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A74986 An antidote against heresy: or a preservative for Protestants against the poyson of Papists, Anabaptists, Arrians, Arminians, &c. and their pestilent errours. Shewing the authors of those errours, their grounds and reasons, the time when and occasion how they did arise; with general answers to their arguments taken out of holy scripture and the ancient fathers. Written to stay the wandering and stablish the weak in these dangerous times of Apostasy. / By Richard Allen, M.A. sometime Fellow of Penbrooke [sic] Colledge in Oxford. Allen, Richard, b. 1604 or 5. 1648 (1648) Wing A1045A; Thomason E1168_2; ESTC R208803 57,457 159

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therefore it ●s not a thing indifferent because it is an ordinance of Christ nor yet absolutely necessary to salvation as hath been said before Baptism is called the lavacre of regeneration Tit. 3.5 and Joh. 3.5 it is said Except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God not that any part of our Regeneration is ascribed to water but only by water the office of the Holy Ghost is declared as also by fire Mat. 3.11 which some mistaking did brand their children with a hot iron Though the outward washing of water then be not the very washing away of sin yet it is so called the sign borrowing the name of the thing signified for the more forcible perswasion of our hearts and stronger confirmation of our Faith that our eyes are not fed with bare signs but presented with the thing it self and that our sins are as certainly done away by the blood of Christ as our bodies are cleansed by the washing of water To let pass those ridiculous toies of salt spittle and other stuff used by the Papists the main difference at this day among us is concerning circumstance of time The Pelagians and Anabaptists deny Infant-baptism and both upon the same ground With this Errour of the Anabaptists many godly people are entangled that are free enough from the rest of that pestilent Sect. Their Reasons are 1. Because there is neither precept nor example for it 2. Infants do not beleeve but it is sayed Acts 8.37 If thou beleevest thou mayst be baptized Answ It is answered To the first That there is both precept and example for Infant-baptism the precept is Mat. 28.19 the examples are Acts 16.15 33. 1 Cor. 1.16 where Infants are included as part of the nations and housholds and although there be no express command for baptizing Infants yet seeing also there is no express exception they must be baptized or else those general precepts and examples including all both Infants as well as men are not followed and observed And if it be sufficient Reason against Infant-baptism that there is no express precept or example for it then let the Anabaptists themselves for shame leave off that shameful stripping and dipping their proselytes or else shew me where they have any express command or example for it Object Secondly They that do not beleeve must not be baptized but Infants do not beleeve Ergo. Whosoever doth not labor shall not eat 2 Thes 3.10 But Infants cannot labour Ergo. Answ Both these Arguments are somewhat alike and neither good because that is drawn to Infants which belongs only to men of years And indeed this latter is the better of the two because it hath an express text for confirmation which the other hath not But to remove that rub of the Anabaptists out of the way concerning the Faith of Infants We say 1. That they have reasonable souls faculties of understanding and will which are the seat of Faith and the weakness of the Organs cannot hinder the power of the Holy Ghost to work Faith in them if he please 2. Without Faith there is no salvation if Infants then have not Faith the Anabaptists must shew some other way of salvation besides Faith in Christ or else conclude that all Infants dying are damned but yet I hope they will not pass this cruel sentence upon them unless they provide a Limbus or place of ease for them as the Papists do 3. Circumcision is the seal of the Righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 And yet it was administred to Infants Infants therefore ought to be baptized and as good reason there is to baptise as there was to circumcise them 4. We have many presidents of children that were regenerate and sanctified as of Jeremiah John Baptist c. who were filled with the Holy Ghost from the womb and if children have the Holy Ghost then they may be baptized Act. 10.47 Can any man forbid water that these should be baptized who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we 5. Our Saviour himself testifieth in express words That Infants beleeve in him Mat. 18.6 And that babes and sucklings confess him and bear witness unto his name Mat. 21.16 And did grace them with many favours own them for the children of God taking them in his arms laying his hands upon them and blessing them saying That to them belongs the Kingdom of God Who then shall be so bold or impious to refuse and reject those that our Saviour himself received and embraced so lovingly giving such gracious testimoneis of them with whom God entered into Covenant as well as with their parents Gen. 17.7 And unto whom the promises of God were made as well as unto them Acts 2.39 But say the Anabaptists how shal we know that children believe And saith one If I had a certificate from God that a child believes I would not stick at his Baptisme Let them tell us what infallible