Marriages new Moons and Sabbaths and voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels and praying unto them and praying for the dead and if you brought the Christian Faith so called into the rest of the Nations first and the aforesaid Doctrines mentioned and preached them up for Apostolick Institutions then you brought in a Doctrine and a Gospel that is accursed which you have received of your fore-fathers who wondered after the Beast and received his mark and have been drunken with the Whore's Cup to wit the Universe which you lay claim to and none but you called Christians So that it is manifest your Visible Universal Church is the Harlot and hath brought in another Gospel and other Doctrines than the Apostles and so are anathomized for the Apostles preached the Power of God to be the Gospel and you have preached traditions inventions old Wives Fables and outward ceremonies for the Gospel and so have deceived the Nations and now when they begin to dislike your Traffick you are angry but the day hath made manifest that discovers all your deceit And now I have answered the substance of the Book and also the eight Propositions proposed by the Author and thee I am not yet at the wits end as thou saith the Ministers in Germany the Low Countreys have been neither at Wisdoms end but am in it and ready if you will lay down your carnal weapons to begin with thee and to vindicate the Truth as it is in Jesus against the Doctrines of the Church of Rome whensoever I shall hear of thee or any that pertain to your Church make such another bold attempt as to condemn all since the Apostles days for Sectaries Hereticks and Scismaticks who have dissented from you and shal indeavour in the strength of Christ to vindicate and contend though not with Cain's weapons for the Faith and Doctrine which was once delivered to the Saints before the Apostacy and now is manifest again in us and is with us when the Apostacy is coming to an end and the everlasting Gospel is to be preached again to them that dwell on the Earth and to Nations Kindreds Tongues and people that they may come to the true Foundation again and to the Rock of Ages again that they may be established in righteousness for ever the joyful sound whereof is going into the Borders of Babylon which will make the Inhabitants thereof to abhor their City in which they have inhabited and they shall return to Zion with Songs of Deliverance and everlasting joy upon their Heads because the hour of God's judgement is come and coming upon the Harlot and the Year of Redemption is proclaiming to the Captive and the dead shall be raised to life and shall hear the Word of Life and their graves shall be opened and they shall have victory over it and they that hear the voice of the Son of God in themselves shall live and shall deny the voice of many waters and the voice of your Church Mysterie Babylon whose seat hath been upon them And as for Doctor Baily which the Author asserts for his proof and layes down his Reasons wherefore the Church of Rome hath been and is still the true Church by way of demonstration He saith That the Church of Rome was an excellent flourishing Mother-Church this Church could not cease to be such but she must fall either by Apostacy Herefie or Schism Now Apostacy saith he is a renouncing of the Faith of Christ and no man will say that the Church of Rome had ever such a fall 2. He saith Heresie is an adhering to some private and singular Opinion or Error in Faith contrary to the approved Doctrine of the Church Ans. Whatsoever the Author is pleased to boast of the Church of Rome we do not find flourishing for Faith wholsome Doctrine and sound conversation more than other Churches that were planted before her as is evident both by Seripture and the best Ecclesiastical Histories which the Church of Rome her self will allow of and so I can say the Church of Rome hath had a fall and prove it too by Apostacy Heresie and Schism As First she is fallen from her first Love and from the Doctrine of Christ who taught to love Enemies and to do good to them that hate them and to pray for them that persecuted them Now the Church of Rome hath not loved their Enemies neither such as they reckoned as so but have persecuted them to death and to banishment who did not receive their Doctrine And this renouncing of that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints by Christ himself who taught to love Enemies and if they beat them upon the one check turn the other but the Church of Rome is out of this Faith and Doctrine and hath renounced this Faith of Christ and hath denied the power of God and placed it in a Man to wit the Pope that infallibility is in him And this is in the Apostacy 2. If Heresie be an adhering to some private Opinion or Error in Faith then the Church of Rome is in the Heresie for the Faith that was held among the true