that as good testimony may be produced out of the Fathers for the absolute necessity of the Eucharist as for the absolute necessity of Baptism 15. Also that though gemina or duo Sacramenta be sometimes found yet septem Sacramenta or words equivalent to them cannot be found in any ancient Father though they did call by the name of Sacraments not only Ordination Matrimony c. but ablution of the feet sign of the Cross c. which are not properly so called 16. I desire to be satisfied why you so frequently and suspiciously the matter being so mainly controverted do in your allowed Manuals Catechisms c. leave out of the Decalogue all the second Commandment or that large passage prohibiting the worship of Images 17. Also how you can reconcile the two Bibles of Sixtus and Clement between which are so many and material differences or if you cannot reconcile them how you can satisfie your Conscience whether of them is Authentical seeing they have equal Authority from the See Apostolique equal Absolutions from Oaths of admitting any other equal Imprecations and Curses to them which receive them not for Authentical so that either you must use no Bible at all or undergo the curse of Pope Sixtus if you use that of Clement or of Pope Clement if you use the other of Sixtus 18. For as much as Traditions are defined to be the Rule of Faith and equal to the Scriptures and nothing is more necessary for the Chuâ—ch to do then to deliver the Rule of Faith clearly and precisely what is the cause I pray you that no Pope or Councel no not that of Trent hath given an exact Catalogue or List of divine and infallible Traditions is it because you are not fully as yet agreed of them or are they for some politique ends reserved in the Popes Brest 19. This Assertion that the Roman Church is infallible in all her Decrees and Definitions is the Foundation of your Faith and if it fail your Faith fails also yet it is much doubted of yea denyed by some Romanists nor as I suppose was it ever declated decreed or defined by the Church in any General Councel if it was I pray you shew me when where and in what terms 20. Suppose this was so defined and thereupon you be assured that the Church is infallible yet you cannot be infallibly assured what is meant by the Church which some of your Doctors interpret to be the Church essential some the Church representative which as some of them hold is a General Councel though without the Pope others the Councel and the Pope together some the Church virtual the Pope alone which yet are not agreed amongst themselves when where and in what matters the Pope may or may not err 21. If herein you were resolved yet you cannot be infallibly assured that the present Pope is a true and lawful Pope seeing he may be promoted by Simony or his Baptizer or Ordainer or the Baptizers or Ordainers of them or some of them might miss the right intention of Baptizing or Ordaining in which case he cannot be in the sight of God a lawful Pope 22. Put case you hope well of your Pope yet it is possible you may mistake Papal Decrees Definitions c. and not understand them in their true and genuine sence Soto and Catharinus who were present at the Trent Councel could not agree what was the Councels meaning in the Points of Original Sin and Justification but writ Books one against another of that Subject 23. You will say perhaps The Pope is a living Judg to determine these or the like doubts which if it were granted yet still you have no such infallible certainty as you pretend for you never heard the Pope preach propound Truths or resolve Doubts you only hear his Priests and Jesuits whom I hope you will not exempt from a possibility of deceiving or being deceived especially seeing both Priests and Jesuits Dominicans and Franciscans do pretend the Pope to be their Patron and their Tenents though contrary one to another to be the Tenents of the Church 24. Lastly to omit other Observations till further occasion If proof of the Churches Infallibility be demanded of you you will alledg Matth. 16.18 or Luke 22.32 or some other Scripture If again you be demanded what assutance you have that Matth. 16.18 Luk. 22.32 and the other Scriptures are of divine Authority and that they are not corrupted nor mis interpreted you must answer That the Church is infallible which keeps and interprets the Scripture Thus you prove the Infallibility of the Church by the Scriptures and the Infallibility of the Scriptures by the Church which is nothing else but to run round in a circle to beg the Question and in effect to prove the Churches Infallibility by the Infallibility of the Church Imprimatur Edm Calamy March 4. 1652. FINIS