certificate they have for men of riper years And whether they do not plunge more hypocrites and unbelievers in their flouds then we sprinkle at our fonts is a question to be made But the Anabaptists contradict themselves crossing one Argument with another overthrowing their own grounds and destroying the foundation that themselves have layd As for their stripping it is against common honesty and modesty and that dipping is not necessary to be used is clear by their own Argument because they have no where one express word of command or warrant for it And also the blood of Christ is called the blood of sprinkling Heb. 12.24 And as it was typified under the Law by divers sprinklings so it is exprest under the Gospel by sprinkling as well as dipping CHAP. XXVI Of the Lords Supper Truth THE Lords Supper is the Sacrament of Preservation in the Church wherein by the signs of bread and wine are signified sealed and exhibited to every faithful receiver the body and blood of Christ for his spiritual nourishment and continual growth in him unto life everlasting Adversaries of old were many that did either despise and refuse this holy Sacrament or abuse or prophane it either mingling adding or altering and changeing the Elements and substituting others in their places But to let them pass at this day the principal Errours Errours are these three Antidote The first is of Transubstantiation and that holdeth that after the words of Consecration and by vertue of the same there is a conversion or turning of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ so that the very true and natural body of Christ is corporally present and carnally eaten in the Sacrament the substance of bread and wine being vanisht away nothing remaining thereof but only the outward accidents to serve the senses The first occasion of this heresie seems to be given by the Capernaites John 6.52 but was confirmed under this title by the Councel of Lateran called against Berengarius in
the yeare 1215 and this is now the opinion of the Papists followed with many Blasphemies Idolatries and ridiculous Mummeries The second is of Consubstantiation invented by some who to shun the absurdities of the former opinion fell into worse affirming That the substance of bread and wine and of the body and blood of Christ are joyntly or both together bodily present and eaten in the Sacrament the body of Christ being in with and under the bread The first Author of this opinion and the time when it began is uncertainly reported and although it were long before Luther yet it was taken up in haste by him about the year 1525. is still maintained by his followers and gave occasion to continue that bowing and cringing that was lately used to the Communion Table The third is of bare figure and only signification affirming That in the Sacrament there is nothing but bread and wine bare signs and no other presence of Christs body but only in figure and signification so that the faithful receive nothing but naked and bare signs The foundation of this Errour was layd about four hundred years after Christ by some Hereticks that came as short of this mystery as the Capernaites went too far making no account of this Sacrament saying that it did neither good nor hurt This Errour was set on foot again by Carolostadius a rash-brained man about the year 1524. and is now followed by the Anabaptists Antidote The doctrin of our Church Art 28. is the same that the Apostle delivers 1 Cor. 10.16 To all the three Adversaries together we say If there be nothing in the Sacrament but bare signs why doth our Saviour say of the elements This is my body and this is my blood And S. Paul The bread which we break is the communion of the body of Christ If his body and blood be not there at all And if his body and blood be there corporally and carnally present even whole Christ why then doth our Saviour say Do this in remembrance of me And St. Paul Ye shew forth the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 10. And St. Peter That the heavens shall receive him to the end of the world Acts 3.21 Refusing then and denying both Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation as more then our Saviour intended in these words This is my body c. And also bare signification as a great deal less we admit and acknowledg Transmutation or a change and that great and marvellous in the use of the Elements not in substance but in vertue power and operation The sanctified signs are in substance creatures in signification mysteries in operation the things themselves whose names they bear the change is in their operation and use and therefore also in their names For Christ hath honoured the Symboles with the names or appellation of his body and blood not changeing their nature but adding grace unto nature Theodoret in Dial. In the Sacrament then there must needs be more then bare signs or naked Elements for how should earthly bread be an Instrument of heavenly grace and life to quicken and strengthen the soul but by some great and marvellous change which change is not in the substance of the creatures but in their vertue power and operation and such vertue power and operation could not be unless the very body and blood of Christ were truly present truly given and truly received in the Sacrament And yet the body and blood of Christ is not present given or received corporally and carnally the bread and wine being turned into the body and blood of Christ as the Papists affirm For 