Churches was that which did overcome the world and give victory over sin and Faith in Christ was that which onely gave an interest into the Kingdom of God but Cardinal Bellarmine a chief Pillar of your Church hath asserted this for the Doctrine of the Church of Rome That a man hath a two fold right to the Kingdom of God first by the merits of Christ Secondly by the merits of man's good works or works of supererogation And this is an adhering to a singular Opinion and is an Error in the Faith that was generally held in the true Churches of Christ as witness He worketh in us to will and to do viz. Christ. So that there is nothing appropriated unto the creature as a creature 3. This is an Error in the Faith of the Church of Rome who teacheth and are taught That there is a place called Purgatory in which men are cleansed from some light faults or venial sins and this is contrary to the faith of the true Christian Churches and is no less than Heresie for the true Church or Churches of Christ taught That the blood of Christ alone cleanseth from all sin and that he is to wit Christ the propitiation for sin and the everlasting Sacrifice and Offering but you have other Offerings as the Sacrifice of the Masse which you call an unbloody Sacrifice which is contrary to the faith of the Christian Church in Christ's and the Apostles days and therefore is Heresie Again praying for the dead and praying to Angels and worshipping of Images is absolute Heresie and contrary to the Faith and Doctrine of the true Church of Christ. 4. And as for Schism the Church of Rome hath separated from many other churches in their practice and also have excommunicated them as Schismaticks and Hereticks witness the Eastern churches the church of Caesaria and
divers others as about your Lent your fasts feasts and invented holy-dayes which the true Church of Christ did not allow of but you have brought those things in as Apostolical and excommunicated all the rest that would not bow unto you As for example about the Feast of Easter the time when it should be celebrated though Victor the Bishop of Rome excommunicated all the Eastern Churches because they did not accord with Rome Euseb Lib. 5. cap. 23. At which Iraeneus Bishop of Lyons in France sharply reproved him ibid. cap. 23 So in many more things which I shall not now stand neither to trouble my self nor the Reader which the church of Rome hath departed in her practice from the primitive Church as you may see farther in a Book entituled The Glory of the true church discovered Published by F. H. And whereas the Author desires to be satisfied by what General Councils she was ever condemned or which of the Fathers wrote against her or 3dly By what Authority she was otherwise approved Ans. Because the Author is so confident in his assertions as though they were unanswerable I return this short answer which if I hear any more from the Author may be amplified For instance In the year 287. there was a Council of Bishops called at Sinvisâ—â— where the Pope was condemned which your Church hath taught could not err for sacrificing to Idols At a Council held at Carthage decreed That Clergy men should not meddle with temporal affairs At a Council held at Valentia in France a Decree was made that Priests should not marry and these were called Christians and some of Rome's Visible Universal Church And this was again reproved and condemned in the first Council held at Tolledo in Spain they decreed that Priests should marry And now Rome look to thy unity Again at a Council held at Caesar Augusta accursed all them that eat not the Sacrament in the Church but the church of Rome hath decreed that it may be kept and ready to carry abroad to sick people and upon other occasions out of the Church At a general Council at Constantinople decreed That Mary shall be called the Mother of God as though God were generated by natural generation which is Blasphemy The Council of Armenium decreed for the Armenians That Christ was not God The Council of Chalcedon which was one of the four Councils that Pope Gregory compared to the four Gospels and that their Decrees were sure and certain as the Scripture yet Pope Leo did not stick to condemn it and all of them as unadvised viz. the whole Council So Councils have erred as is evident and that which some have decreed for Apostolick Doctrine since the Apostles dayes other Councils have condemned as Heresie though called Christians as well as the Church of Rome and yet they have condemned that which some Councils did allow So the Pope hath erred the Councils have erred as is manifest in what I have said that I shall not trouble my Reader in large things which I could and might do upon another occasion if I hear any more from the Church of Rome 2. By what Authority she viz. the church of Rome is reproved In short Leo the fourth Bishop of Rome made void the the acts