Pennance Extream Vnction Orders of which there are seven viz. Priests Deacons Sub-deacons Acolytes Exorcists Lectors or Readers Ostiaries or Door-keepers and Matrimony God is to be invocated and Religiously worshipped Yea and the Images of God also Crosses Crucifixes Altars Angels Saints with their Reliques and Images Christ is the Head of the Church And the Pope also Christ is our Mediator and Advocate So are the Angels and Saints likewise Christ was conceived without original sin And the Virgin Mary also Christ was once sacrificed on the Cross for the Redemption of the world Christ is dayly offered up in Mass a propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of quick and dead We are saved by the merits of Christ And also by the merits of the Saints We are justified by Faith And by hope love fear of God good works which merit Salvation All the words and actions which Scripture records to be used by Christ in the celebration of the Supper are to be used by us also The sacred Hoast must also be elevated adored reserved carried in solemn procession Christ is truly present in the Eucharist Christ is corporally present by Transubstantiation and may be received into the mouths of wicked men yea of Rats and Mice There are two places for the Souls of such as depart hence And two besides viz. Purgatory and Limbus Infantum The three Creeds commonly called the Creed of the Apostles of the Nicene Councel and of Athanasius are to be received and beleeved And Pope Pius his Creed also or his additions to the Nicene Creed are also to be received and beleeved These and the like positive Points of the Reformed Religion whereof I omit sundry are truly and properly Catholique for in them not only Papists but in a manner all Christians in the world concur with us but in your Additions you stand single and have multitudes of Christians in the Eastern and Western Churches dissenting from you 2. Peruse the Book of nine and thirty Articles the Homilies Leiturgy and Catechisms or the late Directory Confession of Faith or Catechisms larger or shorter and find if you can the Doctrine of our Church contrary to any one Article of those several Creeds which in the first six hundred years were Badges of Catholique Profession or produce any one of those Articles to which we do not willingly subscribe 3. Though the ancient Church did undoubtedly beleeve and profess all that was necessary to Salvation yet there is not one Creed of General or National Counced particular Church or Father within a thousand or twelve hundred years after Christ in which the Articles of Pope Pius his Creed were imposed as now they are for Articles of Faith necessary to be beleeved unto Salvation 4. The Church of God as might be proved by Scriptures or Fathers if it were not acknowledged by your own Authors cannot make a new Article of Faith nor any addition to the Creed save by way of Explication of that which was formerly upon Scripture grounds beleeved and professed But these additions of yours were not beleeved if you should say that they were beleeved implicitely this suppose it true would take away the Visibility of the Profession thereof by the Ancient Caâ—holique and Apostolique Church 5. None of your side hitherto hath or hereafter can produce any one visible Church which in the Apostolique and in all succeeding Ages did approve and use Communion in one kind Private Mass Prayer in an unknown Tongue Image-worship Pardons Indulgences which beleeved the Popes Infallibility his Superiority over General Councels his temporal Authority over Kings and Emperors to depose them and dispose of their Dominions the necessity of auricular Confession the determinate number of seven Sacraments Purgatory and the Popes Power to deliver Souls from thence which forbade Lay-men without a special dispensation to read the Scriptures or Priests to marry c. 6. Nay you cannot name any one person in each several Age out of whose words or writings notwithstanding there were sundry Creeds Confessions of Faith Catechisms Sermons or Homilies Summaries of Christian Doctrine the aforesaid particular Points of Popery may be collected descending from the age of Christ to the days of Luther 7. Nay you cannot name any one Father or Catholique Writer for twelve hundred years after Christ that did hold all those Tenets which are now taught by the Romish Church and authorized by the Trent Councel 8. None of your side hath or can prove that any of the Primitive Martyrs or Confessors suffered Death Banishment Torment Confiscation c. for the Popish Religion or any particular thereof in which they differ from the Church of England as Papal Supremacy Communion in one kind Image-worship c. 9. You cannot shew that any one Article of your Faith in which we dissent from you is Catholique according to Vincentius Lirinensis his Rules viz. which was Ancient in his time and in respect of the Arrian Heresie which he calls novellum dogma a novel tenet and that which you know that not unus aut duo tantum sed omnes c. not only one or two but all though living in several times and places have with one consent openly frequently constantly held written and taught 10. None of your side dare for shame affirm that Communion in both kinds Prayer in a known Tongue communion of Priest with people Lay-mens reading of the Scriptures Worship of God without Images Invocation of God without mediation of Saints or Angels and other the aforesaid affirmative and positive Doctrines were invented by Luther or that they are not in themselves so lawful and agreeable to the Scriptures and practise of the first six centuries of years as Communion in one kind Prayer in an unknown Tongue c. 11. There are few or no Points denyed or affirmed against us by you in which you vary not amongst your selves and if any of you will distinctly set down avoyding general and ambiguous terms what he thinketh to be the truth in any Question or Exposition of Scripture controverted betwixt us I verily beleeve I can name him another Papist new or