1. It is contrary to the Scripture 1 Cor. 11.28 Where after consecration they are called bread and wine 2. It overthrows the nature of a Sacrament for where is no Element there can be no Sacrament 3. It is contrary to nature it self that an accident should be without its subject 4. Experience dayly shews that the Elements by continuance corrupt by eating nourish the body go down into the belly c. which cannot be said of accidents or of the body and blood of Christ 5. A carnal eating is unavailable to salvation by the Papists own confession unless it be done by Faith but receiving by Faith without carnal eating is available Concil Trident. Sess 13. c. 8. et Cat. Rom. Why then is it contended for Lastly It is contrary to their own Canon taken out of St. Augustine Can. Vt Quid. Object But Christ himself said This is my body the night before he dyed no time to utter dark Parables but plain words Sol. He took the cup also and said This is my blood Mark 14.23.24 If you understand it litterally then the cup and not the wine must be turned into blood but if here be a plain figure their subtilest Doctours cannot tell how to avoyd it then why not a time to speak in figures Why not This is my body a figure too But when our Saviour says This is my body he doth not intend to shew what the bread is but what his body is not that the bread is turned into his flesh but that his body is food for our souls even as bread is for our bodies It shews not any conversion of one substance into another but only the relation that is between them He which before called his body bread John 6. doth now call the bread his body that by this cha●ge of names we might understand and beleeve the change that is made by grace and not so much heed the things we see as mind the the things we see not Theod. Dialog 1. Why dost thou prepare thy teeth and thy belly This is no meat for the belly but for the mind beleeve and thou hast eaten Augustine in Joan. Tract 25. ad cap. 6. 2. Consubstantiation is farther from the truth then Transubstantiation neither so possible nor probable It is not so likely or agreeable to our Saviours words who says This is my body and not my body is in with or under the bread And yet they are both gross Errours and the occasions of gross Idolatry They are both far from our blessed Saviours meaning when he spake the words This is my body from the Apostles sense 1 Cor. 11. From the Judgment of the Ancient Fathers who call the elements signs figures types c. of the body and blood of Christ and particularly St. Augustine says the words this is my body are to be understood in a figurative not a litteral sense l. 3. de Doct. Christ And besides they are impossible in nature But setting aside that barren opinion of bare sign and figure the question between us and the rest is not about the substance of the thing for we confess That the very body and blood of Christ is given and received all the question is about the manner they say it is corporally and carnally we grant indeed it is really if by really you understand truly and indeed but yet that it
it was sold was it not in thine own power The community spoken of was only of things dedicated to the Churches treasury for relief of poor brethren there remaining still something to a man that was proper to himself and a liberty to retain what part he pleased as is plain For otherwise if all things were common to what purpose are we exhorted to liberality What need Paul work with his own hands or how could he be burthensom to any one if all things were common Lastly Though the Church be but one as there is but one Faith c. yet it is distinguished into Catholick or Universal and Particular The Catholick so called because it comprehends the faithful of all times and places the particular named according to the place where that part is seated The Roman Church then is unduly called Catholick because it is a particular Heretical Church neither universal nor orthodox Those are mistaken and to blame that call the Papists Catholicks because they profess not the Catholick faith or faith of the Catholick Church neither is their Religion the old Religion but new and upstart being a fardel of late humane inventions not at all to be found in any sacred Record CHAP. XXIV Of the Sacraments THe Sacraments are holy and visible signes and seals ordained of God Truth the more fully to declare and assure unto us the promise of the Gospel The Sacraments of the New Testament are only two Baptism and the Lords Supper Adversaries are 1. Errours Those Hereticks both old and new that deny all Sacraments saying they are of no use in the Church 2. The Anabaptists think there is no other use or end of the Sacraments but only to serve as badges of our Christian Profession 3. The Papists say the Sacraments confer grace by vertue of the work done And 4. That there are seven Sacraments of the New Testament and hold them accursed that say there are fewer or that they are not all truly and properly Sacraments ordained by Christ Antidote Although the name of Sacrament be not to be found in the Scriptures yet we find Mystery there a word of the same signification and the things themselves were ordained by Christ in the Scriptures Math. 28.19 Go teach all nations baptizing them c. Luk. 22.19 20. He took bread c. and after supper took the cup c. saying Do this in remembrance of me And God hath ordained the Sacraments not to be bare signes but seals also and pledges to assure us of the promises made