of Adrian Bishop of Rome Stephanus made void and abrogated the Decrees of Formesus and Sabian Christ's Vicars so called commanded that Pope Gregory another Vicar so called his Writings and Decrees should be burned And all these before-mentioned did say and the Church of Rome holds it as such that they were Peter's Successors So here one Father or Head of the church as they reckon the Bishop of Rome hath confounded another 3. The Nicene council determined That Images were not onely to be placed in the churches but also worshipped and the then Pope said that Images were lay-mens Calenders The Latterane council under Julius did repeal the Decrees of the Pissan council The Bazil council decreed that a council was above the Pope but the Latteran council decreed that the Pope was above the council that he that should think otherwise should be counted a Heretick Yet the Bazil council aforesaid decreed that they that judged that a council was not above the Pope were Hereticks And yet the Church of Rome layes claim to visibility and universality over all the World and yet one as distinct from another as black is to white and is as unsuitable as Snow is in Summer or Rain in Harvest One word more and I have done Boniface the eighth a great Father of the Church of Rome and a Pope That no man in the World can be saved unless he be subject to the Roman Church like this Author And Pope Paschal thus said That no Council could make Laws for the Church of Rome And so much of General Councils and of the confusion of the Church of Rome a few words more of Synods and I have done 1. Bernardus saith the Church of Rome was polluted with many Superstitions that the Bishops were biters of the Sheep rather than true Shepherds Sometimes saith he I have admired that there should be a Traytor among the twelve Disciples but now I much more wonder that among so great a company of Bishops and Prelates one upright Disciple cannot be found Apop Chr. Lib. 13 p. 260. Gregorius Theologus who lived about three hundred years after Christ did determine never to come more at Councils or Synods Because saith he there comes more evil than good out of them for the contention and ambitiousnesse of the Bishops is above measure said he Anno 300. D. Paraeus said Often hath the Truth suffered wrong in Synods because all that were assembled agreed in one error so that Truth came to be passed by with silence Iren. pag. 57. Again Gregorius Nazianzius used to say That he never had seen any good end of any Council or Synod Vide Inst. Clav. 4. Lib. 9. cap. 11. And some Synods have said That remedy was not to be expected from the Clergy who were the cause of the Disease Anno 1616. So the Author saith Whose company did the Church of Rome leave And from whom did she go forth And where was the Church that she did forsake that she should be counted Heretical and Schismatical I say She left the company and society of the Primitive Church in Christ's and the Apostles days and she went forth from the rest of the Churches that were planted as I instanced The Church of Rome in the year 193 did excommunicate all the Eastern Churches And where was the true Church that she did forsake saith the Author Not onely one I say but many to wit The Doctrine that the Apostles had laid down and preach'd at Antioch at Philippi at Corinth at Ephesus and the rest of the Churches of Asia And so the Church of Rome is proved to be an Apostate in the Apostacy in Heresie in Schism so that there is an absolute defection from the Life and Power of God which was manifested in the Apostles dayes and therefore the church of Rome is not the true Church What I have said as to the Doctrines and Grounds which have been laid down by the Author I shall refer it and the answer unto Gods Witnesse in every man's Conscience and if I hear any more of the Author his great Boasts or ambitious challenges which may reach to all that do dissent from the Church of Rome as to be Hereticks I shall engage in the strength of the Lord to vindicate the Truth however opposed and shall further if God permit be ready to give a more large and full answer unto the Doctrines and Practices and Worship of the Church of Rome and prove them to be contrary to the Scriptures and the Apostolick Doctrine and the Faith that was once delivered unto the Saints So in what I have said I hope may convince the Authour of his vain assertions and them that are enclined towards Babylon it may put a stop to that which would too readily close with every thing which goes under the name of ANTIQUITIE But in what I have said upon the whole matter I hope will be sufficient unto all who read with a single Eye without prejudice and unto such I say The Lord give them an Understanding that they may see and discern the way which leadeth to Life and Felicity from that which leadeth to the Chambers of Death and the pathes that take hold on destruction FINIS
