that all faithfull Christians are Priests and the Lords Anointed and that by Baptisme it self 1. Pet. 2.5 9. is plain by many express Scriptures And therefore Peter twice in one chapter inculcates it thus first ye allso as lively stones are built up a spirituall house an holy preisthood to offer up Spirituall Sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ and again but ye are a chosen generation a Royall Preisthood an holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light By which it is plain that all good Christians are as much priests as any of your black coats what soever and this is likewise affirmed by John who tells us that he loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood and made us a Kingdome and priests to God his Father 1. Cor. 12.13 10 Then the Apostle Paul tells us that by one Spirit we are all baptised into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one spirit it must follow therefore Rem 12 that we are equally Preists with any of you Nay does not the same Apostle tell us yet more plainly that we may do the office of Priests which is to offer Sacrifice when he chargeth us to present our bodys a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is our resonable service and cannot we do that as well as you 11. Last of all for your Canonicall hours and formall prayers in your Churches and by your pretended preists I can for my part finde as little aggreeable to Scripture for first our Saviour to discountenance that kinde of devotion Matt. 7. tells us plainly that not every one that says unto him Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven Then if that kinde of praying were of any use or force with God at all then the Lord would be in a manner necessitated and constrained to his actions by those prayers but that we know he cannot be Over and above if such praying were prevalent with God what need will there be of living in obedience to his Law or of any good works at all 12. Again our saviour Christ tells us that our Father in heaven knowes what is needfull for us Matt 6. before we aske him to what purpose therefore should we pray at all to him onely do his will and leave the rest to his own goodness For so the Prophet Malachy assures us likewise Malac. 3.13 that they are his own words I am God and am not to be changed You gain nothing therefore upon his decrees by your prayers 13. Then that our Saviour Christ was clearly against that kind of praying appears by those words Matt. 6. but when ye pray use not vain repetitions as the Heathens do for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking Methinks you should therefore be ashamed of your many repetitions and prayers at your Canonical hours forsooth when you know that there is no such thing as Canonical hours commanded and besides that nothing should be read or said in any congregation but what is for the edification of Christians souls That it is not lawfull to make war with Turks Jewes Heathens or Heritcks or to persecute them for any cause of conscience nay that Christians cannot justify to make war at all or to bear any civil Magistracy whatsoever or give or take any oaths I prove by express Scripture thus 1. First it is plain that to wage war against Turks Jews Heathen or Hereticks is to resist the will of God and his holy Sprit visiting our sins upon us and punishing us by their hands and our duty is to fight with prayers and tears not with the the sword As the Apostles did 2. Then we finde our Saviour Expresly forbid all kinde of resistance and returns of injury for injury when he says in Matthews gospel Matt. 4.39 But I say unto you that ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek turn to him the other also 3. Nay more expresly yet we have it in the same Gospell Mat. 26.52 Then sayd Jesus unto him put up again thy sword into his place for all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword and that this was so understood by the Apostles primitive Christians is plainly held forth by John in his Apockalyps where it is said Rev. 13.10 he that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword heer is the patience and the faith of the saints so that all war must be simply and of it self unlawful 4. Then we find that persecution for cause of conscience is utterly unlawfull for the Apostles and primitive Christians did never seek to princes to give them any force to defend them against any â—ersecutors whatsoever nor do we find the Gospell or Apostles teach us any thing but submission to our Sufferings and that all the enemies of Christ are to be over come onely with the sword of the spirit which is the word of God 5. The Lord in Matthews Gospell commands again expresly that the Tares which the enemy sowed should not be pulled up Matt. 13.30 but that both be let to grow together till the Harvest that is the end of the world and then he will say to the Repers gather ye together first the tares and binde them in bundells to burn them but gather the wheat into my barne 1. Cor. 11.19 So that Hereticks as well as Turks Jews and Infidels must be let alone to grow till the end of the world and Paul plainly asserts the necessity of that
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