old that saith the contrary Bellarmine doth obiter discover to the world above three hundred several Opinions of Papists and those only in and about the Points controverted between you and us and Navane mentions about sixty Dissentions of your Doctors in one only Point to wit Confession 12. I shall hold till herein I be convinced of Error by instance to the contrary that whatsoever titles are by the ancient Fathers given to the Eucharist whereby you would prove Transubstantiation Adoration Sacrifice c. the same phrases or some equivalent to them may be found in the Fathers concerning Baptism in which you confess there is neither Transubstantiation nor Sacrifice 13. Also that those glorious things which were spoken by them of the Bishops of Rome may be parallel'd by such as read them throughly with the like honorable mention of other Patriarchs and Bishops 14. Also
THE Catechist Catechized OR AN EXAMINATION OF AN Anabaptistical Catechism Pretended to be Published for the Satisfaction and Information of the People of God in Lancashire c. ALSO SOME OBSERVATIONS Both Old and New Concerning the pretended Visibility Universality Antiquity Infallibility Unity and Purity of the present Roman Church and Religion Sent to a Gentleman upon his revolt to Popery and now published for the Churches good By RICHARD HOLLINVVORTH Mancuniens LONDON Printed by J. M. for Luke Fawn and are to be sold at his shop at the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard 1653. SIR THere is an Anabaptisticall Catechism that walks abroad lately directed to Lancashire when it is of age and can answer for it self you shal know the name of it it is but newly brought forth to this County and therefore not Christned If you meet with it it would be a good work to Lancashire in which you dwel to the Town of Manchester the place of your Nativity and Ministry to make some Annotations of it a few smooth stones out of soft Siloam hurl'd out of your sling might lay it dead a friendly arrow shot beyond it may give warning that there is danger I would not engage you to the contest with this A. B. C. but that Error is a springing Leprosie in contagious times Wormes in children may turn to the Plague a few vacant hours will serve the business and satisfie the earnest desire of Sir Your Brother and fellow-Labourer in the Work of Christ Richard Heyricke January 1. 52. For Mr. Richard Hollinworth with my Love These To all in Lancashire that love and seek the Lord in all his Soul-filling Ordinances especially them of the associated Churches about MANCHESTER Dearly Beloved and longed for our Joy and Crown YOu shall with more praise to God light and stability to your selves read the ensuing Treatise if you first consider and lament that for abuse of Ordinances Satan transforming himself into an Angel of Light hath undermined all Ordinances of divine Light and Life The Lords-Day not moral publique solemn Assemblies turned into House-meetings publique Ministry exchanged for private Conferences publique preaching of the Word common to gifted Brethren with called Ministers no prayer but when the Spirit moves no communion in the Supper but in Churches newly gathered and no Baptism for Infants No wonder if religious Ordinances be thus undermined when the Doctrine of the holy Trinity the Deity of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Ghost the divine Authority of the Scriptures the Obligation of the Decalogue and other Fundamentals of Faith Holiness and Righteousness are by the Ministers of the Prince of Darkness professedly overturned No wonder that Children are unchurched when so many Churches are unchurched many of them that have done the former having begun at the latter They who would not be saved by Ordinances shall perish for want of Ordinances and they that would not unite themselves to the Fountain of Life by Faith shall be separated from the streams and conveyances of Life that they may apparantly wither and dye only upon the living in Jerusalem that by the subtilty of delusion or power of interest are darkened and benummed pray and weep that the Sun of Righteousness may arise with healing in his wings But the Ordinances being the purchase of Christs blood as well as the Church the gifts of his Princely Government the Ensigns of his Victory over the Kingdom of Darkness and of his glorious Ascension he will by his soveraign Power maintain And to that end successively enoble the spirits of some with beams of heavenly light and courage that they shall discover the stratagems of Opposers and adventure upon their Armies marshalled against them and triumphantly overcome by his glorious power redeeming the captived Ordinances of their King unto a just and glorious Liberty This being so high a favor from Christ the glory of his Grace and Power it is most thankfully to be accepted and his Instruments to be had in honor by all that rejoyce in the glory of his Kingdom His Ministers he hath designed to be the Executors of his last Will and Testament to them it belongs by divine appointment to give out the several Legacies there bequeathed and to put in suit all them in the high Court of sacred Scripture who shall upon any pretence whatsoever detain any Legacy bequeathed and where will their faithfulness more appear then to open their mouth for the dumb and to sue for Childrens