was no talk of Visible Heads or much of Universal Bishop for then Rome had no more priority then the rest for the Churches at Constantinople at Jerusalem at Caesaria at Cyprus and Alexandria for the first three hundred years they had as much power in their several Churches as Rome had and often the Elders or Bishops of the aforesaid Churches did reprove sharply the Bishop of Rome But at last about five hundred years or upward Phocas to aspire to the Empire of Rome he murthered his own Master Mauritius and his Children to attain unto the Empire So at that time Boniface the third was Bishop of Rome and Phocas somewhat fearing and willing to have Boniface his favour condescendeth to all his Petitions and grants him to be Universal Head-Bishop over all Christian Churches and there was the first rise of Rome's visible Head for this frivolous reason of being Peter's Successor could never have raised him to that height but then the Emperors Power and Authority became to be the more forcible plea for before that time the Bishops of Rome were chosen by the Emperors consent but after he had got power Emperors could not be chosen but by the Popes consent and then came the Bishop of Rome to be a visible Head and be called Universal Bishop Christ's Vicar a Lord Spiritual over all the Churches and in process of time Lord temporal over all the Empire And thus your Church of Rome became magnificent and great and to sit as a Queen upon the Waters Nations Kindreds and Tongues as you acknowledge your Church of Rome hath spread over and here is a Héad and a Body which are joyn'd together in union Christ is the Head of the true Body which is his Church and his Wife and Antichrist he is the visible Head of his visible Church and Wife Mysterie Babylon The next piece of Merchandize which the Author brings forth to view is Purgatory and prayer to be made for the dead and also prayer unto the Saints and the Authors proof is 1 Cor. 3. 15. where the Apostle speaks Every mans work shall be tryed and that work which will not abide the fire must be burnt and this the Author calls the fire of another World and prayers for the dead he proves out of the 12. of Maccabees and prayer to the Saints He sayes it 's lawful to pray in this world unto good people and Paul while he lived did pray for others and also did beg their prayers And the Angel in the first of Zachary prayed for Israel and there can be no harm in praying to them that can pray for us Ans. Them that dwell in the shadow of death are like to speak out of thick darkness and they that have made a Covenant with death are loath to have it broken and they that have a mind to continue in sin while they live have a mind to put the evil day afar off and Judgement afar off and evil-doers will never have it time to give account for their evil deeds and so puts it off till they are dead and to another world and let the Devil have preheminence in their hearts while they live and reckon their sins venial and light faults this is contrary to the Doctrine of the true Church of Christ and contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who said The wages of sin is death and there is no sinne goes unpunished nor unjudged and Sion is redeemed through judgement and by the Spirit of burning and Purgatory is a fiction a falshood and a lye there is no cleansing from sin in another World Solomon saith As the Tree falleth whether to the North or to the South so shall the tree lye and the Word of God who hath received it in their hearts which is as a fire that purifies and the Blood of Christ is that which cleanseth from all sin there 's not any cleansing from any sin but by it there is no cleansing in another world but Purgatory hath been invented and prayer for the dead that thereby the Pope might be enriched and sell the invented Prayers and Ave Maries and so cheat people of their money and there 's no sacrifice to be offer'd for the dead who dye in their sins nor no remission after this life And as sor praying to the Saints the Scripture makes no mention of though Paul did pray for others and beg the prayers of others yet he prayed not for them when they were dead neither did beg the prayer of the dead but prayed for them who were believers in the true Church and desired the prayers of them that were living Members and were alive and lived in the world and were redeemed out of it and the Angel prayed not for the people of Israel when they were dead and that which thou calls Jeremy's prayer in the Maccabees was never spoken by the Spirit of the Lord nor the offering was not made in the will of God and the Prophet saith Though Abraham know us not and Israel be ignorant of us yet thou O Lord art our Father And the Lord said unto David Seek my face and call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear and answer Not upon Mary Peter and Paul Dominick