sort of devills is not to be cast out but with prayer and fasting and whatsoever thou shall aske in prayer beleiving ye shall receive As for the Apostolical practice of this holy duty of prayer every leafe is full of it as first in the Acts Acts 1.14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary the Mother of Jesus and with his brethren Cap. 24. and again in the same chapter as they prayed and sayd thou Lord which knowest the hearts of al men c. Acts 4.31 Again and when they had prayed the place was shaken where they assembled were together and they were all filled with the holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with boldness and again Acts 10.31 Thy prayer is heard and thine alms are had in rememberance in the sight of God Acts 12.5 Cap. 12. Peter was kept in prison but prayer was wade without ceasing of the Church unto God for him and then when he was delivered he came to the house of Mary the mother of Iohn whose Sir name was Mark where many were gathered together praying Acts. 13.3 Acts 14.23 So again in the next chapter and when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them they they sent them away and again in the next chapter and when they had ordained them elders in every Church and had prayed with fasting they commended them to the Lord on whom they believed What therefore the Apostles so earnestly desired to know how to do Christ himself so expresly taught and commanded and perfectly practised in his own person to give us an example his Disciples and all the primitive Christians so faithfully followed shall we leave undone now to satisfy your fanaticall humors will you see yet how the Apostles injoyn that duty Now I beseech you brethren for the Lord Iesus Christs sake Rom. 15 30. and for the love of the Spirit that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me 2 Cor. 1.10.11 And again to the Corinthians in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us you also helping together by praying for us c. again to the Philipians be careful for nothing Phil. 4.6 but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God 1 Thes 1.2 So to the Thessalonians we give thanks to God always for you all makeing mention always of you in our prayers remembring without ceasing c. Clos 4.2 So again to the Colossians continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving withall praying also for us that God would open to us a dore of utterance to speake the mystery of Christ c. So again to the Thessalonians pray for us that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified c. 1 Thes â— 1 2 Cor. 1â— 1 Tim. 2.12 So again to the Corinthians we pray God that ye do no ill but most expresly to Timothy he says I exhort therefore that first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men for king and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and a peaceable life in all godliness and honesty then adds a little after I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting Acts 6 4â— Nay that this duty of prayer is the first and grand concernment of a Christian see what is said in the persons of all the Apostles but we will give our selves continually unto prayer and to the ministry of the word it is very observable how all the Apostles preferred the duty of prayer before preaching it self I have pickt out these few texts out of a thousand that might be produced for as we said before every leaf both in old and new Testament is full heither of the precept or practice of this holy duty And as for the set hours of praying they are altogether as plainly prescribed to us in Scripture Psalm 118. Dan. 6.10 The Prophet David tells us that he did it seven times a day and Daniel we finde did it three times a day he went into his house and his windowes being open in his chamber towards Ierusalem he kneeled upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God as he did afore time Acts 3 1â— It is as cleer likewise that it was the Apostles practice Now Peter and Iohn we â—t up together into the Temple at the hour of prayer being the ninth hour Act. 10.9 and again Peter went up upon the house to pray about the sixt hour So of this we conceive enough said and from your godly Church-work we will passe to your goodly State work To what you alledge against the lawfulness of making war against Turks Jews or Heriticks or persecution of any for conscience and against making of war at all or bearing of Civil Magistracy as Government or giving or taking of Oaths we answer thus To the First We say that though God doth visit our sins upon us by the Turks Jews Heriticks c. yet we are not forbidden to make our own defences Otherwise when he doth visit us by famine pestilence fire or any other way it would be unlawful to make any provision for our selves as to lay in any store against famine any medicine against diseases or to fly from the plague But we know that God so visits us as not to forsake us Psal 88. for so the Psalmist tells us I will visit their iniquitie with rods and their sins with scourges but I will not take my mercy quite away c. And as to our fighting with prayers we do confess it the duty of every good souldier to pray frequently yet to take his Arms in hand likewise with Joshua Gedion David and the Maccabees for we find that Moses prayed but Joshuah fought against Amalech Exo. 17. so let those that cannot sight pray and those that fight pray too so they may obtain doubtless the easier victory To the Second We grant that our Saviour commands us not to resist evil but that command sure is not absolute that we should never resist evil but so often as we are struck on one side to offer the other also for then neither Christ nor his Apostles had been so perfect for Christ when he was struck on one side before the Chief Priest did not turn t'other but rather resisted by a rebuke If I have spoken well Joh. 18.23 Acts 23.3 why strikest thou me if evil bear witness of the evil So S. Paul likewise when by the command of the Chief Priest he was struck replyed the Lord will smite thee thou whited wall So then those words of our Saviour must be understood that we resist not evil that is that we seek not our own private revenge but should be rather ready to offer