rights whil'st they are forcibly wronged and unable to right themselves where is greater Trust and more shining Fidelity The right of Infants to Baptism hath of late been openly impleaded in reference to Lancashire and the Bill printed to be published there in special with expectation of the concurrence of the godly but blessed be God one of the Lords Executors in Manchester where part-taking was most desired and expected hath wisely and faithfully joyned issue and by clear Evidence hath procured a determinate sentence for the setling of their undoubted right upon Infants to our great comfort and the honor of the Kingdom of Christ in the Right whereof Infants are rightly baptized And our hope in the Lord Jesus is that the questioning of the Right of Infants and the shaking of their title will have that influence upon all the godly in Lancashire especially Parents peculiarly in Manchester and the rest of the associated Churches that out of enflamed love to Christ and the Souls of their Children they will so much the more settle their Judgments in this Truth by the conscionable and diligent use of this hâ—lp provided by the Lord amongst them so seasonably in respect of danger and so suitably in respect of clearness brevity and charge that will happily lead to the believing repenting and prayerful use of this Ordinance which is the Covenant-way of conveying to their Children the sure and saving Mercies of the Covenant so shall they and others who have seen the holy Seal set on in Infancy clearly behold in their holy life the lively characters of the Spirit of the Covenant the Image of the Lord Jesus in their riper years To their own abundant satisfaction the silencing of Adversaries the increase of the Church mystical the encouragement of them that have carefully and painfully pleaded their Right and above all the honor of the Lord Jesus who in their Infancy opened unto them his Arms and Bosom in his Church that in an hidden way he might warm them with a spiritual Life to be manifested in due time In this hope we pray for you and labor amongst you that we might present Parents and Children in Covenant-obedience and blessing at that great Day This is the principal Desire and Soul-travel of The Lords unworthy Servants who in reference to Infants do rejoyce in our Ministry John Angier John Harison Nathaneel Rathband William Meek March 10. 1652. THE Authors Preface to the Christian Reader IN these times the Lords Builders are compelled while they
â—â—ll age which qualifies him for Baptism is not an Hypocrite at this minute and will not be an Apostate the next nor can we know that they are in the Covenant for then we should know they are elected whereas this is a secret known only to God 2 Tim. 2.19 Deut. 29.19 And the little ones of the Church though they make no personal profession as adult persons do yet are as visibly within the Covenant of Grace parents having as much authority and reason to covenant for their children now as Deut. 29.10 with 30 6. and as charitably to be accounted of seeing of adult Christians the weakest can hold forth no more then the least degree of absolute probability and the strongest no more then the highest degree of probability Peter saith § 2. Act. 2.38 39. The promise is to you and to your children Concerning which observe 1. That hereby is not meant Christ is exhibited as some gloss The promise Is id est fulfilled Christ is come for this they had heard before vers 36. and knew to their trouble and therefore were pricked in their hearts and these words are not any where in Scripture so taken nor is Baptism a seal barely to Christ being come in the flesh but to the benefits thereof covenanted and promised not is it a promise of the gifts of the Holy Ghost but the promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gospel promise of remission of sin Heb. 8.10 12. signed and sealed in Baptism Act. 3.19 which belongs to Gods people at all times might heal their being pricked in their heart vers 37. and is fitly used as a motive to perswade them to repent and be baptized and is a suitable answer to their question What shall we do to be saved 2. He saith not The promise is to you and to as many as God shall call whether of your children or strangers as he might have said if he would have levelled the children of Christians and Pagans but he saith The promise is to you and to your children and to as many making their children a distinct party as from those that then were so from those that after should be called the words holding out their right are in the Indicative Mood The promise is to you the like is never said to Pagans or to any out of the Church 3. These words are the same in substance with the reason and ground of Circumcision Gen. 17.8 10 11. That Promise and Covenant was a Gospel Covenant In thy seed shal all the Nations of the Earth be blessed and was an everlasting Covenant made four hundred thirty years before the Law and to be fulfilled in a great part of it after the ceasing of Moses Paedagogy and of Circumcision Gal. 3.15 16 17. Rom. 4.12 16 24. Heb. 13.20 Rev. 14.6 and the said everlasting Covenant was not only with actual Beleevers but with the lineal seed of Abraham even before they actually believed till some open revolt did disable them and with the Infant-seed of Proselytes or Gentiles converted