and Anthony Again it 's contrary to the practice of the Saints in the primitive times and contrary to the Doctrine of Christ who said unto his Disciples Whatsoever you ask in my Name the Father shall give it you He doth not speak of any other Name neither is any Prayer or Supplication accepted of the Father but in the Name of Christ alone So these Doctrines are false and Doctrines of Devils never commanded nor practised by any of the Saints in the primitive times but onely have been invented and practised by the Apostates who have erred from the faith and Practice which was once deliver'd unto the Saints which the Church of Rome hath made shipwrack of in many things which I have made appear and I shall proceed to more particulars to manifest it lest any should be beguiled with such deceitful Babylonish Merchandize which the Nations are too much corrupted with already The next false Doctrine which the Author lays down is That Christ is really and personally in the Mass and in the Eucharist And his proof is Luke 22. 19. 1 Cor. 11. 25 26. For saith he God who is Almighty is able to change Bread into his Body and Wine into his blood in the Mass as he did change the Water into Wine and make the World of nothing Hence also by the way you may learn that we are no Idolaters adoring the Eucharist because it 's no more Bread but whole Christ our God and Redeemer who placeth himself there by Miracle after the Priest hath uttered the sacred words of Consecration yet the external accident of Bread and Wine remain as our eyes represent to us but faith tells us the true Body of Christ is hidden under it and the substance and
you more than the Nations beside And so your Church hath neither this Mark nor Sign of Holinesse Fourthly As for your Church being Catholick and Universal you want this sign also If it be One Universal comprehends all Nations like as all the World in comparison were your Church What is Germany France England Scotland and Ireland nothing What is all the Turks Dominions of your Faith And thou saist In Asia Affrica and America all is coming to an end There is that risen and arising in America which must spread over the Nations the breath of the Lord bloweth which will daily dry up the Waters which is the Seat of your Church which you so much boast of And what have you converted all the Indians nay have you not hardened their hearts against the Name of Christ because of your cruelty and unholy conversation among them So that the Name of Christ and Christian is become as odious unto them as Mahomet is unto you And so you are without this Sign as that you are the true Church Lastly That your Church is Apostolick if this be the Mark of the true Church then you are without this also for you neither Apostolick in Doctrine nor Practice your weapons are carnal theirs spiritual their Head was Christ the Light of the World your Head is visible and carnal which darkens the World they turned people from darkness to light and to the Word of Faith in their hearts and to know Christ in them to justifie them But one of your Rabbies told us lately you had no such Doctrine in the Church of Rome as Christ in you The Apostles turn'd them to the Annointing and to the Spirit to be taught by it and to be led by it into all truth and to worship in it and you turn them to Images Pictures Crucifixes Beads and Altars and so keep people in outward things which feed the sensual and corrupt part Lastly they said bodily exercise profiteth little and most of your Worship stands in observing of days meats drinks washings sprinklings Altars Tapers lighting and bearing Candles bowing creeping to the Cross turning wheeling this way and that way in all time and parts of your Worship so that there is no time left for the heart to be exercised towards God And so you are not Apostolical and so are without this true sign of being the true Church of God But I shall descend to particular things which is asserted and seems to be proved but very weakly But we can expect no Wine but such as is in the Bottle It is asserted by this Author That the Pope is the Head of the true Church in which salvation is onely to be expected And his proof he brings is this Christ hath so ordained it in saying to Peter Matth. 16. 18 19. Upon this Rock will I build my Church and Christ hath given power to him and his Successors to be a Head to rule and govern the Church and as there is an Emperor to be Head of the Empire and a King of the Kingdom so Peter and his Successors are the Head of the Church and have the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven to bind and to loose and to remit and retain sinnes The Apostolick Church hath this Doctrine That Christ was given to be the Head of the Body which is the Church which is spiritual though in the World yet not of the World and the Father hath committed all power in Heaven and Earth to the Son and hath ordained him to be a Leader a Teacher and a feeder of his Flock and to be his salvation to the ends of the Earth and his glory he will not give to another But it seems the Church of Rome hath soared so high in their conceits and imaginations that they judge all this Power to be given unto the Pope Peter's Successor as they say Now we do not read of Two Heads to the One Body which is the true Church Eph. 4. 