plain in this particular as we see it is for St. Peter and his Successors the very Analogy of reason would induce that Jesus Christ should appoint somebody for that great charge to govern his whole Church First let us look upon the Anology of the Christian Church and that of the Jews The Mosaicall synagogue was but a Type or shadow of the Church of Christ but the Synagogue was always govern'd by one visible head Namely the High Priest to whom all others were subject as is apparent out of the Books of Exod. Levit. Deut. Therefore the Church of Christ ought to be so governed For it is not fit that the more perfect government which by all is acknowledg'd to be Monarchy should be over the shadow that we know is more imperfect then the substance and and not over the substance it self which is the Church of Christ And as the Jewish Synagogue was the Type of our Church so undoubtedly their High Priests were the Types of our Popes and as they presided over the whole Jewish Nation as to the externall government so our Popes in like manner do over all Christian people Now I ask you how it can stâ—â— with reason That Moyses Peut 17.8 9. who was a Type of Christ too should provide for the Synagogue that if there should arise a matter of difficulty that they should come unto the Priests and Levites and to the Judge that shall be in those dayes and enquire and they shall shew thee the sentence of Judgement which are his own words and that Jesus Christ should neglect to provide in the same manner for his own beloved Spouse his Church Since then Monarchical Government both in Church and state is the best of Governments and was the practis'd government of the Synaogue and amongst the jews and is the only government in the triumphant Church in heaven why should not the same provision be made by Iesus Christ for his poor Militant Church upon Earth Or why should you or any body else oppose that happiness of ours which Christ has appointed for us unless it be out of a design to bring your selves and the whole Church to confusion and to do as was done in those days when there was no King in Israel when every one did what seem'd good in his own eyes which unhappy licence that you call liberty shall be ever part of my Litany Judg. 17.6 Judg. 21.25 that God would please to deliver me and all his faithfull servants from To what you alledge against the power of the Pope that he can neither by himself nor with all his Cardinalls and councills about him he able to determine any matter of Fath. I answer thus To the First I say that you are clearly in a great errour to think thiâ— the Law and the Testimony or any written thing was or could be judge of any controversie or difficulty whatsoever but the High Priest as appears by the Text aforecited out of Deuteronomy Then those words to the Law and to the Testimony are to be understood far otherwise than you imagine as is plain by the precedent words which are these and when they shall say unto you seek unto them that have familiar spirits and to wizards that peep and that mutter should not a people seek unto their God for the living to the dead then immediatly follows to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them c. Now it is plain that the Prophet speaks here only against those who were wont to consult witches wizards and Sorcerers about future events and therefore they were remitted partly to the Law Deut. 18.9 1 Kings 22 7. which did expresly prohibit all that and partly to the Testimony of the Prophets who were appointed by God to foretell futurities to them The sense therefore of those words to the Law and to the Testimony 1 Sam. 28.7 is this if you will be inform'd of future events you ought not to consult witches wizards or sorcerers as Saul did because God had forbidden that by his Law to which I therefore remitted you but consult ye the Prophets of God whose office it is to foretell all future things that ye ought to know What does this make to the derision of difficult controversies or determination of matters of Faith Nothing at all sure unless you can think this Argument to be good It is not Lawful to consult Witches Wizards and Sorecters therefore onely Scripture is to be the Judge of controversies This sure is a very pitifull Argument and yet such as that do your great Rabbins and principall Doctors make use of to abuse you and themselves To the second I grant that Jesus Christ disputing with the Jews who denyd him to be the Son of God does remit them to the Scriptures but not to them only neither for he proves himself to be so by other Testimonies First he appeals to the Testimony of John the Baptist saying you sent to John and he gave witnesse to the truth Joh. 1.34 now his Testimony was this Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the World and again I have given witnesse to the truth Joh. 5.36 because this is the Son of God Secondly he refers them to the Testimony of the miracles that he wrought amongst them But I saith he have greater witnesse then that of John for the Works which the Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do Mat. 3.27 Luk. 9.35 Joh. 5.39.40 bear witness of me that the Father hath sent me Thirdly he refers them to the Testimony of God the Father saying And the Father that sent me he hath given Testimony of me that was when he said from Heaven This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear him Fourthly and Lastly hee refers them as you urge to the Testimony of the Scriptures saying Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternall life So much as to say if you will not accept of the three first Testimonies of me which sure are most efficatious ones otherwise I had never produced them yet at least ye cannot reject the Testimony of the Scriptures in which you glory so much they themselves if you search and examine them as you should do give Testimony of me that Jame the Messias promis'd by God Why therefore will ye not believe c. Thus in my Opinion your Argument retorts it self upon you more then oppugneth us For you contend that only Scripture is necessary for the decision of controversies and difficulties in faith and yet you see that Christ himself does not so but remits us to those other Testimonies as well as Scripture now the Catholick Church does in this as in all things else imitate our blessed Lord and Saviour for in those controversies which she hath with all Adversaries she does not use the testimony of Scriptures