to the saith 4. His motion that every one of them should be baptized doth imply they had right to Baptism for he doth not perswade them to be Usurpers of that to which they had no right and he grounds his motion not only upon their bare personal interest in the Promise but their childrens joynt interest with them as in Gen. 17. God doth for Circumcision which latter could not rationally be urged as a motive to perswade the Jews to be baptized and to embrace Christian Religion if the joynt interest of their children with them were not at least fully as great in the Christian as in the Jewish Church Now if a Jew had a child born before his Conversion to Christianity that child was Sacramentally to be initiated but if he had a child after you say it was not but was in the same condition with a Pagans child viz. not to be admitted into the Church till it were called And if so then where is the benefit belonging to the children of Jews converted by virtue of their Christianity If a Landlord should move his Tenants to give up his old Lease or Grant which hath certain immunities and priviledges to him and his children and to take a new one in which his children should have no more priviledges then meer strangers could he rationally perswade him to surrender the old Lease or Grant and to take a new one from the benefit that may accrue to the Tenant and his children by it 5. Here seem to be three ranks and conditions of persons 1. The Jews themselves then present and adult 2. Their children the present issue which already was or should be born of their bodies what ever they were younger or elder Infants not excluded 3. Those that were afar off not in estate for the mystery of the calling of the Gentiles was not fully closed with by Peter till Act. 10. nor could the Jews yet bear that saying but those that were afar off in time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we with Piscator may add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a different phrase from that used of the Gentiles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 2.13 17. and fitly may denote the posterity of the Jews in after ages 6. These Jews it 's likely were pricked in their hearts not only for their crucifying of Christ but their cursing their children about two months since Matt. 27.25 which curse did include their very Infants then newly born and others that should be born afterward and therefore if Peter had not included Infants in this Promise the plaister had not been large enough for their sore Lastly The Jews were apt long after this to scruple lesser matters Acts 21.20 and can it be thought that they should not startle and be discontented to have both Circumcision and Baptism taken from their Infants nor enquire whether this seclusion of their Infants was not a fruit of their cursing of them or how it could be justified by the Old Testament there being then no other written Word or by what warrant the Church-membership and Covenant-interest which their children formerly had was repealed and taken from them By all which seriously considered it will appear that the children of Believers are included within the Promise and to be baptized Besideâ— if Infants be not within the Covenant of Grace then they are strangers from it and consequently without God and without hope as Pagans children are and if they dye though in Infancy their Parents may mourn over them as such that have no hope contrary to 1 Thess 4.13 yea while they live they may lament over their children as such whom they have begotten and brought forth to the Devil and not to God in respect of their visible estate ANABAPT CAT. Q. What is Circumcision A. It was an Obligation to keep the whole Law Gal. 5.3 Rom. 2.24 and shewed unto them that it was their duty to circumcise their hearts Jer. 4.4 CIrcumcision in it self
least it is the profanation of the Ordinance Who you are I know not but the general Opinion of your party is that any Disciple especially a teaching Disciple may baptize See Confession of the seven Churches Art 41. And doth Ordination by a Bishop and other Ministers make voyd such Discipleship and make him that he cannot be so much as a private Christian yea make his Baptism Antichristian We receive from God the Old Testament by the hands of the Jews and the whole Bible by the hands of Papists most Scriptures have some time or other been abused must we therefore disuse them If a Bishop should baptize one at full age making profession of faith and repentance yea suppose a Jesuite pretending to be a gifted Brother or a teaching Disciple as it is lawful for the Jesuites to say or do any thing that may tend to the weakening the true Reformed Religion and should dip many would his dipping be null and voyd and to be reiterated This I dare say Whatsoever is rational or religious cannot be made irrational or irreligious whosoever useth or hath used it And if multitudes of persons should cast away all that they have received by the Bishops and Ministers ordained by them they should with those things irrecoverably cast their Souls into Hell When Antichrist most reigned and raged and the woman fled into the Wilderness God did preserve some Fundamental Doctrines and the essence of Baptism and the essence of a true Ministry dispensing it and they that is her Pastors did feed her there Revel 12.6 14. 