4. 15. And so this is a contrary Doctrine then that of the primitive Church and Christ who is the Head of the Body he said Lo I am with you to the end of the world And so it is the meer arrogancy and pride of the Pope to be called the Head of the Church and an intrenching Christ's Power and Prerogative and that ever Peter was called the Head of the Church we do not read and that of the 16. of Matthew is but a poor proof to prove Peter to be the Head of the Church for Christ spoke unto his Disciples ver 15. and asked them Whom say ye that I am Peter as one amongst the rest said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God and Christ said Upon this Rock will I build my Church viz. Upon him which was revealed unto Peter by the Father the Son of God which was the Rock which the Fathers eat of and drank of Christ the Rock of ages and another Foundation can none lay said the Apostle then that which is laid already Christ the Rock and Corner-stone and not Peter for Christ is unchangeable and abideth for ever and so was not Peter though Peter and the rest of the Apostles received power from Christ yet in the 22. and 23. verses of the same Chapter he was gone out of the savour and discerning and Christ said unto him Get thee behind me Satan for thou savourest not the things of God and what though it could be proved that Peter was at Rome a Pastor an Elder or a Biship who fed the Flock and did feed the Flock and so might be reckon'd as an Elder and worthy of Honor in respect of his labour and diligence in the work of Christ is the Promise so entailed to Rome or to any place that the next that succeeds in that place must needs receive the same honor when he doth not the same work which is worthy of honor neither is in the same power but this I am sure of though the Church of Rome lay claim unto Peters Bishoprick as they say yet they have not done his work And secondly If Peter was at Rome and a Pastor yet he was not a Lord for Christ reproved that when they strove which should be the greatest and said unto them The Gentiles exercise Lordship one over another but it shall not be so among you and though Peter and the rest of the Apostles who were in the power of God had that which did open into the Kingdom of God and shut out that which did defile yet this we are sure of he sold no Pardons nor Indulgences for gain and filthy lucre as many have done whom you call Peter's Successors and Christ's Vicar and Universal Bishop and visible Head but it 's manifest how the Pope became visible Head and Universal Bishop not because of any work or labour in the Doctrine of Christ or the Work of the Gospel but by means of the Roman Emperor for while the Christians were under persecution and suffering there
in the matter of the real presence after Consecration What Luther and Calvin have said unto you as about your Worship Doctrine and Practice hath been made good by themselves while they were living and in the body and what they said did not onely inform the minds of many of the Roman Catholicks but reform'd them too which were not of the silliest amongst you not onely one but thousands did see your error and deceit though they in some particulars did but differ from you But now that is manifest which denieth your Foundation in the very ground And what I have said as about the real presence of Christ's Body being in the Bread and Wine after consecration if thou dare put it and endeavour the trial thereof according as I have in reasonableness propounded unto thee it wil convince many of the Roman Catholicks of their error or else many of the Protestants of their error and so if thou dar'st adventure it make no more boasts but let it come to trial as before is propounded unto the Church of Rome if she or any of her Agents dare admit of it 3. The third Argument which he promiseth If it can be proved from the Scripture which he calls God's written Word that the Sabbath-day is commanded by God to be kept on Sunday and that little Children are to be baptized What others have said as to these two partibulars who were but departed a little way from you in diverse things as to their judgments I shal not stand to vindicate because the Church was rather but a coming out of the Wilderness rather then come already into her first purity but I am one of those amongst many thousands in Europe who denyes the Church of Rome as to be the Bride the Lamb's wife and yet I shall not vindicate either the one nor the other but deny both as amongst Christians viz. 