in his Word and so the Apostle Rom. 4.11 calls circumcision a seal of the righteousness of faith Not as if the Sacrament gives strength to the promise as weak of it self but as a seal confirms and assures it to us Secondly Although the Sacraments do not confer grace yet they are a means to convey it unto us for being sensible elements that may be seen felt and tasted every sence is a pipe or conduit as it were to draw and convey from the outward element the thing thereby signified to the inward understanding Yet this is done not by vertue of the work done or by uttering certain words but by the vertue of Gods ordinance and power of the holy Ghost working with the same If the Sacraments did contain grace essentially within them as Medicine in a box then indeed it might follow that by the outward work done grace should be conferred but we see the contrary That invisible sanctification hath been without the visible signs and again the visible signes have been given without true sanctification Aug. in Levit. qu. 84. as we see in the examples of Cornelius the Centurion and Simon Magus And therefore also though the Sacraments cannot be despised or neglected being Gods ordinances without great impiety and unthankfulness towards him who by them hath so tenderly provided for our weakness yet they are not so absolutely necessary to salvation that without them it is impossible to be saved for God is above his ordinances and can save us without them It is not the want but contempt of the Sacraments that is dangerous and damnable Bernard Lastly There are but two Sacraments only of the New Testament Baptism and the Lords Supper we read of no more ordained by Christ who only hath power to ordain Sacraments and this was done in regard of our weakness that we should not be over-burthened Some few signes for many were delivered unto us and the same in doing most easie in understanding most holy in observing most pure as are Baptism and the Lords Supper August lib. de Doct. Christ c. 9. And therefore those five other Sacraments reckoned by the Church of Rome are not Sacraments of the New Testament neither have any Warrant in Gods Word For 1. Penance and Matrimony cannot be Sacraments of the New Testament because they were in being and as necessary both before and under the Law as now they are 2. The use of Matrimony belongs to Heathens as well as Christians 3. The Papists contradict themselves for they accurse those that shall say the Sacraments are not necessary to salvation Concil Trident. Sess 7. Can. 4. and yet debar their Priests from Matrimony which they account one of those Sacraments and so highly extol single life in all as if there were no other way to heaven for any They say the Sacraments confer grace and yet deny Matrimony to their Priests and so deprive them of that grace that Matrimony might confer upon them and so keep them honest CHAP. XXV Of Baptism BAptism is the Sacrament of admission or entrance into the Church Truth wherein by the outward washing or sprinkling of the body with water the inward cleansing of the soul from sin thorough the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ and washing of the Holy Ghost is signed and sealed unto us The Baptism of Infants is in any wise to be retained in the Church as most agreeable with the institution of Christ Adversaries 1. Errours Some explode Baptism quite out of the Church as some Hereticks of old and now adays do 2. Others allow it to folk of riper years but deny it to children as the Pelagians did and Anabaptists do and both upon the same ground some of them say it is an horrible abomination 3. Some esteem of Baptism as a thing indifferent 4. The Papists say it is absolutely necessary to salvation that children dying without it are not saved 5. Lastly the same Papists also abuse and adulterate this holy ordinance adding to the element of water salt spittle oyl c. using tapers exorcisms and other silly ceremonies in number as they reckon 22. and also prophane the same in applying it to things without reason and life as bells banners swords and daggers and that to bloody ends c. Antidote That Baptism was ordained commanded by our blessed Savior is expresly mentioned Mat. 29.19 whereunto is annexed a promise of salvation Mark 16.16 And
is spiritual heavenly and divine The matter of the thing present the Apostle shews plainly 1 Cor. 10.16 But for the manner of presence we have no such evident demonstration To conclude the truth is present with the signs the Holy Spirit with the Sacrament feeding our souls with the truth of Christs body and blood but the invisible working of that Divine Spirit herein is unsearchable the natural man cannot perceive it because it is spiritual Let us firmly beleeve then what we cannot conceive and rest assured in this truth that we receive in the Sacrament the very body and blood of Christ by Faith though we cannot conceive it by sense or reason CHAP. XXVII Of Reformation Truth THere is no particular Church on earth and never was so priviledged but that it may and many have faln into dangerous Errours both of life and doctrine as the examples of all both former and latter times have witnessed so that there is no Church consisting of men that may err but may need Reformation even as a material building doth need often reparation And for as much as many horrible abuses and superstitions were lately brought through the deceitfulness of some into the Church of England to the great dishonor of Almighty