4. There are now more Antichrists then ever were before in our or in any other Reformed Church and worse Antichrists by how much Fundamental Errors in Doctrine are greater abominations then Errors only in Discipline All Heretiques in Scripture-language are Antichrist 1 Epist John The Errors Heresies Blasphemies Treacheries Hypocrisies Perjuries sacrilegious seditious Actions Divisions and Subdivisions bitter and bloody Contentions Rebaptizations Ordinations by the people and other meer humane inventions of these Times do justifie the Bishops and all Episcopal men that have kept themselves free from these and the like crimes from being so Antichristian as we do really dishonor the true Reformed Religion delight the truly Antichristian Faction and make way for our reducing not only to Prelacy but to that which all sober men count incomparably more dangerous to Popery yea to the worst edition of it Spanish Jesuited Inquisition-Popery ANABAPT CAT. Paedobaptism is done upon a wrong subject who is not in Christs commission Matt. 28.19 nor Mark 16.16 Believers and Repentants being the subjects therein EXAMINAT You here beg the question what you here alledg hath been answered Chap. 1. and Chap. 2. ANABAPT CAT. All the certainty I can have of such a Baptism is only conjectural not infallible whereas the outward sign of a Sacrament must be visible and infallible as the thing signified is this Infant-Baptism I take only in trust from others THe Infants blessed by Christ could in their riper age have no certainty of their being so blessed by him Examinat Chap. 14. nor had the Jewish Infants any certainty of their Circumcision for the foreskin of circumcised Infants might be and sometimes was so drawn up that when they came to age they could not discern their Circumcision To this Paul alludes 1 Cor. 7.18 If the flesh-mark was alway discernable yet it could not teach them whether a friend or foe had done it whether for sacred or civil ends whether duly or unduly without instruction and information by word or writing and such instruction may assure us of our right Baptism though it was administred in Infancy You may have such assurance of your Baptism as the Priests by the Registers had of their pedigree Ezra 2.62 as Paul had that he was circumcised the eighth day that he was of the stock of Israel an Hebrew of the Hebrews of the tribe of Benjamin Phil. 3.5 Yea you may have as much or more certainty that you were baptized as that such an one was your father such a woman your mother yet sure if you will call that only a conjectural and not infallible testimony you will test so much upon it as to call him your father and her your mother that are testified and reputed to be so and without scruple of conscience honor them as you are bound by the fifth Commandment and also keep that which is generally computed to be the first day of the week or the Lords-Day though you take it but on trust from others Possibly he that is baptized at full age may not infallibly know that he was baptized some have forgotten through sickness the greatest concernments yea their own names must they thereupon be rebaptized Possibly a man or woman as you are dipping them under the water may be so damped that they may not hear or not heed the words used by the Administrator whether he baptize or bless or curse must they be dipped again till they do hear and heed that they may infallibly know themselves to be baptized If a man should herein be deceived and think he was baptized in his Infancy when he was not the Error is not very dangerous Faith in Christ may supply the defect of Baptism and he not neglecting or contemning Baptism nor knowing that he wants it may reap benefit by his supposed Baptism as if it were reâ—l As for his resolution of the case grounded on the suppose unlawfulness of Paedobaptism whether a Christian may with good conscience be present at it I judg it unnecessary for me to discuss it having I hope cleared the lawfulness of Infant-Baptism yet I confess I cannot approve sundry things in it though Paedobaptism were confessed to be unlawful SOME OBSERVATIONS Both Old and New Concerning the pretended Visibility Universality Antiquity Infallibility Unity and Purity of the present Roman Church and Religion Sent to a Gentleman upon his Revolt to Popery and now Published with some few Additions for the Churches good SIR 1. YOu do all confess the affirmative and positive Doctrines of the Church of England and other Reformed Churches to be true and Catholique and to have had visible Professors in all Ages only you superadd certain other Doctrines which you say are necessary to be beleeved unto Salvation For evidence whereof observe 1. Our Churches Doctrine All the Books of the Old and New Testament mentioned in the 39 Articles and in the late Confession of Faith to be holy and Canonical are for such to be received 2. Your Churches Additions The Books of Tobit Judeth Wisdom Maccabees and the rest commonly called Apocrypha are also Canonical The Scripture is the Rule of Faith and Manners Traditions of the Church are of equal Authority with the Scriptures The Originals Hebrew and Greek are Authentical The Vulgar Edition is most pure and Authentical There are two Sacraments of the New Testament Baptism and the Lords Supper There are also five more viz. Confirmation