only but likewise the testimony of the most antient and holy Fathers the invincible evidence of the true Mother-Church and the testimony of divine miracles which are frequently one for the confirmation of our faith But you forsooth as if you were wiser than Christ himself will neither admit or hear of any thing but out of Scripture alone in which you shew your selves like those Jews against whom our Saviour so disputes for the Jews casting off all other testimony would admit onely of Scripture 2 Cor. 3.14.15 â— and yet they neither understood it then nor yet do or ever will as the Apostle tels us when he says but their minds were blinded for untill this day remaineth the same Vail untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament c. and again when Moses is read the Vail is upon their hearts c. To the third For what you urge so hard out of the Acts you shall find to be to as little purpose as the other if if you but please to examine the Context which tells you That there being a Synagogue of Jews at Thessalonica St. Paul as his manner was went in unto them and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures opening and alledging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead Act. 17.2 3. and that Jesus whom he preacht unto them was Christ c. But the Word so preacht did but little profit those of Thessalonica then follows that they of Berea were more Neble then those of Thessalonica in that they received the Word with all readinesse of mind and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so c. Now I would fain know what you wil conclude out of this as to your purpose unless thus Those of Berea searched the Testimonies of Scripture concerning Christ that were quoted by St. Paul therefore Scripture alone must determine faith and be the only Rule and Judge between us That is just as if you would say that one of your Doctors searcheth all the testimonies of St. Austin that are quoted by Bellarmin therefore St. Austin is the only Judge of Controversies Or thus one of your Congregation searcheth all the testimonies which are produced against a great Doctor of yours as they are quoted by a greater of your own therefore that great Doctor is the only judge of Controversies Or thus one of your Doctors searcheth all the Traditions that are alledged in the Councill of Yrent thefefore only Tradition is to be receiv'd for a Judge of Controversies I pray you forbear these pitiful consequences and yet your great Doctors seldommake be tter are not asham'd of them so I may well excuse you andothers seduced by them To the Fourth I say that your Argument if it had any weight at all would serve altogether as well agianst your self as us for if as you understand it every man be a Lyar add may erre it will follow necessarily that Moses with the Prophets Apostles and Evangelists nay that your Friends Luther and Calvin nay all your Preachers to be Lyars and may erre because they are men therefore there is no credit to be given to any of them no confidence to be put in them but all things that are said by them must be taken for suspected and uncertain where then is faith Nor matters it though they say that the Word which they tell us is not their own but Gods Word for if they be Lyars they may as well lye in the delivery of Gods message as in any thing else of their own nothing therefore can be certain But God forbid that any Christian should think so for it is far otherwise First we confesse the Scripture to be certain and infallible because it is the Word of God but we adde that it is so obscure that the true sence and meaning cannot easily appear to every man Therefore of necessity there must be some other Judge that must infallibly determine what is the clear and genuine sence of the Scripture it self Now this infallible Judge cannot possibly be every private man for then there would be so many Judges as there be men and diversities of Opinions and so there would be an utter impossibility to agree to any thing or compose any difference in Religion every one being apt to favour his own opinion It is necessary therefore that there should be a publick Judge agreed upon who should have a power of decreeing defining and determining all things between differet parties Gen. 8.21 Psal 38.6 Then again we says that we must consider men in two respects Num. 11.17 Deut. 17.9 Aug. 2.12 Malac. 2.3 Jerem. 1.7 first as men and the sons of Adam so obnoxions to many naturall corruptious so without doubt they are all prone to lying and falshood In the next place we must consider them as they are directed and goveâ—n'd by the Holy Ghost for the instruction of others so they are infallible and without possibility of lying such as Moses in the Old Testament with bis Congregation of Elders about him So were divers other High Priests that succeeded him such were the Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah Ezechiel Daniel and all the rest Such in the New Testament were the Apostles to whom it was said I wil from the Father send you the spirit of truth and again when the of Spirit of truth shall come he shall teach you all truth Iohn 16.6.13 now where there is all truth there can be no lye Such ever was now is and still must be the Church of Christ which having the perpetuall assistance and government of the same Holy Spirit ha's as it were the heart of it so long therefore as the faithfull Christian shall continue in the unity of the Church and keep close to the Doctrine of the supream Bishop and Councells he shall participate of the assistance and government of the holy Ghost nor can erre in faith but if through any pride or perversity of spirit he shall disagree and depart from that head and heart then he shuts all those passages and Chanels by which that divine assistency and direction is to be derived and so must of necessity be seduced from truth and led into a Labyrinth of errours as we have sadly seen in all the antient and modern Hereticks The next similitude may be drawn from a flock of sheep which indeed is the best representation of the Church Ioh. 10.14 math 28.20 as our Saviour himself is pleas'd to attest in the Gospel for as the whole flock being in one Fold or place collected together has the perpetuall assistance and guard of the Shepherd and so are defended from the malice fierceness of wolves so the Universall Church of the faithfull being collected in one faith and spirit has the perpetuall care and assistance of that divine Shepherd who said I an the good Shepherd and know my Sheep and again and I am always with you to the end of the