God the decay of piety and imminent ruine of the true Protestant Religion therefore this present Reformation was extreamly necessary and is no Innovation but a Restauration only of our Church to its ancient purity of doctrine discipline and divine worship as it was established by the noble Princes K. Edward 6. and Q. Elizabeth of famous memories Although this truth be as clear as the light Errours as shall immediately be made appear and that this present Reformation hath cast out many gross abuses that contrary to the determinations of our Church have been lately put upon us yet there are divers adversaries that either out of malice or ignorance or both do still with all their might oppose it And so I shall reduce them all under three heads The first is of those that do it of pure malice as all lewd and dissolute persons who hate all reformation whatsoever that shal hedg up their extravagant ways and give a check or stop to their loose courses among these we may reckon some Papists and other Sectaries The second is of those that do it of meer ignorance as divers civil Protestants that think no Religion so ancient as that they were bred in and strangely mistaking Church-men for the Church take up most of their religion upon their credit The third sort do it of malice and ignorance both as divers fiery spirits that think there is no way to reform the Church unless they pull it to pieces as if there were no way to cure the head-ache but to knock a mans brains out There be also divers hypocrites that can drive on a reformation for their own ends and advantages and yet are as great enemies to the truth of it as any of the former Antidote I shall endeavor to satisfie the honest Protestant that is engaged against the reformation for want of better information and would soon perhaps imbrace the truth if he were not courted with so many lyes by deceivers that abound in the world The common complaint and cry is for the Religion that was in Queen Elizabeths time again And that we have not now the same Religion The Answer in brief is that we have the same Religion still not a new And that the true Protestant Religion which was then profest is now not altered but settled being restored to its pristine purity and purged from many abuses wherewith it was but lately corrupted As First Many Popish and Arminian tenents were taught and publickly maintained that are contrary to the doctrine of our Church at first established as will appear by comparing them with the 39. Articles and the book of Homilies the nine Articles of Lambeth and other learned writings of our former Bishops Secondly Many Crucifixes Images or Idols were set up in our most eminent Churches and most eminent places of them and that partly by connivence partly by command of men at that time of most eminent place and note whereby Superstition was nourished and Idolatry committed But now these Images are contrary 1. To the Word of God expresly forbidding them 2. To the judgment of the ancient Christians Fathers and Councels with great zeal condemning them And 3. of our own Church of England as in the book of Homilies and 39. Articles may be seen Thirdly The Communion Table was altered both in name and place from a Table to an Altar from the body of the Church to the head or upper end of the Chancel contrary to express order s●t down in the book of Common Prayer before the communion where it is said that the Table shall stand in the body of the Church or in the Chancel and the Priest shall stand at the north side which he cannot do if he stand close up to the wall And if it might be placed according to the discretion of the ordinary yet he must have more discretion then ordinary that will make the end of a table the side as one endeavored to do but that his Geometry failed him Fourthly The Bowing used to the Communion Table was a matter of worse consequence then was commonly imagined It is the attendant on Transubstantiation and Consubstantiation It serves to nourish those Errours still in mens minds ushers in many other Popish superstitions and is the occasion of gross Idolatry Fifthly The rails wainscot and traverse courtains before the Table as if it were the Sanctum sanctorum of the Jews or a Chappel intended for private Mass or as if none were holy enough to approach neer it but the Priest also the Tapers Copes Vestments and many other things lately used though they seemed but small matters to some yet they were not the less dangerous for being little for like little thieves they crept in at our Church windows to open doors to the great ones and if these had continued by this time they would have brought in the whole Mass of Popish Idolatry and those that plead for them are but the devils pimps that seduce the people and under the name of things indifferent would lead them a whoring after Idolls Hereunto we may add that horrible abuse of Excommunication the highest censure of the Church that in the Courts Christian was made a messenger to fetch in fees and men were cast out of the Church for not comming into the Court to say no more Lastly They err as much on the other hand and are to be condemned that scornfully or basely abuse the Church and places set apart for the use of Gods Ordinances which is seldom done but in open or secret contempt of the ordinances themselves Let them among other examples remember that of Julian unckle to the Apostate who in contempt pissed against the Communion Table his bowels rotting out he voyded