〈◊〉 to keep the Jewish Sabbath upon Sunday as the Author calls it and Sprinkling of little Children is like the other an invention in the Apostacy never that we read of commanded commended or practised in the Apostles dayes as such The first day of the week the Apostles met together and worshipped God not by virtue of the Jewes commandment but in the power of God and you onely have them both and keep them both by Tradition and Custom without Commandment and so are out of the power of God and out of the Saints life 4thly The Fourth Argument Can the Sectaries with reason and ground sufficient condemn all Catholicks that were so many Ages before Luther and Calvin for being no better then Heathens and convince me that adhering to you I shall be more secure in my salvation then in joining to them that have time out of mind been of the onely saving Religion Ans. The Sectaries have not gone about to condemn every individual man before Luther and Calvin for no better than Heathens we believe some were and we believe many were as bad if not worse they that walk in the practice of the Heathen and bring forth fruit but not unto God are in the Heathens Nature but the generallity of the Church of Rome have for these many hundred years brought forth no better fruit than the Heathen and therefore are in the nature of the Heathen for like as the Heathen persecuted the Christians in former dayes even so hath the Church of Rome persecuted the true Christians in their day and in this are no better than Heathens instance the bloodshed murther cruel deaths you have put many unto since you have had the Name of a Church and therefore are no better than Heathens in nature And for Antiquity it proveth nothing without Verity and there can be no assurance in your Church seeing that it stands upon tradition and hear-say and outward performances and bodily exercises that profiteth little but some whom you call Sectaries have more assurance for it is the Spirit of God that gives it and as there is obedience yeilded unto the Lord that Spirit he giveth them assurance and them that are born of it do overcome the world and his Spirit beareth witnesse to their spirits that they have overcome by which they cry Abba Father And this Spirit of truth that leadeth into all truth bringeth more assurance unto them that are led by it and worship it in than can be had in all your outward Formalities Ceremonies and Traditions 5. Argu. Can you make evident at least that in your Flock and Luther and Calvin their Guides there is more holiness and virtue than can be found among the Catholicks and that you go the narrow way that leads to life I answer Yes I am one among many thousands who are not of the Church of Rome yet am of Christ's Flock which he hath cleansed by his blood and revealed his virtue in and his holy life and it 's made manifest that they are in the narrow way more than the Church of Rome they are in the way that leads to life and abide in Christ's Doctrine We love them that hate us we bless them that curse us we pray for them that persecute us but so doth not the Church of Rome but kill them and persecute them that oppose her We say Without righteousness and holiness be revealed and wrought in our hearts we can bring forth no fruit unto God neither can be members of the true Church but if any conform unto the practice of your Church in outward things he is counted a good Member of your Church though righteousnesse and holiness self-denial humility and love be wanting Therefore we are the Church in which there is more holiness virtue and life enjoyed than in the Roman Church 6. Can you shew us any miracles that ever were wrought in testimony of your Religion or that the Catholicks Miracles are wrought by Belzebub And now thou hast askt us a resolution of the doubts and let all that are illuminated judge how we are deluded It 's an adulterous generation that seeks a sign and what Christ wrought was reckoned as no miracles by them that are in the unbelief yet these signs have accompanied the Gospel which is the power of God the blind have been restored to sight and the dead have been raised and the deaf have heard and the lame have been made whole and this hath been witnessed by many and we have a cloud of witnesses which your Church know not of and by the effectual working of God's power these things have been done which doth give testimony and confirm our Religion And for your Miracles the most that ever I heard of hath been done by Pictures and Images as you have testified which are but fabulous stories And now let them who are lightned with the true Light of Christ judge who are in the delusion and now let all judge whether these be not satisfactory Resolutions unto the aforesaid Doubts or Questions which may convince them that have erred from Christ the power of God